Fun in May

This month has been such a good one! We've been working in and out of the house and have made good progress. The backyard looks much neater, the willow tree in the front is a little less wild, and the fresh mulch in front and back looks nice. Inside I've been working on organizing things so they're in better order. We still have a lot to do (more inside than out) but the progress so far is satisfying. We've also been having fun! I took the kids to the zoo two times this month. We have seen a few friends at outdoor gatherings. The middle of the month we enjoyed a quiet Mother's Day and celebrated Bry's birthday. 

Hello Blizzard!

They're best buddies, in case you can't tell. 

Backyard smores at a friend's house.

Some of the month we've had stormy weather.

No, it didn't all fit in our green waste bin.

Haircut (by me) for this cutie.

Looking cool at a state park.

First friend's birthday party in over a year.

She made some good hits!

Enjoying a vital part of a birthday party- cupcakes.

We're grateful we've been able to spend some time with friends the past couple weeks. We still mask up in most instances and look forward to that being more a thing of the past. 

Belated Easter

Since the weather forecast showed rain on Easter, we opted to have our Easter egg hunt the day before. Of course, the next day (Easter) it actually was pretty clear but oh well. Our kids got to enjoy baskets and Easter treats a day early. Lucky them! 

Ready to hunt for eggs! They were very excited and loved it. 

Belated Emma post

 It's still January! Ha. 

The day before Emma's birthday I took her to pick out birthday balloons; she selected a pink Happy Birthday one and three stars of different colors - black, orange and red. 

Emma wanted to make and decorate her own cake. I had her help me mix up the batter and I baked it the day before. On her birthday I put white frosting on, per her request, and she placed and put in the candles and poured the two types of sprinkles she selected. 

It is a New Year

Hooray! So here's an update. 

We often ask Henry if he could stay 3 but he says he can't. He's certainly a sweet boy (most of the time minus the regular hitting and screaming of toddlerhood). Bry and I love that he still climbs into our laps to read books on a daily basis. He also likes to climb into his daddy's lap at dinnertime but that is less desirable since it impedes the ability to eat. We appreciate that he likes to be close to us, though. 

Emma and Henry grew much closer throughout 2020. While I am sad Emma has had to do kindergarten on a computer, Henry and I are so grateful for the extra time we get to spend with her. 

Henry has a big imagination and likes to act out stories with others. Emma loves to draw on as much paper as I'll give her and it often involves writing the word "love" somewhere on the page. 

When I get overwhelmed with life (meaning, have an outburst), Henry will come to me and hug me while earnestly saying "it's okay, mom" and Emma will draw me a picture of us together with a big heart that reads "I love you mommy" on it. This past year was filled with so many ups and downs and I'm grateful to have my kids' sweet hearts with me and to have Bry who helps me pull myself together by just listening and being there for me. I collected a lot of "I love you mommy" papers from Emma since the mental load of 2020 frequently felt like too much for me. 

Parenting is certainly a rough journey and I have been learning a lot. I'm hoping to move forward with more patience and compassion this year. I am also hoping this year I'll be able to spend more time with friends since they provide perspective, love, understanding and more that enriches my life and helps me feel more sane! 

Tahoe time

While in California we took a trip to the cabin. It was a beautiful time. The kids loved sleeping in the same house as their cousins and getting to wake up and play every day. Mom and dad rented a boat like last year and we had a blast. We played lots of card games at the cabin and went to the beach one morning (which we wore masks to and spaced out from people). 

Henry's birthday in California

We were happy to be able to spend most of August in California with family. It was particularly great to be there for Henry's birthday and mine. Henry loved time with his cousins and we enjoyed relaxed birthdays with family. 

Couldn't quite blow out the candle so his dad held him closer to the cake. 

Getting a good look at his Paw Patrol cake. 

Poor Charlotte's balloon dog burst right as she walked over for pictures. 

While opening presents his sister and cousins were eager to help him and see what he got.