Our Kids

I think Phoebe is finally losing a nap. After a few days of really struggling to get her to bed at night I finally answered the clue phone (you would think that by your 4th kid you would be quicker on the uptake). So for the last few days she has been a one napper and an early to bedder…sweet!

Now it seems that she is either:
1. Cutting a tooth
2. Has an ear infection
3. Is getting a cold or
4. Really tired and wants her nap back

So she is extra grumpy off and on and I am not sure the cause. We are off to Flagstaff (minus Dad, aka Jason) for about a week and are excited to be staying in the pines in a cool cabin without internet access:)

Isn’t that terrible? We are having so much fun and keeping so busy I haven’t had a chance to blog about all the fun. Swimming is going great, I think today Lela actually had FUN! Last week flew by with activities every day. To top it off my folks are here and the girls are enjoying their company.

Jason and I actually had time to attend a volunteer orientation on Saturday and took a SUP (stand up paddle boarding) class on Sunday that was super fun. Of course I took a dip in the drink as I was clowning on my board but I made everyone laugh so it all worked out, lol! Fun sport but unlikely to make the top 5 things to do until the kids get quite a bit older.

Piper and Lela are at their first ever sleep over tonight with their friends Piper and Zoe. Of course while they are surely enjoying their time away from me I am left feeling a little bit blue. The house is super quiet with just the two chits running around but not something I am used to and I can’t say I like it either:)

Well with the girls last day of school being this past Friday we are in full swing summer mode starting today! We are kicking it off with a bang too.

Today brings swim lessons, playdate with P and Z and then a craft class! Nothing like over scheduling on day one, lol! Not really, actually today is turning out to be pretty awesome so far.

Swim lessons are great. Piper, Lela and Landis are all taking them. Through friends we found a retired Red Cross Lifeguard, swim trainer and the girls are taking lessons at her house. She teaches them every summer and the girls go twice a week. Lela has been pretty terrified of water so far but this environment seems to suit her because today she jumped in (keeping her head out) and even blew a bubble or two in the water! I don’t care if she doesn’t submerge this summer, baby steps are fine with me. Landis is also in Lela’s class so that helps Landi who seems to be quite reserved in class so far. It takes Piper a bit of time to come around to strangers so I expect she will be having a blast by summer’s end.

My friend Mary and I are doing a bit of a summer camp swap with our kids and I am stoked about it. We are also hosting weekly movie days and even a craft/organizing day for moms! We are taking turns keeping all the kids (minus Phoebe) and doing a day camp. We also plan to do a couple sleep overs.

If that doesn’t sound like enough fun, my folks are on their way as I type. So the plan is to head to Flagstaff for some chilly cabin fun for a few days, really looking forward to that. And the fun keeps coming because we are going on a vacation with our friends Mary and Bob and their twins P and Z to sunny Santa Barbara for a week! Woot! Who would not be looking forward to summer with a schedule like that?

Oh and I guess I better start training for the San Fran Nike Women’s Marathon in October some time too! Sweet summer:)

Piper and Lela graduated from kindergarten today… pretty freakin’ amazing thinking that we now have two 1st graders!

The graduation was pretty cool… very much what you’d expect from Desert Marigold — a focus on the children and celebrating their achievement. The girls were so excited this morning that they got up at 5:30am and put on their special dresses. Landis and I were quite lazy this morning and were still in bed at 7am when the girls came bounding in all set and ready to go yelling at us to get up.

And now we’re done with school for a few months. I’m pretty sure one of these summer days I’ll find myself driving to their school in the morning on the way to work. It’ll be a little embarrassing when I get out of the car wondering why nobody is at school…

Anyhow, it was a great day and we’re all excited about our summer plans. 1st grade will come soon enough — I’m in no rush right now.

Landis talks to me pretty much non-stop all day long. Ninety percent of the time she is going on about something that she believes has happened. Her friend got a bruise or a new puppy and anything else that comes in to her mind.

The other day she was chattering away and I was uh, huhing and oh yeahing along as she talked. Then she said I am going to take this water to the play room and make something or some such thing and of course I said okay, sounds good. Then I was like, whaaa?? So it was a quick lesson for me to be a bit more active listener just in case she says, I am going to go outside for a walk now and I say um, okay:)

I know all parents say time goes too fast and I thought I could relate. Well now I really know what they mean. This past year has gone by so fast it was amazing. The girls graduated from kindergarten today and are on their way to first grade in August. I am very excited for them but I have to admit that I did not sleep a wink last night. Apparently I had some anxiety that I wasn’t aware of. Now that the mornings festivities are over I feel like I could just fall asleep on the couch and sleep til tomorrow. I am so proud of them and how much they have grown this year. I can’t wait til next school year but I will be savoring every day this summer with them.