mother's day weekend

My mom invited us to a ladies' tea in Sisters.  It was beautiful and uplifting with delicious treats, an inspiring speaker and song group all in one family, and enough vintage teacups to serve over 180 women.  I was impressed and blessed to spend time with my mom and the other women in my family like this.

Brooklyn and Corinne

The one thing I asked for for Mother's Day apart from the cute home made cards and all the little hugs was for help sprucing up the house.  We did some touch up paint of the walls and moldings and then did some weeding, fertilizing and mowing.  The unusually warm weather made for a gorgeous day to do yard work, play in the kiddie pool and then go out for ice cream (pics below).

My mother's day reflection brought me back to my childhood and the realtionship I had with my mother.  I know mother's are put in our lives to teach us many things and mine is no exception.  One way she built my character was introducing me into the world and developing my love of literature.  There are many things we can learn from reading a book and stepping into different countries, households and lives.  It teaches us that there are more perspectives than just our own, helps us empathize with others, and lets us know that the world is much much bigger than our little town.  Not to mention exercizing our imagination as we dream up pictures to the words put on paper.  I hope to pass on my love for literature to my own children.  She also taught me some practical things too like how to read, and how to cook tapioca pudding and bake swedish coffee bread, and how to remember something very important by attatching it to your key ring (something I truly need as my own "mom-memory" fails quite often these days).  Another key thing my mother instilled in me is the importance of setting goals both short term and long term. Life seems like it revolves around something and putting your wishes and dreams on paper and dividing them up in achievable segments has always helped me stay focused.  Of course, she taught me the one true focus is Jesus and the one main goal is living for him so that others may see our good works and glorify the Father.  These reflections let my head know that my heart is full of joy.  Not just today but everyday.  My kids are truly a blessing and a further inspiration for creating Godly charachter, making fond childhood memories and forming bonds that forever.

a weekend getaway

Mike and I decided to try and do a getaway after reffing season ended.  Well, busy lives involving work schedules, church board conferences and social engagements ended up pushing back the date from early March to late April.  I guess that's another reason to take a weekend to reboot, relax, and relish in the fact that we have great parents that live near by and will watch our children for us.  Life is pretty good and so is a little R and R.

Ruby is packed with her sippy, binky, "Bumble" (the crocodile) 
and full bag in tow that she says she can carry by herself, which is
how she wants to do everything these days.

on our first hike to Blue Pool on the McKenzie River Trail



Here's a crazy guy who jumps off cliffs.  That water looks cold!

Our second hike to Proxy Falls.

There was still snow on the trail and the Hwy was still closed from the Sisters side.   But the trailhead is near to Belknap Springs so we gave it a go.  I's say it was worth it.  I just love waterfalls.

  We enjoyed our weekend getaway and felt very renewed and refreshed after soaking in the hot spring pools, hiking (without kiddos in tow), sipping on morning coffee while listening to the sounds of the swift McKenzie River.  Below are some pics we took on our morning tour of the gardens.  The tulips, rhodies, and daffodils were all in bloom.

First Little League Game

Eli is having a great first experience with baseball.  He said he wanted to be on the Beaver's team, but they sport the major league logos so he's a Giant (and that's the closest thing to the Beavers in my opinion.  You know with the same color scheme, at least.)  They started out the season with a few weeks practice and then transitioned into a heavy game schedule of playing almost every tuesday and thursday and sometimes on saturdays too.   I love that he loves to play sports and tries hard at what he does.  It's fun to throw the ball around in the back yard with him too.  He's trying his hand at pitcher and it seems to agree with him as he even got a few kids in a row to hit off him (and in this age group, that's a GOOD thing.)



There's nothin' cuter than
a kid in baseball gear.

Ruby cheering from under the bleachers.

I couldn't resist another pic of the cute kid on the side lines.



GO GIANTS!!!!

Spring Tea

One of the main events at Corinne's preschool is the spring tea they put on to honor to parents.  It was hard and very enlightening as were seated and served first while our little one waited as patiently as a 5 year old can.   They were beyond excited as they showed us all the decorations they had been diligently working on for weeks.  And what's says spring better than the vivid chartruse of fresh grass which was trimmed to their liking by each child.

They performed songs with motions of "I'm a Little teapot," "You are My Sunshine" and my favorite"The Lady with the Alligator Purse."

The class each drew a picture and a sentence describing where the dinosaurs went.  Below is Corinne's face when her idea was read aloud.