Birds

My posting over the next 45 days will be few and far between. Tax season is upon me and it's all I can do to keep my head above water. The kids are doing great and seem to understand that Mom's stressed out beyond all belief.

But onto more exciting topics. About a month ago we traveled north to McCall Idaho. They have a winter carnival with neat ice sculptures. As we were driving along a river, I saw a bald Eagle come up from the river and land on a tree. I was amazed and shocked. I didn't think they lived this far south. Well yesterday or maybe Friday Jay was reading an article from the newspaper that told us people were seeing Eagles and Golden Eagles all along the green belt. So anyway I thought that was really cool and news worthy.

This morning while I was eating breakfast the pheasant ran through our front yard. I haven't seen him all winter and I was worried maybe he'd moved. But who cares because he's back!

20 weeks

I've made it half way and am still alive.

Just be glad you aren't pregnant too.

Actually I'm really excited about another cute little baby in our lives.

I'm even more excited for winter to end - who isn't in mid-February.

Oh and I saw the baby last week - looks like we're in for another girl!

Surviving

I'd like to post that we've been having non-stop fun this week but really we've just been sick.

A week ago Chas & Jay came down with the 72 hour flu. That totally sucked.

Now at this point all four of us have terrible colds. Poor little Bonnie has this terrible cough that makes me just so sad to hear it. She took a long nap today and is looking a million times better right now.

I suggest if you don't have a cold stay away from anyone that does because it sucks.

Oh on a positive note Chas has said his first word: Scooter. That's our dog's name. He says t all the time now to the dog and it is just so cute.

Tuesdays

Yesterday was one of those amazing days that rarely happen.

I woke up with a goal in mind. I felt like all the crap in the front room and kitchen was beginning to bury my family. First thing was first I had to get rid of the piles from my kitchen. I'm afflicted with a strange disease - I like clean houses but am rarely able to keep my house clean. This seriously bothers me.

So as soon I woke up I began the kitchen tackle. It was amazing how much time I spent cleaning it up, the better part of the morning. Once I got Chas off to a nap it was sweeping and moping time. It's amazing how beautiful a totally clean kitchen looks with the sun coming in the windows. It was amazing.

Not to mention just cleaning the kitchen was great but the kids were totally wonderful too yesterday. I had so much fun with them and I really needed that. It feels so wonderful to be a mommy when you're kids and you are in good moods if even just for one day. What really makes most of this possible is Bonnie's personality change since she's turned three. Everything and I do mean everything has become tremendously better. I had not expected this till she was four because everyone said at three they don't get better. But with Bonnie's ability to communicate to me her needs, everything is better. I really realized this yesterday with her ability to tell me when and what she needed to eat and to even tell me Chas was stuck between the wall and my treadmill.

So then it was errand running time and the kids did pretty good for that.

Then we came back and I decided it was better that I begin the tackle of the front room rather than any real work that brings in money. So I got almost everything picked up in the front room. Just needs to do a little vacuuming and I'm done!

Just to add a cute photo. We traveled up to McCall, ID to see the winter carnival. They do this every year and they have ice sculptures and what not. We had a really fun time with the kids. We packed up the wagon and the sled and just took them all over the city. Some of the ice sculptures had slides and bridges and if you can imagine those were a hit with Bonnie. This is a photo of Jay, Bonnie, and Chas in front of a sundae.