Today I feel a real mix of joy and sadness. I found a lot of joy in the kids spending their 20$ birthday money from friends at the Onoway Pharmacy (which is kind of like an old style general store), playing outside on the trampoline and in the fort with friends, the first campfire of the season, hearing Eli's giggle when he tried the trampoline for the first time, and the fact that the driveway is DRYING UP finally and I might actually be able to drive right to my house soon instead of carrying groceries up the hill! Though I suppose I shouldn't complain since I was looking for more exercise :) The sadness comes from hearing the news of a drunk driving incident involving some youth from a reserve very close to where we ran a Bible camp for 2 1/2 years in northern Saskatchewan. A 14 year old girl was driving a mini-van with 10 passengers when she lost control and rolled the vehicle. Three youth died and two are in critical condition. Another senseless, painful tragedy in a string of them for the community that seems to never end. I can't help but wondering if the kids involved came to camp....what their stories were. It just reminds me of all the pain and hopelessness that we saw when we were there. The abject poverty, the abuse, the brokenness. But there was hope too, people who, against all odds, were breaking the deadly cycles and finding new life, reaching out to their community in extraordinary ways. I have to remember that....

Some sweet pics of chubby, happy Eli! Eli is glued to the windows lately. Even he can sense the excitement of spring on it's way! And of course he loves the lever and the crank on the window. Hours of fun! The cats sit beside him near the windows and they watch the birds together enthralled! I have been concerned about our lack of excercise lately so I've decided, now that it is nice enough, on homeschool days we will make it a priority to go for a walk or bike ride at least once. So we went for a "walk" yesterday (you know the kind of walk where no one is really walking, just mostly stopping everywhere :). Mikaela spent most of her time picking up rocks for her collection and Jacob spent most of his time running everywhere and collecting rocks to throw into the pond when we got home. And I labored pushing the stroller through the mud! That is a good work out!Another thing I have been wanting to change is the amount of fruit and veggies that the kids get. They are constantly hungry lately (especially Mikaela) so I am trying everyday to cut up a plate of fresh veggies and/or fruit that they cans snack on then they are hungry. They don't have to ask me for a snack, just go the fridge and grab some good stuff. I'm hoping that will reduce the constant need for me making the snacks and also, increase the fruit and veggie intake. And if you have seen my children, I don't really feel I can deprive them of snacks since they are so skinny already!I know I am going to see an increase in the food bill, but hey, better an increase in the food bill than and increase in the health care bill later on :)

So....I know it has been forever since I posted. And truth be told, I have thought a lot of thoughts that I thought I should think out loud here, but did not have the energy to do it!(Almost a tongue twister). But maybe because the snow is finally melting and my baby is 9 months old I feel like blogging a little again. It may have been the inspiration of a friend as well who just started her own blog. Though I really should be doing my taxes.....
Well, I can't say that this winter has been very exciting. My world was filled with trying to daily fit in everything that my eight and 6 year old children need including homeschool, dance, music lessons, "school-school" AND find time for the baby to eat and sleep. Now that he is crawling and pulling himself up on everything it is a full time job just to keep him from falling on his head every five minutes. Not to mention all the sickness that ran through our house. We just had the flu for the last two days and Eli had the piviledge of throwing up food for the first time. And laying in it. Poor guy! But, here's to hoping for a fresh beginning. My kids are so excited about the snow melting. The sight of a few blades of green grass and DIRT is enough to start them planning what they want to do when spring is really here. They have been jumping on the trampoline and carrying their bikes past the mud to the dry parts of the road to ride already. I am looking forward to running, gardening, campfires in the backyard, going on walks on the quad trails, and maybe a little camping....if I am brave!