My girls and our activities.

In the middle of July we took the girls to Yakima for the annual convention at the Sun Dome.  It was great to be with them and have a little break from the family, although I am not so sure that those left at home would agree.

For five days we hung out together, attended sessions, and had a blizzard a day.  That’s what you get when your hotel is across the street from a DQ and you are with four teenage girls.  It was never the adults idea….really…..

Nothing like a little dancing in a formal or long dress!

Look close, Seri is in there somewhere.

My girls, aren’t they cute?

And while the girls were in the pool what were the adults doing?

Trying to catch up on some sleep!!!  It’s tough hanging out with teenagers!

 

Of course the added sugar they consumed really helped I am sure.

Also notice the blue nails.  We stayed up really late (past curfew, but don’t tell anyone) Painting every ones finger and toe nails the same color to match our dresses.

Shortly following Grand Assembly we had our Installation and Seri was elected and installed as Faith, the starter leadership position.

Me and the girls.

We knew it was coming, Matt was asked to be Rainbow dad.  He is not excited at all. Yeah right…

After that we walked in the Covington Days parade and had a booth.  It has been a busy month for us!

Our booth was right next to the nuns and so I had to capture this moment on film, cracked me up…

The day before I had been putting all of my information on the brochures that we were handing out.  The next morning Matt awoke to find Sariah with about three hundred of them, “helping mommy”

Just like mommy, she had only written in the yellow boxes!   

Michael turns ten

Michael turned 10 on the 19th of July. Since it was not a "big" birthday (ages 4,8,12,and 16 are celebrated with parties) he choose to eat at the Rain Forest Cafe. It has been decided that it is not really any cheaper to eat here than it is to throw a party, so for future birthday dinners if the recepient decides to eat here we will be going just for dessert. The food has been declared not worth it. However watching Sariah snuggle up to daddy because she is terrified of the animals did somewhat make up for the lack in the taste of the food.
Somehow I feel that I have missed him getting more mature. Maybe I was too focused on Seri maturing and entering teenage doom, or maybe I was paying too much attention to the babies, not sure what it was but one day I turned around and saw a mature little man who was closing in on my height.
Michael has turned in to such a great guy. He has learned to deal well with some of his anger issues and has turned into a fantastic helper. He no longer balks at doing chores or things that I ask him to do. He adores the babies and I love watching him get down on the floor and play with them.
He comes up with the greatest one-liners and responses. The other day Matt was slightly miffed with him about something and Michael very casually walked up and said "Hey Dad, it's me, your greatest accomplishment in life". Now how can you stay angry after that?
He is the comedian, making the best funny faces, the funniest sound effects and the snippy little comments that you just have to pause with your mouth open after hearing as you think "wow, that was really good".
(I think I may have read somewhere about the middle child being the comedian in a birth order book or something).
As he matures he is also becoming incredibly handsome. No, I am not biased, not even a bit. He reminds me so much of his father in his looks and I often think of him as a little Miny-me for Matt.
His trademark long hair is gone. It has been quit long for awhile now and mom went to cut it a little for pictures and accidentally used a very close blade. We then had no choice but to buzz it. No, I did not do it on purpose.
I love this boy so very much and am excited to see the man he is becoming.
Happy Birthday Mike!!!!!

Isaac has lost his trade mark

When Isaac was two he had his two top front teeth capped in silver. Since then he has had so many comments on his two front teeth they have become his trade mark. He doesn't remember ever not having two silver teeth.
So now that he is six it is time for those precious baby teeth to fall out and he is slightly miffed that he will be losing his "bling". He really thought that his permanent teeth would also come in that cool silver color and was dissapointed to hear that they did not.. poor guy... I think he is having a small identity crisis.
However he quickly recovered and asked if the tooth fairy would pay more for silver teeth.

Seri's SAT results are in

They are posted in our homeschooling blog, http://hiwohi.blogspot.com/. I am so proud of that girl!!!!

"In The Meantime"

Never before do I remember a song that has touched me as this one does. A song that directly reflects what I am going through and what I am thinking as though it was written for me and not for anyone else.
I know my feelings are not unique, but it is comforting to have them put in words that solidifies that what I am feeling is real.
I can't find more than this soundbite anywhere, but here is a bit, and here are the lyrics.
http://www.ldsaudio.com/samples/music_files/mp3.aspx?mp3=4695.mp3

In her heart she holds the dreams,
That she's carried since the day she turned thirteen.
Of all that she would be when she was grown,
Of all that she would do when she was finally on her own.
She dreams she flies,
She's still waiting for the chance to try...

But in the meantime she's a mother and a daughter and a wife.
Doing all she can to stay above the daily grind.
And she wonders when she'll ever have more meaning in her life,
She doesn't know she's being molded and refined,
In the meantime.

Someday she'll go back to school.
When the car pools and the soccer games are through.
Cause deep inside she's still the girl,
Whoe's always felt the fight to make a difference in the world.
She dreams she'll soar,
When she finally has the time to do more...

But in the meantime she's a sister and a teacher and a friend.
Hours turn into days, that turn to years that never end.
And she wonders when she'll ever really find herself again,
She's becoming one on whom God can depend,
In the meantime.

Heaven feels the joy of every victory in her life,
and heaven hears her heart before she cries.
Somewhere in the middle of the triumphs and the trials,
She's becoming sanctified.

In the meantime she's an answer and a blessing and a gift,
to every empty, aching heart that only she can lift.
Still she wonders if she'll ever get to see where heaven is,
If she could only see the mansion waiting there.
If she could only feel how much her father cares.
She would know she's being perfectly prepared,
In the meantime.
Jenny Jordan Frogley

I was speaking with a dear friend last night about all the inner thoughts of a mother and wife who is trying to do her best and she mentioned that she had heard a speaker recently who spoke on "Why we do, what we do". For me this song is a strong reminder of just that, why I do what I do.

In my meantime it is comforting to rely on the knowledge that I am becoming more as he intended me to be. I am being molded, refined and sanctified. All the boring aspects of life day in and day out are teaching me...

I was also reminded again during this conversation of the knowledge that when my responsiblities wear on me, when I feel hopeless, overwhelmed or not equal to the task of raising his choice children, all I need to do is remember that he has already deemed me equal to the task; he has deemed me, enough.....

Seattle Rock-N-Roll Marathon

What does someone do when they want to be a part of a marathon but not necessarily run in it?  they volunteer!!

Saturday morning found me up at 2:30 am in order to meet friends and be at the starting line of the marathon at 4:00.

We were stationed at table "LA-LI".  Each table had a UPS truck and driver assigned to work with them and I must say that we had the best driver ever!!!

All the runners were given gear bags in which they placed their belongings that they were not running with and labeled it with their runner number.  It was then our job to ensure that it was properly labeled and place and organize it in the trunk in such a manner that it could later be retrieved efficiently at the finish line .

Last I heard there were 20,000 -25,000 runners which made for a heck of a lot of gear bags!!!!

It was a great experience and there were truly runners of every kind, age, and body shape.  It was interesting to see. Next year I really want to run/walk in it. There is also a 1/2 marathon.  So, if anyone wants to go with me........

there were 36 different Corrals or heats.  The first heat was released at 7:00 and the last heat wasn't released until about 8:40 .  This is one of the heats slowly moving towards the start line.

Our busy week

Yes, I know, everyone is busy lately and our family has not been the exception.

Just wanted to document, lest I forget.... or maybe I should say for when I forget as we all know that it will happen.

Monday

We have not been to the Pacific Science Center in ages, so I figured it was time we go. They have a new exhibit called "Animal Grossology" that we have been waiting to see.

  The dynamics have now changed as Tristan is under the impression that he can do anything the olders can and he is no longer content to sit in the stroller and observe.

 

Sariah likewise has moved on from wanting to stay just in the kiddie area and has become aware of all the other things there are to do.  For this Isaac is grateful. He now has a new comrade as Michael declared independence starting last trip ,which left a distraught Isaac all alone.

Seri has declared boredom with the place in typical teenage fashion.  However, for this I am grateful as she now stays in the kiddie area and plays with the babies while I check in on the other two.

It just makes me realize how drastic the changes are.  It was one thing to be a mother of younger children, quite another to be able to check each box in those forms that ask you which age children you have.  Now, their interests and personalities and maturity levels have them all going in different directions and I am trying to manage observation duties of them all.  It's a work in progress.

A few minutes after the last picture was taken Tristan leaned all the way in to get that toy that was just out of reach.  As natural law dictates, he became top heavy and fell face first into the water table.  Truly priceless.  You know your a mother of five when everyone around you is terrified and you are laughing so hard you are barely able to assist in saving him.

Tuesday

Seri was dropped off for camp in the morning.  In the afternoon we went to a picnic sponsored by a group I am thinking about being involved in, M.O.P.S.  The kids had a great time playing at the park and afterwards we went to the mall and watched a local Kids music band  called "Recess Monkey".  the children had seen the group at Auburn days also.  Since most of the songs were replays and the babies were getting cranky we left early.

Back to the discussion about having children at different ages.  This was clearly a great activity for Isaac however Mike was a bored ten year old and Sariah was still a little too young too appreciate the experience.

 

Wednesday

In the middle of being visited by my visiting teachers I get this great idea to go to the Auburn water park.  As soon as they leave, we are off.  On the way, I decide it would be nice to invite some other families along, as I have been accused of not sharing the fun activities we do with others.  So, as I am driving the calls go like this. "Hi! we are on our way to the water park now if you would like to join us."  I know it was last minute but that is just how my family tends to roll.

We ended up having three other families join us and we all had a blast!  The Caswell, Lopez and Waite family sure added to the fun the children have at this park.

Tristan was mostly satisfied with playing in this water puddle.

Sariah and her good friend Daniel.  Some may remember a post about this same time last year announcing that Sariah had received her first kiss......

This is as close as little man would get to the water.  But he is playing in it, can't you tell?

 

A sure sign that it has been  successful day.....  this is what I saw as we were leaving...

Thursday and Friday we recuperated and mom made up for lost time on all of her chores.  We wanted to play some more and were planning on it, but Sariah had a runny nose and I knew my house would not survive any further neglect.

Happy First Birthday T.J.

O.K., so this is incredibly late but we finally got Tristan's birthday pictures done.  The little man is actually a year old. It is so hard to believe.

He is an incredible blessing and such a happy, easy going guy.  I love watching him grow up! 

-He is incredibly fascinated by toilet paper and by putting things in the toilet.

- I swear he speaks.  Tonight Matt called on the Garmin while the kids and I were coming home and asked if he should pick up one or two pizza's for dinner, Tristan immediately responded "Three"!!!  It was so clear even daddy heard it and we all busted up laughing.

-He is still nursing although I am anxious for the day when he decides it is time to close the milk bar.

-He detests getting dressed or being changed as it involves restraining him from movement.  He is constantly on the go, and with four older siblings he feels he has a lot of catching up to do.

Happy Birthday little man, we love you so very much!!!!

 

 

 

The picture session completely wore me out as he would not stay still for more than a nano second.  I kept having to pick him up and move him back to "the red dot" and then she would catch a picture as he was moving.  Such a pain, but an incredibly cute pain he is....