Busy Days!

We've had a few busy days, so this will just be a quick update.  On Saturday we went to my great niece's birthday party.  She is so cute, and so sweet.  But who knew that a pack of little girls and boys could be so loud!?!  Fun noise, but yikes!  I don't remember little boys being so loud, physical with each other yes, high pitched loud not so much.  My niece threw a very fun, fish themed party.  We're always so happy to be included.

On Sunday we went to the farm.  I checked on my boys, they weren't shedding quite as much as I thought they'd be.  Good thing too, it was a very raw 22 degrees.  The unending winter of 2014.  We went out and celebrated Billy's birthday with his grandparents too.  It's always good to get the generations together!

St. Patrick's Day was pretty uneventful.  We had two volleyball games, Billy filled in for one of the guys that was out of town, so that was fun.  No green beer for us.  Some pretty green flowers on my dining room table though!

We had a little snow last night and this morning, a lot of snow is predicted for tonight.  Doesn't that sound fantastic??

Yea, I couldn't convince myself that it sounds good either.  Oh well, as they say, "this too shall melt".  What, that isn't how the saying goes?  It's what we need to hear in Minnesota right now, so I'm going with it.  I hope that Spring has arrived in your neck of the woods.  We're impatiently waiting for it here.  Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Sounds, Happy Heart

I'm done complaining about winter.  So many posts about how stinking cold it was here...and it was horribly cold...but Spring is finally in the air.  Here are some spring tulips in my "Watch 'Em Grow" pot.

The Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament means spring is coming.  Always in the first part of March, always when Spring is right around the corner.  Eric's dad has had tickets since 1960.  I've been going since 1979.  The only year I missed was when I was very pregnant and over due with Billy.  19 years ago!  Our school made it into the tournament this year.  That always makes it more exciting.

Billy had played baseball with a few of the boys.  We knew of a few other boys through their parents.  There has been a lot of pain and heart ache for some of the players on this team.  One boy was playing with a broken hand.  One boy lost his dad to cancer during the section play-offs, the team attended his funeral a week before they were playing in state.  Eric and I had both worked with the man that died years ago.  Another boy is losing his dad to ALS.  Too young for that kind of pain.

During the intense second game, the other schools fans were chanting "Daddy's Money" at our team.  Yes, there are some wealthy people in our town, but money doesn't by everything.  Money is nothing when you are a young man losing your dad.  Granted, it was teenagers and they wouldn't have anyway of knowing. But it sure makes you realize how making sweeping judgments about others is really a bad idea.

The team won their first game, lost the second in double overtime.  Best game of the tournament! And then lost in the consolation game.  I thought it was pretty outstanding that they even made it to the tournament after all they had been through.

 #12 is my best friends sisters nephew.  I call him her nephew in law.  She said he's a really good, nice kid, just like my boys.  What a nice thing for her to say!  It made it more fun to watch him knowing that.  This is a picture of him and the boy whose dad had just passed away watching the 3rd place team accept their trophy.  You could feel their bond all the way into the stands.  Teammates, friends, supporting each other. Isn't that what it's about?

On a lighter note, even with the unfortunate chanting, the sounds at the hockey tournament are generally happy sounds.  Energetic teenagers.  Loud high school bands, fans, cheering, vendors selling ice cold drinks, the swoosh of skates.  The sound of the puck hitting the goal post...and not going in when it's against your favorite team! Happy sounds!

The sounds of spring are definitely in the air outside too.  The temperatures are nudging up to a more normal range.  The sounds of melting snow are everywhere.  Dripping from the roof into the rain spouts...plop, plop.  Running along the sides of the road into the gutters.  Spots of grass are starting to show on the hill sides.  It won't be long until we see green outside!  For now we're enjoying the green inside with these flowers in the "Watch 'Em Grow" pot.  I think these are grape hyacinths, but I'm not sure.

Monday the temperature reached 51 wonderful degrees.  It was a perfect day for a walk.  A little wet, but still wonderful.  More happy sounds with the birds singing their spring songs.  Even the splash of the passing cars sounded nice.

Greta is loving to go outside.  I think those spring bird songs are tempting her.

I've got a pretty bouquet of pink flowers inside on my table.  The gerbera daisies are just plain a happy flower.

My photos of the day were basically just reversed on these two days, and I didn't realize it until I was uploading them.  Oops.  Double the fun.

My friend and I went to the Como Park Conservatory to smell the spring smells and take pictures of the flowers.  Such a happy treat.

The birds have been busy singing and looking for food.  I took this picture through Brian's bedroom window.  The Cedar Waxwing wasn't going to give any of those precious berries to me!  That mask sure makes them look intimidating!

But I have to say, the happiest sound of spring is right inside my house.  The sound of Sports Center on the TV, the sound of two young men laughing together and reconnecting.  Billy is home for Spring break and it just plain makes my day to have my family all in one spot again. I think we've all missed the kid!

 I know it won't be long until he heads back to school again, but for now I'm truly enjoying the sounds of spring with a very happy heart. I hope you are finding some happy sounds in your part of the world.  Thanks for stopping by!

Poor Little Robin

The day after we returned from Florida it snowed.  A lot.  Rain, then snow through the night.  In the following afternoon I glanced out of my office window and noticed this robin in the neighbors tree.  He seemed to say "Spring is Coming"! 

Well, he was wrong.  A few nights ago the low was -17.  In March.  This cold, harsh winter has grown so old. It's enough to make cheerful people crabby.  Finding a frozen Robin hunkered down in the corner of my front step did not help my mood about the weather.  But things in the 10 day forecast are actually looking up!  Snow later today, then 21 degrees above zero, then 30, then almost 40 degrees for next week.  We might even hit the average high for a day or two.  Woohoo.  Got to take what we can get.  Like I said, it's been a long winter.

I do have pretty tulips on my dining room table though.  So pink and delicate.

And I have Daffodils blooming in my "Watch 'Em Grow" pot.  So fun to have a touch of spring in the house.

My poor horses seem to be surviving it all ok.  This guy was hoping that he could come into the house for a little while.  He was playing peek-a-boo.

Skylar's breath comes out as poofs of steam when it's -5 degrees.

Back to the spring stuff.  Tulips in my "Watch 'Em Grow" pot.  They all sprout and bloom so quickly, it's fun to see.

I think that Greta will love warmer temps.  She darts out the door every time we let the dog out, she's determined to be an outdoor cat.  The cold air makes it easier to get her back inside.  I think we'll have trouble getting her back in once it warms up.

I don't think I'll come back inside once it warms up either.  The great outdoors, fresh air, dirt, grass and I have a lot of catching up to do.  Hope you've been staying warm in your neck of the woods!