and then she knew that you could become homesick for people too (8/2017)

These ladies right here! They were my saving grace during my young mother years.  They taught me how to mother, how to thrive in an otherwise flawed environment, and how to giggle through it all!   We've all left Laveen and life moves on without them- and often without noticing- that is, until we gather again.  I'm so grateful for my party planning friends who insisted we meet up for 4 days on Catalina Island.  We toured the island on golf carts, dabbled in snorkeling, held karaoke and dance parties, and laughed for days.   It wasn't until i left them (with tears in my eyes) that I realized that I'd been homesick for them!  I'd missed Tamra's candid conversing; I'd miss Jill's talent for fun; I'd missed Holly's left-brained flexibility; I'd missed Amanda's sheer goofiness; i'd missed Julie's quiet determination; and I'd missed Katie's psychoanalytic prowess.  So lucky to have these ladies right here!

bring on middle school (7/2017)

kindin started middle school this year!  She loves EVERYTHING about it - except an earlier start time.  she carpools with her two good friends and is the proud owner of a phone. (i very, strongly, unhappily, reluctantly agreed because school tests are administered through personal devices and she has a regular babysitting gig but for the record, I'm not happy about it.)  she has also seen the inside of detention already- i giggled uncontrollably when my responsible, overly anxious child earned herself a few minutes after misplacing an assignment.

These two, my first and fourth graders, have a new sort of camaraderie.  jack relishes in the opportunity to be THE big sibling and they now walk home with smiles rather than with arguments.

dalia felt a little panicked at the beginning of the year because her teacher talked so quietly (she doesn't but in contrast to her teacher last year, she sure does).  she is finding that she can read much bigger words than her classmates and has correctly realized it is from reading the scriptures every morning.  she is excited to add an extracurricular activity to her routine and loves tap class!

this year is a big homework year for jack and he spends lots of time plowing through it every day with mom. (writing is his very least favorite!)  but he often does so with a smile and it's kind of become a special bonding time for mom and jack.

chicaga! (6/2017)

when my overly generous parents offered to take us on an eichmann reunion, i pushed hard for the windy city.  (and am so happy my vote won!)  while there, we immersed ourselves in the best tourist traps: navy pier, lou malnati's pizza, the bean, millenium park, sue at the natural history museum, the museum of science and industry, the sears tower (sans heights-haters), the franklin lloyd wright house, portillo chicago dogs, and a new favorite - the sunset architecture boat tour with Garrett's chicago mix in hand.

what was particularly enjoyable was goofing off with my brothers.  the kids ALWAYS get to play but it can be rare that the adults have carefree moments together.   

all because these reunion-centered spendthrifts made it possible!

lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer (9/2017)

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer...  

very late nights, water balloon babies, parades, dad's frisbee championship, college for kids, a couple of glorious lake days, loads of ice cream, and free bowling.  

...you'll wish that summer could always be here!

the NOT lake powell trip (8/2017)

while most parents dream of disney excitement for their children, we've dreamed instead about the magic of lake powell on their cute, little faces! and 2017 was finally going to deliver! ... until, that is, the day before departure. with one dumb storm and a broken houseboat - accompanied with loads of desperate scrambling - lake powell was cancelled!  we still gathered for the family reunion, spouting affirmations like, "It was really about being together, right?"  (bless grandpa and omi who secured a cabin on the outskirts of yellowstone for us with only 12 hours notice.)  at the risk of being the spoiled brat i surely sound like, i'm afraid our fabulous trip to yellowstone-  complete with a close moose and buffalo encounter, plenty of time on the skiboat, loads of fun with cousins, henna and facepaint for days - will collectively be remembered as... the year we were supposed to go to lake powell.  rather, the NOT lake powell trip.  let me submit evidence, on behalf of 20 bratty family reunion members, that we did indeed still have fun:

... but it was NOT lake powell

mom's break from busy season (7/2017)

dave has a busy season (it's called 'april 15th' & september 15th and sometimes an elusive october 15 date that i still can't quite figure out).  mom has a busy season also and it's called summer.  summer, the time when life is put on hold in favor of an on-call schedule of kid carpools, swimming and social gatherings, and summer bucket lists.  lake lotowana comes right in the middle of 'busy season' giving relief and rejuvenation at just the right time. giggling & conversing with my truest confidantes, gorging on goodies, waking up to a calm lake, and wakeboarding til sundown are wonderful reprieves.  and much to the chagrin of the water police and mac's neighbors, us mommies savor every second of those 4 days away!

swim, swim and more swim (6/2017)

it's fair to say that the majority of our summers can be catagorized as swimming summers.  but 2017 topped the charts.  filled with angst that our youngest hasn't yet mastered independent swimming, we put our heart and soul (or shall i say wallet and savings?) into swim lessons for her.  we began early with a friend and eventually landed on an overpriced indoor swim school.  after having spent a few hundred dollars, we feel mostly confident in her abilities.

...and we're hoping she's ready to join these two for swim team next summer

"excuse us... 90's coming through" (6/2017)

dave and i don't subscribe to typical dating routines.  we started with date nights in when phoenix babysitters were sparse- preferring instead to sneak away for a motorcycle ride around the block.  now, with no motorcycle and kids staying up later, we're finding that we need date nights out. while there is a place for the occasional dinner and a movie date, we are usually looking for more original things to do.  recently, we found our old rollerblades...

...and  this is exactly us - dave is goofy and i laugh the entire time.  simply put, in our dating life, fun always replaces romance!