Dakota made her first visit to one of our favorite places: the creek! We had a warm evening, so we went to the trail and creek near our house for the first time this season.

I couldn’t help thinking about the day I took Mordecai and Sadie there when I found out I was pregnant with her and then when I was struggling with morning sickness. I was in the thick of nausea and so unsure of what life would look like nine months from then. I stood at that creek the other evening just feeling wave after wave of gratitude to God for our family and the past several months.

It was definitely a full circle moment at one of our favorite places! Do we have everything figured out? Absolutely not! But I can rest in the joy of where we are right now. God has been so, so good to us.

I took deep breaths of spring air and watched Sadie and Mordecai explore and play while Dakota slept on my chest in the carrier.

They get so immersed in nature and I love to watch! They throw rocks, dig, make castles, and splash in the water. I’m so glad we’re upon the season of barefoot outdoor play.

We had a rainy day last week so I brought the kids to the library. Sadie decided that Dakota needed to enjoy the pretend food. I’m pretty sure if a baby was made out of a mom’s pregnancy cravings, Dakota would be 80% soft pretzel 🥨

On Friday night we visited one of Sadie’s favorite places: the trampoline park! Mordecai still isn’t a big fan. Someday! He and Sadie are so different. She was running and bouncing like crazy and he didn’t want Jimmy to let go of him.

While the big kids jumped with Jimmy, I got some real estate work done with Dakota in the carrier! Working and having kids is all about finding creative ways to get things done. And tag teaming with your spouse!

After everyone was wiped out, we went to a frozen yogurt shop and sat outside to eat our treats!

On Saturday, we woke up to a weird morning. It was raining and we had no power for several hours. The last time that had happened was in January! Losing power always throws me for a loop. I go to turn on lights or cook food and then remember I can’t, lol.

It threw Mordecai and Sadie off, too. They were upset and confused as to why it was dark in their bedrooms in the wee hours of the morning. I cooked breakfast on our gas grill (and it was actually yummy, fun, and something different!) and we got Starbucks… twice haha.

We brought the kids to a local craft fair (and ate/drank our Starbucks in the parking lot!) and I was able to buy a few gifts for family and friends for upcoming birthdays and holidays. Shopping local is my fave! As I sip my (not local) Starbucks… lol.

We got our power back by the time we got home from the craft fair and it was a relief! When random things like that happen I *try* to see the positives in the situation. We burned candles for light in the morning and it made the house smell good, we drank lots of great coffee, and I cooked breakfast in a new way. All because of a power outage!

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Other pictures from the weekend!

Mordecai has continued to take an interested in helping out in the kitchen! He cut strawberries with a kid knife from this baking/cooking set!

Sadie “fed” Dakota more play food. Dakota was a little skeptical!

We took the kids to Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop in Canonsburg. I’m pretty sure we’ve been to every location in the Pittsburgh area and this one was definitely the coolest! It’s located in a former bank and if you become a Grandpa Joe’s member, you can earn “snozzberries” for every purchase you make and once you earn enough, you can enter the bank vault which has secret candy in it!

Sunday was a sick day for Decky. Poor buddy was coughing up a storm and had a low fever. We gave him this cough syrup and these sore throat lollipops. Lollipops that are cough drops are such a good invention. I wish those were around when I was a kid!

Jimmy brought Sadie to church and I was on Dakota and Decky duty. I made sure to get him (and me!!) some fresh air. It’s good for the body and soul 🤍

We made it to pinecone forest, too, his fave!

Jimmy washed his truck and hung out with his girls in the afternoon. If any guy in your life is into vehicle care, I recommend this brand of car cleaning supplies for gifts! It’s Jimmy’s go-to for truck washing 😊

Sadie and I painted our nails together! I switched up my usual white polish for a spring-y lavender. Sadie loves to pretend she has a nail salon and I am all on board with that, haha. That’s my kind of pretend play right there!

Other notes and thoughts:

• Sadie scraped her knee again! Poor girl really scraped it up this time. Right now, our kitchen has a little triage station with cough medicine and sore throat lollipops (for Mordecai) along with large bandages and peroxide (for Sadie) 😆
• On Sunday afternoon, both Mordecai and Dakota were napping(!) so Sadie and I went to the grocery store together and I cherished having one-on-one time with her. I let her pick out a drink and she chose this Starburst drink and I stole a few sips. It tastes exactly like a pink Starburst!!
• Sadie and Mordecai have been loving to pretend they have a pizza shop together with this pizza set. They are always appalled when I order pizza with mushrooms on it 😂
• As I type this post, there is a giant basket of laundry sitting next to me. I’m hoping to fold it outside today because it’s going to be in the 70s!

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Okay, time to get my Monday started! Today’s agenda: homeschool, laundry, tending to a sick Mordecai, injured Sadie, and hopefully getting outside as much as possible! And snuggling Kota Bear 🐻

Have you had any full circle moments lately?