Not me. Not this year.

School starts next Monday and I find myself, as I do with anything I’m not looking forward to, digging in my heels in a fit. I’d really truly like to throw a fit…lay down on the floor and kick my feet!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

It’s like being in some weird form of grief. Denial: No, the summer can’t be over already. August 1st CANNOT be next week. Anger: But I haven’t done everything I want to. You can’t take them back! Bargaining: ok, if we could just have a little more time I promise to get to the beach every day. I’ll get my chores done. I’ll work on their penmanship so they’re ready for school. And depression: why do anything when I don’t have time to do everything?

Still, this is where we are at (last stage, acceptance). Counting down….
1st grade….
2nd grade…
August 1st…

We’ve had a marvelous we have had a marvelous summer – full of adventures. Utah (read about their trip here, here, and here), beach dates, play dates with friends, Lego land, aquarium, slumber parties at KK and Papa’s, late night movie nights, dates with just Mom or Dad, fun at Goosey’s house, trips to San Francisco, Sacramento, Santa Barbara, and more pool time than I can count.

So it’s been a good summer. It’s ok for it to end, right? It’s ok to be grateful for what we’ve had and just move on, right?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

This Sunday we just took it easy. I am so glad since we start school back up tomorrow*. In the afternoon we had some inspiration from these guys and found ourselves elbow deep in a Rube Goldberg experiment (yeah, I’d never heard of him either).

It was a blast. Sitting at the kitchen table drawing out our concept. Rummaging through the boys’ toys and our art supplies for tools to make our machine work. Then spending a good hour setting it up, testing it out, and trying to shoot a video of it. I think it ended up taking maybe 8 takes – Eric thinks it’s more like 15!

In the end the time didn’t matter. Here we were as a family doing something together – something new – and enjoying the creative work!

Now you can enjoy:

Our Popcorn Popping Rube Goldberg Machine!

Our Rube Goldberg set-up:
A ball started by Walker rolls down the ramp and lands in a cup. The cup is attached to pipe cleaners that pull down the light switch to turn off the light – and the cup swings and hits a truck. The truck hits the dinosaur which slowly bends over and hops. When it hops it hits another car which travels under the chair. The car hits a toy gun which has been holding another car – that car slides down the ramp hitting a chair (held up by another toy gun). The chair falls down and hits the books which are lined up in a domino fashion. The last book his an airplace which has it’s nose pressed into the start button – and then, the microwave starts popping the popcorn!

*And while most of you are still “ooohing” and “ahhing” over the video – I just have to say – nothing makes me want to homeschool my children more than preparing to send them back after a break. When we’re in the middle of school I’m ok, but oh it makes me sad to think of them not here everyday exploring and adventuring with me. Ok…that’s enough…

Do you see all these amazingly adorable (and green) faces?!?

Oh the joy that is our playgroup. It is full of wild and wonderful boys and girls. W&W absolutely love when we can hit playgroup* – as do I since I get to hang with my favorite ladies.

We always do something fun- like this! We even had a leprechaun show up and hide a candy treat for the kids – they ran all over the park.

Later that day the boys got a package from their Grandma Steph – and as always she spoiled the heck out of them. They particularly love their green cars! Eric and I even got a treat – but he wasn’t home for me to snap a picture of!

*I’m still trying to figure out a way to convince myself that playgroup is valid excuse for pulling the kids out of school.*

Can’t say I’ve missed you. I’ve felt pangs of guilt for neglecting you (since September -wow!) but really life is moving too fast for even too much guilt.

But the other night we did a little game at the table and it made me want to share. Then I thought of you dear blog, and for the first time I missed you.

So here we are blog, back together. I make no commitments – but I am glad to have found you again.

Love,
Shelly

Three Things:
At dinner on Sunday I asked the boys to use three words to describe themselves, and then it evolved to everyone in our family. Some are funny, some are dead-on, some aren’t three words, but mostly it will just be fun to read in a few years:

Walker on Walker
playful
loves to learn
loves army

Will on Will
nice
uncommon
helpful

Walker on Dad
playful
good cook
adventureman

Will on Dad
loves his iPod
smart
playful

Walker on Mom
good cook
plays with me
cuddler

Will on Mom
hardworker
rich
cuddler

Walker on Will
joyful
loving
loves Star Wars

Will on Walker
funny
good player
shares

I do hope you’re a blog reader. If not, I have the slightest impression that somehow you’ll get this.

Right now my timer is ticking – counting down the minutes until I have to change the laundry. Listening to it, accompanied by the sounds of night falling outside, reminds me of how funny you are. How easily you manipulate time.

My SIL just had a baby – a gorgeous red-headed boy who’s pending arrival announcement still sits on my fridge even though he arrived two months ago. Another SIL is due in a few months. As we countdown to her baby’s arrival we count up the days that the boy has been on this earth. And time moves at such different speeds for each of those women. One counting the days until she meets her little girl – the other counting the days and milestones as her little boy grows. Some days, the same days, fast for one and slow for the other.

It’s strange how you do that. How you manage to allow my time at work to move so slowly, but fast-forward the time with my boys so quickly. The difference between how a morning moves depending on how you move the world Father Time.

It’s Friday. It’s nighttime. Both of my children are in bed. One couldn’t wait to let sleep take him. The other curled up with a book. When did that happen Father Time? When did he learn to read so many words – so much so that he now has a huge world opened to him. One that is currently taking him to Stuart Little’s house but will soon take him to Narnia, Oz, and more…

Quite frankly I want to be mad at you. I want to hate you for moving time so quickly that I’m missing things. But then I remember (and am grateful for) the times you move slowly. College nights with friends I loved. Days by the lake that lasted an eternity. The nights when my fatigue didn’t get me and I rocked my babies into the early morning. The times when I look at Eric and see forever. And the times when you move quickly so as to comfort – so that pain or grief or trial does not last long.

I guess in the end I’m not mad. Just a little sad. Sad that time doesn’t get controlled by me. That I can’t start and stop bits and pieces of my life. Perhaps if I could I’d update my blog more…or perhaps not.

And as if to mark the end of my post my timer has sounded it’s alarm. A new task, a new adventure, a new something must begin. Thank you for doing your job and for letting me have moments like this to value the gifts you give.

Love,
Shelly

PS: For those who do read this, I am sorry I’ve been gone. Eric has done some posting which is great. Life is just moving. Those of you who know me know what life’s details are – and those of you who don’t will probably find out on here over time. For a glimpse you can read what Tasha wrote here and here. What a blessing she has been for me and my kids…

We spent the evening at a little lodge in San Simeon. The boys enjoyed hopping from our room to Papa and KK’s. They really enjoyed watching the Olympics cuddled up with Mom and Dad. Before they went to bed.

Next morning we walked down to the pebble beach to relax, explore, and watch the waves. We had a great time, the trip was exactly what all our little souls needed. I wonder where the next adventure will take us.

Pictures after the break:

Now off to edit the video from the trip…

Gung Hay Fa Choy – Happy Year of the Dragon!

So when Walker started expressing a great interest in all things military I had to reevaluate my feelings.

Parents have the tough role of being battle pickers. Which fights do we engage in? What’s the bigger picture? How do we in fact win the “war” of parenthood to raise healthy, happy individuals?

Well, this is how:

By letting our kids win some of the smaller battles. By putting parental distaste and embarrassment aside and letting our kids walk out into public in clothes we might not fully appreciate.

I bought that shirt (thank you 99-cent store!). I put it in their dresser rather than their dress-up box. And I’ve happily been drafted into the battle of camouflage and I’m letting Walker win this one. In the end, letting him make the decision and have some control means I am winning the parenting war. And that’s a good thing…

PS – on days that I really hate letting my kids dress themselves, I do comfort myself by chanting “it’s only a phase, it’s only a phase, it’s only a phase”….