We Love Wednesdays

We are enjoying the quiet, slower pace of life as winter activities have ended and spring activities do not begin for another few weeks.  We're in the lull of March, which has allowed for more time to watch March Madness Basketball and for the kids to enjoy more daylight playing outside after school.  The simple, beautiful things of life:)

March Madness Rounds 1 and 2
Fun weekend for Michigan basketball!  They narrowly beat both Oklahoma State and Louisville to enter the Sweet 16 this coming weekend.  To quote Brent: "These games are taking years off my life.";)

First Day of Spring 
The weather was beautiful, 50s and mostly sunny, so the kids played outside while I made dinner.  I loved watching Nora sprint across the yard while playing tag with the neighbors and was surprised to see this a while later:

Yep, that's shirts and skins soccer:)  Never mind that Luke already has a cold...I'll let them enjoy the warm weather and lack of snow (most years we still have a lot of melting happening in March).  Brent and I got our to check on our plants and found the tulips I planted were sprouting!  I was/am ecstatic!  This was my first attempt at bulb planting and it worked!  Can't wait for my very own tulips!
An added bonus to the evening was learning that Dairy Queen had free vanilla cones to celebrate the first day of spring!  

And...a funny story that also signified spring:
N: Can I watch a cartoon in your bed before bedtime?
J: Sure
N: I don't want to sit on this side though, because of the rocks. (referring to my side of the bed)
J: What rocks?
N: Earlier when I was wrestling with dad, I cleaned the rocks out of my toes in your bed.
Yuck!  A conversation about appropriate places to clean the rocks/sand from her feet followed this lovely discovery....also a load of laundry to clean my bed sheets!

Friends
Last weekend, Luke had the opportunity to have a new, Stewartville friend over on a day off school, and to attend a birthday party/sleepover for a friend from Rochester.  We've been very blessed by the chance for Luke to still stay in touch with this Rochester friends while also making new friends in Stewartville.  Two worlds coming together.

Volunteering
Last Friday, Luke had the day off school, so he and Nora both got to help out with our monthly Meals on Wheels delivery in Rochester.  I've lost track of how long we've been doing this same route, but it's been over a year for sure so I've gotten to know the recipients by name.  One lady I deliver to is always waiting with her walker at her door and smiling brightly.  She often has a sweet comment for me as well (this week she liked that my sunglasses and shoes matched:)).  I love the opportunity to serve with the kids and to help out the 10 or so recipients on our route.

Surprise
Brent and I don't buy each other gifts often, including holidays and birthdays, but he surprised me this week with a bouquet of flowers and a massage he scheduled for me in Rochester.  He said it was a thank you for taking care of him after his injury/surgery.  Awww, what a sweetheart:)  

Beautiful!  Plus, the jar/vase will be
nice to use after the flowers are gone.