Life lately, late spring 2024

I kept meaning to get a blog post out earlier than this, but nevertheless, here it is! It's been so long since I did a little "life lately" post, where I recap recent little joys and happenings in our life. Everything I'll share here has been since around the beginning of May, or so.

• Reading Anne of Windy Poplars. I can't get enough of this series! The characters are endearing, every book has made me laugh out loud, and I love seeing the development of Anne's character.
• Playing bubbles in the yard
• (Finn) naps with mama
• So many Lego creations, marker drawings, train tracks assembled, and tile buildings made.
• A black dress that I've been living in! I actually ordered a second one in a print, because I have worn the first one so much. It is so comfortable, I can dress it up or down, and it's easy to wash and dry and go.
• A night out for Nicholas' annual work party in Chicago. We rarely get out after dark, as a couple, so this was fun. My father-in-law watched the boys, and they did great. Thank you, Bob!

• We discovered a large number of wild blackberry bushes and a few wild black raspberries in our yard/property. Shortly after those were in bloom, all the wild roses started blooming, and they still are going strong. (We live on an acre and a large part of it is wooded, so when I'm referring to the wooded areas,"yard" doesn't always feel like the right word, but maybe it is?)
• We celebrated Mother's Day (my sister-in-law, Katelyn visited!), we grilled burgers served on sourdough buns, and spent time outside, since it was beautiful. And we also celebrated my father-in-law's birthday with grilled chicken wings and these crispy oven fries, followed by a fire and s'mores in the backyard.

• We visited Great Grandpa DeVries and Aunt Brenda on the farm on a rainy morning. We talked and caught up over cake, brownies, and coffee, and Grandpa gave Cooper a tiny vintage measuring tape, which has been a new, favorite tool.
• We did our weekly trip to the farm store for raw milk, and said a casual "hi," to the cows

I'm still working my way through The Bible Recap and really enjoying that and having routine and consistency in God's Word.

The cicadas are out and they are so loud, it almost feels deafening. Friends who live on the other side of town barely have any, it's so interesting to me.

And there's been park playdates and admiring the morning light through the windows, bits of crochet sprinkled in with the knitting, a family outing downtown when daddy got a haircut, the start of swim lessons for Cooper, a fun (big!) day trip to Indianapolis for a concert with my sister-in-law, Katelyn,* and other little life things.

Thank you, Lord, for a sweet start to the warmer, (nearly) summer months!

*The concert, in particular, deserves a post of of its own! I'll share more soon.