top five tuesday: favorite things about spring

spring is my favorite time of year, especially when it is unseasonably hot (as it is now).  i love everything about spring except for the fact that our teeny backyard turns into a swamp, and the dogs leave little muddy paw prints on EVERYTHING.  here is the spring edition of my favorite things.

1.  flip flops.  every year, i'm on the look out for the next amazing pair of flip flops.  i wear these as soon as it gets warm, and until it gets too cold.  my piggies need to breathe!!!  i owned THE PERFECT pair several years ago, but they died.....the middle thongy thing ripped.  so, since they perished, i've been looking for THE PERFECT pair take 2.  alas, to no avail.  the hunt is on, though!

2.  toby loses interest in anything other than chipmunk hunting.  i feel so bad for toby, because once spring rolls around, he sits on the back deck staring at the rock retaining wall, waiting for a chipmunk to appear.  he has never caught one yet, but not for lack of trying.  he just stares at the tiny places where chipmunks pop out of.  this is our fifth summer in the house, and every year it is the same.  i take great pleasure in watching him "protect" the house from a chipmunk invasion.

3.  the husband evens out his "i coach track" (read:  farmer) tan.  because he refuses to wear any sort of sunscreen at meets and at practice, his neck and arms get a nice golden tan (read:  super red at first).  once the weather is nice, he is once again a slave to our yard, and his tan evens out.  i love watching him work in the yard.  if only i were motivated to help.

*taken a few years ago, when he put in a patio and sidewalk.  he's going to kill me (and he looks like he's trying to in the picture also) for posting this, but i thought it was hilarious.

4.  everything smells pretty.  i don't know it is because the snow and dreadfully dreary weather has hidden all of the pretty smells, but once everything is in bloom, the world smells wonderful.  i love the smell of fresh cut grass.  the tulips are blooming (if the squirrels haven't eaten my bulbs) and everything looks and smells like a new place.

5.  ritas.  whoot.  ritas is awesome, especially since i can walk there (granted it was like a half mile round trip, with the huge stroller, but hey....i got ritas).  although i'm not pleased with this year's new flavor (peeps.......seriously, ew), i will continue to go get delicious blendinis and water ice.  that's right, water ice, not italian ice.

what are you favorite things about spring?!