Spring Time

Spring flowers are blossoming!

It is beautiful as the seasons change from the drab winter to the beautiful blooms of spring. 

Book Club

Our book pick for April was A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner. Here is just a snippet about the book: 

 September 1911. On Ellis Island in New York Harbor, nurse Clara Wood cannot face returning to Manhattan, where the man she loved fell to his death in the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire. Then, while caring for a fevered immigrant whose own loss mirrors hers, she becomes intrigued by a name embroidered onto the scarf he carries…and finds herself caught in a dilemma that compels her to confront the truth about the assumptions she’s made. Will what she learns devastate her or free her? 

September 2011. On Manhattan’s Upper West Side, widow Taryn Michaels has convinced herself that she is living fully, working in a charming specialty fabric store and raising her daughter alone. Then a long-lost photograph appears in a national magazine, and she is forced to relive the terrible day her husband died in the collapse of the World Trade Towers…the same day a stranger reached out and saved her. Will a chance reconnection and a century-old scarf open Taryn’s eyes to the larger forces at work in her life?

Nola, is our newest book club member. She picked the book and led our discussion.  I really enjoyed the book and would be interested in reading some other books by the same author.  It was a good story and an easy read.  It also made me think and we had a great discussion about the book.  Thanks Nola for the great book pick, discussion, and yummy treats.

Check out these awesome cupcakes Nola made for our book club.  They tasted as yummy as they looked too.  

I love book club!

Monday

On Monday Braden and Brooke came over to clean the porch furniture 

and the porch and deck rails. 

It is a win-win situation.  I don't have to do the cleaning and Brooke and Braden earned money for camp. 

Kim pitched in and helped a little too. 

These kids are hard workers.  They worked for three hours to get the job done.  Thanks!

Then I spent some time out in the yard.  

I even read a little down at the patio.  I am enjoying my last few days off from school.  

Easter

Trip to the Garden Center

Gary took a trip to the garden center after work on Friday. 

He bought this lilac and some other plants. 

Of course, he also bought more mulch too.  

We sat down in the garden area trying to figure out where to put the new plants.  

I love days when we can just enjoy being outside together.  

Aina Girls Go Camping

Friday, Tony got off work a little early and he took the girls camping. 

The girls were so excited! Sarah decided to stay home since she is about 7 weeks away from having baby girl #4. 

They were packed and ready to go when their Daddy got home.  

They loved helping pack the car. 

Sun kissed freckles on Abby's cheeks. 

Ellie and one of her goofy grins.  

They had a great time camping. 

A Surprise Visitor

Friday morning after I got home from physical therapy, I had a knock on my front door. I wasn't expecting anyone and I was very surprised to open the door and see my friend, Judy Kay. She moved to Nevada a few years ago. We are both teachers, we have kids around the same ages, and we keep in touch mostly through Facebook and our blogs.  

She was in Maryland visiting one of her sons.  She also had a total knee replacement, so we got to compare our surgery and recovery stories.  She did warn me that when I start back to work that I will be exhausted at the end of the day.  

It was great to get to chat and visit for awhile.  Some friends even if you haven't seen them for awhile, you can just pick up and start talking like you just saw each other yesterday.  

Thanks for the wonderful surprise visit Judy Kay

Adeline

On Thursday, I watched the girls while Sarah went to the doctor and then shopping, alone.  Abby, Ellie, and Maggie, who was visiting, went down to the stream.  

Adeline stayed with me.  She was the last one awake and wanted to eat toast at my house.  Then we played, The Mouse and Cheese Game.  

She also wanted to watch some Team Umizoomi and was having fun sitting in Papa's chair.  

For a snack, Adeline requested pepperoni and some circle cheese (Babybel cheese). 

Then we did some puzzles. 

Adeline likes to do it all by herself. 

Occasionally she will ask for a little help, but mostly she does them by herself.  

Ta-da! She finished.  

We kept track of the big girls using Abby's walkie talkies.  When Sarah came up we called the big girls up and we all fixed lunchmeat sandwiches for lunch.  Sarah had some strawberries that the girls loved eating too.  

Everyone had a fun afternoon playing and then we all had feta chicken and Greek salad for dinner.  

It was a fun day.  

Night Lights

These photos were taken on my phone so they aren't the greatest but...

The moon was beautiful last night.  

Mushroom and flower solar lights by the back patio. 

The side yard solar lights taken from the deck.  I'm going to have to get out my big camera and get some better photos. 

Morning Fun

The girls were up and ready early on Tuesday morning.  

Auntie Lauren had invited them over for the day.  They were so excited! I hear that they all had a great time and everyone was tired at the end of the day!

Sunday

I love going outside and seeing all the beautiful flowers.  

This is the first year for this bed to bloom.  

We found these yellow lilacs at the garden center, although the one on the right looks more white than yellow.   

Gary's latest flower bed.  This bed is going to be seeded with a mix of wildflowers.  

The Bleeding Hearts are blooming.  

Spring time in the woods. 

Saturday Fun

I've been walking around the yard more.  

I need to build up my stamina for walking and this is a lovely area to walk through. 

I love checking out all of the flower beds and seeing what is in bloom or budding out.  

Gary is continuing to expand the paths and the flower beds.  

The apple tree is blossoming. 

I'm reading a new series, The Lunar Chronicles. I just started the second book.  

The three big girl were playing outside all afternoon.  

These pictures were just taken with my phone so it is hard to see but the static electricity was making their hair stand up.  

Clay, Tony, and Gary talking and planning. 

Clay's birthday was on April 4, and we celebrated on Saturday.  He requested his all time favorite meal, pitas.  He also wanted an ice cream cake.  I can't believe I forgot to take pictures of everyone together.  We were just having fun being together. 

Everyone enjoyed being outside, hanging out together, and yummy food!

It was a great day.