Winter continues...

Fun day ice skating at the Seaport Rink with Chelsea and Clint

We ran into our friend Daphne and her family while we were there

Indoor playground trial (they're really pricey so we generally try to go during trial days/weeks or get deals....)

Hot chocolate at City Bakery - yum!

Fun sculptures by the Flat Iron Bldg

Snow globes at Madison Sq Park

The Lego Store!

June is in love with Legos, and I think they're a great toy for kids. Great combo. She can build things if I sit with her and point to the photos in order. She also likes to do her own imaginative building - this is why I love Legos. There are many ways to play - one involves following detailed instructions with an end goal to reach and the other gets creative juices flowing. Doesn't hurt Legos are fun for adults too...

Tough to see, but there were ice floats on the Hudson for many days. From our window we could see them accumulate in the North Cove Marina.

Fun birthday party for our friend. Anson and June (and every other kid for that matter) love bday parties.

Walking to church from the bus

Stopping (late) one night after dropping off some books/movies at the library that were due. We just had to build a snowman (note she's already in her PJs)

February

While watching the Superbowl with 2 good friends, we all had frosty mugs of root beer. I guess Anson felt left out because he walked over to an empty mug, dropped his bottle inside and continued to chug like it was nobody's business.

Visiting the 9-11 museum on free Tuesday. We tried to make it easy/fun for the kids and turned on a movie with headphones. Anson is not old enough for this distraction technique.

This kid can't put coats and shoes on enough

Fun with Daphne and Cici

Storytime at the library

A photo I found on my phone taken by June

Indoor playground with some friends

Preschool

Fun Frozen bday party for some friends

Family bday party for Chelsea and me (Feb 2 and 4) and their new puppy Polo

Making smoothies

Fun Valentine's Day party with some friends

Anson's joy at the church building at an activity

Best Grandma time

Reading (singing) stories to Anson while Mommy and Daddy get ready for church (hat made by my Grandpa Durfee :) )

Anson is in a biting stage. Oh that it will end SOON!!!

Doing laundry

Our friend Anna took June to the movie Paddington. It was a fun "date" for June. She really wanted to take her purse and wear her raccoon mask. In hindsight, the mask was a genius idea because it was frigid outside and it kept her really warm. I've decided that sometimes adults are lame and we should let kids do what they want if there are no negative/dangerous consequences; therefore, feel joy when you see June in interesting outfits and awesome accessories.

Home Depot trip!

Fun brunch with girlfriends

Stake Chinese New Year celebration (how fun to have family in our Stake!)

Chelsea helped June make a great lantern

Home Improvement

It's been a little dangerous with Curt on leave. He has a little extra time and his mind has come up with many great home improvement ideas. I say dangerous in a funny voice - only because it is funny how many projects he comes up with. I have to say that I have LOVED every single one of his little make-the-home-better-and-more-effiicient projects. Here's how to build things in a 700sqft Manhattan apartment. 1. Get a zipcar 2. Go to Home Depot and hope everything fits 3. Move the kitchen table 4. Go to work:

 Saw. Vacuum. Saw. Maybe have someone hold the vacuum while you saw so there's not so much sawdust, repeat. Eventually dust the rest of the apt.

Anson loves to help in EVERY way> You can see the beginnings of the standing workstation Curt built to custom-fit our industrial sewing matching (as much as we miss that eye-sore). 

Shelves in our walk-in-closet (all of our closets are "hanging" closets which are a terrible use of space when you have no space)

I got to sand and paint everything. We got low-fume paint and painted when the kids were in bed and opened windows. Worked well enough!

Anson helping make the folding kids table that's mounted to the wall - probably my initial favorite of Curt's projects...but writing this I have an internal debate between all of them. Here's the short list: shelves in walk in closet and 2 hall closets, folding kids table, sewing-machine-cover/standing workstation, standing workstation with murphy bed for June, entertainment 'center' shelves, storage shelves in kids' room - think I got most of it.