Seriously, half the year is almost over?!?

Wow! Can you believe it? In 4 days we will have marked the halfway point of 2008. That is unbelievable. Time just seems to slip by without hesitation. For example, it seems like just yesterday, that I was anticipation the birth of our second child, Miss K. Now, in 10 short days she'll be celebrating her 3rd birthday. Seriously?!? 3 years already?

Miss K is so excited to celebrate her birthday. She's been talking about it for a while now. Her one request has always been that it's pink. Pink cake, pink ice cream....she'll all about pink. Also, that her friends and brother be there. Yes, she does include her brother on the list of invitees. It changes from day to day if she wants her parents there. =)

Her 3rd birthday will bring about a few changes. The first being, no more pacifier. We've talked to her about it & she sounds fairly confident in being okay with it. I just hope it's as easy as it sounds. I have a feeling without a "plug" we'll have to quiet her and her brother's chatter twice as much at bedtime.

The second is potty training. Ah, yes, the joy of training a child to use the toilet. We've been trying off and on for a year a half to get her excited about this venture. It's failed to fully caoture her attention though. I'm hoping with the arrival of being 3, she will get excited about being "big" and show an interest in the process.

My has my little girl grown. I'm SO proud of her.

{New Born}

{1 Year Old}

{2 Years Old}

{3 Years Old...almost}

Love you baby girl!

With Record Snow, Comes Record Water

Here in the Inland Northwest we received an insane amount of snow this year. It went on and on and some of us even questioned whether it would ever stop. Alas, it did, but not without consequence. Spring has finally made it's enterance here and the snow has begun to melt. With that the rivers have been rising, and rising, and rising. The Spokane River, in particular, is above flood stage.

I say all this because Troy, the kids, and I decided to go see this water everyone's been talking about. I've been telling myself, "It's the river, big deal, what's so impressive?!" Impressive is an understatement when you get there. It's a completely intense experience. Some of the places we played last year, are 10-20 feet under water this year. It's hard to wrap your brain around the volume of water going by per second.

Well, pictures sometimes speak louder than words, so I hope these do justice. 2007 pictures will be posted FIRST, then followed up with pictures from this weekend:

The Suspension Bridge 2007

The Suspension Bridge 2008

The family playing at the river's edge 2007

The river's edge 2008

The Bowl & Pitcher 2007

The Bowl & Pitcher 2008

Weekend Recap

This weekend we had our family in town from Madras, OR. They happen to be two of our favorite people, Troy's parents!

Saturday was pretty low key. I had to serve at the coffee bar for church, but then we met up and had dinner at one our new favorite restaurants: Top o' China Buffet. I know, I know, you're probably thinking 'how good can a buffet really be?' Trust me on this, it's some of the best Chinese food we've found in Spokane. It get a little bit of everything at a pretty decent price.

We watched Accepted for the second time in 2 days Saturday night. I didn't have high hopes for it, due to the actors cast, but it's a good flick. Yes, it even warranted watching it twice. It's message is a good one: Just how much is our current education system serving our college bound kids? Next time you rent a flick and grab some popcorn, consider this one. However, beware of language content. It drops S-Bombs all over the place, but once you see the film you'll understand.

Sunday was Mother's Day! Happy Mother's Day to all you mommas out there. My kids (and husband) cooked me and my MIL breakfast. It was delicious and very sweet. The kids worked hard and are already planning what they'd like to cook up for their dad on Father's Day. The kiddos also colored cards and DH bought me a rose and a nice card. It was a good morning.

Once the day was going we decided to pack up and head to Cabela's in Post Falls, Idaho. My father-in-law, Carl, hadn't been there yet and the kids love to see all the animals. If you haven't been there yet, there are a ton of animals on display there from Grizzly Bears to Polar Bears to Trout to Tuna. The kids also like testing out all the tents set up. This trip we also pressed pennies as a souvenir. Oh, and Ty also got to replace the bobbers for his fishing pole that he lost while practicing casting a few weeks back.

That was the gist of our weekend. The father-in-law has head back to Madras, while my mother-in-law gets to stay with us for the week. Yay! We all love extended visits with our family members.

Hope you all have a blessed week!

Friendships

Proverbs 27:9 from The Message Bible says, "Just as lotions and fragrance give sensual delight, a sweet friendship refreshes the soul."

God has brought many people in and out of my life. Many of those have been there for a short season, while others have become like strong pillars - supporting me through all the good and the bad. I am thankful for the blessing of each one of those people (whether their stay long or short one in my life).

For those people who are my friends for the long haul, they truly do refresh my soul. From my mom to my girlfriends and everyone in between, I am surrounded by people who lift me up, dust me off, and pour into me. These people have taken the time to truly know me, my intentions, and my heart. They look past my imperfections, and take me as I am.

Thank you to all who have come into my life, especially those who have decided to take root - I hope your stay is a pleasant one.

Much love,

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Simple Signs of Spring

It's been a long winter here in the Inland Northwest. In fact, some days it still feels like winter. According to http://www.weather.com/ the high for the next 10 days will be 58 degrees & the low will drop down to 26. They threaten snow on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Most days the kids still wear their winter coats and occasion they ask for hats and gloves, too. In the morning we still scrap ice off the cars and wake up to the ground being covered in white due to a passing hail storm.

Despite all of that, Spring is still making simple (sometimes little) signs of being here. While the kids are napping today I went out front to see what's deciding to come our regardless of the chilly weather. Here's what I found....

In my front flower bed, my tulips are getting great foliage and are budding. I suspect they will bloom in the next week or so. There is also another sweet blooming flower that most would know the name, but alas I do not. I will never fool you into thinking I'm a master gardener.

Last year I dug up lilacs out of my friend's, Melissa, yard. They were just sprouts, so I planted them along the front of my house and hoped for the best. They were pounded hard by snow this winter, so I didn't give them much chance for survival. However, they've pleasantly surprised me and are budding quite nicely.

Along the side of my yard is a bush that blooms white in the spring and then turns fire red in the fall. Again, I won't try and fool you, I have no idea what it is - other than beautiful. This last weekend I trimmed it up because it was getting obnoxiously tall and spilling into the neighbor's yard. At the time, there was no signs of new growth. Today there are little green buds all over it.

Finally, our 2 cats (Buddy & Princess), have started to venture outside. This isn't a great surprise when it comes to Buddy because he comes in and out of the house all year long. It's Princess who is showing signs of progress. When our front door is open she will sit just outside the door. She doesn't venture too far, for fear of being stuck out in "the wild". Staying true to her name, she must be near her servants (read: "us") and the comforts of her palace.

I'm so glad that to have Spring upon us. It's been a long time coming & it's never here long enough. Before we know it we will be in the middle of a sweltering summer, begging for old man winter to make an appearance again. It's a never ending cycle. . .

Top 10 Reasons My Mom is Awesome!

10. My mom is an open book to me. She has shared so many stories, from past and present, that I don't think other mom's would share with their daughters.
9. She drives a car (Mitsubishi Eclipes) that most 20-somethings would be envious of and rocks out loud on her Rockford Fosgate.
8. Although happily married now, worked hard a majority of her life as a single mom to make sure I was taken care of.
7. Is beautiful - inside and out.
6. Can laugh with me about the most insane things - I'm pretty sure my dad and husband thing WE'RE insane.
5. Is giving - emotionally, physically, spiritually...
4. Will still let me curl up next to her while watching a movie. If I could still fit behind her knees I'm sure I would.
3. Finds time to talk to me nearly everyday, which when living hundreds of miles apart is priceless.
2. She is proud of me and lets me know it - I never have to question it.
1. She loves me and my family, endlessly. She adores her grandchildren and has welcomed her son-in-law to the family with open arms. Her love overflows.

Momma, I love you to the moon and back!!

Love,