The last two weekends I was "away". One weekend down in CT visiting my cousins and celebrating my birthday along with dad and Nick who came down too. Nick sweetly came for just the day since he had a conference on Sunday he was part of. He almost didn't make it since after a super delicious dinner of salmon, salad and quinoa stuffed squash followed by cake (red devil made au natural which translates to no food dye - beet juice was used instead - and yes it was delicious!) and presents (actually I think we opened presents in the afternoon over tea after a few rounds of Rummy 500) we quickly cautiously drove to the train station in a snow storm that had been developing all afternoon. I just remember fluctuating from 'we're totally going to make it' to 'I hope the train is running late'. In the end we totally made it and the train was late. And the ride back was super easy. What a difference a plowed highway can make. We did see a few minor casualties of vehicles that were off the road. But nothing major thankfully. I've definitely lost track of how many snow storms there have been. There have been so many. It's been a cold winter but a beautiful one too.
The other weekend found me hanging with Cece, Cam and Maggie, while Aaron was away. I got to try out the new Murphy bed Aaron built. And had fun Sunday morning pretending I was still asleep when Cam came in to see if I was awake yet and scaring him. He's at that age where he loves that kind of thing. And soon Maggie was up and joining us. We had a fun weekend of playing during the day and in the evening Cece and I had adult time to catch up and play Rummy 500 (see a pattern - I love my card games!).
It's been just long enough from my last visit before the holidays that I was startled to see how the kids had kept growing - not just physically but more in their personalities and mannerisms. In the photo I was trying to capture Maggie when we were at breakfast and she was discussing something very earnestly and with hand gestures. 
Cameron and I went off to the Ecotarium Sunday afternoon while Maggie and Cece went to a birthday party. He's gotten to the age where he enjoys a good story. As some of you know, I'm known for my storytelling with kids. It's not very eloquent, clever, or innovative and yet kids love it. On the way there I missed a turn because I was so caught up in the story. And on the way back every time I finished a story of "little monster" (the stuffed animal he had with him) I heard "one more please" as I worked in a cast of characters from the Reptiles and Amphibians event we had just seen at the museum. 
I think I've said it before but will say it again - I have it good. I have all the benefits of a single independent lifestyle but get to enjoy the joys of children. I get to pop in and hang out/borrow my god kids that their parents so generously share. I was noticing at the last visit how I was able to reap all the benefits of good mannered, well behaved children without having to put in any of the hard work instilling that behavior into them. Ain't life grand?!
All in all a great month and I couldn't help notice two patterns in my birthday gifts - kitchen themed (a bunch of the items from mom, any guess on the yellow gift, that I had out on display the week leading up to my birthday - and I succumbed to opening a gift a day prior to my big day) and toys. I got some iPad speakers from mom, Tesla matchbox car from dad and Lego (architectural series - Big Ben) from Nick. Still a kid!
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