Under the Table and Reading Until Spring

Surprisingly, I woke up very early this morning considering we sprung ahead an hour. I came into the kitchen to make my a.m. Joe when the crumbs on the floor and dust on the stove got to me. I started cleaning and became annoyed thinking that as soon as the kids and hubby got up, the floors and counters would appear as if I'd never even cleaned them. But fortunately I caught myself in the midst of my negative thoughts and reminded myself that this year's project is to find the positives in life vs focusing on the challenges.

What does a dirty house with crumbs on the floor and dirty bibs on the counter really mean? It is a house fully lived in. A house where there is constant foot traffic. A house where love runs in and out every day.

A sparkly clean house would merely mean I was putting more importance on what visitors thought of me than spending time being fully present to my kids. Or, it could mean a house that is not open to receiving love because I'm not filling it with friends and family who I enjoy spending time with.

As I swept old peas and Cheerios into the dust pan I smiled. My house is a house that is FULL.

And speaking of full---the past two weeks have been chock-full of celebration. Why?  Spring is just around the corner and us Northeasterners deserve it more than ever this year! How have we been celebrating in the Menoni household?

We jumped on the mattress with our friend Carly after Pop Pop and BaBa left.

We went to visit the seals and penguins at the Maritime Aquarium before they head out for more appealing temperatures.

Emerson and I had a tea party while big brother rested. (We have tea parties with big brother too but enjoy having our own as he likes to hog all of the tea cups).

(My girl knows just what to do)

After our tea party, I told her that I needed to get some work done so she'd have to play alone for a bit. About 30 seconds into my emails I saw this next to my chair....

(I mean, could you resist?!)

Then she pulled out the full-on scrunch nose for me and my heart melted....

I picked her up and loved on her because it's what she needed. After a good snuggle I put her back down and told her that "Mommy needs just two more minutes." About 15 seconds later I felt a knockin' on my tooshie....

Although it can be challenging sometimes to get just a minute to ourselves as moms, I know there will come a day when I will look back on these times and relish to have one of those sweet little faces looking at me craving nothing but my love. 

Nothing says Spring like eggs so we have been making a lot of them!

Hunter has always loved eggs but he has become very interested in helping mommy cook them. At the suggestion of his school director's, we looked up eggs on the Internet which led us to a You Tube video. After watching it several times a day he knows how to make Gordon Ramsey's perfect scrambled eggs. 

Not only is Hunter mastering his cooking skills, but much to my chagrin, he has also mastered throwing his food or cup off of his tray multiple times during a meal. I've become a broken record asking, "where does our food go?" to which he always answers "on our plate." (I try to focus on the positive vs the negative with discipline).

Today, after he threw his empty egg bowl on the floor I said in my stern Mommy voice, "Hunter? Where  does our food stay?" to which he did this......

I'm pretty sure he thought I couldn't see him. It took every ounce of my being not to bust out laughing! But, rest assured, he still was aware that our food stays on our plate--he just likes to test me a few times a day to make sure I'm on my toes. 

Another way we are commemorating the arrival of Spring is eating lots and lots of berries.

I asked Hunter to smile and I got this....

Do warmer temperatures mean less sibling rivalry? Earlier this week the kids were playing so nicely together that I started taking photos. Typically, Hunter is hitting Emerson on the head with his harmonica. 

As I was taking photos a full-on crayon fight broke out. And little sister has decided she's not taking any more smack from her big bro.

I don't think I need to tell you who won.

I thought I had clean floors until I saw this....yikes!

(Somebody get the Swiffer out!)

I built a fort for us to get inside and read books. A flashlight always helps to lure them in....

Notice Sissy in the background. She loves to do anything her big brother is doing.

Or maybe she just wanted to show who was in charge of the flashlight.

They loved it! 

Before we know it we'll be enjoying sunshine, walks on the beach, sand between our toes and ice cream. But for now, we'll enjoy being warm and cozy in our crumb-and-love-filled home until Spring arrives.

Snug Dresses & Dance Moves

 I did it!

Dancin' in that dress with my gorgeous sister-in-law

Totally dorkin' out here but, like I said, "wreckless abandon."

My hubby who claims he doesn't like to dance was literally glued 

to the dance floor all night--and he looked GOOD!

And I wasn't the only one.....

Was it worth it? Totally! And, you know what I realized? I love my family. Not only the one I got but, the one I married into too. I'm blessed. 

Hands and Harmonicas

I used to think it sounded so cliche' when people would say, "enjoy your kids now because they grow up in the blink of an eye." 


Well, I've learned. They do. 


And, the more kids you have, I believe the faster they grow up. I feel as if I just had Emerson yesterday and she is 4 weeks shy of her first birthday. 


You don't realize it until a brief moment passes and you know you have crossed a new bridge. I was reading a flip book with Hunter this week. As he used his tiny little hands to open the flaps in the book, I realized it. His hands were no longer baby hands. They were the hands of a boy. 

Although it warms me to see the boy he's becoming, it aches my heart a bit to know he is no longer a baby and will need me less and less. 

Our new favorite activity is the harmonica. As you can see above, we rarely are without one of the three we own....even at mealtimes. 

Hunter is constantly practicing and he's good. Actually, really good. But, what gets me is that he plays with reckless abandon. He doesn't care what he sounds like or what anyone thinks. He just plays because he loves it. 

And he plays for anyone who will listen. 

Playing for Aunt Kiersten

Why do we lose that kind of passion as adults? Why do we shy away from singing in the shower or getting out on the dance floor when every ounce of our inside is screaming to be let free? Who was that moron who told us we weren't good at something or made us feel bad about the way we sing, dance or anything else for that matter?! I'm quite confident that he/she isn't even as good as us at doing it so why did we believe him/her? 

I don't want to be at the end of my life looking back wishing I'd sung a little louder, clapped a little harder or grooved a little bigger. This is it folks! Do you not break out into a full grin when you see someone next to you in their car belting out a song? You laugh at them but then you secretly wish you had enough guts to do it too!

And you know what? When you are having the time of your life doing something you enjoy and not caring what others think, you draw like a magnet. Who doesn't want to be around someone who is comfortable with themselves? Take my little harmonica man. His friend Carly saw him having such a great time playing his musical instrument at their weekly play date that she brought along her own harmonica the next week so they could do it together. 

As I type this I hear the sweetest little harmonica melody coming from a crib upstairs. And although I know its not on key or following any sort of musical phrasing, it's nothing but beautiful because it's played with all heart. 

This week I'm challenging myself to totally rock out on the dance floor (I'm going to a wedding). I actually bought a dress that I wouldn't typically wear. Yup, it's a little tighter than I normally do but, hey, I'm gonna rock it while I got it! 

What will you do? C'mone! Sing in the shower or even in the car. But, to make it really feel good, do it will gusto and do it with heart!!