Max & Kaylee

 Last week, after being cooped up inside with colds, we were finding any excuse to escape - there were lots of walks and trips to the park // I was doing my Bible devo one morning and Evie wanted in // I am so thankful for dear friends who love on my kiddos - L got a letter from her godmother, and the whole rest of the day kept talking about her fairy godmother :) // one of my favorite breakfasts - veggies scrambled with eggs, topped with avocado and hot sauce

 After a long week, not seeing Daddy much, it was a welcome break to do the dishes by myself, as the kids wrestled with Max - the giggles coming from the other room were priceless // just hanging outside, soaking up the fresh air, burning off toddler energy // empty coffee cups and good books // playing Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel with L

my Sunday afternoon - goal planning, Truth, coffee & dark chocolate with sea salt // she is so precious and silly, all rolled into one little girl // date night shenanigans at home depot...we did go out to dinner first - it was nice to go out sans kids and chat // this week was the beginning of hardcore potty training for Ezra.  It's going alright.  I made a little chart and put a smiley face on it each time he pees.  If he fills up the chart, he gets to pick something special out (right now, he asks for a pencil from Target?  No idea where he got that idea, ha!)  He does great with the peeing part, but the pooping?  Eh, not so much.  Let's just say that he pooped in his undies today right before naps, and by the time it was cleaned up, it had been all up my arm, on the rug, on my slippers, in his pants - and I finally just put him in the bathtub to clean him off.  I scrubbed my arm three times with soap and it finally smells clean again.  Seriously, the whole pooping in the undies thing is my very least favorite thing about potty training...anyways, we are underway with potty training.  I'll report back in a few more days!  

Happy Tuesday, friends!  

1.  Hello.  It's been awhile, I know.  I haven't had much blogging motivation/inspiration the last week.  And last weekend, had to disconnect myself from my phone/the computer for a few days - I love the internet, the way it makes distance smaller, and the friends I've made online, but sometimes the internet can be a huge distraction in my life/for my heart.  And last weekend, I knew I needed to put my phone down/walk away from the computer and just be with my family, investing my time with them.  It was a good weekend - lots of playtime, snuggle time, reading time, movie-watching time - although we were working on getting over colds, but I guess that just made it even better for snuggling/movies :)

2. The kids started showing signs of the cold early last week, and we just cleared the majority of it a few days ago.  There are still some lingering coughs, but for the most part, we are all feeling better.  Let me tell you - being in the house for over a week was a little bit much for me!  Add in the lack of a car for us to get away (since Max takes it to work...), and I got a little stir-crazy by the end.  Thankfully, we had a playdate yesterday, and it was SO nice to get in the car and drive out of the neighborhood!  FREEDOM is what I was singing, loud and clear!

3.  Tonight is date night.  I can't wait.  So, so thankful for sweet neighbors who swap babysitting with us.  I am so excited to have a few hours alone with Max.  Sushi, anyone?  With no kids?  What?

4. Just wrapped up week three of #alittletoofluffy - the fun weight loss challenge I joined up with at the start of the year.  I am happy to say that my hard work and healthy choices have been paying off, and I've lost 8 pounds.  Not going to lie, I think most of that was "holiday weight", but oh well, it's still 8 pounds gone!  I've been working out 5-6 days a week, nothing crazy - some basic strength training and cardio at home, usually for 15-25 minutes a day - I told you, nothing too crazy!  Hoping to start getting to the gym for some more cardio a few nights a week.  As far as eating, I am working on making healthy choices and moderation.  I've still been enjoying treats, but try to have small portions, and only have them as special treats.  I've been focusing on increasing my protein/veggies/healthy fats/fruits/whole grains and decreasing the sugar/dairy/white flour.  I feel happy with how things are going - it's been challenging, but at the same time, it feels manageable, because I didn't do something completely drastic or cut anything huge out of my diet.  There are 3 more weeks in the challenge, so I am eager to keep working hard for the end, and beyond.

5.  I am so happy it's the weekend. Again.  I love weekends, and having Max home for more than a few hours.  The weeks have felt long around here, with Max in class, and having projects/extra work lately, and I can tell the lack of Daddy around is wearing on Ezra - he has been on the naughty side a lot lately - I know part of that is his age, but man alive!  He has been testing me!  Oh, and if anyone wants to magically show up and potty train him?  Be my guest!  I am dragging my feet hardcore on that one...I know I potty-trained L, but still...any encouragement or suggestions are always appreciated!  Happy weekend, friends!

I shared this video on IG last week, but figured I'd share it again on the blog.  

Evie has always run on her own schedule, and accomplished milestones in her own time and way - much like my other kiddos, she is an independent and determined little one.  She has been crawling for months, but never really had an interest in walking.  We would try to hold her hands and walk around, or give her something to push, but she didn't want much of it - she could get where she wanted (and quickly!) by crawling, and she was happy to keep it that way!  It was only in the last month or so, that she started walking around objects, and wanting to push toys around the house.  But then, last week, at almost 16 months, she took her first steps all on her own, making me a proud mama!  

I took the video a day or two after she took her official unassisted "first steps" - and a week later, she is walking across rooms and through the house.  It's been catching me off guard to see her toddling around, so proud of herself, usually holding a blanket or toy in her hand.  Of course, if we try to get her to "show off" on Skype, she'll plop right down with a smirk, not wanting to perform - she definitely beats to her own drum, and I love that about her!  

So proud of my little Evelyn Raberta.  Now, if only we could get her to use words...

 A new scarf & earrings from a dear friend // L on her "big girl" bike // Skyping with Bibi & Babu

writing thank-you notes // Evie walking! // carting the kids to KinderJam 

getting my sweat on // new nose ring happy face // delicious body-fueling smoothie

spending an hour by myself at Starbucks // proud Marine and his birthday flag // playing in the fort-tent

sending Daddy pictures at work // giggling at the owls dipping their toes in coffee // playing outside

Some days, I think about how great it would be to pour a hot cup of coffee and sit with you, sharing updates and thoughts and ideas, chatting and sipping, letting the conversation twist and turn as it tends to do.  So, today, let's do that?  I've got a cup of coffee with almond milk and honey, and a little chocolate pick-me-up treat.  The kids are napping (although I do hear Eliana quietly singing Frosty the Snowman over and over…), the sun is shining, and I am eager for Max to walk in the back door soon - he had duty last night, so we haven't seen him since he left yesterday early morning.  

I am trying to cut back my coffee consumption.  I know, I know.  That's crazy.  Especially since we love coffee around here.  But over the holidays, I realized my coffee consumption was getting a bit out of hand.  And I needed to give my body a little bit of a break.  So last weekend, I had a cup with breakfast on Saturday, and haven't had any since then.  It's been lots of water, and a few cups of hot tea, when I needed some warm to sip on.  That first day or two were rough, let me tell you, but now that I am past that, I am feeling great - and I haven't been missing coffee that much!  Until today.  I was walking back from KinderJam with the kids, and I could smell coffee brewing.  I thought it was coming from the house we were walking by, but then I passed it, and I smelled it again in front of the next house.  And then I just kept smelling it.  At that point, I realized I was just smelling it of my own accord, and that probably meant today was a good day to make myself a cup of coffee.  So I did.  Which is partly why my hands are probably typing a little faster, and my thoughts are flowing a little more freely than before - after a week of very little caffeine, one cup of coffee can make me one chatty woman!  

Oh-oh, I hear more than one child now.  I guess they all decided to bypass most of their afternoon nap. Lovely.  We are still trying to get back to our usual routine/schedule after our holiday vacation.  It's going pretty well, but days like today happen, and they only rest an hour, instead of 2.  It's been lovely outside here, for the most part, and we've been spending a lot of time outdoors, running around, playing in the dirt, going to the park, riding bikes - partly because I want them to have fun and be kids, and partly, I want to wear them out of their toddler energy so they sleep longer at night.  Ha!  

Eliana keeps telling me she wants to grow her hair out like Rapunzel.  It's gotten so long, especially when I look at pictures from one year ago, when her hair was above her shoulders!  Lately, she has been requesting lots of braids and pigtails.  It's fun.  We started braiding her hair after bath time, and when she wakes up in the morning, we let them loose, to see all the crimpy goodness - it's way too much fun, and I'm glad she has fun hair to play with, since mine is so thin and short!  

Ezra cracks me up all the time.  Last night, he called me back into their bedroom, after I had tucked them in, to ask me "where do da monsters live, mama?"  I tried to give him a good answer, but of course, that just opened up more questions - those kids are always thinking, and I never know what is going to come out of their mouth next.  A few weeks ago, we were eating out, and Ezra got really excited and started asking for his "cheese girl!"  We didn't know if he was referring to the waitress or the food he was waiting on, but it's become our new term for grilled cheese around here!  

And let's just talk about Evie for a minute.  My third child.  My stubborn, independent, very vocal third child who does things her own way, on her own time.  Oh that child, she is teaching me so much.  She JUST started walking on her own this week, which is so exciting.  She is so proud of herself every time she gets up and walks across the room.  But she doesn't talk much.  She says 'hi' once in awhile or 'cheese' at the camera, but mostly she just screams.  Loud and high-pitched.  It's more of a dinosaur screech.  And sometimes it makes my head feel like it might explode.  I am trying to teach her that screaming is not the way to get something, but when I try calmly explaining that to her, it doesn't quite sink in.  She just screams more and louder, because I am not giving her what she wants.  The best method I have found so far, is to remove her from the situation and distract, until she can quietly express that she wants something.  

I just ran up the stairs to get the kids, who are now awake, much earlier than I expected.  And that reminded me - I am doing a fun weight loss challenge, called #alittletoofluffy.  It started last week, so this week, I've been working out, and then today, I carried Evie/pulled L & Z in the wagon through the neighborhood, and now my legs feel like jelly going up the stairs.  But, I lost a few pounds this week!  My game plan really isn't crazy - I am trying to work out 5 days a week, and put foods in my body that fuel it.  I am focusing on moderation (hello to my small afternoon chocolate treat!), and increasing my veggie/fruit intake, as well as pumping up my protein and healthy, whole carbs.  I'm excited to see what happens - I really want to lose some weight to get back to my pre-baby weight, and lose my "baby house" (which makes it look like I am pregnant, but really, it's just my body saying "um, hello, you had three huge babies in less than 4 years!"), BUT ultimately, my goal is to feel better, eat healthier, and to overcome my emotional eating issue.  

Speaking of goals, I love to make them.  I really do.  If you've read my blog awhile, you probably know that.  So, of course, the start of new year has me in an introspective mood - thinking through last year, the good and the bad, and trying to figure out things I want to do differently, as well as new things I want to try.  I want to sit down over the weekend, and work through some of the thoughts in my head - maybe even leave the kiddos with Max and escape to a coffeeshop for a few hours.  I want to set some goals for myself, but I don't want to get so specific that I feel bad when I don't meet them all.  Because I won't.  And I know that.  I get that sometimes goals don't get met, for whatever reason.  So I want to set intentional goals and put ideas in place, that I can work for, hope for, strive for this year.  Ultimate goal though?  To learn more what it means to follow hard after Jesus.  And how that affects me as a woman, a wife, and a mama.  There are other things that stem from that, but that's the basic, and I'll leave it at that, because most likely, once I've had time to think it through, I'll share here.  

I should probably wrap this up.  I finished my coffee a few minutes ago, and that chocolate treat is long gone!  The kiddos are watching the end of Dumbo (on VHS, can you believe it?), and will most likely be asking for a snack soon.  I need to figure out what exactly I am going to do with the chicken for dinner, and find something in the pantry/freezer to serve with it! 

Thanks for having coffee with me today :) Happy Friday, friends!

Sometimes I see my kids trying to act all grown-up, using big words and utensils, going to the bathroom on their own and dressing themselves, riding bikes and picking out snacks.  And I think about how big they seem to be.

Sometimes, they call for me before 6am, or they holler for me for the fifth time after I've put them to bed, or they want to be in the bathroom with me every single time.  And I find myself selfishly getting frustrated at my lack of space and time.  

But then I remember, and I remind myself that they are only little once.  These days at home, that often feel so long, will not last forever.  And one day they will be gone, my kids off and away, grown and on their own.  And I will miss these days.  I will long for the days when I had them close, when I could fix their up-turned world with a simple hug and kiss.  I will wish I had these moments back, the ones where teaching them to bake biscuits or folding laundry together, even though it took three times as long, was the best part of our days.

Some moments I catch myself trying to wish time to move faster, so bedtime can come sooner or I can drink a cup of coffee by myself, but really, I am glad they are little.  I am thankful for these tender, teachable years.  And for all they end up teaching me: patience, grace, selfishness.

For now, I will do my best to remember to let them be little.  To soak up every little moment.  Because they are only little once.

 Mom & Dad, brother & sister.

 The men wanted to take one too...

The funny picture above makes me giggle every time!  Love this family of mine!

 Max and I also celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary on December 22.  My parents gifted us a night/day away - it was our first night away from the kids since we've been married!  We visited a couple local coffee shops, enjoyed a kid-free night at a beautiful hotel, ate at a delicious restaurant, relaxed in a hot tub under the stars, visited the Zoo, went to a movie, and ate Sonoran-style hot dogs (a hot dog, wrapped in bacon, topped with beans/onions/tomatoes/mayo, in a sweet bun…YUM!!).  We definitely filled up the 30 hours we were away - it was fun adventuring with Max, sans kids, and celebrating our anniversary.  Thanks to my parents and Uncle Kyle for taking care of the kiddos - it was such a treat getting away for a time!  

 It was nice to take a little break from blogging for a few weeks.  I checked in on social media a little throughout our vacation, but overall, it was good for me to take a step back away from the blog for a time.  There may not be any neat 2013 recap happening around here (it was a good and hard year all rolled into one), and I may not have had any huge Christmas fanfare, but that's just fine with me.  I am so happy we got to spend some time away - it's so busy being here, with Max at school, and it ended up being the perfect break and refresher for us.    

Max starts class back up tomorrow, and I don't know if we are quite ready for the whirlwind that will once again descend on us.  I am eager to share more about what's been going on around here - pictures and goals and updates - but for now, I have thank-you cards to finish, and kiddos to play with!  Happy Monday!