Down Shifting?

Is there such a thing as down shifting in life?  I feel like we've shifted into this gear that is out of control fast and I've lost the ability to slow us down at all.  Each summer goes by quicker than the one before.  Each school year sends us into warp speed.  And along the way the kids are collecting candles on their cakes at alarming rates.  I know that the pause button is a myth--but isn't there some way to at least slow things a bit?  Half a week from now I send Nora off into the wonderful world of education.  And she is thrilled about it.  In just a few short days Henry will celebrate his second birthday.  My head spins. 
Time flashes past while I sit here....getting nothing done, apparently.  That is even more frightening than the speed of time--the complete lack of things getting done by me.  By the time daily chores are completed, tummies are filled and cheeks kissed the day is done over and gone.  Along with my energy to do anything extra :)   The point of this is not to complain.  I am thankful for children to make the speed of time so wonderful.  I am thankful that they are healthy and happy and active.  But I can't help but think that each time I blink my eye lids another month or two has gone by.  For instance....this picture was taken a year ago today.

Blink, blink. 
Two years ago we were doing this....

Yep, giving birth.  Can't say I wish to go back to this point in time.  Yes--the newborn stage is my favorite--but that whole birthing thing...not so much. 
Three years ago--

I mean, look at those three Little Things!
Dare I travel back to four years ago????

Four years ago not a single one of those kids had started school yet.  But Ezra was going to the very next day.  The next day he was going to walk into Mrs. T's class and change our way of life forever.  We had no idea that we'd be pushing the super fast forward button a few hours after this shot was taken.

Five years ago--I don't know if I can handle this:

 Obviously there were fewer silhouettes in our family!

 These little Pickles were going Mutton Bustin' for the first time....and cheating a little bit on the timing (meaning it wasn't exactly five years ago today) we moved into our current house.  Wow!  The house and the people in it have done a lot of changing over those five years.

 To break another piece off of my heart we can travel yet another year back and a time zone over to six years ago today:

 Yep, there they are reading books in the Idaho house.  Getting ready to find out what spud harvestin' time was like. 
One last tear jerker before I go to bed.  Seven years ago:

 Seven years ago today we were still living in Snoqualmie, WA.  We had NO IDEA that the next seven years would hold three moves and two new faces.  I still did projects with my kids.  That is still the kitchen table we sit around.  All six chairs are full these days. 

And I still can't find a way to slow time down.  And now I'm going to bed to blink again....and when I wake up in the morning I'm guessing Henry will be off to college :)