Spring Break - Where?

All I can say is that so far this hasn't been much of a spring break! Yesterday was overcast with a touch of rain and pretty dreary. Today, downhill from there.
Not only was it dark and dreary when I awoke but it was pouring rain! I have three boys in the house that really need some outdoor time! They did go out but it didn't last too long.
Hayden, Tyler and Jonathan were back in with their light sabers in a matter of minutes. It was quite breezy and the breeze was pretty cold.

Trying to catch a picture of the rain drops.

I don't know why I took a picture of some of my yard creatures but they just looked so cold and sad. The poor kitty is just all hunkered up, probably fighting off a big chill.

The bunny just looks plain frozen to death! He really puffed himself up!

Now things really took a turn for the worse. Believe it or not we started to have a slight BLIZZARD! Yes, you heard me right. It started to snow and blow and howl outside! I almost couldn't believe my eyes. This is a picture out of my kitchen window.

It's hard to pick up the snow but it was coming down. You could see how hazy it appears in the background. For some reason at this moment I was thinking of a wonderful phone call I had earlier in the day when my daughter Hailey called me from Arizona where she is visiting Kurt's brother and his family with Grandma and she had mentioned something about it maybe being in the 90's today where she was . . . also some story about sleeping by the pool for a few hours and getting a tan yesterday. Hmmmmmm.

Yes, that's really snow! You should have seen the size of the flakes - almost quarter size I would guess.

This was the only thing I could do to keep myself from crying . . . nothing like a nice, hot bowl of Tuscan Soup when you're in the middle of a Spring Break Snowstorm!

Award and Surprise!

Tyler knew he had an award assembly he was going to on Friday the 26th and he knew he was going to receive an award for Caring/Friendship but what he didn't know was that his Aunt Pat jumped through some hoops at work so she could get some time off and surprise him on his big day!
And was he surprised!
Not only did she stay for the assembly but she came with us to his classroom for a little while and then we all had lunch together.
Tyler was very excited!

After having a nice lunch with a small group of very chatty second graders, Tyler entertained us a little with showing us how to play the game Pepsi out on the blacktop.

Here's Tyler with his best friend from school, Noah. This kid is really sweet and can talk the ear off of you if you aren't careful!

Right after that we had to get going because Pat had only gotten a few hours off of work but I think it was worth it for all of us. We all had a great time and made some wonderful memories!

Jenna !

Tyler and Jenna love to visit with one another! Sad thing is that my brother and his family live 2 1/2 hours away. Not a trip I can readily make but Jenna and family come down when they can and Tyler can't contain his excitement!
Ray, Cheryl and Jenna made the trek down this way a few weekends ago. Sadly Ray became ill and didn't get to visit but Cheryl and Jenna still came and hung out with us for awhile.
It was nice to sit and chat on a beautiful First Day of Spring.
Hailey took some nice pictures of Tyler and Jenna enjoying some time on the trampoline.

I just love the expressions on their faces . . . these are so fun to just look at!

I think Tyler is trying to be one of those Russian dancers!

It was a nice time for everyone!

Just In Case You Wanted To Know . . . .

This is the letter they send home with your child to give to you when there has been a bomb threat at your child's school.



In case you want to know, no bomb ever did go off.

Juris

This is on a sad note. There is a gentleman who is a member of the congregation in Tacoma who has been battling cancer. Recently he was given 2 weeks to 6 months to live.
His name is Juris and I have known him for almost 18 years. He was always one of the first people to come up and say Hi when we were having a multi-congregational meeting. I always remembered him because he had a slightly different accent, a hearing aid and I thought his name was so unique. But he always took the time to shake your hand and ask how you were. He is very quiet and very kind.


At one of the Church babysittings I spoke with another babysitter and came up with this idea of making Juris a "paper quilt" with pictures the kids would make. We wanted them to draw things that were bright and cheery so he could hang it on his wall for the days where he was too tired to get out of bed.
The kids really made some great pictures and I hope that it brings him a lot of joy.

Tyler thought this was neat

Tyler is fascinated my misshapen food.

Watching Shilo :)

Since I don't have any babies any more I actually find it "fun" to watch babies now. Especially if it is for short periods of time where they are mostly happy, have already been fed and changed and are in the mood to play!

We had the opportunity to watch our friends little girl Shiloh, who is about 7 months old. She enjoyed herself I think. She was surrounded by people who wanted to play with her.

She really had a good time - don't let this picture fool you . . .

The boys love babies! Hailey didn't get to see too much of her because she went somewhere with Kurt but she gave Shiloh a big hug before she went.

We had a lot of fun and I was glad to see her go (tee hee) . . . babies wear you out!

Progress . . .

I would love to say that I am almost finished with the "Three Generation" quilt that I have been working on but sadly to say, now that I have learned more about quilting, I think the hardest part is yet to come.

I have pieced together all the squares that my Grandmother, Hailey and I have put together. I have finished the top, added the batting and the backing and have created the all popular Quilt Sandwich.
Now what is left is actually doing the quilting design - this is going to be the most time consuming. I am actually in the process of basting the three layers together and that is a work in itself. The only "out of the way" place I could find that would fit this process was my bathroom floor!
I put a few lines of basting in but have many more to go but had to put it up because life got in the way :) .

I hope I will be able to finish it before Hailey is in college!

The colors on it are so beautiful. I just love it. But I am sure when I am finished NO ONE is going to touch it!!!!! I have really developed a deep respect for the women who quilt and it makes me think about the pioneer women who had to make these for their families in the midst of all their other daily work. Wow!

The Winds of Change . . . .

Have you ever had a time in your life where you just feel that things are changing, shifting in a different direction? It's weird but I have had just that kind of feeling lately. It's almost like when you are single and then you get married . . . big shift. You've been married for awhile and along comes the first baby . . . big shift. I think it is just that family dynamics are changing and it just feels weird.



Hailey is waiting for her acceptance letter for driver's training . . . HUGE shift. We are also waiting for her to be accepted into a different High School, the Meridian Medical Arts Charter High School where she is going to to be making a big step toward her career into the medical field. . . another big shift. She is going with her Grandma to Arizona and she will fly back on an airplane for the first time . . . another big shift. She's growing up!



Hayden has decided he wants to be home schooled next year. This is also not only a big shift for him but also for me but I can see so many possibilities to let him grow in his studies at his pace where he will have the opportunity to get as far ahead as he is able without being held back by class schedules. I am truly excited for him. He is very bright and I think this will open doors for him. He's becoming a young man.



Tyler is going to be eight soon. I am not sure why but it seems to be so different from 7. He is not so tiny any more (actually, he is finally growing!) and he is truly becoming a big boy which is a little hard for me. I don't think I will get away with little nicknames like: my little fluffy muffin and spankalicious any more. He is starting to do that thing where he doesn't want to wear his coat anymore to the bus stop. Big Shift. The apron strings are almost transparent here.



I think what it comes down to is I am getting older and so are my kids. Their needs and mine are changing. . . I think of what it will be like when the kids are grown up and have lives of their own. Will Kurt and I have anything left to talk about without the kids' shenanigans (tee hee hee)?
Only time will tell . . .