Life Lately

This has been the first morning I've been able to wake up before the kiddos this week. I love these early morning hours when the house in still and even the pup is asleep, but the bed has been calling my name! This morning, I just woke up feeling refreshed and jumped at the opportunity to be up to get a few things done before the day begins.

...Hahha, oh boy- it just turned 5:02 and I hear Ryan. Maybe I shouldn't have typed that last paragraph?!...

...okay, thank you Jesus, I was able to rock him back to sleep. Poor guy was confused and thinking it was time to get up. It is in fact not time to get up. :)

A fitting transition I guess to today's Life Lately post. Life Lately is a whole lot of early mornings, walking to playgrounds, making up games, tummy time, smiles and coos, building with blocks, fixing with tools, meeting friends for play dates, talking about when daddy will be home from work, and learning how to be kind, even when you're tired and hungry- a lesson I'm still working on myself.

These days are full- the best kind of full- but why sometimes I need these hours before the kids are awake and why a 5:00 start to the day ain't gonna fly unless you're sick. :)

Mowing the lawn with daddy- love how Matt includes him in everything he can. Ryan feels so cool helping daddy take care of the house!

Baking this blueberry banana bread recipe with mommy

Play mat fun for this little one

Not working on his push-ups like it looks, but stopping to check out an ant on our walk back from the park. This is one of my favorite things about Ryan right now- if he sees an ant, he drops to the ground immediately to check it out from a close-up view. :)

Visiting some animals on our strawberry picking day

Piggy back rides and teeth-together smiles. ;)

Left: Can you smile for a picture with your cousin?!

Right: Can you try to do it with your teeth together?!

:)

Hold me when this boy starts kindergarten. He went for his first Mother's Morning Out while I went to a meeting for next year's MOPs, and he was so excited about bringing his backpack and water bottle with him. He looks so big in these pictures!

A Nelsen Family shot from Mother's Day!

playing the harmonica for his sister- "it's monica, sista- see?"

Stopping in to visit Great Muggie and Great Papa on our way to Nonna and Papa's house!

Swinging on the porch one last time before Nonna and Papa move

And visiting their new house as it's being built!

Dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant in Monroe- not pictured: Natalie and my step-brother Brian who's behind the camera :)

Corn on the cob and frozen grapes for breakfast. Because sometimes you just say "yes" when random requests are made.

We have an almost-daily routine of visiting a church playground near our house while we wait for daddy to get home. It's a gated little area with all sorts of toys for Ryan's age, and we're usually the only ones there, so even Tal gets to be off leash.

I told Ryan one of his friends was coming over to play and he immediately started hoarding his toys, hah. We're working on sharing and thinking about others. ;)

Last night I was with Ryan before he went to bed and when I came out looking for Matt, I found him in Natalie's room just holding her before he put her down. And I teared up and then snuck a picture- so it's grainy and zoomed in, but she's holding his finger and in and out of sleep. These are the moments that make me stop and soak in this stage of life- I know it's going to fly by faster than we want it to!

Tonight we're hosting our neighbors and their kids for dinner- I'm making brisket and veggie tacos for the main course. This brisket taco recipe is my favorite (and also the only one I've tried) ;) and doing peppers, onions, black beans, corn, shredded cheese & salsa for the veggie version. We're looking forward to a fun night and weekend!

Happy Friday, friends!