Spring - at Home

This week I have been off from school for April vacation.  Brian was able to take two days off during the week too.  We mostly stayed at home and got a lot done to ready our home for the spring and summer months.  Our home is small, but our property is pretty big, and there is a lot to do.

Yardwork and raking were done.  Edging was done. The birdbaths were put out and filled.  Birdfeeders were replenished and the Hummingbird feeders were brought out and filled. We put in another birdhouse that a neighbor gifted us with.  The outdoor furniture was brought out.  The flag was hung.  Brian built a large crate from scrap wood.  The garage was organized.  Easter decorations were put away.  And a huge landscaping project was started and almost completed.

Here's a glimpse of our week:

Rey coordinates so nicely with our mudroom.

It hardly ever really looks like this in here.

The girls spend almost all of their time hanging out in the yard these days.

These tulips might just make it before the dogs get to them!

It was in the 40s a few times last week, so I made this soup:
 http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2015/09/panera-broccoli-cheese-soup.html

And we are still having fires at night.

But the days, oh the glorious days look like this!

She took up residence in our bluebird house and we didn't have the heart to kick her out.

I finally got the Easter stuff put away.

Took a trip to Goodwill and found this chalkboard and a beautiful Mexican serape (blanket) for my daughter.  Total spent - $6

I finally found an indoor plant I can't kill.  This is a waterfall palm and I have had it for over a year.  It is absolutely thriving!  

This week, Brian and I worked on a huge landscaping project in front of our house.  Every year, we work on one large area that needs to be completely dug up and replanted.  There are tons of areas that were landscaped years ago, but were not kept up resulting in massively overgrown shrubs and perennials that are buried under vines and overgrowth.  So in the five years we have lived here, we have slowly been rescuing each area.  The project is so big it will take years to finish.  During the week, we took many breaks under this beautiful flowering cherry blossom tree.  

The view from here.

I love this picturesque old shed.

The summer pillows have come out of hibernation finally.

I think it is time to take the sweaters off these candles.

I am putting our old white slipcover on Craigslist.  This is the Blekinge white sectional cover and ottoman cover for the Ikea sofa.  It is no longer available so someone may want to buy it.  It is 4-5 years old and has been washed and bleached many times so it is not in perfect condition, but it is in very good condition.  There are no holes or stains on the cushion covers but the large cover has a burn hole from the iron on the thin lining fabric (you cannot see this hole because it is under a cushion and does not affect the look of the sofa).  If you know anyone near southern NH who may be interested, let them know.

Ah, last day of April vacation.  Back to school tomorrow.

Aldi had some great deals on fruit this week.  I got a cantaloupe, a pineapple, strawberries, blackberries, and navel oranges for about $6 for everything.

This morning, Brian and I headed to Vermont for a day trip.  We made a stop at an old abandoned Little League field and let the dogs run.

There are so many beautiful farms and barns in Vermont.

This beauty was for sale.

This Christmas shop was closed, but it was across the street from the Vermont Country Store.

This place is amazing and a must see if you are ever in Vermont.  The 3 sons who run the business do so much for the community.  Just one example is that on one day a year, the employees all volunteer their time to cut and stack firewood for the elderly residents in the area.   

And finally, we are home again, where most of the tulips and daffodils have not been trampled yet.

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