Busy, busy, tired. Jimmy's party was a fantastic success! We had to move it from the fairgrounds (which was itself a last-minute change) to the bowling alley on account of unpredictable weather. Everybody had a great time, the cake was ugly but tasty - it's supposed to be a volcano - and the presents were appeasing to the birthday boy and the envy of all his friends. Thanks again, Lori, for the mustaches - they were the life of the party!
We've been getting outside as often as the weather permits. We took the kids out to the refuge last week and dinked around there. I got some great pix, the kids had a blast playing in and around the eagle's nest, and Jim read all of the info signs. We took the tour route back and saw a couple different big herds of deer, lots of geese, and a heron, but no eagles.
On Sunday we headed over to Montana for the day. Chris and I played disc golf in Troy, and then we visited the swinging bridge. Jimmy has pronounced it to be AWESOME! and was very disappointed when we had to leave. We promised to go back soon and spend the whole day. I'll upload some more pix from that adventure soon.
Kirsi's favorite new activity - leaping at the animals when they aren't looking.

Idaho Spring

The joys of a northern spring continue.  We look on impassively as the weather turns from sun to rain to sun to snow to sun to hail to freezing.  All this variety in a single spring day - who wouldn't want to live in Idaho?  Nah, I kid - we take it all in stride and good humor.  And after all, it's somewhat soothing to live in a climate that has more mood swings than I do;)

Backyard blizzards aside, we've been busy with our small doings.   Chris has finished rototilling the yard, and is almost done rolling it flat.  Then we can replant and hopefully have a respectable lawn to entice prospective buyers.  No news on the home front - a couple of drive-bys, but no new showings scheduled so far.  I keep hoping we'll get someone desperate to buy before the tax credit deadline, but time is running out.

I've been taking care of the horses again, and enjoyed a very close interview with a chipmunk yesterday.  He wasn't at all frightened, and let me sit about two feet away from him taking picture after picture.  I did eventually push my luck and startle him, but he only went about a foot away and then settled back into his chipmunk doings.  I'm also trying to get my ass in gear and mail out copies of one of my manuscripts to some publishers - you never know!

We went to Tommy's 5th birthday party on Sunday and had a great time visiting and watching the kids.  Cousin Jared is heading to NASA's international robotics competition this week - can you believe Bonners Ferry high school made it?... and this isn't the first time.  Apparently rocket scientists flourish among us rednecks.  Grampa and Doug proved that you're never to old to tape your mouth shut.  Kirsi made herself adorable and was much in demand among the relatives, but eventually had enough attention and cake and went off to a hallway to lay down and rest.

Jimmy is getting all kinds of worked up about his birthday next week, and keeps coming up with last minute addendums to his wish list.  His class picture came in today, but they aren't going to send them home.  Why, you ask?  Because a certain Hubbell child with spiky hair and big blue eyes was in the picture, grabbing his crotch with a triumphant grin on his face.... oh, that's my son.  The secretary at the school thought it was hysterical - she pulled me into the office to show me and we had a great time laughing over it.  I hope they do retakes.  Either way, she said she'd save a copy of this one for me, since the offending child belongs to me... 

And lastly, in local news, BTC has gone where the woodbine twineth, victim of a hostile takeover by Safeway and *sniff* taking my favorite pizza with it.  Not to mention putting a lot of people out of work.  The rumor is that another grocery store will replace the downtown Safeway, but no word on what chain it will be.  

Easter Revels

Easter days have come and gone, but the candy lingers on...  We had a suitably delicious holiday, and hope you all did, too.  We took Jim down to the town egg hunt at the fairgrounds again, and he loved it even though it was REALLY cold and windy.  As soon as we got there he was tackled (literally) by three of his friends from school, and had a more dignified, 'Hubbell-man' reunion with Tommy and Colton.  Then the whistle sounded and all was chaos.  The eggs - thickly strewn on the lawn with no attempt at concealment - were quickly snatched up, but before the kids' enthusiasm could die down the Easter Bunny came hopping through, throwing candy from his basket and collecting a mass of tiny followers.  

We spent the rest of Saturday dying eggs and resting.  Sunday we spent with our friends Chuck and Kayt, sans her girls who are with their dad for the holiday.  Kayt made us an incredible easter feast, and we spent a nice, quiet day hiding eggs, playing board games, and stuffing ourselves with the wonderful food.

Jim is on spring break, which is a nice if strange change of pace.  Kirsi is getting big, and the box of 'too-big' clothes is getting small.  I had a case of the sniffles today as I packed away all the little things she's grown out of - remembering that these too, not long ago, were in the 'too-big' box.  Jimmy and Kirsi's relationship continues to flourish - he actually asked if he could feed her the other day.  But the sibling rivalry is starting as well, as Kirsi begins to demand inclusion and Jim just wants to be left alone.  I can't quite get him to understand that even if she can't play pretend with him, she can still wander around and through the fantasy without ruining his day.