"No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow." ~Lin Yutang

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Summer is winding down

I'm blown away that our summer break is less than 2 weeks from ending!  
I'm looking at a map to pick out some day hikes or fun picnic areas to take the kids next week each day.  It's our week where we have to get used to going to bed at 8 -instead of 10- and everyone will be needing to get up at 6:45 -instead of ...8-10ish.  Wolfie got up at 1 today!  
It's going to be a rough week, but if I take the kids out and wear them out, that will help some.  The tough part is winding up at 8 when it stays light for another hour!  I say that now, but I haven't gotten up before 7 since Turbo's been born!!!!!!  Either way, we will have to do it!  
We got the kids school supplies this past weekend and the kids were all excited for a new pair of shoes.  Can you believe I bought new shoes for those girls who just a month ago had so many shoes they didn't have a place for them?!?!!!  I cleaned out their closets and made them get rid of everything.  Two pairs of summer shoes (one dressy, one water/play).  Three pairs of shorts, one pants for camping.  Five shirts, one long sleeved for camping.  Both Binkles and boo together got rid of almost two full garbage bags of clothes!!!  I did it in attempt to keep their room cleaner.  ... It hasn't really helped.  ðŸ˜”
I can't think of much else.  

7/27

We had a great and productive day today.  We started building the fence barrier between the front and back yard for mackintosh.  
Last week I planted tomatoes.  This week I bought a grown one just in case the little ones didn't grow fast enough.
I also planted flowers in all the pots.  Otterpop took half of them out of the yard until the fence is up.  
The kids are attending another vacation bible school this week.  That will leave me and turbo by ourselves (unless Wolfie is home from work) every day this week from 1-4!  
Otterpop also got this crazy idea to paint our nails today...  That was fun!
I hope you have a nice week.

7/27

Mr James' son, "2Scoops" has been staying at our house the past few weeks.  
Last week we had a very busy week!  Monday we all went out riding for the first time since long before turbo was born.  I even got to ride for a short bit.  Wolfie brought her new friend.  
On Tuesday we went to the pool ALL DAY LONG!  It was wonderful.  I even was able to help Starboy swim for a few minutes.  It's a good thing too because he forgot his life jacket once while we were there and jumped in the deep end without it.  Thankfully I happened to see him and ran out to rescue him (actually I had Turbo on my shoulder, so I had a boy that was in arms reach of him grab him for me).  That scared the crap out of me!!!!  But not him.  He just quickly got his life jacket back on and was back out within seconds, while I tried to regain my composure.
On Wednesday Nana's sister aunt Donna came up for an unannounced visit with her son, The Loof, and grandson, Mikey.  I also got my first-since-Turbo grocery shopping trip accomplished.  Turbo did great in all three stores!!!!  I've tried grocery shopping multiple times with him only to have to leave early as a cry session starts with the babe.  I think he's finally getting used to life!
Thursday we went up to the D's cabin in cascade.  It was so beautiful.  We hiked, picked huckleberries, played at the beach, and ended with dinner over the campfire.  
I can't remember if we did anything on Friday or just recooped.  
But Saturday we spent the whole long day shopping for school supplies.  Two more weeks until school starts!!!! 
We've been communicating with the Chinese girl that we're welcoming.  She arrived in America today, but has a 2-week summer camp in LA to attend before coming here.  She should get here right before school starts or even the first day.  Her nickname is Apple.  She chose it.  We will see if it sticks.  The kids are excited to meet her.  She is very excited to meet our family.  I hope Tge rep can find her a family soon though.  2scoops finally left today.  All if these visitors really make me miss Danke.  We've been keeping up with her pretty well through email. 

7/18

On Friday -yesterday- we went to drop Jones off for the weekend at gramma and grandfather's house.  We were supposed to hang out with uncle and aunt's family but they got overwhelmed with the amount of busy and cancelled.  It worked out for everyone.  Great-granny also had exciting plans that didn't pan out so she was delighted to join us for our plan b!
Binkles, boo, turbo & I have a spa day with the Girl Scout troop this evening.  I'm not sure what it all will entail, but I think it's nails and making hair clips along with pizza and social hour.  None of the Girl Scouts have gotten to meet the little one, so I'm hoping a lot of girls show up.
Nana just called earlier and asked for the other kids to spend the night at her house.  
Wolfie took work off yesterday and today for the motorcycle class that we bought her for her birthday.  Otterpop and mr James got her a street bike to ride around.  I'm pretty nervous about that as I'm nervous with her driving just cars and pickups...  I hope she stays alive!!!!  It's a great class though.  She said she knew it all already and was very sore from riding all morning this morning.  
I can't think of anything else. 

7/15


Wolfe and I are trying to start a Monday/Wednesday workout schedule.  It's at 9am.  On Monday they do a boot camp workout.  On Wednesday they do a Zumba workout.  I'm not excited about Zumba but wolfie is.
We made it to the pool twice this week.  Ms. Bridgette invited us to their community pool yesterday and today was out at ms. Rhonda's.  The weather has cooled down dramatically and it is perfectly LOVELY!!!!
I planted some tomatoes and am looking for some herbs that thrive in the shade for the side of the house.  I am praying that mackintosh leaves the tomatoes alone.  Otherwise I might just turn him into ketchup!
Binkles and Boo and grandma mammy had a great time at GS camp!  And we had a real fun weekend without them!  It was so nice to have otter pop off work for three days straight!
We haven't been dirt biking.  Otter pop has loaded up his off time with motorcycle side-work.  That's a bummer now that my belly is gone and Turbo is doing well.
Turbo turned two months this last week.  He's doing really well.  Binkles and boo have been anxiously waiting for me to teach them how to change a diaper.  ...weird girls!!!  But he's getting stronger and less fragile. They are able to pick him up and hold him now.  Not Starboy and buttercup though, of course.  He's gained 2 pounds and is in size 3-6mo clothes. He coos and giggles at us daily.  
Jones is talking about joining a swim team.  Binkles wants to do soccer.  I've been talking to the school office ladies about starting s Girl Scout troop at the kids' school... IF I can find enough volunteer help.  Otherwise we might not do GS this next year.  
Otter Pop is kinda looking into helping with a Boy Scout troop for Jones and Starboy too.
Wolfie is working lots!

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Just when I thought...

We try to go swimming every week.  I have life jackets for starboy and buttercup.  I have starboy his introductory lessons last year, but now with a new turbo, I'm not ok with him just being free.  I'm not really ever in an arms reach of him.  He's VERY quick and he's the biggest daredevil I've ever known.  He does flips off the side, even with a life jacket!
However the life jacket is almost counter-active in the kiddie pool.  So I let them go without in the kiddie pool.   So that they can get used to playing in the water and actually trying to swim.  Practicing, if you will.
Today starboy was going back and forth. Jacket on and off...  He and jones were playing together in the kiddie pool and then darted off before re-jacketing!!!  I had just been handed a crying turbo, but off I ran after them!
I got to the deep pool to -sure enough- see a panicked starboy kicking his legs as frantically as possible, trying to get his head up high enough to yell.  
There was a big boy -teenager- in just an arms reach from him.  I yelled, "hey!  Grab that boy for me would you?!"  And saved his life!!!!
I was shaking so bad!
I grabbed him out of the pool, thanked the teen, and told him to come sit with me.  He grabbed his life jacket and was off playing again before I knew it!  It didn't even phase him!  
On the way home I let everyone know how scary what happened really was.  I tried to let starboy know how close he really was to death...  Sigh...  And we all prayed a thanks to God for saving his life!  For giving me the right eyes at the right time!  For putting a big kid right in the right spot!  

Sunday, July 5, 2015

7 weeks

Turbo is seeing clearly now and he's become very interactive , cute, and fun!!!!

He's still cute as ever doing this too though:

Friday, July 3, 2015

Independence From England

This is our 4th of July tradition we innocently started many years ago.  I've gotten more artistic as the years go by.  Looking at my work... I think I might have a career ahead of me by the time all 4 girls are grown!!!!!
We've been having fun with nails this summer a lot.  Here are some more pics:
& one bonus: