Quote for the Day

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Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...
it's about learning how to dance in the rain.

~Unknown~
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Rachel's Hart

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Rachel, our little artist, is in her 'Heart' phase. As her mom, I know it's not surprising that I like her work, but this one really struck me. I love it!

I love the colors, the big bold strokes. All of it. We're going to have it transferred to canvas and hang it in the house. 

Who knows - maybe she'll be an artist of some kind when she's older. If that does happen, we'll have to figure out where she picked up that extra special gene. I know it didn't come from me, and, as far as I can tell, it didn't come from Dave either.

Hmmmm.
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Quote for the Day

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If you're happy and you know it...,
it means you've taken all your meds.

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Rachel is over the moon. Today is the long awaited play date with her little friend, Alec. A cute little blond boy with big blue eyes and a sweet disposition, he is the object of her affections.

(Alec is the one in the front, on the right)

For the past two weeks, Alec has come up 50 times…,

• When is Alec coming over?
• I wonder what Alec is having for dinner.
• Do you think Alec is going to bed now?
• When is Alec coming over?
• Can I call Alec?
• I can’t wait for Alec to come over.
• Alec would LOVE this movie, I’m going to show this to Alec.
• When is Alec coming over?

And the day has finally come. Her little friend will be here in about an hour. I’m hoping her little head doesn’t explode with excitement before he gets here.

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Truth be told - he is a little cutie!

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Rider of the Week

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Click on image to enlarge.

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Catching up on the minutia

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I've become lost in the digital world of Facebook and I'm trying to break the habit. Because of this little preoccupation, I've missed writing about a lot of the little things lately:

• Alex turned 6 on February 1.
• We took the girls to Disneyland to celebrate.
• Rachel has her first crush. It's a HUGE crush on the cutest little boy named Alec, and she can't stop talking about him.
  
• Alex received an almost perfect report card, with the highest marks in everything except organization. (hmm - anyone care to guess where that comes from. Hint - it's not Dave.)
• Our kindergartner, Alex is reading at 1.7 level - that's 1st grade 7 months. Mommy and Daddy are extremely proud of her, and happy that she LOVES it.
  
• Rachel has entered her silly phase. She's a nut. Cute as can be, but ultra silly.
• Dave is taking the lead with Alex on homework and teaching her to read. He's a star!
• Alex has begun riding lessons. Riding a 17.2 horse (that's HUGE), she's a natural and loves it.
• I started riding lessons too and have found my new joy. It's pure heaven.
  
• Rachel is loving soccer - though we're not sure if its the game, playing with her sister, or the adult sized treats she gets after playing.
• Alex has become a Daisy Scout (that's pre-Brownie), and Rachel's little head is going to explode if she doesn't get to join soon.
  
• St. Patrick's Day was filled with fun and wonderful surprises - though we didn't catch the leprechaun.
• In celebration of the first day of spring, the girls and I planted our new garden.
  
• Rachel has pneumonia but seems to be feeling fine.
• Alex is as sick as we've ever seen her - she has a cold.
• Scratch that, the Doc says Alex has strep throat. (Oh, lucky day!)
  

What's up next?

• We're going to Legoland as soon as the girls are feeling better - courtesy of Auntie Jane.
• During Easter week, we're going to California Adventures - courtesy of our new Disneyland annual passes.
• Dave and I are going to China (!) this summer for our 10 year anniversary!!
• The girls are planning for a visit from Grandma and the Hill cousins while we're in China.
• After all that, we're going to slow down a bit and rest!
  

And, I've completely avoided any discussion about the craziness in the world. The swirl of news about the recession/depression, environmental doom and gloom, social decay, etc. Only time will tell how all of this will turn out. So we'll leave that to future history books. Chapter titled: The Bush Fallout. Or, a little less partisan; The legacy of deregulation, unbridled capitalism and greed. (Ok - maybe still a little partisan.)

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Lost in Cyberspace

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I've been lost in Face Book and Twitter for the past month. Sort of fun - but totally fleeting. I've overlooked some of the wonderful minutia that makes up our lives. I'll be posting lots of new pics and a few funny stories soon.

I need to get into a digital rehab program. I'm out of control...,

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Children

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And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, "Speak to us of Children." And he said: Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts. For they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies but not their souls, For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams. You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you. For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday. You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth. The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far. Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness; For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.
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Fun with Photos

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Mommy is playing with her toys again. Dressing up old photos...,

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Moms at the Park

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Amy Duncan, Noelle Jue, Casey Hart

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