Summer Cannot Come Fast Enough.

I'm trying to decide if moving to Wisconsin in January was a brilliant or terrible idea. We knew it would be cold, but maybe we didn't know just how bad it would be. So we'd come at the worst of it, and it could only get better from there. At first, it was new and exciting and I loved watching the giant flakes fall. But they kept falling, and piling up, and the snow NEVER melted. I forgot what the ground looked like. Grass? What is grass? It was too cold to take the girls out. I even stopped taking the garbage out. I'd bag it up, start to take it out, and quickly turn around and set it on the kitchen floor.

People in Wisconsin for whatever reason don't put lights in living rooms. No, seriously. In every house I've been in, the living room DOES NOT HAVE A LIGHT. What the heck? I was talking about this last night at school with a friend from the South. A native Wisconsonian pipped in, "Haven't you heard of lamps?"

Anyway, I think the dark and the cold got to me and I snapped. I stopped working out. Stopped cleaning. And only got dressed before I had to go to school. I fell in this awful slump. People would say it would start to warm up (in MAY) and I wondered what in the world we were doing in Wisconsin of all places. Friends in Arizona, Florida, and California would post pictures of them outside with their kids in shorts and T shirts while all I had to show was the disaster my kids had created that I just didn't care enough to clean up. Which really just made me feel like a terrible mom and only added to my already sour mood.

I've been missing Utah County terribly. I miss having friends that I can just show up at their house to play. I miss knowing the area to a T, knowing places to play and things to do. Miss the people, the mountains, favorite stores, snack places, play places. I miss how family oriented it is and how there is ALWAYS something fun going on.

Last weekend was General Conference. It couldn't have come at a better time. I've been looking for a serious kick in the pants. And Conference didn't disappoint. This one was a favorite. I wish the whole thing was online already, but that would be insane. And magically the snow melted, things defrosted, and the temperature was well above freezing.

Friday the girls and I bundled up and had a picnic at the zoo, we had conference weekend, and then yesterday was a perfect day. I did a REAL workout, cleaned, made dinner, and walked to the park to play. The sun was out, and we had a great walk around the pond, exploring and playing. I even had the door to the balcony open, it was so warm.

I had a glimpse of summer and it was awesome. And then as quickly as it came, it was gone. Today is story, wet, and dark. But I'll take that over snow, and just pretend we're back in Oregon any day.  The good news is that there is hope that the good stuff is coming! Maybe I can understand why people live in Wisconsin. Come on summer, my sanity (and the lives of my family members) <kidding>depends on you!!

Claire's BFF.

Aside from Aoife, Lamby is Claire's best friend. She's had him since her first Christmas, and they've been inseparable since. Claire has always loved stuffed animals. They all take naps with her and sleep with her at night. Sometimes I'm not sure how she fits in her bed, but she knows when one is missing.

Lately, her animals have come to life. Every afternoon her animals take naps. She'll carefully tuck each one in and say goodnight. Later, she'll go in, once they're awake, and bring each one out front. As she lines them up, she asks each one how they slept and if they had a good nap.

This morning, Claire brought lamby to me and said lamby wanted breakfast.

Me: "Oh, would lamby want some cereal?"
Claire: "Ummmmm yeah!"
Me: "And does lamby want some milk in it?"
Claire: "No."

pause

Claire consulted with lamby for a little while.

Claire: "Umm yeah. Lamby wants milk!"
Claire: "And a spoon."

So I got a bowl of cereal and set it up on the coffee table for lamby. Claire then fed lamby before eating the cereal herself. I think he's drenched in milk.

 So I suppose we have entered the imagination stage and have a few more critters living in our house.

Suicide/Homicide Watch.

I have decided that 24/7 suicide/homicide watch is among the MANY jobs that mothers have. And this is simply based on  daily happenings with my two fearless little girls. I can't imagine what it'd be like with boys.

C jumping/catapulting/sommersaulting off of the couch
A putting anything and everything in her mouth
C cramming anything and everything in A's mouth.
C covering A's head with blankets until they're tangled. A's screaming and C sits and watches and laughs
C hitting A
A biting C
A opening cupboards to pull everything out
A and C wanting to jump into the bath
A and C love jumping on the bed
C jumping OFF the bed
C attempting to climb up bookcases
A pulling things down
You know someone's in trouble when Claire shrieks "Down, Set, Hike"
Same if you hear her yell, "HULK!!!"
A thinking she's bigger than life and trying to keep up with C
C forgetting to blow on a bite of food.
C spinning in circles until she's dizzy and then launching herself in one direction
C driving in her car and A accidentally becoming a speed bump

The list could go on. This mom business is exhausting!  I'm grateful for fearless, invincible children. And we have yet to have any serious casualties or major emergency room trips. I love watching these two interact and play together. They are the best of friends and have giggle fits together, share snacks, books, toys, and secrets. Aoife isn't walking yet, but Claire still makes up games that involve Aoife. Even if sometimes they are at Aoife's expense.

Spring Fever.

When we decided to move to Wisconsin, I wasn't aware that "Wisconsin" was actually code word for The North Pole.

Yesterday was March 18th. That's a little halfway through MARCH, and yet it snowed. All day. I'm talking flakes the size of golf balls. Honestly, I can't remember what outside looks like without snow.

And then some days are bright and sunny. The sun reflects off of the snow and it's blindingly bright. And it's deceiving. I just can't get it in my head that it's still below freezing outside and it will never get above freezing. I look in my closet and see the bright colors and short sleeves and then quickly remember that if I leave the house my outfit will be covered up by the same boots and jacket I've been wearing since October.

Over the weekend Aoife and I walked around our complex to the playground. We were slipping and sliding on the ice, but the fact that it's still winter didn't hit until I saw the playground. Covered in ice.

So we moved to Plan B.

Ross has some classes at different offices over the next couple weeks, so he's needed the car. I woke early yesterday morning, lugged the stroller up the flight of stairs with the intention of walking the girls to McDonalds to play in the afternoon. Ross left for work and the snow started to fall.

I am itching for spring. If it stays cold like this for much longer I'll probably be forced into spring cleaning, which wasn't even on my 'excited about spring' list.

Carrying Concealed Weapons.

In our monthly budget, Ross and I also budgeted an "allowance" for ourselves, separate from the date night/family fun budget. We both have different hobbies and interests. I'm sure Ross wouldn't like me blowing our date money on beauty products.

I just signed up for a concealed weapon and firearm training class at the end of the month. And I am beyond excited about it. After the class, you're allowed a year to apply for the concealed permit before you'd need to retake the class.

Over the next few months, I'll be saving up my allowance for my very own gun, and then I'll apply for my Wisconsin Carrying Concealed Weapon permit. YAHOO!!

Aoife's Appointment and I Won!!

We just got back from Aoife's 12 month appointment. It's kind of nice that the girls and I have the same doctor, though I was really missing their old doctor today. It was neat though. The office really focuses on reading to children, so at each check-up through age 5, you get a free book. Aoife got a board book of baby faces and different expressions. I think she'll like it.

Aoife had a rough morning. She only got to nap for about 20 minutes before I so rudely woke her and rushed out the door to the appointment. She was grumpy the entire visit, but everyone commented on her cute spring outfit. (Thanks Anma!)

She weighed in at 22 pounds 9 ounces (85th percentile) and is up to 29 inches long. (43rd percentile, which is weird!) Ross jokingly said that we have ourselves a shorty. I'm sure she'll even out in the coming months.

It's been quite the journey since she started out in the 0.05th percentile. Baby girl is well on the charts now and doing really well. She's caught up both physically and developmentally. She adores Claire and thinks she's just as big as her sister is. She loves following Claire around and HAS to do everything Claire does.

She loves to give kisses. And they're closed mouthed and oh so sweet. She puts on a serious face when going in for a smooch and then has the biggest grin. She has the ability to say, "mama", though she prefers saying, "dada". She also just started saying, "uh-oh" and it's the cutest thing.

She's curious and into everything and loves standing. I'm sure she'll be furniture surfing and walking in no time. (Which is terrifying, really.)

Today she had three shots, and then also had blood drawn. It's never fun pinning your child down, but she is a champ and is currently taking a much deserved, delicious nap.

My phone fell out of my pocket in the lab and I didn't realize until after we were buckled up in the car. I ran in to fetch it and had a voicemail.

A couple months ago I was at Papa Murphy's. While waiting for a pizza, I filled out my info for a drawing for Anytime Fitness. Turns out I won! They had multiple prizes, but I won a 2 week all access membership. Woo Hoo!! I'll go in on Monday and pick up a key to start my two weeks.

Honestly, working out has been the last thing on my to do list. And even more honestly, it hasn't even made the list. Maybe this is the kick in the pants I've needed to get back to a routine. Happy Friday!! 

We Finally Did It.

We're saying our final goodbyes to our queen sized mattress. Our new California King memory foam arrives Wednesday. And we couldn't be more excited.

I've been itching to change the bedroom decor. Yesterday we sat down and picked out this set to go with our new bed. I can't wait to spread out!