a few of my favorite things (this week anyway)

Roman is diaper free! Go Roman!

Truly reason to celebrate.

Also worthy of celebration -

Get it Done group was at my home this week!

It's a group of 8 friends, and we take turns at each home completing projects, cleaning, and just about anything else you can think of. Whatever is needed.

We've painted rooms, refinished furniture, sewn pillows, curtains, and bags.

Cleaning, organizing, creating, we do it all.

Childcare takes 2 of us (and we rotate) because there are 12 kiddos between us.

(ha! and those are just the children that are not in school or preschool)

I really love working beside these ladies.

It is always a highlight of my week.

Spring Cleaning was on the agenda at my home.

And may I say...there are days when I complete projects on this list.

But never, never is it possible to do ALL of these things in one day.

We did the following: clean oven (3 years of grime were scrubbed away!), wash couch upholstery, dust and wet wash all mini blinds and window tracks, detail car, paint touch up around house, clean inside track of dishwasher, iron and put on boys duvet covers, prepare pots on deck to be planted, sweep deck and bleach patio table, clean out, refill and organize Sunday backpack (kids activity backpack we take to church), organize kids clothes in tubs (HUGE!), make new batch of laundry soap, dust house, clean bathrooms, fold laundry, hang wreath on door)

WHEWW!

And, it was all completed by noon.

And finally.

I am refreshed, lifted, renewed, inspired, humbled,

encouraged, comforted and have been taught well this weekend.

Sounds good right?

I love General Conference.

If pressed, I could still never choose a favorite message.

But one I have already listened to twice:

right here.

xoxo

One year older and wiser too!

The great thing about having your birthday fall on a Wednesday, is that it feels entirely appropriate to celebrate the weekend before AND after.

That's just what we did this year.

Dinner, shopping and a hot-tub with husband the weekend before,

a little cake and ice cream with family the weekend after.

March is always good to me.

(surprise! Kyle was in town for the celebration!)

(my yummy strawberry birthday cake)

an artist at work on a rainy day.

We had the most beautiful weather last week for our spring break.

Everyone was home, giving me a glimpse of what summer will look like.

And then Monday rolled around, and with it came clouds and rain.

I like our routine.

As chaotic as it sometimes feels,

there are moments of perfect silence and peace.

Something magical aligns and we are simultaneously engaged in our pursuits.

Mere minutes. Sometimes only seconds.

Learning, growing, discovering.

I always think: this is why I am here.

in my mind, all these things are connected...

There is one morning each year when I wake up and hear birds chirping outside my bedroom window again. It's always in March. And each year, I'm at once shocked by it, and totally excited about it. For me, it's the first reeeeeal sign of spring.

It happened a few days ago!

*****

I've been saving these minty green bowls.

I got them back in December, but like all new things I buy

...I like to stare at them for a little while before I start using them.

It's a trait that I'm honestly not sure what to make of.

Makes me happy?

(it drives Dave crazy...he's like...

"why haven't you worn your SHOOOOOES?

I thought you loved them, you bought them 3 weeks ago!"

I don't have a good answer for why I do that.

All I know is that we are finally USING the bowls.

*****

My bitty baby is a rolly rolly polly.

She goes every-which-way and has the kids cracking up as she rolls around the floor.

Their favorite is when she does the double roll.

She rolls so fast that she will roll over twice and scare herself.

She's up on her hands and knees now, and instead of crawling

(i give her two weeks tops)

she does this little bunny hop.

They all think that is hilarious too.

*****

Our video camera was full, so tonight the videos were loaded onto the computer.

I took a walk down memory lane, and watched clips from the last two years.

It goes by so fast.

So fast.

The whole time I was wrestling two feelings:

1- wishing I could just go back in time and squeeze their little chubby cheeks and kiss them until they squirmed away!

AND

2-knowing that right now is pretty awesome too, and by golly they are getting cuter and smarter every day.

MARCH MADNESS BABY!

Kyle's team came to Kansas City for the tournament!

These kids right here are his BIGGEST FANS!

They are decked out in their official uniforms...

SBU Bearcats...Sloan 32 all the way.

After the game.

The moment they've been waiting for!

I can't handle how cute all those SLOAN 32's are.

Even the baby had her own jersey! Adorable!

What you do after a game:

hug yo mama...

...and talk serious details with yo daddy.

(although I have a bunch of pics with kyle and dad hugging/smiling,

I love this one. It's like my exact memory of the father & son exchange after each game!)

sister love...



The season is over for this year.

What a run they had.

It's just not winter without basketball!

And I seriously. can't. wait. for next season.