We went to my parent's house in Louisiana for several days and went out on their boat a couple of times. We caught fish like we did when I was a kid and brought 'em home, fried 'em up and feasted. It was great!

We also celebrated Jack's 2nd birthday. It feels like it's been 4 years but it's only been two. He's such a fun little boy. He's REALLY into Toy Story right now (which is funny because we really don't watch a whole lot of TV in our house). So for his birthday, one set of grandparents got him Buzz Lightyear and the other got him Woody. He's not let them go all week. Smiling moments that have come from it?

1. Buzz Lightyear is really pronounced "Boo Wire".
2. Woody is really pronounced "Boody".
3. Jack often says "Mommy, say beyond", which means that I'm supposed to say "To infinity..." and he will respond with "and beyyyoooonnnndddd!!!" while he thrusts Boo up in the air as if he's flying away.
4. I've heard Boody, more than once, tell Boo "YOU...A.. TOY!"
5. I can't count on both hands the number of times Jack has said to me "Mommy, I watch Toy Story now?" or the number of times that I've said "No".
6. The look on his face when he got his Boody or Boo Wire. Priceless. I wish I could've had the video camera going the whole time.

Still not wanting to go back to work or get back to normal life but I feel better thinking about greater things.

It's really been busy for me at work lately. We're in the process of putting some new (and MUCH better) systems in place in the areas where I work.  It's really good and very challenging to think through the process but it takes so long to break it down, research, nail it down and implement it.  We're still in the first two stages of this but it's all to be completed by mid-May so my work is cut out for me!!

Ryan is good. He's off to DC & NYC next week for an 8 day professional development workshop.  The county he works in got a federal grant to help American History teachers "enhance" their teaching of the subject.  It's definitely had its ups and downs along the way.  This trip has its ups and downs with it, too.  It'll be good for him to go.  He's never been to DC or NYC before. I hate that I'm not going with him on his first time around but, oh well, it's free for him!! 

Hope and Jack are just growing and going a mile a minute.  Every time I look at Hope, she looks older.  4 going on 14 for sure.  She's kind of getting into the bossy stage.  Not fun. At the same time, there's so much we can do together now with her since she's at an age that she's starting to "get it".  That's very fun.  Jack is talking up a storm and will not be shown up by his big sis. He also is determined that he's not going to be the little brother around our house.  He wants to do everything for himself. He eats/does/etc what we do.  He won't color with crayons b/c he knows there's markers and those are much more "big boy" than baby crayons!  Whatever.  :)  It's funny sometimes but he's actually kind of a drama boy so there are plenty of times that it's not funny!

Other than that, we're just trucking along!  Here's some pics of the kiddos recently.