First Day of School 2013

So the long awaited day has finally arrived.

Last week, I was plum out of ideas and ended up squirting the kids with a spray bottle as I dreamt of August 26.  My system has been aching for routine since we returned from Utah.  I've told myself since then, to just ride it out, get to the first day of school, and then the structure will return and the chaos will relent.  Just make it to August 26.

But today is August 26 and as I wrote on Facebook this morning:


"I CANNOT wait until school starts!" has been a predominate thought in my mind over the last month. Why then, should I be overrun with "I don't want them to go to school!" thoughts, last night? I'm pretty sure there's a diagnosis for this.

Motherhood is so confusing.

Ava set her alarm and woke up all by herself.  When I came out of Finn's room about 6:35 am she was already downstairs eating the toast she'd made herself.  There are some perks to this whole growing up thing.

Luke was awake shortly thereafter, as usual.  The morning went smoothlly and we were ready to go with plenty of time for pictures.

Dan stayed home with Max and Finn while I did the drop off.

After a couple of pictures in front of the school sign, Ava and I walked Luke to his classroom.

He was the first one there.  He gave his teacher a hug and didn't appear to be the slightest bit nervous.  That made things pretty easy for me.

I love him so much.  I'm feeling pretty confident that this is going to be a great year for him. He has a fantastic teacher, Mrs. Kerl, whom I know will love him.

His constant repetition of the phrase, "I just don't know what to do, Mom." will be missed here at home.  Actually, his sweet face and cute voice will be missed immensely, but that phrase? Not so much.  That will be one of the great things about school for Luke.  He needs nearly constant stimulation. At home he goes from one Lego set, to a puzzle, to the wii, to another Lego set, to the ipad, and on and on.  School will keep him very busy and I think he will love that.

I got Luke settled at his desk ready to color, snapped one last picture, and gave him a hug and said goodbye feeling mostly, completely happy.

When I stood up, Ava was gone.  Sometime during the whole ordeal she'd went ahead to her classroom without even saying goodbye.

I walked down the hall towards the front doors, wondering what I should do and feeling like a big weenie.  I didn't get to hug my girl.  Or tell her that I hoped she'd have a great day.  Or take a picture of her with her teacher.

I knew I was allowed to walk Luke all the way in because he is a kindergartner, but I couldn't remember what the policy was for the older kids.  I had planned to at least say goodbye to her in the hall. But now she was gone and I figured I needed to put on my big girl undies and go home.  But as soon as I walked out the front door, I involuntarily did a U-turn and marched straight back to her classroom.  I was ready to defend my silliness, but on my way there realized I wouldn't have to, as I saw lots of parents in the 3rd grade hall.

I walked into her room and she was sitting down at her desk looking a little nervous.  She doesn't really have any friends in her class this year, aside from one girl she played soccer with back in 1st grade.  She is excited for school, but anxious too.  There were quite a few tears yesterday.  I hate that school (specifically math right now) is so challenging for her.  And this is the year of The Test.  The test she is already worried about.  The test that if she doesn't pass, she cannot move on to 4th grade.  I hate this state standardized test. Anyway, I walked in the door and my girl was there.  And she saw me and smiled.  I went to her and said I couldn't leave without a hug.  I got a picture of her with her sweet teacher, Mrs. MacDonald.

I hope, hope, hope that she has a great year.

She and I have had some pretty fantastic conversations lately.  Both conversations basically revolved around the idea that if she wanted to know the truth about anything, she could pray and ask.  And that the Holy Ghost's job was to manifest the truth of all things to her.  In both instances, she got a huge smile on her face, and tears in her eyes.  I knew she was feeling it. She told me she was so happy.  She told me she wanted to cry for joy.  That made me want to cry for joy because if there is one thing I hope for my children in their lives, it is the ability to recognize and follow the promptings they receive from the Holy Ghost.  She might struggle with math, but she could be in the AP class for Feeling the Spirit.

I get overwhelmed sometimes with the beautiful little people in my life.  I came home from today's drop off to my Max, in his too-short pajama pants,

and to my Finn, the world's most beautiful baby, asleep in his crib.

I hope this doesn't come off as a braggy post.  But I can't help but feel like one of the luckiest people on earth today.

Utah Summer 2013

I had my doubts about the ease of our summer sojourn to Utah.  Our trips have been so easy recently since the kids are big enough to play with their cousins and not be totally thrown off their rockers by the shift in their routine and sleep.

Enter Finn. Now it seemed like we would be starting over in the kid traveling department. So with excited anticipation of seeing family and a fair bit of fear, we made our trip.


This was my very first trip that I didn't bring my camera.  I knew my hands would be full of Finn so my phone was going to have to pick up the slack. And it did.  Not very well, especially indoors, but these will have to do.

Aunt Wendy discovered a Darth Vader head and light saber in her basement.  Thank goodness she thought twice about throwing them out, because they made a certain little boy very happy.

I texted my sister Chandra as we landed in Salt Lake, lamenting the fact that while I was now 1000 miles closer to her in Idaho, it was still too far away.

That night she replied back that she was actually in Utah, too!

Such a happy opportunity had to be seized and we spent a lovely morning at her brother in laws house in Bountiful before they headed home.

Finn made his introductions,

and we gathered all the cousins for a picture.  If I'd had a wide enough angle, you would see Max off to the side, being a toad, arms crossed and back turned.

Kind of, exactly like he is this picture from our trip down to BYU campus.

Ava couldn't be lured away from her cousins, so we took the boys to Provo for our stop at the bookstore for some new shirts and chocolate covered cinnamon bears.

Spending time with the cousins is a highlight.  I know I've said it before but my little girl nieces, on both sides, near Ava's age are some of the sweetest girls on the planet.  How we got such drama-free, sweet hearted girls all in the same family is almost a mystery because I've started to believe they are an endangered species.  Ava can tell the difference because she spends a week totally free to be herself, laughing and playing, and we hardly see her.  Every visit Dan and I say this same thing.

And we had a new cousin to meet! At 6 weeks apart, Finn and John will be running around together in not time!

Charlie was so generous with all of his fantastic toys.  

I tried to talk him into teaching Max how to spell but Max is a stubborn student.  Surprising, I know.

  Max and Greta are especially cute together.  Playing and talking and making up stories.   

Since our visit last Christmas, Grandma Linda and Grandpa Don sold their house in Sandy.  We were all a little melancholy for it, especially Dan since he grew up there, but our stay in Midway was great.  The weather, the grass and the views in the mountains were extra pleasant.  

We went to the neighborhood park one evening and every time I turned around I had to take the same picture, it was so beautiful.

So here is some time lapse photography for you.  Ten minutes apart.

The kids started climbing on this gazebo and as I look back at them, I really want to save this one for them to recreate when they're 30.  Have you seen those? Where adults recreate family photos from their childhoods?  I think this one would be great...

Can't you see the adult version of this?

There are some enjoyments in life that are inversely  proportional to the amount of small children you have to do them with.  Swimming is one of those things for me. 

We went a few times, but must say, I was more than happy to sit on the side lines and take pictures of this little wiggle worm.  

  As the week wore on I felt guiltier and guiltier until I gave in and decided Finn should have his chance.  He liked it alright.  

But after a few minutes we found ourselves back on the lounge chairs smiling and taking pictures, which is pretty much our specialty.

And while we're talking proportions, it is clear after uploading my pictures that there is some major DIS-proportion in the amount of pictures of Finn. I can't help it though. I feel it is my duty. He is so easy on my eyes. 

 

 

We took a trip to South Fork Park in Provo Canyon.  That place holds a special part in our little family's heart because Dan and I were coming there before all these little babies were even a twinkle in our eyes.

And it wouldn't be a trip to Utah without a visit (or three) to Cafe Rio.

The baby slept great, the kids had fun, we loved seeing our family! My expectations were totally exceeded, enough so that we really wished for a few more days.

This is Ava the day after we got home.  Missing her family.

She might have been the only one with tears on her cheeks, but we all knew exactly how she felt.