A Day in the Life...

I don’t know why I expected this year of swimming lessons with Copper to be much different from last year.  Recall… (last year) “Um, this was kind of a waste of money because she just won’t put her face in the water.”  So we spent a year practicing in the tub.  This year, the morning of her first day, I made her a “I’m brave medal.”  We both had the faith.  Wear it all morning, you’ll be brave enough to jump right in and swim like a fish.  I wasn’t there the first two days because of my work schedule  I watched the third day… the medal did not work.  The fourth day she did a little better but she’s quite the negotiator.  Skilled, may I add. Teacher: Copper, I want you to dive down and pick up those rings. Copper:  No. Teacher: Yes. Copper: Then hold my hand. Teacher: Okay, I guess I can. Well, obviously hand-holding doesn’t work when you’re supposed to actually go under the water and to the bottom of a bottomless (actually 3 foot) ...

This summer has gone by too fast!  I can’t believe school is around the corner.  Copper has asked a few times if summer’s almost over… she’s that excited for kindergarten.  I keep thinking, “No!  Don’t ask that, once you start school you’ll never stop… please enjoy this!”  But she’s still excited and I’m happy.  We’ve practiced reading, coloring, drawing, writing, singing, you name it. While summer lasts, we’ve kept ourselves busy in the blistering heat. One hundred degrees as a kid does not feel the same as one hundred degrees as an adult.  When I was little I would literally bask in the sun all day from sun up to sun down.  We’d roam away from home in nearby fields and ponds and creeks, ride bikes, make up songs and dances (I was NOT very good), and play night games way past bedtime. I’m glad our girls here can enjoy some of that instead of spending their time in front of the TV.  We save that nonsense for winter.  Ha!  But true...

Last weekend we took the kiddos to the theater to see "How to Train a Dragon: 2".  It was an awesome movie, probably as good as the first.  I can't measure it completely because I think we took six trips to the bathroom during it.  Those times when I'm not sure what to do as a parent... ignore the kids' constant "I have to go to the bathroom" because it's just an excuse to walk down the lighted stairs and run down the hall... or have them really pee all over everything.  Oh well.  I'll take three kids in underwear and six trips to the bathroom than one, two, or three kids in diapers.  I didn't get a good picture of Micah because she was stuffing her face with popcorn and Dr. Pepper...

Thanks to my good friend Megan, we now participate yearly in Chick Fil A's annual cow day.  Dress like a cow, get free food.  Sounds good to us!  Is walking around like a cow, a bit humiliating to me, worth $22 worth of food?  Yep! We have a love-hate relationship with church.  Not the gospel or doctrine, just church.  Tim and I teach the 5-year olds.  They are hilarious and probably share a bit too much about their families and lives.  But they are close to the Spirit and have such a purity about them.  That's part of the "love."  Sacrament Meeting is usually no bueno.  I don't hear much of what goes on but I know it's important for my family to be there.  Even when Micah throws up everywhere.  During Sacrament Meeting.  All over the carpet and covered chairs, all over Tim, all over herself and in her shoes.  All the while, Kota is asking, "Mom, did Micah throw up?  Mom?"  And I'm trying to keep t...

These three girls are best friends and I love it.  Together they are creative and boisterous.  They love dress up.  Love dress up.  Dresses, ninja robes, pirate hats, twirly skirts, hats, purses, sunglasses, shoes, necklaces, swords, dance attire, you name it.  They place house and school and, most recently, “grandma.”  I caught them doing this: Kota: Micah, let’s play ‘grandma.’ Micah: O-say (she can’t say her /k/ sound) Kota: Oh, grandma! (as she holds her hands out for a great hug) Micah: Oh, grandma! (as they kiss all over each other’s faces) Micah also calls her sisters ‘honey’ when they play.  “Some (Come) here, honey.”  They let Copper be their mom as she rocks and coddles them.  They laugh and giggle.  They fight and cry too.  Sometimes their bloody little screams echo the whole house.  But best friends they are.  It was hard having them so close to each other when the littles were babies, but it sure is a bl...

These girls of ours! Micah our gremlin.  Sometimes she just gets up, runs around screaming and growling, then sits down and giggles over and over.  She's the one who makes inhuman and animal like noises, who wanders off when everyone else is cleaning up, who still cries when she can't find mom.  Once I'm home for the evening, we're together forever.  She still throws up when she cries too hard.  Sometimes she even throws up when nothing's wrong.  Like in Sacrament Meeting last week.  Huge hurls of chocolate throw-up, which I attribute to her ch.milk intake that morning.  It landed on the carpet, covered chairs, Tim, her dress, her shoes, the backpack, pretty much everywhere.  It was super disgusting.  She was fine the rest of the day.  Our Micah is one of a kind.  Sometimes I want to squeeze that petite little face to death.  She's adorable, even when that little lower lip quivers and she whispers, "Mom I threw up..." ...

Tonight's wacky dinner was brought to you by new conversation questions.  Fifteen questions in less than two minutes; that's real conversation with toddlers and a five year old.  Some of the highlights: What's your favorite animal at the zoo (to Copper): "Elephants because I like elephants." What's your favorite show (to Dakota): "Frosty the Snowman.  I like Frosty the Snowman." What's your favorite kind of dinner (to Micah): "Bread." What sounds like a fun vacation or trip? (to Copper): "America." ("You know, like my puzzle.") If we were at the store, what is one thing you would like? (to Dakota): "A bouncy ball and stroller." What is something you are scared of? (to Dakota):   "Flies." What do you like about being a sister (to Micah): "I just like Copper."

Before stricken with disease, summer was strolling along just fine.  We're enjoying trips to Thanksgiving Point, walking temple grounds, swimming, staying up late, spending time in the backyard, and just goofing around.  I have a difficult time expressing the joy I feel through my girls.  They are delightful, full of energy, and a boast a radiant spirit that could have only come from a generous God.  You know, usually.  Haha.  They are, afterall, three and five year old girls who are also dramatic and ranking high on the emotional scale.