Pool Party (post 2 of 2)

We've had a wonderful few days of cool weather and rain...but today the temperature jumped all the way to 96...okay - if you're in the shade its still beautiful.
I hiked Emmanuel Pines trail with Kris (and El' in the front pack), decided I need new shoes, otherwise my shin splints are going to render me disabled.
Took the kids to the pool. I am going to embrace the rest of summer and not consider it over despite the myriad of texts and emails from my father trying schedule the upcoming holidays. I love the holidays, don't get me wrong...but I really really like summer a little more :) And who can think about the Polar Express when its hot outside??
So almost everyday of my summer was spent taking kids to the pool (except for the childbirthing part) - we even convinced Matt to join us one afternoon. I tried to spray him with sunscreen and he ran away. He was seen later that night with a wet washcloth resting on his roasted head. Hmmmm.

*These were all shot with the 70-200L...no other way to capture & zoom high-action.

Matt had a pair of sunglasses in college that were blue...just making a note here.

We loved having Kathleen there to play!

2 months - Ella

I hiked Thumb Butte with El' today...I found it difficult to put one foot in front of the other...next time we go up the grandma side first (no offense to grandma's--I feel your pain)


She had her first extended quiet (1.5 hours), happy time this week. So nice. Perhaps we will get a few more and maybe some smiles and some talking...maybe that's pushing it...maybe we used all the happy time up for the month...who knows...

Hmmm...here's something we don't see everyday! I'm sure its just her belly trauma...not the fact that she despises earth and was forced to come out only to get kicked in head by her older brother (pictured above) or to have her cheeks (which are plentiful) squished and called "fat cheeky"...none of those things would be the reason for hysterical crying during the day (she sleeps good at night though...most nights...)

The HAIR....not the face or body...just the HAIR bares a strong resemblance...that's all I'm saying...

I'm going to have to go and find the Land Before Time dinosaur for Indy, a little Native American in a papoose for Laina and Benjamin Button for McLaren...just to even the playing field.

Camping.

After the long narrative of the "Great Defrost of 2009"...I'm going with less writing and a few more images. Nothing perfect or pretty about them...just good ol' fun times - day wasting with the family - lovin' dirt - in the beautiful Aspens in Flagstaff. If my father-in-law hadn't shown up with his camping rig - I'm not sure how we would've eaten....
No...he did not want his picture taken...Yes...she did.



If you aim the camera and rapid fire...the subject can't help but laugh.

No comment necessary.

Cheetos are a MUST for an enjoyable camping experience...Cheese Balls can work as a replacement if no cheetos are around.

I'm not sure how you avoid giving your child a complex, when you dress her in outfits with the words "Baby Phat" on them??

Hey honey...can you snap a picture for me?

Hike.

Went on a hike. Beautiful.

Not just any "MANIC" Monday...

It was a

Terrible.

Horrible.

No-Good,

Very Bad

Monday.


Even Australia wouldn't have helped. But some Bangles probably would have...why didn't I think of that???


It was so bad that its taken me this long to recover from it and to bring myself to even write about it. But I have 2 vases of flowers from the men in my life (husband & father) that showed up and let the sun shine.

**This is as far as I got on Thursday...I was interrupted by the 4th day of fever with my 3 year old...

Now it's Sunday - my fun day...my I don't have to run day.


I was determined to get caught up with my posting, but instead I took a 3 hour nap and feel much better.

So let's see...where were we? Oh...the bad Monday. The week where my mother told me on 2 different phone calls "Hang on the walls of your mind the memory of your successes" (thanks be to Sterling W. Sill & Google :)


After a brief and painful workout with Ella strapped to my chest, I came home and found that my deep freeze had been unplugged...several days had gone by without me noticing...hundreds of dollars of meat (half a cow and some bagel bites) were lost forever. Indy thought he had unpluged a different cord. I sobbed. Hard. My precious food reserves were gone forever. An hour later, just as I was walking out the door to see a movie with friends, McLaren kneels down onto a hot stove and singes his knee cap...its burned bad. I drug him and tell the babysitter to call me if he doesn't stop crying. Awful mother. I know - but truth be told, the babysitter was more comforting than I would've been able to be...so what if she was getting paid to do it...I shouldn't be writing this...but the day was only half done. I returned home refreshed and recommitted (to blogging and cooking - saw Julie and Julia :) An hour after that the doctors office called to say that McLaren had strep throat. I had taken him in the previous Friday for a possible ear infection- no ear infection...just strep. Through my tears, for this had officially pushed me over the edge, I gave the nurse our pharmacy, then hung up and tried to call anyone who would listen to my terrible horrible day. Even my husband, who had a huge open house at work the next day, was not off limits. After recounting the story several times, I was feeling a bit better. McLaren missed his first day of school (we wouldn't want to infect the entire city of Prescott...its one thing to do it unknowingly, another to do it with full knowledge right?).

Two more crazy days went by and we filled 4 prescriptions.

On Thursday we found an ear infection in McLaren.


This had turned into a terrible, horrible week. But it was almost over. I spent the entire day on Saturday in my robe. Greeted friends and neighbors. Loved every minute of it. Finished out the week with a bang.


Will post only happiness this week.

Flowers from Dad - they make everything better (and balloons, and chocolates - McLaren wanted to know what the party was for...)

Two pictures of Ella..and the blanket...I love it when I wrap her up in it and her little fingers and toes are sticking out.

Chunk -a- Burnin' love...

Since I'm still on *maternity leave* (not sure what that means?) BUT its a little hard to keep the camera stashed away...and I've been itchin' to do this image ever since I bought the flower pot a year ago...thank goodness my sister provided the perfect baby for this shot...her older sister "Chunky Tomato Soup" would've done just as good :)

Title: "Who wants some more food??"

Pool Time - 1

This is the first of a 2 part pool series post...
Hey it was all we were able to do this summer, so of course there are lots of pictures! The first set is of me and the kids. We escaped to Phoenix and its heat wave for a day to splash and play in the pool. Good food...good company...good time. I was only brave enough to pack my kids and not much else - luckily Kris brought her camera so we were able to catch some of the good times. It's very rare that I get to be in the pictures - so thanks Kris!









What was the name of Tarzan's (the cartoon version) friend? The one that Rosie O'Donnell did the voice for? Serious hair resemblance going on here....At least we've moved on from the Jack Nicholson look a like.

Ahhh...one of my fave's...Isn't this how most mom's spend their day?!%#$

Mac and his buddy Tatum...

Poor kid...50 swimsuits and not one will cover that bottom up! Oh yeah..the 12month old ones stay up!

It's the most WONDERFUL TIME of the YEAR!

Better than Christmas and totally blows New Year's out of the water!

(sing to: "Its the most wonderful time of the year")
"Its the MOST wonderful time of the year...
There's hair to be combing
and backpacks for loading
so be of GOOD CHEER!
Its the MOST wonderful time of the year!


I've been looking forward to this date for ummm about 10 weeks (or however long summer break is!). I can't help it...I'm a schedule person and I like the part in the schedule where it says "drop off for school" then "go get everything done" (i.e. grocery shopping, laundry, exercise etc...) Today was the start of major life and schedule reform...I even made charts!


Indy is excited for his male teacher Mr. Goldsmith and Laina already loves her teacher Ms. Brimhall. They both were up and ready before 7am...something that has never happened in our home. Maybe it was the excellent "Get Ready" sticker chart I made...complete with prizes and everything (more on that later.)


We had our usual "first day of school" photo session...but this year matt told me that the newspaper was looking for back to school photos...so he came up with an idea and I came up with one...not sure if I can submit both?? Anyway the kids had picked their outfits out the day before and had them all ready to go...I think I saw every little boy with the same Old Navy shirt that Indy had on...of course tomorrow he gets to go to cub scouts for the very first time and is wearing his entire uniform...he's so brave...I'm crossing my fingers for him....luckily he thinks it is soooo cool (and it is :).

McLaren starts preschool (my first child EVER) next week...but we decided to let him take a picture with his backpack today.

This was Matt's idea...I think I like it better....

This was my idea...totally un-original

And let's not forget our "Back to School" afterschool party...nothing like a little processed sugar to get them to unload about their wonderful first day!