Cousins, BBQ and Ice cream.

Since the weekdays are so busy in our home I decided to share a couple photos of what we've been up to lately. 

 E and Lil P are best cousins!

 E is sharing her toys AND her pony.

Men enjoying smoked BBQ ribs.

It was perfect weather for an ice cream treat. 

I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful weather! 

Keep Loving. 

Only in my dreams

I drive over the bridge coming into town. Same thing I do every day of the week. Except this time my knuckles are white and my neck muscle are tense from the death grip I've had on my steering wheel. The street lights at the intersection sway to a 45 degree angle. This wind is crazy. Is this really Spring? In Michigan it is. But, it feels more like Winter. 

I should really stop complaining because the snow is, in fact, GONE. The gray, overcast sky and rainy day after rainy day have me digging into my yarn bag. I am once again inspired to crochet. All over again I cant get enough of the colors, patterns, endless options and a fun collaborative project my sister and I started. If only there were more hours of free time...only in my dreams. 

Family life has my hands full of everything but my blue crochet needle. Which, is equally great. E has been a major cuddle bug. Mondays and my daughter do not work well together. She had me pinned to the couch most of yesterday evening. I wasn't going anywhere. For the record, I am 100% okay with this.

R and I managed to squeeze in a surprise date night on Friday. First Snug Harbor visit of the season. However, we opted out of sitting on the deck, darn "Spring" weather. Company and food were just as great inside the restaurant! It was a nice change of pace after the weekly grind. 

We've been spending a lot time with my younger sister who recently moved to town with her boyfriend and their little one. Sunday our place was full of chitter-chatter for the first official cook out of the season. Grilled brats, veggie-kabobs and corn on the cob. All delicious. I am excited to have a crafting mommy living near by, hence the crochet project. 

I can't wait til it officially looks and feels like Spring. Until then, family time and crocheting are enough for me.

Keep Loving. 

Cheers to Friday!

I pulled into work this morning at 8:10. I'm not usually here until 8:25-8:30, scooting in right before I'm late. Which, I hate doing. I feel rushed and a bit frazzled when I am barely on time. So, this morning felt a little strange when I arrived early. Honestly it felt kind of nice to be early. Enough time to put my lunch away, check my personal email, write this and then start my day.

The warm weather is finally here. Whether or not it will stay...we shall see. The morning haze and partial lit sky always inspires me. Which works out well when my job requires some inspiration at times.

E woke up at 5:00 AM with a terrible cough this morning and worried me to high heavens. Even though I laid in bed for a half hour and couldn't sleep well after I am wide awake and ready to tackle the day.

By the way, E woke up this morning completely fine. I think she might have had sinus drainage irritating her throat. No reason to borrow worry as my Mom always says.

So cheers to Friday! I hope everyone has a great day and fantastic weekend.

Keep Loving.

Spring, friends, mini-vacation!

There is snow on the ground but HAPPY SPRING! How does that work really? Do you feel better to think that today is the first day of spring because that means the weather WILL get warmer? Or does it make you sad that there is snow in ugly heaping piles everywhere and its supposed to be spring?

Well, it's Spring. It's finally here. I assume soon enough we will be smelling the Spring breeze and seeing spring blossoms. There for, I feel better knowing it is Spring. Eventually the Earth will catch up with the calendar.

Plus, there are so many other things to be grateful and happy about. The most recent happiness: I am going out of town; out of the state in fact. We're having a girls weekend. I was invited by a co-worker/ friend. Or better yet, friend/co-worker. I'd like to consider the ladies I spend 5 days a week with friends. They are definitely great listeners and great people. I'll call them friends.

I am thrilled to be invited on a little weekend get away. I am looking forward to staying in a hotel, not cleaning or worrying about...anything. Well, except what FUN thing we should do next!

This will be my very first time taking both of the girls on a little road trip. R is having a guys weekend. E hasn't stayed away from home since she was 2 months old (Thanksgiving in Pentwater). So this shall be interesting. I think she will love it. Who doesn't love water parks, arcades, big hotel beds and...all the fun stuff that comes along with a VACATION!

I'll be sure to take lots of photos and share with you our little excursion. I can't wait to hop in the car and GO!

Our weekend in photos

Telling our story through photographs is something I look forward too. I am finding that I am reaching for my digital camera more often (instead of the phone) to take photos, which has so many advantages. The quality of the photos is better, I am staying organized in the process; deleting photos as I go and I don't miss the moment waiting for the camera app to open on the phone. The best part: I am always smiling from ear to ear as I look back on a weeks worth of photos.  

Wearing Mama's hat and boots.

Hanging out on the kitchen floor.

This girl loves hats!

Gearing up for sunshine!

Reading on the kitchen floor. Again.

R went running in the 19 degree weather. 

Happy Birthday Sister!

Thanks for looking back on another weekend with us. 

Keep Loving. 

History book weather.

I can imagine someday we will all look back on the winter of 2013 and remember the polar vortex, multiple car accidents on the freeways and the single digit temperatures. This weather belongs in history books. In my opinion, the skies can run out snow any day now. 

I am sitting at home listening to the wind whip furiously through the trees. I can here the impact it makes on the side of the apartment. It might not help I'm sitting right next to a window and air conditioning unit. Just the whistling of the gusts makes me chill. 

Even though this weather has the tendency to force us indoors to hibernate I am looking forward to the next couple days; a weekend at home with my family. I've got a few fun projects in mind for the girls too. Stay tuned because I'll definitely share all about them. I think a weekend of crafts, hot cocoa and movie nights sound just about perfect. 

The week ended on a good note too. We said good bye to the blue Saab. She's going to a really nice gentlemen in Grand Rapids. All though we will miss her a huge weight has lifted off our shoulders. 

 

I also had a great 90-day review with my boss. I've been punishing myself a little too much this week and have been feeling overwhelmed. Doing a good job is important to me and I might have been feeling a bit overwhelmed. Of course there is always room for improvement so I have homework moving forward, but I got some great responses on creativity and dependability. I am proud to say I handled the constructive criticism very well and have a positive attitude looking forward. 

It's been a long, hectic week but perseverance and patience has paid off. 

Keep Loving!

Hazy, gray, dingy and ugly.

Oh, the weather outside is frightful...

Do you picture giant snowflakes swirling around, snow piling up on windowsills? Icicles hanging from the rooftop?

Well, our little town looks nothing like that. We had snow before Thanksgiving but because of the rain most of it has disappeared. Of course. Now, we have this hazy, gray, mist falling all around, the grounds are dingy and rather ugly. I can't forget to mention the wall of fog coating everything for miles. I am starting to think the sun is hibernating. It really is frightful weather outside.

I can handle the weather, I can. I don't mind curling up on the couch to crochet or write; we all know I could do that all day. Here's my dilemma: I can't listen to Christmas music. I started too. And tried to several times. But there is no snow to really complete the scene. The first initial burst of cheer has faded. I'm stuck.

I usually wouldn't wish for snow as I'm not big into winter sports. But, there are a few items on my list that involve snow that I desperately want to cross off. And I refuse to be a scrooge.

Is there a snow dance I could do? Or maybe I'll order a semi-truck full of snow to be dumped in the front yard…HELP!

Keep Loving.

Little (annoying, huge, aweful) cold.

The wind whistling through the trees is a sure sign that it is indeed Fall. The woosh woosh of all that moves from the wind sets the scene for Fall festivities. The leaves don't stand a chance against the heavy breeze and are left scattered along the curbs. I love this time of year. The ever changing weather and skies inspires me to create and plan for Winter events. With cold, blustery weather comes sneezing and stuffy, runny noses.

The head cold is going around. Sadly, it caught up with E and myself. My efforts weren't enough to withstand this bug. Now I know why E was so fussy and cuddly last week. If I was her age you can bet I would be whinning too. (Which, I might have already done.) And cuddling sounds perfect too.

A head cold just takes so much out of me. I assume all of my energy is being used to fight off this bug so I'm left feeling drowzy and just plain blah. Oh, I can't fail to mention how the world sounds like the adults on Charlie Brown and I feel like my head is a bubble about to POP!

Because I'm not going to miss work for a little (annoying, huge, aweful) cold I am making an effort and trying my best to not spread germs. All though I feel like a walking virus I am washing my hands after every sneeze, tissue and cough. :(

So, hot soup, warm baths, vitamins and rest are a must. Hopefully we are on the mend and will be back to 100% soon.

Advice from the walking virus: take precaution and your vitamins.

Keep loving.

Unplanned night off

It's Friday again. A beautiful Friday! The majority of the day we had a full blue sky, dotted with white puffy clouds here and there. The little breeze we had made sitting in the sun or even the shade just right.
I have an unplanned evening off. A co-worker asked for my shift and hey, who doesn't want a night off?

Edee and I visited with one of my long time good friends, Ali, today. We made a quick late lunch of cheese and crackers and salads topped with balsamic dressing and sat on her front porch. Lunch was delicious, weather couldn't have been better and the company was perfect.

Ali is back in town for the summer. She just spent 6 months way, way, far away (a.k.a. Washington). I've missed my buddy. It was nice and relaxing to catch up in between playing with Edee and hearing her son Lokk's stories. And what a cutie! I've sure missed his little voice and curiosity. He never hesitates to ask questions.

It is so nice to have my friend back. Her passion for beautiful things is inspiring. I hope we can enjoy our time together. Especially because I know it will won't last forever.

Tonight Ryan and I are taking the girls to the Splash Pad downtown. I have high hopes that Edee will love the water that shoots up and splashes everywhere. She loves water anywhere else so we shall see.

Surprise nights off are such a treat.

Keep loving.

A walk. A talk. A day with friends.

I'm sitting here in a tank top and my favorite pink yoga capris. The slow breeze passes through the wide open windows. The sun is slowly sinking beyond the tree line in our front yard. Good weather is finally here. Like the springy step I feel on the weekends here I am feeling giddy. The weather alone inspires me.

Day off. Two words and I am sure you know exactly what I mean. All though I was spoiled to only work one day before my day off today I still REALLY appreciate an entire day off. Because it's an entire day spent with Edee. An entire day to do as I please. And you better believe doing what I please is exactly what I did.

Okay, I didn't go on a shopping spree or treat myself to a giant chocolate cupcake, BUT I did go visit Sarah and Jackson. And that was just as great! There are very few people I can talk to about everything under the sun. She is one of the (new found) few. When hanging out with Sarah we ping pong our thoughts and stories back and forth.  Before you know 4 hours have passed. It's wonderful having someone on the same page. I feel I've found a really great mommy friend. I'm so thankful we've finally connected. And we honestly have. How bizarre it is; the things we have in common.

I can't wait for summer adventures with the little ones. There are sure to be many.

Today, we took the babes for a walk. Jackson was a little busy body in his Momma's arms the whole time while Edee (a bit spoiled) fell asleep riding in the stroller. It's time I get my own easy-to-pack-and-go stroller. All though I greatly appreciate those that let me borrow theirs for the walk. :)

Now we are all home. All though my 4 hour visit didn't fell quite long enough Edee has an opinion of her own. She is finally settled with a full belly, sleeping in mommy and daddy's bed.

So, today was a good day. Wait....great day.

Keep loving.