Finally! Spring has arrived! Our daffodils, in the front yard, are blooming and they look beautiful. The tulips have not shown much growth yet and are still pretty short, and definitely not blooming yet, but the bright yellow of the daffodils definitely looks like spring has arrived.
What is growing in your garden? What plants are you looking forward to seeing soon?
Yesterday, I was able to do some work outdoors when I got home from work. First off? Sweeping the piles of leaves and sticks that have accumulated on the deck and the driveway. Second step? Time to get out the outdoor furniture!
We have plastic adirondack chairs, a small table and chairs set for the girls, and the outdoor rug. As soon as they come out, it feels like it’s really spring! Pretty soon, it’ll be eating outside weather!
Big girl looked out the window and squealed “You put out the summer stuff!” It’s amazing what a huge difference bringing out the “summer stuff” makes.
Happy spring!
Yesterday was my birthday and I’ve been thinking about what 37 gave me and what I am hoping for 38.
37 was a year of many highs and many lows.
The year in running:
I went to Disney and did the Princess Challenge Weekend! But, I also had a big fall before a 10K last summer and ended up with 9 stitches on my face – 6 in my eyebrow and 3 on my nose. I reached big goals but also got sidelined by stitches (and a huge case of road rash on my knee) over the summer and got sidelined again by plantar fasciitis after the Princess Challenge Weekend.
The year in doing good:
I completed my fourth year as captain for Team Pudgie Pies and Pineapple Shirts as we Walk to End Alzheimer’s. But, we also lost Grandma this year and she was the reason that we were walking in the first place.
The year in learning:
37 was when I completed my Master’s Degree. There’s really no downside. Completing this degree while working full time and having two kids at home who were 5 and under was difficult to say the least. Addy was born during one of my first semesters and I had to let a professor know that I would be late turning in some papers because I would be in the hospital having a baby. Finishing that degree was a huge step for me, but also for my family. Addy had never known a Mommy who didn’t have to stay up late to do homework.
I have big plans for 38. I am hoping to get my pace down so that I can do other half-marathons but perhaps not start in the very last corral. Hopefully, the weather will become warmer soon because I’m pretty sure that I’m burned out when it comes to running on the treadmill.
Team Pudgie Pies and Pineapple Shirts is back again for this year Walk and I am determined that our team will fundraise more than we ever have before. If you would like to make a donation to our fundraising you can go here for my page or you can donate here to donate to our team.
When it comes to academia, I am not entirely certain where 38 will bring me. I have pondered going back to school again and working toward my Doctoral Degree. Will that happen in 38? Not sure. However, I am pondering applying to present at a conference. It’s something that I haven’t done before and I need to really reflect on what I would present on, but it’s something that I think that I could do.
Cheers to 38! Here’s hoping that my big goals will come to fruition. 🙂
There are some things that I only do while staying at a hotel….
1. I watch tv in bed.
We don’t have a tv in our bedroom at home and haven’t had one in our bedroom for years. So watching tv in bed is really kind of a treat! Watching Food Network while wearing my jammies, well, that’s not anything new. But watching Food Network while wearing my jammies AND in bed?! Now, that’s something special.
Also, aren’t those pajama pants the cutest?! Stitch! I got them from Wal-Mart but can’t seem to find them online (or else I would link to them…..).
2. I eat food in bed.
The very thought of eating in bed at home makes me cringe. Crumbs! Crumbs in the bed! Crumbs! And that leads to fears of…..Ants! Ugh! Ants in bed! Ahhh!
But when I’m staying at a hotel, my distaste for crumbs in a bed goes right out the window because one of my favorite things to do is eat cookies in a hotel bed. The easiest way to make a super cozy hotel bed even more cozy is by the addition of cookies. And, in my opinion, the best kind of cookies to eat in a hotel bed are Chips Ahoy chewy chocolate chip cookies. (You have to get the chewy kind. They are superior.) I basically only buy them if we are staying in a hotel. Sure there might be crumbs in the bed….but I don’t have to wash the sheets!
3. If there’s a gym on site, I will use it. And I will use it frequently.
It’s fun to be able to use equipment that I don’t regularly have access to. Since my regular routine consists of running outside or using the treadmill inside, it’s nice to be able to change that up. The last hotel that we stayed in had an elliptical, treadmill, and a bike. There was also a nice assortment of free weights. It’s nice to change it up but it’s also important to give your muscles a chance to work in a different way.
Plus, there’s a pool! So, chances are really good, if I didn’t work out in the gym facility, I’m probably going to be taking the girls to the pool at some point. And if I did go to the gym AND hit the pool, well, that’s two workouts in one day! Yes!
What do you do while staying in a hotel that you only do while staying in a hotel?
You’d think that after years and years of living in Illinois, I would finally understand that spring in Illinois means, well, that not much has changed since winter. Yes, the calendar has changed. Yes, the Cubs are playing again (except not today – so much for a home opener). But, winter has a mind of it’s own in the Midwest. Some years, we get 70 degree temperatures in January. And some years, it’s still snowing in April.
Remember when I shared a post last week about how our flowers were slowly starting to grow? (You can find that post here.) Well, take a look at how our flowers looked this morning……
Yep. It looks like spring has taken a bit of a detour. At least for a few days. The forecast is calling for 70 degree temps by Friday. Let’s keep those fingers crossed!
So, it’s snowing. Yep. Snowing. It seems as though winter did not get the memo that spring had started. Or, maybe spring did not get the email that it was supposed to get started.
But, even with the snow and the cold temperatures….and the lack of anything resembling blue skies….spring is here. And there are noticeable changes if you take the time to look.
Greenery is starting to emerge from the earth. Starting.
I’m hoping that in a few weeks, we’ll be able to enjoy some more colors in addition to the greenery.
Have you seen some signs of spring around your house? Is your garden beginning to emerge?
FrostOnePurlTwo 