Housewarming

We had a housewarming party last weekend to celebrate our new place.  Obviously, the best way to break in a home is with a big party.  At the very least, it makes you hang up your pictures sooner rather than later.

We had quite a few people coming, so I made multiple trips to Costco to buy the necessary supplies (read: pre-made dips and cookies).

No backyard barbecue is complete without a steel tub full of Coronas.  

All my mom friends and their kids made it out to the party and congregated on a few blankets in the yard.

Our party was lucky enough to have a cute kiddo collecting mulch in plastic cups.  I later saw him putting mulch on leaves and pretending it was hummus on crackers with his dad.  Ha!

Harper welcomed everyone into "her" yard by kissing all the babies and eating everyone's potato salad.  Orelia welcomed her friends by stealing their socks and rolling all over their blankets.  I raised my girls right!

Having a fun party at our new house made me love this place even more.  We are looking forward to having many more in the years to come!

First Easter

Orelia celebrated her first Easter with an Easter basket, an egg hunt, and dinner outside with friends.  She's got the good life.  

Her basket included a new book (read by Daddy)...

Headbands, rubber duckies, and a few other goodies.  Apparently the Easter Bunny shops at the Target Dollar Spot.

After opening the basket, "Orelia" found her Easter eggs in the living room.  Harper preempted her on one of the eggs, and enjoyed a few Hershey Kisses.  (Bad dog.)

Mitch and Natalie came over to celebrate, and all of us (especially Orelia) were excited to spend the evening with them.

Easter calls for pretty dresses and ruffle cardigans, clearly.  Mitch forgot his cardigan, apparently.

Orelia enjoyed some Easter tosses courtesy of Dada.  It's her favorite way to celebrate.

It's always a blessing to spend holidays with the ones you love.

Next year Orelia intends to eat some of the candy from those eggs she worked so hard to find!  Other than that, I hope next Easter is just like this one.

For the Love of a Backyard

One of the best parts of our new house is the backyard.

Just having a yard is an improvement from our old place.

It's an improvement we are grateful for every day.

Our yard happened to come with a swing set, and they had the accompanying baby swing waiting for us in the shed.

These chubby feet get to dangle outside nearly every afternoon.

Swing time is best when Harper is around to run around as entertainment, but we make do without her by playing some tunes on my phone when she is at work with John.

When swing time is over (get me out NOW), we usually spend some time relaxing on a blanket.

And I try, desperately, to avoid someone eating a bunch of mulch.

It's amazing how much happier babies are outside - even if they are doing the same thing they would be doing inside (for instance, rolling around eating things).

Sometimes you let the rules slip a bit, and a lens cap becomes a chew toy.  Better than the mulch, right?

I can't wait to spend lots of quality time out here this warm spring and summer.

Orelia is looking forward to it too.

Is Forever Enough?

They didn't have you where I come from.

Never knew the best was yet to come.

Life began when I saw your face

And I hear your laugh like a serenade.

How long do you want to be loved?

Is forever enough, is forever enough?

Cause I'm never, never giving you up.

- "Lullaby" by the Dixie Chicks

Dada

Orelia has begun to treat John and I a bit differently, now that she recognizes I am always around and John has to leave for big stretches five days a week.  She gets very sad when he leaves and very happy when he returns.  She kicks her feet and smiles her biggest smile.

Lately, she begins crying soon after she sees John...because she wants him to pick her up immediately.  "Thanks for the big smile Dad, now pick me up!"  She wants extra cuddles from Daddy since she knows her time with him is precious.  They are great pals, and I love seeing her appreciate John as much as I do.  We are lucky ladies!

Hoppy Easter

The Easter Bunny has been very present this week in our house.

She's been hopping on the couch.

She's been sitting up like a big girl.

She's been wondering why Mommy is taking so many pictures.

She's been enjoying her yogurt.

And she's been annoyed in her swing.

Hoppy Easter, from our favorite bunny.