Spring Fever

I have been trying my darnedest to get back to some sense of normal life around here.  Yeah right.  All kinds of crazy is going on!  Our house was a bit of a germ fest last week as Eli came down with a nasty bug that looks like it may have been tonsillitis.  With a high fever and an ugly lookin' set of tonsils, I was sure it was strep.  Nope.  Doctor even had the nerve to suggest mono.  Yikes!

But after nearly 3 days of the fever, it finally broke, and the sore throat worked its way out. Thank goodness!  7 movies, 4 popsicles, and 5 smoothies later, he was able to get back to his friends at school.

And Jude couldn't be left out of the gunk.  He decided that spring was the perfect time to develop an allergy to something....and my best guess is that it is grass....or some springy weed in the grass.  We spent several evenings running around outside without shoes on.  Honestly, it is one of my favorite things....feeling the grass between my toes. I can't deny my kids that fun, can I?  Well, Jude will have shoes on from here on out.  My baby's feet went from "a sure sign of fun" filthy:

to rash ridden!  It was awful!!  The first day, he clawed the crud out of it while whimpering.  I could tell he was miserable.  The darn rash spread all the way up his trunk and was even on his ears!  Finally got it and the itching under control, and now, nearly two weeks later, it has faded.  It is healing, but it is definitely still there. Poor, sweet baby.

But despite all of that, we have still managed to do our best to get out and enjoy some of these beautiful spring days we have been blessed with.  We've had playground fun.....

....and backyard painting fun.  Jude went nuts with the finger paints.  I am still finding muddled little prints to clean up here there and everywhere in the backyard.  

Don't you just love a new set of paints? I do! So pretty!

Eventually Jude went in for a nap while Eli and I crafted outside the rest of the afternoon.  Painting and such.  It was delightful.  Truly delightful.    

 

And with these gorgeous days comes a desire to be outside and play outside even more.  We are working on making our backyard more kid-friendly in preparation for a summer of fun with two busy boys.  We scored this playhouse off of Craigslist....

....and Daddy and Eli are building a fort together. 

So, yeah.  I have come to the realization that there is no such thing as normal anymore.  Or maybe this is our normal....it just looks crazy to everyone else.