Friday Favorites #7

Happy Friday! It’s the first day of our spring break and we’re on our way to Ohio! Even though we’re not headed to the beach, I am very much looking forward to a change of scenery and seeing friends and family. We don’t have too much on the agenda, but I know we will have a fun, relaxing week back in our hometown.

Here’s a roundup of some of my favorite things from this week!

World Down Syndrome Day!

You can read by post about WDSD here. This is almost like another birthday for Drew. We love to celebrate what makes him so special: that extra chromosome!

Change of Seasons

It’s officially spring! Although winter is still dragging its feet around here, I am ready for the transition. I especially love the change from winter to spring–new growth, the anticipation of sunshine, planting flowers, picnics, and park days. All of my spring and Easter decorations are still packed away in storage. However, I am honestly okay not having the clutter of Hobby Lobby bunnies and eggs this year. I plan to embrace spring more simply.

Some of those simple things include decluttering my closet which felt great. Also, deep cleaning and making things feel a little fresher and brighter. I picked up a spring bouquet at a local grocery store. All of this has been just enough to hold on to that hope of a new season: a time for God’s new life and God’s new beauty.

Barbershop Haircuts

I have taken the boys to Great Clips the last nine years for haircuts. It was relatively inexpensive, and I never had to deal with making appointments. Well, like everyone else, Great Clips has increased pricing and the wait time keeps getting longer. Also, the haircuts were always hit or miss. Ryan and I did some research on local barbershops and discovered Bulldogs Barbershop offers “pup” cuts for the exact same price. It was easy to schedule the appointments online and the boys’ haircuts turned out great. I have already scheduled their next appointments. We love supporting local!

The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain

Last year I read Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain which was a powerful, eye-opening read. It was one of those books that has stayed with me, and I have been wanting to read her again. The Last House on the Street was another thought-provoking novel that did not disappoint. It goes back and forth between two different character perspectives with connected stories in 1965 and 2010. It’s difficult to read at times as the novel digs deep into the horror of racial injustice during that time period. I found it to be a gripping, tragic, well written piece of historical fiction. While her books are not easy reads, they touch your heart and mind, and I will definitely keep reading.

Midweek Family Walk

We usually go for hikes on the weekends, but on Wednesday we decided to take a family walk at Veroncia Valley, a park right down the road. It is actually a former golf course, and now offers plenty of walking paths with various trees, ponds, bridges, and rolling hills. Ryan and Lucas love to go morel mushroom hunting so they were looking for potential hot spots for when they start popping. The temperature felt comfortable in the mid 40s (warm for up here ha-ha) and it was nice to get some exercise and fresh air. I told Ryan now that the days are getting longer, we need to take family walks like this more often.

I hope everyone enjoys the first weekend of spring! It’s looking like Traverse City is getting some weather, so I am glad we’re headed south!