Quick Takes: The Mid-March Edition

Seven snippets of life, in no particular order.

1. It's been a long time coming, but Thomas is making great progress in potty training.
   I will spare you his major success video from yesterday, but I will tell you that yesterday was the FIRST DAY EVER that we didn't change a poopy diaper for him.  It was HEAVENLY.  Marshmallows, cadbury creme eggs and "new underwears" have been his main motivators. I'm totally not above bribery by this point. And to think we're still ahead of the average for little boys (3 1/2 years old).  Yea!
2. The Ski boys are finally on the mend.
   The last week or so, with all the boys on the DL, has been a challenge. Jonathan's nearly back to 100%, Thomas is starting to get his energy back, and John Paul's virus is clearing up.  We've had lots of laundry, lots of snuggles, and everyone has been logging crazy amounts of sleep. And I haven't gotten sick yet. Thank God!
3. We've been on baked potato overdrive.
   There was a stash of baked potatoes left over from the Blarney Blast, so we've had some tasty delicious baked potato meals.  I made this potato bread recipe into crescent rolls (tasty delicious!) and we all loved this baked potato soup.  Will probably make these ultimate twice baked potatoes  and this herbed potato soup before we run out as well. Seriously loving the fresh chives that I have kept growing throughout the winter on the deck.  Subbing those perfectly for green onions.  And a few more batches of the potato bread: soft and perfect with soup.
4. Easter outfits.
   I never thought I would be "that mom" who would dress her kids in matching outfits. BUT I TOTALLY AM. I am always a little envious of the foofy little girls' dresses at Costco...so when I found tiny linen four-piece-suits for the boys there, I snatched them up.  Khaki linen pants and vests with blue shirts and ties.  Cannot wait!
5. Spring is coming.
   Even though we woke up to a two-hour school delay the other day with three inches of snow on the ground.  Never mind that it was 65 degrees last week.  Thomas was so excited to pull his snow boots back out to wear, he ran around the house yelling, "MOMMY! ARE YOU READY FOR CHRISTMAS?!?"  Yes, kiddo, if by "Christmas" you mean "spring and Easter and sunshine and planting and NOTHING HAVING TO DO WITH SNOW." 
6. We are in the money.
   Thanks, Puget Sound Energy, for approving our $50 credit for the Ice-ma-geddon power outages in January.  Never mind that the power went out half a dozen times during Monday's windstorm. 
7. And finally, I give you Thomas's highly scientific method of making his March Madness picks, courtesy of my iPad.  Enjoy.  He has a few major upsets in there, so if he wins, he'll be winning big.