Saturday, April 10, 2010

April 1 - The Happiest of Birthdays

April - New Beginnings

April has been a glorious month. It begins a new year for me in various ways.

-- April 1 -- The Day of my Birth. 
As a child, I shared this day with Brother Maynard Case. While poking my foot gently with his cane, he'd always say, "So how's my little April Fool?"  We'd stand together for the "Birthday Song" after Sunday School.  It's good to remember.

Now I share my birthday with another good brother in Christ, brother Bruce Haines.  

This year, April 1st fell on the Thursday before Conference. Although I enjoy celebrating quietly with my brothers and sisters at church, I must admit that it was fun to just spend the day with my family at home. And it was a joyful day indeed!

Dan and I spent some time outside digging in the dirt and cleaning up around the outside. It was such a beautiful day I couldn't resist taking a few pictures of the forsythia, which was in full bloom for the first time this year, the daffodils and the newly emerging plants - just barely above ground and being very brave to peek out so early - with the chance of cold still a possibility.



Daffodils with their heads bowed in the strong south wind.  
A little clean-up needed to drag the dead wood from 
around the plants.
 \

 The daffodils on the other side of the house - all perky and 
upright. No wind to buffet them there.

  Chives and sage - just coming back from their long winter's sleep.

Part of my birthday fun was going with the family to the nursery and picking out some new things to add to the flower garden areas around the house. It was so much fun! Rogan seemed to enjoy just wheeling around in his stroller and soaking up the lovely air and looking at the colors.

 Alyssum, tabasco peppers, lemon thyme, regular thyme, a rose plant named 
"Teddy Bear." How appropriate!

Very funny -- the lady at the nursery was wanting to know if these plants were going to be cared for, or if we were talking about choosing something here that would have "severe neglect."  Ha ha. She looked at me with that knowing look and a raised eyebrow.  The term "severe neglect" will now be a permanent part of the Lawrence family "fun vocabulary with special significance" to be used and abused as the situation indicates.  :)

In the evening, my dear daughter-in-law fixed a lovely meal with a homemade cherry pie (my favorite) and Jesse grilled.


 Fun waiting for dinner.
 "The Big Red Barn" by Margaret Wise Brown  
Same author as "Goodnight Moon." 
I love it - maybe even better than GM . . . maybe.
.
Dinner Time
 Rogan LOVED grilled/smoked mushrooms. I can't believe how many he ate! 
Mama, can I have some more, PLEASE?

Plants and a beautiful box containing some very fun scrapbooking supplies, some much needed kitchen utensils and a precious card from Rogan, were the thoughtful and lovely gifts. The fun was to be extended later in the week with a wonderful shopping trip with Cynthia at Joann's. Scrapbooking paper is such a weakness of mine, and she knows it!

Rogan's little hand print. What a perfect card - gift!

 So pretty. I love pretty boxes.

I couldn't have had a more wonderful birthday.

3 comments:

  1. It was indeed a beautiful day. :) Love all the pictures!

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  2. Love the card you got from Rogan. I'm also having fun imagining all the ways your family is working "severe neglect" into conversations :)

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  3. Such beautiful flowers and bushes! I can imagine how much more beautiful it must look after months of snow! Definitely a changing of seasons... =)

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