2017 - Week 21

May 22.
I'm working on getting back into reading more - here is my latest. Such a great evening read. Also...salads are becoming a staple of my lunch...especially because I can convince the kiddos to eat one too! Kinetic sand and puzzles were on the agenda. Brother was all in tears because he was over tired and cranky a majority of the morning.

May 23.
Early morning squat session before headed to get my hair cut and colored. Kiddos played with G and the cousins while I treated myself and enjoyed a quiet lunch by myself! Took brother for his summer cut and even Monk got in on the hair cut action.

May 24.
Headed to the Tot Lot for some morning play - cutting grass and making silly faces. After nap time, I didn't feel like arguing about wearing pjs outside, so we stomped in puddles in them. They kids were SO messy but had a blast!

May 25.
Pick your battles continues...this morning, she insisted on snow boots. It was 60 degrees. We did afternoon facials while brother napped hardcore. But when he woke he was begging for playdough...the one thing that can he can self entertain with for more than 10 minutes. He's obsessed.

May 26.
Skipped the gym and headed to the park for a picnic. Zoes for lunch and of course had to have one of their giant cookies. Afternoon on the porch making forts, jumping on cushions and playing in the water table.

May 27.
Brother bit a hole in his last bottle nipple, so he cold-turkeyed himself into using big boy cups (finally). Farmers market popsicles and playing with Kerry, Austin and Kyle at the playground. Afternoon playing with daddy. Boy's and their cars...

May 28.
Relaxing Sunday at home. Watched country music videos and let the kiddos play their guitars. Painting with daddy and making a huge mess. Snacks in the sun on the porch. Trying on all of mommy's costume jewelry.

2017 - Week 20

May 15.
It was a lazy kind of Monday - sweeping the side walk, doing chalk, swinging like a big kid, enjoying the beautiful weather at the park and snuggling when daddy gets home.

May 16.
We made a morning of it and jogged to the gym - Rad was ready. Moana, shades and fish - the essentials. Sister helped prep dinner and wash dishes while brother took a nap.

May 17.
Morning pool swim and picnic on G's roof with the cousins before a trip to Target. Rad got new shoes and a new Mickey shirt, Nora a new red horse dress - ignore how exhausted and sweat/sunscreen covered they were when they wanted to pose with their new gear. Rad hit the tired wall while eating dinner...poor little dude. It's hard having a full fun day!

May 18.
Started the day early with breakfast on the porch. Followed by a trip to Storyville and Costco - for a balanced lunch of hotdogs and icecream. :) Afternoon was spent relaxing and playing in the porch pool. They LOVE the water.

May 19.
Escaped to DC for the day with my love. We went to The National Archives, The Museum of Natural History, The Museum of American History, walked the mall to see the monuments, and enjoyed a quiet breakfast and lunch sans kiddos. Special thanks to my SIL, Hilaire, for watching our 2 AND her 3 kids while we enjoyed the day away!

Evening was spent watching Eric Church at the Verizon Center. He played for 3.5 hours - what an epic show, amazing performer and awesome first concert with my love. We were up WAY past our usual bed time, but totally worth it!! Thanks Chaz for such a great belated anniversary trip.

May 20.
Back to reality. I spent the morning entertaining the kiddos and cousins while Hilaire took my nephew to a birthday party and Chaz worked. We made "soup: in puddles in the park, played guitar, watched Trolls, played with playdough, and ate LOTS of snacks. Lazy afternoon to recover from the past few days.

May 21.
Sunday is about family time. Sister joined me on a tour of Baltimore early morning run...she loved that I let her wear pjs and no shoes out of the house. We did some porch rocking and bike race watching - it was fun having the Humane Society annual bike race right across the street in the park.

2017 - Week 19

May 8.
Morning date with my crew to Play Cafe. They were SO cute playing together and drinking smoothies. Sister wanted to model her "cowgirl" look for the day. That afternoon we stayed home and played board games. Sister insisted on doing makeup WHILE eating her meatloaf.

May 9.
Morning play and lunch date with Dawn and Sweden at The Swellness Center. Car naps happened on the way back, so we took a long walk along the waterfront stopping for afternoon snacks and boat watching. Loving this weather.

May 10.
These two's new favorite spot to sit - the window overlooking the back porch. Love how they are starting to bond more and more. Afternoon lunch and play on the back porch to continue enjoying this spring-like weather. Later afternoon play date of course means passing out from exhaustion.

May 11.
Took a trip to the Aquarium with the cousins and Aunt Hil after our morning workout - everyone loved all the fish. Lazy afternoon watching shows and playing with all our "buddies".

May 12.
An old Birmingham friend, Miss Katie, came to visit for the weekend...and of course didn't come empty handed. She brought Nora a mermaid blanket and Radford a superman outfit. They loved them both. We toured Katie around Canton, went out to eat and introduced her to our favorite - Moana.

May 13.
Chaz was on call all weekend, so Katie and I went to workout, took the kiddos swimming and had a day-early Mother's Day brunch in Fells. The yucky weather wasn't ideal for entertaining someone new in Baltimore, but we lounged (Rad's new favorite is to hold my hand all the time) and caught up on the past 4 years.

May 14.
Happy Mother's Day!! Went to brunch with our whole crew at Smaltimore. Then the kiddos rode bikes and consumed way too many popsicles! Afternoon at our house letting the kiddos jump in the backporch pool...then they passed out by 5:30pm. What a great Mother's Day treat.

2017 - Week 18

May 1.
Headed to the park after working out this morning. We had it all to ourselves since it was slightly overcast and cooler. We picked clovers, did slides and Radford was in his normal position of stage 10 clinger - attached to mommy at (almost) all times. We watched Daddy trim down his beard a bit tonight...the kids insisted on a sucker, since that's what they get at the barber shop.

May 2.
Playing at the park - sometimes we dig in the mulch instead of actually doing slides and climbing. Sister helped me clean out her closet and we did crafts together while brother took a LONG, comfortable nap that afternoon. Sweet boy - wish I could sleep that soundly.

May 3.
My treadmill kicked the bucket this morning (folding over on itself). #NOTHAPPY about this. Had to order a new belt online...wont arrive for another week. We made paleo lemon cookies, painted, played with markers and ran around the ball field with Mrs. Lauren and Grayson with his kite.

May 4.
Sister checking out her ponytail...getting her to do ANYTHING with her hair these days is such a HUGE accomplishment. Took the kiddos swimming after working out - their new favorite thing to ask me to do daily. Rad crushed some CFA after burning so much energy swimming. Teaching a 3 year old to play Monopoly is pretty entertaining...I like her made up rules way better than the real ones. Daddy and I had a date night - which ended in eating this delicious chocolate chip icecream sandwich dish. #fatkid

May 5.
Lazy morning with my crew watching a movie while it stormed outside. Mid day "ants on a log" snack for everyone while we attempted to stay sane being inside all day. Rad thought we didn't get enough water from the rain, so he insisted on watering my flowers.

May 6.
Dance, dance, dance. It was a day all about the girl cousins. We loved watching Ava and Scarlett at their dance recitals - both were so stinking cute. Loved their costumes and sweet memorization of their dances. Brought back some great memories from dancing in my childhood. Rad was a trooper sitting through that many hours of recitals.

May 7.
Daddy left to go out of town, so we made meals from what as in the fridge - left over pizza, CFA fruit, chips and icecream. MOM OF THE YEAR award. We did a zillllllion loads of laundry, grocery shopped, attempted to clean (but they just messed up everything behind me), and played with our snow gear. Because he can finally fit in his boots. HA!

2017 - Week 17

April 22.
An early visit to Target for goggles before their well-visit appointments at the doctor. Nora: 3 year old appointment...34#, 38" tall. Radford: 18 month appointment...28#, 32" tall. Both healthy as a horse. They were so excited about swimming after the doctor they wore their goggles INTO the doctor's office. After swimming we painted about 15 Moana pictures.

April 23.
Morning filled with working out and swimming, the makeup and playdough. The weather was nasty and we were cooped up inside. Slightly went stir crazy...but enjoyed the slower pace of the day with lots of playing.

April 24.
Mommy and Nora matched for church - grey shoes, black pants and black/white top. Unintentional, promise! A visit to HomeGoods resulted in popcorn bowls...which became lunch. #momoftheyear. MORE Moana painting - this time Nora decided to paint her face too. And obviously the designer for the Target ball decor doesn't have children - my kids are obsessed with wanting to hug and run back and forth in between these things: right by the road! Cute, but scary close to cars!

April 25.
After working out we ventured to the park to pick wish flowers and swing - of course Rad wants to be just like his older sister and swing like the big kids. Brother is also learning the art of dress up from Nora. Love their costumes! Sister...wish my hair could naturally be as beautiful as yours!!

April 26.
Set out on foot to the gym...had to do a pit stop at the Pagoda and look at the fountain. After a workout, we stopped to play at the playground, grabbed lunch (where the kiddos got water in coffee cups and thought they were SO cool), took a stroller nap, grabbed a bag of potato chips for an afternoon park snack, and hit up the porch pool to cool off after a LONG day outside.

April 27.
Day with Daddy! We took the kiddos swimming at the pool at the gym, only to come home and them jump into the porch pool in their clothes. We hung on the porch with a typical summer snack lunch then met Chaz's parents for drinks and pizza. Chaz is loving his new beard club glass.

April 28.
Loving our new grill and this warm weather!! We cooked kabobs, and lots of protein goodies for the week. Kiddos loved being outside like it was almost summer. Loved having a slow pace day to do a zilllllllion loads of laundry, relax and hang with the family. Love my crew.