Sun: Nature's Original Makeup

The first warm snap of the season is always a welcome one.  There are a million and one things I want to do - lay out, get tan, exercise and play - and a million things I should do - yard work, catch up and the like.  This year I managed to do a little of both, but not near as much as I wish I could before the rain came back.

After an incident with a guy weed spraying the whole yard and killing the bulk of it last fall, we had to reseed the whole lawn.  Not only did we have to reseed, but we had to rake up the dead stuff, break up the dirt and prep the ground to accept the seed germination.  After that we had to water twice a day for at least ten days.  Never have I been so invested in the weather forecast. And the weather had to be above freezing and perfect conditions were 60-70 degrees.  Well the weather forecast looked good and so we spent three days slaving over the yard.  Each morning I woke up sore knowing that I had another day ahead of me of the "fun".

But with the warm weather I can always convince someone to come run with me.  Isabella and Travis are my most willing partners.  And with the start of track season on Monday, Isabella thought she could use the extra conditioning.  Additionally family time was spent outside together.  For family home evening, we decided to go hiking.  Despite the initial resistance, the kids had a great time, the dog was in love and I felt like I was using this time perfectly.

Last it wouldn't be a perfect first warm snap without the color of the sun.  Working and hiking outside got me just enough exercise and color to feel healthy again.  A hint of brown with a touch of pink means a couple of days with no makeup needed.  It leaves me longing for the continued warmth and sun to cut down on my get ready time.  It reminds me why I love all four seasons and why by the end of the season I am perfectly primed for the next one.  Living in Pennsylvania gives this restless girl the perfect amount of each season with its accompanying activities.  Hello Spring, I'm officially ready for you!

It's Finally Warm

So Spring was a fleeting thought this year as, the assumed months, have jumped clear into the hot months of summer.  It's been filled with lots of great time in the sprinklers and friends' pools since our community pool didn't open until Memorial Day.

 

 

Warm Weather Happy

I always think the season I am in is my very favorite until the next season rolls around and then I think, "oh...this is actually my favorite season."  This cycle happens over and over again.  I guess it's a blessing to be so content in each stage of life.  And it's especially exciting on the change of each season.  So as Spring weather has taken root, I can't help but think that Spring is my favorite season with warm days, thunder showers, cool nights and mornings and green all around. 

I most love the burst of kids playing outside.  I love hearing the happy laughs and the made up games.  But sometimes you have to go to old standby favorites.  And my kids and the neighbors always return to Red Rover.  Can it be dangerous?  Yes, but they're pretty good about keeping it fairly tame.

I love me my warm weather happy.

iT's AbOut fLAmiNg TImE...

Spring has sprung. 

Some days are warm.  Warm enough to play baseball with siblings and friends.




























Some days are super warm.  Warm enough to shed shirts and break out the squirt guns. 

Hallelujah!

Tradition

It's the first day of Spring. 
So no matter what my family is at Rita's partaking of the free goodies. 
Regardless of the temperature.

 

More While You Were Gone Moments

I'll spare the viewing public my multiple humiliating and awkward moments of this week where I slowly lost my mind and instead share with you other things we have been doing while Travis is away.  But just an example, think - being the last to leave the church building, turning off all lights, shutting it down, locking doors and double checking to make sure they are locked to realize that you don't have your keys.  They are indeed now locked inside the church in the primary cabinet hanging.  And multiple calls later and someone coming to the rescue and realizing that indeed you did have your keys.  Yeah that's just the tip off the iceberg.  But I am choosing to dwell on the positive, because that's how I roll.

So we had field trip week, where I went on field trips with Bella and Wyatt's class.  Bella's class went to Rohrer's Quarry and hiking at Governor Dick Park.  Look at my cute group of girls.

Of course, more baseball.  Look at the cute boys, numbers 1 - Issac and 3- Wyatt.  And Wyatt chilling at first.  I don't know if either of them realized they were in the exact same position.

Then I went with Wyatt's class to Hershey Factory.  My cute group of kids is the bottom of this group.  Below is the chocolate lab.  It was very cool.  We made chocolate treats and toured the Hershey Museum.  Wyatt and I on the bus goofing off.  Do you see the snaggle tooth that is practically falling out that he refuses to pull?

The we went to purchase the much talked about "cups".  And it poured raining.  I love this picture.  Afterwards rain and all we went to a dance party and bogeyed down.

And Kody walking to Pre-K.  He gets so excited and talks the whole way about all the things he sees, which is so weird since he is typically my silent one.  He is so cute in this time frame.  And also a day at Roots and his lunch that day being a tie-dye Whoppie Pie.  I know "Mom of the Year Award" right???

March Is Over???

Days are going to fast:
here's what happened in March

We had lots of nice weather,
Saint Patrick's day parade,
the first day of spring and
waiting out Rita's long lines.

We had a wild bird come inside,
a 50's themed party at school,
our first round of sprinklers and
General Conference.

Whew!

Seeing the Real Deal

Although these are beautiful,

and these are super delicious

  this is exactly what I needed.

Because although all of them were gifts after the passing of my brother,

and greatly appreciated, now that I am seeing that last one, for real, in nature

- I feel the funk going away. 

Because what is spring if it isn't new growth.

And I finally feel free of the cold damp soil that had settled in on me in my emotionally fraught life.

Goodbye winter, usually I love you, but not so much this year.

It Feels Noteworthy to Me

So many of my posts have lately been a mere travel log of the events of our life.  At one point I would have considered myself clever or witty, those days no longer exist.  It's not that I'm not clever or witty anymore it is just that those things require a bit of thought-at least for me and blogging is one area where I am choosing not to think.  So what has the past week covered that I've missed...
Well Friday May 6th - Issac's Pre-K class had a Mother's Day Party.  Despite coming straight from the gym I ate total junk and loved every minute of my popcorn, Goldfish, Cheerios, M&M, raisins, pretzals, etc...trail mix.  I also loved the frosted sugar cookies.  Three times I loved those babies.  Shh.  Don't tell!
The kids had made pictures and written a sentence about why they loved their mom.  Well I rocked it out because Issac loves me because I play ball with him.  I was feeling good overall and far superior to the mother's who were loved because "my mom lets me have fruit snacks every morning when I first wake up." and "she gives me whatever I want whenever I want."  Oh this wasn't a competition?  Crap!

Saturday May 7th - I woke up at 7:40 just in time to drive a couple minutes up the hill to the first ever Manheim 5K @ 8:00am.  I was excited to give real running a try after so many miles spent on the treadmill and the course ran by my house.  There stood the kids and Travis cheering like crazy.  Oh and letting me know I was in 52nd place.  Well about two minutes into the race I tweaked a muscle in my back.  Blast me and my not stretching or warming up.  But 32 minutes and 3.18 miles later I felt like I had a really had a good experience.  With no watch and nothing but a good pace to keep me moving I average once again a ten minute mile.  I had totally forgotten that running in PA on hills is totally different than on a flat treadmill.  Note to self: Use hill setting on treadmill from now on. 

Then for one of my Mother's Day presents Travis, the kids, and I embarked on our Spring Cleaning.  With 6 1/2 of us at work it only took us four hours to spring clean the entire house.  Then we played in the back yard, flew kites, and enjoyed the perfect weather.  Later that night we went to see the youth of our church in the Road Show.  It reminded me just how awesome my ward is.  They were a total hit and the choreography was amazing.  Shout out to Camille! 

Sunday, Mother's Day and May 8th, I had a lovely French Toast Breakfast, a scavenger hunt to find three new purses and extra shelving to hang in my laundry room.  I would post pictures, but let's be honest, I am getting to the age where no makeup, bloated morning face, Mary pictures just are not worth sharing.  That afternoon we spent taking walks, trying to feed ducks - they weren't that receptive, and Travis giving Wyatt a bloody nose.  It was from a football and quickly forgotten amid the fun.  No worries.  Overall I lead a charmed life and so each moment does feel noteworthy to me.

Warm...What To Do?

spend lots of time at the park

 

 ride your bikes

run around half naked all day

 play in the sprinklers

 and with water guns.

What have you been up to?

Weekend Update

Friday Day: Berry Festival Fun and decorating gingerbread men. Friday Night: A little shindig at our house Friday night.
Kids engaged in tug of war, arm wrestling, and Red Rover, as well as Red Light/Green Light.
Saturday Morning: Gettysburg Battlefield and historic sites with my second parents.
Saturday Afternoon: More Gettysburg - I was timed running up this. 122 steps in 42 seconds.
Sunday Afternoon: Opening Father's Day Presents.

Not Captured in Pictures:
Late Friday Night - Girls Night Movie - Kite Runner
Late Late Friday Night - up off and on all night Kody has croup
Saturday Evening - forget to take dinner to a friend (Suck!)
Saturday Evening - run Sat. errands, prep for Father's Day, walk with neighbor
Saturday Late Night - date night with Travis; watch a dumb movie
Sunday Early Morning - up at 1am Kody has really bad croup, up rest of night (hubby gets to sleep for Father's Day)
Sunday Morning - Father's Day breakfast - french toast
Sunday Mid morning - Church
Sunday Afternoon - Go to a friends for dinner, games, and fun
Sunday Night - Catch fireflies and play as a family on the tramp
Sunday Late Night - Collapse into bed exhausted from the weekend.

Man my life is good!