Spring is on the way and every March I get the itch to bring in some more green to the house and freshen things up.  

We attended a band chili dinner fundraiser for our school and enjoyed hearing the 7th-grade beginning band play.  James was on cowbell for one song and in the video, you’ll hear Kenny yell “More cowbell!” – a throw-back to the infamous Saturday Night Live skit with Will Ferrell.  

I snapped this picture one night after the kids were in bed.  I think I was feeling a bit sentimental for this season we’re in with the kids.  I see Anna’s coat, her tennis shoes, ballet bag, and her school backpack.  James’s backpack for school, his track bag, and his track uniform hiding in the corner.  I see Kenny’s jacket and my purse and snow boots.  Sometimes the clutter of it all gets to me, but if I’m lucky, sometimes I appreciate it for what it is – a representation of the people who live here and the people I love.  I know I’ll miss seeing the kids’ bags one day.  

We enjoyed a night watching the Globetrotters in March!  A Christmas gift from Pap & Oma, Kenny’s dad and Kathleen.  We had a great time!

This week on the way to ballet, Anna and I had quite the conversation.  

Anna:  Are you going to hide Easter eggs again this year, and have Easter baskets, Easter Bunny?  
Mom:  (Gasp)  Anna!  You think I’m the Easter Bunny?
A:  Yeah, mom.  James told me.  You’re the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, and the Tooth Fairy.  
M:  Did you ask him or did he just tell you?  
A:  I asked him. 
M:  How did you feel when he told you?
A:  I was disappointed.  I can’t believe you guys lied to us all those years!  
M:  Do you wish we would have told you the truth instead when you were little?  
A:  No, it was fun.  And I want you to keep doing it.  But why do you act excited when you see what’s in your stocking every year if you put the things in it?  
M:  And why do you keep writing the Tooth Fairy notes?  You knew it was dad and I writing you back?  
A:  Yep.  I still have all of the notes.  I even saw dad come in one night and put money under my pillow.  

Well, the truth is out, but our girl (and I imagine our boy, too) still want us to continue these traditions.  

Some pictures from Anna’s class Valentine’s party…

In March, Anna’s class celebrated Pi Day with some activities with salt dough and of course, eating pie!

Anna dressed for 50s day and the all-school Sock Hop.  She had a blast! 

A couple of months ago we finally got the fish we’ve been talking about getting for so long.  On one of our date nights with the kids, Kenny took Anna to buy the tank, fish, and all the necessary things.  They set everything up per the advice at the pet store, and over the course of the next few days, three of the four fish died.  We’ve since gotten better advice about caring for fish and have mastered keeping Blossom alive.  The plan is to add a few more fish to keep her company.  Kenny and Anna are completely handling all things fish and I’m very grateful.  

My book club is down to three, but we’re still going strong!  So thankful to live next door to Jenny now!

I’m not sure I mentioned this before in my posts about our move but wanted to record another blessing the Lord provided.  A couple of years ago our eye doctor moved to the north side of town and I complained how far we had to drive to see her.  Then about a year later we switched dentists, and the new dentist was way north.  Shortly after that, we decided to start Invisalign with the kids (more on that below), and the orthodontist’s office was – you guessed it – north.  All three of these offices are now under ten minutes away from our new home.  God knew our new address long before we did, and He even managed to work it out that these providers were nearby for us.  What a blessing that has been!  Our God cares about even the smallest details in our lives.  

Anna recently got her first pair of glasses and she looks SO great in them!  She knew before we even went to look that she wanted a cheetah print frame.  She’s rockin’ them!  

Both kids also had Invisalign braces this past year.  You may have noticed them in pictures.  James wore his for about six months, is finished now, and just wears retainers at night.  Anna finished her first phase in seven months and now we’re waiting for more of her adult teeth to come in before finishing up her treatment.  Because the cost for Invisalign and metal braces was the same, we let the kids have some input into which they would prefer and both chose this route.  It’s turned out great and they’ve been very responsible about remembering to wear the trays and take care of them.  

Kenny took the kids to Top Golf a while back for some fun.

Kenny did lights for a show last month – The Secret Garden the Musical.  It was fantastic!  James’s fifth-grade teacher was the director; Kenny has worked with her before.  His lights were amazing and always bring the show to life.  We so enjoyed attending and seeing many familiar on stage as well.