Happy Cinco de Mayo!

These little guys brightened my day today! It's always fun to celebrate something, so make yourself some fajitas, and find a Mexican friend, and wish them a Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Campfire Season!

We always love a good campfire: yummy s'mores, a cozy blanket, a warm face and a cool back...what's not to love! We introduced Iain to our love of campfires, and he shared the affection! He even enjoyed a s'more! Well...let's call it 2/3 of a s'more! He gobbled up MORE than his fair share of graham crackers, casually munched a marshmallow or two, but completely rejected the chocolate. How can he not know that this is the best part of a s'more? He can't be related to me OR Neil!

He even understands that campfires are best when snuggled up with someone you love! Smart kid! We are looking forward to a summer full of campfires!

FUN in the SUN!

In keeping with the whole "April is the new July" mentality, we discovered that yesterday was a perfect pool day! Iain and I drove to West Liberty to spend the day with Becky and Courtney, and we all had a wonderful time playing, splashing and relaxing in the beautiful outdoors. The cousins enjoyed the pool, and the moms enjoyed the sun! Summer can't come too fast!

Courtney in her adorable "surfer girl" swimsuit!

Iain is quite excited about the pool!

"Look Courtney...a starfish!"

"Look Mom! A starfish!"

A Perfect Summer Day (...in April)

Sunday was just too perfect a day NOT to be outside! After church, we enjoyed a great Sunday afternoon lunch with the Pitman crew, a nap, and a good game of golf (for Neil), and we still weren't ready to come in from the sunshine. So we packed a picnic supper and walked up to Allison Henderson park for some outdoors family time. It was a perfect end to a great weekend! We finished up with the first ice-cream of "summer" from Beecher's. What a great day!

We ate dinner on a blanket and played with a ball...

We drove a "bus"...
("...Look Ma! No hands!")


We rode a motorcycle!

We dug up the dirt with our backhoe!

We tried swings for the first time! And loved them!

In case we were feeling too optomistic about the weather in Iowa in April, on our walk home, we noticed the temperature rapidly dropping, bringing us back to reality and leaving our baby in shorts a little cold! But it was still a fun time, and a great token of what's to come! Bring on summer!

Easter!

It is so fitting that we celebrate Easter in the spring. Everything about this time of year just shouts resurrection. New life. Joy! As I see the flowers, the leaves, the grass springing forth after their long winter's slumber, it is such a tangible reminder that death is swallowed up in life, that victory is ours! He is risen indeed! We had a wonderful Easter trip to Canada filled with sunshine, good friends, precious family and delicious food. It was altogether too short, but we loved every second. Here are some captured moments of our time and this beautiful season.

These eggs are not merely festive decorations-they are also Iain's favorite toy!

He loves to throw them on the ground and laugh and laugh...!

Delicious "Good Saturday" brunch with family and friends in the homeland-a precious tradition!

Our little bunny opening his Easter basket

Handsome little Easter fella!

Iain and his new best friend Abby!

"Not all those who wander are lost..."

Last weekend we did something we've been talking about doing for a LONG time! We had a Lord of the Rings marathon with Graeme and Ashlee! Becky and Courtney joined in the fun too, although they were less marathon-ers and more just companions, as they didn't watch any of the movies! We were lucky enough to be able to enjoy our marathon at our Pitman parents' lovely home, which has a very cozy family room, just as nice as a hobbit hole, and a wonderfully large flat screen TV, which made almost 12 hours of movie watching much more enjoyable! AND, as if the marathon wasn't fun enough in itself...to make a good weekend even better...we also ate like hobbits! If you know anything about hobbits...that means seven meals a day! We did, however, break up our seven meals into two days, because it seemed a little excessive. But, don't get me wrong...there was still a LOT of food! And since it was hobbit food, it was DELICIOUS! We had a fantastic time, and think that it needs to become a yearly tradition! Here are some pictures of our fun weekend...and I realize that they are nearly ALL of food...but when you spend a whole weekend watching movies and eating during the "intermissions"...that's what you get!!

Our elven "lembas" wrapped in "leaves"
(or Grandma Shedden's shortbread, wrapped in tissue!)

Neil feels this is what lembas bread must have been...dense, sweet, and a mouthful fills you up! (Unless you're a hobbit or Graeme!!)

Our awesome commemorative t-shirts!

"But the only brew for the brave and true...comes from The Green Dragon!"

The littlest hobbit of the Shire!

Elevensies: sausage, taters and field greens with mushrooms

Afternoon tea and scones with jam and cream....mmmm!

Dinner: hearty stew and crusty bread

Supper: individual apple pies and home-made cream

First breakfast: berries and cream

Second breakfast: eggs, taters, bacon, sausage, mushrooms, crumpets, coffee and cream **Please note that this very hobbit-y portioned plate is NEIL'S! (But in all fairness...he skipped the "first breakfast" fruit offering!)

Luncheon: mince and taters with glazed carrots and crusty bread

Not shown: "Last Resort" bread pudding and tea for dessert

It was such a fun time together, and watching the movies all in a row made them seem so much more epic. (I realize this word is over-used A LOT, but in this case, it really does fit!) For all of you Lord of the Rings fans...grab your best hobbit friends, and have a marathon! You really won't regret it!

NOTE: For the "oh-so much more beautiful" photos of our weekend, check out the ones taken by my awesome photographer brother-in-law, Graeme, AND find yourself a lovely new blog by my wonderful sister-in-law Ashlee....here's the link to Ashlee's Blog! Enjoy!

Little Leprechaun

It's a great day to be Irish! Even though we're mostly Scottish in the Pitman clan, (and incidentally, a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Dad Pitman...the most Scottish man ever to be born on St. Patrick's Day!!) there's a little bit of Irish heritage there also, thanks to my Grandma Kathleen. So we sported our green, and partook in all of the festivities, along with all the other Irish folk. Our little green family went to Iain's first parade, in downtown Galena. We thought he'd be so excited to see all the action, and ESPECIALLY the tractors and fire-trucks "zoomin' down the street", as they are the lead characters in his most favorite song. However, he wasn't quite as excited as we anticipated. He was mostly indifferent to the tractors and other floats, and was EXTREMELY scared of the fire trucks AND the marching bands! Oh well...maybe next year! We did capture some good pictures though!

Another great Pitman family photo...

Iain in excited anticipation of the fun to come

A bird's-eye view from Daddy's shoulders!

Hearing the SCARY fire trucks!!

A VERY concerned boy with his mama!

After our fun at the parade, we headed home for a delicious Irish dinner, courtesy of Deborah...my most Irish friend! With her mom's shepherd's pie and Nanny's soda bread for the main course (accompanied by an Irish (green!) salad and a cold mug of Guinness of course!) AND some bread pudding and a nice cup'o'tea for dessert, we were feeling as Irish as Paddy Murphey!

In the words of the Irish, "May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rains fall soft upon your fields, and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand."