Double Digits

Some people say, "oh my goodness, 10!" as if they can't believe 10 years have gone by, but I have [most of] the memories to prove it!  As of the end of March my oldest child is now 10.

He still loves that chartreuse green, but wears other colors and looks good in all of them.  His shoes are officially as big as mine and he's over 5 feet tall already.  I imagine well before high school he'll be taller than me at this rate!

He wanted to play the cello this year in strings at school and has done really well.  The all district orchestra festival last month was so neat to hear.

As I missed last year's update due to being very ill, it's even more of a difference to look back two years.

I did get to be in his classroom a little bit this year, but 4th graders don't need as much outside help so I mostly did projects for his teacher.  He was always happy to see me though and give me hugs so I'll take it.

I totally failed on the birthday treat front and ended up sending Snickers to school instead.  And we had special cupcakes for the painting party so ice cream sundaes were had on his actual birthday.

Yes, I filled the bag with pretzels because he mostly already knew what he was getting and I am a silly mom.

This spring at school every kid in his class got an iPad so he's starting to learn his way around the digital world.  Time for lots of conversations about how life works, but thankfully he still talks to us most of the time.

He got to go on a special trip with Dad and he picked Seattle.  I'll try to get some pictures up (that he took!) sooner rather than later.

Buddy, I'm happy that you're doing well in school and always curious about how things work.  I can see a scientist or an engineer (or whatever you want to be) in your future!

Chug, Chug, Chugging Along

I realize elementary school music programs only matter to parents and grandparents, but they read this blog so here you go...

Cory was so proud he had a line to say at the program tonight.  He was the only one that didn't get a costume, but his line was more narration and the other kids were representing the lines of the character they wore.

The theme was something to do with the railroad and historical songs chants and songs that the slaves would have sung.  There was Harriett Tubman, Abraham Lincoln, a peg leg Joe, and a conductor.

I know the blanked out faces look weird, but I wanted to show the background (and of course my kid will always be standing in the back row!) and they were all too cute!

He also had a part where he played the xylophone, but I missed it as one little sister had to go to the bathroom and I'd already made her wait for him to say his lines!

Then little sisters stole my camera focus by helping put away all the folding chairs.

Yes, the chairs were pretty much as big as they were, but they did a really good job either carrying or dragging the chairs over to the rack for us to put them up.

Eight!

My oldest. Some days you seem so much older than eight and other days I can't believe you're this old already! Where does the time go? (oh yeah, to your little sisters!) You're so great with them!  Now you just have to learn to tell them apart!

This year hasn't worked out for me to be in his classroom nearly as much as I'd hoped.  And maybe he's getting too old for that, or his teacher is, he was ALWAYS happy to see me!

When I showed up with the birthday treats they were playing with things that spin.  Quite fun!

A little birthday song from the class complete with "cha cha cha's".  Cory has been doing well in school, as long as he's not being social with his neighbors!  This one likes to talk, a lot!  I'm thinking he got that gene from his daddy.

I'm glad he's super curious about the world though.  One of his favorite radio shows is Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me on NPR.  And if he's in the car I have to turn off the fade so he can hear it in the back.  We talk about the things that we hear on the news and I'm glad that he wants to understand.

I think we have the makings of a tradition.  Chocolate covered marshmallow treats for birthdays!  Super easy to make, unique, and a hit with the class!  This year I took pictures so I'll put up a little tutorial for you on Monday.

There was no skiing with Nana to be had this year since our snow was awful.  But he's gone mini-golfing this weekend and had a special day with Nana and Papa.

Last week Noah requested salad for his birthday dinner and when I described chef's salad he didn't want that, but Cory decided he did.  So chef's salad for dinner last night.  I have two boys under 10 and they both requested salad for their birthday dinner...!

Last time we measured he was 4'7", up to my shoulder, and his feet are already bigger than Nana's!

This boy is unique in his own way and I love him for it!  Happy Birthday Cory!

Wordless Wednesday: Salmon Festival

My mom usually just takes the boys to the Salmon Festival, but this year due to scheduling conflicts we met here there.

After watching the Reptile Man's show the boys wanted to pet/hold the animals.  Noah has a boa constrictor above and below the alligator is petting Cory's head.

There really wasn't that much that the girls could do, they mostly rode in the stroller, but I thought they might like the costumes.

For the .3 seconds they would keep each one on I managed to get a picture of Joy in this flower costume.  Next year baby girls!

Uncles are Cool

On Father's Day we had lunch with my parents and then crashed a BBQ at my brother's house (he invited my parents and didn't realize we were there too!)

After everyone was appropriately fed the kids got to check out the bulldozer he was using to level some ground.

Even the girls had to get in on it, but when he was going to start it up they came off and good thing too as Joy started shaking in my arms.

We were standing in front of it, but about 15 feet back, but I guess it was too much and she was pointing back towards the house so they went in.

The boys however... got a ride!

And then they got to drive!

I don't know anything about driving a bulldozer, but I guess there are multiple things you have to do at the same time.  So they got to work the pedals.

Watch out, little man driving!

I love how you can just see Noah's eyes over the top!

Having a cool uncle around is fun stuff!

Worn Out

Is it just this time of year I wonder?  The fact that everything needs to get done in the next week and a half before school's out?

Or is it more.  Have I taken on too many projects (again)?  I'm facing a summer where we will be gone more than we're home and it's scaring me a little bit.  I'm reminded of 2009 where we were gone for 3+ weeks and slept in 7 different beds during that period.

If I'm so tired going INTO summer, how will I feel at the end?

I don't have any margin in my life right now and as cute as my girls are, they are twin terrors at the moment.  I can't take my eyes off them for 30 seconds before they will get into something (all the wipes out of the box, eating the chip or pretzels or cereal they can find, coloring on anything that isn't paper).  I can't baby proof my entire house and even if I could I'm afraid they would still find something to get into!

So most days I take a shower while they're eating breakfast if I have to go somewhere, if not, it's more like lunch or nap time.  Oh, and that's after I've spent an hour sitting in their room so they will go to sleep and not climb the walls or wake up the one that has gone to sleep.

I think I'm whining at this point, but I'm not sure where to start.  By the time they are asleep I still have mountains of laundry or ironing or maybe letters that should be written, but I have no energy.

I want to hope that this is just residual effects of the garage sale this weekend - you wouldn't think sitting around for 2 days was that tiring, but somehow it is!  But I'm afraid it's more than that.

Garage sale Cory

Someone who had twins told Brian they didn't remember the first 5 years of their life.  I'm afraid that may be true and I still have almost 3 to go.

I guess now you know why the blog has been pretty neglected lately.

It's the End of the Year

And all those awards and special programs to go with it.

Last Wednesday was the awards night at Awana:

Noah had his first year in Cubbies.

Here they are all showing off their singing skilz.

Such a ham!

Cory had his first year in Sparks although he was in the second year because we skipped last year with the girls.

He did get his whole book done and started the second one so we might be able to get one and 3/4 books done next year and finish on time!

Daddy helped with the oldest age group and they were very proud of him!

Thursday all the first graders put on the Ocean Commotion music show at school.

Cory did not have a speaking part, but when I went in that afternoon to help in his classroom they discovered that one of the kids who DID have a speaking part wasn't going to be there that night.  His teacher asked me if we were and gave him the line.

We worked on it on the way to his eye exam and then home.  He delivered!  Loud and clear and with plenty of attitude.  It helped that it was a line about sharks!

Part of the way through the hat got pretty hot so he took it off and was swinging it around...

Then when he put it back on he did this...

My son, the fish head!

And this one is the natural ham so he needed his photo taken too.  It's very sad that we are going to be out of town the week there is a drama camp for 4-7 year olds next month...

I guess they come by it naturally, their Dad loves acting!

It's Finally Spring!

And we have been doing a TON of things outside the past couple of weeks!  Let the annual mountain of photos begin...

First stop, river train with the MOPS group and Nana.

Joy was NOT happy about the fact that she didn't get to sit with me and couldn't really see me...

After one ride the girls were done.  Even in my lap Hope was whimpering a bit.

But Noah proceeded to ride the train 4 times in a row and probably would have kept going if they hadn't been done for the morning!

Next stop (same day) a hike up the side of a hill with all the 1st graders in Cory's school.  Here he's got deer hooves in his hands. (and it was just me, Nana took the little ones back for lunch and nap time - they would NOT have made it on this hike)

And a part of a deer hide.  It was an outdoor education type field trip and the perfect day for it.  I'm glad we went on Tuesday rather than later in the week when it was in the 80's!

Lots of volunteers just letting the kids have some exposure to things some of them may not otherwise see.

My little mountain man! 

Last stop on the field trip was collecting bugs... I'm rather glad that none of the kids found much, but an earlier class found a scorpion!  I didn't even know we had those around here!

Thursday, the hottest day, we met some friends at the park for lunch... and these two were smart and found a shady spot to eat!

Friday we went out a little earlier and met some other friends.  This park is more shady and smaller to keep track of the kids, but it has more climbing options...

My little daredevil!  And yes, it really is as high as it looks.  No fear!

Best buddies at the park!

Goofy girls, finally figured out how to pick up their feet so their shoes didn't catch on the slide and they could go down FAST.  They didn't want to leave.

I have a feeling we'll be getting to know all the local parks again now!