Spring is upon us like a pile of oak fluff here in Jenkintown. Warm sunny days mean more time sniffing flowers in our garden:

Playing with Evie in my new water table...

Training for sand castle competitions on the Jersey Shore this summer...

And picnicking with my friend Cathy on the lawn...

We got a sneak preview of spring back in March when we made our triumphant return to Charlottesville. It was a tearful reunion with Jack and Rachel...

Ari and Xavier...

And dumplings on the Downtown Mall...

The hours in the car were a little rough. Luckily we stopped at some scenic rest stops to stretch our legs and play in traffic:

This is not to say I haven't been experiencing the smorgasbord of cultural events that Philadelphia offers. A few weeks ago we took in the Indian cultural fair, where I made sand pictures on a floor...

Freaking my dad out with my badass Indian mask...

And vice versa...

Then came daddy's birthday. I won't divulge how OLD he is, but let's just say he's definitely not allowed to say he's in his "mid"-twenties. He did enjoy the cake that mommy and I made him:

Mmmm... we devoured it together soon after this picture was taken.

But far and away the highlight of the last two months was going to the circus with grandma and grandpa. Taking the Philly subway down to the arena was a good start, the urine smell notwithstanding:

We got there early so that I could hang out with the performers...

Then we got into our seats with grandpa...

...and grandma and Evie and my $11 snow cone...

The whole experience got me thinking, with tomorrow being Mother's Day and all, it's about time I expressed my adoration of grandma in some sort of poetic form. So here goes:

Grandma is the greatest, I love her warm embraces,
And when she comes to visit, we see the coolest places.

We go to the museums, and to the circus too.

We hop aboard the metro, and take it to the zoo.

She always keeps me safe, from dangers great and small,

Like cars on busy streets and rare diseases from Nepal.

She gets me books and stylin' clothes, even when I'm acting bratty.

So Happy Happy Mother's Day, and thanks for making Daddy.

Love to all,

Eli