January

 

 Matthew always brings home fun treasures when he travels.  He knows what I like:)

 

 I really like these place mats and cup mats.  He even got ones that match the dining room!  Impressive:)

He got the boys so many fun toys.  Ethan has been telling everyone that his dad went to Thailand and brought back a lot of cool toys.

 

We have so many things from different parts of the world, and I have been trying to incorporate them into our house decorations.  It has been almost 5 years since Matthew brought the bottom picture home from Tanzania, and the top is from his last trip to South Africa.  It took a couple tries to get the framing how I wanted, but I think they still look authentic and simple.

 

 Ethan has been doing great with his stickers!  It took him 125 to get this Power Ranger costume and sword.  He worked so hard for it!  He made his bed every morning, stayed in his room until the clock turned green, shared with Nick, helped me vacuum, unload the dishwasher, mop, and pick up the toys.  He has been a huge help, it was well-deserved!

 

He is a serious ninja.

 

 Earlier this month he earned 50 stickers and got to go to McDonalds (but he calls is Mickeldonalds) with his two best friends and Dad for lunch!  I love how they all wore their Halloween costumes.  Matthew said everyone thought it was pretty funny:)

 Last week it was 65 degrees in the middle of January.  We were outside ALL day.

 Ethan had been sick for a couple of days, and I heard him coughing and struggling to breathe one night, so Matthew took him to the Emergency Room.  He had bronchillitis and they had to put him on a nebulizer.  Matthew told him that he looked like an elephant, and he thought that was funny.

It was such a cold day, so after we gave the boys baths, we put dish cloths on their heads and tucked them in to keep them warm:)