Life

Just a few from the phone.  Finn turned a corner a month or two ago and is such a happier, sillier kid.  In hindsight... it feels like his first 18 months were ruled by sleep and food.  Now he's funny and goofy and so boy-y.... talking and growling and giggling the day away.  Tonight he was awful.  So there are exceptions.  But this boy is fun.

Soccer started last week and while it's still MISERABLY hot and hanging at the field for TWO games is ... twice as long and miserable as one... it's pretty awesome.  Watching Mila wear her uniform with such pride now that she's finally old enough to play, even if she does mostly just look at her feet and then over at us while the ball rolls by--- is amazing. And so entertaining.  And watching Sophia go full-on athlete on the field-- flying past the other team and getting herself in the mix at every moment makes me so excited for the future (when she can also control the ball enough to have a say in where it ends up), especially because of how it started a few years ago.  Oh my gosh that was fun.

Date nights are my favorite part of the week.  I look forward to those few hours with Ross (and none of our darling, wonderful, captivating kids) like nothing else. Those hours with Ross-- and food I don't have to eat in between cleaning smoothie off the floor and replenishing waters.

Is October really right around the bend?  Praying for double digit temps....

As of Late

Remember when we blogged almost daily? I miss those days.  I knew it'd get harder as my kids got older, and greater in number :/, and the diminishing interest in blogs hasn't helped.  And like all of us, I certainly know that living my life is more important than blogging it.  But I still catch Ross laughing and tearing up at old blog posts from when our girls were babies, and I know it's all been worth it.  I hope I can keep it going enough to record the good stuff.

The summer was so busy and SO fun.  Full of trips to San Diego and Orange County and a whole lot of fun in the sun here in the desert.  We did the library and the museum and the local hotel pools and McDonalds :/ on almost a weekly basis... We watched Finn grow a curly mullet and turn to one nap and become a wild and happy boy.  We used up every last bit of life in our three-year-old blow-up slide.  We stayed up too late and watched too many movies and ate too many desserts and didn't work on any site words. :/ But we did get a lot of our first long chapter books in... Wizard of Oz when mom did bed-time and Evertaster when it was dad.  We colored and painted and crafted till we dropped and played with friends almost every single day.  Summer was a hit.

And now it's September and we are back to school and carpool and homework and routine... the other kind of routine. Not the one that involved daily popsicles and movie-family-room picnic time.  But so far so good.  We got wonderful teachers and the girls are loving school so far.  Sophia gets nervous about it getting difficult... this girl's hard on herself and so aware if she doesn't get something right away.  Mila's feeling like a big girl since she's only four 'till November and technically in a "transitional kindergarten" program, which is in a normal kinder class.... don't ask... I've got tons of questions myself and no one seems to really know yet.  But she's got Sophia's awesome kinder teacher and two of her best friends and the transition has been seamless...

Above we have the beginnings.... some first day of school shots, Sophia's birthday morning, some our trip to Disneyland to CELEBRATE Sophia's birthday with Tanner and Kate, some happy Finn with food, and happy Finn who climbs into the tub clothed regularly, the girls trying on school clothes, one last hurrah at Tanner and Kate's pool before school started... and a bowl of cookie dough because it never fails to make everything better when life get's stressful.  Never.  The second I stir in the chocolate chips I always feel a wave a happiness wash over me.  Seriously. There's something there.