Turning Back Time

The problem with being an emotional creature, who must share in an effort to process feelings and move through them, who also has very little time on her hands, is that if I write a crazy-head post, it will sit there for weeks being all dramatic before I have time come back along, smooth things over, and try to convince you that I am still sane and normal.

Actually, I'm not sure, if you know me at all, that those would ever be my qualifiers.  But I'll go ahead and try to earn them anyway.

In regards to my open-heart post below, I still feel ridiculously overwhelmed.  But I have found some small success in an endeavor that came to mind within a week or so of writing that.  It was this: Instead of focusing on feeling alone and how no one can understand how I feel, try to focus on others and work harder to understand how other people in my life are feeling.   Instead, of seeking to be understood, I am seeking to understand.  It's kind of helping.

I'm on Spring Break (actually it's Ava's Spring Break) right now and I swear a week off has never been so anticipated nor appreciated in my whole school-attending life! I am freeeee! I realize now, this is another example of why opposition in our life's is necessary and enriching.  If I wasn't working my tail off day in and day out, a break could never feel this good!

I had a moment to upload my pictures today. The last time I did that was like 4 months ago.  Which means, with any luck, I can take a little trip down memory lane and recap the past few months.


Let's go back to January...

Luke started his first season of basketball.  Even though he's only in 3rd grade, it was really fun to watch.  He learned a lot and we discovered he has quite a natural affinity for it.  

Finn started Sunbeams.  He loved nursery so we were a little worried about the transition but he handled it well and now gets to sing his heart out during singing time.

And I have to document Finn's first people.  May I present...our family!

I can't tell you how much I love these pictures.

Luke qualified for the school spelling bee.  We didn't realize exactly how that was going to go and wished we had put in a little more study time.  He didn't make it into the finals, but he was in the top 25 in the school, which is amazing for a 3rd grader, even pretty amazing to just qualify.  We celebrated with  ice cream.

Finn moved into a big boy bed and ditched the paci on the same night.  It was kind of a big deal.  And he's done great with it.  The next step is to move Jack into his room, but that still hasn't happened.

Dan's first cousin, Amber and her family, ended up moving back here from New York City not long after we moved here.  It has been fun to discover that they are not only family, but wonderful friends.  Indeed, Max's best friend is also his 2nd cousin.  We went bowling one night (Ava hates bowling and stayed home with Jack) and we had a great night!

I turned 35! These beautiful people helped me celebrate with breakfast in bed.

Ava and I went to "An Evening of Dancing Horses" at the National Stock show.  It was super fun.

So fun in fact, we brought the whole family back the next day to partake in the festivities.  

There were a lot of fits in January, including this one involving apples.

Neither of us have time for the gym but a workout can be found in many places.

 My parents came for a little visit, but sadly, I hardly took any pictures!

My bookends,

And as one of Ava's Christmas presents, we three gals went to see the play "Beauty and the Beast".  We were all enjoying it just fine until the end when the beast turned into his princely self and revealed a super old and unattractive man.  It kind of ruined the whole thing.

While my parents were here, they were generous enough to keep the kids while Dan and I took off for a little overnight getaway to Steamboat Springs...