Hello Morels!

Finally, a REAL sunny day! I know I said the weather turned yesterday, but I jumped the gun.
Today we headed to some prime morel spots and came home with about 20 little guys.
Our best guess is that the season is just warming up, and 'shrooms will continue to pop out
for the next few weeks! Yum!

A Sunny Day!!

Looking back, our last "Big Day" entry was really our last sunny day! Its been raining like mad for the last few weeks - I've never seen any thing like it in Wyoming!? So, with our lack of sunny weather, we've been spending lots of social time inside. Maddie's been making the rounds from loving arms to loving arms... a few pictures below.

Maddie and Lisa managed to sneak in between rain showers and hunt down a few morels last week. But after a week+ of rain and now finally some sun, we're hoping to make a family outing to check out the mushrooms up north tomorrow. It just might be a banner year after all of this moisture.

Other than that...hmm, lets see. Well, we painted our bathroom this weekend - TWICE! The first color was a beautiful orange on paper, but looked like a bad florescent accident on the wall. So, the next day was spent repainting in "Creme." Bedroom painting to follow, this weekend perhaps.

Big Day

Last Saturday was our annual birding "Big Day." Big Day involves getting together with birder-friends at the crack of dawn (for those in the early car), and driving all over the county, spotting as many different bird species as possible. Lots of coffee, on the fly calls, licorice and gummy worms, and a strategic hunt throughout the Valley. For those in the slower paced group, the day starts a bit later, might include a nap or some ice cream somewhere along the way, and unfolds at a bit more leisurely pace. Regardless of starting times, we all meet at Signal Mountain Lodge for dinner and it's a great way to enjoy what Spring presents each year. This year, our friends Dave and Emmy brought little Molly (7 months) down from Cody to join us - it was great to see them and to see what's to come for Maddie! It was one of the first truly warm days in the Valley, and we all went home a bit pink and burned, but saw some amazing birds and wildlife, and passed the day with good friends. For the record... 106 species were counted by The A Team, and more collectively!

It takes a village...!

It takes a village... to have dinner out these days!
Thanks Margot and Andy!

A Spring Stroll

Today we went on our first family stroll, thanks to a our friends Jean and Jason, who gifted us their Chariot (a high-tech burly stroller, for those not in the know). We put a little "sling" adaptor inside so that Madelyn could hang out without having to be able to sit up - she loved it! And so did Mom and Dad! It's a beautiful spring day (finally!?) and it was such a treat to be able to get out and enjoy it with ease. Thanks Lewis Family!

Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day!

For my first Mother's Day, Madelyn decided to give me (us!) 9 hours of sleep last night, 7.5 of which we were able to do the same. What could be better? Thank you Maddie!

We went for a great evening walk last night, saw a few spring flowers popping up despite the late snows. Last night was Jackson High's Prom - we had a great time people watching as we passed all of the restaurant windows! Looking forward to more evening walks in town this summer, there's always something happening...

The update on Maddie: She is smiling up a storm! She has so much to say, and has discovered her VOLUME. Madelyn is trying like mad to suck her thumb or fingers, but can't quite figure out how to open her fist, so instead, the challenge becomes "how to fit an entire fist in her mouth." A good party trick if you can manage, we keep telling her. Madelyn is newly in love with polka-dots... she has spent much of her waking hours in the last few days chatting away to a piece of scrap paper with black dots on it. A true reminder of the simple pleasures in life!

Madelyn Artwork

OK, I just had to post these - Grandpa Jeff has been busy expressing his artistic nature through his technological skills!

Grandma and Grandpa 'Sula arrrive!

Grandma and Grandpa Krasula arrived on Friday afternoon! They drove all the way from Florida - we have been hearing and seeing pictures of their journey... lots of amazing adventures!

Maddie had a busy Friday - before meeting her grandparents that evening, she spent the day in Kelly, visiting friends and students at the Kelly School. Everyone was very excited to see her, and the kids were baffled to see how my belly has shrunk. However, all of this jet-setting meant very little sleep for Madelyn. We weren't sure how this lack of sleep would play out at night - but miracles of miracles, MADELYN SLEPT 7 HOURS, YES, IN A ROW!! And then, after a quick nursing, went back to sleep for ANOTHER 4! I woke up and the world looked more beautiful than it had in many weeks!