Spring Time Fun

 

The calendar said that Spring has arrived and for a few days, it was here.  The kiddo’s were so excited!  We grilled out, played on the play set, cleaned up the yard.  The rabbits even had their winter nails trimmed. 

Those kiddo’s sure have a great time swinging.  I challenged Shea to a swing-off.  It was fun and I “let her think” that she went much higher than me. I had not swung that high in a long time!

We also went to Shea’s school one night for the First Grade Music Program.  It was so cute.  They were all dressed up in their “Sunday best” and put on the cutest performance.  Here are some snap shots of Shea with some of her friends.

Shea played the Triangle during the performance.  She also had to sit front and center for the “Apple game”.  I’m not sure of the correct title.

For the first weekend of Spring Break we headed back to New Madison.  We had a nice visit with our families.  We took the kiddo’s and Grandma Pat to IHOP for brunch on Sunday. The kiddo’s had pancakes as big as their heads.  It was fun.  While we were at Grandma and Grandpa Huntington’s the kids and Daddy found two lonesome turtles.  Excited was an under statement.  They carried those turtles around all day!  Shea took excellent care of hers.  It was even holding her hand.  Following her while it walked around…  She was it’s Mom for the day.  Shea was so attached to it.  Will, on the other hand, did not under stand that we needed to be gentle with our new friend.  That poor turtle had a few dips, bumps and falls.  A few times I didn’t think it would survive.  Queue Gloria Gainer….  That turtle must have sang “I Will Survive” all day.

Meet Rose and Digger

Shea loved to put them in her pockets…

Digger is the one in hiding.

Dinner was approaching, time for the turtles to be returned to their natural habitat near the pond.  Digger took off IMMEDIATELY once he was placed into the water.  Poor guy, he put up with a lot.  Shea was sad for Rose to go but she understood it was best for her.  Maybe they will meet again.

Let the Sun Shine!

I love the sun.  It does a body good!  Natural vitamin D, what couldn't be better?!  Living in Central Ohio, we have gray days especially in the winter.  We long for the sun to shine warm on our faces.  Last weekend, our wish came true!!  There was sun and some much needed seasonable temperatures! 

I pulled out the new lens and hood that I received at Christmas time, I've been waiting for a day like this to go out and shoot.  I played with action shots of the kids, Shawn surveying the property from Winter, squirrels in the woods.  It was fun! 

Here are a couple of the kiddo's.

I even enticed the kids to help me clean the Winter debris out of my flower beds.  The reward for such stellar team work was ice cream and brownies!  Heck ya!  It was fun.  We are looking forward to more warm weather coming.  Next week is Spring Break for Shea, a zoo trip is planned.  We'll see what else the week brings.

Here she is monkeying around in the tree.  She's sad that this is one that will be cut down later on in the Spring.  It's dying... sad...  No worries, we are planting a big new one!!!

Look Out, It's A Shark!!

It has been a long chilly, frosty and ice-covered with occasional snowfalls kind of winter.  The type that just when you think, ahh, winter may be over it punches you again.  Mix in power outages and pouring rain causing floods and we have used a lot of calamity days this year.  Our previous Governor thought it was a splendid idea to give the schools three calamity days instead of our "normal" five.  We went through those days quickly.  We've had lots of ice, rain turning to ice and snow.  The kids went to school on President's Day to make up a day they had used.  Great.  This is good.  Next day, ice storm.  Fast forward to Friday of that week and another ice storm.  For heaven's sake.  Let's make the best of this situation.  The kiddo's and I had pajama morning fun.  We ate breakfast, watched Curious George and Cat in the Hat!  Then I brought out the new play dough.  Their imaginations went wild!!!!

Here is Will's snowball.  Appropriate I thought for a snowy day!

Shea had several creations and here are a couple of good ones.  Her snowman...

Plus, pancakes with syrup.  Her brother inspired her to make this one.  He has to have it every morning.

We found out that the Miley family was going to be in Cincinnati for a weekend of fun.  We joined them on Sunday and went to the Newport Aquarium, I've been wanting to take the kids for a while!  They had a great promotion running, two kids get in free with a paying adult.  Jackpot I thought.  When we got there, we determined this promo was going because the penguin display was closed for re-modeling.  This would not sit well with Mr. Will!!!

Think this shark likes his picture taken?

I love Nemo.  This one reminded me so much of the opening scene of the movie.

There were divers in the water, some cleaning and some playing with the various sea life.  The kids all loved this.   It was really neat.  The divers loved playing with the kids.

They watched for a long while.

It was fun.  I wish we would have seen the penguins!  Oh well, zoo weather is coming.  After seeing the 14 foot alligator, the awesome octopus, various fish and sharks...  We headed to IKEA!  It was a great day.

Earlier in February, The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond came to Columbus for a book signing.  My Mom and I were quit excited.  I must say, Barnes and Noble was not prepared nor organized for such an out-pouring of folks.  They said they'd never seen anything like it.  Hello... Live under a rock, it's P-Dub!  I loved the expressions on men's faces or young "adults" shall we call them.  They had no clue what was going on when they walked through the doors.  Even the workers were asking us who this author was.  I had my Black Heels to Tractor Wheels  book in hand and Mom had her copy of The Pioneer Woman Cooks.  We were set.  Except for the fact that after four hours, we were no where close to having our "color" called.  Yes, remember the part where I said B&N was not prepared??!  I got as close as I could and took a few pictures, they turned out so-so.

I did enjoy a day out.  Plus, we had lunch with Aunt Nan.  I was able to see PW and hear her talk.  Meet other fans, so it wasn't all a loss.  Our books are not signed, maybe another time!  I finished reading her love-story novel.  It was good, I need part two to be out.  That ending....I need more!