Journal: March= Spring. Let's get with the program

Out my window: 17 degrees and grey. It is supposed to snow tonight. Yeeeeah, it is March, so that is enough with the snow, mmmkay, Mother Nature?  My forecast tells me there will be several 40ish degree days in the forecast, which would be a-okay with me.

Clothing myself in: My mom's K-State sweatshirt. Blue and pink flannel pants with blue and brown argyle socks. Foooxy.

Around the house: Doors! Joe bought and put up the hallway doors for the basement storage room and utility room.  This makes Liam happy because there was plastic hanging in the doorways and he told me it freaked him out when he walked by. So, there you go, Liam.

We got a mirror and light for our master bedroom sink.  We needed to paint under where the old cabinet was because the mirror and light we got do not cover the whole area. But, for some reason, that can of paint had been stored in the garage. Not usable. So we had to order a couple small cans of that color from Home Depot. So yeah, I hope to get that done by next weekend.

The toddler: After much consideration, I nightweaned him this weekend and it actually went so much smoother than I could have hoped.  His sleeping is much, much improved.  I don't know if the nursing and rocking was just jazzing him up at night or what? At any rate, he slept from 7 last night until 4:52 this morning and then I went in his room, hugged him and laid him back down and told him, "It's still nigh night time" and he fell back asleep until 6:00. And then the last few mornings when he woke up for the day, he has given me a sweet, sloppy toddler kiss. Praying that this improvement lasts long term.

So many words! He likes to say, "where'd it go?" But his favorite is still "what's that?" So many "what's that?"s this week. He was also making a certain noise at dinner last night when he was chucking things off his tray and then he said, "I say... (insert the noise here)" I turned to Joe and asked him if he heard him too, and indeed, I wasn't hallucinating. Gracious, what a talker.

The kiddos:  Doing so well. We took them down to Wisconsin Dells Home Depot this last Saturday for their kid's workshop and they got to build a little car. So much fun. It was sunny yesterday and all the snow is cleared off the back deck so they ran around outside. They are all very excited about visiting Kansas friends at the end of the month.

Crafting: Plugging along on the shrug. Started knitting another something, but it is a gift so I am not at liberty to talk about it :) Still need to finish a couple baby gifts. Before they aren't babies anymore :P

In the kitchen: I seriously need a kitchen overhaul. Over the winter we have gotten lax about processed food, treats, not enough veggies.

Bringing me joy: Holding Joe's hand in the car, the kid's peacefully playing board games together, Adelle telling me about her dreams, George's sloppy morning kisses, sunshine, the kid's running around on the back deck together, 5 consecutive hours of sleep, pictures of my pregnant friends, and reading books.

Thinking about: My health. The last 10 1/2 years I have been focusing on nourishing babies with my body in one way or another. Sometimes (oh, let's be honest- oftentimes) with sub-optimal nutrition and inadequate rest and exercise.  And I think it is starting to catch up with me.  I am only 31 and my body is starting to feel bad.  I honestly have come to terms (um, mostly) with the fact that my body is never going to look like it did when I was 20. But I want my body to *feel* as good as it can. I want to be strong, I want to be able to keep up with my kids.

Oddly, I don't have a problem with a sensible eating and exercise when I am pregnant.  Because it seems so direct- I need to do this for the baby.  I have a harder time doing it just for me.

Picture to share: What is that fiery ball in the sky?! It hurts my eyes!