A little life, spring 2024

A friend of mine and I often discuss the practice of finding delight in our "little lives." My life isn't glamorous, but there are moments where I am acutely aware of the gift of the life I have, as mama to these two little boys, and wife to Nicholas. My friend and I often send photos of these moments to each other, the moments of clarity and thankfulness for our little lives.

My previous "life lately" post was back in February, so I am certainly due to share another. I love looking back on these collections of little snippets of our life.

Lately, we have:

• rotated to some more "springlike" decor (and I am loving my calendar from Loré Pemberton)
• made capes out of silks (pairs well with our foam/silk sword)
• painted watercolors at the kitchen table
• snuggled with a joyful (almost) two-year-old and his train, who is now two!
• received spontaneously picked flowers from little boys (me)
• listened to birdsong (and identified birds with the awesome free resource that is the Merlin app)
• practiced writing our own names (Cooper!)
• held hands walking to the library

• visited our favorite spot for smoothie dates (the little boys and I)
• made homemade vanilla ice cream
• had family movie nights on the basement sectional
• played "yarn store" with Cooper (one of his favorite "games!" that allows me time to quite literally shop my yarn collection, and it's fun with him
• worked on jigsaw puzzles
• played outside with friends, including elaborate pantry stocking in the playhouse
• watched new leave emerge on our big elephant ear plant

• bought grocery store tulips
• read books with Daddy (Cooper and Finn)
• watched the partial solar eclipse
• learned how to become a bridge (Finn)
• wore dresses to church (me)
• sat next to Grandpa at church (Finn)
• visited with my family! (separate post coming on that soon)
• enjoyed many fikas with Cooper, while Finn napped. Tea and snacks and crafts (shared, or our own).

Of course there have been other things as well, frustrations and exhausted days and parenting challenges and joys. I wrote about our finding redemption in loss, about all our little local (outdoor) adventures, about my creative projects in March, about what I've been making and enjoying in the kitchen, lately, and about Finn's second birthday.

All those little things make up a full life!

And, I should mention that my SIL Katelyn, took a couple photos of Nicholas and I together and I love them! It's midday sun, but so nice to have a snapshot of us from right now.