An Extra Room

We have an extra room that we don't know quite what to do with, and more importantly can't afford to do anything with! So for now, it will be the pant-less karaoke room...

works for Luke!

Addie's Mother Day Tea

Addie was REALLY excited about her school's Mother's Day Tea. And after the rough semester we had at school, I was excited about Addie being enthusiastic about anything having to do with school!

This event is a long-standing tradition in the preschool at Hayes Barton. The kids perform several songs for all the Moms in the sanctuary then the Moms/kids are treated to a lovely lunch in the fellowship hall.

Addie had been telling me (but not telling me because it was a secret) about it for weeks. She went into her closet to practice singing the songs...umm, precious! Down the hall I heard her tiny voice singing, "I wish I had a little red box to put my Mommy in...." That moment alone made my Mother's Day!

So she was ready for the big performance...

 So proud of her for standing up in front of everybody and doing such a good job...

 We ate lunch together and talked with Ms. Karen about our summer plans...

 and then I got to see the goodies Addie had made for me. Loved her self-portrait...

 and her very accurate (besides the age 65 part) answers to questions about her Mommy.

And finally she got to give me the pin she had made me. She was so proud of it and so excited for me to wear it. Apparently the 3's class has been making heart pins for their moms for decades...so glad I got mine. A special morning spent with a special daughter!

Y Guides Spring Outing

As part of their Y Guides experience, Collins and Brian got to go their first Spring Outing in May. It meant they got to sleep overnight at camp, stay in a cabin with their tribe, and do all things outdoorsy! I was excited for Collins to try some new activities, and I was excited that Brian got to do them with her.

They packed up and headed toward Camp Seagull in Eastern NC...where Collins, Reeves and Eleanor immediately jumped on bikes to explore the campground.

Here is their cute tribe...a lot of these girls go to Root, but I like that she is meeting girls at other schools. She will probably meet back up with them someday in middle school!

Love that Collins felt the need to take Winter in a matching outfit to hers...proves my little girl is not totally grown up yet!

So apparently at Spring Outing, there is no rest for the weary. These girls stayed up WAY past their bedtime (Brian said they barely got them to bed before 11 p.m.), were up riding bikes by 7 a.m., and then filled their days with activities like the shooting range...

archery...

canoeing...

zip lining, fireworks, smores, and late-night dancing. How much fun does this sound like?!?

She LOVED it, and was one of the few girls in her tribe to complete every item on their activity checklist. Her favorite thing was the fireworks over the water...she got to experience so many neat things!

Meanwhile back in Raleigh, Addie, Luke and I were sad that half of our family left town. So we had to treat ourselves to Beenie Boos at the toy store, dinner at Mami Noras and then a few fun activities of our own. We went to Brooks playground...

  

 Pullen Park with Amelia and doughnuts...

 

 

 

 then the Rainbow Room for Walker's birthday party...

 where Luke officially learned how to slide!

I had a great weekend with the littles. There was no fussing or chores, just fun activities with my cuties. And Brian and Collins got to do something unique together. It was a win-win weekend.

On Peony Watch

So the most pleasant surprise by far with the new house was the garden that came with it. Turns out Susan, the former owner, is the president of her garden club in VA and boy can you tell. What I thought were weeds in the winter (when we initially looked at the house) were actually glorious flowers just waiting to burst forth with the first days of spring.

And in this beautiful garden, no doubt the peonies have been the most exciting part! When we moved in in April, the buds were just beginning to show. And by May, the buds had grown large and were just waiting to explode with blooms.

I was officially on peony watch, and I have to admit- a little bit obsessed. Because no joke- I counted 22 mature plants in bloom! Peonies have always been my favorite flower, and I always allow myself one beautiful bouquet from Whole Foods each Spring. So watching all these plants come to life in my front yard was honestly about more than I could handle.

Then the first weekend in May, we got our first bloom!

 

 This was our first bouquet- perhaps the prettiest one I have ever seen. And the smell was amazing!

 

Turns out there were many varieties in the yard...some that I had never seen before.

I got Addie into the peony-obsession too because they were almost the size of her head. She also liked to tease me by pronouncing them like "panties". :) 

I started making bouquets for friends, the girls' teachers, neighbors, etc. I could not leave these beauties in the yard- they were just too pretty not to share.

 

 For about two glorious weeks, the peonies kept coming. And they seriously brought me great joy...

 

 

 

and then they were finished. A short-lived, but impressive flower. Best surprise of May no doubt. Can't wait for next year!