Marching in.

Dare I say that this is the first full week of school Ella has had without weather delays or closures? I mean, we still have tomorrow to get through but it is looking golden. You know what else is golden? The warm-up we have coming our way next week. For the love of all things sacred, spring...get into action. WE. ARE. READY.

 

But not before Ella chimes in on how she would have things if she were President at the "Wit Hos".

 

My little stink pot, trying to catch the sun rays coming through our breakfast nook windows...

I helped out during library time last week at school. Ella and her posse figuring out which books they want to check out - dang are they cute.

Speaking of books, I just devoured this one. Ella and Panda have been good sports about curling up in bed with me, grabbing books of their own and reading with me.

And this is what happens when your kid asks to see your phone while you're driving. This was one of two dozen pictures she took of me at the wheel. Don't get me started on how many videos she shot.

 

Saturday night we attended Ella's first master's program piano recital for our church's music director. He was phenomenal, only to be outdone by Ella's behavior. She fell asleep on the way to get ice cream afterwards, woke to eat her ice cream and then fell back asleep! Recitals are hard work.

On Sunday, I got to do a super cool thing with some of the moms in the neighborhood. We gathered with their DSLR cameras in hand, and I taught them about how much more they can be doing with their cameras to photograph their families. It was big fun. We have weekly assignments for the next few months. This week, portrait:

I thought it was worth including Ella's contribution: her portrait of me. Nicely done, Ella Man Li!! Of course I changed all the settings but she framed it up and focused the shot.

Little did I know it would be the last photo taken with my hair long.

 

Because the following day, this happened. It has been over 15 years since my hair has been this short. I am thrilled. My ears and neck are freezing and not thrilled. It took me 5 minutes to do my hair this morning. Ella saw me for the first time and demanded "I want my old mama back". She later told me that she didn't mean I was old, but that she wanted the mama I used to be. It is growing on her...I think. Tough, the new Mama Heather is sticking around for a while and I think she might be even spunkier.

 

~H