Verbs

watching:: two little boys relishing a powder-sugar doughnut hole.

anticipating::the arrival of 3 new babes, due in June, to three of our favorite couple friends.

welcoming:: Spring surprises just outside the doors of a house we've only known in Winter...lilac bushes, an apple tree, baby bunnies, a sprinkler system, green grass, bird nests, SPACE!

appreciating::the satisfaction of finding a good bargain...a buttery-yellow chenille bedspread (for a bed? curtains? a baby blanket? Oh, the possibilities!) and a wicker basket to house my fabric for under $10 at a garage sale.

enjoying:: the many outdoor responsibilities that come with home-ownership...like mowing the lawn and filling the bird feeders.

laughing::at the plastic debris scattered in our backyard...we've earned the reputation of best yard for playing and sunning - we're so proud :).

hoping:: M and S's preoccupation with going "pee-pee" will lead to a successful and smooth transition into potty training.

savoring:: freshly baked homemade bread and its heavenly aroma...I found a second-hand bread machine and used Joy's Honey Wheat Flax bread recipe.

loving:: this delightful stage of my pregnancy...6 1/2 months along, not too tired, not too uncomfortable, pleasantly round, feeling the little one kick and stretch, still feeling cute.

wishing:: you all a wonderful, sun-soaked, fun-filled weekend!

Glenwood Springs

C. S. Lewis recommends living near your closest friends. When that isn't possible, the next best thing is to hop on a plane and just be near your closest friends for a spell. So, that's what I did - journeyed to Glenwood Springs, CO, to be near Joy and her family, to kiss on Selah Claire's sweet little cheeks, and to enjoy the company and familiarity of a life-long friend.

Oh, the simple sweet pleasures of a vacation without my little ones:

uninterrupted quiet time...
starting and finishing two books (unrelated to raising/disciplining/having children)...
savoring many delicious meals that I did not prepare...
homemade bread (anyone have a bread machine they are looking to rid themselves of?)...
long walks with Joy and by myself...
placing my cell phone/purse/glass of water/ipod/etc. on any available surface without worry that a little boy would destroy/spill/eat it...
sewing alongside a friend...
not being aware of the time...
giving my daily routine a much-needed rest...

and the sweetest pleasure of all - returning home to hugs, kisses, and cuddles from the little buddies that - by the end of the trip - I was aching to be with again.

We are back home in Bozeman with our doting husband/dad, refreshed and ready to dive back in to the beauty and bedlam that is our life.

The black maternity tank I am wearing was generously passed on to me by Joy. She never judged me for wearing it three...no, four days in a row. She must really love me ;).

Me and the little peanut.

Late night sewing of a baby dress. Joy has promised to post the finished product on her blog.

Mama and babe. We spent an afternoon in Aspen, rubbing shoulders with the ultra-rich, sharing a cheeseburger, and sipping iced lattes.

Thank you, Schneiters, for welcoming me into your life for a few days. Thank you, Schuylers and Myers, for caring for the two tornadoes that are my sons. Thank you, Matt, for encouraging and helping me take a vacation!

Birthday

I have shamefully few (good) pictures of either of the two parties I hosted for the boys' 2nd birthday, but as promised, I am sharing what I have with all of you. (If you have any pictures of the parties, please e-mail them to me or send a disc or whatever is easiest. Thank you!)

Little People Party

My sweet little MayMo on the morn of his 2nd birthday. Sensing he was older and more mature than the day before, he requested to sit in a chair rather than his high-chair.
Smigg-a-doo on the morn of his 2nd birthday. Observing that his brother opted for a chair, he realized that he,too, was old enough for a chair and did not need a booster seat. He is clearly quite proud of himself...as he should be!
The calm before the storm :). The boys opened birthday cards from their grandparents and great-grammie before all the little people arrived.
You would think I might have learned from last year's party that candles are not a favorite. Mason is not impressed with his candles (there are two on the cupcake, it just looks like one) and is actually quite hysterical towards them. Jack Oberly is sitting next to him.
Here I am removing Smiggy's candles from his cupcake. Not loving the candles...got it.
Kiddos and mamas enjoying a cupcake. 8 small children eating cupcakes = an unbelievable amount of crumbs. Oh, well...they were delicious...I should know, I had 3 of them :).

Big People Party

We brought our party to Billings for the family celebration. Schuylers + Nuttings + Myers + Bedfords + Wilsons = a whole lotta fun folks. The Moores helped me produce a sweet little slideshow of pictures from the first two years with M and S. The party-goers indulged me by watching it twice and "oohed" and "aahed" at all the right moments.

The men...doing manly things.

Grammie and Smith, wearing Grammie's glasses.
Aunt Janelle and second (?) cousin Aubyn. Lovely ladies.

Both parties turned out splendidly and since then, my two two-year-olds are proving themselves to be...well, two. Yikes.