Summer Camp

Another first for our 3 year old; Summer Camp! Derick will be starting pre-school this fall. (Ack! My little man is growing up.) So, to see how this will feel and to give him something fun to do this summer, we signed him up for a week of camp. It was run by the City of Renton's rec program and was housed at the North Highlands Center. He went for five days, from 9am to noon. The night before the first day of camp, I have to admit, I was a little nervous. I have left him before with "strangers" (aka...play centers in Fred Meyer and IKEA) but this felt different somehow. After dinner I talked to him about how the day would go, what he might be doing, and the behaviour we expected from him. I reminded him that his buddy, Savanah would be there and that they could play together all morning. All the while, I was wondering about how he (and I) would do, having seperate mornings. Would he be safe? Would he behave? Will he enjoy the activites?

The first morning, we checked in the kids and surprise, I got a little teary eyed watching him run into the room and start checking out the play stations. Hello-My boy is so grown up! We met the teacher, Ms. Sherill. She was warm and welcoming. She re-assured us all would be well. And it was! Derick had a fantastic week. He did art and crafts, played with toys, learned about animals, and learned new songs. It was fun to hear him tell me about experiences that I hadn't shared with him. When you are a stay at home mom, this is a rare occurance.

I am looking forward to the fall, when he will start Pre-School. He's ready for some new experiences and I am ready to hear about the world from his eyes, too.

HEAT!

For the past week, the PNW has been in a serious heat wave. We are talking 90's every day, and SeaTac airport even hit 103 on Wednesday! That is HOT for Seattlites. We like our luke warm summers-70's and a breeze-will do me just fine, thank you. But I have to say, it was interesting. I noticed that life slowed WAY down. Getting the simplest things done felt like so much more effort was needed. I let alot of the usual chores slide. It was sort of like a tragedy; it brings people together with a common theme. Everyone was talking about how to stay cool. On the radio, TV, and at the coffee shops-The HEAT was the topic. A/C units and fans couldn't be bought.....every store was sold out. I, myself, purchased the last two box fans at Target in Renton on Monday morning. Literally.

Darla cooling off with a wet wash cloth.

Our house does not have A/C, which is pretty common in this part of the country. And, having a tri-level home makes that third floor pretty hot for sleeping. When Jeremy and I purchased this house, we inherited an old A/C unit that we found in the garage, under the stairs. It only runs on 220 volt power, and the only 220 plug we have in the house is in our basement (for the dryer). So, Jeremy drug out the beast, set it up outside our basement window, and plugged it in. Ahhhhh, now our basement was truly the coolest place in our home. I have never been so thankful for that old clunker! We camped out there all week long....Darla slept in her pack-n-play, Derick on the couch, and JP and I on an air mattress on the floor.

Derick splashing in the pool.

I planned meals I could cook on the BBQ, and we stocked up on water. The kiddie pool out back was our savior. Being wet in 90 degree heat is WAY better than being dry. My children LOVED spending every afternoon splashing around in the pool. (And, I did too!) On Wednesday, the heat was so intense that we actually set up our dinner table in the basement.

It was a tough night...no naps for the kids makes for a grumpy and tired family. But, we survived. I did get one big chore done, though. I shampooed the carpets. Since Darla is scooting around now, it was time to deep clean. And what better time to get the indoors wet, then in 90 degree heat? I know, it was kinda crazy, and hard work. But my carpets do look much better!

Sunset after a scorching hot day.

This morning, we woke to overcast skies and our indoor thermostat read 76. It was the first time the house had been below 80 in DAYS. What a relief! The forecast is for mid 80s for the weekend and into next week. That sounds perfect for me. I can't wait to sleep in my own bed tonight!!

Summer HEAT!

It definitely feels like summer in Renton! And the forecasters are telling us it's going to get hotter this week. OH BOY! This girl isn't a big fan of the 90's. We don't have AC and the heat makes sleeping tough. It also makes for some extra grumpy people. I'm trying to stay positive, and one good thing is we are enjoying our back yard pool alot this year! Here's a few pics of the fun we've been having outside.

Renton River Days was this weekend. I decided not to walk in the parade this year. It was nice to just enjoy the crowd and my family instead of participating with RMG. I think we'll do it next year when little D is walking well and can enjoy it too.

Here's to staying cool; don't forget to drink those fluids!

Back Yard Antics

If you know me, then you know I LOVE humming birds. When JP and I first moved into our home (almost 6 years ago, now) we would sit on our back deck and watch the birds come and go. We bought bird books. We fed them. We made a space for them to bathe. The trees and shrubs in the yard are great places for birds to perch, feed, and live. However, over the years, the hummers that have started to frequent our yard bring me the most joy to watch. It started with the discovery of the Male Rufus hummingbird. They make the BEST noise when they zip in and out of the yard. We named the males, "Mr. Zippy." I think it might be the same bird that comes back each year. They are the toughest, and the most aggressive hummers in our area. I love to watch their dive displays and "dog fights" with other birds. Male Rufus hummers come in early spring (March) and only stay until early summer(June). The females come later and stay later. (we just saw a female in the yard yesterday) Then, the rest of the summer we are visited by Anna's Hummingbirds. They actually stay all year long.

As I've been sitting here typing on the back patio, we have watched a male Anna's hummer defend the feeder. The two birds swoop and swish around us. The warning clicking makes JP and I look up from our laptops to watch the show. It warms my heart and lifts my soul to watch such speed and movement from something so little. They are flying jewels, beauty in motion, and a sweet kind of magic to me.

Reunited and it feels so good!

Ahhhh, JP is HOME from his week long visit to Spokane for work. I have to be honest here, things between dear hubby and I haven't been the sweetest since children came into our lives. While we do work at it, our relationship definitely takes the hits. But, when your loved one goes away for a while, it hits home how important we are to each other. Both JP and I have been struggling separately, instead of working together. But, after a very honest discussion, we both realized that this is one of those couple moments. The kind of moments that make your relationship stronger and more grounded. Or you can ignore the issues and let the chasm between us, get bigger. Neither of us wants that to happen. So, it takes understanding, commitment, conversation, and action to make a few adjustments. To let the US take more of an important role in our daily lives.

The man I married is a compassionate man, who loves his family with his whole heart. He's a thinker, planner, and a strategist. He's cute, smart, goofy, and spiritual. And, I love him so very, very much!

Chha, chha, chha, Changes!

Darla turned 8 months old on July 13th. She's continuing to expand her communication and now is starting to say, "Da, Da" and "Ga, Ga" a lot. She also does the best smoosh faces and blows air "puffs." Two weeks ago, Jeremy and I decided it was time for her to move into the crib, which also meant she'd be moving out of our bedroom. But, we weren't ready to put her into Derick's bedroom just yet, since she still wakes up more than once a night. So, we shifted stuff again in the computer room and have set up a spot for her to sleep, for now. We are hoping she'll start sleeping better soon! The other big milestone is her desire to be on the move! If Darla had her wish, she'd be walking by now. She hasn't been big on tummy time, but is starting to tolerate it much better, now that she can move around a little. She can roll, scoot backward, and has just started to get up on all fours. It won't be long now, before we are pulling out the baby gates and picking up all the small toys after Derick.

We've been very busy going to weddings, having fun BBQ's, and celebrating birthdays. Here's a few pics of all the fun!

Congratulations, Ali!

Happy Birthday, Nonna!

Friend's Night Fun

Derick's Pack grows

If you spend any amount of time with Derick, you will hear him talk about his newest pack of friends. Except, they are not easy to spot because they are in his imagination! What an amazing story teller he is turning out to be. It started out with Robbie, and now Robbie has company: Bob, Jacob, Jan, and Savanah. Several times a day, I am updated on the location and conditions of his dear friends. Sometimes they are sick, sometimes they join us for meals, sometimes they join us for rides in the car, and sometimes they even ride in their OWN cars! He gets very excited and concerned for them. It's pretty cute and I think harmless. Except when other moms are informed that the clan has gotten lost in the woods and they don't know that these kids are pretend! Oops!