We Love Spring!

Although we try to keep in mind that we can still get lots of snow in the next month, we can't help but be giddy when the snow melts and it gets warm enough to play outside. Today the kids took two walks with Grandma and Grandpa and played on the swings. After supper tonight, Grandpa braved our dilapidated storage shed and hauled out the tricycle, Cheyenne's scooter and Elliott's car. He's been talking about his car incessantly. He still fits it! Marilla is loving the great outdoors. I can see we will be outside a LOT this year!

All the cousins had a great time Saturday, playing in the gorgeous weather.

Swingset fully occupied.

Happiness!

And more happiness!

This red swing is always a favorite. It's the one Cheyenne calls Molly after the (now dearly departed) draft horse at Mom and Dad's farm. She has figured out how to swing on it, even when there's an extra little body on it with her!

The two Puffy Jacket sisters had a go on it.

Then, everyone had to climb the ladder...

(Squinting against the sun...)

So they could steer the car...

Or sit at the top of the slide and make funny faces at their mother!

(He slid DOWN the slide a lot, too, but that was too fast for me to take pictures!)

Cheyenne slid down backwards on her tummy.

Little gimp, Lily, has fun in the blue swing.

Ponytail-blowing-in-the-wind fun!

Bethaney and Lily complemented each other nicely-- lemon shirt and lime cast.

Marilla had been nicely occupied with colorful balls on the deck...

But she wanted to see what everyone else was doing. Grandma gave her a peek.

Pretty soon, she was happily swinging!

QUITE happy!

In fact, happiness seemed to be the theme that afternoon.

And even some hugging!

And more hugging.

Marilyn had a birthday on Saturday! Dana bought her raspberries instead of a cake.

There were lots of kids to help celebrate-- Elliott, Cheyenne...

Marilla... (How cute is she in that little party hat? And why on EARTH didn't her mother think to get the party hats out of the closet for HER birthday?)

Orianna... (singularly enamored of the hats...)

And Lily, unimpressed with birthdays, hats, or anything else. (She got much better Saturday night when Daddy came down!)

Grandma's boy, getting into the "Happy Birthday" song.

Blowing out the candle!

I can't thank my in-laws enough for all the help they've been since Evan left... But I still miss Evan! We are all anxiously awaiting his return on Thursday!