As a bad motorcycle with the devil in the seat

 20. Allow yourself to be amazed by sunflowers all over again.

 21.  Turn 6.  Have a weekend full of parties.

 22.  Go to grandpa's and spend the entire days in the pool.

23.  Swim without floaties.

 24.  Sit on the front porch and swing.  Watch the cars go by.

25.  Eat fried green tomatoes from the garden.

26.  Eat fresh grilled squash from the garden, too.

 27.  Ride rodeo horses with your grandpa.

 28.  Try to touch the clouds.

 29.  Learn to ride the horse by yourself.  (The horse pictured used to be a real live rodeo horse!)

 30.  Reward horse with farmer's market sour apple.

 31.  Visit great grandpas. 

32.  Ride a Harley.

33.  Ride in a car with your brother for hours and hours and hours.  Argue with him.  Laugh with him.  Stop a million times. 

He said, "Let's set up a fort..

Our snow day..

Snow fort..

And, best neighbor award for bringing the kids hot chocolate at the end of our hard labor.

Winter would have no spring

At the start of the week, I could sense Spring.
I remembered what warmth and sun felt like.

School..

Hints from the garden..

And, we started at Flat Eli and Flat Ollie exchange program. We are hostessing a lovely young lady from Nebraska. If you would like to host one of these fabulously polite young men, please let us know. They are free for adventures.

And, then SNOW!

And, therefor, board games with the family.

We strive for the same old ends

Can I just reference one from the archives as I am going back through to label..Proof that sleep happens.

And Uncle Remus can't tell you and neither can Santa Claus

This season I have been questioning the whole Santa story and in particular have been wary about the intricate deceit that comes with the mythology. And, last night, laying in bed with a four year old all a twitter with expectation, I changed my mind. I rationalize the lie. As with many, many things in parenthood, I see the parallels in our relationship with Christ. We are to wait for His return, for His gifts, with anticipation and definite hope. Ollie knew and hoped for gifts and a good day, and I too, have been promised many things for which I can expect. I am thankful this morning for many, many people and things. Most of all, I am thankful as my youngest prances around in a new red robe, and the oldest is wearing a shield, sword, and helmet while playing with a rocket ship, and the new dog sunbathes by the window as if he has lived here forever, and the husband snores a little on the couch after being awake already at 9am for 4 hours, that my life this morning really resembles those shows from the '50s or '60s with the crew of boys and happy family. As a minister told me this week, "I have never regretted believing in Santa Clause." Feliz Navidad everyone. Picture tomorrow maybe.

Santa's bringing a dog! A schnauzer to be exact. I have always considered myself a scruffy-big-mutt-dog girl myself, and then the in-laws got a medium sized non shedding animal, and I was sold. We had to go through an extensive adoption process that involved a home visit and several phone conversations, but I am thrilled. This organization tries to play match maker between family and dog, and really treat the animal humanely until the perfect home is found, so the extra leg work seems worth it. I get to meet Henry, our four year old grey fur ball on Monday. I think the kids will be thrilled.

That every hair is numbered like every grain of sand.

7:25 yesterday morning before school (We leave at 7:30) I enter into the bathroom to see Ollie with spray bottle, comb, scissors, and a smile on his face. There is trail of beautiful, blond, baby hair from the family room to the bathroom. Eli has cuts on his face and very thinned hair. No mom blog would be complete without a similar story.

Let me walk down the highway with my brother in peace..

If not for you, winter would have no spring, couldn't hear the robins sing,

After a long, hard, annoying, nothing going right, rainy day, there isn't anything better than coming home to a back massage aka stand on mama's back session from these rugrats.

Ohhhhh, and today starts SPRING BREAK! YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.