me mid- transformation

i have to document this rather mindless and mediocre shot of myself because i never want to forget the feeling i had when i saw this picture!  i was pleasantly surprised that sans clever camera angle and sans flattering filter, my face looked skinnier!  having recently abandoned my gym membership- opting instead for weight watchers meetings- i've lost 16 pounds.  (though i still have a ways to go,) i'm anxiously celebrating and remembering me mid-transformation.

halloween 2014

it was THEIR year to decide on costumes (meaning mom didn't nod, prod, or entice them with a thematic family costume) and while i do really love them matching, i also enjoy seeing them claim their character of choice.  Jack loved his made-by-dad costume, Elsa stayed in halloween garb for 3 additional halloween days, and Kindin wrote a love note to mom saying thanks for her glamorous outfit.  and it was a wonderful, chilly night enjoyed with grandparents and cousins.

We also held our yearly 'neighborhood monsters' cookie decorating party.

carved jack o lanterns and created pumpkin people for a school project

and attended the school's costume parade

 (i also reminisced about my own halloweens trick-or-treating with cousins with years cold enough to be driven from house to house and, as i do every year, missed phoenix where a warm halloween is even more magical!) 

'i heard it crack!'

just 30 minutes after dropping kindin off at a rollerskating birthday party, we returned to the rink to pick up our very tearful sweetheart.  a dim report, 'I heard it crack!' sent us racing to urgent care.  dad had his hands full holding her tight enough to prevent all movements, lurches, and bumps that worsened her pain while i attempted to problem-solve the pediatric, preferred provider technicalities.  to my credit, i did alright- considering my brain turns to mush when i'm in a fight or flight scenario!  i don't get fearful or wheepy but i freeze and although completely aware of it, i just can't seem to clear my head enough to complete a sentence or task.  (my mushy flight brain has come out before in two other scary situations for kindin- 1.) the time i accidentally locked her in the car as a toddler in the phoenix heat and 2.) when she hopped on the elevator alone in downtown san francisco)  

meanwhile, kindin handled a broken ulna with absolute grace.  her whimper was quiet- disappearing as soon as she was able to feel relief from lying on the doctor's table.  she was even making some jokes through it all.  and after her first dose of ibuprofin began to wear, she fully intended to just endure the pain.  within 24 hours, she was back to her grateful self- creating a month of service she can give to others as a result of all this attention she's received!  this pink lover is one amazing girl!

like sunning lizards

my working neighbor recently asked me what me and dolly do all day together.  well, we are busy.  we do a lot and get a lot done actually.  but, if i'm honest, our most recent daily past-time is one of my favorites:

like two sunning lizards, we lie on the trampoline and chit chat. sometimes, we even take out a picnic lunch.  it's the perfect cure for the crisp, autumn air!  

when i'm a sister

most kids say, 'when i'm older,...' as a reference point for all the cool things they'll get to do when they grow up.  (for example, 'when i'm older, i'll get to go to school.' )  but not dalia.  dalia references time as, 'when i'm a sister,...'  and remains entirely unconvinced that she is already a sister.

a 'watch dog' like no other

there's few things more endearing than seeing your husband do crosswalk duty at the school.

and few things funnier than hearing that your kids playful father himself got into trouble twice during playground duty.  

the great extracurricular debate

one of my greatest unexpected parenting dilemmas has been extracurricular involvement.

i remember my first struggle with 'extras' being guilt for dragging a sleepy, napless #3 to #1's extras.  then, it was putting my foot down about keeping the kindergarten year free of extracurricular pursuits.  next, i found myself purposefully steering my child away from yet another dance class which i didn't feel was a good fit for her talents.  now, it just seems like there is an endless amount of 'extras' i'm saying 'NO' to because i value time for old fashioned play dates, chores, plenty of sleep, and even boredom.  (however, that doesn't seem to be the way everyone else sees it.)  in the near future, i anticipate the struggle to be a financial one- how do you keep extracurricular pursuits reasonably affordable?  as i interact with teenagers, extracurricular pursuits at their age can become a very difficult question of priorities- what do you do when extras interfere with church priorities?  and a little down the line, the debate will be about when obtaining employment and practicing hard work trumps the extras.  

i absolutely believe that kids need 'extras' to find talents, build confidence, and have a place to fit in.  i'm just surprised it can be so debatable.