4th Day of School

OK…so the first day of school was a breeze…a no-brainer. I was really starting to feel pretty arrogant about how well the whole "school" thing was unfolding…and then we hit day 4. Approximately 15 minutes before we were supposed to leave and pick up our carpool kids, I asked MC to go get dressed. He simply looked and me and said, "No." I wasn’t overly concerned until I asked him again 5 minutes later, with 10 minutes until departure time, and he still calmly but firmly answered, "No". I girded my loins, grabbed his clothes and marched into the family room with 5 minutes until take off. He heard me coming and before I could reach the side of the couch, he was crouching defensively on one side of the kitchen island, safely out of reach. "MC, I’m not going to ask you again. It is time to get dressed for school. We are going to be late picking up the other kids. You need to put your clothes on." It may have been my imagination but I swear he growled at me.

Just a side note for those of you who thought having an island in the middle of the kitchen was a pretty slick idea. I’m going to let you in on something. That same island that you thought would be a stunning, convenient addition to your kitchen will prove to be the very thing that will one day back you into a bad place, a dark, lonely, desperate corner. Picture this…your 5-year old son doesn’t want to get dressed and go to kindergarten. He is on one side of the island and you are facing him from the other side. To make things worse, you are wearing socks and it’s a hard wood floor. Your hands are full of clothes and you are eyeing each other like boxers in a ring. You make a move, he moves with you. You attempt to move the other way and he has already anticipated your move…he slides the other direction. You could try to chase him but who are you kidding. He is barefoot AND 5 years old and your body is not what it once was…especially taking those slippery corners. You can threaten him but it doesn’t do any good because you know you can’t catch him. Suddenly you hear the front door open. Your 3-year old is wandering outside but if you change positions, you know that 5-year old will make a break for it and catching him outside is not only tricky but you know this child is not above pulling out all the stops and screaming at the top of his lungs, "Help! Someone please help me!" and you don’t know how many more times you can convince the neighbors next door that he is just a really dramatic child and you aren’t really beating him. He smells the fresh air and eyes the open door. You crouch. You may only have one chance and you have to be ready. He moves and after a slippery start, you’re after him. He makes it out into the grass before you throw the clothes into the air and body slam him on the grass. You’ve got him and you are ready. You grab the screaming 5-year old under your arm, throw open the door to the mini-van, toss him in and yell at your 3-year old to get in or get left behind because you are a grown-up on a mission and getting this child to kindergarten precedes all other things (including whether the 3-year old is actually wearing pants or shoes). You grab his clothes, attempt to fasten the seat belt, slam the door and lock it before he has time to unbuckle and get it open. You pause for a moment…he may be screaming bloody murder, but he’s in and for a moment you taste victory.

OK…so I’m not saying I’m sure that’s how it is for people but I’ve just heard.

We pick up the other 2 kids and MC stops crying. I figure he has it out of his system and he will have a chance to cool down before we get to school. All is well…until we pull up to the kindergarten doors. Before I even stop the car, he is flattened against the seat in the back where not only can I not reach, but I have difficulty "fitting". The other 2 kids get out and back away slowly, unwilling to look away but too frightened to stay close. I gently try to coerce MC to the front. I flatter him, bribe him, threaten him, and finally reach in with my super human stretchy arms, grab him by the back of the shirt and drag him around to the door. I then have to completely undress him and redress him in something akin to "Sunday" clothes (blasted school uniform…which I actually love but hate trying to get on a coiled, angry kindergartener). Other parents are pulling up to drop off their children and mine is literally on the sidewalk with me on top, my knee pinned on top of his chest to keep him down while I try to force on a pair of socks. I’m sweating, he’s screaming, and people really don’t want to get involved but they can’t look away. It is a bad car accident happening right on the sidewalk in front of the kindergarten door. I’m afraid someone is going to call Child Protective Services so I keep trying to wave my hands and roll my eyes and say, "Ha. Kids! Aren’t they great?" but no one is buying my forced complacency and they’re dying to see who is going to win the battle. HB is sitting in her car seat singing to her herself. It has become her defense mechanism.

Finally, it is over. MC is standing there in a uniform and I look a little flushed and disheveled but we are ready. I walk him into his classroom where he takes one look at his teacher and the whole class sitting serenely on the rug for "circle time" and he grabs my leg and screams, "Please don’t leave me! Mom, please don’t leave me!" Suddenly this child that I wanted to string up a minute ago is tugging at my heart strings so hard that I’m afraid I’m going to grab him and make a run for the door. What am I doing? I can’t leave him here. He is sad. He wants his mom. He has great big, blue eyes and delicious cheeks and he needs me to rescue him from kindergarten. I’m frozen in place. I can’t move. Finally his teacher gently takes MC and tells me to go. She can handle it and he will be fine. I back out of the classroom reluctantly. Will he really be fine? He is screaming my name. He wants me. I can’t leave him here.

I wander out to the car bewildered. What just happened here? I drive away slowly with a heavy heart and really wild hair. No one warned me a mother could feel 2 opposing extreme emotions in such a short amount of time. I fret for 3 hours.

And then he bounds home as if nothing has happened. Life is good and he earned a green card and he loves school and I’m wondering if my child is bi-polar and needs medication. While I wonder about him, I feel pretty certain about me. If this is kindergarten with MC, I’m going to need to be medicated. Heavily. I head in to my room and to take a long nap. I’m going to need all my strength to face day 5.

First Day of School...2 Months Ago

Ah…the first day of school. Crisp, unstained shirts, pants with the knees intact, shoes without scuff marks or giant holes in the toes, brilliant white socks, and unbridled enthusiasm for the adventure that lies ahead. I love the new backpacks and lunchboxes, boxes of pointy crayons, and the opportunity to go grocery shopping without rustling a herd of cattle alongside the cart. It is a day of mixed emotions…happy, excited, nervous, anxious…you name it and someone in the house has felt it. The first day of school, while terribly exciting in some ways, also has the feel of starting a great big race. You line up at the starting line and when that car pulls away on the first day of school you know you are going to be running and racing until it brings the kids home on the last day of school and you have a little bit of time to catch your breath before the next big race starts. Don’t get me wrong…the race has its exhilarating, wonderful moments but it is also hard and requires endurance. For example…

JC attends all day school so he needs to be out the door by 7:50 a.m. but does not come home until 3:15 p.m. or 1:15 p.m. on early out days. MC has afternoon kindergarten which starts at 12:15 p.m. and ends at 3:15 p.m. HB has preschool 2 days a week in the morning from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Now throw into the mix the fact that MC has to go to school an hour earlier on early out days and both boys get out early on those days and some days I have to drive to kindergarten but on other days I have to pick up all the kids from school. I volunteer in MC’s classrooms on Tuesdays but not the LAST Tues of each month because someone else does that day and every 5 weeks I teach HB’s preschool for 2 days and on Mondays and Fridays I do the Home Reading Program but I don’t put the books away I just have to load the books because someone else wants to put the books away. Each month I do a special "curriculum enhancement" activity in JC’s classroom but only every other month in MC’s classroom. I watch Cynthia’s kids on Wednesday morning while she works in her child’s classroom and she watches HB on Tuesdays when I work in MC’s classroom. I have to do MC’s 20 minute reading in the morning because he melts down in the afternoon but we do JC’s reading in the afternoon as well as any homework. I’ll stop but you get the point. I’m not telling anyone anything new and matter of fact, some of you are shaking your heads and dreaming about the good ole’ days when life was as simple as mine. I know it just gets more complicated as you get more children and they get older but right now it feels like I’m struggling through algebra and wondering how on earth I’ll ever survive statistics. Having kids in school is CRAZY…I love, absolutely love, working in their classrooms and at their school but it really does complicate things when there is more than one child. And maybe it’s just me but it might be time to start a new paragraph.



So…back to the details. JC started 2nd grade this year and is not bashful about telling people that his least favorite days of the week are a) Friday (because it is the last day of school for the week), b) Saturday (because there is no school) and c) Sunday (because there STILL is no school AND he has to sit still for 3 hours). I have to try every week and not take it personally although I’m grateful he enjoys school so much.
MC started afternoon kindergarten. It is hard to believe that he is that old but off he went in his shiny new uniform, anxious but at least willing. He climbed out the car on the first day of school gripping my hand so hard that I honestly started to go numb but telling me he could do it himself. I walked him into his classroom where he reluctantly let go of my hand and told me to go while gazing longingly at me with those enormous blue eyes that screamed, "You aren’t going to LEAVE me here are you?" I made things a little easier for him by insisting on taking his picture in front of all the students with him sitting at his new desk in the front row and by then he was so mortified that he wouldn’t even make eye contact with me. It actually went smoother than I had anticipated.
HB had to wait a 2 whole weeks to start her preschool which truly seemed like an eternity for her. I am doing a little preschool "coop" with 4 other mothers that takes place in my basement. There are 4 little boys and HB, the lone wolf representing the female side of things. We each take a turn teaching 2 days of preschool every five weeks and it has been fantastic so far. I haven’t had my turn yet but I’m thoroughly intimidated by the creativity and genius of all the other moms so it should be good motivation for my turn coming up. HB adores going to school and would honestly do all day, 5 days a week preschool if I could find such a thing. Seriously…should I be offended?
We are off and running on our 2008-2009 school year and it is shaping up to be stressful, fun, interesting, exciting and exhausting. I really wouldn’t have it any other way.
Let the games begin!

Speed Racer Moves In

I don't know how literally your children adopt fictional characters into their lives and very beings, but it seems to happen quite frequently here. I don't know whether to see this as a great character strength or indication of future schizophrenia but at least if they start hearing voices, I'll have some idea whose voices their hearing.


After watching Spiderwick Chronicles last summer, I found this in the backyard one morning.

In case it isn't immediately apparent, it is a griffith...note the stuffed horse head, wooden plank wings and I don't know if you can see it, but there is a tail made out of some other wood like object. Seeing stones were made out of pieces of cardboard box. Not bad for a quick little activity before breakfast.

Then there was the morning I walked out of my bedroom and found Indiana Jones and his sidekick parading around the kitchen.

We frequently have visits from a variety of Nephites and/or Lamanites passing through. They like to battle outside under the big tree in the front yard. It's always a little embarassing when the next door neighbors pull up and you don't know if you could even explain what was happening if you wanted to. We usually just smile and wave and act like having ancient Americans battling for control is a normal thing here. Be careful if you come to visit unannounced.




The funny thing is that a couple of weeks ago we went to the firestation on a preschool field trip and MC and HL were very hesitant about going near the fireman's gear when they had a chance to try it on. I thought that was a little strange for 2 children that spend most of their time dressed up as someone else. Maybe trying on "real" clothes was a little too close to reality. They finally consented...in limited doses.

So yesterday, quite unannounced, Speed Racer moved in. We find him to be a gracious guest with loads of personality. This morning he served me breakfast in bed and I decided upon an immediate adoption. Any good looking race car driver that insists I stay in bed while he serves me breakfast can live at my house anytime. And his Moch 5 doesn't take up alot of room. We're happy to have a new visitor.

Come One, Come All!

Ladies and gentlemen...we are making you a fantastic offer...inviting you to the event of the year! This Saturday, September 27th, our family is hosting a massive yard sale to raise money for the Baby Rhodesbud Project. (Please hop on over to my sister Suzie Petunia's website to read a more detailed description of this project and what we are hoping as a family to raise money for.) This is going to be a yard sale you don't want to miss. Furniture (couches, bed frames, book shelves, filing cabinets, etc.), treadmill, washer, dryer, home decorating items, linens, bedding, bikes, electronics, TV's, infant, children, and adult clothing, books, movies and much, much more will be yours for the purchasing! Plus enjoy fresh baked goods sold by the nieces and nephews! If there is something you are needing, wanting or just dreaming about, there is a good chance we have it stashed in our garage at this very minute. Mark your calendar, grab a few friends, and come enjoy the spectacle!!

The multi-family yard sale will be held at our home (if you don't know where that is, please email me and I will send you the address! If you don't know my email address, just leave me a comment and I will find you!) from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Cash only please! Hope to see you there! ALL proceeds from the yard sale will be donated to Carrie and Todd and the Rhodesbud Project.

By the way...if you have things sitting around your home and in your garage that are waiting to be carted away, we would be happy to come pick up those items if you don't mind the proceeds being donated to the fundraising effort. Please let us know...the more items the better.

Thanks!

Mom Moment

So HB is sitting in the backseat of the car today with a pad of paper and a pen and I start to hear her sounding out letters. "P-I-G...hey mom, look! I wrote PIG!" Well I turned around to see what was happening and sure enough the little smartie pants was back there sounding out words and writing them in the notebook. I have to admit I was a little surprised. I said, "HB, how did you learn how to do so many smart things?" and without missing a beat she said, "Mom...you taught me how, remember?"

Oh sweet girl...keep believing that!

My Fam

Ah, how much do I love these people? Indescribable. They make me happy in every way that a person can be happy. They make me happy because they make me laugh. They make me happy because we work so hard and sacrifice so much for each other. They make me happy because we have so much fun together! They make me happy because they represent hope and joy and eternal life to me. They are my life and I am so grateful for the privilege of being a wife and mother. They are not responsibilities I take lightly and I recognize what an incredible blessing it is. Each of them represents something so special to me.

My sweet husband. I'm not sure he fully realized what he was taking on when he asked me to marry him but he has never complained or shied away for the tough stuff! He is patient and compassionate and funny and such an amazing husband and father. His sisters (there are 6 of them...and he is somewhat of a middle child) were quick to tell me that they had trained him right and often have pointed out what an incredible man he is since we've been married. He has far surpassed every hope and aspiration! He cleans bathrooms, potty trains children, sweeps kitchen floors, does dishes, makes beds, vacuums, steam cleans, cleans up throw up, changes diapers, and takes care of the yard despite having terrible allergies. He grows us vegetables, pumpkins, and fruit trees every year. He knows how to incorporate zucchini into any recipe and is a great cook. He holds father's interviews each fast Sunday, gives father's blessings, and honors his priesthood with conscious reverence and respect. He has blessed our family with the tradition of family prayer, scripture study, and family home evening. He loves to play with his wife and kids and takes advantage of every minute to do so. I know without a doubt where he heart lies because of the way he treats us and the things he does. I love him deeply and passionately and am so grateful for what he brings to my life! (So...if you're wondering what on earth I could possibly bring to this marriage that he doesn't already do...not much. I can usually beat him at the game Mancala...and I'm good at teaching the kids to read. There...that's something.)

Oh, my boy. He has brought me so much joy since the moment I laid eyes on him. He is a fantastic "oldest" child. He has a great mind and imagination. JC is so curious and has been since he was old enough to recognize the world around him. He asks great questions and is very thoughtful about the things he learns. He was determined to read and understand things from a very young age and continues to love books and reading and history and science. He loves listening to stories and hearing about adventures. JC is always game for an adventure. He loves to "do" things and can frequently be found engaged in an art project, begging for a science experiment, wanting to play the computer, or making up some elaborate game with his brother and sister. He loves to watch movies and eat popcorn. He is a great soccer player and fantastic swimmer and is always willing to try something new. I love his serious nature, his silly side, and his desire to do what is right! He is a joy!

My sweet, happy, funny, adventurous MC! He is adventure and energy and happiness and imagination all rolled into one sweet boy. His big blue eyes and round delicious cheeks have endeared me to him from the beginning. He has no fear! He loves to try new things and scares me to death with how quickly he figures everything out. We can always tell by his squeals of pure adrenaline and excitement when he has found an "extreme" sport to watch on TV. He loves bike rides, bike jumps, climbing trees, skateboarding, hiking, swimming, camping, and playing, playing, playing. He has a great mind and catches on to things very quickly. He is smart and creative in so many ways. He is very observant and extremely sensitive to people and situations around him. He is always concerned about where people are and what is happening. He has an imagination that is bigger and wider than anyone I've ever met. Most of his sentences start with, "Let's pretend that..." and he can engage any child or group of children in a game. He loves to crawl into my lap and snuggle and I cherish every moment that he will let me do that. He is pure happiness!

And last but not least, my HB. Just when I thought I'd been completely consummed with light sabers and Indiana Jones whips and trucks and pirates, here comes a bundle of girly girl that is all pink and bows and girl. She can talk your ear off and loves to be heard! She is so happy and laid back and easy going...but can turn around and be so stubborn and independent. She has such a strong will, independent mind, and determination...all characteristics I admire and respect so deeply. She is confident and happy and excited about everything. She also has a tremendous imagination and is content to sing and talk to herself all day! She is so smart and quick to learn things. She loves her friends and wakes up every single morning asking 2 questions..."What are we going to do today?" and "Who are we going to play with?" I love that she wants to snuggle and cuddle and I love having a best friend that wants to play tea parties and Polly Pockets and the Cinderella jewelry game. But do not be fooled...she is also a genius with a light saber and Indiana Jones whip!

See why they are so amazing?

I have always felt a deep gratitude for my family and tremendous respect for who each of them are individually and what they bring to my life. I recognize how deeply we need each other. Every member brings something to the table that the rest of us needs. I just feel so blessed by them and our life together. It is no small thing to be happy...deeply, eternally, joyfully happy. And I celebrate that. Every day.

Farewell Sweet Summer of '08

Another summer has passed. Tomorrow the kids start school which is always a strange time for me. It is the end of the lazy, sweet days of summer and the start of a whole new chapter and phase in our lives. JC will start 2nd grade and MC will be starting kindergarten. I distinctly remember the very first day that I was left home all alone with JC, my brand new baby boy. Mo had left to go home, C. returned to work and there we sat...my first born child and I. JC looked up at me from his car seat and I immediately burst into tears. I called C. sobbing. "What's wrong?" he asked. "Is JC OK? Are you OK?" I continued sobbing and answered, "What am I supposed to do with him for the next 5 years? Kindergarten is a million years away." I can't even remember if my husband had a response for that. But here we are...not only is JC 7 years old, but my sweet MC is starting school...and if HL had her way, she'd be off to school tomorrow as well.

So here is my farewell to summer blog. Since this is the only journal that exists in my life, you may have to wade through quite a bit of material. Feel free to skim. It has been a fantastic summer filled with amazing memories!

FIELD TRIPS
We designated Wednesdays as our "field trip" days. This is when we would plan our big excursions out into the wild Utah frontier...and we had some great adventures! Having Chip here for the beginning of the summer was fantastic...we just tagged along with him and his kids for the first couple of weeks. Here are some of our more memorable excursions: (I'm not always great at remembering to take my camera, replacing the dead batteries, or pulling it out of the case when something cool happens...excuse the lack of photo documentation!)

1) Earth Science and Monte Beane Museum: Chip and I outdid ourselves and managed to entertain 6 children ages 8 and under for over an hour in an Earth Science museum that really you could see all the exhibits just by standing at the right angle by the front door. We had them do a scavenger, review the Jurassic Periods, and even do a human recreation of how fossils are formed. A personal favorite!

2) Family Days at the BYU Art Museum: Embracing our Renaissance selves...we did face painting, danced with some strange people, and painted Renaissance art. When all was said and done my children said their favorite part were the free helium balloons at the end.

3) Crafty Kids Camp: Thank you to the fabulous 14 year olds in our neighborhood that put on a 5 week camp with crafts, stories, entertainment and fun! This was our 3rd year in the row attending and I don't want them to know this, but I'd pay just about any price for the free hour and a half I got once a week! Kids had fun, mom had fun, and everyone was happy!

4) Children's Museum, Clark Planetarium and TRAX ride: We love the Children's Museum and always manage to find hours of stuff to do there. We took the train up which is always half the fun. After the Children's Museum, we had dinner at Panda Express and then took in the free exhibits at Clark Planetarium. A train ride home and a stop at Old Navy to buy new $3.00 flip flops for all the children whose shoes had gone the way of all cheap shoes. A fabulous day!

5) Red Butte Gardens: A favorite get-away in Salt Lake City...we had an amazing day with Tonya and her kids! Got really wet, looked for rattlesnakes, ate lunch under a waterfall, played tea party in a Japanese tea house, climbed the lizard sculptures, fed the koi fish a bunch of left-over snacks, and had a great time!

6) Bingham Copper Mines: My first time to the copper mines. It was fascinating! I've never seen such an enormous hole, such gigantic tires and dump trucks, and been riveted just watching trucks drive up and down big roads. I loved the huge rain storm that started when we got there and the humid lunch we ate in the van with all the windows rolled up. Thanks to Maryann and her kids for a fun, unique experience. We loved it!

7) Cascade Springs: Another fabulous adventure with Maryann and her kids. We love this magical place hidden up American Fork Canyon. It makes me a little car sick driving up and down the windy mountain roads but I never cease to be amazed at the sheer beauty of the mountains and this amazing state we live in. I love the pine trees that cover the mountain, the moose and deer, the beautiful, clear water, and the hiking trails that take you to breathtaking places. Cascade Springs is amazing with its water and boardwalks and wildlife. Our favorite moment happened when we visited last year. While walking a portion of the boardwalk, we saw a female moose come down to the water to drink. We sat silently on the walkway just marveling at her size and majestic beauty...after watching her for a few minutes, she started to "urinate" in the water and I hate to say it, but it was quite a spectacle. An animal that size makes quite a stir when they pee. The kids and I were riveted. What was even more entertaining was walking a few feet downstream after watching the moose pee and seeing 2 tourists on their knees scooping up and drinking handfuls of "the amazing crystal clear mountain stream". I didn't have the heart to tell them about the amounts of moose pee floating down their way...the kids and I laughed until we were sick. I will never look at a mountain stream the same way!





8) Thanksgiving Point: What is summer without at least one excursion to the place where they amaze you and rip you off all at the same time. They can provide big entertainment...but you pay for it. We did the dinosaur museum on one of the $2.00 Tuesdays and I have NEVER seen a crowd like that. It was dinosaur mayhem. Another week my friend Cynthia and I took our kids to the huge outdoor gardens and while it was still more crowded than usual, it was beautiful. The kids spent the first 30 minutes just playing on the huge green hill right inside the gardens. Cynthia and I just sat and marvelled at how little it really took to entertain 6 kids. I love the Waterfall Garden, the Secret Garden, the Italian Garden, and the Rose Garden. They are beautiful places. I also love JCW's restaurant where we went afterwards to indulge our need for delicious hamburgers and thick shakes.

9) Springville Museum Quilt Show: The kids were very indulgent in allowing me an afternoon wandering the quilt show. The quilts were amazing. I have utter respect and admiration for this art form. We just stood and stared at the elaborate piecing and sewing. The kids each got to take a picture of their favorite quilt. Afterwards we went upstairs to the gallery and played "I Spy". We take turns standing in the middle of the room while one person says, "I spy a painting with vertical lines"...or "I spy a painting with a horse"...or something like that. Then you have to run and stand in front of the painting that fits the description. They will play this game for HOURS and we are learning and noticing lots of neat stuff along the way. We finally left when I caught the boys staring at the naked lady statues. That room was WAY too interesting!

10) Heritage Park Pioneer Museum: The kids had 2 great adventures at this amazing place. The first time they went with the Ruchti family and came home with 3 chickens that actually turned out to be 2 chickens and a turkey. Because the Ruchti family are more in touch with their "farming" natures, they graciously agreed to house, fed and care for the pets. We agreed to take care of the animals while they travelled this summer. They now have a dog, a rabbit, 5 chickens and a turkey although lots of the animals are finding their way to a farm in Idaho. The second adventure to Pioneer Park was with CeliAnne and her kids. We love the pioneer village. They kids rode ponies, pet livestock, went to pioneer school, watched the blacksmith pound the heck out of some metal, got a shave at the barber shop, bought candy at the Mercantile, looked at money in the bank, went to the pharmacy and millenery, had lunch at the Huntsman Hotel, rode the train, visited the Anderson's Swedish home, did chores at the log cabin, raced metal hoops down the dirt road, played in the play houses...it was a fantastic day. This is an AMAZING place that is open year round and provides incredible experiences for kids of all ages. I love this place...the kids and I talked about volunteering there next summer...although I don't know if I could handle wearing all that pioneer gear in the heat with no air conditioning. I may love the pioneer experience but I sure worship my air conditioning when it's all over!

11) Hogle Zoo: And of course you have to visit the zoo at least once...you only have to do that once in the summer time though because the smell and the fact that all the animals look dead keep you safely away until the fall.

BIG EVENTS

We have had some BIG events this summer. The first was the Carr Family Reunion in June. Lots of cousins, lots of swimming, lots of fun! It was great to hang out and catch up and play together. We loved having Jim, Chellae, and Andrew stay with us! We celebrated the 4th of July together and loved watching the parade...especially with Uncle Josh and his WWII tank making their debut appearance. It was a great event!

TREK: But you have already heard plenty about that. Still, one of summer's truly incredible experiences. Loved sharing it with my family!

In July, we mourned the passing of our beloved beta fish, Bubble. He was found "floating" in his tank one evening and while every one else stared in morbid fascination, I sobbed on C.'s shoulder. I've never been good with death...and somehow I felt responsible. His tank was never as clean as it should have been, he was never fed with any regularity...I have a feeling JC and I are going to have to face Bubble someday and try and justify our neglect.

We started with a "closed tank" viewing. Only the truly brave at heart dared peek under the dish towel.

We then moved to the cemetary where I offered a short eulogy and then C. poured Bubble into his final resting spot beneath the evergreen in the garden. He was covered and then a little tombstone erected. We take pet deaths very seriously here.

The summer was also filled with swim lessons, a few excursions to the Rec Center Pool (I really, really struggle with the big public pool thing so my kids are pretty deprived...I hate the stray hairs, the random floating band-aids, all the kids with their slightly poopy bottoms, and watching mothers wipe their kid's noses and then rinse their hands in the pool) and we also enjoyed lots of bike rides. I have discovered bike riding with the kids and I love it. We ride around the neighborhood or head down to the stake center parking lot where we have Nascar races and play Mario Cart.

Our summer has also been filled with friends of every shape and size. MC and HL are deeply social creatures and wake up every day asking either "What are we going to do today?" or "Who are we going to play with?" We have had lots and lots of play dates and are so grateful to live in a neighborhood with so many amazing kids and families.

C. and I celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary with an overnight get away at the Sheraton Hotel in SLC. It was a GREAT evening away...we had yummy dinner, wandered the Gateway, ate Ben and Jerry's ice-cream and slept in really late the next morning. We topped the experience off with the Joseph Smith movie and lunch at the Lion House the next day. I am so incredibly grateful for this amazing man I am married to! It has been an unbelievable 9 years...and I can't wait for 90 more years!

I finished the summer off with a "mom" weekend to Las Vegas to visit my darling sister and her cute-to-the-bone family...but I will blog about that next. We also just got back from a 2-day camping trip that was wonderful and dirty and amazing. I will also blog about that...

I think it is time to draw things to an end. It is getting late and we have lunches to fix and new crisp school clothes to lay out. I am so grateful for my family. They are sweet and fun and adventurous and smart and hilarious and so fun to be with. I love our adventures and our time together. I am grateful for a summer where we were able to relax and play and see so many amazing things. I am grateful that my husband loves being at home with his family above anything else in this world and he is eager for any and every adventure he can have with us. My children will have an amazing year at school...I am eager for this new challenge and chapter but I will love and cherish every minute of this summer that we have had together!

JC with his "corn on the cob" cupcake relicas. The kids were invited to an overnight at Aunt Carrie and Uncle Todd's house and took their dessert assignment very seriously. The kids designed, made, and assembled the most complex cake I have ever seen. It was hilarious!

An island cake with plastic trees, green frosting, and frosted animal cookies complete with ocean cupcakes with swedish fish and a yellow cupcake sun. They designed and assembled the whole thing. I was just there to document it.

MC still asks every day for a surfboard or snowboard. I still can't figure out what he wants the surfboard for but he practices every day on the arm of the sofa. Lucky me...

Every time the kids watch a movie, they have to act it out. This is what I found in my backyard the morning after they watched Spiderwick Chronicles. They are riding a griffith with their spy glasses. Never, ever a dull moment!

And when all else fails, they just dog pile each other and seem to all forgive each other when someone gets hurt and it ends with a hearty round of time-out and sorrys before the next round.

See why I'm a little bit sorry to see them go to school? It will be a dull 9 months...