Spring Things

Hi! Have I mentioned lately how much I LOVE SPRING??? The flowers are blooming, the weather is warmer (some days), and I'm hopping to and fro, accomplishing stuff.
I've been so occupied with everything, but it's time to post before I get too dreadfully far behind. Spring Break was... a long time ago. The kids played and I painted the living room. (No pictures yet until I paint the hallway. I need to capture the full, finished effect. I guess the pic below is a tiny hint...)
I like peeling dried latex paint from trays. It reminds me of when I'd peel glue off the palm of my hand in elementary, much like every other kid in the history of Elmer's Glue. Except the paint peeling is more satisfying since it's so much bigger.

--- Another thing we (the kids, my mom and I) did over Spring Break was see "Tangled" at the cheap theater, finally. I loved it. It made me cry three different times. I had to keep reminding myself that it was a cartoon! I didn't listen. When the heart strings are tugged, they are tugged regardless. Oliver was getting restless halfway through the movie, so he kept asking me if he could have the keys so he could drive the car. That made me giggle.

--- I didn't get around to "decorating" for Easter until two days before the holiday. I have this cabinet that was handed down to me. It was my mom's from when I was little. Anyway, it was just sitting emptily in our front room since I don't have anything to put in it yet. The Peeps needed a place to nest for a few days, so I kindly let them stay in there.


You can't tell me they don't look cute. Well, you can, but if you don't want to hurt my marshmallowy feelings, you won't.

--- On April 4th, my brother Gavin and his wife's second baby girl was born. They cutely named her Ruby Mae. She's healthy and gorgeous!

--- Days later, Gavin did an opening set for a local stand-up comedian. Becky came with me and we met my sisters there for the show. I thought he was quite funny. Both Gavin and my sister, Megan, are doing as many open mic nights and gigs as they can to get their funny feet wet. Is planet Earth ready for a warm helping of McCaleb humor? We hope so!

--- Choir ended April 12th. =( I'm so glad I got to be in it. It wasn't like my treasured memories of high school choir, of course, since this choir only met once a week, making it difficult to create a feeling of camaraderie. But it was fun in its own kind of way. I loved the music and the chance to sing again with Linda as the director.
I had let it slip that I love baking cookies, and Mrs. Schmidt teasingly asked why I hadn't brought any. So I made about 90 sugar cookies to take to class the week before our last time. They were well received. People were audibly impressed that I made, frosted and sprinkled all of them. I go to great lengths to feel validated. And I'm not kidding. It was cute having college students ask me for another cookie.

--- On April 21, Megan (my little sister) was a presenter at Ignite Boise! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycwz1h0Gad0&feature=share
She exudes a tiny bit more public confidence than I do. She did a fantastic job. Unfortunately, there is a dumb, fake laugh somewhere in the audience. Pretty annoying and very rude.

--- Ah, Easter.... I love that holiday. It came and went too quickly.
The day before, we went to a family lunch at Ryan's sister's house. After the yummy food, the kids participated in an egg hunt.


Oliver wouldn't pick up any purple eggs.



He only picked up around 7 eggs, then he wanted to go to the front yard and start snacking. As much as my instincts told me to, I didn't "egg" him on to continue hunting. He was done.


---Then Easter Sunday came.

I found this dress maybe 2 months before Easter, but I had to get it. It came with a matching doll dress, which I somehow didn't bother to take a picture of.

She won't be a little girl for much longer... That was my justification for buying this. It was a really good deal, I might add.


Here's Jane with her new Webkinz turtle, which she named Timmy.






She immediately began constructing a cage for Timmy.


She is so meticulous. I love to see her busily setting up homes for all her little friends, whether they be plush or plastic.

I didn't get any pictures of Cora or Oliver before church. I simply ran out of time... =/

After church, we went to dinner at my parents' house. We had yummy filled crepes and assorted other brunch-type foods. It was all good.

Then it was time for the little cousins' egg hunt. The older cousins were in charge of hiding the goodies.

Oliver's treat-filled cheeks. =)



Pretty Cora and her new fox.






Soon the hunt was over.

We had to do the usual group photo. Looks like Isaac's ready!





From left: Jack, Dylan, Maisie, Oliver, Paislie, Ella, Lillia, Jane, Cora, Ethan, Isaac.
The only two not pictured are newborn Ruby, and Fletcher (who was at his other grandparents' house).


--- I got a new cookie cutter. I had to test it out at once!

This was just a test run. I need to figure out how to make the "wrappers" look more realistic. And maybe I should try piping the top on like I would a real cupcake. Or I could just make real cupcakes.


These aren't the ones I took to choir. I just made circle cookies for that occasion.


--- Here's just a random pic of Oliver I'm throwing in.

Trains everywhere, as usual.

--- I love having a backyard for Oliver to play in! I couldn't be more pleased.


I took this from inside the house. I guess he wasn't in the mood to be photographed.



Different day, different attitude.





--- It wouldn't be spring without a serious ant invasion.

They won't leave us alone. We can't help being so crummy! I wish I could lure all the ants outside
with some tasty morsels rather than resorting to Raid baits. One year, they even climbed the shelves and weaseled their way into some boxes of cereal. Yes, I did find out the hard way. I noticed the ants floating to the milk's surface after a bite or two. Ptoooooey!

I liked how they used the spoon as a bridge to the bottom of the pan.



--- The best part of springtime is. the. flowers. I've said it a million times and I'll say it a billion times more. I love flowers! Each one is a beautiful little miracle.

I took pictures of all the blooming things in our yard.

I've always wanted flowering trees.


I wish my camera would do close-ups of the miniature blossoms on this shrub. They are SO cute. I was very excited when I realized this bush was going to be so pretty.



I'd been so busy painting inside that I could have missed these mini daffodils in the side yard! The girls alerted me to them one glorious day. In case anyone forgot, daffodils are my favorite flower. And they never last long enough... ='(



Here are the only two tulips in the whole yard. It'll be a whole different situation come next spring. There will be oodles of tulips and daffodils, too! And whatever else I can successfully sow.

Happy Spring!!!