Pushing back deadlines

The end of a PhD program feels like the last month of pregnancy. As in it feels like just as long as the rest of the entire program combined. We were hoping we could make the deadline for May graduation, but it's just not going to happen. It was a long shot, but seemed maybe possible, so now I'm all bummed. Aside from that, we had a pretty good week. Started baseball and t-ball for the older two kids. They love it.

Took everyone to a fun park we never go to because it's a bit of a drive. That was also fun. Otherwise had a rather normal week.

Here's a few pictures of our fun times.

 I finished the squares for Aaron's quilt. I need some white to finish it off. I've already started another pattern with all these two-inch squares I have.

 Genevieve is one of the oldest kids on her team, which is the opposite of what she is in her kindergarten class. She really likes being the biggest kid.

Spring has arrived in South Carolina

We started out this week wearing warm jackets and finished it in shorts and t-shirts. I love spring in South Carolina! And I love my new phone. I got it specially for the excellent camera, and it does not disappoint. 

I took the kids out on the levy by Clemson and we threw rocks in the lake for a goodly while. Genevieve is a rock collector. She's always got her favorites floating around our house. 

 I'm slowly working on Aaron's postage stamp quilt. So far I've got the red squares, the green squares, and this is my batch of blue squares done now.

I've been dissatisfied with my desk and chair for a long time now, so when I saw a deal at Aldi the other day, I grabbed it and then gave away my old desk and chair. I'm super pleased with the new purchases. 

 Old desk and chair, now gone to happy new homes.

 New desk and chair.

 Chloe goes to sleep before everyone else, but with Daylight Saving Time, she isn't convinced she should be in bed if we're outside. 😀

 I took the kids to the Botanical Garden Saturday while Bill was collecting his last round of data. Did I just slip that in here? Why yes I did! He's done collecting data! Tra la la! The data still needs to be extracted into Excel files and run through his analysis program, but one huge step closer to completion!

But back to the kids. We went to the Botanical Garden Saturday afternoon. It was super windy and just a tad cold for wearing swimsuits up by the parking lot, but down in the lowlands where we went to play in the creek the wind was blocked and it was perfect. The kids were in their element and we had a great time.

 And lastly, we're coming upon our first t-ball and coach's pitch season and Spencer and Genevieve have been practicing like crazy. Chloe has been shagging all the balls, and she even got in on the batting practice last night and acted like it was the easiest thing in the world. She is so stinkin' cute. And so athletic, just like all her siblings. This is going to be a fun couple months!

New phone, dirt, and crusty babies

I tried out some of the special features on my new phone last night. This one made me laugh. It has promise. It's called depth of field, so it fuzzes out the background around the subject. Of course the one I got it to work perfectly on Chloe was giving me a death stare. 

 Oh much better. But not in depth of field mode.

 Why yes, she is eating a lime. Just try to take it away and suffer her wrath.

 I made these with my activity day girls at church. Genevieve wanted one, so we made it for her last night. She loves it.

 I finished the green squares for Aaron's quilt last night.

 Chloe loves this gears toy. She's super particular about how  it can be setup though and she's very vocal in her displeasure if you do it wrong. Catching a theme yet? Chloe is nearing two and her wrath is ramping up.

 We got out the nerf guns and she was so happy to have me help her shoot hers. Hey mom, let's dump the entire bag out too. Fun!

 Naked baby! She loves taking selfies these days.

 And she and Aaron decided to pretend to nap in my bed one day this week. Cute little goobers.

 Hey  mom, take a picture of me eating these wild onions!

 More selfies.

 It got warm this week for a few days before it dropped again and Chloe had a ball in my garden one day. Aaron had a ball to, dumping dirt all over her. I found a handful of dirt even in her diaper, lol.

 Mom, this isn't safe? Too bad! I'm eating lunch laying across my highchair and the table, so help me!

Beginning of March

Chloe is picking out her clothes these days and her outfits are pretty fantastic. Sundress, furry vest, puddle jumpers. Winner!

 We went to the kids' school for a book parade. Genevieve dressed up as Anna and carried her requisite Frozen book.

 Spencer dressed up as a blue crayon and carried his book The Day the Crayons Quit.

 They were so cute.

 Genevieve the rockstar. I love that grin.

 Chloe has decided Genevieve's bed is her bed. This is how she spends big chunks of her nap time.

 My mother-in-law sent me the hugest box of scraps. It is amazing. I'm making a scrappy postage stamp quilt with some of it. I've got five red squares done for now. It's going to be for Aaron and he picked the quilt, which is a rainbow pattern of sorts.

 I picked up a bike for Genevieve on a rocking steal of a deal at Aldi for only $24. And am now hiding it in plain site. Haha!

 One day this week Chloe woke up sad and wanted to cuddle on the couch instead of doing anything else. She actually fell back asleep on me. It was awesome. I'm relishing all those times because I don't think there's that many left, relatively speaking that is. She turns two in June. That's hardly any time away!