Family Reunion

We just got home from our family reunion.  My mom's side of the family rented a bible camp and we all spent a week hanging out.  We are a scattered bunch (the most impressive currently being my cousins who are missionaries in Indonesia and Mozambique) so this is only our third family reunion, the last was when I was 11!  We had a fantastic time and I miss everyone already.  I wish we could all be together often, but I'm not sure if we'll ever manage it again :(

Sad Times

Well Craig's parents are gone to continue their North American visit before returning to Chile.  We had a great three weeks, with lots of sunshine and hikes and playing outside.  

Poor little S doesn't seem to quite understand yet that her favourite new playmates are gone.  She says things like "Gramma at work!" (work being where people disappear to for a few hours before coming back home) and we tear up a little.

It's hard having Gramma and Grampa so far away, but we know their work is important.  Hopefully we will be able to take a trip to Chile someday soon, but until then, thank goodness for Skype!

Mother's Day

I forgot to share these photos I took for Mother's Day.  I'm all about catching that evening light this spring.  In other news:

- I am super tired, Little A is going through her 4 month fussy period/sleep regression.  It's not too terrible, but it is taking it's toll on sleep.

- I cut Craig's hair last night.  He has been bugging me to try since, well we got married pretty much.  I watched this tutorial and finally worked up the nerve.  Looks not bad!

- I've been off dairy and wheat for almost a month now to see if little A's rashiness is food related.  Sadly, it is as her diaper rash cleared up within days and her eczema is nearly gone now too.  I'm back on wheat this weekend to see if it's that or the dairy (I'm pretty sure it's the dairy).

- On a related note, I only have 3 more lbs of baby weight to lose!  Apparently not eating anything I like helps me lose weight faster.  Okay that's a lie, I have bacon and eggs for breakfast every morning, which is no sacrifice!  Now I just have the weight from my first pregnancy to deal with...

Grandparents!

Craig's parents are visiting for a few weeks, they haven't been up (they live in Chile) since Little S was a baby, so they are having a great time getting to know our little girls!

Bubbles

Outside with my girls last week.

Spring Resolutions

We've been going on plenty of walks but I tend to forget to blog them, so I will amuse you with random spring photos as I ramble on.

Everyone always talks about New Years Resolutions.  That's all well and good but who really feels like being all energetic and changing things in the dead of winter?  In January I'd rather resolve to read lots of books and eat plenty of food that includes melted cheese.

Then Spring comes along and brings sunlight (hallelujah!) and rebirth.  Suddenly I want to do eeeeverything. Here are my Spring Resolutions:

1) Limit my grains and potatoes to one meal a day.  I'm breast feeding, so I'm not going for anything drastic here, but I want to get my diet back in balance.  Slowly lose some weight.  Increase the nutrient rich food and have more energy.  I've already started this and I'm feeling better!

2) Restart the Couch to 5K.  Because I had been running for about a month when I got puking sick with my adorable little A.  I'm excited to get going again.  Once more, nothing drastic, just three times a week to start getting stronger and hopefully find that waistline again.

3) Be a good gardener.  This is every year.  And I improve a bit every year but still not so great.  I'm going to try to keep my plans simple this year with the baby but I want the front garden to get prettier, the back to grow more tomatoes and maybe rescue one of the many overgrown patches of the yard for flowers (we rent and it's been a while since a tenant did any outdoor work)

4) Take every opportunity to be outside.  In the last three years I've spent two summers puking sick pregnant and the middle one with little baby S.  We got out some when she was a baby but I found it stressful to be out too much.  This year I want to take lots of hikes, spend some time at the beach when it's hot out and just hang out in the yard more.  Maybe camping.  But we need a bigger tent, methinks.

5) Improve my camera skills.  Although I'll be hiking with the point and shoot as it's too hard to manage the SLR and the baby.  I want to keep trying to get the best photos of my girls that I can.

6) Nail down a children's art style that works.  I'm still back and forth my style.  I want to get consistent in a style I love and feel is marketable.

7) Blog more regularly.    Because this is kind of ridiculous!

How about you guys?  Inspired to do something awesome this spring/summer?