Lake Higgins

Gordon and I went to Lake Higgins on a beautiful afternoon last week. Although the geese are a nuisance and make the lakes and parks so filthy, there is no doubt the babies are cute!

This duck was persistent. He followed us from our car, down a trail to the picnic areas in the hopes of getting a crumb or two.

But first, Gordon, enjoying his favorite past time this spring.

But the duck was patient. So we finally shared a cracker... I'm not sure who was happier.

After our little "picnic" we headed back to the car. There was a trail starting right next to the parking lot. It said it was .3 miles...very easy for a child. I thought sure, lets go. Well I didn't look closely at the sign which warned hikers that the path of this trail crosses with the Bald Eagle Trail...which is 4.5 miles. I wouldn't have minded 4.5 miles, as out of shape as I am, that is definitely still doable, but with my little guy along and no drinks, and it was fairly warm, I wouldn't have attempted it...but unfortunately I crossed from the short loop into the long trail. After about a mile and a half, I realized my error...but without a map wasn't sure how far we were...so I turned us around and we made it back to the car. Gordon calls it our little adventure. It wasn't bad, he did much better than I would have thought - with there and back being about 3 miles. Thankfully with the frequent realtor calls to show the house - and for us to scram - I've been keeping drinks and snacks in a cooler in the car, so he was a happy hiker once we got to the car. We should do it more often...when I'm better prepared!

Easter Weekend

Aunt Debbie & Gordon getting a lesson in dying eggs. They look like they are taking this way too seriously.

I think he's ready to try it.

Grandma arrives with paper towels...good thinking.

Gordon forgot one rule...don't stick your hand in the dye. See the green hand?

Mrs. Cardinal was keeping a close eye, she was upset with us because she had a nest in a shrub right off the deck and we were too close for her to sit on it.Easter Morning, the Easter Bunny left the eggs inside and outside. It was quite chilly but Gordon didn't mind, he was busy hunting eggs, running back and forth as we all kept saying "oooh look over there, look that way Gordon"

What a green Easter - just beautiful out.

That silly rabbit left one on the bull dozier.

Ohhh I see one on the wheel barrow, and under it!

In the garden beds too?!

You can see the rest of us were really wide awake and ready for action.

Yummm...jelly beans.

Counting beans.

Gordon wanted the opened ones around this bird house...like they just hatched.

And then I stopped taking pictures...not a single one of us all dressed up to go to brunch at the Proximity Hotel. And boy did we look good :) The brunch was not very good, it was very expensive and I had high hopes because of how good their sister hotel/restaurant is, but we all agreed it was disappointing. Gordon ate it up though, Grandma kept filling his plate with french toast, shrimp (what a combination), eggs benedict, and strawberries.

Out Like A Lamb

It seems I go into blog-hibernation in the winter and barely post between January and April. I guess I'm just not as inspired to take pictures of the festivities such as the Super Bowl, the State of the Union (especially in the state it is in), Valentines Day, President's Day, or even St Patrick's Day - although I did capture one cute picture of Gordon, and he is wearing the green - it is just very subtle in his plaid shirt, Mr. Cool: I'm just not as inspired to take many pictures, but then, something happens...SPRING. Flashes of color appear - like this bright fellow who caught my eye through our storm door...not a great picture, but I never seem to have the camera handy when our shy bluebirds visit so I'll take this one. The door itself has turned pretty colorful I must say, and the color has been needed because this spring is pretty late in coming!With the slightly warmer days we attempt to get outside more, even braving a cool picnic...complete with hot cocoa and marshmallows to fight off the chilly breeze.I start sticking the brightest colored pansies I can find around the house to encourage the rest of the plants to start blossoming soon.

This quince is the first, and what a splash of color it made this year, the blooms even surviving our late snow falls and frosts.From the first colorful blooms I can't help but grab my camera and try to capture that feeling of freshness and rebirth.And then this happened and spring officially arrived - the first soccer practice...ever...and on an evening that shorts could be worn (although after the sun went down it was pretty cold on that field, thankfully I took his coat.)Listening to the coach...who has never coached kids this young and used a lot of terms and directions that went completely over their heads, but made it hilarious for his wife and I and the other parents to watch the chaos that ensued.Waiting to practice kicking a goal.He looks so serious, but he wasn't really, he was laughing and just having fun playing with the kids.Practicing as goalie.

The first game is about 10 days away, they've only had this one "practice" due to bad weather the next week, so it should be very interesting!

I can't believe tomorrow is the last day of March. March. I can't believe it will be April, I'm very glad spring is here, but still...it is April already? I've spent the first three months of this year getting this house ready to go on the market. It is finally time, I meet with a realtor this week, and I hate that. I don't want to leave Greensboro...I think I've said that a few thousand times now, but I guess it is really going to happen. I'm finally done with the home projects, I even did some electrical work with replacing switches and the front porch light - and I am pretty proud of myself. My hands look pretty rough, having been abused by the grout, caulk, paint, and cleaners I've been using, but now all I'll have to do is keep the house ready to show. That's ALL I'll have to do...did I mention I have a 4 year old and a husband leaves a trail like the path of a tornado wherever he goes? Well, if it takes a while to sell the house, maybe I'll get to appreciate the full spring and summer, and maybe even fall again in our little home that I love...not that I hope it doesn't sell...well...its complicated.

This weekend has been quite difficult. Gordon got sick, stomach virus - in the night Friday night. Let me tell you I've never seen anything like it. It took 4 loads of laundry to get BOTH of the twin beds and all the stuffed animals and pajamas and towels clean. Then we had a reprieve on Saturday as he was completely better. Then Sunday I got "it" all of a sudden around dinner time. In the middle of storm after storm passing over with tornadoes hitting the area south of here and passing very close, I was trying to keep one ear listening for "the freight train" and one eye on the radar on TV, but had my head in a bucket most of the night until the wee hours when both the storms, and my stomach, finally subsided. I'm still feeling sick and unable to eat, but a little bit better each day I think. I'm thankful that Gordon's turn with it was so shortlived though, and especially grateful that a friend took him for the day today to her house to play with her two boys - giving me a much needed and appreciated break. Thank God for friends like that! So now that I'm recovering I'm sterilizing everything in this house that I can think of - my parents and sister arrive this weekend to celebrate Easter. I'd hate to send them home with anything more than some jelly beans and reeses peanut butter eggs!

Friend Owl

Gordon loves the classic Disney movie, Bambi. As with all of his favorite movies he loves to perform scenes from the movie, both while watching it and randomly while doing things like, oh...grocery shopping. This is a bit long, but he just kept going so I kept recording. His favorite charactor to portray is Friend Owl, as he's trying to sleep while all the other birds of the forest are keeping him awake, then as he's explaining being "twitterpated" to Bambi, Thumper, and Flower.

Oh - and to hear the sound - go down to the bottom of the blog and turn off or pause the music, then you can watch & hear the video below.

Spring Where Are You?

It is March 1st.

It is cold.

I have not blogged in over a month... more pictures of snow anyone?Thought not. Oh darn...well that's about all I have to share pictures of...my sister and her dog arrived mid February. It was the first snow he'd seen, and the first she'd driven in, ever. My sister continued on to Virginia where she started her new job and is trying to find a place to live. We are hosting Chip. I think he'll be ready to go back to Debbie, the poor thing gets quite worn out from romping around with Gordon all day. Gordon sometimes gets carried away in his excitement and hugs him a little hard, but Chip is very forgiving and never seems to mind the roughness.
The house is almost ready to go on the market. Just 10 days or so away I think. Painters come to finish the painting I finally gave up on tackling myself. I've almost finished the bathroom - resurfacing the walls and painting it again, and the trim, and the ceiling. It is the never ending project. I'm overwhelmed, and tired, and as much as I don't really want to move from this town, I'll be happy to get the move over and get on with life, wherever that takes us.