For the girl who loves birthdays more than anyone, there is a lot to live up to for the big day.  Luckily, this year Emma's 5th birthday fell on a Sunday, so we ended up celebrating for 4 days!On Thursday, I got to go to her preschool class and read her [current] favorite book:  Henry…

 We got the good news Wednesday that Zach was asked to carry a country sign for his school program… for Eretria.  Have you ever heard of it – we hadn't!  Zach informed us that it is by Sudan.  And he was thrilled.  And we were all invited to his school diversity concert to see him…

It was the end of Emma's block of dance classes, and the day she got her costume for the recital.  It was so fun to see her in class, she radiates joy when she dances.  And she's a beautiful ballerina, to boot!Download IMG_0205 Making her window… Frog jumps… Miss Tanya's crazy marching!    

 Rarely are they all found playing something together, nicely.  They were so cute and having so much fun.  It was priceless.  Can you imagine the joy if there was always love at home?!

Here is Emma's debut on the bike.  This was the first afternoon… and she is getting better every day!  This is the only video we have, however… so it will have to do.  Download IMG_0194

 The Saturday family project… trimming the too-low branches off of our huge oak tree, chopping them up, and hauling them to the backyard for summer campfires.  Everybody helped.  Zach wanted to know if they got paid for it, which allowed me the opportunity of relating my many days as a kid spent hauling firewood to…

 At a spring celebration last week for Emma's preschool group, she won a prize!  Can you guess what it was?   Proof that it doesn't matter what it is… a prize is still a prize.  We were all pretty excited!

I think they should give you a treat for grocery shopping.  Instead they make you pay.  Usually a lot of money.  So much money that I never buy myself a treat.  Well, except for those bags of chocolate chips… and so the groceries sit in the bags waiting to be unloaded while I sit here…

Here, after stomping in the gutters… after a few days of soggy shoes from our trips to the bus stop, we ordered him some rain boots – and then dug out Emma's girly ones until they arrived.  Now he actually has to rotate between them because he soaks them every time he goes out.  I…

 What a welcome sight… no snow in the picture.  Everyone here is out on the deck (because the grass is still so soggy!) watching a balloon that is caught in our tree blowing in the wind.  Fresh air, warm sunshine, the smell of grass, no coats… and of course a Sunday nap coming right up.…