January Lovin

I have a love hate relationship with winter. Mostly hate. The cold gets me. It is one thing when you can run from your home, to your heated car, to the next heated building. A completely other thing when you have to layer up from head to toe, walk in the cold, and your destination is probably outside (at least for me. Playgrounds are always open. For whatever reason, kids do not feel cold. Crazy!). 

 This January is akin to our first January in the city back in 2011. It has been pleasantly "mild". We have had very little snow, and it has not stayed very long. The temps have been ranged from the high 30s to one weekend in the mid 60s! Say what? It has been beautiful, and I haven't wanted to die from going out in the cold. It has been such a blessing to have this (still cold!) very bearable January.  

 January highlights for are us have been: playing lots of games. Wizard Chess, and Rummikub are the current favorites. Going to the CAMP Store for a free craft. Coco and I sneaking out to see Dolittle, while the boys were at a play date (win, win). Coco and I reading Dominic by William Steig for our mommy daughter book club. Raphael taking Charizard to school. The boys make sure to hold his hands (I love it). A sweet afternoon at our favorite book store where all three kids stayed in one place and read different books. A "sick day" with the boys, where we scootered up to our old stomping grounds, and played on a favorite playground for a afternoon. The Big Apple Circus, brought to you by the cheapest Groupon tickets ever. 
 An afternoon playing Wizard Chess with Rapha. Cutest grin and cheekiest player. My pieces were litereally swept off the board by this little cutie. 


Free craft at the CAMP store by Dad's office. The kids made murals featuring characters from the Dolittle movie. It was just the big kids and one of their friends. Their murals were all so creative and I have enjoyed having them up in the apartment.

Each kid also got to pick a free stuffed animal from their Doolitlle collection. We came  home with two very cute flying squirrels. 

The CAMP Store is pretty amazing. It is a interactive toy store. There is a this giant car that the kids can drive, a indoor jungle gym, a slide into a foam pit shaped boat, a flip sequin room, and lots of toys out for the kids to play with. My kids took the remote control car out for a spin, literally. Security and store workers running after them calling them back into the store, where the toys are supposed to stay. Where was I? Running and laughing after them. It was really fun. And we got to say "hi" to Daddy for a little bit. 
Flip sequin room! All the senses were stimulated.

The longest elevator in Manhattan. Felt like being on the tube in London. Crazy to think how far into the ground we are.  
$6 Moives on Tuesdays! The boys were at a play date, so Coco and I made a girls date out of it.


We have been doing a Mommy-daughter book club for about 2.5 years now. This was January's pick. It was my favorite one we have read so far. It was a simple adventure story, that kept us on our toes. The girls had a great discussion too. I love the friends we have made here.

I love Raphael's teacher. She let's them be little, because they are. They are allowed to bring stuffed animals to class everyday. Rapha switches out with different ones. Lately he has been choosing to bring Charizard, and boys are so sweet "walking" with him to school.
I love our neighborhood book store. This afternoon was a sweet one, watching all of them reading books. 



Lyndon has been sick this January. Luckily the kids and I have stayed healthy. However, when he got sick with strept a second time I took everyone to the doctors. The boys tested positive, but had no symptoms at all. They stayed home a day, and we got a second test back saying they were negative. Since they were not really sick, I took them to the playground and we had a lovely time. We played hide and seek, monster, and scootered around. I am so grateful for these lovely January days we have been having to allow us to get out. 

We went to the Big Apple Circus for the first time. It was really fun. The kids mind's were blown. They thought it was the coolest thing ever. Coco asked if we could make this an annual tradition. Rapha said he wants to be in it when he grows up. It was really fun night with them.

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