Lilacs and Dreams Come True in May

One of my favorite flowers bloom in May, and lilacs are one of the most heavenly scented flowers I know.  The girls and I were practically drinking in their scents in my neighbors yard.

 

Let me just say that with all of those lilacs in bloom, it was just one more reason why getting. school. done. for. the. end. of. the. year. was. even. more. brutal.  Here the girls are below showcasing some of their art projects from their art class.

 Violet loves playing dress up, and in the photos below can be seen as a bride, a ballerina, Elsa, and a spinning ballerina.  Lucy and Emma's dance teacher had an extra ballet costume from a younger class, and sweetly gave it to Violet.  This generous gift made Violet so happy, and so proud.  She even has me put her hair up in a real ballerina bun each time she tries on the tutu.  Also pictured below is a family movie night, complete with a picnic dinner and Charlie watching from the porch, as well as the three oldest girls snuggled under a cozy, weighted blanket that a family friend made for us.

If Charlie could talk, he would probably say that he misses us.  Between my cat allergy and caring for Opal, Charlie is lacking my affection.  He really is a sweetheart, even if he terrorizes and then eats the neighborhood wildlife, and harasses and eats any of our food that has been left unattended.  I'm not sure if it is because he spent the beginning of his life as a starving feral orphan cat or if he just loves to eat, but either way, he can never get enough food.  Below is the view out of my office window one evening.  I knew from past experience that when I went outside to investigate that I would find Charlie under that window.  Sure enough, there he was with his tail swatting back and forth menacingly when I scooped him up and locked him in the garage until the chipmunk had time to escape.  That chipmunk lived another day, but I told it in no uncertain terms that there was no future for him in my yard and to take his family and run for the hills.

 Our little suburban farm is just getting started for the season this past month with asparagus almost every night for dinner.  We planted our garden for the season with tomatoes, beans, lettuce, peppers, cucumbers and melon.  Our bees are doing great, and Will even upgraded my wildflower garden with sunflower seeds and poppies.  He weeded, and found lots of wildflowers from the previous years already sprouting up.  The bottom, left hand pictures below show the girls waiting patiently for us at the bee property north of us while Will and I checked on our bees.  The property there is just so gorgeous, and it is like a mini trip up north for me every time we go.

Lucy found several toads in our garden this past month, and as a sign of her growing up, enjoyed them for a few minutes and then let them go.  This is a big change from summers past when she wanted to keep them for months and the became almost skin and bones on the diet of ants that she fed them.  The below photos in clockwise order from top left: Lucy with a toad, the girls' dolls with acne cream on them in the sun to eliminate pen that someone scribbled on them (this was a Pinterest suggestion, and it actually worked - sun plus acne cream - who knew!?), enjoying Popsicles outside for the first time this season, the first sprinkler play of the year, the first water table fun, a fairy ring Emma and Violet made, Lucy with a bouquet of flowers from the yard and Will holding up the tallest dandelion from our yard.

We planted flowers at the cemetery for Luke, Will's grandpa and my grandparents on Memorial Day...

...and then went to Will's parents house for the afternoon.  It was too hot outside for Violet that afternoon, so Grandma and Grandpa T. had birdhouses for the girls to paint indoors.  They had a great time, and all three birdhouses are already occupied!

The below photos in clockwise order from top left: Opening Day at the Farmer's Market and Opal's first visit, picking out our flowers and veggie plants for the garden at a local greenhouse, the girls and I all trying on outfits at a clothing store (don't be deceived by the cuteness - it is utter chaos shopping with all of them and Will was waiting impatiently with Opal on the other side of the door - but despite this, I am in awe of my luck of having four girls to have this experience with!), and finally, Violet got to shop with the gift card to the Lego Store from her God father for her birthday, and she told Will, "I know what my gift card says - Happy Birth Mark!"

 Violet turned four at the beginning of this month, and handled her day with both grace and serene happiness.  She was so patient watching Emma and then Lucy enjoy their birthdays that I think she could hardly believe that it was finally her turn!  Her big sisters spoiled her with all of her favorite things - Barbies and My Little Ponies, and my favorite picture is of her laughing when she opened the gift she had bought, wrapped and given to herself!  Easter Peeps that she found on clearance and knew that she would enjoy for her birthday!  Will and I got her some new Frozen dress up outfits, Legos, a Disney Princess puzzle, her own ride-on bouncey ball, and a ballerina book complete with music.

Lucy and Emma convinced Violet to go to the local craft store to spend the gift cards they had all gotten from my parents for their birthday, and so they spent the afternoon making the pillows they had bought with their money.

 Violet even found violets growing in the sidewalk on the walk we took on her birthday!  Here she is below as we sing happy birthday to her.   I can't believe how much she has grown!

My birthday was at the end of the month, and because it was the day after Memorial Day this year, Will could not take the day off.  The girls spoiled me though from the moment they woke up - starting with a bouquet of lilacs Lucy has picked the night before, and then presents from each of them.  Opal gave me a great gift by actually taking two really good naps, and because of that, I was able to play with the girls new Lego sets from their birthdays and Emma and Violet even had saved pieces for me to be able to actually build them.  I thought that was so sweet and thoughtful!

We ended up going to the library where Emma begrudgingly helped load up all of my books - but only because it is your birthday mom!  We picked up lunch from our favorite sandwich place on the way home, and even scored a free chocolate chip cookie because there was a slight delay with our order!  Bonus!

 Will surprised me with two lilac bushes of my very own when he got home from work, as well as a blueberry pie that I asked him to pick up from a local pie factory right by his school.  It was a happy day for me, despite sleep deprivation as Opal was up most of the night before, but I truly could not ask for anything more.   It occurred to me on my 37th birthday that I have come pretty far on discovering who I really am, and leading a life true to myself.  And although I never dreamed of my current reality when I was younger, I am so happy to be where I am right now with the dreams that started when I fell in love with Will almost twenty years ago now.  Four earthly children and an angel son, our dream house, and a purpose that I feel passionate about - raising my girls and saving the bees with Will by my side.  Yes, 37 is looking good!