Looking at Leaves - Autumn Experiences

I like looking at leaves ... I struggle with long car rides and canyon roads. In previous years, Grayson has gone on Sunday drives when the leaves start to turn. This year, I went with him. We got some pretty pictures of all the colors. 

We don't have a single tree in our yard. The neighbor's "share" with us though. 

We got a few fall shots with the kids back at home.

Signs of Spring

"Mommy, Mommy, come ... I want to show you something! You will like it, it will make you happy. It's outside ... look, a flower!" Colton was SO excited, and he knows I like flowers ... and it did make me happy. Our first tulip. Signs of Spring ... keep it coming!

April 1 ...

It's April 1 ... we don't really do a lot of April Fools jokes, that's not what this post is about *Ü* As Colton got up and got dressed, he put on this jersey saying "it's April 1, just like my shirt says 1" ... yes, I thought it was very appropriate for the day. He originally dressed in jeans though, as the weather has still been cool lately. Yesterday however, it was WONDERFUL, mid 60s, the boys were all commenting on how HOT it was (what will they say when it's 80 degrees??). It was so nice to be able to open the windows and get some fresh air throughout the house. I think March came in like a lamb ... and went out like a lamb, so much for the "lion" part of the saying, although there were some stormy days in-between. With the warm weather, the boys all changed into shorts after school (Colton wore his FAVORITE outfit yesterday). Today Colton came downstairs, peeking his head into the gym where I was working out and asked "Mom, can I wear shorts today?" I told him yes he could ... he then opened the door wide to show his whole body and announced "I already am!" ... so I guess he wasn't really asking permission. Silly munchkin! Look at those little white legs though, almost as white as the entire outfit! A MUCH nicer April 1 than last year! I could really get used to weather like this, but I think the forecast is calling for cooler weather by the weekend. We'll take it while we can!

It's About Time

Ah ... Daylight Savings ... it seems really early this year. I know that it used to be several weeks later in the year (in April, around Conference time). While I'm never ready to lose an hour, this year I was really not looking forward to it. I was enjoying the gradual light into the bedroom, helping me wake up in the mornings. Now I'll need to get up in the dark. I did NOT mind it getting dark early in the evenings, for it forced friends to go home and brought the kids inside for dinner and homework. Now, they are going to want to stay out playing until 8:00.

There were a couple of times in years past that I actually looked forward to the change. I remember having a young baby who would not sleep through the night ... with the time change, now the baby slept until 6:00, rather than 5:00 If you can't change the baby, change the clock! *Ü*

I don't know about you, but it always seems like there are a few clocks that just do NOT get changed...at least they are "correct" half of the time. I do love that so many of the electronics today update automatically though. And for those clocks we do have to change manually, the "spring forward" is usually easier, as the "fall back" often requires me to cycle through all the numbers rather than just going backwards. The little boys were very impressed with the change of the analog clock, watching the hands actually move as they were adjusted.

I hadn't gotten around to changing the clock in the little boy's room. I sent them to bed Sunday night and I saw Cooper glance at the clock (he has been quite obsessed with time of late, always verifying what time it is, pointing out the slight differences between the various clocks ... he'll look at the clock and say "7:40, it doesn't SEEM like 7:40", I'll ask him what time it does seem like and he responds "oh, 7:52 I think") ... I knew he was going to point out that it wasn't even 8:00 yet ... I quickly pulled the clock down, and moved the hands to almost 9:00 ... bedtime!

Shifting Seasons

It doesn't seem so long ago that it was summer ... then school was back in session and the days started getting a little shorter. I LOVE autumn, but here in Utah it so often seems to shift so quickly from warm to cold, summer to winter, we don't often get to experience much of the fall splendor. There had been some cooler days, but the kids were still wearing shorts and t-shirts each day. After returning home last Sunday from a cousin's birthday bash, the house was a chilly 66 degrees ... so we turned on the heat for the first time (gotta love the smell throughout the house the first time the heat gets turned back on after a long hiatus). A storm rolled in that night and we woke to snow, but the kids STILL put on shorts (and the snow didn't last very long). Then yesterday, more snow. Enough that the kids wanted to go out and play. We had to look through drawers to find the forgotten long pants, dig out the boots, gloves, hats and coats. With a couple of kids from next door, they made the first snowman of the season ... he was a bit tilted (see above), and after several hours in the sun, he was even MORE so (see below) ...

Long sleeves present a bit of a problem with Cooper's cast, most arm holes aren't big enough to go over the bulk. But the coat was fine, and we even put a glove over the hand ... you couldn't even tell he had a broken arm! I noticed that Colton's pants were a couple inches too small. He sure has grown since the spring. I'll have to spend some time going through all the closets and drawers, putting the "cold weather" clothes that still fit front and center, moving items too small for one boy to the closet of the next (one of the perks of having all boys!) . I just wish I could find a good solution for all the winter wear (gloves, hats, boots, coats) that gets strewn all over after the kids come in from playing outside.

The snow has since melted, and the kids were outside playing tag and soccer again today ... but the chill is in the air ... sweater weather is here, calling for hot chocolate and chicken soup. I certainly don't mind if the snow stays away for a while ... let us enjoy the fall season *Ü*

Spring Snow

Is May 24 still considered "spring"? Just ONE week ago we hit 80 degrees and the kids were in swimsuits having a water fight in the back yard. My lilacs just bloomed ... and this morning? Snow!

The first thing Colton said as I pointed to the snow falling out the window was "Oh no, we put away the boots!" I keep a big basket right as the kids walk in the front door. During the winter months, this is where we keep the boots. For the summer months, it's the storage spot for balls, mits and summer sandals. Up until just a few days ago ... it STILL had boots in it. Although it's been a rainy spring, I figured it was safe to put the boots away. Silly me! But in truth, the snow isn't really sticking around. The sun is out and it's melting fast. Several years ago, there was a popular song with the line "sometimes the snow comes down in June" ... and I remember once we did actually get some snow in June ... will we this year, or was this the last snow of the season?