Over the River and Through the Desert...

Me: Are you sleepy?

D: No, I am tired.

D: Mama, are you taking my hair off?

D: The fan is carefulling! 

(spinning)

J: Go to Grandma's house and look for colors? 

(It's Easter again, apparently!)

D: I need to go see the blue fan-fan!

(ceiling fans are fascinating)

D: No, we're going to Grandma's house to say happy birthday! 

D: Uh-oh the squetti-row!

D: Go ask Megan.

Jamie: Ask her what?

D: Megan-Megan.  Megan?  

J: I want race cars bloken!

(Watched the Indy 500, and he was very concerned at the crashes)

D: Mama? Is that your tutu?

(Must get dressed up more often...)

(5/19) Work day for Dad and me, and Sarah had the kiddos.  I had an appointment with the teenager in the afternoon, so took off early to go to that.  I had a nice conversation with one of the other foster moms to pass the time while we were there. Dad picked up the boys, and the teen and I ran out for some shoes before everyone got home.

(5/20) Work day for Dad and I had the kids.  I got a call shortly after our run that Sarah's dad was in the hospital, and that she couldn't watch the kiddos. The littles and I stayed home today, got updates and worried throughout the day.  Nanan called and offered to pick up C for me, so I didn't even need to go out, *and* she offered to bring me coffee.  Uhm, yes!  Once the teen got home, I bargained homework time for friend time and ran her over there, but otherwise didn't go anywhere or do anything exciting.   

(5/21) In trying to figure out how I was going to work today, work called me and said I had too many vacation hours and gave me the rest of the week off.  Score!  I grabbed Sarah's youngest so her hubby could go to the hospital too, and took the three littles to gymnastics, and then to the park.  I brought them home to feed them and then we all went outside to play in the backyard until it was time for her kiddo to go home. Grandma & Granddad came to watch the boys for me while I ran the teen to her appointment.  It ended up running long, and it was a scramble to get dinner going and get changed to go to the teen's concert tonight.  I'm so glad Dad is on days right now and swooped in to take over dinner.  The concert was lovely, and the teen won the Student's Choice Award, along with her classmate that was lost to suicide a few weeks ago.  Such an honor, and the teen was just thrilled!  I took the teen over to a friend's house when her concert was over and came home to a quiet house since the boys had all gone to bed. Hubby was still up, so cheers to date night in our house!

(5/22) Today I took my three boys and Sarah's two and we converged on Grandma & Granddad!  We planned to have a water fight, but it never got warm enough.  Not that that stopped the bigs though.  Jor was soaked and required a change of clothes even before we left for the beach. We played at the beach until it started to rain and then packed everyone back to the grands' for lunch.  I brought them all home to tear up my house after a while, and the boys played outside until it was time to go get the teen. I brought the teen home and got dinner going only to discover we had no taco seasoning for the tacos I was making.  Texted Dad to bring that home, then we tried to find all the teen's stuff for camping this weekend, and dinner got cold in the process.  Figures.  Got the teen delivered to her friend's house and said goodbye for the weekend.  She's going camping, and we're leaving for Oma & Opa's tomorrow.

  

(5/23) The boys had swim lessons today and we got mostly packed up to trek over to Opa's house before we left.  The boys did well at their lesson, and I made myself sit on the steps and not hover. They have actually surprised me in their ability to follow directions.  Well, kind of anyway.  After their lesson, we finished packing up and headed over.  The whiteboard with the day's events said "Invasion!"   Our plan was to have the boys camp out back with either Opa or Dad, but we never could get the littles to settle.  I finally ended up setting up playpens and putting them in the house.  The first time I checked on them, they were quiet, but were standing in their cribs drawing on their tablets that I had tossed in the middle of the bed.  Boogers! They eventually went to sleep, several hours after normal.  C & Opa chose to camp out back and Dad and I stayed in with the littles.  Perfect weather for camping over there! 

(5/24) Opa cooked us up some French toast, and after our feast, I took the boys up to the playground.  D wasn't feeling well.  Could be that he's just not used to the heat, but he didn't eat and told us his tummy hurt. They played for a little while and then we wandered back down.  D asked to rest a couple of times and I put him down for a 2+ hour nap.  He gets a very rosy face when he's overheated, and he was quite pink this afternoon.  He didn't eat much until dinner time when he couldn't resist the lure of a hot dog.  Poor bug.  Dad's aunt, cousin, and family came over for dinner and we had a really nice BBQ in Opa's back yard.  It was great to catch up in person!

Also, great note on Sarah's dad - he's going home today!  So very relieved! 

(5/25) Memorial Day & back home with us. Today the whiteboard read "Bye 😢" but Oma & Opa's cat is probably relieved to see the tiny humans vacate his house. We had a long drive home with traffic, but stopped off at the fruit market and for some coffee for the mama. We expect the teen back later this evening.  And it's back to work and school for everyone tomorrow. 

Teeter Totter, Bears and Otters

Cereals and "o-gurt" fit for a king

"No, you wear the crown, Mama!"

J: Mama have eyes?
Me: Yes.  Mama has brown eyes. What color are JJ's?
J: Blue!
Me: JJ has brown eyes like Mama.  See?
J: JJ has eyes!

D: I have blue eyes in my eyes!

D: I make a teeter totter!  Bears and otters!  (eating French fries & making a teeter totter after the song in swim)

C: I know how we can see each other more often.

Bridger: How? 

C: We can spend the night every Friday!

Me: What should we do today?
J: Go to pictures!

C: And I really need to buy some books on space, so that I can share them with Jordan.
Me: You could always check them out of the library.
C: But Mooooom, our research is going to last for over a year.
Me: Well, lucky you have the whole internet to research on then.
C: We can't fit the big computer in our lab, and that's why I need my own PC.


(5/12) Work day for Dad and me, school for the bigs, and Sarah had the boys.  Tuesdays are such a blur.  By the time I get the kids home and fed, it's bedtime already.


(5/13) Work day for Dad and I had the kids.  I didn't feel like going anywhere because our afternoon was going to be crazy, so the littles and I played out back and called it good.  During nap, Nanan came to stay with the littles while I ran the teenager to an appointment, and Grandma grabbed C from school.  I desperately need a cloning machine. For real.  After all the running around, and I had put the littles down for the night, Nanan and I went painting at Palettes and Pairings for a belated Mother's Day get together with Amber, Jake, and her folks. Those things are so fun!  I needed more time when it was all over though - I didn't quite get finished.  I so wanted to put a Mr. Yuk sticker on my wine label!

(5/14) Work day for Dad and me and Sarah had the boys.  I picked up the boys after work at the ball field, came home to collect the teenager + a surprise bonus teenager.  Ran the bonus teenager home and took the kids shopping.  After we got done with that, we headed home for dinner and bedtime.

(5/15) I had taken today off long ago because we were supposed to go on vacation this weekend.  But our plans changed, and other plans were made, and heck, I just needed a holiday.  So the bigs had school, and Dad and I spent the day relaxing at home.  I got the lawn picked up and mowed while the littles played outside for part of the morning.  They love playing in the shed where the mower lives. C got to camping for Bridger's birthday this evening, the teen was invited out to a movie, and Dad had his farewell party this evening.  Suffice to say, I got the TV all to myself after the littles went down and did not watch one single kid program!

B & C ~ Happy 8th!

S'mores face!

(5/16) Dad took the boys to swim lessons this morning and I took the teen to her solo competition.  She did an great job, and the group sang Amazing Grace in memory of her friend when her time slot came up.  Her friend was supposed to go up with us today... and instead it was a very different day.  The teen attended her memorial after the competition.  Since she went to the memorial with a friend, I spent the morning with my mom and we went for breakfast and then did a little shopping. The rest of the day was pretty chill.  The teen stayed out with friends most of the day, and C was in and out at home.  Also some reading and napping was had by the rest of us. 

(5/17) The teen had a visit this morning, and while she was off at that, I went and caught a run and coffee with my favorite Tory.  I don't think we've run together in over a year.  Must change that! After coffee, I went home to grab some lunch and spend some quality time with my book.  C played Pokemon with the neighborhood kids and the littles "napped" (er, hollered and played instead of rested).  The teen wanted to go to a bonfire in memory of her friend tonight, so we had her do some dreaded homework before she could go.  And then the rest of us had dinner and got ready for the week.


(5/18) Dad starts his new job today, so he's the only one excited for this Monday.  Bigs have school and then will hang with the grandparents, littles are with Sarah, and Dad & I are at work.  Woo!

Just Keep Swimming...

Me: Should we go get some Cheetos for our lunch?
J: No!
Me: No?  What do you want for lunch then?
J: Cheetos!

C: Those are my friends, G & G They're brothers.

Me: Ah, twins? 

C: Yeah. 

Me: You know nothing about twins. 

C: Yeah, because I have twins!

D: Mommy, do you have your salad?
Me: Yeah, do you want some?
D: This is lettuce, not salad.

And so it begins... The littles have changed the lyrics from "mmm-mmm yeah yeah" to "mmm-mmm fart fart."

J: Hi DD-sir!

D: Hello JJ-sir!  

J: And hi Mama-sir!  

(5/5) Poor Dad got nailed by whatever is blooming right now, and stayed home sick.  I asked him if a margarita would make him feel better or worse, and he agreed we needed to test out the theory. He picked up taco pizzas too, which made for a delicious pairing. 

(5/6) I didn't feel like going anywhere today, so the littles and I just stayed home.  I sat with my book in the sunshine while they played in the yard.  After we picked up C, we grabbed some snacks to go back out and play some more.  Made for a peaceful evening.  

(5/7) Work day for Dad and me and Sarah had the kiddos.  I met them after work at the ball field and J fake I'm-so-tired cried all the way home.  Dear little boys, nap during nap time, so that you can deal! 

(5/8) I took C to school today and stopped in for Muffins with Mom.  Good thing they had old-fashioned donuts too, because those are my favorites! Shortly after I got home, I got a phone call that there had been a death in the teenager's circle of friends, and could I come be there for when the school told her.  We weren't given details then, but one of her best friends took her life. She was just 12 years old and like a little sister to the teen.  We picked up a friend to stay with us this weekend so the teen wouldn't be alone, and so they could lean on each other.  I had book club this evening, so I left Dad home with all a houseful, and escaped for a bit.  And C & Nanan went to go see a play at the Seattle Children's Theatre this evening.  

(5/9) All three boys had swim lessons this morning.  This was the twins' first time, and they did pretty well.  D surprised me, in that he didn't want to get in at all, and kept asking if I'd get in too.  Eventually, I handed him to the instructor.  He quickly lost all fear and started splashing and monkeying around.  He wasn't paying attention and stepped off the platform at one point and ended up dunking himself.  Didn't seem to phase him any.  J really got into the songs and was doing all the motions.  He doesn't care for getting his head wet, so I was wondering how lessons would go.  Once we got home, we had a backyard picnic and then it was nap time for the littles. After they went down, I took a small herd of teenagers to the lake.  The first lake we tried was closed due to a fishing competition, so we went to another one.  The kids ran, and swam, and had a ball.  I hauled them home with just enough time for Dad and me to get dressed up for our date to celebrate his new job and Mother's Day.  We had a really nice meal out, and came home to watch TV together.    

(5/10) Happy Mother's Day!  My intent was to get up and haul the boys with me to the gym, but we got sidetracked by strawberry pancakes instead.  It would've been a mad scramble to get everyone fed and out the door anyway, so I just bagged it.  Dad ran the teen and her friend to church and then picked them up after he'd gone grocery shopping.  After "nap" (aka confined time wherein there was no sleeping), we packed up and hit the lake.  We stayed until almost dinner time and then came home, dropping the teen's friend off on the way. Tonight was rough.  I'm glad everything was pretty low-key today.  Poor kiddo has so much on her plate.  

(5/11) Back to school and work for us all. Kiddo had a rough start, but made it through.  There was a walk-out today to stop bullying in support of her friend. Sounds like it helped to participate.  

Thank you for such beautiful photos, Brady!
http://www.bradywolfphotography.com/