Hairy Eyeball

I'm not sure you've really lived until you spend an evening practicing your hairy eyeball  looks:

This is his Fierce Hairy Eyeball

Her Tough Girl Hairy Eyeball

The Classic, "hmmm"

The ever popular Squint!

Summer 2013

It's Summertime and the livin' is easy.   Why, you might ask, is the livin' so easy?  Because it's just a  NORMAL summer.  I mean, okay sure, we did buy our first house at the beginning of the summer and I started a new job, but other than that it's been pretty normal.  And it's been lovely.

We could be stressing out about the new house and the fact that we have basically only unpacked the essentials.  There are still piles of boxes in the garage awaiting our attention.  We could be stressing about the fact that with my new job came a few less hours and the college libraries (yes, there are two) that Patrick works for are on summer hiatus at the same time.  We could be stressing about those things.  But, for the most part we are not. (I'd be lying if I said it didn't cross my mind, from time to time...but generally we are just living)

It's been a refreshing change from the past several summers, no one is in grad school, no one is in the hospital or cleaning out a hoarder's house.  We are all here, under one roof, laughing, loving, teasing, tickling, bickering and bemoaning like normal families.  

When asked N will say his favorite part of summer break has been the chance to stay up past dark most nights (and later than that if the pile of books and stashed book lights I find in his bed are any indication).  L will simply say, 'Everything!"

I'm telling you, it's been a good summer so far.

What have we been doing you ask?  Well there have been:

 swimming lessons

And hikes

Face Painting

Game Nights

Reading

boating

Reading

Dressing Up

S'mores!

 And more S'mores

Popsicles

reading

Time at the beach

We have had so much fun and it's only the end of July.  We have had friends and family come and help us "Break in" our new home.  Bar-b-q's and wine on the new back patio.  (Haven't been invited yet, you should just come over, we'd love to see you!)

As I look forward to the long dog days of August I wonder what's ahead?  I know what's on the calender, camping trips, and play dates.  N has a week of "Zombie Survival Camp" to look forward to and L will be attending her first sleep over.  We've got staff parties and birthday parties to attend.  It's going to be a good month.

In the back of my head I hear a tiny voice reminding me that the end of the summer gets tough ,"I'm bored" comes out of every one's mouth a bit quicker, tempers flare a little faster and tears flow more often.  I know that rehearsals and back to school meetings are just around the corner.  I know that the pile of boxes will no longer be easy to ignore and I know that rainy season will come roaring back.

But for tonight I am content to ignore all that and just enjoy the cool breeze wafting in the bedroom window, enjoy the sounds of Patrick baking a pie in the kitchen and the kids chattering back and forth (tapping out code on their common bedroom wall) despite the fact that lights out was awhile ago.

Tonight I remember it is summer, and the livin' is easy.

See you soon?

Heartbeats

Six years ago, Patrick Ms. L, and I waited a long 8 hours for  Ms  L to go into surgery.  We waited patiently at first, knowing someone, a young boy, needed to be seen right away.  But, as the day went on it got harder and harder. There is no way to explain to an almost 6 month old baby why she cannot nurse or even have a sip of water.  So, we paced and waited.  Finally we were told I could feed her, which meant surgery was postponed for a day.

And so we returned.  And the day of the surgery was long, and I had a migraine.  I refused medication, somehow I was sure that if I took the meds I would miss something important, something would happen and I would sleep through it. So, instead I curled up in the waiting room, trying to keep the nausea at bay, and we waited.

The surgery went well.  Textbook perfect, if you want more details you'll have to ask Patrick.  Because,   I don't remember much more about the surgery.  And I've written before about the hospital stay afterwards.  Reading to Ms L in silly voices articles from Rolling Stone Magazine and being chastised by an aid for not reading her children's books.  Whatever...

I am still in awe of how healthy she is today.  How full of life and joy.... just look at that face!

It used to be that I thought about Ms L's heart every day and I worried about it.  But, not any more in addition to being a healthy physical heart, that girl has a heart that is full of so much joy, love, and laughter that I know she's going to conquer the world.

Happy Anniversary Ms. L.. xxo 

Check list

We are preparing to move into a new home.  Our first house!   While were having the inspection the kids were with us, and to keep Ms L occupied I had her go around and do an inspection of what she saw and to take note of what the house needed. here is her list:

Carpet
Beds
6 Closets
door
Couch
table
Outside wood (I don't know what that is...)
Roof
Overhead light
and  the most important
FAMILY!

Romeo and Juliet 2

Ms L wrote a play today.  Or rather a treatment for a play, as we really don't have much dialogue yet.  Either way, it's delightful.  The entire cast is made up of Barbie dolls.  (full cast and crew list follows)

ROMEO and JULIET 2

Act I

Scene 1: Romeo and Juliet meet and kiss in a garden.

Scene 2:  R & J play with Fishy and Froggie at a park.  While the poisoneous dart frog spies on them.  But, they escape.

Scene 3:  After they escape they go home and they see their housekeeper.

INTERMISSION

Act II

Scene 1: They go outside and play.  The Mummy comes outside.  Instead of running away, they make friends with her.

Scene 2:  Juliet is gardening and the Vampire leaps out, but it's a sunny day so she melts.

INTERMISSION

Act II

Scene 1:  The director, (breaking the fourth wall) comes out and says, "Poisonous  Dart Frog, you need to act more better"

Scene 2:  Poisonous Dart Frog accidently gets his tongue on R & J and they die.

THE END

INTERMISSION/STAND UP and PARTY!

Cast/Crew;

Director/Costumer:  Ms L

Froggie -  Pinkalicious

Romeo - Rapunzel

Housekeeper - Explorer Barbie

Juliet - Barbie

Mummy - Blue Lagoona

Vampira - Draculaura

Fishy- Ariel

Poisonous Dart Frog - Coo-ka-ka-Choo

Partial Cast photo - Coo-ka-ka-choo, Ariel, Pinkalicious,Draculaura and Blue Lagoona 

The director and some of her cast

Romeo and Juliet in the Garden

Poisonous Dart Frog

N- 8years old

Eight years old!  That amazes me.  I can't remember much about those first days with you.  Although I vividly remember sitting in the rocking chair eating ice cream and watching American Idol the night before you were born.  But, after that it's all pretty much a blur.  And many days are still like that, a blur of activity as you  plow through your days at full speed.   Racing out the door to ride your bike or chase an invisible Pokemon, mountain troll, Ewok, Jedi, storm trooper, one-eyed, one-horned, flying, purple people eater...whatever.  They are all living in your world.

You break into fight-dancing at the drop of a hat. (random combination of karate and dance moves)  Your love of all things Dr Who and Star Wars (even the awful Clone Wars) are a great source of joy to me.  While I am not as big a fan as you and your father, I love how you fully embrace their worlds.

Despite the fact that you are no longer a morning person, once you do wake up, you usually embrace the day and all it's possibilities with your whole being.  Although, some days it maybe noon before you are truly ready to embrace.

Constant motion is how I might describe you...



And yet there are days when you are quieter and concentrating.  Days when you do things like this:

for fun.  Who knew you'd grow into the kid that built molecules for fun just days after your eight birthday?  I sure didn't.   (That comes from your father's side of the family by the way.)

Or we'll find you in a corner doing this:

 You currently love all things science.  Recently you said to me, "Mom, can you find me a college with a good chemistry program."  (Sure, I'll get right on that).  You are an amazingly smart kid. You recently tested off the charts for your grade level in both math and reading.  (okay, maybe not off the charts, but in the 98% in the nation!!!!)  While you hate to do your homework sentences, when you finally quit belly-aching and messing around your write things like, " the butterfly goes through a metamorphosis"   and " In the workshop there was a combustion".  And because you're still an 8 year old boy at heart " I hate the bathtub".

 You are a wonderful big brother.  Despite the fact that your sister's constant singing is "annoying and frustrating",  you care about her and encourage her to be her very best self.   When she falls you are the first to get to her, to see if she is okay.  When getting yourself out the last cup of yogurt you'll think about the fact that it's L's favorite, too.  (oh, you'll still eat it.  But, I love the fact that you pause for just a moment before doing so...  I also love listening to you and your sister chatter away at night, when you're supposed to be sleeping.  I don't know what all you talk about, but most nights it is pure magical joy and laughter coming from your room.  (although, there are the nights when you threaten to never speak to your sister again....ah siblings)

Awesome big brother

Have a great year, my darling first born. I wonder what awaits us...

Just another day in the life

I know, I know it's been too long.  But seriously, if you knew what our lives were like around here, you'd forgive me.  Oh, that's the point you want to know?  Okay, well here's a peek at the last 45 minutes:

N is reading a book.  What's the umbrella for, you ask?  Well, we do live in Oregon so you never know when you might need one.  (or it might be that a certain mother is lurking around the house with the camera again).

The sky.

Meanwhile, Ms. L is prepping the living room for a play. First she makes this:


"I'll get on your shoulders and then you can get on the stepladder.  Then we can tape it to the ceiling"

"That's not safe, L"

"Oh, I thought it was teamwork"


(See what we're up against around here)

The producer/star/costumer/designer/playwright decided that it would be okay if the sky was taped to the wall. And so, like in many a profesional theater productions a compromise was reached!

Next the stage was laid out:

Costuming and make up (so very important):

And finally the production:

Seriously, is it any wonder we get anything done around here with all this going on?!!!