Picture Perfect

The weather around these parts has been picture perfect lately and this weekend was no exception.

It was so gorgeous outside this week that I decided to set up my patio furniture.  I realize it isn't even spring yet, and that it is always possible for us to get snow even into April, but I just couldn't help myself.  It just felt right. 

We also took Molly into the groomer's and got her massive, shaggy hair trimmed.  We weren't expecting to have as much taken off as she did but some of the hair was matted (I guess I wasn't combing her well enough) and she got a very short haircut.  Molly loved her new haircut and could finally sleep comfortably at night without having to get up 50 times to move to a cooler spot in our bedroom.  Not only that, but on Saturday I decided to take Molly on my run with me again and she did beautifully!  She was a perfect little running buddy.  I think it was much easier for her without all that hair heating her up. 

On Saturday the boys had their boy scout car races.  This year the dads were able to build their own car and compete too so Todd made his with Ben and that way all three of our boys got a car.  They were thrilled! Their cars all did well, but much more importantly than that is how sweet the boys were both when the won and when they lost.  Made me so proud of them.  Good boys.

After boy scouts we all went to mass and then took the kiddos over to grandma and grandpa's house so that Todd and I could have a date.  It was nice and relaxing.  I ate too much and got a stomach ache, but the Badgers and Marquette both won their games to go on to the Sweet 16 so all was good on St. Patrick's Day.

Sunday rolled around and because we had already gone to mass the night before it was a nice leisurely morning.  Todd went to go and look at a motorcycle he has been eyeing for the past, oh I don't know, ten years, and the kids and I went to the grocery store.  They were so well behaved.  I even got compliments on them, which always makes a mama feel good. 

By the time we got home the temperature was hovering close to 70.  The kids went to change into shorts as I put the groceries away and arranged the gorgeous daffodils in the center of our kitchen.   From that point on the rest of the day was spent outside.  To say that Grace was thrilled that I let her play outside in her new skirt would be an understatement.  She was in heaven.

Signs of spring were all around us.  The grass was getting green.  I filled up our bird feeders and changed the water in the bird bath too.  I even saw my flowers and plants poking through my gardens.  Such a thrill!

It is an amazing thing after 9 years of constant eagle eyeing children, and "helping" them play, to be able to sit back and read a book on my patio while my kids play without me.   They are all growing up so fast.  Of course I did have to keep somewhat of an eye on them (especially Grace) but I was able to paint my toenails and read half of my book.  Pretty awesome.

Then Todd arrived home with his dream bike.  The bike he has wanted for ages but never wanted to spend the money on.  He finally found one on Craigslist so cheap that he would have been foolish not to get it.  If he wanted to (which he doesn't) he could turn around and sell the bike today for a big profit.  However, this is the perfect bike.  The color, make, model, style, accessories, he has always wanted.  This is a bike he will have until he dies, he said.  And I was thrilled for him.
 

I was so excited for him that I hopped right on (sans shoes and helmet- oops) and went for a short ride while grandma stayed with the kids.  It felt so good to be on the back of a bike with Todd again.  We hadn't done that since we first started dating 13 years ago. 

After the excitement died down the boys jumped on their bikes and rode to the end of our street, set up camp in the woods, and remained there for the rest of the day.  While Todd stayed in the garage staring at his bike Grace and I went back onto the patio.  She looked at a Target magazine while I read my book.  Good times.

Finally it was time to gather the troops.  Todd marched down and found the boys in the woods and called them home.  They came inside, sat patiently for their haircuts, took a shower, and were famished when all was said and done.
 

We rounded out a perfect day with a delicious cook out of hamburgers and venison hot dogs, onion rings, and veggies. 

It was a fabulous and lucky weekend.