spring break is almost over!

I have been enjoying my spring break!  Classes start up again on Monday for my last quarter at OC, but I am not thinking about that right now.  The last two weeks have been full of just relaxing and doing fun things.

Last week turned into a pretty busy week, nonetheless.  I visited Angela and my sister with the kids, then we hurried home to get everything packed for our overnight at my in-laws.  I also went and modeled for an art class sort of last minute for Jeremy's Aunt, so I was rushing to get home and get everything ready.  

Our anniversary was SO much fun!  We got up around 6am, leaving the kids sleeping with Jeremy's parents.  The drive, the weather, and the walk were so beautiful and it was AMAZING to go on a hike without carrying a child half the way (which I did at several long hikes last summer).  

This week has been more relaxed.  Both of the kids have had colds the last few days and have been really tired and cranky from not sleeping well.  I kept Shea home from school yesterday, mostly because he was so emotional about everything, I could barely look at him without him starting to cry!  That kid needed rest and snuggles.  So I let him lay in our bed while he listened to a little house on the prairie book on CD and then after I worked out, we cuddled and listened to it together.  He felt SO much better after that.  I have to remember that this kid thrives and feels loved when he is being held and experiencing something together (can't just read a book or do something NEXT to him, he wants me to be interacting with just him or something together).

My friend Anna came over the other day and took some pictures of me and the kids.  I sewed a few photo props for her and we were hoping to get some other shots with the kids, but this is all they would sit for!  Sometimes "lifestyle" type pictures don't really depict what your everyday family activities look like, but this one is really pretty true to real life.  I have always read to the kids a ton daily and we always have fun doing it.  Plus, I am in an old grubby tank-top with no bra on and shorts, because I was super hot after working out and running around the house cleaning that day.  Pretty real.

I also have been working hard to spring clean/purge the house.  The kids even got rid of like 3 bags of toys and books!  So nice to get some of that clutter out of here.  I also re-arranged our loft.  We had our bed crammed into a corner with our dressers for a while, because Hailey was climbing up on the half-wall and I was scared she was going to fall off the loft.  She doesn't do that anymore, so that means we could finally move the bed back!  The kids also don't keep each other up at night, so I made a little room/nook for them.  It feels much more like a bedroom and I love that we each have more of our own space.

I took these pictures of Hailey the other day.  They aren't the best quality because I had my ISO set too high, but I just love them, because they are SO her.  Crazy, beautiful, messy hair and playing around.

The weather was amazing last week, too!  We have been down at the beach a few times (kids have even worn their swimsuits and splashed in the water).  I love it when it gets sunny too, because all the moms and their kids from the neighborhood come down to the beach, so the kids get to see their friends and I get to talk to the "beach moms" - the ones I only see at community events, but we always hang out and catch up.

And, random hair growing milestone:  When straightened (which I pretty much NEVER do anymore - I don't have time for that nonsense!), my hair can officially fit into a poofy ponytail.