Wave "Hi" to Spring!

Evelyn, much like Punxsutawney Phil, saw her shadow.

And then she waved hi to it.

Must be spring! And we have the sidewalk chalk weather to show for it.

The trees are blooming, the grass is green, little knees are skinned from crawling on sidewalk, and more chalk is on tiny hands, feet, and lips than on the surface it belongs. All is good.

Once again, it takes a photo to remind me that it's time to trim the nails again.

The long wait is over. And while I'm sure we'll have our share of fowl weather days, the worst is over.



And in celebration of good weather and happy seasons, we had our very first real play date. You know... the kind where the kids actually play rather than the moms just getting together for an excuse to get out of the house for coffee or lunch while rocking infants sleeping snugly in car seats.

Meet little Lexi.

Lexi was born about a month and a half before Evelyn. Her momma and I went to elementary school together, and kept each other sane during our pregnancies via facebook. Every once in awhile since the babies were born we've gotten together to catch up and swap mommy stories.

 





















This time, however, was different. There was sippy cup swapping, toy stealing, and hair pulling.

There was staring at each other and crawling baby trains as one would follow the other. Making friends. This was good too. We're looking forward to more of these.

And Spring... yea it's totally here.

Hi Spring...

Don't let the frown fool ya, we're so happy you made it.

Tour de Park

Where have we been you ask?  Enjoying the wonderful pre-spring weather at the park probably.  Mid-70 degree weather, a blanket in the grass, and a baby swing can pretty much sum up our free time the last week and a half.

Here is probably unhealthy overdose of photographs from our Tour de Park.

Park with Mommy

The complex we live has a little park with a small jungle gym and slide area and happens to have one baby swing.  After work if its nice, Evie and I take stroll down to the park and play around on the blanket with toys and swing until about the time Daddy gets home.

Park with Mommy and Daddy

Daddy joins us on the weekend.

Park with Grandma and PawPaw

Last Sunday we met up with my parents for lunch before heading to a park I used to frequent as a kid. Only so much has changed since I last played there. Evelyn hung out by the swings with her pawpaw while Matt and my mom tossed the football around.

Simple memories. Simple post. Hope everyone is enjoying a break in weather. It's almost spring!

Bucket List

This has to be quick. I'm at a rapid pace running out of Gerber Puffs which I'm so lovingly using to bribe my super clingy whiny daughter in to giving me a little bit of time to pull photos and update the blog. Yikes.

Two things:

First... Evie's new toy box.  You can see it in the background. It's purple and my mom and I found it at a local consignment shop that supports the rescue mission. It was inexpensive and exactly what I was looking for.

Evie and I have spent most of the afternoon playing in her bedroom, something normally reserved for the living room floor.

Now that we actually have toys in her bedroom, I forsee lots of bedroom floor play in the future. 

I'm also kind of a sucker for space where stuffed animals and dolls can be neatly lined up.

And her sweet little feet.

Second... I made a bucket list. A little cliche but that's okay... everyone should have one.

1. Take a family vacation to Dollywood
2. Buy a house
3. Finish paying off student loans and medical bills
4. Take Evie to Disney World
5. Take a family vacation to the beach
6. Have a flower and vegetable garden
7. Buy a camper
8. Have a professional family portrait made
9. Take that honeymoon we didn't get.
10. Be a stay home mom or work part time.
11. Take an overnight train trip to somewhere cool.
12. Attend the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
13. Meet Dolly Parton and go to a performance
14. Have pieces of my wedding dress made into something like blankets for all my babies.
15. Buy furniture, especially bedroom furniture and a dining room table.
16. Have a picnic on the parkway with my husband and daughter
17. Learn sign language
18. Adopt a baby or become a foster mom.
19. Go to the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C.
20. Learn to cook 5 new really great meals.
21. Read 10 new books in 2011.
22. Become an early riser, by choice.
23. Make a difference in a stranger's life.
24. Bring awareness to 5 different charities.
25. See atleast one of my photographs in a local museum.
26. Have 1000 followers on my blog
27. Start a college fund for Evelyn.
28. Start a MAD money account for myself.
29. Create a will.
30. Complete a 356 Photo Project.
31. Have a playdate with another mom and her children
32. Forgive someone I may have a grudge against
33. Go through my childhood keepsake boxes (throw some things out, keep some for my children)
34. Have a throw blanket made from my keepsake t-shirts
35. Make a photo/memory book each year for the past year for Evelyn.
36. Buy Matt a brand new car and put a big red bow on top. (When we first met this is something he said he always wanted)
37. Be featured in the newspaper (for a positive reason).
38. Fly a kite on the beach
39. Have four children… one down, three to go.
40. Take photos of kids for 10 families that can't afford to have photos made in 2011.
41. Start a charity of my own.
42. Be recognized for doing a good job at work.
43. Go to a butterfly emporium/conservatory/garden
44. Buy the lens I want for my camera.
45. Visit Charleston, SC
46. Make 15 friends through my blog across the country/world.
47. Find a church for my family and have Evelyn dedicated.
48. Buy my wedding ring back (it was cut off during my labor and had to be melted down and reformed but we can't afford to buy it back yet)
49. Take my parents on a vacation.
50. Pay for the person behind me in a drive-thru

Puffs are gone! Have a wonderful weekend!