Last days of Summer 2015

Well, the summer is coming to an end for all my kids.    

But until then, we've been cutting, cutting, cutting. 

 With all the fruit we've been getting from Birch's, we ended up getting a dehydrator.  We eat as many as we cut, so it takes a bit longer to prep than I thought.  And I haven't worked out all the details that might change the length of time the fruit is drying... but it is so yummy! 
 We are all loving it.

Katy is preparing for Senior pictures with Aunt Priscila. We tried on MANY dresses this week and found a few lovely ones.  She has a friend coming over to help practice make-up and hair today and tomorrow.  So excited!

Mom is excited if I think about it in baby steps.  Look, Senior pictures.  Look, new class schedule. Look, you need all my financial information for scholarship paperwork.  

But if I think about how she won't be here next year.... sadness.

Jacob is having a wonderful month.   Swimming, friends, sleepovers, cousins and food.  What more could a boy ask for!  That's him on the rope swing.  

My new phone/camera - is a lower quality than my previous phone.  That's ok.  It's a choice I made, and for the most part, I am enjoying not being on my "phone" all the time.  But I miss the camera from the Nexxus.  Guess I'll have to start carrying around a real camera, now. 

 Whoa... that feels so old school.

Emily and Becca, both have their own devices - not for calling or texting yet, because they are always with us!  But they have email, google hangout, Pinterest, and Spotify. 

It keeps them real "busy".  

Let me know if you need their contact info.

Amanda is off to camp this week.  It is the first time she's been gone 5 nights.  She's been to this camp before (twice) but as a jr. camper and it was only for 2 nights.  She was SUPER nervous this past week and kept worrying about it.  Sometimes, alternating between tears and laughter.

So Darren talked with her about Philippians 4:6-7

Which means one day we were driving home and she says, "I'm really nervous about camp."  Then proceeds to bow her head, put her hands together and say, "Jesus, give me peace." 

 I LOVE that Amanda!   

Once I dropped her off, she still needed hugs, but she found her friends and she was off.  She did stop to turn around and wave to me.  My heart be still.

Claire has turned into a great swimmer this year!  Her favorite is the mermaid (dolphin) - but she's getting better at freestyle and back stroke, too. Claire also decided to get a pixie cut as well, she wanted to match the sisters.  She looks a little like Fantine. 
 It's just hair.  It will grow back.

This is how I feel, too.  Every time someone asked for a pixie cut....

Darren has started a new client, who lives on the East coast.  So his mornings will be starting 2 hours earlier, which just about coincides with the new school year.  No one wants to get up early.  

We want to soak in the last few days of summer!!!!

We got to visit with a friend yesterday that just moved out of the city, onto their own little farm.  We sat in the hammocks and talked in the shade.  All the kids want to move to a farm now.  We are pretty sure the ratio of work:hammock is something like 3:1 or 5:1 maybe even 10:1.  

They don't believe me.

Hope you enjoying your last days of summer, too. 

The Tooth Fairy Rides Again

The Tooth Fairy has had a long and successful career at our house.   And now she can add another client to her payroll...

Of course, a visit from T.F. is not the only thing that happens when you loose a tooth...

The entire family is treated to Frosty's!!!!  

Kindergarten, getting to sleep on the top bunk, loosing teeth... 

our little Manda is growing up.

Sick Break

Well, I think there's no better time to get sick than when you have an extra 6 people in your house.  That way someone else can hold a crying child or make dinner or run to the store for more meds or caffeinated drinks for the mommies.  And now there is a reason to have the TV on 24/7. 

We actually have 2 strains of bugs running through thehouse right now, thankfully it remained within the host family and not the guests.  So here I am, fighting off the yuckies.

In the first corner, weighing in at stomach flu, throwing up and diahrea:  Emily and Becca.
In the second corner, weighing in at painful ear infections: Jacob and Amanda. 

So far, Becca dropped out of the fight after 36 hours... and Jacob and Amanda entered the fight a day or so late, but definately not nearly as dedicated to the pain.  Emily seems to be the last one standing... I mean last one crying. 

Emily got a shot of Phenergan last night and seems to be doing better.  She was pretty dehydrated, but she is doing her best to drink all the pedialyte I keep giving her. 

Maybe tonight I'll get to sleep all the way through til morning, without anyone else waking up and crying or throwing up or crawling into my bed.  Maybe.

"Is that where the giants live?"

Yesterday, Amanda looked across the cloud covered gorge and asked, "Is that where the giants live?"

It was beautiful. The hills of Camas were poking out above the clouds... not fog, clouds. And it looked like a city above the clouds.

Of course, I said "yes. That is exactly what a giant town looks like." I even thought we'd get to go through that cloud bank as we crossed the river... but alas, we did not.

She was disappointed there were no clouds on the bridge and most of all, "Why can't we go see the giants?" We'll, Aunt Priscila was waiting for us.

However, we could see the clouds up the river a bit. It was an awesome sight and I'll forever think of Camas, Washington as the home of Amanda's giants.

On a side note, Darren asked Amanda what she thought they made at the factory (in Camas)... she said "Clouds?"

Of course, what giant city doesn't have a cloud factory?

Don't forget to stop and smell the 4 year old

Amanda: "Mom will you read this book to me?"

Mom: Thinking all the wrong answers
- I have more productive stuff I should be doing
- Maybe I could have one of the twins read to her
- If I read one, she'll ask for another
- Later - maybe for naptime

but Mom finds the right one "Yes".

After I move a few boxes off the couch, we sit down with Blueberries for Sal. One of my favorites.

I've read that book so many times! With every child. We'd change the name at the beginning of their season with the book... Blueberries for Katy. Blueberries for Jacob. Blueberries for Becca (and then re-read it in the same sitting) for Emily. Then it would get put on the shelf for a while until the next one started asking for it.

Today was the first time in at least 6 months that I've read Blueberries for Amanda.

A few minutes of my time to read a book, to remind me how ALL these people of mine used to be little, to make sure Amanda has her turn. If Claire will let her.

Claire: "That me?" (Pointing to Little Sal)

Mom: "Not yet. That's Little Amanda"