Spring and stuff!

Posted On May 14, 2009

Mother’s Day was so full of love. I still have to pinch myself and remember that "Oh yeah! I’m included in this holiday!" What can I say? I’m a newbie. Oh, and was I included. My dear, dear husband rushed around setting up my art/crafting area upstairs (that I’d been increasingly more and more anxious about not having yet, 3 months after moving), and building a sweet little bed for Vera while also putting our bed up on it’s frame. (Yes, we’d all been sleeping happily on the floor…) A miracle worker! This, all in the span of a couple of hours while I was off with Vera at a friend’s graduation party. I got home and we all rolled around on our new beds in the dim afternoon, and shortly after Jeff went outside to mow the yard and till half the garden. My hero. Oh but that’s not all! The next morning (Sunday) he made Vera and I french toast (one of my all-time favorite breakfasts), and he made three (count them, THREE) quiches for the brunch at his parent’s house that afternoon. All the while he would sweep the baby up to change her or play with her if she was whining at my knees. Amazing!
Then we had sushi with my family, which was lovely and delicious, although Vera was reaching her breaking point and we both had to take turns walking her around outside. I also disturbed the entire restaurant by blowing up one of these, and letting it go. I’d never seen one before, and while I was blowing it up little Tuula kept warning me with soft "No! No Dee-Dee!" (Dee-Dee is "Gracie" in Tuula-speak), but I didn’t register it until it was too late. I turned red and tried to save it by saying "Happy Mother’s Day!!!!" *Doh* By the end of the day we were all exhausted, and I felt so appreciated. Mother’s Day is shaping up to be a pretty awesome holiday, so long as I stay away from any noise makers…

I figure I ought to do a picture update, so how about it? Some house, some yard, some people, some animals…

Spring has given me a much needed boost. I find that my mood is generally better overall, because now when I’m feeling gloomy or overwhelmed I just go outside and walk or sit in the sun. It does wonders I tell ya.

Having this house has been fun all around, but having this house while it transitions from winter into spring has been extra fun. All these presents popping up everywhere, and the distinct feeling that it’s all really mine to enjoy and help thrive. This is an interesting little lilac bush. The flowers are all smaller, and they are this pink color, and they smell incredible. I can sometimes catch a whiff of these particular flowers at the other end of the yard, they smell so strongly.

The other day with Vera and a basket of diapers (clean, of course…).

The sun was so nice that morning, everything just glowed.

Oh yeah, the dog in the picture is our house guest, Geist. He’s a very sweet and big dog, who’s size and loud bark is made up for with minimal shedding and no licking or jumping, all of which our dog Maya is very fond of. They are a good balance. And we’re making a little extra money for the next few weeks. Pretty, yeah? Maya has been totally thrilled, and frequently runs circles around the guy.

The living room. This room makes me happy. It’s got lots of light, is painted the perfect color, and just… is me. I like it.

This is our upstairs. It’s one big room with an attic above and lots of crawl space all around and a great closet. I love this room. Oh, and notice the blur at the bottom of the picture? That’s a lightning-fast Vera Jean. Don’t blink! You might miss her! Anyway, this room has been great for family wrestling, playing with the dog, making a big huge mess of clothes, you name it! I’m formulating a plan for how to fabulously decorate the pillar. Suggestions are welcome.

Now this is the area we sometimes refer to it as our "love pod". See Vera’s mini bed? So cute! Much snuggling is had here.

This is my art/crafting nook. It’s right across from the beds, just cut out of the wall just for me. I plan to set up my guitar and banjo in there, and just enjoy myself. Soon I’m sure I’ll put up shelves or some kind of storage to help with the frenzy of art supplies and fabric and yarn I’ve collected over the years. I’m SO excited about this space. A space just for me (although I don’t mind sharing with friends and little ones ever!) and my creativity.

Us.

I found this bird’s nest in our other lilac bush. I have vivid memories as a kid looking up at these in wonder, feeling like I was let in on a special secret. Things don’t change much.

Here’s the first half of our backyard garden… if you were to look at our back yard from the sky it would be like an hourglass of grass, and then the rest would be garden. So we still have to dig up the other side, but this is what we have so far. We’re hoping to plant things this weekend. I feel like I’m running really late, but I know it will be a jungle before I know it.

That funny little Christmas hat- the one that goes with the big dirty bear? Well, she thinks it’s hilarious. She finds hats all around the house (or just things that somewhat resemble hats, like bowls or things) and puts them on her head and starts giggling. Hats are funny, didn’t you know? This was her yesterday being oh-so-silly in her hat and trying to put batteries back in a remote. She does these things, like playing independently or trying to stick my keys into something to "unlock" it, or whatever, and it really hits me- she’s a real person. An amazing, funny, sweet, feisty, real-live person. Some days I think I’m bound to be awed for life. A real person with the most adorable fat toes.

Real evidence of aforementioned hat obsession. She was coming in for a kiss with snot running down to her lips.

After a good wipe.

Fin!