this weekend, we...

...were spoiled with a date night, just the two of us.  Dinner and drinks at Sakura and Silver Lining's Playbook.  Go see this movie.  It's wonderful.  And I'm pretty sure I have a girl crush on Jennifer Lawrence.  And there's Bradley Cooper...

...spent an hour in the tub.  Shaving cream bath paint led to far-reaching masterpieces on the wall.  The best kind of baths lead to wrinkly fingers and toes.

...went to Barnes and Noble.  Went to Sam's.  Went to a graduation party and hugged my former students.  Oh, do I miss them.

...shared a casual dinner in with some great new friends.  Red wine and beef stew, cupcakes, and UNO MOO until the kids started melting much past bedtime.  Cruz made out with a bus that wasn't his and fell asleep minutes after driving away.  

...drove slid to church in an ice storm.  It took us ten minutes to go five blocks.  Pulled up to the empty lot, looked at each other, and then checked the weather cancellations.  Turned around and consoled a disappointed Cruz (the kid loves church), and slid back home.  Ready for the day and nowhere to go.

...got creative with our ice day at home.  Played race cars and pirates, Dr. Cruz, and Whack-a-Mole.  Read books, popped popcorn, and snuggled, a lot.

...moved the teepee to our living room.  Never mind that it takes up half the room --- it's festive, it's cozy, and the perfect setting for a growing imagination. 

...made 'Ot-corn' Yes!!!

...did some crafting.  Cruz drew 'race cars', Dad sketched Rosita from Sesame Street, and Mom made some Valentine cards.

...discovered that although Cruz truly loves to play with us, he also likes his alone time, too.  More than once, Beau and I would get caught up in play, only to discover that Cruz had left the building.  We'd find him in his room by himself reading books, or in his toy room, perfectly content driving race cars by himself.  We laughed and decided this is how we will likely feel in sixteen years.

...watched We Bought a Zoo, again.  I'm making up for the year that I apparently missed the memo that this movie is wonderful.   

...Made tacos.  Finally talked Cruz into trying some taco meat, only after Lightning McQueen tried some, too.  Turns out, Cruz likes taco meat.  If only the child would learn that we are in fact not feeding him poison.

...had a dance party with Elmo.  He might not know all his colors yet, but the kid sure can dance.  

...finished my book.  Brainstormed new books to read.  The world awaits when you finish a book, and I'm looking for new suggestions for my next adventure.

I like to think this weekend was our final hurrah of winter.  Sure, we're still in January (aka, the longest month of the century), but I have a feeling we're nearing the end of these winter weekends at home.  It seems we've had a lot of them lately.  And although I could start to feel the cabin fever set in about five o'clock last night, I kept reminding myself that this season is temporary.  Soon, the sun will be shining, the pool will be open, and it won't seem right to bundle up inside, eat popcorn in our teepee, and stay in our sweats until we put new sweats on before bed.  Life moves fast and nothing gold can stay, and I'm doing my best to not wish it away...

I'm just glad the teepee can go outside.

Happy week to all of you!  Last week of January and record highs on the forecast here for tomorrow.  Green grass, spring breeze, pretty tulips...can you see it?