Sand, Sun and Fun!

Here I am, a few days shy of a fresh blog, thinking about this past four day weekend.
The memories are new but have the feel of bursting bubbles.
Pop...
Pop...
Gone...
I'm waiting to chase another.

My family had it's first true taste of Summer. We didn't want it to end.
We fought off bedtime rituals on Monday night...
...Opting for one more evening of firepit S'mores in the backyard.

Tuesday?!
What did that mean?
School? Work...

For real?!

We are ready for Summer to sweep us up like one of the recent storms that have breezed through our neighborhood.
The countdown has begun...
12
11
10
9
8...
...soooo close.

I'm going to give you a glimpse of the playful antics that overlapped, creating our "fantastical four days" the best way that I know how...
...in picture language.

Chillin' out under a canopy of umbrellas on a rainy Friday afternoon...

...even the flies were slow.

Chloe saw the sun peek through the trees.

...then it was gone and the umbrellas became important again.

Sister "power struggles" were adorable and solved diplomatically.

Grace chose not to get involved. She was in love with her "tent."

The littlest sisters brought the fun onto the lawn...

They decided that the deck was better!

Mommy had alone time! It was the 1st voyage of the season.

I look serious but I'm really happy...I was afraid of tipping over with camera in hand!

Chloe is not part of Hell's marching band...We had the fire pit on full blaze.

Gracie pretended that her flashlight had mystical powers.

Goggles are the "new" fashion must have for Summer 2012! Julia's next.

Big Sister priviledges = S'Mores until you're sick and Staying up late!

Back to the beach...We found the best Indian paint pots...

...and put them to good use. We are now the Bear Bird Tribe.

To each his own... This made Jim happy. Each baby spot got water.

...Then it was back to the pool...
and the beach...
....and the pool!

Time Outs and Babies With Five Eyes

The conversation at lunch went this way:

Me: Damn it!

Grace: Mom! You just said a bad word.

Chloe: Mom, if you say a bad word like that, like dad again you will be grounded!

Me: Man, Chlo...You are strict. Not a time out first?...Straight to grounded?

Addi: (laughing from her seat at the table)

Grace: Yeah...grounded! What does strict mean?

Me: That you are very serious.

Grace: What does that mean?

Me: That you guys are harsh.

Grace: But what does that mean?

Me: That you will be tough parents someday...tougher than me. I'd do a time out first.

Chloe: No way! GROUNDED!

Addi: GROUNDED!

Grace: GROUNDED!

Julia: (smiled and laughed the whole time)

Me: (laughing) Boy, your kids are in trouble.

 **Here's the rest.**

Me: Wait, are you going to have kids?

Grace: I will, but I don't want to get married.

Me: OK. Addi, what about you? You don't want to get married either, right?

Addi: (1/2 smirking over the edge of her pizza)

 Me: (smiling back) Oh, did you change your mind?

Addi: Maybe I want to now...maybe!

Chloe:(very eagerly exclaims) Someday when Gracie and I live together and get married we will have to adopt a baby.

(Julia and I laugh)

Grace: I don't want to marry you!

After a lot of laughter I explained the facts:
Sisters are not allowed to marry each other.
Chloe was totally confused. She didn't understand why.
Addi then asked if brothers and sisters could get married.
I explained again...It's against the law
Addi then asked "WHY?"

My explaination: The babies will have five eyes.

??????...For real, MOM?!

Me: No...But it would cause a lot of terrible problems that we, thankfully, don't have to worry about. If you know any brothers or sisters that want to get married tell them that it's a bad idea.

...and that was that.
A lovely lunch time conversation during our holiday weekend.

PHOTOS: All of theses images were taken using the iphoto-booth app. on my laptop.
*1st Photo= Addison...three years ago.
*2nd Photo= Grace and Chloe...last September.
*3rd Photo= Addi and I...three years ago.
*4th Photo= Addison and Me...last night.

Gertrude the Fairy Fluttered Our Way!

I don't have much to say today.
A rarity, I know.
A few things have happened this week that are noteworthy.

*Grace lost her 2nd tooth!...This is amazing for a few reasons.
1) Because it was literally pushed out by the adult tooth that broke through the surface in record timing. One week it was loose and the next, BINGO, BOINGO...out it came.

2) This is the first tooth lost NATURALLY by Gracie. The OFFICIAL FIRST was knocked out by little sister, Chloe's head after a collision! An ER visit later and the tooth fairy was flying our way fast.
...Her Name is Gertrude the Fairy...Gert or Gertie for short.

Our Gertie likes to leave sentimental notes and money (of course) tucked under pillows.
I'm happy to report that all three of my little ladies get more excited over the Gertie letters than the cash!
...maybe I'm doing something right after all!
Grace asked if she could bring her "fairy letter" to school to show her teacher and her friends.
I said,"Of course!"---thinking that was one of the coolest things ever.
...like the millions of other cool things that I have kept catalog of over the years.

After school Grace reported back on the events of letter sharing:

"I had to put it away. My friends were grabbing at Gertrude's note and I was afraid that it would get hurt or ripped. So, not that many people saw it...but that's ok."

Gracie is such a responsible kid.
...or maybe she's just treasure hungry?!
...guarding her booty like good pirate.

The world doesn't need pirates. But I'm sure that it'll take a responsible, protective kid any day.

I need to report that the fairy note is now in a safe place.
Gracie has put it on top of her jewelry box.
... a true place of honor.
It now hangs out with her boxed, four leaf clover remains (it disintegrated, but is still treasure)

*Addi survived the movie Captain America.

...However she didn't make it through the night in her own bed.

She told me that her bad dreams were filled red faced, bad guys this time.
HOLY imagination!!
...and smooshed Mama and Dad.

* This week was Book Fair at the local schools.
This meant that I was out $60. in a flash. I can't say no to books.
The plastic, tiger, pointer paw that has come home 3X over is not a book.
What is this doing at a Book FAIR!?
JEEZ!!!...One more thing to cause bodily harm. I can't wait to see who gets whacked with one first.

Grace can now eat apples...and still thinks that her sisters are nuts.
...Addi isn't using her hands to eat her apple...one more talent.
...and yes, Chloe is  shirtless!

* Field Day...aka (the more PC title) Friday Fun Day... You know, where every kid gets an achievement award for participating and no one places 1st, 2nd or 3rd. (here comes more sarcasm)
This of course, because every child is equal, no one can be left behind, everyone is special, mediocrity is celebrated and kids that have a talent for sports are no longer allowed to celebrate success!!
Do you think something is wrong here?! I state this proudly and fully aware that not all of my children are "good" at sports and I was horrible at sports as a kid and never got awards on Field Day. I however, am all for ways that build character and allow our difference and achievements to shine.

...Ok...Next...

* I am on an organization mission. This means that I will be driving the entire family crazy and making many...I repeat... many...trips into the attic.

It also means that my house is in the middle of what looks like the Bible Belt during a fierce hurricane.

Julia beware! I may need some help.
I hope that my trusty sidekick is ready!

Kids beware...Mama is going to make you clean!!!

AHHHHH!!! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!!!!

PS...I lied. I had something to say.

Super Heros, Gray Men and A Wimpy Kid...

The tamest of the Zombies

What do you do when your oldest kiddo is a big ole' wimp?
Some help me with this one...pretty please.
I love her to pieces...Oh yes, I do...
My baby has got soul and she can groove,
My girl is a dancing Queen.
Her vocals are astounding.
She can sing with the best of em' and will blow you away.
She draws as if her hands were on fire!
...Moving fast and scorching page after page.
But man oh man...
...My kid is a wimp.
_________________________________________

We avoid "certain movies" in our house.
THOR can now be added to the list along with
What can I do when I'm half asleep, brain dead, a walking zombie and have to get up for the umpteenth time, dashing to the rescue because the "grey snow people" are coming after her?
or
"there was a noise out there!!"
or
"MooooOm!! I'm really scared! HELP."
...the dog scratches and she jumps, yells, waking me and no one else ...of course!
I don't like my big/little girl crying in the middle of the night and asking me if  I'm mad at her because I had to get up again?
OR
If I hate her?
OR
If I can pleeeeaase snuggle because she's not lying, she's really, seriously, scared of  sounds that she hears and the pictures in her mind from the movie!

I believe her and never think that she's lying.
I understand that she's scared.
I love snuggling!!
I don't love dragging my butt out of bed in a 1/2 sleep..
...1/2 understanding what she's saying.
Maybe that's the "mad" part.
I don't want her to think that I'm angry.
At 3a.m., I literally, don't know which end is up, taking more time than necessary for speech to register.
Would I rather be back with Johhny Depp on a yatch or cruising through the night sky with Thor, hammer in hand, the wind blowing us close together...
Ummm...
YEAH!

But I am supposed to be Super Mama.
Troubled children...never fear... Super Sleepy Mama's coming!!
I am the hero with a utility belt made of daisy chained hair ties, Mrs. Meyer's spray cleaner and Oxy Clean are tucked around my waist tightly along with a spatula and glue sticks. My mask is a crafter's dream and my cape, a stained, but well loved "nigh-night".
Did I mention that I wear a tu-tu and my fish nets are torn?
But I'll be there...
...come hell or high water if one of my babies cries out.
That, after all, is how I got this way...
...I'm dishevelled and proud.

Addi is just not an action packed, scary movie kind of a girl.
She's not a scary, action filled ride kind of girl either.
Our Addi is a Ferris wheel, carousel kind of a kid.
Slow and steady...no tricks...or things that "go bump."
She is incredibly visual...
-A blessing, but an over active imagination has a way of torturing its host!
Trust me.
I speak from experience.
There have been many nights where I have refused to go to the bathroom for fear that a murderer lurked behind a door, or in the shower...
....waiting...waiting.

Do Addison's worries hold the family back sometimes?
SURE.
But that's life...
...Grace refusing to ride a bike holds us back from certain things as well.
...Chloe wanting to be held a whole lot does the same.
They are kids.
We're a family.
It comes with the territory.
It will be years before Jim and I sleep together, comfortably in our own bed.
We get it.

Their willingness to try news things enables us do alot too.
We have been jumping and diving into water for years, thanks to my little fish...all swimming by age three.
We navigate rocky beach shores and go camping, fishing and on "girlie road trips" thanks to our adventurous spirits.
My house, furniture and yard are transformed into magical, often uncertain places because my girls image fantastic things and then bring them to life!
Roller Derby fever strikes every night thanks to active chickies on wheels!
Now I need skates too!
My kitchen is arranged "just so"...meaning all at certain levels in order for my little people to reach them. They have accerted their independence at early ages. They get plates/cups on their own.

The future holds endless possibilities.
This stuff is just "stuff."
--Bumps in the road.

Let me leave you with a special thanks to Addi, for allowing me to sleep in 20 minute increments and eventually return to my own bed, undetected ( at 4am).

Thanks to Gracie love, who slept planted on top of my legs, due to lack of bed space.
--She sweats...I felt like I peed in my pants when I got up.

Thank you to Chloe who complained about being "crushed" and "having no room" for what felt like an eternity. (I reminded her that she could always go in her own bed.- Lots of room there!)

Thank you to Jim...who did nothing but sleep. How did you do that?! Damn it!

Lastly, thank you to Lightning who scratched himself silly all night, leg thumping, collar jingling... and in the process scaring the hell out of Addi every time...So in that process, I was woken EVERY TIME!

--OK...I'm stopping now...The sleep deprivation is catching up with me.
4 o'clock tea is calling my name.
  Note to self: Wipe the counters after spilling tea. - I'll use my cape for the job.

Holy Star of the Week...We Made It!!

"Am I star of the week yet?!"

This, my friends, has been the BIG question ALL WEEK, every minute, every hour, all day and night.
Chloe has been waitning the entire kindergarten school year for it's arrival.
This was her moment as shining star of the A.M. Kindergarden class.
Many other stars have shone.
Now, it was her turn...
...or was it?

Chloe is literal...
You call it Star of the Week and she wants to be that star all week.
It was not called Star of Friday.

Live and Learn.

Somehow, Grace managed to be the star for the entire week last year!
If you know my Grace, you know that it is possible for her to captivate an audience, demand their undying love...
...and actually get it!

My advice to Grade K teachers around the globe:
When you "hype" up an event and get a five year olded "amped up" please be VERY specific as to what will be happening.
Don't leave the quiet, polite kids hangin'...waiting on cue for their moment to shine.
Believe me when I say my Chlo Chlo would have kept her bag packed for a month, with the hope that the teacher would some day remember that it needed to be unpacked, never uttering a word until asked or told.

Chloe is shy.
How a shy girl bloomed in my family tree, I will never know.
She is our sweetie pie.
Chloe Chlo has the heart of the bravest lion and the voice of a fuzzy, little lamb.

Beginning last Thursday Jim and I have been asked the same questions on repeat:

"Are you coming to school for my star of the week?"
"When is my star of the week?"
"In the morning, will it be my star of the week?"

If the teachers don't call it Friday Star I'm renaming it in my house!

Our Monkey is also a patient little soul....thankfully.
It would be quite a different blog if this were happening to either of her sisters.
I'm laughing, thinking about the imaginary scenes that would play out! Patience would not be involved.

She made it through the week after carrying her three favorite toys and favorite book in her back pack EVERY DAY.

Chloe's bag must've weighed an additional five pounds, which is a ton when you weigh 42!
She wasn't about to risk being unprepared when "her moment" came.
Have I described my youngest daughter as "a trooper" before?

...Well, you get it.

This morning Jim and I were reminded to be at the school.
Chloe was ready for the bus in a flash and out the door, weighted down by her bag, which now had one more book in it.
With every passing day something new has been thrown in.
Jim took the day off for the "Big Event."
Chloe had made him nervous. Jim, in a half sleep mumbled,"When do I have to be at the star thing for Chlo?"
I kissed him, said bye and spewed his orders at him.

The morning rush drew to an abrupt end and were were all in place.
I stared at the school clock, counting down the minutes until "Star Time".
The ending bell for my class rings at 9:28, giving me 2 (yes 2 minutes) to run to my car, start it up, cruise down the road, turn left, then right and into the lot of the elementary school.
Next step is signing in and running down the hall to the classroom (bad teachers, but good mamas run!), but that doesn't count in the timeline. Once you're in the building the Mama clock stops.
 ---According to my rules anyway.

I pulled into the lot and saw Jim's truck.
What a good soldier boy.
Daddy Dude rules!
At least one of us would be on time...It was 9:33.

The class was sitting pretzel legged (old school "Indian Style"...that's not PC anymore) in a huge oval, on the carpet. Chloe sat center stage with her Dad on the left and her teacher on the right.
She took one look at me and smiled.
My mania subsided.
I could breathe now.
The teacher announced my presence and pulled me up a chair, next to Chloe Oh.

Jim had just finished reading Chloe's favorite book: Alice the Fairy.
Kids looked happy all around.

Note To Self: Ask about story time. I am the designated storyteller of the family due to Jimbo's inability to speak in character and his ability to speed read. I wonder if he made fairy and kid voices?! Did the kids even understand him?
There I go, laughing to myself again! This should be good!

I made it for the All About Chloe Poster and Show and Tell.
We also had a fire drill smack, daub in the middle.
Here's the great thing about the little guys...They thought that this was the coolest thing in the world!

"Now Chloe had the best Star of the Week!"
"Everybody gets to see your Mom and Dad, Chloe!"
"Chloe's parents are going too?! Wow!"
"You get to meet the man in charge...He's the boss and tells us when we are good. (the principal)

...Then Chloe told us about all of the kids that were bad!
We know the Grade "K' run down down...good, bad and ugly.
They don't hold anything back!
Cute comments sang out and excited kids were hushed by their teachers.
Chloe walked quietly and proudly, holding both our hands tightly, Mommy and Daddy on display for all of the school to see...even the Principal.
It was absolutely adorable.
Jim and I helped usher the kids back in.
I don't know how the teacher does it...Yes, I know...i am a teacher too...but not of little guys!
--Totally different!
--The big guys kinda know to do on their own.
This teacher truly herds baby sheep.
I was sooo impressed.
I love knowing that our girls are in such good hands.

We finished up the poster talk. Everyone learned all about Chloe's favorite things and then got to see  photos of her.

--Big mistake telling me that "she could bring in as many pictures as she wanted."
Chloe picked 55!
Of course..I let her bring them all in too.
Chloe talked a little bit about all of "the stuff" and was allowed to take questions.
It must have been fun for little sister to be in charge
This was the 25 minutes that she had waited for the whole year.
I know she loved it with all of her heart.
It was written all over her face.
We loved it too.

I Hear the Beach Calling Our Names!

I started out the morning with a RANT.
It was a drearier than dreary, cold, wash out of a morning.

If more rain comes I will make more photos with ridiculous Text Bubbles!

The weekend was a tease.
Where is my Summer?!
Where are my long lost beach days?!
Will more spectacular afternoons like Mother's Day be ours again soon?
My children are going to go nuts soon.
We are all going to lose it if the week continues like this.

I am a lover of rain.
Days when I roam with my bubble umbrella and yellow rain boots bring me great joy.
The Earth needs it's water...
...Kids need puddles to slosh in.
...But come on!
Enough is enough.

I can't even garden in this.
Movie nights are getting old fast.
...So is crafting in the kitchen.
...So are the many nights of roller derby.

I long for evenings spent eating dinner in the backyard.
...For nights ignoring the tiresome bedtime rituals of Winter.

Give me my Summer escape!

Give me long days and longer evenings of riding bikes through the neighborhood.
....of playtime at the beach until the sun goes down.

What is better than racing home, 20 minutes before bedtime, the smell of the salty air clinging to our hair and sand in bikini bottoms that shakes out in a shower filled with giggly kids?

Are you ready for it?
I say, "BRING IT ON!!...IN A HURRY!..."

PLEASE...

My mind is racing toward Summer.
My feet wish to be planted in wet sand.
I miss the smell of kids lathered in sunblock.
My kayak is waiting, chained to the garage.

I have decided something.
The kayaks are going in the water by the end of the week...Do or Die!
I'll buy a wet suit if I have to, but I'm going in.
Whoooo Hoooo...Baby!!

I feel so much better now...
...and look.
....I got my wish.
Thank you Spring.
Thank you Summer.
The sun is out and the beach is calling.

TWO DAYS LATER:
My girls and I have enjoyed two bikini clad afternoons.
The tub was glazed with sand shaken out from tiny hineys.
Three bikinis, all of different degrees of "small" were left, soggy, on the bathroom floor.
The girls were sun-kissed and exhausted.
The sweet smell of sunblock lingers in the house.

Addi is eating seaweed, She said she wanted "to look hot!"
What is the world coming to?!

Chloe filled buckets with snails and shells.

Gracie had many unusual collections...as usual.

Chloe, aka Monkey, jumped, clung to and walked on Aunt Marnee.
Aunt Marn was very graceful. 

I am thrilled.

Fairyland...It's In My Yard!

Queen Mab feasts on red grapes and drinks dew from the magenta flowers.
Her loyal followers flutter about when no one is watching...
...peeking through our windows.
These magical, sprites dance and twirl in my front garden each and every night.
They seek shelter from storms and the darkness.
Faeries live in our yard.

This is what my children tell me.
This is what they believe to be true.

I believe them.
-------------------

Julia, Grace and Chloe were on the front lawn when Addi and I pulled up in the car.
Each was very involved in the project at hand.
Addi and I walked over and saw looks of determination on their faces.
They were focused and didn't wish to be distracted.
This was hard work...
...SERIOUS BUSINESS.

Faerieland must be completed.

"Just the right" sticks, flowers and leaves could only be used.
Each scrutinized by my mini architects and Julia.
Yes, Julia was heavily involved in this too.
...One more reason that I appreciate her. Her antics are much like my own.
...One more reason to beam with delight, feeling like the luckiest Mama around.

Right then and there I decided that Addi didn't need to rush off and do homework.
There was a faerie palace that needed her immediate attention.
Addi is a pro at picking flowers and leaves. She'd come in handy!

Julia took a break. I helped out while attempting to clean, take photos of the magic and cook dinner.
I use the word ATTEMPTED.
After a few hours of:
... building
... serious kid critiques and rebuilds
...cartwheels in the yard with Chloe (She says my legs went straight up every time!)
...my daisy's were plucked against my will (but looking good in fairyland)
...ripped leaves scattered on the lawn (they were rejected)
...overcooked chicken and undercooked corn on the cob (not a good multitasking day for Mom)
...a somewhat clean house (got that one right)
...kids ready for dinner (manual labor makes you hungry)
...a masterpiece for faerie living on the front lawn was done and awaiting inhabitants.

Peter Pan would be proud.
So would Tink!

Fairy House

The girls ran outside, sneaking near the dwelling at least every hour before bed.
Grace even got out of bed once and went out!
No fairy sightings.
This morning was more of the same.
I wonder if they slept?

Faerie Food

Food for thought:
It's been close to a century since two little girls from England took photos of faeries at play.
These images were taken while they played in the forest near a small waterfall.
Harry Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle themselves, believed in these girls, their images and in faerie folk.
Kodak camera company inspected each image that the novice photographers had taken. The company and its experts testified that the images were original, untampered, original photos and plates.
To this day no one has disproved this.

What do you believe?

Showing Dad

Finishing Touches

Faerie Checks!

Grace...Queen of the Pity Party.

For us, last week surely can be dubbed A week of Luck.  The weekend was spent, in part, counteracting jealousy and the lower than low feelings of one particular little girl.

By the end of the week, our Addi had found EIGHT four leaf clovers! Some on the school playground, others in our neighbors yard and one at Grace's friend's house when she offered to walk to the door and ring for her sister. Addi has dubbed herself the luckiest kid ever. I am in agreement.
--Feeling as if she's bound to set a Guinness record if this keeps up.
--Also saying "BRING ON THE LUCK!"

Grace had dubbed herself CURSED.
She was no longer content with finding only ONE clover, while Addi had found so many and Chloe had found two.
...my competitive little chickie!

My heart skipped a beat. I was sad for her, not wanting her to be so upset with herself for such a silly reason.
I was turning this one around fast.
Jim and I were on it!
The name of the game was Reverse Psychology.
We took turns over the course of an hour explaining how creative her luck was.
That it made her special...
...and made the luck that much more like her.
Her luck came from unusual places..
...and was found in different forms of nature!
Of course, this would make it more difficult to find lots of it, everywhere!
It was a rarer kind of luck than the average clover.
AMAZING!
Just like her.

Jim pointed out that, "She was only one of us to find her clover in a book, just waiting for her."

She raised a brow, interested, wanting more.
Come on Daddy...work your magic!
He continued..."That makes your clover even luckier. It was waiting for you for so long."

OKAY... She was hooked.

I had said the same thing to her five minutes ago on the lawn.
Grace NEEDED reinforcement.
Our Gracie girl isn't sold easily.
...never has been.
... never will be.
The Mom/Dad combo deal did the trick.

CRISIS AVERTED.

Images of us in red tights, shiny body suits and capes flowing in the breeze (with our perfect hair) soared through my mind in a flash.

The Dynamic Duo of Super Mom and Super Dad  had foiled the villain Pessimism again!
HooRAH!

We knew that Pessimism would return.
He sneaks into our Grace's mind at ease.
When the time came we'd be ready...

It helped that  Mini Me, our side kick Chloe was on the job as well.
While Addi gloated, royally pissing grace off, Chloe soothed her bruised ego.

"Don't worry Grace...I'll share mine with you."

"No. I want my own."

"I'll help you find one. There are so many."

...Chlo Chloe the Magnificent.
She always says the right thing.
--Makes her Mama proud.
--At the same time I hope that Grace will get to the point where the drastic measure and theatrics are no longer required.
It's exhausting!

I know that it is part of the Little Diva's personality though.
We just need to tame it a wee bit...just a smidgen.
Or our sanity will be compromised when she reaches her pre-teen years.

I'm happy to report that Saturday and Sunday were lovely.
Gracie went on finding luck in unusual places.
She saw the world with those rose colored glasses that she so adores, but for real this time!
It found her...
...at the beach.
In the...
... horse shoe shaped Indian paint rock that she found.
....with the two shells, that when placed next to one another made a perfect heart.
...on the orange lady bug that stuck to her like glue.
It wore SEVEN spots.

She glowed.
All of natures signs pointed to luck.
She was like her sisters after all.

I was able to witness this unfold.
...this story of new found understanding that belonged to my middle daughter.

When she's older and ever facing the monster, that is self doubt I 'll show her this.
Hopeful, that it will do the trick and kick Pessimism's butt.