Goodbye Kitchen and Good Riddance!

When we bought our house last December, I was so excited to have more space and a backyard for the kids to run around! There were so many great things about the new house but one thing that was, how should I put it- not so nice was the kitchen. I wanted so badly to move into the new house, but I was already mourning the loss of my old kitchen. I had a lot of great memories in there. I absolutely love cooking and entertaining so a lot of wonderful moments happen in and around the kitchen.

We had a long To-Do list in the new house but knew that we weren't going to be able to remodel the kitchen right away. Knowing this, I moved out of my old kitchen (little sobs) and moved into the new one. Everything fit, but it just didn't feel right. The kitchen is original with the house and was designed by an Italian woman and her husband who were the first owners of the home back in the 1960s. I mean no disrespect, but if the woman designed the kitchen to entertain her large Italian family- how come she only put cabinets on one side of the kitchen and created only three feet of usable counter space? I have managed to work around the obvious flaws of this kitchen but sometimes feel handcuffed by the lack of space and creativity it allows me while I am cooking.

Sometimes I thought I was crazy to complain so much about the kitchen but I felt a lot better after my Mom, Gina, and Jill visited my house and said, "Yeah, you need a new kitchen soon!" My Mom just couldn't stand to cook in there! Our opinions may sound kind of silly, but if you love to cook- this kitchen just really takes the fun out of it. The layout is just not good. I do love the pastel flecked wallpaper, the white linoleum floors, and the water heater which is tucked in a closet right in the kitchen's entryway. But what really does it for me are the cabinet pulls in the shape of tea kettles. All of these obvious signs led me to see that I needed a change and I made this very clear to my loving husband! Of course, I told him that I could be patient- even really patient if needed be (I am not a brat), but eventually- I needed a new kitchen!

We weren't planning on remodeling so quickly but everything came together and our amazing contractors worked with us on a budget so we could get this done. She even told me that she felt sorry for me that I had to cook for a family of five in this kitchen!! Ha! They started demolition of the new kitchen on August 1st and we are still in the throws of construction. We emptied the contents of the kitchen into the living room and made it our staging area for the temporary kitchen. All my food was laid out on tables and all my dishes, plates, pans, etc. were pushed back against the wall in hopes of avoiding destruction by Matthew or the other two kids. The microwave was stationed in there and basically we have been microwaving food, eating out, or just picnicking for four plus weeks now. I am not going to lie. It has been a real challenge. I have been washing baby bottles in the bathroom sink, making everything on paper plates (not so green, huh), constantly having to keep the kids out of the new kitchen which is still dangerous, repeatedly cleaning the construction dust that keeps settling all over the house, and spending way too much money on food that I can normally just cook! I know that there is light at the end of the tunnel but with the start of school and the construction project overlapping- I am a bit crazed.

It should only be a week or so until we can move back in. It won't be completely finished- but we can start moving back in gradually. The great part of this painful process is that when it is all said and done- I will have a kitchen where I picked out virtually every detail myself. It should really reflect my personal style and I will be so happy and ready to cook, cook, cook! I will post pictures when we are all done. Until then, wish me luck keeping myself and the kiddos sane!

Because It's The Small Victories!

Admittedly, I am the last person in the world who would be recruited to teach a seminar on how to get your child to sleep through the night. I can not let my kids cry it out! I have to rescue them because my heart seriously bursts in two (oh yeah, and my kids have strong gag reflex when they cry hard and I don't particularily feel like cleaning up barf)! I know a lot of people, some of my dearest friends, who have been really successful with letting their kids cry it out a bit- which of course then leads to a full night of sleep for the parents and the baby. After seven and a half years of being a mother and after raising three babies- I am no closer to understanding nor do I feel capable of getting my kids to sleep through the night at an early age! Let me clarify here. I have gotten them to sleep through the night (without waking up or needing me to get out of bed to soothe them) by about 15 months. That was Claire. She really adjusted well to the crib after many, many months of sleeping in my arms. Michael stayed in our bed until he was three. Don't judge! This brings us to the noticeable absence of discussion about my dear little Matthew. Excuse me here as I hit 'return' because the two words Matthew and sleep need their own paragraph.

Matthew, Matthew, Matthew. Where do we begin? He was born into a family with a four and a five year old sibling. Those two added together make a lot of noise in a house where a baby needs some kind of quiet to sleep. Add a Daddy that works from home who needs quiet when he is on a call, and a desperate Mom in need of a few hours where she doesn't have a needy, sleepy baby in her arms and you have some serious craziness. Hence the lack of structure to Matthew's sleep habits. But I tell you people, it is about survival! Whatever I could do to make sure he got a good nap or no matter how many times I breast fed him in the middle of the night meant nothing to me as long as I got some sleep or some down time. Okay. Are you starting to catch on? As Matthew grew older, he started to nap better but I always had a secret ingredient involved in this well hatched plan. It is called 'The Fan'. No- not someone cheering on the sidelines as he took a decent nap but an actual fan- with blades whirling around. This source of white noise seemed to drown out the nut-so-ness around him and let him get some decent shut eye! Every time he naps or sleeps in the middle of the night, the fan gets flipped on and for a brief few hours- there is peace. Michael can have a play date and they can go romping around the house and Matthew can't hear them. If I drop a dish in the kitchen even though I am trying with all my might to be as quiet as a mouse- he generally doesn't wake up. I love my fan and am not ashamed to admit that I (and Matthew for that matter) are addicted to it!

This whole rambling post is just a way for me to remember a magical night. It happened on the evening of August 29th. I went to bed around 11ish and would you know that I didn't open my tired little eyes until our alarm went off at 6:45 a.m.? Yes! Matthew slept through the night and I am not afraid to scream it from the rooftops! And would you know that it has happened over and over with only an occasional wake up now and then! I am way too much of a veteran Mom to think that things won't change. I was so excited (and I guess pathetic) that I snuck into his room in the morning and took a picture of him. Yes, you just might think I am crazy but at least I have had had enough uninterrupted sleep to have a debate with you on why I am not! Life is good. I am rested (for the time being) and I still love my fan.

Claire Starts Kindergarten!

I am just as amazed that Claire is actually a Kindergartner as I am that Michael is a first grader! These two, who are so close in age and have been best friends for almost six years, are entering such a big stage of their lives together. Claire has wanted to start Kindergarten for over a year now. It was torture for her to watch Michael get in his uniform last year and for her to go to preschool where they didn't get homework or do such 'big kid' projects. I kept telling her to enjoy the moment where she had little responsibility- but let's be real here! What perspective on life does Claire have! Sure- she has a great five plus years of experience, but for her to grasp the sweetness that was preschool was lost on her. I, however, cherished those moments. This year, a little bit of that innocence is lost, responsibility begins, and did I mention rules, rules, rules?

We went uniform shopping during the summer and Claire could hardly contain her excitement. She loved every part of the preparation for school and just couldn't wait for the days to pass so the school year could begin! When the day finally arrived, she was ready. I had laid out her uniform the night before and expected to go in wake her up in the morning and get her dressed. You could imagine my surprise as I was making my morning coffee when she came tip toeing into the front room fully decked out in her St. Christopher's best! Look out world- here comes Clairey!

Claire knew about five of the children in her class which really helped ease her into the swing of things. She was clingy for a few seconds and then poof- she was confident. I expected this but it made me a little sad to see her so mature and independent. While I am so proud of the confident and beautiful little girl Claire is- there will always be that little part of me that wants that little chubby baby back who needed me all day long. And who would think that five and a half years would go by so quickly? When we came to pick Claire up she had so much to tell us (which was a welcome change from Michael's Kindergarten days where I could barely get one detail out of him). I have been told that girls are so much more apt to tell you about their day and it's events than boys. I don't know if this is true but so far it is proving correct!

What a crazy few days it has been for our family. Michael started full day school as a BIG first grader and now Claire has launched her academic career at St. Christopher's and is part of the 2017 graduating class. Whew. While I am currently enjoying having some time alone with Matthew, I am also sad because I enjoy my two older children so much and I truly love having them around. I suppose this will just give me some precious perspective on truly enjoying the afternoons and weekends we will have together. Congratulations Michael and Claire on a great first few days of school! And congratulations Matthew- you now have your Mommy all to yourself for a few hours!

Michael Starts 1st Grade

Wow. Are we really here already? First grade? My Michael sure is growing up fast. Last year, Michael had a great year of Kindergarten. He got used to the school rules, got used to going to school everyday (albeit half day), and learned about nightly homework. He had it down! A real pro. Just when he got comfortable, we had to go and turn the tables on him and let him know that part of first grade was going to school full day. Yep- that's right. 8:05 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. everyday. What a change. Although he was not excited about having to stay at school all day, he was excited to be part of the big school! Kindergarten is really separate from the rest of the school so now that Michael was going to be in first grade- he was kind of part of the club now!

Knowing that an end was coming to his afternoons spent home with Mom eating lunch and relaxing- Michael was sad. I don't blame him. I was sad, too. Man, Michael grew up so fast. I have to be ready to drop him off in the morning and say goodbye for seven hours! I need to trust that he will be able to get through the long days and handle things on his own. But what if he falls at recess and needs me? Or what if he doesn't eat enough of his sandwich and is hungry? These kinds of questions flipped through my head repeatedly as school neared. Would he be able to do it? To get through it all on his own? Only time would tell.

Michael was so excited to go and see his new teacher, his new classroom, and bring his book bag to school. And what do you know? Michael had a great first day of school. After school was over, I asked him if we could go to the St. Christopher sign and take a picture. While I did get a few adorable smiling shots, he felt the need to take this ultra cool shot and I just had to post it here. I guess he is turning into a big boy. Mr. Cool is just fine and adjusted nicely to first grade. Claire starts tomorrow and then we will go through this all over again! And what does this new change mean for me? It means that for the next 18ish years I will be packing lunches for some number of my children either at night or in the morning. Just one more thing to remember on my long list of 'get the kids to school on time with everything they need'! And away we go!

Backyard Camping

My kids have been begging- and I mean BEGGING to go camping. I have a few simple reasons why we avoided going camping this summer. 1. We had way too busy a summer to find time to get organized and go camping. 2. The idea of camping with Matthew terrifies me. How do you warm a bottle in the middle of the night at a campsite? 3. I know that Matthew would wake up in the middle of the night (as he normally does) and as much as I want to watch the sun rise while sitting on a blanket on top of cold dirt- I don't! 4. I know that soon we will be able to go once the kids are a little bit older and I am a bit less sleep deprived. Phew! I am glad I got that out!

I do love camping and loved when we would go as kids. My Mom was the master camper/packer and managed to organize it all without much fuss (or so it seemed). I know that I could take Matthew (and the other two kiddos) camping but there are a few things I have some creative control over and camping is definitely one of them. We have done so many fun things over the course of the summer so don't feel sorry for my dear babies. They are fine! In order to quell the constant pleas to go camping, we decided to camp in the backyard. And what do you know? The kids took the bait- hook, line and sinker! Ali was staying with us while we had our camping night and we really had a lot of fun!

First off, we started a bonfire in our backyard in our little, oh what should we call it- fire safe bowl? We roasted marshmallows and then made smores. It was really a lot of fun. We sang a few campfire songs and then the kids got ready for bed. They brought out all of their blankets, pillows, and necessary accessories and they could hardly contain their excitement. Matthew knew something was going on but was just as content to run in and out of the tent and hold the flashlight (while trying to avoid the pit of fire!). The plan was for Damien to sleep with the kids and for Ali and me to sleep in the house with Matthew. What. It takes two people to hear a baby cry wake up in the middle of the night! Sounded good to me! I was appreciative that Damien was going to take one for the team and sleep in the tent. Apparently, they told some ghost stories and the kids just passed out and slept relatively well until the morning when I saw them all drag their dewy bodies back into the house. Damien did remember to turn the backyard sprinklers off but there was a lot of condensation on the tent! Michael and Claire loved it and I was happy that we at least tried to appease their request. Mission accomplished!

The Kitty Shirt

This is a silly post, but one I want to remember. From time to time when we are in Washington, Damien and I play soccer on my sister's soccer teams. This trip, we were able to play twice and we had so much fun! Gina and Brian's team wear black t-shirts as their uniform and we were all set and ready to go to the game. I asked Damien if he was totally ready and he said yes. Then I asked him if he had a black t-shirt and he shook his head no. What! Gina was at the house and we weren't by any means early so we needed to go and go quickly. I ran back to Natalie's room and started rummaging through her t-shirt drawer (sorry Nat). Damien followed and we knew we had to get out of the house fast! I saw a dark shirt on the bottom of the pile and pulled it out to reveal Natalie's kitty sleep shirt from the third grade (don't think that she doesn't occasionally still wear it). I threw it to the side and said, 'Dang it! I can't find a dark shirt and we have to go!' and Damien said, 'I'll just wear that.' What? I didn't take too much time to question him because we really did need to go.

On the drive to the game I was thinking about Damien running the field in the kitty shirt. Just to clarify, the shirt used to be black and because it has been worn so many times it is now gray. The kitten and other animals have a glittery ribbon around them and yes- there is still a lot of glitter on there. And lastly, it has pinkish piping on the sleeves and neckline. Was he really going to wear that? I find my husband very attractive and I love that he is confident. If he likes something- he likes something. He certainly didn't listen to me complain about how silly his throwback Air Jordan basketball shoes looked when we were in college and newly married! I had to laugh at him as he put the shirt on when we got to the field. It was a bit too long (it is a sleep shirt) and his broad shoulders and chest really did fill the shirt out nicely! He walked with a bit of a stagger and said hello to everyone he passed. Of course, Gina's teammates (we know most of them) laughed but Damien stood confidently because hey- he needed a dark shirt and he found one in time!

That night, I kid you not; Damien had the game of his life. I have never seen him dominate like he did that night on the Redmond High School turf. He played defense and absolutely stopped anything and everything that came back there. Meow! He was flying in the air for headers, chesting the ball down and passing perfectly to the outside. He even had a few runs up field with the ball that were nothing short of awesome! I had subbed out and was watching the game just laughing at the sight of my handsome, kick-butt husband wearing a glittery kitty shirt. And I have to say as the light flickered off the pink ribbon on his shirt- I was proud. While I am not sure I would've donned the shirt for the night, Damien sure pulled it off and got a few laughs along the way!

When we got back to the house and Natalie saw Damien sitting outside drinking some water in her now sweaty shirt, she laughed and then said to him in her best serious voice, 'Make sure you wash that before you leave!' It was classic. In fact- the whole night was.

My Little Entrepreneurs

Throughout my busy days, Michael and Claire are constantly asking me to help them with things or asking me to help them bring to life an idea in their head. There are definitely times when I totally help them, but there are way too many times that I kind of push their 'requested activity' off. One of these is having a lemonade stand. Sometimes, the timing of their request or the circumstances surrounding the day make it difficult for me to get to what they are asking for! Yet as I lie in bed at night and go through the events of the day, I am reminded that sometimes the little things are what make our big lives so bright. And I don't always get to the little things.

Damien is really good at helping them with their extra little projects. While I am doing a number of different tasks which keep our life moving, he helps them build forts, play games and this time- make a lemonade stand. We were still at my Mom's house and the kids were so looking forward to getting out on the street to sell lemonade. Claire and Damien made the lemonade and Michael made masks out of colored construction paper. They worked hard on a sign and we all helped them carry tables and chairs to the bottom of my Mom's driveway. I guess inflation has hit the lemonade industry hard because they wanted $1 per cup of lemonade! After discussing supply and demand, they reduced their price to 25 cents a cup.

They started selling drinks/masks right around rush hour so the street traffic was great! However, people apparently are okay with being pretty cold and driving by a waving, cheering, eager couple of kids trying to have their 15 minutes of fame! People kept driving by and driving by! Okay- so I get that some people would rather drink poison than drink the lemonade that might have been made with grimy fingers or produced in less than sanitary conditions. I myself don't necessarily drink the lemonade I buy from the stands ( or even take it for that matter) but it feels so good to give a child a dollar for just doing a great job and following through with their idea! When you reward them with a dollar the look on their face is better than the best lemonade I have ever tasted. It is about stopping to make them feel successful. A dollar to a child like Michael or Claire is so much more valuable than it is to me.

In the end, they earned $13.00 that afternoon. Our favorite part of the day was when a motorcyclist stopped by on his bike, bought a glass of lemonade and then purchased one of Michael's masks (picture a piece of paper with random holes cut out of it and you would be lucky if you could find two holes that would allow you to see with both eyes at the same time). He drank the lemonade and then shoved the mask into the shield on his helmet and rode off into the sunset. It was classic and the kids thought he was SO cool!

All in all, the lemonade stand was a success. So the next time you are driving down the street and see some kids with a make-shift lemonade stand just trying to feel successful- stop and give them a quarter, a dollar, or anything. The look on my kids faces when people stopped was priceless.

St. Claire's Day!

While we were visiting my family, we were also able to celebrate St. Claire's Day! I know have mentioned this before, but my Dad celebrates all of his grand children's saint days and they look forward to it almost as much as their birthday. The wonderful part about it is that they also learn more about their faith and some of the amazing saints that serve as an example for us all. This year, my Dad and Claire took a trip together to pick out her cake at Baskin Robbins and he made her feel really special by counting down the days until St. Claire's Day! My Dad always makes the kids a card with a description of their saint and also some words to live by. I tuck these away in their baby books so they can look back at them when they are older.

Claire had a great day! She got some new books to read (she LOVES to read) and she also got the dvds Enchanted and Disney's Princess Stories. While we had an amazing trip with my family, I didn't see Claire smile this big the entire time we were there! She loves her Grandpa so much and the connection these two share only becomes more bright and beautiful on days like these. Thank you Grandpa for making such a big effort to make my children feel special, but for also reminding them that they are part of God's family. I love you and Claire loves you, too.

The Day All About Claire

There is a lot of focus on Michael's birth story. Since he has been born, we have taken the kids back to Paris twice and while we are there- it is really all about Michael. We talk about when he was born, the things we did when we were in Paris, we introduce him to people who were a part of beginning and each time we have been there it has been amazing! Typically, I am pretty sensitive to my children. I can sense things before they do and I try and make life go as smoothly as possible. That is why I was completely caught off guard this time in Paris when Claire said, "When am I going to see my hospital?" Honestly, I never really thought about the attention that Michael gets about his birth- would do to Claire. Although she has been very patient with Michael and even thinks his beginning is amazing- she got jealous (and rightfully, so). I called my Mom from France and told her that when we flew up to Washington in a few short weeks- we were going to have a day in Seattle that was devoted to Claire and her birth story.

As most of you know, I spent 73 days on full bedrest at Swedish hospital in Seattle when I was pregnant with Claire. Day in and day out, the two of us lay in bed and tried to prolong the pregnancy as long as we could! I had never met my Clairey yet but I knew that the baby in my tummy and I would share this fight and it would bond us forever. My Mom, Dad, Natalie, Laura, Damien, Michael, Matthew and I took Claire into downtown Seattle to have a day devoted 100% to Claire. First stop was a local drug store where Claire and I loaded up on fun magazines (People, Us, etc) and nice lotion to give to the women who were on bedrest at the hospital. My Dad was really generous and helped us purchase more than enough supplies to give all the women one. It was the least we could do considering that anything that takes these women's mind away from the monotony of bedrest is a good thing!

Claire was giddy since the moment we pulled up to the hospital. It was weird for all of us, especially my family- who made the daily trip to the hospital from Kirkland to see me. The halls were eerily familiar and it seemed that my family was thrown back to the difficult times in this hospital almost six years ago. I didn't have that same sensation because I stared at the walls of my room- not the halls of the hospital! We made it up to the fifth floor and Claire loved seeing the room where we stayed for so long. We then met one of the head nurses and Claire got to hand her over the goodies we brought for the women there. We told the nurse our story and hoped that she would relay it to some of the women and maybe it would give them hope when things looked grim. Claire loved being at the hospital and loved that we were all there to support her. After all the support and patience she has given Michael and his beginning- she deserved this moment. I was proud of her that she was able to communicate her jealousy in a way that didn't take away from Michael's experience- but instead focused on what she wanted.

Ironically, while I was on bedrest at Swedish- we would get this amazing take out pizza from a place called Michael's Pizza. We thought it would be a perfect place to take Claire for dinner but unfortunately, it has closed since we enjoyed it in 2002. In lieu of Michael's Pizza, we went to another pizza place and toasted to Claire and her amazing journey. It was really nice to have my family with us to share in The Day All About Claire. We were all able to enjoy her and look back at the very difficult but very worth it two and a half months spent lying in bed in Seattle.

**Just a little funny story . . .
On the way to the hospital, Michael asked us in the car, 'How do you say hello in Italian?' I answered, 'Ciao'. He said, 'If I say hello in English, will they understand me?' I paused to figure out what he was saying and then I started to smile. Because Michael is so mixed up with own beginnings and really doesn't get why he was born in Paris, he thought that because Claire is Italian- she was born in Italy. At his hospital, they only speak French not English. So he thought Claire's hospital would be the same. They would only speak Italian and not English. We thought this was the sweetest thought. We then explained that Claire is Italian but was born in America- therefore they speak English there. We also explained that he is Italian, too. It was a very sweet and memorable comment and I am sure we will be re-telling this story for ages.

Grandpa and The Mariners

Tonight, all the girls in the family were gathering at Gina's condo for a birthday party for Jill. Yes, my next youngest sister turned 31 and we were going to get together with our family and friends to celebrate! It just so happened that my Dad got some fabulous seats to Mariner's game and decided to take Damien and the kids! He had gone to another Mariner's game the night before with Jill but still had the energy to do it again! We all thought this was funny because my Dad has never been a major 'game attender'. He would rather watch most every sporting event at home than deal with the crowds and all the hoopla that comes with it! So you could imagine the shock we were all in when my Dad went to two games in two days! Whew!

I was a little worried about how my Dad and Damien would handle all three kids! But they showed me up and did great with them. Apparently the tickets my Dad had were club level and this made the whole event a whole lot easier. They got to sit and eat while watching the game, the usher hand delivered them bobble heads, and their seats were awesome. Damien said that Michael and Claire cheered, loved all of the music, and ate the treats that Grandpa spoiled them with!

Claire's favorite part of the Mariner's game was when they got baseball cards, bobble heads and ate Cracker Jacks. Michael's favorite part of the game was being with Grandpa. Matthew didn't say what his favorite part was. He just ate cotton candy and was happy! They had a wondeful time and I thought it was really cool that the boys took them to a game by themselves. This was especially cool to me because I used to love going to sporting events with my Dad. To think that my kids got to do that with him was really a neat moment for me. I am not sure if the Mariner's won or not and I bet the kids don't know either. They were just too busy having an amazing night with their Dad and Grandpa!

Simplicity at the Beach

It turns out that tonight my whole family had plans. Damien and I decided that it might be nice to go out as a family in downtown Kirkland. We thought we would go to dinner and then walk down to the marina and just let the kids have some fun by the water. We went to a great little pizza place called Zeek's and then walked a few short blocks to a beach on Lake Washington.

We have taken the kids down to the marina a lot. There are a lot of concerts that are held there for kids and adults, and the beachfront is just so amazing you can't help but just go down there, sit and watch the sunset. When I was a child, my Mom and Dad would bring us down there to feed the ducks. If we had bread at home that was stale, we would always put it in a brown paper bag so that we had food for the ducks when we went downto the lake. Well, it is kind of frowned upon to feed the ducks these days but we still took the kids down to the water to get their toes wet and enjoy the beauty that surrounded them. Matthew went absolutely crazy with all of the ducks! It was hard to keep him from throwing himself into the water or actually throwing rocks at the ducks but we were able to manage it! I stopped counting how many times I had to say, 'No. Don't throw rocks, buddy. It hurts the ducks!' No ducks were harmed on our night at the marina but I didn't blame the ducks from swimming away from Matthew.

There is such a peacefulness when you are by the lake. The boats sailed in and docked for the night, people strolled around the marina listening to the band playing about one hundred yards away, other people had just finished their lake front dining and just wanted to enjoy the beautiful sunset. We had a wonderful time, enjoyed getting sand between our toes, and cherished the simplicity of the night. We finished up the night by treating ourselves to an all natural frozen yogurt dessert. It was a great night and I think all of us needed a relaxing evening after our crazy, busy summer.

Picking Berries

For the past four or five years, we have gone berry picking with my Mom during the summer. There is this great farm which is about twenty minutes from her house and has a lot more to offer besides the berries. Remlinger Farms has a lot of different berries that you can pick. You have to check the season to see which berries are ripe and ready to harvest! We wanted to pick raspberries because we wanted to make raspberry jam. It tastes so much better than the jam you buy at the store. And did I mention that the berries are so much less expensive if you pick them yourself? We were ready to go- the only problem was that it was the tale end of the raspberry picking season so we were worried that there wouldn't be much left to pick!

On the ride to the farm, Matthew fell asleep so my Mom took Michael and Claire out in the field to start picking. When Matthew woke up, we tried to find them. After calling their names over and over for about fifteen minutes and yelling 'yooooo hooooo' in the hot scorching sun- I had about had it. Matthew kept wanting to pick the berries (I can't blame him) and it was no easy task carrying his big stocky body in my arms down row after endless row of raspberries. Finally, we found them in the back right corner of the giant field. I was relieved but also 'just about done' as the last fifteen minutes were enough to push me over the edge! My Mom, Michael, and Claire had picked quite a few berries!! I love watching the kids search the rows for what they think is the perfect berry. I also love seeing them freak out when they mistakenly touch a spider or its web (there are a lot of spiders). They had so much fun! After about twenty more minutes of picking, I think Matthew had eaten at least a half pound of raspberries off of the vine (I was sure he was going to get diarrhea that night) and Michael and Claire were slowly succumbing to the heat. We had picked enough for jam and we decided to be done and head to the car for some serious air conditioning!

I love that we have established this tradition of berry picking. It really isn't hard to pick the berries or make the jam. Plus- on top of that, the kids learn a valuable lesson about using the resources around them and then they get to enjoy the fruits of their labor every time they have PB&J or jam on toast. My Mom and I each have enough jam to last us through the coming year and will run out just in time to make some more!

Laura the Superstar Softball Player!

Most of my family went to dinner at this great little Italian sandwich/salad place in downtown Redmond called Pallino's for a healthyish meal. We had a great time and all had salads that were nothing short of delicious! But this is really beside the point. We were a little rushed at dinner because we wanted to go watch the last half hour of Laura's Special Olympics softball practice!

My Mom said this is the best part of the practice because at the end of their practice, they scrimmage. The timing was perfect because just as we arrived- Laura was up at the plate! She is so funny. We were, of course, cheering ridiculously and she looked over to us and gave us a sheepish grin. She loves when she has people watching her and she relished the moment when all eyes were on her! She hit the ball and made it to first base and she was so proud of herself! We were proud of her, too! She kept giving Michael and Claire little waves to let them know she saw them cheering. I was more concerned that Michael and Claire were distracting her and that she would take a line drive to the chin! All the cousins were there to watch Laura and she loved it!

As the practice was winding down, the coaches realized they had more time left than they had originally thought. Then they asked the players if they wanted their parents to hit! Laura yelled no pretty adamently (as if it was her terrain and hers alone) and then the coach said that your sisters or brothers could hit too. Then she turned her attention to me and Jill and was yelling and pleading at us to come onto the field and play! I turned to Jill and said, 'If you will- I will'. So we went down to the field and stepped into the batters box. I hit a grounder to short stop and made it to first base. Jill followed me and whacked it to the fence (luckily she didn't take anyone out along the way) and she got an in the park home run. She even told me I was running the bases to slow!!! Laura loved it and I could hear her giggling as I willed my body around the bases. It was a great moment that we all shared and one that we won't soon forget!

Crazy Cousins!!!

My sister Jill is part of a Mom's Group that all get together with their kids for some fun. Lucky for me, she was hosting the get together at her house and we were able to crash the party! Again, the weather was perfect as we traveled the short ten minute drive from my parent's house to Jill and Brian's house.

When we got there, everything was completely organized. There was a kid's table fully loaded with cheese pizza, mac 'n cheese, popcorn, fruit snacks, chips, fruit, and fruit drinks (and in true Jill-fashion, lollipops). She didn't forget anything! Then there was more sophisticated food for the Moms. The backyard had two different kiddie pools and little picnic tables for the kids. It was so well done and the party was great! Of course, I didn't bring the kids swimsuits so I had to improvise with their undies and plenty of sunscreen (much to Claire's dismay). I didn't mind watching their cute little buns running around the yard at all! That's summer, alright!

It was interesting to watch our kids together in the pool. At different times they all assumed different roles. This was especially apparent when the hose came on. Kyle, who is first born to Jill- liked to hold it and spray everyone. Matthew, who is the baby- basically like to be sprayed. He and Kyle played the little game 'Kyle sprays Matthew and then Matthew runs away' for a long time. It was hilarious!! It wasn't until later that Matthew even wanted to hold the hose. It is just funny how your placement in the line of siblings affects your preferences! I can only say this because I am first born and yes, I would've been the sprayer for sure (Michael, too)! The kids all had a ball and played for hours in a pool with only six inches of water in it! Ah, the simple life.

Summer Swimming

After getting back from Denver, we settled into have a fun filled fifteen days with my family. Due to the fact that we don't get to come up for many long visits during the school year- we try and go to my parent's for a big chunk in the summer. We really didn't have a lot planned (which was great) and just wanted to relax and enjoy the last fleeting days of summer.

On our first day there, we got a call from our great family friends the Lydons, inviting us to go swimming at their Grandma's pool. For the past few years we have met them there and the kids had an absolute ball! My friend Kylia has two children that are the same sex and age as my kids which gives them each a play mate and gives us a little peace and quiet! Jill and Kyle met us there and the fun began! It was a little more difficult this year because we had two mobile toddlers running around the pool which is of course cause to make you go absolutely crazy! The weather was gorgeous and the kids swam and jumped off the diving board for hours. We are so appreciative that the Lydons think of us every summer and allow us to enjoy ourselves so much!

When I think back to my summers as a child- I think about swimming all day long. I remember my Mom calling us 'her little fish' and how she would always load us into the station wagon and take us to the pool. In my memory, it was seemed so easy for my Mom to take us there but I now know that wasn't the case. She would make sandwiches and put them in the cooler, bring drinks, towels, sunscreen, a change of clothes, make sure we were water safe- and to think she did this with five of us! I appreciate her efforts so much more now that I am a mother myself. I know that the budget was tight when I was a child but they always found a way to be members at the pool so we could swim all summer long. For this and for so much of the effort put out by my Mom and Dad- I am thankful. I only hope that in thirty years my kids will be able to say the same about us.

Brook and Chad's Wedding

When I first received Brook's wedding invitation, I was sure I wasn't going to be able to go. We had a pretty busy summer already and I feared that we wouldn't be able to pull the right strings in order to make it! Lucky for us, I realized that her wedding weekend was right before we were going to go and visit my family so I moved up our trip to Seattle and then booked round trips to Denver for me and Damien!!! My Mom and Dad offered to watch the kids and so we flew out on our own anniversary at 6:00 a.m. in the morning from Seattle. It sure was an early morning but I could hardly wait to get to Denver to enjoy the nice weather and relax!

Brook and I have been great friends since 1995 when we played basketball together at Santa Clara University. She transferred to SCU after her freshman year at Clemson and from then on- we were wonderful friends. We lived together the last two years of college and then we shared an apartment up until the day I married Damien. We have so many wonderful memories together and I truly care so deeply for her and her happiness. When I heard the news last year that she got engaged, I could hardly wait to meet the man that made Brook so happy! Ironically, I got to meet Chad at my SCU roommate Kristine's wedding last year! And yes the rumors were true- he was perfect for Brook! They compliment each other and you can tell that they make each other genuinely happy. I really wanted to be there when they got married. I wanted to see one of my best friends marry her best friend. In college, all of my roommates and I used to watch TLC's A Wedding Story (we know we are dorks) and to think that I would be able to see the beginning of her Life Story with Chad was just awesome.

Her wedding ceremony was beautiful and Brook looked the best I have ever seen her look in my whole life. Every last detail was taken care of and the ceremony went seamlessly. My very favorite part of her ceremony, and perhaps one of my favorite moments in a wedding ever, was when they invited all four of their grandmothers up to the altar to offer marriage advice to the new bride and groom. The wisdom that came from these amazing women's mouths was so inspirational.

If you know Brook, you know she is a die hard Denver Broncos fan. She isn't one of those fair weather fans either. She is one of the biggest football fans I have ever met! She and Damien got into many heated discussions about the Broncos vs. the 49ers. Knowing how passionate she is about Chad and the Denver Broncos- it came as no surprise to me that her wedding reception was going to be held at Invesco Field (yes, where the Broncos play). We had no idea what to expect but as we arrived- we were pleasantly surprised at the elegance and grandness of the Club Level reception. The food was to die for and I had to take a picture of the smallest cheeseburger ever. It was an appetizer! We loved the variety and overall delicious of all of the food (appetizers, dinner, and cake) and were blown away again at all of the little touches. It was an amazing reception and again, Brook and Chad were just smiling ear to ear the entire time!

We ended the night sitting in the stadium seats hanging out with all of our friends. My friend and former roommate Kristine was their with her husband Julian, my other friend and former roommate Jaime was there with her husband Brad, my friend and basketball teammate Katie was there with her husband Dave, my friend and teammate Blye was there with her husband, and lastly I got to also hang out with my friend and former teammate Steph. We had a ball! It was great that a wedding could bring us all back together again. Congratulations to Chad and Brook. They truly are a happy couple. (By the way- please notice the bride and groom taking wedding pictures on the football field in the background of the picture of Damien. Classic!)