Friday, March 22, 2013

Spring Fever

So how's spring treatin' ya so far?  Are you sick of clicking on blogs and being greeted with yet another picture of snow falling somewhere?


Me too.  Ha!
Hey, it's mid-March which means spring is here in words and pictures.


Except we've still got snow on the ground. At one point Tuesday morning rain, snow, and ice were simultaneously falling from the sky in some sort of gigantic jumbled weather prank.

Spring is here in word only.

There was one warmish day about two weeks ago ago (and when I say warmish I mean by our standards, not by California or the Southern State standards) where I got all excited and put my hydrangea wreath on the front door.


When I look at this picture now I want to sing that old Sesame Street tune...'One of these things is not like the other, One of these things just doesn't belong...'  

Let's talk about something else...awkward I know, but there's just no graceful way to segue between random nonsense so I'm not even gonna try.

Remember St. Patrick's Day?  I always send my girls a little treat via the US mail because we have Irish roots, and also because they love getting mail.  I adapted something I'd seen on Pinterest and came up with this-


A skittle rainbow.  The 'pot of gold' on the bottom of the jar is actually Rolos.  I had all the skittles dumped into one bowl and was busy sorting by color when hubs came in. He thought this was one of the more insane organizational ideas I'd ever had, that somehow we'd be eating Skittles one color at a time. I have been known to sometimes organize small insignificant stuff by color, but rest assured this was for a gift.


The original craft was done in a cello bag and the printable on top said Happy St. Patrick's Day. I used jars because I liked the look.  Plus I was mailing them and thought the rainbow would stay together better in a jar.  Let me tell you those Skittles were packed in tight. I used most of a large bag for each jar (their dentist can thank me later), and I also changed the wording on top because I'm a little bit sappy.  My tops say-'I'm lucky to be your momma.'  


And I am.

Besides a sweet treat I always send them something 'green', and this year it was a Barnes and Noble Gift Card.  I still buy greeting cards too, because I like words on paper.  Email messages are great, but they don't provide quite the same thrill as the one that comes from opening an honest to goodness mailbox and seeing something with your name and address on it tucked inside.

Aaaand we're changing the subject again...that's why they call this Friday Fragments people...keep up!

I host a meme on my blog every Wednesday and mentioned this week that I'd sprung for some Pottery Barn pillows for one of the bedrooms.  Technically this is daughter1's bedroom when she's home, and a guest room when she's not.  Lots of commenters said 'let's see' so here you go-


Pretty pillows make the world go round.
Something like that.

My calendar is bursting with lots of fun things next week.  Numero Uno will be my girls coming home for the Easter weekend. Daughter2 will get to stay a few additional days since the county schools where she works are on break, and her grad classes are cancelled too.  I've already booked us an afternoon of mani/pedis where we'll sit side by each and likely make the poor manicurist's ears bleed with all our chatter.

The very nice couple who lived beside us in the UK will be in NYC next week, and we've made plans to meet up with them for dinner one night. They had the most beautiful garden and he grew peonies in every color and variety.

Sometimes my life in England feels so very far away.

Speaking of England...raise your hand if you think Princess Kate is adorable. I read an article where she and Wills visited the Child Bereavement Charity of which is he the patron, and it was so touching.  She seems to handle the pressure and attention foisted upon her with such grace, and I love her style. I'd also love her hair guy to call my hair gal and give her the secret to Kate's fabulous, healthy, frizz-free locks.  

In other dining and expatriate news... a co-worker of hubs (again from our UK days) will also be in NYC next week, so we're meeting up with her and her hubs one night too. They're from Italy so after dinner I'll probably want to go home and book myself a trip.

In more travel news, not as exciting as overseas, but still something to look forward to...I've booked a couple days in DC for sometime after Easter, and will be taking my mom with me.  She's never seen Daughter1's apartment or her office, and since Daughter1 and I both had something like the plague on my visit there in January we decided another trip was in order.  I'm hoping the cherry blossoms cooperate and bloom while we're in town.  Originally they were predicted to peak late March, but then March went and got all wintry so the date has been moved back to April.  Yay!

Two dinners in NYC, old friends, kids home, Easter, cherry blossoms...is it any wonder I've got spring fever??

Mommy's Idea
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34 comments:

  1. I love the 'rainbow in a jar' idea! How cute is that?! Brittany would love it...Abby, too! I'll be tucking that one away in my memory bank! Sure hope this will be the last of snow at your house. Still not a single flake has fallen here, but the temps. aren't supposed to get above the high-40's all weekend long. UGH! Enjoy your weekend, Joyce...and stay warm!

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  2. Thank you for the pillow shot, it satisfies my nosiness.
    How CUTE is that rainbow!
    It sounds like you have a delicious couple of weeks ahead, ENJOY!

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  3. What a great idea for St. Patty's Day for your girls! I make sure the boys have something for Halloween & Easter, so I need to get busy & get OS' Easter Goodies in the mail!
    The snow still looks pretty, of course, this is coming from someone who doesn't see it very often! I write this looking out at our Bradford Pears in full bloom!!!

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  4. oh yes, i am more than ready for spring--what a cute craft!!! your photos and daughters are so lovely---and cute pillows!--have a great, hopefully warmer weekend ;)

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  5. Um.. I do eat skittles one color at a time, even when they're not organized like a rainbow. Is that not normal? I eat my least favorite ones first (yellow) and work my way down to the orange ones (aka the best ones). Can't wait to be home in a week! I love the throw pillows in "my room." So excited for all the fun stuff we've got coming up! Happy Friday!

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  6. Very cute St. Paddy's Day gifts. I love that your husband thought you were separating the Skittles for you guys to eat by color. :)
    More snow predicted here for tomorrow. I have to keep telling myself we need the moisture.

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  7. Lucky lucky girls! what a fun gift - and to top it off with a bookstore gift card. What could be better??

    P.S. I really didn't need to see more pictures of this never-ending snow, Joyce. lol

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  8. Nice of you to creating and sending care packages. I agree about letters/cards meaning more than email. Similar to the difference between a text and a voice call.
    Regarding pillows - I ranted on about that once. If you have a moment you might share your opinion.
    http://afcsoac.blogspot.com/2012/05/pillow-talk-tuesday.html

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  9. The rainbow in the jar was so cute!!!

    I am not sure what is worse.....continued winter into March or getting a "taste of spring" and then winter coming BACK!! ugh!

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  10. OK - how cute are you that you celebrate St Patty's Day like that?!?!? Those skittles with the gold on the bottom is too cute too!!!

    I dont even want to see it - we're getting 4 inches Sunday & I'm so angry about it... humph....

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  11. Your winter definitely needs to end! I want some flower pics! Ha.
    Love the rainbow idea. Those girls are lucky to have you as their mama. :)
    Happy Easter Joyce!

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  12. I love that idea for St. Patrick's Day. I need to remember to do something like that for my grands next year. ;-)

    No snow here, but there's some coming Saturday night/Sunday morning. I love snow, but I'm so ready for winter to be gone.

    Those pillows are SO cute!

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  13. That white stuff...ewww. Glad I'm living in the South! And you and your daughter...the smiles...tremendously beautiful and very contagious.

    PS...last week you commented to me: "He saw A Hummingbird by Norma Lee Browning" I'm gonna try and find this. It sounds heart warming.

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  14. Sounds like you have a great week coming up. I'd love to pop into NYC for dinner.

    Love the pillows. So pretty!

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  15. Cute, cute rainbow in a jar! I got a chuckle out of your commentary on hubs' thoughts on "the insane organizational idea." Pillows are my best friends, I tell my hubby, to which he responds, "Then why do you change them so often?"
    He's got a point.

    I am sick.and.TIRED.of winter and all its cousins--sleet, rogue flakes in the sunshine, cold rain, slush. They tell us Marylands to expect an inch or two Sunday. Which, of course, means a foot.

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  16. No I'm sick of the snow pictures, they are so pretty but I'm okay with it not being here! I buy cards all the time. I love cards and will always send them out. I will be working on all my Easter cards today. Love the pillows, they can really change a room. MY HAND IS RAISED and I think you know how I feel about Kate. Sounds like some awesome fun times coming up for you. Enjoy the girls! My husband just invited me to go to San Diego for a few nights next month.

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  17. honey it IS spring. This IS our spring on the frozen tundra.

    cheer up when everyone else is sweatin and complaining it's too hot we'll finally be warm.

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  18. Believe it or not WE even had snow this morning! Crazy. I mean, it was a mere dusting but still... :)
    Love changing it up with the jar idea. That's the beauty of having girls... they 'get' that stuff. The boys, notsomuch. They would ask me what they were supposed to do with the jar afterwards. Eh.
    I hope the blossoms cooperate with your schedule. We've been several times trying to time it just right but have yet to make it happen. But hey this way we keep trying! :)
    Love the pillows!

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  19. so wishing we had that snow here...
    beautiful gifts you made...such a good mama!
    lots of fun ahead for ya'll...enjoy every minute and lots of pics to keep us updated

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  20. I have so much I want to comment on, I will never remember it all, haha. First, as a California gal I LOVE seeing the snow pictures. And the gift idea with the Skittles is just darling! I will have to keep that idea in the back of my mind. I LOVE the pillows too. Such pretty colors. I'd be just giddy if I were you if my girls were coming home for a visit. I am sure you will enjoy every minute! Hope you have a good week-end!

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  21. Sweet pillows and yes, pillows do make the room feel more welcoming. Sounds like a fun weekend. Enjoy.

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  22. Love the pillows! I can sense your excitment about spending time with your girls. Oh the blessing of family time! Enjoy your busy but delightful week.

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  23. No snow here in the south, but no warm spring weather either! I had to look back at the dates of my photos from last spring to be sure and I was right that we normally have a yard full of beautiful, blooming trees by now. But so far this year, we have one little tree blooming and the others are all still bare. Where are you, Spring? We miss you!

    I have a weakness for cute pillows. Love these! :)

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  24. We still have snowy cold too - it's making me crazy. Yes, we need the moisture but why can't it be a warm rain????

    Love your rainbow jars. It's so cool how you actually DO those kinds of things instead of just admiring them like I do.

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  25. I'm sorry all the snow ended up in your neck of the woods instead of here where I was wishing it to fall. ;)

    LOVE the rainbow jars idea! I'm totally tucking that away and will be utilizing the genius next year. :)

    Foggy Brain Friday Fragments with Fun Trivia

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  26. Love the St. Paddys gift gonna remember that for next year! Pillows are gorgeous! We have had so much snow in the last two days and still coming down it is crazy! I have my forsythia wreath on my door....it's gonna have to stay! My girl is about an hour out....I can't wait to hug and kiss her...and spend every waking moment with her.....and more! Ya I miss her! Have a wonderful weekend!

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  27. I love your snow pictures. We have been overcast and in the 50s which I know sounds great to everyone under snow. I send my daughter a card every week and she loves getting them even when I talk to her every day. She has them all hanging in her room at college.

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  28. That St. Patty's gift is just the cutest!!! And, sounds like Easter is going to be lots of fun with the daughters.

    You always have such exciting happenings on the horizon.

    Wishing you a wonderful and WARM weekend!!

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  29. The pictures of your home are beautiful! I live in Florida where Soring breakers are coming out in full force. It's hard to imagine having snow!!! So glad your girls are coming home! The day at the salon sounds wonderful!!

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  30. The pictures of your home are beautiful! I live in Florida where Soring breakers are coming out in full force. It's hard to imagine having snow!!! So glad your girls are coming home! The day at the salon sounds wonderful!!

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  31. Ok, the comment section is acting all weird...let's try this again...

    I finally gave in to the fact that winter just wasn't going to happen again this year and shaved my legs so I could wear capris to school. Two days later- the first day of spring, winter showed up. WHAT?! I was going to DC in April but changed plans since everyone will be home for a wedding two weeks after Easter. Now my trip is going to be in June. Let me know if you happen to head there then, we'll meet for lunch! Have a great weekend! OH- I'm the one NOT tired of seeing your lovely snow. :)

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  32. Its chilly and damp Below the Mason Dixon Line this weekend too. WE were supposed to run a 5K for a local school this morning and it was cancelled due to the chilly weather!

    Cute ST Patty's day idea. This year we had footprints and green "pee" in the toilet. Your idea is way more tasteful!

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  33. Hi! I'm Rachel. I'm doing the A-Z Challenge this year so I thought I should introduce myself.

    It sounds like you have A LOT of good things coming up! I'm kind of jealous that you get to see so many old friends and your family. I hope you have fun. =)

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  34. It definitely doesn't look much like spring in New Hampshire; however, I do have a couple of little bare spots on the ground and there's a little something different in the air these days despite the cold. I'm so hopeful that Spring is on the horizon that I tackled my closet this morning. Yay me! It sounds like you have lots of fun stuff planned. I hope it carries you through until it actually looks like Spring at your house. May it be sooner rather than later for both of us! :)

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