Journal: reunions, routines, and lots of rain!!

TODAY

Out my window:  Sunny and mild.  The weather has been remarkable, we've had so much rain that we actually wish it would dry out a bit (thought I would never say that again!!).  More in the forecast tonight and tomorrow.  We had 3 1/10 inches in one dumping last weekend, goodness!!

Clothing myself in:  bleh.  I have gotten a few new pair of shorts for summer from Old Navy and Target and one off the local swap page that I'm really enjoying.

Around the house:  We had overnight guests last Thursday/Friday in conjunction with a big family reunion on my mom's side of the family.  We had lots of fun (with the guests and the reunion)!  Trying to settle into the "new normal" that Summer brings, which has been hard because we've had VBS, Art Camp, the guests and the Reunion all in a two-week time period.  Nothing like everything at once, we have hardly anything on our calendar for the rest of the Summer haha.

I got some additional juice glasses from Montessori Services now that Clem is no longer using a sippy and ordered a little glass pitcher and some enamelware mugs as well.  I really like all these items, they are so cute and durable.  I'm hoping the pitcher will save trips to and from the fridge for milk refills during dinner.  Now if I could just get Clem to drink cow's milk...  

 

The baby/toddler: We flipped him front-facing after our "big" (1.5 hour) trip this past weekend.  At almost two and 23 lbs we probably could have kept him rear-facing for longer but he is so.stinking.long.  He had mixed emotions at first about being turned around, but now he enjoys telling me "ready, GO" when we are sitting at stoplights, and seems utterly fascinated watching traffic out his window. 

The kiddos:  Gemma really liked VBS again this year.  She was so excited it was CatChat and we have already listened the heck out of the new CD.  It really is very catchy music, for which I am grateful.  She seems to be loving Art Camp (put on at our local Catholic High School) and is very excited for their art show tomorrow!!  The first couple weeks of Summer were rough on her, the girl just does not do well with change.  I asked her if she missed school and she quite frankly answered me, "yes".  She seems to be settling in though, although she and Kolbe have been sparring more.  It's as if she feels she has to re-establish some sort of dominance around here or something.  Sigh.  Gemma's beloved fish Flowercup died this past Sunday, so we had a little "service" for her at the pond behind the house.  She has taken it pretty well, and we are waiting on any new pets since we are planning to be switching bedrooms and such later in the Summer.  Eventually I would really enjoy a 10 gallon aquarium somewhere in the house, so we will see if now is the time for that. 

Kolbe liked VBS too, but it stressed him out.  He was borderline nightmarish to be around last week.  It made me really glad he is not enrolled in preschool this Fall, because after last week I think I would have called and un-enrolled him.  I think it was just a little much for him.  But like I said, he did seem to have a good time, and never said he didn't want to go, and he has mellowed out considerably this week, so all's well that ends well I suppose.  I have started working on his Handwriting Book with him, and he is making some great strides with his pencil grip.

We took the kids to a water park/pool thing at the reunion and oh my we had fun.  I think it was very similar to what we have at the Y here, so now I am really looking forward to doing that a few times this summer.  The kids LOVED the water slides and Clem even had fun going down on my lap (after Aaron convinced me that I would not, indeed, die.  I am a big chicken).  It was a great afternoon despite being a bit chilly.

In the kitchen: Fajitas, crispy chicken lettuce salads, fish muffins, maybe some linguine (I have a bunch of grape tomatoes in the fridge I need to use). 

Crafting: oh for heaven's sake.

Learning:  VBS, Art Camp, a little "school" work here and there.  Hoping to settle into a more regular routine with that once our other activities are over.  Gemma's reading has really been taking off.  On nights that Aaron is working late or mowing and I am putting Clem to bed, she puts Kolbe to bed and has read him to sleep on more than one occasion.  LOVE. 

Reading: Finished Something Other Than God.  It was a great story of conversion.  The atheist aspect, and the fact that she landed in the Catholic Church made it all the more poignant.  Where She Went, which is apparently the sequel to If I Stay which I read a couple weeks ago.  And it appears there are one or two more after this. 

Watching:  New series of Duck Dynasty starts tonight!!

Bringing me joy: Time with extended family.  VBS and the wonderful Catholic community we are blessed to be a part of.  The kids playing with toys that were mine as a child.  Singing VBS songs with the kids and listening to them in the van.  Laughing with my Aunt about how crazy my kids are at Mass (she raised four boys and a girl, so I think she gets it).  Time outdoors in gorgeous sunny weather.  Watching my kids play with their second cousins...the kids of the cousins with whom I played as a child.  A new swimsuit.  Pentecost.  Chocolate.  A tasty glass of wine and cold beer on hot days.  Reading to Gemma, and all the kids.  New pictures of the kids (see sidebar).  Visiting my sister's farm.  An hour (ALONE!!!) in Adoration, and the prospect of getting to do this weekly this summer.  Chatting with my mom.  A quieter schedule on the horizon.  I have so much for which to be grateful, despite the crazies.

Thinking about: Routines.  I hate to be super schedule-oriented, but oh my, my children thrive on at least a general routine and rhythm to our days.  I enjoyed the reunion and VBS and everything, but if we had another week like last week I think my kids (and consequently me) would have completely flipped out.  Sheesh. 

Pictures to share:  

Some pics from the reunion...

Me with  my Aunt Kathy, her hubby Stu and my Uncle Don (and an uncooperative Clem).  Pic 2 is with my cousin Jess (and an even more uncooperative baby).  She, her hubby and their two kids were our overnight guests.

The kids had their first (and only if it's up to me) time on a trampoline.  And everyone lived and I don't think I even have many more grey hairs!!

Clem thought he was hot. stuff.  I am in the background trying not to have a heart-attack.

Some group shots, there were around 60 there from four generations (a few of my grandma's siblings came the first day).

Journal: Summer is here

TODAY

Out my window:  Sunny and warm.  We got about 2.5 inches of rain last weekend, which was hugely great.  If we got another large-ish rain the ponds and such around here would be back where they should.  It was a pretty isolated thing though, so pretty grateful for what we did get.  Forecast is pretty moderate for this time of year, barely breaking 90 in the seven-day.  We've been spending a lot of afternoons at the park.

Clothing myself in:  Jean shorts and a college t-shirt.

Around the house: We bought a new vacuum.  Our old one had been smelling and acting a little funny so Aaron had it looked at and they pronounced the motor.  We got a Riccar (we'd had a Sears Kenmore previously).  Anyone else have one?  It seems like it should be a good vacuum.  There are a few features that I miss from my old vacuum, but a few more on that I like that the old one didn't have.  People shouldn't analyze vacuums so much though.  I think I have a problem...  Getting our basement ready for overnight guests this week.  Laundered a bunch of sheets and towels and did some cleaning down there.  It will be a busy upcoming week with VBS, our guests and a family reunion!!

 

The baby/toddler: He is a handful these days, but what two-year-old boy isn't?!!  He has learned the word "no".  He loves to throw rocks in the lake (much to the dismay of the HOA.  We try to limit him, really, there's just not much reasoning with a two-year-old ;-D)   

 

The kiddos:  Gemma has been doing lots of biking.  Our neighborhood park is at the corner of our lake, and the path around the lake is about 1/3 a mile and is almost entirely visible from the park, so she can ride around while the rest of us are at the park.  It really is a great setup.  Her reading continues to improve...her expression tickles me and I LOVE it when she reads to her brothers.  Gemma likes to spell words to me instead of just talking.  Her phonetic spellings are sometimes quite amusing.  She and Kolbe just finished their May Saturday swim lessons.  They both had a bunch of fun, and they both went down the big outdoor slide (with their teacher) today.  This iwas very brave for them, and they loved it!!

Kolbe would fish all day every day were it up to him.  Most of the time we are at the park he spends down by the pond poking around rocks and bugs and such (if he's not fishing).  Our neighbor made him a quilt (she is making them for the other kids, but his was done first) and it is so wonderful.  Dump Trucks, and a little road and bright blue and yellow and green and so many little details in the stitching!  He has slept with it every night.  What a keepsake.

In the kitchen: French Dips, sour dough and green beans, Baked Ziti, some salads...we've had a lot of salad lately (usually with chicken or fish on the top/side), and Breakfast Casserole and probably waffles for guests are on my menu at home this week, plus some out-of-the-house reunion eating. 

Crafting: Ack.  No way.  I think I'll piggy-back on the neighbor's quilting prowess, haha. 

Learning:  VBS this coming week for both big kids and Gemma has Art Camp the following week.  We made up a "homework chart" for Gemma to loosely follow.  We've only been at it for a week so I'm not going to say "success" or "failure" just yet, but it seems to be a good guide and I am trying to not be a big stickler about having to do things every day.  AHHHHH balance.  I started Kolbe's handwriting book with him and think it's going to be just what he needs to help him practice good pencil grip. 

Reading: Finished Unbroken.  It was very good.  About 1/3 through Something Other Than God.  Liking it a lot.  Also read If I Stay this week.  It was kind of dark, but a good easy fiction.  All of a Kind Family Uptown and Stuart Little plus tons of picture books from the library with the kids.  I love how the Summer Reading Program always seems to rejuvenate us around here.  Speaking of, this was a great article. 

Watching:  Meh, not much of anything exciting.  I can't seem to keep my eyes open after about 9:15, so that kind of limits my options, haha.

Bringing me joy: The relaxed-pace of our Summer mornings.  Praying Morning Prayer before anyone else is up.  The land (park, pond, paths) around our house.  Even though we live in the 'burbs, I'm grateful our kids are able to get a relatively authentic outdoor experience (for Kansas anyways, heh heh).  Celebrating my hubby's 35th, just the quiet, simple traditions that our kids get so excited about.

Thinking about: Night-weaning Clem.  He had made some good strides sleeping longer stretches in his own room at night, and then went through a rougher patch here the past several weeks, but now is back to sleeping a *little* better on his own (and nursing less when he is in with us).  I am debating about actively night-weaning around his birthday, but still not entirely sure...

Pictures to share: 
Gemma on her (second to) last day of school and Kolbe on his last day of Speech with his gifts for his teacher.

Journal: Summer is coming

TODAY

Out my window: Hot.  This weather is just all over the place.  Highs in the mid-nineties (for real) all this week, but then it looks like it should be a little more moderate come next weekend/early the following week.  The kids are begging to play out in the pool.

Clothing myself in:  Jean shorts I got on a FB resale group ($5 well spent!) and a t-shirt.

Around the house: Took a few more bags of stuff to Goodwill this week.  I am finding that getting rid of stuff has kind of a snowball effect.  The more you get rid of, the more you realize you don't really need.  I have a few items (wedding gifts we've still never used) I'd like to try to consign. 

 

The baby/toddler: New words this week: ready, sissy, bubby, choo-choo, ball, go (which he likes to proclaim loudly at the end of every song during Mass).  He has an opinion about everything, including his wardrobe.  He is always heartbroken if "choo choo" or "ball-ball" shirts are dirty.  His belly-button is doing this funny thing.  I noticed he had been messing with it and it has, like, popped all the way out.  It's a little bizarre.  He didn't have an outie before, now he has a back-and-forthie.  Weirdness.  I never took him in at 18 months because that was smack in the middle of cold/flu season and the doctor's office is not my fave place that time of year, so I'm thinking of taking him in for a combined 18 month/2 yr well-child visit and make sure everything is OK with it.  Aaron says he figures he'll just say to keep an eye on it for now.  Anyone ever seen this?

 

The kiddos:  Started swim lesson this past Saturday.  First Gemma was super excited and Kolbe didn't want to go.  Then Kolbe was super-excited (so much so that Friday night he hollered at us from bed at 8:45 PM, still awake, to ask if it was time to get up yet) and Gemma was trepidatious.  They both ended up having a blast!  We go every Saturday in May, and we'll see about a 2wk session later in the summer.

They are obsessed with talking about underpants and poop.  Really?

They are getting to be so good at fishing, they can pretty much fish by themselves, including taking the fish off the hook and tossing them back in.  They do hit snags here and there, but for the most part I am amazed at their skills.  I am so happy for them.  When I "fished" as a kid it was a stick with a piece of yarn tied to it while I sat on top of our dog house.  True story.

In the kitchen: Sushi last night, leftovers (sushi and some stuff from the grill) today.  Spaghetti, crispy chicken salads with homemade vinaigrette, chicken picadillo, chicken fajitas, baked fish... lettuce salads and steamed veggies for sides.  Maybe a broccoli salad with the fish.  Lots of fresh fruits: straberries, watermelon and cantaloupe have been frequent faves of late.  I have a new drying rack and one-quart stainless-steel saucepan thanks to an unfortunate mishap last week.

Crafting: Who are we kidding?  I should probably remove this before I get accused of being some sort of crafting imposter.  I'm not even sure why it's here in the first place...

Learning: Gonna buckle down and finish up this school year!!  Looking forward to the change in pace summer will bring.  Thinking about Kolbe's needs next year which -- aside from his speech classes -- mainly include lots of time to play and be a little boy, reading books and doing some simple "school" stuff together.  I'd like to work some on handwriting/fine motor activities with him, just so we can hopefully get his pencil grip looking a little better before kdg.  He knows his numbers really well (much better than Gemma did at this age) and his letters less well (not quite as well as Gemma did at this age).  He spends much less time coloring/drawing/writing which I'd guess is gender-related.  We may try library story-time regularly next Fall.  He went a few times last year, and then a little boy apparently hit him (I wasn't in there with him :-( and he has never wanted to go again so I haven't forced the issue.  

Reading: Started Sarah, Plain and Tall with Gemma.  Got the Children's Book of Virtues from the library (maybe some mealtime reading?)  Reading Unbroken myself (Erika have you read this?  I think you'd like it...) and have a handful of teen-fiction on the hold-list at the library.  I go through spells with personal reading, I am in a reading-spell currently.  Probably need something religious to round-out my book-stack.  Still working through The Joy of the Gospel here and there.

Watching:  River Monsters finale is tonight.  We've been watching Outrageous Acts of Science and it's pretty cool.  Cosmos should be wrapping up I think??  It's been so thought-provoking.

Bringing me joy: We have a Bishop!!  Watching his Ordination on television was the next best thing to being there...actually, considering the fact that I have three young children, it was probably better than being there.  Time outdoors with the kids.  Having a good friend with whom to hang out during swim lessons.  Walking with Clem.  All Clem's new words.  My older kids' love for the outdoors.  Chatting with my hubby.  A tasty bottle of wine. 

Thinking about: I wonder if I have seasonal affective disorder.  I am always so much happier this time of year, and have trouble wrapping my mind around just how I survive winter every year...  I am hoping summer vacation is not too much a shock for Gemma.  I think she likes school more than she lets on, and she seems to thrive on predictability.  I have tried not to talk too much about school being out as I don't want to stress her out.  We'll see what the next few weeks bring, I know they are going flyyyyyyyyy.

Pictures to share: 

A couple weeks old...the Lenten Cross was so great this year.  Looking forward to it again next Lent.

June recap

Wow.  Has it really been two weeks?  June has been insane.  I'll just do a recap with pictures for now and hopefully journal again soon. 

We've had two weddings (cousin and brother, both on Aaron's side).  We danced and wore funny hats and caught up with out-of-town family and ate too much candy (well Gemma and Kolbe did anyways).  

We took a fun family trip to the zoo. 

As I mentioned in my last post, Gemma spent a week at VBS and the boys and I helped in the daycare.  

We watched baby birds hatch in the nest in our birch and in our neighbor's tree (this might have been late May??) and Kolbe followed a baby bird that couldn't fly yet around the lake (and into the neighbor's yard where he belonged, we could hear mama squawking at us).

We went on a froggy walk (that turned into a swim) in the temporary pond behind the house. 

We had professional pictures taken of the kids (see sidebar too).

We've had fun going to daily Mass (trying to go once a week) and playing at the park with friends.

We are working on our goals for the Summer Reading Program at the library.  Gemma chose the lofty goal of 100, and Kolbe 40.  G is about half way there and Kolbe is pretty close.

The older two just completed two weeks of swim lessons at the Y.  It was their first time to take and I'm calling it successful.  Neither of them "passed", but they definitely progressed and had fun (aside from a few small hiccups with Kolbe) and that was what I was looking for.  They needed to learn how to put their faces in the water from someone other than mama.  We signed up with a couple friends, so Clem and I enjoyed some chat/playtime every day while the big kids swam and that was really nice.  Kolbe even ventured down the "big blue slide" with his teacher on the last day.  Gemma did not.  The apple does not fall far from the tree, folks.  I am debating another round of lessons later in the summer. 

We celebrated Flowercup the fish's first birthday.  I think I will blog about this separately as I have some really cute pictures I haven't gotten off my camera yet.  Yes, you read that right.  We had a birthday party for our fish.  Bet you'll never guess who planned and executed that one...

The rest of the month should be a bit more quiet.  The heat has settled in here and we have made the decision to put in a well, in an effort to keep our yard alive in a less expensive (long-term) and time intensive manner. 

HAPPY SUMMER!!