it must be spring...

I love living an area of the world that offers four seasons. It's like a new start every few months. A new reason to change up the routines a little bit, an excuse to re-decorate four times a year, an opportunity to pull out recipes from the box that haven't been used in a while. And Spring is special... because things literally just come to life again. And my kids' smiles get a little bigger, their laughter gets a little louder, the twinkle in their eyes becomes a little more noticeable.

If you ever need a pick-me-up, just come watch Brandon on his tree swing. That laughter would cure the worst case of the winter blues.

Spring looks good on us. And you need not look any farther than our driveway and yard for signs that it has sprung.

When the weather allows for it, the nightly routine involves coming home from daycare, throwing our bags in the house and staying outside until dark. We play basketball. We practice our batting. We swing until we're dizzy, and we eat on our deck while Lucy meows at us from the kitchen window. Yes, even Lucy tries to get in on the action, and she has found out how to make a new bed for herself in the window panes when the windows are up. It is absolutely adorable and a little heartbreaking listening to our kitty cry through the window screens.

My camera is also a lot happier in the outdoors... natural lighting makes every picture better.

Happiness... sometimes all you need is a ray of sunshine...

...and a few worms. (Or as Brandon likes to call them, snakes. They are FASCINATED with them.)

...And to cap off a perfect evening, a day full of thunderstorms to follow. (My favorite). Life is good.