Let's Get Spring Started

 It has once again been a busy week. I really think this past week I was not in charge of any of my time. I told Jeff after church yesterday that I simply had to recharge my battery. He is the Energizer Bunny sometimes, and I am NOT. I retired to the couch much of Sunday. I am better for it today.

The children and grandchildren will be most of my post once again:)

First though is spring garden notes. Finally, it is showing up after a slow start. It was cool again Saturday morning and as I have always said it was the "Easter cool snap." I heard it all my growing up days....you would have a cool snap before Easter and then it will warm up after that. I have had many Easters to prove it with having to buy a sweater or pants for the kids.  Lindsay had a job fair to work on Saturday morning and she said one of the ladies in her office that is my age said the same thing to all the young girls talking about how cool it was Saturday morning. She said she instantly thought of me. I think I have passed it down to her as well. 

My day lilies are all above ground and the Stellas have been the first to bloom. I don't know if that is how it will be or if they are just the oldest and most established, but a few of the others are starting to have buds. 

I am so eager to see everything come to life again. It seems a wee bit late this year but probably not as I am just an eager beaver. The live oaks are in full on leaf drop mode. I think the little wormy blooms should fall this week and then it will just be full on good stuff coming. 

We took the kids over to Paul Allen and Katie's while Lindsay was working Saturday morning. Where was Tyler? Oh the boy got to go to the Masters'!!!  Not a practice day as he, Jeff, and Lindsay managed one year but the full on real day. A friend he went to high school with is actually a member of the place. I can't even imagine. Anyway, he had 2 extra passes in his cabin and for "Saturday", so Tyler and his brother flew in and went on Saturday. He had many tales to tell of life most of will never EVER see. I still have more to listen to. He flew back home on Sunday morning and met Lindsay and the boys at church. He said it was quite an experience.

Back to the kids and the visit to Paul Allen and Katie's.

A ride in the wheelbarrow with Dansby.

A view of the back with PaPa and Palmer sitting. Katie and Tucker in the hammock.

A view of the side. An orange tree is finally taking off and tomatoes and peppers are in the buckets.

A little more of the family.

If you haven't seen too many cute kids on Palm Sunday carrying their palm leaves I will share a few more:)

I took this one as they were coming out into the lobby.

Could he be any cuter? 

The children's director texted me this one later in the day.

Oh how precious!

Lindsay and Tyler had a friends' egg hunt yesterday. 

I snitched the next one from Instagram. These little ones you have heard about on the blog. They are daughters of long time friends of Lindsay's.  The one in the middle, Lindsay and her mom met in kindergarten and I taught her mom in 3rd grade while Lindsay was next door. The one on the right - her mom met Lindsay at the start of high school. You may remember they lost their home to a house fire a couple of years ago. It has worked out they are closer now in Destin to Lindsay and the other mom. Much more fun for them now.

Speaking of good friends. Well- we have a new baseball team to root for. Now, I am still a dedicated Braves fan and love baseball season so bring it on, but now we have a friend who has made it to the Big Leagues. 

Lindsay met her longest and dearest friend in the crib at their babysitter's house. "Carol" only kept teachers' kids and lived close to the school that they would eventually go to and that both of us moms would teach. Chelsea and Lindsay became friends as they grew together. 

Lindsay and Chelsea on their first day of preschool. 

They would go to preschool together at the vocational school where Chelsea's granddad was the principal. When they got old enough for that I would drop Lindsay off at Chelsea's, and her dad would take them to school and the grandpa would drop them back at Carol, the babysitter's where little brothers, Paul Allen and Bryan would be. Cathy and I each taught the other's kids. Little Bryan is all grown up and has been in the Leagues for awhile. He got called up at the end of last season to the Blue Jays. Cathy and Steve hopped onto a plane and made it to see him pitch a no hitter. He is now with the Baltimore Orioles and pitched on opening day which is a while different level of pay and all. I have learned a lot about all this. Anyway, we are super excited for Bryan and his whole family. He is a top notch young man and I enjoyed him as a 4th grader. Super smart and well behaved. We will love following along and cheering for him and so happy for the Baker Family.

It is just so good to see young people who worked so hard and are such good kids do well in life. Trust me, he will do well no matter if he plays a lick of baseball.

It has taken me nearly all day to get this post typed. Lots of interruptions and as I mentioned at the beginning of the post I snoozed Sunday. Much needed. 

Gus is at the groomers' today. The house is way too quiet without him. He was getting pretty shaggy and the weather has warmed so he wants to swim a lot. Shorter hair is easier to dry. I will share a picture of him soon.

I have been reading and stitching. I haven't read a book worth really noting although I have been back in reading mode. I do have a stitch to share soon.

OH and I have a day trip planned for Jeff and me in May. I can't hardly wait to go. I will share more later.

Happy April and spring...Let the flowers bloom, the grass green and let baseball commence.

Dog Gone Good Days

 Kids and grandkids are the focus today. 

We will start with my youngest child who has grown up, and his story amazes me so much at times. My little faith would be big in that story. Oh, he still has room to grow, but a baby coming in July will probably propel it forward at lightening speed. He and Katie have taken a little home with a giant yard and with every project make it cuter. I know to them it seems slow, but to me it is just a heartwarming process to watch.

Katie is still painting doors and adding such sweet touches. She creates ideas and I think Paul Allen is her muscle at times. This is their dining /living room. She created the mirror.

Every time I go over she has done something so cute to this little house.

They have been working on the baby room. I only one have 1 picture and it doesn't do the room justice. I promise to share more when she is finished. She painted 3 walls a gray and one room a dark green. I didn't get the combination of the walls which is just beautiful, but here is a picture of the focal wall.

Katie found the crib on FB Marketplace for a $100. She is a deal finder.

AND in looking at my pictures I do have a picture straight across from the crib. Her dad took the sliding doors off the closet and put in folding doors. He did a smashing job.

You can see Dansby, the Bluetick  giving his seal of approval of it all. You can also see the stained old doors from the 70s and they have slowly been painting all of these in the house and adding trim which I have shared before. 

They also got one of Uncle Danny's dressers and painted it white to make a changing table on top. Lots more to share.

They got some new patio furniture for their back porch. I am sharing 2 pictures but I will share more of their backyard later in the summer. They have a large backyard that I have shared when Paul Allen first got this house. The fence around it was in need of a new one but that would be a huge expense so he has been slowly redoing it. There was a county easement behind their fence and the county has deeded it to all the property owners so he has torn down the back fence and extended it 10 feet. It was amazing to see how much more it added. He has been hard a work for weeks.

Here is their new patio furniture.

Now, let's visit my daughter's home. I have stitched Lindsay several seasonal small ornament like things to hang from a knob on their TV cabinet. She stores them in a drawer. Tucker got them out and hung them all around on the other cabinet and around and told Lindsay he was decorating for Christmas. 

It is those little things like that will be just the sweetest memories. 

Y'all know I am a space fanatic and as we approach the new trips to the moon and the preparations for all that I decided it was time to raise my grandsons up right. I have purchased the first patch of Artemis for Tucker, Palmer, the one coming in July and even an extra if I have another one:) I am going to start them a scrapbook maybe or just collect them to they can frame them. I am thinking on that.

Artemis I's mission is similar to Apollo 8's mission.

Also thinking about that space love, Tucker loves my Snoopys. I have two that have an astronaut helmet and some on bookends in my little sewing room. He always notices them. I have come to realize my Snoopys are expensive. I tried to find him one on eBay like the ones I had and my stars ---apparently they are quite the collector items. 

SOOOO, I ordered Tucker a Snoopy shirt which is way too big. It was the smallest they had so he will have to wear it as a sleep shirt or beach shirt and a little Snoopy thing to hang on his backpack. I have given him the t-shirt. I am holding the backpack hanger for a later gift. He very much liked the shirt. Who knew? What is about Snoopy that makes you just love him?!

Little Palmer has learned to crawl. I had quit putting him in the walker because he was too fast for me and into things - well now, he is crawling everywhere. He got into Gus's water bowl before I could get him. I have my work cut out for me this next week.

We sent Mommy a picture of him and his waiting for his clothes to be washed.

Oh April, I am so happy to see you. The question is with Easter so late, will you behave and act like spring? I have planted my vincas in place of my pansies. Those are the only pots I change out. All my other pots have things that unless we have a once in a great while cold winter - they will make it. I occasionally have to slide them over to shelter or cover them, but mostly they survive.

They have already really hopped up since I took this picture, so I am loving that. I am waiting on all those day lilies I planted last year to pop too. They are all above ground and some with buds. I am watching daily to see which one blooms first.

I have so much outside work to do, but I enjoy that. It will get done in time. I didn't get much done this weekend due to some other obligations and I have been fighting a spring cold this week. I have not enjoyed that at all. I think I am going to beat it though without a doctor visit so I am looking forward to next week.

That is about all I have for this week. 

Hopefully enough positive and good to keep the mind off the crazy in the world.

Looking up,

Sandy