High heel wearing, Troop Beverly Hills Girl Scout-want-to-be farmer…

It has been a week. The middle of our week started out AWESOME with the arrival of a spring blizzard. By midday Wednesday the storm dumped twenty inches of cold, heavy, wind-blown flakes. We have had more snow days this season than I can remember, with the exception of living overseas in a tropical jungle for a few years, and we will take what we can get. The kiddos played in the snow, drank hot chocolate, played games, watched movies and made pizzas (and the “big kids” enjoyed some wine) – it was as perfect as any snow day could have been.

While the kiddos frolicked in the snow I noticed that one of our new baby chicks seemed really, really uncomfortable. Now I knew that this would happen – something is bound to happen at some point, every living thing gets sick but it was just so sad to watch her squirm. Oh what do I do? I asked Mike if I should take her in to the vet and based on his look it hit me – I am not really the farmer type – I mean the "stereotypical type" that takes the sick animal out back and shoots it (no offense), I am more the (slightly) high maintenance, high heel wearing, Troop Beverly Hills Girl Scout-want-to-be farmer (sorry, mom, I know I was raised tougher) – with a probably too big a heart. But I was determined and fearing her death so I did my research. Basically, in layman’s terms her belly was too full and potentially stuck. So I sat with her in my hands and gently rubbed her little belly (with Hannah’s support) and after a little bit she seemed better; she hopped out of my hands and joined her sisters. Phew!!!

The snow finally stopped and after digging ourselves out, literally, on Saturday we went to see the musical Newsies at the Denver Center for Performing Arts!

Newsies is a musical based on the New York City newsboy strike of 1899. When young newspaper sellers are exploited beyond reason by their bosses they set out to enact change and are met by the ruthlessness of big business. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104990/)

Newsies was fantastic with an amazingly talented cast. The cast powerfully danced and sang but also did acrobatics that both kiddos just loved. It was a great night.

Sunday Easter morning came along with the Easter bunny. We had to wake poor Mason up, he was still reeling from our long, fun filled week of playing. The kiddos opened their baskets and then we joined my family for brunch and an Easter egg hunt. I was so happy to spend this holiday home with my family but it’s another holiday once shared with our expatriate friends in a faraway country and I missed them.

I am very much so looking forward to spring, actually any season, but spring represents new life and growth and I feel that represents this stage in our lives right now.  

Troop Beverly Hills:    http://www.cctrubiak.com/artist/2011/11/its-cookie-time-shelley-long-troop-beverly-hills-1989/

 Newsies: http://www.blumenthalarts.org/events/detail/newsies-1

Welcome to the funny farm...

http://lifealongthecowpath.blogspot.com/2010/07/party-line.html

"I feel like a farmer" my seven year old son, Mason, said after we just got done setting up our new baby chicks' brooder (baby chick house). And he got me thinking this place is like a farm -- a funny farm for sure -- our own little Suburban Funny Farm.

As some of you know, we recently have relocated back to beautiful Colorado after living overseas for two plus years. Living overseas was a wonderful adventure that concluded with an amazing end to that chapter of our lives. So that is why I have decided to start this blog and say farewell to my Gines Family Adventure blog so that I can journal and chronicle this new chapter.

Moving back home has brought on welcome (and expensive) challenges. The last several months we have bought a house, furnished a house, Mike and I both started new jobs, Mason started a new school, we got a new dog, added four baby chicks to the mix and rediscovered cold weather and snow. I think after saying all that, we are finally settled into this new chapter.

We have been busy as a dual-income household; Mike and I juggling errands, homework, cleaning duties and shuttling kiddos from one activity to the next. AND I LOVE IT!!! The one thing I have been fortunate to have learned from living abroad was gratefulness; I was able to really learn, see, touch and feel how incredibly blessed we are and how blessed I am! I think every person as a young adult should live abroad. And I am not talking about beach-bummin' in a posh resort, I am talking about spending time learning another culture and language. It is an eye, heart and soul-opening experience that puts a lot into perspective -- A LOT!

I have always bragged about how resilient my kiddos have been through all that the last several years has presented them and moving home hasn't been all peaches and cream. They, especially, Hannah had to re-emerge herself back into her old school with her old friends that had essentially moved on and changed as well. Challenges aside Hannah and Mason have really acclimated well. (Me and the cold weather? Not so much but nothing a crackling fire can't fix)

Additionally, in these last several months Hannah and Mason are excelling at school, mastering gymnastics, enjoying scouts and even learned how to ski. Mason took 3rd place overall in the Pinewood Derby Race and my little Hannah turned 10 -- just to think that she was just 7 when we moved to Indonesia.   

Life goes so quickly and I am so grateful to be where we are and grateful for what I have! And I cannot wait for what else is in store for our little life on the Suburban Funny Farm.