grateful for this week . . .

big kids who have fun ideas and can execute much more of them themselves

birthday cake dreaming for my sweet almost 6 year old

cake idea from this book

sweet friends

lip licking good hot cocoa on an unexpectedly snowy afternoon

hand me down dresses that are so much fun to wear, green lantern symbols drawn on by her brother and that smile

aunts who quilt and give generously and a daughter who likes to play pretend

that homeschooling can happen anywhere and that our car dealership service area has a fish pond

also, that my kids are enamored with and curious about nature wherever they may find it

another aunt who gave us a chick-fil-a gift card which led to a fun treat of breakfast out after taking the car into the shop

the "after a library trip quiet" that comes as they pour through the new offerings

a fixed and ready to go car, fun kids to spend my days with and that we were all still smiling at this point in a long day!  

Nana's who host St. Patrick's Day parties and fun cousins building leprechaun traps!

a visit from Granddad!  

that all of our grandparents love, share and promote reading

really good friends and the unexpected discovery of a whole patch of blooming crocus in our neighborhood!!!!!  

that I get to homeschool . . . I am very grateful for this life . . . 

bracelets from Kenya

braids

the margin in a day to try hairstyles before hiking

the young woman she is growing up to be 

(and her fashion sense!)  

my strong boy

handsome husband and that my kids love their grandparents

pretty girl

good friends

her enthusiasm and all her words

stop me in my tracks views during errands

spring meals coming up

their insatiable appetites for learning and trying new things

What are you thankful for this week?

Choo Choo by Petr Horacek

I nostalgically checked this book out of the library and read it to my kids.  It was one we read with David when he was an itty bitty guy.  I really enjoyed reading it again although I think my kids were a bit baffled.  If you've got a train loving little boy I highly recommend it!  Now I'm researching trains that take you to the beach . . . you'll  see when you read the book.  Doesn't that sound like fun?  

After spending a long weekend at the beach this past weekend I think I've got spring/summer fever!

What are some of the things you're most looking forward to about spring/summer?

Kelly

Snow and Sheep

Almost a year ago Adrian and I began planning and dreaming about a trip to Europe this spring.  My father-in-law is on sabbatical over here and they invited us to visit as well as having some other invitations from friends and family so here we are!  

We flew out of Denver on Friday afternoon, March 16th after my sweet dad drove us to the airport.  Packing for this trip has been an exercise in getting closer to our ideal.  

Last time we were in Florence we had to pay a good amount of money to put bags into the "bag hold" at the train station and because the cost was so high we were still hauling quite a bit on our backs, trying to "tuck" bags that were too big for "tucking" under the table at the restaurant, etc.  We knew that we would eventually like to travel with only one backpack per person to allow for more comfort/flexibility in travel in a lot of ways.  

Our first time to really do this was a trip to San Francisco mid-February.  One backpack per person . . . but that trip was only about 36 hours.  This trip is 32 days!  I am pretty pleased about making it into only five backpacks this time!  

We flew to London's Heathrow and I asked Adrian if we couldn't take a steamer next time.  The flight really was fine but it is just so hard to try to sleep on a plane and you know you are supposed to be sleeping and getting hit with jet lag.  

When we arrived we ate lunch and hired a car.  We drove to Hampton Court Palace which once belonged to Henry VIII among other notable people where we met Adrian's Aunt Helen and cousin Leo.  It was so wonderful to see them again and it was very interesting to tour the palace.  

of course you sit on the floor of a centuries old palace to check your maps - I was impressed with the displays and how well done everything was.  I would recommend it if you're in the area.  

We enjoyed tea before heading to Swindon, England for the night.  

We ended the day at a restaurant that we really like called Nando's.  Chicken, veggies, French fries . . . excuse me, chips . . . etc.  It is our second time to have gone there on a first day in England.  It is a nice little tradition and it feels comfortable to know what you are getting there.  

We stayed the night at a Double Tree in Swindon that was really clean and nice.  Unfortunately Cora, Adrian and I were all up for nearly three hours in the middle of the night but surely jet lag will get better!  

We got up this morning and had a very nice breakfast complete with baked beans, sausages, fried tomatoes and white grapefruit.  Then we drove from Swindon to Wales in the snow and crossed over this magnificent bridge!  

During the afternoon we trudged through the snow a mile and a half or so to the grocery store.  It was a really fun walk.  I enjoyed seeing the signs in both Welsh and English for each aisle at the grocery.  

As we walked along we passed a field of grazing sheep.  

I can tell I didn't sleep all that well last night.  Jet lag is hard.  

Not an awesome photo but I wanted to document and remember that Cora and David really enjoyed working in their travel journals on the drive.  Thank you for the stickers Aunt Helen!  

to be continued . . . 

Kelly

Crocus!

"The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it." John 1:5

spring luncheon

I thought I had blogged these photos but I looked back and didn't find them so perhaps I didn't.  

This was from last spring and it was what David and I did to thank the MOPS workers who took care of him all year.  They are soo amazing.  All of the childcare workers at our MOPS group are volunteers who just want to love on our kids.  I feel so blessed to know them and really enjoy them a lot.  

I encourage you to consider gifts of time when looking for appreciation gifts this time of year.

Those are cornbread muffins on the cupcake stand to serve with our two salad choices at lunch.

The pink gingham tablecloth is one that was in Sweetie's stash from hosting church baby showers for years and years.  The polka dot glasses were picked up and hand carried home from NYC by my mom and I back in my single days and purchased from Fishs Eddy.  

We had a pasta salad and a spinach salad that you could put blue cheese (or was it feta), pecans and grapefruit on.

The green gingham piece in the center is an old cabinet door that I picked up free across the street when we first moved into our house, the roses from our garden in little spice jars and uncapped s&p shakers.

for dessert, chocolate chip cookies on a milk glass "cake stand" that I put together with a plate that was a gift from my mother-in-law who knows my penchant for the stuff and a planter

Kelly