Memorial Weekend

Highlights of our weekend...
~ Having our friends over to grill
~ Playing at the pool with family
~ Going into Stillwater for the afternoon
~ Eating lunch at one of our favorite places
~ Dipping in the river

Little By Little

Weekend Highlights

~ Toes in the grass
~ Paper bag kites
~ A visit from Grandma Sam
~ Planting
~ Fence building
~ Last year's squash for dinner (and I still have one left)
~ My family making me/us lunch (and cleaning up)
~ Nora giggles
~ Reading "A Giraffe and a Half" (over and over and backwards)
~ Ice cream bars
~ Sleeping in, and then going back to bed, but still being up by 8:20
~ Garden progress

This Year's Gardening

I have very slowly been picking away at our gardens.  While we were way ahead on kale, potatoes, peas,and lettuce (already harvesting lettuce actually), everything else is behind.  This week I have been trying my best to get out there in the five minute increments I seem to have these days.  It is just so hard to keep little Nora a part of all the action.

I've tried gardening like this... which works for awhile (and only if it's not too sunny, windy, hot or cold)



And this... which also works for a(short)while.



But none of it buys me the long chunk of time that I really need.  So today I hired a very willing and happy (Grandma Lee) baby holder...



And finally I got some work done.  24 tomato plants, 12 broccoli plants, watermelon seeds and a lot of tilling to be exact.  There is still so much more to do but I finally feel like I've made a dent in it.





And of course, I have to keep reminding myself that this isn't a normal year.  Whatever doesn't get done is okay.  I'll just keep working at it (in slow motion) with my two little helpers.

First Tooth!

Four Months

Wow this little babe is a happy one.  And it is so much fun to watch her personality slowly unfold.  Such a smiley, laughy, "talky" little girl she is.  Of course she is most in love with her big brother and sister.  They can make her laugh like no one else.

Colorado

It was a really great trip.  The kids did awesome on the plane.  I will never forget their excitment as we took off that first time (Grace actually let out a "woo-who" which made the whole plane laugh).  We got to meet and spend a lot of time with Ryan's new found relatives which was so much fun.  There were a few hikes in the mountains and some time at Ryan's aunt's beautiful home in the foothills.  There was a (short) trip to Rocky Mountain National Park, some elk sightings, a neat children's museum and of course a lot of time in the pool.  And the last night of the trip ended with a pizza/dance party complete with live music.  It was all pretty great.  Although I think little Nora was ready to be home. 

Mother's Day Blessings

My two favorite Mother's Day moments...



1) Swimming with Grace and Jackson this morning and playing "dolphins" at the hotel pool.



2) Nursing Nora to sleep tonight at home safe and sound.

We're Off

Our Girls...

Just like our boys...

The Chicken Girl

Time Alone With My Boy

I Did It

One day during my very long pregnancy with Nora I was feeling particularly inspired and energetic and I decided to make the leap into cloth diapers.  No problem I thought, I think I'm ready for this.  I placed an online order and was thrilled when my big package of cloth diapers finally arrived.  Does it sound absolutely ridiculous to say I couldn't wait to use them.  I couldn't. 

Fast forward to several months later when Nora was here and I wasn't quite seeing things the same way.  Big problem... I don't want to do this anymore.  It all sounded so overwhelming.  But it was too late, I already made the investment.  I had to at least give it a try.  Thankfully I didn't buy any of the smallest size diapers thinking that it might be too hard to transition to three kids and cloth diapers all at the same time.  But eventually a couple months past and Grace started asking about them.  She had been practicing on her babies and was really excited to try them out "for real".  One day I decided to take out the big bag of them and have a look. 

Shoot.  Some of them would fit right now.  Shoot, shoot, shoot.  Ahh, but wait, it says right here I have to wash them three times.  And I specifically remember being told there was a special kind of soap to use.  Phew.  Put them away for now (far away) until I get the "special" soap. 

That bought me another month.  After some investigation I found that while some soap might be better then others, you don't have to use a special kind.

Hmmm, well as soon as I get caught up on the laundry, then I'll wash them and start using them. 

This bought me some more time.  But of course I eventually realized I'll never be caught up on the laundry.  Ever.  And so finally one day Jackson brought the big bag of diapers out of the closet (to use as a horse) and I gave in.  I washed them up (three times) and folded them nice and neat and placed them in a basket in the living room.  Everyone gathered around as I put the first one on Nora.  And there it was, I had officially begun.  While it looked a little bulky, it seemed soft and comfortable.  Later when I went to change her everyone gathered around again.  Wow, they work!

I've only been using them for four days but I have to say that I really do LOVE them.  They're really no different then just changing a regular diaper and since I already do 89 loads of wash a week whats a few diapers.  But mostly I just feel so good about it.  I'm doing my part by not being as wasteful and I plus I feel like it must be so much more comfortable for her.  She seems happy about it anyway.