Favorite Photo Friday - "Springtime Traditions"

Spring decided to make an early appearance around here and it was welcomed with open arms.
Last week, we were experiencing temps in the high 60's and 70's, so before I rolled out of town Monday morning, I promised the girls a fun filled weekend with lots of outdoor activities.
Going to the park to play and a trip to Rita's Italian Ice was at the top of their list.


Rita's had opened a few days prior and Sarah was craving her favorite "Swedish Fish" flavored ice.
Unfortunately, it was not one of the featured flavors, so she settled for vanilla custard with rainbow sprinkles instead.


And Reagan decided to get the same!!


They did not waste any time and dug right in to the good stuff.


Reagan in her independent fashion, which I sometimes like to refer to as stubborn.... would not accept any help with her big dish.


She carefully spooned it into her mouth, trying not to miss a drop......


although she tried very hard, she did have a few runaway dribbles and sprinkles alike.
{Check out the shots that show her cute knee socks.... there is a red sprinkle stuck to them. I thought about removing it in photoshop, but decided it was best to keep it real. I like that runaway sprinkle right where it is!}


The place was hopping.... I think the line at the window was at least 15 deep the entire time we were there. Rita's is really wildly popular in our neck of the woods, so if you are passing through this area between March and October, be sure to stop by one of the many locations and give it a try!


These two attracted quite a bit of attention as they vigorously made their way to the bottom of their dishes.


As you can see, they just "ate it up" and continued to put on a show for those that were making a fuss over them!

We had so much fun...... and as soon as we got back in the car, Sarah said, "Mommy, this was the best day ever!" It's always the simple things that mean the most to them, isn't it?

Once we arrived home she told me she wanted to get out the slip n slide and put on her bathing suit. I had to explain that we were in the season of Spring, not Summer, and she had a few more months to wait before we would be bringing out the slip n slide or the baby pool. For now, we are going to enjoy all the beautiful things Spring has to offer.

With the burst of gorgeous weather, everything has started to bloom. On my way back home today, I swung through the park that always has the field of bluebells in April...... and when I pulled in and looked up, I found they were already blooming! I don't think I ever remember them coming up this early, but they don't stick around long, so we will be out there this weekend for sure.... just like trips to Rita's and the park, visiting the field of bluebells is tradition for us!

Have a wonderful weekend!!