Spring Has Sprung

spring

There is no other season that has the affect, much like a burst of energy, on the world at large more so than spring. Whether one lives in the North or the South, it is thanks to this season for the renewal of life that it brings. Birds, children and adults have a new pep to their step, and once again start to sing. The foliage awakens and blossoms, giving way to a wondrous new playground, all thanks to the welcomed arrival of our Spring.

Written by: Joanne Ramirez

I chose this poem to share with you because not only do we LOVE spring and all the hope it brings, here at our house, but we are desperately in search of a renewal of hope and faith and life!

This is going to be a random post with sweet flowers, yummy food, and fun buys. I will start off with the yummy food! Doesn't spring just make you want to eat healthy? It does me and thankfully Josh agrees to that. Fresh, fresh and fresher.

Josh made this halibut last night - DEE-Lish!! He is a much better cook than I, so when we are cooking something that we actually WANT to eat...he's in charge. Not to mention that at $13 a steak, we weren't about to put it in my hands!

With that said, I did have to be a bit unhealthy with the dessert....cookies. We had originally planned strawberry shortcake - and believe it or not - my version is pretty healthy. But Wegmans was out of angel food cake in the bakery and I forgot to pick up a box mix.

We've been sick for a week and cooped up resting and recovering. After I cleaned the house this weekend and washed away the sickness around us, I wanted to bake something. Cookies it was. I tried a new recipe for chocolate peanut butter chip. I didn't like it at all - too dry. I will make a note to go back to using my dear Mother's recipe.

This, however, happens to be the perfect segway into the fun buys. These buys are not my usual junking fun, though. (Sorry to disappoint all you junkers!) They are more of the Walmart, Steinmart and XTS type of deals. For example, that cloched cake server was a "I MUST have this, but don't at ALL agree with the price" purchase from Steinmart. I even came home without it my first trip there. And then worried for the next 24 hours that it may go home with someone else. So I rushed back over there and brought to its [obvious] intended home. You know it was made to live with Me!!

Then there are these placemats from Walmart. Thanks to Nicky, who spotted them and scooped up some of her own. I made her show me just where they were and we tore apart the clearance rack to find 8 more for me. At 50 cents each, how could I not? You know, Wally's surprises me every now and then with some fun, very Me, sorts of things. Like this little guy...

Tough to get good pictures, but you get the gist. While in the fabric section of Wally's I spotted this little tin container. It reminds me of a lunch box from my childhood, but dares me to carry it as a purse. Ha! I love the little scene on the side with the children and the dog playing. And the beady, blue handle that you probably can't see. I guess it is meant for holding your needles and thread, but that won't be necessary since I have a sewing box and furthermore, because I really can't sew! (I know right now you're all wondering what I was doing in the fabric section then, but I love looking at AND buying fabric. I can't help it!!)

I got these placemats for Easter at The Christmas Tree Shoppes store for $1 each. I just liked the colors, which the picture does not do justice. After I bought them, Nicky told me she had just gotten the same ones the week before. What can I say? Great minds think alike!

Yesterday I got some fun robin eggs at Wegmans, but you'll have to wait for those pics. because I was having trouble with the computer formatting them. I'm beginning to think I should get a therapist. It would just be soo much cheaper than the retail therapy I indulge in! Right?!

Now onto the flowers. People like me. I don't mean to go all Stuart Smally on you ("and doggone it, people like me") or anything, but it's true. Maybe they even love me? Or maybe they just think I've lost my marbles and feel sorry for me? Who knows? Who cares? I've been getting beautiful flowers, left and right, as I'm sure you've noticed from recent posts and I'm LOVING it! I've mentioned before that flowers make me happy. Happy is good! (No I'm not on any new medication either.) It's just that they really do make me happy - looking at them, smelling them, thinking of the people who gave them to me hoping that I'd enjoy them half as much as I do...

First we have these beauties that Josh bought me yesterday while we were shopping for groceries. I think he secretly likes to have fresh flowers around the house, as well, but he'd never admit it because it's not manly!

Then there are the fabulous daffodils that Leslie, a friend from work bought for me. She bought them on Friday, but I wasn't there, so she gave them to me today feeling bad that they are no longer as perky as they started out. I don't mind, though. The smell alone makes me smile. And how cute is the little pitcher vase?
My Aunt Linda sent these to us. I don't know what they are, but they're gorgeous. They've been around for almost two and a half weeks, so they lose a few petals each day, but I love 'em all the same.
Then, this is a very special silk flower from one of my students. He gave it to me this morning when I got to school. It's nice to know that some of them really do appreciate me and miss me when I'm gone. Another student wrote in his journal how he is happy that I'm well and glad to have me back. If these little things aren't smile worthy, I don't know what is!

Happy spring to all!