The only problem with getting behind on a blog is that the process of catching up is so daunting that you put it off, and then you only get behinder and behinder.

We enjoyed spring break a few weeks ago.  Didn’t go anywhere fun, but we did lots of work on scouting merit badges.  The boys were thrilled!  Said it was their best spring break ever and they would rather work on merit badges than go to Disneyland.  They were especially excited about sitting through a city council meeting for the Citizenship in the Community badge.  I practically had to peel them off their chairs when it was time to leave. (Jeff was reassured by the fact that attendance is required only once during his entire scouting career: “I’m glad I never have to do THAT again!”)

Right after spring break, Bryce came home for a week.  Loved it!  Loved it!  The only thing that would have made it better would be to have Kim home, too.  He enjoyed doing nothing, sleeping as late as he wanted, having no homework, and eating free food.  (Isn’t it interesting how you never think twice about your food until you have to provide it for yourself, and then all of a sudden, free food is amazing!)

As you all know by now, his mission call was waiting for him in Rexburg.  New Mexico Albuquerque! Spanish speaking!  He’s excited to learn Spanish, and I’m excited he’s staying state side.  We both got what we wanted.  He’ll come home with a language skill, and I won’t worry that he’ll spend half his mission sick in bed because he doesn’t recognize food that might possibly contain eggs, nuts, or fish.

And since no blog is complete without a picture, here’s the only picture we’ve taken in the last three weeks.  It’s a photo of beef stroganoff.  Although it may look like it’s enough to feed the whole family, this is actually only Brett’s serving.  Think how much money I’ll save once he learns to appreciate free food.

I’m enjoying the sunshine and the promise of spring in the air.  Haven’t yet seen the warm weather that’s supposed to go with it, but I’m hopeful.  Now, to get a garden put it.  We do a lot of talking about it, but might it actually happen this year? 

My plan was to copy the garden boxes my neighbors built.  They’re really pretty and, unlike my previous attempts, they actually look good as part of the landscaping.  They’re made out of 8 foot rounded boards held together with rebar. Our only vehicle capable of transporting those boards resides in Rexburg, so I planned my purchase to coincide with Bryce’s visit.  I knew I could talk him into helping me as long as his reward was good enough and free enough. 

I was so excited to go to the garden shop!  Finally!  I was going to have a garden -- one that looked good AND was deep enough to grow something.  I left Jim and Bryce outside loading boards while I went inside to pay for them.  By the time I got back out, things weren’t going so well.  Jim didn’t like the boards available.  They were cracked and picked through, and he was sullenly loading the best ones he could find, getting madder and madder with each board.  Bryce reasoned that even if they weren’t cracked already, they probably would be by the time they’d spent a summer outside.  And I thought that if the neighbors could grow strawberries with cracked boards, why couldn’t I?

We “discussed” the situation while Bryce watched patiently, leaning against the car, arms crossed, with a look on his face that said, “I’m SO glad I don’t live with these people anymore.”

We ended up returning the boards we just bought 10 minutes earlier.  We have scoured the city, and there are no uncracked 8 foot rounded boards to be had.  It’s the end of April and I’m still boardless and gardenless.   Stay tuned.  I’m sure the saga is not over.

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Overheard

Alexa:  Is this a magic wand?

Me:  Mmm Hmmm.   It’s Jeff’s old Harry Potter wand.

Alexa:  Does it really work?

Me:  No.  It used to, but the batteries are dead.

Alexa:  Whoa!  Could we get some batteries?  I want to turn Ashlee into a frog.