Enjoing The Great Indoors

    Due to it raining a couple days this past week we have had more indoor playtime than usual.  Keeping two little ones inside who have become accustom to going out two or three times a day is a tiresome. 

One day we had popcorn and a movie in the living room. I pulled the futon cushion out on the floor then put some pillows and a blanket down. They were in heaven.

Another day I let them play with an old moving box.  This entertained them both for about an hour. 

We've gone from days of sunshine in the high eighties, to pouring rain, and now the temp has been in the low sixties.  Crazy weather but full of play and imagination.

My Babies are Growing Up

    The last few days I have been going through the kids toys looking to get rid of some things and packing up some things they have out grown.  In doing so I came across Eli's teether.  I couldn't help but to think about his and Grace's tiny fingers, sweet fuzzy skin, and the adorable baby yawns.  I miss nursing my babies to sleep and the way they yearned to be cuddled with.  Now it's the other way around, I'm the one begging for their cuddles.  I miss their sweet little giggles from just seeing me smile at them.  I miss their flakey newborn skin and their quite hick-ups.

This tiny baby boy has turned to this,

A much bigger baby boy who is slowly starting

 to want to do things himself.

More shocking yet, this precious baby

 girl has turned to this,

An independent little girl who loves to help he little

 brother and comforts him when he is hurt.

    I might yearn for those teeny tiny baby days but I have these amazing, unpredictable toddler days to look forward to each morning.  We paint, learn our colors and shapes, chase each other playing jack in the bean stock, have tea parties, and make forts.  Grace and Eli give me new twists each day but I wouldn't have it any other day. 

Summer Promises

[Flowers will be picked]

[Our sidewalk will be regularly "chalked"]

[We will find all the good hiding spots]

[We will go to new parks and old favorites over and over]

[We won't be afraid to get dirty]

[And when we aren't outside we will wish we were]

Simple Days

    I love the days when we slow down and enjoy life. The days when we spend time inside and enjoy one another without the temptations of "Having to do something." Days where we the kids are content with playing quietly with their toys and each other. Days when Grace doesn't ask to turn the TV on after her hour of Wake Up Screen Time is over. Monday was one of those days. 

 We stayed in our pajamas until noon, reading book after book.

They devoured each book, taking their time looking at each page. 

All day, everyday Grace watches the squirrels from the window. I have

 never seen more squirrels in one neighborhood than I have in ours.  

Once Eli was napping I threw together a little tea party.  We had cucumber sandwiches

 and peanut butter cookies with blueberry tea, sweetened with a little honey. 

Grace thought drinking out of her little teacup was the funniest thing.

Although I'm not sure peanut butter cookies were a great combo

 with the blueberry tea, Grace sure wasn't complaining!

    Of course there was fighting between Grace and Eli, time outs, and tears but there is nothing like a calm day with sweet words and lots of cuddles to jump start the week.

Grace's Eczema

    For the past two years we have had a pretty constant battle with Grace's Eczema.  Although she doesn't have a sever case, the rashes have been larger and lasting longer.  We have tried numerous lotions, ointments, and cream to no avail.  As a baby she would scratch so much she would leave scabs on her ankle but now she scratches more lightly.  More recently she leaves scratch marks on her back, this is a new rash location for her.

   After two years of waiting to come across something to help we found it!  Coconut oil.  Once or twice a day I use it as a lotion and she currently does not have any rashes!  This stuff is liquid gold.  You can cook with it, add some eucalyptus oil and bee's wax to it to make a chest for for a cold, and make chapstick, all of which I plan on doing next week.  Initially I planned on adding rosemary essential oil to the coconut oil.  I already had the coconut oil and had just ordered the rosemary so I figured I would try the coconut oil by itself and that was enough.  After trying all the chemical filled lotions, creams, and ointments I am glad this was is the one that works.