Enjoying March Days!

Hazel loves to swing! Oren loves wagon rides. We do a lot of both.

Hazel loves army guy hunts down at the cabin. Being outside, gathering them in her little pan...I hide about 20 army guys, she searches for them. She likes me to do hot and cold. The other day she was wiped out after her hunt and took a break on this bench for about 15 minutes! :) 

We are always hiking and exploring. It feels good.

Oren is watching Curious George right now. He likes Curious George, he is beginning to like Bob the Builder and there is a 13 minute clip of Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day that he loves! He LOVES playing outside! He asks us "outside?" or "ba bye?" often and he brings us his shoes or our shoes or both. It is almost dark out, about 7:30 p.m. and Merit is shooting hoops (something he does every evening) and Hazel and Willem are playing "farm" with the neighbor kids. The imagination and creativity that goes into this game is cool and inspiring! I love calling the kids in. Their dirty little hands and big smiles. Bedtime comes easily because all that outdoor play seems to wipe them out. 

I have been doing a lot of baking lately! Chocolate chip cookies, cream cheese cupcakes (black bottom cupcakes)  blueberry orange muffins and also blueberry pancakes. I am getting a lot of steps in each day. Walking has been so good for me, but my jeans don't fit much better. It's the baking I tell ya.

Last night was a sweet blessing when a bunch of friends filled our loft and we worked on Easter decor for MLAC. Laughing, talking, crafting... I am thanking God for these women tonight! Pictures to come.

Welcome SPRING!

What a fun run yesterday!! A 5k at Blue Heron! I loved it. 

Willem, Merit and I participated in this -- Grandma Kris and Sandy too! And lots of other Longview Elementary supporters.

Merit and Willem did so well! Each placed third in their division.

yummy smoothies from The Smoothery! 

We got home and Willem, Hazel, Nellie and I did a hike and a golf cart ride. We had some pretty cool moments of soaking up the beauty of spring. 

I remember when baby calves were born on my parents property in the spring and how my mom just loved those baby calves, that new life. There they would be standing in the field, wobbly legs, drinking from their mothers. Fresh new life. The blossoms of spring were something else she always appreciated.  The spring she passed away, she told my sister Lesha she was excited to make some pillows for her bench on the front porch. March is a strange month for a death, because there is new life all around us. After my mom's passing, baby chicks, baby calves, spring blossoms, daffodils, tulips didn't seem as joyful to me as the springs before my mom's passing. These were really wonderful things to share with my mom. The last time I saw her, we bought tulips together. And then a couple of years later, my grandpa Ken passed away on the anniversary of my mom's death.  And I didn't have my mom any more or my dear Grandpa. March was the month of a very heavy loss and also a month of new life. This March, something has changed in me. More joy, less pain. And oh my goodness this is welcomed! 

Yesterday, after the run, we cuddled these chicks! 

Came home and tried to talk Vance into some. ;-)

When I met Vance I don't think he knew the depths of baby love I have! People and animals! Heck, I don't think I knew.

So I made this decision that spring could be about new life. On March 25th, my mom left this world for new life with Jesus. I miss her like crazy. I want my siblings to have her here. I want my children to have her here. She would love being a grandma. My dad misses her so. So does her mom! Her siblings too, many family members, many friends... but we have each other and we have a lot of good memories. I just decided to embrace and love the blessings of SPRING! Especially this spring.

But, life throws us curve balls. Hazel has been more challenging this week than she has been in months. She is a pretty easy going girl! But the last couple of days she is testing her authority.

 I got a difficult phone call last night, so that started to squelch some of my joy.

But you know, when it is all said and done, if we choose joy, it is there. Some days we just have to work harder at that choice and pray to God that he will show it to us.

Blog posts like this sometimes take me an hour or more. I don't want anything to be wrong with my thoughts. But this time around I am less concerned about that too. It is from the heart and it is honest. I welcome March and spring! And know I will see abundant blessings! 

Friday update

I love watching the ducks when I go on my walks.

I am getting a lot of steps in, feels so good!

These two! I LOVE their friendship!

Oren always looks up when the geese fly overhead! And always says "birds!"

Vance has become quite the Bonsai guy! He has this therapeutic little Bonsai collection in a corner of the shop.

It's Friday! Let the weekend begin!

Tuesday morning

A picture I took last fall. I love the rain bouncing off the table.

I had this picture put on a mug and gave it to my friend Marilyn. 

Photos on mugs are really fun gifts.

I've got a thing for old Ball Jars

and the lid for this one, I found in a field!

This morning I love seeing the sunlight stream through my windows, but man are my windows ever dirty! 

I better schedule in a little time for spring cleaning!

And next time I will include a pic of Hazel Jane. She wasn't loving the camera Sunday. :)

Pyrex, company, a little update...

I am so not a night owl. It is late for me, almost 10~ 

My dad is here. We enjoyed conversation, beautiful weather and time outdoors today and then a delicious

dinner at Michael's on the Lake tonight. Oren has not been real easy to take to restaurants over the past couple of months, but he did great tonight. It was a good evening.

Garden girl, nature girl, loves the outdoors

Our cozy cabin

I have been walking a lot! My kids motivate me! When Merit joins me we make really good time.

My friend Shannon motivates me too. Yay for lots of steps! Now I just have to stay out of the cake and candy.

Oh I have such a thing for old Pyrex dishes. Bowls, baking pans... And then I decided to search old Pyrex on Pinterest. Wow, I couldn't believe all that I saw and some people have come up with the cutest or more creative ways to display them! 

At basketball last weekend at 7:30 a.m. -- happy and cute! 

I think I get to see my sisters in April! 

I miss them like crazy! 

I called Phil today, hadn't talked to him since Christmas. 

We have seen Matt once since Christmas when he was passing through. 

Our lives are busy and full and our kids are "plugged in" here, in Moses Lake, so sometimes a lot of time passes between seeing family. It's okay. We enjoy it when we get it and I am thankful for them all! 

Next weekend, Will and I will run in a 5k - Carly's Smoothery will be there and I think maybe Grandma Kris and our good friend Sandy will do the 5k with us! If you want to walk or run a fun 5k next weekend, Longview Elementary's PTA is putting on a great event! 10 a.m. next Saturday! Registration before hand - that morning- or online.

Baseball will be a busy season, it is fun that aunts and uncles or grandparents sometimes catch a tournament or game and I LOVE it that our family has a lot of fun with the baseball families. 

March is here and spring is near. God is good and life moves forward. 

Thankful Thursday!

Two senior boys came out for pictures this week, Zach and Logan! It was great! Logan's mom Katherine and I got a lot of time to visit and I got many shots of Logan and also Zach on a beautiful almost spring day. Hazel joined the photo shoot and hike and Merit and Willem took care of Oren.

My kids have made me laugh this week. Good stories, great working together, Hazel likes to negotiate situations. I am enjoying them so much! Oren is shy around people he doesn't know and can be whiny. ugh, but then you get to know this turkey and oh my! The story telling, the joking around, the fun. He is intense. He is not as laid back as he was 6 months ago. He is very silly and he makes me smile!

I am so thankful for friendships! I have been so blessed by them this week!

Vance bought a grow light. We are going to start some seeds. He has two Bonsai trees -- he has this indoor little therapeutic plant area! I can hardly wait to get some greens planted in our raised beds!

I am so thankful for space to have a garden!

I got a dozen of these painted BALL jars at Goodwill the other day. 

I am crazy about the color. 

They scream garden party, but spring and summer for this family screams BASEBALL.

And you know what, I love it. 

When Katherine came out Tuesday we talked about how time flies by. I photographed her youngest of three sons. She can hardly believe her youngest is graduating! She encouraged me to soak up every moment. 

She shared that Moses Lake has been a great place to raise their boys, I really appreciated this.

Love lives here...

Willem and Hazel Jane

Kids, nature, FUN

Determination, sweetness, a love for the outdoors!

DEAR Friends

We love going on hikes. 

The beauty in the birds, nature, the rocks, the creek is something I am so thankful for!