Yesterday I was cleaning the basement. Let’s be honest, it was a mess. After half a week of spring break, with no school, no cleaning, and sibling slumber parties, it was like a hurricane had blown through, leaving toys and clothes strewn in its path.
So I started my work. I didn’t feel like putting up the fight of making the children do it themselves (although I know I should have). Instead, I banished them to the backyard while I worked. Every once in a while they would come in “to get something” and I would bark in my most grumpy-I-mean-it way: Stay outside or you’re going to have to clean! or You better not be making a mess upstairs or else! or Do not come inside, you have to play outside!
After having barked adequately at each child that they actually believed me and had stayed away awhile, I was just finishing up Olivia’s room (the last of my cleaning for the afternoon) when I picked up her bed canopy (which had fallen down last week). Underneath I found a red kitchen towel, folded neatly. I unfolded that to put away what ever she was hiding.
Inside I found an Easter cake – a precious remnant of last week’s treats. They had been gone for days, so I thought. The first thing that came to my mind was “She’s hiding treats, the little turkey!”
And then, beneath that I found a coloring book. Olivia has been making coloring books for a while now – each one stapled together with little illustrations on each page.
And then I read the cover -
“All about me – Olivia. For Mom, Happy Easter” (Or something to that effect, I’ll requote this on Sunday).
Then I read the coloring book (I probably shouldn’t have, but I was instantly charmed and couldn’t put it down.)
The book told all sorts of interesting things about Olivia, complete with darling illustrations.
And then, beneath the coloring book, a card for me, telling me I was the best mom.
And then – there I sat, on the floor of Olivia’s room, my kids, scolded to trepidation to stay outside, and me, with a home made gift Olivia had concocted on her own, days before the holiday, wrapped and securely hidden away for its grand presentation on Easter morning.
And in that moment I felt at once both two inches tall and like a superhero all at the same time.
And it reminded me (again) – (and again) – that having the house clean is not nearly as important as having lovey happy children.
So I went right upstairs, and packed the lovies up, and off we went to IFA to get the seeds I had promised the kids I would get them so they could plant their own garden this weekend.
I sure can’t wait for Easter!
*I’ll update this post in a few days with pictures of the dear little book.
“You forgot the question mark” was the first thing he said when he saw it.
“No I didn’t. It’s more of a statement than a question.”
On Monday they spent the afternoon preparing our valentines – signing their names, over and over and over again, each one for a different friend.
For Family Home Evening we made sugar cookies, and decorated them with pink frosting. Each love frosted their own. Everett had patience for only one shmear and set about eating his. Olivia made sure the frosting covered all the cookie real estate in neat even strokes. And Calvin spread his thick, thick and globby.
The next morning, with Olivia at her kindergarten party, valentines autographed from the day before, a special treat for her teacher to boot, and Cal and eJo happy to play with Ila who came to visit, we set about making more cookies. Because who doesn’t need more cookies?
Chocolate chip to be exact, Wyatt’s favorite.
Later, Olivia, Calvin, Everett (and Ila) went to a neighborhood valentines party. More signed goodies, more treats coming home! During the break I took Wyatt a little gift of home made cookies. We promised no valentines – but home made definitely does not count. (And then he broke the treaty and brought me home tulips. Two Lips – it makes me smile).
And then the little loves finished their party, and home we went for a sugar crash. Daddy came home early to play, and with a little dinner in our tummies, we set out to give valentines to all the friends in the neighborhood we had missed.
And when it came bed time the kids went to sleep without a peep, happy and high on sugar, exhausted on activity.
Today was baby Sunshine’s big birthday. Olivia was so excited for her big day. She’d been counting down all week. The other day she told me she was a little scared to be six. But this morning she brilliantly observed that it turned out being six wasn’t too bad – it felt pretty much the same as being five.
For breakfast we had pancakes, a special treat from our usual waffle fare, with chocolate chips and whipped cream made into smiley faces. We relaxed and spent the day playing. This afternoon I took O for a special treat at the Sweet Tooth Fairy and then off to choose her own ice cream, something she’s been looking forward to since Calvin’s birthday.
Then home for a dinner of her very own choice – Macaroni and Cheese! Cake and ice cream and gifts and then off to the movies to see Cars 2.
Wyatt takes O and Cal to movies on a fairly regular basis – at least once every couple months. But I have not been to the movies with the kids since before Everett was born. They were enchanted, and the spell held through the entire movie for Olivia. Calvin and Everett each lost attention at some point though, so I spent part of the movie walking up and down the aisle and chasing kids out by the refreshment stands. It was worth it though for the first vision of my little lovelies sitting on the booster seats when we first arrived, their faces lit up by the glow of the screen, their eyes big as saucers as they watched the beginning of the movie!
After the movies it was home again and off to bed, baby ducks. Of course, as we were driving out of the neighborhood, on our way to the movie, Olivia was talking about her next birthday party – you know, the friend birthday party. Wyatt and I giggled – mostly – about the expectation we have established with our kids: immediate family celebration, extended family celebration, neighborhood celebration, friend celebration, at our house, birthdays last a long time. And Olivia is ready to soak up every ounce of the attention.
The Principal awarding Olivia her pin and certificate at a school assembly.
Dear College of My Choice
Not too far from home
Because if it is, my mom will rent an apartment right next to me
Just so I won’t miss her too much
You have a lot of awards that are given every year at your university. You need students to win those awards. This is where I come in. I will win all your awards. I have been doing it since kingergarten.
That’s right. I earned THE FIRST award ever possible in my academic career – the first award given in the first year of my formal education. And it’s because I am awesome.
And respectful. The award was a school award for a student who exemplifies respect. It came with a school pin and a certificate. Of course, I expect your awards come with scholarships and living stipends.
I am sure your university is a great place, but imagine if you can, how much more fabulous it will be if I am there.
Calvin: Mommy, it takes a long time for you tummy to get small. As long as it takes for a new baby to get here.
Me: You’re right. But my tummy is already a little smaller right? (I mean, didn’t he notice?!)
Calvin: Yeah, (then, pointing directly at my chest) but those aren’t smaller!
Conversation between Olivia and an older couple admiring baby Andrew and baby Mason:
Old man: Those are sure cute babies. Where can my wife get one of those?
Olivia, matter-of-factly and nonchalantly: At the tummy store.
Calvin and Alexa after primary:
Calvin: Alexa, we learned about sharing in primary today. It’s important to share.
Alexa: Really? (Alexa’s mom is Cal’s teacher, and she knew that the lesson was on friends, not sharing.)
Calvin: Yeah. So you should share your candy bar with me. It’s good to share.
(All I can say to this story is: Is that Wyatt’s kid or what?!)
Calvin seems to have (FINALLY) moved out of the stage where he needs constant supervision. He seems to know the rules, and doesn’t destroy everything in his path (very often). But just as he’s moved out of that stage, Everett is moving right on in.
Last week I was upstairs feeding the baby, while everyone else was downstairs. When I came out, I heard water on. I went into my bathroom to find the water on, the sink clogged and water spilling over the sides, down the cabinet and onto the floor.
I went downstairs to find Wyatt and found that it was raining in my downstair bathroom (directly below the upstairs one).
Last Saturday night Wyatt and I went downstairs after the kids were “in bed.” When we came upstairs we found a trail of Fruit Loops down the hall, culminating in an entire spilled box in front of my bedroom door.
The next morning I was half asleep, but heard Calvin and Everett get up. Remembering what happened the night before, I got up, and went and tied up the cupboards and fridge, before returning to bed to sleep in.
Later Wyatt got up and got the kids breakfast – cereal and milk. But he forgot to tie up the fridge when he was done.
Later he found Everett, covered head to toe in sour cream, an entire block of cheese in his room, and an entire box of margarine (that I had just bought the night before for Dutch Oven Brownies that we were supposed to have later that day) in various clumps around the house.
Well, lovely Wyatt cleaned the boy and mess up, but he forgot, again to tie up the fridge. Later, just as it was time to get ready for church, I came around the corner to find eJo happily cracking the last of a dozen eggs on my kitchen floor.
As a final hurrah we went to the Dinosaur Museum one last time. It was, as always, tons of fun. Afterward we got ice cream played in a kid water feature that I never knew existed until Emmett showed it to us. Lovely end to summer.
7:00 a.m. came bright and early Monday morning. Baby Sunshine got up and ate a healthy breakfast, got dressed in her new school outfit, patiently sat while I braided her hair, checked and rechecked her backpack for the important things, and then, was ready for her first day of Kindergarten.
Olivia rides the bus to school. This has been, perhaps, the most exciting part for her. All summer long she has anticipated the day she would get to climb the steps onto that giant orange beast, and sit, with her friends on the black vinyl bench seat and wave goodbye to her mamma – heading out on her own adventure, on her own.
We joined our street of parents and kids, and walked down to the bus stop, where we visited with other neighbors and children, waiting, so excited, for the bus to come.
I’d like to say (for my own gratification) that when the bus finally came, Olivia was overwhelmed, and clung to her mamma for comfort and reassurance. But she didn’t. She was full of confidence and excitement. She barely even looked back as she climbed those steps.
We waved goodbye, and then raced home to jump into our own minivan to race up to the school to greet her when she climbed off the bus, and was ready to go to class.
We met the other children her age, and took pictures as she waited for her time to go into the classroom. The teachers put name tags on each child. When each kid was duly labeled, they were instructed to wave goodbye to their parents, and off they marched, into the school that will instruct her little brain in all things academic and otherwise for the next seven years of her life.
That afternoon we met her at the bus stop. “How was your first day of Kindergarten?!” I was so excited to hear. But she didn’t actually have much to say about it. I asked what her favorite part was, who her friends were. She seemed to like her teachers and her classmates. But now she wanted to play.
This year Olivia will start kindergarten. I’ve already spent my tears on this reality.
Not only that, but my buddy, SuperCal will start pre-school. I will miss him so much.
So it has been a busy two weeks trying to get them both ready for their new adventures while taking time to enjoy my little Roo and also their last few days of freedom.
I started a tradition last year of a back to school dinner. It was a lot of fun to do last year, and so I planned another one this year. But, are you surprised, it was even BIGGER this year!
The theme for our 2011-2012 school year is “Seek Learning” from the D&C – because the first step in education is wanting to be educated. I know Olivia and Calvin both have a thirst for knowledge and a pride in their progress, so I think this will be a great focus for our year.
This year’s dinner featured:
Lime Chicken Tacos
Spanish Rice
Summer Salsa
Corn on the Cob
Watermelon
Raspberry Lemonade (real raspberry lemonade)
& Summer Peach Pie a’la mode.
YUM.
Our theme is "Seek Learning"
I decorated the table with all things kids - and I laughed at this vignette.
Our beautiful flowers were provided by my dad.
Our table with Olivia & Cal's back to school gifts - friendship balls. (I made the gift boxes myself!)
In preparation for school to start, I told Olivia she would be doing her kindergarten testing. I meant for it to be exciting – something to look forward to. I’m not sure it had that effect. All week she prayed to Heavenly Father in her nightly prayers – “Please help me to do well on my test so I can go to kindergarten.” I explained to her that it wasn’t that type of a test, and that she would get to go to school for sure. But still, every night she prayed.
So today I took her to her test. My mom watched the boys and just Olivia and I drove up to the school. She got to meet her teacher, and then took the test, which took all of fifteen minutes.
Afterwards we went to Old McDonalds because there was a new playground and Olivia has been asking to go to it for weeks. I think she was pretty happy with the whole event. And it was fun to spend some special time with my girl before school starts.
I’ve been looking for a new video camera the past few days. We bought our old camera five years ago, with nary any research. It was for Wyatt, I think we got it for his birthday, or father’s day or something. The idea was I’ll be the photographer, he can be the videographer of our lives.
Anyhoo – long story short, the one we got recorded to those mini-dvd’s which only fit in our old PC drive. The old PC has gone the way of the earth. Now I don’t have a way to get the files if I use that camcorder. We need a new one – one with good optics (Wyatt suggested just using our phones – grrr).
Any suggestions?
In the mean time, I’ve been looking at old home videos. Happiness is Oliva at age three.
Calvin started swimming lessons today. Olivia would have too, but you know, impetigo.
Anyhow, he did great – blowing bubbles, floating on his back, smiling for his mamma when she wanted a picture. Mmm . . . sunshine and babies. Is there anything better?
Wyatt came home early, ready to play! We rode 4 wheelers up and down the street and around the neighborhood looking for people to play. We found Jill and Alan, who came over and had home made ice cream in the shade of the tree, and the kids ran around playing freeze tag in the sweltering heat.
Later we decided a small fishing trip was in order. We packed Calvin’s new pole, and the other gear, and decided to try our luck at the Discover Park pond – which is about a mile down the street from grandma’s house.
As it turned out we had great luck. We caught no less than four fish (maybe more, there was part where I left and took Olivia and eJo to the playground, leaving Wyatt and Cal to do their thing).
Each fish was admired for what it was: TINY.
The kids enjoying torturing each fish with pokes, and prods before throwing it victoriously back into the pond.
Wyatt enjoyed being stuck by flying fishing hooks a couple times, and mamma enjoyed keeping the kids from falling in the lake (Cal did fall in up to his knees, thus the under-roo pictures later).
Afterward we went to grandma’s house for a jump on the trampoline and Moose Tracks ice cream cones. I have a theory that the amount of crud on your face at the end of the day is in direct correlation with the awesomeness of the day. As you can see, it was an awesome day for these kiddos.
I have heard the snide, the non-parents, and the unimaginative say that pre-school graduation is overkill. To them I say bleh! Preschool graduation is a celebration! A recognition of accomplishment in young lives, and the acknowledgement that they are ready for greater things.
Like kindergarten. *Sniff.*
And you are ready for kindergarten. You are ready because you can check off all the kindergarten ready markers from the list. But more than that, you are ready because you are kind. You are generous. You are thoughtful. You will be a great student and friend, and you are ready for big things.
Oh, Dear O, the Place’s You’ll Go!
(If you're 7 months pregnant, and wearing a mumu, try squatting to increase attractiveness)
“We were talking about Heavenly Father, and I asked Calvin what he liked about Heavenly Father.”
He cocked his head to the side, gave a thoughtful hmmm, and replied, “I like that he made Home Depot.”
Wyatt came home as I was making dinner. Calvin and Everett gave him his usual rock star greeting, but one child was missing. Wyatt went to find Olivia.
He found her down in her new room, laying on the floor, on her tummy, looking over a book.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Reading my scriptures of course. This is my favorite part.”
She had her (illustrated) scriptures open to 3rd Nephi, where Jesus appears among the Nephites.
I had a great idea – pictures in the orchard when it was in full bloom. The only problem – I live forty miles from the orchard, and I never know when it’s in bloom. I drove down one day with high hopes – after all, everything else was in bloom – only to find it dull and lifeless still.
So we went to the castle up the road.
And the kids played, and I conned them into sitting for a few pictures against the beautiful rocks of the castle.
So we must live, while these moments are still called today, take part in the pain of this passion play, stretching our youth as we must until we are ashes to dust, until time makes history of us.
Artsy Fartsy
Now I’m on Instagram! {Even More Pictures to Take}
As a final hurrah we went to the Dinosaur Museum one last time. It was, as always, tons of fun. Afterward we got ice cream played in a kid water feature that I never knew existed until Emmett showed it to us. Lovely end to summer.
