Lizzie had a little birthday party last Friday night. With Kelly gone all week, I couldn't face a big party with lots of friends, so she chose three special friends and we took them to a restaurant to eat. She chose McCall, Natalie, and Sophia. It was tricky at school because Lizzie's kindergarten is small enough that you either have to invite the entire class (or worse, the entire kindergarten) or just one or two friends. Since she is at a charter school, the same 50 kids will be together from kindergarten until eighth grade, so you really don't want to have any hurt feelings from birthday parties. All the girls' mothers have discussed this at length with each other. Aren't kindergarten politics funny?

The morning after the party, we loaded up the van and drove to the temple in Chicago. It's been nearly a year since we've been and it was time. Plus, it was my birthday and I really wanted to shop at Nordstrom. The closest one to us happens to be within ten miles of the temple. What's a girl to do?? We had a really fun day. While I did initiatories, Kelly took the girls to the park; by the time we traded places, Anna was such a mess, I had to buy her a completely new outfit, right down to the underwear -- unbelievable! Most fun of all was the drive down and back. For five months, I hadn't been further away than 30 miles, and that was picking Mom up from the Green Bay airport. Usually I only see the same five miles...and NEVER go beyond that. The advantage is that I only have to pay to fill up my gas tank every other week, and at $3.42 a gallon, that is a big advantage.

We are getting excited for summer. It's coming quickly. Lizzie counts only 10 days left until school gets out. I can't wait, too. I think my two favorite days of the year and the first and the last days of school. This has been a stellar year for both girls and Kelly and I have loved watching them learn so many new things. Part of me wishes that we could freeze time right now and never have the girls change. But I've been wishing that since Lizzie was a toddler, and every new stage is more fun than the last. I hope it's always that way...