What I did on my Easter vacation

Okay, so maybe not a vacation but I had five days off of work.  We left Friday night after an amazing service at our church. 

Since my dad had broken his foot about two weeks ago and my parents were out of wood for heating their house we spent Saturday afternoon cutting, splitting and hauling wood.  Of course, one is never too young to help.

So Lilyana helped by throwing sticks and logs out of the back of the pick up.  What a great job she did!  To top it off she even got a tractor ride.

Sunday we attended church with my parents after a spectacular breakfast prepared and cleaned up by the men of the church.  Thanks! 

Sunday afternoon was so nice we spent much of it outside

riding a big wheel (still working on steering and pedaling), swinging, sliding, swinging, sliding.  You get the idea.  Sunday night we were blessed with an impromptu visit by my Uncle Merle on his way home from his son's house in the cities.  It was great to see him again and listen to his stories.  Everything is an adventure with him and it's fun to listen to him.  Sadly, his wife, my Aunt Bette passed away suddenly about 18 months ago.  We miss her dearly.

Monday morning I was awakened by my human alarm at 5:30 even though my phone alarm was set for 6:00.  I had to take my mom down to the hospital to have the cataract removed from her second eye.  She'd had the other one done about three weeks ago before my dad broke his foot.   Before nap we spent more time outside swinging and sliding and swinging and sliding.  After nap we packed up and left for home.

We will be back again next weekend to celebrate Lilyana's third birthday.  I can't believe how time has flown and that our 3 lbs 12 oz little baby

 is now about 35 lbs. 

And that is how we spent our Easter vacation.  Stay tuned for next week's blogisode from her birthday party.

Shhh ... Spring

Do I dare say it?  You know, the S word.  No, not snow.

That's right.  SPRING.  I think spring has finally arrived in Minnesota.  Temps in the 50s.  Sun.  Lilac buds.  Yep, all those define spring.  We have even taken the risk of .....

... setting up the trampoline.  The risk of snow is less than the joy of jumping.  And added to the battle of food, sleep, dressing and obedience is the "hat transition."  I wonder how long it will take to forget the winter hat and put on a summer hat.  I did get her take off the hat.  It's now hidden.

More signs of spring ....

 onions

strawberries

I love perennials.  

And, yes, that's my garden.  I didn't do anything to clean it up last fall.  We were not prepared for winter to arrive when it did and to have weekly snow falls.  We haven't decided if we're going have a garden this year.  Dan wants to move it.  

And one last picture.

Happy Spring!