Meet Hershey

So really this post should be about the fact that we just moved this weekend, but I can't really wrap my mind around that post yet, so I'm writing about Hershey instead.

Meet Hershey. The dog I have walked with my children for over two years.



We started when Weston was not quite one and have walked him twice a week ever since. Through beautiful days, hot days, cold days, very pregnant days...it has been a weekly adventure. I'm a creature of habit, so we take the same route every time. We watch houses go for sale, pumpkins arrive on porches, then Christmas decorations, then the planting of flowers. Sometimes we go to the playground first and have lunch. Sometimes we end up driving there because we've been running errands.



I think it's been an awesome thing for the kids. I would go on walks with them anyway, but maybe not as long and probably not on the days when the weather is not grand. Even at three, Weston understands that it's our "job" and that we're responsible for Hershey and we have to do it even when he doesn't feel like it. He can stay in the stroller for almost an hour which I think is pretty good for a three year old. This does require me to answer approximately 184 questions in that time span, but when else would I take the time to describe all the details of pruning bushes to a preschooler? And Lily just takes it easy in the back, points to everything inquisitively and tries to throw her shoes out the sides.

And sometimes snoozes...


We're going to miss ol' Hershey. I mean, both of my kids' third word was "dog". I'm not really a dog person, so the fact that I'm getting all sappy over one is pretty significant. So long little canine friend...

Grateful for...

#24 Hershey dog

#25 Crazy awesome family and friends that helped and encouraged and prayed for us through the move.

#26 A husband who knows me

#27 My ever so gracious and generous parents

MoBot

I Heart St. Louis City. Mostly when the weather's nice. Not when it rains incessantly and not when I get a parking ticket in front of my own house on street sweeping day. ANYWAY, there are so many COOL and FREE things to do here which makes a mama like me have heart palpitations...nothing's free anymore, right? Well the Missouri Botanical Garden is on Wednesday and Saturday mornings (for residents) and we partook on a nice Wednesday last week. They have an awesome exhibit right now where they've built tree houses (made out of trees, not IN the tree) and they were so interesting to play in and admire. Having a husband in the construction business, I kept thinking, "Kurt would really appreciate the way they did ____."


They also have a huge children's garden and since last summer Lily was just able to sit up, it was really fun to watch her run and play...



If this picture doesn't summarize the end goal of every move Lily makes with her brother, I don't know what does...



Grateful for:

#17 The Lord pairing fearlessness with toughness in Lily

#18 Weston doing a FANTASTIC job at the audiologist as we and others had prayed for

#19 Weston's hearing test coming back as temporary hearing loss and not permanent

#20 Friends willing to help

#21 Simply Lemonade mixed with seltzer water on a sunny day

#22 Trees against a cloudless sky

#23 American Idol...which really means couch date with husband

Lauging over Spilled Milk

Life with littles was pretty much summarized last week with this scenario:

While both children happened to sleep at the same time, I took the opportunity to sweep and mop the kitchen and hardwood floors that usually get crusted over every 2-3 days. They woke up just as I was finishing, so we had a snack right away so they would be up off the wet floor. They snacked in the kitchen and I finished up the living room and dining room. I came in to get Lily down from her high chair and within the same second Weston had knocked over a full glass of milk all over himself, stool and clean kitchen floor. We don't make a big deal about accidents around here, so Weston just got down and helped me clean it up and I held my tongue of uttering a word about how freshly clean the kitchen floor was. Meanwhile, Lily wants in on the action and decides to splash through the milk puddles and run all through the house with milky feet. The floors weren't even dry yet. I laughed. And it was of God because sweeping and mopping are not my favorite chores. This is what I do right now...clean messes as messes are happening. All acts of cleanliness WILL be undone within five minutes. I think I'm starting to get over it.

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Colossians 3:17) Nothing mentioned here about the end result of the deed, just why I'm doing it.

#9 Spilled milk

#10 Little boy chatting and playing "alligator" with pair of kitchen tongs while I cook dinner

#11 Baby legs (real ones, not the leg warmers)

#12 A face of delight every time he fits a puzzle piece in

#13 A dear friend I never tire of hanging out with

#14 Little face waiting for me at the screen door

#15 Number of calories burned chasing Lily

#16 The Lord gracing over my mothering mistakes


And just for good measure...

My Favorite Mispronuniciations

Weston only has a few words left that he doesn't pronounce exactly. It's kind of sad when your child starts talking articulately. Here are the few that remain...

Fravorite (favorite)
Workhog (warthog)
Flamily (family)
Pwenguin (penguin)
bulldaloller (bulldozer)

And gratitude...

#4 A double rainbow on a dreaded grocery trip
#5 Ten whole minutes of both babies still and snuggling on my lap
#6 Getting up early
#7 Bird songs
#8 Handy Husband