We were lucky enough to have one of my former college roommates and her daughter here for a visit May 17-18th. Ella and James love having company and Ella gets especially excited when someone spends the night. We spent time playing, catching up and we enjoyed trips to two different parks. Ella also discovered she likes to eat wings from Buffalo Wild Wings. Kate is only three months older than James, so it was interesting to see who played with who. Ella spent a fair amount of time with Kate trying to dress her up. But, all three kids have a huge love for the outdoors and that is where the real fun was had.
Jenny...hope you don't mind my posting this cute pic of you! I am sure that Stacie & Jen will enjoy seeing it!!
We hope you all had a happy Memorial Day Weekend. We enjoyed many activities, but stayed pretty close to home. It was really nice! Mark almost finished planting his garden and the kids and I spent lots of time outside.
Ever since I can remember, my family has always taken time to attend the ceremony to honor Veterans which is held every Memorial Day at the little cemetery very close to my family's farm. A prayer is said, there is a 21 gun salute and Taps is played. It feels good to take a few moments to pause and remember what the day is all about. We actually went down to the local Veterans' Memorial and observed most of that service as well. (James wasn't bothered by the noise at that service, but he was pretty startled by the guns at the cemetery.) After the service, we found the paver that belongs to my great uncle. Then, the kids had fun playing at the nearby park. It was an absolutely beautiful day!
The Color Guard
James and his beloved blankie.
Ella pointing at her Great-Great Uncle Chuck's paver.
Getting a better view from Daddy's shoulders.
My favorite flowers of spring...lilacs!!!
I love lilacs! I love their smell and their colors. I wish they would bloom multiple times in the year. Unfortunately, they are only in bloom for about a week in late May. It wouldn't be Memorial Day without a fresh bouquet of homegrown lilacs. I usually bring home a big bunch from the farm and let them perfume my house. So, I cut a beautiful bunch and enjoyed them for several days. When those wilted, I realized the bushes at my house had finally grown enough that I could cut another bouquet of my very own lilacs. They are sitting in the center of my table right now! I also decide to try out the macro setting on my camera and I took these photos. Now I can enjoy the sight of these tiny flowers during the remainder of the year...if only I could successfully bottle their sweet scent... Enjoy the pics!
Finally things are getting back to normal around here...at least for a few days. Ella only has five more days of preschool before her summer break starts, so then we will have some more adjustments to make.
Last week proved to be a busy week. We had a lot of unpacking and resting to do from our trip to Florida. To add to the fun, I had an upper endoscopy performed on me on Tuesday. The procedure involved knocking me completely out and sending a camera down into my stomach and small intestine. It was not all that bad as I really don't remember much of anything. I think Mark may have been more anxious than me...he doesn't like anything that involves needles. After Mark brought me home, I pretty much slept away the rest of the day. I was a little extra tired and light-headed on Wednesday morning, but after that I was completely fine. However, I did feel like I lost a whole day last week and I am still waiting to get my official test results.
Mark is getting anxious to start his garden, but the weather has not been cooperating. It keeps raining and staying on the cooler side. Maybe we can make some progress this weekend. Thankfully, my dad has finally been able to get some planting done. James and Ella have been anxiously waiting for their turn to ride along to help Grandpa Jim plant the crops.
I still need to go through more of our Florida pictures, but for now here is a video Mark is very proud of. On the day we went to Animal Kingdom, Mark stayed longer at the park while I took the kids back for naps. He was able to go on the Expedition Everest ride three times. On his last ride, he took a video from the front of the train. If you want to experience the ride, click on the video.
Here is Disney's explanation of the ride: The Expedition EVEREST adventure begins when guests board an old mountain railway destined for Mount Everest. As the train heads for the snowy mountain peak, it passes through bamboo forests, waterfalls and fields of glaciers.
The excitement begins when it's discovered that the train tracks end in a twisted wreck of metal. From here, the train careens backwards and forwards through darkness, frigid canyons and treacherous caverns. A face to face encounter with the legendary Yeti (guardian of the Himalayas) brings this tumultuous train ride to its dramatic conclusion.
To all the moms in my family, all the moms I count as friends and all the moms-to -be, Happy Mother's Day!
I am having a very nice Mother's Day. My cousin Kelly and her daughter Bella came to spend the night last night. They joined us for church this morning and Ella's dance recital this noon. Ella sang two beautiful songs with her church choir today. The second song was a Mother's Day song and it got me a little teary the first time I heard it. During the song, the kids shouted out, "My Great Mom!" with great big smiles. I took a video at the second service so hopefully I can upload it to share.
After church, Ella had to get dressed quick for her dance recital. It is so fun to watch all the little dancers. James enjoyed sitting on his Grandma Judy's lap for most of the show. He was enthralled with the music and the dancers....he was also getting a bit sleepy! This was Ella's fourth year of dance. She did so well and has grown so much. She loves the excitement of the recital and loves to perform for people...and she loves to get flowers after the show. She definitely likes being in the spotlight!
Now, James is catching a quick nap and we will soon be heading off to a 95th birthday party for my Grandma Ruth. Today is her actual birthday. Five years ago, on her 90th birthday, her birthday also fell on Mother's Day. That was my very first Mother's Day and I remember it well. Ella was so tiny then--just over three weeks old. Now it seems hard to believe that five years have passed by so quickly... These first years with my children have truly been a gift and I look forward to many more memories and Mother's Days to come.
We are home, unpacking, and resting up after our four nights at Disney World. We really had an excellent time! We were going nonstop the entire trip, except when someone was sleeping. So, we are all tired out. I will make a longer post later, when I have more energy. For now, here are a couple of pictures of our adventures.
I love this picture....Look at James looking up at Eeyore with delight and awe!
All smiles on the Teacup ride...our first ride at the Magic Kingdom!!
Jenny...hope you don't mind my posting this cute pic of you! I am sure that Stacie & Jen will enjoy seeing it!!
