Little Surprises

We've had a fun and fairly relaxing Memorial Day Weekend.  Yesterday cousins Kellie and Anna visited with Aunt Deb.  While we were giving them a tour of our house, we discovered a family of toads and a baby garder snake living in the area outside of our egress window in the basement.  It was like a little reptilian terrarium down there.

Dave and Grace have since set our little friends free to finish out the rest of their days on ground level.  But before they released them into the woods, Grace spent some time holding the toads and even the garder snake (cringe).  

Then, last night, we grilled brats and drank margaritas with our neighbors, Krista and Mike, while Graceyn and Grace played.  I realized, once again, that I really should have learned to play eucre long, long ago.  I think I am the only person on earth that does not know, and can't ever seem to learn, how to play.  I just don't get it... 



This afternoon we purchased some plants for my raised vegetable bed that my Dad built for me.  Tomorrow will be a day full of planting...it should be fun!

Grace and Anna on the swings

Mr Toad in the "terrarium" 

Not afraid

Freedom

 The Mama snake that resides under our front porch

Newborn

This sweet, little babe was in our neighbor's woods today.  I wasn't as close as it appears in the photo (lots of zooming and cropping). 

  

A Dangerous Combination

I love the fact that Grace has her first "BFF," Graceyn, but it does get a bit exhausting keeping up with the two little stinkers.  They are double the trouble, for sure. When Grace sees a glimpse of Graceyn outside, she immediately bolts out the door and runs full speed ahead, usually without shoes, across the circle to her house (we're working on changing this).  Likewise, Graceyn shows up without her parents knowing that she's left their house a lot.

The girls spent hours playing together today.  They biked around and around our circle, they played on the neighbors' swings, they ate popsicles, and they bickered and fought with each other, too.  We eventually took Graceyn back home (she had a babysitter at the time), and Dave, Grace and I went to pick up some groceries.  When we got back home, we pulled up to our house and saw that our front door was wide open.  Dave thought it must not have been closed all the way.  I thought something (someone) else was to blame--Graceyn.  Sure enough, a few minutes later, Graceyn appeared at our front door wearing one of Grace's shirts and her pull-ups.  She had come into our house while we were gone, took off her clothes in Grace's room, and raided Grace's closet!  

I'm afraid to think of the trouble these two will get into together in the years to come!

Graceyn and Grace taking Jitter for a walk.

More Birds

We've been seeing lots of new birds lately, many of which I've never seen before in my life.  Fortunately I had my camera nearby when this one landed in our yard.

 

I think this is a Scarlet Tanager

The color is off in this photo, the bird is a brilliant red.

Apple Blossoms

I've been waiting and wondering when the apple blossoms would flower.  This week was it.  Today Grace and I went down River Road to Leaman's Apple Orchard to take some photos. 

Timberrr!

We had a number of trees cut down  this week.  Most of them were dead or close to it, and needed to come down before they hit our home or one of our a neighbors' homes.  I'm relieved they're gone.  We've had so many bad storms lately, it's been a bit unnerving to watch them swaying with the high winds.

The whole time the men were working outside, Grace stood inside, face glued to the windows, fascinated by the chainsaws and tractors and the huge trees falling to the ground with a house-rattling thud.  I was just thankful none of them fell the wrong way!

I was glad to see this one fall

Always jumping...

A huge hole from our neighborhood Woodpecker

 Beautiful wild trilliums have blossomed in our woods

The Boys

My friend, Melissa, brought her boys over for a visit today.  We've both been missing what were once weekly get-togethers.  Grace's friend, Avian, has had a baby brother for a few months now.  Grace absolutely adores "Baby Alex" and constantly asks about him and how his mole is doing.  She says he's a "cute little buddy." 

I had a blast taking photos of these little guys.  Alex is so smiley, it made the picture taking pretty easy actually (except for the fact that Grace kept finding her way into most of my shots).  What a little stinker.  Grace is obsessed with babies right now.  Today she asked me if I was going to have a baby like Melissa did.  Then she proceeded to tell me how "Melissa has baby food in her boobs."   The girl cracks me up. 

Cutest smile ever!

Brothers...

Mother's Day

My favorite part of today was taking these photos of Grace this afternoon.

 Grace has her "ittle baby" with her all the time these days

Dave bought some cheese for me for Mother's Day.  Yes, cheese.  He was really proud of himself, too.  How we ever ended up together still boggles my mind.  He's got a good heart, though...that makes up for a lot.  (Next year I'd like a massage, dear.)

Ready or Not

I've been sick this week and I think the fever may have done something to my common sense.  I've decided to get my own photography business going.  I don't have a business plan, and I'm a bit scared to put myself out there, but I also really love photography and I feel like this is where I'm being led. 

One of the first things I need to do is to name my business so I can form an LLC.  I am incredibly indecisive anyway, so this will be very hard for me.  Some ideas so far (in no particular order) are:  Krysha Abbott Photography, Krysha Marie Photography, Gracie Girl Photography, A Little Grace Photography, and Lily Grace Photography. Please let me know your favorites, or any other ideas. Thanks!

Finally

It looks and feels like spring is finally here to stay.  We enjoyed some outdoor time this morning (until TruGreen came to spray the neighbors' lawn).  I am anxious to get some flowers planted, and am thinking about a vegetable garden as well.  Any suggestions on what to grow and how to do it would be greatly appreciated! 

We've met most of our neighbors, and they all seem great.  We even discovered that Dave's old friend, Todd, who was actually in our wedding, lives on the next court over from us.  He and his wife have three kids under three years of age.  Our next-door neighbor girls watched Grace for us last Saturday so we could go to a party at their house for a while, reaffirming, again, just how much we love our new neighborhood!

The buds are finally opening up

Swinging

Happy girl!

Sightings

A bluebird (I think)

A red-bellied woodpecker

Friends

Grace and Graceyn have been playing together a lot lately.  Best friends in the making, I think...

 Grace had to put on her black shoes, too

Sharing a snack

Popsicles

 

Lots of smiles and...

 

Giggles!