Rain, rain go away...

It's finally not raining here anymore! (at least for now...) It seriously rained for almost a week and a half nonstop! We've had a few days of sunshine since it stopped raining but the forecast says that it will rain for the rest of the week. What a bummer! But it does make everything look so beautiful outside. Spring is really a time of renewal for nature! It's has been amazing to see everything turn so green and all the flower trees here are breath taking. I've never seen so many varieties of trees in my life! (I wish I could take pictures of all of them.)

We have a few squirrel friends that come to visit our back door almost everyday. Once they hear that the door is opening you can see them all coming! Sometimes there can be 5 of them at a time! Sometimes we feed them and it's so cute to watch them eating! They are really friendly, sometimes a little too friendly I have to close the door because they are getting to close to the kids. But, both Brielle and Braden can spend a long time looking at them and giving them peanuts!

We've been spending these last few weeks inside for the most part but also taking advantage of going outside to play with the kids when the weather is nice. It seems like when we go outside they do so much better! They eat better, sleep better and they are less whiny! I can't complain though, they are so much fun to be around. The other day someone mentioned that I must be exhausted all the time because my kids have so much energy and I thought to myself that yes I am exhausted raising these kiddos but I wouldn't have it any other way! I much rather have energetic children that are so enthusiastic about exploring the world around them than two children who stare at the wall all day! So I am grateful for their energy! Even though, I do wish sometimes they'd stare at the wall for a few hours a day! :)

This is what two very energetic and mischievous children do on their spare time: They undo their daddy's shoe laces...Scott didn't think it was very funny!:)

and... this is what we do when we spend too much time inside! We take too many silly pictures!:)Brielle and Braden really are the apple of my eye! We don't have perfect days, sometimes I get so tired and frustrated when I don't get any breaks during the day, but I sure love them so much and we have a great time together!

Our little neighbor Bella comes out to play with Brielle and Braden almost everyday. She is such a sweet little girl and the 3 of them get along so well...(for the most part!) It's really cute! They just go around our block running and playing. Bella's mom, Judy, and I have become really good friends. She's such a genuine person. We have a lot of fun talking while our kids play together.

I used to be so paranoid about my kids getting dirty with the chalk and was always reminding them not to touch their clothes with their hands, now I just let them get dirty! That's part of the fun!

Braden showing me his chalk...that according to Brielle looks like a "smarshmallow".

Braden and Brielle have been playing with my sunglasses a lot lately and I thought it was time for them to get their own little sunglasses! We went to Target and they each picked out their favorite one. I think the picking them out was just as fun as them wearing them! We spent half an hour trying different ones and it was so cute to hear Brielle and Braden, Brielle especially, say, "Hmmm...I don't like that one." "Let me try that one..." It was a lot of fun! And these are the ones they liked best!

I get lots of hugs from Mr. Braden during the day. He is such a loving little guy!

Oh! And I made this for lunch the other day and man oh man! It was delicious!!!! Thanks to my friend Emily W. who posted how to make it on her blog. It's super easy. All you need is some kind of tortilla, I bought a really good spinach/garlic/pesto tortilla. You spread some cream cheese then put some lettuce and lunch meat, I used hard salami and sundried tomato turkey. Roll it up, cut it up and done! It is so yummy, healthy and easy!!!! and my kiddos liked it too! Thanks Emily!:)