Happy birthday to you... and you... and you... and you....

Well, we made it through the May birthday juggernaut. It is now cake-free time until August. Charlotte turned 2 April 30, I turned 39 (really!) on May 14, Brianna 13 on May 16, and Cami 7 on May 31. Whew. I made cakes for everyone but myself and had little birthday parties for Charlotte and Cami. On Cami's birthday, it was warm enough weather to have a swim party with the cousins. Sure, it's California, but it still doesn't really get hot enough to swim until at least mid-May.
Right now, oddly, we're enjoying a cool spell. We even had some rainfall last week (I've heard that's rather unusual for this area once it's past April), and a storm the week before that. Mind you, it wasn't a rainstorm. Just a storm. It thundered and lightning struck all over and split the night sky -- you get the idea -- but no rain. Oh, sure, a few drops sprinkled the car, but that's about all. I do believe that's the first time I've experienced a storm without rain. We also got a lot of wind that made our backyard look like Alabama during hurricane season. Pretty weird.
As for the moment, I am thoroughly enjoying the low humidity (at least that will stay the same all summer) and the temperate weather -- 70s and low 80s. Very nice. I would be SO happy if it stayed that way all year round. Or at least all summer. I don't mind cooler temps in the winter. Of course, Marce says if I like those kind of temperatures, I should live in the Bay Area. Maybe eventually we'll make our way back up there. Just not anytime soon. I'm not moving again any time in the near or even more distant future if I have any say in the matter.
I got a red beach-cruiser-style Schwinn for my birthday. It's much like the red Schwinn I had growing up. I have now taken it for a spin twice -- once myself in the late evening last week, and then once yesterday with Brianna. She and I cruised around the downtown area of Visalia and had a delightful time. Nice weather, some pretty old houses to look at. Even ran into some friends. I have to say I really like the outdoors atmosphere around here. A lot more people are just out and about here: walking, riding bicycles, working in their yards. Perhaps one reason is that it's just not as miserably humid here as it is in Alabama. Perhaps some is just the California state of mind -- more outdoorsy, more active. I'm liking it. I like that there are bike lanes a lot of places we go. I do, however, miss the nice bicycle trail that was in Alabama. I did not have a bike all that time and so never used the trail for biking; just went on a walk a couple of times. It was very pretty and stretched for miles across a couple of states. And here I come here and buy a bike and I don't know right offhand about a similar bike trail. I am going to have to do some investigating.
It is now summer; the girls are officially out of school. For the first time in my mothering life, I am welcoming their being out. My 2-year-old has really tested me these past few months, and being home alone with her has been pretty tough. But when the older girls are home, they can help keep her busy and at least keep an eye on what she's into. So yay for no school! Yay for helpers! I have a few somewhat grand plans to try to do some fun things with them, do a little traveling, some day trips mostly; teach them to sew, teach some piano, perhaps; not sure. I'd really like to work on math with Marissa. Well, strike that. I really NEED to work on math with Marissa. I'm not eager to do so. But she needs it. She will be going to summer school during the mornings, and getting some continuing help on academics, but I am sure it would help if I sat down with her every day and worked on math. That's the optimistic side of me speaking. But the practical side knows that it won't happen. It'll just be too hectic.
Big trips will include for me a trip to Idaho for my nephew's wedding and for all of us -- even Marce! -- a trip to Provo for a reunion for my freshman ward at BYU. I'm excited about those. Should be lots of fun. I'd love to take everyone to Idaho as well, but two long car trips only 3 weeks apart are just not in the cards. The girls had to agree on this point.
I have been busy with work -- I am now working daytime at the local paper. I work about two days a week, roughly 10 to 12 hours total, laying out and editing the entertainment tabloid that is published by the paper once a week on Fridays. So I spent Wednesdays and Thursdays working on it and feverishly trying to get all the little stuff done by 3 p.m. on Thursday. I've been doing it for, oh, about 5 or 6 weeks now and I think I've gotten the hang of it finally. I'm in a nice smooth groove. It's fun and gives me a nice opportunity to edit and do some more fun layout than news. Also gets me out of the house a couple of times a week and with makeup and hair done and everything. Yes. Indeed. This week I spent two more days at the office laying out and designing a special "what to do in downtowns" section that comes out quarterly. So my week was quite full with work. I do enjoy the opportunity but the week ended up way out of balance. I did not do much cooking at all. I remedied that today by making bread and having fresh vegetables and fruit with it. Tasty and healthy, by golly.
I'm still reading up a storm and keeping up with my Rated Reads site. I am very pleased with it. I am slowly building up its "database" and working on adding new reviewers. I still get very positive feedback on what a good service it is. Just need some more visitors. I would like for it to be profitable someday, but for now it's a labor of love.
That concludes this update. It's quite lengthy. I do hope to be doing more blogging and writing as time goes by this summer.