There is just the teeniest hint of spring in the air and it’s making everything OK again. Here’s a February recap:

I am four days into the Whole30 challenge and while I was losing my MIND on the second day, I am feeling a little less homicidal and desperate now, so that’s good.  It feels good to be back on track with food and actually getting nutrients (how very novel) from what I eat instead of subsisting on buttery bagels and sugar-soaked coffees to get me through the day.

Karenna lost her first tooth. The video is up on Facebook (my Grandma wanted to see it and the file was too large to email, so I took the lazy way out and posted it for all to see) and is hilarious and touching and so great. Spoiler alert: Avelyn yanks the tooth out for her.

I have been taking in the bittersweet observations of Brinley growing up. She is getting so big that when I pick her up I have to lift with my legs, not my back, or I yank it out of place. She can recite the spelling of her name and knows what it’s called when a caterpillar turns into a butterfly (metamorfafish, in case you’re wondering). She is taking less time of the day to snuggle with me and is content to play on her own. She still holds my hand when we’re in a parking lot, so I’ll take it. It’s so strange to know this is the youngest she’ll ever be again and I am doing my best to really be present in these moments while she’s still at home.

Avelyn has her first piano recital coming up and that will be quite the feat! She is juuust how I was a child learning piano. When it doesn’t come easily to her, she dramatically slumps her entire upper body on the keys with a loud clang, the frustration echoing through the room. Then with a little prodding, a few minor threats and a pleading pep talk, she settles down and actually practices the songs and when it clicks and she gets it and can play, she loves it. She likes to be good at stuff. When it’s not easy to be good at stuff, she wants to quit said stuff. Apple, meet tree.

I’ve read a few good books lately: “Where’d You Go, Bernadette?”, “The Book Thief” , “Against All Grain” (it’s a cookbook) and I am just getting into Ken Follet’s Century Trilogy. Do you have any good recommendations? (Least original blog post question EVER, I realize.)

I cooked fish for the first time in my life last night. What? I grew up in Saskatchewan where all we had was Shake’n’Bake and antibiotics. I made a halibut recipe from the Against All Grain cookbook. I had heard a few people rave about this book but I was hesitant since I had looked at Paleo cookbooks before and a lot of them were written by really fanatical Cross-Fitters which just made me feel fat and scared and like it wasn’t a realistic lifestyle choice for me. This author, however, seems like a regular girl, who is gifted in the kitchen and doesn’t like to dead-lift her refrigerator. I highly recommend the book and have made quite a few recipes already!

How is your February treating you? (Second-least original blog post question ever.)