This week...

It's March! How did that happen??!!

This week has definitely been a typical March week in the Midwest. Sunny one day, sleet the next! Sheesh! C'mon spring! We are pulling for you.

Monday was such a beautiful day. The sun was shining when we woke up! Who can be in a bad mood when the sun greets you? Andrew was so happy to see the sun he started his morning with a run!

I started a new fitness program that is HIIT cardio based and am practicing working out in a fasted state. So after I served my boys breakfast, I immediately got my workout in while they joined me played. After my workout, I joined in on the playing. Right now my boys go from playing well together like best buds to fighting over everything. It is the beast and the blessing of having three boys so close in age.

To take a break from all the fighting, we did a little food prep together. We cut and washed all the fruits and veggies. We made egg muffins and these delicious blueberry, banana oatmeal muffins. I roasted some brussel sprouts to pair with some lunches for me this week too.

We ate our lunch a little early because the weather was so beautiful. Blue skies, warm and breezy. We met one of my friends and her daughter for a walk. We loaded up the doubles and took the longest walk. There was a park along the way that we stopped to play at.

I marveled at how big my boys actually are. They were all so capable of the stairs and slides and swings. I kept thinking how this will be the first summer without a baby or a pregnancy; with just my boys and Gabe as a toddler. I am definitely excited for all the adventures.

Tuesday greeted us with gray skies. What a bummer! Fortunately, we had morning errands to keep us busy. It was my scheduled appointment with my brow gal and can I just sidetrack for a second. A good brow gal is a NECESSITY, ladies!!! It's been about a year and I am just so embarrassed at my old brows that were shapeless and too thin! Yikes! Bonus--I take my boys with me because she always gets me right in at my appointment and is so sweet as she chats with my and my littles.

We then had to make a grocery grab for a few items, swing by the bank and mail out a package to one of my coaches. Hudson and Beau really needed haircuts but the temperature had really dropped and Gabe was really over errands so we went home and I opened up "Salon Mom".

Tuesday night we tried a new recipe for dinner that every one ate. My boys don't always love fish and it didn't crisp quite the way I anticipated but it was pretty good overall. I am ready for grilling weather to come. All the recipes I want to try just scream summer and I can't take myself to make them when sleet is happening outside my window.

We've been reading the Little House on the Prairie series with our boys and are almost done with On the Banks of Plum Creek. No matter what the chapter is on, Hudson always has about 5-10 questions after. Why, what, how?? It is thrilling (and sometimes exhausting) to see how he is trying to wrap his mind around what he is hearing. I love the curiosity he has. We then read a story from the boys' Jesus Calling Bible. And both Beau and Hud have questions, request one more story. They are getting pretty gutsy in trying to stretch their bedtime routine out.

Wednesday was a whirlwind. Everyone seemed to wake up early. (PTL for the pre-made breakfasts we had!) Hudson's classmates were having a play date after preschool at the museum but I had SO MUCH to do. I have really been trying to instill a sense of responsibility in our big boys; helping them to understand that being a helper is valued. I made a deal if they helped me with some of the house cleaning before Hudson's preschool we could do the play date.

They were such good, cheerful helpers! I was so proud of their work! After drop-off, Beau and Gabe "helped" me finish the cleaning, I got my workout in, and we all got cleaned up before pick up time! Their hard work was rewarded with Jimmy John's lunch and play time at the museum.

Andrew is traveling this week and I had a small group meeting so my mom came over to watch the boys. I am so thankful for the people in my small group. I love doing life with them and sharing all the good, bad and hard.

Sometimes during the day, in the hustle of activity, household responsibilities and the trying time that is raising three littles, I can lose sight of how precious these days are. But I know how blessed I am to be able to be in their every moment.

Midweek Randomness

Good morning! This week is just flying by! But this pregnant mama isn't necessarily complaining.  I love that we are filling our weeks and weekends with so many fun things.  I love how quick this pregnancy is going b-u-t I also know that this *might* be our last one and I feel so unprepared for this little guy.  Or maybe just three boys in general.

We have been playing outside A LOT this week. The boys love being outside and the weather has been perfect.  I am ready for this summer-like weather to stay.  Give me the sunshine and heat.  {I will probably be over the heat as it leaves this nice stage and goes into the miserable stage that seems to last most of summer, but I'm being hopeful}

My boys are showing me a sneak peak into our future, I think.  I always joke with Andrew that we will have to get a second mortgage as we raise three boys just to feed them.  Well this week, my boys have been ravenous.  I am sure it is because of the weather and all the play we are doing.  But seriously, during snack and lunch, my house is SILENT! They are so focused on their food they do not make a peep.  It is eerily quiet.  I find it hilarious!

This weekend we are going to the zoo and Hudson can not wait.  We are making a little day trip to St. Louis and we haven't been to the zoo there since before Hudson was one.  Every morning at breakfast we discuss the animals he thinks he will see.  We even had to make a countdown chart because the asking of when we are going every two minutes was getting a *little* much! ;)

Beau has been saying so much more lately {FINALLY}. It is usually prompted but he is repeating and it actually sounds the words more than his old habit of just grunting or squawking at us.  Unprompted- we have, "yes, no, mama, dada, please, ball, uh-oh" Love hearing his sweet voice and watching his expressions as he learns to communicate with words!

And obviously, I haven't been doing a very good job at taking photos.  But I DO have a reason.  I have been trying to put my phone down a lot more when playing with boys.  I want to be present.  I want engage with them and experience it all WITH them.  This sometimes means lack of photos {which I HATE} but it also means lots of memories in my heart.

Hope you are having a great week! :)