Karis in her glory!

Karis was so happy to ride her bike tonight that I couldn't resist the photography session. She's allowed to ride up to two driveways each direction while we are outside with her. You could hear Karis yelling "Watch out, here I come" and laughing as she zoomed past our driveway. Every moment that she's playing outdoors is another moment away from "Enchanted." She has it memorized and loves to sing along. Ben and I experience the songs running through our heads constantly. I found it odd that nobody broke out in song or dance while I was at the mall last night!

This is real!

Yes, this is real! We are getting a little snow this morning. Not enough to stay on the roads, but it's odd to see.
Karis is trying to talk me into putting on her snowsuit and going sledding. Unlike the rest of us, she'd love to see snow all year long.
This is the view from our front door.

Fresh paint, new beginnings....

We painted our kitchen this past weekend.

As you can see, it WAS a very greyish purple.
We added a little color... the Disney paint color of "Tigger's Tummy."

It's bright, cheerful, and makes the room look bigger!
It all started with this plate. It matches both the blue countertops and the now yellow walls.

We also bought matching ice cream bowls and put some plants in them.

The REALLY BIG NEWS of the week... Sue has gotten a job!

As of May 12th, Sue will be the outpatient ocology social worker for Francican Skemp Hospital. This hospital is associated with the Mayo Clinic (yes, THAT Mayo Clinic). The building she will be working in is located to the right. The building is the Center for Advanced Medicine and Surgery. Please excuse the big heron... it's La Crosse's version of the cows in New York City.

Eating outside!

Last night was the first evening that we could eat outside. Ben fired up the grill and our friend, Mike, joined us. Mike's wife is out of town for the week. Karis was also proud to wear shorts and show off her "Columbia College" shirt from Miss Kimberly, her babysitter in South Carolina.

Our Yard...

The winter months have kept our yard a mystery. We are happy to say that there's no snow left, and we can finally see our landscape. We have some pretty flowers coming up on the back of the house.

There are several "levels" of landscape in the back and side yard. We have mulch, brick, landscape timbers, stone, and some grass. The side deck beside the sunroom once housed a hot tub.... not in our budget. Our plan is to sit through the spring and see what pops up in the yard. Suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Karis's new room

Karis was extremely excited about helping with her new room. She assisted with the peeling of the border Friday night.
Saturday morning she couldn't wait to help with the primer. We decided that she could work with that but not the colors.
Tuesday afternoon... finally done. Her room is complete with fresh paint, new bedding, new curtains, and pictures on the wall. Notice the Belle dress. She feels like a princess in her new room!
The colors are Fairytale Pink and One Enchanted Evening, both Disney colors. If you think that's cool, stay tuned for the kitchen paint name. We will start that project within the next couple of weeks.

A beautiful weekend

This was the first weekend with warmer weather. Ben decided it was time for Karis to fly her first kite. She did a wonderful job. Karis also had the chance to ride her bike.
These pictures were taken just a few miles from our house. Since we could open up the windows, we also started our first painting project. By the end of today, Karis will have a freshly painted pink AND purple bedroom. Stay tuned to see the home photos once our masterpiece is complete!