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This past weekend, I had the opportunity to go on a religious retreat for women at a camp in Northern Idaho.  It was so good to get away.  Saturday morning was gorgeous outside.  This is the view that greeted all of us as we made our way to breakfast!

They fed us really well.  This is a picture of my first breakfast at the retreat.  What a welcomed respite from cooking and cleaning.  After this, I stopped carrying my camera around and just spent the rest of the time relaxing, but you get the idea.  We were well cared for and recharged to return home on Sunday.

I've been running non-stop since getting home trying to get caught up with all of the chores that pile up after a weekend away but it was totally worth it.

Spring came with abandon this past week and it's been just gorgeous out.  This tree is at the corner of my neighbor's property.  Seeing it this year is bittersweet.   My neighbor's husband passed away this past winter.  He always brought someone out each spring to trim this tree up and get it in shape before it flowered.  He always loved to see it in bloom.

This pipsqueak tree is at the corner of our property.  It was planted before we moved in and I'm not quite sure what it is...a weeping whatever, but I just don't see the point of this tree.  It is not tall enough to provide any shade, it's just about 6 inches taller than me, it doesn't bear any fruit, and it grows so much that I spend half the summer trimming the branches off of the ground.  At the end of every winter, I take particular pleasure trimming back all of the branches on it.  Despite it not having a point, for two weeks every year it flowers as well.  The way I trimmed it this year it looks a little like a bridal veil to me and has been particularly pretty in the sunlight.

Yesterday was so gorgeous out that the boys and I had a picnic at a park.  Although I loved having someone else cook for me all weekend, it was good to get back to some healthier fare.  We had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, plenty of fresh veggies with hummus to dip in, grapes and water.

I hope you all are having a wonderful day.  Little League season has started so you'll be seeing more crock pot fare out of me for a while.  In fact, I have a lentil stew going in the crock pot right now!  I'll share the recipe tomorrow.  See you then!