egg in the nest

No, we didn't find this tiny nest crooked up in a tree.  Things are far from looking like Spring around here.

Rather, this is just to say, that the Mister and I have another egg in our nest!

Baby #2 coming this October!

***

a break from my walls

Over the weekend, my sweet friend Marci sent me an impromptu invite to join her for a few days in Saskatoon.  She (being in Regina) was flying solo with her boys for the week and decided to go stay with her parents and thought I just might like a little getaway from Eston and my four walls just as much.  She was right and a little trip sounded just perfect to break up the "winter is lasting forever and I don't remember how to leave the house" blues.  So on Monday, Avery and I hopped in the van and joined her and the boys and the Conrad family.

Avery was delighted to have a houseful of new (to her) toys to play with as 'Grandpa and Grandma' Conrad have six grandkids and their house is perfectly set up for children and all their wants or needs.  She declared a wooden play kitchen stocked full with dishes and food "mine" and that made me SO sure she will love having her own play kitchen someday.  It was also such a treat for her to have new playmates for a few days - Ethan and Eli and their three Saskatoon cousins are so much fun.  She played her typical shy role at first, but by the second day she'd inducted herself as another grandkid.

It was a super treat for me to have a break from cooking and cleaning - and to be well fed with tasty home cooked meals, lovely teas, muffins and snacks.  Consider me inspired to get my making-meals-act together again (we've been in a bit of a slump around my house).  The best part was spending time with Marci and her parents.  What a wonderful family!  Even though we didn't leave the house much (thanks to a blizzard on Tuesday and kids that would have to be dragged out into it), it was still so nice to have a change of environment and sweet company!

 Thank you, Conrads!!

a brighter day

Okay winter, we need to have a talk.  You've been around with all your snow for 6 months now, and that's half a year ... HALF a YEAR!!  It's not natural.  I don't know if I have cabin fever or cabin boredom or what but I am just so done with being inside so much and so done with being so lethargic about any possible activity.  Today the sun is shining ... a relief after yesterdays life-sucking grey light ... and the temperature's risen by ten degrees to mix up a little slush in the street!  Slush!  You are so welcome!  Today's a good day to get out of slump-ville and start dreaming about gumboots and plotting out this year's veggie garden.  

These pics were taken by Avery.  She's really digging being the photographer lately and demands "tamera in mine hands, Mommy!" so she can push all the buttons herself.  My poor old camera is getting a work out being turned on and off over and over again, but I personally think it's been getting lazy on me and maybe it does deserve a little shaping up.  I've been thinking I need a photo challenge to encourage myself to see my little world differently.  Ideas are welcome!  Or something we could do together?  

This funny girl does not seem to be too effected by this endless winter, thank goodness.  She does very well at keeping things pretty bright around here.  She's been cracking us up lately with the things she's saying and her own beginner version of jokes and games.  This morning I woke up to hear her cheering in her bed.  One part: "Mommy ... Mommy", one part: "Yahoooo!!" with arms stretched up to the ceiling.  When I came to her she told me she wanted to sing Amazing Grace (which Levi has just barely started to include in the bedtime song list) and she did!  She sang "amazing grace, how sweet the sound" and gave herself a big cheer!  My precious girl, Jesus loves you immensely and he knows that you're just what I need.

twinsies

{ Avery Melita, November 2009 }

{ Evelyn May, February 2011 }

Almost a year ago, my dear friend Katie had a baby girl.  Some time after that happy news I picked out a little something from Avery's closet to share with sweet baby Evelyn when she had grown enough to fit into it.  Pink and brown stripes pretty well screams Katie Brown, and by default, Evy May.  Isn't she just the most darling little girl?