The Last 5 Days

After a weekend of family, baking, entertaining, and working, I billed 12 hours on Monday and 16 hours yesterday, so it's been pretty busy around here. On the plus side I've worn two of my three new dresses and received more compliments in those two days than I normally do in a month, and it turns out feeling good is even more effective than caffeine at keeping you going on very little sleep. On the minus side, I missed family dinner last night for the first time ever because I had to stay at the office. I did not like it, but it's so rare that I really can't complain too much. I made it home ten minutes before bedtime, gave the Biscuit a pat on the head, read Landon a book, and then logged back in and worked until 12:30.

But back to this weekend. We've been investing in our great outdoors. Two weekends ago we ripped out a bunch of overgrown plants in our front yard and I gardened for the first time ever, planting 20 beautiful orange flowers that I have grown very fond of and check on every day. We also tore down the playscape in our backyard, which had rotted in the years since the original owners put it up. We posted the gravel on craigslist, offering it free to to anyone who wanted to shovel it, and after 5 takers and 8 truck loads, it was finally gone. On Saturday morning JP and Landon tilled the area, shoveled dirt, and planted sod.

Our backyard now looks 5x bigger. I love it.


Also love? JP's arms. Just saying.

While the boys were working hard outside, I baked the world's most delicious carrot cake inside. Then Landon and I ate cream cheese frosting by the spoonful until JP interrupted the fun and started rambling about cavities, so we moved on to decorating.

The top cupcake is for Papa Stan; adding the letter was very important to Landon

Then we decorated the rest of the kitchen for Papa's 55th birthday party.

After Clairebear woke up from her 4 hour nap (yes, 4 hours! It is awesome and yet I miss her so much by the end- I'm fine at work all day, but knowing she's just right upstairs and I could be playing with her makes me want to go up and make a bunch of noise outside her bedroom door), she finger-walked all around the kitchen table and then tried to rile the honey badger.

Badger Baiting

My parents and siblings arrived and the birthday celebration was simple and perfect. We had pizza and salad and my dad's favorite cake. He loves having all his kids under one roof, so when you have that plus an adoring grandson and a smiley granddaughter, you get a very happy Papa.

We took my parents hiking on the Greenbelt, which they loved. Landon was an excellent little trail master and Claire suffered quietly through the immobility of the baby bjorn when all she really wanted to do was this:

Zombie Baby

Yes, the Biscuit is vertical. She stands up all on her own, in the middle of the floor, and can hold her position for over a minute. If you call for her, she squats down gracefully to her hands and then takes off in your direction, with a face that flips between great joy and fierce determination. But sometimes, when properly motivated, she will take a step or two before making her controlled descent.

All in all it was a lovely weekend, and even though I worked 6 hours on Sunday, I got to do it from my kitchen table while watching my two little ones giggle and play. And they really do play. The interaction between the two of them continues to be the very brightest spot in what was already a pretty bright life. I'm exhausted, but can't help smiling right now just thinking about them.

Alright, I've caught up on my DVR'd shows (Glee was a huge disappointment, I agree with this review completely), two missed glasses of wine (not a disappointment), and my pictures and blogging, so it's time for bed. I need to rest up for our next discovery deadline and my upcoming Easter Bunny duties! I can't believe there was ever a time I really believed that a giant bunny hopped to my house and hid my Easter basket and eggs, but Landon is totally on board and I can't disappoint.