First week

Our first week in the house was the week before Easter, and it was friekishly cold. We had snow flurries off and on for a few days and wind chills in the teens and 20s. Having not seen a bit of snow all winter, we were all pretty excited for what we got!

 Somehow snow by the paddle board rack was funny to me.

We also had visitors come by to see the new place! Linds and Nate stopped by one morning, and the girls promptly led her to was has been dubbed the "pillow pocket"- the corner of their room filled with pillows and just right for reading or playing with babies or cramming in five kids to listen to Miss Lindsey read!

 We wasted no time getting to know the neighbors, and I trotted my babies out in 30 degree weather to deliver Easter cookies to the surrounding houses and a few doors down. This turned out to be well worth the freezing temps because we have the most lovely neighbors! The first two weeks or so of living in this house was like a parade of Southern Living's guide to housewarming gifts- people were SOO kind and gracious, and folks who live on the far end of our street were even sending along little happy's to welcome us with. It was staggering and humbling, and made us just abundantly thankful for God's abundant provision in giving us such a fabulous place to call home.

 My cute girl trying to catch snowflakes the day we went cookie delivering.

 This picture is noteworthy as a before and after shot. The next day, catastrophe hit.

It finally warmed up a bit outside, so we went for a walk to the park down the street.  Our sidewalks have a lot of what we call "character", and Miss Abby Jane caught an edge and slammed face first into the sidewalk. She hit her face so hard that her hands, elbows, and knees came out spotless. I still can't understand how she didn't break her nose or chip a tooth, but she was in seriously bad shape as we walked the half mile home with two out of three screaming at the top of their lungs, only one of whom legitimately. Joy One little sister didn't mind that her big sis was gushing blood and was only disappointed in not making it to the park. So it was a long walk back for one really hurting little girl.

 That night we fired up the new fireplace for our first family s'mores.

 Look at my sweet baby girl, just a couple of hours later. The child was swollen,and bruised for days. It was the saddest thing. I think a few tiny scars might stick around, but likely I'll be the only one who sees them.

 Life went on- here's my angel face coloring.

 We ate on our back patio for the first time, loving our new patio space!

 We met Wally the Squirrel- see him on the fence post? He gathers nuts and eats them while he watches us through our many windows. Sometimes he watches me cook dinner in the kitchen, then when we move into the dining room, he hops down a few posts and watches dinner. If we're in the living room, he often hops on patio furniture to watch through the windows. If we're eating, he gets a nut and eats. Almost every breakfast and dinner, he joins us through the windows. According to the girls, he goes with Lolly, the girl squirrel (one morning it was clear to Jake and I that indeed Wally is a boy and Lolly is a girl), and they have a friend named Molly with half a tail. They all are curious, though Wally is the most inquisitive of all.

Abby Jane has hit a new phase of immense coloring productivity. I remember my niece Katie going into this stage, and it's so fun to have a girl of an age that she loves coloring as much as she does! We are LOVING their new playroom as well- the extra space and natural light are my favorite parts. We'll do a photo tour of the house after I finish getting the blog all caught up!