Update

It's spring around here and we have been busier than a one armed paper hanger as my papa used to say!  The girls really have enjoyed the warmer weather. My Addie, although quite rough and tumble, prefers to wear skirts and dresses, and she also loves to go bare legged. She has been so excited to be able to wear a dress with no tights to school this week.  

Ali Grace has continued to progress with her riding lessons. She has always had a hard time maintaining her focus and concentration and I really think her riding lessons are helping. She gets frustrated sometimes and I have to remind her that if this were easy, everyone would do it. She loves her horse, Treasure. Treasure is a very small mare that was picked on by the other mares in the group and so we had to move her because she was losing weight and constantly being bitten by the other horses. This horse LOVES Ali. I guess they are kindred spirits. Ali has never mentioned being picked on or anything, but she often laments the fact that she's the tiniest kid in her class. I guess she knows how Treasure feels. Treasure will come to her when she walks in the gate and follow her all over the pasture until Ali decides to leave. We all find it quite comical.  Her teacher emailed me this week and told me how proud she was of Ali Grace. She said Ali finished her benchmark tests in the allotted time and exceeded the standard on the test. We were VERY worried about her concentration and her ability to finish in time. Whew!

My cousin Julie had her first baby this week. Her name is Anneli and she is just beautiful. I am so happy for she and her husband Goran. That poor girl has more Hokie clothing than the law allows I'm sure, but I found a burp cloth this week that said "I drool maroon and orange" and I had to have it.  So so cute!


In other news, my friend Tammy mentioned in her blog recently that if we Americans want manufacturing jobs to return to this country, we have to do more to support companies who pay American workers on American soil. I whole heartedly agree with this idea. It is only an extension of my locavore belief. Imagine the fuel and energy used to transport cheaply made tee shirts from China all the way to the United States.  I have mentioned before that I love buying handmade items, just because of their originality and also because an American woman made them in her American home - albeit on a Japanese sewing machine. BUT, I feel like that's what this country has to get back to in order to survive tough times. We need to provide for each other. Is there something YOU do well, that you could trade someone else for goods or services?  My dad does a lot of bartering with other people and has found it quite profitable and beneficial to both parties involved. We depend far too much on other countries to provide our necessities. Americans need to do more to provide their own food and clothing. I personally love farmer's markets in the spring and summer and I WISH I had Tammy's sewing ability. But, alas I do not, so I must stick with what I know. She has Family and Consumer Science degree and I have an Agriculture degree. I wonder if she'd trade some sewing for some cucumbers, tomatoes and squash!  LOL  :)  Have a wonderful Easter everyone!