Hello to Summer

Ahh....It's summer.

There's really nothing new at the Blom house. We are remodeling our kitchen (pics to come soon), but I am enjoying summer. The last month of school was busy, as usual. I love all of the end of the year hustle and bustle. I also love how it comes to a screeching halt. It doesn't taper off, slowly die down. The end-of-the-year checklist has us going a hundred miles a minute. Then, June 6th, it all stops.

These last two weeks have been dreamy, so far. We go to the pool any day it is sunny and above 70 (three days so far), Little Miss plays outside more than inside. Playdates, the library (her favorite book is Aliens Love Underpants) and strawberry picking, complete with tractor rides! She is having a blast and everyday she convinces me more and more that she is a joyful child and delightful daughter.

An added bonus of our busy days? Long naps. I'm talking about 2.5-3 hours of quiet time. I've finally gotten caught up on laundry, organizing and cleaning! Our bathroom is sparkling and the Little One's closet is organized. I also made strawberry jam! I felt like I reached a whole new level of homemaker with that achievement. Salsa is up next! The little one loves helping me in the garden and has a great time pointing out our tiny "baby" peppers and tomatoes. She is quite the helper in the garden. Well, sometimes a helper and sometimes she just likes to tease Luke with the hose.

I love that Morton is starting to feel like home. I love running into people we know at the pool, library, restaurants and the grocery store. Those are the things that make you feel like you are part of a community. Our house is continually changing and we have lots of projects and remodeling going on, but I have to admit that Josh is making true on this promise to turn this house into my dream home.

So, no new news here, just loving the time with Josh and that perfect little girl. I am soaking up all the sunshine, and quality time with my favorite almost 3 year-old. I am so thankful I have a career where I can get this time with her. Life is so good in the summer.

She is a little fishy!

Strawberry picking - perfect way to start summer. 

The Best Heart

I have officially come to the conclusion that 2 year-olds have the best hearts. I know...you are now thinking of the "terrible twos" and some certain child who was a terror at that age. But from what I have witnessed these last couple months, I have to disagree. My daughter has absolutely the best heart, and she is only 2 and a half! I am sure she is not the only one either.

I have had a stressful/disappointing/faith-testing couple of months. Call it whatever you like, it's been rough. I just haven't felt like myself, been more negative than usual and I have just felt blah. I am sure that this extended winter we had did not help the matter. To be totally honest, I've been short on patience, motivation and I have just been grumpy lately.

Anyway, enter Little Miss. She is just the best little girl in the world. Her world is so full of love, so full of excitement, that she cannot seem to be able to contain it. She does not have a care in the world. This has been my light the last couple months and the thing that makes me smile.Granted, she's two, so we have had our share of meltdowns.However, I have noticed that she does something better than I do. I think she does it better than most adults do. She moves on. She truly forgives and genuinely forgets. It is amazing. Her fits last about one minute, then she moves on. It doesn't matter if she's upset at the way I made her sandwich or crying because Luke head-butted her and gave her a goose-egg (true story), after about a minute she forgives and is ready to move on with her happiness. No grudges, no whining, just done with it. What an amazing thing to be able to do.

She finds true joy in everything. I love to watch her experience the simple things, because I know that one day she will want more. She currently loves swinging, playing with sticks and leaves, and helping me water flowers. Somersaults and running in the grass seem like they could bring her joy forever. She loves carrying the dog's food bowl to it's place. She skips everywhere she goes and sings nonsense songs. Everything about her eludes joy and love. She loves when I make peanut butter and jelly. She loves the world and is so joyful about her life.

I read somewhere recently an article written towards parents of 2-4 year olds. It said "You will never be more loved than this." Oh, how that sentence pulled at me. She shows me more unconditional love than I could ever want or deserve. I tear up when I think about how absolutely blessed I am that God gave me this much love in my life. I thank Him for giving me her, for giving me this absolute love and joy. It leaves me speechless. She never seems to tire of giving me hugs, kisses or cuddles. Every time I see her I get a giggly, smiley welcome and the best hug you could imagine. It doesn't matter if I was gone for the weekend or I just went to the basement to switch laundry. Each reunion is equally as excited and joyful. It is just something that makes my heart swell. I never want this overwhelming love and joy to leave her. "You will never be more loved than this", made me realize this time with her is fleeting. Soon sticks and leaves won't be good enough to play with. Picking her up from middle school will surely not have the same excitement. I know there will always be love, but it won't be of the same magnitude.

So, I am on a mission. I don't know how to get there, but I will surely welcome any advice. I am going to embrace her whirlwind of love and hold onto it as long as I can. I vow to never turn down a hug, extra cuddle or kiss. Spontaneous, "I love you Mommy"'s will always make me stop and tell her how much I love her as well. I just want to keep her little and store all of these things in my heart. Long-live the loving, joyful whirlwind that are the toddler years.

A Few Of My Favorite Things (about Little Miss)

This is really not an exciting post. Just something for my little family to look back on and smile. I am sure wie will be adding things as we go. Just some things that I want to remember. From Winter 2013 - Spring 2014

1. Coming down to find her playhouse Christmas morning. And promptly looking at me and saying "Oh no, there are no snacks."

2. How much she loves her friend Jude (who calls her sweetie).

3. And how much she loves Luke. Who she referred to for a long time as "a mouse named Cheese".

4. How she takes her shoes and socks off, wiggles herself down in her carseat and opens the windows with her toes. Speaking of that, how about the time her socks somehow made it out the window.To which she told me "They flew away to be with their family".

5. The wonderful balance of independence (Mommy, can do it. I'm good) and wanting me there (Mommy, I thought I lost you!)

6. Helping her daddy, while giving me a heart attack.I am guessing this is something that is not going to change.

7. When Josh is sitting on the couch and she grabs his hand and says "Come dance with me Prince". And I sit and watch them dance all across the living room.

8. And all of these faces.

9. The sweet, sweet way she holds my cheeks in her hands and kisses me all over my face. My heart feels like it is going to explode.

I just can't help but think how things have changed. She is evolving and changing into the best little girl, more perfect than I could have ever dreamed of. We are so incredibly lucky