Happy Spring!

Thank you, dear sweet friends for your kind comments on my posts.  Family is so very important to me-- those that are here now and those that have gone on.

My kids were on spring break last week.  So we took off to Missouri to pick up my mom and headed to Illinois to visit my Mom's side of the family.  We had a great time and even did some shopping.  But since Rich stayed home to work, I didn't get to enjoy shopping much with three kids with me.  They got some new clothes, but the prim pickins' had to wait!  On our way home, we stopped at the Arch in St. Louis.  We didn't have time to go up inside it because I was driving straight through to get home.  12 hours on the road in one day is not fun.  My shoulders, lower back and bottom were so sore by the time I got home!  My mom doesn't like to drive but that was okay, it was so nice to have her with us on our trip.  I was so surprised at how well my kids behaved with NO complaining!  I was so proud of them!  Even little 4 yr. old Robbie was a great boy all the way home.  Thank You Lord!!

At the end of the week we headed out to Ft. Smith, AR to visit some friends.  My trusty iphone took us to this quaint little place when I put “travel info center” into the map search.

It was a beautiful house inside and out.  We went through a tour of the whole house.

As we were leaving, Rich thanked me for taking us to a brothel!  Oh my word!  I had no idea!  We found this out during the tour, but it would have been awkward to just leave so we got to hear about the building's past.  Their brochure even proudly proclaims on the front in big letters, “Our brothel still takes care of visitors!”  Wow!

We had a most enjoyable time spending the week visiting family and friends.  We are surely blessed! 

On March 20th, the first day of spring, we headed out in snow to AR.  It was so odd considering we were at 74 degrees the DAY before!  It is crazy how this Oklahoma weather changes so quickly.  Goodness!

The snow is gone and the sweet little snowman my daughter built has finally melted away.  My daffodils popped back up after the snow had them lying on the ground.  It is finally spring!  It was so nice to finally open the windows and air out our home!  I wanted to share my spring decorations with you.  I don’t decorate for “Easter”.  It’s only been within the past couple of years that I actually started collecting birds, rabbits, and eggs with a prim look to them.   I didn’t want my kids thinking we celebrate Easter because the Easter bunny brings us goodies so I never played up the Easter bunny.  I wanted them to know the real reason.  Then one day it hit me.  ‘Girl, your child has heard about the risen Savior since they were in your womb.  Alongside Sunday school, you have taught them about our Loving Father.  They know that Jesus Christ’s birth is why we celebrate Christmas and they know that Jesus Christ’s resurrection is why we celebrate Easter.  So why are you being so silly??’  I realized it’s okay to have rabbits, sheep, birds, and eggs in my home to celebrate the beginning of spring.  Whew!  What a relief that was to me because every year I always saw beautiful eggs and lovely prim rabbits I wanted to buy but didn’t feel it was right.  Here is my little collection…

These little eggs were way too pastel for me so I antiqued them.  I wanted to sand them down too but they kept popping out of my hands as I was staining them.  I will probably antique them some more.

This sweet little rabbit was painted by me in ’91.  Mom used to do ceramics complete with a kiln and all kinds of molds.  I’m not too fond of the glossy finish but I don’t want to change it now.

These are blurry pictures but I love the vintage postcards I bought last year at the flea market.

Just a little vintage tray I liked.  I didn’t want to cover up the design so I put my pewter candle stick in the corner.

My holiday tree decorated for spring.

A couple of rabbits on top of my hutch that resemble chalkware.  Wish I could afford the real thing!

A little vignette that I threw together at the end of my kitchen counter.  What I love about this is the little ceramic basket and the little goodies inside it.  These pieces were painted and fired by Rich’s grandma and all were made in the late 60’s and early 70’s.  The grass in the basket is even from that time.

Lastly, my favorite rabbits of all.  Yet, I’m so disappointed that I can’t find any vintage paper grass to put around the bottom of them.  I don’t want to use Spanish moss and raffia is too stiff.  Hmm… I wonder if I should tea dye some cheesecloth to use there.  Or… maybe even dye some cheesecloth with green coloring??

Well, that's all.  Thank you for visiting my little blog.  I so enjoy our “chats”!  Happy spring to you all!  I pray you have sunshine to warm your days and make them brighter~