while daddy was away...

it's been a while since i've posted...i just can't muster the energy these days.

but, the birds were singing today AND i had my 30 week check up 

i'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

soon and very soon - spring and a baby.

two things i love heaps and heaps.

so, in honor of that...a post long over due:

J had plans a couple weekends ago that included warm weather and a few days' get away.

I always get a little nervous about flying solo.

I do it all the time for short bursts, but 3 full days of meals, keeping up the house, entertaining littles, ending fights over dolls and toys, in and out of car seats and bedtime routines can seem daunting.

Especially during these last few weeks of growing a human being.

But, my parents were kind enough to come up for part of it.

They were a big help, especially during Tulip's epic tantrum upon leaving Chucky Cheese (that deserves a post all its own!).

and although we missed daddy dearly, we enjoyed the quiet, cozy days at home.

most of our time was spent dressing babies and having picnics

and making sure that all pretend beings in our home were well cared for

we painted our nails

read endless stories

and

heard tulip's first "i wuf you, momma"

which caused me to cry big crocodile tears...until she followed it up with "i wuf waffles too" which produced some belly laughs that i'd been in desperate need of

and because it was downright frigid in minnesota that weekend, we had to burn off our energy with a few rockin' wild dance parties in the living room, where momma' got more than her week's exercise twirling little girls around and around and around and around....

our girly time was delicious

but oh, how good it was to see daddy walk back through the door on Monday.

i held down the fort while he was gone, but absence definitely makes the heart grow fonder.

it is times like this that my gratitude for him blooms

i don't know what i'd do without him to share this great adventure

almost 8 years ago, i promised him all our days together...

not realizing then how tough some of them would be.

so glad i made that vow.

it was one of the best decisions i've ever made.

for crayon out loud!

valentine's day is upon us and we've been busy...

for crayon out loud, have a happy one!  :)

the dreary wearies

i'll be honest...i've been in a little bit of a funk lately

okay - maybe a lot of a funk.

i'm not sure quite what my problem was...

maybe the fact that i have not slept well for several weeks.

 i know it is all part of the great plan to get me ready for nursing a wee babe.  but, seriously...it seems so unfair to be walking around in a haze of weariness, knowing that  it is only going to get worse :(

or maybe the fact that it was negative a million degrees for like a week and we literally sprinted from the car to the house and the house to the car, trying not to let our lungs turn into icicles on the way.  add to that the fact that we had no snow.  so, our wintery wonderland was brown and frozen solid.  no sledding, no snowmen, no skating....ugh.

could have also been the fact that my students have been either sick or tired or both for about a month and when i'm not getting one caught up from being gone with strep, i'm looking for at-home stuff for the next who is out for a week with influenza.

they're looking at me like they can barely keep their eyes open and i'm pasting on a smile, telling them, "today's a great day for learning" but...really...i totally get it.

they are tired.  i am tired.  boo.

and all i want to do is go home and take a nap.

but i have littles to look after and no matter how much i want to rest, this job of being a momma comes with no breaks.

there are stories to be read.

laundry to be folded.

supper to be prepared.

noses to wipe.

serious games of candy land to be played.

when i look at these pictures, i'm embarrassed at my depressing tone.

 i mean, look at how much fun we had - i think....i was maybe nodding off here and there.

seriously, though.  what a blessing to have an abundance of toys and activities to keep us entertained on days like these.

peachy-roo took the time indoors to discover a love for legos.

i, on the other hand, simply built tower after tower, telling her that's all i know how to do.

how lame! 

well, the other day i decided enough was enough.

actually, i got real convicted reading my Bible one morning and the good Lord gently whispered that my pity party needed to end.

He helped me out by giving us about three inches of fluffy white snow that has brightened everything around here, including my attitude.

i promptly whipped open the instructions for that lego set and put together a very impressive helicopter, a house that would have put any contractor's to shame and a duck.  yes, a duck.

peach was thrilled - momma's back.

no more complaining - consider it ALL JOY my friends - even the very cold, brown, sleepy days.

then, peach and i decided to get real fancy with a romantic valentine's day supper.

we invited grams and gramps.

got all dressed in our valentine's best.

bought kid wine.

added a few sweet decorations.

bought a new cup and called it a party.

just when i think i can't possibly do the extra work required to make memories....i'm reminded that those little extras are the things that keep the dreary wearies from overtaking our home.

it is so easy to let the insignificant negatives in life make me pouty.  sometimes the battle for joy seems too big.

but, the sun was shining when i went to work this morning.

and it was still light out when we had supper tonight.

ahh.....there is light at the end of the tunnel.

take a deep breath.

it's all good.

january extras

winter 2012 started out with all kinds of fun...

but has quickly turned bitter cold and brown.

the snow that we once enjoyed has slipped away and the winds have been downright frightful.

so, we spent the majority of January inside.

 which i'm pretty okay with.

there is something truly sweet about being all together under one roof with no excuse to run here or there.

just being together has been blissful...mostly

i say "mostly" because i know that too much of a good thing can sometimes turn sour.  and all this snuggling up inside is sweet...but it is also driving us to conversations about when we can put on swimsuits, flip flops and enjoy the backyard again.

i think we're getting spring fever - and it's only the beginning of february....

little miss likes to double the brrrr with popsicles on a forty below windchill day.  silly little pickle.  :)

hmmmm - these are the times when a girl needs to get creative and beat the winter blahs.

but, honestly, i'm running out of ideas.  :(

we got so stir crazy one day that i got brave enough to give this lil' peanut her first trim.

it was comical, i'm sure, to watch me chase her around our little bathroom while she turned on and off the lights.

but, we survived - she's looking less scraggly and i think i did a decent job.

oh the things that a MN winter will drive you to do!

in the interest of not undertaking any more crazy stunts like this one, let's hope for an early spring