Book Buddies

I walked into the living room to discover these guys today.

This makes me happy.

Little Girl Heaven?

Not to be outdone by "Fathers & Sons" each year the girls have a "Daddy / Daughter" camp.
It is seriously the highlight of Emily's year, and she started planning for it and wrote a packing list back in May!

We made sure we planned our summer vacation around the dates, to be sure and be back in time for it. The day came and it was pouring rain - with rain forecast for the whole weekend. The poor girls, it seems like the boys always get the good weather and there's usually a hurricane when it's the girls turn. Rebekah had to work and Rick was reluctant to take Jane (and her lack of sleeping) with him - so it was just Emily and Rick. I was hoping that it would be canceled / postponed, but we got the word that it was a go.

I sent them off in the rain being SO thankful that it wasn't mother-daughter camp! I think they had a great time anyway. There were only 4 families hard-core enough to go. Here are some shots Rick took with his phone.

Arrival at camp. Trying to start a tiny fire for warmth, and protect it with their umbrella's.

Rick and Emily opted to lie the seats back in the car & sleep in there. A good option - especially as it prevented having to bring home a wet tent that I would have to pitch and dry out later!

Wade & his girls were tough enough to actually put up a tent & tarp & spend the night there!

They did manage to keep the fire going enough for smores - which is all camping is really about anyway.

After a dry night in the car, they had breakfast in the rain the next morning.

 

You know my little mermaid -

rain isn't going to prevent Emily from going for a swim in the lake.

 

Soggy, but happy they came home the next afternoon. Just about as they pulled into the driveway, the rain cleared up! At least Emily knows her Dad loves her and is game for anything.

Library Story Time

{iPhone photo}

We have the greatest childrens librarian in the world at our library. "Miss Mary" taught Emily for 2 1/2 years, this is Jacob's 3rd year - and now Jane is old enough to attend story time.

Seriously, she's so great - lovely, positive and adores the kids. She gets them excited about reading. She plays the Accordian. Honestly, can it get any better than that?! Story time at our library is a drop-off, and you sign up for the session - committing to be there each week. On the sign up day, people get in line over an hour before they open the doors, just to make sure they get a spot
(I've usually been in the first few in line. I love Miss Mary!)

Jacob and Jane are doing everything together this year (that 19 month age gap is paying off) and that includes story time. So nice for them to be able to go together, even nicer for me to have 30 minutes of quiet reading time.

Hooray for story time!

Laundry Day (again)

To My Darling Husband,

Thank you so much for the break. I really needed it. Marrying you was the best decision I've ever made! Now I feel ready to get over the denial that summer is over & get this house (& family) whipped into shape and into our new routine.

You are the most wonderful Dad. Thanks for taking such good care of the kids, and for taking them to soccer & the zoo. They had so much fun with you.

Maybe I could just make one suggestion. Vanilla ice cream is ALWAYS better than chocolate - because you know only half of it makes it into their mouths!

T.

A Conversation with Jacob.

Rick has two medieval swords that he bought on his mission in Spain. Jacob loves them & frequently likes to look at them & tell visiting little boys that they are "for real."

 

Jacob; "When I'm a Daddy, can I have Dad's real swords."

Me; "When you're a grown up. Sure, I bet Dad would be happy to give them to you."

Jacob; "Yeah, because then Dad will be dead." (lovely!)

Me; "Well, maybe not. He might just like you to have them one day when you're big & a Dad too."

Emily; "Then you could give them to your little boy one day Jake. How many kids do you want to have?"

Jacob; "Ten. Ten boys, and I'll name them - (counting on his fingers)

(1) Colin

(2) Calder

(3) Isaac

(4) Christian

(5) Connor

(6) Jackson

(7) Matthew

(8) Luke

(9) Adam

(10) Jonah

If you've ever hung out with Jacob & his buddies, you'll probably recognize these names.

I love how his head works.

Man, am I ever crazy about this little boy!

Hanging by a Thread

My poor blog is seriously neglected.

So many things from summer I want to post. So many things from the past few weeks.

We should probably not even mention my even more neglected meal planning blog!

We got home from our trip 3 weeks ago. Rick went camping with Emily. The car went in for repair - twice. I got it detailed. Then the whole family took it camping. Four of us got coughs & colds. Which was followed by 3 of the kids getting the "throw ups." I've been to the dentist 5 times. School started. Piano started. Swimming started. Bek got the lead in the school play (again - way to go bek!) - so rehearsals have started. Early morning seminary started. I signed Jane up for story time at the library. We started construction on the side of the house. I started a serious exercise program. It's almost midnight & I haven't even seen Rick today (I was still sleeping when he left at 5:45am this morning.) The house is a disaster and the laundry is piled up everywhere.

AAAAAGGGGHHH!

The one thing that has not started is pre-school. Well, they started on Monday, but both just went for an hour. The rest of this week Jane is still in "phase-in" so she just goes an hour a day - which, quite frankly, is more annoying than if she were just home because they start at 12:30, Jane finishes at 1:30 and then Jacob finishes at 3. Pretty much not enought time to go anywhere, but sit in the car and answer e-mails on my phone. Next week they'll be up to regular time & I'll get a "breather" Monday, Wednesday & Friday afternoons.

Maybe then I'll manage to get a little blogging done....... After I figure out what's going on with the pictures!

Sleeping Beauty

For a little girl who has such a hard time sleeping through the night (she rarely makes it to 2am still in her bed), I am amazed at some of the other places Jane seems to be able to sleep.

Really, this is more comfortable than that cute little bed?

 

And then there's this guy. Do you think he can breathe with all those stuffed animals and pillows?

At least we know he hasn't inherited my tendancy to become claustrophobic.

 

Sweet dreams, little one's.

First day of Pre-School

Jacob and Jane are back at the same pre-school this year. Jacob is old enough to go to kindergarten, but he's a late birthday and I have been really pleased with both of my girls being one of the older one's in their class, so am keeping him out for another year. I think the year will help him mature a little more and give him more time to continue to develop his relationship with Jane. Also, I'm not ready to give him up yet. Once they start school - that's it. They spend most of every day with someone else. I miss my girls while they are at school, and from the perspective of a mother who has a child not too far off from college - it will speed by. I'm so happy to have this extra year to savor a little more time with my boy.

Most pre-schools only offer 5 days a week for a pre-kindergartener, but the one my kiddo's go to gives a 3 day option. (It's one of the reasons I choose it.) Jacob and Jane both went there 2 mornings a week last year and I was pleased with it, so they are back. This year they are going Mon, Wed, Friday and in the afternoon. I wanted to have "Miss Dee" for Jacob's teacher. She is the director of the pre-school and only teaches in the afternoons. Jacob and Jane swim on Monday and Wednesday mornings, so it actually is working out to have 3 busier days for them and 2 with more down time.

Two of Jacob's friends (Jack and Stella) are in his class, so we have a nice car pool set up where I only drive them and pick them up one day a week. Jane and Stella are best friends, but all 3 of them play together a lot, Jacob is planning on marrying Stella!

I thought it was super sweet as we started walking towards school she reached out and took his hand.

Then Jane joined them. I'm so glad these girls have Jacob to help them out at school.

Ready for the new school year!

I knew Jacob would love his class. He is super social & loves to be with other kids. he also loves Miss Dee & she is perfect for him. He also has jack & Stella in his class - so I knew he'd have a blast.

They are in the same class, and Jane is in the younger one. We talked a lot a to Jane before school started, because I knew it would be hard for her to see the two of them go into a different class than she did - but it has been working out pretty well. Jane has "Miss Jackie" as her teacher. She taught Jacob last year & is very nice.

I left her happily playing at the water table and left for 2 hours of kid free productivity!

Jacob Plays Soccer

Jacob is old enough to start playing soccer (here you have to be 5), so we signed him up and he is on a team with 3 of his friends (Isaac, Connor, and Christian.)

So, he's not the best - but it's his first year and a lot of these kids played last year as it is a K / 1 team, so we figure he has time to work it out. What he lacks in skill, he more than makes up for in enthusiasm. When Jake gets very excited he jumps up and down, or does a little hop/skip as he runs - there's been a lot of jumping and little hops at soccer. So cute.

Here he actually scored a goal. Good job buddy!

Running back to celebrate!

Rick is the assistant coach for the team, and it has been pretty much a Dad and Jacob thing, as I take Emily to swimming at the same time - but I have made it to a few of his games and it has been a lot of fun to watch.

Love that big boy!

9/11

Third Grade

School started right after we got back from our summer vacation. I can't believe that Emily is in third grade, it really feels like she just started kindergarten!

What a cutie pie. I love Emily's smile (it goes with her attitude.)

 

I took her the first day, so I could line up on the playground with her & meet her teacher and see who was in her class this year. Emily was really happy to see several friends in her class this year.

 

Then she followed her teacher inside.

 

It's always very exciting (and nerve wracking) for them - but it's really just a little bit sad for me. I miss my kids when they are in school. I have a hard time saying goodbye to summer and realizing that it will be a while before I have them all to myself again (thank goodness for mid-year breaks.)

Have a great year Emily!

Family Camping Trip

Emily's camping trip with Rick was wet and rainy, and the little guys and I haven't been in ages - so when we heard our friends were going camping over Labor Day weekend we invited ourselves along!

Bek had to work (her last weekend at her summer job), so we trusted her to be responsible and left her to her own devices (after asking the neighbor to also keep an eye out for her!)

I just LOVE camping (for short periods - the dirt gets to me if we stay too long.) I love to see my kids enjoying nature and running and playing in fresh air. I love that it forces them to use their imagination as they play with stick and rocks. I love all of us sleeping together in one small space, cuddling up for extra warmth (why is that not as appealing in my bed at home?)

Jacob hadn't been there long when he found a BIG fat worm.

See - sticks and rocks! Plus each other and imagination.

Makes me happy (them too.)

 

I'm not sure what she's doing here, I just love that she's so focused doing it.

 

My kids got dirty, but I don't think anyone got as sticky and dirty as our cute little friend Joaquin!

 

Roasted marshmallow's "Emily style"

 

It wasn't deliberate.

I think all kids just love fire - but this little boy really loves it. We have to keep a sharp eye on him. He really is mesmerized by it - and throwing various objects into it to watch them incinerate.

 

Oh yeah, and roasting marshmallows for 'smores is the best!

 

After the kids played and ran we roasted hot dogs on a stick and I made chicken teryaki in the dutch oven for dinner. It was delicious, but I took rolls to put it on, and I think it would have been much better with rice in it. And some pineapple. That's what I'll do next time.

You really have to concentrate, if you don't want it to end up like your marshmallow.

After we ate, we were all tuckered out, so we snuggled into our sleeping bags and under a mountain of blankets and went right to sleep.

The next morning ....

I decided to try and get the dutch oven hot enough to fry eggs and bacon for breakfast. Since we were leaving, I just used the rest of the coals I had brought to try and get it nice and hot.

It worked like a dream.

 

Such bad for you food - but so yummy. It was even yummier because we cooked it outside!

Our friends William and David were there too and stopped by to see us in the morning to say hello AND stick sticks in the fire.

 

The kids got really stinky and dirty. (What else is camping for?)

 

Emily entertained the little girls with a "play" she made up as she went along.

 

It made them laugh so hard!

 

Then we headed down to the lake. Jacob was completely in his element.

Is it still called kelp if it's from freshwater? I should look that up for him.

 

I just love Andrew - he's such a sweet and happy boy. So glad we got to hang out with them!

 

It was so beautiful, I could just sit and soak in the loveliness of the water and trees for hours. I am so grateful our Father in Heaven has given us such a beautiful world to live in

We took the kids out in a canoe. Emily was freaking out most of the time about capsizing! Really? If anyone could swim to shore safely it's her - not sure what that chicken livered-ness was about!

We rowed out to the small island in the lake and hiked up to the spot where our friend Connor built a "macaroni and cheese factory" out of rocks a year or so ago - they go visit it each time they are camping there to check on it. We had to go see it too - Jacob was impressed. No pictures, because I didn't dare take the camera in the canoe!

 

Seriously - beautiful!

My kids + water = endless entertainment.

 

It warmed up (barely), so into the water Emily went.

 

Jacob gave himself an exfoliation treatment.

 

Emy practiced her life-guarding skills.

 

- and honed her fishing skills too.

 

We threw this little guy back, but she was pleased she caught it entirely by herself.

 

Of course, Jacob did a lot of fishing too - he just LOVES to fish.

 

Jane doesn't care about fishing she preferred to play on the rocks and beach.

 

After we'd fished, canoed, swum and become thoroughly wet and muddy, we headed for home.

Jane didn't even make it out of the campground ....

Thanks for letting us tag along friends! We had a great time.

I think we'll make it a Labor Day tradition (and hopefully bek can make it next time too.)