Around Here Week Nine: 02/27-03/05

A look into what it feels like to live in our home right this second.

Intentional Hours Outside: 17.5 hours (of 1000)
I did great this weekend and the early start of the week, but then winter came a'blowin' back in and took the wind right out of my outdoor sails.  The girls and I got out despite the high 30's in the beginning of the week (I got in some outdoor book reading!) but then we had appointments and the cold and I sort of bailed come mid-week.  So...see next point...

Awaiting spring.  I KNOW.  I am trying to be better about embracing winter, and it really has been a mild winter this year - but the cold.  I just can't.  We get these little tastes of sunshine and warm every few days and then we wake up like this morning and there's snow on the ground and it's freezing outside.  Stop teasing me nature!  We are ready for blue skies and warm breezes and wide open spaces to run off all this cabin fever pent up energy!  Get me outside foreverrrrrrrrrr.

Making a wet mess one night this week when Grey decided he wanted to have a squirt gun battle with Brandon.  He got the idea from watching Fuller House (we are loving it!) and then we set out a full squirt gun for B on the porch so they could battle as soon as he got home late one night from work.  It was hilarious and the two boys were cracking up and chasing each other everywhere joyfully. The girls and I were following them around and laughing too (Gemma was so worried though someone was going to get their feelings or body hurt of course, our sensitive little lamb).  It was such fun and ya know what, water dries - so whatever to the mess.

Extending patience to Violet who moved to a toddler bed this week and hasn't quite gotten the handle on staying in her bed during naptime.  Night has been going great, but naptime has been a struggle as she bang, bang, bangs on the door and yells at us; not crying more like, "MUM! Memma!" to try to convince us to let her out.  When I go in to check on her after she's quiet, and she's asleep on the floor right next to the door so I can't open it more than a smidge.  It's both pitiful and sweet, but she'll get there.  The other two moved at 17 months too because of their climbing genes, and plus I'd like her to be well adjusted before June and the new babe comes.  It's also part of our very slow transition from big kids sharing a room to gender rooms!

Preparing for Easter by decorating our little tree out front with Easter eggs and starting to put together some Easter basket gifts with an online Usborne book party (so fun!) We're planning to keep it pretty simple this Easter with just candy and one book each - but it feels good to know that we're mostly ready already as the kids continue to color down their Lenten charts each day.

Calling off the whole evening of activities on Wednesday after I decided the baby bump and I were just too tired and it was just too darn cold to try to get everyone loaded up in the car for Gemma's gymnastics.  Instead, everyone got long baths, a hot homemade dinner (see Baking below!), and an early bedtime.  It was actually blissful, and although I hate cancelling plans - this night was definitely worth it.

Baking these three-ingredient muffins to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday and then real live homemade bread...like no bread maker, with my own two hands!  It was delicious and went perfectly and so deliciously with this Loaded Potato Soup that left our dinner table silent for a few minutes as everyone just ate and enjoyed.

Praying.  It was a heavy hearted week as we shared the burden of sorrow with some of our friends through their sadness.  a son gone far, far too soon and a mother's light who is now missing from this Earth.  if you have extra prayers to give, please pray for peace - both in the world and for those who are suffering and mourning.  One of the most helpful tips I've read is from this article about being there for others in moments of sadness.  Basically, you figure out where you are in the circle of suffering and then only pour love into the circle (to those closer to the center of the pain) and dump out all of your own sadness (to those who are even farther away from the center of the pain).