This Past Weekend

The weekends are so much fun now that spring is here.  There's always something fun going on.  This past weekend was A-Day.  I think I particularly love this event because I've been going to it every year since I was little and have looked forward to bringing my own children since, like forever!  A-Day stands for Agricultural Day.  A local agricultural college puts this big festival on every April.  It's full of animals and other farm things like tractors.  We told the girls Friday night we were going to see the animals and they were soooo excited, jumping up and down. I think Molly screaming "COW!  SHEEP!  RABBIT!" every three seconds (this is still Friday night at home) was hilarious.   When we got there and I realized I had forgotten my camera.  Thank goodness for these phone cameras.  What did we ever do without them!

It's not everyday you see baby pigs and dachshunds racing.

 Hayride to the horse, cow, pig, and sheep barns. (ugh, what a bad photo!)

 Pony Ride!

Molly had her first ride too!

This was seriously the cutest!  Who doesn't love an oil can ride?

 Molly found her rabbit.

And there were cows a-plenty!

Molly also tried her first funnel cake, we watched bees making honey, the girls bounced away on moon bounces, and we got up close and personal to every farm animal imaginable.


But that wasn't the end of our fun.  Jane had a birthday party for a friend at school and the kids made their own stuffed animal.  Such a cute idea!  The girls played in some super tall grass in the farmer's field at the end of our street.  I've never heard so many giggles!  We had a small birthday party for my mom.

AND

 Just like that, overnight, like a blink of an eye, Molly started calling us "mommy" and "daddy".  No more mama and dada.  It's like she grew up, in one weekend.  So crazy.  And soooo sad! 

Confession

It's my deep, dark secret.  There are very few people in on it.  Here it is....



I still give Molly a bottle.



Oh I have my excuses.  She won't drink milk unless it's in the bottle...She'll be hungry without it...It's part of her routine to go to sleep............................

Before nap and bed I take her upstairs.  She lays on my lap in the rocking chair.  I rest my check on her silky blonde hair.  We rock and I give her the bottle like she's a newborn.  She doesn't even try to hold it.  In fact, she refuses. 

Yes, all my excuses are valid (or so I believe).  But there's something else.  I just don't want to rush her to grow up.  She is changing into a little girl before my eyes.   Everyday I am amazed by how much she's changed from just the day before!  Does she HAVE to stop having her bottle too?  She loves it, and I love our time together as well.

I pushed Jane away from the bottle she loved.  And I pushed her to sleep by herself.  And I feel like I pushed her so hard to "grow up" that I pushed her right away from me.  Why was I in such a hurry?  Why did I care what books said, or what others were doing?  Why did I have to hurry her?  It makes me sad.  Really sad. 

So the secret is I give Molly a bottle still- and she's almost 2.  But I will let her lead.  She's not going to want it forever.  If she finds comfort in cuddling with her mommy and having milk, I am not going to stop her.  I'll let her be little for as long as she wants because we all know, time goes too fast when you have babies.

 

Do you know the muffin girl?

PHEW!!

It has been an exhausting few days!  Three days of going nonstop has all us wiped!  Nobody seems to mind that its cooler and cloudy today.  We had a morning playdate at the park and now we are all just taking it easy.  Molly's taking the longest nap she's had all week and Jane is a complete zombie in front of Dora (and I'm not going to make her get up). 

We took full advantage of the beautiful weather while it lasted.  My only regret is that I didn't take my camera out once.  Though I did take about a 100 photos on my phone.  But man, is this what summer is going to be like with 2 active kiddos?  One thing I realized is that I'm going to need to bring my crockpot out!  We'd stay outside until everyone was starving and then go in to no planned or prepped dinner.  I'm pretty sure my crockpot will be my summertime best friend.

It was so amazing watching the girls have so much fun outside.  That Molly, I can't believe how well she keeps up with the big kids!  She's expressing all sorts of independence, including refusing help climbing at the playground.  She keeps me on my toes, all right!  Jane's big accomplishment has been getting over her fear of her quad.  This is the quad she begged Santa for, the quad I thought would be such a hit.  Since Christmas it's pretty much just sat in the garage not being used.  FINALLY, she's realized how much fun it really is!  So has Molly.  

After the park today, Molly went down for a nap and Jane asked to make chocolate chip muffins, something we used to do often but recently have been on a pregnancy baking hiatus.  (I don't know where my desire to bake went??)   But who could refuse such a request?  She absolutely loves chocolate chip muffins.   Our favorite recipe for whole wheat chocolate chip muffins comes from here.  Jane's favorite part is eating the chocolate chips.  I make her put the liners in the muffin tins first before I take out the chocolate.  She's pretty darn good at mixing too!  She's my little muffin girl!

Spring has sprung!

It's a sure sign that the weather has warmed when our driveway becomes a masterpiece of drawings!

And it feels soooo good.  There is nothing better for my soul than some sunshine and warmth.  It's been too long.  Last week temperatures were still sitting in the 40's.  I won't lie, I was really feeling down and lacking all energy.  But by the end of last week, the weather started to change and yesterday reached the mid 70's.  I feel alive, and I know the girls do too!  Jane is happy to be out in the sunshine and Molly doesn't want to be anywhere but outside, sneaking out every chance she can!

Molly is getting over the worst cold she's had yet.  Between pumping her with extra vitamins and some good old natural vitamin D, she's seeming like herself again. 

Today is going to be another beauty and I plan to be outside all day.  Yesterday brought back the reminder of how crazy things get inside the home when we stay out all day!  It's funny how you forget.  But being out, dishes were left, laundry unfinished, counters cluttered.  I guess it's a small price to pay!

The weather is going to be summer-like (yes, 80's tomorrow!) for the next couple days so I'll be anywhere but here!  See you in a few days. 

Renovation

I can't believe it's been almost five years since we've moved here.  We have had so many dreams for this house.  Many of which we have made come true.  Others are a work in progress, while others yet are on our ten year plan! 

We bought our house knowing it was quite out of date and needed a lot of updating.  Our updates are frugal.  We have a tight budget.  Since we've moved here we generally have tried to completely redo one room a year.  And so, we are about to undergo a complete renovation of our laundry room/ mudroom and powder room. 

I love when I get the chance to redo a room!  I've been having fun picking out everything from the flooring to the paint, to the curtains and the shelving.  Pottery Barn is usually one of my inspirations.  And while Pottery Barn is generally out of my budget, finding look a likes is a fun challenge.  Since Pinterest, it's so easy to collect ideas.

I know that when my husband starts this project this weekend, I'm going to be on my own a lot more with the kids until he finishes, but in the long run, it will be worth it!

Goodbye ugly wallpaper.  Goodbye no storage.  (Excuse the mess- we've been just letting it go knowing this renovation was coming)

Goodbye gross utility sink.  Goodbye weird textured wall and leaky toilet. 

Sadly enough, you won't be missed!

Easter

Hope you had a beautiful Easter!