Spring!

Ahhh the simple pleasures...

 Charlie loved her first swinging session!  The laugh was classic.  I remember when we lived in Coronado and Georgia was this age.  She was panicked by her first time swinging at Spreckles Park.  The wha!??! was classic.  Not Charlie.  She was all for it!

It was so great to open the garage, let the kids play with all of the toys, and make dinner as they played.  Finally a little fresh air!  And a little dirt and nastiness on the floors, but I can deal with that.  I will call the cleaning lady tomorrow.  They were so happy outside.  It feels like it has been forever since we could play outside comfortably!

We are off to Hawaii on Saturday.  We'll get major fresh air there!  Hopefully we return to a warm, sunny spring!

Seven Monthers

Time Flies

How on earth did my baby turn seven months old!? The time is moving so fast.  There is no down time to be bored.  We are so on-the-go and in a routine that the days and weeks zoom by.  While this is true, I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything with the kids.  We have our special time to spend together, each kid one on one.  I feel so connected to each little buddy.  Georgia and I have our evenings when Charlie is out cold and Trevor is putting the M's to bed.   We watch a show (I love Good Luck Charlie!) or read or chit chat while folding laundry.  Murphy and I have Tuesday and Thursday mornings (now that he is in the Kindergarten Spanish class in the afternoons, no longer with Millie in the mornings).  Millie and I have Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings while Georgia and Murphy are in school.  Charlie and I are attached at the hip (or boob), and have lots of one on one time, naturally.  I love the weekends when we all do things together as a family, and sneak away for special outings with a kid or two.

Last weekend the kids and I were in Utah.  This weekend we leave for Hawaii for a week.  Next weekend we will be in Wenatchee for Jessica's brother's annual memorial ski/golf tournament.  That means we will not be home until the last weekend of April.  I have been feeling so overwhelmed lately, as there hasn't been (and won't be) time to get things done: organizing, cleaning out, cleaning up, decorating.

I have to teach myself to enjoy the moment.  I need to remind myself to forget the fact that it is a six hour plane ride to Hawaii....barf!  appreciate the time spent with my family in Utah, the islands, in and Washington.  The house stuff will wait.  The clothes that Millie has outgrown that need to go to the basement in a bin will still be there when we return.  Charlie's too.  Georgia's too.  Murphy's go right to James, so that seems to be easier for me. :) I also love that whatever Charlie outgrows goes to Frankie.  I am loving the feeling of clearing out newborn stuff and moving on.  Our cleaning lady is pregnant, due in a few months, and she is the deserving recipient of the baby goods.  It's a bit sad to see some things go, but I love what the next phase of life holds in store for us.

Charlie is seven months old.  I am so in love with her, Georgia, Murphy, Millie and Trevor.  Mason and Harley, eh.  Charlie is the spark that lights everyone's inner fire.  She brightens everyone's day.  I feel like our family (of six) is absolutely delightful.  The most fun.  The happiest.  The best.

Little Skier

Millie took her first ski lesson this trip to Utah. She patiently watched Georgia and Murphy get all suited up and head out the door to ski school each day, so on the last day, my mom decided to set Mil up with a lesson. She had a great instructor, "Sleeve" (actually Steve), and she had a blast! She went down the hill three times and twice on the magic carpet. I am a bit bummed the ski season is complete, but I know this little lesson sparked a major interest in this little girl.

The kid rallies. For a two and half year old, she rallies. Millie doesn't nap (although she will pass out from time to time in the car to and from our activities). She just goes. She goes and goes. She is (generally) the happiest kid. There is an extreme....strength....to put it nicely. Stubborn, probably. Extremely strong willed. As I've been told, this attribute will benefit her later in life. Hope so. I do everything on Millie time so as not to upset the apple cart. Sometimes this means I have to stand there with my arms full of baby, groceries, swim bag, and backpacks while Millie tries to open the front door. What's 30 more seconds when she gets the feeling of big girl accomplishment. That's Millie!

On our flight home today, Murphy, Charlie and I sat on one side of the aisle, and Millie and Georgia sat on the other. I didn't have to say a word to the girls. They played with their little animals, read a magazine, colored, ate snacks and talked story. In addition to having an amazing almost seven year old, I think it's pretty divine that a two year old can be depended upon to do that. I needed my energy for Charlie...the non-stop jumping, babbling, and feisty kid. Not optimal for airplane travel. Next week's trip to the islands should be interesting...

I know I say it a lot, but I am so lucky and thankful to have these kids.

Georgia and Sabreen

I'm still looking for the picture of Georgia and "Sabreen" when Georgia was about a year old.



Not sure how we lucked out with this kid. Georgia, not Sabreen. Although the real Sabreen is wonderful too.

Millie must have had some super dreams.

Millie wore her superhero cape to bed and woke up super happy!

<3

Georgia asked me how to give half a kiss. I asked why and she answered "Well, daddy gives me six kisses every night because I'm six. Now I'm six and a half!"

Prayers

Prayer go out to those in Japan. Devastating. And continued prayers that family and friends in Hawaii remain well. Scary stuff. You just never know. Control the controllable.

Dinner

I'm so excited for dinner out tonite.  Our friends from Coronado (when we lived there five or six years ago), Julie and Rob, are coming to Spokane.  We saw them when we lived in Arizona when they came through town.  Two of the nicest people.  Trevor and I are headed downtown to meet them for dinner at Mizuna.  They are staying at the Davenport for their anniversary this weekend. Looking forward to it!

Getting better....hopefully

 Update: Millie and Georgia are red-cheeked!

A few weeks ago, Murphy had Fifth disease. No symptoms other than the red cheeks.

Trevor went out of town for five days and I came down with symptoms of parvovirus (Fifth in adults). I don't know how I made it through; I was in the worst pain of my life. Couldn't walk or use my hands. I had to literally pick up Charlie with my forearms. Pretty scary. Of course once Trevor came home I started getting better. At least I know I can handle four kids on my own in such a horrible condition. Well, with the help of play dates with friends too! Thankfully I'm back to my old self. Back to the routine.

At Charlie's six month well check yesterday, it was day two of a rash on her body and face. Well, Fifth disease it is. Thankfully once the rash appears she's not contagious. Unfortunately she was contagious, with no symptoms, last week or so. Probably got it from Murphy. Or me.

Most likely from the four shots (and one oral vaccine), Charlie has been tossing and turning for a few hours with a bit of a fever. I finally made it down at 4:35 am to pour a cup of coffee, only to come back upstairs to a sleeping tot. So, basically, it's going to be a long day! and a busy one: school drop offs, work out (hopefully Zumba if I can make it downtown in time), Millie swimming, clean house, four baskets of laundry away, plumber again (for downstairs toilet that is still having running issues), school pick ups, Murphy swimming and Georgia swim team, dinner then bed. I'm dreaming if my bed already.

I'm a bit concerned that Millie is coming down with something. She didn't seem like herself yesterday. Her teacher even said she was quiet at school. Probably in her contagious phase of Fifth disease. Lovely.

I just want to get back to our normal, crazy, nonstop days. With happy, healthy kids!

There is only one river.......

Trevor and I have a hot date tonite.

I Netflixed (I love how that is a verb now) Airplane.

I can't wait....

There's a problem in the cockpit.  The cockpit?!  What is it?!  It's a little place in the front of the plane where the pilot sits...but that's not important right now. 

I CAN'T WAIT!

Happy Birthday to Andrea!!

We wish you the very best day!  You deserve it!!

Sick baby + Still Kind of Sick Kids + No school = I Don't Know What

Thankfully Trevor brought me a case of diet Coke last night. I will be able to make it through the day.

I have on a long sleeved chocolate brown T-shirt. There is oatmeal, bananas, peanut butter and snot all over it. My hair is greasy and zits are not concealed. True beauty.







Normally by now the kids would be at school and the other kids and I would be at the Spokane Club. I would be half way through Zumba. I love my routine. Lots of running around but quite a lot of working out. I started tennis again (league starts Tuesday) so in addition to Zumba, TRX and regular elliptical or treadmill workouts, I'm feeling good. Charlie is awesome in the "play area" for up to two hours. Millie would stay all day. It is so nice to have "me time." The sad thing is I spend more hours a day at the club than I do at home (workouts, classes, tennis swim lessons and swim team). Trevor works out four or five mornings a week before work so we definitely get our money's worth. I'm bummed I can't work out today because of a certain sick redhead.

I am now showered, concealed, and dressed. We walked over to my friend's house so Murphy could get his hair cut. Millie ended up with a trim as well after she asked "I would like to take a hair cut too." Looks cute.







Obviously the sheets are still on the washer and the bed is not made yet!

We came home, ate lunch (it was like I was practicing my role as garbage disposal...) and the kids are playing. I am folding laundry and trying not to fall asleep next to a precious little snorting baby girl.







I don't know why I start ten projects at once. By projects I'm not referring to
anything grand. Just cleaning out the kid dishes and cup cupboard, the Tupperware







shelf, go through the pantry (the kitchen is a disaster), wash all five beds' sheets,







put everyone's clean clothes away, put too-small clothes in the bins in the
basement (we have a lot of high-waters these days), and going through the mound of magazines on my desk. All this stuff to do yet here I sit...






I've watched an hour and a half of TV and have heard the kids laughing and playing downstairs the whole time. No fighting. Just playing and coloring nicely. The laundry is folded (well, the stuff on my bed...not the two loads still in the washer and dryer). I am afraid to go downstairs. In addition to my "projects" to clean up, I'm sure there is a mess of their "projects" to clean up too. I'm afraid. As long as there's no play dough.







I am cursing my father-in-law for sending a huge gift basket of amazing looking cookies and brownies. (I haven't tried any yet, but when I get started, I'm sure I'll earn my self-named title of garbage disposal.)


We have to leave for Irish dance in an hour and a half. Once we get home there is only a small bit of time before Trevor gets home. Maybe I will leave all of my projects for when he comes home so he can play with the kids while I "work".

How do you know you've been watching TV too long? When I see a Playtex commercial and want to order a Comfort Strap Bra.


This is the only mess to be found downstairs. Not bad!







Dance was great. Kids ran around with friends while Georgia whip-2-3-ed away.

I bribed Trevor to do the pantry. The kid cupboard is neat and tidy. Laundry is done....til tomorrow at least.

Dinner and bed. Quite the day.

I'll leave you with a few pictures of a sweet sweet girl or two.

















Please excuse the quality of pictures...trying to figure out blogging from the iPad.