{pretty, happy, funny, real} I've Been Gone A Long Time

You don't even have to say it.  I know.  It's been 4+ months since I last blogged.  I have just had to accept that there are things I might have to step away from at times because I just cannot fit another activity into my day.  And sadly, blogging has been one of them of late, as I've been completely drained of creativity.  But I'm going to try to commit to this because I think it's a great thing to do on a weekly basis.  If you don't already read the blog that started this, I highly recommend it.  If you click on the link below you will be taken to LM,LD. 

{pretty}

My spring flowers bring me great joy.  With all the rain we've had lately (that's an understatement), everything has just been blooming beautifully.

Peonies just beginning to pop (took this last week, since then I've had to cut 6 huge blooms off before they fall over completely)

Yellow iris - by some accident of planting, all of the ones I have on the left side of the house are yellow, while those on the right are all purple

First blooms of hydrangea - despite putting aluminum sulfate on this bed year after year, they always end up turning pink, so I'm just going to go with it this year.  I guess the phosphorous level in that soil is through the roof!  

{happy}

We are so fortunate to have a dear friend with a child Mitchell's age right behind us.  The kids go to school together and now that the weather is nice we play together outside quite literally everyday.  As a mother, it has been invaluable to me to have another momma to bounce ideas off of, commiserate with, and always feel comfortable saying "can you watch him for a second while I (insert a whole host of things it is easier to accomplish while a toddler is not underfoot)?"  And I do the same for her.  The biggest blessing though, is that our children play so well together and already have a best friend!

Here they are having an impromptu al fresco picnic dinner one day last week

(Excuse M's face, he's always dirty but allergy season has been rough on his little system which always means a bad gunky nose)

{funny}

Have ya'll read Tina Fey's book yet?  It is funny and smart, sweet and dirty, all at once.  I loved the balance of humorous stories (which are numerous, girl is not afraid to poke fun at herself) and her look at the struggles of succeeding in a male-dominated business.  She managed to write a book that celebrates female empowerment without ever sounding preachy or holier-than-thou.  I love Liz Lemon more than ever after reading it.

That's probably not the funny you were hoping for though. 

Here's a funny I saw the other day on a blog.  Perhaps the best "Keep Calm" I've ever seen.

Who watched the Royal Wedding?  I'm not going to lie, I got up at 5:30 and turned on the TV.

{real}

There isn't much more real around here than the horrible devastation from last week's storms.  In the TN Valley, thousands are homeless and hurting from what (or who) they lost.  Thanks to Facebook and Twitter I'm also hearing all the horrible reports from my sweet home Alabama. 

It's devastating, y'all.  Find whatever way you can give and do it.  I'm not going to make any recommendations other than to say please do your research and if you're going to donate $$, give to a well-established organization that will be good stewards of your charity. 

No picture here, we've all been inundated with horrifying images and heartbreaking stories.  I'm encouraged by the way things like this can pull a community together; I just wish that the spirit would continue long after houses are rebuilt and closets are replenished.  Here's to hoping (and praying) that we can all be catalysts that to happen.  God bless you all.

************************

More soon on what the Maedels have been up to, lo these many months.