Little Helper

 

Amelia Ann was totally into helping her Dad this past weekend.  After watching him hammer nails to hang frames she got into it herself.  I snuck in and snapped some pictures of them practicing in the garage.

 

~ Mrs. P

Our Nest



We are continuing on with our decorating, you know making our house a home. I just kept thinking after we finished "man this nest is best".... clearly reading Dr. Seuss lately. :P    I have been itching to finish up our bedroom, so we took a rare slow Saturday and Graham started hammering.  He is seriously an awesome hubs when it comes to this kind of stuff.  He will oblige my vision!  Love that guy.



 

Above our bed is a collection of frames we had in our old house but I added some cool prints found for free on Pinterest (where else?!).  The big 'P' has floated around for a few years resting in various places, I like where we have it now.  I am pleased with how it all turned out.

Always in need of storage to hide things we picked up the grey cube shelf from IKEA and then traded out Graham's night stand for a grey and white dresser to tie in more grey. 

 



I love that our new master has a bit more space so we were able to use the chairs Graham had redone for my birthday/anniversary gift.  I found these gems at a garage sale in Fort McMurray and they have kicked around for a few years being all burnt orange and in need of stain.  I dig the hounds tooth and dark stain that Mr. P chose.

 



 

 A friend suggested globes on our ledge and another friend found an old suitcase at the dump. Boom!  I am excited to add more globes.  I seriously LOVE 'making our nest'... I have such fun planning, creating a vision and having it come together.

 

Fun!

 

~ Mrs. P



Night Out for GRIT

 

Last night we were lucky to be able to attend a fundraising event for GRIT, which is the program Jacey has been apart of for the last two years and will to participate in again next year.  It has been an amazing support for the Bird family.   They have provided a worker, connections to OT and PT, as well fabulous workshops for GRIT families.  I personally have learned so much just being the Auntie.  GRIT has been amazing and fabulous for Miss Bird so we jumped at the chance to attend the fundraising event and it ROCKED!!  They had Jason Strudwick as the MC (which the husbands loved because he is a retired Oiler) but they also had a silent auction with various prizes ranging from a Jersey to GRIT children's art.  The entertainment was fantastic too, beautiful piano by a former little GRIT girl who began playing piano as therapy.  There was a tenor group, a great local musician and each was interspersed with messages from GRIT families sharing their experiences.  It was a wonderful night!  Also so fun attending with the Birds (loving Alyson's adorable baby belly!)

 

~ Mrs. P

St. Patty's Party

 

 A Cousin's St. Patrick's Party

 

Living close to family is such a great thing.  We have been talking about getting the 'next generation' of cousins together (my cousins kiddos) and it finally happened.  Gotta love the smiles and flashes of green!  It was a potluck green lunch, some shamrock necklace making and gold coin tossing....it equaled fun!!  Kouper and Jaxon, along with their momma Jeanine and Grandma Paula hosted.  It was actually rather impressive to see the littles folk get along pretty well and it was great to get to visit as a bunch of momma's.

 

 

 

 

  Sweet Cousins LtoR: Amelia, Jaxon, Kouper, Kingston, Joseph, Hyrum, Stella, Jacey, Camila 

 

Sweet Sisters (hand holding and all)

 

~ Momma P



The things we do

 

Right now each lady is in a program with me.  Amelia is really enjoying her Mom n Tot Gymnastics class, each Friday when we discuss the plan for our day she gets pumped up for class over breakfast.  Stella Bella and I are in a swimming class together and she is so-so on the brave scale.  I really treasure being able to attend these classes with my ladies, soon enough they will be off on their own and I will just be cheering from the sidelines.  Even though I am totally NOT an athlete or really into swimming or gymnastics I love that we get to do these things together.

 

~ Momma P

Books n Babies

 

Our little sweetheart is really into screeching right now but she is also into babies and books.  It amazes me that little babes (because she is not yet two so I will still call her my baby) can be so into babies.  Nurturing dollies with cuddles, songs and of course wrapping in blankets and pretending to feed them.  The collection of babies we have definitely gets put to use.  Also so fun right now is Stella's interest in books, all books even scriptures.  I love it!  She will grab a book and then back up to sit on my lap wanting me to read to her, adorable.  She is gentle with pages and really into Sesame Street books.  Love this chick.

 

~ Momma P

certainly not perfect but good



 

 

I feel like I am in a bit of a winter funk. 

Just a bummer sorta feeling, lack of patience, scatterbrained kind of funk. Also a heavy heart for loved ones struggling. I usually CHOOSE focus on the positives of my day but I have found myself just being a grump lately. 

I am not the kind of wife I would like to be. 

I am not the type of mother I would like to be.

 

I love being a wife and mother.  I love that I am able to be at home with my girls but goodness sometimes it is hard.  I do try to stay positive and see the good, just be happy...a life challenge I'm thinking.  I am not perfect but if I say a prayer, march on and focus on the positives I know I can move past this grumpy funk. So I guess this post is a pep talk for myself!! Ha  I am totally a person who needs validation and encouragement, motherhood is tricky in that regard.  The feedback is in the form of hugs and kisses yes, but there is no professional evaluation.  Also, my co-worker (Mr.P) is gone from home most of the day boo.   Anyway, just a little of my funk coming through.  Things are actually pretty good around here, we are so blessed; health, a good job, a lovely home and two BEAUTIFUL daughters.  Graham returned from his Phili/Pittsburg Boys Weekend and has had to work late every night, oh and Stella is super clingy - so much so that I dug out the sling and have needed to carry around my almost 2 year old girl in order to get things done.  Ahhh a little more grumpiness just squeezed through! I read the following today and it helped.

 

 

Serve "the least of these" means,

 serving your family counts! Matthew 25:35-40

 

So things around here are certainly not perfect

but they are good.

 

~ Mrs. P