Our Little Corner of the World: February Fun

"The February sunshine steeps your boughs and tints the buds and swells the leaves within." -William C. Bryant

I decided it's probably high time I got around to writing about all the fun we had LAST month, seeing as how THIS month is almost over! We did so many fun things! :-)

We started out the month with Groundhog Day. I made the same "Groundhog Day" cupcakes that I made last year. Joseph didn't seem overly impressed, probably because he couldn't have any. Not sure where Puxy Phil's "early spring" is, seeing as how we had freezing rain overnight last night and it's the end of March. BUT, we had fun celebrating nonetheless!

The next day was Super Bowl Sunday. You know we are one sports-loving family (Joseph even has a sports-themed nursery), so we have a blast on this day each year! Joseph watched his first Super Bowl in true sports-fan style - football outfit, football blanket to roll around on, and playing with his little football and daddy's big football!

Early in February American celebrated Congenital Heart Defects Awareness Week. Some of you know that Joseph has two minor congenital heart defects - a PFO (very common and not clinically significant) and a PDA (easily fixable). We are so blessed that Joseph's defects can be fixed before they will cause him any major problems. Many many families are not so fortunate. In recognition for the hard battle they fight, and in appreciation for the pediatric cardiologist Dr. Tatum from Duke Children's Hospital, who is looking after Joseph, we decided we needed to do something to honor the cause. We wrote our mayor, as many CHD families did to their own mayors around the country, and asked him to officially proclaim it Congenital Heart Defects Awareness week in Greensboro. His office responded promptly with a very nice and impressive looking resolution. Joseph even wore a special onesie for the cause!

The next celebration up to bat was Mardi Gras! After marrying a man who grew up just a couple of hours from New Orleans, Mardi Gras has become a pretty big deal at our house. This year, my parents neighborhood was having a neighborhood Mardi Gras party the Saturday before Fat Tuesday, and my parents brought us along. It was potluck, so there was a TON of food. There were also loads of decorations and a parade of tractor "floats." Soooo much fun!

On Mardi Gras itself, Joseph wore his Mardi Gras finest and David, Joseph, and I celebrated with a special Mardi Gras dinner - Red Beans and Rice, virgin Hurricane drinks, and King Cake for dessert!!!

The next day was Ash Wednesday. I thought it may be a bit messy to be smearing ashes on the forehead of a 4 month old, so Joseph settled for a hat that already had "ashes" on it...

Next, around came Valentine's Day. Joseph sported a new outfit and, by the look on his face, he was shocked to be voted "#1 With the Ladies!" We had a great time and all drove out to Northeast Park in Gibsonville to revisit the place David proposed to me on Valentine's Day, 2009. There is writing all over the picnic table there. I added my own writing that said - "First Date Here, August 2008. Engaged Here, February 2009. Here with our 4 month old baby, February 2013." It will be a place we will revisit for years to come. Not sure where I saved the pictures of our Gibsonville outing, but at least I have pictures of Jojo's outfit to share...

Holidays aren't the only thing we celebrate around here! We are self-proclaimed "Duck Dynasty" fanatics! We pulled out Duck Coasters, duckie pj's, and a camo hat for Jojo to celebrate the new season premier.