Guess what?  I was away all weekend!  Rich stayed with the children so that Sarah and I could go visit my parents and some of my family back home.

My first stop was at Aunt Colleen’s house.  The two of us grew up together and we are very close in age and in friendship.  Always and forever.  She and Uncle Roger have four beautiful girls and it was such a wonderful treat to visit and laugh and talk.  I love them all so much.  So it was a much-enjoyed reunion for us, but also a *very first time meeting* because the aunt and cousins all got to meet my newest little one, baby Sarah Joy.

Colleen’s house is definately one of my “homes away from home.”  It has that comfortable feel to it.

After that visit, I continued on in my drive to my parent’s house……..what a happy moment to finally pull in the driveway at that familiar and much loved place.  Mom got home from work and hugged us, right before vacuuming (Sarah just CAN’T crawl on this “dirty” rug!) and *of course* making lots of yummy food for dinner.  Dad was at work, so the three of us, Mom, Sarah and I, ate together.

Chicken, sweet potatoes with butter, garden beans, and homemade biscuits with local raw honey.

Served upon Peacock Fiestaware.

What a lovely day Saturday was.  Dad was home and we spent the time before he had to go to work talking and visiting and playing with the baby.

We also went on a walk.  It was chilly but sunny and spring was for-certain in the air~

We talked of old schoolhouses, old maps, old memories, all with a joyful spirit.  It felt so good to be moving and breathing in big lung-fulls of mountain air.

(I want to go on lots of family walks and hikes this spring, summer, and fall.  Mom said her parents did that with them when she was growing up….long long walks together.  Doesn’t that sound nice?)

W I L D   P U S S Y   W I L L O W

“Inhospitable or not, it is precisely during the latter part of winter that I will most object to skipping my daily walk….for soon it will be time to start keeping an eye out for the first pussy willows, harbingers of spring.” ~~ D. Beaulieu

I think it was when Mom and I slowed down to take the pussy willow’s picture that Dad got way ahead of us.

So I got this picture of my dear and much-beloved DAD walking our very old family dog, on a road which has been part of countless other walks throughout the years.  For several generations this land has been a part of our family history. 

Dear little Sarah held on to her small toy during the whole walk, and we didn’t know until we were in the midst of it.  We laughed to discover it in her little hand.~

Walking in chilly early spring air means little ones need warming afterwards.

Sarah snuggled up on Grandma.  She has taken to sucking on her index finger.

After we waved good-bye to Dad, who had to go to work, Mom and I went out shopping.

Well, would you believe in this small town antique store I discovered one of my most exciting fiestaware finds?  After browsing the whole store I was starting to think I was going to leave empty handed when, to my great joy, I discovered four Sapphire tumblers!  Sapphire fiesta was only produced for 180 days in the mid-90’s and was only sold through Bloomingdale’s.  It is prized by collectors for those reasons and until Saturday I had not been able to purchase any to add to my collection. 

I took this picture this morning, with my iphone.  The tumbler on the far left is Peacock, the one next to it is Cobalt (dark blue), the others are Sapphire and now live in my house. 

I also got a large white fiesta flower vase.

Great souveniers of a very happy weekend!

Well, after the antique shop and after dinner at a local Italian place, Mom and I visit more family;  My aunt (mom and Colleen’s sister) Mary, my cousin Erika, and Erika’s two beautiful little children.

I love this picture of the three little cousins, Sarah and Jack & Jyllian.  Smiles all around.

Aunt Mary’s house is another “home away from home”, full of warmth, laughter, and creativity.  Inspiration in every corner; projects made and completed, plants growing, paintings, baking, and homemade soap ((I was given some of it!))……we loved catching up with each other. 

My camera battery gave out on me so this was the extent of the photography for the weekend.  On Sunday I went to church with my parents.  One of the highlights of the trip back home was taking communion (with my Dad, as an elder in the church, passing out the elements),  and listening to the Word of God preached, sitting side by side in the family pew, with a sleeping Sarah in my arms.

Sarah was such a good girl, and a happy traveler.

We arrived home yesterday evening.  The family missed us but they had a wonderful time together.  Rich enjoyed his children and the children just soaked up all the time with their Dad.

I’m so thankful.