Literally, Ann Perkins

I'm feeling sentimental and invigorated. Maybe I'll cut my hair. The season has found us outdoors at all hours of the day. My children are still alive and well and still covered with dirt. If you want the neighborhood gang to congregate to your back yard, just insert chickens and a trampoline. They will come. Trust me. They will come in flocks, daily. They will ask for snacks too.

We are immensely enjoying sun and mid seventies. After being out all day one day last week, shoeless and happy as a 5 year old could be I overheard Lena say, "This is the best day of my life!". I think she's a lot like me. If I had an addiction it would be sugar, but if I had another addiction it would be the sun. It refuels me in ways nothing else can. The sun and I have a close relationship but of course always chaperoned by sunscreen or a big floppy hat.

The blueberry bushes went in last week and they have already been attacked by the squirrels. That annoys the dickens out of me.

But they look as healthy as can be and hopefully, with a little problem solving (bebe gun?), they will thrive and bare fruit before too long. We joined an all fruit CSA and I suspect those Vaisey children of mine will turn into fruit before the summer's over.

And this time of year brings so much on the To Do list, inside and out. Mulching, small scale landscaping projects, garden tending, paint the kitchen, cover the dining room chairs, curb the living room couch and find a new one(the old one smells like pee), paint the coop, plant flowers- just to name a handful. There is such a thing as happy work. Don't you think? Oh and someone has to do the very filthy children's daily laundry. I'm just happy when that particular work is done.

The saddest room in the house-the downstairs bathroom is being ripped apart next week. Having a first floor powder room once again will be preferable to wet shorts from certain 3 year old.

But I am happy to report I am happy.

Get Busy Living Or Get Busy Dying

Did I really just quote the Shawshank Redemption?

I have had zero desire to post this past week. Blogging is a funny thing that way.

Last week it was perfection outside and we took advantage accordingly. We have quite the neighborhood gang formed and I can tell there will be some serious play going on this summer. Play that doesn't involve Simon screaming every 5 minutes because something Lena did. Most importantly play that doesn't involve me. I like that kind of play. I work in the yard while they run back and forth from Francesca's house three doors down.

Aren't the summer months the best to enjoy with children? I say yes, yes they are. I truly feel unstoppable and so alive when we spend all our daylight hours outside.

Speaking of working in the yard, I bought a few blueberry bushes this year and we have plans to start the children their own garden they can tend to and be proud of. Maybe it will just be a place they can dig in the dirt. I think that would be satisfying to them. I guess as long as their bagels don't get dirty.

And those utilitarian pets of ours continue to double in size overnight. We'll take them in to get their wings clipped and hopefully they will be outdoors in their new coop by the end of the week. I think Jeff will be so sad to see them leave the basement. (HA!)

Let it be said, chickens were NOT meant for the indoors!

Simon really really loves those birds of his. He takes anyone who visits down to see them.

These sets of photos were only taken a couple of weeks apart. Now I'd say they are easily twice the size below.

Upon browsing my to-be-posted photos I realized most of them contain some sort of farm animal. One of them happens to be a 800 pound pig named "Ricky".

Are you on the edge of your seat?

Good.

Easter Sunday

Easter this year:

Easter-best dressed children for Church

Unexpectedly feeling the spirit in sharing time while subbing for the 8 year olds

An Easter basket hunt

Fresh hydrangeas

Jelly beans on the kitchen floor

Colored paper grass spread throughout the entire house that Jeff and I had a humungous fight about

Naps

A failed self-timed family photo

A family lesson following the most delicious Sunday dinner at BabaJuje's about the Resurrection

And so we ended our Sabbath -bellies stuffed full of commercial Easter and our minds with the Savior.

Both quite satisfying.

Because Recently I've Learned My Mood Is Directly Effected By The Weather

If I wake to find sun, I am unstoppable.

If I wake to find (the Rochester usual) grey you ought to call me and say

"The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow!"

And I'll bet your bottom dollar I'll be in a better mood tomorrow.

Have You Ever Had A Snowball Fight in 60 Degree Weather?

we have.

If you're lucky enough, I'm pretty sure 60 degrees is the best way to enjoy the snow, actually.

I was feeling rather blah this morning.

You know, like I didn't want to drag my geedo(that's baby around here)-laden body out from underneath the covers, take the Leen to ballet, the Sime to the library during ballet, walk, talk, take care of humans, and so on and so forth.

But, alas I did all of those things, including the most important thing like stopping at Wendy's on the way home for 2 junior frostys.

Because, if a frosty can't make the day better, what can really?

We pulled into the drive, ran out of the car, peeling off our winter apparel layer for layer, and realized we were on the verge of an up and up kind of afternoon...

The dear people of Rochester know better than to take the sun's presence,let alone warmth, (warmth!) for granted.

Isn't that right, dear people of Rochester?

And to boot (this morning's bad mood would have never said "to boot", it would have preferred a stick to the eye),

I think my winter skin just may have found a slight ever-so-light pinkish tint.

glory be. Spring is here.