Friday Favorites

This week has been a full one! My two oldest guys are nearly done with midterm week at high school, and my third son just got his introduction into the world of midterms as an eighth grader in preparation for next year. He also got his freshman course selection packet this week, and I'm feeling...old. Wasn't it just yesterday that I was cutting their sandwiches in neat little squares and reading them Clifford stories before naptime? Good thing I get to do it all over again! ha ha

#bonusbaby

So what ARE my Friday Favorites this week?

ONE
Sleeeeeeeppp!!!!!!!

This charming little fella has been sleeping through the night {mostly} ALL WEEK LONG!!! Can I get an Amen? AMENNNN! I know it might not last, but it has certainly been a favorite highlight of this week.

He naps on our bed but has been sleeping at night in his crib, in a nook in our room. But that's about to change, and I'm happy about it, but I'm...not, too.

He adores his lovey, and it was instrumental in getting him to stop screaming The Second we put him down in his crib. Maybe I should write a separate post on some of the simple
(gentle) things I did to help him learn to sleep better. (?)
Every night when I'm rocking and nursing him, he's either waving that thing around like a flag, or running his fingers and palm up and down over the soft cloth, or wrapping it around his chubby little hand and rubbing it over his eye and cheek, back and forth, up and down. Sometimes he even sighs when he touches it, and I can feel his whole body relax into mine. I know this isn't going to last forever, and I don't want to forget any of these special details.

 TWO
Snowy Mornings

While I am done D.O.N.E with harsh winters, there really is nothing that rivals the morning sun after a storm.

 And snowy branches, they are absolutely my favorite. #winterwonderland

THREE

Fresh Flowers
Every year on New Year's Eve (or around there), I buy myself some pretty, inexpensive houseplants. I really need that boost during these cold winter days. You can't look at these blooms and not smile!

Plus, I put up some simple things for Valentine's Day, and I realized that I hadn't done that for the past two years or so. I missed it! I love making our home a little more festive and fun. I'll share more pictures in a separate post next week...

FOUR
Impromptu Visits
Twice in the past five years we have taken steps to relocate to other parts of the country. My husband works for Raytheon (he is a rocket scientist, for real! ha ha) and he interviewed in McKinney, Texas and was offered the job, but in the end, we simply could not move away from family. We got that adventure itch a couple years later, and this time interviewed in the Triangle Park area in North Carolina, but we still could not go through with it.
And then we found out about our little Levi, and I wouldn't trade watching him with our parents and other family for anything in the world!
After the oldest boys graduate, we are outta here...and I'll just make my parents come with us. :)

A little irony here in that this was a fun, impromptu pancake breakfast because of a snow delay that morning.
Lots of times, my Dad, Grampy, will pop in just to say hi, and sit and chat with me over a cup of coffee. I really love that.

FIVE
This
Can't stop, won't stop.
This may be the third (?) time I've posted a sink bath picture in the past week, and I still can't get enough. I'm obsessed. :)

This is a big day for our country. I'm praying that we can all move forward with hope, integrity, and good will. We don't have to agree with one another in order to be kind and respectful.

Hope you have a great weekend ahead!

Linking up with Erika, Narci  & Andrea
  Oh Hey Friday
High Five for Friday
Click on the links to read more and to join in the fun! :)