Lucy's ballet and the month of May

Lucy was Lovely today

Lucy performed this morning in a sweet ballet recital. Much time and effort had been given for her to have an 'authentic' ballet experience, with lights, proper use of ballet terms, a beautiful costume and a lovely ballet teacher. Because of the odd time of day (9:30 a.m.) I was the only 'Lucy Fan' in attendance. I was to record the entire recital for the family to watch. I remembered the camera, and had even put it in the car on my first trip out this morning to drive the kindergarten carpool.

but I forgot the extra battery.

Very little of Lucy's grace and beauty were captured for posterity.
I shed a tear and texted John:

'May stinks so bad...'

you see, last night was Molly's kindergarten program. We used the battery (and the memory card) to film her (and we were SO PROUD, she was awesome!). Because the program ended after bedtime, we rushed home and went through the bedtime routine-and because it was Mason's birthday, we added a cake cutting and tasting to that routine. And because it was Mason's birthday and I wanted to be 'all that' to Mason, I had taken the time to bring popsicles to Rugby practice and had NOT taken the time to make sure Molly had done her nightly reading for school. So while I cleaned up (partially at that) the birthday cake and dinner dishes (which had gone undone so we could get to the program on time) John had done the painstaking nightly reading duty. And then there was the ballet costume to assemble (where were the ballet shoes?!) before I could sleep. Instead of my morning work out I did a load of laundry and a load of dishes, and I was stern with the kids to get their morning chores done before they skipped off to school and.....

you see what May is like?

I've been involved in a weekly 'boot camp' of sorts to get ready for triathlon season. As part of my training I've been swimming, in a group, with a coach. Sometimes the coach yells that we should only breath every 9 strokes as part of a training drill. With the group in the water in front and behind and to the side of me, I often come up on the 9th stroke, completely gasping for air, only to get a gulp of someone else's wake. That is what May is like.

Lucy was a beautiful dancer today. And she will have recitals in her future which will include flowers from her father and kisses from brothers, sisters, grandparents et al. And this May, like the others, will pass. But mornings like this one leave me truly pondering if its worth all the gasping and groping for air in order to make it to all that we've opened up for our children to do. Some times I think we might be happier than we think if there were fewer recitals and more time for nightly reading. Less gasping for air and more growing in the garden.

Until I know what to do I'll gasp my way through May. But sometimes I think if I'd stop and breath I'd hear a whisper telling me that our family can slow down and still be happy. We could do less and enjoy more. We can be simple and still sophisticated and educated. Calm and Creative. More able to breath together....

Sixteen today

He is as excited about this birthday as he is a trip to the dentist. He, my 'Peter Pan' child, who does not want the responsibility of growing up at all cannot escape the milestone birthday.

We have 3 summers left. And before they pass we will have driving tests and double dates and AP tests and life lessons. I think he is ready for all of it..

Today we celebrated with gifts and cookies for breakfast. a greasy burger delivered at school for lunch, and tonight a rendition from 'happy birthday' as only the Highland Rugby Team could render: kia Kaha! On Friday we host a blowout bash in the back yard (bless the weather change!). Episodes of 'Psych' and lots of food and a firepit and a few pineapples (inside joke to any Psych fans). Girls and boys will attend-new territory for our family and new territory for Mason too.

Happy Birthday Mason. I love you more than words...

Easter in Review

easter egg hunt held in the front yard after church

Molly is thrilled with the treasures found among our newly planted flowers

each year the children plant an annual blooming plant as a reminder that new life for all was the gift of Easter.

purple dresses for the girls, but nothing of the sort for the menfolk. Our days of looking perfectly matched on Easter Sunday are behind us now that we have an almost man for a son

Easter seems like a year ago. Time kind of stood still this week while I spent it with my buddy Susie from our old 'hood in Boise. She helped us re arrange and enlarge (with the use of new furniture and great organization) the girls' bedrooms. We also painted the entry of the house, which I will gladly show off to you later.

Easter night was her arrival.

We spent the day so comfortably. We decorated eggs with the kids, and enjoyed our yearly tradition of planting perennials in the garden on Easter morning. We had beautiful sunshine during our planting, warm light on our faces and glad hearts as we dug in the dirt.

Easter this year did NOT bring lots of matching sunday clothes. The kids (my teenage boy mostly) refused to 'look like a Christmas card'. so no pictures of us dressed in our Sunday best.

Such a reverent day. Spent so happily together.

We are Home but You are Gone...

I had to crop this picture to avoid the woman in the string bakini!

The kids watched more of 'the Suite Life' than I care to admit. After playing at the pool all day, they crashed in front of the tv while Mandy and I talked and talked

new books from the bookstore were quickly opened at an impromptu read-a-thon. I'm glad that reading is part of relaxing for our children.

Dear John,

We got home safe and sound, and it was a hard re-entry from sunny swimming pool weather to cold wellie boot weather. But This morning the sun is shining, tho no shorts or flip flops will be worn as the temperature is still chilly. I'm sure you are extra cold, up in the mountains at your scout Woodbadge training. I hope you are keeping all those 'no electronics' rules; I think that would be a lovely mandate; unplug for 3 whole days-even if it means I don't get to hear your voice until you come home to us this weekend.

We had a great time in St. George, and I'd highly recommend we do it again. Only next time, I want to go with you...watching our kids laugh and giggle (and complain) is more complete with both their parents present. Plus, I think I could beat you at shuffleboard-Molly and I had a go at it and I was pretty good.

The house was lively this morning with Primary presidency meeting and all our kids home, not to mention singing practice all at the same time. Mason and Bryn had to weed the front flower garden-you would have thought I'd asked them to amputate their own toes. The job was done in30 minutes, but for all their complaining it could have been 20. Am I missing something, or is it harder to raise teenagers than to raise toddlers? Or do the teenagers actually become toddlers again, only wrapped in bigger bodies? Anyway, the house now hums with the sound of electronics-every tv screen and computer screen we own is currently employed with one movie or video game or another. Friday IS screen day; and the kids have taken that mandate to heart on this their last official day of spring break (I am not pushing them out the door either, as I've explained above that the spring break weather we came home to doesn't exactly measure up to SPRING).

I hope your three days of training is a fantastic experience. I'm so glad you have taken this chance to develop your talents and abilities and to prepare yourself to serve others as you are uniquely qualified to. I miss you, of course, but it is always endearing to see the one you love stretch and grow and become even more to admire, respect, and adore.

See (and kiss) you when you get here,
Katie

We are Chasing some Sunshine...

It is spring break at the Spruces, but it hasn't felt much like spring yet...winter has hung on far too long, so we've gone to chase some sunshine in Utah's Dixie (why do they call it that? Does anyone know?)

Some of the kids and my sister and her kids and I spent the better part of the day by and in a swimming pool, with blue skies and the perfect breeze. Now we are (most of us) sun-crisped and the little ones are sleeping on top of each other in a rented condo on a red-rocked hillside.

John and Mason, the menfolk of our clan, are home. John has church duties this year which require us to sacrifice his vacation time, so he remains dutifully providing for our family. Mason refused to leave his post as team punching bag and stayed for Rugby practices. We miss them.

But we've missed the sun so much this year that we are grateful to see its bright warm face shine down on us for a while.

We'll be back on Thursday. With red skins and white smiles. See you then and Happy Spring Break!

When Life Gives You Lemons...

Our Russian Neighbor wanted to learn how to make Lemon curd. We worked together, stirring and sifting, and talking about being a mother and raising good children. It was a lovely hour spent with a lovely person (plus, Lucy was darling and very helpful, squeezing lemon juice and stirring egg yolks).

This treat has been a family favorite and a neighborhood gift for several years now. Usually John takes it as his Christmas chore, preparing small jars and sending them in the arms of our children to our close neighbors and friends. It was good for me to remember that I can craft this delicacy well enough, its tart but sweet goodness dripping off the back of my spatula.

I love being in my kitchen with my children, my husband and my friends. Its not just that I like food, its that when we exchange conversation as we work together a closeness forms that is unique and true. Friends who have been in your kitchen are friends who know your mess. They see you as you are, and out of your sticky fingers comes something good and lasting to share. 'Refrigerator rights' we call it; the right for a friend to walk in and help themselves. It only happens after you've let others into your kitchen.

3 Frowns and a Smile

The front yard tulips are really taking a beating this year with all our crazy weather

Frown: We went to bed last night to the sound of pouring rain. This morning the tulips were weighed down with snow, only to have it melt and then have hail pelt down instead. This year's April weather has been particularly lion-ish, and I, like a frightened little sheep, want to go and hide.

Frown: Because of the statement above, I am taking some of the family to a climate that is usually much warmer this time of year. Alas, due to upcoming travel obligations for my better half, John will not be joining us. So I will go on vacation playing the part of a single mother. Is that a vacation at all? I pray for warm weather and a clean accessible swimming pool as sun and splash are exactly what we need to brighten sheepish souls.

Frown: I was informed, suddenly, last week that the 'personal trainer' whose services have helped me recover from various sports injuries, has left his position at John's office gym. I am well aware (WELL aware) that it has always been a 'perk' or a 'privilege' to have a trainer for my use through John's employer at VERY minimal cost (we are talking all you can use training for $10 per month. Affordable to say the least). And I have taken advantage of that perk with good result. His telling me he was leaving (that day!) was like a break up of some kind. It hurt a little. I didn't know what I'd done wrong. I wasn't sure where to go next. I'm still figuring it out.

Smile: John wrote me this note:

And since there is no trainer, there is about 23% more of me to love, his note was something to really smile about :)

So Proud of Her...

The trophy's size is in proportion to the amount of brain power it takes to win this kind of award.

Madi has made us proud around here. Last weekend she and 3 of her classmates competed in the "Future Problem Solving" competition for the State of Utah. This means that they spent two + hours in a room at Westminster college figuring out how to solve one aspect of the 'water quality' debate. They had no idea which piece of this large problem they would be asked to address, and so for weeks now they've been meeting at lunch time and after school (with other FPS teams from their school who qualified for the state competition) to study the vast array of information spanning the issue of water quality. They now know how to filter it, protect, use it and how to conserve the water of the world.

This is not a contest for the faint of heart. This takes reasoning, writing and persuasive abilities to match the intellects who are also competing.

At the awards ceremony (which I'd been tempted to skip) we sat and learned about the problems posed to the teams and how they went about solving them. Madi had mentioned something earlier in the day which I had understood to mean that her team had not performed as well as she had wanted. I sat comfortably in my seat and chatted with a stranger, mother from another school who was possibly moving to my neighborhood.

Then Madi elbowed me. I quieted and paid attention to her. She told me her team's number and I listened as they announced the winners.

SHoCKer! Her team WON! Madi WON!

Madi reacted well, huge smile, quick step up to the podium, pictures with her team mates. I was proud not only that she won, I was proud of the way she won too.

This honor means another competition; and international one, in Wisconsin that will take place this June. I hope I'm able to attend. I'm not sure I can send my Madi, mature as she is for her age, off on a plane with her classmates and her teacher and NOT with her mother close by.

She and I are currently 'competing' for how that scenario, that future problem, will be solved and resolved here at home....

Congratulations Madi, I am so proud of YOU!

Finally...

Lucy takes the time to stop and smell the roses any chance she gets. Spending my days with her has helped me learn how to slow down and enjoy life more.

Soooo....things in our family life have been moving along quite quickly lately. I have found myself feeling very behind and not very prepared for much of what faces me each and every morning. Helping with school activities and taking the lead on some additional church assignments, as well as running to keep the kids happy and on time to practices and performances has been challenging.

Dinner nights with my kids, reading to them at night, sitting with them through homework had basically taken a back seat to being in meetings, putting in hours of manual labor in the name of the PTA and trying to serve in my church in a manner that pleases both myself and my Maker.

At the height of the mania, during an afternoon of multi-tasking my scripture study and my dish-washing duty I heard this:

'Let’s be honest; it’s rather easy to be busy. We all can think up a list of tasks that will overwhelm our schedules. Some might even think that their self-worth depends on the length of their to-do list. They flood the open spaces in their time with lists of meetings and minutia—even during times of stress and fatigue. Because they unnecessarily complicate their lives, they often feel increased frustration, diminished joy, and too little sense of meaning in their lives.'

funny enough, that very same day, a friend referenced this very talk, the one I had listened to and heard these words. Then, John mentioned the same sermon, in a post on his own blog. Another respected (an much more popular!) blogger also made reference, all in the very same week.

Could that message have been more clear?

I listened, and I realized that I could take heed to this valued advice. I couldn't just quit in the middle of some obligations, I had to see them through. But I did determine to stop saying 'yes' and instead pace myself and my family so we could think on and take joy in the things that matter more.

Like planting lettuce and spinach and peas in our garden.
Like having my sister over for a few hours yesterday so she could help us plan our garden (and, even more than that, so I could spend time with my awesome sis)
Like NOT staying home from Madi's awards banquet to do laundry or dishes or whatever. I was so GLAD I was there (more tomorrow)
Like having the chance to talk to Mason, even though we were up way too late, and really listening to what he had to say. That is one good boy I'm raising, if I do say so myself.

My school obligations are almost all done, and the extra church jobs too. Here is to the blooming of spring, and the chance to stop a little along the busy way to see the blossoming of the earth and witness its (and my) renewal.

'Lucky Lucy'

an old shot of Lulabug. Happy Lucy, lucky Lucy...

Today I went and got a Pedicure instead of cleaning the kitchen. I had 45 minutes before it was time to pick up the carpool, and I used it to prep my toes for spring and summer footwear.

It seems all pedicurists are Vietnamese. Don't you agree? And when we were in Vietnam, many many women were offering 'pedicure madam?' to me as I went down the street. They walked along the road with all of their supplies; two foot stools, a tub for soaking feet, a little shoebox of polishes and some cotton and polish remover. In their pockets or in an apron, they had their snippers and files and other metal tools. The women in Vietnam are hard workers, and very persuasive, but I never indulged there fearful, very fearful, of contracting hepatitis from one of those metal tools!

As I sat and chatted with my 'technician' today, I told her I'd been to Vietnam. This happens every time I get a pedicure. I can't help myself. I want to ask the women who are lending me moments of beautification where they lived when they lived there. I want to know if they know the place where Lucy's birth mother came from. I want them to know that I love someone who looks remarkably like them.

They always drop their jaw when I tell them I have a daughter from an orphanage. They always tell me I am 'good' or 'kind' and they always always tell me that Lucy is very 'lucky'.

'such a lucky girl'.

It is a knee jerk reaction for me to respond 'no no! I am the lucky one'.

and that's how I truly feel.

Talking to Han as she painted my toes sparkling red made me remember so much about Lucy's coming home. Every day I tell myself that I need to write it all down. I realize I'm forgetting so much as the days and years go by. Her coming was such a miracle. Such an amazing gift from Heaven to me. I want to give other people the gift of knowing what I learned from years of adoption. To shout out loud that children who come into your home are no accident. that a loving God has meticulously planned every parent/child relationship, and given us power and provision to both weather the challenges and revel in the joys of the very specific souls we nurture as mothers and fathers.

I'm determined to spell it all out, novel though it may be. I know its important for me and for my posterity to have a record of how Heaven taught this mother so tenderly about motherhood.

Because whether Lucy really is as lucky as they say, I know I'm lucky for what I've learned in becoming Lucy's mother.

Authentic Me: Active

my second ragnar relay: This one, with girlfriends, in Texas

since my marriage, I think I've run through literally dozens of pairs of running shoes. Used for more than just running, once these are on my feet I feel obligated to make my body sweat

Last summer's attempt at an Olympic length triathlon. I wonder if I'll ever be active enough to do one of these really well. I'd like this to be my hobby-but my authentic mothering just can't give in to the time commitment it requires for my naturally sedentary body to become fast enough to really race.

being active with other women has become a deeply satisfying past time. Erin and I have run two ragnars together. You don't see here Linda, Macy, Annette, Michele, Shelly and other amazing women who have given me miles of conversation and years and years of friendship!

AUTHENTIC: adjectiveAuthentic: 1. Not false or copied; genuine; real
2. Having the origin supported by unquestionable evidence:

I have sedentary genes. My parents do not exercise. Their parents did not exercise, nor their parents before them. It is not natural for me to want to climb mountains, run through valleys or sweat in any amount.

But I am most myself when I am active in my life. I usually have to be working toward goals in order to stay motivated, and someday I hope it is genuinely authentic for me to NEED to be active, not not want to go without exercise, though that day has not yet come.

I'd rather stay in bed, but I don't most of the time.

Some of the most important experiences I've had in becoming who I am involved being active (and even a little bit athletic).

In Jr. High I made the 8th grade basketball team. This involved early morning practices and after school work outs. We played the 7th graders. We won. I, for the first time in my life, was successful at being part of a team. That success led me to 9th grade volleyball. I stunk, really. I was short and slow, but I was cheerful and willing and was chosen to be team captain. It was the first time anyone selected me to be a leader. And it was the second time I contributed to a winning team.

As a senior I tried to become regularly active, I picked up running. I joined the spring track team, mostly to have someone to work out with. I was slow, I was weak. But they let me run with them, and I was a good cheerleader. I never ran in a meet-but I was given the 'spirit award' week after week because I had heart.

And now, years later, I have some what of a track record for being an active person. I wish I could say it was natural. I am still slow. I am still weak. I am somewhat of a whimp in total reality.

But, I am active. It is part of who I am. And I am my best self when it is a regular, daily part of the life that is mine.

Birthday Season Part IV

my favorite find for the party were the paper cupcake holders in pink and green petal. They dressed up our plain white cups just perfectly

fairy wings, tutus and wands were waiting for each special guest

pink, green and GLiTTER were the order of the day

The Happy Birthday banner stayed draped over the threshold for several days after our celebration

cousin Ruby paints her fairy flower pot

little fairies search the garden for treasures to welcome SPRING!

Lucy enjoys friends and fun at her 5th birthday celebration

Our latest installment of Birthday Season! This time, Lucy is lovely as a garden fairy! Lucy turned 5 the day after Madi, though her party was a week before. As this was our 'last little girl' and as she is the girl-i-est girl we have in the bunch, we threw her a frilly, pink, fairy party. Garden fairy to be exact.

The decor included flowers, frills, and lots of glitter. Green gauzy fabric over a bright white table cloth, dozens of fresh flowers and potted bright flowers outside on the porch. Pink, orange and bright green paper flowers hung from the kitchen ceiling. glitter went everywhere; on the table, in the girls' hair and on their cheeks, and all through out the drizzly garden (fairy dust, to start the flowers growing!).

Each party guest was greeted with wings, a wand and a fairy garden skirt. We played 'pass the parcel' simplified for little ones, and had a garden scavenger hunt where treasures for fairies were found all over outside. Flower pots were painted, and zinnias planted, to invite those garden fairies to anticipate the coming of spring.

The chocolate cake was decorated by Lucy; with malted milk balls that took the shape of the number '5'.

Brynley and John were extra helpful before and during the party, as well as two sisters who came and enjoyed with us the fun of a little girls' party.

This was a fun party to plan and think about, because I don't know how many more years of fairy loving are left in the youth of my little girl. I really tried to enjoy the planning of the party in every way, and made it the center of the weekend so that decorating the house and having things just the way I wanted them didn't cause the family too much stress. Everyone cooperated with me and let me enjoy this time for Lucy. It really was her party, but I got to enjoy it almost as much as she!

And now birthday season takes a breather and allows us to enjoy the Easter season. Our next big day is the 2nd of May, when our oldest turns 16. I don't know if his celebrations will include a party, but whatever they are we will work hard to make it a special day!

Life in the Fast lane...

Lucy has learnrned well how to nap in the car. As uncomfortable as it looks, she can sleep in this position for literally hours while I drive kids from one end of the valley to another some afternoons

my pen and pencil stash in the family car; from this stockpile the kids have utensils for doing homework in the car as we drive from swim to rugby and back to the Spruces again.

Life has sped up at the Spruces. This week, along with birthdays, we have seen the beginning of Rugby season and the start of the soccer season as well. My afternoons are now most often spent-big chunks of them anyway-in the car. I've lost completely, on some nights, my time in the kitchen with our kids. Homework time is often spent in the car, with me having younger kids holler their spelling words or reading books at me while I navigate from the front seat.

It has caused me to ponder if all the running around is worth it.

John and I have wanted so much for our kids to be able to have 'experiences' which will help them become whole and happy human beings. Not just hollow souls-but we've wanted for them to have chances to try things, to see what they are on the inside, and to see what they can do with determination and hard work. We are determined that they become whole through service as well, and so some of our hours spent outside of home are filled with service-and we want to pattern for our kids that part of being a productive human being is being part of something bigger than ourselves, so we require the kids to support each other, and to support us while we serve in our church and community.

But there are trade-offs. Homework done in the car instead of by the hearth. dinners made more out of a box at times and less out of the garden. It means mom isn't home; which means that things at home don't run as smoothly. More fighting between kids who stay while I go. Less tidy and more mess. Its a hard trade-off for me.

Last night John asked me what my expectations were concerning time and home. We chatted while we feel asleep, the exhaustion of the race we are running causing us both fatigue. We know its a trade off to have the kids go and do. We aren't sure the answers we have right now are the best ones. The easiest and least expensive solution is to call off all the lessons and teams. To quit in the name of "time at home". It is an option we are pondering, but we don't think its the exact right answer. We aren't sure there is one.

I think with time and thought and prayer we'll find peace in the chaos, or find peace in calling it all off. For now our choice is to try to stay connected as a family through morning and evening prayer, weekly time together on Monday nights, and supporting each other by cheering and clapping as each one performs elsewhere. We are trying to stay connected as a couple with love notes, dates (shorter and farther between than they used to be) and trying to cheer each other on too-there are few things in this world I can't do if I know John is on the sideline, telling me I can do them.

So we'll see how this busy season helps us grow and helps us learn. When early summer comes and its time to kick back, when all the teams and recitals have finished their busy seasons, we'll evaluate how things went and decide how we want them to go in the future.

For now we will just learn to smile through rush hour carpools and late night practices. And try to be cheerful as we help our children grow.

Birthday Season Part III

Madi blows out 11 candles, we can't believe she's growing up so fast!

Gourmet s'mores was a total winner. While the kids LOVED the caramel centered chocolate and the cookies and cream chocolate, no one wanted to put their 'mallow' on a cinnamon graham or an oatmeal cookie. Old fashioned graham crackers were the hit.

purple and yellow soda, I loved passing by this stuff at the grocery store and feeling like I had struck gold...you can tell I get carried away with birthdays, which is one reason a 'friend party' is only produced every other year-

'rainbow tag' remains all over friend Alyssa's smiling face. This game was a riot and we will play it again and again, party or not

The girls loved being by the fire, even with drizzling rain and cold temperatures to detour them. They loved poking at the coals and feeding the fire with new wood. Being outside is so good for KIDS, we need to have them out more often!

Madi's birthday is next in the line up: though her party was a week after Lucy's due to swim meet conflicts...Madi chose a 'happy camping' theme and though the weather didn't really cooperate we had a great time with a huge bunch of 11 year old girls running through the house (and neighborhood!).

I would really like to become a better photographer so I can more 'artfully' capture the fun, but at least it is documented and you'll get the jist of all we had going on over here.

yellow, maroony-purple and silver were the colors...we used stars and balloons and big yellow checkered fabric to set a camping feel around the house. Candles in Mason jars and glittery stars were the 'glitz' that made the night feel like a party. Dinner was served; hot dogs cooked outside and other easy camping fare-and plates were fashioned of disposable pie tins (I loved that!)-fun sodas in the colors of the party were served to every guest.

After dinner we enjoyed a couple of summer camp games: rainbow tag and pass the parcel. Both were super fun, the outdoor tag especially! Even with rain drizzling girls were running and screaming from yard to yard in search of the colored face paint - one for each color of the rainbow. A 'wild card' player was to tag the girls, requiring them to wipe from their faces one of the found colors. We will play this game again and again, it was a huge hit...

For dessert, John got some great fires going in the driveway and the girls enjoyed gourmet s'mores with exotic ingredients. Each girl had embellished her own marshmallow stick (with duct tape and ribbons) and created her own sweet treat. The girls loved playing around the fire and everyone went home smelling like a trip to the canyon.

Of course, we still enjoyed birthday cake and ice cream, though most of that was left with us and tummies were full of sugar already!

A movie was supposed to be shown outside, but weather did not cooperate, so girls spread sleeping bags out on the floor of the basement and enjoyed the show.

When girls were ready to leave they went home with their own flashlight, some 'camp' treats and their marshmallow stick. It was a fun (late!) evening and I had a blast working with Madi to plan the big event.

For Madi's actual birthday we enjoyed green pancakes, made by dad (he was headed out of town that day, so it was a very special treat to enjoy breakfast with him). Our tradition is to open birthday gifts the morning of the big day, and Madi's gift was an address...somewhere she needed to go to find out what her present was. I picked her up at lunchtime and asked her if she wanted lunch first, or her gift first. GIFT was the response, so we drove to the address where Madi discovered that a newly monogrammed 'swim parka' was waiting for her (this is 'essential' swim team gear, a fleece lined water resistant long coat like jacket with a hood and zipper. Swimmers wear this in and out of team practicein the middle of winter with nothing but their suits and flip flops on besides. They are a huge investment and we wanted to be sure Madi had really chosen to invest herself in swimming before we paid the price; she's invested, so we invested). After our little treasure hunt we enjoyed burgers at Hires and a little flip flop shopping at the Mall. Once Madi was completely decked out with birthday swimming gear we returned her to school and called it a day-a birthday to be exact. And a Happy Birthday it was for Madi (and for mom, who gets the great privilege of enjoying these special fun times with her birthday kids).

Murphey's Law

At the end of 2010 John mentioned, a few times, that 2011 would be a 'light travel year'. I was hesitant, the nature of John's profession is that he needs to be elsewhere sometimes. I am very accepting and supportive of this. I understand, and I'm even used to it, mostly. So I didn't really believe him.

Then January came and went, basically no travel.
February came, and I started to believe this year would indeed be spent with John home at night instead of in a hotel room preparing for the next day's meetings.

So, I said 'yes' to some things; big birthday parties, PTA projects, Extra Church assignments.

Then John emailed me that he would be gone. A Lot. In March.

Sigh. March is when all the 'yes'-es would come to bear fruit in the way of places to be and things to be done.

I am doing it o.k. (but the dishes are piled high and the laundry too). It isn't that I can't get it done. I'm not complaining. It is just nice to do things that take me away from home when the other one of the parents who live here is home instead of me.

So here's to Murphey's law; what can go wrong, will. And here's to the truth that even though I can be a one man show, I'd rather be one of a twosome. I just like my husband-ALOT.

Here's to a weekend with John at home, hope yours is a great one too!

the Apple falls not far from the Tree...

Madi is unhappy with her soft sculpture homework assignment

Last night was scouts, dance, swim, rugby and Youth night at church. It was also the Jr. High play, which Brynley thought she would attend instead of church. Quick negotiations brought us to a compromise; she would attend to her church duty, and I would zoom her to the play as soon as her duty was done. This meant driving, driving, entertaining, feeding, driving and driving some more. At one point-to drive Bryn to school, I left the kids eating hot bowls of soup (unblessed) at the kitchen counter. This is the same counter that was strewn with homework material and the morning's dishes (still) not to mention all the birthday party and household supplies that had been purchased throughout the day (Wednesday is errand day, which is why the dishes weren't yet done!).

tiresome.

I got back from driving bryn to the play to find Madi in tears. This happens lots latey; Madi in tears. It is time for her beautiful tall swimmer's body to 'blossom' which means we have crying on a regular basis from the spunky darling. The tears were over an assignment wherein she was required to create a 'tree' with the three branches of government represented. leaves had been created outlining each branch's duties. Brilliant assignment. Madi wanted to execute brilliantly as well.

Madi, like her mother, likes to do things well, and creatively, and center-stage-ly. She had come up with the idea for a 3-d tree (most kids had raided mom's scrapbook paper and had a nice flat tree with leaves). Madi had scoured the house for toilet paper and paper towel tubes and was giving it all she had to make a palm tree appear. Her creation was amazing in her mind-and again like her mother-was not working out in real life as well.

so, the tears.

I looked at the clock. I looked at the dishes. I looked at Madi. I asked her to make a scrapbook paper flat tree.

more tears.

No dishes done. No early bedtime for me or for Madi. Instead there were staplers and double sided tape. With tears still streaming, a mish moshed tree appeared; leaves in their places. Madi was sent to bed.

Then it was me who shed a few tears. Off to bed with no dishes done, floors a mess and counters still strewn with homework. My expectations not met, the clean kitchen, in my mind so beautifully straightened, remained a work in progress. It wasn't how I'd seen it in my mind's eye just an hour or two before.

Like mother, Like daughter

Like a Lion...

at the start of my rudimentary shoveling job.

A very near miss, but it did miss John's red wheels!

hemmed in by the fallen branches, I had to pull forward, then back out to the other side of the driveway so I could free the car of the snowstorm.

When I went to bed last night it was snowing, hard. I even had dreams of school closed for the day (I would have welcomed it, surprisingly). I had dropped my car (4 wheel drive, high riding, gas guzzling blessed Expedition) at the body shop yesterday under blue skies and sunny weather. By dinner I was fish-tailing in John's fancy drive.

During the night it continued to snow.

This morning, at 5, when I got up to work out, I realized most of my strength training would involve a shovel and tons of white powder. I put on some hot chocolate. I did a little exercise. I pestered Mason from sleep so he could be showering for school while I was clearing the driveway so the car could get out.

Some branches had come down during the night. they had fallen, miraculously, all around the car but not on top of it. Tender mercies to be sure. I shoveled and shoveled, and yelled in the house for the kids to get out of bed for school. They made their way in the snow. I cleared the driveway just enough to move the car from under the tree. We got Lucy to ballet.

on our way home, we drove up our old street, to deliver a neighbor's daughter from dance class. After a lovely chat and a keep and our neighbor's amazing home renovation, Lucy was invited to stay. I climbed into John's car, backed out of the driveway, and immediately I was stuck.

I could not believe it. But kind of, I could. I'm no great winter driver, and John's car needs some skill behind the wheel to make it through Utah powder.

An old neighbor saw my predicament and came quickly to my aid. He spent 10 minutes with me, and even recruited another neighbor so we could break the car free of the ice and slush and send it with gravity's aid down the hill. I was so grateful my neighbor had seen me, and had felt the need to help. Tender mercies again imparted.

I've spent the day home, doing laundry and making bread, and enjoying the beauty of bright sun on the snow. This is when my kitchen is most glorious-the sunny day after a snowfall. All that reflection gives me the light I so crave at the Spruces. The sun itself on a day in my house is another tender mercy from Heaven.

The snowstorm came in like a Lion, and was grizzly for me to be sure. But now that it melts under the warm rays of sun it seems to be leaving like a lamb.

Such is the month of March.

Birthday Season Part II

marshmallows and chocolate were delivered with the invite...

r
Lucy's invitation and her candy magic wands...

Birthdays are big at our house. But not every birthday brings a party. We do parties on odd numbered birthday years; and this is one of those years.

Since Lucy and Madi's big days are only one day apart, this month we will be hostessing two very different parties for two darling-ly different girls.

Lucy is turning 5. She is the last, and my last 'little girl'. She wants a fairy garden party. I want to revel in the 'little-girlness' of my last, so it will be enchanting. Invitations were purchased through the TomKat Studio; it all went well accept they didn't put the correct date on the invitation (I had had to change it, they said they would but didn't). Other than that glitch, I'm really happy with the product. You download, print and go. They ask for all the info. and then do it up right. We delivered each invite with a 'magic wand' filled with treats and tied with fairy-like ribbon. Pics of the party will come after party day this weekend.

Madi caught on to a fun and spunky idea; a 'Happy Camping' theme. Once again, we used TomKat, but not for the full invite. Instead we ordered 'cupcake toppers' which we will use in many different ways, for invites, for favor bags, and for a s'mores bar at the party. Ideas are brewing, and many girls are coming-so give me any thoughts on 'camping games' and favor ideas (I'm thinking dollar store flashlights and whistles, and of course a personalized marshmallow stick for roasting around the fire!). We will serve camping food in pie-tins for dinner, play camp-like games and hopefully (weather permitting!) watch a movie outside. IDEAS PLEASE! I could use them and fast...

its our own kind of 'March Madness', fun for me to plan and fun for the girls to enjoy!

The Eagle Has Landed

c


Last Week we celebrated Mason. He received his Eagle Scout award at a Court of Honor. John was in charge. He did a great job (accept for the part where he insinuated that I complain when he goes camping-I don't complain. He just wanted to be funny, and it didn't work out for him...)

Mason has made us proud to have accomplished this task. It was hard knocks to get it done, but its done.

And He did it, mostly himself.

I cried, I felt proud. I felt old. I felt hopeful that this is one of many accomplishments ahead that will grow Mason into a good man.

Congratulations Mason. The Eagle has landed, and now you sit in the Eagle's nest.