What Spring Brings

Its officially here!

Spring.

We sure have waiting a long time.

It really is amazing seeing this world come back to life, just a wee bit at a time, but if you let a few days past, you can really see a difference.  Just like last week's daffodil visit.  The flowers were out in millions, but not a bud on the trees yet.  This week, blossoms like crazy and all the trees are starting to show bits of green.  

My kids have rediscovered the back yard and this year they've become enamored with creating their own houses and forts.  It's just too bad that Ellie's "house" was causing her rashes.  It took a few days to figure it out, but I think she's been digging around in ground that has poison oak or poison ivy roots.  Her rashes never blistered but after I banned her from the woody part of our yard she cleared right up.  The nurse at school was trying to get me to take her into see the doctor, afraid that it was ring-worm or some other contagious rash, but I stood my "momma" ground.  I have three wrestling brothers, I think I know what ring worm looks like;) I was proud of myself for that.  Usually I cave when people with more authority or training offer a suggestion.  I must be getting older, more set in my ways, and more confident in what I know.  Growing older I guess is not all that bad.

Spring also brings Softball season.

We were over the moon thrilled that Emma made it onto Ellie's team this year.

So much easier on Mom and the little ones.

I think I was pitied by the Little League coaches, but I'll take it.

I was a bit worried that this team would be too advanced for Emma, that she could get hurt, or that she wouldn't like it because it was going to be hard.  But I was wrong on all accounts.  While Emma is still her "spacie" self, she works hard to do what her coaches say.  She got her first hit the other night and when Adam asked her what direction it went, she said she had no idea, she only concentrated on getting to first.  But she loves it, and her coach keeps her safely in right field;).

Ellie is doing well.  It's pretty cool to see her skills improve.  She likes playing short stop, first base, and catcher.  She kinda wants to try pitching, and now is the time to learn. We'll just have to fit that in somewhere.haha.

Cheers for her pitcher.

Hee,hee, she makes me laugh.

Emma on second, Ellie on first. 

Yearly Trip

It's that time of the year again.

We are seeing daffodils.

I always have high hopes of stunning family photos with those beautiful buds in the background, but usually what I get is more real than beautiful.

Here we are on a Saturday afternoon, fresh from work, things up our noses, wearing our granny glasses because of an eye infection, the aftermath of an Easter picnic with facepainting, just up from a nap, and slightly sick with a cold.  But we had a great time tromping around, seeing the sights, and chasing each other through the flowers.

"Look at those two rascals!"

"yup, off they prance, out of the picture."

For some big news, Emma is now a glasses wearer!

Her perscription is not bad, she just needs them for reading chalkboards at school, but since we just got them yesterday it's a little hard to put them down.  I love that she is so excited about them now, but having got glasses myself that young, I know its not always going to be so fun having four eyes.

But, darn she's a cute one.

*but time to wash that sweatshirt already, mom. Sheesh!

 

My dancing Grace.  She sure has developed a her own style in dress lately.  I should make a photo journal of her everyday wear soon.  You notice the rest of us are in our warm jackets, while she wouldn't have anything to do with covering up her outfit.

Cayden enjoyed forging his own paths through/over the flowers. 

They were perfect jumping obstacles and the mud was just so tempting.

 

Ellie was actually the photographer for most of these last ones.

She caught the flowers up close and found that they are more different from each other than you would have thought.  There are quite a few varieties out there.

See ya next year!