Spring happenings

We have enjoyed our Spring this year! Brett had a work a lot of March and April, but I enjoyed my time home with the kids since I was on maternity leave!

Bath fun with bubble beards!

Rub a dub dub, three kids in the tub

 (We have a very small bathroom for the kids, and Elise is in there just a couple of minutes. So bath time is not as crazy as it might seem! The boys love it! Don't know about little sis yet :-)

Picnic lunch one afternoon

Our nightly routine of books, prayer and a story I tried my hand at bluebonnet pictures by myself...big mistake. We all went the weekend before as a family of five, but the place we normally take them was void in bluebonnets this year. So, I was gutsy (crazy) enough to take them. Once we got to the field that I knew would have them, I found out the camera battery was dead. So pictures with an iPhone it was. Oy vey!  Group selfie

Better one of the boys, horrible of me, ha!

Sweet brothers watching over sunbathing sister

Love. 

Then Jameston ruined the trip with an EPIC meltdown and Blake needed me to hold his hand as I held Elise. What was I thinking?!

Blake latest obsession is bubbles! 

So we bought him this mower bubble blower for his birthday

And big brother doesn't want to be left out! bubbles on the patio one morning:

The weather is slowly warming up (glad it is still bearable out), so we've played in the sprinkler some:

Another thing Blake got for his birthday was a soccer ball and goal (from Pops and GG). What fun they boys and Brett have had playing soccer in the backyard!

Blake's idea of playing with Elise #littlesiblingproblems

This boy has been hard on his momma (and daddy) as of late! I know some of it is normal behavior for a 4-year-old, but that doesn't help it seem any less difficult! We have sought advice from other parents and have been praying he turns a new leaf soon. He's so much fun when he's well behaved!

Since I started back to work in May, I usually go grocery shopping on my days "off"/at home (everyone knows being at home with kids is the hardest kind at work!). So it was finally time to go with all three in tow. Phew! Let's just say Brett may be going on his way home some afternoons, or one of us will go during the kids' naptime on the weekends:-)   I am still working my part-time schedule, with 2 1/2 days in the office. I would LOVE love love to stay at home full-time but money didn't grow on trees. I love what I do outside of the home and am blessed to have flexible hours, but I sure do miss my little ones! 

My best friend, Becca, welcomed her baby boy in early May. I got some baby snuggles in one weekend once they got settled in at home. So sweet!

We headed to Austin for a family reunion the second weekend in May. The boys LOVE long car trips thanks to the portable DVD player :-) It helps Brett's and my sanity as well!

Naptime during vacation, Jameston and Blake style:

They love all the wide-open spaces of Granny and Papa's! Secure in their boyhood enough to drive around in a Barbie car :-) 

As evidence of all the fun they were having, Blake took a nap before 10 the morning we headed into Austin for the family reunion!

Granny and Elise bonding

Cousin fun! about 20 second cousins in all:

How many kids can you fit in a pool?

The "big cousins," four out of the Winters' eight

Brett let Jameston "drive" up the hill to his parents house after church. He had a BLAST!! One afternoon after work, I took impromptu pictures of our three little blessings in their matching shirts:

Loving on sister, so sweet!

I attempted a selfie with all four of us. God has truly blessed me in life, but especially as a Mommy!