The sun!

This weekend we saw the sun! Lots of it! Yes, this is totally worth the multiple exclamation points!!

Sun doesn't come around too often during the winter in Michigan. We're gradually seeing more and more of it these days. This weekend, we had very few clouds. The temperatures were in the 50s, which seven years ago I would have disregarded as a cool day. Now, it means everyone is outside all day, and some folks even wear shorts or leave the jackets inside!

We spent both afternoons playing outside, sometimes by ourselves and often with neighbors. The neighborhood really came alive. Saturday morning, Ryan participated in his first soccer practice. He's in a program called Lil' Kickers, in which the kids progress at varying levels from "practices" to easy, fun games. Ryan loved it and did such a great job. (He particularly enjoyed playing with his friend, Andrew.)

Saturday evening, my girlfriends and I hosted a baby shower for a friend at our house. It was nice to have the kids outside all day -- where messes are easily cleaned -- instead of in the house. The shower was beautiful and the girls had a great time.

This morning we hit Zach's for pancakes, the Plymouth Play Cafe for some indoor playground fun and then took a short walk through downtown Plymouth. Outside, we played soccer, football, rode bikes and scooters, and even played Legos and Rescue Heroes. How fun! The kids were exhausted and all fell asleep quickly.