Logan Spring cleaning

Those are not dainty white petals blowing in the breeze...

We had great big fluffy white snowflakes falling yesterday - just perfect for some much needed inside Spring cleaning time. And the kids amazed us with their so super helping for our whole house clean sweep, and Porter amazed us by being content in the the pack with Jordan through all of it - what a trooper!

From Owen Today

(reading a photo book with Ellie)

Mom,  look! That's Grammie and Grandpa! And I like to see them!!

Jordan & Landon mornings

Dirt pile reading time

Jordan and Landon recently started a morning tradition of getting up a little extra early before everyone else and going for a walk, playing a game, taking a short bike ride… just something fun together. A few days ago Jordan mentioned a book they started reading, sitting up on the dirt hills behind the canal -- something about that picture in my mind I just love. I'm so happy to know these two are having such a sweet time together in those wee hours of the morning.

A little robin friend

A few weekends ago, this little guy spent an entire Saturday morning hanging out on our reading room window ledge. Every once in a while he'd fly across to the tree when we'd walk by and startle him, or he'd try out another of our living room windows. A few times he even went to check out the front yard trees, but within a minute or two he'd always return to this little spot. He'd pace back and forth, sometimes he'd flap his wings and hop around or peck, peck, peck on the glass. The kids watched him from inside and outside and he just watched and watched us. Such a funny little addition to our Saturday morning.

A few years ago the kids and I did a bird preschool unit, and I finally learned what a robin was. (It's so silly to think that I never learned such a simple thing!) But somehow, it has made me just love robins. Knowing their name means that each time I see one, I feel like I'm seeing an old familiar friend instead of just a bird. {Next up I think needs to be flowers -- I'm sure that knowing their names will make them more beautiful too!}

cute Owen and a joke

Owen reminded me this morning of a sweet Portuguese joke Ellie made up a few weeks ago, that I just had to write down so I could remember.

Knock, knock
Who's there?
Eu
Eu who?
Eu amo você!  (I love you - also 'eu te amo' :)

Readers

such good buddies

Ellie has just gotten to the point where she can really read a lot of our picture books, and she's enjoying it so much (I read 7, no 8 books tonight! she told me yesterday at bed time) I think Owen feels the most loved of all when he's being read to, so it's wonderful to have one more reader for this little buddy.  He's also memorized most of his favorites and has started taking them to bed with him where we hear him 'reading' to himself before he goes to sleep, like tonight's "LET ME DRIVE THE BUS!" )

Grandpa reading time

And I loved this picture from Kathie and Winslow's recent visit -- I hadn't realized just how much I needed a little extra help until they were here giving that help.  {Thank you again!}

Happy Easter

(I didn't realize until I put these together just how focused these kids were on their morning Easter basket surprises!)

Our two 'popcorn' trees are bursting with blossoms, and our tree lined street is just starting the neon stage as the leaves get ready to start the new season. We've had a busy week of activities -- a capoeira performance at the school, and a Kindergarten club orientation night, Jordan helping with blessings at the hospital, condo rental work, soccer practices, a date + babysitter (!)…and  a whirlwind weekend hosting a baby shower for Jenny, a Brazilian picnic (expertly made by Jordan), a little Easter program for primary singing time, an Easter celebration with some neighbors/friends after church, and an Easter dinner with friends tonight - phewph!

Now we're feeling ready for a quieter, warm Springtime week to  enjoy the sunshine and blossoms and our little ones.  

Ellie's quiet time activity

Ellie's quiet time creations today

Can't decide which one you want? You want Ellie's invention, the all-screen --

"It can do anything - it can take pictures and you can watch movies and you can call people and you can go to work with it.  It can do anything!"

fresh start

My poor raspberry patch! It will be beautiful again soon, I know!

A friend asked us for a few raspberry starts from our garden, so I finally went out to the patch yesterday to see what kind of state it was in. And goodness, it needed a lot of work. Though I've looked at it every day right there beside Jordan's office shed, I was still so surprised to see what a mess it was and how sadly neglected it had become! I have a feeling that I may continue to find more little corners of my life in a similar state in the coming weeks and months.

Little Porter has finally started to sleep just a little bit better, and though not quite like the spark I remember feeling in the past, I do feel like I'm just waking up a little bit more. With a definite back and forth in 'I can do great things' and 'oh, I wish I could do even just the little things.'  But what a perfect time with the beautiful Spring world around, also waking up slowly, maybe even a little cautiously too.

I just read a wonderful post yesterday from a favorite blogger. And once again, I felt like she'd gathered up my thoughts and wrapped them up beautifully with her own words.  It gave me just what I needed to recommit to this little space of my blog that I love.