Boogie Wonderland

Julia, second from right, performing "Gettin' Better Boogie".

Boogie down girl!

Happy Father's Day

The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.

-Theodore M. Hesburgh

If this is true, then Paul is giving our children a great gift.  Last night as I lay in bed and listened to him sleeping, I was again impressed with what a good man he is.  He is unfailingly loyal to his family and is kind and attentive to me.  I suppose there are things to love about me, but there are also so many faults and quirks that he has to overlook.   I am grateful that he does!

Also, he looks good wearing a Baby Bjorn, eh?

I Love Kipper

Our unplugged summer has been going very well, thank you!  We've been busy with a dance recital, a scout overnight, swim lessons, and playdates.  

Recently on an unplugged day I almost caved in.  Seth asked me about five times if he could watch Kipper.  I love Kipper, and I was tired. But we parents know that if we give in once, it is all over!  So after repeatedly denying requests for Kipper, there we all were, playing with playdough, and having civilized conversation.  A-ha!  It worked!

Success in parenting is only seen in small moments, and those too few and far between.   Without naming the culprits I can report that just this evening we had a major blow up tantrum, burping (loudly) at the table, squabbling over taking turns, and some general disrespect.  But I still have a lot to be happy about... I just have to take time to notice.

Top Ten

Ten years ago today... an entire decade ago... Danny surprised us by showing up a little early. How considerate of him. He must have known I couldn't wait any longer! Just remembering that tiny, fuzzy head on my neck and those little chicken legs curled up on my belly makes me lovesick all over again.

We will honor this first double-digit birthday with two lists of top tens.
First: Top Ten Daniel Obsessions (If you know Daniel at all you will know that there is always something)!
1. lights
2. fans (ceiling fans being a favorite)
3. chimneys
4. garbage collection
5. Peter Pan
6. fire emergencies
7. airplanes
8. The Titanic
9. Weather
10. Harry Potter
Next: Top Ten Things We Love About Daniel
1. his passion
2. his laugh
3. a remarkable vocabulary
4. his detailed and copious drawings
5. piano playing
6. he likes to play baseball
7. he reads for fun
8. he can make a great sandwich
9. knows scripture stories better than his parents
10. persistence

...ok, really this is just a list of the top ten things that first popped into my mind. Of course there are others!

Raising Daniel for ten years has kept me on my toes and helped me grow as a mother and as a person more than I thought I could. There is a reason that Daniel came to our family when he did. Happy 10th Birthday Danny!

Local Color

We didn't have to go far to find excitement this week.

Our friends just got a duckling... what is cuter than a duckling, I ask you? Look at those tiny wings!
Julia begged me for days to take her to the Morgan Hill Cemetery.  The children were fascinated by this outing.  We were there much longer than I had anticipated.  How could we have lived here this long without knowing about Isola Kennedy?  Read her story here.
Our local booksellers (how cool is it that they are growing corn and herbs out in front?) were celebrating the owner's b-day with free ice cream cones and free books.  It's a small town after all, this Morgan Hill.  
There is nothing more beautiful on this green earth than a cherry tree bearing fruit.  It is a happy tree indeed!  We were invited to pick cherries at a neighbor's ranch, and I just finished pitting about 15 pounds of cherries!  The kids were cherry picking machines... we had plenty to eat and to give away too!
Best of all, we have been enjoying perfect 70-ish degree weather and I only really lost it once with the kids all week (patting myself on the back).  Cooler weather really agrees with me, I think.

Unplugged Day Numero Uno

Summer vacation has officially begun, kicked off by a kid's slumber party downstairs.  

Swimming at the rec center...

And today was our first "unplugged" day.  Did the boys try to sneak t.v. and computer?  Why, of course they did!  I never said it would be easy...
Today was a good day for our annual excursion over the hill to pick berries.  17 pounds of berries.  Strawberry jam anyone?
So unplugged was good today.  One down... hmm, how many to go???

Resigned & Resolved

First day of (real) summer vacation!

I am resigned to the fact that the house will almost always be messy.  The kids' feet will almost always be dirty. The living room will be used for fort-making.  Bedtime will not always be strictly observed. There will be more ice cream and popsicles and T.J.'s no-nitrite hot dogs. The same clothes might be worn two days in a row.  The hammock will be the preferred reading spot.  We will go through band-aids and sunscreen faster than I can keep them in stock.  Beach towels might not get a chance to dry before we have to use them again.  Sand will get emptied from shoes onto the floor.

I have resolved to look back on this summer with fondness and no regrets.  To create happy memories and closer friendships.  To take pictures and remember.  

Good luck to all of us!