"Running is cheaper than therapy."

I fell off the exercise wagon a while ago, like a long while ago. I could blame it on the fact that we don't have a treadmill anymore, but the honest truth is that I stopped about 3 months before we got rid of it. And as long as we're being painfully honest, I didn't really have any intention of starting again. Sure I was a little annoyed with the way my clothes were fitting, but not annoyed enough to do anything about it. And I sure as heck wasn't going to cut out treats in lieu of working out. But 2 months ago, a Saturday rolled around and not only was the weather crummy, so was my attitude. I didn't wake up in a bad mood, but for a handful of different reasons I got crankier and crankier as the day went on. So when we got a break in the rain I decided to get outside and take a breather. Fresh air has always been like Mother Nature's anti-depressant for me ~ even though I may not want to go outside when I'm in a rotten mood, it always cheers me up to take a walk, pull weeds, plant something, or even just sit out on a blanket in the grass and soak up some vitamin D. So I forced myself to tie on my sneakers and thought I'd go for a stroll to clear my head, but the frustration I was feeling wasn't letting me just walk, and by the time I was a few houses away, I was running. And I kept running and running...I don't know if it's this way for you, but once you run for exercise or pleasure {I know, sick huh?} it's hard to take a walk! I am not a natural runner by any stretch of the imagination, but I do get addicted to it once I drag my butt out and go and get in a routine. So ever since then I've tried to steal some time away 2-3 days a week to run/walk, maybe jog/walk is a better description of my pathetic pace. I haven't lost a pound, or a roll, and unfortunately I'm sure my thighs are actually bigger now. But I do look forward to it, especially with the perfect temps of Spring weather, and a lot of times I push Dawson in the jogging stroller and spend time with just him. So now that I'm slowly getting back on track, I found myself day dreaming about the half-marathon at Disneyland, maybe I could do it....I can see it now, I round the corner to the castle and there it is ~ the FINISH line. Todd and the kids are cheering me on and as I approach the sparkly red ribbon at the finish line {it's sparkly because it's Disneyland} I see him, the real man of my dreams. I've loved him since childhood and I still do. It's Mickey Mouse, with his arms outstretched, ready to embrace me as soon as I bust through the ribbon in record time, and next to him is Tinkerbell, holding my churro in one hand and a corn dog and Coke in the other. But something breaks my trance...What is that? What could have snapped me out of my magical day dream? WHAT IS THAT  HORRIBLE SOUND?!! Oh, that's the sound of my lungs wheezing like a 90 year old smoker as I'm seconds from passing out after running only 2 miles. Okay, so maybe the half marathon will have to wait until....Never. That's when.

Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed me white as snow.

Our Easter was really simple, just what the doctor ordered for our family. We attempted our resurrection eggs first thing in the morning, but it mostly consisted of managing fights between the twins over who got to open which egg, and when, and how... Thank goodness Jesus died for us because this group certainly wouldn't be getting into heaven on good behavior.

Mitchy wanted the eggs in perfect order, Charlie, not so much.

Then we got dressed and let the kids loose in the yard for an egg hunt.

Charlie was so precious. We told the Bigs to find their eggs in the woods and leave the obvious ones for the Littles. Charlie found his first egg, which happened to be a see-through hippo egg, so when he saw that it was full of candy he ran as fast as he could to find another egg and brought it right to Mitchy. He was more excited to give it to his brother than he was for himself. He kept saying "here Mitchy, it's CANDY!!"

My sweet Mitchy.

 While I was hiding eggs I asked Todd to take care of Dawson's bed head and tame his mop. This was his idea of fixing it. He made Dawson look like Donald Trump! All day I called Dawson "The Donald" just to annoy Todd;)

The Donald is just a little bit excited about plastic containers full of refined sugar.

Can't believe my girl is so big. She's had that sweet little daisy Easter basket since her 1st Easter. Sigh...

 Sharing Sour Patch Kids, and hugs.

 Attempting to get a decent group shot of the Rufflings. Attempt failed, as usual.

 LoVe this picture of the babies cracking up. Okay, they're almost 3, guess I should stop calling them "the babies."

 I had fun making the kids little paper pinwheels and finding fun, old fashioned treats for their Easter surprise. I am in love with sherbet colors so I did this more for me than for them;)

 I got a pack of these little yarn chicks on clearance ages ago, I think they are so cute and have used several of them over the years to top Springy gifts for friends. I had a few left so I hot glued them to these cute little egg cartons of gum I found at the Dollar Store. All 4 packs were a buck! I just removed the hideous label and the colors were perfect. And as you can tell by these blurry pics, my camera was on the wrong setting, urghh.

 And I couldn't possibly use the same boy chick for Ella as her brothers, right?! So I got this adorable pink one with a straw hat for her. I couldn't stand it, so sweet. She actually slept with it for a few nights {until she s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d it's neck out, ripped it's hat off and twisted the beak to make it a "granny chicken"}

 World Market had these old fashioned taffy strips in yummy colors and flavors, and I got a 4 pack of lime soda at Rosauer's and bundled them together.

 And World Market also had a bag of these marshmallow ice cream cones for $1.99, I was tickled pink about these things and the kids went nuts over them. Not only were they tasty, they were the cutest things you've ever seen!

 Todd set up the tripod to get a family picture, here he is testing for center...

Not sure what happened here...Dawson's expression is priceless though.

And ta dah, the family picture! Awesome huh? Apparently when he ran up to set the timer button it focused on him and took the picture with that distance in mind. Had to post it because it's so classic, family pictures are always a joke but my rule is to take one or two and you get what you get and you don't throw a fit. In this case I wish I'd looked at it before we gave up so we coud've at least tried one with us in focus!

And I couldn't resist posting these. When I went into my photo directory I accidentally opened April '09 instead of this year, and saw Easter pictures from a few years back. Oh my aching heart! Look at how little Dawson and Ella are! I love this picture though because it's our whole family ~ the twins are about 2 months from their debut, but we are still all together. Wish I could go back in time and re-live those moments and kiss their sweet, tiny faces.

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened!" Dr. Suess

We got to enjoy an extra long Spring Break, lucky us! Ella's school was moving to the new campus, so we had a little over 2 weeks off from the daily grind. Heaven. I love having all my chicks in the nest. I love having them all pile in bed with me in the morning instead of waking sleepy heads up before they're ready. I love the care-free days. I love not having to set the alarm clock. Charlie wakes up by 6, but hearing his adorable singing or him yelling "Mitchy, WAKE UP!!!" over the monitor still beats the buzzing of my alarm clock. Todd was out of town the first week of break, and as you can see below the weather was not very Springy, so we made the best of it by doing fun stuff indoors. Although the crummy weather didn't keep us from going to the park 17 million times that week. To be honest I wish it had kept us from going. I washed winter hats, mittens and coats so many times that week I can't even count. And us Moms freeze at the park since we aren't running, swinging and climbing the jungle gym. Well usually we don't climb the jungle gym, but Kelli did when the girls drug a dead tree up and got it wedged in the slide;) We did lots of baking ~ cookies, brownies, cupcakes, bread, caramel chocolate oat bars... But all good things come to an end and we are back to the routine, but at least we're on the downhill slide to Summer! I'm always sad when Ella goes back to school after a break, but I'm grateful for the special memories we made while we were all cooped up together. We had lots of fun, and also plenty of what I call "coming to Jesus moments" where Mom had to put the kabosh on rotten attitudes, and bickering, and talking back, and not staying in bed, and obsessing over treats, and potty talk, and arguing, and licking people {long story}.... Here's a sneak peek at how the Rufflings roll on Spring Break....

Last day at the little old school house! After 5 years there I will miss this cozy place.

 Goodbye school, hello Spring Break!

Noodle came to our house for a sleep over. Love this girl. No I didn't beat them, that's make-up.

 The kids had fun with Ella's make-up, head to toe lip gloss and eye shadow are totally in for Spring...And Mommy always loves giving 4 kids baths twice in one day;)

My Mom came to visit for 2 days over break. We drug her to Jump 'n' Party and then....

we went to the "dark mall" per the kids' request for soup and rolls and some window shopping.

We went on rainy walks and the boys found bugs, here they are looking at rolly pollys with Ninny.

Dawson got super cranky after our long day of play and conked out buried under all the pillows on our bed.

We went roller skating with besties, I was so proud of Dawson for trying, I didn't think he would! Ella was a riot to watch, I still laugh every time I think about her skating. If you are having a bad day you can borrow Ella, take her roller skating and laugh your booty off and it will keep a smile on your face for days. You can thank me later. And we were in hog heaven to meet the L's at the park another day, and have family dinner yet another day:) 

We finally got a tiny break from the rain just in time for a lunch date at Erin's and a long stroll through Manito with her and the boys. Then we came home and made cupcakes. I love the ones the kids made, covered with chocolate eggs, chocolate bars, sprinkles, coconut, probably other unknown items as well.

 My sister gave me a Martha Stewart cupcake cookbook a few years back so that was my inspiration for the little bluebirds in the "nest" made of coconut. Clearly that book is used for inspiration not replication. I blame it on the fact that I don't have any fancy cake decorating tools like tips etc, I made these with a ziplock as a piping bag. But honestly, I don't think it would matter, cake decorating is definitely not my calling. Oh and by the way, the people that looked at our house the next day ate my cupcakes and didn't even buy our house, how rude! ;)

 We dyed Easter eggs, twice... Mitchy saw the colored water, picked up the spoon and glugged down a big mouthful. Poor guy was blue lipped for 48 hours and traumatized from the vinegar taste.

 The kids dyed 48 eggs! I figure eggs are cheap {I definitely didn't get good organic eggs for this process} and they have a blast doing it so why not. We had egg salad sammys 3 days in a row;)

Daddy made it home. I think it's becoming clear why he travels so much...

I love this. We found a verse that Ella wrote out with sidewalk chalk. It was the last verse they memorized before break. "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live a new life." I love her phonetic spelling of resurrection, she is precious.