Cousins

My family has a tradition of meeting at my great-grandpa's cabin the week after Christmas to lounge, watch movies, play games, and eat good food.  This year, we added Rock Band to the mix, and (if I do say so myself) I became a semi-proficient drummer.  Those high school years of bass drumming paid off.  

Another part of the tradition is putting the babies in the sink for a bath.  These two little girls are exactly two months apart.  Last year they looked like this.  

This year, they were walking and babbling, and almost good friends.

Ruthie, however, obviously has better hair.

Well, maybe she doesn't always have better hair.

She's Really Getting Good

Olivia's been taking art classes after school since September, and I'm actually terribly impressed with what she's been able to do.  This particular piece needs to be framed and hung in a place of honor in the Wells house.  It's a monument to the idea that two non-artistic, very literal parents can produce a delightfully artistic child.

Won't you be mine?

I don't know if I've mentioned that we have no garage with this rental house.  Or maybe I should say that we do have a garage, but it's attached to someone else's house.  One of the other hospital rentals.  It's a two car garage with one car's worth full of our stuff and one car worth of the hospital's old stuff (Anyone looking for a couple green vinyl recliners or a gynecology chair?)

Anyway, it was worth braving the garage to get out my Christmas stockings and advent calendar, but it was absolutely not worth braving the garage to pull out my very small box of Valentine's Day decorations.  So what's a girl to do when she's got a yen (is that the word I'm looking for?) for some festivity?  Why, make some Beatles-love-song-inspired throw pillow covers, of course!

 Plus, I have another one that says "Love is all you need", but that photo refuses to correctly orient itself, and it's nothing you can't imagine, if you try.  ("Imagine all the people, sharing all the world, and all their lyrical throw pillows, it's easy if you try.")
And I love a good garland.  (And I obviously hate taking a good picture.)

 And this is my favorite new thing.  Blackboard love notes.  Love it!  Hung low on the wall, it's a great way to say something nice to each other.  And that's not always an easy thing to do.

Love you all!  Hope you have a very festive Valentine's Day.