Happy Birthday, Bella Kitty

 Our cat is four years old. (We think....she might have been four on her last birthday...we tried hard to remember....)

Every birthday is an excuse for a celebration!  Bella didn't like her hat.

She didn't really care for her feather-tickler-thingy present either. She found refuge under the table, but check out this picture.... She quietly escaped while the unsuspecting children continued to search under the table.

Dreams

I drive past this house every day on my way to work. It was a beautiful house. Near the river...until the river changed its course about a year ago and started getting closer and closer to the house.  The flooding last February took the house leaving the garage. The garage is now gone.  This link to the news story last February shows pictures of the house and an interview with the owners who mention that this was their retirement dream house. CLICK HERE FOR NEWS LINK

I have seen floods and landslides and experienced them myself. I know how dreams can be washed away. This is one of the reasons I am anxious to sell my house and move OUT of the flood zone.

My little house by the river was also my dream house.  I saved money for a down payment for my "dream house." I really wanted a house by a little stream in a beautiful area. I was so excited to buy a house by a little stream, a big river, and a lake in a beautiful area. It was definitely my dream house.

Dreams change. My dream house is now a house big enough for my children to have room to play.  My dream house is far away from water of any kind.  I am excited to move into our new dream house in June. Hopefully.  Unless we encounter more extensions and problems....

My dreams in life have changed too.  I used to dream of being married. Of raising a big family. Of being a stay-at-home mom.  Just as the Pilchuck River changed its course and destroyed a home, the-river-of life changed the course that I always thought my life would follow.  I'm very grateful, however. Perhaps my dreams for my life have never been the dreams that God intended for me.  Now I am perfectly content being a working single mother of two wonderful children.  I love my children. I love my job (most days...) I'm so thankful for the all the blessings my girls have brought into my life.

I often think of the family that lost their dream house by the river. I hope and pray they have another dream house someplace.  I hope and pray they are happy.

The river may change, but dreams still come true.

Eliza

 Erin Joy saw this silly hair/headband thing at the Dollar Store and was so excited to buy it. She had $10.00 to spend today and this is her favorite purchase. Why? Well, so she can be Eliza of course. She and Rachel play an imaginary game in which Erin Joy is "Eliza."

After the purchase, she immediately put the headband on and became Eliza. Eliza has a different walk and a different voice than Erin Joy.  I called her Eliza and she got mad at me. "Mom, you can't play. It's only a game for kids and you are too old.  Rachel and I are the only ones who can play Eliza."

I'm too old?? I'm NEVER too old to imagine and play with my girls! Well...maybe I am.  I'm glad they have fun playing without me.

Erin Joy was so funny shopping today in her chosen attire and pretending to be Eliza.  I love you, Erin Joy...Eliza!

Rachel's Honor Choir

Rachel and her honor choir have been working hard and performed very well tonight.

We were a little early to the concert, so we walked around a little nature trail close until it was time for the concert.  We thought this little cave was fun so I took a few pictures.

At the concert...

Posing with Erin Joy and another friend...

The great performance...

Another Sunny Day!!

Today was our THIRD sunny weekend in a row!! That is very rare around here. I have been wanting to see the tulip fields for the past week.  The weather was perfect and the tulips in bloom.  Unfortunately, Rachel had a four-hour choir rehearsal so we had to wait for her to finish.  Erin Joy and I entertained ourselves at Mukilteo beach while Rachel rehearsed nearby.

We were fortunate enough to run into a cub scout group.  Some divers were going into the water and bringing up sea creatures for the boys to observe.  I figured Erin Joy could pass for a boy scout so she joined the scouts in touching sea stars, sun stars, a moon snail, crabs, and a sea cucumber.

We then toured the little lighthouse. I have never been inside the lighthouse before. It was very fun and educational too.

By the way, don't let her winter coat fool you.  It was sunny and very warm...probably between 65-70 degrees.  Notice her shoes....silly girl.

I made Erin Joy take her winter coat off for pictures in the tulips. I'm trying hard to convince her that it is spring.

I love going to the tulips every year. It seems to be our yearly way of welcoming spring and gladly saying "good-bye" to winter.  It seems everybody else in Washington, British Columbia, and Oregon had the same idea. It was very crowded.  We waited in long lines of traffic and had a really hard time taking pictures of flowers without other people in our pictures.

Even though I have lived here for almost 20 years, I still feel like I'm vacationing. It never gets old. I love the mountains, the ocean, the tulips, the waterfalls, the trees, the sun, and yes...even the rain because it makes everything so green.

My girls had fun taking pictures too.  We ended up with 242 pictures.  Sheesh.  No wonder Rachel was getting grumpier and grumpier in each picture.  I asked Rachel if choir rehearsal or the tulip fields were her favorite part of the day and she answered, "Dinner at McDonald's."  That wasn't even a choice! Erin Joy said that McDonald's was her favorite part of the day too.  Oh brother!  

Anyway, here is a movie with a little more than 5 minutes worth of pictures from Mukilteo Beach and the tulips, but no pictures from McDonald's. The song from Annie is my girls' choice.  We listened to the Annie soundtrack too many times today while we waited in tulip traffic. 

Not Funny

I am really tired of seeing these pictures on facebook.  I don't find them funny.  I have no other comment other than I love my children so much. I am their REAL mother. I hope they are strong enough to ignore stupid jokes about adoption.  Adoption is wonderful. 

Easter Movie

I put a bunch of Easter pictures into a little video because I had so many pictures.  Enjoy!