Pumpkins and Liepold's

We had ideal weather for our morning at Liepold's. Greg took his usual second-Friday-of-October vacation day so he could spend the day with the rest of us at the pumpkin patch when the kids have a day off. We smartened up this year and went to Grandpa's pumpkin patch first and did not buy the spendy pumpkins at Liepolds. Grandpa had plenty, so we came home with a couple each. The kids had written their names on bottoms of the ones they wanted a month or so ago, so they had them claimed already. We did go through the corn maze at Liepold's, though--twice. The kids wanted to do the "dead end challenge," but we got to the end and realized we missed a couple, so we went back through all over again and still didn't find the other two dead ends. We decided they must not exist (or the signs were torn down) because we explored every single path of that maze. We almost got through without Greg having to carry anyone this year. If we'd just done it once, we would have made it, but Grant needed a piggyback rest on our second go-around.

It really is a fun tradition for our family. It's a joy to watch the kids enjoying each other, working together, and just having fun together. Greg and I walked along behind while the kids forged ahead, deciding where to go. It was a beautiful, sunny morning. Couldn't have asked for better!

We bought some apples at the farm and made applesauce and apple crisp when we got home. It finally feels like fall around here. All this unusually warm weather has made it feel more like summer than fall (I'm not complaining, as it's made our soccer season quite pleasant), but fall is here now, and it feels right!

At Grandpa's pumpkin patch

Leaving her "hanging"

The tooth fairy had to pay two visits to our house this last week. Kari lost her last baby tooth. Braces here we come! And Aubrey lost one of her top front teeth. The way she tells the story is quite different from the way we remember it. She told Grandpa and Grandma A., when she saw them at church on Sunday, that she "just pulled it out" and that "it was easy." The real version was not quite like that. In fact, it was nothing like that. It was many moments of drama over the last week, and 15 straight minutes of drama in the car Saturday morning on the way to Joel's soccer game. She had been wiggling and twisting her tooth when her mouth started bleeding. She started screaming and crying hysterically in the back seat of the van. Unfortunately, we had no tissue, but we did have some baby wipes, so we handed those back to her. She screamed incessantly, "There's blood! I'm bleeding! It's hanging sideways! Take me back home! You can't just leave me back here!" We tried to calm her down, but she was spiraling, and there was no stopping her. We didn't want Joel to be late to his soccer game (turns out he was late anyway because we had the time wrong), so we didn't pull over, just kept driving. The other kids, Greg, and I all started laughing and couldn't stop laughing because she was being so ridiculous. Joel told her, "Don't worry, Aubrey. You'll be laughing, too, soon!" Finally, she pulled the tooth out, and the screaming stopped. She was all smiles.

Friend Outings

Now that the big kids are gone all day long (and we don't have a morning kindergartener), Grant and I have the freedom to go do things during the day on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays when he doesn't have preschool. He's been begging to go to the Children's Museum for months. We finally got to go a couple weeks ago. My friend, Marlene, and her little guy Drew went with us, and we had such a good time. The boys were so stinkin' cute together! I was wishing I had my big camera with me instead of just my phone. Marlene took this one in the parking lot before we went in. Just adorable.

They were pretty funny working with that clay and water. Both of us moms had gray speckles on our clothes and in our hair by the time they were done pounding, rolling, and brushing.

Grant's listening for the cat's heartbeat. He loved the pet hospital.  

We had so much fun spending the day together at the museum that we decided to go to the zoo the next week. It's fun to have a buddy to do things with when you're a little guy all alone at home with mom. Drew's in the same boat. :)

First Day of Preschool

My baby went to his first day of preschool today. He was very excited and happy to go. I got him settled at a table, told him how excited for him I was, kissed him good-bye, and went out into the car and cried. Big tears. I'm happy for him and so thankful he was excited. I've had kids who have cried and sobbed and clung to me. That is NOT fun. He didn't have any trouble at all saying good-bye, which was just great. I ran a couple errands, exciting places like the bank and grocery store, and then came home and cleaned like a mad woman.

When I went to pick him up, I saw him standing by his table, watching the doorway and waiting for me. He jumped up into my arms and gave me the biggest, longest, tightest hug I've had in a long while. It was so sweet. I almost started crying all over again, but I didn't! :) We said good-bye to his teachers who told me he did great, and walked out through the playground. I asked if he wanted to stay and play a little while on the playground, but he shook his head and said, "No, I already had two recesses. I want to go home." So we did. He told me all about his day, about the two bad kids who didn't clean up, about the bumble bee puppet and "bee" rules (be safe, be respectful, be kind), about the girl who cried all day, about the weather and day of the week circle time, and......

I think I might finally have a kid who tells me everything! I hope so. :)

 

He was showing me how much he missed me--just a little bit, the amount between his finger and his thumb. (I loved seeing all the paint on his arms, evidence of preschool.) A little while later, he said he missed the kitties more, with his arms wide open. I told him he's not allowed to miss the kitties more than his mommy, so he switched it. He missed the kitties the little amount and me the big amount. That's better.

 

 



 

 





First Day of School

I wasn't sure I was ready for the first day of school, but here it is! We had the best summer we've had in a long time, and I think that's why I've had a difficult time saying good-bye to summer and hello to fall this year. Usually, by the time August rolls around, I am feeling ready for kids to go back to school, for schedules and all that fall brings, but that didn't happen this year. That feeling never came! We did a lot of fun stuff this summer, but we also had a lot of relaxing days, too. It was the perfect mix. I think the fact that we no longer have a toddler is what made this summer feel so much easier. Every summer for years and years, I've had a little one (or two or three) whom I've had to chase, but not this summer! Grant turned four, and that was a beautiful thing. All four kids swam in the pool (plus sometimes a friend or two), and I didn't have to get in if I didn't want to. I read lots of books this summer, which I really enjoyed. The kids played outside a lot, with each other and with friends and neighbors, and for the most part, got along!

But, it's time for the transition to school now, and we'll enjoy this season, as well. Grant and I are going to have a lot of time together, and I plan to soak it up. He starts his two mornings of preschool next week, (he is VERY excited), but he and I will have all day together Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. It'll be a bit of an adjustment. It's been kind of strange today with the three older kids gone all day, but we'll get used to it soon and find our new normal.

Grant refused to get in the picture because he wasn't going to school today.

1st grade, 3rd grade, and 5th grade

 

 

 

Wildwood

Our annual Wildwood day marked the end of our summer. School starts tomorrow! It was a great day with friends.

Joel was pretty excited about the fish he caught in his cup (and later released). Grant REALLY wanted to go across the river like the big kids, and Kari and Maggie kindly helped him cross. They strategized and planned the best route and method, and with adults standing by in case of a hitch in the plan, they managed to get him across and back safely.

2nd set of stitches

We had quite an exciting Tuesday evening. Aubrey ran into the corner of a wall at Grandpa and Grandma's house and put an inch-and-a-half-long gash in her head in the upper back left side. I wasn't sure what to do but called the doctor, not sure if it needed stitches or not. It didn't look too bad once we got her cleaned up but was still bleeding. Greg had just gotten home from work when the doctor's office called back and said to bring her in. It was the first night of soccer practice for Aubrey and Grant, and Greg is the coach, so I assured him I was ok, and that I could take her. I'd cleaned her up, after all, and had been able to handle that ok. I left him to finish up dinner, feed the other three kids, and take them all to soccer while I drove Aubrey to the doctor.

Aubrey cried all the way there, not because she was in pain (she'd been pretty calm, even playing outside while we waited to hear from the doctor) but because she didn't want to be late to practice. It was decided, once we got there, that she did indeed need stitches. Aubrey became very upset and a little hysterical. I distracted her with a game on my phone while they cleaned her up and prepped her head. That worked for a bit, until they started injecting the numbing medicine over and over all the way around the wound, and then she really started freaking out, screaming and crying. "I can't take it anymore!" I was leaning over her, holding her hand, trying to calm her down, and right when my daughter needed me most, I looked over at the needle...and fainted. I slumped over Aubrey on the table and then slowly slid down to the floor where I blacked out. Such.bad.timing. As the world gradually came back into focus, I could hear Aubrey crying and trying to answer the doctor's repeated question of, "Sharp or dull? Sharp or dull?" (testing to see if she was numbed up yet) and the medial assistant asking if I was ok. "I'm ok. I'm ok. I'm so sorry. Aubrey, it's gonna be ok!" I was so embarrassed and felt bad that I wimped out on them, but I was a useless heap on the floor. Poor Aubrey! I reached up and tried to pat her foot and reassure her that she and I both were ok. Finally, after what seemed like forever, Aubrey's answer changed from "sharp" to "dull," and she started to calm down. I sent an S.O.S. text to Leah, the closest person to the doctor's office, and Eric arrived instead a few minutes later. I thought, "Well, if Aubrey can't have her daddy here, Uncle Eric is the next best thing!" :) She was pretty calm and all numbed up by the time he arrived, but at least she had someone to hold her hand and talk to her while they finished up the stitches. She ended up with four of them. By the time they were all done, I had gotten the feeling back in my arms and legs and felt good enough to drive. We didn't go to soccer practice. We went straight home.

So, now I know, for sure, that I just cannot be the one to take kids to the doctor for things like this. I'm no good in a medical emergency. It's a difficult truth to accept. I'm a mother of four, for goodness' sake! I should be able to take care of my kids when they're hurt. But I can't. I have no control over it, so it is what it is. Greg says it's my "kryptonite." I WISH this was my one and only weakness! That'd be nice. But it's not. It's just a very glaring, inconvenient one! This is the third time I've fainted at the doctor's office with the kids--once at the allergist with Kari and one other time at our current doctor's office with Joel.  At one point, while I was there with Aubrey, that same doctor poked his head in while Aubrey was getting stitched up, looked down and saw me on the floor, and said, "Oh, that's right. You have a problem with this, don't you?"  They were all very nice, but boy, was I embarrassed! They should only have to deal with one patient, not two!

I was able to use this story when I "opened" the service and did the welcome at church this morning. It was a week full of heartache with people grieving deaths and just some really tough stuff, so it was nice to have something lighthearted to share, even if it was a little embarrassing to share this weakness of mine. I talked about how it reminded me that I can't do it all, that I'm not able to. We all need Jesus, and we need His people, the body of Christ. We can't do this life on our own.

Now to figure out who is going to go with Aubrey when she needs her stitches out...


She picked out a bandana at REI to wear in her hair. She wasn't supposed to wash her hair or even brush the side with stitches for two days, so we were trying to think of ways to protect her head and make her cute at the same time. The bandana was Aunt Leah' suggestion, and Aubrey liked it.

Four Swimmers

We doubled up on the swim lessons this summer, and we now have four swimmers. We've allowed Grant to go without his puddle jumper or water wings, as long as he stays in the shallow end. He is a fish in the water and knows how to swim, but his skills aren't quite developed enough for us to be comfortable with him in the deep end. We need to see some forward motion before we can allow that. Next year he'll be in the deep end, too, I'm sure. He seems to be under water more often than above water in the pool. Crazy kid. He also likes to do somersaults, front-wards and back-wards. His tricks remind me of the sea lions at the zoo. He's pretty fun to watch.

Aubrey has made some pretty amazing progress in the pool this year. She is a completely independent swimmer at Grandpa and Grandma's pool now. She's pretty proud of her skills, too.

Joel and Kari are better swimmers than me (didn't take many lessons to accomplish that) and have been working on perfecting their dives and seeing who can dive the furthest and with the least amount of splash.

Trout Creek Bible Camp

Kari was at Trout Creek Bible Camp last week for 5 nights. Yes, 5 nights! She was nervous, but I may have been more nervous because while she was having fun, I was here worrying that she wasn't. I have been working on her for the past two years, trying to get her to be willing to give camp a try. She put up a strong resistance, but my persistence paid off. She finally gave in and then got excited about it.



with Sarah, her buddy from church



This is part of her cabin group. Cabin assignment time was a bit stressful because she had a couple different friends there, and they were in different groups, and she had to make a quick choice and didn't want to hurt any feelings. It turned out great, but that bit of drama sure didn't help with the nerves!

 

After the cabin assignments had been made, each group went outside and circled up on the grass. I snapped this photo, and then we left her there. I have to admit that I did dissolve into tears after saying good-bye (Kari didn't see me cry), but I got a hug from a fellow mom friend (not a first time camper-parent) and was ok. It was such a strange feeling, knowing we weren't going to see her all week.

We did get to "see" her in photos the camp posted on their FB page, and that was great. I stalked their page multiple times a day, scanning the photos for glimpses of Kari. Nothing on the first day (I didn't sleep much that first night), but we saw this one on the second day.

She was in the background and blurry, but she was smiling! Ah, relief!

We spied her in the background of lots of photos during the week and saw this one towards the end of the week. The kids decided the "Where's Kari?" game was pretty fun.

 



She had agreed to write to us one time and followed through on her word, but we didn't get it until Thursday. Loved this letter!

 

I wrote to her every day and so did Aubrey. This one was my favorite of Aubrey's.

Translation: "Dear Kari, the cats threw up in the bathroom. How many times did you kiss the moose?"

 

Kari told us when she got back that she had to kiss the moose eight times! If a camper receives three letters or one package in a day, they have to kiss the moose head mounted on the wall. Kari got a lot of mail thanks to grandparents, friends, and family (the kids wanted to send their own letters, so we used a lot of stamps that week). She received nine letters one day, so she had to kiss the moose three times that day. :) She admitted that she did get a little homesick at times, mostly at night or whenever there was downtime, and said that the letters really helped a lot.

 

We all went to pick her up Saturday morning and got there early so the kids could play on the big swings for a while before pick-up time. It was a joyful reunion. Kari was so happy! She had an amazing time and absolutely loved camp, but she was happy to see us and glad to be coming home, too. Her favorite parts were BMX biking, driving go-carts, climbing the rock wall, and the snack shack. :) Ice cream every day! The kids were all talking over each other the whole drive home, asking questions about Kari time and telling her about their week at home. They were pretty sweet together all day long. My heart was full and all felt right with my world once again. They started bickering and fighting again like normal on Sunday, but Saturday sure was great! ;-)

Grant's 4th Birthday

Grant sure is a fun little guy, and we had a great time preparing for and hosting his party this year. It was dinosaur themed--Grantosaurus cake, pin-the-tail on the Grantosaurus, and some icy fossil archeology. He loved it all, but then, he's pretty easy to please!

I saw the idea to use chalk and make it look like dinosaur footprints leading up to the door, and Greg helped the kids make templates to trace and color on the sidewalk. I had envisioned one set of footprints, but when you have four kids who all want to do it, you end up with a herd. The kids loved doing it. They made big dinosaur feet and little dinosaur feet. They really enjoy birthday party prep (well, not the cleaning part but the decorating and planning parts). Kari and Joel helped me a lot with Grant's party preparations. They drew and painted the pin-the-tail on the Grantosaurus and helped me fill and make room in the freezer for all the containers of fossils in ice. I made a to-do list, and they completed a lot of the tasks themselves.



He went to breakfast with Grandpa on his actual birthday. I had to take Kari to camp that morning, so Grant got an extended birthday breakfast. Here's a link to the video Grandpa put together of their outing.

Grant is a cute little bundle of 4-year-old energy. He keeps us on our toes and keeps us laughing. He gives good hugs and loves kisses. Keeping up with his big brother and sisters is one of his main goals in life. He wears me out, and he even wears himself out. We put together a slideshow to have running on our TV during his party, and I found so many photos of him asleep in odd places. He goes until he just can't go anymore, then conks out. Sure do love our littlest man.

Kari's Baptism

Kari told us a while ago that she wanted to be baptized, so when they announced there would be a baptism this summer, she was ready. It was a great day--warm, sunny, and meaningful. Grandpa A. baptized her in the Sandy River, along with several others from church, and we all celebrated afterwards with a pie social. Kari doesn't like pie, so we brought caramel brownies instead. :) We're proud of the young lady Kari is becoming and happy to see her taking another step in her walk with the Lord.

Grandpa almost forgot about Kari when the order of people being baptized got a little mixed up. He started to wrap it up when we reminded him there was still one more. It was pretty funny. "Oh, Kari!"

 

Kari's starts around 5:50. She takes a big gulp of air before she goes under and shakes like a dog when she comes out. :)

July 27, 2014 baptism from Cornerstone on Vimeo.