I managed, through being extremely busy and extremely sick, to exercise 2x each week this month. I’m very pleased with that. I hope to do better in April, but I’ve been pretty diligent since the year started and it feels good.

Exercise has become more difficult since pregnancy, but I’ve noticed that it’s more a lack of lung capacity. My heart rate is still good.

To answer an anonymous question in the comments yesterday, the smocking stitch pattern is in the Harmony Guide, Volume 2.

I had a “good parent” day today. I’m quite proud of myself. The older two girls have a trade fair at school on Tuesday. We’ve had months of notice, but not a lot of opportunity for crafting. (We had made attempts. And failed. I tried SO hard to get the girls felting, and Liv was going to spin yarn). The combination of busy/sick mom, Abby’s lack of willingness to come up with ideas of things to make/trade/barter, and Olivia’s tendency to reach for the moon arrived us at the Saturday before Trade Fair with nothing. Nate and I spent our date collecting supplies for some ideas I came up with, and when we got home and showed the kids, they were very excited.

So, they planted 24 pumpkin seeds in little biodegradable pots.

They made 16 wave bottles.

They made 10 zen gardens out of plastic trays for planters, aquarium sand, marbles, shells, polished rocks and a plastic fork. (I’m particularly proud of that one).

They may make some yarn bracelets and necklaces, or some pendants with beads and wire. That’s up to them and we have the supplies readily available if they so choose. But I’ve done my motherly duty and my kids will have some groovy stuff to trade with their classmates at Trade Fair. Stuff that they made.