The world's favorite season is the spring. 

All things seem possible in May.

~Edwin Way Teale

I've never done a monthly wrap-up post before, but because May was particularly awesome this time around, I've decided to give it a try. What blessings hath May brought? 

I RAN ten miles (without stopping!) at the Broad Street run in Philadelphia - My longest running distance ever (so far!): 

The kids completed their first season of Soccer; making me a… (wait for it…) Soccer Mom. Should I get that soccer ball sticker for my minivan yet?

Speaking of Mom, on Mother's Day weekend, I was treated to a box of brownies, breakfast, flowers, gifts, a drive-thru zoo where the giraffes come right. Up. To. Your. Car. (I love New Jersey), an amusement park, and dinner at my favorite vegetarian restaurant in Philly. Not bad if I do say so myself:

Many of my flowers started blooming. May is one of the most amazing months in the garden.

I traveled to a television studio in New York City and met two blogger friends and an attachment parenting guru:

Next up, my baby turned FIVE. Five I tell you. Unbelievable. My heart:

Later that week, we took the kids for their very first backpacking trip - 11 miles, three days, and two nights out in the backcountry of Virginia! It was amazing and awesome (and wet and exhausting) but so wonderfully bonding as a family. It was incredibly refreshing to get so close to the earth, and back to basics (No social media! No laptop! No cellphone service!):

And we concluded with a trip to Washington DC to visit the museums and Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day:

It's been a spectacular month. I can't wait to see what's up next - bring it on, June!!!    

As our Spring Break comes to a close today, I'm looking back with fondness on a week that we didn't really go anywhere, butwe had a grand time all the same - relaxing, witnessing the many Spring flowers in bloom, planting and finding geocaches, and just enjoying tons of family time. Okay, yes, and enduring the stomach bug too (fortunately, that passed quickly). And with today's weather in the 80's, the kids put up a lemonade stand (They made $3.75!!). I hope your Spring break was as agreeable as ours (less the intestinal flu). Happy Spring! 

Lemonade stand and chalk drawing in April!

Clematis in our front garden, in nearly full bloom!

Swinging...

Iris in our front yard. So quickly they come & go...

One of many geocaches we found this week!

Ah, tulips - the sure sign of Spring!

Serious egg-dying at Grandma's house.

Eggs on the lawn after the fifth or six hide & seek game.

Fetching a ball from the pond. 

The stunning beauty of nature & why I love New Jersey - the pines.

Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn.
~Lewis Grizzard

Yesterday was the first day of Spring - the equinox - the moment when the sun crosses directly over our earth's equator - a time when day and night are equal in length. It's a time of awakening, balance, renewal, promise.

The turning of the seasons grounds me. Spring, after the cold and bare of Winter, is always so welcome, necessary, a gladly received reminder and assurance of time and life continuing. Even after this, the most mild of Winters I can remember in New Jersey, I still was grateful to see that first daffodil poking up through the soil several weeks ago. 

My heart lightened. And, each day since then I have anxiously searched my garden for signs of new life, never to be disappointed - as Mother Nature delivers new wonders with each moment.

The weather has been so bright, and the sun so warm this week, that we've all been outside as much as possible; taking in the new season, breathing Spring and all it's wonderous new life... awakening.

Wake. Breathe. Start fresh, as each moment in your life is as new as the Spring buds on the trees. Happy Spring, readers! 

Every day is a day to be thankful. Life’s abundance has no limit, and gratitude is what keeps that abundance flowing. In every circumstance, there is something for which to be thankful. Even when there seems to be nothing else, there is hope.

~Ralph Marston

I cannot believe it is already November… that my favorite holiday is about one month away (Santa or no, there’s nothing quite like Christmas!)! Tomorrow, we’ll eat pumpkin pie, put up our Christmas decorations, and our business kicks into serious gear. (Wow, that was a completely unintentional pun! Seriously. Ha!). For today though, I’m thankful for the so very many recent blessings in my life:   

Watching my children roll joyfully down a leaf-strewn hill.
 

Basking in the gloriously temperate Fall weather we've been having which has allowed the flora to last much longer than usual!

Running – and finishing – a 6.2 mile race (my first ever!).

  

Standing in awe of the stunning beauty of nature.

Celebrating another Halloween with my favorite jester husband (our 18^th one together!).

Baking delicious Fall food (mmmmm… apple crisp!).
  

Watching this daisy outlast everything else in my garden!

 Happy Thanksgiving everyone. May the blessings in YOUR life be abundant!