Snow bunnies

It has been a LONG time since I posted...well, anything. I had great plans for posting while we were on our trip to North Dakota/Colorado from February 11-21, but we were much busier than I thought we were going to be. Then once we arrived home, we were without the Internet for a good portion of the week.

Talk about frustrating!

My husband kept saying that I could live without blogging and facebook for a few days. But what he doesn't really know is that I actually use the Internet for paying bills, calculating how many tablespoons are a half cup, searching for recipes, emailing...and countless other things.

Anyway, I have a LOT to catch up on!

I had planned on posting these pictures before leaving for North Dakota...but, it didn't happen. Even though these pictures are almost a month old now, I just couldn't move on without sharing them.

Every year...well, like right about now...I really get tired of the cold and the foot and a half of snow outside. I want to be done with winter coats, hats, mittens, shoveling, and below zero temperatures. But I also want my kids to enjoy the snow and the cold. Even though I've done a poor job at taking them outside to play this past winter...due to freezing temps and my growing belly...we have had a couple really good days playing outside as a family.

These pics were taken after we got dumped yet again in early February.


Do you know that beach toys work GREAT for snow toys?


Just hand your kids a small shovel and a bucket...


and just see what the can do!


On this particular day, we decided not to venture out too far...even though it would have been fun to go sledding down a big hill. We decided that our driveway worked just fine.


Brad took the kids on some pretty fast rides...and my children LOVE fast rides!


Sammy also took a turn pulling Caleb.


We laughed a lot that morning.

Sometimes I wish I could bottle my kids' laughter...their childhood fun...their innocence and child likeness and pull it off the shelf on those future days when they will be 16 and trying to gain their independence from me and Brad...when we will be crying together over hurt feelings and betrayal by friends...when we will move them into their dorm room at college.

But since I can't, I will enjoy all the moments I have with my children...knowing that this time will soon be gone...

Once in a blue moon...

Caleb is 2 1/2.

It is truly a miracle that both he and I have survived to this point.

He is ALL boy.

He thinks he can be completely independent of me and Brad.

But, he is incredibly sweet and cuddly at very specific and rare moments.

And he never hardly ever slows down.

But once in a blue moon...

I find him like this.


Now, granted, he's sitting on Sammy's babies high chair that he has been told repeatedly NOT to sit on...but...

he's so quiet and cute and...


...not running away from me.

Well, that is, until I finished clicking this last picture.


And then he was off and running again!

Oh well! Gotta get my exercise somehow!

You know your children have been watching too much Thomas the Train...

when...

Sammy tells Caleb on the van ride home from church that his "secret name" is Thomas James.

when...

Sammy wants to name her baby sister Emily...after a girl engine from Thomas and friends.

when...

Sammy says while playing with her dolls and stuffed animals, and I quote: "Look at this baby. His name is Bubba. He's a really useful child."

Stream of consciousness

I have a lot of things tonight that I want to blog about...but they are so muddled in my head that I can't keep them straight. So I'm stealing an idea from MckMama and am writing out the thoughts that come to mind at this late hour...

I am taking Sammy to the doctor tomorrow morning. She's been complaining about some various pains that I want to check out. She also has her swim lesson tomorrow at 10:00, and I really hope she can still go it...

Brad and I have been talking about whether we need to speak some truth into a friend's life...talking about having to show some really tough love. I've spent a great deal of time over the last few days thinking about it and praying that God would give me clear direction about what I should do or say...

I bought two books for some friends today. I just felt these friends needed these books. I haven't bought a spontaneous gift for someone like this in a long time.

It felt good...

I didn't get hardly anything done on my list today. Wet laundry is still in the washer and two more loads are waiting to be started. I did manage to clean our desk and update all our finances. We were $30 short in our cash account. Thought first it was Brad's mistake...sometimes he pays cash for something ministry related and then forgets to tell me. This time it was my mistake.

Had to eat some humble pie...

Caleb just woke up. It's midnight and Brad and I are still up and out in the living room. Who only knows why. Got to rock both my babies...baby girl in my belly and my baby boy...who is really not a baby anymore. Some nights I get really frustrated when he comes out of his room...for the 14th time...and needs just "one more Mommy hug, peasss!" Tonight, it was a joy to rock him for a few minutes and hold him close. I know I only have a few more years until he stops wanting Mommy hugs...

I'm really tired of feeling tired. And I am looking forward to the day when bending over and getting up off the floor after playing with the kids is not so much work! I am anxious for baby girl to come...but also I'm enjoying these last two months with only 2 children.

I'm eating terribly. I have a ton of salad and veggies in my fridge. But the leftover monkey bread and caramel bars were just too tempting.

I really should stop making baked goodies because I have no self-control right now...

I laughed tonight out loud as I read my friend, Jess's blog about her letter to her corn burner, and I almost started to cry after reading my friend, Beth's blog. I so want to be a funny writer and also a mother who takes advantage of every special moment with my child...no matter how late it may be.

It's now half past midnight. Most of my thoughts are now out of my head, my links are finally working, and I hope I can sleep now...