The Insanity of It All

This year it feels as though my life is like a runaway train of activity. We have so much going on that it is mind-boggling. I am taking four classes and my fifth begins tonight. Ugh! Seriously, what was I thinking?!?! Granted these are digital media and photography classes. Therefore they carry less academic weight. But that just means I have to take more classes to officially qualify as a part time student. It feels as if I am constantly juggling a variety of tasks. Schoolwork, housework, childcare, dog care, and, oh yeah...I think I have a husband in the mix of all that! Suffice to say, between my education and Maddie's I am eagerly anticipating summer vacation.

Speaking of the kids, they are doing great. Maddie just got her report card and scored some awesome grades. Such good news!! As a mom, few things make you feel as good as knowing your child is doing well in school, both academically and socially. She struggled for a while there, completing her classwork on time. But after a few changes in her diet and with our home routine, she is now working hard in class. This year Maddie told us she wanted to participate in the science fair. After some deliberation she chose volcanoes as the focus of her project. Together we built a volcano (lots of great links out there on the web!) and then studied the three different types of volcanoes. Last semester's Geology class came in very handy for this project. Nice to put my education to good use. It was a lot more work than I anticipated! I now know why people groan when they hear the words "science project"!
Lucas turned one a couple on months ago. He is such a charmer! Everywhere we go people just ooh and aah over him. He then seals the deal by flashing a smile and those darling dimples, and then they just melt. We like to say "it's a good thing he is so cute"; it compensates (somewhat) for how much trouble he gets into. He is into EVERYTHING! Constantly! The kid has a plethora of toys, but why play with them when there are so many forbidden objects around the house (ie. frames, books, magazines, the cable box, cabinets, remote controls). His walking is slowly progressing into running and his vocabulary is growing. Not surprising he has learned the word "no" already. And the temper... Hell hath no fury like Lucas when he can't have his way. The flailing. The arching. The screaming. Oh my! I shudder to think of what year two brings! Todd and I have an adults only vacation planned this fall with our good friends Ryan and Jamie. I think that may just be our saving grace this year :)! A little escape to Maui should do us some good. A week of drinking, relaxing, and drinking some more will be a welcome respite. I can't wait! Aaahhh....Hawaii....

We bought a new tent trailer last month. Todd really wanted it for our trip to Yellowstone. The thought of sleeping on the ground (on an air mattress, I can't rough it that much!) did not appeal to him. Therefore the tent trailer seemed to be a good option. Still rustic, yet we are off of the ground. Plus it will make future camping trips a lot easier. Now all we have to do is pack food and clothes. I can't wait to try it out!!!