Brigid graduated and Earthquake

Brigid graduated from pre-K today. It was very cute and she is totally ready for Kindergarten. I will post some pictures later when I get them off of the camera. She was asked what she learned this year and her reply was, "I learned to clean a kitchen well." I kid you not, those were her words. We all laughed nervously and Mark leaned over and said to me, "We did something right." I never would have thought of it that way. We are already the weirdos who force me to stay home with the kids without a life and are still happily married to each other. Which I now realize, we were married ten years ago yesterday! Wow, time flies.
Anyway, after we got home from graduation, Mark went to bed and the girls played for awhile. I got on the computer to find my banana bread recipe and an earthquake hit. Now, we don't have them often, and when we do, they are very mild, but they are fun. The earth rolls because they are so very deep in the ground. They say this one was 11 miles below the surface of the earth. The girls didn't feel it, but Mark came running downstairs thinking something was amiss. I love earthquakes. They really are the best way to add a bit of spice to your day!

Monster Snow and Spring

We got hit with a huge snowstorm that dumped 2 feet of snow. It was so beautiful, actually rather breathtaking. I especially loved that I didn't have to leave the house. The girls didn't have school for two days and it was great fun. We played outside, baked, watched movies and played hard.
The next week, I got a sinus infection to end all sinus infections! I thought I was going to die. Mark took me to an emergency care place and they sent me home with a script. I felt better after one dose. It's the first antibiotic I've been on since Brigid was in the womb.
Last Thursday, you could feel the season change here. The sun felt warmer and the air got drier. Now, all the snow is melting away and you are starting to see the grass here and there. I have some tulips and daffodils spiking in the back garden. Trees are starting their buds. I love the renewal and the awesomeness of it all. Spring testifies of a deity with every emerging plant and bloom. I have some of my vegetables starting to sprout in my indoor greenhouses. Soon enough I will be outside almost constantly. I really can't wait!

Sick, sick, sick

We have all been down with a nasty cold for almost a week and a half now. Mark had it, then Brigid, now Fiona and I are sick. All I want to do is sleep and veg out, but there is always so much that needs to be done. The house has been a bit of a wreck and there is no end in sight for a cleaner house.
Fiona spent the night with my mother-in-law last night, so it was a Brigid and Mommy sleepover. We ate dinner, watched a movie, took a bath and then fell asleep. When we talking in bed, I found out that Brigid thinks that if you kiss a boy, you marry him. When I asked her if she kissed a boy, she told me, "no," but she giggled that entire time. I am pretty sure, she is the girl kissing all the boys.
I have been working on long term food storage lately. I have canned dozens of jars of beans and 10 pints of ground beef. It is the BEST! I am shocked at how easy and convenient pressure canning is. Time seems more urgent now than it ever has in the past. Every time I turn on the news or radio there is something else that is telling me to prepare. Have you felt that too?

Super Cold!

It has been unbelievably cold and snowy here since New Year's Day. We haven't been above freezing since then. It was -8 degrees the other morning. The kids hate having to wear long underwear all the time, but I know it is keeping them warmer than their classmates. In addition to the cold, we are getting lots of snow. It falls about an inch or more a day. Up near Lake Ontario they have like 60 inches just since January 1. We have about 2 feet, which is not all that bad, just a nuisance. The bright side with it snowing everyday, is that the new snow covers up the ugly brown snow before you see it. It is always pretty.
On the regular homefront, Mark got me a kitten, he also brought one home for Brigid. They are brothers and we adore them. My kitten is named Jack and is black. Brigid's is named Pumpkin and he is an orange tiger. They are 10 months old and full of life. It has been wonderful for them to be together. One of their grandparents was an Abyssinian cat, so they are 10 lbs a piece right now and really long. They will grow quite a bit in the months to come and I am a bit worried to see how big they will get. It's funny, you pray for the pitter patter of little feet and you end up with 3 cats and 1 dog. Heavenly Father answers prayers in ways He sees fit.