TGIF (and S and S)

Another weekend has come and gone in the Williams household. I love the weekends. For a long time, my weekends did not feel much different than my weeks. Before the kids were in school there was very little to differentiate Saturday from any other day. Our schedules were wildly open every day, and although Mark was home more on the weekends, it wasn't enough to make them feel any different. Well, that has all changed. Now that Taylor is in kindergarten, and I am working a bit more throughout the week, Friday afternoons are greeted with much joy. And don't get me started on Saturday mornings! For one thing, I don't have to rise before the sun in order to feed, clothe and transport a little one to the bus stop. No, instead, I linger in bed while the kids watch a cartoon and stroll to the kitchen with chocolate chip waffles and smoothies on my mind.

This weekend did bring snow.

I have honestly been waiting for it, ready for it, determined to make some winter memories outdoors with the kids. But the thermometer did not want to rise above 19 degrees, and I just couldn't do it. Thankfully, no one asked me to. Next time, we'll do it. But for this weekend, we were content inside our cozy home, sheltered from the elements.

Another joy I've been relishing during the weekends is not just the increased family time but the enhancement of the quality of our time together. Mark and I cut the cord, so to speak, with our cable company last May, and it's been the best thing that we've done for this family. That, coupled with the children's emerging maturity, has opened up so many more activities to fill a weekend.

Like family games where nobody cries,

The introduction of new skills met with enthusiasm,

Evenings reading with Grandpa.

And even a game of catch thrown in there. (Pun intended.)

Of course, not all our children are old enough for these diversions, but lucky for us, Morgan is our most even-tempered child yet. Give her a pencil and some paper and she's one happy toddler. In fact, give her anything to carry, hold, hide, or explore and she's content.

I'm told such is often the case with the third child. With so much activity happening around them, they are never bored. And yet, they must also learn to be patient and self-soothe because after all, mommy's only got two hands. Lucky for her, Daddy's also got two hands.

And so does "Uncle Scott".

We finished our weekend with a visit from some good friends. It had been way too long since we've seen them.

I wasn't planning on writing much tonight. I just wanted to upload the weekend pictures so I'd be free to devote tomorrow's post solely to Valentine's day, but this blog has become so much more to me than a place to unload photos. It's given me the avenue to reflect on them, and with each passing post, my gratitude for all the blessings in my life intensifies. Thanks for reading. Come back tomorrow, because tomorrow's Valentine's post is going to be a doozy. At least I hope so. I'm going to do my best to transform a somewhat boring holiday (comparatively speaking) into something special. See you tomorrow!