William went to Children’s Hospital yesterday to the orthopedic department to have his legs and feet checked out. When he was a baby, he was bow-legged, and he turned his foot in a little, but the doctor kept telling me that he’d grow out of it. Well, he did grow out of the bow-legs, but he still turns in one of his feet. Since he’s 9 now, I was beginning to be concerned. Off to Children’s Hospital!

The doctor had William run up and down the hall, skip, walk, stand, bend over, lie down, put his legs up, put his legs down, do the Hokey Pokey and turn himself around!!!!! In the end, William’s bones are just made that way, and the bottom line is that it’s not a problem. It won’t get worse, might get better, but NO PROBLEM! Thank you, God!!!

What a great day of celebration!! He is ALIVE!!!

As we left for church at 7:00 this morning, there was a new dusting of snow on the ground, a first for any of our Easters! We still wore our sandals and short sleeves, though. We just put our wool coats on over them. Strange!

We had a wonderful day just hanging out as a family. It was great to see and visit with some of the new families at church. It’s neat to watch a church grow and begin to see people “plug in” with each other. Our Life Group is so awesome, too. The energy at Pinecrest Church is contagious, and it truly feels like home. Thank you, Jesus, not only for Your death and resurrection, but also for the new life you give us here on Earth.

We did our Easter baskets after church and our traditional Easter egg hunt after a LOOOONNNGGG afternoon nap. It was a great family day and the perfect end to a wonderful Spring Break spent together. God has been so good to us, and my heart is full of gratitude tonight.

Here’s a picture of the family after church in our “Easter clothes” -

Before Seeing Their Baskets

And After….

As we drove out of town yesterday, the sun was shining, and the skies were blue in Breckenridge. What a gorgeous day for a field trip to Aspen! Since we’d never been there, and we’d heard what a fantastic resort spot it is and knew that John Denver lived there, we were looking forward to an adventurous day. We just didn’t know how much adventure!!

Rowland drove the 2 1/2 hours west to Aspen while the kids watched “Old Yeller” in the car, and Carson listened to classic rock on his headphones. I talked to my brother for a while on the phone, but mostly Rowland and I visited and sang along to John Denver.

Once in Aspen, we realized that we had placed ourselves smack dab in the middle of the TV show “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.” Looking forward to a little shopping, I quickly realized that my credit limits were too low to even walk into the stores - Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Dior, etc., etc., etc. In the bottom of the cute little diner where we ate lunch, Boogie’s, there was a jeans and T-shirt store having a big sale. While we waited for our food, I went downstairs to have a look around. I found a semi-okay-cute-if-there’s-nothing-else-to-buy yellow T-shirt for $285. Yes, two hundred eighty-five dollars! I did find another T that was almost as semi-okay-cute for only $85. Needless to say, we punted the whole shopping idea pretty quickly!

After a $70 lunch of deli sandwiches, mac and cheese, and cheeseburgers, we walked around town “looking but not touching!” We did find a little T-shirt shop where the kids got a T-shirt or a stuffed animal. As we were headed back to the car, I actually found a Thrift Shop! I knew I’d hit pay dirt in that store!! We excitedly crossed the street only to discover that the store had closed at 3:00, 30 minutes earlier. Bummer!

We drove out-of-town ready to get back to our little cabin in the woods! There was a slight mist in the air, but basically, the drive was quick and easy - all the way to Vail…..We noticed a couple of police officers closing down one lane of a couple of bridges but really couldn’t figure out the reason. The roads were fine, and the temperature was just beginning to hit freezing. At Vail, Hwy. 70 closed. We were about 30 cars back from the closing.

Since it was dinnertime anyway, we exited and went back to Vail for some pizza and a warm place to wait out the road closure. We discovered that a snowstorm had dumped on Vail, and there was a total whiteout on Vail Pass, leaving numerous accidents to be cleared. After waiting for about an hour and a half, we stopped at the police station in town where an officer told me the road should be opened in about 30 minutes. We got in line and waited and waited some more only to encounter another police officer who said that the wait would be 2 - 4 hours.

Immediately, we headed back to Avon to catch a movie with the kids before trying the Pass again. As soon as we exited, Grant called and said the Pass was open. Actually, the nightmare was just beginning. Rowland traversed the Pass excellently, but there were lots of two wheel drives and pick-up trucks not having the best luck. The wreckers were all around us, picking up stuck cars and taking them off the Pass. My nerves were just a little shot, and I knew that Rowland was running on sheer adrenaline.

Field Trip H*** FINALLY ended about 11:30 when we fell into bed. As I cuddled into my husband’s arms, feeling so secure and warm, I heard my 7 year old princess crying loudly. Ten minutes later, after several STRONG words from two exhausted parents, Rowland was downstairs in bed with Jia, and I was upstairs with the frightened (or just spoiled?) princess. So much for a cozy night with my honey!

Good news is that Rowland and Carson hit the fresh powder first thing this morning, and they were pumped! More good news is that the frightened (spoiled!) princess gets to spend some quiet, quality time in her room today!! Happy Day! Happy, Happy Day!!!

We decided to take a few days in Breckenridge over Spring Break. We looked forward to our nice, relaxing vacation away from all of the troubles of the world. In a cozy cabin in the woods, we’d hide away from reality and make some new family memories! Peace at last!!

First, though, the house must be straightened to perfection. After all, Ms. OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) can’t even begin to pack until everything else is “just so.” Once the house is picked up, there’s always some “rearranging” that must be done, something I’ve been thinking about doing but haven’t gotten around to doing. This time, it was moving William’s chest of drawers and bird cage across the room so that the molting bird wouldn’t get feathers on William’s pillow while he’s sleeping (when we get back home, of course!). The chest replaced the drumset so I had to move that into the hallway for Rowland to deal with later. (I’m good at creating new projects while I’m working on an existing one.)

Next task is to begin the hunting and gathering part of the trip. KeKe was back and forth getting the right number of panties, then pajamas, then jeans, etc., etc., for Jia and for her. William grabbed his clothes, along with Carson and Rowland getting their clothes. I got all of mine together and found lots of duffel bags so that all could be packed in the car carrier. Dog toys and food had to be put by the door, litter box changed, food and water for the cat left out in a couple of areas. Then came the tedious task of packing the car. Rowland and Carson were responsible for the packing while I straightened the house once again.

Much sweat later, we were FINALLY ready to go. The trip was a short one, but we did have to make a couple of quick stops on the way, and there’s always traffic thanks to road construction! Several hours after the process began, we arrived at the cabin. All of the beds had to be changed, the bathrooms cleaned, lots of laundry done, a grocery list and run, and clothes and toys put away for the week. By then, it was dinnertime, and Rowland set to work on dinner. Relaxation was right around the corner. I could ALMOST see it!

Then, the phone rang. There was a minor family crisis in Arkansas that needed my attention. (No, Mom, I didn’t mind so don’t apologize again! I love you!) Once dinner was cleaned up, the kids sat in the hot tub, then took baths, ready for the movie, “Daddy Day Camp.” Oops, the return phone call! I was on the phone for about an hour catching up with my cousin with whom I hadn’t talked in a couple of years. Meanwhile, the Daddy Day Camp movie ended, and Mommy had missed out on the relaxing family fun. No big deal since bedtime had arrived.

I was awakened to Rowland in the kitchen cooking pancakes and bacon for the kids. As I lie in bed listening to their laughter and chatter and smelling the wonderful bacon scent, I realized that vacation had begun…..or had it?

Rowland and Carson left for the slopes, and the phone rang again! I had forgotten to cancel the cat’s boarding so Rowland had gotten chewed on by the cat people. Oops!

Another phone call……the burglar alarm at home was going off! Of course, Rowland and I don’t have the phone number of Joe across the street to have him check on things. The police were dispatched, and I called Grant (yes, we owe him yet again!) to go investigate. Grant and Joe met the sheriff and took care of everything at home. Joe had gone in to check on the cat and had set off the alarm accidentally. All was quiet was again.

As I cleaned up the kitchen from breakfast, I noticed a little leak under the new sink. The cabinet had to be cleaned out, dried, and a towel placed on the bottom before all of the “stuff” was put back under the sink. Rowland will have to deal with this one when he gets back!

But for ME……..

FINALLY - VACATION HAS BEGUN!!!!! I’m headed upstairs to lie on the bed and watch my favorite show, “The View,” then I’ll read for a while and probably nap with the girls later. Peace and quiet - until the next thing happens!!

Besides the wildlife already found in our home, we were able to visit other wildlife at the Wildlife Experience last weekend. We had a great time eating at the cafe with monkeys hanging around. The Imax movie was a show about whales which was truly amazing. As goofy as this sounds, I never realized just how big the whales were!! They’re freakin’ huge!!

We wandered around the bottom floor of the museum and were able to see children’s art from this area - very impressive. The kids particularly enjoyed the art, which kind of surprised me. We also played in an interactive area where there were actually costumes you could wear. Rowland, William, and Carson seemed to enjoy this part the best!

As we have an annual membership, we’ll go back and explore the upstairs next time. Overall, it’s a pretty neat place.

William turned 9 on March 1st. It’s hard to believe that the little baby that would follow me crawling all through the house, whining the WHOLE time, has turned into such a big boy. William is a lot of fun, but even more than that, he is an extremely sensitive boy who loves his family. When things get hectic, he always jumps in to try to help get things under control again. William is a very smart boy who does great in school and is a deep thinker. Still, he’s ALL boy, goofy, hyper, fun-loving! He’s grown so tall that he’s almost as tall as his brother now (and his mom! ugh!) with the longest legs in the family for sure!

We celebrated his birthday with our friends Jon and Sam Talbert (from San Jose) visiting. That morning, Rowland made pancakes, then, for lunch, we drove to Evergreen for Beau-Jos pizza. The best!!! Afterwards, we went to Red Rocks, which is always breath-taking. That night, we joined William’s “cousins,” Cooper, Camber, and Cayden (okay, and Amy and Grant, too!) and ALL of us went to Red Robin for dinner. William didn’t quite know how to visually respond to the Happy Birthday song by the waiters, but he definitely loved every minute of it.

William with His Daddy

The Kids Helping Him Celebrate

Baskin Robbins after Beau Jos in Evergreen

Celebrating with the Family at Red Robin

The following Friday night, we celebrated AGAIN! Rowland picked up four little boys (plus William and Carson) at school, and Uncle Grant picked up two little boys (plus Cooper) at their school. (THANK YOU, GRANT!!) They all met two other little boys for bowling, laser tag, video games, pizza, cake, and ice cream. Thanks to Fat Tire, Rowland and Grant survived those couple of hours! (Amy and I had all the girls at home playing, then had a nice, relatively quiet dinner at Noodles. Poor us! HA!)

Brunswick Zone Celebration with Friends

Once the boys came back to our house, we were set for a sleepover, or bunkin’ party as we called them when I was growing up. They watched a couple of movies and ate popcorn. For the most part, it was actually a pretty calm night. The next morning, Rowland went to get donuts (actually, to escape from the house) for the boys. They got dressed and played until their parents came at 9:00. It was definitely a memory-maker for William (and for Rowland and me, too!).

A Few of the Boys the Next Morning

Happy Birthday, our sweet boy! We love you and are so proud of the wonderful young man you are becoming!!! You rock, William!!

Have you ever noticed that when you don’t have the extra money to be out shopping, that’s all you can think about? It makes me nuts!

Anyone who knows me knows that for me, shopping is not a hobby; it is definitely THERAPY! I shop when I feel happy. I shop to make me feel happy! Sometimes I shop because I’m bored and want to have a little fun. Other times, I shop because I want to be alone with my thoughts and disappear into the mall. Honestly, I LOVE to shop, especially by myself. Since it’s been so cold, I haven’t really wanted to get out and shop. I did shop some on the cruise, but I really haven’t been shopping in quite a while - not real, heavy-dutying shopping anyway! The thought of having to drive all the way to the mall (about 25 minutes away) hasn’t been very appealing to me lately. I’ve been very busy and just enjoyed the down time at home when I’ve had it.

The hibernation has ended, and I NEED TO GO SHOPPING!!!! I really NEED it! I NEED some new black mule boots. I also NEED some dark brown Uggs. I’m DESPERATE for a cute Spring/Summer bag, and I know exactly what I NEED. The problem is that for this one LOOOOOOONG month, I’m not able to shop. I knew a girl when I was single who hadn’t shopped for an entire year - not once! That girl is not me. I feel like I need to go to Shoppers Anonymous for the next two and a half weeks. I’ve already made it two weeks on my own, but I just don’t know how much longer I can wait.

I even told Rowland last night that we NEED a rug and some curtains for our living room. Granted, we’ve lived without them for almost a year, but now the situation has become desperate. I don’t know if I can live without them! Rowland reminded me that I had determined that we weren’t going to shop during March. Ugh! Why do my own words have to bite me on the butt? Then, I began to panic. If I buy the rug and curtains in April, I won’t be able to shop for the other things that I NEED to go out and find. It’s basically a search and rescue operation!

All of this may seem shallow, but the truth is, I AM A SHALLOW PERSON when it comes to shopping. It’s therapy! Really! And I NEED A FIX!!!

Rowland and Grant went to Chili’s Monday night for a beer and some guy time. (I don’t really know what that means, but I’m guessing it’s similar to girl time without the shopping, hair, and makeup talk!) Since it was happy hour, Chili’s was having a buy one beer and get the second one for free. After explaining the special to the guys, chickie asked if they wanted a small beer or a large beer. The large beer was only 80 cents more so, always looking for a bargain, the guys went with the large. Once their beers were empty, they asked for their bill to leave. Both beers were charged on the bill. Assuming that there was a mistake, they pointed this out to the chick. She explained to them (an hour late and a few dollars short) that the special only applied to the small beers. Excuse me?

Yes, chickie needs the stupid sign BEFORE she sells anyone anymore beers!

I live in a zoo! Never mind the fact that I have four children (zoo enough), I also have a cockatiel named Misty, a cat named Valentino, and I’m “borrowing with an option to own” a chocolate lab named Sage. (Cricket moved with Natacha to the Dumb Friends’ League - same reason - too dumb to understand where to potty!) The good news is that none of these animals pee or poop on the carpet in my house. They’re also very low maintenance, needing only food, water, and a little attention. The bad news is that none of them really like each other.

Actually, the cat is rather fond of the bird - just not in a very friendly way. He’s always wanted a bite of those pretty yellow feathers. The cat literally hates the dog. He hisses and hunches his back to the near-breaking point when the dog walks into the same room with him. (This situation has improved greatly in the last couple of days, but I’m not planning a “play date” for the two of them any time soon.) The dog hasn’t even noticed that the cat exists except when the cat chased the HUGE dog down the stairs, dog crying the whole way into Rowland’s office. I’ve been consoling the dog for being in a new home with lots of children and activity around. I’ve been consoling the cat for having to live with an enormous dog of which he is obviously terrified. Now, I’m consoling the bird!

A few minutes ago, I was in the basement working out when I heard William’s bird going crazy. I listened for a minute, but Misty got more and more upset. I just knew that the cat had figured out a way into the cage. The bird was frantic! I jumped off of the exercise gear and ran into William’s room to discover that the dog had simply walked into the room. The bird went nuts, obviously terrified of the huge animal. Docile dog was scared out of the room by all of the commotion so I took Misty out of the cage. As I held her up underneath my neck, her heart was beating out of her chest. She was making this crying noise as she dug her little beak and head into my neck. I petted her and talk softly to her until, after about five minutes, she was calm once again. In the middle of my holding the bird, I realized that I WAS CONSOLING A FREAKIN’ BIRD!!!!! That is what my life has come to!

If you’d like to visit the Parker Zoo, admission is free, but please, please, don’t bring any animals with you. This zookeeper is done!