sprucing up for spring

So, what are you doing to spruce up for spring?  I still haven't gotten around to much serious, heavy duty spring cleaning...since we can't seem to get more than one nice spring day in a row!  If I'm going to 'spring clean', I MUST be able to fling open the windows and have lots of fresh air and sunshine.  Without them, I'm simply not motivated.  And then, there's the outside stuff...our backyard and carport areas just get so junked up over the dreary winter months...and I haven't been able to touch them at all yet either.  Though, yesterday, my 3 industrious boys went and, out of the kindness of their hearts to earn some extra cash, cleaned out all my flower beds from dead leaves, etc., and Bryce even cleaned out our little garden plot.  It's now all ready to be tilled and planted!  Yippee! 

As for the inside, it still helped to brighten things up to get out some decor that said "Welcome, Springtime!"  (I actually did this several weeks ago, but have just been really bad about getting a post up with the pics.)

I'm actually most excited about my 'junky' windows that I've added to the living room.

And this little birdy nest!  I was sitting in the livingroom one morning looking out the window thinking, "I think want to buy a little nest for my porcelain bird...", and then, lo and behold, something in the tree out in the yard caught my eye.  A little nest!  I went to carefully inspect, and make sure I wasn't about to disturb any babies or upset a nearby Mama.  Nope!  The nest was empty!  I carefully plucked it out and added to my collection.
A few $1 forsythia branches from Michael's has done wonders as well.  First I used a bunch to make a bright wreath for my door...
And then stuck a few here and there in various sized vases (leftover candle jars I cleaned out) along with some fake purple thingys of some sort that I also picked up at Michaels.  Of course, as I said, that was a few weeks ago, and I get kinda bored easily, so by now they are rearranged and brightening up my bathroom!  That's a lot of versatility for about $5 for all (including the door wreath...)!!

 Of course, now I have all sorts of real lovliness blooming outside that I'm going to be cutting and bringing in, and I simply must get some hyacinths now too...it's a sweet-smelling Easter tradition!  (They're one of my favorites!)

So what about you...what is saying 'spring!' in your home?