Thankful Thursday

This week has been AJ's spring break.  Of course, when you only go to school Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for half days, it's not as big of a deal as it probably is to the bigger kids.  Still, I've tried to do some fun, different things.  She got to spend the night with David's mom on Monday night (without Luke, which was a very big deal), I took them to a puppet show at the library yesterday, we had a mega play date complete with time at the playground/sand box and a pizza dinner, there was a surprise run-in with a friend at a park, and my mom is coming over tomorrow afternoon.  I know it probably won't be as exciting and memorable as future ones she spends splashing through the waves (in a full one-piece with her father and I looking on until she's at least 25 years old), but hopefully she has enjoyed it.

Here is this week's list:

1.  Dandelions.  And the little chubby fingers that grab them out of the dirt and the thoughtful, imaginative brains that wish upon them, and the precious sweet lips that blow their seeds all over the ground.  There are few childhood pleasures more simple and carefree than blowing dandelions.  

2.  Trying new fitness things.  Although training for my half marathons has kept me motivated and in shape, it's also kept me in a sort of rut/box, afraid to cross train.  I was often leery of missing important running time to do something else or risking an injury or soreness.  Since I'm not currently training for anything, though, I've branched out a bit the last two weeks.  I've been spending a lot of time on the stationary bikes and elliptical machines.  Then, this morning I took a 5:30am Bodypump (weight lifting) class.  I did not love the start time.  I will not love how impossibly sore I am tomorrow.  BUT, changing it up and trying new things?  Very cool.

3.  A forgiving heart.  Luke accidentally broke Audrey's special wand last week and David glued it back together.  She just remembered it this afternoon and was dancing around in it, declaring her princess royalty.  At her rest/quiet time, she wanted to take it into bed with her while she looked at books.  I leaned over to give her a kiss and braced myself against the bed...right onto the wand that was under the sheets.  I heard it crack and said, "Oh Audrey, I'm SO sorry, but I think I just broke your wand again."  She didn't hesitate, didn't cry, didn't even pout.  She simply said, "That's okay, Mommy.  Don't even worry about it" and gave me a kiss.  WOW.  The tender and immediate forgiveness was so sweet it made me tear up!

4.  April 10, 1999.  The day David and I met on a blind date.  Because he is the love of my life and my best friend.  Even when it's hard.  Even when I'm a witch.  Even when days go by without real hugs, real kisses, or real conversations.  He is my favorite and I am grateful for 15 years of knowing him.  

5.  Apparently today is National Siblings Day (who knew?!), so I will seize the chance to list that I am grateful for two awesome big brothers.  No one gets you and where you came from like your siblings.  It is such a blessing to walk through life having that kind of support and "I'll-always-be-here-no-matter-what" kind of love.  I also pray Luke and Audrey grow up being and staying the best of friends, if for no other reason than they'll both need to lean on each other when their father and I start losing our minds.  Some days it seems like it's not that far off... 

March 2014 Recap

March certainly came in like a lion and out like a lamb this year.  We had a few really beautiful weather days sprinkled in between a lot of cold, icky ones.  We managed to get out and enjoy the warmth when we could, but are definitely ready for spring to come and sit a spell.

The month was fairly easy going overall.  No major events, holidays, or home improvement projects for us. David and I squeezed in two dates PLUS a lovely 24-hour break when the kids went to his parents for a night.  Coincidently, we seemed to get along really well this month.  :)

It was a socially busy month aside from dates, too: I got to see the Taylors for a morning when they were in town, had a parent brunch with Audrey's preschool class parents, ate dinner with friends twice, celebrated a neighbor's 40th birthday at her party, and took Audrey to celebrate her daughter's 5th the next weekend.  The kids had their playmates, too:  We did story time at the library, a few playdates at the park, and I kept a friend's daughter while she worked one day.  We rounded out the month with a family dinner to celebrate David's grandmother's birthday.  

We had family pictures on March 8th in Toccoa.  A friend of ours that we knew in college lives up there and we love her style so much that it was well worth the drive.  Plus, it's Toccoa, so you don't have to go far to find open spaces without crowds.  They turned out absolutely amazing.  The hours upon hours of shopping for coordinating outfits for four people, ultimately buying up everything in sight to try on everyone at home, and then returning the stuff we didn't wear all paid off.  See for yourself in the gallery...when you're finished reading, of course.

The end of the month picked up pace a bit.  The third week, Audrey's school had Teacher Appreciation Week.  I made little dry erase frames for them and the registrar and took the teachers lunch from their favorite deli on Monday, we picked out hand soap/lotion and a Bath and Body Works gift card along with AJ's handprint and a note on Wednesday, and we made homemade cookies for them, the nurse, and the enrichment teacher and put them in cute jars for Friday.  We appreciated the heck out of them, because HELLO, they're preschool teachers and therefore royalty in my book.

We continued our small group on Sunday afternoons and have anywhere between 8-12 adults and 5-10 kids each week.  Our church also put on a great training session one evening this month complete with an amazing worship set and food at their new campus location.  After wrapping up the book Home Run, we'll be starting the book The Blessed Life and finish out the semester with it.    

Other news:  I got to be Mystery Reader for Audrey's class and then we snuck in a Mommy-Daughter Date at a frozen yogurt shop.  St. Patrick's Day was the no-work, easy "holiday" it should be and we all just wore green.  I also trained for and completed my third half marathon.  It was by far my favorite to date, and you can read more details about it in this post if you haven't already.  

The kids are doing well.  Luke had his two year check up and amazed the doctor with his vocabulary and social skills.  He said there are only a handful of two year olds he sees a month that are as easy and cooperative as Luke and only a handful a year that can follow all of the instructions he gave him (i.e. taking big, deep breaths, lying down on the table, etc.)  He was talking to Luke about keeping one of the tongue depressors to use in his vet kit I told him we had.  The doctor asked about looking in a lion's mouth with it.  Luke laughed and said, "NO Way!"

The last weekend of the month, we relegated his "bobble" (paci) to the bed and made a big deal about him only using it at naps and nighttime.  It took a couple of days of distractions and car rides were especially tough, but by day four or five, he was completely fine.  

Audrey is still loving reading and all things crafty.  She is astounding us not only by the level of reading she does, but how she reads with such great expression and inflection.  She doesn't nap anymore except for the occasional snooze once every 7-10 days.  Instead, she lies in her bed and reads for about an hour each afternoon.  Sometimes she'll work on her Lite Bright, a puzzle, or a maze book, but mostly it's books.  She just loves to read.  

I'm certain she's not to become a boorish bookworm, because she is also honing her sense of humor.  Nothing makes me smile bigger than to hear her giggle uncontrollably.  When she and Luke both get going, it's impossible not to join in.  Which is great, because she and I with our similar personalities butt heads at least once a day and often need the laugh.  (Yeah, yeah.  I'm "just waiting" for the teenage years.)

So that was March.  And with that update, I'll leave you with some funny quotes from the kids:

 - When praying one night, Luke kept stopping, squinting open his eyes and saying, "What's his name?"  We offered some suggestions, but couldn't figure out who he was talking about until about five minutes later when we were taking him to bed.  He suddenly blurts out, "UNCLE ERIC!", stops to pray for him, and then proceeds to bed.  

 -  While rocking out to the radio on the way home: Luke: "It's too loud."  Me: "It's not too loud, buddy."  Luke: "It's too loud for ME."  Then, AJ pipes up:  "Mommy.  Remember...empathy."

 - On the first day of Luke's "bobble" weaning, he asked for it a lot.  We kept repeating he only used it in the bed now, then changing the subject and distracting him.  On the way home from the park, he decided he'd had enough.  He didn't throw a fit.  He didn't whine.  He just calmly and plainly said:  "Mommy. [deep sigh]  I want my bobble."  It was too cute. It's like he was saying, "Look, y'all.  Enough's enough.  You've had your fun, now give it back."

 - Audrey is already rehearsing songs for her Pre-K graduation ceremony in May.  We've been talking a little about nervous butterflies and stage fright.  We discussed things she could tell herself, thoughts she could imagine, and a bible verse to memorize.  Knowing that she really hates feeling like all those eyes are on her, I asked "So, what would make you feel more comfortable when all those 'hundreds of eyes' are looking at you?"  Without hesitation, she responded, "Uh...Not to have hundreds of eyes looking at me."

 - While Luke was eating breakfast, I ran upstairs to get something.  I coughed a few times and heard him yell, "Mommy!  You okay?"  I hollered back, "Yes, Luke.  Thank you." and he yelled, "Okay, you welcome!"

 - The kids were riding their tricycle and Big Wheel around the park and David and I split up to cover each one.  I was up ahead with Audrey when I hear Luke yelling something out to me.  He'd gotten off his tricycle to jog after me and David said he kept hollering, "Mommy!  Wait!  I wuv you!"  Oh my heart!

 - Audrey really wanted to buckle Luke into his booster seat before lunch one day.  Before I could even open my mouth, I hear Luke warn, "Audrey! Be careful!  Watch you fingers!"

Don't forget to check out the latest pictures in the gallery:

March

Professional Family Pictures

Thankful Thursday

1.  Sunshine, sunshine, sunshine and the warm temperatures it has brought with it.  Hello, Spring!

2.  A good two-year check up for Luke.  Brag alert - The doctor was so impressed with his vocabulary and social skills.  He said there are only a handful of two year olds he sees a month that are as easy and cooperative as Luke and only a handful a year that can follow all of the instructions he gave him (i.e. taking big, deep breaths, lying down on the table, etc.)  He was asking Luke about keeping one of the tongue depressors to use in his vet kit I told him we had.  The doctor asked about looking in a lion's mouth with it.  Luke laughed and said, "NO Way!"

3.  "New" clothes.  I switched out the kids' wardrobes earlier this week and am in the process of doing mine.  I love seeing their cute outfits...and knowing most of them were consignment steals.  Their pasty white little elbows and knees are pretty adorable, too.  

4.  Finishing a huge organization project.  I know it's absurd, but I still print photographs and put them into albums.  Then, I number the pages and create a table of contents for each album.  Well, at least I did until life happened and I fell well behind.  I hadn't printed pictures since September and hadn't done the page numbering/tables of contents since right before Luke was born.  I also had about 100 pictures I needed to "file" back into albums that used to be in frames/were used as birthday party decorations, etc.  It's been one of those projects I never have time for but that nags me often.  I decided I really needed to bite the bullet and work on it.  Some serious concentration and a few...or a dozen...hours later, I'm all caught back up.  Ahhhhh.  (For now.)

5.  A new planner.  Yes, I realize using a paper planner is as antiquated as printing photos, but I can't help it!  Mine was running out and I have used Franklin Covey since I worked, but it's just not as practical for me now and costs too much for me to justify spending.  One of the ladies in my small group showed me the At-a-Glance one she uses and it was love at first sight.  I went out and bought one the next day and am really enjoying using the new format!

A new planner, cleaning out closets, and organizing stuff?  What a week - Pinch me.  ;)