Warming up

Our winter temps continue to warm up, cool down, snow, warm back up, ice over, dump snow, melt snow, ice over, and start all over again. It's a big tease to the Spring which is hopefully on its way. Though I have no doubt snow will continue to cover our landscape for at least another 6-8 weeks or more. However, the boys finally have been able to get into our back yard for bits of time. The deck is clear of snow, for now, and the sandbox is back in business. Even with hats, mittens and coats to keep everyone warm.

Last week I mixed washable paint with water and put it in spray bottles. Jackson proceeded to paint the snow gorgeous shades of purple, pink, blue and red. It was really quite fun and creative on my part, if I do say so myself. He thought it was most fun to paint my statue of Saint Francis red. Don't worry, its washable paint. Saint Frank, as we call him, was known to be a patient saint, after all.

That gorgeous half-smile that I've known since birth. It is his "I'm truly happy and content" kind of smile. I love it to pieces (even though I know this picture is slightly blurry - I'm still trying to figure out aperture and shutter speed on my fancy-pants camera).

Jackson's level of concentration is to be admired. And I adore his hands.

Painting Saint Frank

"Well, I want to play, too!"

His eyes, my gawwwwd, his eyes!

I always imagined I would have brown eyed children. I assumed brown was the dominant gene and something of me would come through my children. I think Shawn and I were both shocked Jackson's eyes remained so blue, and still do to this day. They are gorgeous eyes that he gets from his Grandpa (Shawn's Dad). I love that he inherited something so unique from him. And truly, people comment on their beauty often. But then along came Holden and I admit, I was thrilled when his eyes turned into this deep brown. They are so wide and so beautiful. They are truly "Broome-girl" eyes straight from my kin. It would be a stiff competition to choose who has the prettier eyes. Straight up tie in my book. And yes boys, you can have "pretty" eyes. I'm your mama and I say so.