Sunkissed

Can it be true that spring has finally arrived? Now that we are just over a month away from the official beginning of summer?

Today was gorgeous, although the breeze was still a bit chilly, and the girls and I spent a lovely two hours at the park after school. Tonight I feel reminders of the sunny day on my arms and back.

I LOVE rain. Ask anyone.

I also love sunny days when it is not too hot and I can spend time with the girls at the park. They love swinging and sliding and teeter-tottering and all that park life entails. I love watching their antics, witnessing their joy, knowing they are getting good exercise and fresh air and Vitamin D, photographing them, and maybe scribbling in my notebook for 5 minutes.

Today was just one of those days, and it made me excited for summer. No school schedule. No packing lunches every morning. Sunglasses and flip-flops and a tote bag full of things like bandaids, water bottles, wet wipes, snacks, and a book. Coming home sunkissed, with grass stains or sand in between our toes.

Oh, it will be lovely...

Hope's Dream

I close my eyes and there you are… a fluffy blonde haired toddler, laughing as you chase after a Golden Retriever puppy. Running on green grass, you call behind you, your gaze on me, “Look Mama! A ‘goggy!’”

“Yes, lovey, I see you! A doggy!”

Daddy and I smile at each other, and in that smile is joy. Our joy in watching you. Our love for you. Our happiness in the lovely afternoon at the park. Summer. Warm 70s day. Blue sky with wispy white clouds. Your sisters are off playing… swinging side-by-side in white eyelet sundresses. Hannah is tall and lanky; Natalie's reddish-brown hair in a braid. They giggle.

There is nothing better than this moment.

Your hair and the puppy’s fur almost match. You keep barreling through the grass, running as fast as you can in your little khaki overall shorts. You trip and tumble over your little legs, and the puppy comes running to lick your face.

This must be Heaven.

I {Heart} Tulips!

Tulips are my favorite flower. In April our family visited two tulip farms/festivals. I loved it and hope to make tulip festivals a spring tradition. Here are some pictures of our visit to the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival in Woodburn, Oregon.

My daughter, Hannah (6)
My daughter Natalie (3)

Natalie wanted to smell every.single.tulip
Hannah was game to help her try
Every tulip was beautiful
They did the best they could to smell them all

But when all was said and done...
...there were just too many.

We had a wonderful afternoon tiptoeing through the tulips
The girls posed with their favorite color tulips
I couldn't pick a favorite
I can't wait to go back next year