Irony

Dexter was only 6 months old when Jay left for the Academy. Jay's departure also marked my return to full-time mommyhood, and needless to say, I was a tad overwhelmed. But, the Lord in his mercy made my transition from corporate workplace back to the homefront much easier in one simple way: he made Dexter a late bloomer in the mobility department. Dex did not crawl until he was 10 months old or walk until he was 16 months, which made him much less inclined to get into things, escape from me in public places, or crack his head open on the fireplace hearth. 

As strange as it sounds, his lack of mobility, while a concern for the doctor, was a blessing to me at the time (especially considering it wasn't a permanent situation). 

Well....... you know how they say that God has a sense of humor?

Calvin isn't even 5 months old, yet there he is, up on all fours.

I think I'm in some serious trouble.

Two

Um, this happened a little while ago, but...........

Dexter is TWO!

Because of the play and Easter, we didn't celebrate until a few days after his real birthday. But since he's clueless regarding the whole calendar thing, I'm not really sweatin' it. 

Dex & The Big Wheel = love at first sight:

The girls were super excited to give him their present...

And here's why...

Um... does something look amiss to you? 

We forgot to buy candles, and all we had were leftover butterfly ones. 

The cake was still yummy, though!

Happy Birthday, my son! 

May your year be full of many happy adventures.

A Year Already

Jay graduated from the Academy one year ago today and is now officially off of "probation." I can't believe how fast the time has gone. What a blessing it is for him to have a career he loves so much.

Congratulations, Officer Fear! You pretty much rock.

A First For Me

My sister, Jennifer, and I attended a Tea Party protest yesterday. I have never attended a protest of any kind before, and it was a great experience! It was a peaceful, bipartisan event, and the support was amazing. There were about 1,500 people there, not to mention all the supportive horn-honking and thumbs-up from the cars driving by. Sometimes, it's just nice to know you're not the only one feeling the way you are feeling. 

I don't normally go into politics on my blog, and I have no plans to go into anything in depth, but I wanted to share this with you because, well, it *is* the year of  trying new things, and this certainly counts!

Me & My Sis. 

We're Right-Wing Extremists, doncha know. 

Breakfast of Champions

Easter morning brought tough decisions... 

bacon, or Reese's peanut butter cup?

How about both? With blue dye as a chaser!

Sunday Mornings With Four

Getting ready for church on Sunday mornings is always an adventure, and Easter morning was no exception. There is always drama with at least one of the kids...

Nope, not either of the girls this time - they are ready and looking cute....

Nope, not Calvin this time either...

Oh, it's Dexter's turn to freak out! (Although, it's not really his fault. We had to wake him up from his nap so that we could be on time. I would be pretty cranky, too.)

I hope everyone else had a peaceful Easter morn! :)

And that's a wrap!

Well, the play is done and it was a success! Thank you to everyone who supported me and the other members of the Stake. We had a blast. I feel especially grateful to have gone through this experience with my friend Joyce. She made even the most frustrating of rehearsals fun. (And, she was a very funny grasshopper!)

Now I need another new thing to try! (Don't worry, I have a few ideas....)

Pictures from left to right: (top) Amy & Joyce as the Ant & the Grasshopper, Sarah, Amy & Joyce as the three quarreling sisters, Amy, Vanessa, Cordon, & Michael as the four "cats,"  (bottom) the opening scene - Amy in the fur coat, Jocelyn & Sarah as the Sun & the Traveller, Ryan & Brit as the Fox & the Crow

The Difference Between Boys & Girls, Part 2

The girls at the dinner table...

...and Dexter at the dinner table:

Don't get too comfy there, Dex. Calvin is about ready to take over that high chair...