A little bit of our life these days.

Okay, let me catch up a little bit more... First, pictures!

Here are a few from back in March and April, when the snow was just melting and the first spring flowers were starting to come up:

Ella - so delighted about the world warming up.

A rainy day in April with snow still on the ground.

Maya's turn with the rainbow umbrella.

Our first (of many!) batches of maple syrup from our trees.

When the snow finally melted, it left glorious mud puddles in the front yard.

Family photo at the Smith College Bulb Show.

We did our annual photo shoot at the daffodil hill on a windy day near the end of April. Aunt Anne was visiting, and Selena met us at Smith College to help take some pictures. We got some really nice ones this year I think!

 So many daffodils!

 Brett, Maya and Pinky Dog.

 I love this one.

 We are mostly all looking at the camera!

 Ella taking a picture of the doggies in the flowers.

 "We aren't going to smile."

 "Just kidding!"


Behind the scenes.

In May, we finally made a visit to Cloverdale pre-school happen. We had also visited Farm Hands about a month earlier, which we all loved, but Cloverdale is walkable/bikeable from our house - a huge plus. Maya and Ella seemed to really enjoy the visit and wanted to stay when it was time for us to go home. We are planning to have Maya and Ella go a couple mornings a week starting in the Fall. It will be a big change, but seems like a fun program and we are excited about it!

 Ella with her bike on the way to Cloverdale.

 I love when it's finally time again to pick flowers for the upstairs.

Ella has really been into taking pictures lately.

 A sweet treat - out on a mama and daughters date.

Just me and Ella. Special time together, lunch out at Paul and Elizabeth's.

Just me and Maya. Special time out together - we got a treat at Evolution Cafe and played with their blocks for a while.

Speaking of blocks, we were given some amazing big blocks from someone who was passing them along on a local Buy Nothing group that I am part of! Maya and Ella love them. Brett and I love them, too.

Dada paints.

Playing by the river in Leyden.

Taking a break from watching Dada play baseball to go play in the playground with Grandma Kathy.

 This is a photo that Brett took of us on Mother's Day. I am so lucky to have these two!

Sometime in May, we all got a cold. Everyone else got over it fairly quickly, but my version of it ended up lasting and lasting and lasting. I am still coughing now, months later. I feel like I am getting better, but very, very slowly.  

Washing off after helping in the garden.

Some of the first greens from our garden this year!

Not feeling well, watching a video outside to be near me while I work in the garden. Videos the girls love these days include: Franklin, My Friend Rabbit, Richard Scarry's stories and Peppa Pig.

In the middle of June, Mama and Papa came up to visit and they also stayed with Maya and Ella for Father's Day weekend so that Brett and I could go juggle at the Clearwater Festival. We had a great time at the festival and the girls had a great time with their grandparents. Papa did so much in the garden and down by the river while they were here.

Me juggling 5 balls at the festival.

Eating ice cream together after arriving in Croton-on-Hudson. We look pretty happy about it.

Maya, Ella, Grandma and Papa.

What else happened in June? Strawberry picking!

Maya and Pinky Dog show off their berries.

It was so hot in the sun, but we picked a lot!

Three very warm girls.

"A huge one!"

Maya made breakfast for everyone, all by herself! She got out the bowls, got out the yogurt and strawberries, poured the yogurt and cut up the strawberries!

Learning to rollerskate.

Selena shows off her new bike!

Who needs a pool to cool off in? A bucket works just fine if you're Ella. Get hose, fill bucket, sit in bucket.

Pretending to be little babies.

Ella put herself to sleep one afternoon by listening to our new keyboard play some very loud repetitive music.

Best friends.

A few things I've been up to...

Back in April I got this idea to try to make some earrings with a photo of a blue bird that I'd taken. I wanted to give them to Mama as a Mother's Day gift. After a lot of experimenting, I came up with something I was happy with, and I was completely addicted to making photo jewelry!

Since April, I have made a bunch more earrings and a few necklaces. I set up a little Etsy store and am adding new things whenever I get a chance. It's so much fun!

This pair of blue birds checked out our nesting box in the spring. They decided to move in somewhere else, but for a few weeks they were around and I had fun taking lots of pictures.

Beautiful birds.

My other exciting thing has been making friends with this little Tufted-Titmouse bird. I supply the peanuts and he flies down and takes them right out of my hand. It makes me smile so much!