Speaking of Changes...

I can't believe that I let this problem go on for so many months. I'm often so easily distracted from what I intend to do...There's been a slight import problem with my computer, and I just ignored it since, oh, the tamaracks WERE GOLDEN! Sorry that I've been so inattentive. It's almost comical.

Seems like the kids have probably left for college by now, but we have celebrated a few milestones. There was Silas' b-day, which came with a preschool-age bash that included his favorite food...grilled cheese and tomato soup. His cake this year was shaped like a circle...round...boring...cake, not a monster truck or a dinosaur, sorry Silas, I have come to understand that I'm NOT the mother of the year.

Christmas was cold and snowy, just like the kids had hoped. We played in the snow a lot more this winter, given the twins' ability to stand the cold...and mommy's ability to get them dressed before we meet a fit of some kind (by me, not the twins =).

Our chickens and two dogs made it through the winter, well, all the chickens but one-Hilary Rodham. She was one of the original "Cornelius" chickens and she just didn't have the heart to make it through these harsh winters. That, or she was old. She just curled up in the nest box and breathed her last...tragic.

The snow did finally melt, after I mastered a bread recipe and practiced all the indoor domestics that one, lone, unimaginative female could imagine. Silas began learning to read and if I'd be more consistent, he'd have his lesson book mastered by now! He loves it and has a sharp mind...that may be from his dad.  =)

Elise has begun practicing her feminine charm, from the swinging of her purse to the song and dance performances that she graces us with. Emmitt has taken to swimming, well, more like plunging his body under water and flailing his arms above water. The lifeguards at nearby (indoor) pool watch him like a hawk. He DOES look like he's drowning, but he comes up and victoriously says, "I'm practicing my swimming." Good son.

I'm training for a sprint triathlon...it in August and I am truly enjoying the training. Shauna Alwine taught me how to properly perform the crawl, so now we bike for 10 miles and swim a 1/4 mile when we go to the gym/pool/deli center in Usk, WA. The place is called the Camas Center, and is on the Kalispell Rez. It is classy. No kidding. It's nice. I'm not sure how long I can afford to drive over there to exercise and take the kids swimming. We have to cross the ski hill to get to Usk.

Barry received his Masters in Education from George Fox University in December. We took a family drive down to celebrate the completion of his long, hard, extremely tedious, never-ending grad work.

Barry is currently busily farming our 5 acres. He has plowed about 2 of them and will continue to plow those same two for the next 3 weeks or so, I'd guess. He takes the tractor in circles every chance he gets. He did, unfortunately, take out one 20 foot stretch of my fencing...

My 30th was brought in with a bang. A few of my friends planned a fabulous trip to Spokane, staying in a hotel, going out to fine restaurants, and even a little live piano...until the music took a turn for the worse and we turned in for the night.

The church and the youth at church have been our "down time" events. Teenagers are lovely things, if well fed. It seems like every night there's some kind of meeting, or group, or bonfire. I don't mind bonfires at all, unless they are 30 feet high and in my yard...like last night.

Here are some pictures from the past few months. Some are from events mentioned above and some are just random. Enjoy!