My last entry here had us heading into the holiday season. You'll be happy to know we survived the onslaught of commercialism, tempered by community activities and general holiday cheer.
Then began the New Year. 2011! We started off on the fiscally ambitious note of getting our taxes compiled and ready to send in as soon as possible. Darren is always motivated to get this task done early in the New Year. I think it's the suspense of whether or not we'll see any sizeable return that keeps him inspired. Thankfully, we didn't have to pay any taxes this year, so that was a good way to start things off!
Into February we went, attending meetings, co-op classes, basketball and hockey practices, swimming and music lessons, and various appointments. All this interspersed amongst social engagements errands, housework, Darren's job, parenting, and the general routines of life made for a tiring start to the year, and was underscored by gloomy cold weather. Nonetheless, Valentine's Day is in February, and, after all, "All You Need is Love!" So, we kept our spirits high and energy up (well, the kids anyway), and forged on into the Winter.
Fortunately, as we headed into March, the winter weather didn't interfere with too many plans, nor did it dampen anyone's spirits too greatly. After all, we all had a lot to be looking forward to. My birthday came first, which I suppose is not something everyone looks forward to, but I don't mind. It's just a marker of time, celebrating my arrival on the planet. I had a nice day, hanging out with the family and going to see a movie with Darren, while Grandma babysat.
Next on the list of highly anticipated events came Darren's trip to Italy, which he had been planning and saving for all year. He had the luxury of spending ten days with his good friend, Alex, just relaxing, doing some hiking and visiting old friends.
That same week, Joe was excited to be going (along with his support crew of me, his siblings and Grandma) to a hockey tournament in Richmond, Virginia. This was an adventure! Having a toddler in tow made for some challenging and stress-filled moments, but we made it through, supporting Joe during his four games over the weekend, and enjoying watching the kids have such a good time staying at a hotel with a pool with all their friend. The change of scenery was welcomed, and spending a little time with Grandma was nice. So, overall, it was a good experience.
Now we're into April, and Spring is in the air! Darren's birthday started the month. Our April Fool was still in Italy, enjoying a couple last days of solitude. That weekend, the kids and I attended our church fundraising auction, and enjoyed seeing all the interesting donations. We donated a "Greens N Goodness" basket of healthy inspirations. It was a fun evening with friends, though by the time we got home, I barely had the energy to get the kids to bed and crawl in myself! Thankfully, I had one more day to rest up before Darren's return that Monday. He arrived back from his European retreat refreshed and ready to continue the tasks at hand with renewed energy and enthusiasm. That lasted about four days, and then the kids wore him out and he needed a nap! Ha!
Our eighteenth wedding (or should I say, elopement) anniversary is next week, so maybe we'll get a brief respite, to reflect on this life we've created together, and blow some air on the smoldering flame of our love! Ha ha… no gagging please! All corniness aside, we are really thankful for where we are, despite occasional bumps and turns in the road. We've collected volumes of wisdom, of which I'm sure we'll continue to reference as we continue on our path. But, we are excited about the possibilities for what is to come!
Today was one of the first few really warm days of the season, and to celebrate, Flo, Zofia and I dusted off the jogging stroller and headed out for a good long walk, stopping to say hi to a friend, and doing some errands along the way. I signed Zofia up for a kid's yoga class at the YMCA while we were out. It will be her first real class. By this age, we had Flo and Joe in all sorts of dance, gymnastics, Little Gym, etc. I guess the plight of the third child is to tag along with her siblings more and learn by association! She's three and a half now, and keeping us alert! We always felt the threes was harder than the "terrible" twos, and she's proving no exception. But, I'll try to keep myself in good shape mentally and physically, so I am up to the challenge of keeping up with her, because I know that in the blink of an eye, she'll be more self-sufficient and less interested in her boring mom!
So, I'll try to be back before the change of seasons, but I make no promises. Scheduling time for such luxuries as writing or fiddling around on the computer with photographs and such, is more of a challenge these days. But, that's okay, too… That wisdom I mentioned before has taught me to prioritize… and I'm slowly heading to that intuitive advice. I hope everyone enjoys the coming of the warmer weather, and is looking forward to some fun Spring and Summer activities. Drop us a note, and let us know what you're up to!