day 1

Monday, first day of spring break . . . .

Kirsten: Mommy? When am I going to go back to school? It's taking like forever!

magnificent

on the way home from pre-school, yesterday . . .

K - Mommy, our classroom is MAGNIFICENT!

Me - Really honey! Why?

K giggling - We made kites and flowers, and all kinds of pretty things to hang up. Except for {another child who will remain nameless}, he made a swamp.

love her growing vocabulary . . . thank goodness someone is teaching her! I don't really have time for that stuff! =)

Spring!

I'm not sure, but I think we skipped winter this year . . . because the calendar says March 20, 1st day of Spring! BUT, with that said, we did get to enjoy some BML winter time once again this year. Not the frigid below zero temps we are used to up there, but cold enough to play, play and play some more!

One of the only frozen lakes in the ADK's this year!

Kirsten and Jenny's 1st time tubing at Gore Mt . . . last time we did this Jenny was 6 months old, and I sat at the bottom of the hill with her. Now, things are a bit different! We couldn't keep up with her!

To celebrate the arrival of spring, Kirsten took my camera and took some pictures of what spring looks like through her eyes right here in our backyard. Hmm. . . . lots of weeds . . .

And so we move into another season . . . a season of flowers, gardening, leafy green trees . . . a season of hours and hours of outdoor play . . . a season of new life with the anticipation of a baby cousin . . . a season of God's beauty, goodness and faithfulness.

Remade 2012

Time seems to keep on ticking, and some days I have a hard time keeping up (okay, most days!) One of the "things" that takes up a lot of my time is Youth Group. For 11 years, Matt and I have had the privilege of building relationships with high schoolers and together we have done and experienced some pretty neat things.

It's about this time of year when I think that it may be time to "retire," but then we have a weekend like this and I usually say, "just one more year." We'll see what God has planned.

"He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!'"

-Revelation 21:5a

Innocence or bad parenting?

On the way to church . . .

J - Mom? Is the Easter Bunny real?

Me - Uh . . .

J - Because the kids in my class say the Tooth Fairy isn't real . . .

Me - Well . . .

J - And they say Santa isn't real, but I know he is because he brings the presents.

K - Jenny, not everyone in your class is so smart.

phew . . . Kirsten saves me from that conversation.

S-h-o-p-p-i-n-g

Have you been shopping lately?

I truly do not enjoy shopping. Anything that involves money gives me angst. If I had a money tree in the basement, or could access it through my iphone, I'm pretty sure shopping and I would get along a lot better.

Some people find it therapeutic, I find it stressful. Some people get a thrill out of bargain hunting, I'd rather pay top dollar just to get what I need and get out! Funny thing is, I have even been able to get out on an occasional Monday or Friday morning for 2 hours with NO KIDS! Hard to imagine shopping without children, isn't it? Still, shopping and me are like gin and wine . . . . they don't mix (hmmmm.....concerned about my alcoholic simile???)

So, this morning was one of those occasional Friday mornings that I hit the road with an exact amount of time and some vague ideas of what I was looking for (those of you who are Dave Ramsey addicts, you may not want to read on). Armed with birthday cash and the promise of upcoming warm weather and a baby shower to plan, I headed to Paramus.

Target. I think I enjoy this store more when I am with someone else. Probably because of the one I was at, yuck. Not the contents of it, just that "cold" store feel. My real plan was to pick up a couple of shirts, a pair of pants and SHOES for school. With the warmer weather, the same brown courdory pants and black dress pants really need a time out! And the black ballet flats I have been wearing for 4 years that baby powder just doesn't do the trick for anymore? Yup, time to go! So what did I leave with? A shirt and a pair of pants, candy for the baby shower, and an overdue birthday gift for a friend. Ugh. I had time for one more store. NY and Company. Another cardigan . . . thinking this needs to be returned . . . since my school wardrobe consists of ALL cardigans!! Tangerine and cobalt blue certainly are the colors of the season . . . what did I leave with? Black, grey and khaki. Neat.

Are there "cute" things out there? For sure! Did I spend more time looking at spring clothes for my girls? You bet! Will not buy though until I really get down, out and go through all those hand me downs (guess that means it is time to put away last summer's clothes?!?!?!) Do any of us really "need" more clothes? Certainly not, but the occasional pick me up for the new season I think is okay. But when I walk through these stores, I can't help lately to think we are so caught up in ourselves and our appearances . . . don't get me wrong, I COULD find plenty that I "need" . . . . but that is another conversation for another time . . . =)

I haven't even gotten to my reactions of the mirrors in the dressing rooms. ICK. What is THAT all about?? Who needs a rear view, side view and front view?? No thanks! Is there an app to fix this????

So, I think I'm done with shopping again for awhile. Guess I'll continue to get up and look in my ho-hum closet and pull out the same old, same old. Maybe for next year, since it looks to be I'll be needing to dress up a bit more, I'll have to find myself some personal shopping assistants, preferably over the age of 6.

My next trip is to Michael's, and possibly JUST a shoe store . . . or maybe I'll just go to Ditto . . .

If I do find a money tree, or an app for that, think I will spend it on other people . . . and will stick to my black yoga pants and zip up sweatshirts.