Weekend in Tampa

We went down to Tampa for a long weekend to visit Maran and Josh. Grann flew in and met us there and we had a really fun family weekend. We got in late Friday morning and were greeted with warm weather and sunshine. We went to lunch and sat outside right on the water. After lunch, Will played in the park before heading back for a nap. When Josh got off work, we went out for dinner and frozen yogurt. Saturday morning we took family photos by the water and then headed to Clearwater to play on the beach and have lunch. Despite the terrible traffic, we had a great afternoon. Will loved the beach. I think he could have spent all day throwing rocks, shells, and sand into the water. On Sunday, we went to the zoo where Will really enjoyed the waterfalls. He also really liked the merry-go-round and the train ride. And for a special treat, he got to feed a real life "lovey." Then we had lunch outside by the water again. Sunday night we went out for pizza before calling it a day. We left for the airport in the morning. Will did a great job travelling.




















Lunch on the beach in Clearwater













Looking for shells













Playing at the beach






































Merry-go-Round at the Zoo

William feeding Billy the Giraffe

Train Ride!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Our Valentine's Day project this year was to make thumbprint cookies for our family members. Will was a big help. He poured all the ingredients into the mixing bowl for me. Once the cookies were formed into balls, he pressed his little thumb into the center of each one. The first cookie sheet was completed with no trouble, but then he sampled one of the crumbs that formed. Once he realized how yummy it was, all he wanted to do was eat cookie dough. So we had to take a little break before finishing the batch. He was a little upset once they were all done. After the cookies were baked, Will helped package them. He did great until he realized they were COOKIES! Then we wanted to take a nibble out of each one. So we had to set aside a special William Cookie for him to sample when we were done. Will had a lot of fun - he really likes helping in the kitchen.

Music Class

We signed Will up for Kindermusik on Mondays so he and Grandma would have a planned outing during the winter months. We thought it would help alleviate cabin fever. Will really seems to enjoy it. He talks about music class and will do some of the moves he's learned. We also listen to the CDs at home and sometimes he'll sing little portions of the songs. Here are a few pictures Grandpa took when he went to watch.

Playing with balls before class - he wants to get in and get started!

Listening to the teacher

Stool of Mischief

Will has discovered that the stool we keep in his bathroom for washing hands and brushing teeth is portable. He now carries it (by it's little handle) all around the house. He uses it for turning lights on and off, locking the deadbolt on our kitchen door, reaching things on the counter, and in general, causing trouble. It has been nicknamed "The Stool of Mischief." It's been hard to catch him on camera carrying it around, but here's what I was able to film:

Art Project

We had signed Will up for an art class this winter but they ended up cancelling it. So I decided to try some finger painting at home this afternoon. We covered the kitchen counter with craft paper and Will had sponges and cars to paint with. He spent about 25 minutes painting - taking occasional breaks to listen to the wind howling outside. We saved his masterpiece and will probably do some more painting tomorrow since we'll probably be snowed in.

Bike Riding with Grandpa