Adventures of CoffeeGal: A Lesson in Verbs

There is much happening in (and around) the Little Yellow House on the Hill...

Strawberry picking...

Bass fishing...

Scout bridging...

River swimming...

(about to be Sister Dunking)

And every once in awhile,

Couch Sitting...

 ....Stay tuned for tomorrow's lesson in:

 CoffeeGal Screaming (alternatively titled, Reptiles in My Neighborhood )

Snapshots of the Week

I want with all my heart to sit down and tell you all about the events of the last several days but there are so many fun things to do today...and not much time to do it! So here are a few snapshots....

Last Friday I embarked on a trip to NYC. There were car rides, train rides, ferry rides, and strolling running through the city. We had adventure as we encountered loss of power on the Amtrak train, experienced the NYC subway system, and when my car wouldn't start on the way home and had to be jumped. Twice.

Those things added to the pleasure of touring lower Manhattan and fostering my ever-growing L-O-V-E for N-Y-C.

I love New York. I really do. I even bought the T-shirt so every one would know it.

And then I came home and had a baby.

Well, I didn't have a baby. But I was just as excited for this little one as I was my own (and I didn't have to go through labor.)

I was THRILLED that little Calvin didn't come while I was in NYC. He patiently waited and came right on time yesterday afternoon. Mom and babe are doing well.

When I left on Friday afternoon there were only a few small sign of spring. When I got home, it felt like all the world had exploded into blossom, ready and waiting for me.

Remember my little Amaryllis Bulb I planted 5 weeks ago?

Here she is in all her glory!

I managed to play a little in the garden this morning, but its time to clean up and go hug a baby. So I'll leave you with a few pictures and hope tomorrow finds me blogging properly!

Seventh Grade Math is Not for Wimps

This was a long week. Thank goodness there are Daffodils growing right out side my window.

Seventh grade math nearly took me out this week, but I refuse to give in.

Although I nearly did.

It's very difficult to work outside of boxes I'm used to playing in, (math is a "box" I do my best to avoid) and this week I was tempted to despair (and revert back to old thoughts and feelings)

Anyway, there was math this week.

And after-math.

I did manage to get a few other things done around here though....Here are the highlights:

We are horse sitting until Sunday.

Just heading out to the barn for 15 minutes each afternoon has given me (and the kids) a respite in the middle of our day.

We feed and water and play.

And give them treats.

It makes me want to live on a ranch.

I also  managed a little crochet therapy:

I started (and finished) another Ruffly scarf.

Then I started a new afghan I have wanted to do for a really long time. Fear had put me off for awhile...for some reason blankets feel scary to me...as in long-term relationship scary.

Oh! but the truth is, I'm in love....

Here was the beginning on Tuesday.

Look at that skinny little thing.

Each night I have tried to add a row or two.

This morning, I added 3 more rows...

I wish the clouds would hurry up and go away...because the lighting has been awful for pictures.

I am certain this afghan is going to give me a good attitude for the rest of my teaching career. I will wrap myself in it when I teach learn pre-algebra and I will be happy.

I have a thousand-and-one things I want to write this afternoon, but the words aren't coming out right when I type them, so I'm just going to say this:  Happy Friday! May your weekend be sunny!

Kellie's Song

There is a poem about spring that completely describes how I feel on this first day of our spring break (for us, anyway):

Pippa's Song

The year's at the spring,

and the day's at the morn;

Mornings at seven;

The hillside's dew-pearled;

The lark's on the the wing;

The snail's on the thorn:

God is heaven -

All's right with the world!

~Robert Browning

Spring has always made me happy. Just like in second grade - only with marginally better spelling skills and the ability to download photos.

Everyday something new is coming to life. I always forget how many different shades of green there are...Its wonderful...and also, Zyrtec and Claritin are wonderful too. 

We had a great Easter weekend, the perfect combination of active rest and Sabbath rest.

The Mister and I stained the outside deck...just in time. The spring sprinkling of pine pollen had just started to fall from the trees Saturday morning. Today it looks as if someone had taken a flour sieve and dusted everything with yellow powder.

I worked in the garden The Mister Built: 

We had a camp fire and roasted Peeps. In general, I am not a Peeps fan. Unless we happen to be in the desert. When we lived there I would open them and let them sit a couple weeks until they were dried out and crunchy. I guess you could say I enjoy Peeps crunchy or cooked but not "raw".

We took pictures with our very own Easter bunny.

I must admit, I love that bunny.

Look at her wash her face. (I don't even have to remind her to do so.)

She loves to be with her people. She even gives bunny kisses...if you put your face close up to yours, she'll lick you!

But when I saw her reclining with the kids as they played a game on the deck....well, it just made me smile.

Today I am getting for a road trip. 

The kids and I are headed to Virginia to spend a couple days with family. As an added bonus I get to meet (in-real-life!) Lindsey of Bytes of Memory and Jolanthe of No Ordinary Moments and their families for lunch tomorrow.  I can't wait! 

My sabbatical last week was so refreshing. Sometimes a girl just has to set aside even good things and rest awhile. But now I am ready to go!

Happy First week of April!