party in the pool!

With highs in the upper 80s and into the 90s this week, it’s hard not to think summer thoughts.  At the end of last year, our pool bit the dust.  We got good use out of it for the $15 I paid for it.  And, whereas it was plenty big for when Nate and Jilly were a couple years smaller and pre-Laurel days, it was a bit crowded at the end of last summer.

So, today, while on our weekly Sam’s visit, I spied the same pool I really wanted to pick up last year.  (Last year I hesitated, and they all disappeared in less than a week.)  It’s roughly twice the size of the previous one which is good for 3 growing kids!  We’re playing with it indoors today because of potential storms tonight, but hopefully they weather will cooperate and we can get it outside tomorrow afternoon.  I have a feeling I’m going to be getting a little wet this summer . . .

put us down in pencil

Although I know kids can change your plans quickly and often at the last minute, I’m still a planner.  It’s just the way I’m wired.  I like to put things on the calendar well in advance.  It’s not that we’re so busy we must plan 3 weeks in advance (although the bigger or kids get the quicker the days do fill up), but there is a certain peace I have in knowing things are planned.

We planned Nate’s party for Friday the 20th.  His birthday was on the 11th, but the Friday before and the Friday after wouldn’t work for various reasons.

So, when he came home Wednesday not acting like himself I let the kids just turn on the tv and veg.  It was a much more peaceful option than letting them play and listening to a very crabby Nate get upset over every little misstep of Jilly and Laurel.  As we headed up for bedtime, I noticed Nate’s forehead was burning up.  Brad mentioned that he thought it felt hot when he had gotten home from work.  I’m assuming crabby Nate was probably running fever since before I picked him up from school.

Thursday, fever won’t go away.  Must make a decision about the birthday party.  Party canceled, well technically rescheduled.  Friday, woke up with no fever.  Yay!  Oh, no, it’s back.  Must have just still had some ibuprofen in his system.  Glad party is postponed.  Saturday, fever still hanging around.  Trip to doctor.  Fever should ended Sunday.  Sunday, very slight fever.  Glimmer of hope!  Oh, what’s that Jilly?  You say you have a headache.  Yup, and a gradually increasing fever to go along with it.  Joy.

So, today was suppose to be a day of celebrating Nate and Brad’s dad’s birthdays, but no go.  We’ll have to pass on that one too.  At this point, I’m just hoping that this is all out of our house by this coming Thursday when we have Nate’s party rescheduled for.

We’ll see.  Never can tell for sure with kids.

At least it’s nice enough to still get outside some.

And, flowers are blooming which always makes this girl just that much happier.

winter, shminter

No complaints about this winter from me – especially these last few days as we head into official springtime!  We have spent this week soaking in the sun and warmth.  We’ve played at numerous playgrounds, hung the backyard swings, played plenty of kick the ball, ridden bikes and scooters, gone on wagon rides, and family walks.  It’s great to be able to be back outside so much.

It’s been so nice in fact that we decided to go ahead and pick Nate up a new bike a few weeks prior to his birthday.  He is making the transition from training wheels to no training wheels.  He’s always been our extra cautious kid, so the transition will have to be in little chunks.  Brad’s out with him now working on it for the first time, and apparently he is not a happy camper.  Let’s hope it’s short lived. . .

I hear them heading back to the house now.  Time to prepare the pep talk!

hovering

I’ve recently visited this blog several times and thought that maybe it was the day to dive back into blogging. As I hovered at the end of the diving board, ready to jump back into the pool of blogging, I would click away and climb off the diving board. I’m sure the ease of facebook and my iphone have added to my lack of blogging. It’s just to simple to zoom a picture I just snapped onto facebook with a quick status. Much more simple than thought out blog post on which I have to downsize my pictures so I don’t use up my allotted space too quickly.

Here I am though. I dove. And as long as I hit the publish button, we’ll assume I didn’t drown. Okay, I’m getting tired of the pool illustration.

February 23rd marked my first blog post 6 years ago! Happy (missed) birthday blog.

All 3 boys in Nate’s class have birthdays within a month of each other so we have birthday on the brain around here. Unfortunately for Nate, he is birthday #3 of 3. He is going to the first one’s party tomorrow evening. It’s at a place that is new in town, and we’ve not been to before. Another mom at Bible Study Fellowship this morning said she was having her son skip a party there this weekend because she just wasn’t comfortable with it. And another mom I talked with yesterday said she has a friend whose child ended up hurt pretty bad there. Yikes! I’m hoping my son’s super cautious side makes my saying okay to him going result in no injuries.

I spent 5 nights in Arkansas with Laurel at the beginning of February, and Jilly has been a new child since I returned. Brad likes to think he got her in line. I like to think she missed me so much she’s going to remain on her best behavior just so I don’t go away again! I”m thinking a trip like that 2 to 3 times a year just to keep her behavior at its best might be in order.

Laurel passed the 17 month mark yesterday. As with any third child, I totally forgot to take a picture for comparison sake. Maybe later today. Or next week. Or, well, we’ll see. She’s growing up fast on us. Still loves to climb (and therefore fall) and has the bruises to prove it.

Last weekend we headed down to the farm and had a great time. I actually drove one of the four wheelers for the first time in years. It was fun riding out to see the bald eagle sitting in the huge nest (and we assume on eggs). Not sure my 3 kids have every been as dirty as they got in the 24ish hours we spent there, but they truly had a great time in the dirt.

Although Wednesdays are pretty non-stop around here, we’ve definitely been getting outside and enjoying the nice weather a lot the past several days. I’m hoping we don’t return to below 60s for highs, but I also know it’s a real possibility.

Brad and I are pretty sure we’re going to jump in and do a veggie garden in the backyard this summer. I’m hoping that we’re quick learners and don’t end up wasting too much time and money.

Well, I’m going to call that enough updating. Oh yeah, Nate has his first loose tooth! And I, the hater of all things related to tooth losing and growing, actually wiggled it for him to show him last night! Yay Nate! Yay me!

 

 

 

through the woods

We’ve been able to take a few family walks in recent days and weeks.  Usually this would include Nate and Jilly biking while Brad and I took turns pushing Laurel’s stroller.  Both Nate and Jilly outgrew their bikes this summer though which leaves Jilly able to ride Nate’s old one, but Nate is still without one.  The goal is to hold out until his birthday and split the cost of a new one with my parents.  So, we’ve been letting the Nate and Jilly walk an abbreviated version of our normal path.

Yesterday we couldn’t pass up the 70 degree weather and since Brad’s day started with at 6:30 am meeting he was able to be home a little earlier than normal.  It was perfect!

it’s back . . . now when’s it gonna go?

last saturday we got our first gonna-be-here-for-a-few-days snowfall.  to say that nate and jilly were super excited would be a huge understatement.  pretty much as soon as it switched from ice to flakes, nate was begging to get bundled up and head out.  and of course as soon as jilly got wind of what nate was anxious to do, she of course was all in too.

they had such a good time.  nate of course had a plan for what he wanted to do with the snow.  he had dreams of building a mountain (on the 12′x12′ deck), and jilly was thrilled to just fall down over and over again (exclaiming “it didn’t hurt, mom!” each time).  soon they were asking for shovels and carting snow from the yard onto the deck.  apparently we need to work on the concept of building in the yard and cleaning the snow off the deck.

although each day the snow is still here, this is day six, i get more and more anxious about when it will all be melted, i’m glad to know that the kids are at an age where they can really enjoy being out there playing together (read: mom can stay inside and watch through the window).  i’m going to go spend some more time wishing and hoping that it will all melt before the next several inches fall – whenever that might be . . .

umm, that’s new

i was debating what to blog today, but after snapping this pictures just moments ago, i can’t pass up sharing them immediately.

she definitely noticed the gigantic wet flakes out her window as i changed her diaper following nap.  figuring she has no recollection of snow from last year, i figured she’d better get reacquainted.  there were no tears, and i assuming when she sees nate and jilly’s reaction she’ll be sold on the fun of snow.

hard to believe it’s that time of year again – especially since it was a gorgeous 70+ degrees  day just yesterday.  oh well, here’s to bundling up 3 kids for loads of cold, wet fun for the next 5 (or more) months!

been busy

lately:

the skies have been fairly blue

the grass is greening

the leaves are budding out

the perennials are making a comeback

which means we’re:

going on walks

lots of walks

rolling in the grass

fighting the wind

and loving every minute of spring’s return!

happy spring-time!

oh the fun of playing in the rain with your very own umbrella.  when nate was given a hand-me-down umbrella a couple weeks ago, it became clear very quickly that if he were ever going to get to use it a certain two-year-old was also going to need one.  i stashed his away in the closet until this past weekend when we pulled it out during a very brief afternoon shower.  they had a blast, and it was well worth picking one up for little miss jilly mae.  i’m thinking they’re going to be wishing for a lot of rain this spring!!!

the swings are hung!

it became evident very quickly that one big kid swing for a 2.5 year old and an almost 5 year old was not going to cut it.  after kindergarten roundup last friday (more on that at some point soon), we made a quick dash over to pick up a second one.  everyone having their own swing is definitely the way to go.

i apologize for the terrible shadowy pictures, can’t move the house to get rid of the shadows though.  (c0uple more weeks and the shadows will be different – thank goodness!)

{a swing for everyone!}

{smiley swinging}

{buried swinging}

{circle swinging}

{our neighbor’s dog who i’m pretty sure is going to quickly be joining us for backyard fun.}

{just another one from yesterday i thought was worth sharing}

(gave up fb for lent, but this will auto-feed onto fb.  if you’re reading it there and want to comment, click on the link which takes you to the actual blog and leave the comment there so i can read it before april 24th!)