Easter...on its way

We are still savoring Easter weekend....will update soon.

We hope everyone had a great Easter!

A Wild Path

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

The Texas wildflowers are in full bloom right now and we hadn't ventured out to see them yet. Rumor has it they aren't going to last much longer so I thought I'd better take advantage of the overcast afternoon - thinking great natural lighting for outdoor photos. It wasn't until I was aimlessly looking for a private field of wildflowers where the kids could safely play and pose for photos, that it occurred to me that I might get lost.  I had no map, no GPS, and four toddlers in my car which meant no stopping and running in somewhere to ask directions. Chris is not available for the "can you mapquest something for me and tell me if I'm going the right way?" type of calls at work, so I started to pray.  It was something like, "Okay God, sorry I didn't really prepare here, could really use your help".  I decided on trying to locate the field we'd found with my parents last year. I traced our drive from a year ago, praying continuously, "Lord, please tell me if I need to turn."  Nothing was looking familiar, nothing felt right until I needed to turn and then, suddenly I'd remember.  Then another straight away and I'd doubt some more, but yet again, a turn I needed to make would come up and again I knew I was back on track.  We got to the field and man, what a disappointment.  I had passed a dozen or more fields that were far brighter, prettier than this one right off the highway.  But the kids were sick of being in the car so I parked next to the sparsely-flowered field and decided we'd picnic under a tree and plan to find another photo-op with a map and Daddy on another day.  

Still, it turned out to be a perfect afternoon. The boys were so excited about all of the abundance of sticks that they barely noticed the lack of flowers while Sophia loved every flower she could find and simply running up and down the hill. I enjoyed the safety the spot allowed and the shade under the sprawling oak trees was pretty nice too since the sun decided to poke out after all.  

All said and done, I couldn't help but ask myself if I truly am trusting God to direct my path. Am I leaning on my own understanding too often? Not allowing things into my life that might look like a bust yet be just the place God needs me to be? I'd like to think he'll direct my path in spite of my strong will to be in control - it'd just be a lot easier if I'd trust him the whole way.

And so there I was in a field enjoying my kids in full bloom...

"We're free!"

(Cohen, Sophia, Noah & Finn)

"Awe shucks, picking just one bunch won't hurt..."

(Sophia, Noah & Finn)

"Look, Mom, I can touch the sky!" 

(Noah)

"Flowers are yummy...."

(Finn)

"I think I found one of those flowers you were hyping up the whole way here!"

(Cohen)

"Blue skies, bluebonnets and the wind in my hair - doesn't get much better than this!"

(Sophia)

Say What?

With the grandparents graciously coming all the way from Iowa to babysit the kiddos while Chris and I go on vacation, I thought a lesson in the language we speak around here might be helpful.  The kids say lots of simple words that are pretty clear. It's the more obscure words that I thought they'd like a little practice with.  The video below should have them fluent in no time.  Just 26 days to study!

Learning Baby Talk from Mari Goerlich on Vimeo.

A Lesson in Patience

With  little ones running around all day, patience is at the top of our prayer list.  In fact, I thought I was patient - I could patiently drive behind the person driving 45 mph down the highway, wait in line at the store - until having kids that is.  

"Momma, when is this thing coming?"

The most recent test of patience was purchasing and assembling their new Step 2 Adventure Lodge.  We waited for our tax return to buy this online back in February, was back-ordered until March, and finally arrived after much anticipation and one day of Mari sitting at home waiting for the package to never arrive (UPS must have called the wrong number - ours - telling us a package - not ours - was being delivered and someone needed to be home).  On a gorgeous 80 degree Saturday, we excitedly began organizing the 8 million pieces and started the assembly process.  This thing was going up in no time and we hadn't even had an argument yet.  Then came step 35, which called for a U-bracket.  "Honey, where's the U-bracket?''  So I call Step 2 on Monday to have them overnight the U-brackets to us.  We were pumped to finish this project the following weekend, but it was 40 degrees and raining so it didn't happen.  We finally got it all finished this past weekend after a trip to Lowe's to buy a bolt that was already attached.

The finished product (with a few tweaks)

"Can you believe we thought this thing was fun?" (Sophia)

Now, we try to exercise patience every time one of the kids walk in front of one of the others swinging and gets kicked in the side of the head.  It is so hard not to laugh sometimes.

"Woohoo!  Walk in front of me I dare you!" (Coco kicking up his heels on the big boy swing)

"I will conquer this great slide!" (Noah)

"I'm not so sure I'm supposed to be doing this." (Finn)

We felt like we needed to celebrate our huge accomplishment and the fact that we are still married so we grilled some steaks, ate al fresco and downed some ice cream on an absolutely perfect spring evening.

A beautiful memory

Patience was conquered for the moment ... until we booked our first week-long vacation for just the two of us.  It is way overdue and much needed.  Now we just have to sit and wait and try not to eat pizza and cupcakes every night.

St. Patty's Day Green?

We've been seing a lot of green around here lately, though we weren't voluntarily wearing it and it certainly wasn't from too much celebrating.  A stomach virus hit our house and spread like wildfire. 

3 Down For the Count!

(Finn, Sophia & Noah)

It was halfway through the epidemic that I realized it was time to have an official Goerlich throw-up bowl. We all know the bowl we had growing up - the one your parents would make you carry around with you in hopes for easier clean-up.  Thinking back, I remember that big orange tupperware bowl vividly. The disturbing thing is I remember it as the popcorn bowl as well.   Anyway, here's a quick video of our throw-up bowl bootcamp.  

The Bowl from Mari Goerlich on Vimeo.

Girl Scouts - Friend or Foe?

Okay, Girl Scouts, why oh why do you have to sell such delicious cookies during get-back-in-shape season? I can't tell you how many of those scrumptious thin mints I've eaten and I'm definitely NOT getting any thinner as the name would imply.  But, I'm a step ahead this week. Now that the kids can eat just about anything, I've decided to pass the calories onto their little hips, I mean lips. 

Look What You're Missin', Mom! 

(Noah)

Finn Tries To Force Feed Them To Me

Cohen, You've Got A Little Something...

...Ahh, Nevermind!

This is awesome, Mom, looks like dirt, 

feels like dirt, but tastes so much better!

(Sophia)

And since we're on the subject of Girl Scouts, I thought I'd pass along a little tip that a troop leader offered when I told her Finn was having horrible diaper rash from teething. A bit of Corn Starch on the bum will do wonders!  She failed to mention not to let him look at the can as a distraction while changing the diaper - it just doesn't work so well when it's all over his face!

A Berry Fun Weekend

With springtime in the air, we decided to pack up and make the hour drive to King's Orchard to pick some fresh strawberries.  Busha joined in on the fun and we were so thankful to have her help! It was fun to see the different personalities coming out as we tried to get the kids to pick the strawberries to take home with us. Sophia went right for the berries but was very hesitant to give any up. She decided dining on her picks and making the biggest mess of her clothes and ours as well would be a better idea than collecting them.  Noah would gladly pick the leaves and the flowers and dutifully deliver them to Busha's strawberry bin.  It wasn't long until he figured out that the strawberries tasted delicious and he would nibble them straight from the vine like a little bunny rabbit.  Finn would squeeze the berries in his hands, seeing if he could destroy them and watch the juice run everywhere. At one point, he was trying to see if he could pick the entire plant with his might.  Cohen was our little helper and would hunt for the ripest berries, pick them and plop them straight into the bucket.  When it was all said and done, I don't think there was an ounce of strawberry juice on that boy.  What a joy to see just how unique they all are!

Sophia Savoring the Moment

Finn Plans His Next Victim

Noah Nibbles from the Vine

Silly Sophia Shows Off Her Art Work

Farmers in Training

Busha & Finn 

Cohen Checks Out His Pickins

Finn Finds A Good One!

Mommy's Little Helper (Cohen)

Busha & Noah Inspect their Loot

Yummm....