Homebirthin' Momma: It's Spring Time, Now Go Play Out In The Yard!

What is it about Spring time that brings out the best in people?

I don't know about your house, but in this house, we are more laid back, happy, energetic, silly, patient, etc.

I have been absolutely LOVING this Spring weather. We are outside almost all day and when we are inside, we have the front door wide open and the carport door wide open (HELLO, allergies! Thank you, Lord for honey and herbs!).

I love this sweet angel so much it hurts!

I so wish we were doing a garden or had chickens. This breezy, sunny weather makes me want to dig my fingers in the earth and have "work" to do outside that doesn't require the assistance of my husband.

Oh well.... MAYBE next Spring or the next when he is finished with school!

This past winter we spent all day indoors for the most part. I don't like to just hangout in cold weather and neither does Dane. We spent a lot of time playing educational games on the computer or on my phone. LOTS of time watching holiday movies, cartoons, etc. because lets face it, the cold weather makes us lazy and we need to snuggle to stay warm when we aren't doing anything. I don't blame my boys one bit and so we slack on the screen time rules (which is 30 min- 1 hr max for the day).

Dane now wants to ride his bike each day. I am thankful for the paved driveway and neighborhood for this reason. Back on the farm, he would have to ride in the basement since our driveway was gravel.

Each day, I back my car up from out of the carport and let the boys go outside to ride with my car being the boundary. Now, I draw a line with chalk on the driveway farther back and they can ride that far. I'm never far from a window keeping a close eye on them IF I'm not outside with them.

Just last week, we decided to venture around the neighborhood with Dane on his bike. Our neighborhood has hills and since he really just started riding frequently, I didn't know how he'd do. He did AWESOME!!! Like a pro. I sent his daddy a picture and he asked where his helmet was. GO, MOM! I never can remember that daggum thing. With Brent's profession and his step-dad getting the brain injury back in 2011 (we realized how easy it can happen first of all when my MIL would tell us about the people they had met with brain injuries) he is strict on the helmet. I never, ever remember it.

His newest request is to have his training wheels removed so he can practice. Brent told him when he sees him riding in the driveway with his helmet on a regular basis, he will take them off, but not until then.

Dane hasn't yet decided if he wants them off that badly yet ;-)

On our bike ride, we found a stretch of woods, turns out, they are the same woods Brent played in when he was a little boy. That is pretty cool. We probably spent an hour playing in those woods on Monday. Well, I sat on the grass for the majority of the time in the sun while the boys explored/splashed all in the "creek" back there. A little neighborhood boy came across and played with them too. He was 7 years old and appeared very well-behaved and kind.

He invited us across the street to his grandparents house to play in their creek.

The boys had a great time! I'm thankful he lives on the other side of the neighborhood though. I like knowing my kids can go outside and play without a swarm of kids inviting themselves over or inviting my kids over. I'm kind of particular and it makes things much less stressful ;-)

I am a sunshine girl. I go outside with the boys and want to lay down in the grass and soak up some Vitamin D while they play... which rarely happens ;-) They like for mommy to play with them.

Us and our "Soap Sally" faces.

I seriously couldn't love this child more if I tried (either of my babies!).

We had to sneak this picture with Webb. He almost always refuses to let me take his picture anymore! That used to be Dane.

I love watching them play together and use their imagination.

Starting the flip

They make each day wonderful. They always give me something to smile over. Everyday, I'm more excited and thankful that they will be home with me each day. We laugh so much and I truly just enjoy them.

Finishing the flip on top of one another almost. LOL.

I had no idea how ready we all were for some fresh weather. It's been so nice (when Daddy is home) to have him grill outside. We all play while he grills or leave the doors open running inside and then back out. Then, after dinner, we go back outside and play for a bit more before bath.

I know... it's hard to tell that he insists on dressing himself ;-)

The BEST part of this weather is it wears my boys out. They are exhausted and so a 7pm bedtime is rarely difficult to achieve. They barely stay awake through the story (which, after finishing MANY chapter books, we are now on the Boxcar Children) and then they are passed out. It is especially nice when Brent is home because I'm back in the living room by 7:30pm, if not before and we get to spend some time together. They sleep soundly (for the most part) until about 7am.

We had a wonderful Easter celebration celebrating the Resurrection of our KING. It was a special day and my parents, sister, and her boyfriend came to church with us and then went with us to my in-laws for a steak lunch. It was such a fun day and it was a treat to be all together this year. It is amazing how enjoyable a holiday can be when you don't feel stretched in a million directions or when you are stuffed from celebrating the day before :-)