The Last Time

Me and Jim were trying to remember the last time G and G Larsen were here. They fly free, so they get to come visit lots. 

I found this blog post I never published and realized they were here last for Easter and the tulip festival!  That's a long time ago.

Two seasons ago.  

Remember we used to live on Moonglow Place?

And Andrew couldn't walk yet?

Time just flies. It's crazy.

Avery had long hair.

Those shoes still fit Evan's feet.

We discovered this beach tree that the kids call "Our Airplane. 

They play on it all the time

because, now we live down the street from it.

They pretend to be pilots and flight attendants. 

I like this color pallet.

Whistler

Whistler has always been on our radar, 

then Jim bought a bike hub from a guy in Whistler,

so we made a weekend adventure out of the transaction.

While Jim was "doing business" with the guy, we walked over to the bottom of the mountain to watch the bikers. It was such a fun atmosphere. 

I wish I wasn't so afraid of mountain biking. Maybe I need to get over my fear. 

There were bikes everywhere. 

We ate at Spaghetti Factory (meh).

We have been to two Olympic villages this summer! Neato. 

Also, there was a beer festival going on there behind us.

On the way home we stopped to see this amazing waterfall.

The kids were pretty tapped out by now because they were whiny. 

But look at that amazing thing!

Brandywine Falls.

Waterfalls are always a hit (just not for tired kids, I guess.)

The drive up to Whistler was just incredible. 

According to my research, this is the Fitzsimmons Mountain Range.

The highway is called "Sea to Sky Highway", and there are Bear Crossing signs all over.

I kept my eyes peeled, but no sightings for us. darn.

ps this is the other Olympic Village we went to this summer.

Home Tour?

Anyone want to have a little home tour? It's more like we are house sitting, so I don't feel a huge sense of ownership here. 

If you see a decoration that you like - 90% chance it's Valerie's. 

I love the floor plan. Nice and open. Rambler. Lots of room.

Love the bar. Love the chairs that I painted red.

Excited about getting warm by the fire in the winter. 

 I do NOT like the dark wood floors. 

Go ahead and try to hide crumbs and water spots. Go ahead. Try. You can't, can you? 

Now try and have three of the messiest kids in the whole wide world live here. 

Go ahead. 

This half of the house is north facing. You can tell the difference in the lighting compared to....

...this south facing half of the house.

This is where we gather round the tv and/or do crafts.

The view out these windows is awesome. There's a forest and a field of cows back there.

Entry way.

Then to the left is a hallway full of rooms and bathrooms. Boring.

It's bigger than it looks from the outside.

There's a whole downstairs, but we never go down there because I'm afraid of zombies eating dead horse carcasses. (jimi painted that metaphoric picture for me, so it's as good as truth.)

We can't figure out how to take down those flags. 

This is the road I look down when I'm searching for the bus.

the end

And Then There Was One

Alright, so now there is just one little guy around here with me in the afternoon.

And that little guy takes a hearty nap in the afternoon.

So I am "all alone" in the afternoon.

I'm not going to lie. I love it. 

It really helps to recharge these old batteries.

***

Let's talk about feeding my family.

There is something about it that leaves me confused and staring off into space. 

It should be a no brainer right? Cook food. Feed food. 

But what was happening was, Avery didn't eat a ton at school (that's typical of her. when she is in an exciting environment, she has a hard time focusing on food).

So of course she'd come home hungry and eat the crap-o-la that I packed in her lunch box: it's chaotic and Evan is helping himself to the lunch box snacks, backpacks are open and papers are flying around everywhere,

I finish making dinner among the after school chaos,  but I am the only one who eats it because no one is hungry anymore...

So

my solution is to have the table set and dinner ready to go the minute they walk in the door (which is close to 4:00)

Now

they stumble in the house and I circle them around the table. We sit down and fill our bellies with healthy food, we talk about their school day, a pitcher of ice water fills their glasses. We are all together again, calm and comforted.

The backpacks/papers/homework are left untouched until dinner is over. 

***

Let's talk about the bus ride.

We live as far away from the school as you can get, so their bus rides take forever.

It really bothers me, and I'm glad we won't be living in this house for long.

A few times Avery has fallen asleep on the ride home. 

Yesterday when the bus pulled up, I climbed aboard to help her wake up because she was OUT. Drooling.

I love the days she falls asleep. It lets her recover from a busy day meanwhile oblivious to how long the drive is, and how crazy the other kids are. Sleep away, Avery.

***

Now let's talk about how much I love their teachers.

They are so so wonderful.

Being on the "mom" side of the teacher/parent relationship helps me to realize what an important figure a teacher is. It makes me want to be a better teacher. 

Mrs. Shapiro is the rock star of the first grade. It's a complete gamble who you get (you can't request), and I am so thankful for her. 

Her style completely jives with my own teaching philosophies. These first few weeks they are establishing a respectful community in their classroom. There is peace and love and order.

So far Evan has only gone two days, but I know most of his teachers, and they pretty much fell from heaven into our laps. 

If my kids are going to spend 1/3 of their day away from my home, it makes me feel so happy to know they are with these women. Really. I've never felt such love for teachers before.

Evan's First Day of Preschool

He had to watch Avery go a whole week before it was his turn.

Torture.

He goes in the afternoons from 12-2:50; an hour longer than last year.

He was going nuts waiting and waiting, so finally we loaded up and went way too early.

We dawdled and took extra pictures to help eat some time.

Avery was eating lunch, so we went and got a big hug out of her. 

Finally we went to his room, holding my hand, quiet and shy.

He has a new classroom and new teachers, so he wasn't as confident as last year. 

As soon as he saw his old sandbox and some old friends he warmed up right quick. 

I don't think he even bothered to give me a "see ya later".

When the bus brought him home, he was pooped. 

He stumbled into the house with a "I'm hungry".

I had the table all set and we ate chicken and sweet potatoes and asparagus.

All of us together again.

Evan::Playing on a Sunday Afternoon