Spring...finally

Finally the beautiful weather has arrived in the Midwest.

We had a solid 85 degrees on Saturday, and took full advantage. Liz got up early and ran nearly 8 miles on the Monon, which is just a few blocks away from our house. She was home in time for me to go play basketball at 8:30 for a few hours, and then we played soccer as a family for a while before going to Penn Station for lunch. I must say, their cheesesteaks are some of the best I've tasted since we lived in downtown Philly (although I didn't appreciate the attitude of the girl working when I told her to hold the pizza sauce. Listen, chick, you don't PUT pizza sauce on a steak--so don't give me attitude when I tell you to hold it).

We then went on a family hike along a stretch of the Monon where Liz has found a Red Fox vixen and her kits, but they weren't there (they were probably deep in their den because of the heat). We ran a few more errands, then came home for a barbecue with hot dogs, corn on the cob, and watermelon. We fished in our backyard pond and caught a few bass, including the fattest one of the spring so far that Joey reeled in (kind of). Not a lot got done around the house (okay nothing got done), but after such a brutal winter, we just couldn't help ourselves.

The previous night, Liz and I went to dinner at Mama Carolla's in Broad Ripple, which was excellent, and had dessert at Oberweis Dairy. When we came home, we asked the babysitter how the kids were and she said they were fine--even when it came time to go to bed. Now, our kids are really good at going to bed, but we do have a 5-year-old who tends to explore his limits. So if mom and dad are home, there are no shenanigans, but he usually tortures any babysitter a few times before staying in his room for good. Therefore, we were a little surprised that she said Joey never came out of his room at bedtime. When Liz left to take her home and I went into Charles' room to tuck him in, I discovered why. Apparently he is past the 'testing' phase and into the 'stealth' phase of his development. (and yes, they were reading "Who Pooped in the Park"--actually a good book and nowhere as crude as it sounds--and a book about bugs).


Tori on the Monon, looking for the foxes.


And Tori today after church, in a dress that Liz recently made for her, smelling the tulips...

...and posing by the flower pots we planted last weekend.