We'll start back in April. The weather finally got nice enough one weekend for Ryan and I to go out on the bike trails! Note Ryan's new awesome bike-- I love it and am slightly jealous :) 

We decided to do the lake loop, which takes you around one of the lakes in Madison. It was really pretty and the perfect Sunday afternoon for it. However, I may have underestimated how far this would be. It took us 8 miles to even GET to the lake loop, and after that it was another 14 miles. Of course, this was during Whole30 and I failed to bring a snack, so halfway through we had to stop at a Walgreens because I was starting to get hangry. This was actually one of those moments I wanted to QUIT Whole30, but I stayed strong and chowed down on a banana and some almonds before climbing back onto the bike. Near the end of our ride, I had to walk a couple of the hills... I was getting pretty tired! 

There are SO many trails around here, and in fact, there are lots of bridges built over roads specifically for bikers. Everywhere you go, there are bike lanes in the road, and now that it's warm, all the natives are out on the trails and on the roads! It is very pretty country in this area, with rolling hills, twists and turns, prairies, fields of flowers, trees, and beautiful nature all around. The hills make for some challenging biking, but I know over time I'll get used to it!

If there is a box, basket, or container laying around... Isabel is in it!

Game night-- playing Carcassonne. It's really fun-- it's a strategy game like Settlers but a little different concept.

The kitties got baths one weekend. They did really well-- especially Lily. I think they look hilarious when they're wet-- very frazzled!

Isabel is a little bit more of a fighter and very strong, so it took more effort to hold her down. But I love a freshly bathed cat! Fortunately, now that they are strictly indoors and already a very "clean" animal by nature (they lick themselves all day every day!), they stay pretty clean, but every once in awhile it's nice to give them a helping hand.

Lily, getting in some lap time with Ryan!

The two moms came up one weekend to help me buy some flowers for our yard! It was a chilly weekend, but we made the best of it. We had a lot of luck at places like Home Depot and Cosco!! 

The car full of flowers :)

Looking at some photo books.

 We went to the farmer's market on Saturday morning. I just love all of the variety of flowers they have there! Tons and tons of seasonal flowers line the sidewalks!

Needless to say... the two flower-loving moms enjoyed it :)

My mom bought these for me.

I got this cool looking succulent.

We ate breakfast at Graze. Oh my word, this French Toast! It was nutella-stuffed and topped with Door County cherries. This was our first breakfast out after Whole30, and boy did it taste good!

That Sunday was "Love Madison" with our church, where the church goes out and loves on Madison for our church service on this day. There are tons of projects to sign up for, and I signed us up for mulching at a nearby hospice center not far from where we live. I figured it would be fun to think about them when we drive by each time and know we helped out :) I was hoping for a nicer day when I signed us up for an outdoor project, but alas it was chilly and cloudy! We worked all morning, had a big breakfast out, and then came home and worked in our yard all afternoon! Ryan was amazing and planted all of the flowers I bought a couple days before :)

The pretty farmer's market flowers

Close-up of the purple one

On nice mornings, I eat breakfast out on my back deck! It's east-facing, so the sun is warm and it's SO lovely.

And on nice days, this is what my office looks like :)

This is a bike trail that runs right through the middle of our neighborhood. It's fun to have access to one so close.

Before I got married, I knew plugging into our church would be very important for me, especially since I am so social! So I signed up for a women's bible study called Encounter that meets on Wednesday mornings. It's at the bigger Blackhawk site (we go to a smaller site in Fitchburg that meets in a middle school), and for the first hour, we would hear one of the women lecture on the previous week's study. We would then get together with our specific small groups and talk through the lesson, share insights and prayer requests. It was so special to get to know these ladies over the course of several months-- I only wish I could have been with them last Fall so I had a whole year! I'm excited to join again next Fall. This picture was taken at the end-of-year sharing brunch.

 

My mom and sisters came to visit me one day in early May! It was such a fun day. They got a tour of our house, and then we went to Basset St. Brunch Club for some good eating :)

Had to stop for a cupcake after walking up and down State St. for some shopping

Ryan gave us a tour of Epic that evening

We stopped for a picture by the Capital before dinner.

I came home early with my mom and sisters for an extended weekend in Central IL, so I could catch a meeting in the office at work. I enjoyed catching up with friends while there!

Ryan joined me on Friday night, and we had a nice time staying with his parents! Just brushing up on our golf skills one afternoon ;)

We went out with his parents for Mother's Day at Thyme. It was my first "time" and SO good!

Finished it off with some riverfront Emack and Bolio's. 

On Sunday, we celebrated Mother's Day with my family by enjoying church together, and then just the girls went out to lunch at Sugar.

Our standing tradition is to take advantage of happy hour at Starbucks and walk the Botanical Gardens, but since we had the whole afternoon off, we opted for mani/pedis this year!

We celebrated that evening at my parents'. Mom with all of her kids! The original 4 :)

Back in WI... I DID take advantage of 1/2 priced frapp happy hour one afternoon... it had been over a month since I had one with Whole30 and it tasted amazing!

The cats LOVE this spot in the mornings. I open up our back door so the sliding glass screen door is up and they watch the activity outside and bask in the sun. I also love all the fresh air in our home!

One afternoon, I went on a walk in our neighborhood and discovered this darling park just 2 blocks from where we live!

When I work from my computer upstairs, it is automatic that I will be sharing my chair with one of the cats.

Isabel loves these videos for cats on YouTube! Lily turns up her nose, but Isabel can watch them for hours! When the birds exit the screen, she'll even look behind the monitor to see if they're back there :)

I missed my oatmeal while on Whole30!

Melissa texted this to Ryan and I... adorable story Tillie wrote in school this year about Ryan and I getting engaged :)

I am SO excited for the Gilmore Girls revival coming to Netflix soon! We're binge-watching the series beforehand so we'll be prepared!! Kristi is sporting her awesome GG shirt.

Girls Weekend in Mad City! SO fun! And what would a girl's weekend be without good eats?

The girls at the farmer's market-- of course it's always freezing cold when people come visit me, what's up with that!!-- but we braved the weather and walked around. Starting our trek off with hot spicy cheesy bread always helps!

The beautiful Capital.

All of us!

Tracy and I with our matching shirts :)

Games with Ryan :)

 Kristi and Laura stayed till Sunday, came to church with me and then out for brunch again!

So much fun!

My man!

Just half of the little garden I have outside. Love it! We've been enjoying some yummy salads!

 

Out exploring Pope Farm Conservatory! 

We have one nearby... and I love it!! It's actually located in a little town called Middleton which I've been told is like the "Morton" of this area. It's darling and has some good shopping.

While out, I had Five Guys and enjoyed my lunch OUTSIDE and YES, this time I ate my FRIES!!!

On a walk. It's just so lovely around here!

I discovered this cute little "library" while on a walk. Would be fun to visit it with kids... borrowing books and leaving some behind!

Lemon Lime dessert that Ryan's mom made last summer. It was SO delicious and I've been wanting to try it. I need to perfect the topping, but it did not disappoint-- it tasted really good!