Summertime!

So it’s summertime in these parts.

Which means our schedule is pretty relaxed. We’re all up sometime between 7 and 8, and we eat a nice leisurely breakfast where everybody tries to change their cereal choice at least 3 times. Then we look at the calendar and decide what we should do that day!

I try to do something with the kids most days. Either a play date or hike or splash pad or museum trip or pool or library….

We all do better and the morning goes by faster if there’s a particular activity for the day. It also helps to get us out of the house – if we stay at home, then I feel the need to clean my house instead of playing with my kiddos. So everybody’s happier if we get out – even if it means the house stays dirty.

My tiny baby bump – I think this was 22 weeks or so

I’m trying to let go of the house cleaning bug. When school first ended, I made a huge list of the spring cleaning projects I wanted to get done this summer. Now that summer is more fully in swing and I’ve detoxed from teacher-mode, I don’t think much of that list will get done. I cleaned out the closets, so at least something happened.

Both Jaylee and Jax had birthdays. It was a lot of fun and they got a lot of new toys to play with. But overall, I hate throwing parties. So I’m glad that’s done for a year. Parties just seem to exhaust me – at least when its just family that’s coming over, I don’t feel like I need to clean the whole house. (Picking up a theme with what exhausts me these days?)

Jaylee and her bff Bella

The princess castle assembly crew

Our summer/fall/winter/whenever project is to finish our basement. We’re going to do most of the work ourselves, and pay cash for it all. So work is progressing slowly. It will be nice when its done and we can have a nice and cool playroom for the summer time. And kicking all the toys downstairs is a (perhaps pipe) dream.

Jaylee’s first round of ballet/dance classes ended on Monday. They had a little recital for all the parents to come see what they’ve been learning, but Jaylee got a case of stage fright and just cried through the whole thing. She didn’t really do any dancing. But oh well – she’s had a great time every Monday at the classes. We signed her up for another round, though she currently still believes she doesn’t want to do dance anymore.🙂

The beginning of the end

She loved her teacher, and her teacher gave her a pretty little ballet bracelet at the end (even though Jaylee didn’t participate in the recital). That made my momma heart happy. Its nice that other people love on my little girl too.🙂

Baby #3 is doing just fine – we had the big 20 week scan and decided not to find out the sex! This has been the easiest and breeziest pregnancy, and I don’t even look like I’m pregnant even though we’re just past 23 weeks. Hopefully baby will still be this chill when they make it to the outside world in October. For now, I’m enjoying the subtle little kicks and punches – especially since I know they’ll get painful here before too long.🙂

Love this time of year! Though I’ll pass on the heat (there’s a reason my babies were both born in June)

 

Family Photos – Spring/Summer 2015

So we were a bit late in taking our family photos this year, due to crazy sickness, Colorado weather, and super-fun family schedules.

But we got some good ones. It was a nice sunny morning at the park with our friends, even though baby Jax was a bit… uh…. whiny.

In true form

He’s also finally getting over his cold, so that could have had something to do with it.

I LOVE taking family photos with our friends, the Irons. I feel like they actually understand where we’re at, since our kids are the same age. Nobody has any unrealistic expectations. And we just kinda go with the flow. Its a great thing, truly.

The photos are way less stressful because neither family had to pay a butt-load of money and then pressure their kids into behaving. Though we did end up bribing our kids by the end.

And we still get great looking photos. Even if Jax insists on giving dirty looks in as many of them as possible.

When he’s not picking his nose or pointing out birds, of course.

Jason is really good at capturing our family exactly where we are – all the messy and nose-picking and whining glory of it.

Plus the occasional “wow, that’s actually good” shot where everyone is looking at the camera. Or at least, in the camera’s general direction.

A Breather

So its been a while.

Jaylee’s latest selfie

Suffice to say we’ve been a bit busy around here. But this is my week-break between masters classes, and I’m giving the end-of-year exit exam in my classes tomorrow and Friday. Kids are at gram’s house, and the robot is vacuuming my upstairs. So I actually have a chance to breathe, for the first time in a while!

They have a lot of fun with their grandparents

First, we found out that we are expecting.

That was a bit of a shock, as we had not planned on getting pregnant right now. But now that we’ve become a bit more accustomed to the idea, its an exciting time. Truthfully, I forget that I’m pregnant for about 75% of each day. I didn’t have any nausea, haven’t been too outrageously tired (more than usual, anyway), and I’m still wearing my normal clothes at 15 weeks. Its been a dreamy third pregnancy. But it definitely has added a little something extra to my plate that I wasn’t necessarily planning on. Our official due date is October 24th, though I think this baby will probably come late (simply because we, uh… know the conception date).

Jax really enjoys playing at the sink

A lot of fun family events have come and gone since I last updated ye olde humble blog. But I’m trying something new, and just letting go of things. So I’m not going to go back and write about all the Easter fun and spring fun and Colorado spring blizzard fun. I’m just gonna let it go and start where we’re at now.

Its a coping mechanism, really.

Easter

Wearing her “coronation dress” so she can sing and dance with her daddy

So there. Consider the blog updated! There’s just a couple more weeks of school left until we’re out for the summer and I get to spend all my time with my babies. I’m simultaneously looking forward to it, and a bit worried about it. I’m not the kind of person who does well with lots of unstructured time – I need routines and things to do. But I’m sure we’ll find plenty of those this summer. At least I won’t have to worry about grading and planning stuff for class (besides my master’s work, of course).

Where are my children?

Playing at the museum – at the water station of course

Speaking of masters work, I have one year left till I’m done! I’m sooooo ready to be done. Hopefully this third baby will not delay my graduation, though it’ll be a bit rough in October and November. We shall see!

New freedom – big boy bed

Have a great day!

A Warm February

We’ve had a lovely warm and sunny stretch around here!

Apparently a lot of these blog posts start out with a weather report, but it really does improve my mood when its warm and sunny (and not windy!). We get to go outside in the back “yard” more, and open up the curtains and blinds to let all the natural light in. As Jordan will tell you, I LOVE having the house lit up with natural light, even if it makes screens hard to see.🙂 I’m just a sucker for it.

We had a great Valentine’s Day. The kids and I went to my mom’s group Valentine’s party. They got to decorate a Kleenex box to hold their valentines, while the moms went through and stuck a card/treat in everyone’s box. It was nice to see some of my friends that I don’t get to see very often – I don’t get to go to many mom’s club events because of my work schedule. But I really value the friendships I’ve built there. Its nice to have other ladies to talk to who are right there in the trenches with you.

And since the party was in a room of the library, we had some fun playing in the children’s area afterwards. Its been a while since we’ve played at the library, so it was fun to see my kiddos interacting with toys in a different way. They’re really growing up!

Jax loved this turning thingy even as an infant, so its fun that he can twist it on his own now

On President’s Day, we went to the Butterfly Pavilion with my mom and sister. That’s a fun place for children, though I think we still prefer the Children’s Museum. Jax especially loved looking at all the bugs and fish, and he kept walking around the butterfly area saying “Mo bu-erflies!” Butterflies has now been added to his vocab. Jaylee was a little nervous around the flying butterflies, which was not helped by the fact that she was wearing a red shirt that attracted them all.🙂 It was a good time though.

Sitting with Geema to see Rosie the tarantula

Jax enjoyed digging in the dirt and finding mealworms

Life goes on as usual around here. We got a pretty big surprise on February 20, but more about that later. I think we’ll have a separate post on that.🙂

Jax – #1 Fish Feeder Advocate

I just realized that my kids are wearing the same clothes in most of these photos.🙂 Can you tell that I thought Jax looked really stinking cute in his little shirt and collar? He’s getting so big! Its hard to believe my little baby isn’t really a baby anymore. Actually, I choose not to believe it.

Jordan commented the other day that our kids are really really freakin cute. And I’d have to whole-heartedly agree.

Till next time!

Super Bowl Champions!

We’re pretty big Broncos fans around here.

So we were pretty excited when they managed to get through all the playoff games and into the Super Bowl. Our Super Bowl viewing came with lots of dancing in circles when the Broncos would make a good move, and making as many “Ware” jokes as possible while giving obnoxious high fives. It was a good time.

On another note, Colorado weather has been so up-and-down recently. Right now its a beautiful 60 degrees outside. You can go out in just a t-shirt and perhaps some shorts, and the sun is missing king of a blue, cloud-spotted sky. Its picture perfect. Perfect weather for a trip to the park or the zoo or any of the other outdoor attractions around here. Crazy to think you can do that in the dead of winter here in Colorado.

The “dead man” swing

But actually, it was just one week ago that we had a massive blizzard and were shoveling about a foot of snow on our snow day. They even named the most recent winter storm that blew through here, though I can’t remember the name of it now. Kayla maybe?

Snow days around here mean we break out the jumpy-jumpy and stay in our pjs all day. We also cook a nice cajun turkey breast with roasted veggies, and just generally chill out. But its just so strange that each week has been a different story as far as the weather goes. Beautiful park weather, then massive snow, then beautiful park weather.

Still, I’ll take it. The sunshine is nice and the air smells great and it puts everybody in a good mood. Its nice not to have to mess with coats in the carseats and snow tracks in the house.

Life continues on in the usual way. Its entering the “hell months” of the school year, where we have state testing coming up and very few breaks (other than spring break of course). April is by far the worst month, because at least in May you know the end is near. But even here in February the kids are getting antsy and tired of the school routine. Aren’t we all.

The “Ugly” Part of Winter

We’ve entered the depressing season of winter. After all the sparkly lights and glittery ornaments of Christmas come down, the snow and cold outside seem less magical and more menacing.

Its probably one of my least favorite times of the year. We’re stuck inside for the most part, where both of my children do much better in the outdoors (Jax especially). The days are sunny, but you step outside to take out the trash and get hit with an icy wind that takes your breath away. There are the occasional nice moments, like when your husband goes out to shovel the driveway and takes his two little helpers with him.

But for the most part, its just a cold and sad season. Not to mention all the SICKNESS. One of our few escapes is the gym, where the kids get to play with friends and mommy and daddy get to have some “me” time while getting some exercise. Its good for all of us, up until the kids catch one of the innumerable germs going around the nursery. Then we end up with runny noses and coughing fits all night. Ain’t nobody got time for that.

Fit-central

I suppose there is playoff football, which is an enjoyable (if stressful) experience. Its nice to get to spend time with family. This past Sunday, all of the women went to get pedicures before the game started. And for the first time, Jaylee got to come too.

She did really well, even letting the lady cut her fingernails before putting on the three layers of polish. Jax also got to spend some time in his happy place, making me quite jealous.

Aside from Sundays, we spend a lot of time just hanging out around the house after I get off work. Jax and Jaylee got a lot of new toys for Christmas, and they have been helpful to keep the kids entertained and happy as I try to get back into the swing of house-cleaning and diaper-washing and teaching-preparations.

I do have a bit of help with some of my responsibilities.

So even though we’re in the less-than-enjoyable part of winter, I still have plenty of reasons to be thankful. Other than colds and coughs and teething, we’re still all healthy. And I’ve made excellent progress on most of my goals so far (though being kind to Jojo is still a challenge). And I get the wonderful experience of raising my two little blessings with the love of my life. Focus on the positive!

2016 Goals

Since I was pretty successful on my 2015 goals, I’ve got a new round for this year! And, of course, I want to continue the good progress and habits that were the results of last year’s resolutions (such as reading my bible and reading more books).

Here are my new goals for 2016:

1. Run two 10k races. Hopefully the Bolder Boulder and perhaps the Rock n Roll 10k. Not sure on when/what the second one will be. But I know that its unreasonable for me to commit the time needed to train for a half marathon at this point in my life. A 10k is a more reasonable distance for me.
2. Be kind to the Jojo. I’d like to take him for a walk once a week and just generally be more patient with him. He’s 7 years old!
3. Use my reusable K-cups. Its good for the environment and good for the pocketbook.
4. Stay positive – I want to get less angry at people online (HOTS) and people who are less-than-stellar drivers. Postivitity!
5. Play “pretend” with Jaylee for at least 15 minutes a day. She ADORES playing pretend games with her toys, but they are very taxing for my brain (we write the same script and repeat it over and over). So my mind starts to wander and I’m not fully present and I end up getting up and leaving. She LOVES this time with me though, so I want to commit to being fully present and playing whatever she wants for at least 15 minutes a day. Even if we just repeat the same Peppa Pig script for 15 minutes.
6. Get the kids in the habit of cleaning their rooms in the evening before bed. This will greatly help with corralling the toy explosion, and its time they started to learn to clean up after themselves.
7. Get Jaylee to eat a wider variety of foods. We started this tonight – she ate fried shrimp for the first time ever! We had to bribe her with M&M’s in order to get her to try it, but baby steps!

I have several other goals that I’d like to achieve this year, but my list is already getting a bit long. So I’m going to reassess in a couple months and see if I’m ready to add more to my plate (drinking more water, losing weight, organizing the house, reading for pleasure, etc).