Aldi's is Madeline-approved

Madeline loves trips to Aldi's because:

1. The carts require a quarter which is now her favorite duty.
   
2. A pirate flag is across the street which she has dubbed "the Peter Pan flag."

I love this kid for the reasons listed above and more.

Reading with Daddy

Joe is in the midst of studying for his license. It's seven exams from March through December.

So at any point in 2010, feel free to pray for him.

The downside is that, as a couple, we can't plow through three seasons of The West Wing in one month.

I thought this year would mean late nights by myself while he was studying at Starbucks or the library in peace and quiet. Or eating dinner with just Madeline while he stayed late at work to study in peace and quiet.

But this is Reason #198,384 why I love this guy.

He wants to just be around us at home and has turned studying time in special time with Madeline.

Reading with Daddy has become Madeline favorite thing to do. They'll climb on our couch and just read. For an hour at a time. Sometimes longer.

When she doesn't want to read anymore, she still wants to be next to him and will gladly play quietly with her horse and cowboy instead of playing loudly in another room.

The hours of quiet and stillness in this house would almost be eerie if they weren't so darn cute together.

The best part about being a family is being together.

P.S. Did you notice Madeline is wearing her Christmas dress in two of the three pictures? Oh yes, we're still wearing that dress.

Every child is a budding artist

What's exceptionally strange about these photos is that Madeline is wearing my childhood art smock and I clearly remember wearing it along with my brothers.

The Olympics are totally cramping my bedtime

Along with other resolutions, I wanted to be in bed by 9:30 p.m., hopefully asleep by 10 p.m. in 2010.

But when it comes to bobsled runs, figure skating, downhill skiing and the always-fascinating speed skating, I just have no self-control.

Anybody else up at midnight these days?