Childhood play

I might be strange but I just love to watch my kids play.

I never know what kind of adventures they will go on.
It was so cute to watch them play playmobile together today. They packed up the motorhome and truck and went camping. They even took the little plastic people where they had never gone before... into the backyard.
I just love to over hear them talking through these people. Changing their voices for each person and using sayings that I find myself saying often.

Who knew that I would find such joy just watching and listening to them play?!
Being a mom is a true blessing.

Saturday morning

My bed was full this morning at 6:45.
But its all good.
Loving life.

Worms

The Little Man found a worm while out playing today.
What is it about little boys and worms? There is like some type of magnetic force that draws them together... along with dirt, bugs and anything that's loud.
Our day was filled full of spring rain showers. Everytime the clouds would lift and the rain would stop it was like a warm hug... that you did not even know you needed.
Hello June.

Mothers day 2012

Enjoying the sunshine, family and food today.
Testing out my new iPod.
What a wonderful Mothers day.

Sunshine

Spring in the Pacific Northwest can be all over the place.

Today there were sun breaks, showers, down pours and even hail.

We met some friends at the park this morning. The weather was looking good.

The Little Lady spent most of the time on the swing but came off long enough to stand under the tree while the rain came down. The Little Man and his friend were not really fazed much by the rain. It just added to their fun by creating mud.

It was so nice to get together with a friend that I have not seen for way too long. She even greeted me with a great big hug that lasted 2 minutes.

Soon the rain was coming down in buckets and we had to part ways.

Then it seemed like we spent the next few hours in the car.

We seem to be spending more time in the car but hopefully soon the car will be able to stay parked and we will be able to get out and walk where we need to go.

Until then cars are a great place to take pictures.

These pictures we taken on Saturday when the sun was shining and sunglasses were needed.
Oh sun I know you are still there but its so hard to see you through all of these gray clouds.
Maybe the rain will hold off long enough tomorrow so we can get some seeds into the ground in the garden.
I am glad that my two Littles can me my sunshine's.

Evening in the sunshine

Yesterday the weather was beautiful and too amazing to pass up. So our family went to a local[ish] park to spend the evening flying kites, laying on the blanket and eating take out pizza.
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What a wonderful end to a fantastic day.

After dinner walk

After dinner walks are for...

Pretending your bike is a chopper.

Sporting Mamas bike helmet.

Wearing sun glasses.

Just being with the family.

Long shadows.

What a great way to end the day.

Paint me a picture

I asked The Littles to paint me a picture while I did the dishes and started dinner.
Most days I will let them help me with the dishes but today I just wanted to get them done without a gallon of water on the floor.
I moved the easel into the kitchen and I let them go to town.
I did have to lay down a few ground rules before they started.
1) Both children had to share the painting space (no fighting).
2) The paint is to stay on the paper (no painting your sibling).
Then they were off to paint me a picture.

I did not realize until I took this picture that The Littles were both picked out striped shirts today. I had nothing to do with the matching stripes. Both kids insist on picking out their own cloths and putting them on by themselves. Even though one little two year old needs help to get the clothes on the correct way most of the time but when it does not really matter I just leave it. Tonights pajama shirt is on backwards but its all good.
If there is an outfit or shirt that I want either one of The Littles to wear on a given day I have to do a little prep talk a few days before or otherwise I am in for a huge battle.
Back to painting.

Not long into their painting The Little lady was off to the bathroom to get a stool to sit on. The stool brought up rule number 3) Share the stool (dont push).
Before I knew it I was done with the dishes and The Littles were done with the painting.
There was no fighting, no pushing and no water on the floor. Win, win, win!!

They were so excited to show The Hubby the painting when he go home from work.
I think that they did an amazing job working together to create this work of art. Now to find just the right spot to hang it since The Little Man checks the recycling daily to make sure his artwork is not in there.
But this is much to beautiful for the recycling.

Hugs

Keep truckin'

I am not a runner and I will never ran in the Boston Marathon.
I am not a biker and I will never competed in a Tour de France.
I am not a mountain climber and I will never summit Mt. Everest.
But what I do know to keep moving on the the end prize you have to keep truckin'.

It has been a month since I last posted and a few months since I 'really' posted.
I am ready to put one foot in front of the other.
I have two amazing kids that keep me moving no matter what.
I dont really feel ready but I know that its what I need to do.
So hopefully this time I can truly say... I am back. I am not back to normal but that will take a little more time.
But I am back.

Finding a new normal

My life was turned upside down last week. Then thrown through the spin cycle and now its turned right side up again. But it does not feel like the same old, same old. Maybe I am still a little sideways.
I feel like I am going to be this way for a while so I guess I need to find a new normal.

nor-mal; adj.
conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected.

I am off to find normal a new normal and hopefully I will be back soon, to share in my new discovery.

I have been underground

I have felt like I have been living underground for the past few weeks.

The flu just made me feel like I was drug through the dirt and now I am finally brushing off the dirt.
I am finally feeling like I am crawling out of my hole and seeing and feeling the sunshine.

I am so excited that spring is just around the corner.
I am ready for the flowers to bloom and the sun to shine again.
And just maybe with this funk lifted I will soon blog again.

Sick with the flu

Three out of four of us came down with the flu last week.
We spent most of the time sleeping.

And more sleeping.

We are almost back to normal now but.. the hubby started coughing last night.
Aggghhh!!
Sickness and yucky germs get out of my house you are not welcome here!!

Tow Mater

I am not to big on Disney/ cartoon character fan. So there are very few character items in our house. The kids really dont watch much TV and are not 'obsested' with any certain character. I like it this way.

The Little Man has a few movies that he watches every blue moon and he likes to pick out a DVD at the library every once in a while. Some days he watches a show on TV and others the TV is not even turned on in our house. We read about a number of characters that also have TV shows such as Curious George and The Cat in the Hat. We also have a good hand full of Cars books. I think that we live in a pretty good balance.

Cars was one of the first movies that The Little Man ever watched. There was a short period in his life where he really enjoyed Cars (right around the time The Little Lady was born). Probably a little obsessed. He started getting the Cars cars and he would drive them around acting out the movie. He finally got over his obsession and then Cars 2 came into the picture. He has still not see it and I dont really plan on him doing so anytime soon. One Cars movie is enough for our world.

But there came an opportunity in The Little Man life when he was able to come face to face with a life size character that we could not pass up.

We talked after the encounter about if it was the 'real' Mater and if there is a 'real' Mater.

He said he was not 'real' because he was not talking and he also said real cars dont talk.
He knows that the movie is a cartoon and that we dont live in a cartoon world.

'Real' or not he still thought it was cool to sit in the drivers seat and check out his tow hook.

Tow hooks are good for hooking on to little sisters hoods.

It was fun to spend the time looking at tow truck through the eyes of a child.

Birthday fun on the farm

Our family went to a birthday not long ago where everyone had a great time on the 'farm'.
First of all you cant go to the party with out bringing a little something for the birthday boy. I found this pattern a number of years back but I just never got around to making the pattern until I got the invitation to this party. Now I think I might just be hooked. The pattern was easy to follow and the end result was amazing.

I see myself making more of these in the future.

My favorite thing about the apron is the Velcro for the back strap. It makes it easy for the kids to take it on and off without having to ask for help with the strings.
I think that the birthday boy liked his gift and I have a feeling he will he wearing it often in the kitchen helping his mama.
While at the part The Hubby got some ink.

He may of been a little chicken to get the chicken. HAHAHA I know thats a corny joke but I just had to post the picture of him
The Little Lady found a chicken of her own.

She saw this blowup chicken when we first walked into the party and it was love at first sight. She kept asking to see it. I finally gave in and she played with it until we left to go home.
She even took it for tractor rides around the room.

Both of The Littles had a great time at the party and even came home with cowboy hats.

Now The Little Man has a new hat to wear when he plays Sheriff.
Watch out there is a new Sheriff in town and he mean business!!

Paint, puzzles and a whole lot more

The Little Man found these wooden cars the otherday while cleaning up the playroom. We got them almost two years ago for him to paint and we forgot... until now.

I dont think that this kids can forget anything.
So we pulled out some paint and brushes and got to work. He quickly learned how to make orange, purple and his all time favorite green by doing a little mixing.
He has now decided that these three cars will become gifts to give his love ones. I am so glad to see that he is thinking more about what he is going to give as gifts than get as gifts.
But along the line of gifts I think that both of The Littles will be getting a puzzle or two and some more drawing supplies.

The Little Lady is enjoying working on the wooden peg puzzles. She has figured out how to turn the pieces around and get them to fit without getting upset.
The Little Man has been having fun working on 24 piece puzzles.

He has also been showing off his drawing skills.

I dont know if it is my mom side or my creative side but every time he draws a picture it just melts my heart and puts a HUGE smile on my face to no one can wipe off.
Here is his drawing called 'When Mommy and Daddy got married.'

LOVE it!!!