Molley has been coming over on Thursdays for "art lessons."  (That is, Molley brings all of her art supplies and shows the girls how to use them.  Last week, they practiced several watercolor techniques: flat wash, gradient wash, dry brush, splatter, salting, etc.)  Molley is a delightful person, not just because of her willingness to share her tools and her knowledge, but because of her enthusiasm for Every Little Thing.  We are glad to know her.

Today, they painted hot air balloons using 'masking.'  First time I've seen watercolor masking in Real Life:

The Hays came over for dinner and a movie: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.  Our couch / TV space is full with our family; the Hays doubled the crowd.  Very cozy.  Such fun to hear the little boys discussing the story on their own level.  (Connor: "Are they preparing for battle?")  (Logan: "You might want to close your eyes for this part.")  Good times.

Bri loudly bemoaned every infraction as the movie-makers took liberties and wandered from the book.  Ha.  I seem to remember the bulk of the story being about Eustace's struggle and transformation, but movies are visual, so...  We'll have to re-read the story soon for a thorough analysis. 

How could I have missed it?  Over a year at Hayden Bible Church, and one of my daughters had to point out to me -- to me! -- that two of our friends have special names:  The Bergers and the Freys.

I love the way Wilson takes Richard Scary books so seriously.

Mari went her her own birthday party today.  As in, she alone was invited.  No family, no sisters, just Mari.

Bri got her new fancy schmancy tap shoes today.  In the hour since she's put them on, she's already mastered one new skill.  Niiiice.

Molley brought her art supplies to share with Mari.  Not just share the use of them, she actually gifted a pallet (with a nice spectrum of watercolors), watercolor pencils, a kneaded eraser...  Most of their time was spent perusing Molley's art books (including some early EARLY works of Alisa Brown), then she demonstrated several techniques including salting...  Made Mari's day.

Idaho House passes abortion bill

Unchallenged Nebraska law serves as model for measure

BOISE – The Idaho House passed far-reaching anti-abortion legislation Tuesday with backers invoking “the hand of the Almighty” and saying they’re prepared to defend the new law in court.

Senate Bill 1165 bans abortion after 20 weeks on grounds of fetal pain. It includes no exceptions for rape, incest, severe fetal abnormality or the mental or psychological health of the mother. Only when the pregnancy threatens the mother’s life or physical health could a post-20-week abortion be performed.

“Is not the child of that rape or incest also a victim?” asked Rep. Shannon McMillan, R-Silverton. “It didn’t ask to be here. It was here under violent circumstances perhaps, but that was through no fault of its own.”

The Idaho legislation is patterned after a Nebraska law passed last year and not yet challenged in court. Similar bills have been proposed in a dozen states this year. Kansas passed one last week, which is awaiting action by the governor there.

The Idaho bill’s House sponsor, state Rep. Brent Crane, R-Nampa, told legislators that the “hand of the Almighty” was at work. “His ways are higher than our ways,” Crane said. “He has the ability to take difficult, tragic, horrific circumstances and then turn them into wonderful examples.”

State Rep. John Rusche, D-Lewiston, said the bill would force parents of infants with severe deformities who won’t survive to carry the pregnancy to term, rather than letting them decide how to react to the situation on their own. “These diagnoses were made right at about 20 weeks,” said Rusche, a pediatrician who has handled three such cases. “To knowingly force someone to carry a baby to term when they know it’s not going to survive I think is cruel.”

The bill passed the House on a 54-14 vote and now heads to the governor’s desk. It includes provisions for a legal defense fund that could accept donations.

Two legal opinions from the Idaho attorney general said the bill is unconstitutional because it violates the Roe v. Wade decision regarding state restrictions on abortions prior to the point of fetal viability.

Idaho spent nearly three-quarters of a million dollars defending unconstitutional anti-abortion state legislation passed in the 1990s, including $380,000 in attorney fees the state was ordered to pay in 2007 to Planned Parenthood of Idaho after that group challenged unconstitutional provisions in a 2005 abortion parental consent law.

All 13 of the Idaho House’s Democrats voted against the bill; they were joined by one Republican, Rep. Tom Trail, R-Moscow.

Bri:  "I think it's funny how we can chew so many times with our tongue right there and still only bite it 'so' often."

I'm dreaming of April, waiting for her to arrive in all her finery
Dreaming of April, maybe she'll linger this time, turning to smile at me
These clouds of grey march in endless procession
I'm waiting for a change
Dreaming of April

It's April.  The time of year we waffle between stoking the fire and opening windows.  The tulips, daylilies and irises are wiping the sleep out of their eyes, stretching their arms, reaching for the sky.  I wonder how many of my other plants have survived the winter.

March 25-26:  Angie and her girls came for a short visit, the first time they've seen our home in Post Falls.  Mari, Bri, Myra, Stephanie and Madison put on a 'talent' show downstairs.  Stephanie was an excellent emcee.  I don't exactly remember what they performed, but I do remember laughing 'til my face hurt.

March 29:  The Loutzenhisers, on Spring Break, came over to play.  Plotting a perpetually evolving, impossibly complicated story line, the kids spent the day perfecting costumes -- and never actually filmed their story.  Good times, good times.

March 31:  Nicole stopped by on her way home from Seattle-ish.  We took a walk to the stop sign at Poleline; she made cupcakes with Myra while the boys took turns playing games on her cell phone.

April 1:  The end of Mari's Month with No Sugar was officially over.  Bri commemorated the event (with a nod to April Fool's Day) by buying sugar packets and hiding them all over among Mari's belongings.

Gramma Betty surprised us by phoning -- as she pulled into our driveway.  She was on her way to Aunt Julie's, but she stayed long enough to help us enjoy the ice cream she brought for us.

The kids have been planning an extended version LOTR movie marathon at the Heiseys', but Anna said they could only watch two movies.  Joi couldn't stomach the idea of an incomplete marathon, so she came over to watch The Fellowship of the Rings with Mari and Bri.  Extended version.  The younger kids were great about staying quietly out of the way upstairs.  Yay!

Kirby finished building the raised garden beds so he could spend his weekend steelhead fishing.

April 2:  Mari and Bri went to the Heisey's for their LOTR marathon.  As Samwise fought orcs with a pan, Mari quipped, "Frying pans.  Who knew?!"  Ha.

I painted the boys' room.

Molley is into decorating cupcakes but not so much into eating them.  She brought a plateful over to share with us and stayed, visiting, until late.

April 3:  We stopped at Costco on the way home from church.  Picked up hamburger buns, etc. because I had invited the Hay family over for lunch.  Kirby was gone fishing, Myra and Alanna were at Natalie's house, Mr. Hay and Ryan went to a gun show, so there were only ten of us here for lunch -- and most of the little kids had hot dogs.  Good, loud 'n' muddy fun.  I thank God I have a washing machine.

April 4:  Kirby brought a movie home, The Next Three Days.  Like.

today:  Mari and Bri cleaned out the pantry.  Somebody give those girls a raise!  (Or a bonus, at least.)

In a frenzied attempt to format my xanga for printing, I've been reading through my old entries.  Oh, how the years go by!  It's too bad I can't convert the sound files and movie clips to book form -- one of my most precious finds was little Kendric (at 2 years old) singing It's You I Like.

Whether or not I have time to write in complete sentences, I am resolved to continue my journal.  Please hold me to it.