catch up: and not the condiment

I have wanted to blog. Put it on my to do list every day. Only to gently mark it off.
Not for lack of time, but not really wanting to mess with photos. And I do love a good photo.
So I figured I would talk. I can do that.

Valentines was awesome. Im not being sarcastic. It was simple and sweet.
I surprised my kids each with a little toy, that I typically would have never bought.
Pretty Pretty Princess for the girl. (dry heave)
And a hotwheels race track for the boy. (plastic.... bright orange.. gasp)
They both adored it, and played all day long.
I made my hubby an insanely cute board game. We tucked the kids in, and snuck downstairs to plates of lobster.
Our day was different. Than it should have been. Nick should have gone to work.
But he didn't.
Cause we flooded our upstairs, AGAIN.

I haven't cried yet. But I am on verge about. This is ridiculous. Almost 2 years ago we did the same thing.

I've been knee deep in estimates, and holes in drywall and carpet. Im doing it numbly.
It brings back, that whole Nick job loss thing, and Im trying still to not be bitter about how wrong that all was (not bitter to Nick, bitter to the company). Our life flipped then, and were still peicing bits back together financially.

Did I mention he likes his job. A lot. You think that would ease any bitterness right? It does Actually. Hes challenged, he has bigger responsibilities. They value him, I really feel it. I hate that we still need to be in transistion, for important things like medical insurance. Sigh. Thats the last I'll mention of that here.

Rylan has been changing. I don't know if its the crazy long legs, that are wearing highwaters, I bought as jeans only a couple months ago. Or if its the face shape. Its changed. She looks older, school aged. And its stopped me dead in my tracks like 4 times this week. She is becoming five. I can see it day by day. I adore her. Seriously. She is funny and smart. She says things like.. "Oh mom that would be a dream come true." She also says things like... "Oh mom your filthy, all you have done all day is fold laundry" and she says it with a smile, and she rubs my head. And I know she doesn't know that the word filthy would be an insult, its just what I say when I stomp around the upstairs and there is tons of dirty laundry. Sweet girl.

A week ago I tackled barefoot contessas cookbook, and made about a million things. Our favorites of hers. Sour Cream pancakes. Holy yum. Her basil tomatoe rice recipe, is so yum. I have been cooking a lot, and re-loving it. Its bringing a rhythym to our days.

Along with schoolwork for the kids. We are still chugging along through Saxon Math (we breaked for a bit), Explode the Code, Handwriting without Tears, and a lot of awesome books suggested by Sonlight. Its easy, and has made this year feel doable. However, I have been a crazy woman on the hunt for a Kinder for Rylan. Preferrably a hybrid program, where we could still do school togethor a couple days a week, but that she could flourish in a classroom, and mature a little, and be enchanted by school, like I was at her age. Thats serioulsy taken my whole month. Its Kinder people, and I have been hardcore praying about it daily. Not joking. I will cry, I never got that. But Im getting it quickly. Our day to day will change next year, and seriously. It makes my heart ache.

I have loved these haphazard days home with them. Jams and smoothies. Exploring parks, making projects, being with friends, running errands. Naptime cuddles, book reading days. Lack of go go go. Its been my total privilege.

Oh and Cade, he is delicious. If you haven't met him in person you don't know that. But take my word for it. He is so beautiful, and we have been in quiet the health battle of sorts with him. Its consumed another large chunk of my thoughts and energy since about December, and it seems we have done a lot of food eliminations and such and thanks to a new ped we are getting it straightened out. And I totally rejoice. I do think its been a lot of my quiet. I like to keep it real in this blog, not just pretty, but I completely refuse to discuss bowels on blogs. Your so very welcome.

There it is, the last few weeks, a peek in my brain. My excuses of silence laid out. Pretty much since Christmas. I like blogs, but this new doing less thing, I guess translated over here too. Im ok with that, for a bit. But I also know what a total treasure this blog has been to have life documented for us. So I hope Im back to posting tons soon. Because having it all here, makes me really happy.