Check out the Two Fools link on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdxSq_h243E&feature=channel_page It will give you a small idea of how we celebrate my father's birthday every year. He and his buddy, AJ have a landing strip in East Sumner, on my Uncle Stuart's property (the family farm). This thing grows every year.

I'm thinking it's about time to get a real, quality video camera up there to start archiving this stuff a little better. It's such a fun day, but because he's busy visiting and doing traffic control, Dad doesn't get to really see all the stuff that goes on. He only knows it was a nice day because that's what he's heard from so many who attended.

It's usually the weekend closest to October 16, FYI. There's lots of food and many, many airplanes to watch fly in and out and around. Consider this your invitation. If I hear back from you, I will give you directions. =)

Now we move on to Patricia Katherine Bourget, called Kate or Katey.

It's funny how two children raised so closely together can be so different. This is not to say Lilly and Kate are night and day, but it's amazing how Kate has managed to carve out her own niche so clearly and so well.

No one in this family is so attached to family and tradition as is my little Kateybug. She loves having things just so, and thrives when all goes according to plan. She strives to be helpful and cheerful, and aims to please. She is quiet, usually, and ever-observing the big picture. She soaks things in, and remembers many small details... so like her mother that way. And actually, she reminds me more of myself than any of my children. She has sudden mood swings, but overall remains calm and controlled whenever possible.

She has a great sense of humor which often surprises me for someone the tender age of ten. She is wise beyond her years, which adds depth to her humor. She gets jokes that fly past some adults in her acquaintance. She tells jokes those same adults miss completely. She appreciates nuance and subtlety.

Katey is a dedicated scholar, athlete and musician. She works hard to excel in all areas. She pushes herself to exceed the standard, and often gets frustrated when she can't reach the limits she's set for herself. She is precise in following directions, and as such is the most talented musician in the household.

Her looks are almost exotic - the camera loves her almost as much as she loves the camera. She would love to model. She enjoys performing in every sense of the word. She's a natural-born actress, with a particular eye for drama. I love watching her performances, and will not be surprised if she pursues performing arts in college and beyond.

She appreciates a good, honest talk, and is fun to take on dates, or trips, or just anywhere. She is my best assistant photographer, in fact, and my photography improves when she works with me. She has a calming effect on me when I work, and acts as a great distraction and instructor for my younger clients.

More than anyone in my life, Kate inspires me to be a better person. I am well aware she watches me wherever I go, whatever I say or do, whenever she is able. She has a keen eye for honesty, perferring the truth to sugar-coating or deceipt. I have enjoyed watching her grow, and am very interested in the paths she will choose for her future.

Let's begin a little documentary on my children, so when they are grown they will see that I really was paying attention, after all. And they will know it wasn't my only intent in life to make them miserable... I also intend to reveal and embarrass them, sharing the wonderful details of our life together as they learn and grow (OK, we're all learning and growing).

I'll start in the beginning. My firstborn, of course, is Lilly, nee Lillian Abbott Bourget. Now 12, she is in the second half of her eighth grade year at Oxford Middle School. My original pride and joy, she continually raises the bar unattainably high for all her younger siblings. She excels at nearly everything she attempts, including (but not limited to) academics, sports, and musical endeavors. She is a natural... her one downfall is when something doesn't come easy to her, she becomes easily frustrated and chooses defeat over struggle.

As you can see (and as mentioned in an earlier blog), she really is quite a beauty. In these early stages of pubescence, she is tall and curvy... attributes I can neither take credit for, nor personally claim. I am awed by who she is, and often overwhelmed just to behold her. I feel so blessed to know her, moreso to say she is mine, and admit I have had a hand in her upbringing.

Of course I love her... she's my firstborn offspring. But on top of all this, I honestly LIKE her. She's fun to be around... bright, witty, appreciative of humor, respectful, and generally easy to get along with. She is open and honest, and willing to admit when she is wrong. She gives me hope for the future of this poor world.

Certainly there are times she acts her age. I am often surprised, but mostly I accept the discrepency. She deserves to let her hair down, and I can't expect more of someone who is so much already.

I was sitting in a chair the other day, with Sophie standing next to me. Out of the blue she looks up at me and says, "s'cuse me"... followed shortly by her explanation, "I tooted". She gave a little blushy laugh, then went on to add, "it's hard when you're close to someone. Because you don't know if you're saying 'get out of the way' or 'I tooted'".

I just thought that was funny, and wanted to remember it.

God uses trials in my life to cultivate in me a posture of dependence.

My children and I have decided to follow a Catholic tradition by observing Lent this year. Briefly, I will say I have given up eating out (which, sadly, is actually quite a sacrifice for me), Lilly has given up using the computer for entertainment purposes, Kate has given up whining, grumping, fighting and saying 'no', Sam has given up french fries, Sophie has given up spasketti from Ari's, and I think Molly has given up fish sandwiches from McDonald's.

You may notice a theme centered around my habit of frequent eating out. And yes, we consider MickeyD's eating out. It's been nearly a week, and I am proud to report I have not eaten out yet, and even the kids who haven't officially given it up (read that: Lilly and Kate), politely decline the opportunity to buy a snack or meal while out and about. I have extended my intent to include purchasing prepared meals, so I've been making lunch everyday for the kids, too. This morning, Sophie and I have a doctor's appointment, and I will be packing a lunch for that.

If you are the type to take your lunch with you to work everyday, or cook supper every night, you may think this is no big whoop. Suffice to say my kids think I have lost my mind. And I guess that's what Lent is all about after all... learning to live without something you really thought you needed in the first place.

You know I love my children. Until I had children, I didn't realize I had such a capacity for love. I mean, I've always loved kids, but my own children..! Oh, the amazing, profound intensity of it!

This love feels so blinding that sometimes I have to stop and ask myself if these little people might be the proverbial "face only a mother could love." Because, you know, people everywhere tell me how beautiful my children are. (I can tell you this without shame, because I know their looks really have nothing to do with me, in the sense that other than donating several genes, I didn't have anything to do with the way they look. Their looks are definitely out of my control.) Of course, I'm the mother, so I believe they are the most beautiful of God's creations. But I wonder if people give compliments just to be polite, or if, in general, people think babies and kids are cute so they make those sorts of comments.

Mind you, I'm not fishing for compliments, here. This is just something that pops into my head from time to time, particularly when I'm in line at Wal-Mart and observe one stranger compliment another stranger's average-looking baby. (I never said I was nice all the time!) I stand there and think, 'hm, if she thinks that kid is cute, which it obviously isn't, then why is she saying that?!' Which leads me to wonder if this same lady in line would have the same compliments for my kids, which leads me to think maybe my own kids are just average kids, after all.

Which part of me really hopes is true, because I don't need all kinds of headaches and worries when it comes time for dating! Although, in my experience, plain, average, and ugly people do end up on dates. I consider myself to be fairly average in the looks department, and I even ended up married! Which says a lot for personality, I guess.

So in the end, I'm hoping to influence in some positive way, my children's behavior, attitude, personality... let's just call it social skills. And, not to brag (OK, to brag a little bit), I do get a lot of compliments from strangers on my children's manners. I teach them to have actual conversation with adults, I demonstrate and practice phone skills with them, we go over table manners regularly and consistently. We go beyond the 'please' and 'thank you', to shaking hands properly, making eye contact, answering adults' questions, and even something as simple as smiling.

Recently, yet another mother asked if she could send her child to my house to learn some manners. The kids and I are currently planning an official "Bourget Bootcamp" website. They have lots of ideas for video instruction (some of which may get me hauled off by the Department for Child Welfare) and are eager to demonstrate for other children and parents how we go about the teaching/learning process here at Chez Bourget. I think they want other kids to know it's possible to be mature and still be a kid (although maybe they're just eager to have me hauled off).

At any rate, I do love my kids, inside and out. And honestly, I know they are some good lookin' people.