Life lately, late April 2025

It's been several weeks since I've shared a bit about our life, as of late! The warmer days we've had recently have been welcome. We are still tracking our hours outside and wow, is it easier to log more hours when we don't need to bundle up. So many exciting things to anticipate about spring, some I wanted to mention here.

A few little favorite things

a green sweatshirt that it outside of my usual "color wheel," but I love it!
many games of Mancala. Cooper is rather competitive with it and Finn is beginning to get the hang of it as well, actually. We often pair a game alongside fika (sourdough scones and milk for him, coffee for me).
I framed a favorite print from my 2024 Loré Pemberton calendar, and swapped in some more springy decor around the house: dried flowers my mom brought us, and a faux eucalyptus wreath for our peg rail. We also added a new console table for the entryway and I'm really enjoying that the space is feeling more "finished."
Weekly grocery order pickup at Meijer, Walmart, Target, or Aldi. I really didn't utilize this enough until we had three kids. It's so convenient! Arlo usually comes up front for snuggles if we have to wait a few minutes for someone to bring our order out.
We gave Cooper a subscription to Spark Magazine for Christmas and we are really enjoying it! There are puzzles and craft activities, as well as lots of sketching and drawing prompts. And it's been so fun for him to get something in the mail just for him.
We watched The Secret Life of Walter Mitty together as a family a couple weekends ago, and I remembered just how much I love that movie. It's funny and touching and clever and the soundtrack is perfect. I love that the boys now recognize José Gonzalez songs from the soundtrack if I play them in the car.

Celebrating

A few weekends ago, I went to bridal shower for my SIL, Katelyn, and her Fiancé, Devin, hosted by dear family friends. The decor and food was beautiful and it was so thoughtfully put together with custom cookies, a beautiful charcuterie board, and balloons. It was a wonderful day celebrating their upcoming marriage in less than a week! We cannot wait to celebrate you two.

We celebrated Easter Sunday (He is risen)! Oh, what sweetness there is to be found living in a reality where Christ's death on the cross and his resurrection defeated sin and death forever. I felt especially moved this year as we sang, "All Hail, King Jesus," during the sunrise (6:45am) service and I wore a sleeping baby in the carrier. My father-in-law came over for lunch. He made mashed potatoes and we baked a ham, carrots, and sourdough dinner rolls. After a yummy lunch, the boys searched for eggs with a few "cleaner" candy treats, followed by coffee and some puzzling. What a wonderful Easter Sunday.

Local friends and community

We've visited friends' homes for outside play (think deep play where all the kids were busy creating a "museum" with rocks and sticks and other found treasures). And always coffee and life-giving conversation with my friend, Lauren.
Celebrating one of Cooper's little buddies' birthday! Such a fun party where the kids spent hours outside hauling sticks around between a fun snacky lunch and cake and presents.
Having my friend, Molly, over for sourdough Pulla (cardamom) bread and catching up, always with at least a little bit of knitting.

Our boys

Every day consists of countless brother snuggles. Cooper and Finn are still just as enamored with Arlo, as ever (to be honest, so are Nicholas and I).
Arlo is four months old! He is babbling and laughing and such a little joy.
Cooper and Finn's favorite activities as of late include Legos, building with tiles (Cooper builds some impressive structures), playing swords/shields, building forts, and pretending that they are both Link from The Legend of Zelda. Outside, they are busy exploring the woods, riding scooter, searching for special rocks, looking for toads, and gathering sticks. Oh, and Finn is especially attached to a very cheap pair of black mittens. He wears them everywhere as his "work gloves."

Making

I finished a set of coasters and some dishcloths for Katelyn in her favorite color. I finished up a brioche cowl, and I've been working on a new gift hat project as my smaller, portable project. My Sonder sweater yoke is done and I've split for sleeves, so I'm pleased with that progress.

And Nicholas built a cedar raised garden bed! We so enjoyed our garden at our previous home and I'm excited to actually garden a bit more this year (versus last year, when I had one, sad potted tomato plant that I always forgot to water). The garden looks beautiful. The boys "helped" with the process. Nicholas built it one weekend and filled it the next weekend, and of course, the next step will be to plant.

Weekends and family outings

I took the boys to our local arboretum for a picnic the other day. It was hot(!) and blue skies and sunny, and we had so much fun. It definitely felt like a summer day with temperatures close to 80 degrees F.

And last weekend, we had a very fun family day visiting a local garden. We packed a picnic lunch, since that rhythm works really well for us right now. We walked around, the boys looked for rocks and sticks (always), we admired flowers in bloom, and Nicholas and Cooper climbed trees.

And that is a not-very-concise summary of life over the last several weeks! We have a wedding in the family next weekend and many more exciting things coming up. And of course, there will be many more ordinary days made up of regular and wonderful things, as well.