The BIG reunion

What do you get when you cross 88 Cleavers with one huge lodge?

1 money dig

fun games with the 2nd cousins (or is it 3rd cousins?)

water balloon fights

rock climbing

song skits-in this one, the highchair is being used as a podium

awesome numbered shirts--that's Grammie, she was the first member of the BIG Cleaver family.

lots of swimming

not pictured here:

late night games

many, many meals

kids in the game room

the ponds

early morning exercising with Aunt Steph

volleyball
Uncle Jeff on the wrong side of the rock wall

Zach and Will scrambling to save Jeff on the other side of the wall

another birthday

Katie turned a whopping 9 yesterday.

After a long and hard sick weekend we barely got her dinner, dessert and presents ready in time.

It was Katie's off year for birthday parties so Carl and I took her bowling, which was her date of choice.

sweet socks!

She wanted sub sandwiches (thank goodness) and ice cream sundaes (so glad she didn't ask for a cake) for dessert. We are so behind that she didn't even blow out candles--nobody noticed.

Psst, mom and dad, just so you know, you got Katie a scrapbooking kit. She loved it, you can tell by the expression on her face, no just kidding, that's when she didn't know what it was. She really does like it now.

10 days summary

I was more efficient in those 10 days my kids were gone than I have been at any other time in my life. I was worried I'd find myself moping around after a few days of missing my kids but it turns out I didn't miss them as much as I expected to and they didn't miss me AT ALL. For journaling purposes here is a list of some of the things I did. It was nice to have a variety of projects.

I sanded and spray painted this:

met for lunch and a little shopping with this witty and very real friend:

went on soooo many dates with Carl, even if a couple of them started at 9pm. This was by far the best part of the 10 days. I love that guy!

did some much needed clothes shopping (its this type of shopping the kids hate the most.)

painted this:

did ZERO cooking--we did budget $100 for eating out which was a gift from Carl's boss.

made this reversible apron, which turned out to be a pain in the neck:

listened to Footsteps in the Dark (while I did my projects) by Georgette Heyer--not the romance I was expecting but the mystery was good.

Spent half of one day with Grammie, who just happened to be in town. We rested and watched after our shopping trip:

attended the temple a couple of times

looked up some ancestors at the family history library

dejunked a whole bunch of things that have been sitting around since the move

finally hung a couple of pictures:

here's the list I didn't get to:

organizing and labeling the food storage

mend the projects in my sewing box

take stuff to kids consignment store

paint table and chairs

I guess I'll start on those as soon as the kids go back to school.

10 DAYS

10 days of:

no messes
projects
no making dinner
few dishes
projects
no yelling
little cleaning
did I mention projects?
NO KIDS

The kids are:
sleeping under the stars
playing legos
playing with kittens and dogs
apparently getting along
not missing mom (says Alex)
going on dates with Mimi (grandma)
having lots of fun

This is day 3. I've worked unusually hard until this afternoon when I curled up on the couch for several hours and watched movies and ate potato chips. I'm going to have to work up some will power to get back on schedule tomorrow.

words from Grant

"dat not wiwee nice"

(that's not really nice)

"you in biiiiiiiig twouble"

(you're in big trouble)

"Mom, hoe jyou me"

(mom, will you hold me? or hold me now!)

"hoo(n)k" (really light on the n)

(look)

"just a widdow bit mom?"

(just a little bit mom? - always in reference to candy - answer is usually no)

"I hit you mom"

this is what he says when he's mad and because he's strapped in his car seat he can't reach me

"I'm peeding"

(I need to go to the bathroom quick or there's going to be an accident)

"I'm Gumming!"

(I'm coming)

"When I'm biggow like Ouwex"

(When I'm bigger like Alex--always talking about being bigger)

"My name Gwant"

(My name's Grant)

Grant reading the funny papers

RELEARNING LESSONS

You know those lesson you seem to be always relearning. Here's my most common:

YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY LIKE YOUR KIDS ENOUGH TO DO STUFF WITH THEM

Much of the times they become obstacles to me, making it difficult to get MY STUFF done. Every few days I remember to like them. I mean loving them is a given right? We love them and would be so sad if anything ever happened to them but liking to be around them is a little harder. EVERY TIME I remember this, I set out to play with them, take them somewhere THEY want to go (as long as it doesn't cost anything) and DO what THEY want to do. I find myself saying YES more to "will you play a game with me mom" or "can I do some sewing." The crazy thing is, I FEEL so much happier when I do this and THEY FEEL so much happier and usually don't fight as much, because dang it they finally feel LOVED.

Father's Day - a little late

When I started wrapping a couple gifts for Carl on Father's Day afternoon the kids got their gifts together too.

Here they are:

Alex: 1 lego book end, some odds and ends and his favorite Frog lunch box

(a shell from Katie's collection)

Katie: part of her shell collection.

Jordan: painting (is it a Fiedtodon or did he have a different name for this creature?)

Grant: a coloring page

It amazes me how willing these guys are to give last weeks precious STUFF as gifts.