Highlights and Favorites Each Day in April

 Oh April... you were mostly a very stressful month with all sorts of not so fun problems (from Alec's struggles to get the classes he needs/any dorm room at all for next semester to a state tax audit to assorted family health and housing problems [none of the 5 of us living in the house but close family none the less]). Throw in some not so fun weather, like snow, and I was ready to throw in the towel completely by the 15th. That said most of these stressors were small and manageable and there really was some good to be found in every day even if I did have to dig a little deeper for it than normal. It sure did go out with a bang though!

1. So thankful for our generator; we needed it to cook dinner along with the grill. Up at nearly 2:30 am with my mind whirling about anything and everything, Evan found out his class was canceled after driving to school but we made the best of it and went hiking instead (after he picked me up). We lost power all afternoon from a downed tree and I spent my time on the phone with my mom catching up. 12,076 steps. 

I was trying to zoom in on the frog but loved the effect of the ripples!

The whole vernal pool was FILLED with frogs and peep toads

2. So thankful that Evan keeps asking to go hiking and offers to drive us there! Gym, spent my morning paying bills and then Evan and I headed out hiking at Pulaski. I finished my puzzle and made some more granola bars in the afternoon. 10,369 steps.

 3. So thankful that the worst of the rain held off until after my errands. Evan's class was canceled again (his poor teacher was so sick she landed in the hospital!) so he came with me to run a few errands in the pouring rain then we spent a quiet afternoon at home.  (0 steps recorded?)

4. SO thankful it was sunny and in the 60's today! A busy day where I hit the ground running first at the gym, then immediately getting groceries, cooking up several recipes, cleaning the whole house, and getting ready for company the following day. 10,456 steps. 

5.  So thankful to have spent over 6 hours visiting with my brother and his family. I spent my whole rainy day preparing food (homemade meatballs and marinara, cut up zoodles, 2 loaves of bread, a salad, some salad dressing) and cleaning the kitchen for our company then my brother and his family arrived and we played games and talked and got all caught up with one another. 4,571 steps.

It poured all day so it was the perfect weather for card games

 6. So thankful the rains stopped for a bit and we were able to get some exercise today. I spent most of my day working on cards and then when the rains finally cleared in the afternoon my husband and I decided to go on a nice long hike through the woods. 11,072 steps.

 

 

It was muddy!

7. So thankful I was able to walk and get the mail without getting caught in the rain. Gym, post office, library, and then an afternoon spent at home making granola bars and prepping dinner. 9,038 steps.

another rainy day on the lake

8. So very thankful that I loved the 6 scrapbook pages I pulled together today (I don't always love how they turn out). Yoga at the gym, Evan and I went walking on the river trail after his class, then I spent my afternoon working on scrapbook pages and went with my husband to get his hair cut after dinner. 10,342 steps. 

Buds are slowly blooming!

 

9. SO thankful we live near a state park that we can just walk to! Gym, spent my morning reading and working on the blog, paid bills, put all the pages I've been making into each scrapbook and got the next batch of photos all laid out. I talked Evan into a walk after lunch even though it was really cold the sun was finally shining! 12,000 steps exactly.

10. Grateful for audio-books that keep me company on my walks when no one wants to walk with me.I had a hair cut early in the morning then worked on scrapbook pages until Evan came home from school. I spent my afternoon blogging, reading, and even went on a walk around the neighborhood. 7,806 steps.

11. So thankful to spend an hour and a half catching up with Alec. Gym first then I mostly spent the day blogging, reading, vacation planning, & talking to Alec on the phone. 7,313 steps.

we woke to a light dusting of snow.

 12. So thankful for good books. We woke to lots more snow and ice and I once again spent much of my day reading and vacation planning though my husband and I did go grocery shopping in the afternoon. 4,972 steps. 

13. Thankful we found the perfect chair at our first stop! I spent my morning prepping food, doing dishes and the laundry while reading my book then Ian and I went shopping for his birthday in the afternoon (he wanted a new office chair for his room). 7,129 steps

14. So grateful for a warm, sunny day and a lovely hike in nature (even if I did nearly step on a snake-- again). Gym, then since the sun was shining I convinced Evan to go with me on a nice long hike we rarely do since it takes an hour to get there. We hiked all around Green Falls Pond and even stopped at the library and Target too. I managed to get some house cleaning done too and paid all the bills. 14,515 steps. 

15. So grateful the sun made an appearance so I could walk to the mailbox with some nice weather. I spent my morning cleaning the house, listening to audiobooks, and talking to my brother on the phone. 9,504 steps.

16. So thankful to talk to family and have some good solutions going (maybe?!). Started my day at the gym then spent pretty much all morning on the phone with my brother and then my mother. I spent my afternoon reading and blogging. 7,865 steps.

17. So thankful for good music that I can listen to while working. I spent my morning cleaning the whole house and my afternoon reading, watching TV, and walking around outside. 8,190 steps. 

 18. So thankful for a lovely lunch out with Evan. Gym, a major deep cleaning of the entire kitchen, a hike with Evan then stopping out to lunch at Bill's Bread and Breakfast before heading home to work on the blog and get some more reading done. Ended my night at the grocery store. 18,010 steps.

19. So grateful Alec was feeling better; apparently he had been real sick the night before. We headed to pick up the first batch of Alec's stuff today at noon and went for a nice late lunch/early dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. We had a real pretty walk through the city. 9,358 steps. 

I tried the branzino fish that came with tomato salsa, green beans and mashed potatoes from their Skinnylicious menu.

20. So thankful I married such a sweet man with some mad home improvement skills. My husband and I spent part of our day at Home Depot and then I hopped in the car to head back to Providence to drop some of the packing totes/bags I forgot yesterday to Alec so he can finish packing. 5,845 steps. 

Ian's newest purchase for his landscaping business

21. Grateful to wake up to a beautiful sunrise. Gym, then I worked in the kitchen making salad, cutting up fruit, making granola and granola bars until lunch when Evan and I left to go hiking. 11,933 steps.

22. Thankful for a quiet day with nothing to do. I started my day with a yoga class and then spent the majority of the rest of the day reading. 7,818 steps. 

23. So thankful for such a wonderful mother in law! Gym, then Evan and I went hiking, I had just enough time to shower and change before heading to lunch with my mother in law and I managed to pack my suitcase at some point throughout the day too. 15,873 steps.

24. SO thankful the town budget didn't pass as our taxes would have been crazy high if it did. I headed off the gym one last morning before vacation then came home to finish packing, made sure all the laundry was done, watered the plants, put together a menu/grocery list for my husband and the boys then headed out to fill up the tank, stop by the library (to drop off and pick up books), vote in our town election and get the mail. We spent the evening at The Black Dog celebrating Ian's 21st birthday with the offer of his first official alcoholic drink (he had lemonade instead). 11,381 steps. 

 

25.So thankful for a fairly uneventful day of travel.  I was up at the crack of dawn to drive to the airport then spent my day traveling to Louisville to meet up with Amy, Jen, Marilyn,  Tanya,  and Maria.  9,054. 

I walked laps around the Baltimore airport during my layover

26. Grateful for these wonderful ladies! Amy provided breakfast with the help of Marilyn and her sour dough then we all headed out shopping. Marilyn, Maria and I went for a walk in the afternoon then we all headed out to a fancy dinner at Barn8 and went through the art walk.  10,398 steps. 

27. Grateful for so much laughter! We started the day with brunch at Biscuit Belly then hit up a few more shops before Maria, Jenn, Tanya, Marilyn, and I drove around downtown Louisville.  We spent the evening hanging out and sent Tanya of with well wishes and promises to meet up again next year. 5,596 steps.

 

 

28. So thankful to get home safely and have a nice dinner all ready for me. I was up early and helped Jenn and Marilyn peck up before Maria and I went for a walk around the neighborhood.  Then I headed to the airport and spent my afternoon traveling home.  11,053 steps.

29. I was so thankful to see my mom and step-father today!  Up early, yoga class at the gym, then I got all caught up on the laundry and the blog and spent some time visiting with my mom  & step father who made it up to CT this weekend for their summer stay. Evan and I even managed to squeeze in a hike after lunch. 13,533 steps.

30. So grateful to have Alec back home for the summer. Evan and I headed out a bit later than planned to help get Alec packed up and clean his dorm room before inspection; it was a madhouse with the large theater next door having a show for what felt like every elementary school in Rhode Island. All the side streets were shut down and parking was awful; but we did it!  13,458 steps.

Lunch at Panera on the way home

an ice cream treat after lugging stuff up and down 5 flights of stairs and across 2 city blocks all morning.

 

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