We have spent some good time outside over the past few days enjoying the beautiful weather and soaking in the joys of

Yesterday we made recycled milk jug bird feeders. Rachael picked brown for the paint color, which initially I thought to be kinda ugly, but shrugged and pulled it out. Post-project I think it cute because our milk jugs look like they’re filled with chocolate milk. =) We also used colored paperclips for the “string.”

With proper supervision,

We took our painting joys outdoors to the plastic picnic table I got for $2 at a garage sale last year. Old shirts made nice paint smocks.

Then I handed them the paint brushes (strategically picking a smaller brush for the little one) and gave them one rule, “Paint the inside, not the outside.” Look at the concentration.

“Inside, not outside,” was the preschooler and toddler chant for the first five minutes of painting.

We used non-toxic and washable paint on the inside so should some rain water get in, we won’t kill the very Snow White friends we were intending to feed. I had an image of bird carcasses littering the yard and the cats losing all control and felt assured in my paint selection. =)

And also this was the reason I used washable, non-toxic paint.

They seemed to highly enjoy the project.

And they did a great job keeping the paint inside the milk jugs, with only a few splotches on skin and table.

Later we found some time to do sidewalk chalk before the late morning rain clouds approached.

Fill and dump mischief.

I just love being a part of their little thinking world.

And I was again reminded that she has become a little girl.

And while she may be getting huge… she’s still my baby.

– Great times had by all.

Last night for pajamas I picked out none other than a pair of shorts. Now this is impressive on two levels. 1. The weather is warm enough for me to think this a good idea and 2. I’m was not freezing to death due to this pregnancy last night to even think about exposing my sun-needing legs.

For the past three pregnancies I have been a hot mess -literally, but for this one I’m cold. Take whatever housewife tales you want from that as to whether I am carrying a boy or a girl. 😉

Rachael has clearly voted for a girl, explaining a few times at random that Hannah (our girl choice name) is a really good name. I’m still not sure if she knows that her opinion will not create the gender of this baby.

In other news, our little red wagon has gotten much use amid the neighborhood walks. I had left it on the front porch after our first walk and thus been reminded about it since.

Yesterday it was so beautiful that we ditched the red wagon, due the distance we’d need to travel and the fact that if we bring the wagon then all 35lbs of a three year old feels the need to ride, and grabbed the stroller. Abi is still young enough that her legs give out at the end of the street. So instead of carrying the 26lb toddler on my hip, I thank the Lord for strollers and so does my back and arms.

After digging through the shoes box of hand-me-down shoes, I happily busted out a pair of little white (really off-white, but still lovable) sandals for my growing-footed toddler. Abi smiled as she wiggled her toes in the open air.

When Rachael asked for a pair of sandals as well, naturally, I was sad to not offer her the same excitement (Rachael LOVES getting clothes and shoes from the hand-me-down box ironically). So to the dollar store we headed. Oddly enough, our local dollar store has decent “throw away” shoes that are surprisingly well made. The sandals don’t usually make it to the hand-me-down box, as well as the Chuck Taylor’s (LOVE) do, but for $4, they have a great variety of styles and options. Rachael was thrilled to get to “pick out her own” shoes after I had weeded out the ones that would not fit with her wardrobe or the flip-flop between-the-toe ones that I knew she would highly dislike. So she picked these white ones with pink/purple butterflies (who would have thought) over the yellow/gray butterflied ones. I’m glad she picked them, they’re cute.

And of course until they break (your feet) in, they produce this:

When we turned the corner of our block on the way home we saw much to our squeals of delight and running, DADDY WAS HOME!!! I love watching a three year old’s reckless abandonment to hug her Daddy. “We just saw him at lunch,” isn’t going through her mind. She just adores him and Abi would have run too if she wouldn’t have been caged in Mommy’s favorite, a stroller. =) But Abi’s kicking legs and flailing arms spoke volumes of her intentions.

Bubble play with Daddy was a necessity on such a beautiful afternoon. These pictures brought to you by Matt’s photography skills. =)

Then two little ones delighted in standing on the back of the couch to watch Mommy refill the bird feeder. I watered just about everything but the bird feeder with small, weed-producing seeds. GREAT! But a successful bird feeder fill did eventually happen.

Dinner, nursery and youth group at church concluded our evening and produced a Mommy in pajamas of shorts tuckered out after a wonderful day.

Hope the weather finds you outside too.