We have had the most beautiful spring day, almost unbelievably warm. We rode bikes and walked to steep slide park. Savannah joined us, and the girls had a great time taking their shoes and socks off and putting their feet in the river. The water is really high now, so it wasn't much of a walk to get to water's edge. I thought it was pretty fun too, until I spotted the family of snakes. Chris thought it was good fun to pick up one of the snakes and taunt me with it. He said that I screamed like a girl. Well - I am a girl - and I'm a girl who doesn't like snakes. At all. He got Olivia and Savannah to touch it. Not me!

Yesterday we had Jackie and Jamie over for lunch, and walked to dead end park. The dogs had a great time. Sugar was hilarious to watch. We kept throwing sticks into the river for her to chase. She would wade in a little bit, and then go back to the water's edge and start digging at the water. You should have seen the mud fly. She is becoming more accustomed to the water though, and I think she will be fully swimming this summer.

Olivia got to bike along with Chris and Sugar on their jog. She's growing up. Elliott loves her new bed. We moved her books up to the book shelves and she spends a lot of time up in her bed reading, or just playing in her room. Lately she and Olivia have been playing dog pound a lot. This morning I got to be the vet. They tried to have Chris be the back-up vet while I was on "vacation" - but he suggested making their horse with a hurt leg into glue. That didn't go over so well.

My friend Elly's baby Drew is doing well - he is off of the ventilator now. Thank you to everyone who has been praying for him - please continue to pray.

Now - on to a game of fish and making dinner... The life of a rock star...

It must be spring... Jackie and I hit Diamond Dave's last night for happy hour and dinner, and then we went to get my hair cut. I had been waiting to have Breezie cut it, but I just couldn't wait any longer - it was getting in my eyes and accentuating my wrinkle.

Jackie and I debated on whether Chris would notice. It is noticeable - but still - I really can't say too much as there have been times that he's completely shaved his face and I haven't noticed immediately.

Well, he noticed fairly quickly - (+2 points). Then he commented, boy you got your hair bush-whacked - (-2 points). After that he tried to reassure me that it looked good, but somehow I stopped listening after the word bush-whacked. Boys...

Olivia made me feel so much better this morning. She didn't notice the haircut until after I blow-dried. Then she commented that I looked like a poodle!

I REALLY do like my new haircut!

Anyway, Chris is going to pick up Elliott's new bed tonight. If all goes well with the assembly, I will post pictures tomorrow.

Happy birthday to my dad!!! We spent the weekend in Dubuque to celebrate the last weekend that my father would be in his 50's. There was shopping, four-wheeling, visiting with family and all around good fun.

It's been almost two weeks since I blogged. Looking back over the last two weeks reminds me of how precious life is and how quickly things can change.

Breeze's father died on the 8th. For those of you who may not know, Breeze is my younger brother Ben's girlfriend. She's been a part of our family for quite some time now - at least five years I think. We love her dearly, and I'm so sad for her.

On the 13th, we found out that my friend Elly's little baby Drew has a serious congenital heart condition. His heart has only three chambers. I wasn't versed in heart stuff - but the normal heart has four chambers. He was airlifted to Iowa City that day and on Thursday he had the first in a series of three heart surgeries that he will have in the next 4-6 years. Elly started a care page for us all to keep informed of his progress through surgery and recovery. This 8 pound little guy has already gone through more in his two week life than most of us will in a lifetime. Please pray for Drew, Elly, Brad and 2 1/2 year old brother Derek.

Aside from the big events, life has been plodding on in what I am reminded is a blissfully normal way. The girls are growing. Olivia informed us that she is going to spend two weeks with Grandma Katie and Papa Al this summer. By the time we left on Sunday, it had somehow increased to 4 weeks. Elliott and Olivia went to the dentist on Friday - it was Elliott's first appointment. It did not go all that well. She was having tons of fun putting puzzles together in the waiting room, but when it was time to go back to the exam room she started to lose it. There was no way in God's green earth that she was going to lean back in the chair. She ended up sitting on my lap and laying back into the hygienist's lap. Even then, there was desperation and tears. We've been talking about it, and I assure her that next time she will know what to expect and she will be a bigger girl, so it won't be scary at all. She assures me that she's still going to cry. I think I may arrange to have Chris take her next time.... :)

Have a great week!

Thus far, this week seems blissfully normal. Knock on wood - twice for good measure. It's good to be back in a routine and worrying about normal stuff. We went bed shopping for Elliott last night and ordered her big girl bed and mattress. It will take about two weeks for it to come in. My baby is growing up. Both girls are actually - I had to measure Olivia again - she's grown about 1/2 an inch in the last month.

Olivia has her special Jump Into Reading week at school this week. They were supposed to have it last week - but they only ended up having one partial day of school. The one partial day they had was pajama day - O was very excited about being able to wear her pj's - but she was the only one that remembered to wear them!! Didn't seem to bother her any - I think she just considers it a bonus that she gets to wear them twice!! Today is dress like your favorite character day - she decided to dress like Judy Moody, a character from a series of chapter books she has.

I can't remember ever having almost a full week of school off due to a series of weather events. I do know that we are all ready for spring and tired of being cooped up inside. While the beginning of winter was easy on us, the ending has really been a bully.

My friend Elly had her baby on Sunday. Her second baby boy - Drew Thomas. I got to hold him yesterday. He is absolutely perfect! There is nothing that compares to the miracle of new life.

Have a great week :)

Home is good - now I just hope that we get to stay here!! It's still too early to predict how badly we will get hit with this latest round of the storm. Or perhaps I just choose not to predict, because the predictions they have been offering in the media don't sound all too hot. We could be in for 4-8 inches of snow, and more ice. They keep mentioning that power could be lost again in areas that it was restored due to instability in combination with more ice and high winds. Chris said that it's raining pretty hard right now. Janesville is on a two hour delay at this point, and Chris will stay home all day with Elliott as there is no work for them to do on the house that they are building. I'm going to make it into work - and even hope to make it home from work! Have a great .... What day is it? Thursday, have a great Thursday : )