sadness with job well done.

We had parent teacher conferences this week. All of the kids are doing so well in school. I am amazed. With moving, and both Jeff and I working, we don't know if we are coming or going. Emery's teacher sent home this poem and as I was reading it I couldn't help think about how quickly time flies (and sheddin a few tears). I have three in school and it really seems like it has not been that long since I had three in diapers and wishing for time to fly so they would be just a little bit bigger. I will never say that again. I would do it again in a minute.

I see children as kites.

You spend a lifetime trying to get them off the ground. You run with them until you're breathless. They crash...hit the rooftop...you patch and comfort, adjust and they'll fly.

Finally they are airborne. They need more string and you keep letting it out. But with each twist of the ball of twine there is a sadness that goes with joy.

The kite becomes more distant and you know it won't be long before that beautiful creature will snap the lifeline that binds you together and will soar, as it's meant to soar. And you know you have done your job.

Two New Additions!

Meet the new additions to our family. This is Molly- a Guinea pig.

This is Penny, also a Guinea Pig. Molly and Penny are new friends.

We really like Molly and Penny.

Penny needed a new home her family moved out of state. Jeff and the kids frequent the pet store to buy mice for his snake. Penny stole their hearts and they took her home. Penny was given her name by democratic family vote. Majority won. We thought Penny needed a friend so we all went back to the store and Mom picked out Molly. Molly has a Mohawk, and the kids thought that she was not cute, they wanted Penny to have a cute friend, but Mom said everyone needs someone to love them. Penny and Molly are very happy together. Molly calms penny down and she lets Lilly love her to death, and has not bit her- yet.

Emery says "Mom you were right everyone does need a home and now all I can see is how sweet Molly is, I don't even think about her Mohawk."

Mom says "Of coarse I am right, I am the Mom." Lacey says, "Mom do you know we have 10 in our family"

Mom says "We do?" Lacey says "Yes, A Mom, A Dad, 3kids, a Lilly, 2 guines pigs, Rambo (snake), and Phinn( beta Fish)."

Mom says, "I guess we do. I am glad I only had to deliver 4 of those family members."

Spring?

It is finally starting to LOOK like spring. It has officially been Spring for three days, but it has not felt like it at all. We are ready!Jumping on the neighbors trampoline.

Playing catch with Mom. Not so much fun because Mom really can't throw, but Mason is a good sport. He even caught at least one. I got proof.

Mom caught a couple too.

Group shot. Lilly wanted to be on the tramp so bad but she got bounced around a couple of times and she was done. She settled for a picture.

TOFW

What a terrific weekend! I had a wonderful opportunity to go to "Time Out For Women". It is a relatively new event sponsored by Deseret Book, but organized by some amazing LDS women. What a blast!

This is the girls before our outing. Me, Brooke, Leslie, and Sarah.

Of course we had to stop at Home Depot, because no outing is complete without it. This time it wasn't even a stop for me, (surprise, surprise). Sarah is re-doing her master bath, our Home Depot was out of the tile she needed, but the Issiquah one was not.

Tile is way heavier than it appears to be. We also stopped at the North Bend outlet stores. It was a blast, I should have gotten a pic. of us with our bags, but it seemed to gluttonous. The stage! You can hardly see the grand Piano. Hillary Weeks sang lots and Jenny Oaks Baker, Elder Oaks daughter played the violin- she is amazing. Did you know that she has a Masters from Julliard, WOW!. Ardith Kapp spoke to us, Emily Watts, & Kris Belcher, among others. This was lunch with all the girls from our ward, 10 in all. We ate at a wonderful Brazilian restaurant. I wish I could remember the name. It was buffet style, but these waiters bring out the meat on a skewer, lots of different kinds, and you choose. We all got stuffed. This is us just before heading home. The woman in the orange is Laurel Christensen. She was the "MC" for the event she was so funny. I am so glad I went. I am also lucky that Jeff was willing to stay home with the kids even after I had worked all week. He is such a great Dad! I am so lucky to have him.