I Felt Like A Kid Again Today.....

May Excitement

Things I am looking forward to in the month of May. It's just around the corner you know!

~ Nicer weather. Capris, sandals and tank top weather. It was a l-o-n-g winter.

~ Planting my garden. I'm going to try a few different veggies this year. I've never planted corn or potatoes before. I've always been a little skittish of planting potatoes due to potato bugs but they're just so yummy fresh from the garden.

~ A romantic getaway with my hubby! Two nights away in a cute little cottage. Life with young children can really get away on you. It's easy to forget what brought us together in the first place - having this time to spend entirely one-on-one will be so refreshing.

~ Soccer season. This will be Emily's second year and Alex's first. Our town doesn't offer soccer for Alex's age group but we found a town close by that does. He is an amazing little soccer player for only being three years old so I'm excited to see him out on the field too.

~ Emily's dance recital. I took tap dancing lessons for ten years so I have a soft spot for dance and hope Emily will want to continue for years to come. Her costumes are so cute, I'm just really hoping she doesn't get a case of stage fright!

~ Another trip to Hometown where I will get to cuddle my new nephew AND new niece. Not twins - my sister and my brother's wife had their babies six days apart. It's tough not living in the same city as them and missing out on these early weeks of cuddling sweet babies or being able to take them a meal or babysit their other kids so they can take a nap.

~ This next one I'm perhaps not looking as forward to but the result that should come of it I am. Exercising. You know how some people actually like to exercise? Well I'm not one of them. I've never had to really watch my weight, not that I do now, I know I'm not overweight. It's just that I am officially heavier than I have ever been (aside from being pregnant) and the clothes, well they are getting pretty snug and snug clothes just feel awful. Sure it would be nice to go and buy a bunch of new clothes but it would be even nicer to be able to fit all my clothes from last summer. So look out Turbo Jam - it's time to get re-acquainted.

What are you looking forward to next month?

Nothing Exciting

Snow is melting, puddles are plentiful and the temperatures are a bit more bearable. Could spring be just around the corner? Weather like this always makes me antsy for full-fledged spring. Today I pulled out the spring jackets, even though it's just barely above freezing. I'm just encouraging the warmer weather to stick around.

I tend to get the spring cleaning bug around this time of year. I notice the dirt on the windows now that we actually have more daylight to see things in. Cleaning those suckers is high up on my to do list this week!

The kids are nearing the ends of the colds that seem to have lasted an entire month. I'm expecting to get mine just in time for spring break. But with any luck it will skip right past me.

Today the kids and I were doing self portraits just for the fun of it. Alex gave us a good laugh each time we'd look at the picture we just took..........


But then we got a good one.

You Don't Say

This afternoon the kids and I were making cookie dough for Valentine sugar cookies. While stirring the batter Emily looked in the bowl and said:

"It looks like snow. The kind of snow that a dog peed in."

They're going to be delicious!

The Big Day

The adventure of a lifetime is waiting in the wings. Potty training of the boy! It begins in the morning. We've been counting down all week, the diapers are gone, the big boy underwear is ready and waiting.

Have I really changed my very last diaper as of this afternoon? Why didn't I cherish it a moment longer? Reveling in the final moments of "babyhood"............screech.............who am I kidding?! I'm so sick to death of changing diapers. I've been doing diapers for six whole years (minus three months in the middle) and am more than ready to wash my hands of it. Literally!

Here's hoping the kid will cooperate. That there won't be too many accidents. That whatever accidents there are take place on the one small area of uncarpeted flooring in our house. Ha! Wishful thinking, I'm sure.

He's almost three. He's a smart kid. He's all primed up. I'm thinking positively.

Wow, it's been over two months since I posted!

Since Christmas is in the air I thought I'd do a fun little Christmas meme.

Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Mostly wrapping paper. I do use a few gift bags for teacher gifts and friends. But I love the suspense of watching people rip into their gifts.

Real tree or Artificial?
Artificial. It doesn't make a mess. It's symmetrical. And it was a one time expense. And I love it!

When do you put up the tree?
I used to be a not-before-December-first decorator. The last few years we'll put it up the last weekend of November or the first weekend of December. Depends on what else is going on.

When do you take the tree down?
Definitely before New Year's.

Do you like eggnog?
Not especially.

Hardest person to buy for?
My father-in-law.

Easiest person to buy for?
The kids.

Do you have a nativity scene?
My mother-in-law gave us a ceramic one a couple years ago. I'd love to have the Willow Tree set.

Mail or email Christmas cards?
Snail mail all the way.

Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
One year at a work party I got one of those wiggling, dancing Santas. Emily was terrified of it.

Favourite Christmas Movie?
The Muppet's Family Christmas

When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Around the beginning of November. And as of this past Sunday I am done!

Favourite thing to eat at Christmas?
I love Christmas baking. You know how there's just certain things you make only at Christmas? Yeah, that's the stuff.

Lights on the tree?
I like lots of lights throughout the tree. Ours are multi-colored. And I like them on, not blinking and not with music.

Favourite Christmas song?
Breath of Heaven is a more recent one that I like. And I love the album Sunshine and Snowflakes. We listened to it when I was a kid and I still love it now.

Travel at Christmas or stay home?
We never used to, until last year when we moved away from Hometown.

Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, Blitzen and Rudolph

Angel on the tree top or a star?
A star.

Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
We let the kids open one present on Christmas Eve and it's always pjs.

Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
Honestly I can't think of anything annoying. I love Christmas and the hustle and bustle.

Favourite ornament theme or color?
Well you've got to have red at Christmas for sure. And for some reason I have quite the collection of snowman ornaments.

Favourite for Christmas dinner?
I love that my family has waffles every Christmas for brunch.

What do you want for Christmas this year?
It's interesting how wants change as a person gets older. Sure there's gadgets and odds and ends that I'd like to have but really, if I've got a healthy family and good weather for traveling and lots of time to spend with loved ones then I'm one happy lady.

Look at those beauties. Gladiolas. From my very own flower garden. How proud am I? They're gorgeous!

When I planted these bulbs in the spring I thought they were tulip bulbs and figured they'd grow next spring. But it turns out they weren't tulips at all.

A very dear friend who lives very far away (you know who you are) gave these bulbs out as wedding favors last summer. Every time I look them I think of her and her family.