An Unseasonable January.

This is what life looks like on a Tuesday. Or at least, on a National Championship game night when none of us really cares who wins (sorry, Aunt MP) but The Game Must Be Watched. 

Ford didn't make it.

In the vein of "still recovering from the holidays," it was a pretty low-key week. We watched the new Aladdin (OK, amazing) like this:

and started a new tradition of "fancy Friday" family date nights at home. This week was Italian. We did not dress for the occasion. We did consume an entire loaf of garlic bread.

I made it to Finley's adorable letter A "show and share" (along with Ford, in our Army tshirts)

and we all cheered (in vain, sadly) for the Vikings.

We also squeezed in kid date day (Ford insisted on "Old McDonald's" so I made him go hiking afterwards.)

It was an unseasonable 73 degrees out, so naturally we wore fleece.

Seth and Finley went out for sushi and cake pops.

Naturally, we also found time for a kid rager with our faves (here, wielding sharp knives and making guacamole)

and the warm weather inspired us to clean out the garage and go hiking at Carver's Creek.

Our grand finale was the much-anticipated annual trip to the Chinese Lantern Festival in Cary

which featured new attractions and completely ridiculous mugs of hot chocolate (it was seriously 70 degrees out.)

My favorites from our balmy week are this hilarious shot depicting how Seth and Ford read informational signs,

and Finley looking like a real athlete playing barefoot soccer in the yard. 

In January. We are grateful for every warm day.