The Cherry Tree

Sigh... this tree is missing the star - the one I always take a picture of each April. Oh Anna, we miss you so much and can't wait to see you in June! 

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A Sunny Country Kitchen

I love changing this room for each season {and even more}. This spring I wanted lots of bright yellow gingham and green mixed in. It really brightens up this happy room! 

It sure is tricky to take photos of these shelves but I do so that I can remember. They are comfy cozy to me and I love that they are things that we use daily. You can see on the window something new too. I added some curtains here. I've never had curtains but I just didn't like the shade that we pulled down each evening. It felt cold and unfriendly. This is so much better. I can simply pull these curtains for privacy at night {or if a morning is just too sunny -- we get a lot of sunshine all morning here}. They will be easy to take down and run through the wash or to change out for winter. 

Still loving the baskets over the kitchen sink and changing up the one that is up against the cabinet. Tulips are in every room of our home right now and they are making me so happy! 

I love to stick a little children's book in this basket or a recipe book to inspire me. 

This little plant was just what our windowsill needed along with more yellow gingham and those green 'made in England' cups. I found that yellow ironstone pitcher in an antique store about a year ago. 

I love to decorate this little area on this tea table. It's right below the open shelving and next to our kitchen table. 

Sweet yellow wreath on this jelly cupboard. 

I squealed when I saw these ironstone bowls in a thrift store. Just stacked up so so pretty. 

Well, that's about it from our cozy, bright, and sunshiny kitchen. Looking forward to enjoying this spot all spring long! 

Welcome Spring Break

Our spring break includes: 

enjoying being in our decorated for spring home ~ which will be cozy days that are chilly (I still love those) and sunny and warm days (I need some of those too)

college visits 

organizing

a quick overnight in Newport, Rhode Island

baking

cooking

exhaling finally  

We are all so tired from the school year and still have a lot more to go. This week is the perfect reset for all three of us to put in our best going forward toward June! 

I can't wait to get more than 6 hours of sleep but still get up early!

I can't wait to have longer than 40 minutes to work out!

I can't wait to read!

I can't wait to meander through a few antique stores and finish a few house projects and ideas I've been working on. 

I can't wait to just be the three of us. 

Here are just a few pictures from today: 

Cutest hotel

Another post you might like: 

Here is a little peek back to an April day in Newport, RI years ago 

Christmas in Newport

Christmas in Newport part 2

Easter Joy

Happy Second Sunday of Easter to all of you! I never meant to not blog at all last week (or has it been a bit longer?) but life has been full -- teaching, Easter prep, we both had wipe out colds while teaching, my Mom had major surgery. But it is spring break for us here in Connecticut and no school for a whole week is just what this family needs. Right now Scott is working in the yard, Abigail is working on some college prep, and I am excited to see some of these Easter pictures I took.  So let's take a peek. 

Oh goodness, how we ached for having Anna with us. It was a hole for sure. (sometime soon I want to update this blog on how China is going for her) 

There was one little basket and one not so little girl anymore to bring us so much joy to see her gifts. 

She loved this because it is the prayer we pray on the way to school each morning. 

And this beautiful cross she saw in a Catholic store and was surprised to receive it.

And a few other surprises as well...

Easter was bright and sunny and our home will filled with tulips. 

I set the table with my treasured 'made in England' blue and white vintage dishes. 

And then we feasted - oh boy did we ever feast!

My from scratch dinner rolls, Honey Baked ham (the only and best ham) 

Scott's amazing scalloped potatoes

And since we served at brunch time - it wouldn't be Easter brunch without crepes. 

I made a carrot cake and a lemon sour cream pie for dessert. 

It sure was a delicious Easter.