Happy Happy Spring! Except Utah doesn’t know it a few days a week. This photo was snapped just last week

And now a quick clean up of pertinent information covering some of what’s going on in our lives.

TT:  has either been spending time with the dog, on a snowmobile, snowboard, or skis (both snowmobile and skis have a steep learning curve), starting the end of February – due to his post surgery arm recovery. We’ve been enduring an almost obsessed attitude that he must get in as much time as possible on the snow before it’s gone, begging to miss school every time it snows (sadly for him, I don’t believe in missing school).  He’s now started the Spring LaCrosse season, everyday after school when not at practice he’s throwing the ball around with his friends. Their first game last weekend was a blowout 19-0 and a shivering freeze out for us.  He’s also growing like a weed and needs an extraordinary amount of sleep (which we can find him pretty much anywhere trying to get) and food right now. With LaCrosse games every Saturday we really hope UT decides to be spring on the weekends! 

Ari:  tried out for Cheer at CCHS for next year.  It was quite the week for her!  Practice everyday after school until 6 and on Tuesday she spiked a fever and the flu.  I took her to Dr. got her on Tamiflu along with some advil, tylenol and cough drops and she toughed it out every day.  Her tenacity is inspiring! Thank heavens, her dedication paid off, as she made the team.  She’s never done cheer before, so this is all new to us.  I never wanted to be a cheer mom and having gone to two parent meetings so far, haven’t changed my mind.  75% of cheer moms are past cheerleaders still trying to hang on to that popularity glory. It’s …….uncomfortable …..yet humorous.  Ah well, supporting my kids is my dharma and I must take my lumps, ignore the stupid big bows and do my best to keep Ari from becoming a ‘mean girl’!  She’s also committed to her dance team until the end of May, with two more competitions and a recital coming up.  Let’s see, between dance and cheer, she is practicing 18 hours a week, and has to keep her grades above a 3.0.  Did I mention she has tenacity??    

Lelu:  had spring break a couple weeks ago and we took a little four day mommy daughter trip to Huntington. My spring break was the week before, so I couldn’t stay long.  It was chilly and rainy a lot of the time forcing us into mall rats.  Of course, we had the regular trip to Titos tacos, spent some time on the chilly beach – walking, talking, me meditating & her tanning, ate yummy breakfasts (we found an Urth Cafe in Laguna) and delicious dinners.  It was a nice little break.  I flew home on Tuesday and Wednesday Jake went down to visit his sister in Redondo Beach where Lelu met up with him and stayed the rest of the week. They went to Disneyland after driving all the way to Six Flags and finding it closed.  It warmed up enough to get the boost of color she so desperately sought to get her through to the end of a tough semester.  She’s not a fan of Economics (understandably) or Philosophy (grievously).

Master D: is toughing out an incredibly difficult semester with no Spring Break but enjoying spending as much time as possible with his girlfriend Maddie, having many adventures and getting super excited about his study abroads that begin April 23rd.  He will be spending the entire summer in Great Britain, visiting Iceland, Italy and Croatia in between.  Maddie is coincidentally doing a study abroad in London with her program at the same time. (How fun does that sound? Dating in London!) We are grateful they take the time to come up for dinner every Sunday and play games.  He is also having to film a short film every week for one of his classes, is a TA in two classes (one of which Maddie is in …and they had to get permission to date each other).  I’m not sure how he even has to time to sleep.

Aub: is continuing to work at Survey Monkey and enjoying the floods and rainbows that Portland has to offer.  She’s also learning to program on her own, having passed a difficult course in Sales Force Administration. I also try to keep her busy proofing my papers as she makes me sound so much smarter. B: works works works snowmobiles, skis, travels to conventions and visiting his clients, hires, jokes, teases, works and in his spare time works on his stone path and river rocks in the backyard ponds/waterfall. 

This was what he found in his office on April Fool’s day. Me: This semester I have major senior-itis and with only 12 credits left – I’ve decided to go full time in the fall and just tough it out to graduate in December. Don’t get me wrong, I love learning, but I am not enjoying the paper writing anymore. When I’m not reading or writing, I spend my time hiking when I can, driving kids around, and honestly everything else I keep myself busy with isn’t really worth mentioning.  We had a great Easter, aside from a high teenager trying to get into our house at 3 am and Halle letting herself in while we were at church and helping herself to all the leftover breakfast on the table and countertop (where I found her when I came home between meetings).  Saturday night we all went to see Batman vs. Superman and Easter Sunday was beautiful spring day. We played basketball, soccer, baseball, hunted for eggs, drove my MG a bit and had a nice dinner. It would have been perfect if Aub could have been here too.  Life is good!  I like to take gratitude photos especially while hiking.