I Miss Mayberry...

This is mostly going to be about the much awaited arrival of spring weather. But looking over the pictures made me start singing the song by Rascal Flatts about the good old days, hence the title of the post. Although we sometimes joke about living in Clarksville, the reality is that it is a tight knit community where everyone knows everybody else, and it makes me feel good to be a part of it. Friday afternoon was our school's annual Walkathon. The classes all walk after their lunch period. The kindergarten and first grade walk about a mile and a half around the neighborhood, and the PTO has treats for everyone when they return. I love that we get brand new white shirts and then feed the kids popsicles.

After the Walkathon, Aidan somehow finagled an invitation to his best friend's house. That left me with just Andrew, Hunter and Sophie after school. The weather was gorgeous - sunny, breezy and mid 70s. Could we have this year round, please? Even though they'd walked all afternoon, the boys were up for walking the half mile to the park to feed the goats. I suggested it because the last time we were there it appeared we would soon have baby goats. I was right! There were three of them and they were adorable!

When I was little (and even when I was in college) my grandpa and I used to feed the ducks at the park near his house. Goats aren't quite ducks, but they are behind a fence which is slightly safer. Sophie loved seeing them and held quite the running conversation, trying to tell them what to do.

When we ran out of stale crackers, the boys took off running and Sophie and I played photography.

Here's a glimpse into Mayberry - a pickup game of basketball. There were two boys there who happened to be on Andrew's baseball team. I didn't know them from Adam, but they called Andrew by name (actually, they called him Drew) and Andrew knew who they were. Hunter was introduced, and a pick up game of basketball ensued. Check out Sophie sneaking onto the court in the bottom left corner of the picture.

We left the park and headed back to school for the last of the St. Anthony Men's Club Lenten Fish Frys for the year. It was yummy, and the best part was that Andrew and Hunter stayed to bus tables for boy scout service hours. Count how many kids I have now...just one for the evening, thank you! Sophie and I went home and worked on switching out all the winter clothes for summer stuff with grandma's help. It was a big job to get finished, but not so bad with help and the breeze blowing through the open windows.

Saturday morning started with a bang - literally. A very loud thunderstorm with hail came through just in time to cancel both of the boys' baseball games. With nothing else on the agenda and the weather clearing up, we all took naps with the windows open. Then the kids played outside while Tony grilled out. We had a great picnic outside in the sunshine. I took advantage of the pretty weather to take a couple of nature shots.

This is my redbud tree. Three and a half years ago we went to fair at the Falls of the Ohio State Park. We took my grandpa with us, and the boys 'adopted' what they referred to as a baby tree. In reality, it was a stick. But, we liked it because Pappy lived on Redbud Drive and everyone else in our neighborhood had gorgeous redbud trees. Tony laughed at me, but he planted our stick in the ground. The boys watered it faithfully and we guarded it from the lawn mower (it was maybe a foot tall). Well, four seasons later the baby tree is slightly over six feet tall and healthy as can be. But I noticed that for the first time ever we actually have purple flowers and not just green leaves! There are many, but they give me hope. Persistence and patience always yields fruit, and my little purple flowers are like a hug from heaven after a VERY long winter.

Oh, and here are my azaelas. Pretty, but no nice story behind them. Sorry.

Although it's not Easter yet, Sophie's closet is full of pretty spring clothes and the Sunday forecast was 88 and sunny. No kidding. Of course, when I picked out her clothes she insisted on a hat. Funny kid.

I didn't intentionally dress them all in blue, but when I realized it I had to snap a picture. It's a good color on my blonde haired, blue eyed German children!

The best part of the weekend is that after many hours of wasted Sunday, I have complete my 18 page final paper for my qualitative research course. Can't wait to turn that puppy in on Tuesday!Happy Spring!