Today’s blog post which celebrates spring has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PurellWipes #CollectiveBias

I’ll admit it. I love snow. Truth be told, I probably love it more than anyone else I know (besides the fictional character Lorelia Gilmore – who, by the way, may or may not be my spirit animal.)

But I digress…

Yes, the winter was fun. Our family went sledding and made snowmen…but this year the snow was a little excessive.

Even I must admit that I’ve had my fill of the fluffy white stuff this year.  I feel like all of Rhode Island is breathing a big sigh of relief now that the great thaw of 2015 is upon us.

Sure the entire state is currently covered in thick fog, and rainclouds fill our skies, but the signs promise sunny days to come. I’m ready for daffodils, Easter egg hunts, and pastel dresses! 

Tall Dad gets in on the springtime action each year by riding his motorcycle. The purring sound of a motorcycle’s engine brings a smile to all of our faces, especially Rhys’. Whenever he sees a picture of a motorcycle in a book, he says “dada!”
This spring Rhys will be able to ride his own bike – a toddler bike that is! He had just started to get the hang of it last fall, but I think he will be ready to roll a bit more on his big blue bike within the next month.
The first few days of spring have been a bit more mild, and I’ve been bundling up our toddler to try to get him out into the fresh air. I’m really soaking up as much time as I can with my son while he is still an only child.  That’s right! His only child status is quickly coming to a close – and I’m not going to let my silly tired and cranky pregnant body stop me from having some good old springtime fun!

Mud, dirt and the possibility of germs don’t stop this Tall Mom from bringing her almost 2-year-old son into the great outdoors. 

Dressed in waterproof boots and a fleece jacket, Rhys and I enjoy looking for leaves, twigs, rocks the first crocuses of spring. We scour the skies for birds and take long walks around the neighborhood. 

My toddler loves to get his hands dirty, whether it be twirling a leaf between his fingers or picking up rocks like he was a budding geologist. I’m so happy that he embraces the great outdoors!
Germs and dirt don’t really bother me that much. I think it’s all part of being a kid!  However, I do care if those germs and dirt are brought inside my household.
You see, my toddler isn’t really proficient with using a fork. 
He finds his fingers to be much more effective food carriers. (And, yes, that is a Pink Floyd Dark Side Of The Moon Shirt.  Don’t judge.)

So I make sure to clean his tiny hands before each meal – and recently I’ve been using the PURELL® Hand Sanitizing Wipes. 

They are super easy, cottony soft wipes, don’t have alcohol in them and are safe to be used on my son’s hands and face. 

We’ve been working on teaching Rhys how to wash his hands, but I find these wipes to be so much more convenient and handy. A quick little wipe up before and after meals helps me keep my household a little less messy and sticky. 


Haha, whoever thought I’d use the word “sticky” as a description for my home. 

But if you have a toddler, you know what I’m talking about. 

So farewell winter, we bid you adieu! My family is ready for spring, sunshine and many more days of getting dirty in the great outdoors! 

What fun places would you recommend I take a toddler this spring? Remember I’m slow, giant, and nearly 9 months pregnant….so anywhere that requires physical activity out of me might be on hold 😉

Talk soon friends,





Quick note – PURELL® Hand Sanitizing Wipes Canisters are available in most Walmart stores household cleaning aisles!  The brand is PURELL® trusted and used by hospitals, and kills 99.99% of most common germs that may cause illness on hands. Also, Beginning on May 17th, shoppers will be able to save $1.00 on any PURELL® Wipes canister or Save $1.00 on any two PURELL® Products. PURELL® has loyalty program on their brand site.

You can learn more by visiting their website, or their Facebook Page. And don’t forget to grab the coupon!

A video posted by Mary Larsen (@mary__larsen) on Mar 26, 2015 at 2:27pm PDT