Steve just finished his spring break. We didn't plan to do projects but it is actually spring in north Texas and projects sort of over-took us. I don't remember how the week started – I think I got some sewing done. And I hired Hector and his crew to clean weed and cut back the dead stuff in our yard. Money extremely well-spent. On Thursday the weather turned warm and bright and we decided that we should mulch the newly wonderful yard. 

I finally remembered to take a picture after two pickup loads when we moved to the new pile. Before…

After…

It took about 5 hours, 8 loads of mulch more or less. We lost count. But the yard looks great and I managed to take off one of the three pounds I gained when I was teaching recently.

Friday I went to the Dallas Museum of Art with Chris and Lorna and the kids. It was fun! We worked tag team with Jack (who is a bit rambunctious for a museum) and Bear, who just wants to sleep and eat. Bear spent a lot of time in the sling attached to either Chris or Lorna. And then I got to carry him because I am not wearing the sling. Been there, done that.

Jack did better outside. And there was ART outside which was nice.

Of course, sometimes ART looks like something in a playground. I took the next photo before my brain kicked in, and before the nice lady said 'get off of that!!!'

Honestly, I love this photo :-).

Jack was not the kid who ran into the cellophane streamers onto the field of pink chalk dust (otherwase known as ART) who caused that piece to be locked down. That artwork was asking to be walked into.

On Saturday Steve and I talked about the projects we have committed to for the summer (so many, and mostly not at our house). And then Steve pointed out that he is in charge of the move into the new science building and he's going to be busy all of June. Oh, my. I realized that the job of painting the soffits and eaves at Mom's was on me. I volunteered to do it. I can do it. This was my project and I needed to own it. And then I thought… why wait? It's cool now. Do it now. So I spent half of Saturday and all of Sunday scraping and painting.

I wish I could say that I did this job with a song in my heart and a smile on my face. No. I did not. I had a determined look and music plugged into my ears. I took ibuprofen and am going to have to take more. But the job is now done and now I can smile! I was too tired to take a photo. You just have to imagine it. Mom's house looks better and she's happy to have this job, that I thought would be done a year ago, is now done. There's a bit more to do at Mom's but Steve and I are on that one together. It's easier with two.