Spring Has Sprung!

It's SPRING!! And I, for one, am so happy about that! We've been busy lately and are looking forward to spring break in a few weeks. Easter is so late this year! This is a hodge podge blog post so get ready! 

We took Hank for a little spring photo shoot this past weekend and they turned out so cute that I can hardly stand it! One of my spring/summer goals is to make a photo book of those ones and his 1st Birthday party. 

Hank is on the move and it's so nice going outside again for walks, park visits, and to the swings. He loves throwing balls and walking in grass. I've been trying some new recipes, reading good books (click HERE for my March reads post), watching all my shows, doing the teaching thing, fitting in workouts, and more. 

I've recently gotten into making Indian food....might be the giant thing of naan bread I added to my Costco cart! This is pre-made tikka masala sauce with chicken, some sauteed veggies and basmati rice. Easy peasy and delish. 

I enjoyed a fun craft night with some friends. Girl time is so so so important to me and I am so thankful for friends and "Ladies Nights." 

 Last weekend we went on a date and then to Target to shop for Hank's Easter basket. We went pretty low key, but we are excited for the "Easter Bunny" to bring him Paw Patrol sneakers, a Peter Rabbit book, an egg matching toy, and some seasonal treats like bunny fruit snacks and of course, Goldfish. Being parents during the holidays is SO FUN!

My sister and her bf Joe have the cutest apartment and hosted my family and Joe's for a spring brunch. It was so lovely and all the food was delicious.

I declared 2019 the year of taking care of my skin. Sorry not to have an inspirational word (last year's was "surrender") but my 2019 resolution really was just "skin deep." (had to, lol). I have been using Philosophy's skin care line since December and I have really been liking it. I use the Purity cleanser morning and night along with the Purity moisturizer. Three times a week for one of my washes, I use the Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash in place of the Purity. I use a face mask 2-3 times a week and have been really liking the charcoal peel off masks. I am in the market for a good eye cream to stop early signs of aging but don't want to spend an arm and a leg OR put lots of unnecessary chemicals on my face. Any suggestions?

I'm not usually one for pranks or practical jokes, but a few years ago I found this "brown e" idea for April Fools Day online. My 1st graders thought it was so funny! I just casually started handing out the "brown e's" and played dumb when they looked at me confused. I only let the confusion last a minute before I handed out real brownies! 1st grade can be a challenge to teach but those little moments remind me why I adore 6 and 7 year olds so much! I feel like so many of us in the teaching trenches have been dragging a bit lately---spring fever has arrived and our teacher "plates" are overflowing! I'm trying to focus on the small fun moments because they ARE there. 

This time of year brings up a lot of memories because in the spring of 2016, I was getting BIG and my pregnancy was progressing normally....until it wasn't. I've had so many friends on my heart lately who are struggling to find their way to this motherhood season of life. I heard every platitude about "God's Plan," "Strength through hardship" etc in our darkest days of grief but sometimes you need a good cry and know that you are not alone on the broken path to  building your family. I never thought ever ever ever in 2016 that I'd be here with a toddler son and my precious daughter in heaven. Just a lot of feels. I saw this poem recently and it really resonated with me. You might not have any idea just how brave those around you are forced to be. I am so fortunate to have been surrounded by strong women in those days and still today too. 

This popped up in my Time hop this week. Can you even believe all the machines our little Hads was hooked up to? It breaks my heart. 

I warned you this post was random! We are looking forward to a chill weekend around here! 

Thanks for reading!

Savor Your Sparkle,

Leslie