Dreaming

We have had amazing weather here in Kansas, especially for March (this post was written over a week ago). When it is nice here, I literally want to live outside. We go out as much as we can. With this weather I want to spend some quiet time out in nature. I considered a few places to go, but started dreaming too. 

Steve has the desire to live on land one day. He grew up on land and loves the freedom (and even the work) that is brings. I grew up in a subdivision and we often joke about different things with each other relating to those different upbringings.  Maybe it is his dreams rubbing off on my, but I have started thinking about living on land. We know that reality would be probably 10 years away (for financial and relational reasons) but it is fun to dream.

I have the dream of designing my own house. He picks the land, I design the house. Currently I only have a few priorities for my house. I really don't want a huge house, that is a lot to clean. I want a good use of space. The kitchen, mudroom/laundry room and outdoor living are what I dream about. 

In regards to outdoor living, I would love a front porch, a sunroom (enjoy the outside year round), and back porch/deck. I want my back-yard to be my oasis, my place I go to enjoy the outdoors. I probably will have to recruit my mother-in-law who grows gardens that belong in magazines to help. 

Dreaming of Sun Rooms
 (I apologize for the weird formatting)

Dreaming of a deep front porch

Dreaming of Backyards

A girl can dream

Spring Fest Weekend

We had such a great weekend enjoying the outdoors!

Friday we spent the whole day outside doing yard work. We were mulching and Buster climbed up in the trailer and made himself at home in the middle of the pile

Saturday morning Steve took Payton to see the play Sleeping Beauty. They had a crowing ceremony at intermission and sister got a new crown bestowed upon her by a "real" princess

Buster and I went to Grace's 2nd Birthday Party.

Again, taking advantage of amazing weather, the party was outside.

Birthday Girl

This morning after church we had our Spring Fest. This was the most interested Sister has ever been in the Easter Bunny.

 

 There were so many people, Buster was mostly tied down in the stroller so I could keep an eye on sister as well. Here is he with sweet Grace, big girl now that she is 2.

The Egg hunt 

Brother picked up one egg and spent the whole time trying to get it opened (it was taped).

Our only family pic for now, as you can see we were looking at another camera

And a great shot of the Zimmers

Here bunny bunny bunny

This morning sister came to me with a handful of baby carrots and said she was going outside to give them to the bunny rabbit to eat.  We have rabbits that run around in our neighborhood. This is the first year she has really paid attention to them. She is constantly going on bunny hunts. 

So we went around the yard thinking where the bunny might need food and she put down carrots for snacks for her bunny friends. Our neighbor's the McNeil's (who I just posted about) have a beagle dog named Rocky who goes crazy over the rabbits. So we informed Mr. Zack that we would kindly put some carrots on his side of the fence as well. He wasn't too amused :)

Here she is putting out her feed for the bunny.

Classic panties hanging out of the pants

A side note for my memory. Sister dresses herself mostly everyday. She has had an opinion on her clothes since she just 2 years old. That is an area I have chosen not to fight. Most days she really does well as she shows me the matching colors in her outfit. But we have had the days where she wears bright spring outfit with dark brown winter boots, or her black and red dress with her bright pink crocs. There are enough other battles, that her clothes and hair are not ones I have chosen to fight.  She might look back at pictures one day and cringe and ask me why I let her wear certain outfits and I will look at her and smile. 

A whole lot of nothing

Team Southards has been loving the warm weather and the fact that we have been home the whole month of March. We have kept our calendar pretty clear, enjoying some family time. Steve and I have had date night every Thursday this month (thanks to all the lovely people who watch our children).  

So I haven't posted, because there hasn't been too much to write about. But since Grandparents miss seeing the kids, here are a few pics

Buster has staked his claim on the laundry basket for a few weeks

This boat has also been the center of his attention for a few weeks

The signature pay pay smile, crinkled nose and circle mouth. She did wear that band-aid for 3 days, with absolutely nothing wrong below it.

 We did have a first to tell of. We had our first family dinner with our dear neighbors and friends Zack and Hil. If you remember their STORY their daughters were born 4 days after Buster, but at 26 weeks. They have not been able to be around other children (or many people for that matter) because their immune systems are so vulnerable and if they got sick they would end up back in the NICU. After spending 6 months in the NICU, the family was not anxious to return.  

We have spent some time as adults on the deck after the kids were asleep, but this was our first family dinner. It was a beautiful evening and we sat on their deck (to still keep germs more distant). I am sure this will be the first of many family dinners.

The girls are getting so big. They are 15 months. Miss Reese is moving everywhere and has an adorable smile, I can see her being the mischievous one, she definitely likes attention.

Ava is also doing wonderful. She is off her vent during ALL waking hours! That is a praise in itself. She too is moving around, now that she isn't tied down with cords all day. She has the sweetest smile and is such a happy little girl.

On a total side note, I bought some used Crocs from a girlfriend and I had seen online that you could use a magic eraser to clean Crocs, and boy did it work. The magic eraser made them like new. I cleaned the one of the left. A good way to make Crocs last longer (that is if the kids haven't grown out of them). 

Hope you all are enjoying the amazing weather. I am off to date night with my Mr. Right.

Summer in March

Team Southards took full advantage of our near 80 degree weather in March. It is Spring Break here and I recall some Spring Breaks here with snow. I have loved this Winter!

It was so warm, not only were we outside, but got our swimsuits on!

I love sister's face as she splashes

Not your typical March, but we will take it. We have eaten dinner outside the last 2 nights as well.  We might have been the only neighbors with swimsuits on, but when you are from the Sunshine state and get transplanted to the mid-west and it is an exceptionally warm March day, do you expect any less from me :)

That kind of day

If you read my post yesterday you know that I haven't been feeling well, emotionally and physically. This morning, still not feeling well, 2 whiny children, I was hurrying to get out of the house to church on time. When you are married to the Pastor, you are on your own every Sunday morning.

As we are walking in to church, right before we hit the door, Payton says, "Mommy why do you have 2 different shoes on?"

That my child is a great question, one I wish she would have asked when we were at home and I could have changed. I considered driving home (almost 30 min round trip) but decided it wasn't worth it. I had thrown both shoes on to decide which one to wear, and forgot to change my shoes as my mind was everywhere else this morning.

So this morning when the wonderful people of our congregation, who know that I haven't been feeling well, would ask me how I was doing, I would tell them to check out my shoes, that is how life is for me right now. A mess, I don't have it together and all I can do is laugh about it.

It will get worse before it get's better

Those are the words my surgeon said after my D&E and DIC. He said that emotionally and physically I would get worse before I got better. I heard him say that, but thought maybe that wouldn't be the case for me. I really did feel pretty good right away. Actually the first month I felt great and emotionally had a few low points, but nothing that wiped me out.

Then a month ago I got Bronchitis. Even with medication, physically I have not been completely healthy this whole last month. I have some major sinus junk that medicine, vitamins, and rest does not seem to be helping. I would guess that my body is just weaker right now and it will take longer for health to be restored. I have had migraines the last few mornings, after restless nights of intense sinus pressure. Physically I am exhausted.

It was the emotional meltdown last weekend that really caught me off guard. I had my first cycle since the surgery, but my emotions were off the map. I cried over everything and nothing all at the same time. I tend to be the "tough" girl that doesn't let her hormones get the best of her, well they worked me over this last week. Last Sunday I left in the middle of church, because I knew if one person asked me how I was doing, I would fall apart. I didn't go back in the evening to a really special service we had where couples renewed their vows because I was still a hormonal mess.  

So now I am a believer of it gets worse before it gets better. I am hoping and waiting for the better. Physically I want to be healthy again. I signed up for a 1/2 marathon in May, I need to get healthy to start training. Emotionally I am ok now. I am learning to be ok with days that the hormones might just get the best of me. That won't be my new normal, but some days are just hard. 

On a brighter note (I don't like too much negativity) the weather has been great. Yesterday afternoon Buster got his first haircut. Technically he has had a few hairs clipped before, but daddy got out the ole clippers and gave him a fade. I wish I had a picture, it was a family affair. I held him on my lap, Steve cut his hair, while sister stood in front of him feeding him a Popsicle. He looks so much older.

By the way, little man has all his teeth, including molars, except the 4 "I" teeth.

Taking full advantage of the nice weather, we did a picnic at the park and played on the playground.

I couldn't help but take this last picture. The 3's really have been good for us, so far much easier then the 2's (I am hoping the really hard work we did in the 2's is paying off). The last 2 days though sister has been pretty whiny.  She complains that her legs hurt or her belly hurts when it is time to do something she doesn't like. We were going to walk around the lake at the park and she wanted me to carry her. I wouldn't carry her so she had her fit in the grass. The family walked to the van to leave and after screaming for a bit, she got up and decided to join us. Tantrums used to throw me off,  I have noticed when I am calm, they seem not to last as long. When she doesn't have her audience, the show is over pretty quickly. Oh the learning process of parenting :)