Almost the 16th

Hi Everyone,

Greetings from Minnesota where we have now had two full weeks with no snow! The tulips are up and the trees are greening. We think spring has come at last, but we keep looking over our shoulders...

I probably don't have any real big news - just an update. The kids are doing great and growing up fast. Laura Kate just loves to dig in the sand box and swing, belly-down, on the swings. Being a third child, she is quite accustomed to keeping herself busy and being toted around while we drop off and pick up boys and run errands. She loves to help, which I appreciate. Her newest word is "accidentally" which she pronounces "axlee-dentlee," as in, "Mom, I axlee-dentlee on the carpet." (I will leave the rest to your imaginations). Tonight she was having an imaginary conversation with Uncle Matt (my brother, not my uncle) who, she told me, was out mowing the lawn.

Andy is becoming a Big Kid, as all kids do when they get to be about five. After two years of complaining about going to school, he now loves school and wants to go every day and gets mad if he can't. Lately he has been joining the bigger kids in the alley for water fights and bike races. He adores his Grandma and can't wait for her to visit in a couple of weeks. So far, Grandma's on the hook for school drop-off, Dairy Queen, and making cookies.

Ben is counting the days 'til summer vacation. He has lots of end-of-year stuff at school, and soccer starts next week. He is growing a bean plant in the pot on my front porch. I was planning on geraniums, but hey, I can be flexible.

Dave has been home for the last month (at least) and we have really enjoyed that. He has been running a few mornings a week, and working hard at work and at home as always. He has a couple of trips coming up before we head "up north" for vacation in mid-June.

I am just hanging out, being a mom, writing a poem here and there, and trying to keep food in the house. I've gone through some transitions in medication, which have not all been fun, but we're trying a new one again this week - keep your fingers crossed that this will be The One (it's like the search for the perfect husband........... but different). (That was a joke, by the way).

We're going on vacation to Camp duNord in Northern Minnesota in mid-June. We're here for swimming lessons in July. Then heading to Torch the first week in August. Anyone who wants to visit lovely St. Paul is welcome - we would love to have you.

Here is a link to some photos: http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=u4ozxrz.aqju57kb&x=0&y=-yqq79d&localeid=en_US

Love,
Molly