Library Days

Do you remember your first love? 

I do.

I plainly and simply remember that moment when I realized "this is mine forever, and it's magical and amazing". Of course, I was 6 years old and had just gotten a library card . I had learned to read and as my 'prize' from my grandmother, I got a library card. I'm pretty sure I lost it within a week because I don't ever remember seeing that yellow plastic card again.... what I didn't lose was far more amazing though. I never lost the love of books. (of course, my later loves are fun and whimsical like music and yoga, and I'll never discredit the true loves of my husband and my children - but this is a damn close second!!)

Think about it? Truly great works can come from books. You never find my night stand without many different books on it. At this exact moment you would find: my own journal - the book of my life, The Joy in Parenting, Hold Me Tight, scriptures to study, and currently Little Women. Marvelous isn't it? Books connect the world in an amazing way. They are opinions, facts, pictures, stories, and so much more. They can take you around the world all while you sit in the comfy chair in your home. They can captivate your thoughts and consume your day as you just MUST find out what happens next!!

Just as I model the love I have for my husband and each and every one of my children - I model the love of books in my home. I am the driving force of buying books, reading books and constant library trips. While I wont always say it's easy. There are days that I leave the library in near tears. Picture it - pregnant lady with 3 young children and two loaded bags of books. As she tries to check out, she hears "mom, give me back my books, I really want to READ IT BEFORE WE GET HOME" at the top of my 3 year olds lungs, my 5 year olds busy trying to drag my 17 month old back down the stairs that he is thrilled to climb at any cost, and the lady at the desk reminds me that I owe the library at whole 1.50 in late fees.

Yes, even despite the countless books I have re-shelved because of tiny hands that yank them down over and over, the tears from me saying "no you can't have more than 30 books today, I'm serious!", the occasional damaged book or the one that some how gets eaten by the house and you pay for it despite knowing your children really didn't like that book at all.... Despite everything, I have managed to continue this ritual and have created children that simply adore books. If I could give them a passion - it would be an appetite for learning always. If I can kindle this little flame in any way, I surely will... and I do.

2 weeks ago Daunika asked me "Mom, what is upstairs?". Great question! So we spent over 45 minutes simply exploring. We rode the elevator up to floor 3, then walked down to floor two. We stopped and looked at countless books and talked to 7 librarians along the way. It really was great to witness my children so clearly confident and in their element (especially Daunika!!). They love books and where the books are, they are at home. Daunika found an encyclopedia of Butterflys. This was not in the childrens sections and not at all a small book. This was a heavy, adult book. She was simply amazed and carried it around for days. She even slept with it.

Today was no different - the first place they wanted to go was upstairs. Of course I let them and encourage it. Why should they be limited to children's books? Today Daunika went straight to the second floor and to the butterfly section. She wanted another book on butterflys. I admit, they are COOL books. So many lovely pictures and so much information to help her read through. This week, Aurora picked a book on Yoga. She seriously loves yoga and one about deer and I think she feels very proud to be able to pick 'Mommy Books" too.

We hit the kid section and 36 books later, I was pretty tired! But I did manage to snap some great pictures of our littles today. I brought my camera because I wanted to capture the moments that really make up our life, even if it's moose sitting on a table instead of reading!

Yes, that is our great Moose thinking that it is acceptable to climb on the table. Like I said, not perfect library times, but effective book lover time overall!! 

 Aurora hasn't shown a lot of interest in puzzles but today she shocked me and sat down and did a lot of puzzles!

Our book worm <3

I hope everyone finds that hunger for knowledge and the love of books.

 It really is a deep love affair of a life time. 

Swim Lessons 2011

Ahhh.... has it really been another year? This year both of our girls were in swim lessons. It was a great experience for them and I'm so glad we did it. This is Daunika's third year in lessons and Aurora's first year. They both were so excited everyday to get up and go for two weeks. They were not happy about no lessons on Saturday and Sunday though. It was quite sweet.

It was an eventful two weeks. I was called away to attend a birth Monday and our dear friend Megan took our kids to lessons with her kids for me. Apparently Declan did not take to the idea that HE wasn't getting lessons and went into the pool fully clothed on the steps. He was safe, just wet. I was sad to miss the first day of swim lessons... and as it turns out, I missed Tuesday too!

Tuesday Damon went and the girls were genuinely thrilled that Daddy went. They told me all about it - it was so cute. Well, Declan once again decided he was going to go swimming... but this time, he didn't just sit on a step. While the story is fuzzy and I wasn't there - the basics were a baby falling in and a fully clothed daddy jumping in to grab him. He wasn't harmed in any way and wasn't in long at all, but it was a story everyone talked about the rest of the week. I've got to say - I love my husband completely. I heard it was pretty inspiring to see him just react - not think, just DO. He did have his phone in his pocket and luckily, it appears to work! The LED flashlight/light doesn't work, but overall we were lucky... but both of us agree that the phone was the last thing anyone cared about compared to Declan!

I got to watch the rest of swim lessons and it was great seeing my children blossom. The first week they were water shy, especially getting it in their faces or with Ms Kate letting go of them to swim. By Tuesday of the second week, Daunika decided she was "Ms Courageous" and was going to be "dedicated" (man I love this kids vocab explosion!!!). She jumped in the water fully without hesitation and swam AWESOME that day! She can fully doggy paddle and it's so cool to watch the joy in her eyes as she realizes she is swimming! Aurora was so scared to jump in the water but by the end, she was jumping in while holding a hand and went all the way under. wooohooo!!

I'm so proud of my kids! Enjoy the pictures :)

Ice cream scoop arms!! 

Red light, Green light kicking... this is furiously green light racing I believe.

Well.... One minute she's standing there....

And then.... SPLASH!

Aurora practicing her 'ice cream scoop arms'

Aurora did not appreciate back floats at all, but she did well!!

And of course - our Moose - his shirt says "Life Guard in Training"

Happy Summer!! 

Holland

What is wrong with me? Don't I already have 3 children, work, 2 cats and a dog to take care of? Do I need more things to worry about?

Yep. Meet Holland.......

He is a black lab, about 14-15 weeks old and a rescue puppy from up in northern Idaho. He is wonderful so far! Oh course, like all puppies, he wants to chew and play and such - but really. He sleeps through the night unattended without accidents, he LOVES the kids and learned very quickly to be gentle with them. He really is a lovely addition to our family. When he arrived he was so calm and honestly scared. Not of the kids noise, but if Damon or I spoke loudly he would cower and was very hand shy. Poor puppy. He must have been very unsafe before and I am so happy to give him a forever home where he will be loved completely.

He really loves to be in the middle of the kids. They don't seem to mind too much

Declan LOVES him and Holland appears to have the same feelings. Lots of slobbery kisses from both of them

Such a pretty pup.

Our newest addition to the family - Holland.

Camping!

2 posts ago, I said I was headed to the mountains..... and I did exactly that. Monday June 20th - Daunika, Aurora, Declan, Zoey (our dog) and myself loaded up our suburban and headed to the hills... Now, I can't claim I'm some great pioneer of womanly strength, my darling husband helped my load Betty (the name of our suburban) and Megan and her 3 children were heading up too...

It took about 13 million years to get out of town, but fuck we finally made it to highway 21 and all the nerves settled away. Blaring radio, all windows open, full sunshine...... damn near perfection. The only missing piece was my amazing husband who stayed behind to work so hard for us so we could take moments like this. Thank you Damon!!!

There were wonderful times spent with friends, great moments when Damon arrived unannounced and spent the nights with us, it was all around a absolutely wonderful time. What could possibly make it better?

Knowing that we're going again soon!!! Enjoy the pictures :)


Here's Rosie, Aurora, Daunika and Josh all gathered around the "breakfast table". All bundled up, though it wasn't  too cold at night, the mornings were chilly.

Here's our best friend Megan as Damon relaxes while holding her youngest Sadie (notice the little green feet poking outta his lap) and Megans middle child Rosie :) Megan is talking all about buying a new house for her awesome family!!

As previously mentioned in another blog, it is IMPOSSIBLE to take a picture of one of our daughters without the other popping out of no where. So cute :)

We love campfires... I wish Declan was awake for this awesome picture, because he has a pair of baby Keens to match all ours - but alas, here's the 4 of us warming our toes by the fire!

One of the best things about the camping spot we found was this great area for kids to play in the water. The creek we're next to was very fast, but this was a stream off of the creek. It offered shade and sand and water. Oh the FUN!

It was amazing. We got there on a Monday - BEST time to go camping. There was no one there! It was awesome. About Wednesday another person showed up but pretty far away, by Friday night I was ready to leave, it started getting really busy with people flowing in. We'll plan on camping Monday-Friday from now on. GOODNESS I LOVE NOT HAVING A JOB! Ahhhhhhhhhh. Genius. Damon was able to come up in the evenings, He's taken off days where our two crew members just go out and work, just frickin fabulous. I know great things are to come more and more....


I really want to go camping now! Must be patient!

Puddle Jumping

I swore I lived in Idaho.... I'm not sure what is up with this erratic weather - but I like it! It makes me feel so much more connected with nature when we are at their whim. My children are less thrilled to wake up to rain, so I felt the obligation of any parent who grew up in an area with constant rain - I showed them rain IS fun!!!

Rain cannot spoil even "summer" for us :)

Do I HAVE to put up with you?

Shesh. Do I? I mean really... Of all the friggin places you could end up in life? You decide to hook your hip to mine like a partner in crime? Shesh is right.

It couldn't be the countless times we bounded over the fact that we're adjusting to this whole "mom" thing... We can laugh at the moments that have brought life this path, and certainly I do believe there have been many tears together too. Or maybe the compulsion our husbands have to do great things like this cartoon?

Oh wait... There is more. It could be we have some cute kids who are destine to marry each other if they ever work out that ones Mormon and one isn't. Or the fact countless times one of our bunch is always the "baby" and that baby is beat up by the non-baby. OR it's the fact that one of us is forever waiting on the one who is going to be late to their own grave?

It could be the witnessing each other welcome our newest additions to our family into the world, or the fact that some how the messy gene has now hit my own children and it displeases me so and I finally get it! It's the absolute truth when we read this next one that we both realize in the past 6 years we have both developed hair ADHD.

OR - it could be the midnight movies with kids stashed in every room of the house with blaring white noise machines. It might be we disagree most people could use therapy and the fact that we have no idea what homeschooling is but we really both hope we don't fuck it up! Further more, we might consider we both understand life has nothing to do with being right or wrong - just together and doing absolutely the best we can with what we know, understand and have tools to do so with.

OH OH OH - It could be THIS is what bounds us.... And to think, we're nuts enough to do it over and over again!

Hmmm.... some how I don't think we're the besties that do this though...

At least......... we haven't yet. Ahhhaahaha. Just kidding :)

So, dear friend of mine, Do I have to put up with you? Absolutely fucking not. In case you were wondering - since you thanked me this morning for putting up with you - I'll say its been a delightful 5+ years, and you are absolutely not allowed to say that again. Cheer up my darling, you are the best friend I could ever imagine

Besides, who else can I lean on when I am in need of a serious folding party? And who taught you the greatness of things like knitting?

Hope you get a great chuckle and with laughter comes relaxation! I'm thinkin of ya!

Coffee, Busy work and Mountains.

My love affair with this coal black liquid is long standing. It's not just the coffee, its the ritual. The moments that I've spent sitting with my husband sharing a cup. The times we walked down Broadway in Seattle to soak up the atmosphere just before stepping into heavenly Tullys nestled in that beautiful old building. It's the cup you grab before you are fully awake or the one to keep you on your feet for 50 hours at a birth. Its the smell in the morning that pulls you fully awake before your first drink and it has been the gathering places for some of the best women I have come to call friends. It's the joke of 'ruining it' with my husband and the intimacy that comes from sharing with him anyways!

Though I have a love hate relationship with this lovely drink while I'm pregnant - I cannot deny the pull to the cup is not an addiction of the body, but the ritual of peace and serenity of enjoying a few sips of warmth before tackling a day. It's amazing how many things in our lives are not about the obvious, but about the emotion the surrounds the soul.

Coffee can lead to work.......... and work is a big topic! Wooooweee are we busy. Now, I've been poor enough to never curse the work. I've also watched people around me sell out their marriages for career egos and keeping up with the Joneses. Balance is a one of the few things you realize you'll need to accomplish in all areas of life and work is one of those things! As the weeks and months since the 'start' of the season have rushed by at a nearly frantic pace, sometimes its easy to forget why your doing this. As I sit here and pour a piece of my mind into this blog, my love is working, hard. Dumb is the wife who never shares her sincere gratitude for the work being accomplished.

I have the best husband in the world. A part of me wonders what drives him to accomplish so much. When you look at his past and reflect your own understandings into it - I see so much. The balance he so steadily attains to make sure our children know that he chooses his family over punching a clock. The ability he seems to graciously have to accept mountains of work and yet look at them as mole hills in the path to his dreams. He is steady and calm, while never lazy nor frantic. It is truly amazing to stand side by side this husband of mine.

Work is busy, yet when the still of the moments come - the under lying truth is steady and real - Together we're strong, connected and working together for our goals. What an amazing sight.

With all this work though......... I'm leaving.

Here we come beloved peaceful mountains.