It's that time of year!!

I realized yesterday when I was putting the kids' tennis matches into my phone that it is March, and it is the start of the High School tennis season (hence the birth of this post) and that means that the end of the school year is a mere 3 months away.  As I entered each match, I slowly began to hyperventilate a bit.  

This is not new.  This happens every year about this time.  Don't get me wrong - I LOVE tennis season, and I'm excited to see how Kristin and Trevor do this year as both of them were quite successful last year.  I'm excited because I will see people at the matches that I don't get to spend a lot of time with otherwise and sitting courtside watching our kids play is ideal for doing a little catching up.   And of course, the beginning of March means the daffodils are beginning to bloom, and the forsythia is in FULL bloom and the grass is greening up in the field (this time of year it actually looks better than our lawn!) and it is actually light when I drive to seminary in the morning, and Spring is just around the corner.  Who wouldn't be excited for that?

The panic comes as I realize that another school year has FLOWN by.  That is what I am NOT ready for!  Not that I don't want to have my kids around during the summer, not at all.  One more school year in the past means they are that much closer to graduating.  In point of fact, Kristin is all but graduated.  (Did I mention she is a Salutatorian?  So proud of her!) Senioritis is strong, and she is signing up for housing, and getting a summer job lined up and she has a countdown on her phone to keep track of the minutes/seconds until the big day. Having a senior is my usual panic attack times two - deciding about announcements, planning a party, mentally preparing myself for her to leave, knowing the summer won't go fast enough for her all the time, and for me part of the time (if I'm being honest here!)  I've been here before and survived, but I don't love it, and certainly don't look forward to it.

So, I think to preserve my small amount of sanity, I'd better remember to breathe deeply when the familiar feeling starts, to try to take it one day at a time, and try even harder to enjoy the journey and all the things that I truly do love about this season of the year!  

Along with the calendar entries, I think I better set a few (a lot) reminders of my intentions.  That may be my only hope!!

A Springtime Tragedy

A few weeks ago, on a beautiful Saturday, I spent most of the day weeding around our house.  At the back of the house, in one of the bushes, I spotted this nest.  4 sweet little eggs cozy and safe.  As I showed everyone else the eggs, I would occasionally scare the mama out of the nest, but couldn't figure out what bird would lay such tiny eggs.  Hummingbird was my best guess.  Fast forward about a week ago.  I quietly approached the nest, and there was the mama, sitting on her eggs.  It was a goldfinch.  I was happy to have the mystery solved.                                                    

Fast forward to today.  Another check on the nest brought unhappy news.  There was a hole in the side of it, and on the ground I found 2 eggs that were broken.  As you can see from the picture, they weren't remnants of a hatching.  Something got to the nest, and it didn't end well.  There is still at least one egg in the nest, but I can't imagine Mama coming back to it.  So not only are there at least two destroyed eggs, there is at least one that will languish because of neglect.  So Sad!!!

This reminds me of another Spring tragedy, about 12 years ago, give or take a year.  I discovered a bird's nest with bright blue eggs inside, they were robin's eggs, I was certain.  A few days later, Kristin and her friend, Cassidy were playing outside.  I don't remember how I discovered it, but sometime during their play date, they had found the nest and "moved" the eggs, and in the process broke at least one.  I was heart-broken!!  Of course, they were only about 3 or 4 years old, and in all their innocence told me what they had done.  I'm afraid I got more upset than I should have with them.  As I said, they were just little girls, and didn't mean to be malicious.  I think my sadness was for the mama.  My mother heart broke for the loss of her babies, because that is what would happen to my heart should I lose one of mine.

Of course, this is the way nature works, and there are little tragedies like this all the time.  I just don't like being reminded of that fact.

A Springtime Post

 Spring has finally sprung, and that means a few things.  

 1 - It means Amber is done with her Freshman year.  I headed to Rexburg to pick her up on Thursday.  It was a pretty uneventful drive and I made it there safely and in good time.  One thing I was looking forward to was stopping at Lolo Pass.  Several years back when Chelsie was in High School, I took her to Idaho Falls to play in a soccer tournament.  I remember we stopped at the summit and there was stuff about Lewis and Clark and a monument to Stephen E. Ambrose, who wrote "Undaunted Courage" about the Corps of Discovery.  When I got there Tuesday, I was disappointed to find so much snow (see below), that I just used the bathroom and headed on my way.  No pausing to look at anything.  (Not that I could have found it in the snow anyway!!)

My courage was "daunted" and I didn't stay long.

One great thing about going to Rexburg is getting to visit with Dick and Lynnette.  They used to live here, and have relocated so they can live closer to family.  I can totally understand why they would want to live closer, especially after having just driven 1055 miles in two days, but I would be lying if I said I didn't miss them.  They are wonderful people, the kind who make you feel like you are their favorite person out of all the people they know.  (Of course, they make all their friends feel that way!  :)  but that's just the kind of people they are!  Rexburg won big when they moved down there.  They hosted me for the night, and I repaid their hospitality by making them pose with me for a selfie!!

I had Amber give me some pointers on taking selfies after I saw this!  Clearly I need some coaching!!

Although the drive from Lolo to Lewiston seems like it will take forever - probably due to the 50 mph speed limit for much of it - a view like this is worth the trip!  The bugs on the windshield detract from the river and canyon.  You'll just have to take my word that it is truly beautiful.  There are signs all along the road for hiking trailheads.  I'm going to do a little investigating and see about getting out there this summer for a family hike.

2 - Spring also means its time for prom, tonight!  There was a near Prom Dress Disaster (well not really a disaster, more like a snafoo, but disaster sounds better).  We ordered Kristin's dress from a website based in China.  The delivery date was anywhere from the 8th to the 14th of April.  I told Kristin she needed to come up with a Plan B if the dress didn't come.  Yesterday, we checked the tracking and it was still in Federal Way, Washington. I thought there was a chance it could come today, but when I checked tracking again this morning, it still showed the same status.  Time for Plan B.  She found a dress among our dresses from dances past, and all was well.  Fast forward to this afternoon when I checked the mail.  I couldn't believe it, but there was the dress, just as pretty as you please.  And it it VERY pretty.  After she saw it, she kept saying it was so much prettier than she expected.  YES!!  There was a little modification needed to spiff up the modesty, but I finished it by 5:00.  No worries, Cody wasn't coming until 5:15!! :)  The modification was one of those things I prayed would work out, not knowing exactly what I was doing until I was done!  Whew!! It worked out!!

Kristin and Cody posing for the requisite pictures.

The prom group, a very nice group, if I may say.

3- Spring also means yardwork. We spent most of today doing just that.  I was clearing out leaves from under a bush, when I saw something that looked like a hornet's nest.  I'm so glad I looked again, because look what I found!!!  The smallest nest with the smallest eggs.  (They are about the size of small malted milk Easter eggs.) So tiny and sweet.  The mama bird did not take kindly to me peeking at her soon-to-be-babies and showing everyone else my find.  She swooped out several times while we were walking by her nest.  Sorry, mama!!

And speaking of birds, here is a shot of one of the baby pheasants.  It is less than a week old in this picture and already its are feathers growing.  The past few days, the feathers have grown more, and the chicks try jumping and flying, especially if the door to the brooder is open.  Soon they will be put outdoors and able to use the caged run.  They are growing very fast.  

Is it Spring when???

Is it Spring when....

Trev is shooting hoops as much as he can?

the robins start showing up?

 

the trees start budding out?

the sky looks like this one day...

and this the next???

the daffodils start coming up?

These are all signs of Spring to be sure, but there's really only one sure way to know around this house...

Yep, when John pulls out the fertilizer spreader!  Then we know Spring is here!

Spring Break FINALLY!

Spring Break has finally arrived. Along with that comes a week full of Adventure, Projects, Deep Cleaning, and Fishing.

We normally don't fish, but Trevor likes to, and with a beautiful Spring day like today we just had to go to the park and give it a try. We had good luck, and caught a total of 8 fish Trevor and I wanted to make it a competition to see who could catch the most fish and with the fish biting it seemed like it was going to be a great day for fishing. We had great luck and caught 4 fish in a half-hour. After a while the fish would bite but according to everyone I was paying too much attention to the little 4-yr. old that was catching fish right when he would cast his line. I admit that I was jealous of his skill or should I say his grandpa, that would actually put the worm on the hook for him.
Note: Worms move a lot when you put sharp objects in them.

Trevor Caught this beautiful Rainbow Trout

I caught this Rainbow Trout, and in the middle of the
picture it decides to splash me in the face with
the nasty slime.(see pic. below)

Trevor's 3rd or 4th fish.

The Little Boy that ended up catching the maximum
amount that you can get in a day- 6 Fish.
Note: Don't start conversations that will be Never
Ending!

In all the Fishing Trip was a lot of fun and now that I have my Fishing License, I think that I might have to start fishing more to understand that you have to pay attention to the bobber for when the fish are nibbling at it. I must say tho that I caught just as many as Trev that was concentrating on the bobber the whole time. Unfortunately Kristin was in Coeur d'Alene with her friend: rock climbing and swimming.

The Last Fish Caught that tied the Competition 4-4.
It was small enough that dad told me to swallow it.

Trevor and Dad watching the fish as it is released to hit
the rocks, not intentionally. Fish was unharmed.

The way that Trevor Fishes, and then the way that I Fish.:)

Notice how I have my pole straight in the air. Maybe that is why I
wasn't catching anything. Hmmm. :)


On Monday Kristin and Trevor (after much convincing and bribing) got me to help them build a bridge across the ditch where there used to be a stream in our backyard. We got as many 2 by 4's as we could find and found 2 long pieces of wood as we could find and started to hammer them into the 2 by 4's. After that plan didn't work, we switched to dad's power drill and got the job done quickly. After that we sanded it and made it smooth, and then told mom what we had done. She was impressed that we did it. I must say that the bridge is pretty sturdy and held me jumping on it. It also held all of the kids without it breaking.:) that's a plus.



The Finished Bridge.

Spring in the Banana Belt?

Contrary to the weather outside, it supposedly is spring in the Lewiston/Clarkston valley. Who knew we would wake up to snow on the 21st. Crazy!!! My kids are wondering what the big deal about global warming is all about!!




Where is Davy Crockett when you need him? This cuddly looking bear was just across the street in the field for several days. He wandered in from the south, and kind of liked the neighborhood. We tried to spy him with the binoculars, but he stayed in the brush. I guess the advantage of living in a town with hunters in every other house is that there were several offers to take care of him. I hope he made it back to his real home.

Soccer season wrapped up for Kristin and Trevor yesterday. They both had a great season, and as parents, we were glad when they played teams with some defense. There were a few games that could only be described as massacres. Amber's team has had a great season so far and their last 2 games are this coming Saturday. They have one make up game later in May, but it is on a Sunday, so she will be missing that one.
Prom is the buzz word this week. Allison had two dress choices, both of which were beautiful, and her dilemma was figuring out which one to wear. Chelsie's was a little different. Not finding just the dress she was looking for, she and I trooped to the fabric store to find a great pattern (which of course, needed to be modified for modesty purposes) and a very beautiful bolt of fabric. I won't even try to describe it because it will sound ugly! Needless to say, last week was spent with many crossed fingers and a few prayers and a few hours to get part of the dress done. This week will be spent much the same way. So far, so good. Look for pictures next week. (you can cross your fingers and say a few prayers too. :-)