so, february is about over and i haven't said much all month... tbh, there hasn't been a whole lot to talk about. brandi did take up crocheting recently and she nicely decided that she would like me to do that with her, so i have made a few hats and a couple of scarves... here's a pic of M in the set i made for her.

we all (well me and the kids because the hubby was supposed to stay off his foot that day) went on a hike with the cub scouts earlier this month and i found out that CJ will not walk on a trail. of course i forgot the stroller so i ended up carrying an extra 30 pounds for the whole walk and i think at one point my arm actually fell asleep... I put him up on my shoulders (this is not a good long term option because it tends to make you strain your neck a bit) and he fell asleep up there so i had to carry him on my hip again so he didn't fall over up there. M was tired of walking almost immediately and i couldn't do anything for her as i was already carrying her brother. to make a long story short - it was a miserable hour!

so, i decided to start taking them out some more. they all have little backpacks so i got a book of trails that are good to take children on and we went this weekend. this time i remembered the stroller. we started off with CJ in the stroller and i think he was in it for about 1/2 the hike but he did walk all on his own for the rest of it. and M didn't complain at all for the entire time (until the end when i mistakenly asked how it was and she said it was the hardest hike ever!). so, forget the stroller - hear nothing but complaining... remember the stroller and push it around empty... ahhhhh kids!!!! i am thinking about taking them to the sand dunes this summer... who knows. i will definitely have to get over my dirt phobia if i decide to do that. LOL! it seems that once you become a parent you spend so much time cleaning up messes that you look for any way to avoid them. dirt has become something i avoid regularly.