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!

In memory of "Elsie the Great"

Ben's grandmother, Elsie, passed away on Tuesday, March 25th. We made the trip to Pennsylvania last week to attend her funeral and spend some time with family. Ben was able to participate in the funeral and share some wonderful memories of her. We were sad to see her go, but the whole family was happy that she did not suffer. Grandma Elsie ("Elsie the Great" to Karis) made these dolls when Ben's dad was a child. Now Karis has inherited them. They will be put up on a shelf until she is old enough to understand their value.
While we were in Pennsylvania, Karis was able to spend time with all 5 of her cousins. She especially enjoyed the sleepover at "the boys" house along with a ride on the kid-size four wheeler at her grandparents. She enjoyed spinning out on the driveway and running behind as the boys zoomed up the hill.

Easter cheer!

Happy day after Easter everyone. We hope you had a good day. We saw some snow AGAIN, but it didn't ruin the day. After two services, Ben came home to enjoy his first Coke since Lent. I ate the peanut butter eggs that I made Friday... enjoying every taste of chocolate. Next year we're going to give up something non-food related! As you can see, Karis enjoyed Easter too. She danced in her ballet slippers and watched "The Bee Movie"... both were in her Easter basket.