Summer Adventures Cont....

I made a few goals of what I wanted to do with the kids this summer.  Here is a run down of the goals and how I did:
Goal:  Take the kids to the library every week.  Actual visits: at least 6 or 7 (more if you count the library at the Y in Colorado).  Not bad.
Goal:  Do science time every week.  Actual science time:  1.  Or twice if you count that Libby went to a mad scientist birthday party.  Not such a great rate.
Goal:  Take the kids to a park every week.  Actual park play:  Seriously rocked this one.  Did this almost every week.
Goal:  Do preschool time with Ben.  Actual:  Does making them watch YouTube Sesame Street Videos one time count?
Goal:  Do Mommy/Daughter workouts with the girls.  Actual:  Maybe 3 times.  Not so hot.
I am kind of proud of myself that I made goals at all.  And we didn't do too badly.
My new goal for the school year?  Get them to school and in bed at least 3X a week without yelling at anyone.  Doable?

Sarah playing at the Edmonds Park...it has had some major changes.  New playground equipment.  It is awesome! 

Ben in the giant tire!

FHE activity.  Just Dance.  Sarah is seriously really really good at this.  Beats me in every dance except Pound the Alarm.  I own Pound the Alarm.  

Sarah had a croupy cough on Friday morning.  Didn't want to end up in the ER again.  So I took her to the dr. to get a prescription for that steroid.  We had a wait in the dr. office.  We had a dance party with the flashlight app in the waiting room.  Then we had a long wait at the pharmacy in the car, and another dance party.  The meds still weren't ready and I forgot to go back.  So good thing her croup didn't flare up.   

Ben's room project is spilling out into the rest of the house.  The girls got a new dresser because I wanted the one in their room for him.  And I fell in love with his paint color so I am using it in other areas too.  I hope to post a lovely after picture next week.  Ben wanted to help me put together the girls' new dresser.  He was VERY helpful (not).

I wore paint clothes everywhere all week.  Almost.  

A Summer of Festivals

There was another festival at the park by our house this week!  And this time it was put on by a local church, so it was all free!  Free hotdogs, free face painting, free chips, free cookies, free cotton candy, and free LONG LINES.  But it was still fun, and a nice break from trying to put the finishing touches on Ben's room that wasn't happening because I couldn't figure out how to use the saw.

Before 

During

After.  Yum!

Libby's face paint.  She is a dragonfly.

Ben chose the octopus.  He was still faintly blue today at church.

We ran into our new friend from church who lives on the other side of the park.  It is so fun having friends nearby!

An exercise in letting go....

This week I discovered something about google+.  They are storing photos.  Photos that are filling up my google drive.  But, if I delete them, I delete them from my blog.  I found this out because I deleted the photos from the 25 posts I did about our amazing summer.  Aching.  I have 2 options.  Spend several hours trying to fix each post.  Or, let it go.  I still have the pictures stored on my computer.  I have the words of the posts and the memories in my mind.  I always had a no late work policy as a teacher.  If they spent time trying to go back and fix what they hadn't done, they never caught up with the present.  So, I am not going back to fix the posts.  So blog readers, if you are trying to catch up, look back to June to see photos.  Or, let's just move forward together.
Trish

More Summer Fun

This week we had three fun opportunities to put down the home improvement tools and get outside! (The last deserves its own post...)
Monday night for FHE we did Mento/Coke eruptions.  It was awesome!
On Wednesday the youth activity was canoeing at Ballinger lake.  I wasn't sure if the kids would want to do more swimming because they had just come from swimming lessons.  Hmmm.....

Sarah didn't move quite quickly enough and got doused.  Ben's face is epic!

Ben spent a lot of time playing in the canoe on the shore because I forgot the kid life jackets.  Luckily this lake is 5 minutes from the house and Derek was able to run and grab them.    

Ben got a fair amount of sand everywhere.  He also slipped off a picnic bench and scraped his back and hit his head on the way down.  Luckily he rebounds pretty quickly.  

Derek took Emily B. and Libby out on a ride.  I tried to get a pic in the canoe, but they jumped out to swim to shore.  

Lots of swimming going on.

I even got out in the canoe with Derek, Sarah & Ben.  Derek let them lean out to collect lilies.  I was super nervous we were all going to end up swimming, but we all stayed in the canoe.  Whew.
We live in such an amazing place!

Cheer Camp--Go Warriors!

As I mentioned in my last post, Libby and Sarah did the EWHS cheer camp again this year.  It is a great camp.  The cheer coach is amazing and the high schoolers are full of energy.  The participants do crafts, cheer, dance, play games, etc.  My girls were so excited for this camp!  In the video you might note that Sarah is using HUGE poms.  They belong to a cheerleader.  I didn't get them new poms this year since they still have the ones from last year.  Sarah very emphatically claimed that this decision "ruined her life."  Pretty strong words (when she was exhausted after day 1 of camp ;).
We were not disappointed.  I loved that the girls had somewhere they wanted to go everyday so I could scrape wall paper and watch Law & Order on Netflix.  (Derek even helped with this project a couple of times!)

Daddy came to see the final performance, and so did Ben.  Ben's super loud comment, "When will this be over?"

The girls know all the cheerleaders' names.  These are some of their favorites.

Libby is sad that this girl is a senior, so she will be in college next year. :(

Another favorite.

But the very best guest was Grammy!  She took a lunch from work to run over and see the performance.  

We sure do love her!

Enjoying Summer Part 2

So remember how I was planning to Enjoy Summer and not get obsessed with home projects.  WWWEELLL....I then realized that the girls have cheer camp this week so I could get some quality time in with my wallpaper steamer.  It has been 7+ months since I did my last steaming.  My automatic gag reflex when I smell wallpaper paste has subsided.  I think it is a little like how about 18 months after you have a baby you have conveniently forgotten just how bad pregnancy and labor actually were?  Anyway, I decided to go after Ben's room.  I actually got a little ahead of schedule and started the work on Friday.  I am learning.  I am getting better at saturating the paper with the water/vinegar solution on each layer (there was a hidden one that was a bit discouraging when I found it--but there is paint underneath 3 walls as I suspected).
I also realized I can "watch" stuff out of the corner of my eye on the iPad and that keeps me distracted while I work.
The main thing I have realized is that if they would have left up the original wallpaper, the layer that went up in 1965, this house would be TOTALLY in style.  If only I could remove the top layer with out damaging the bottom!  Of course in this room it still wouldn't work since Ben shouldn't really have flowered walls.  Even though he wants them.  This project could take a month or more...I am still not sure what the finished product will look like.  So stay tuned.

Ben's response when he saw me starting to remove stuff from his room.  He is screaming "put my stuff back!  I want my flowers..."  Once he realized I was moving his toys into the room where Paige had been sleeping, he happily (well--after a nap) settled down to play in his temporary room.  

The bottom layer of wall paper on one wall.  The other wall I have already done was just the tan and white with no flowers. I know that there is some sweet pink flower paper on the bottom on the last wall.  (I am saving the one where I know wallpaper is directly on the sheet rock for last.  Saving the worst for last--bad idea probably.)

I honestly look that good while I scrape.  Not.  

More like this minus the fake smile.

  

Celebrating Paige & Shoreline

Thursday night was my niece Paige's last night with us before she went to spend a few days with her family before she leaves on her mission.  We had a celebration.  Libby and Ben helped me prep the chicken enchiladas (her requested meal).  We set the tables with fancy cups and drank sparkling cider in her honor.  We are really going to miss her around here!  

We went to her farewell talk today where she talked about families.  She mentioned her roommates Libby, Sarah and Ben.  While she was speaking Ben was busy running his head into the couch in the foyer over and over.  But he heard his name and stopped and said, "She just said my name!"  She has been a great roommate!

 

Saying our totally NOT tearless goodbye...

 Then on Saturday we got to go to yet ANOTHER festival.  Celebrate Shoreline.  It is in the park right by our house.  It was SO FUN and SO CHEAP!  Sno cones less than $1.  Cotton candy too.  Lots of preschools have booths with fun stuff for kids to play with.  Pony rides (legit rides around a big area--$5.) The Petting Zoo was also a bit hit.  You got to go into this pen area where they had a bunch of random animals (a wallaby, a kangaroo, a pig, the largest rodent in the world whose name I forgot, a rooster, etc.) roaming around.  Then if you sat down, they would bring you a bag with an animal.  The kids held bunnies, hamsters, etc.  They could have stayed in that area all day!  It was really fun to have Grandma and Grandpa Norton with us.  Grandpa let the kids communicate on his radio!  Seriously, it was a great time.

Sarah's pony (I can't remember it's name)

Libby petting "Spike" the pony Ben rode

Ben rocking his first ride.  The lady asked if he would be okay, or if I should walk along side.  I guessed he wouldn't need me...and I was right.  He did just fine.  

Libby got to ride "Applesauce."  She told me today, "I miss Applesauce!"

Ben petting the Bunny.  He kept coming close to poking the poor things eyes out.  But he never actually did.

Libby's bunny that looked sort of rat-ish or something.  

Adorable bunny shot.  

The pig wanted something under Libby's chair and was totally undeterred by her feet.  It was really prickly.  I can see why they make boar bristle brushes.  

Another Near Death Experience...and True Blankie Love

We take swimming lessons at the gym where I teach.  All 3 of my kids think they can swim.  One can, one pretty  much can, and one (Ben) CANNOT.  They left the locker room before I did on Wednesday.  They said they were going to stand outside the pool door (because they aren't tall enough to open it--or so I thought.)  When I got to the pool door a couple minutes later they were inside the pool area--which had been totally empty a few minutes before.  There was a young man standing on the deck with a soaking wet Ben.  Not sure exactly how all of this played out, but I guess Sarah can now reach to open the door.  She opened it and Ben jumped right in the water.  The swim teacher happened along and reached in and pulled Ben out before he died.  SERIOUSLY!  What kind of a bad mom lets her kids around a pool unattended!  

Everyone who hears this story then asks, so, is Ben now afraid of the water?  Not at all.  Immediately following his experience he spent 30 minutes happily splashing in the water and drinking enough of it that he wet the bed even though lessons are 3 (well let's be honest) 4 hours before bed time.  This resulted in some serious issues though--because then I had to wash the precious blankie.  About a 1/2 hour tantrum followed the blankie's entrance into the washer.  By the time it hit the dryer, he was only asking me every 2 minutes to check how long until it was done.  Finally I just sat him up here so he could check himself (not that he can read numbers....but still.)

Thorne Randall LOVE

Last Sunday we had a great chance to spend time with some great friends.  When I was a kid, this family moved in across the street that would change our lives forever.  The Thornes.  They were awesome!  Their mom was our piano teacher--and she and my mom figured out that they had taken a Latin class together at BYU.  (Which they both loved, showing how they were made for each other.)  We only lived across from each other for 3 years, but they were pivotal.  Well, Preston, the oldest son that is my age (who by the way is the first person I ever EMAILED back when that whole email thing got started in 1995ish) has moved to the Seattle area.  We finally found a time when we could all get together and it just so happened that his parents and my sister (the more successful of the piano students) were also in town.  It was a big happy gathering, made even happier when my mom happened to call Sandra to ask advice on how to get a stain out of my dad's pants, not even knowing Sandra was in Seattle and having dinner with us.  Random, right?

It was a fun evening.  They have toys that BEN LOVED and the my girls loved all the attention from the olders sisters and brother.  

Ben is very happy that they have a little girl just his age.  

This is the only picture I got, but it is Ben and their little Lena trying to move the cooler.  I think they actually made it a step or two!

    

ENJOYING SUMMER!

One of my goals for the month of August is to ENJOY SUMMER!  I made the goal because I was so excited to be at home again that my brain was being pulled in two different directions.  Direction 1:  Play outside in the amazing weather with my kids.  Direction 2:  Do all the home projects I have been putting off all summer.  The goal was to help me focus on Direction 1.  It didn't exactly work.  But if I look at the week, I actually was able to do both pretty well.
Monday:  Played at a spray park with some friends.
Tuesday:  The kids completed everything on their to do lists (including helping clean bathrooms and mommy daughter workout sessions.)
Wed/Thurs:  Painted the sun room.  I am not even posting a pic of this--it looks fabulous, but Paige came home from CA and couldn't even figure out what was different in there.  So it is a small-ish change.  It is a lot lighter color, a semi-gloss, and the trim is a beautiful white now, but apparently not that different.  (I learned a lesson on this job...don't start painting at night and in the early morning when you can't really see the color.  Once it got light enough outside, I was 2/3 of the way done with the room and I hated the color.  Had to go back to HD and get a different one.  It is still a little cooler color than I should have done, but it looks so much better!)
Also we picked up Auntie Ray Ray from the airport.
Thurs night:  Hosted a fun group of Nortons and Fehlbergs for dinner.
Friday:  Lunch at the Beach Cafe to celebrate Rachel's birthday.  Kids got lots of sandbox play time.
Then we went to the temple with Paige for her Endowment.
Saturday:  School supply shopping!  Then the Taste of Edmonds.  The Taste highlights were the Reptile Man show, where Libby rode the tortise and Ben helped hold the Yellow Boa Snake.  The girls also attempted karaoke only to learn that they can't quite read fast enough to keep up with the song.  I felt really bad for them up there, but they both stuck it out and belted out the chorus which they knew best.  I should have chosen songs they knew better and/or helped them prep better.  But they got to do gymnastics, eat shaved ice, kettle corn & elephant ears.  And they got their faces painted!  So that made up for any awkwardness.
It was a spectacular summer week!

One of the Rhino families gave us this singlet.  Ben LOVES it.  And he loved his Mohawk!

After the Beach Cafe.  Can you detect the fine coat of sand on the kids.  Paige, Casey and Janice Fehlberg.  Libby has a little crush on Casey.  She couldn't wait to see him again and calls him "Uncle Casey"

Enjoying an Auntie Ray Ray snuggle.

After the temple, Paige with her parents

Azteca sang Happy Birthday to Rachel.  It was a late late night!

At the Taste of Edmonds, the kids favorite part was visiting the gymnastics booths and doing the circuit 100 times.   

Libby flipping on the bar.

Love this shot of Sarah flipping.  

Face Painting magic!

Even Ben got a sunshine on his cheek.

Ben asking, "Why do you have to be so tall?"