{apple farm}

I am in love with apple farms.

 

I've tried to think of why I love them so much, and I can't quite pin it down.  Maybe it's that I grew up in the desert, surrounded by beautiful red rocks and winter temps in the 50's, which I loved. Sagebrush farms,  yes.  Swimming in December, yes.  Waterskiing in February, yes. But not an apple farm in sight.

It could be in part to the fact that I'm an old-fashioned girl, and have an affinity for anything Anne-of-Green-Gables-ish, and apple trees and hay wagons certainly fall into that category.

Or...it could be the doughnuts and cider.  ☺

 

I really could go everyday and be happy.  I think I'll have to settle for once a week.  

Maybe more.

{breathing}

Forget counting to 10.  

How about to 62?  

Plus some breathing exercises.  

Do you think they offer Lamaze classes for people with 2 year olds? (Specifically 2 year olds that won't stay in bed, are going through a hitting phase, and one in particular that is as big as his 5 year old sisters?) Isn't that where you learn to "breathe" through labor?  I wouldn't know from personal experience, because I actually never took any kind of class, but that's the rumor going around.

Learning to breathe deeply and relax while under great stress in a special class would be beneficial to not just expectant mothers, don't you think? Child labor lasts all of what, 24 hours at the most? (not sayin' it's not hard--I've been there...)  But they are going to be two for another 300 days, and since I'm pretty sure I'm laboring most of the time with them, so it's seems only fair.

Because really, my husband's suggestion of eBay probably isn't going to work out. 

He was kidding, of course.  

Mostly.

P.S.  Did I tell you how cute they are?

{birthday boy}

Ryan and I will always have a special connection.  For seven years, it really was just the two of us.  Rick was in school and gone long hours, and we didn't see much of him for several of those years, so Ryan and I were on our own.  I thoroughly enjoyed our time together, and I cherish the adventures we had and memories we made. Over the course of that time something developed between us that still hasn't waned--despite the fact that my attention is pulled in so many more directions than it was before.

The entirety of my pregnancy with the girls I wondered how he would react when they were born.  Even when I was put on bedrest several times, and Ryan was left to his own entertainment while I laid on the couch, I was concerned with how he might react to his life and everything he knew changing completely. I knew it would probably go one of two ways--really well...or not.  

It's been so sweet to watch Ryan as a big brother. I can honestly say that there has not been even one time that he's complained, or said that he wished that things were back to the way they used to be.  He has embraced being a big brother in every way, and even seems to think we should have another one.  (Hmmmm.  The jury is still out on that one, and they might be out for awhile.  It's a whole other conversation for a whole other day.)

Is there the typical arguing and fighting?  Yes.  Does he love to absolutely tease his sisters to the brink of their patience and mine?  Yes.  But he also reads stories, feeds snacks, snuggles on the couch, and helps me more than I can ever say. 

He is a good boy, and I'm so grateful for him.  He's funny, so smart, writes the greatest comic strip, loves Harry Potter and art and cooking and EATING and computers and playing football in the backyard. He has handles being diabetic and all the extra "stuff" that goes along with it with the maturity of someone much older than him.  He's my boy!

....

For his birthday dinner he requested Olive Garden--his favorite thing ever is the Never Ending Pasta Bowl--and he was in heaven.  This kid kills me.  Give him a good plate of pasta and he's happy.

He isn't a cake lover, so when we got home he blew out the candle on his birthday ice cream...Extreme Moose Tracks.

His birthday present request?  A gift card to Barnes & Noble. 

That's my boy.  :)

Happy Birthday Ryan--I love you!

{hot air balloon festival}

The annual hot air balloon festival was this past weekend, and our family looks forward to it every year.  

We bring dinner, chairs, and blankets, then meet our friends for a delightful evening of socializing and enjoying the balloons.  The kids love being able to run around and play, watch the skydivers, and then see the balloons light up once the sun has gone down.  I'm pretty sure the whole entire town makes it out for this event, and I love the sense of community it brings.

It's always a late night, but it couldn't be more perfect.

Can't wait until next year!

{adjusting}

Adjustment takes time, right?

This morning I was wondering to myself exactly how long that adjustment might take, as I juggled the phone with one hand while talking to poison control, and frantically used the other hand to try and pour cereal for the four littles since the bus was within minutes of arrival.  I'm sure the operator was wondering what in the world was going on, since the two boys were crying, and the girls were clamoring to tell me about 500 things--what cereal they wanted, what kind of snack to pack, and asking if their favorite spoon was clean.

Fifteen minutes later the scene was significantly more calm.  Henry was deemed to be fine after eating Rick's deodorant, the girls finished their cereal and made the bus on time, and the boys were happy with their breakfast.

Breathe.

The adjustment for me has proved to be several fold... 

1.  From 1 to 3

Jumping from one to three children in school has been a little crazy.  The amount of paper alone that I receive home each day is staggering, and with two girls in the same grade but different classes, there is even more to keep track of.  I know lots of people do this everyday, but I feel like I want from 0-60 mph in about 10 seconds.

2.  Girls vs. boys

It's more complicated and takes longer getting girls ready for school. At least for me. I could comb Ryan's hair with my fingers in about 5 seconds if we were really pressed for time, but I can't do that with the girls.  Even ponytails take time, and I'm learning how much time that actually takes. Although it would be MUCH easier if I didn't have to stop every 10 seconds to keep a darling boy from eating toilet paper, putting things in the toilet, rummaging through my cupboards and drawers, pulling towels off the rack, dumping the trash over, climbing on the counter and turning on the water, or trying to pull on the hot curling iron.  All in one morning. As for me? I'm sure the other moms at the bus stop wonder if I ever wear anything other than pajamas, or wear my hair differently than two messy buns or a ponytail, lol. 

3.  Going to bed and getting up in the morning

I fully realize that I am not the first mother to ever deal with this, nor will I be the last, but it's been hard!  I'm hoping the adjustment to an earlier bedtime (after a fun summer) will come sooner rather than later, because they are all fighting it.  Ryan is awesome at setting his alarm at getting up, no matter what time he goes to bed, but the girls are another story.  Trying to drag their little cute selves out of bed in the morning has been a challenge, so I need to figure out a better game plan for the bedtime routine.  Truth be told, I have a hard time too, because I love to stay up late (really late)--it's when all my best work gets done--and that doesn't mix well with waking up early in the morning.

4.  And then were two...

Now that it's just the boys and me in the morning, we're trying to settle into a new routine.  Some things are easier, and others are more difficult.  I didn't realize how much the girls played with and entertained my boys during the day until they were gone--it's evident by the way they are acting with me and with each other.  I actually get less done now, because they are wanting my attention a lot more. The house is quieter, but it  seems busier.  On the other hand, going places and doing things is SO much easier. I can actually think about going to Target, and even the post office seems doable.  I also love that I can now take the boys out for bike rides, or even go running, where I couldn't do that with four little ones.  (while I'm on the subject, someone needs to invent a bike trailer for 4 kids...) I'm excited to spend more time with my boys in the morning, and then with the girls in the afternoon when they get home and the babies are napping. 

One week down...

{anniversary}

How does it seem like yesterday and like forever, all at the same time?

.....

I'm a lucky girl.

{first day of school}

Finally.  The day that had been anticipated for so long was here.

Ryan has been looking forward to school and his classes since the spring when he signed up for them--especially math and technology. Since we don't get to go to his first class with him any more, I had to settle for just one picture.  :)

(Okay, so do you want to know the whole story? Did you notice his socks?  When he left for school it was too hard to get a good picture, so I told him we would do it after school.  I forgot to do it right when he came home, so this picture was taken about 5pm, after I made him get his socks, shoes, and backpack on.  He was thrilled. These were not the socks he wore to school, but the only ones within a 2 foot radius of his shoes.)

Ready to go!

We took the girls to school on the first day to get them settled in their classrooms, and it was so fun to see them look around the room and see their teacher, desk, and all their new friends. We decided to place them into different classrooms, and it will be the first time they will be separated for any length of time.  It's the right decision, but it will definitely be an adjustment.

It was a bittersweet morning.  I don't know where the last five years went, but I do know they went way too fast.

The second day of school was also a big day, since it was the first time they would ride the bus to school. (Their new favorite pose, can you tell?)

Our bus stop is just across from our driveway, which is fantastic. We all walk to the bus stop together to wait for it, and it makes for quite the morning adventure. The boys are in {LOVE} with the bus.  Henry thought he was getting on with the girls, which was a little tricky, but overall the whole process went well. Emma was a little nervous to get on, but I walked her to the doors and she grabbed Kate's hand, and then it was okay.  It's nice to have a built-in best friend.

School days are here again!

{the last hurrah}

I keep saying that, don't I? 

Today really was the last hurrah, since school starts tomorrow.  We really wanted to do something fun, and enjoy not only our last day of summer, but the holiday as well--but we still had a lot to do at home, so it couldn't take the whole day.  We came up with the perfect solution.

We rented a surrey, and along with our friends, took a delightful ride through our old downtown, on to the rail trail, and through the park. We had the "suburban" of all the surreys, and with three rows, had plenty of space for all of us. Considering we have only three people that can help pedal, we didn't do too bad, and I definitely got a great workout--even little hills take a lot of pedal power to get seven people moving forward!  The kids {loved} it. The boys had the perfect view from their little basket in the front, and the girls were happy seeing the sights from the back. 

  

The weather was a little on the cool side, which took us by surprise since it's been so warm (92 degrees on Saturday!), and I realized that I'm going to have to get prepared for fall a little earlier than I thought.  I even had to borrow jackets for my boys, since they didn't have anything that  fit them from last year. But I have to say that the crispness in the air added to the feel of the day, and riding around all bundled up was just SO fun.

We stopped to eat at one of our favorite pizza places that happens to be downtown, and parked our surreys out front.  We ate, laughed, and the kids were remarkably behaved, especially considering there were so many of us. 

I'm so glad we could end the summer on such a wonderful day.  I still can't believe school is starting tomorrow. All the backpacks are ready to go, clothes are laid out, and the kids were in bed early.  The girls are beside themselves with excitement about school, riding the bus, their teachers, seeing old friends, and meeting new ones. I'm so excited for them to experience so many new things...

I just can't let them see me cry when it's time to say good-bye.

{in a hurry}

Scheduled to play the organ this morning at church.

In a hurry to get there on time after a crazy night and morning with kids.

Going a little bit over the speed limit.

Unmarked police car.

Didn't play the organ today.

(We won't talk about the fact that I was driving Rick's car, and that he doesn't keep his glove box in quite the same condition that I keep mine, and that there was no proof of insurance to be found in the piles of papers that I did find...)

*sigh*