Beautiful Early Spring

 Some days we are perched outside on the driveway with sidewalk chalk in hand, talking to passing neighbors and waving to the cars going by.  Mostly we are happy for everyday in the cool air and warm sun. 

You may notice that this drawing has an actual shape.  It is Hayden's "Man"

Baby Picasso with her art all over her

Getting a little tired sitting a drawing so we move to the belly.

Most days we go to the playground just down the street complete with tennis, basketball, and sand volleyball courts, the playground, and the pool which we will frequent come summertime.  The kids love it and its instant playdate, because there is almost always kids there.  Though sometimes, the teenage boys take over the basket ball court and the teenage girls demurely take over the swings to watch.  Don't worry, Hayden's not shy about asking them to move.

Little man on the swings.  He's finally getting the leg pump down though he prefers to be pushed.  Don't we all.

Baby girl being a ham.

Oh the drama.

"Cooking"  with woodchips.  Tasty dinner tonight.

 

Taking in the other kids from his perch

Look boss, its a plane.

Again, a little ham

Getting crazy on the slides.  At least this one he didn't try and sneak in a head first.

Queen of the mountain, and yes, she does get upset when she is rushed.

Always trying to keep up with brother and now he has wheels.

Settling In

 

Our first baby is settling into her new home.  She still hasn't figured out how to stop very well on the wood floors when she gets to going too fast.  And 80 pounds of sliding lab can take out any toddler and sometimes even an adult.

 

We were settling in for movie night one night when Daddy was working late.

Then Clare wanted to cuddle with her brother.

In the zone watching Cars 2.

As a side note, the hair represents the ornery mood she happened to be in that night.

Finally everyone got comfortable.

We figured out that we could slide easily on our bellies.  So playing like we are a snake now on the wood floors comes a lot more easily.

Looking out our favorite big windows and surveying the backyard for activity, be in dogs, birds, rain, or the prospect of new playmates.

She was making little kisses in this picture, that is why she's a little puckered up.

Reading about David and Goliath.  She knows that David is a giant and does her best attempt and Fe-Fi-Fo-Fum everytime we talk about him.

  Here our little family is trying to set our new normal.  We are trying to make it feel like home and meet new people.  Reconnect with those from our former existence here.  Let the kids see their grandparents and great grandparents as much as possible.  Trying to find our new activities.  And my least favorite, deal with the last 20 or so boxes in the basement (yes, that's where you hide all your only used-once-in-awhile things and where you hide when there are tornadoes).  Which on a side note, there have been some since we've moved back.  I kind of forgot about them and now my 3 year old has a slight obsession with them.  He keeps telling me he wants to see one.  I wisely say no you don't my dear.  And the cyclical debate ensues.  We love our new play room that is just for the kids.  It explodes daily with toy shrapnel coming out the door into the foyer but at least its not exploding in my living room.  Plus all the toys are available these days too and don't have to be rotated out into the garage.  We are loving most aspects of the space.  I am trying to figure out how to clean this home without spending half my life doing it.  I may actually own all forms of the Swiffer before its all done.  I feel like I should have received some sort of cleaning guidance on this.  Wood floor are not my specialty and have already made some rookie mistakes.  But am seeking guidance from more seasoned wood floored friends.
  I'd like to say that it has been really perfect, however, its still hard.  Its not just the where are my coffee cups feeling at 6 in the morning.  Its the seeing pictures of our old home with my kiddos in it and getting waves of homesick.  I love it here, don't get me wrong.  And in almost 2 months of living here I think that I have encountered two rude people.  You'd think they were being filmed here all of the time as a promo for our city as nice and considerate as I've found everyone to be.  I don't worry about crime like I used to and rarely even hear a siren.  I never have to wait longer than 2 minutes in the line at Walmart and never have I met more friendly, well dressed cashiers there.  Its been a great temperate winter and was good for us to ease back into the climate differences here.  I just hurt for the little man who desperately misses his best buddy in New Mexico and asks frequently for him.  I hurt that when he plays with his toy plane he's always flying back home to his house in New Mexico.  It has really been hard for him.  In many ways other than that.  So much so, that I am not sure how to help him other than getting him busy with activities.   I pray we will find him that friendship and camaraderie that he so desires.  We are getting there though.  We'll be starting soccer and gymnastics soon.  Followed by swimming lessons in the summer and preschool in the fall.  I don't want to wish him through all of that time to get him through the hurt because he's only my all day, everyday for so long.  I just hope the hurt goes away quickly for him.  I want to see my little guy again.  Well, I don't want to say that it has been awful.  Just a big adjustment.  One I knew would happen.  Its hard to believe we are going on almost 6 months since we made the decision.  We wouldn't change it.  But I'm not going to be anything but transparent, life's not all butterflies and rainbows.  We've have our share of rough days but there are many aspects of our life that we have found much more peace already.  Thank you for your prayers or continued prayers through our move and transition.  We will post pictures of our house very soon...pending a furniture delivery and a little organizing.

Moving and Apartment Living

Well, we have moved and settled in pretty well to our temporary abode. We are living apartment style while we wait to close on our new home. We will be moving in to our new residence in mid-February. We made it through moving week with as much grace as we could. It was exhausting and emotional and exciting at times. Overall, it went smoothly, though I haven't received our belongings out of storage at this time. The movers were nice people and I am grateful for their service because I could barely do what I was doing which was take care of the kids while they packed and close up shop there while packing to stay in temp housing for a month. Hayden loved having the "Mack" truck parked in front of our house for 3 days and oppositely did not like them packing up his life as he's knows it. He misses home right now and I am eager to give him his new home to settle into with his belongings that make it feel that way. It is hard on him, even at his young age. Clare on the other hand is taking it in stride as they do when they are that young. She is happy as ever. She was exhausted by the end of the week as you'll see in the photo where she couldn't make it through lunch.
We have caught up on our sleep now for the most part and are getting to know our new town. We look forward to our own beds soon!



Parked on the street with the mountains up the hill. Pointed eastward toward our new home.



Could not keep this guy off of the truck. At least by the end he was helping.



Sleepy girl



Playing with his new car road rug that Grandma and Grandpa kept for us after Christmas.



Loving to push her stroller around



Rocking her hot pink sequin purse

Hayden's Tractor Party

So Hayden turned 3 and before we moved we wanted to give him his own little bash with his buddies in New Mexico. He was set on a tractor themed party and as it turns out that is not the easiest thing to find. So I made some banners from tractor fabric and ordered the balloons from Amazon. We had pull back tractors in the party favors and invitations with tractors on them. If we'd been in Kansas, I would have had boatloads of people with tractors and tractor rides would have been on the docket. However, we just stuck with a bouncer this time. It burns a lot of energy off for kids and off sets the sugar they eat. We had a morning shindig and so a cinnamon roll cake was in order. Hayden loves cinnamon rolls and can eat them thanks to his Grandma B's recipe she cooked up for him. She still makes them better than I do though. We'll blame in on the altitude though. He had a fun time with his friends and it was good to have their parents who are our friends in our house to celebrate one last time.











Shocked that even with a bouncer, the kids were interested in the toy baskets.





Little man so excited to hear "Happy Birthday" being sung to him.





Getting ready to chow down.






Gave the little ones their chance in the bouncer after the bigger kids got worn out.





The action wore out the littlest ones.

Hayden's 3rd Birthday

Can't believe we've hit 3. I can't really remember what life or I was like 3 years ago because so much has changed now that its like he's always been here. But at the same time 3 years seemed a long way off when we brought him home from the hospital. I mean it's just right around the corner from kindergarten! So here he is on his actual birthday which was spent quietly at home together. We made it a fun day for him doing things he enjoys and making him cinnamon rolls that he likes. He opened his gifts (which have been unfortunately put into storage until mid February.) He has hit 3 with roaring ferocity! He is stretching his baby wings and trying to gain more independence every day. I love him so much and just when he pushes you too far, he charms you again with what is going on in that smart and sweet little mind of his. He is a great and complex little man and am excited to see what the next year brings for him!





Hayden and Daddy playing with his first Hotwheels track



Safety first, compliments of mama



For our first bicycle that is a balance bike






Taking it for a test drive. Mountains in background (tear)









Yum!