The Sweetest Things, 2015, Q1

As I sat down to begin writing this post, I quickly skimmed through my last one. I noted that it ended with me mentioning that I hoped to be able to do more writing in the coming months. Yet, here I sit, three months later, and for just the second time in 'blog history' I've written nary a single post from one Sweetest Things to the the next. Oh well. Life happens, doesn't it? Many mornings I've hoped to use my kid-free time to write, yet I've let pesky things like grocery shopping or school volunteering or household chores take precedent. One day I hope to be better about using me time as me time, but for now, I'll just move on. But first, here's a look back.
The Sweetest Things of 2015, Q1...

1. Mommy's New Hobby...this one has to be number one on the list because (a) it's occupied so much of time time these past few months, (b) it's the reason that when I began looking for photos for this post, rather than tons of pics of the kids, my phone was filled with pictures of old clothes, shoes, and toys, and (c) I've gotten more joy and excitement over this than I have out of anything in a long time. In late January, I was having coffee with a friend when she showed me a pair of shoes that she'd bought from a Facebook Moms' site. She told me how much she'd paid for them and what a great deal that was for the particular brand. I realized that I had a pair of shoes just like them at home that our girls had never worn and asked her if she would add me to the site just so I could sell the shoes. Oh. My. GOSH. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. This Facebook site, started by a local Charlotte mom, quickly became my addiction. My joy. My delight. Not only did I sell those little shoes, but I sold toys, household items, my clothes, and clothes that the kids had outgrown. This thing is infinitely easier than consignment stores or sales, as it only requires that I snap a picture, post it with a  description, secure a buyer, and then set the item on my front porch for pick up. As the money started rolling in, my competitive nature kicked in, too.  I began to set little goals for myself, and I've now almost doubled my initial sales goal. I've kept my buying to a minimum, and spent less than $30 on the site. The girls have gotten excited over my new hobby, too, and love checking the hiding spot for any money deposits each day. It's also inspired them to clean out their own rooms and closets. They were so excited the day they made their first sale, and earned $5 each to go towards their Disney World spending money.  The site has grown into a fantastic mom resource, too, and it the go-to place for local recommendations on everything for pediatric dentists to landscape architects. As hobbies go, it's not a bad one to have!
2. Creativity for Days...I've often commented that one of the things I most appreciate about my children is their ability to play on their own. I love that if I need (or, to be more honest, want) some time on my own, I need not rely on a movie to occupy them. As my mom and grandma said to me years ago, I just say, 'Go play!' and they do! 
   
   Love the detail created during some American Girl doll playtime.
   (One doll tending to another whose head hurts, another walking a dog, 
   one doing acrobats, another waving, and one alone because she was being bad.)
   Carter especially excels at independent play and is a great leader at guiding her little sisters in all sorts of creative endeavors. Beyond just playing though, I am often impressed at the creative ideas she concocts. 
   
   A Saturday morning playdate consisted of converting a box 
   into a getaway carriage for their wedding.
   Carter describes Michael's, the craft store, as her 'wonderland' and would rather spend time there than just about anywhere. Here's the result of an afternoon browsing for ideas for her Hundredth Day of School hat.
   
   She wore it again on the 101st Day, too.
   Poor thing just hates drawing attention to herself...
   
   Here, the girlies are pictured having a fancy tea party 
   at the luxurious Staybridge Suites.
   They kept themselves happy in the is little nook for well over an hour.
   Valentine's Day brought the chance for all of us to get our creative-on. It's the one time of year that I actually enjoy being crafty. I even headed up leading Carter's class in a craft (secret messages in bottles) at the Valentine Party. Our Valentines are always handmade and candy-free (when, oh when, did Valentine's Day become another Halloween?!?!) and really show the unique personalities of each girlie.
   
   Carter's Star Wars Cards.
   Glitter card stock. Carefully selected clipart (carefully cut out by Mom and Dad). 
   Light Saber favors (intended use is as cupcake toppers). 
   She wrote on each one,  'May the force be with you, Valentine.'
   
   Dressed the part.
   
   Murphy's Gem cards.
   Colored squares of card stock. Gem printed paper cut into circles.
   Fun straw favors. Mom wrote, 'Valentine, you are a gem.' 
   Murphy signed and personalized each one.
   My sweet, sparkly Valentine
   
   Conversation heart topiary tree.
   Carter spotted this on a google images search, 
   and she really wanted to make one.
   One afternoon in March, Carter hopped off the bus and was talking nonstop about a challenge from the music teacher to create an original instrument. On her own, with a little brainstorming with Lindsay and me, over the next two afternoons, she created this:
   
   A Marac-uitar.
   
   As her directions state, pinching the bands will lead 
   to popping of the rocks inside and make music.
   She anxiously awaited the winner to be announced - girl's got her Mom's competitive nature a mile deep - and we all celebrated big when she brought home the winning prize slip!
   Carter wrapped up another acting class session in March, but this time, she wasn't satisfied with playing just any role, so her teacher encourage her to create her own. 
   
   Not content to be a turnip like all the others,
   I present to you, Tabitha. Tabitha the Turnip Stealer.
   
   Miss Michelle has become more like a family member than a teacher.
   We heart her.
   Now, every once in awhile all this creativity can get to be a bit much. Like, for instance, when I'm cleaning up the playroom and I come across something like this: 
   
   I mean... what does one really do with a plate of zig-zag cut paper thingies?
   For all I know it's actually gold. Or food. Or credit cards.
   I do know that, whatever it is, I will be chastened heavily if I toss it...
   so, I will go hide it in under bigger things in the garage trash cans.
   And, if they ask about it?
   I'll blame the cleaning lady.
3. Celebrating Life...not only did this quarter bring Valentine's Day, it also included Lindsay and my nine year wedding anniversary. At times, nine years feels like a flicker and at others, an eternity. Regardless, we have made it almost a decade, and we celebrated by getting a sitter and spending an entire 24 hours alone. Together. 
   
   Gorgeous Skyline.
   Beautiful Life.
   Lindsay doesn't save his best dates just for me, Murphy Girl got two special dates with Daddy over the past few months.
   
   She treated him to a special manicure before they headed out to the Hornets game.
   
   She talked about Donuts with Dads for months before the big day.
   
   We all joined in to celebrate our fave on his birthday.
   
   And Carter was mesmerized by his gift of a record player.
   One of my favorite things about being a mom is creating traditions and making memories, from heading to Seventh Street Public Market on Saturday morning to Chuy's on Friday nights to Saturday night church followed by lazy Sunday mornings, I just love how, whatever we do, we do it all together. 
4. The Baby by Choice...when I last reported on our little Wright, she had just turned two, wasn't doing too much talking, and was in the midst of expressing herself via tantrums, violent outbursts, and occasional spitting. Now, three months later, she's become a princess obsessed, knock-knock joke telling little girl who has {strong} opinions about everything from what she's going to wear to what she's going to eat to what placemat she wishes to be served on to what song she'd long to hear sung while having her teeth brushed. {She of sweetly asks strongly demands All About that Bass in the place of the ABC song and Welcome to New York rather than The Wheels on the Bus. What can I say? The girl likes her pop music.} She has no problem vocalizing such opinions or shouting 'Stop it!' or 'Zip it up!' at any member of our household at nearly anytime she sees fit. (Fortunately, her teacher has described her as 'laid back' and 'easy going', so apparently, she's not such a bully - Murphy's descriptor - outside the home.) She's also quite opinionated about what developmental transitions she'd like to make, or not make, as it were. 
   
   Though she finds sitting on the potty quite entertaining,
   actually using it is a whole other story.
   The pediatrician says our big girl is ready to potty train, and, in fact, she can 'hold it' for hours on end. So I let her choose her own big girl underpants, offered her her favorite treats and toys, and plopped the potty down right in front of her favorite princess movie, but Ms. Wright has absolutely no interest in potty training. 'No panties! Wrighty wants diaper on,' she insists. And, not wanting to cause some sort of freaky Freudian issues later in life, I'm letting her lead the way on this one. She feels the same about moving to a big girl bed, 'Wrighty sleep in Wrighty's cribby. Sack (sleep sack) on,' she says after snuggling under the covers of the big girl bed for a few minutes. She also requests that I 'rock-a-baby', which, of course, I am more than happy to do. She's begun taking a keen interest in what she wears, and her fashionista big sis is always there to guide her in her wardrobe choices.
   
   The third little Lewellen lady to rock the blazer. 
   I texted this pic to a friend who said she loved Wright's 'pixie' hair style. 
   Yea, that's it. It was an intentional style. We'll go with that.
   
   Big sis, who was breaking out of her typical look and sporting high tops,
   is always happy to pose with the 'baby'. 
   
   My favorite of her preschool runway choices thus far.
   And, those hands in her pockets? Melt. Me.
   She's really jumped into play time with her big sisters, often being their puppy complete with fetching, begging, and panting. Many afternoons, she greets Carter at the door in puppy-mode. 
   
   Murphy, of course, only plays puppy in full royal attire.
   She enjoys a good movie, whether alone or with her sisters, and we were ALL happy when she branched out beyond the constant loop of Frozen. One could only watch Selsa and Anna so many times before feeling not-so-sane. 
   
   The biggest and the littlest.
   
   Solo viewing in Mommy's bed while sisters are at school.
   
   She loves being Murphy's baby,
   and Murphy has really embraced the big sister role lately.
   Our tiniest one really has a bold personality. Murphy and Carter often refer to her as a little bully, yet never dare retaliate in response (they are probably scared of what could come next!). I often joke that she is the one who rules us all, and in some ways she does. 
   
   All I wanted was a picture of my sweet girls in front of the tulips.
   She just refused. For three minutes straight, she refused to look up.
   
   And? Every now and then she gets completely exasperated 
   with running errands with Mommy all morning.
   So, she doesn't want to use the potty. So, she wants to stay in her crib. She is our baby, and I really don't mind if she wants to stay just that for a little while longer. 
5. Spring is Coming...after months of pseudo-snow (more like slush) days  and lots of rain and way too much cold, the first hints of spring early in the year were just wonderful. And, because we knew the warm days likely wouldn't be permanent, we took advantage of getting outside as much as we could. 

This is the first of what has become four fairy tee-pees the big girls have built.

Creativity + cooperative play + a sunny Sunday afternoon = Perfection.

One afternoon as I worked in the kitchen making homemade pizzas for dinner, I set the girls up with their own dough out on the back porch. 

That flour on the deck surface may actually still be out there.

{Who knew it would turn to glue when it rained that evening?}

Carter engaging Murphy in an author study on Dr. Seuss

one afternoon after school.

Something about open windows, green trees, birds chirping, sun shining, and flowers blooming just lifts my spirits. Of course, the girls immediately began asking when the pool will open, but I try to soak up every moment of the mild spring days being fully aware that summer's hot, humid days will be here before I know it. 

Well, I'm wrapping this post up two and a half weeks from when I began typing it. Little things like spring "break" (I can barely type that without laughing. Whoever named it that surely did not have three children under the age of seven.) and stomach bugs got in the way of my picturing editing and writing. And I'm looking ahead to just three more short weeks until preschool will end for the year (insert tears) and summer will be just around the corner for big school as well. It doesn't look like free time with be magically appearing anytime soon. 

Life is busy. Life is hectic. Life has never been Sweeter.