Spring, oh how I love thee...

This is going to be one of those amazingly awesome blog posts where I list my favorite things... about spring.  I know I know, contain the excitement, people. 

1. The re-blooming of flowers/ trees.  more specifically, magnolia trees. We have a couple on the arkansas campus, and it makes me smile every time I walk by them.  In case you didn't know, the buds on the trees right before they bloom smell amazing.  They smell clean, like something you would find in a spa.  If you have ever taken a sniff of the pickled ginger on your plate at a sushi restaurant, you'll get a similar smell with the bud of a magnolia tree flower.  This magnolia tree in the picture is right outside of the chemistry building. I used to study for my classes at night in the Chem building and would grab a bud before I went in so I could have something to smell while I studied.  

notice the petals are pink...

2. Of course, the weather.  The most important part of this is that my brakes don't make people's ears bleed anymore. props to that.  I also have an amazing balcony on my apartment that I believe is perfectly suitable for two people to sit and enjoy a drink (for the past week, it's been a protein/ recovery drink after my p90x workout...) in the amazing 70 degree weather.  I also think Spring brings the best sunsets.  And now with the lovely weather, you can actually sit OUTSIDE and enjoy them! Sunset view from my balcony and driving home to kc... 

   

3.  Fresh fruit.  Peaches, blueberries, strawberries... RHUBARB, oh my!  Last thursday I decided to take advantage of the spring fruit and a complete day of freedom (thesis and research= dunzo).  I made peach cupcakes and blueberry crumb bars! They were absolutely amazing. I think the farmers market is in order this Saturday to pick up some fresh fruit, like RHUBARB.  Get excited, my friends, I will be attempting more than one recipe with rhubarb this season.  For those that experienced the pie last Spring, I will give you the option to opt out of testing the desserts.  Tyler put it very accurately when he tasted my first attempt at rhubarb pie last spring... tastes like a handful of dirty coins.  Hopefully when I re-try rhubarb they will taste like clean coins!

4.  Now I don't know if this is necessarily a favorite, but it's definitely a good one.  The urge to get back in shape after hibernating for the winter.  Yes, swimsuit season is upon us.  Tad and I have started the p90x workout, and I've never been so sore in my life.  But I also feel great.  I love getting back into working out after winter.  It hurts... but worth it (well, I guess we'll see in 90 days? ) Had a little mishap putting the pull up bar together though.  Which really sucks because I can't even do a pull- up.  ever.  like I've NEVER been able to do a pull- up.  I failed that portion of the fitness test even in 5th grade...

It looks a little more dramatic than it actually was, but I ran out of bandaids.  so I improvised. 

So there is the list of my favorite things about spring.  I know what you're thinking, and yes.. I came up with this list according to the pictures I've taken recently. Still legit though.  Bout as legit as this llama...