Parenting 505

Did anyone else catch that comment in conference about how when we have a child we are enrolled in parenting 101 and a lucky few of us are blessed with a child that automatically put us in parenting 505? Well, that comment made me laugh and laugh because I know exactly what he was talking about. My little Goose (Lucy) is creative, smart and so very loving. She is also the messiest, most unpredictable little goose you ever met. As her uncle David says, you can never guess what she is going to do next. On this day, the family was gathered together making plans for our next big adventure (more on that later). We had our heads together for what felt like, no more than 5 minutes or so, when I looked up to find Lucy. This is what I saw... Lucy, stripped down to her underclothes, with a jar full of mud and a paint brush, painting my patio doors with gusto. She was so into her art work that she didn't notice me sneaking a picture in, before she got in trouble! The poor girl was actually surprised that patio doors and mud are not an acceptable combination and was very sorry. She always is! I had a good secretive laugh over this. And then we both set to work cleaning the patio doors.

Making Memories in the Rain

As the summer ran on, we quickly realized that we were missing it. We had dreams of doing all sorts of family fun, but in the joy of sleeping in, lack of schedules and sunny days, we forgot. So we planned a quicky family get away camping at beautiful flowing lake for the week before school started. We planned delicious camp food, packed up our two tents, tarps, and my dad's row boat and off we went. We had reservations at one of the best sites in the area. We were all so excited! Then the rain began to fall. We bundled up and read books in the tent. Then the rain began to pour from the sky like heaven's ocean was emptying on top of us. Matt kept saying that this was how memories were made. We spent that first very long day huddled under the tarp, trying to cook food on a fire that only flickered. Matt used his inventing skills to rig up a special contraption that kept the fire somewhat sheltered from the rain with tin foil, sticks and ropes. It's the only reason we had a fire at all! Only Lucy and Alex were brave enough to stay out, under the tarp, with Daddy. The rest of us hid in our sleeping bags and played games. It was crazy! That night, though we didn't think it was possible, the rain fell even harder. It fell like a hurricane storm! We all tossed and turned listening to it ROAR outside and the waterfall falling in continual torrents off our tarp. Moving everyone away from the sides of our tent, we finely fell asleep muttering prayers that we wouldn't all wash away. You are probably wondering why we even stayed. The problem was that we REALLY wanted this family vacation. And Matt and I are super resilient. We will push through alot before we are willing to give something up. Well, the Lord really blessed us. All of us shouted for joy when the sun shone through the trees the second morning!
The kids kept taking pictures and pointing out how the sun made beams of light through the trees. It was truly beautiful! While Matt and I hung everything out to dry and mopped up puddles in the tent, the kids played hide and seek in the forest around us. I'd run out in the trees occasionally to help Lucy find a good spot while she called out, "here I am!"... completely defeating the purpose of my great hiding spot. The kids found a trail in the woods and we pulled Matt away from wringing things out. We followed the trail to all sorts of amazing finds. Like a whole tree blown over in the storm. And another whole tree will all the pine cones blown right off in huge mounds of pine cones. The kids were excited to take them all home. Apparently, kids collect them at their school and they had the idea to sell this jackpot of pine cones at recess!
We found a beautiful place for a picture and set up the camera. Say, "sunshine!!!!" everyone! Later, we all took a break from nature and went to the state fair. We got back to the campsite full of junk, free shows and rides. That night we sat around the fire and read a "pick your own adventure" together. It's one of those books that tell a story, then come to a choice. Depending on the choice you make, it tells you to go to a certain page number, where it continues the story. The first time through, the kids picked all the wisest choices and we ended the book happily with no untimely deaths! After that we all picked random stupid choices and enjoyed all the funny ways we died or somehow lucked out. It was a lot of fun!
The next day we went out on the lake with Dad's boat and rowed for hours! Matt and I house hunted (dream houses) all the lovely vacation homes around the lake and the kids looked for fish, frogs and took turns joining in our dream house hunt. Some of the houses had elaborate kid areas which were pretty awesome! It was so peaceful rowing through the quiet lake with the sun shining on the water. We had the lake mostly to ourselves. After we rowed around for a while, we parked the boat at the beach and played for a while. Matt and Lili fished while Lucy, David, Alex and I played in the water. Later we all joined Matt and Lili out on a rock in the lake. We got pretty wet each time the waves hit us and we had more fun laughing and trying to all balance on the rock. I'm sure we scared all the fish away, if there were any. In the end it all lived up to Matt's assertion that this was how memories are made. It was a wonderful way to finish up the summer!

Girls Night

Lili and I went out and had a blast together. It was the first time in a long time that we'd been together alone (we got a babysitter for Lucy Ann and the boys went to conference). We got our toes painted and even got matching flowers. Lili told me all about the movie "How to train your dragon". She'd seen it at a birthday party and was very excited about it. After hearing all about it, we desided to go see it again. It was alot of fun and Lili exclaimed that we really ought to do this more often. I agree! When we got home, Lucy Ann saw our flowers and fell in love. She brought me the polish and Lili and I tried to figure out how to do it ourselves. So Lucy got in on the fun with little flowers on her toes too! It sure is fun being a girl. :)

Christmas Pictures

Well, It's been too long! We are all having a busy but wonderful time this Christmas. I'm still tap dancing and loving it. I've also taken to running and am training for my first 5k. Matt's work is keeping him busy as his group keeps growing and tracking down all those scary pirates worldwide. :) Alex is progressing in school and just made a topographical map cake in the shape of washington with all the cities, rivers, mountains, volcanoes, dams and regions on it.
He got the highest score possible, which is hard to achieve in our school system. He had fun making it and also eating it with his classmates! He also just performed a Christmas song on the piano for Primary sharing time. He did really well. We're proud of how accomplished he is becoming on the piano! He is starting the simplified hymns book now and we look forward to him being able to play hymns for us. His current passion is Pokemon. He can tell you what a hundred different Pokemon do are what they are decended from, thier powers and weaknesses etc.

Lili is in gymnastics and is loving it! She announced to me today that she can stand on her hands for 10 seconds without falling now. Handstands used to be something she struggled with. She is a determined little gymnast. I love to watch her work hard at something that she wants. She seems to already know that if she isn't good at something, she can just work on it and she will get much better. She doesn't get discouraged easily! She is also very creative and artistic. Her pictures and love notes are all over the house. She often ropes in her brothers, sisters and cat (Elinor) for her artistic creations. Here she is adjusting the costume she made Lucy!



David is loving Kindergarten, which did take an adjustment. His favorite thing is all the friends he's made. He's quite a social bug! Every day he buzzes through his homework and asks " Can I have a playdate?" In fact, they are usually the first thing out of his mouth when he steps off the bus! Just so I would have an excuse to spend SOME time with my little buddy, we had to come up with a rule. No playdates two days in a row. Whew! Now I get a spot in his little appointment book of playdates! I sure love the guy. He entertains me with his stories and opinions and I tell him mine. He is a good listener as well as a talker and we enjoy our conversations.
Lucy Ann is our personality! Matt likes to burst into the song, "She's got personality" at random times when Lucy Ann is being silly. This Thanksgiving she stole my camera and ran around getting silly shots of people. She did a great job of getting people to loosen up and the shots are priceless! We love playing with her. She loves tickle fights, telling "secrets" that end up blowing your ear, and playing with Alex. She has the funnest giggle!

It's all over... whew!

Today is the last day of school and boy have we been busy! Running here and there. Staying up way past bedime finishing things up. End of year projects, end of year recitals, and lots of activities! But it's all over now, at least for now. And we are just resting... at least until next week when our first summer trip begins.

Happy Birthday Alex!

Alex's party was a blast. I figured out how to use Microsoft Publisher and made those invites above becuase Webkinz doesn't make any! I made a Wheel of Wow, we broke geodes, and played balloon darts (while I was praying no one left the pary without an eye). Each game earned them Webkinz Cash or Kinzcash as the kids would correct me. The person with the most in the end won a real webkinz. It made me feel good when Alex told me that he loves my parties. That is what makes it all worthwhile! We saved all the stuff because Lili wants a Webkinz party too. We'll be having her party a little late, during the summer (the schedule picked up so fast that we had to keep rescheduling her party).

The Flowers in my Garden...

I heard someone once compare their children to flowers in their garden. All my flowers are starting to bloom! I'm afraid this causes more excitement in me than is even remotely cool. But then, I stopped caring about being "cool" years ago anyway. :) Another one of my amature hobbies is photography. I love capturing a beautiful plant or moment forever! Well, I went outside to take some pictures of my beloved flowers and found something even better. My Alex and Lucy were playing together and interacting so sweetly! I was blessed to be able to capture it.

And it beats any flower, any day!

I also watch Alex growing each day and I can't believe how lucky I was to have him for my firstborn. What a sweet son and brother he is! I love his thoughtful, kind, and fun personality. He often sits and has very mature conversations about things with me. Or very funny ones. He is quiet about his life and feelings unless you take the time to talk with him. But it is always a treat. I've always loved him. But I was also always afraid of what it'd be like as my children got older. I find that I really like Alex even more each day.