Our Home ~ April

Well 'spring has sprung' here in our New England Colonial. And it sure feels happy after that long winter. There is a lot pastels all around our house. And of course I took a few pictures for you.

Welcome! Come on in!

Front door...







Or back door is fine too!





I'll take you room by room. Nothing too fancy. Just little things that I love put together in ways that make my house feel pretty to me.

Let's begin in the kitchen. And with tea.





I love anything miniature. Miniature books. Miniature bunny ears sticking up and over.







Cups for coffee (we're not at all coffee drinkers here, only tea. But coffee cups are here to welcome others) and polka dot paper straws ready for Anna's breakfast smoothies.





And over on the tea table a little Peter Rabbit vignette I love.



This is the little book my Dad used when he was working on Abigail's room, (that's back here) so it has lots of paint spattered throughout, filled with grandpa love.





These are here year round but their ears perk up in the spring... it's their TIME to shine!









There are a few new 'treasures' this year in the dining room.

... and it came boxed so prettily.









Love these eggs!





And later I found a pretty white cloth to cover the dining table with this pretty blue stitching along the bottom. (which matches perfectly with the cake stand in the middle of the table)



Our family calendar is in the dining room.









On to the family room...



I love this little blue egg wreath I found that looks so sweet next to my grandma's milk glass.



I had this little mini cake stand and nest in a different room until Abigail said, "it would look perfect in the family room mama because it matches the robins egg wreath you have in there." So smart!



I adore the art of Tasha Tudor.



Simple and cute.



On the coffee table...



I collect the vintage Little Grey Rabbit books and was beyond delighted when I found this Easter one!



And love all Tasha Tudor books as well.



Puzzles make me feel like our family life isn't rushed. They are cozy to me. And I love doing them together.



I give a spotlight in the bookcases to any vintage golden books that are seasonal.



And please look up Wong Herbert Yee. He's illustrated many childrens books but his seasonal collection are my favorite. This one for the spring. The softest illustratons and sweetest seasonal stories.



Silly and cute... scholastic has one of these for every season too.



A few favorites. The girls love The Dog Who Saved Easter. I love Easter Parade. (and my grandpa who gave me my love for Judy Garland and Fred Astaire)



The Living Room/Viola Room/Bible Study Room mantle looks like this.



Abigail helps me with this every year since the paper bunny dolls belong to her. She graciously lets me 'borrow' them each spring.















Another favorite collection are the Brambly Hedge books. Tiny detailed illustrations that you could look at for hours.













A golden book that is too sweet to pack away.





And the teepee that Santa brought is still in the living room. It really matches and I love it in there.











Heading upstairs there is a little table at the top of the stairs. The girls have their bunny and chicken hutches on it this month.















A few things from Abigail's room...



















On my dresser are some framed photos of Abigail with the bunny taken in her Easter dress each year. Anna's are in the kitchen.



Anna decorated her desk.













And that's about it! Thanks for stopping by! I love when my house is clean and pretty. It's not always. There are are very many messy and dirty days here. But when it's all dressed up for Easter I like to stop, look around, and enjoy it.

For sure I decorate because I love to. But also for my sweet little family.

Wishing you all a wonderful week and happy spring!

April Vacation Week

Well as I type on a Thursday evening this family of mine are all looking forward to a week of no school.  In Connecticut the spring vacation week is in April.  Because, let's face it, March is not exactly the prettiest weather!

Looking at the weather for the next nine days of no school (weekends in there too) it looks like we're getting the perfect mix of weather for an April week off!

If I could order the weather it would be just as predicted...

Saturday and Sunday will see a mix of weather.  Scott is going to DC for an educational conference.  So the girls and I will go to church on Sunday and maybe to the "Center" for smoothies on Saturday.  Other than that it's chilling at home, a bit of organizing, and some cleaning.

And Monday Scott is home and the weather that's coming for the beginning of the week looks amazing.  We will be playing outside!

Monday (75-80 and sunny)  Say WHAT?!  Windows open in this house.  But we won't be in it, that's for sure.  Outside all day.  Not sure what yet, but something!

Tuesday and Wednesday sunny and 70!!!  (that's my all time favorite weather.  70 and sunny!  (as I type the rain is pounding down on this Thursday night)

Holy Thursday and Good Friday the temps will cool into more seasonable 55; which is perfect for those Holy days leading up to Easter Sunday!

We plan on attending a Holy Thursday program at our church and Good Friday is a day for remembrance in our house.

Saturday we will get ready for Easter.  Baking and last minute things here and there.

And Sunday, well, Sunday is Easter and that day is for Mass and then family!

I'm not sure how much I'll be blogging this next upcoming week because I need to relax and have play with this family of four that I miss sending gobs of time with.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend and the most glorious Holy Week and Easter Sunday.

Oh! And because I just can't have a post without a picture... this is Abigail at her school. I love elementary school years!

Sweet Frog

She passed her one minute, one hundred multiplication test a while ago.

Which made her date with daddy to Sweet Frog even sweeter.

First Text ... from my little

Anna has an upgraded phone so Abigail got Anna's itouch.  It's not a phone with a number of course.  And it only texts if she's in our house.  So really it's kind of useless but she sure thinks it's the greatest thing ever.

Because she can text us.  

And this was her first one to me.  

Swoon!  

Early Spring

"April in New England is like first love"  ~ Gladys Taber



Today was 64 and sunny.  Weather perfection.  I love the early spring.  The warm sun on my face, looking for signs of spring outside.

But I'm no fool.  I've lived her my whole life.  I know that at 46 and rain is just around the corner.  So I don't pack away all of the cozy yet.  Still need those rain boots, and a coat on some days.  And that's okay because a day like today reminds me that days like this will be day after day after day.

Today I left my coat I was wearing in the morning in my car in the afternoon.  I walked into my school with just my skirt and sweater.  It was like a little treat!

After school Abigail wanted to see the new bird feeder.  Finally up and ready for a little bird family.
(Dad made it for me as a Valentine's Day present, post back here)



We thought about it on it's own post.  And someday we might do that, but for this year we both thought it would look pretty ON the fence near the arbor.  Anna walks through that arbor to school and she's anxious to see someone moving in.



Happy spring!

It's April!!! Weekending (and a funny story)

planning



playing



snowing (yes, we woke up to a dusting on Saturday morning. Not much to stay long but Saturday sure was a cold day here) Sunday, sunny and spring like!



typing (on the first of every single month (during my Bible time) I ta ke that one Bible time to type up all of the notes I've taken during that past months Bible time. I print and organize it by catergory in a three ring binder. Usually I study one topic per month. March was all about the sweetness of my mouth. I looked up, ready, studied all scriptures having anything to do with the words we say. At the end of the month I type it in outline form for future reference)



coughing



practicing (and sneak picture taking)



resting (with oils diffusing)



church ~ing



with daddy only, I stayed home so Abigail could rest... oh these two... they fill my heart!



"friends" watching (all sleeping friends needed to be run on sanitize



hugging (warm out of the dryer)



Peter Rabbit puzzling



maternity ~ing (the in labor photoshoot)

So, on Saturday afternoon I was going through infant clothes to give to a friend who was having a baby soon. Abigail was playing dollhouse right next to me. I looked down at my phone and saw a frantic text... "my water broke! can we still do the photoshoot?"

Yup! My friends water broke and she still desperatly wanted to get that maternity photos taken. So I raced over to her house to take a bunch. Mom and Dad were so unbelievably calm. Dad was packing the bags and getting things all set but took time to ask me how I was doing (like nothing was going on) And Mom was like I'm just going to throw some makeup on and I'll be right with you. Grandparents were arriving to get ready to watch their two year old boy for the next few days. It was the most fun I've ever had on a photoshoot... EVER! And so amazing to be a part of these moments!



more to show you soon! Have a wonderful week everyone!