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The kids played together all day and really seemed to have a great time. This scene is very unusual: E2 is almost always jumping around while he or someone else plays video games. They all just played so hard all day that he actually wore himself out.

A bit of explanation- E3 loves being a princess. She has several tiaras, dress-up gowns, beads, etc. When E2 really got excited about Star Wars, she didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to it until she discovered Leia was a princess. So now she will play Star Wars with him, as long as she gets to be Princess Leia.

My mom washed her hair, then when they were done, E3 said, “Now we put it up like Princess Leia.” So my mom, thinking that must be a common occurance, swirled her hair up into the famous hairdo. She didn’t realize I had actually never fixed her hair like that.

I love these kinds of pictures. I don’t take near enough of them- it seems that by the time I think of getting my camera the moment is lost. Since I’ve been taking my daily pictures I’ve definitely captured a lot more of them, as my camera is more accessible and I’m just thinking about it more. That is probably the best part of doing this, and I’ll be able to treasure the memories for a long time.

E4 slept really well and was obviously feeling more like herself. She was playing on the floor under the window and the sun coming in was really making her skin glow. The photo didn’t capture that as well as I wanted, maybe there was something in processing I could have done, but I don’t know enough.

We had company all day- extended family that I used to babysit that now have their own kids, jobs and/or apartments. How come I still feel the same as I did when they were little, but they are older now than I was then? I remember my mom saying, “I don’t feel any different now than I did when I was 18.” I didn’t understand then, but I sure do now.

E4 hasn’t been quite herself the last few days- she’s not as smiley and not sleeping well during the day. My mom decided (and I agree) that she’s missing her dad. So, K, this is for you, because I know you miss her, too.

You can gain some amazing insight if you listen to 3 year olds conversing for a while. They are so accepting and open, and at the same time trying their best to conform to the social proprieties they observe. It can be very humbling at times.

E3 and M are doing well playing together considering they are both 3, M’s turf has been invaded and E3 really needs to get some more sleep. My mom is also really good at coming up with ideas to stay busy and redirecting when necessary. The activity of choice lately is watercolor painting.

We picked a good time to be here, as L and E had an extra long weekend. The four kids have spent most of the two extra days battling each other with the Pokemon cards or with the Pokemon games on their Gameboy Advanced, and they really seem to be having a grand time.

I think for this trip E1 and E2 were the most excited about playing the Pokemon card game with cousins L and E. Four years ago when my sister and her family came to visit, L and E were really into the game- they even talked K into buying his own deck so they could beat him soundly. After E1 and E2 became interested in the game this last year, we talked about that visit and they thought it was neat to have that in common with their cousins. I was so glad that L and E didn’t consider the game to be passé.

The weather has been fairly mild for Wyoming in February. The kids played outside for much of the afternoon, and had a blast with all the stuff to do. The rock box has always been a big hit with all of my parents’ grandkids. When E3 and my nephew M went out they headed straight for it, and played together for quite a while.

The second day of traveling went pretty much as well as the first, as long as you don’t count the kids asking, “Are we in Wyoming yet?” every 20 minutes. They really weren’t asking the classic question of “Are we there yet” because we had been talking about the different states the whole way, and Montana is soooo big. E4, who had been a trooper the whole way, melted down about an hour out. We got her calmed down, she ate, and then she fell asleep as we went the last little bit.

This is the door to the house I lived in from the time I was born until I graduated high school. Many things changed over the years- the whole house was remodelled when I was two, the door has been a couple of different colors, etc.- but it was always filled with warmth and fellowship, laughter and love. All were welcome. Those things have never changed.