A spring fling

The first official day of spring was Sunday, yessss.  And the weather around here has been getting so nice during some of the days,(70's and even the 80's), that much is blooming{although our grass is still brown&crispy}.  And we have had a lot more playtime outside to enjoy. 

And we also made the most of the rainy day of the week with a paper bird making afternoon.  The girls bedroom has had paper snowflakes hanging from the ceiling since December and it was about time for the winter to come down and put some spring up:)

We think our birds turned out lovely.  They drew on a few of them but my camera doesn't pick up details like that;)

Happy Wednesday and here's to:

• messy bedrooms & unedited photos
• warmer weather to stay
• green, soft grass
• and {dare I say} cleaning house?{!}

To Journal or Not to Journal

First I wanted to share a picture of two of the album I framed; I think it looks so good:)  I am happy this little 'project' is complete-check!  That means one more piece of decor(the frame) has been cleared from the Junk Room.  { I may not have mentioned before, that while we have lived in this house for about a year now, we still have a room of unpacked boxes, the old nursery crib&rocker, clothes, etc.--so we have a Junk Room.  Most people have a junk drawer, and we have that as well.  We are just bad, and have a room too.  Embarrassing I know.  Just keeping it real people.  I mean, it's not a 'big' room or anything...

Anyhow, here are the pictures:

                              

Now, onto more of a purposeful subject: journaling.  I don't know if journaling is for you.  I know it's for  some and then some people can't stand the thought of sitting down and pouring it out on paper but rather some other outlet.  Whatever works.  I am a journal-er.  I am not a 'good' writer by any means; no one would/could ever make a book out of my ramblings and prayers on paper{much less any sense}.  But none the less, I do love to 'get it all out' on paper.  I feel better after I vent or pray in writing.  I even love to draw things I want to make, or sketch out rooms with furniture placement ideas.  I am just a visual kind of girl and even if I rarely go back to read or look over my ideas, putting 'it' down on paper is so good for me.

So around Christmas time I found these really cute little spiral bound sturdy notebooks that I thought would be perfect for the girls to use as their journals.  They have seen me over time writing or doodeling in random notebooks/journals and so the concept was not too foreign to them.  I decided to stuff their stockings with these new journals bound up with some pens, pencils, and stickers.  

Obviously, neither one can write sentences yet but what a great thing, for them to begin now, to draw creations and to be inspired by what they can make with letters and doodles, all kept up in their own little book.  So a couple of mornings each week, after breakfast, we get out our journals and sometimes we share what we are recording.  I know this exersice will help their motor skills with writing and be another way to express themselves creatively; and maybe even to find value in taking time to be still and know Him, and to see and express how they are made in His image.  

"Come and behold ye the works of the Lord: what wonders he hath done upon earth,"

Psalm 46:8

We love Snail Mail

It's always exciting to get mail, especially when you are little and know that a package is coming for you, and you don't know what's inside.  My sister, {Aunt Lala}, is really thoughtful when it comes to sending little cards with treats inside for the girls; she has lived in New York and now in Colorado and the girls always love hearing about and seeing pictures of the places she lives.

And then when they get some mail, that comes "all the way from Colorado!" it's super exciting:)  This week they got a little crafting package.  I told my sister that Maier was really into 'cutting' these days.  You know, using scissors on anything she can{is allowed to}.

She put little jewels on 2 pairs of scissors and lots of scrapbook paper and stickers.  They can sit for so long just cutting and creating pictures.  Thanks Aunt Lala!

Sometimes, we gotta be Lovers AND fighters

Tonight at bedtime Laila told us she had a song to sing for us.  She said it was called 'Jesus Loves Me', which we sing almost every night{b/c it's Maier's favorite at the present}, so we, and Maier, began to sing with her.  But then Laila interjected with a new melody and different words and she lost us.  The lyrics went like this{sung to a tune I wish I could translate over the web;)}:

"he puts love in our hearts

he has joy in his heart

he has love to share

he made the people

he makes the nature

he makes the 'mans'

he is hope

he is safe

and he keeps the scary sings{aka things} away"

And then Jon and I looked at each other{awww sweet Laila:)} and then at her and of course told her how awesome that song was.  We  finished our 'good nights' and went downstairs where we can still hear them on the baby monitor{does any one else still use one in their "big" kid rooms?? I think I will for as long as I can} and listened to the girls chit chat:  Laila is still singing 'Jesus Loves Me' songs and Maier breaks into the Take Me Out to the Ball Game song.  Hilarious.  Laila  says, "Maier! I'm trying to sing songs about Jesus!..."   And of course Maier, with out so much as a pause, sings the whole song entirely{3 strikes your out and all}as loud as she could.  

I don't mean to paint a picture of Maier as a bully, but well, she is; at least at this stage in her life she is.  I am hoping and praying every day this phase will end soon because while she is experimenting with "The Consequences Are Worth It" life style, we are learning the importance of teaching Laila self defense.  And it's kind of stressful.  I mean, we spent so much energy teaching Laila "All you need is Love" that we forgot to equip her with proper self defense skills to use when, let's say for instance, in case someone chases you down, pulls your hair, and takes desirable toy out of your hand, and runs.  Especially when that someone happens to be your smaller, younger, and thief of a sister! :)  

Let's not end on a note like that.  Nope.  Let's end on the memories of sisterly love and the therapeutic environment of the beach.  I could live at the beach.  Really.  Not just a vacation but truly stay year round in that kind of beauty.  In a small town in the south eastern region of Florida to be a little more exact.  It's on my 'bucket list', to live there.  Jon is aware of this.  I hope he has taken it seriously;)  We have a trip planned for just a place in June.  

These are some pictures from our very first beach trip as a family of four.  It was over the Easter week/end.  Just the four of us.  No plans but to celebrate the glory of the ocean and the Resurrection, alone, together.

Beach sunsets...nothing like them

Easter Morning, flying her first kite

Oh June, you couldn't get here soon enough:)

some 'one on one' time

Every Monday, Maier and I take Laila to school.  It's the only regularly scheduled time slot where it's just me and Maier for a few hours.  We have some down time to hang out together and then we get ready for dance class.  Laila has dance too so we pick her up and off we go again, the three of us. 

And that's how it always is, the three of us.  And it's wonderful but you know, when you have your first, it's just the 'two of you' and all that one on one time with each other just 'is' b/c there is no one else:)  And I loved that.  So when Maier and I get some of that, I love it too.  

Of course, all Maier has known is 'mama and sister' all the day long, so when we are hanging out while Laila is at school Maier is vocally aware of where Laila is and isn't right up until Laila is back in her car seat, next to Maier:)

Maier's 3rd birthday & a recipie

So it was a successful party over this past weekend; we had one big giant play date outside {thank goodness the weather was amazing-65 degrees and sunny} complete with all the bikes, scooters, and mini-motorized vehicles for riding, a {free/borrowed} jumpy castle for the static cling, and a craft table for the artists.

Umm, Maier?  Are you crashing from a sugar high?  

The parents of all the children that came are also mine and Jon's friends, (many of them already knowing each other), so the adults got to enjoy some great company while our kids enjoyed the fresh air and amusements of freedom outside:)  I didn't get any pictures of the 'grownups'!!  I can't believe that!

I wish I had taken more pictures and better ones of the b.day banner; it was glittery but none of my pics show it well, bummer.

And as I mentioned before, we sang happy birthday and Maier blew out her 3 candles on some Oreo Surprise and it was so good.  And I took pics to I can share the recipe with those of you that were interested in it from Kayla's shower:)  If you hadn't considered it before, you definitely  should because I'm telling you, this is the easiest crowd pleasing dessert you can find!


(Disclaimer: I doubled my recipe b/c I wasn't sure how much we would need; 10 adults+12 kids=more than enough.  We will be eating Oreo surprise for a week! But 1 batch wouldn't have been enough.  The recipe below is for one 'batch':

Oreo Surprise

• 1 bag of oreos or any chocolate/cream sandwich cookies
• 1 large tub of cool whip
• 1 large box of vanilla or french vanilla instant jello pudding plus the milk it calls for
• a little milk in a bowl for dipping cookies

Directions:

1. In a bowl mix pudding according to directions on the box;don't forget to let set for a full 5 min. in the fridge
2. Then mix in the cool whip with the pudding**Cool whip needs to be thawed to a soft consistency so it mixed well
3. Then in your dessert dish you will begin the first layer with the cookies; dip each oreo into milk and make one flat layer.
4. Cover cookies with a layer of pudding mixture
5. Do this until pudding/cookies are gone or your dish is full; and you can crumble some cookies on top for the last bit.
6. Refrigerate for a few hours to 'set' so it won't be soupy.

This is so easy and you can really get creative with the flavors of pudding, cookies, and toppings.  I hope you try it!