Easter, 2013

We celebrated Easter yesterday and had a great time doing so. The Easter Bunny, Aunt Calli/Uncle Cody, and some really awesome grandparents and great-grandparents made sure that Harper Jane was nice and spoiled this year.

Harper colored eggs on Friday evening. We tried the Kool-Aid method that has been all over Pinterest. It worked really well and smelled a whole lot better than traditional dye. Harper colored her 17 eggs in a matter of minutes and then decorated them with princess stickers once they dried. I'm hoping that by next year, she will be ready to try some more creative egg coloring methods (watercoloring, glittering, and tie-dyeing all look like fun).

The Easter Bunny came later that night, hiding eggs around the house and setting out some fun things for Miss Harper to find Saturday morning.  E.B. left a bunch of spring outfits (I was glad to see that he has excellent taste and appreciates the girls' section at Target just as much as I do), a new wet suit for boating, and a few little prizes. Harper was most excited about a new Ariel shirt, her very own binoculars (for spotting deer with daddy), and some puzzle balls.

Can you spot the two hidden eggs in this photo? There were eggs in every room of our house. Harper thought it was so funny to find them in random places like a shoe, on the piano, and in Hazel's food dish.

After getting ready, we headed to Colt's parents' house for a family dinner. His mom and dad put on a really fun Easter egg hunt for Harper, who always has a great time searching their lovely yard for eggs and other goodies.

These aren't even the biggest of the eggs that my mother-in-law hides for Harper. This egg hunt has to be one of the best around- Harper always leaves with new clothes, movies, toys, books, treats, and money for her bank. She's totally spoiled by the end, but she loves it and I know that my in-laws love doing it for her. The good news is that next year, she will have help. My sister-in-law Calli is expecting!!! We are all so excited.

We spent today enjoying the sunshine and watching a movie together as a family. I'm so grateful for holidays and for the togetherness that they bring. I'm also grateful for my little Harper girl. Her bright eyes and big smiles make days like Easter special for everyone around her. I never knew how fun holidays could be until she came into my life.

I hope that everyone is enjoying a lovely day. 

Happy Easter from our family to yours!

Big Girl Bikes and Other Outside Fun

Harper is so very grown up these days. When she isn't painting or doing a puzzle, she's dancing around and singing along with her iPod (many thanks to Grandma Carrie for that little prize) or putting on lipstick and fixing her own hair (when I offer to help, she always declines, telling me, "I've got it, mommy. I've got it."). She has changed a lot the past few weeks and surprises me on a daily basis with what she knows. I'm not sure when or how she became old enough to have a vocabulary that includes words like "fragile," "lure," "dangerous," and "embarrassing." I just don't know where the time has gone. I feel like Harper should still be a baby. Instead, she is a tall, smart, and funny three-year-old who is always, always on the go. I can hardly keep up with her.

There is nothing that Harper likes more than being outside. Spring could not have come sooner for her. She loves swinging on the swingset and riding her big girl bikes. One plus to her being more mature this year is that she can really enjoy her outdoor toys without such a big risk of getting hurt. She is also a lot more rational this year and understands when I tell her that she needs to stay in the backyard or that that garage is off limits. I like that I don't have to hover around her anymore when she plays outside. I can sit on the porch swing and enjoy a good book while Harper explores, swings, rides, and slides.

Currently

Loving: The weather! Spring has finally arrived in Utah and it couldn't be more welcome. I am really looking forward to lots (and lots!) of warm weather activities with Harper, who is, by the way, as cute as ever.

Watching: I just finished season two of The L Word. I'm totally addicted.

Reading: I'm reading A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken. It's good and it's got me thinking. Have you read it?

Listening to: This:

And it's amazing.

Thinking about: Lots of stuff... relationships, monogamy, babies, siblings, careers, God, religion... My thoughts are full and heavy these days. 

Working on: A little bit of everything- some good stuff at the piano, some yummy recipes, some pre-gardening research. My 2013 Bucket List has helped me to stay motivated. I love it.

Looking forward to: The weekend! I can't wait to get out and enjoy this weather. I need some hiking, park visiting, and Hazelnut walking in my life. I also need some quiet time with my journal. I need to write some stuff out. I'm hoping for the chance to do so this weekend.

What have you guys been up to? Do you have any fun weekend plans? 

Happy Friday and much love!

2013 Bucket List: The Utah Museum of Natural History

I've been wanting to take Harper to the new Utah Museum of Natural History. We went on Saturday and had a great time. The museum, which is right next to Red Butte Gardens, is absolutely beautiful, inside and out. Everything about it is aesthetically pleasing. The building itself is amazing, the exhibits are wonderful, and the view from the cafeteria/eating is breathtaking. Even the tickets are pretty (admission was, by the way, $11 for me and $9 for Harper). I would definitely like to go by myself or with a friend sometime so that I could take everything in at a slower, more adult, pace.

Harper had fun looking at the exhibits and playing in the many areas designated for children. She caught fish (they were plastic, but she was proud nonetheless and couldn't wait to tell her daddy all about them- we think the Easter Bunny might be leaving a Harper a fishing pole this year...), put together two different cell puzzles, looked at butterflies through a magnifying glass, and tried her hand at archeology. Her sweet friend Emma came along with us, making the experience even better.

Inherited Randomness

I'm not really a routine kind of person. I've never been bound by the norm when it comes to my diet, schedule, clothing, or anything else and it's probably a good thing because the perfectionist in me couldn't handle the pressure. I'm totally okay with randomness and so is Harper. I don't know if it's nature or nurture at work here but my daughter has definitely inherited my free spiritedness. And she's taken it to a whole new level. 

Harper wears what she feels like wearing (obviously), sleeps when she feels like sleeping, and, for the most part, eats what she feels like eating. I offer direction- very subtle direction- of course and make sure that her needs are met. She is usually open to my suggestions but I know that if I tried to force a schedule or menu on her, our lives- both of them- would be miserable because Harper is a girl that knows what she wants. As long as she is clean, healthy, and happy at the end of the day, I'm comfortable with leaving the details up to her. 

For example, few days ago, Harper asked for macaroni and cheese (in her terms, moki cheese) for breakfast. I know what it's like to crave something different in the morning (I'm the queen of cold pizza breakfasts) and so I let her have it. Then she had cereal for lunch. For dinner, she ate an entire carton of strawberries.

And she loved them.

Cousin Cuteness

Harper and I had the following conversation yesterday afternoon...
Me: Cash moved to Herriman.
Harper: Cash lives in Herriman? Where does Paityn live?
Me: In Herriman.
Harper: Where does Alex live?
Me: In Herriman.
Harper: I don't want to live in Sandy. I want to live in Herriman. 

I just love the little friendships that Harper has made. I love how important Cash, Paityn, and Alex are to Harper and what a big part they have each played in her life (a really big part, obviously, since she wants to move to Herriman to be closer to them). Cash is especially fun because he's a friend and a cousin.

Harper and Cash were made from the same happy, silly, and nearly-never-ending ball of energy. They are absolutely adorable (and exhausting) when they are together and I love that Harper can have this special relationship. Cash is a big part of her life- she talks about him all the time and gets so excited to see him on the mornings that he is here.

How to Make Nail Polish Last Longer

There is a new Beauty Aisle post up for you. It's all about at-home manicures and making your nail polish last longer. Check it out here.