There's nothing like seeing the last 6 months flash before your eyes as the pictures are finally downloaded onto the computer. Here's a quickie of highlights from the last 6 months with the hope of more blogging consistency to come.
We went to a Mary Poppins sing along at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood. Sadie came down with a fever at the last minute. She was a trooper and all of us took turns holding her.
We celebrated the 2014 Sochi Olympics with a family competition. We had athletes from Canada, Sweden, USA and England. I don't exactly know where the ref was from. His accent was kind of muddled.
The Pop Shop lady visits when the cousins are together. This time Wrigley handed out the popsicles. He really is the world's most patient dog.
Valentines Day came and the girls delivered treats to their teachers. We went ice skating in 90 degree weather and then had our 4th annual "That's Amore" pizza shop night. Per our tradition, everyone drew on a mustache... well, almost everyone. Jon Knutson didn't need the eyeliner pencil. He has the real deal.
Read Across America proves to be one of my favorite school traditions. Of course, a few of the kids from Rosie's class whose parents couldn't make it settled on to our mat and leaned up against Ron and I wept through Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy.
For Christmas, Santa signed Rosie up to be in a production of Cinderella. She made her debut as Jack the Mouse and Lady in Waiting #2.
These 2 dominated the Spirit Run this year. Mom ran too but I wasn't nearly as cute... or as fast.... or as enthusiastic as they were.
Easter.... we dyed our eggs using all natural dyes... cabbage, blueberries, spinach.... our kitchen was fragrant.
This spring, we found ourselves overwhelmed with gratitude that we get to live in this beautiful spot. We have an amazing community, great friends, good jobs, family close by.... much much more than enough. Grateful for even deeper roots being grown and this still Small Whisper that told us, "I need you right here."
Releasing butterflies each year is the most fun!
Rosie's school schedule put us in Bass Lake for only a long weekend to visit Ron during staff training. We'll take anytime we can get- especially if it includes breakfast at the Forks.
No better way to celebrate Father's Day than Danny's. Or, as the girls call it, Pizza Daddy-O.
,We celebrated father's day and my mom's birthday with some San Clemente fun.
Sadie celebrated her last week of school in the Ladybug's class with an ice cream party and a performance. She loved her teachers, painting, playing outside with her friends and reading stories.
Rosie wrapped up her 1st grade year with gas in the tank. She had an incredible year... a magic teacher, good friends, lots of fun, lots of books, Dad and Mom teaching PE on Fridays, field trips... lots of joy when it comes to school. The picture of her teacher saying goodbye to her almost brought me to my knees. That's why God created big sunglasses... so I can discretely cry through all of the milestones. So happy to have my girls home for the summer and have lead feet when it comes to sending them off in the fall.
Summer is finally here!! We kicked it off with a Angel's game. It happened to be half way to Christmas and we all got Santa hats.
Sleepover with the cousins. The feature film was Tinkerbelle but I think everyone but Rosie fell asleep half way through.
Happy 4th of July! The girls were in a little parade that goes around our neighborhood. Later we BBQ's with the Hunts and the Crantzes. So much fun!
Both girls are loving their chosen activities... Rosie is at gymnastics and Sadie is swimming. You can see Rosie on the bars about midway up the picture on the right.
The first day of Sadie's class she was supposed to "dolphin swim" across the pool and didn't exactly like it. She looked at me with teary eyes and a quivering lip but persevered through the class (thank goodness for those big sunglasses again. I can choke up in secret.)
She practiced the dolphin in Mimi and Papa's pool over the weekend and then marched into the pool the next week with her goggles on like, "Bring it, Miss Kaley. I'll show you the freaking dolphin stroke"
It helped that she had taken a digger on her skateboard and had a bandaid on her forehead making her feel extra tough.
Rosie is her happiest at camp. She loves everything about it. Her counselor, Twist is the most fun ever. She loves every activity... she looks forward to the climbing wall and the pool the most. Somewhere along the way she lost her tooth and came home looking like she was 8. They just keep growing up! Most of the time I'm ok- I keep in stride with them and do my best to nurture and encourage but sometimes I find myself I feel myself trotting alongside shouting, "Wait for me! Slow down!"
And yet... off they go.
Dave, Gayle and Caleb came for the weekend. Sierra is getting ready to move from Pennsylvania to New York where she'll start a graduate program at Columbia. She's crazy smart. Gayle showed me her thesis and there was a word in the title that I had never heard before. The title... not even into the introductory paragraph and I'm already lost. Humbling.
Caleb is so sweet. He's incredibly thoughtful, caring, smart and fun. He has a peaceful presence to him... he's one of those people that you want to be around... just to hear what they might say. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree(s) I guess :)
ANNNDDDD.... he was the first person under 23 that I have been around in the last 7 years that wasn't absolutely connected to his iphone. I was like, wait, you actually want to have a conversation with us? You're not texting under the table? How refreshing!!
OK, when did I turn 80?
Anyway, we had a great time... beach, good conversation, paddle boarding, walks... perfect weekend.
I promise to blog again within the next 6 months. Thanks for looking at our marathon scrapbook.
Rosie and I read, Because of Winn Dixie this summer. If you have not read that one... go get it from your local library right now. It's such a good one.
The main character's father is a preacher... burdened by life. He prays a profound prayer at the end during the gathering of a rather motley, but genuine group.
Dear God,
Thank you for warm summer nights and candlelight and good food. But thank you most of all for friends. We appreciate the complicated and wonderful gifts you give us in each other. And we appreciate the task you put down before us, of loving each other the best we can, even as you love us. We pray in Christ's name.
Amen
