Two new members joined our family last weekend, two female gerbils named Sulu and Pear. Duncan and Berry each named one. They are happily living in Duncan’s bedroom.

Last week, their attractions were a running wheel and wooden climbing structure. This week: shredded paper tunnels.

I’ve read that we should get the gerbils used to us by playing with them. I’m not sure how one plays with gerbils. Perhaps Google can tell me.

Duncan now possesses the incredible ability at age not-quite-six to carrying on lengthy text message conversations with me. They even make sense. I haven’t been in touch with the kids this visit as much as I have in prior ones and I miss them lots. Yet I respect their need to have a relationship with their Dad independent of me and want to give them the space for that to exist. Plus, when Berry misses you, she prefers to ignore you. It’s easier for her.

I’ve been back to work on and off over the last couple of weeks – about 2 days each week. It’s exhausting right now. But it’s also good to get back into the swing of things. Hopefully I’ll be able to manage when I’m working full time and have kids full time. While I miss them, having a break has also given me some space in my head and quiet time to begin to sort things out.

My first flight (of three) is boarding, so I’ll dutifully wait in line. Perhaps other airports will have power and free WiFi, too.

Just found Mum’s wedding dress as I haphazardly go through her things. I’m through most of it now and am ready to call in friends and family to help prepare the rest for an estate sale this weekend.

Adam is somewhat dismayed at the number of boxes that have entered our house. I will find homes for all of it, though.

I didn’t know Mum had kept her wedding dress from all those years ago. I suspect, in one of the many bins of old photos, her wedding album is there, too. I foolishly plan to keep all of Mum’s never-used photo albums and put them in over the next week or so. A girl can have dreams. It’s more likely than her dress ever fitting me.

Mum fell during the night, although she seems to be all right. We barely got her over to our house today and she’s currently installed in Berry’s room where I think she’ll stay.

This photo is of Christopher dancing with her to the car.

Mum fell during the night, although she seems to be all right. We barely got her over to our house today and she’s currently installed in Berry’s room where I think she’ll stay.

This photo is of Christopher dancing with her to the car.

In the meantime, here are photos from the last couple of months. Enjoy.

February

March

April to-date

Berry’s birthday party
This deserves a post of its own — a houseful of 4-year-olds, all screaming about the Roomba cleaning the basement. Who knew they’d make up their own party games? They also enjoyed an impromptu princess dressup out of Berry’s closet. What does it say that Berry has enough pretty dresses to outfit her entire pre-school class (well, 8 of them)?

Then there were the Princess Peach-themed games that I came up with — making window clings with puffy paint and a Yoshi egg hunt. Those went over well, too.

Here are the pics:

And then, for the kids–the fussing and wakeful nights–as those first teeth cam in.

And now, the first tooth has come out.

In an episode of Super Why, Duncan learned that you could write a letter to the tooth fairy, asking her to leave your tooth (and a surprise). So he did. I helped him spell the words. The rest was all him.

And the back. It’s a bit hard to read, but it says, “I’m an artist and I don’t know why.” At the bottom is a turtle saying, “I love you.” While getting undressed for bath, Duncan suddenly declared that he’d figured out why he was an artist. “My Daddy is an artist. AND my Mummy is an artist.”

And, even though it’s not the first time going to school for either of them–as they were at Montessori school all last year–the obligatory first day of school photos were taken.

We were running late, of course. And Berry wasn’t in a good mood. Duncan was fine, but he decided to pretend to be grumpy in solidarity with his sister.

The boy also gives good cuddles:

However, once we were at school and got them into the before-school classroom to play, Berry was all smiles and happiness:

A highlight of back to school times are ice cream socials. With 4 kids in 4 different schools, we ended up with 3 ice cream socials to go to. I was too busy to take pictures at Duncan’s and Adam went alone to Emma’s (same day, different time). But we all made it out to Sam’s, after school one day last week.

Everyone eagerly gathered to get the smiley face on their hand which allowed them access to ice cream!

Post-ice cream faces:

Post-ice cream playground playing:

And then I was chased back to the car, under threat of being tickled by Emma.

Every morning I look at the mountain backdrop, the clouds lifting as the day warms and think about how beautiful it is. True, some mornings it’s raining. But it’s still beautiful.

This morning, it was a remarkable sight – white clouds wafting across the mountain tops, patches of snow reminding me that it’s still early spring. Something about the sight, perhaps the light, the majesty and peace, struck me.

I was driving, I didn’t take a picture. Sorry.

It’s easy to take the things we see every day for granted. The kids in the back seat giggling about some silly game they’ve come up with. The trees blooming. The hills and mountains surrounding us in this valley, sheltering us from harsh weather.

I don’t think I could have picked a more beautiful place to live.