can't quite keep up.

Things are happening in rapid-fire succession around here, and I can't quite keep up.

I guess that's not really new, actually, but still...



Hannah's potty skills are continuing to improve.  She doesn't go consistently on the potty, but I've been trying to suggest she try when she wakes up, before nap time (on the weekends), and before bedtime.  Most times we're successful:)  This week, we overcame a huge hurdle - she went #2 on the potty - two times!  I was so proud, and so was she!

Tonight, she kept saying, "Oh, man," at the same time she'd bring her little fist to the table.  Very funny, indeed.

While we were eating dinner, she randomly broke into song - "No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

Before bedtime, while Daddy, Jack, and Hannah were all snuggling on the floor, she sat up and asked, "Picture?" because the last time they did that I ran for my camera.

She definitely keeps us on our toes.  I remember with Jack, right around the age of two, I had so many little pieces of paper around the house with all of the adorable things he was doing every day.  I still have those scraps - one of my goals is to eventually get them all onto this blog in some organized fashion.  We shall see.

I am making head-way on my own happiness project, though.  This week, I got completely caught up with scanning the kids' artwork into the computer and getting everything filed the way I think will work best for us.  And then, energized by an online sale at Shutterfly and a coupon I was given after our Easter Bunny visit, I made the past years' artwork photo books.

Click here to view this photo book larger

Shutterfly photo books offer a wide range of artful designs and embellishments to choose from.

Anyway, that's what's happening around these parts.

My Words, Hush Puppies, Toofers, and Valentines

There's a lot going on around here, as usual.  This week is a training week for me at work, and in addition to that, Valentine's Day, Brad's birthday, and Aunt Jess' bridal shower are all occurring at the end of the week.  The kids have Valentine's Day parties (and therefore need valentines!), and I'm also trying to implement some organizational/life-simplifying strategies I'm learning of while reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.

picture source

I never got around to my Words for 2013 post, but I've sort of decided that they are going to be:

organize
simplify
enjoy.

Organize - I appear to be organized, but really I have piles of various importance hidden throughout my house and to-do lists in every imaginable place.  Some of the items on said lists have been there for years.  No lie.  It's time to hunker down and get stuff done.  Last night, I finally labeled hanging folders (infant through senior year of high school) for Jack and Hannah's organizational file boxes (which we purchased before Christmas!).  I even put a few piles of their school paperwork into the appropriate folders.  This made me smile for hours and feel as though a huge weight had been lifted off of my shoulders.  Now I just need to figure out where to place these boxes so that I can easily access them on a daily basis...

Simplify - I'm getting rid of extra crap.  As soon as I see it.  I'm not writing it down on a to-do list to do this summer.  I'm saying no to things I know I can't handle.  I'm trying not to create extra routines that are unnecessary.  I'm having my groceries delivered (seriously folks?  this has been life-changing!).

Enjoy - Sometimes I get so stressed out and overwhelmed by the never-ending to-do list I create for myself that I forget to enjoy the process of things.  I'm trying to slow down and enjoy more.  I think I do a pretty good job of this when it comes to the kids, but I could do better.  And I could also allow myself to just relax and do nothing once in awhile without feeling guilty about it and then stressing about what could have gotten done...  It's a vicious cycle.  And this year?  It stops.  At least a little.

Anyway - those are my words, and I'm reading The Happiness Project for inspiration.  You should too!

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Check out this adorable video I took of Hannah last month:

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This year, I wanted to do something a little special for the kids' valentines to their friends.  The paper valentines are cute, but I've done that since Jack was in the toddler room and it gets a little boring.  Not to mention that there are the cutest ideas on Pinterest, and some of them looked rather manageable:)

Here's what we've decided for Jack:

Source: tatertotsandjello.com via Erika on Pinterest

and Hannah:

Source: blog.craftzine.com via Erika on Pinterest

I can't wait to show you how our versions turn out!