Beach Fun

It had been about a year since our last family TRIP, so the weekend after school got out we decided to brave it again.  I was thoroughly prepared.  Lots of toys/activities/and the laptop.  The car ride almost killed us last time.  I think this may have been the best trip to date.  Jed had a little work to do so as soon as we arrived I sent him away.  I figured it was best to be left alone with the children after a 5 hour ride, anything would be fun at that point.  The hotel swimming pool was a great diversion.  Jack was freezing and refused to get out of the hot tub where he was entertaining a couple of twenty-something's, but the girls and I played a little Marco Polo and perfected our backward somersaults.  

The perfect age range, old enough to behave in the car, 

young enough to think the baggage rack is an amusement ride.  

Elise gets a little crazy on vacation and eats ice cream straight off the plate while climbing over Jed to achieve her goals.

Going for a little ride.  Jed did some serious pedaling.  I loved watching the reaction of other people as they saw us coming.  Without fail, almost every single person would burst into a big smile and laugh and admire the hood ornaments.  We did our part to make the world a happy place, even if Jed's calves burned the next day.

We'll be building castles in the sun, 

playing and having fun

The best part about this trip was our beach day.  Jed took a little nap. Everyone played safely without attempting to drown (including Jed) and everyone was perfectly entertained by the elements.  I love to watch them dig, look for shells and jump over waves without attempting to get in past their ankles.  Jara dug a giant pit and adorned it with seaweed for a couple of hours.  Jack loved jumping over the waves and Elise shoveled water and sand back and forth between pails for a good long time.  Success!  Yay for Newport beach!

Long Live Fang

It's been two weeks.  I'm still in denial.  Our wack-a-doodle cat is gone.  

Jed insists that his sister murdered him by luring him across the road in search of fatty mice knowing full well that he would meet an untimely death.  I have had many cats over the years, but this one truly was a special kitty.  He was fully a part of our family.  He fetched.  He picked out tile.  He played dolls.  He insisted on riding along in Jara's booster seat when we would take Jack to pre-school. He meowed every afternoon by the door until someone would let him in so that he could curl up with one of us and nap.  He was very patient with Elise, enduring many forms of torture and he loved to massage anyone wrapped up in a blanket.  He was also completely nuts and would run around like his tail was on fire for no apparent reason.

In all of his glory. 

 His lion ancestors would be proud.

Playing dolls

Allowing Elise to drive a Lego truck on his head.

They have a long history together.

Technically he was Jack's cat.

Having a fight with one of my library books and then falling asleep between the dust cover and book.

   

 Jack made me this heart-shaped track for Mother's Day.  (Precious, I know)  Each of the kids sat in the middle and told me they loved me.  Including Fang. After Elise got out, he laid in the middle and rolled on his back with his paws in the air, I figured that was his way of telling me he loved me too, in his own strange kitty cat way.  

He was notorious for the bizarre, sleeping positions/places he would come up with.  

Note: Elise was not allowed back in the crib until it was fully sanitized. 

Almost roasted him one day.

The children carried him around in this basket for a whole morning of fun one day.  

I swear he must have been narcoleptic.  

You were one-of-kind Fang. Rest in peace.

Jed is your Father kiddies!

Most of Jara's life she has called Jed, well...Jed he rarely blinks an eye.  In fact calling him "daddy" is more surprising than Jed.  She has repeatedly told us Jed IS Jed and has refused to call him anything else.  Well, unfortunately, the other two will occasionally call him Jed too and let me tell you, it leads to a lot of long explanations in church. Anyway, whatever they call him, he is still their FATHER and a pretty awesome dad!

A little pre-dinner coloring.  Daddy is good at connect-the-dots.

Good at dress-up.  

In case you didn't know this is a lovely picture of Kristoff and Elsa and Sven the trusty(crusty in E's words) reindeer.

Good at teaching.

See kids "one dirt hill + one more dirt hill...means a bunch of ants and you should smash it!"

Good at taking one for the team.  

Any man who would spare his wife the humiliation of wearing a velcro suit while children throw balls at you is a hero!

A good coach 

Good at swimming.

The children would never learn to swim if I were the sole source of their inspiration.

Tricky!  

He's also a fun, hard-working, AND loving dad!  (In case the Kristov costume didn't convince you.) 

Happy father's day Jed.

Ballet Revue

 A year of ballet!  Jara's last recital of the year was May 31st.  She did ballet all school year, every week, for an hour each week.  Her spotlight dance move of the evening was precious.  Ballet is a very fitting, proper activity for this little girlie.  Performing has been hard for her, it is stressful for her to think of messing up but she has loved going/practicing each week.  The first time she went and came home and said "ahh it is so calming" I knew we had found a winner!  She has never taken or been exposed to ballet in her life (well unless you count the Nutcracker at age 3) but was invited to learn along with the Ballet II class.  It was a big step but she did it!  I loved watching you Jara!

By the way-Jed is banned from texting other ballet dads during recitals.  Well, technically it wasn't during the ballet portion I looked at his phone and saw an image of a very robust woman in an inappropriate reference to opera singing but still....

T-Ball

Everyone should have the opportunity to have a T-Baller.  There is probably nothing more entertaining in this world than watching 4-6 year old children in their first encounter with organized (I use the term loosely) sports.  Kids running from first to third base.  Kids running bases backwards.  Kids watching as a ball goes rolling by.  Someone's kid winding up like a softball pitcher before he would throw the ball.  Kids with batting routines. Kids running past first base with no intention of ever stopping.  Hilarious!

Once Jack turned five, I told him he could pick a sport to play.  He had been talking about T-ball for a year and we have been practicing for about that long, so T-ball it was!  He was very determined, worked hard to improve (mom did you see how fast I ran, i was a blur) and it was the highlight of his week.  Three months of waking up for Saturday games at 8:00AM almost did me in.  Nonetheless we, I, made it.  

I'm proud of you Jack!  I loved watching you play.  I treasured your excitement/seriousness/drive/crazy wind-up/love of the game!

Also-

Jed helped coach.  With a little accidental volunteering from me.  Jed can have the patience of a saint which is helpful when standing next to a little person armed with a BAT!  

Memorial Day

A Little Relaxing

Jed refuses to visit cemeteries with me.  He thinks I'm morbid. He dragged me to the lake.  Wicked man.

The END of Pre-K

Jack has this preschool business down.  I don't even want to calculate how much it must have cost me, but he has loved every moment!  Three years of it, that's what happens when your birthday is in November.  He is READY for Kindergarten.  I am sad he is a big, school boy now but he has reassured me he will come home and cuddle me every day. I really don't want him to grow up but part me is wondering what I need to do to convince the school district some kids really do need ALL day kindergarten!