someone please pinch me

I know I've been MIA.

February was nuts.

My goal was to have my studio *perfect* by Feb. 28th. I gave myself a month (my lease began Feb. 1.) I'm getting there. It isn't perfect yet. I'm waiting on some canvases for the walls, and for a work table to be finished, and for some finishing touches. But overall, I am in love. I love how I walk in and it is mine, and how I can smile at all of the cute faces all over the walls. I can't help but think that it was less than 2 years ago I was quitting my job, slightly panicky that I would fail miserably and I'd have to give up my Target habit. And then somehow here I am, with my cute new studio, with my cute sign on the door. It is mine, and I love it.

The boys are wild as always. Gray, that sweet shy boy at school, is obsessed with the word "butthole" at home. Nice, huh? He has used it in every context one could imagine. When I told him to please stop INCESSANTLY saying it as we drove home from school, he switched from "butthole, butthole, butthole!!!" to "private area, private area, private area!!!!" How can you not find the humor in that. :-)

Everett has reached The Thomas Stage. It must be genetic... every one of them has gone through it, which is great for us considering we have thousands of dollars worth of trains and track. Gray is already plotting out which trains the Easter Bunny will be bringing him. When we can't afford to send them to college, I will remind them that we spent all of our savings on Percy, James, Henry, and Diesel #10.

I've been miserably slack at taking pictures of the kids lately. These of Everett were taken last week. I could never move from NC and give up those occasional 70+ degree days that keep me going through winter.