Project 365, Week 11

This week we were feeling equal parts excitement and discouragement (is that a word??) about the weather.  It was beautiful and then it was freezing, but you can be sure we sucked the best out of the beautiful that we could.

We were outside when we could be and we spent lots of time looking for signs of spring...bits of green popping up everywhere there is not still a snow cover.  So glorious!  Renewed hope!

You may sense a bit of our glee as you look through our week.

The flowers are springing up, the season of singing birds has come, and the cooing of turtledoves fills the air.  Song of Solomon 2:12

March 9

While Shaun worked inside, R and I did some fall clean-up (a few months late) at one of the rentals.  Definitely beats being there shoveling!

March 10

Redneck sailing.

 March 11
Mom, this is my horse-riding cap.

 The de-icing work we've done in our driveway is beginning to pay off.

 The boys and I ate lunch on the porch!!

We're walking to/from school again!!

 March 12
I dropped Aiden off to work with Shaun at the old house.  You can see him walking in, carrying his tool box and right after I snapped this, he turned around with a giant smile and waved to his momma.

 Grandma stopped by for a visit and read the bedtime story.

 March 13
Cousins came over and we were so happy to see them AND Juliet.

 March 14
Shaun was off until 4 PM, so he took Aiden with him to do his apartment work.

I got SO much done...didn't realize how much Aiden chats, which I love, but the day was productive.

Anyway, when they got home, I heard tales of them stopping at a lego store.  It was immediately necessary to build the plane they'd purchased.

 Flowers on the walk home from school.

 We are doing respite this weekend and I was responsible to transportation both ways.  Since S lives very near our church, I took both him and R to youth group.  Too far to drive home, I found a hard, cold seat at the coffee shop and read for two hours.  Not a bad way to spend a Friday night!

 March 15
Captain America

 and little girls coloring in the tree house.

 R has gotten involved in the video ministry at church and we had to be there 2.5 hours early!  Avery and I made the best of it.  :)

She posted this to Instagram with the caption: Me and my girl reading.  :)

 S tagged along to the video meeting and ended up being put to work.  How cool to see these two boys in church on a Saturday night, serving!

Have a great week!!

March's 10 on 10

10 9 pictures on the 10th day of the month!

{Document a snapshot of your life & find beauty among the ordinary things in your day!}

4:30 AM

First morning after the time change is a little rough, but I got my long run in.  I'm back up to 10 miles so far.

 8:30 AM
It was the first morning that was a) warm enough and b) had sidewalks clear enough of ice and snow to walk, but we were running late so we drove.  :(

 9:30 AM
On my long run days, I get my time with God after the kids are off to school.

 11 AM
I heard Aiden's pitter patter coming down the stairs, so I grabbed my camera. He was happy after sleeping for 15 hours!

 12 PM
School time.

 2 PM
R had a half day and was excited to put his new cake decorating skills to use.

 4 PM
Working on taxes.  Its shameful how much we have to keep track of and what a poor system we have.  Gotta get on that!

 6 PM
So exciting!!  After school, after homework, after dinner and still it was warm enough and light enough to play outside!!

 7 PM
Sweetness.

Project 365, Week 10

Its been slooooww going, but we are getting hints that Spring might possibly be around the corner and what sweet relief that is!

We partied hard on Shaun's side this week, and an embarrassing number of days I only have pictures of Aiden playing Legos.  He is with them every chance he gets so I guess its a bit representative of what our week actually did look like.

March 2

We honored Shaun's grandfather for his 95th!! birthday.  So thankful for his presence in our lives!  Hope we get to celebrate his life for many more years. (not my best group shot ever :)

 March 3
The night before, Daddy had made Aiden an airplane and Aiden couldn't sputter out his words fast enough when he was telling me about it.

 March 4

 March 5
Ash Wednesday!  Unlike last year, I did not wonder what was on her head.  I'm learning and am excited about our lent activities.

 March 6
See what I mean?

 March 7
Tapping the maple trees...that's a good sign!

Since last year, the kids have talked about tapping the trees with Pop on and off all year.  Last year we had Z and he LOVED it.  Made me miss him.

 March 8
We had a shower for Shaun's sister, who is due in just a month!

 My first shower where the dad-to-be was present and involved and excited.  So sweet.

 Beautiful ladies.  Sienna did an incredible job planning the shower...she wowed everyone with her craftiness and attention to detail.

 All of the girls on Shaun's side....out of focus and with a photo bomber above my head.  Regardless, I'm so thankful for each one of them and that I get to call them family.

 The shower, which my girls had been counting down the weeks and days to, was a success...clearly!

Thought Check

My thought life had taken a vacation from the discipline and boundaries I usually subject it to.  

The problem was growing larger, ballooning into this thing that could not be contained and was growing larger by the hour.  It reminded me of Otto the Fish in the book my mom and dad read to us over and over, A Fish Out of Water.

Suddenly a verse popped into my head that I'd memorized years ago.  Could it be that easy??  Could some of the problem possibly be because of the negative thoughts rolling around in my head??

I quickly wrote down the verse and posted it in three different locations where I could see and and say it and put what I was thinking about through that checklist.

And honesty, none of the circumstances changed, but my attitude started to, almost immediately and within the day that problem (in my head) had shrunk way down.

Problems or no, this is just a good checklist to follow!

Philippians 4:8

February Recap

On my "favorite months of the year" list, February ranks pretty low. (Sorry to those of you who hold it close to your heart!).  This was a particularly difficult one and it took some effort to "rejoice and be glad" in each day.  

Before we leave the month too far behind, I wanted to post some pictures that didn't make it.  All of everyday, routine stuff that I love and feel so blessed to be a part of (well, maybe not ALL of the snow pictures :)

Though the photos would prove different, Aiden is not my favorite child, he's just the one I'm with all day long and I'm thankful for our special relationship.  Nearly once a day I use our inside jokes and gentle teasing to get him to laugh so hard he hiccups.

 The trick to staying on the lines is to pretend there is a different kind of shark swimming around each rectangle.  I know you're impressed that I can name that many different sharks.  :)

 Colonel Mustard carrying a jetpack.

 A near meltdown trying to decide which basketball shorts to wear to his sister's practice.  Seriously??

 Science experiments, though few and far between, are THE highlight of school.