We Have A Teenager

Some doggie turned 13 in February and some little person insisted we MUST have a birthday party for her. So we made dog friendly cupcakes and homemade dog treats. We made party hats and we put up our birthday banner and pictures of the honorary person... or dog.

It was actually quite fun. I am glad B was so insisted. We had a fun time getting it all together.

Happy 13th Syd! You will never read this one day, but I hope we convey how much we love you around here. You are my children's greatest protector, my constant companion, and the greatest monster/ghost/whatever-B-comes-up-with EATER alive.

Easter

 Here is our little Califlower, donning my 3 year old Easter dress.

 I just couldn't get a good one of big sis, she kept dancing :)

I was a little late on signing up the girls for an Easter Egg hunt (mostly because I am indecisive - to do or not to do?) However, at a local farm they do an Easter doggie egg hunt, and that wasn't sold out and I knew they would have just as much fun (if not more) helping Syd find some eggs. And they did, they loved it. Califlower however, did NOT love the Easter bunny.

 And we all got a wagon ride.
And you maybe thinking "but what about Dixie?" Well, the dog has to be leashed the entire time, and well Dixie, is an entirely different dog on a leash. She is a bit of a feral dog I suppose, and leashes bring out a naughty behavior in her.
 

 Then we invited family over for a night of Easter Egg fun.
We did learn that the best and brightest colors are not from the egg dyeing kit but from just the normal food coloring with vinegar, we added food coloring to the egg kit colors just to make the colors brighter, bolder, and well, better.

 

B had Brad draw a cat on one of her eggs, but the egg cracked and I let C eat the egg. End.Of.The.World. 

So my niece was so kind and drew a cat on paper for B to keep forever. 

She cherishes it. It's on her nightstand.  

Then it was Easter.

 Easter baskets found.

 Later in the afternoon we finally found the Easter Eggs the Easter Bunny hid.

Motherhood

While dressed in our best on Easter Sunday (and my hair actually styled) I had Brad take some pics. And I think they are enlargement worthy (probably because Brad took them and not me). 

I think I wrote on here about what Brad's uncle said about his grandmother, that she wasn't just surviving 6 children, she was thriving.  That has become my mantra for the year, "don't just survive, thrive". I couldn't get it out of my head. I wanted to thrive as a mother not just survive. But let's be honest, there are some days of motherhood that are just plain survival, but that's in any area of life.

  Motherhood has been just one continuous comedy of errors. Seriously, I am numb to embarrassing situations now (which is a bit liberating in a way). But motherhood has also been a very empowering experience for me. It has taught me more about who I am (and frankly, who I want to be) than anything else.  Before I go to bed I often think about what kind of human beings and I raising? It makes me self reflect as I question my own quality of being. Sometimes I get racked with anxiety about the limited time I have with them. B starts kindergarten next year and I think my time of being 100 percent influential is dwindling, and I wonder "Have I done enough?" 

I love these little girls. They sometimes make me question my sanity but never my love.