A muddy reminder

Yesterday the boys and I went for a visit to Grandma's house...for those of you that haven't been there she has a very large and in charge backyard. Way in the back she has a play area for the boys...near it water drains down a little ravine from the hills (when it's rained a lot). As the boys were playing they wandered into the water...and the mud - and had so much fun! By the end of it they had found a ton of worms and had mud in their hair. So we decided to give them impromptu baths in some rubber storage totes out on the patio. Mud therapy, outdoor baths - they were getting spa treatment forsure!

When they shared their day with their dad they couldn't decide which was more fun - the mud or the outdoor bath. It's amazing how the simple things in life can bring so much joy - and it's nice to be reminded sometimes. Kids are great for that - experiencing things for the very first time and loving everything life has to offer.

Not the first, not the last

Friday was an adventure. But not one of those exciting ones, more like one of those calm-in-the-moment but scares-you-later ones. We had just gotten home and Mason and I were walking up to the gate and Spence was getting out of the Jeep. All of a sudden I heard him crying (one of those blood curdling screaming types). I turned around and he was face first on the ground - I ran to him and picked him up and his face was covered in blood. I brought him inside and attempted to clean him up and saw he had a gash in his forehead. Long story short I ended up taking him to the doctor and they attempted to close it up without stitches or glue (as they didn't want to risk infection). I say attempted because we had to go back about two hours later to have them 'fix' it again. Anyhow, besides a nasty bump, black and blue marks and swelling he's fine. I am just so grateful that it wasn't anything worse!

But just looking at that bump hurts me - literally. I am so thankful it was only a minor head injury but I think this is one of the hardest things about being a parent - hurting when your child hurts. Feeling helpless. Feeling scared. Feeling like you'd trade places and wishing you could take it all away but knowing you can't. Ugh. And our youngest is not even 2 yet - we still have a long way to go!

Anyhow, I wanted to share this experience with you because I know that many of the other parents out there can relate to this. This isn't the first time we've experienced this and I know it definitely won't be the last. Guess it just comes with the territory.

Emily Dickinson

once wrote:
          
         i dwell in possibility.


me too.

Mum's the Word

As some of you may have noticed (via photos on the blog here and there) an unlikely hobby has emerged for me over the past six months or so: cupcaking. It works out great since Spencer (and now Mason) love to cook. For Mother's Day I thought I'd try my hand at this lil' arrangement for my mom...pretty cute, huh? Wish I could say I came up with it all myself, but I'm not quite there yet. Happy Mother's Day!

Day with the Dinosaurs

Last Sunday we had this great plan to go spend some time in the hills. Well that didn't work out too good because it started raining and snowing. Luckily we were able to change plans and decided to go to a museum that is in the hills (so we were able to incorporate a bit of our initial plan). The boys enjoyed "discovering" fossils the most. Just like last year we plan to have a busy spring/summer touring around our area...so prepare yourself for lots of photos!

Enough already

Everyone I know has been telling me how 'spring has sprung' where they live - how they are having sunshine filled days with lilacs in bloom. Yeah well, that's not the story here. Today (just like a few days ago) it's SNOWING. Every winter here seems to get longer and longer. We are sooo ready to be outside - in the sun - with the smell of lilacs. At this rate, we are going to have a very short summer. I guess it's a good thing we're ready to hit the ground running.

It's Awesome

As most of you know, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer a little over five years ago. She received treatment and has been healthy over the last few years. About a week ago she had her LAST appointment with the oncologist...she has reached the 5 YEAR CANCER FREE MARK!!!! Just had to share the good news :)

(I told you it was awesome!).