Spring Break?

OK, so am I the only one who is going nuts this week? I had all of these beautiful plans to take my children to the zoo, the park, and other various OUTDOOR activities. What the heck happened? We woke up to sun this morning, but it is about 20 degrees outside. Yesterday, in between brief peekings of sunlight what did we have? How about rain, snow and last night, very painfully tiny, sharp HAIL!! Oh Hail!!

I am so grateful to the Lord for blessing us with the moisture we so desperately needed in the valley. What a blessing to live in such a beautiful land rich with activites, freedoms of all kinds with safety and health...

That said, I am feeling totally jipped of my spring break! I couldn't even spring clean because I had already done most of it last week when our family was coming for the weekend. (Did I actually complain that I don't have anything to clean?) And on top of it all my kids have had croupy, phlemy coughs all week. I make note of all these critical feelings here because this is my family journal. I will look back on this years in the future and probably laugh at myself...maybe.

I have to stop writing now, my kids are screaming at each other. I think we are all getting cabin fever... Too bad I don't have a cabin to have it in...

This picture was taken two weeks ago when we, anticipating spring, made bird feeders out of Crystal Lite canisters. This week's freaky weather washed off the peanut butter and seed, of course.

I'm making Doup!

Our oldest has had so many exciting things happening in his short little life, that I have neglected to share with you all how equally wonderful our youngest child is. He recently informed me that his favorite things are "pi-wrates" and "skewetons." He loves to play with his "guys," various small figurines that he takes to bed, in the car, and anywhere else we will let him.

Somewhere along the line, we have failed to inform him that he is younger than his brother. He has to do everything the "elder" one does. Which accounts for the more frequent bumps and bruises.

The most recent hilarious thing he told me was just this morning. He and his brother were playing in the bathtub, which usually last for about an hour, and he slipped on his bum and briefly went under the water. When I quickly righted him, he insisted on getting out and screamed, "I drownded!!" I kept calmly reassuring him that he really had not drowned. Poor little guy...

He also loves to rock out, a trait you all know he gets from me. At the McCall Winter Carnival he jammed near the stage of a live band. The area by the stage quickly became a mosh pit for toddlers and he quickly returned to mom and dad.

He is quite the little gourmet as well. He loves to "cook" and frequently makes "doup for Donah," (soup for Jonah).

Perhaps the most wonderful thing he does is when he tries to sign "I love you." Instead of the usual sign, he makes the "ok" sign with his little fingers. It has become our new way of saying "I love you" as a family. And so I say the same to all of you tonight. Sweet dreams!!

It is only the beginning...

Well, like most of my journal writing, I've become a slacker. So many things going on, so little blog time, right? However, I would be remiss if I did not make note of a momentous occasion at the Sutherland house. Our first born, our offspring, one of the lights of our life, J, registered for Kindergarten last week. We are so excited for him, but we realized that this is only the beginning of an 16+ year journey for our family.

He was quite the little man as he went to each station and showed how he knows the basics: rhyming, letters, numbers and the like. Too bad they didn't have a station for storytellling, paper crafts, math and writing. He would have aced them all. We tried not to notice that the "welcome to Kindergarten" t-shirt he received went down to his knees.

Well friends, its the beginning of the end. No more going on vacation whenever we want (like we ever did that in the first place) or sleeping in during the week. Hello to schedules, homework, sporting activities and fundraisers.

Actually, I'm pretty excited. It will be a fun new chapter in our family's life and we are going to hit the ground running. J is going to do great and we all can't wait to hear about his new adventures at the "big kid" school. Good luck. You're a Big Kid now!!