Spring has Sprung

May is finally here - 2011 is zipping by! Someone must have told Lily the saying, "April showers bring May flowers," because she's been saying it repeatedly and then asking, "That will happen right? I'm ready to see some flowers!"

So, on a couple of different dry days, Lily and I headed out in search of some flowers. And of course, you know that really meant I was in search of more pictures!

Here are some from a walk around the UO campus. You can't tell very well from these pictures, but it was actually a warm, sunny day. It was a Friday afternoon, and I had forgotten what happens on college campuses on sunny Friday afternoons. All the college kids come out! Not an inch of grass could be seen. Kids were sprawled on blankets, propped up playing their guitars, dodging sand at a volleyball court. It was great for people watching and reminiscing. Lily seemed to think they were all there for her enjoyment and were all interested in her. That wasn't quite true, but there were a few times I heard some of the girls say things like, "Look at the cute little girl!" That would have been something I would have said. I loved my college days and, back then, I never could have imagined what life had in store for me. There are obviously a few things I would change if I could, but I wouldn't for the world change being the mom of this adorable little girl:

Her favorite tree - the pink one!

On a different dry day, we headed north to the Tulip Festival. I had never been before, but I was really itching to take some pictures of Lily amongst the tulips. It didn't disappoint.

I'm not too humble to say that the sight of Lily in her white dress amongst the flowers stopped some people in their tracks. Several grandmotherly types told me they remembered bringing their young children and grandchildren who were now grown to see the tulips. I wanted pictures of Lily in the flowers and I got that, but so much more. I got the gift of time with her. We had a glorious day, relatively inexpensive (there was gas of course, and the pony ride, but we had packed a lunch to share), and free of time constraints. I'm looking forward to summer and many more of those kinds of days!

There were rows upon rows of color, but the section I loved the most had the rows Lily called rainbows, colors all mixed in together. Lily loved them too. She has talked about the Tulip Fest many times since we went. I'm not completely sure her favorite things were the tulips, but no matter - we'll be going back for more next year!

Happy Spring!