Botanic Gardens

This is Rachel writing because Mom and I went to the Botanic Gardens on Wednesday. That's because I had no school because of Junior testing. All of the crab apple trees were in full bloom, and it was absolutely gorgeous!!!! Here are some of the pictures that I took.


So mom isn't very happy that this picture is on top, but I don't know how to fix that on here, so it's at the top. Mom matches the tulips. It's pretty cute.

The trees on the far side are the blossoming crab apple trees. I think this picture looks like it is somewhere from Europe.

I love how I got my camera to focus on the one branch and make the rest of the picture blurry. I think it is so cool!!

This is one of my favorites. I like how it shows the detail of the pink and white blossoms with the green leaves in the background.

Some lady took this picture for us. We are in front of the tulips that were all just about ready to die, but from far away, you can't really tell.

I decided to climb under the tree. It was actually very roomy, but mom had me squat so she could take my picture.

Mom really liked the magenta-ish flower here. And with the cross fence thingy in the back, I thought it looked like a garden.

I like this view of the tulips. But I didn't notice the creepy shadow on the yellow tulip when I first took the picture. See it? Yah, it's creepy.

Happy Spring Everyone!!!!!!

SPRING????

This is what we woke up to on March 21st - the first day of Spring. Last week we had some beautiful days of 65 degree weather. I had walked around the Botanic Garden amazed at how tulip and daffodil bulbs can emerge in the Spring after being covered with piles of snow for months and months. That is such a miracle! The snow should melt in the next few days - you never know what to expect in Chicago!

Pinewood Derby #2 - Nathan designed his car to look like a bobsled in honor of the Olympics. Don't you love his use of weights?

Rachel's excitement of the week was making Wind Ensemble, the top band in the high school. Congrats! Megan is counting down til Thursday when her cast comes off. Lauren's heart biopsy from a few weeks ago was excellent, she took the ACT without studying and earned a 31. She also was inducted into the National Honor Society. They all are counting down the days until Spring Break next week.

To Utah for some R&R

We had a credit on Southwest airlines (thanks to Lauren's chemo) that needed to be used by March, so I planned a trip to visit my family. The mountains are so beautiful when you have only seen flat land for the past year. My siblings are all amazing and have fun families and comfortable homes. My sweet friend Cammi was married to a great guy that weekend. I got quick hugs from some dear friends, relaxed and enjoyed good food, and didn't even need a coat outside! I slept a few nights with my angel niece Samantha, cuddled with little Ryan, bathed Lincoln and was reminded of the great miracles that I see happening before me. I felt overwhelmed by other's challenges, the obvious and not so obvious ones. It was great to see Jeff in his official orthodontist practice and sad to see Blair's mom recognizing less of what is going on around her. Each of my other nieces and nephews are all older and bigger and cuter than the last time I saw them, and I enjoyed being in the aunt role. See you all again in July!!!

Samantha - born July 2009, has Joubert syndrome among other issues which cause some physical challenges to this sweet baby.

Ryan - born Feb 2009, 8 weeks early at 3 lbs 7 oz. Now a thriving and healthy one-year old.

Lincoln Young, 2 1/2 years old

Jeff, Jennifer, Renee, Shauna and Greg

Jeff's ortho practice in American Fork, Utah

Glenna and Fred Holbrook, 84 and 83 years old.

A Broken Arm

I was flying home on Feb 16th and called to make sure Blair would be at the airport to retrieve me. This was the news I received - he was heading to the ER with Megan who collided with a defender during her basketball game.

Thankfully it is near the end of basketball season and it is her left arm. Turns out it is a fractured wrist, not even all the way through the bone. Give her 5 weeks and she will be good as new. However, she is a bit bored now that she can't play ball or her clarinet or the piano. That was about 3 hours of every day of her life. She is being creative with her time - she actually put together a lego house the other day.

Happy Birthday Megan

February 4th - Megan was surprised when she opened one of her birthday gifts. It was a trip to Utah with her dad. She has been asking and hinting about visiting her new cousins - Ryan and Samantha. Her smile indicates how excited she is.
Megan doesn't care for frosting, so this year her birthday treat was milkshakes with brownies. Yumm!!!

Megan is now 13 years old, and in the 7th grade. She enjoys basketball, music, playing the clarinet and piano, being active and busy, doing well in school, babysitting little kids and hanging out with dad. She is a delightful person, always has to be doing something productive and is a bit of a perfectionist. What fun it is to be her mom!!

Spelling Bee

Nathan was recently in the school spelling bee. The 4th and 5th graders send 2 kids from each class to participate. He made it through 10 rounds knowing words like vengeance, exercise, faucet, and palatable only to get out on the word haddock. I take responsibility for that since the only fish we eat at this house is salmon. He's excited to make a run for it next year as a 5th grader! This week he plans to write a speech about why he should be the class rep for student council, then he will be an emcee for the talent show. He doesn't ever mind being in the spotlight.

The Gift of Organization

This may look like just a sleek new furniture piece, but it actually is a 4-part unit I was given as a Christmas gift. Why, you may ask?The picture below should answer that question. Everything you see here was all over the kitchen table, office desk and office floor every day after school and all weekend. Don't you love those projects that a child is working on for a week at a time? Where do they end up? Now, there is no longer a mess, my frustration level is much lower, and I never have to answer the question...."Mom, where did my worksheet, binder, artwork, lunchbox, etc, etc, etc, go?"

What a thoughtful gift!!! Thanks Blair.