Training...

There are certain things that I just count on for Spring.  One of them is the blooming of my golden forsythia bush in the back yard along with my fake forsythia branches inside - hey,

"Forsythia for President" is my life's spring motto.

The other thing is the return of baseball...

 Well, and Hersey's chocolate eggs, but come on - those need not the written word to celebrate them (in bulk).  Duh.

So back to baseball - Our two "big boys" are starting coach pitch this year, so their cute Daddy-o proposed taking them to spring training in Arizona.  I could not have jumped on board any faster if I tried.  The secret that all husbands who have little kids need to clue into is the fact that if they want to go somewhere - any where really - all they have to say is, "I would love to take our boys to X".

And voila - BAM - it's done.  RyGar could have said,

"I'd like to take our boys to their first ever Nascar race and then to Hooters to 'introduce them to the famous wings'," and I would have been all, 

"Oooooohhhhh - you're such a good Daddy!  Go!  Have fun!  I'll pack you some treats!"

So off they went.  To experience the ball fields, the love of the game, the dessert sun and all of my favorite eats from our Arizona days.  (It should be noted they rubbed it in profusely)

Here they are at my beloved Bahama Bucks - the best damn shaved ice on the planet.  And yep, the "damn" was the only way to go there.

I got the cutest updates via text with phone pictures attached wherein I stared at my phone screen grinning for far too long and even tearing up a time or two.  #sappy 

The boys were in Heaven.  And though Ryan said they were calm and not totally bouncing off the walls while they were at the games, the way they talked about them afterwards helped us know they are Cubs fans for life!  SO cute.

A pretty cool long weekend outing for a couple of little dudes - and shots like this help me remember they are indeed still my "little" gents.  :)

 Ace and I went to Richfield to see my parents and "the chicks" at IFA. 

Not surprising at all, the chicks totally dig Ace.  :)

Sure, it's no trip to Arizona, but any trip "home" is fine by me.  

Spring brings all the feelings of newness for me.  I want to change things up.  Try something new. Rearrange furniture and clean out my closet.  And I feel a resurgence of love that kind of consumes me at the emerging of one of my favorite seasons... for the people around me... my people. 

Sweet mother of all things holy, I love my people so much.

And tigers :)

Dang, I love my little tiger.

Happy to be in "spring training" in all aspects of life.

XO