Looking Back - May 2011

Happy Easter! 

Ok. I know I am supposed to be posting about May. And Easter was in April. But - seeing as how Easter arrived last year about as late as it ever can, and I am often a little slow when it comes to downloading pictures off my camera, not to mention sorting and saving them - well - a photo showing our festive Easter morning table is not out of line for the first of May. 

 

Here you see a sampling of some of our family traditions --  Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs (no Peeps for us, thank you very much!) and the farm-fresh eggs the kiddos had fun coloring a few days earlier and jelly beans and coins hidden in the plastic eggs. And, of course, the sweetbread like my Croatian grandmother made all my growing up years - we call it Polkatitsah (spelling is totally wrong I'm sure, but I cannot find proper spelling anywhere!) However you spell it, it's quite yummy!

Mother's Day was extra special last year. Mike and I traveled that weekend with the 2 youngest girls to Chicago to see our firstborn participate in his graduation ceremony from the University of Illinois. It was a wonderful day, he had worked hard to get there and graduated with honors. Another engineer in the family - woohoo!!! What better gift could this ol' Mom have received?

While Brent was busy getting ready and lined up for the big event, we had fun hanging out with Melissa and Grandpa Dean.  The American Girl Store was a huge hit with not only the little girls, but impressed Grandpa as well! And of course, Melissa and I were dead-set on getting our chocolate fix at the Hershey's store/snack shop. Oh, my! Sweet Goodness For Sure!  I'm thankful for our sweet daughter-in-law and her willingness to brave the Saturday afternoon downtown Chicago traffic just to bring us a little pleasure.

The Sears Tower (no matter what others may say)

And so, we leave the Windy City behind, returning to rural Missouri, where . . .

Spring has arrived, and . . . 

 

there are wonderful visits with special friends . . .

looks like a crowd, but really just our family & the Sorillas

and boys are keeping law and order in the Wild West . . .

And our bedding plants go from this,

 

to this, and . . . 

 

there are walks to be taken and creeks to be splashed in and furry companions to romp with.

 And off we go, head-long into summer. Life is good, we have much to be thankful for, Praise God!