The Theme for February: NEW!

This month seems to be the month for new things in our house.

We started the month by getting a NEW (to us) van. Matt won an eight passenger Toyota Sienna on eBay. He and Micah flew down to Florida to pick it up on Friday, February 1, during a really bad snowstorm. On the way back, they stayed with my Uncle Skip and Aunt Bonnie and their family in Georgia. Spending time with my cousins, some of whom are only a little older than him, was his favorite part of the trip. On the way back, they also visited a cave at Raccoon Mountain in Chattanooga, TN. That was the second favorite activity of the trip for my son who wants to be a geologist/paleontologist/creation scientist when he grows up. The flight down was "ok." Matt and Micah arrived home on Sunday, February 3 in time for us to spend some time watching the SuperBowl with friends. OK-- so I didn't watch the game, but we did spend time with friends.

While Matt and Micah were gone, Garrett finally got a much-needed NEW haircut. If you mention it to him, he will say, "I look like Micah." That is because a LOT of people mentioned that to him at church the Sunday after he got it cut-- and it really DOES make him look more like Micah.

As of February 13, we also have a NEWLY-turned eight year old. Micah is growing up SO fast! Here he is in front of his "hot-fudge upside down" cake from his birthday party the weekend before. Not the prettiest birthday cake ever, but it sure was yummy!



We also got a NEW loft-bed in February. My parents graciously replaced a bed that had been built by my grandfather which was in their house at the time of their fire. The new bed is a custom-designed bed that they purchased at the Oak Warehouse, where they purchased much of the furniture in their new house. The kids were very excited when it arrived on Friday, February 15. Garrett is still talking about "his men" or "the bed men" who brought the bed and put it together. Just yesterday he said to me, "Mommy, you and I should have ridden in the truck with my men back to Michigan." We were worried about his reaction, because he was adamant before the bed came that he wanted to continue to sleep in his "car bed" which my Dad had made for my cousin Klynt almost 30 years ago. He has now declared his bed (the one beneath the loft) a car bed because it has wheels on it. Thankfully, he likes the new bed.

Garrett checking out the new bed:


Micah and Garrett checking out the new bed:


Karissa, Micah and Garrett checking out the new bed (Do you see a theme here?):


Rachel likes the new bed too! Don't worry, we are going to make sure that this doesn't become a habit or it could ruin the drawers. However, the drawers slide out so nicely and Rachel finds them very intriguing and she just looks so cute sitting in there! So, Matt couldn't resist taking a picture before he pulled her out.


The pictures aren't the greatest, but there are shelves behind the drawers on the left. Under the shelves behind the ladder, there are two big drawers that face the wall. It's working out well. Thanks Grandpa and Grandma Bradley!