so there's this tree

This one:


It's really tall and really beautiful, and we've been promising Cam for months that we'd hang a swing from one of its branches. Today, we followed through on that promise.


I say 'we,' but I had very little part in it. I called the tire store to make sure we could steal a tire from the pile outside their building. Mike bought the rope, picked up the tire, and tied it to the tree.


The rope is really long, probably as long as our house is tall. This swing gets some major air! Not that I got good pictures of the big swings--they turned out very blurry!


The kids are nuts over it. Cameron has tried several different ways to ride it...sitting with legs in, sitting with one leg in and one leg out, standing in the tire, sitting on the top, standing on the top...who knew there were so many options?



Fletcher refused to sit and threw a big fit when Mike tried to make him--but then he loved it and didn't want to get off.



Bennett is a little too small yet, but he did a little bit of climbing and car-riding and had fun anyway.

praise

Fletcher is awake and jumping away in his crib. I run up to get him before he wakes Bennett.

Fletcher: [points to nightlight timer] My blue light on.
Me: I know. You can get up.
Fletcher: I need my superhero [his cape].
Me: Where is it?
Fletcher: Right there. [points to spot on floor of very dark room]
Me: [turn light on to confirm, bend to scoop it up] Here you go.
Fletcher: Good boy, Mommy.

april

It is 8:32 on Monday morning (the Monday morning following spring break, even!) and I have RSVP'd to a wedding shower and called the local Goodyear inquiring about finding a tire for a swing for the boys. Yay, productivity! The big boys are happy watching Ninja Turtles (okay, not my first choice, but hey...they're quiet) and Bennett is still sleeping. Hello, Monday!

Yesterday I discovered that pool passes are already for sale for this summer. I'm not sure how I missed that, I've been writing these Important Events on the calendar, but somehow this one slipped by unnoticed. Cam and I walked to and around the pool yesterday, trying to find the best path for us to take this summer, when we come with the wagon and lunch and his little brothers. I really, really hope they all like the pool and that we can enjoy it often--I know it will be stressful with three kids but I just hope it's...doable. And that the pool people will let me put the kids in life jackets, just in case.

Other than buying our pool membership (oh, also need to figure out whether I need to pay the 4-person or 5-person family price), April is another busy month. Cameron starts his classes at the rec center (rock climbing and tumbling!), we have two Saturday morning birthday parties, I have a wedding shower, Mike and I have a Blue Jackets game, and I have to register Cam for Safety City (pre-kindergarten safety camp this summer). Plus the usual preschool schedule, and Mike's birthday toward the end of the month! Oh, and our friends' baby is due some time this month, and we can't wait to hear that she's here. Lastly, a local Metro Park is also hosting a kids' garden day on a Sunday afternoon, and I'd like to go with Cam. WHEW!

So, here's to a busy, fun-packed April! Hopefully we get some nice weather...we are really excited to start going to parks and playgrounds again, and to getting the mud dried out of our backyard.

easter saturday

Today we celebrated Easter with both sides of the family.  I picked out the boys' Easter outfits a month or so ago, and like most other years, I bought for the wrong season. While the day was supposed to wind up sunny and 60 degrees, it started out sunny and 30 degrees. I put everyone in jeans but felt Bennett's white polo was too boring, so I gave him Fletcher's blue one and put Fletch in a button-up that matched both Cameron's and Bennett's shirts. Then, as on most holidays for which they dress up, we had a couple of photo shoots. (After the first, they refused to stand on the cold cement in bare feet, so we moved to the rocking chair!)



This morning we went to my grandparents' house to have brunch with my dad's side. We brought these breakfast muffins and there were tons of other really tasty things to eat, as well. After brunch the kids went out back for an Easter egg hunt--I enjoyed many an egg hunt in that backyard, and I love that my kids get to have them there, too.




We came home for nap, then headed over to Mike's parents' house for dinner and more egg-hunting. We brought Holland along and everyone had fun running around like small crazy people. It was nice and sunny and, well maybe not warm, but balmy...they wore their shorts and sandals as planned.







We actually colored eggs yesterday, since we had so much planned for today. It was Bennett's first time participating, and the first year that Fletcher really got into it!








All in all a fun day. Tomorrow we'll have the kids' Easter baskets set out and we'll do an egg hunt around the backyard (or the house, if the predicted rain does come); it will be nice to not have to drive anywhere, but just stay home and recover from a busy Saturday.

the real thing

Spring.


It might be that I'm desperate, but today it felt close. It's amazing how 'warm' a sunny, 48-degree afternoon can feel. It's rejuvenating, really!


We needed jackets, and the boys went back in for mittens, but we played outside for an hour and a half this afternoon, and it was glorious.



Bennett didn't make a grumpy-peep the whole time we were out there, but as soon as we came in for dinner prep he was a whiny, leg-clinging mess. It's too bad our stove isn't outside.


We rolled Cameron up and down the yard in the big blow-up donut, and then the big boys took up sword-fighting with sticks. I discouraged them at first, but eventually gave in--no face/head hits, and no getting mad if you get hurt. Comes with the territory!



When things started to get ugly with the sword-fighting, we came around front to color with chalk and climb trees.






We have a couple of monkeys on our hands, and Bennett isn't far behind them. He's been climbing up onto stools and laundry baskets for a couple of weeks now, he's a whiz on the stairs, and yesterday he started climbing the back of the folding chair at the computer desk while I was sitting in it (and he's still not walking!). He'll be up in the trees with his brothers before we know it.

spring break, day three

We have had a busy two days. Yesterday Cameron's best friend from school came to play, and she brought along her two little brothers (and their mom, of course!). The kids all played well and they stayed all morning. Yesterday afternoon my sister and niece came over to pick up some paint for Holland's bedroom, and they stayed for a little bit to visit. Then today Cameron's best friend from his old preschool came with his family! He has two brothers came (one older, one younger), plus two girls his mom babysits...one Cameron's age and one who is 10 months old. It's so nice to have fun planned to help get us through a cold week with no school--now we have to come up with something to do tomorrow!

Today I tried another new dinner recipe--this time I chose one out of the cookbook I got Mike for his birthday. He guessed it tonight, so it's okay to mention it here. ;) I made a pork pie and it was really, really good! I ate so much I felt too-full-sick afterward. We were both rather impressed with my skillz. I found a gluten-free pie crust recipe here, and doubled it to allow for enough dough to make a top. It was a little crumbly, but it was no big deal because the filling was delicious and that's what really matters! Definitely a keeper--Cam and Bennie also liked it, and Fletch ate three bites...that's a lot, as far as dinners go.

I'm bummed I didn't get pictures while making it--it ended up being quite pretty! Next time. :) Here it is, more than half eaten.

spring break

Day one. Bennett was up at 2am, and I was a little thrown off by the yellowish glow coming from behind the curtains. Was the clock wrong? I peeked outside and realized the snow I'd heard threatened had indeed come. A beautiful coating! Not the hoped-for spring-like weather, but typical for spring break nonetheless. Actually, it's normally just cold and rainy on spring break--so snow is almost a treat.