Ending Summer Strong

Slowly but surely we checked every item off our summer bucket list.  

A few more visits to the library- check!

Back to school shopping (at the mall! with all the kids! wasn't that bad!)- check!

One more day at the beach- check!

And a bunch more days at the pool- check!

Somewhere in the middle of the summer Emma hit the slides height requirement, which triples the pool fun!

It took two trips, but we got the Rocket Ship park and splashpad and carousel checked off the list!

And we managed to squeeze in our annual summer play day with our best neighbor friends.

There were some lazy days at home

mostly filled with forts and reading.

We took a trip to the zoo, 

where I earned "Best Mommy Ever" award for letting the kids mine for rocks and gems.  

And we took a day trip to Omaha, where we visited the temple and the children's museum.

On a rainy day we visited the Science Center

and checked out a new cupcake shop.

And we made sure to go to the "Crazy Duck Pond" park one last time to gather up feathers.

 We grabbed a free breakfast at chick-fil-a a time or two, 

stopped by TAKE a time or two, and enjoyed a the free lunch place a time or two.  One random day we ended up at Goodwill while hunting for grubby shoes for our upcoming camping and caving trip and found all kinds of treasures for everyone.  You just can't plan that kind of adventure. :) 

 All in all, we just had a whole lot of fun.  I kind of can't believe we didn't spend a single night away from home summer long, and yet it still flew by and left everyone wishing for just a few more lazy and fun days before the back to school bell started ringing. 

 It was a great summer!

Growing Up

 

We had some friends over last week that closely resemble what our family looked like about 4 years ago- lots of diapers, crumbs, dirty faces and tears.  

While all of that was once the norm in our house, it's just not like that anymore.

After they left I asked the kids if they remember that our family used to be like that. (Because I think they were all slightly annoyed by the noise level, destruction and overall chaos of the little ones.) 

Leah said, "Yeah, how are you still.... alive??"

(She of all of the kids has the very least interest in ever adding more babies to our family ever, most likely because she best remembers what life was like when her siblings were babies.

"Well," I said. "Eventually we stopped having babies and you all grew up."

And I know they're not all the the way UP yet, but these four buddies of mine sure have grown up a whole lot.  They are capable and helpful and interesting and kind and creative and thoughtful and more patient and even more clean than I once realized babies and toddlers and preschoolers could grow up to become.  

And just like the ones before it, I'm so grateful for this stage of life that we're in.  Where we can leave at any time without packing a diaper bag, changing a diaper, or searching for missing shoes or considering naptime (usually).  We can tell jokes and have conversations and play games together.  We can take votes about what we want to do and have conversations about important things like what really happened to the planet Pluto or what family vacation we want to take next.  

And thankfully I still get lots of hugs and snuggles, which I hope never changes.

No more babies here, but still a whole lot of growing and learning and fun. 

Just, less crumby fun.

Usually.

I loved this moment last week when I was reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory out loud to Emma and Noah and then Leah and Adam put down their books and came over to read with us.  Because some things, like a classic read-aloud and a still moment on the couch together never grow old. 

Emma is 7!!

 

In the middle of our visit with our cousins, Emma Grace turned 7!  

It was so fun to have family here to celebrate Emma's special day with us.

The day was all about American Girls, unicorns, cupcakes and cousins!

 Emma wanted to have an "un-slumber" party, so we had to wait aaaaaaallll day for her party to finally start at 7:00 at night.  That was a long time to wait!

 But she was so excited to have some of her best friends over! 

  She was all smiles all day!

After the party started upstairs, we moved downstairs for limbo, karaoke, painting nails, candy galore, a Barbie movie and a glowstick party!

She had a great party!

And since her cousins were here, she decided not to go on her mom-and-dad-birthday-date on her birthday.  "Because being with family is more important than eating pancakes."  So our date is still on a raincheck. 

Oh, Emma Grace, how we love having you in our family!  People occasionally comment on how different Emma's personality is from the other kids, and we are so grateful for that!  Emma is silly and funny and confident and fierce and full of love and life.  We are constantly laughing at her and occasionally scratching our heads at her ideas.

Emma often declares that she has "the BEST parents in the whole wide world!", and that she is the happiest and luckiest girl ever!  

Emma has big ideas and tells lots of TALL tales lately.  There isn't an experience that she hasn't had, it seems.

She loves being with her family, and her friends, and is often seen leading her friends in their games.

Emma likes school, but isn't so sure about starting 1st grade next week.  It is a lot easier to stay at home, she says.

She loves grapes and peanut butter and grape jelly sandwiches.

Emma loves her stuffed animals like they are alive.  She snuggles them in rotation, and still sleeps with her two blankies and her mountain of pillows.

She has fabulous hair.  I don't know how it's possible that her hair always looks so good.

Emma's imagination takes her all over.  She doesn't have as much interest in reading other people's stories as she does in creating her own adventures. 

She's a picky eater.  But she's so chatty and cute at the dinner table that we sometimes forget to notice what she has actually eaten. 

This picture sums up a lot of Emma's feelings- the little sister syndrome.  I have it too, so it's easy for me to recognize and sympathize with how she perceives the world.  It's not fair that her big sister is... bigger.  She gets everything first, and nothing is as exciting or fun for Emma as it looks like it must be for Leah.  

I grew up the little sister, so I've tried to explain to Emma that wishing away today in hopes of catching up with Leah's seemingly wonderful grown-up life is no way to live, but she'll have to learn that lesson herself, just like I did.  I just hope she understands how wonderful it is to be 7 years old today, not wishing that she was 11 instead.

Emma is a really fun sister.  She is Leah's wingman, and gives her confidence that she doesn't have without her little sister by her side.  Adam is patient as ever with Emma, and loves her a lot.  Noah mostly loves to play along with her games, although he's less tolerant of being bossed around than he was in years past.

Emma's eyes are as big and as blue as ever, and she believes me when I tell her that she has 72 perfect freckles on her perfect little nose.

She likes to play sweet melodies on the piano, has zero interest in dance or soccer but thinks an art class might be fun to try.  Last year she told me she was mostly interested in "being a kindergartner" and it seems that 1st grade will be mostly the same.  Life is exhausting without adding in a bunch of extras.

 Emma continues to live up to the standard she set for us on the day she was born- she's got plans and ideas for the way things are going to be, and don't anyone try to get in her way- and we love her for it!

Happy birthday Emma Grace!  We love you and our family is so much happier because you are in it!

Cousins!

We have loved having visitors come to stay in our new basement this summer.  The final summer visitors were Auntie Heather, Savanna, and Emerson, and boy were we excited to have some cousins over to play!  

There was a long list of have-to-do's while they were here.  Swim at the pool was at the top of the list, but the weather was not cooperating for that outing.

So we went to a baseball game- Iowa Cubs vs. Salt Lake City Bees!

And we did alll the dress-ups- 

  We went on two bike rides- once with the kids and once without.  Biking past a cornfield is no big deal here, but it was photo-worthy with a visitor.  Just like we take all of the pictures of the mountains when we visit them.

 There were lots of cloudy, almost cool days- perfect for parks and picnics but still no pool.

The Pizza Challenge was a must-do as well.  Top a cookie with Nutella frosting and all the candy you want, then scarf it down.  They all did it, and they all loved it.  The ultimate childhood dream, I suppose.

Grandma sent over some awesome paintballs and shirts, so one evening everyone donned protective eye wear and decorated each other!

There was lots of Legos and games and movie nights too, and finally, on our last day together, the sun broke through the clouds for four glorious hours and we headed to the pool!  It was a perfect afternoon, and hardly anyone was there.  That was our best pool day all summer!

Good-byes are always hard, especially when we aren't sure when we'll see each other again.  But we were so glad they came to visit, and definitely wish they were still here!

Noah-Isms

Oh man, it is too hard to keep up with all of the funny things that are said around here.  But I keep trying!

*****

Noah, after coming downstairs way too early in the morning and snuggling up on the couch- Mama, my eyes just don't want to stay open. 

*****

Singing a love song (which usually refers to the cutest baby), this time to Adam- Who's the cutest Adam in the whole wide universe??

Adam- It's Adam!  It's Adam!

Noah, shocked- It's not me?!!

Me- No, you are not the cutest Adam in the whole wide universe.

Noah- I'm not?!!

(makes his sad baby walrus face

then gets a twinkle in his eye.)

But I AM the cutest baby in the whole wide universe!

*****

Everyone was hovering around the kitchen while I was making a chocolate cake.  After mixing up the batter I handed out the beaters for licking-

M- This beater is for Noah, this beater is for Emma, this spoon is for Leah, this scraper is for Adam, and this bowl is for Jason.

N, completely offended- What!?  Why does Jason get the bowl?!!

*****

While discussing a possible date night-

M- I think I'm going to go on a date tonight!

N- What? Why??

M- Because I have a boyfriend!

N- (stops smiling) Who is it??

M- It's Daddy!

N- What?  Seriously?!

*****

While Leah was chubbing his cheeks, Noah said- Stop that!  I'm not chubby!... ... But the Berestain Bears are chubby!

*****

Noah, trying to convince Leah to eat more of her spinach quiche-

Leah, I'm warning you... it's delicious.

*****

Everyone was set to the task of cleaning their bedrooms last weekend.  The girls got theirs done fairly quickly but the boys were distracted by the 10,000 Legos, the need to constantly hide then jump out and scare each other, and a good long chase around the house.  After several hours of this, I noisily climbing up the stairs to check on their "progress", at which point I heard Noah frantically and sincerely declare, "Adam!! We forgot to clean our room!" 

*****

Noah, at the pool, spotted a darker-than-him skinned boy with an outie belly button-

N- Look at his belly button!  It's sticking out!

M- Yep, some belly buttons do that.

N- And look at his skin!  He speaks Spanish because his skin is brown!

M- Nope, that's not true.  You can't tell what language a person speaks just because of the color of their skin.

N- Well, sometimes.

M- Not usually.

N- But sometimes.

*****

Noah, snuggled up into bed after a long day and no nap- I don't need you to tell me a story tonight.  Just scratch my back and tell me you love me.

*****

Have I mentioned this one before?  Noah says, "Oh, for great!" instead of "Oh great" when something goes wrong.  It's hilarious.

*****

M- Noah, do you want a cheese quesadilla or a pizza quesadilla?

N- Ooh, hard choice.... cheese.

A Perfect Summer Night

 Includes hanging from trees that are still too small to climb, 

tracking down the source of the many whizzes, chirps, hoots, and buzzes in the yard, 

 examining the cutest firefly ever, 

 and, of course, ice cream.

While the big kids are away, the little kids get to play!

Portraits of a Happy Couple

 By Emma, these are quite possibly my favorite ever. 

 I think Emma is the best too.