The cashier at the grocery store asked if I had done anything fun today. “No. I just stayed home today.” It was a normal day. In the morning I did chores while listening to my audio book. I took the kids outside and they rode bikes. H is a bit young to get it, I wish I had a good bike to push him in. C rode all the way down the sidewalk, he is doing rather well. After, we did jumping bubbles, which as it turns out, is blowing bubbles on the trampoline and involves much giggling.

We made an Easter timeline after school. I took a nap and did some garden paperwork on the computer and started a landscape design. Then I played with PB and helped him with homework. Shopping next, so you see by that time, I had rather not done anything worth mentioning, but also had yet to form any regrets about the day. The weather was beautiful, and blowing bubbles on the trampoline is every bit as fun as something worth mentioning to the cashier.

We cleaned out H’s room. It’s nearly empty except for some tools. Dinner and Family Home Evening followed.

I’ve been reading too much. I’m in the middle of a paperback, e-book and audio book all of which I’m enjoying. Reviews when finished.

 

Saturday in March

It was a fun day. I woke up and after getting ready headed down south to start a landscape design. Should be pretty straightforward, their landscape doesn’t look that bad already.

We had soccer, the first game of the season. Peter was enjoying himself so much that he sometimes forgot to play. He loves defense too, always running down to guard the goal.

I was able to do a bunch of little projects, some of which included finishing up our hallway. I love how it turned out.

I made my family plant part of the garden with me. We put greens, lettuce and peas in this bed. I’m thinking I should have probably raked off the mulch first and than planted and put the mulch back on later. We’ll see how it turns out. There is already walking onions, self seeded radish and lettuce, and quite a few dandelion. I shouted when I saw Joe pulling up a dandelion. I love dandelion, they are welcome anywhere in my garden. Edible and beautiful.

The weather was great, so our family tried to go on a bike ride. Peter took off a little early and wanted to go up and down our street and be done. While Joe was reasoning with him, I decided to bike around the block and come back when they figured it out. I came back and found Peter on a scooter now, but no Joe. So we went around the block again to find him. Called his name and everything, but he was nowhere to be found. Finally went back home, and he was inside wondering where in the world we were. He had tried to catch up to me and had also gone around the block. We somehow timed our rides perfectly, so we wouldn’t run into each other.

Joe and Peter were good after that. I took Curtis for a ride, and then came back and adjusted the bikes. We have a WeeRide co pilot and also a WeeRide baby seat. They were on the same bike, but it was just too off balanced. It works better to use the co pilot and put baby in a backpack if I’m riding alone. (I know that’s probably really unsafe and horrible, except they also probably do it just fine in the majority of the world.) Now we split kids when we go as a family.

Henry adores bike rides by the way. He was wandering around while we fixed the bikes and putting on any helmet he could find and pointing at the bikes.

I made creamed spinach on toast for dinner. It was delicious. Recipe:

1 handful green onions
3/4 bag spinach that really needs to be used
Saute with olive oil and salt and pepper. Add
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup milk
Boil until thick.

Layer toast, butter, mozzarella,  Parmesan cheese and creamed spinach and broil for a couple of minutes.

And then tonight we made s’mores and invited friends over to share. 

My to-do list started out like this:

And with all that blank space I:

• procrastinated (Youtube: Wheezy Waiter and POPS are my guilty pleasures. I’m also interested in decorative window film for my windows. I hate blinds.)
• got mad at myself
• avoided my children

Okay, those were the negative things. It wasn’t a horrible day. I still played with the kids. My chores are done. I prepped for a garden design client I have tomorrow.

We made a sticky table for school and had fun with that. Craft foam and contact paper and both very versatile preschool art supplies, and combined they work great.

The new season of Daredevil came out. I watched it. Three episodes in a day. It’s good. Dark and violent though. I like to keep it on a small, quiet screen because of that.

I knew I didn’t want to blow off my whole day. I finally finished researching into mirror less digital camera and decided the Olympus EPL6 would be best for my price range. I’m sitting on it before I buy it. I still like the convenience and functionality of a point and shoot. It does whatever. Just the picture quality is horrible.

We went to the park after Henry awoke from a long nap. And had junk pizza for dinner, but hey it only cost $10.

Henry needs me so much, and a lot of times I resent it. “Go and play!” Away from me, not with me. I later was thinking about responsibility, and when I’m with the children, my responsibility is to take care of them. All responsibility isn’t necessarily fun, but my children do bring me joy. I’m not a perfect mom. I am choosing to be a mom over a myriad of other things that I could be doing.

Side note: I don’t always like the term stay at home mom. Because, yes I don’t have a real job and I “stay” with my children all day. My “stay” includes trips to parks, planting gardens, making my home beautiful, slowly developing an online business, fighting plastic lizards, teaching children their letters, giving kisses, reading books, volunteering, and going on adventures. I don’t simply “stay at home.”

My little C isn’t so little anymore. He had a birthday!

The kids wanted a pinata, so I attempted paper mache and made them one. It was fun, and only one person got hit.

C is an awesome boy. He is very playful, enjoys a wide variety of activities like play dough, sandbox, blocks, legos,reading books and spinning. He’s got a great smile that he uses frequently. He is still a pretty quiet kid, although he has been gradually talking more. He can count to 12, paint a pretty good picture, and knows almost all of his letters. Right now, besides the occasional potty accident, he is by far my easiest, sweetest child.

These next pictures are an update from instagram. They go back awhile.

Right before my brother headed back on his mission. Peter wants to go to Canada on his mission, just like his Uncle.

I think this has been an ideal winter. Plenty of snow, and just when the inversion and cold was insufferable, it cleared out and left behind 50 degree days. Warm enough for no coats and sandals for some.

That coat of H’s has turned into his security blanket. Whenever he is at a babysitter’s, he will find his coat and refuse to let it go. We had a tantrum this morning when it got dirty and he couldn’t wear it anymore. He knows that it means he is leaving, going outside or going somewhere fun.

We finally found an inexpensive pair of snowshoes for our kids. The boys loved combining snowshoeing and sledding.

Then the weather warmed up and their isn’t as much snow. We wanted to go snowshoeing again, but where we choose to go didn’t have enough snow. But there was still enough to sled on.

 

Joe brought home these beautiful narcissus one day. One of my kids took the picture. It is still winter, but spring is not too far away.

Really, spring is not that far away. I’m already late starting some of the seeds. I found this organizer at the thrift store and got to work organizing my seed collection. Now I just have to find some potting soil.

Peter organized the cars by color. It turned into a wonderful opportunity to take pictures. That child has admitted to liking complaining, by the way. NOT COOL.

Isn’t this kid cute? He is finally starting to talk more. He will be four very soon.

I forgot how hard it is to have a toddler. This boy can be happy, loving, cuddly and it fun to watch him explore his world. We try to understand his little words, enjoy watching his funny dances and see his expressions.

But he also spends a lot of his day asking for things that he is not old enough to play with, throwing little tantrums, needing more snacks (he is a string cheese connoisseur), and trying to do things that result in injury. Like climbing up on stools and finding knives. Luckily mommy exercises constant vigilance. Or tries to, and is just very ready for nap time when it comes.