Catch Up Time

I've been down and out the past week.  I've been tired and feeling lazy and just not wanting to do everything that needs to be done, especially cooking.  If you know me IRL, you know this is odd since I adore cooking and making meals for my family. 

I've just been lacking energy and drive.  I've gone out and walked/run with Christy, I've done my errands, I've gone on my walks with Beanie, but I'm just not myself.  I don't know if I'm on a down yo and missing the Monkey, I don't know if I've been trying to recover from the whirlwind trip to Knoxville and back, I don't know if I'm just struggling to get back in my normal groove. 

Whatever it is, I want it to GO AWAY.  I want my energy and drive back because, quite frankly, this stinks.  :oS

I picked up those calla lilies Monday at TJ's as a bit of a pick-me-up. They worked beautifully until this happened:

Ellie and I ran out to do some errands Thursday and I found this when I came home.  Needless to say, it did NOT improve my mood.  My flowers were gone, my vase destroyed and teensy weensy teetiny shards of glass were all over my kitchen in a pool of water.  Thanks, George.  Gr.

My mood is always elevated when I'm out in the backyard enjoying my flowers. 

The irises are beautiful this year, many of them taller than Lil!

Meanwhile, tooth number seven popped out Thursday.  Holy moly!  That left front tooth is really coming in now, and there is no room for the replacement of the tooth that just fell out.  I guess we'll just have to wait and see what the ortho says next Tuesday.  :oS

Ellie and I found this on our Tuesday morning walk.  It says, "In loving memory of Hannah Davis 2001-2007".  How wonderful is that?  I stopped because of the irises and found that.

Spring has most definitely sprung.  There's nothing but green and leaves as far as the eye can see.

 It has been wonderful taking these daily walks as I've really gotten a feel for the changing of the seasons.  I've been out making daily observations.  Some changes occur gradually, and others just seem to happen within a matter of moments.

The big fallow field is about to be fallow no longer.

I hung out some laundry last week, and I found this hitchhiker on Beanie's dress. :o)  It's definitely better than bird poo or stinging insects, that's for sure. ;o)

I'm not sure where they're nesting, but we have a pair of Eastern Bluebirds and they are stunning!

Wednesday night I went to Bible study and B was in charge of the girls.  I came home and checked on them before I went to bed and found this.  Oh my.  :shakes head:

This azalea is a later bloomer and is stunning!

George harassing the buns.  :eye roll:

I love that Miss Ellie still loves books.  I found her here "reading" Tag books the other day.  She was kept entertained for close to 30 minutes--and those of you with young toddlers in the house know this is something!

Since this post is already so random, I'll keep going in that vein.  I LOVE our neighborhood.  I love that Lil has friends close to her age and that I get along with their parents.  Saturday morning, in an effort to give B some time to work on the waterlily planter, I took the girls to Busch Gardens.  I told Jana I was going to go and she decided to bring Sadie and Sally too. 

I am NOT a fan of the tea cups.  In fact, any ride that spins me around and around is off my list.  I can do roller coasters all day long but spinny rides make me ill.  Go figure.  I piled in the cup with the others and was told we could only have five in the cup.  Oh well, gee, I'm sorry, I have to go... ;o) 

Ellie is a daredevil and LOVES to ride any ride they'll allow her on.  She is able to ride many of them with her big sister (which also thrills her no end), and quite a few of them on her own. 

She rode the planes in Germany,

and drove the ladybugs in Land of Dragons (LOD). 

She had a blast!  I had a slightly more difficult time.  You see, Lil never wanted to go on these rides (she's always had a motekyooge self-preservation streak), but Hannah did.  And, with Ellie really channeling Han in looks and actions these days, it was rather stunning for a moment to see her in the bugs.

There was almost a sense of deja vu.  Hannah loved to "drive" the ladybugs and ride in the boats and cruise along on the dragon boats.  :sigh:

But, then, I was able to move out of the funk and simply enjoy the sight of my silly girl trying to steer with both wheels at the same time. :o) 

Sometimes it's wonderful to have these little reminders of our Fancy Hannah, and at others, it seems strangely inappropriate, as I feel I should just be enjoying my Ellie and not worrying about being sad for missing her sister. 

That's another one of those things about grief that drives me crazy--my children will always have to share their special occasions, moments and milestones with a twinge of my grief, and dammit, it's NOT FAIR!

Ooookay, that came rather out of nowhere...

Lil and I braved the Spring Break crowds at the outlets and found her some new sneakers.  She had begun to complain her old ones were pinching her toes a bit.  They were a size 9.  Her new sneaks are 11 1/2... Yeah, sign me up for Mommy of the Year.  Doh!

We came home and had a wonderful dinner outside, enjoying the cool evening breezes and the fact the mosquitoes aren't out quite yet. :oP

This morning we left the house at 9:30, and Lil and I didn't get home until almost 3:45.  I'm beat!  We had church and then religious ed.  Then, Christy and I had a small picnic for Lil and Claire and then we were back at church for the Sojourners' tea. 

While it was all wonderful fun, I have to say I was quite happy to get home and rest.  I have to plan for the rest of the week--Thursday is Beanie Baby's birthday chief among them.  :o)  (To be quite cliche, where does the time go???) Let's hope the funk of last week is gone gone gone...

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Sparklies:

1.  See above.
2.  I saw Angie at the tea this afternoon and she'll be joining us for Bible study this Wednesday. Yay! :o)
3.  Brien working so hard on the planter/waterlily holder.
4.  I got new hanging baskets.  I kept last year's baskets alive all summer--a record!--and plan on doing the same this year.  Neither heat nor humidity nor 100 degree temps shall keep me from watering my baskets. :oP
5.  We have yet to turn the a/c on and I'm rather impressed since it was close to 90 today.  Whew.

Milestone:
Seeing Ellie on the rides Han used to ride and being struck rather breathless.