Patty's

Our family has never been big into St. Patrick's Day.  We're not Irish, not from Boston, not Catholic and not very much fun.  This time of year isn't my high energy time; green decor, wind and kites don't inspire me.  I'm holding out for Easter.  It's Lent, isn't it?  Shouldn't we be giving up holidays for a few weeks?  Not Ptolemy.  He came home with a fully-formed notion of a Leprechaun trap, which he built out of everything green he could find.  Scott couldn't resist Ptolemy's excitement and went to the store where he bought...everything green he could find.  It's really hard to say no to Ptolemy, especially when leprechauns are involved.

They came!

This little leprechaun was pretty excited!

Scott got to take Ptolemy out for a green donut, too, because I couldn't get away from a clingy Tziporah at her dance class to go pick up Ptolemy at his.  Scott and Coco got him fed and to school on time.  Phew!

Shelter was at Liberty Hills Academy for St. Patty's Day.  Tiffany is the vice principal there, and she wanted us to see her labor of love, this private school.  I was impressed by the campus and the wonderful things happening there.  Tiffany is a great example of love in action.  And she can whip together a beautiful lunch with a bag full of cellophane-wrapped chocolate, a gingham tablecloth and Robintino's delivery.  As always, lunch was a heavenly respite.

 Good things always happen at Shelter.  Michelle hemmed Lexie's solo costume last-minute, and I was able to fix Matthew's cello bow for his concert tomorrow.

And of course, we solved a lot of the world's problems with chocolate, Diet Coke and sheer will.

We have been waiting all year for the Lancelle Night to Remember, to see my niece Lexie perform all of her drill dances, including a gorgeous solo.  What a fun night with my girls, Grandma and Grandpa and the Shelter moms, who came in force to support their "Shelter kid," Lexie.

Araceli posted this picture on Instagram with a touching tribute:

"Lexie, I just wanted to point out some things to you:  1. You are an amazing dancer!  2. I love you so much!  #.  I look up to you for advice, for an example and so much more.  4.  My life would be so different without you.  5.  You are beautiful!  6. You are the best cousin ever!  7.  You have changed my life for the better.  8.  You are so talented.  9.  When I see you, I see an amazing, gorgeous, loving, compassionate, committed and inspiring girl. 10.  You are my role model.  You did SO good in your performance tonight!  I can honestly say that you were the best one there.  I loved watching you dance!All the hard work has definitely paid off.  I love you so much!  Keep dancing!"

Isn't Araceli sweet?  I love how freely she expresses love.  And she was right; Lexie was the best one there!

These little girls of ours are taking flight.  Golda accepted her honors/housing scholarship to Utah Valley University yesterday, so it looks like she will be moving out right after the girls get back from Europe.  So we have three more months with her.  There's not enough punctuation in the world to make that sentence express how bewildering and life-changing that is!  I'm just soaking it all in.  I'm not going to lament.  I'm going to love every minute!

I had to counteract the reality of the big girls growing up by taking the little ones to the zoo.  Ptolemy was in charge, so the cake pop photo was the only one we took all day...until he asked me to take a picture of the beautiful peacock.  I think it's unfair that only the boy peacocks have the gorgeous feathers.  They probably don't even care!  And the peahens have to be all drab and brown.  They're probably not even impressed by all that plumage!  Jealous, maybe.  I know I am.  I miss my blue "plumage!"