NEED YOUR HELP, Teething Woes, Old Pictures

Thinking about trying to keep a couple plants alive in this little corner this spring...


Feeding Jack pinecones...

Still practicing "soft loves"

Remember this picture from last week...?

Apparently Nana made it when I was little!

Which led to a mountain of picture sifting...can we PLEASE recreate some of these?!

HA!

Outside time with my babies makes my mama heart happy

I have a feeling she'll be swiping many more of my apples in the near future...

Oh, you know...just her natural, candid baby face. WHY DO I WANT TO BITE HER?!!

"Suction plate" my bum. YEAH RIGHT.

Tried my sister-in-law's pizza recipe and IT'S A WINNER. Just as they did, I think we'll be making this weekly in med school. It's relatively healthy, cheap, and SO GOOD!

Helping Grammy with a cabinet...

While I was feeding a bottle to the little babe, Marli found and OPENED a chocolate protein bar. Thankfully Jack was outside...think she was pleased?!

Last day with our little baby friend for a week (spring break!) called for lots of bubbles and books!

Blissful spontaneous Target trips.


Navigating walking with this doggy while also moving her own legs has proven to be especially frustrating for this little one. Sure makes me think about my own struggles differently.


Oh the FUN that Grammy has up her sleeve! Playing with bowls and lids!


Marli tasting lids (leftovers?!)...and Jack playing Princess Leia!


OKAY YOU GUYS. I need help. I have a recipe that Evan and Marli and I LOVE, but it's called "MEATLOAF." I mean...how unappetizing is a name like "MEATLOAF?" I've thought of some alternative names, let me know which is best (or another idea because really... "MEATLOAF?"!!!!)
(1) Giant Meatball
(2) Beef Brick
(3) Meat Cake
(4) Meat Love
(5) Faoltaem (Meatloaf backwards, inspired by Nana's "Srevotfel")


I think we're going to be a dog family...Marli does this whenever she sees a dog now...


We got out for a date! Cosmic bowling and ice cream!


Now that she's mobile, shopping trips are LOTS busier... Today our sanity was salvaged by opening our oreos early and these $1 sunglasses...


Lazy Sunday mornings with french toast made out of homemade Lissy bread...BEYOND delicious.


And we're off to the Coast to start our spring break in the happiest place we know!

ALSO...in case anyone thought it's all sunshine and strawberries over here... 

Sometimes...days are long and hard and you just do what you can to make it through and try again tomorrow. This sweet babe is already getting at least one of her molars... 

Lots of frozen yogurt tubes. And frozen berries. And motrin. 

AND REMEMBERING THIS.

"IT'S OKAY to be grumpy sometimes, 
to have bad days, to struggle, 
to make mistakes, to say the wrong thing, 
to feel overwhelmed and under-appreciated, 
to be out-of-sorts and sort-of-over-it-all. It's okay for us big humans, 
and it's okay for our little humans, too. After all, we're all humans, right? 
How else will our little humans learn 
that it's okay to be human? 
Remember, we're imperfect humans growing imperfect humans in an imperfect world, 
and that's perfectly okay."
-L.R. Knost

Doing my best to replace shame with self compassion and grace, so that I can teach Marli to do the same... When I'm kind to myself, it's easier to be kind to others. 

Now that I think about it, it's also easier to feel more connected to God's love... 

And I'm ALL ABOUT THAT!

Hope you find evidence of God's love for you in an unexpected place today...

HAPPY SPRING BREAK!

Exploring the Out, Chip Shenanigans, SQUEEZE!

Cauliflower is in EVERYTHING these days...rice, pizza crust, gnocchi...
I hopped on the bandwagon and loved this cauliflower chowder...might need to sub in potatoes for the boys next time, though!

https://damndelicious.net/2014/03/22/cauliflower-chowder/

Keeping busy with two littles! 

Pumpkin muffins and - of course - leftover wings from last week...mmmmm...

Marli's really taken to this stuffed dog (was this yours, Lissy??!).

Dress up!

Learning to love "SOFTLY"

Bubble fun!

Marli's very intrigued by this book. The fangs move up and down, and while she was scared of it at first, she's beginning to LOVE it.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Marli and Jack are partners in lots of things lately...

Singing together!

Celebrating PI day the proper way.

Cooking! With ice cubes!

So THAT'S what that dumping noise was... this brilliant girl just helped herself! A friend from church told me that he and his wife decided to pause and take pictures of crazy/frustrating messes before anything else...gives them a chance to take a breath before reacting on impulse

Can someone please tell me when she moved from a baby to an actual LITTLE PERSON?!! (She LOVED this fluffy cat at the library. Looks very realistic, and Marli did NOT want to put it back!)

It's official. Every member of our little family LOVES REI. I think I can count on one hand the number of times we've actually bought something...but we like to dream of the days when we can buy quality outdoor stuff. We are currently deciding if we want to buy bikes, camping equipment, garden boxes for our apartment, or invest in another car... There's just too many TOYS! HA!

Got out for some ice cream, just us two! 

Can you spell SASS?! HAHA! 

("No" means both yes and no to her right now...unless she REALLY wants something, and then she goes "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!!")

Sometimes the best adventures aren't in foreign places...but just a few minutes away!... Love being outside with my people, and SO grateful for Evan for helping get us outside more.

I feel closest to God out here...

FINALLY getting warm enough to explore the OUT!

This is Charley. He said he was getting frustrated with a project and so he needed to spend time in "his" tree. Nature is healing for me, too, Charley boy.

Teaching her early that the proper way to eat pizza is drenched in RANCH.

Oh ya know...just readin a book.

SQUEEEEEEEEEZE!!!

We've leveled up in our relationship. I let her have my apple. WITH viable apple bites. Think she was pleased?!

This goofy soul has brought such immeasurable joy to my heart. Her little personality is blossoming more and more each day it seems. She is my greatest teacher, and she's helping me become the fullest version of myself.I am SO GRATEFUL she is mine forever!