Exploring Colorado

**

We arrived in Colorado more than 6 months ago and have easily survived what everyone is telling us was a 'very mild' winter. Spring seems to be coming our way - early, thankfully. The grass is starting to turn green and the weather is beginning to brighten and warm.

This weekend, the girls and I took an exploratory drive around Boulder County and found wonderful, happy things....,

**

Absorbing family values...,

**

Earlier today, the girls and I set out to give boxes of girl scout cookies to the homeless folks down on Pearl Street. On the way Rachel said, "Momma, I know it seems like they don't have anything, but they do have something. They have love - they can love, give love. So they do have something."

It was a day of lots of discussion. Alex asked if people were born homeless and I was about to answer her with all the adult issues of homelessness and its plethora of causes, but I stopped mid-sentence. "Yes, sadly, some babies are born to mommies and daddies who don't have homes." "We're lucky," she said. "We have a home. When we give them the cookies, I hope it makes them happy."

**

My babies

My babies are growing up fast. They're now two little girls - not babies, not toddlers. Little girls with friends at school and an entirely separate life from us. A life outside of our home, beyond our eyes and arms. On some level, it's a leap of faith.

Time is flying too fast and I'm missing minutia.

Rachel looses her 1st tooth!!

**

Little Rachel has FINALLY lost her first tooth. She's been waiting, semi-patiently - for soooo long.

It was quick mommy thinking when Rachel ran in to tell us that she'd lost her tooth and then began to cry when she realized that she'd SWALLOWED it!! (I didn't know people ever actually did that!)

"Rachel, Sweetie, let me see that chocolate egg," I said. "I'll bet you just lost it in that gooey center."

"NO! It's gone, I swallowed it!!"

There was some discussion about waiting until she pooped and searching for it there, but she relented and let me 'search' the chocolate egg. I took the egg ran upstairs and grabbed one of Alex's baby teeth, which, for some unknown reason, the tooth fairy kept giving back to me.

"Found it!" I called, and came downstairs proudly holding 'Rachel's 1st lost tooth.'

Crisis averted, we pulled out the Tooth Fairy pillow and prepared her tooth for pick up. She was over the moon!!

**

My own private world...,

**

OK - I've moved my blog to my own private world. My thought and family memoir for our eyes only. At least for now. With Twitter and Facebook, we're public enough. It's nice to have a little it of the cyber world - just for us.

**

Wondering who you are...,

**

I'm wondering who it is that is still looking at our family blog. I've been an infrequent blogger for the past year or so - and am amazed to see stats that say I have 5 visitors a day!

So...., who are you? Leave a comment and let me know...,

**

Girl Scouts

**

Both the girls joined Girl Scouts just as soon as they started a new school. I think it's helped them both settle in and make new friends.

We're now in the midst of "Cookie Season," which is going to cost us at least $50.00 in cookies. Lord knows we can't eat all those, so we're donating them to the local homeless. I'm hoping this will help them learn just how lucky we are and how much we have.

I'm so happy to see their smiles and hear their giggles. Soooo love them, all they are, and all they're going to be.

**

Emerging....,

**

Looking through my old photos, I've been having a little fun with Photoshop, making them a bit more interesting with a bit more pop. Here are two identical photos with different treatments....,

Thought both of these were fun.

**