Mom: Are you making new friends in your class?
Aidan: No.
Mom: Why not?
Aidan: Because they are all weird!
Hmph…that is a challenge! I am sorry, is he really only six?
Filed under: Aidyboy, Quotable Quotes on September 4th, 2008 | 2 Comments »
For the past two days, we have had the great privilege (I know a little crazy with the first day of school and all) of taking care of my niece Lottie Ann while mom and dad are busy with work. I picked her up in Mount Vernon, and she did not like the ride to Bellingham, but she gave up the fight, as we all do and fell in love with the beauties here, she fell fast asleep. She came along to watch Michelle’s soccer practice and got some fresh air in, and lots of cuddles from soccer girls. Then it was time to visit with Aidan and the rest of her cousins. It got very late and mom and dad could not get Lottie, so she got to have a sleepover with us!
She is three months old, but was such a polite house guest that she slept through the night (4:40am) and got up, had a meal, pooed, then went right back to sleep for another three hours! Lottie went along with me while I interpreted at a Kindergarten screening, and then came home, drank a ton of formula (about 8 ounces!), and then snoozed for almost three hours! The girl must be growing! She hung out with Summer all afternoon.
She has been so fun– laughing, smiling, and talking it up. What a darling, and we would love to have her come back anytime! Here’s a gallery for Grandma Laura who does not get to see her often. Click on pics for better viewing! She’s beginning to look like her mama!
Filed under: La Familia, Mamamia, SumSum on September 3rd, 2008 | No Comments »
Today was the first day of school. Aidan woke up at 6:30am…to get his video game time in before school! Michelle enjoyed middle school…after a whole summer’s worth of worry about switching classes, she really liked switching and having different teachers throughout the day. Summer begins seminary tomorrow. The lazy days of summer are over. Early mornings, after school activities, and late nights finishing homework and projects are settling in along with curriculum nights, PTA meetings, etc. etc. etc!
Although I have a splitting headache right now, I am excited for another year of school. It sounds like the kids like their classes, teachers, etc. I love progress, and seeing the kids grow and learn…although I really am missing my baby at home! It’s so sad, I miss him, I do! Look at how grown up he is!
Michelle was the only kid (so she says) who could open her locker on demand
Summer had to be at school early today to greet her classmates (what a cute cheerleader she makes!)
Aaron is big man on campus this year–8th grade!
Filed under: La Familia on September 2nd, 2008 | 2 Comments »
I was pretty bummed this summer. It was one of the best summers we have had in Washington, but what with wrestling camp, cheer camp, soccer camp, soccer tournaments, church camps, and what’s that thing that Jeremy does….oh yeah, work, we have not had much free time to go camping as much this year. (Only once, and at a pretty lame spot!) I thought we were pretty much out of luck with Labor Day weekend coming up, the weather didn’t look too promising and let’s face it, the biggest camping weekend, all the sites would be booked right? School in session, we will be way too busy to go camping!
Well, on a whim, after church on Sunday, we decided to drive up to Silver Lake. It is less than 40 minutes away, and close to Mt. Baker. We camped there last year, and loved it. They had a whole bunch of sites available! Woohooo! The kids picked a nice grassy one this year, very private.
Setting up tent
Queen of the sloths, sat around the whole time!
Paddle boating on the lake
Of course, Michelle had to steer and drive
A weird angle, but I got a self portrait of Aaron and I hangin’ together
While we were peddlin’, he was snoozin’, Sunday naps, a tradition
Hobo dinners, a tradition (dad forgot his utensils, so had to make some up)
I beat the kids at BS and Speed, oh yeah, still got it!
Smores…or burning stuff, another tradition
Family time is what it’s all about
The weather held out, it only drizzled for a few minutes, but I stayed dry under this huge tree. We stayed warm, and it was nice and quiet. Aidan taught us his new language, Splanish (belly-rolling laughter from this one). I had a little scare in the night, I thought someone was encroaching on our camp, but I think it was a raccoon rustling through our garbage we had left out, he sounded huge. Of course, we were not sure because we forgot to bring a flashlight! Even though we dealt with a dead car battery and certain children bickering at times, I loved getting away, and enjoying nature, and fun family times. It’s all worth it.
Filed under: La Familia on September 1st, 2008 | 3 Comments »
I have halted all physical activity. I am starting to feel like jello. BIG Jello. I have been to the chiro at least four times now. I seem to slip every time I go back. Orthotics are helping a little. My foot still throbs, worse lately this week than most. My doc pressed on one bone today and it was the most painful thing. She suspects there might have been a fracture of some sort that neither an xray or an MRI would have caught. If it were her foot, she would want a bone scan…I have a pretty expensive foot.
Last time, Michelle accompanied me, we stopped at this neat restaurant called the Knead and Feed in Coupeville. Michelle and Aidan were born here, and I would not mind living here, it’s beautiful.
I wanted to take some photos with our new camera. After five years, I need to start decorating my house. Fort Casey Lighthouse
Deception Pass, one of the most beautiful places on earth.
Back to the doc in two weeks…
Filed under: Mamamia on August 28th, 2008 | 1 Comment »
Monday I dropped my mom off in Canada. She is visiting some old friends from Viet Nam. I enjoyed a belly full of tropical fruit (that you cannot take back with you). Then I waited two hours at the border to get back into my own country.
Wednesday I woke up at 6:30am (a huge sacrifice for me) so I could pick mom up early from Canada to avoid the waiting game. It still took over an hour and a half at the border, AND I hate Vancouver traffic. It’s the most horrid ever with their very narrow lanes and huge semi’s everywhere.
So here is a huge pet peeve, and I am usually a laid back gal and nothing gets to me, but you know how we are all waiting at the border and some satchel (a Rachel-ism) blasts up the NEXUS lane and then cuts in front of you. So the majority of the human race are normal people who are fair and wait their turn in line like everyone else, but there is that 10% of idiots who think they are so clever and above waiting like everyone else. JERKS! My one question is…why are people so nice to let them in?
They really should have a lane for Americans to get back into America because most of the license plates going into Blaine are Canadian! BAH!
Filed under: Random Thoughts on August 27th, 2008 | 2 Comments »
Today was an incredibly warm day. I tried to get the family to go do something OUTSIDE. It seemed like they wanted to emulate sloths on the couch. Finally, I got the two little ones to go apple picking with me (thanks Loveland’s), and while we were out, they wanted to go to the lake. I promised them when the older ones and dad left for a stake activity that evening, I would take them up to Toad Lake (one they have not yet explored). Well…the best laid plans…dad took my purse with my keys in them with him (has that ever happened to any of you?) FRUSTRATION!
The kids were so bummed. If not for my foot, I would have just taken them on a hike up to Toad Lake, but the thought of all that walking (a hike I used to take all the time) sounded painful. It was getting pretty late, and out of desperation and frustration of not getting out to enjoy nature all day, I called up one of my favorite teenagers, well, she is headed to college in a week, but still a teen. Of all the people I knew, I figured Mckenzie would loove to drive her little silver bug to come get me, and she graciously did! YEAH! It’s on!
She dropped us off at Toad Lake, and we were going to walk back, but the drive was longer than I remembered, so she said she would come back in an hour. Perfect.
Toad Lake is beautiful. It is small, tranquil, and surrounded by evergreens, so the lake is as green as can be. It was a little dirtier than I remembered, and mosquito-infested (but they didn’t bite). Unlike Whatcom where you can see the bottom, we did not know what lurked under Toad Lake. So, the kids did NOT want to jump off the dock. We hung out on the dock, dipping our feet in the cool, comfortable water.
The adventure began when we noticed a rope swing hanging from a tree branch. Determined to make this outing a success, we found a way to get the rope swing, and Michelle had quite a few adventures on it. Aidan was a bit timid. However, at one point, Michelle lost her flip flop and he was so chivalrous, and took off his shoes and was ready to jump in there and swim all the way out to get it. She saved him the trouble and did it herself. Thank goodness for all those swim lessons!
Some other people discovered a better rope swing just a few feet away from ours, where you can actually stand on a man-made platform in a tree and swing really far out. Michelle was a little too chicken for that, but we enjoyed watching the guy do it!
Just when we thought we had enough, McKenzie pulled up in her bug and we were whisked safely home! Thanks Mckenzie for saving the day!
Filed under: Aidyboy, Chelle-belle on August 23rd, 2008 | 2 Comments »
Yesterday was Summer’s 15th birthday! (I know, I am way behind on getting this up.) WOW! The years just fly by! For a teenager, Summer is very easy to live with. She just hangs out, does her own thing…mainly reading a lot of books, sleeping, and being a couch potato, oh yeah, she does like to eat. Every once in a while, she will hang out with a friend. I love the fact that she doesn’t feel like she always has to be partying or doing things with friends, etc. She is a homebody, and I really like that!
Summer started her day out with cheer practice (I can’t wait to see her perform!)
Every odd year, we just have a family celebration, so this year was very low key, Summer didn’t feel like doing very much at all. We had croissant french toast and bacon for late brunch (Summer’s favorite).
We went out to Red Robin for dinner. Summer was craving some good clam chowder and a chocolate milk shake. (Jeremy and Aaron were jealous it wasn’t their birthdays.)
Aidan loves birthdays, even when they aren’t his own. He got a balloon that made his day. Summer decided to forgo the ice cream cake this year, instead craving a delectable chocolate cake with ice cream. Sinful!
Of course, there were presents. Cash (thanks Grandma and Pa Saunders), clothes, highlights for the hair, and new furniture (much needed) for her room.
Happy Birthday dear Summer, your family loves you!
Filed under: SumSum on August 22nd, 2008 | 3 Comments »
Michelle may be small, but she plays like she is a giant. Here she is (and this is not the only time she had a brawl with this particular goalie) versus the goalie. Notice the girl is twice her size and yet she forges ahead! Fearless I tell ya! She is a crowd favorite because of how crazy she plays! Of course, this pic came from the same team mom we had for rec soccer. She happened to be at our tournie. She is still the best photog, sorry Dad!
One of these days, she will catch up in size, then she will be scary!
Filed under: Chelle-belle on August 21st, 2008 | No Comments »
I have had several people tell me I should have more kids because I don’t get sick when I am pregnant, and that I need to bring more souls into a loving home with the advantage of the gospel. Then there are those who are shocked at the amount of children I do have. Sure, I could have more, we could live in a smaller house, in a less expensive community. We can afford the kids just fine. Then there are those that point out just about how much one kid puts you out until they are out of college–yikes! Sure, I could probably do it physically, I am only 33, and people are now having kids in their 40’s! I already have stretch marks galore, what’s a few more? I absolutely love babies, as most of you know, I can’t get enough of them. I love all children, especially my own, it is very fun to see how they come out with both Jeremy and me in them–a true miracle, and testament that God exists.
However, perhaps the people who urge me to have a gaggle of children have not gone through the teenage years, or have any of their children go astray from the gospel, or exercise their own free will and struggle in this life? It’s a hard thing to be a parent. I can’t handle the emotional strength it takes to raise four, much less any more! It’s a hard thing to care for someone with every fiber of your being and to want them to be safe, to will them to seek good choices and to want to be happy, and do the things that bring that happiness and peace.
I don’t claim to be close to being like our Father in Heaven, but I think I know why He loves us so unconditionally even though we are retards most of the time. We are His children. I love my children just like He loves us. I can’t explain it. Even when they make questionable choices, I still love them, I love them even more…is that weird? It is heart breaking and gut wrenching to see them struggle. We can only teach them what is right, and silently pray that they will choose happiness in the end. It is a tough world out there, but I am glad God is on my side.
Filed under: Mamamia on August 19th, 2008 | 4 Comments »