February causes mixed emotions for most people, ranging from hate to passion, or maybe even passionate hate, but I thought I’d recount some of the loves/likes I encountered along the way.
#1. An Adventure with the Luyendyks! (Although this wasn’t quite in February, it was close enough to count in my book.) Seeing these old friends from Bible School was so refreshing! They met us in Frankenmuth, MI at an indoor waterpark (some folks had gifted an overnight stay and 6 waterpark passes to them). It was awesome!
I normally hesitate when it comes to chlorine, since my skin is cranky, but after the guys had taken turns running around with the boys the previous afternoon, us girls had no choice but to take our turn on the adventure the next day. I did not stay dry, running up and down to waterslides, cowering under giant buckets of cascading water, and floating down a lazy river with two energetic boys. And, surprisingly, my skin didn’t throw a fit! What a blessing to enjoy good conversation with friends!
#2. A surprising encounter with Five Guys (the place with the burgers). I told Ruthie, “Hey let’s go out and eat lunch sometime–you pick.” She wanted to try out the soda machine that had hundreds of flavors, so I said okay to Five Guys, even though I’m not really a burger person. I ordered the biggest burger with the bacon and everything on it besides mushrooms and relish (or something like that). I thought, “Well, at least Payton will eat my leftovers.”
It awakened my heart to burgers. I’m not lying. Since that day, I’ve wanted another one. I even ate a burger at a different establishment because I have had burgers on the mind ever since. We used up the last of our Coldstone gift card the other night. It happened to be right next door to Five Guys. I’d have traded all of that ice cream in a second. Payton looked at me like I was crazy, “You realize we just had dinner, right?” Ruthie says she feels exactly the same way.
#3. A Resurrected Tradition. This one has more to do with Payton. Growing up, his mom, Beth, would always make each of the boys their very own Valentines Day cake. They could eat it as fast or as slow as they wanted. He always mentions this memory with fondness, so this year I decided to give it a go. Turns out my mom had heart-shaped pans hiding in her cabinets!
Payton informed me that this cake must also be eaten without slicing it. He also said, “This is how I learned how to budget: If have one whole cake, and it will last for 5 days, what is the maximum amount I can eat every day and still make it last?” I made it double-decker so he’d have to share, but he insisted that I eat it according to the rules, which meant I had to eat it straight from the pan. This tradition will probably live on.
#4. Winter Bliss. Sorry folks, I love the snow. I know it makes the roads miserable and causes problems, but I’m enjoying every bit of it before we head to AP. Secretly, I hope it snows every third day until May. But, I will say, I’m not so keen on the single digit days where I have to shovel. Frozen, Pippy Longstocking hair is not the rage these days.
Notice, the icicles hanging off the house behind me. That’s the entrance to my ice cave…well, actually, its the window I look out of while working, but it does vaguely resemble something from Star Wars…Hoth and Wampas comes to mind.
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