Mother nature, I can relate.

Today is March 1st.

and the process of spring "springing" has begun.

We spent most of the day outside and it was a perfect, beautiful spring day full of adventure and exploring.

I followed after the kids while they walked around, caught frogs, explored the woods around the house, swung on the swing in the barn, played at the park, fed the ducks and soaked up the sun (that was actually shinning!! ::gasp::)

But as we were outside, exploring the world together

I couldn't help but relate with mother nature.

Liam and his precious frogs just after he caught them

I spy some pink legs...and a huge pregnant shadow...

You could see that everything was about to burst forth with life, the green was just about to push out from the ground, the trees had buds that will soon become leaves and the baby birds were singing.

As I looked around, I realized that mother earth was about to "pop", 

and so am I.

The "bowling ball" shot

He carried them around for a long time and was surprisingly
 gentle for a 3-year-old boy!

showing sister his findings

Spring is coming, so close, all the preparations are being made.

There might be a couple more colder days 

But it's almost here.

Baby girl is coming, so close, all the preparations are being made

(today I finished washing all the newborn clothes!!)

There might be a couple more hard days where my body hurts, I have acid reflux, being feeling ginormous and false labor

But she is almost here.

The similarities I felt between spring just around the corner and my current state was a little uncanny

and ironic.

(those pants make me look WAY more fat than I am...just FYI)

Spring is coming and the process has begun, 19 days early.
With 28 days left until my own special date,
My body is also slowly beginning the process of my own "progression" (if you know what I mean).
It's pretty cool being on the same "cycle" as mother nature.

Anyways, I love living in an area where spring exists and you can watch the slow process from winter to summer.

It is so beautiful and exciting to watch the world wake up after winter.

(If spring has come -19 days early, and the weather stays like it was today, that would be flippin' awesome.)

Planting for tomorrow

This morning Richard scooped the kids out of their beds, let me sleep in and created with them.

They made "recipes", "goo" (corn starch + water) and built a fort where they went fishing and caught fish crackers.

all before 8:30 am.

I woke up, they were still in their pajamas, but their little hearts were full.

And Liam invited me into his fort where he was planting a garden (with our pellet fish food of course) which he said was full of vegetables, flowers and strawberries.

This game went on for about an hour.

(both the kids watching intently)

So when nap-time was over 

(heavy emphasis on TIME since neither napped...)

We bundled them up and headed out to get seeds to plant them a real garden.

And now we have a garden full of

vegetables, herbs and melons.

They both watched intently as Richard put the seeds in our seed-starter box

that is now sitting in it's special spot in front of the big windows on the piano.

And in between watching, 

Brielle ran around "singing" on the back porch playing with old cardboard boxes

Liam dug into the dirt, flinging it on everyone and everything

and I delighted in hearing the birds singing in the trees.

Spring has come.

The birds are singing, 

The green is getting more green,

The air doesn't bite,

and there are little seeds in dirt pockets beginning the process of emerging.

They say,

and I know that first thing tomorrow morning,

2 little kiddos are going to run in and check on their little seeds,

Believing that "tomorrow" brings what they planted.

Tumblin boy

Today was Liam's first gymnastics class

and the entire time, he had the biggest smile 

He was in little boy heaven running, jumping, doing somersaults, hanging on the bar, walking on the balance beam, bouncing...everything. 

We basically had to drag him out of there 15 minutes after the class ended.

He had so much fun and was such a natural.

I know he is only 3, but really, he has a natural "knack" for gymnastics.

He went up to the bars and on his own started doing all these tricks without anyone showing him what to do

We were all pretty impressed! 

He had so much fun

and I know where we will be next Tuesday.

...yes, I am the mom that documents every moment of my childs life...

great. 

I have so much to blog about, and I am really behind. Soon I plan to sit down and get caught up, that is if I can find time. Life is pretty dang busy. Wonderful, but full of other good things.

Just today.

I should be in bed. I know it's crazy to be up this late when the kids are sleeping, especially considering the fact I am so tired and this huge pregnant body is hurting. But I didn't want to let todays little victories be forgotten. 

Today was a normal day. Nothing special. 

...Was woken up by a big hug and cuddle session with Liam.

...Richard let me go back to sleep and sleep in, like he does most mornings. (yes, I am a very spoiled girl)

...Exercised, while being interrupted by the kids (what felt like) every 10 minutes. 

...Bathed them with minimal battles. Dressed and Liam actually let me brush his hair.

...Got ready for the day (even straightened my hair AND did my make-up).

...Deep cleaned our entire room (thats a feat with my 8 month pregnant body going on almost a constant strike).

...Rested while Brielle napped and Liam laid on my bed watching more Micky Mouse fighting sleep as much as he could. 

...Watched my little boy get so excited about the fact he is a big boy and can take off his shirt and put another one on. He has never been interested in doing it before, even though he could, but today it was the most exciting thing to him that he could do it alone. He was so proud of himself and his happiness over something so simple was so darling. He got so excited that he quickly folded his arms and said a little prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for my daddy, for my mommy and for my Brielle. I love them.

I think we went through 5 or 6 shirt changes today and each time was a huge celebration for him.

...Went to my 32 week check-up to hear, once again, everything looks perfect. When the doctor said "wow you are getting close", it actually hit me that I am.

...Went to the grocery alone.

...Bought a spider-man shirt for Liam for really cheap. He was so excited about the fact he has a new spider-man shirt that he could put on himself. A little celebration present for his new found love of changing himself. He promptly put on his whole spider-man costume as well.

...Played with the kids outside while they played in the mud, without worrying about them ruining their clothes, shoes and our house when they came in. They had a complete blast and stayed out until it was too dark to see anymore.

...I worked on a big project I am in the middle of.
...Hugged my babies extra tight after reading a sad story on a blog that I found while working on said project.

...Tried to eat dinner as Brielle climbed all over me and tried to eat my food off my fork.

...Let Liam stay up despite how tired he was, to play with my siblings, since it is Friday night. He crashed as soon as he got into bed around 8:15.

...Went in to help Brielle after she had been babbling and playing in her bed 30 mins after I put her to bed.

She hugged me as tightly as she could, "kissing" my check and telling me "hi" in her sweetest voice for 10 straight minutes. Her long loving gazes into my eyes as she touched my cheek made my heart stop. 

...Hubby went to the store and bought me some of my favorite treats which I ate while I watched Downton Abbey and baby girl did her nightly "exercise routine" (what I call her crazy amount of moving and sticking appendages out super far every night around 9/10)

Showing me his muscles

 

Today was just today. Just a normal day.

 But such a wonderful day. 

One of those normal days I will long to go back to when my babies aren't babies anymore.

Finally!

Having just moved from southeastern Idaho where I disliked the constant snow (its beautiful at first, but hard when you need to get things done), I can't believe I am about to say this. But up until now I was so bummed it hadn't snowed here is WA yet because I knew the kids would love it! Plus it is SOOOO beautiful here when it snows! Today I got my wish, and it finally snowed! The kids extreme excitement did not disappoint AT ALL. They were darling, squealing with excitement the whole time! 

This was Brielle's first real time in the snow and at first she was a little hesitant being in it, and just wanted to watch from the porch. Once she warmed up to it and decided she loved it, she played in it until I dragged her in for her nap. Of course liam instantly knew what to do and started making (and throwing) snow balls as soon as he got in the snow! They had a blast and both of them crashed (took naps) as soon as the fun was over.

I am so glad it finally snowed, and still coming down, because it is SO beautiful outside now! Not that it wasn't before :)

"Just play"

A couple weeks ago, I went with Richard and the kids to tour the medical school that he wants to attend. Richard had been before, and coupled with the fact that the head admissions counselor over the school that Richard has become close with wanted to meet the family and that Richard wanted me to see the school, convinced me us to make the trip. I will say it was worth it, even though the trip down was the sickest I have ever been in this pregnancy...let's just say that I didn't keep anything down until dinner. Anyways, it was a great tour, the kids were great and I love the school!

While we were there, he introduced us to a second year medical school student who was LDS, had 3 kids and has been successful. We picked his brain on his schedule, how they are making it (the first 2 years of medical school are supposedly horrendously busy) and finally, what advice he had. His biggest piece of advice was this: "you have a year before school starts, don't worry about pre-emptively studying or studying past things you learned (which is exactly what Richard was planning on doing), just play." He explained that the first 2 years of medical school we will hardly see him, so we need to just spend this whole year building up a "reserve" and just relax before the storm.

Since then, we have taken his advice whole heartedly.

Every second we have that Richard isn't working or we aren't doing something necessary, 

we just play.

And let me tell you, I AM IN HEAVEN.

It has been a crazy past 3 years, so we have deserved this.

Busy playing legos

I LOVE this picture of Brielle :)

 Liams favorite pastime: swinging!

So like I said, we have whole heartedly taken the advice

and we are either at the park, berry picking, at the beach, feeding the ducks, playing legos/blocks etc or doing something fun,

whenever we can.

This has become our new life motto.

Just because

Tonight I finally have some time.

Ever since moving so close to my family and with my in-laws in town as well; Richard shadowing doctors and volunteering at the hospital constantly to make sure he gets into his first choice of medical school; getting things ready for my brothers wedding tomorrow; helping the kids (mostly Liam) get used to his new life and home and so many other big things...my blogging has taken a 7th seat to life. 

I have so many things I want to write about.

--All about our new life here in WA

--Celebrating Liams 1/2 birthday

--Celebrating Brielle's 1st birthday

--Berry picking at my favorite place in the world

--Liams hilarious new sleeping habit

and so many more.

So many pictures I want to post. So many stories I want to write. But life is so busy right now partying with family, Richard working so hard, constantly taking care of the kids and before I know it the day is gone. I want to continue to document my childrens childhood and the ordinary yet beautiful moments, so once things mellow out I will get better at writing. Cause gosh dang it, I have missed my blogging time. 

But for now, I wanted to post a quote I saw tonight. Just because. Just because it's genius, the secret to life and  (confession time:) something I have a hard time with. 

perfection.

Pure and simple.

So here is to living in the present and even better:

  enjoying everything about it.

More confession time:

I have a hard time not living in the future. 

Thinking "things will be better when..."

I hardly have a problem living in or mourning about the past, because it has made me who I am today and brought me what I have. 

Which one do you do?

...ok time for night night. 

Little orange man: Up to no good

The Culprit:

2 minutes of mom not watching + orange (luckily washable) marker =

you miss his also totally covered upper arms...

The usual victim: 

apparently Brielle needed some mascara on and brother took care of that.

Yes that is a car driving over her head...you guessed it.

"brother, that was a good one. Did you see how Mom's face?! oooo snap "

Don't worry.

They still love each other

My little orange man,

(he sure earned that nickname after the above...fiasco)

Mischievous, curious, independent little man you.

You sure know how to keep mommy on her toes and her days full of excitement!