I thought I'd start my May post with a picture of one of my favorite things about May---lilacs! I didn't realize when we bought this house that there were lilac bushes, because we were here in June, after they had finished blooming. So the lilacs were a very nice surprise for our first spring in Wisconsin. There were two bushes here, and we just added a new white lilac bush last year. It only gave us one pretty flower this year---hoping for more next year.
The first Saturday in May we went down to Chicago to help Abby and Neil move to a new apartment. We had also just purchased new furniture for the living room, and Ben had asked if he could have our old love seat. So we also delivered that to him on this trip.
Yes, you can get a love seat into the back
of a Ford Escape. Tight fit, though!
Abby and Neil moved to a new neighborhood, Logan Square, near where Abby lived her first year in Chicago. Their new apartment is much larger, and it is on a very nice street, within walking distance of a lot of stores and restaurants, etc. Here are just a couple of pictures of the new place, before all the boxes, etc. arrived.
This is about half of their very large living room.
After moving everything and unpacking a lot of boxes, we walked to a really neat restaurant for pizza. When I saw this beverage on the menu, I had to have it:
A root beer with a fancy name. :)
The next Monday our new furniture arrived! This is not a great picture--a bit dark, but you can get the idea. The couch and recliner look like leather, but they are not leather---micro-fiber fabric I think they called it. I see that the other chair just really looks like a dark blob. You'll just have to come and see it, I guess.
A bit of a change from the old plaid stuff
Kinda sad to see it being hauled away
The second week-end of May, the Wissinks came to Wisconsin. They got here just in time for Panera with the Brassers.
Hope and Aunt JoAnne
Jeremiah and Uncle Lew were playing a little
game, shooting something across the table.
Rachel and I both think that this looks like Abby
holding Hope. It's not--it's Rachel.
The main reason for their visit was the "thirty-one" party that I hosted for Rachel on Saturday. I don't have any pictures of that, and it was a pretty small party, attendance-wise. Only one person came who wasn't a family member. Abby drove up from Chicago for the party (or really to see Hope and Jeremiah) and JoAnne also came. Rachel actually got several orders from people who weren't able to be at the party, so it really was a pretty successful party and I got lots of nice hostess specials. :)
Jeremiah talked Auntie Abby into a little
baseball after the party.
We celebrated Mother's Day a day early with a great dinner at PF Chang's before Abby left for home. And I was pretty spoiled for Mother's day. Flowers delivered from Matt and Cheryl, a pretty hanging flower pot for outside from the Wissinks, a beautiful hydrangea from Abby and Neil, and a gift certificate for some yummy snacks from Ben.
We hit Panera one more time, on Sunday for lunch. We figured that it would be less busy than most other restaurants on Mother's Day, and I think we were right.
Happy Mother's Day to Rachel!
And Happy Grandma's Day to me!
We went to Michigan about 10 days later for Jeremiah's pre-school graduation. It was so much fun to be there for that, and to see him with his class. They walked into the church waving streamers (Jeremiah was the most enthusiastic waver, I think!) and they sang some of his favorite songs. He is great with all the songs and the motions, too.
On to Kindergarten!!
(not sure his Mommy is ready for that!)
And a few pictures of Hope to show her accomplishments:
Look how well she is sitting up!
She's moving, too!
Got herself stuck!
"Maybe if I'm patient, someone will rescue me."
Bath time!
So....May brings lilacs (and other spring flowers), Mother's Day, and also my birthday. This year was the big 7-0 for me! Actually 70 doesn't feel much different from 69, though, so I can't complain. For my birthday my kids gave me sort of a "plant of the month" deal---a different plant to be delivered every month for the next 6 months. The first one arrived today--a miniature potted rose plant. It has three yellow roses blooming, with lots and lots of buds promising more.
Let the record show---it is only June 3, and I am caught up on my blog posts......for now. Our family vacation is next week, so stay tuned for pictures from our time at the lake.
