Week 16

April 19: He's being trained on the electric fence and none too happy that he no longer has free reign of the backyard. But I want my flowers to remain un-trampled.
April 20: I couldn't resist all the amazing colors of the coleus available. However, 56 plants was a bit much even though I did find places for all of them.

The giant hosta is unfurling it's leaves and looks so sculptural.

April 21: Wednesdays is our special treat of a walk in the park. This is my favorite spot of trail.

April 22: Nigella strikes again. Blackberry galette. It was a big hit at life group.

April 23: I love my trees, I hate my trees. The wind today blew the thousands upon thousands of helicopter pods out of my two giant maples. They are now littering the driveway and law.

April 24: It was a busy day that started out with a Ronald McDonald House volunteers appreciation brunch at the Museum of World Treasures in Old Town.

The afternoon was spent painting a house along with friends as part of LOVE Wichita - a church based, city-wide service project.

And then I drove to Lawrence to see a show with Mom. From the balcony of the Lied Center, we had a great view of the thunderstorm that was rolling in.

April 25: I love the Flint Hills. The gracefully undulating hills are a vibrant spring green. Anyone who thinks Kansas has boring landscape hasn't driven through the Flint Hills. I love that the path between Wichita and Lawrence runs through them and I get to see their beauty in all seasons.

Week 15

April 12: El Salvador mission team meeting #2 - team building activity: blind-folded working in teams to find objects. Learning each other's communication style and trust.

April 13: Nigella's "fairy cake" recipe for snack day at work. I had a ton of buttercream frosting left over from the cake I made on Saturday.

April 14: Our women's biblestudy is doing Beth Moore's "The Inheritance" series. So much good stuff to think on. And I love that she uses Chambord Castle as the graphic (I got to visit there last April.)

April 15: I spent an extra 10 minutes browsing the flowers at my local Ace Hardware store. It was all I could do not to buy a ton.

April 16: I make my bed nice & neatly every morning. Every day this week I've come home to this.... There's only one culprit. Apparently my spot on the bed is comfy for Diesel's naps.

April 17: I went back to Ace and blew most of my plant budget for this spring. I tackled the flower bed at the end of the driveway - weeded, dug up bulbs I missed last year, added more hen & chicks, creeping jenny, and dianthus.

Allen came over to help me tackle a project I felt too daunting to take on alone. This...

came from here, the small space between shed & fence. It went much quicker than I expected and now it's safe to walk back there with out vines and wire triping you up. Thanks, Al!

April 18: I planted an entire flat of impatiens in the front door bed.

The New Guinea impatiens brighten the front flower pot. I believe the color was "sonic violet". Quite fitting.

Planted basil and Italian parsley to complement the thyme and oregano in my little herb garden.

And some hot pink and white geraniums to brighten up the patio.

Week 14

April 5: With the 80 degree weather, the bear finally decided to remove the scarf and hat and go au natural.
April 6: Tanya & I had dinner together and a long awaited time to catch up.

April 7: The red bud trees are in bloom.

All the spring color reminds me of a line in Canticle of the Plains by Rich Mullins. "Bursting from bud into beauty in a way I can't describe. In a way that's so changing my life..." My heart bursts with joy and wonder at the majesty of our Creator.

April 8: This is the cute little church that's just down the block from my house. It made a picturesque view when rounding the corner in the afternoon sunshine.

April 9: Thrift Store Prom. This is the 2nd year we've done this for our spring dance and it was a blast. Everyone comes decked out in the worst prom stuff they can find. I wore on of Hannah's high school prom dresses that I dug out of the closet at Mom & Dad's. The huge puffy sleeves just called for a tiara and long black gloves. Janel's dress had a fabulous huge white butt-bow.

My planning co-horts - Lindsay and Rachel.

The boys rocked it too.

April 10: Doug and Angela have decided to leave us for England. Their going-away party was today. I was asked to make the cake. Carrot cake is Doug's favorite and I borrowed Tanya's decorating kit. The close up picture of the cake won't cooperate but you'll at least see the details. I edged it with "goodbye" in different languages.

April 11: It was a full day of a lot of spring clean up yard work. Diesel enjoyed a morning drive. Yes, Hannah, I took the picture while driving but he's sooo cute with his head stuck out the window that I had to share.

My neighbor's creeping phylox is in full bloom under the oak tree.

My tulips!

My neighbor's lilac bush hangs over the fence so I get to enjoy it too.

My hostas are starting to come up.

This is why...

...I shouldn't wait a week & a half to put up the weekly post. I forget what I did and what I was thinking. And too, maybe I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by the to-do list that my brain doesn't remember that far back.

Anyway, while I'm sure you enjoyed the picture of Diesel panting, I really meant to post the below picture for March 29. I attended a Messianic Passover Seder. My friends Lisa & Phil attend one of the Messianic Jewish churches here in town which put on a wonderful Passover seder for anyone who wanted to attend. (Messianic means they are Jews who believe Jesus is the Messiah.) The seder is so full of significance of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Week 13

March 29 - We took our longest daily walk yet. 1.25 miles. It was a bit much for him. He assumed this position for awhile after we got home.
March 30- A few of my daffodils have bloomed and I was surprised by this single tulip. It had a star-like shape, amazing yellow center, and pink strips on the outside.

March 31 - Two week old Wilson made his much anticipated first visit to our women's biblestudy.

April 1 - I LOVE spring. I love walking my dog in my neighborhood in the spring. Everything has begun blooming this week. There is a plethora of spring color. Bradford pear trees...

Forsythia...

My crab apple bush...

A bush in my yard that I'm not sure what it is...

magnolia trees...

April 2 - Good Friday. Jennifer and Bethany gave me an Easter lily at last Sunday's lunch. It has been great to watch it bloom this week and reflect on what resurrection week is really about.

April 3 - I spent Easter weekend with the family. Got a lot of play time with JT. Today also was my parents' 39th anniversary and we got to take them out for dinner. April 4 - Easter Sunday. Mom's delicious meal after church: ham, asparagus, scalloped potatoes, and brioche rolls.