Three

We had a glorious weather day last week! Look: short sleeves! It was heaven! We stayed outside and procrastinated homework and housework and supper to soak up some rays! It was really nice. I have three things to post about today. So here is my first: playing in the sandbox. Included in this little "item of business" is a new-found pet peeve of mine: other children getting in my children's picture. This has happened in M's class and anytime we are outside. Note to children: if I want you in my picture, I will invite you! While it is nice to get a snapshot of their friends, there is just something about it that urks me. Maybe it is just too much of an invasion!

Anywho, I couldn't get Little Miss P to look up. She was so interested in feeling the sand. (Plus I have to watch her carefully or she will try to throw it and eat it).

Second item of importance: super heroes! We love them around here! J got a very nice set for Christmas and we have been wary to let him open them because we want them to stay nice. Well, the other day he stood on a chair in front of his dresser (where I keep them) and just looked at them for nearly ten minutes. Now anyone who knows J understands that this is something of a miracle. J being still for ten minutes? What? We talked about them for a minute and then I left to go do something and when he never came out I went in to check on him and he was still standing there-staring! He asked me to get them out, and I made him wait for Dad, cuz that's his department! So, he patiently awaited Daddy's return and once little Miss P left they opened them! He was so happy!

 Nothing like a few blurry action shots...

Now for my #3-who is actually my #1! My sweet husband! Our anniversary is coming up and I just want to let the world know what a great guy I am so lucky to have! Recently I have been extra grateful that I can trust him. Also, I so appreciate his thoughtfulness to me. When I am snoozing on the couch, being a lazy bum, he doesn't judge me or wake me up. He is quiet and tells me to go back to sleep! He works so hard for our family-bettering himself with a good education while making sure we have what we need. He is a walking encyclopedia and loves to learn. And I love that about him. Everywhere he goes people love him! He can make a crowd laugh, is tactful, and is sensitive to others. We have made it through some fun times and some tough times. We have lived in six different places, had ten different jobs (between the two of us), and had two amazing and beautiful children together. And, our most difficult feat: we make and eat dinner, get homework done, baths, stories, and get the kids to bed every. single. night! I am so thankful to be on this journey of life together with him. I hope to be able to live my life in such a way that he wants to stay with me for the rest of it. You know the old saying, "find joy in the journey"? Well, its not so hard with this handsome guy! Love you, babe!

Naked Tail

This is my child that looooves to be naked. I so rarely see him with clothes on anymore. Truly. It doesn't matter the weather, the time of day, the day of the week, who is here or not here. Yesterday he asked for a bubble bath so he could play with his boats. Since Miss P was still asleep and it is an easy activity that keeps him contained, I agreed! He had six boats in there, I think. Then, later that afternoon we needed to get ready to go pick M up. However, J decided to pitch a huge fit and we ended up going to carpool looking like this:

 (He is wearing undies and rain boots).  He is something else, I tell you! 

Tractor Time

Yesterday we decided to go check out the road construction:

 It was very interesting for the kiddos.

Then J got to ride in a "tractor" when we got home from picking up M:

Oh, he was so happy about that!

Then we had fun in a cardboard box:

 Last night we went and watched about twenty minutes of Miss P's daddy play basketball. It started at bedtime so we didn't get to stay for long, but the kids wanted to play basketball as soon as we got home! I'm guessing that's what we will be doing this afternoon-especially since our weather is being so STUPID! I just want it to be warm! I'm tired of being inside all the time because it is either cold and/or wet. Boo hoo. That's it for my negativity. I'll leave you with something to put a smile on your face!

M.Y.S.

I hope these little snippets from my afternoon will Make You Smile:

#1: M left her bedroom light on. So, hoping she would go turn it off I said, "uh-oh I see a light on and there is no one in the room." To which J immediately went and stood in her bedroom and said, "I'm in the room now, Mom!" Problem solved. Thanks J.

#2: M asked me for a snack of "bread with Nutella on it. I mean I want some Nutella with some toast on it." That's more like it, M. At our house, the bread is just an accessory.

(J had the same snack when he saw M's.)

Warm and Muggy

Yesterday was warm and muggy-it felt so much like home. If it had been just a tad stickier, it would have felt  exactly like MS. We enjoyed it so much! We do like to be outside without being bundled up from head to toe.  Ahhhhhhh.
We celebrated with some bike riding and some sand playing.

And here is my "Toothless!" She pulled her own tooth the other night and was so proud and tickled!

Good News

Spring is finally coming!!!

Here are two friends re-united after a long break!

( I had to take so many pictures of these two. They refused to smile at the same time. And getting them to both sit at the same time and smile long enough to get a good shot was impossible! This is the best we got!)

Spring Break Cont'd

Saturday was our last day with Super G. We wanted to make the most of it so we painted nails while we listed to G.C.

Then we decided to check out another museum. This one was not quite as "fun" as the other, but we sure learned a lot and enjoyed it as well. Here are a few activities we did there:

 went in a "magical garden" with a maze and all,

worked in an apple orchard,

played in mirrors,

played with pulleys,

worked in a radio station,

did some news casting,

played some musical instruments,

went fishing and spent some time on a boat,

and played with magnets.

When we came out of the museum we smelled hamburgers from a nearby restaurant so we decided to drive all the way to Southbend again to eat at Red Robin. (It was yummy, and I used to love that place, but it hasn't impressed me as much the last three times I've been there. I think I am over it.) We had a good time there and then spent some time at Target. When we got home we got Super G packed and tried to get the kids in bed. J was "wired higher than a Georgia Pine" and M had a complete melt down when it was time to hug Grandmomma good night. She did NOT want to say good bye and she did NOT want her to leave. It was sweet and so sad. After several minutes of tears I suggested to her that we say a prayer. She said OK and that she would say it. Through sobs, she asked that she not be too sad, that Grandmomma would be safe on her plane, and that she be able to see her again very very soon. After that I was the one crying, but she calmed down immediately. It was a precious moment for a mom to see her baby exercising faith and witnessing a "tender mercy" from God in answering a little girl's prayer instantly.My M is full of faith and so much love. In the morning she shed some more tears until she saw the surprise G had left her. After that she seemed to adjust just fine. Here she is playing with her new outfits:

Sunday we played with our new toys, changed outfits about six times, and watched General Conference. It was so uplifting! After the last session we went for a walk and then came home to do our usual bedtime routine. Now we are back to the grind of our daily lives: school, work, house work, shopping, etc. But we are so grateful for the time we had with Grandmomma and the memories we made with her. She is a very special woman, so wonderful to us, and we love and miss her very much.

Lake Michigan

More Whirlwind...

I forgot to mention a few things we did that I didn't have pics for! Sunday when we got home from the airport we showed Super G around AU for a while. The campus is not quite as pretty right now because everything is dead and the tulips haven't bloomed. Probably in a month or so it will look pretty again. Oh well. We told her to use her imagination! Then we came home and had a a nice Easter dinner. I forgot to mention on Wednesday we went to M's school and the custodian was so nice and unlocked her classroom door so Super G could see her class. Then we let the kids play on her playground for a while. They think that is so cool to play on it when no one else is there. Thursday, M and Super G went to the park and had some special time together. Then they had a picnic lunch while J napped and I cleaned. Thursday avo we spent some time outside and let the little ones rode bikes, played soccer, and dug in the dirt. Thursday evening Mr. J and I went on a date!!! It was so nice. We really enjoyed ourselves and had some adult conversation and stayed out (sorta) late.

Yesterday was a big day.
We went to the beach first:

Then we went to a kids' museum. They had  special Egyptian activities this week:

(we made pyramids out of sugar cubes)

We also made collars and played archaeologists:

Then we explored the rest of the museum:
M loved climbing :

J especially loved the water table:

Then we had some fun on the Carousel:

And M got her face painted:

J tossed bean bags while we waited on M:

Such a fun day!