First Haircut!

On Sunday night (3/8) we decided it was finally time to give Levi his first haircut. It's always a hard decision that first time, knowing they'll never look the same again. But I was constantly pushing hair out of his eyes and he had started scratching at his ears, so we knew it would be for the best. 

Look at all that baby hair! 

As you can imagine, it's nearly impossible to get a picture of him which is not blurry. But some of them have such cute expressions, I included them even if it was a blur. 

He did surprisingly well! He sat fairly still, did not cry or fuss, and just let Daddy do the work. 

Zeke enjoyed watching and did his best to help provide a distraction for Levi during the shearing. 

What a handsome boy we have! And now he and Zeke look even more like brothers! 

To life... full of first haircuts! 

Peppermint Oil: Why I'm Using It

Peppermint was one of the last bottles I emptied after purchasing my starter kit from Young Living. For one, I didn't really know what to use it for. And two, I was in the third trimester with Levi, and peppermint can cause a baby to turn in utero. Then after that, I was breastfeeding, and peppermint can diminish your milk supply, so I held off because I did not want to deal with a limited supply anymore than I already do.

So February hit and I finally had my chance. We had eaten at Subway for supper and my stomach was turning somersaults. It was almost unbearable when I remembered that peppermint can help with nausea. I rushed to the bathroom and mixed one drop with some almond oil and rubbed it all over the tumultuous area. I sniffed the rest that remained in my hands and laid back down on the couch. Within minutes, my stomach was feeling more calm and I was able to focus on doing something else. I have used it a time or two since then for the same reason and it is a welcome relief. It is nice to know I have a natural remedy close on hand for times like those.

Last summer, I also used peppermint for the first time in warding off spiders. You can mix 10-15 drops with 8 oz. of distilled water, shake it up in a glass spray bottle, and spray wherever those nasty things lurk. Every time I would spray down the insides of the windows and then along the outsides as well and I wouldn't see spiders for weeks. Then when they started to come back, I would just mix and spray again. And sometimes I would spray the spiders (especially the big ones!) directly with the concoction and they would just curl up in a ball and never move again. Yes, I realize that is probably not very nice, but I am not a fan of spiders, whatsoever, so this was a win in itself, even if I had never applied a single drop to myself.

Peppermint is also a great oil for boosting your energy! I like to put 3 drops of peppermint and then 3 drops of either lemon or orange in the diffuser and not only does it smell great, it keeps me moving and motivated. Some more uses are listed below in the graphic.

To life... full of smelling pepperminty fresh!

Snow Day

We finally got some snow here in New Castle on Monday, so I took the boys out to play. These first few pictures are hilarious to me. 

"What is up, people?" - Levi 

Can you believe all of this was melted by the next day? That's CO for you! If the sun is out, the snow is disappearing. 

He was pretty happy once he got out in it. He can definitely walk better in his snow gear now that he's older, but sitting was a challenge... as you'll see soon. 

Every time I put them in the sled, Levi just slowly fell backwards on to Zeke. He actually enjoyed riding in the sled, but it doesn't show from the photos. His face was stoic as he stared up into the sky, waiting for the ride to be over. Zeke did great. He even went down the hill once all by himself! 

Snow is forecast for the next 5 days. I'm hoping for lots more! We have not had near enough time to play in the snow yet this winter. 

To life... full of snow, sledding, and silliness. 

Pasta with Asparagus

When you see fresh asparagus on sale at the grocery store for $1.99 per pound, you don't just consider buying it. You commit to getting it! The window for asparagus is short, so I seized the moment. This morning I remembered a recipe my Mom made when I was growing up, so I cracked open my cookbook with recipes given me from various family members and texted Jeremiah the grocery list, which didn't actually end up being much. If you're ready for a taste of spring, I recommend making this dish soon! The boys ate it better than I expected, so that's a nice bonus :) 

Pasta with Asparagus  

2 lbs. fresh asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces, diagonally

16 oz. very thin spaghetti noodles (I used angel hair)

8 slices bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 c. diced green onion (I just used red because that's what I had on hand)

1/2 c. light cream (I used coconut milk to make it easier on Jeremiah's stomach)

1/2 - 3/4 c. parmesan cheese

1/2 t. black pepper 

1/4 c. butter, softened

Cook asparagus in boiling, salted water for 3 minutes. Drain and set aside. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain and return to kettle to keep warm. Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove to a paper towel. In bacon drippings, saute onion until soft. Add asparagus and pepper; heat through. Quickly toss together spaghetti, asparagus mixture, bacon, butter, cream and cheese. Serve immediately. Yield: 6-8 servings. 

I hope you might give this dish a chance. We have plenty of leftovers for tomorrow too which I'm quite excited about! And I hope asparagus is on sale in your area soon :)

To life... full of fresh, spring vegetables! 

Hats!

Where's Levi? 

Peekaboo! 

His most recent favorite game to play. 

Love him so much! 

And check out Zeke's new hat from Grandma Pam for Valentine's Day! 

Now cue Amy Grant's song... 

To life...full of hats! 

They're growing up!

Today's Treasures

You know I said I would post more often this year and here it is February already! January had basically been cah-razy!! We packed up all our belongings and moved to New Castle while our car failed us in the first 2 weeks. We unpacked, family visited and helped us unpack more, we bought a van, and we celebrated Zeke's 3rd birthday over the next 2 weeks. 

Then I've not been feeling well, Zeke had his 3 year check up, we had a church gathering and Super Bowl party and now Levi is on the tail end of croup. So if you think maybe I've just been holding out on you, the above might put your mind at ease. 

Life with 2 little boys means there's always something to do. When they give me a moment I try to read, work on my oil business, write a note, and oh yeah, try to tidy/do dishes or laundry, and even occasionally spend time with Jeremiah. These little years will be over soon enough, so I'm doing my best to find the joy and laughter in them. I wish the same for all of you, no matter what stage of life you find yourself in today! 

To life...full of living and loving!