Spring is Springing!

So, I recently heard an opinion that the phrase 'spring has sprung' is much too past tense, and not appropriate to use during spring while everything is still springing :)

Anyway you phrase it, spring is here in New Haven and I have loved being apart of it. I've been outside so much, and able to take a couple photos here and there of all the blooming plant life! I am slightly obsessed with flowers...and so, most of my pictures are of just that. Flowers. Lots and Lots of them! 

 Welcome to Spring Time at Yale!

A spark.

I'm not really sure what I've been up to these past few weeks (ok, well I have been working a lot more...) but still all the sudden, I find myself desperately wanting to expand, grow, do more, learn more, see more, create more. I felt this way (over ambitious might be a good word) a month or two ago, but the feeling has been absent for a while. I am so curious as to how/why my mood has changed so instantaneously. I think half of it has to do with the fact that it's getting warmer outside! My desires and efforts have shifted to outdoor activities. Still I'd prefer my ambitions be a steady stream, and less of a flash flood :)  My new ideas are to: do more photography (started), tackle a huge organization project throughout my house (started), finish decorating my bedroom, begin 2 flower gardens (started), grill more food outside, visit NYC each month (went this weekend)....and these are just the ideas I've thought about considerably, not the quick, in-and-out random thoughts.

We'll see how it goes :) I'll post some new photos of spring soon! It's so sO SOOOO beyond beautiful here right now! It's my first real spring, and I'm loving it! 

Ethan, Ethan, Ethan!!!

We had a mini photo shoot while in Honeymoon Island, he did a great job don't ya think? Ethan is Daniel's second cousin (i think) and new best friend. They had a lot of fun together over the break :) On the last day of our visit, Ethan really began to start walking! It was so exciting and fun to be there watching it all happen. We love this little guy! His parents are pretty cool too :)

Spring Break in Florida

Ola Amigos!

Happy Spring! It was great to be back in Tampa for Daniel's break. While driving around the city I was surprised at how at ease and at home I felt. We got to relax, sleep in, see all of our favorite people, and even go to the beach a few times. I vowed if we ever moved back, I would go back to Fort Desoto State park as much as possible - it is beyond beautiful!

I didn't take a ton of pictures, but here are a few that I snapped while out and about.

Fort Desoto State Park in St. Petersburg, Florida

 Looking over Inter-coastal

Honeymoon Island, Florida

Maya and Georgia

 Ethan scootin around.

Good Ole Friends

Anna, Me, and Morgan

It was a great retreat from 'real life' and the fun break got us thinking about our next vacation destination. For Daniel's August break, we think were going to go on a North East road trip. The plan is to do as much camping on the trip as possible, and stop in Cape Cod, Maine, Montreal Canada, Niagra Falls, and the Adirondack Mts in NY. We're looking forward to it very much!

Go Buldogs!

 

 

A few weeks ago we had the chance to attend a Yale hockey game with some friends. It just kind of all fell together, and we couldn't have planned it better if we tried! To celebrate Yale's win, we went out for ice cream, and ran into even more friends from Daniel's class. For knowing so few people in town, it's amazing how many we bumped into! The hockey season is over, and we look forward to attending more games next season.

Fail.

I've been trying hard to be productive all day, and then was struck with 2 big fat FAILS.

Fail 1: I tried to make a zucchini cake for my Activity Days girls. My plan was for it to be soooo delicious they would be in total shock when I told them there were 3 zucchini's in it. Well. That will never happen :) I used splenda to make it extra healthy and all I can taste is the fake sugarness of it (I despise this taste, I should have known better). I also didn't realize I loaned out my 9x13 baking pan, so decided to use 2 round cake pans. I didn't adjust the baking time properly, and they are kinda over done and very flat. So now I have crunchy gross cake that I wont be sharing w/ anyone :) well except for Daniel I guess....such a lucky guy!

Fail 2: Red hand towels....In my 'medium' load of laundry = New pink socks and dish towels. Woops.

Luckily, it's not just me. There are miiiiilions of other fails out there to console me. Like, 

 

Or....

oh gez.

this one is gross, but makes me feel better about adding splenda to my recipe and not....

A CHICKEN HEAD!

I'm happy to say I can't remember the last time I ate McDonalds.....hey that's a WIN!!!

Before and After Photographs

 I tried to get some before and after pictures of the same locations. I just did it by memory, so some of them aren't exactly similar, but it's still neat to see the changes. 

.freshman dorm entrance.

 

.church on the green.

  

 

.walkway through campus.

 

 

.cruel winter.