You know it’s finally spring when…

**Soccer starts. Even though I’ve only got two kids in soccer this year, I really dread it. For some reason those extra two hours of practice and two games a week just push me over the edge of my driving kids here and there sanity. Thankfully it’s not all year.

**Birthdays. Cole and Megan’s birthdays are 9 days apart, so for a while now we’re in all birthday frenzy mode (if only Megan would decide what it is she would like to do for her birthday, so I can get started on the planning).

**General Conference. I’ve been given 4 tickets to conference this year, so I’m thrilled to take Cole and Megan and Ryan to the Sunday afternoon session. That is if I figure out what to do with the smaller kids.

**Out comes the self tanner. Since I have no natural color to my skin, I am forced to apply my color from a tube. I like the new banana boat self tanner because it is really subtle. If you happen to put it on streaky, it won’t matter (unlike the nutregena foam that I was using last year). The downside of that, however, is that I don’t know if I will ever look any tanner, but we’ll see.

** Out come the capri pants. I actually wore capri pants for the first time on Monday (that’s why I needed the self tanner).

**I begin the search for the perfect sandals to wear all summer. I usually end up buying 2 or 3 pairs of sandals before I find a winner. I still wear the other ones, just not every day.

**I feel the urge to go outside and pull weeds. I did some weeding on Monday, used up the last of my Preen, so I’ve got to get some more, and shredded my hands trying to pull out some obnoxious reed things.

**I also feel the urge to throw things out–watch out, kids, Mom’s going to be going through your closets–I think I’ll start with the 87 pairs of shoes and 28 coats in the mudroom.

**It rains. A lot.

**And, my favorite, the daffodils pop up; and soon (if the deer haven’t totally eaten them) we’ll have tulips.