{blueberry patch hall of fame}

Blueberry picking is one of those summer activities that we simply can't miss out on.  We've been going every year since Ryan was little, and it's a family favorite. I was a little unsure about going this week, because it's been SO HOT, but when our friends called and asked us to go, I couldn't resist.

We picked and picked, and even the littles got the hang of it. Jack quickly learned the art of grabbing plump juicy berries out of someone else's bucket, then putting them into his own. The look on Sasha's face was priceless when he realized that his hard work was going into Jack's bucket.  :)

The girls just loved talking while they were picking, and Natalie was a good sport to listen to all of their adventures. 

 

 Ryan, Darin, and Justin were more immersed in berry throwing than picking, the little turkeys, but they did manage to pick quite a bit. (Here two of them are, in collaboration)

After a couple of hours we had almost 10 pounds of berries, which isn't bad for the amount of kids, distractions, bathrooms trips and water breaks we had. We piled kids in the car, then started to turn the truck around when we heard a CRUNCH.

The blueberries.

All of our berries were now on the ground, completely smashed, and the poor bucket had its own serious issues.  We scooped up the berries as best as we could, then took them up front to pay for them, and the bucket.  They took one look at that bucket, and declared that not only was it a first (I guess most people don't regularly run over their berries), but that it was being hung up as a demonstration as to what not to do. Justin kindly provided them with our names for reference.  :) They also ended up not charging us for the berries. Apparently they know someone who likes smashed berries. 

I guess we'll be back...sooner than we thought!

{holes}

Kate, with Hello Kitty

 Emma, with little flowers

This is what you get when you lose the one pair of earrings that you've worn every single day and night for the last three years since your ears have been pierced (taken them out only for volleyball games, and only since they're not allowed), and have to go shopping for another pair with two little girlies in tow.

I'm still kind of shocked we did it, but they love them.  They remind me at least 42 times per day that we need to clean their ears, which is awesome.  Until the 40th time. 

 

They look darling.

{will work for food}

My darling Henry, hard at work, his little red face so intent upon the work at hand.  Rick was moving logs from the forest to the wheelbarrow, then from the wheelbarrow to the log pile.  Henry so wanted to help, and wouldn't stop until it was done.  (Don't worry--they took plenty of water breaks, and lots of opportunities to rest.)

I'm thinking maybe the laundry is next?  :)

[midnight}

Last night was a first and a last.

It was Ryan's first ever midnight showing, and the last Harry Potter movie--the end of an era.  He COULD NOT WAIT to go, especially because we were making an exception to let him see it. (He can't see PG-13 movies.) Okay, so I was just as excited as he was, and thought the anticipation was going to kill me.

We met at the theater at 10:30pm, and the line was already out the door, around the side and to the back of the building.  Of course there were people dressed up (which I love), and there was just a feeling in the air.  We met our really good friends there, Julie and Kyler, which made it even more fun. It was quite the procedure--numbered arm bands and the works, but with the amount of people there, it was nice to have some sort of organization to the chaos.

We ended up with great seats--in fact, I couldn't have chosen any better had the theater been empty.  The boys were settled with their popcorn and Hot Tamales, and we were all READY!! 

(couldn't resist this one...love the arm)

 

The movie did not disappoint.  I cried my fair share of tears, and I was more emotional than perhaps I thought I would be. Not only is the story riveting, but the bravery and courage of a young boy and his friends standing up for what they believe despite facing a certain death is compelling.  I also tend to get very invested in the characters of my favorite books, and this was no exception.  Watching them grow up has been such an adventure, and I've so enjoyed looking forward to the the next book, then the next movie.  Having that come to a close is most definitely an end to an era.

Ryan fell asleep about 2/3 of the way through, and I wasn't too surprised.  He's not typically a late owl, and like his momma, tends to fall asleep in movies.  I think we'll be back tomorrow--for a matinee.  :) 

after the movie...can you tell?

All in all, it was a once in a lifetime night, and despite the lack of sleep, still totally worth it.

{at the pond}

One of our favorite places to visit is our nearby nature center. It's an incredible educational resource--observatories, hands-on play, activities, acres upon acres to investigate, extremely knowledgeable people to answer any question--none too big or small--storytimes, and more. The kids love every moment of it, and we rarely leave before we've been there at least two hours.   

One of the storytimes we went to a few weeks ago with our good friends was about turtles and frogs.  We read, made turtles out of paper plates, then headed outside.  Oh my goodness, they were all in heaven.  They were given dippers, with the goal to catch some tadpoles or frogs.  Really though, it didn't matter what they caught--even sticks made them excited!  I even got in on the action, when Henry took off his shoe and threw it into the pond. Those dippers work really well, thank goodness. We missed Ryan--he was still in school when we went, but we'll have plenty of time to go this summer.

The boys just had to watch this part--I wasn't quite ready to let them out of their stroller yet.  Odds are, they (and I) would have ended up in the pond.

One of the things they were trying to catch...



 
We loved seeing different animals up close--turkeys, ducks, and birds

I also picked up a couple of pairs of rubber galoshes that they were selling for only $5, and we've put them too good use so far.

Perfect for ponds...and for puddles.

{where's waldo? a.k.a. kate}

Love this girl. Her new favorite activity is climbing trees in our yard--the taller the better.

So we've implemented a new family rule:  No climbing trees without parental supervision.

And nothing over 30 feet.  Lol.

{a day at the beach}

Our favorite beach is about an hour and a half away, on Lake Huron. We really love it there, and it was just about as close to perfect as you can get.  The temperature was in the low 80's, the sun was shining, there was no wind to be found, and hardly any humidity. 

The kids were happy playing in the sand most of the time, and I was happy on my blanket just watching them.  I brought along a book, and with the sound of the crashing waves in the background, I couldn't imagine anything better than being in that moment. 

After hours of sand, water, and walks along the beach, it was time to pack up.  I don't know why I'm always surprised at how long it actually takes to get everyone clean, clothes changed, and get the truck packed.  You'd think I would be used to it by now--maybe I just think I can do it faster than I actually can.

Dinner was absolutely delicious at a local pizza place, and we finished off a gigantic pizza plus breadsticks to boot.  I think all that sand made us hungry.  We couldn't escape without ice cream and a walk along the boardwalk to see all the huge boats--it's tradition.  

We have been coming to this beach for almost nine years now, and it's still one of our most favorite summer traditions.  I treasure days like this--it really was the perfect day.

{4th of july}

Can I just tell you how much I love the 4th of July?  It is a very close second to Christmas--I love it that much.  Everything about it speaks to me--the yummy food, flags, friends & family, fireworks, the music, what the day actually means and all those who made this country what it is today--I look forward to it every year. It's also a day that I make everyone wear red, white, and blue--it's one of the perks of motherhood.  :)

We had a really great day. Rick and Ryan got up early to put up flags for Ryan's Scouting fundraiser, and then we spent the morning getting a few things done.  That afternoon we headed over to our good friends' home for a yummy dinner that consisted of pretty much all of my favorite things--grilled hamburgers and corn on the cob, watermelon, new potato salad, and homemade ice cream.We talked, the kids played, and the time flew by way too fast.

Around 7:30pm we had to head over to the church to set up for our annual dessert and fireworks get together.  It's such a fun tradition, and our family loves it.  We all meet on the lawn around 8pm, and bring a dessert to share.  When it's time for the fireworks to begin, we head over to a different part of the lawn, set up chairs and blankets, and settle in for the show. It's the perfect place to watch them, and when it's over, there is no crowd to fight in order to get home.  It's just an evening filled with lots of talking, yummy treats, and the highlight the day--the fireworks!

This year though, I ended up heading home a little early.  Henry was really struggling--he had such a sore bottom, and could barely walk. He was also exhausted, which didn't help matters.  I went home with the babies before the fireworks started to put them to bed, and Rick stayed with the older three. I was so sad to miss it, but I was glad they had a good time, and that Henry could feel a little better.  

As always, it's a day that just passes too quickly.  Can't wait until next year.

{acceptance and a solution}

We've all heard the phrase "a time and a season".  You know, things like family history, sleeping through the night, going to the grocery store during the day, and actually listening in Sacrament Meeting into that category of "not right now".  There are other things too--and they can be the things that are sometimes harder to accept.

 Even though I have a lot of really little kids, I've tried not to let that stop me from doing things and going places. I don't want my little ones to miss out on really fun things that I know they would enjoy, or wait until they are older to start doing them. 

I know I do less than I would if their ages were spread out more--maneuvering 4 kids ages 3 and under (when the boys were born) was really hard, and still is, even now that they are 5 and almost 2. I really try and think of all the logistics, and if there is a possible way, I usually will do it. 

I have wanted to get a summer pool pass for a few years now, but there was NO way I could take all the kids to the pool by myself.  They were just too little to keep on eye on all the time, and having 2 babies in arms meant no arms for Kate and Emma.  I've watched my friends get them, and enjoy their summer days basking in the sun and watching their kids swim. I had to remind myself that they have all older kids, with maybe one little one to watch closely, and that my time would eventually come.

I thought this might be the year I could attempt it.  Jack and Henry have been pretty timid around the water, and figured they would stay close to me--in the water that's very shallow. The girls are comfortable in the water, and with life jackets on, could stay in the kiddie area where I would be very close by. I had it all planned out in my head, and I was excited to give it a try.

This past week I decided to give it a trial run.  I loaded up the kids and met my good friend and her kids at the pool.  Our husbands were coming later with dinner, but we would be on our own for a little while. It actually went really well, and we were having a great time.  Once Rick got there, it was even more fun, because we could split up the kids, and take them into the deeper end.  Jack and Henry were in their element--and even my Henry, who was scared of the water at first, was all of a sudden everywhere, and having a great time.  Kate and Emma really wanted to spend time in the deeper water, and although they loved the toddler area too, they loved the freedom and openness of the larger area.  I started to wonder how that would be if I was by myself--they were much more active in the water than I had realized.

A little later in the evening, as we were getting close to leaving, and after my friend's husband had left, something really, really scary happened, and it resulted in my friend rushing her son to the hospital. (It also required me going  in to a Stake High Council meeting in front of 30 people in my swimsuit to tell her husband what had happened...lovely) It was no one's fault--there was no neglect or anything like that--it just simply happened. My heart didn't stop beating all night, and when they came to pick up their other kids in the morning (who stayed with us while their parents were in the hospital), I finally breathed a sigh of relief.

What it also did was really make me stop and think. If something like that could happen under all the right circumstances, what could happen if I was alone?  Could I really keep an eye on 4 very small children, all at the same time? As much as I want to do everything, and not limit myself, sometimes there are limits that are important and necessary, and for me, this is one of them.   

Sometimes accepting what a "time and season" includes is hard, but it doesn't always have to be all or nothing.I think we might still get that pool pass, and just go in the evenings and on Saturdays when Rick can be there too.

I've always been a believer that the key to finding joy in motherhood is not just enjoying the moment of life you're in, but relishing it. The day will come far too soon that they will be all grown up, and I will be wishing that I had those little ones there with me.

{23}

 

Ryan is working on his Personal Fitness merit badge this summer (it takes a minimum of 90 days to complete), and tonight we took his fitness baseline--sit ups, push ups, pull ups, and a 9 minute run. He's working really hard to finish his merit badges this year, and he's doing a great job.

Kate was really excited to see him doing all this, and wanted to give it a try.  Holy moly.  This girl is going to be a force to be reckoned with.  She did 23 sit ups (with correct form--no cheating) in 1 minute!!!  Not bad for a little girl that just turned 5! She had the most determined look on her face the whole time, and wouldn't stop until she thought she was close to what Ryan was doing. 

Emma was cracking me up.  She did some sit ups too (I won't tell you how many, for fear she will be compared to Kate, but I will say that she put forth a really great effort), but she wasn't too thrilled with them after the first minute. She then asked me it was okay if she could cheer for Kate, and then she went to town..  She jumped all around, cheering "Go, Kate", "You can do it Kate", "Keep going Kate", and even more. It was SO cute. She really was excited for her sister and it was fun to see. Who knows--maybe it's foreshadowing of their teenage years...

Kate's next fitness test was the treadmill. She pulled out her running shoes, strapped them on, and started to run. She liked it...a lot.  She has been asking to run a race with me, so I'm looking for a 5k that we can do together.

I just love watching my kids discover their own unique talents and interests, and helping them to develop them.  Both Kate and Emma enjoy some of my favorite things--Kate and sports, Emma and books--and it's just so fun to do them together. 

Kate wants to keep training this summer---Rick thinks she might be the only kindergartner with a six pack.  :)