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?"

Sarah's Best Quote

We drove by Husky Stadium yesterday on our way to Erin's house to watch the Blue Angels.
Sarah:  "Why do we have to watch BORING football (Derek starts to give a dirty look) BEFORE we get to EXCITING WRESTLING!"  (Derek has to smile and laugh)
What a girl!

Good Mommy Moments

Okay, I did a few things right this week if we are thinking about summer fun.  I set up the tent in the backyard and we slept out side 2 nights.  It was amazing weather for it.  They "wanted me to play my guitar."  By this they meant that they wanted me to start a song, then they would come up and start strumming and messing me up, eventually wrenching the guitar from my grasp and attempting to play songs themselves.  Hilarious.

Libby with the Destroyer in the background

When I got back from Girls Camp we spent an evening together as a family down on the Seattle waterfront. We wanted to see the destroyers and battleships in for SeaFair.  Then yesterday we watched the Blue Angels and went to a fun birthday party.  It was a great weekend.

Ben with the Destroyer

Every one of these that we walked by, Sarah would pretend to steer the ship and shake her booty.  And there is one of these about every 20 feet.  

The waterfront is beautiful!

Matchy matchy Ben and Daddy!

Feeding the seagulls.  Ben loved this.  

Libby and Sarah cowered and screamed, totally afraid of the seagulls.  

Selfie of my hand feeding a Seagull.  Pretty proud of this pic!

A Blue Angel flying right over our heads.  I did scream and jump once when one buzzed by us out of nowhere.  The SeaFair airshow is amazing!

Camping!

Me attempting to play...

Sarah crooning.  She loves to make up her own songs

Ben about to punch the strings.

Libby posing (look at the hydrangea in the background.  Seriously amazing!)

Settling down for some good sleep!

Bad Mommy Moments

On Tuesday this week I was trying to get a zillion things done before I headed off to Girls Camp.  I was calling Libby's doctor, cleaning a bathroom, trying to pack, etc.  About 1:00 we had picked up Libby from a birthday party.  When we got home the girls rushed out of the van and so did I.  About 1/2 hour later I realized I hadn't seen Ben anywhere.  I searched the house a little.  Then a few minutes more I searched again.  Still couldn't find him.  I started to get worried.  And then it hit me.  I had moved his carseat to the back of the van so the girls would stop fighting over the front seats.  And he couldn't unbuckle.  I rushed out to the van (luckily it was in the garage since it was a hot day) and there he was.  Still buckled into his seat.  Screaming and crying.  Poor guy!  I held his hot little body and my tears started to flow.  Ugh.  So much going on that I had forgotten my precious Benny in the car!  He forgave me quickly, he wanted to go swimming with his sisters.  He had little patience for my crying.  He said, "Mom, if you don't stop crying, I'm going to spank you."  (I held it together for a few minutes then spent the next couple of hours crying off and on.  I love my little man!)
Then while I was at girls camp, Paige called and said, "Who is your doctor?"  Not a great way to start a conversation with your babysitter.  Ben had fallen right onto the front steps on his nose.  Luckily Grammy was able to come over and help in the situation.  Again, he quickly rebounded.  What a trooper!

Grammy sent me this picture of his poor swollen nose.