My Favorite Things Spring Edition

 1.

I'm usually an apple pie or cinnamon kind of a girl, but you have to change up your smells in the Spring and Summer. A friend gave me this lovely candle and it is amazing. It might be my favorite Yankee scent ever.

2.

I love the BRIGHT pink lip trend, especially for spring.  My favorite is Satin Fuchsia. It lasts ALL day and doesn't bleed or dry out your lips.  Perfection.

3.

Remember this guy?  Brandon Flowers, The Killers front-man, is releasing a solo album in May. The first single, Can't Deny My Love is available now.  Love it-love him. Still want to be a Rock Star.

4.

My favorite new recipe is this scrumptious Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad. 

5.

The only way I know it is actually spring-time here is because the kids start Spring Break this week, Nash has officially switched from basketball to baseball, and Atley's nose is plugged because of allergies.  Nothing seems to be blooming and it is still freezing cold but the weather man claims that we are only a couple of weeks away from full Cherry Blossom Bloom.  

6.

This next favorite might be a little controversial, but I am so excited that Overalls and Jumpsuits are back in style.  I feel like their comfiness far outweighs their ugliness. Here are two of my favorites from Target!

7.

WARNING:  These Coconut Cashews from Trader Joe's are like CRACK. They are super addictive but oh, so very yummy! Buy a bag or twenty today.

8.

There is something about having fresh flowers in your house that really brightens the mood, even on the dreariest of days. I have always tried to have fresh flowers somewhere in my house.  These bouquets both came from Trader Joe's (a dozen roses for $4.99 right now). But, sometimes I buy them from Safeway or even Wal-Mart and when the weather is better, we like to pick some wild flowers or daffodils ourselves. It doesn't cost a lot and it makes a big difference in the mood and decor of our home. 

9.

My most favorite thing about spring is watching my two favorite lefties play ball.

Circus Freaks

I hate posting pictures that I have taken with my iPhone, but my camera is broken and even though it is killing me, life goes on and life must be recorded even if it is recorded with grainy, unfocused pictures. First world problems, right?  It's a good thing my birthday is right around the corner. Isn't it Mom and Husband? 

Anyway, last weekend we woke up with one of only a handful of Saturdays where there was nothing scheduled, nothing planned and nothing to do.  PANIC!  I suggested we head to the mall for the annual Easter Egg Hunt.  The children, Nash especially, reluctantly grabbed their Easter Baskets with grumbles and came along.

A section of the mall had been cordoned off and the floor was covered with what looked like close to a thousand plastic Easter Eggs and there were kids everywhere, just waiting for the ropes to drop and the drama to begin.  The Butler children put on their game faces and quickly came up with an egg retrieving strategy.  I am proud to say they did an incredible job filling their baskets, their shirts, their pants, and their mouths. After they had all the eggs they could carry we found a place in the always crowded mall to examine the spoils.  Hidden in the eggs, almost miraculously to the children we discovered exactly 5 tickets to the Ringling Brothers & Barnum & Bailey Circus.  What luck!  I knew the circus was coming to town and decided to check my phone on the exact dates.  Well, it was already in town and happening in 2 hours.  We rushed downtown to the Verizon Center and secured our seats and even got to enjoy the pre-show where Harley was made part of the clown's act and we got up-close and personal with the elephants.

It was a surprising turn of events in what we were afraid would be another cold and possibly boring Saturday!

The Butler's Do Disney

DAY #5

Magic Kingdom is inevitably the most intense day, with the biggest crowds,  but it is so much fun. We arrived to the park around 7:15 and didn't leave until almost 9PM. We were in line for the resort bus by 6:30 and while waiting the kids found a new friend, named LEAFY.

 TIP:   If you arrive before the park opens you get to watch the opening show. All the characters arrive by train. They sing and dance and you count down together for the gate opening.  When the gates open, fireworks explode. It was was so exciting. I got a little weepy.

I love each of their choices for Mickey Mouse ears. They all fit their personality perfectly.  I will just let the pictures and videos tell the story of our magical day.  

Roller Coast Selfie!

The Butler's Do Disney

DAY #4
Animal Kingdom is so lovely.  The plant-life, the animals, the shows. The Lion King Show and Finding Nemo were our favorite of the whole trip. Some of our favorite rides were also at Animal Kingdom, including Dinosaur & Expedition Everest.

 

Can you see the hippo? We saw so many animals on our safari-lions, cheetahs, giraffes, zebra, elephants, rhinos. It was incredible.

Harley got her face painted.  She wanted a Mike Tyson tribal tattoo, while I was trying to convince her to be a butterfly. A bear with fangs was our compromise.

Sometimes you just gotta sit down and take a break. Actually, I think if this is all we did on vacation Nash would have been happy.

Dinner was at Rainforest Cafe with Grandpa and Grandma Butler.  Then onto swimming at the pool.