A beautiful 3 day weekend...

So it has been beautiful ten days!! We have gone from the rain and cold to our first 70 degree days this year.

The hills are an emerald green, the mustard is in full bloom, and the trees are beginning to flower.

It is amazing how quickly we have moved from having no leaves on the trees to the wonderful fragrances of late winter /early spring.

Perfect timing for a three day weekend.

So a couple of weeks ago we worked in a territory off of Livorna Rd. in Walnut Creek. We have never worked on the ridge before, and never knew that there was an open space up there.

By the time we were done, it was already 65 -degree day.

We came home, and got ready for our final long run for our marathon training.

It was definitely one of the warmest days we have had and it was a bit of an adjustment to run at 72-degrees, compared to the weeks we have had in the 50's.

It was to be a 24.65 mile run, beginning at Emma and Sophie's school in Concord, running to Lunardi's in downtown Danville, and then returning the way we came.

At the halfway mark, we stopped to refuel, and contemplate the run home.

We began the return home at 4 which meant that we had 2 hours of daylight left.

One of things the kids enjoy on our runs is the different type birds we see.

We saw this hawk, swoop across the trail and then perch itself in the tree, watching us.

The kids were amazed as it turned its head in all directions looking at us.

Along the trail the kids have identified egrets, loons, white cranes, all types of hawks, eagles, and falcons.

At one point of the run, we go under a I-680 overpass and the kids get to see the swallow nests. It is really fun seeing things through their eyes.

So it took 4:50 minutes to cover 24.65 miles, not including the stop at Lunardi's.

It was 68-degrees when we stopped.

I thought it be fun to take a picture of Emma's tail reflector and see what came out.

It looked like a rear tail light. By the way, I forgot to say Myles road the entire way in his Tigger costume as well as his Spiderman slippers.

On Monday, I had the day off with the kids for the President's Holiday. It began with Emma making her breakfast.

At seven, about to turn eight, she is definitely a big girl.

Later in the morning, I played catch with the kids. Never been really good a throwing a football, it is left up to Emma and Sophie to teach me how to throw a perfect spiral. Momma is a great teacher.

That afternoon we were going to meet Micaela for photo shoot in a field of mustard.

It was also a perfect time for Myles and I to do some exploring.

The field was a buzz, quiet literally, with bees and lady bugs.

Again, the sky was a vibrant blue, emerald green hills, contrasting against the yellow flowers.

Myles thought it would be nice to make a mustard bouquet. He had probably cleared half the field. You see him here very upset that we were not going to take his collection of flowers home with us.

The end of a beautiful weekend with the kids.