It's finally here

Wonderful, beautiful Springtime
I am loving the way Spring is springing this year.
But then, I am always pretty crazy about this time of year.

A Sunday afternoon drive around the ranch
shows the "hope" that is in the beginning of every Spring.

"All things made new."

Around here, there are two sure signs that winter
is over --- the mesquite trees leaf out and the scissor-tales show up.

We saw our first scissor-tale yesterday
and the mesquites are just popping out.


I am praying that your week is a blessed one.
This week - between Palm Sunday and Resurrection Sunday --
my very favorite week of the entire year.

The sacrifice that was made for me (and you) is
breath-takingly amazing.
I don't ever want to take it for granted
or speed past it.
I just want to take it all in.

I read Luke yesterday and will read
John today,
followed by Matthew and Mark
later this week.

I don't think I have ever just sat and read the entire
book of Luke at one time like that.
Such a powerful experience.
One that I would recommend.

I am also working on dressing up the house for
the weekend - all the kids are coming home.
And Pops is dressing up the yard and porches.

I'll be back later in the week with my new Spring-y
home and porch decor pictures.

Happy Wednesday all !

Gwynie Pie

Until further notice.........

Gotta show you my super,duper, fantastic, awesome

birthday gift.......

My family got it for me. TOTAL Surprise !!

I'm studying my manual, playing with the settings,

taking a few pictures.....and I LOVE IT !!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you my sweet family!Last Friday night we went out to dinner with two couples who are some of

our dearest friends --- yet over the past few months/years

we've spent less and less time with them as life

has become busier and crazier for us all.

How DOES that happen???

Anyway, had a delicious dinner at The Wharf,

complete with birthday cheesecake -

soooo good!, then went to one of their homes

for coffee and dessert and visiting.

This sweet little "stash" of fun was given

me by my friends.

Little did Mendi know that I was about to re-do my kitchen

with a 1940's, old-fashioned feel.

The cute towels fit in perfectly.

And Jill gave me the Hobby Lobby card.

Always the right color, size and fit.

Love it! Thanks friends.

We all need to just STOP and smell the...........
a little more often. Just kickin' back and visiting was the best.

My mother always gives each of us $$$$ for birthdays.
That way we can use it for what we need or something
we've really been wanting.

Weeeellllllll -
I've really been wanting my pre-pregnancy waistline
back, but I'm told they don't sell those in stores,
else we'd ALL have one.
Sooooo looks like I'm gonna have to work for it.
With one of these ---
The Abcircle (as seen on TV) is really a very fun
workout. Once I tried it, I was hooked.
AND that's saying something.
I am not easily impressed with forms of exercise.
Found it at Bed, Bath and Beyond
of all places.


Also - found this.....sitting there at Ross
the very last one of it's kind
just waiting patiently for me to find
it, love it and take it home with me.

Funny enough, William and I have been talking a lot lately
about this very sentiment. We don't want to just
celebrate the big occasions of life, but also
celebrate the everyday ones.

This sentiment pretty much summed it all up.
It's become our new motto.
Our words to live by.

"Until further notice,
Celebrate
Everything !!!!"

Gwynie Pie

A few of my favorite things...

Ingredients for a Wonderful Birthday Weekend ---

Bubble wrap which was wrapped around THE most fantastic birthday present EVER!!!! More about that later......

The bubble wrap alone provided tons of fun.


Biggest fish ever caught by Lily Kate. She's holding up a worm. She didn't want to hold the fish. Well, of course..........duh..........worms are so much
less??? gross than a fish???? eeeewwwww


OKAY, let me explain this very, very sweeeeeet picture.
It's my birthday! Soooo, I go by Halfmann's to get MY very favorite pie -- chocolate cream.

Hey, I'm gonna share.

Also pick up a few crescents and a couple cream cheese brownies.
Just for good measure, ya know.

My mother sends home a huge box of sweet rolls, donuts and various
pastries from the bakery.

And we end up with chockit pie PLUS a ton (no pun intended) of other bakery
fun!

Notice the fresh fruit. We're not ALL bad.






Lily Kate and Pops taking Lady Bird out for a spin around the pen.


Just a few of my favorite things from the weekend.
Gwynie Pie

Oh LOOK !!! It's the lawn boy.

Naaaaaahhhhhhh........Not really. just kidding with ya.

We don't have a lawn boy. But then...you knew that.

AND that is NOT our yard.

I woke up this a.m. to the wonderful sounds of this tractor mowing the ballfield across the street in front of our house. It's a little community park that is maintained by the county. The workers were here in force weedeating, mowing and grooming the whole place.

It looks so good after they have been here. AND it smells fantastic !!!!

Freshly mowed grass........one of the best smells of summer.

Makes me want to go find my bottle of Coppertone.....another on the "best smells of summer" list.

I truly LOVE hearing the sound of a lawnmower though. It tells me ONE of my favorite times of year is here !!!

Spring! Followed by another favorite time of year.........SUMMER!!!!



Now ---- THIS ----- is our yard.

Lots of end of winter green out there.

It'll be tackled on Saturday. Wonder if a nice plate of cookies could bribe the man on the tractor to drive across the street
to "turn around" in my front yard????? hmmmmmm.................... Happy Spring everyone...........

Gwynie Pie