Goodbye Sunshine

The last Saturday of the warm fall. Now the true NW weather has come back with a vengeance. So happy to have made it through almost the whole soccer season no rain!! Thank God for indoor soccer in winter.

Only 66 days till our Mexican Cruise. As you can see I am counting down, even more so now that the rain has come back! SUN, SUN, SUN, I am chanting all my way to the fake and bake to prepare my lilly white skin for the true sunshine. I know the sun in Mexico is going to be hotter than the luke warm sun we feel here, and I CAN'T WAIT!!

Teacher Conferences and THE FALL

Tuesday was teacher conference day for Colton and Mariah. I have to say that I LOVE these conferences now. My oldest was a little hard on the teachers so I would spend most of that time listening to "How great a kid Anthony is BUT", a long list of: he doesn't sit still (he is a boy!), he is restless, doesn't like to read (not everyone does!), is very smart if he would put his effort towards it. I just wanted to SCREAM sometimes. It was always nice when one of the teachers would recognize what a great kid he is. Anthony has such great leadership abilities, so smart, and such a kind person.

I always feel in my heart that I should have waited to start Anthony when he was 6 rather than 5. Both Anthony and Colton are June babies. I feel like it made 100% difference in Colton's school life (so far, we are only half way there! fingers crossed) to start at 6 compared to Anthony's. If only the schools would help guide new parents with that. It always felt like Anthony got everything at the end of the year rather than the beginning. The best part is that he stuck through school all the way to the end and graduated on time. He had to work a little harder than others but he did it. Graduation is one of those moments when you feel such accomplishment as a parent. Hard to believe how proud and what love you feel in those moments.

Now the school conferences are as different as each of my children are. Colton's teachers absolutely adore him. More than one has wanted me to have him tested for the Challenge program in our school district. So strange how easy school comes for that kid, both his dad and I had to work hard to graduate. I have not had to help him with his homework since first grade really. It is weird that Anthony and Colton can look so alike, think so alike, enjoy the same things, but be so vastly different. Each year the teachers tell me what a hard worker Colton is, that he shows such great leadership abilities and he is the model student. (Some days I wonder where that kid is at home!) He is reading at a 9th grade level (if he could ever finish a book without getting bored half way through), but (shock of all shocks!!) he needs to work on his organization skills. If you have ever seen his bedroom it all becomes clear. I can't believe this is the last year of elementary school for him. I am not ready for him to be in Junior High next year, so much change. Selfishly I will miss those times when the teacher tells me how great he is. Of course I am completely biased and will always think this about each of my kids anyways.

Mariah, what do you say. I about fall off my chair each year when the teacher tells me what an easy going child she is. WHAT! Maybe they would like to be at my house each morning when Ms Grumpy Pants does not want to get up. Or when things are not perfect in her world and it is crumbling around us. Her teacher said that she is a great role model for her class. She is a hard worker, pays attention and follows directions like a dream. Her teacher said she wished of a class full of Mariahs (careful what we wish for). Funny the things each of the teachers would like them to work on are the same things we are working on at home. Mariah is (dare I say it out loud) a PERFECTIONIST, I am not really sure where this has come from. For sure not me her mom, I am both sad/happy to say. It is a long hard road for someone who believes everything in life must be perfect. Everyday we work on telling her that it is OK to make mistakes, that correcting the mistakes is what make us grow and learn. If you don't make the mistakes how can you be better at life. The funniest part is that she got the same speech from her soccer coach. He gets so frustrated with her when he can see that she is worrying about her every move rather than being involved in the game. I am so proud of how smart she is and how much of herself she pores into everything she does. The thing that concerns me the most with my little perfectionist, that she will worry herself to death and never fully engage in life. But that in itself is a lifetime project that we will work on everyday.

So after having such glowing moments in the conferences I am off to my car. Oops I forgot that I parked up the hill on the other side. So jiggling my purse looking for my keys, trying to call my kids back (of course they called me three times knowing that I am in the teacher conference, WHY!!! the house was not burning, and no stitches involved) and trying not to drop all the paperwork I switch directions. Never a good idea when tramping through the underbrush to not pay attention to your feet. Just FYI! Of course at the exact moment of my humiliation there has to be about 10 parents coming and going to witness my FALL. Yep, one of those frozen in moment times when you know you are going down but can't stop it. Out goes my right hand to stop all of me. Flying across the rocks and bushes goes my Glasses, my phone, my purse, my keys, all the paperwork. Rushing towards me are a couple concerned dads (very nice but even more embarrassing!) to help the klutz up.

If only at that exact moment the world would swallow me up. I reassure them that yes, I am fine, I can get myself up. Thanks so much for your concern. Gather my items, make mental note to self that I am now OLD apparently and more klutzy than I used to be, so don't be multitasking while trying to navigate the off road areas of school. On a light note there is apparently a bone in the pad of your hand under your thumb that breaks and does not heal easily. So now I may have to have an xray to rule out the break, when and if the swelling ever goes down! Funny little life. Always helping us out in those awkward moments.

Sk8tr

If it is not soccer it is skateboarding at our house. You have to love all the skate parks that are around our area. He is so determined to master what ever it is he is participating in. I love the intensity he brings to life.

I decided to enter this in Aimee over at Greeblemonkeys monthly contest. I love all the pictures that are posted. So many different views from all around.

Washing Machines

I am just going to start this post by saying I HATE LAUNDRY!!! Ok I feel somewhat better. My washer has been a good machine for almost 12 years now, but like all good things it is coming to an end. My washing machine has been acting a little strange lately. First let me say that it is located in the laundry room aka the garage/computer room, and once I have started the load I walk/run as fast away as I can. I try not to think about it till it is time for the next in a line of never ending loads.

For the past few weeks it has been doing some very weird things. When you start it on regular cycle it will end on the very last cycle which is delicate. At first I thought my husband (lol yeah right!) or (funnier yet!) my kids had been changing it. The spin cycle has been failing, so we have been moving the dial to get it to spin. Sigh, one more thing on the long needs list!!

To make a long and not so funny story short, my washer has been going through all three wash cycles for about a week. Can't wait for THAT water bill!! Now I have to wash all the clothes on delicate cycle or set a timer and run out to stop it before the next cycle begins. And let me just say the delicate cycle ain't much help if you have dirty stinky soccer clothes! It's either wash them twice on delicate or just let it go through all three cycles. I HATE LAUNDRY! My friend Carrie pointed out the this commercial on her blog with Kelly Ripa and the new Electrolux washer. It is now occuping my dreams THANK YOU VERY MUCH! That lovely aqua color, that was the color from our so 1988 wedding. Peach and Aqua all the way!

Hey, that is just the plan I can use. Dear Wonderful Hubby, if you please, please, please, with sugar on top! buy me the AQUA matching set of washer and dryer I will think of our wedding day each time I do our laundry. That is saying I can remember much from the wedding 2o years later!! Oh yes and please note the aqua colored flowers in the homemade (by me of course!) bouquet below. Gotta love the 80's!!

PUBERTY

OK, so this is not my first ride on the puberty train. I have already graduated one out and through it onto his own. It has been a few years though since I went through the beginning of it with my first one, but just like a bike you start to remember as you get back on.

The other night while my 12 year old and I were lying in bed watching TV (big secret but we like John and Kate plus eight, shhhh don't tell) he puts his arms up behind his head. And low and behold if he did not have a big patch of arm pit hair! How did that get there with out me knowing! All summer long I have not noticed this, I have noticed the change in attitude though. So not without some laughter I asked him "Do you have hair in other places?" He said MOM!!!!!!! Well......just making sure.... boys never tell you anything. My husband let me know that that is NOT something to be shared with moms, and my time is coming with the daughter.

This middle child may be my downfall. The first day of school the head PTA mom tells me that my 6th grader had his name on the school reader board. I asked how can that be on the first day of school? Apparently over the summer the school reader board was vandalized and the letters were re-arranged to spell out I LOVE COLTON D****. When I asked Colton if he knew this, he said his teacher had told him, but he did not know who would do that! Great! It is funny and strange all at the same time.

So our latest trip down the puberty trail has led us to THE BIG TALK. Don't get me wrong we have had many little talks. Colton is the youngest of a long line of boys brothers/cousins in our family. This time curious boy, 12 yr old puberty victim, is hanging out at the local skate park with a bunch of his friends and a couple girls. He decides to ask one of the girls older sister (hmmm my face is red thinking of this) what she would do if the said girl lifted up her shirt. The older sister being the good sister she is, did what she should have. She told her MOM!

So begins the phone calls between parents. Not the best way to meet a fellow classmates mom I must say. Luckily this mom is very nice with a teenage daughter and 3 more girls behind her. Our conversation went something like this...me -I am so sorry, that was so inappropriate for my child to say or even suggest.....her saying-She understands, she is experiencing the girl puberty and just wants to make sure that nothing inappropriate is going on...me-Reassuring her that it will never happen again and that a talk will be had. Ending the conversation on a nice note. I am thankful this is a nice down to earth mom who is on top of things with her girls. I really appreciate her following through and being so kind to me during this embarrassing parent moment.

So the beginning of the BIG TALK, in a long list of talks has started. We discussed appropriate questions. Respect for girls, how every girl is someones daughter/sister/cousin. Curiosity, and who it is OK to talk about these things with. (I can bet I am not the first on the list, but luckily for him he has his Dad and older brother and cousins.) The best part is that I know that he will come to me in times of need for other things if not for this one.

BIG SIGH, I am getting old now. I have another one behind him to ride the puberty train with, and a girl no less. HELP!!!!! I am just hoping that I make it through with all my senses intact.

Wine Country

I found this contest at Stop screaming I am Driving's sight last month and could not resist joining in this month. I am not the best of photog's but loved these pictures from our Wine Tasting weekend in Yakima. I could have stared at this view for hours, a glass of wine and a nice breezy day, RELAXATION.

Moving Out

So the big day finally came this month. I thought I was prepared, I knew that my oldest was working up to moving out, but really I was not as ready as I thought I was. My heart hurt when he told me they had found an apartment. All those months of wavering between I can't wait for him to move, to I never want him to go, came down to that one single moment when he broke the news to me.

It was so sweet when they found the place. My self assured kid who has the world by its tail seemed so unsure and young for just a moment in time. It brought me back to all those sweet times when I could make him feel better with my reassurance. It is scary to move out of the child comfort zone into the adult world. For just a moment I got to be the person he needed. The approval he was looking for. I miss those days as the kids get older. He actually wanted me and his dad to see the apartment before they leased it. It was such a happy/sad day!

The apartment is beautiful. I love his girlfriend (not happy for them to move in together, but what can you tell the 19 year old, believe me when I say he knows how I feel about it) she is a beautiful person and they fit so very well together. She makes him a better person in so many ways.

I can honestly say that I am so very proud of the person he has become. When Darrel and I went to see the apartment we also met the landlord. The landlord told Darrel how impressed he was with both of them. He said he was nervous when they said they were 19, but after meeting them and speaking with them he was so impressed that he let them rent without a credit check or references. The landlord just thought they were so well spoken and put together for such a young couple. Let me just say that my heart about burst with pride for that compliment. I worked hard on that kid and so far he is fantastic!!

Now the excitement has begun at our house. The younger two are sad to see him go and actually miss him alot. But now the room shift begins. We are limited in our space and need the room so I can have an office now instead of my bedroom. Colton is moving up to Anthonys room (the big room), which is going to be a challenge because he is not very good about keeping his room clean. I let them each pick a color for one of their walls, Colton has chosen fluorescent green! After we have made his big move we will paint his room and Mariah will move on up. Anthony was a little upset that we were moving so quickly, like we were going to keep his room empty and waiting for him.

Sorry Charlie but the world keeps turning around here and the move is on!!!