{ a springlike weekend }

After a bought of extreme awesomeness...

...turned into a bought of pitiful sickliness (double-ear infection...again)...

...I wasn't sure how this weekend was going to turn out.  The last couple of weekends had us stuck indoors -- held hostage by winter's obnoxiously long and miserable ways.  

Rumor had it though that we were in for a short spell of weekend sunshine and warm-ish temperatures.  As luck would have it, we woke up Saturday morning and the sun wasn't the only thing that was shining -- our girl was back and seemingly better.  Our plans to spend as much time outdoors as possible wouldn't have to be amended after all.

First things first:  a quick photo op to capture the Audrey-like essence our girl was radiating.  

Followed by a walk over to the horse stables behind our neighborhood.

This handsome guy was happy to see us.

Eliza, on the other hand, was none too thrilled.

But it gave me a good excuse for a snuggle.

The next morning, the sun was, miraculously enough, still shining outside our window, so we took another walk.  This time to Gigi's.

This was, by far, one of my most favorite walks.  Eliza skipped, ran, and hopped with glee the entire way, making sure not to drop the book she had carefully selected and tucked under her arm.  Her mind was running wild with wonder and her smile shining bright -- she was beaming with delight.  And seeing her play with my mom only added to the happiness of the morning.  They have such a great bond and watching them together is one of my greatest joys.

That afternoon, we decided that it was far too nice not to savor every last drop of sunshine (thank you, Daylight Savings!), so we packed up the car and headed to one of our favorite beaches for some fresh seaside air.

We basked in the evening sunshine and relished in the salty breeze.  It was still quite brisk, but we didn't care -- it was nothing an old, comfy quilt couldn't cure.

I feel like this has been the longest winter -- not necessarily rough, just long.  So this tepid and sunny weekend was a welcomed treat.  I know spring is just around the corner, but I am anxiously awaiting the days of lazy dinners outside, afternoons spent working in the yard, and extra long walks around the neighborhood.  I dream of seeing Mother Nature give birth to the beauty that is spring -- fresh blooms, the smell of freshly cut grass, the gentle hum of crickets at sunset, and a spike in the temperatures so that I can finally thaw out.

Each season certainly has its magic, but I think that spring has an extra bit of whimsy to offer.  It's like Mother Nature's reward to us for getting through winter.  And it's a reward I'm ready and willing to accept.

In the meantime, we'll take advantage of these spring-tease days and enjoy them to their absolute fullest.    For we three Van Nests are our best and happiest selves outdoors -- chilly breezes, ear infections, terrifying horses, and all.