The Perfect Day

Yesterday was just an amazing day!  The weather was noticeably cooler.  And we started out the day nice and early. At least Spenc and I did.  He went and fed the chickens while I made everyone a hot breakfast.

Because it seemed like it would be such a nice day, we decided to make it a "no-tv-day". So after breakfast we worked in the backyard (when I say we, I mean the kids played in the sandbox while I worked!) The chicken coop was cleaned, everything was weeded, and the dirt was raked.  And because it was so nice, it didn't even feel like work!  So we moved onto weeding the front yard.  Where the kids decided they needed an orange juice popsicle break.  I love where they chose to plant their back sides... it was too cute!  We watered all the flowers and then we cleaned up the garage, and after that we decided to move things inside for a bit.

 We were all very messy, so we took showers and clean up.  Then we headed for snacks.  After snacks it was most definitely nap time for Spencer. Lyla and I laid down with him for 20 minutes or so, and then when he was nice and out, we snuck away to spend some time having a tea party.  After our tea party, we decided to venture into the sewing room.  I know, ever since making that birthday dress for Lyla I have had a hard time locking it back up again!  But it is getting so warm, and I am so hot (being pregnant), and I can't stand to wear clothes.  Plus I only have maternity pants, no shorts... so I decided to whip up this super thin poly/cotton skirt, super stretchy and comfy because I cut it on the bias.  I added a panel at the top, so this will fit skinny, alittle pregnant, or alot pregnant.  It feels like I'm wearing clouds... I like it! So Lyla sat on my sewing table and did puzzles with me for the hour it took to whip up the skirt... it truly was that easy.

 After Spencer woke up we decided it was granola making time.  I have the best granola recipe!  No joke, the best, courtesy of my friend Tanya Crawford!  We decided to add coconut and almonds to ours yesterday, and it is divine.  Truly.  Whilst making granola, the kids stacked all my food storage cans to make towers. (The granola takes lots of my food storage items: whole wheat flour, oats, powdered milk...) But the kids didn't just stop with three cans, they had about 10 cans out.  And it was so cute to see them building together, until of course, Spencer found out he could be the tower destroyer!  This is Lyla protecting her tower : )

After Granola, we snacked on it and then went outside to enjoy more of the fantastic weather.  We opened the garage and let the kids play with the neighbor kids, while I vacuumed out and clean the Tahoe.  That was much needed!  After our quick trip to Phoenix last week to see my sisters new baby, we had toys and food crumbs up the wazoo in that Tahoe... and it was getting alittle gross!

We then took a walk down the road to a cement water retention basin and let Lyla and Spencer push each other around on Lyla's little red trike.  Before I knew it, it was already dinner time, and I had forgotten to cook, but Jess wasn't supposed to be home that night, so I just threw together ham and cheese sandwiches on hot dog buns (we are in severe need of going to the grocery store : ) with some left over raita I was inspired to make after having some at my friend Alpna's house.  Alpna is indian, and her food is delicious.  If you have never had Raita, welcome to heaven!  Especially in the summer time. Mine was made of plain yogurt, cucumber, tomato, a bit of onion and lemon, salt and pepper.  Not like Alpna's, but so tasty and refreshing.

After that, just for good measure, we went to enjoy the cool evening by jumping on the trampoline.  The kids laughed and played and got crazy, burning up every last ounce of energy they could have possibly had left after such a fulfilling day.  I sat there and thought about how lucky I was to have such wonderful children, such a blessed life, and how amazing our simple yet productive day had been.  Some days nothing gets done, whining is endless, and we are just cranky.   But this day was PERFECT, happiness reigned, we found joy in small things, and on top of those important things, we got lots done.

Oh, if every day could be this good!  But then again, if they were we wouldn't appreciate them like we do!

At about 6 we stopped jumping, we took a bath, and put our jammies on, when to our surprise daddy popped in right before bedtime to say hello and hug the kids for about 20 minutes before he had to go to his presidency meeting.  What a sweet surprise for Lyla and Spencer, they were tickled pink.  After dad left again, we read stories and scriptures, and snuggled down for bed.  Sigh... life is Good!

Slow and Easy

I think I enjoy the weeks where I am a home body.

Don't get me wrong, weeks fly and we have awesome times when our schedule is full of errands, and play dates, and fun adventures... but honestly the aftermath is a little overwhelming. Heaps of undone laundry, no quality dinners, messes everywhere. And if I get in the routine of being busy it is really hard to break out of it! I feel like I need a million things to do to keep me busy and satisfied.

But honestly, the weeks where they are slow and simple are actually so much more fulfilling. I find that my house is clean almost always (without lots of time or effort). There are no pile of laundry either dirty, or clean and waiting for weeks to be folded. My kids take regular naps, and sleep better at night, which allow me to have lots of time with Jesse when they go down at a normal time (6:30-7:00). My kids get home made treats like chocolate chip cookies, and whole wheat bread straight from the oven. The weeds are non existent in the front and back yard. I actually read my scriptures regularly. I cook healthier meals for my family, which is a big deal for us, and makes us feel better, and the kids seem to have a more even temperament. I get to spend LOTS of time talking and being with my babies. We sit and do puzzles, read books, build forts, go on walks and bike rides. We jump on the trampoline and play in the sandbox... but most of all we laugh. I interact with them more on their level instead of mine.

We have been pretty home bound out of necessity and circumstance lately, and it has been wonderful. When I am home I realize all that there really is to do here! Play and work both abound without ever leaving my little haven! Except for the occasional trip to the grocery store or park, we have been quite content to stay at home. The more I stay at home the more I love it.

(we started having them share a bed... this is the first morning after, both of them slept all night 12 hours straight! It was amazing!)

Just so I don't forget

Spencer is quite the talker these days... here are some of his favorites:

Stand- (word for headband)

Istuck- (meaning I am stuck)

DinDin - Dinner

Eat

Ball

Money- (He especially loves this one and says it whenever he sees his piggy bank)

Monkey

Nana- Banana

Mama

Dada

Lyla

night-night

Bathtime

Jesus

Iwan- ( I want)

BaBa- (Sippy cup, variation of the old BooBah for the breast...)

ChickChick- Chicken

PooPoo- (whilst pointing to anyone on the toilet : )

Well he has tons more, but these are the ones I can think of at the moment. He loves to talk, and if you lend a listening ear, he will gladly oblige with conversation.

On another note... He is weaned! Hallelujah! I just broke down and did it about a week and a half ago. He did great. He goes to sleep quite easy as long as I lie down next to him for about 5 to ten minutes.... So much better than the 30 to 60 minutes it took for me to get Lyla to go to sleep when I weaned her!

Funny story, at about the 48 hour mark of not having the breast, he pretty much knew that even if he asked politely I would tell him No, the Boobah is tired and it's all done giving you milk. You are a big boy now. So he went up to his dad, and he cuddled up in his lap, giving him the sweetest eyes you have ever seen, and in his most polite voice asked him "Boobah?" And low and behold Jess said, "Sure!" You should have seen the pure relief and joy that flooded Spencer's face. Then Jesse proceeded to lift up his shirt and offer Spencer the hairy man chest. At first Spencer leaned in with anticipation, and upon realizing that it was not a normal Boobah, pulled back with the most stunned expression on his face, which then turned to confusion to which he questioned Jesse with "Boobah?" Yep that's it bud! So Spencer gave it a pinch or two, and then decided it would be best not to try nursing this new foreign boobah.

For the first couple of days he would try to sneak a sip while I held him in the shower. So that had to stop. Now he affectionately pats my shirt and announces that I have boobah's but no longer asks for them, or seems to associate them with comfort or food. Sometimes he will even pat his shirt and tell me that he has boobah's too.

We love this kid... and even though he seems to terrorize everything, and has seriously made me consider buying like 20 baby gates... we wouldn't trade him for the world!