Flip Side

 This girl just had her 7th birthday.  How is that possible?  I feel like I am in this weird time warp.  It feels like I just brought that positive pregnancy stick out to my husband, tinkering with the kitchen sink - pretending to act busy and not nervous.  And then him requesting that I do it again.  Because, you know, the first was obviously not conclusive.

But - then again, it seems like such a distant memory.  The first month of her life was hectic crazy unforgettable  a whirlwind.  Everything happened at such a rapid pace that I felt like I was standing still and life was blowing us by.  And now...she is 7.  Although her appearance, her height (your welcome), and development might suggest otherwise.  While we have a first-grader, it feels like we have been stuck in the sassy toddler stage for more years than desirable.  Some moments we got to enjoy for a much longer period than most...like the baby-cuddling stage.  And the learning to walk and enjoying that time where she was too small to dig in everything.  But, on the flip-side, we also get to enjoy the less desirable moments, like the screaming tantrum because her sock isn't on just right.  Or she has to sit in a high-backed car seat, instead of the front. (Seriously, what kind of parents are we to make her sit in a booster and keep her safe?)

I am trying hard to not wish away a stage of her childhood.  So, I will be thankful for the screaming match this morning, because it was just to much work to be dressed when the bus came.  

Or because Mom was helping instead of the babysitter.  

On any given day...this is what we look like.

We may not have it all together.  But together, we have it all.

Olaf Summer, I love Summer

Somehow, it happened again.  Time slipped through my hands.  Summer took over and something had to give.  And apparently, that was my blogging.  So here is a quick overview of our summer.  And I will hopefully get in routine again, when school starts.

Hope you all enjoyed your summer as much as we did.

APRIL

 First time bowling...they both enjoyed

 Rock n' Bowl

 Easter

 

 Took Justin to the gun range for his birthday...not bad from my first time.

 My family's FIRST family vaca....Arizona!  (For dad's 70th!)

 Our condo's pool

 Dad checking out the gift I made...( I should post the video too! )

 Boys.  They got a cool dad.

 "If we would have known grandkids were so much fun, we would have had them first!"

 Boat tour was gorgeous.

MAY

 Our new family member...Jacks.  He is a little like the Charlie(s) I grew up with.

 Mother's Day and my cuties.

 Who needs a handyman???

 Memorial day

 Oliver Kelly Farm with his buddy.  He loved it!

 Dress up day for school... Safari Day

 Western Day

JUNE

 Zoo with cousin Kaelyn

 Landscaping started for the new pool and deck!

 

 The first swim ... crazy kids, it was like ice.  Mine sat on the edge :)

 Finally warm enough to get in.

 Kamalee's first friend sleepover

JULY

 partied too hard...

 Makeup theif.

 More pool time.

 Kamalee at her first friend birthday party.

AUGUST

 My new car and a cute wax boy to top it off.

 Amy's birthday supper.

 And a very special birthday viewing at Vikings training camp...

 More pool.

Blanket fort on a rainy day!

This is a small portion of our summer.  We also made lots of road trips and spent a lot of time in the pool.  We also had countless therapies and doctor catch up visits...including their first dentist visit.  Boy was that fun.  

Onward to Fall.

Time Passing

Somehow, I think days pass faster as you age. 

When you are a kid, you are always looking ahead.

When I am five, I get to go to school.  I can't wait.

When I am 13, I will be a teenager...Cool.  And in middle school.  I can't wait.

When I am 14,  I can drive.  SO, can't wait.

When I am 18, I will be an adult and can live my own life and my own rules.  I can't wait.

Now, at 27.  (Yes, mom I can stay this age! :) ) I can't keep up with my everydays.  And they keep going too fast.  Somehow, I can only get back to blog every month or so.  And yet, it feels like I just had an entry.

At what point, does time change from feeling like it takes forever and you will never get to be that golden age that you can't wait for...to...an age where you barely remember wanting to get older?

I still feel like I should be wanting that golden great age where life is completely great.

Then, I realize, my life is completely great.

It sometimes takes other people's misery to hit you on the head and show you that your life is great.  

But, just so everyone knows...life is great.  It may not be perfect.  Or great 100% of the time.  But all in all, it is great. 

 And things can always be worse.

Plus, when you have created these two...

how could life not be great?

:)

We head off to Dells for IDSC Meet Up, in 3 days.

Can't wait.

Sploosh of a Day

Here, I sit in the dark letting my big supper and lot of emotions settle in my stomach.  A few days of 'excitement' leave me tired and bogged down.

Saturday, 2:00am, while others my age might be closing down a bar or stumbling home, we were cleaning puke.  That retching noise that wakes you a mile away.  Your kid trying to stop the upheaval in their tummy.  Kami wasn't able to stop it for about 8 hours.  She wanted so badly to drink some water but as soon as it hit her stomach, it returned up the chute.

Meanwhile, Jayse is suffering from a nasty cold bug.  There is nothing common about it.  Poor kids keeps waking in the night crying "eyes! eyes!" because they are so mattered he can't rip them open.  Last night, while washing his eyes, I noticed his lip and cheek looked like he was the newest member of the Chipmunks.  Worried he might be having an allergic reaction, I did what every mom does.  I stayed awake and watched him sleep.  

Morning came and I sent him off to a really great friends' daycare.  He plays great, eats and drinks.  Just looks like he was on the losing end of a toddler brawl.  And his nose is ready to run off his face.

A dear friend must have had a sense I was in for a rough day after my sleepless night.  She showed up with a hot coffee at work.  Sweet people we have come to know.  

But sweet quickly escaped when I learned my Grandpa had fallen this morning and broke his foot.  Due to his age and inability to operate, he is not allowed any pressure on it.  Which means he is gonna need help.  Which means the dreaded 'N' word.  (If you are were born prior to my generation...this is not what some people now call the 'N' word.)

Nursing Home.

Ugh.

No fun.  But it is what it is.  I wish I could be there to trash talk it with him and at least get a chuckle about the nurses or something to lighten the situation.  Hopefully, I can see him soon.

I make it home and try to unwind with my Bible study.  

Kami comes home.

Inside her backpack I find an envelope marked To the parents of Kami....that's never good.

But this is a new one.

Apparently, after an incident with another child at school, she was sent to the stop and think room and we were sent a disciplinary referral form to be signed.  While in gym class she struck another child in the face.  Twice.  Fantastic.  But then it goes on to say that they thought she didn't understand the rules of the game that was being played and she was upset that this other child wasn't giving the ball back that she had just given them.  

Hard to see that type of note come home.

Even worse when I am 75% sure she didn't understand what she did was wrong, that she even got punished or why she had to apologize.  

Whatever.  Move on.  Sign paper.  Exhale.

Hubby comes home and doesn't have time to take child #2 out of car before coming in and tossing his cookies.  

And as I typed the first sentence...Jayse comes wandering down the stairs with his dad's water cup...water splooshing in his trail.

Is it bed time, yet?

December Delights

 Kamalee first program.  She did great!

 My adorable Godson

 #twinsies

 cousins

 PAPA!

 KIKI!

 Auntie Donna

 All of Bubbles' and Papa's Grandkids (minus 2)

 Xander's 1st Birthday

 Jayse's 2nd birthday...Xander's 1st