Just Three Days - Take a Deep Breath

Sunday we celebrated a lovely Mother's Day. Libby sent a package, Grace acquired treats at Fred Meyer, and Michael stayed out of my way as I bought an egregious amount of plants. For dinner we enjoyed a simple charcuterie board. It was a easy, gentle day. Gentle days are so necessary, on occasion.

Monday night we headed off to Sam's last concert of the season. I've been watching this group sing for the last two years and I started feeling some pretty big emotions watching the 9th grade girls sing in their very last junior high concert-girls that are friends of Grace's and I've watched grow up. I didn't have a lot of time to dwell though, as after the ovation, we grabbed Sam and rushed out of the auditorium.

We rushed home to celebrate Grace's 15th birthday. It was 7:30 by the time we made it home, and the few family members were already starting to arrive. But we had cake, we had family, we had friends, and we had presents. It was a bit of a rush but a success.

Tuesday Night we celebrated this man's 43rd birthday. We were a little celebrated out, but we persevered. There was dinner, there was dessert, and there were gifts. There were no pictures. This picture is from a completely different day.

We still love Michael, even if we don't have photographic evidence.

It was three crazy days, with too much to eat, a ton of family, and not quite enough hours. Now we are taking a few minutes to breathe, right before the end of the school year crashes upon us.

Northern Lights

While on a walk, I saw my neighbor and she mentioned she was going up to Bogus Basin to watch the Northern Lights. It was the first I had heard we could see them from Boise! The next day, Libby texted us from Delaware and asked us if we were going to see them that night. Heck yeah! That evening we drove up toward Idaho City and found our own dark spot to watch the lights from. I was giddy with excitement. I've always wanted to see the aurora borealis and was so excited to learn it was visible from Boise. Like everyone else learned, the pictures were much better than what we saw with the naked eye, but it was still wonderful.

Michael, Grace, Sam, and I sat in the slightly cool evening, saw an enormous shooting star, listened to the calls of a common poorwill, played twenty (forty) questions, and watched the lights on the horizon. I'm glad the neighbor and Libby mentioned the lights, otherwise we would have all been in bed instead of having a perfect, enchanted evening.

Another Scary Story

Grace was determined to start driving younger than anyone she knows. She saved her money, attended her classes, studied like a mad woman, and after two months of driver education, she earned her driving permit! And she managed to do it all while she was still fourteen years old (barely). 

Now she just needs to drive with her parents for the next six months. I'm not ready for another teen driver, but I don't seem to have a lot of say in the matter. She did the work, so now she gets her reward. Meanwhile I'll be sitting in the passenger seat with every muscle in my body clinched to the point of agony. From experience, I know this will get better. Eventually. Probably.

Paula Poundstone

Michael purchased tickets to the Paula Poundstone show several months ago, and the day finally arrived. I first fell in love with her when she would guest host on one of my favorite NPR shows. She has a very dry sense of humor that makes me laugh endlessly. 

I was smiling before Paula even walked on stage! I spent the next 100+ minutes laughing as she talked about her kids, pets, bra and bank account. 

After the show, I knew I had to meet her, I bought a book and stood in line for my turn. 

I asked if I could hug her and she said "I would love that." She really is a lovely lady and I was so glad to meet her.

I'm also thankful Michael bought tickets to the show. I was on the fence about committing the money, and couldn't tell you how much the show cost, but I can tell you I had an incredible time.

April Update

Here are a few random pictures I want to share, but they probably don't each need their own blog post. I present a blog buffet of April:

We went to the junior high to listen to Grace recite a poem for mock Poetry Out Loud. On our way in, we saw this poem posted inside the library entrance with about a dozen others. I loved Sam's poem, especially the section about his hair. I was also tickled with his photo pose. It was a pretty awesome surprise.

Then we watched the 7th, 8th, and 9th graders recite memorized poems for Poetry Out Loud. Grace chose "Senior Discount" by Ali Liebegott. She killed it! She did so well and I was incredibly proud. She ended up placing third and took home $50. Her and Sam also entered a written poetry contest and Grace won $250 and Sam won $50. They will not let me read their poems. Someday...

Sam also had a short-lived track and field career. He went to three weeks of practice, competed in one track meet and then Spring decided to spring and all the plants released their pollen. Sam was unable to breathe. After a track practice he climbed into the van with his eyes streaming, his face red and blotchy, and wheezed out he was quitting track. I didn't argue. Allergy medication only helps so much. It seems that during the Spring he's an indoor exercise type of kid.

I've been working, attending the kids events, and after literal months of work, I managed to finish knitting my sweater. It fits well, it's high quality yarn, it's a little scratchy, and it is beautiful. The weather even decided to grant me a few cold days so I could wear it before putting it away for the fall.

That pretty much covers our April events. It was a pretty lowkey month.