Best of the Beach Summer 2010

Lots of hazey & cold sleepy days this summer at the beach

...always an adventure

 

'Smells Like Teen Spirit'

Because Brayden just crossed over to 13!!!

Last night the girls wanted me to read them 'Love you Forever'   by Robert Munsch.  It instantly reminded me that this book speaks to Brayden... and if I want to ever see the tender side of him and in an indirect way express my deepest love for him....it's simple.  All I have to do is walk in his room, sit down next to him, and read him this book.  About 3/4 of the way through it, he just bursts out bawling... so much, so that all the other kids are just staring at him like 'is he for reals??  He's actually crying!'  And he is for reals, my tender and sweet little boy... who just became a teen.  And I  love that part of him.  I had to try it last night to see if that teen spirit still had that same tenderness and phewww!!  He does.  And I think he always will... even through the crazy teen years.  Knock on wood!

At the beginning of teenage-hood....

 Bray's Faves:

Color: Blue

TV Show: ESPN News

Sport: Football

Animal: Golden Retriever

Holiday: Easter

Song: LA Baby

Celebrity: Tim Tebow

Subject: Math

Car: Corvette

Restaurant: In-N-Out

Food: shrimp

Dessert: Mom's banana bread

Candy: Butterfinger

Temple: Salt Lake City

Thing to do: Drawing, Fantasy Football

Movie:  The Blind Side

Place to go: Utah, Seattle

Place I want to visit:  NYC... again

Book: Cover Up

Scripture Story: 2000 Stripling Warriors 

Thing Mom does with you: Cuddles me  

Thing Dad does with you:  Play football

When I grow up I want to be... an Architect, Engineer, or Pediatrician

Happy Happy Birthday, Brayden Dear... 

I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, forever & always, my baby you'll be.

Just Rest... HOW ?

How?  When, in the last 2 weeks we learned that...

Three kids needed glasses

Two kids need braces (both medical-necessity cases)

One kid needed 13 fillings (thank you, Menzie teeth)

Same kid needs 2 root canals 

One kid needs 6 teeth extracted

One kid needed a CT scan to rule out a tumor on the brain (ER visit this week for chronic acute migraines)

One kid needs surgery ASAP for a severe case of obstructive sleep apnea which requires 48 hours observation in the ICU prior, and at least 48 hours post ICU recovery ... in a hospital 1 1/2 hours away.

One kid needs another surgery on a few problematic cutaneous tumors (hemangiomas)... 

that she can't have until we resolve the sleep apnea with surgery

One kid has high cholesterol and needs follow-up and careful screening

One kid needs to see an Endocrinologist due to precocious puberty.... at six years old

One kid needs a speech evaluation and possible speech therapy

One kid needs an IEP because of her visual impairment

One mom's full-time job has become scheduling and managing Doctor and hospital visits... not to mention everything else any large family deals with

One momma needs a good night's sleep

And one family is ever-so-grateful to have insurance that covers all of this 100%.  Even if it means we're one of 'them'... the leachers, that is.  We all take our turn at some point and turns out.... we really needed it.  Blessings come in really round-about unexpected ways?  Perhaps. 

Lucky Girl

I just returned from a three-hour meeting to find...

Two loads of laundry done.  folded.    put away.

my bed made.    room vacuumed.    bathroom floor cleaned.

loft vacuumed.    dishes cleared.    countertops cleaned.  

Vivie's needs met... and there are lots.    Izzie picked up from school.

3 jobs applied for.  A hug, smile, and a kiss to greet me.

I'm a lucky girl.  

What other husband does that kind of stuff without the begging, coercion, pleading, bribery?

...and it's not just the unemployed kind of husband...  he does this kind of stuff each and every day because he knows that it takes two... and anything he can do to lighten my load, ease my burdens...he's on it.  That's the kind of guy he is. 

xo xo xo xo xo xo xo xo xo xo xo xo xo xo xo xo xo xo xo xo xo xo xo xo xo

First Day

There's something about going back to school on August 11th that is just wrong.  For the first time probably ever, I wasn't ready to send five of them away to be with teachers for the greater part of the day... everyday.  Maybe it's because of this... and specifically the realization that I only have a short while before the older ones fly from the nest.  Or, maybe it's because this is a a BIG YEAR...

first day of kindergarten for Isabella
first day of all day school for Alexandra
first day of king-of-the-elementary school 5th grade for Monson
first day of middle school for McKenzie
first day of 8th grade big-man-on-campus Brayden.  

Or, maybe it's because the mercury never tipped into the triple digits... until now... so it's just starting to feel like summer at the beaches.  Or maybe it's because while they drive me crazy nuts sometimes, they can also be a joy to go play with and I really like the company.  Maybe that's a bit of a stretch.  But for the record, I do adore them most days...   We did have a great fun crazy busy summer and playing cruise director was fun while it lasted.

I am super excited about the teachers my three elementary kids ended up with.   I chock it up to knowing the office staff... and them not wanting a repeat of McKenzie's experience last year.  I'm so grateful that all three teachers are the loving, nurturing, push-them-to-excellence types who actually embrace technology and communication.

I am often accused of being embarrassing with the way I take a bazillion pictures.  I just keep reminding them that someday they'll appreciate my antics... someday.

You can tell just how bright and happy Brayden is to be taking pictures with his siblings

 Forced smile... thanks, Bray.

Bray's backpack is duck-taped so it doesn't fall apart, but we won't tell anyone

First day of Middle School = scary and nerve-wracking, but she's cute and ready to go!

 "Mom, STOP!"

First Day of Kindergarten!!!!  Big day!

I love it that Monson is such a loving & protective big bro.

There's the pose again-- she can't help it.

Waiting... and waiting... for the gates to open.

Am I the only mom that doesn't cry when I send my kids to kindergarten?  Izzie is READY freddy.

Vivie wants in on all the action too

Vivie will not know what to do with herself without her sidekick

The first day is really an orientation day.  And it's only like an hour.  

So really, it's a gip for the kids... and mom.

All done!  Still happy about her first day of middle school

Ha!  Snuck another picture