Summer Fun. So Far.

If I'm being honest, I was a bit afraid of summertime: no school, no schedule. 

Bored kids can be...crazy.

This list  somewhat assuaged my fears. I use these activities as leverage when I need peace, chores done, obedience. (for the record...a chore system still eludes me.)

It has evolved, been doodled on, "pool" changed to "Lake Padden", and vacations added (San Clemente!), and so far we have checked off all of our "weekly" list a few times.

Strawberries! 

Andrew just sat on down and helped himself, thanks.

Then, since it's so close, we went to Edaleen's ice cream. 

check check check.

The kids love to play out front with all the neighborhood kids. 

Our new house is not in a neighborhood. We will miss the daily kid meetings out there.

(well, somewhat...there is a bad dynamic between Evan and another kid...blah.)

The season of sunshine is here. It doesn't get dark until so late. This was summer solstice, longest day of sunlight. See our blue dot in the corner of the country? We are the last inch of America to get dark.

But here is what we have been doing the most of:

watching World Cup

and Packing.

World Cup! What are we going to do with ourselves when it's over? We watch the games during the day, and the replay/analysis during the night. It's a blast.

This was Sunday's game against Portugal. 

The kids did NOT like the yelling and overall "freaking out" coming from their parents.

But what a game! What a game.

We have a goal to go to parks we have never been too before. 

This was a cool one, smack dab in a forest.

 It is definitely a summer park because no sunshine can permeate; it would be too cold in the winter.

Feeding saltines to ants: a strange kid-instinct activity. 

We are born knowing that the ants would die without our feeding them crushed saltines.

(this between runs through the sprinkler. for me, it doesn't get more "summer")

Speaking of crushed saltines...one time when we were little me and Jamie were riding one bike together. I was "driving", she was riding the handle bars and eating saltines. We were arguing about something...then somehow she pulled the brake...and we flipped. 

It was a me-Jamie-bike-Corkill Lane-sandwich.

Somehow we weren't hurt. The stack of saltines she was holding was crushed on the road, and it cracked us up. We laughed and laughed at those saltines. 

I'm not sure how this evolved, but lately we are in to bird watching. 

I have been wanting to learn about local birds, and then Nettie told me about a bird watching app, and then we got this book at the library, and now my kids talk about birds all the time.

We went back to Lake Padden equipped with binoculars, cameras, and the bird book ready to find some blue jays (the kids' favorite). It was a fun little hike, but we only saw a robin and ducks. 

Maybe Evan's yelling at the birds has something to do with that.

Jim went on a ride while we hiked.

Next Padden adventure, we are wearing swim suits and getting properly in the water. This is the second time we've ended up with wet clothes.

Semiahmoo.

This is probably my favorite place. It's, like, our go-to place. 

He walks. Just in time for nursery.

See the seal out there? Hey buddy! Do a trick!

And not shown here, we are packing up to move (in two days!)

Yesterday I sent the kids to our friend's house so I could pack and clean efficiently. 

My friend called and asked if Avery was missing her front tooth when she came? No? Because she's missing it now.

Knocked it out on the teeter totter.

(in the spirit of being honest, I am super sad about this. I love baby teeth. Once they start growing the gnarly, snaggle big kid teeth...that's it. No more little girl.)

My kids are growing so fast. 

Every now and then I hold the big ones in my arms like they are babies and kiss their cheeks, and they squirm and giggle to get free. They aren't baby sized anymore. They are stinky, sweaty, run into the house for a drink of water, dirt in their fingernails. 

The Month of Jim. Jimuary.

Last week we celebrated Jim's birthday for days.

We had all sorts of fun outings and

all sorts of delicious food that the restaurant made for us.

One day we went to Lake Padden and played while he mountain biked in the surrounding trails.

Then it was father's day.

He got all sorts of homemade cards.

 

ps remember last year? 

My favorite thing about Jim is how he would rather be with me and the kids than anywhere else in the world. 

Every choice he makes (career, recreational) is based on how much time he will get to spend with us. 

My other favorite is that he loves to explore new places. The Mendoza line doesn't deter him from taking three crazy children on adventures to see new things. 

He sings randomly (I think I taught him that), he says random words that are fun to say, he loves good movies and good characters. He researches things until he knows everything about it. 

 

Whenever something breaks, just take it to Jim and he'll fix it.

(however...if anything is lost, I'm the person to go to. I'll find it.)

 

He's smart, he's funny, meticulous, and kind. He'll stop and pet any animal that crosses our path. 

Here's to Jimuary. 

xoxo

Counting My Blessings

All my kids are asleep and I just can't stop thinking about the metro officers in Vegas who lost their lives yesterday.

I can't really think of anything profound to say. I just feel helpless to the evils in this world. 

I will just try and be more aware of the blessings in my life. That sounds so rote and trite. But that's what I keep coming back to.

Sunday during singing time, I dressed some of the kids like dads while we learned a dad song. Evan came home and got into costume. 

He's such a cute boy. 

He sits nice and quietly during primary...because he gets to sit by Brother Nielson. His favorite. 

Brother Nielson has a briefcase that he keeps on his lap and is full of candy. 

Brother Neilson gives Evan knuckles and sticks a smartie in his shirt pocket for the drive home. 

Evan is on his best behavior for Brother Nielson. 

I love Brother Nielson. 

 

 

We went on a Sunday walk. 

A frog jumped all over the grass while we shrieked and squealed and it then landed on Jim's bike. 

Monday was an exciting day for Avery. 

First we went and got her hair trimmed. Two inches maybe. 

When we got home, she said she wanted it short, so without hesitation I pulled out my sewing sissors and cut it off. 

It's actually my best hair cut, I'd say. I'm not even in any hurry to repay someone to fix it. 

Then, it was the best mail day ever. 

Avery's birthday watch finally got here from China. 

She is crazy about it. She will tell you what time it is every two minutes. 

And! Grandma Larsen sent her this new purple dress. It is so adorable on her and perfect for summer. 

She was so excited to go to school the next day and show off all three new things. 

She was sure everyone in her class wouldn't recognize her and wonder if there was a new girl. 

I remember thinking that would happen to me the day after I got my ears pierced. I looked so different surely no one would know it was me. 

Side note: her teacher didn't say a word about her haircut. I like her teacher...but things like this are typical and I am kind of ready for a new teacher.

 Kindergarteners thrive off of adults noticing little details about them, and to a six year old, this is monumental! This is big big news! A kindergartner teacher should be a bloodhound at sniffing out these little details. It's part of her job to say, "oh Sally, I like that tiny jewel bedazzling your shirt. I bet that's the only reason you wanted that shirt." 

 

Or

"Oh hey Tommy! Did you get a new Lego man? It looks like he has a different helmet than your other ones."

 

I don't know. I just think that's what makes a good teacher...they make you feel special.

 

And my daughter is special darn it! She cut a foot of hair off and was smiling and touching her hair when she first walked into the classroom this morning! 

 

Haha. I'm crazy. 

Yesterday we went to peace arch park and rolled down the hill and watched people cross the border. 

Lastly, today Andrew really took to walking. He walked around for a good half hour. He's so tall! 

Did you know this is how old Evan was when we moved here? He was a baby! I can't believe it. 

Notice: the house is starting to get packed up,

and the house is decorated for Jim's birthday.

 Chaos!

Fragrance Lake

"The Chuckanuts" is an area full of trails and lakes and such on the fringe of Bellingham.  For some reason, in our three years here, we have never explored them! I think I was afraid they weren't kid friendly enough, but we just had to find the right trail and go the right distance. 

Right now the kids are good with about a mile in and a mile out. 

Of course they fluctuate between having the time of their lives to practically absolutely can't move another step and dying...so we pinball between those two extremes the entire hike. 

Like, on the uphill hike back to the car, Avery was in dramatic mode, barely moving her feet. After many moments of exasperation she emptied her shoes that "had rocks in them", and then took off RUNNING, full speed up the trail. She passed Jim and just kept running for about half a mile. Me and Jim just kept looking at each other and shaking our heads. 

Kids are so strange. 

But it's always, always worth it. Exploring new places makes for my favorite memories. 

I just like the thumbs up she's giving. 

Bridges. Always a hit. 

When it's warmer, we want to hike to one of these mountain lakes and go swimming.

We will be back, Chuckanuts.