Spring in SoCal

Spring has always been my favorite season. My birthday is in the spring, I love that sudden burst of warm sunshine and flowers, the fragrant air and spring rains, especially after a long winter. Spring in sunny Southern California isn't quite the same; we don't really get distinct seasons. Here, I have to look for signs of spring, or even buy them.

• It's warm enough to go to the beach (although the water is still pretty cold)
• We trade our sweatshirts and shoes for shorts and flip-flops
  
• Daffodils at the store for a dollar a bunch
• Strawberries go on sale
  
• All things Easter: hunts, dresses, candy, baskets, Cadbury Mini Eggs
  
• We start getting visitors again -14 so far!
  
• Spring baseball
  
• fragrant Star Jasmin and flowering hedges
  
• we break out the sunscreen
• I get the urge to go on a road trip -next week!
  

Hope you're enjoying your spring wherever you are!

URL change

Dear readers,

I changed the URL and title of this blog yesterday. I' ve been meaning to do it for a while now and found out that it is a lot easier than I thought...i.e. I didn't have to abandon this blog and create a new one. (Yes, I am technically challenged.) So, why the change? Two reasons:

1. I got a Sitemeter recently ( it tracks hits on your blog, frequency, where from, etc.) and I realized that there are people looking at my blog who I don't even know. In the interest of keeping my children a little safer, I have removed anything with our last name on it.

2. When I started this blog, I had high hopes that my dear husband would also blog, even if it was every once in a while. The realist in me has won and I am officially taking over the blog and revoking Ben's privileges as a contributor. (No offense, Ben. Since I know you read this blog faithfully, you are welcome to comment ANY TIME. I will give you back your contributor privileges should you feel like posting something. However, you will have to be a guest writer on MY blog. I also reserve the right to blog about you:-)

So no more ____________Mania. There will still be plenty of mania, so keep your socks on.

Thanks dear readers.

Sincerely,

Kirbell

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

What's not to like about Ireland, rainbows and green? My husband says this is now his favorite holiday after Christmas...why? Leprechauns have begun surprising us on St. Patrick's Day morning. The wee rascally men break into our house at night and leave a trail of destruction and yummy treats.

This year they entered through the front window, tipped the couch on its side, dumped out the basket of shoes, knocked over Kate's high chair and left again through the back door! They sure left a mess but who can resist Belgian chocolate coins, Haribo Gold Gummi Bears and Andes Mints??

And just to make the morning complete, we had green pancakes and spinach eggs for breakfast!

Not ready for a teenager

I think I got a glimpse into the future this morning...of Ian as a teenager!

Hoping his friends won't be quite this wacky...


Happy Crazy Hair Day!

Swimming in Success

I know I keep talking about swimming, but it is one of the few things I feel I am succeeding at right now.

Other things I am succeeding at:
Writing blog entries every week or so
Keeping up on email
showering every day
Making sure three kids are fed and healthy and happy
Keeping things out of Kate's nose and ears
Supporting Ben as he rehearses for a church musical 6 days a week! (more on that later)


Things I am not succeeding at:
Keeping my house clean
Finishing my 30 day challenge of reading the Book of Mormon started Jan. 3
Getting ready for the stream of spring break visitors we have lined up
Folding the darn laundry!
Reading books I want to read
Finishing a hutch I started painting...oh...three weeks ago?

Although it's sometimes hard to get up at 6:15am, go outside in the cold and the dark (again-thanks daylight savings!) there is something relaxing and centering about swimming back and forth, watching the sun rise, a few minutes of adult conversation, and getting a good start to the day. Here's to swimming!

Me doing some rockin' breaststroke!



Audra's amazing butterfly!



Here's to the kick 'n' chat part of the work-out!