Flag Snatcher...Er...Garden Helper

On Thursday, Justin worked to ready the garden for planting.  (Please divert your eyes from the weed, I mean, strawberry patch in the lower left corner...Our neighbor who tills for us asks if we are ready to "till them under" just about every year.  Are we gluttons for punishment or what?  Yes, we kept them...)

 Kale, always wanting to be near Papa, wasn't going to miss a beat.

 He loves flags, just about as much as he loves cars and stars and tractors.  Whenever he spots a flag, car, star or tractor, it is announced in his sweet little Kale voice.

 As Justin would put the flags into the ground, Kale would soon enough take them out...

 and place them in the burn barrel.

 And when it came time to plant the seeds, Kale would follow behind and pick the seeds out of the rows and put a few of them in his mouth.  Wishful thinking that with his "help" he might actually eat some of the produce???

Cherishing these photos and memories of our little flag snatcher...er...garden helper.

Galena Getaway

Justin has been on vacation this week and it's been a delight.  We've gotten lots of things done around the house as well as take a little getaway to Galena.

 Kale and Cedar stayed with my parents and had loads of fun.  Kale knows that at Grams and Gramps, he gets to ride the "tractor".

 This was his last tractor ride before we took him home.  I think by that look on his face, he knew it was his last ride!

We enjoyed our hotel stay and time in Galena.  Thanks to my mom and dad for caring for our boys!

Ocean Sensory Bin

I recently put together an ocean sensory bin for Kale.  It's got acquarium rocks, plants, fish,a scuba diver, etc.  When asked if he wanted to visit the ocean, he excitedly said "yeah, yeah, yeah."  Mama had fun burying the fish in the rocks and Kale would dig them out.  Long after the "ocean" got put away, Kale would say "ocean" as if in a question.  Think this will be great for rainy days or hot sunny days outside on the deck.  Thanks to my sis for finding some fun sea creatures for us!

April MN Visit

We enjoyed a weekend trip to visit Justin's family in MN.  Unfortunate for them, they had lots of rain pushing them out of the fields.  Fortunate for us, we got to spend lots of time with all of them which was awesome.

 Had a great visit with Grandma Mabel.  Kale kept himself entertained with Papa's phone and figuring out the buttons to push to make the doors open in the facility.  Never a dull moment...

 Though we couldn't get in the fields, we still found the tractors to sit in and make tractor noises, of course.

 Kale hangin' with Uncle Nate.

 Grandpa Howard and a few of the grandkids.  The two girls are the oldest of the clan and the boy is the current youngest.  Grace (in blue) has a baby sibling on the way.  Baby will make #9.

 The 8 grandkids.  Since we are the only "out of towners", we try the grandkid shot whenever there is a chance.  Notice our son (at right) didn't want to stay for the shoot.  Look at all those BOYS.

Kale has really taken to Grandma/pa's piano.  Notice his right hand in the air like he's Mozart or something.  Didn't quite sound like Mozart...

Stairwell Makeover

About a year ago I had seen some decorating ideas for stairwells in a magazine I love

(Country Living).  It gave me the itch to tackle ours.

 There was nothing really wrong with our stairwell, it was just kind of "blah" and simply an area to "pass through."  And as a SAHM, I think I've gotten poison ivy kinds of itches lately, as I've wanted to change a lot of things around in our home!

So, the last week of January it began...I repainted the ceiling white.  It made it look so much cleaner and brighter.  Good start.  Then about a month passed while I hung swatches of paint colors on the walls and would study them in the afternoons while Kale napped; watching the sun move over them and turn the grey hues blues and purples and khakis.  I didn't want blues and purples and khakis.  I wanted grey-straight up grey!  I eventually settled (again, after about a month) on Mindful Grey from Sherwin Williams.  I must say, I love it.  It's not too dark-it's subtle and lovely.

 The painting took some time as I decided not to tape.  I was in  no rush and just decided to work on it as I could, while Kale napped, and eventually it would get done.  I had 10 doorframes to go around so we're talking lots of trimming here, folks.

 Like the ceiling, the painting has been done for quite some time now but last weekend, we completed the project by hanging the picture frames.  Then much to my husband's dismay, I saw yet another idea in Country Living magazine (Your Christmas gift subscription is costing us money, Mom!)...a new light fixture.  It was black to match the black, grey and white theme I was going with, it was affordable, and I didn't care for the one that was up.  So, a few (more like 6) hours later, the new light was bright and shining (old home, former light not installed correctly, power out for 4 hours due to wind...etc...).

And now when we pass through the stairwell, I smile.  And when Kale passes through he points to the pictures and says "Mama!", "Papa!" and "Cedar!".  I think the 4 months' work was worth it.

Booyeahs

Since I've become a parent, I've turned into a crazy person.  Case in point: last week I began backing out of the garage before the garage door was fully up.  Crazy.  Thankfully, my sane husband, upon receiving my phone call, paused at the news and then laughed.  Yes, I'm confident he knows I'm crazy.

At least ten times a day I ask Kale not to yell in the house.  Then, at a moments' weakness when I am feeling so frustrated and tired after a long day, I find myself yelling.  At Kale.  In the house.  Crazy.

Yesterday was one of those long days.  To top it off, I got a cramp of sorts in my leg that would not go away and all I wanted to do was retreat to the bathtub for a long soak.  Got in, good to go.  Dropped my devotional book partially in the water.  Crazy.  Or well, maybe just clumsy.

At our moms group recently, the pastor's wife talked of "Booyeahs."  She watches a few of her grandchildren and after school she asks them for their "booyeahs" of the day; meaning for every "boo" of the day, they have to also give a "yeah."  I'm thinking this is an excellent idea.  So here we go:

BOO: Kale refused to try apple juice and only wanted to take the straw out of the juice box and make a mess as opposed to put it in his mouth.
YEAH: Kale did want to put chalk and tree bark in his mouth while playing outside.  Whereas this should be frustrating, I'm turning it positive that at least he'll put something new in his mouth.  There just might be some hope there.

BOO: Cedar knocked Kale down 3 times while playing outside.  One time was pretty hard but thankfully it was just in the grass.
YEAH: Cedar and Kale are forming a bond that I'm excited to see continue to grow throughout their years together.

BOO: Justin played basketball tonight which means he doesn't get home till later.
YEAH: I'm happy for my husband to have an outlet as he works a stressful job and I know how much it rejuvinates him.  And I like to see him get in a little exercise.  (Lovies, honey!)

Share your own Booyeahs of the day.  You never know.  It just might make you feel a little less crazy.

Easter Sunday 2012

Sunday's Coming!

With little one in bed, I was able to set out his Easter basket on the play porch (and will soon be putting my feet up!).  He'll find it in the morning by following the trail of eggs leading from his room,

down the stairs,

through the dining room,

and onto the porch.  His basket this year even contains some German chocolate bunnies, courtesy of Papa's last trip.

More importantly, we're excited to celebrate our Risen Savior on Easter Morning.  Sunday's coming!

Jesus paid it all!  All to Him I owe.  Sin had left a crimson stain; He washed it white as snow.

Month of March

It's been a great month.  Visits from Grandparents;

 sweet moments at home;

 homemade meals from mom and dad (My Pa & bro caught that fish and I had to have my melted butter in the tin cups like when I was a kid...);

 Kale ate his "fish" too...

 sewing birthday banners with Lady (aka Mom);

 Pa (aka Dad) reading with Kale;

 lots of trips back to the timber;

 rides on the "tractor" with Grams;

 park time with Mama;

 and lots of sunshine smiles.

Hope you've had an equally enjoyable month.  Here's to April!