Peter's Third Birthday

We closed out birthday season in our house yesterday.  No more birthdays until January.

Yesterday was Peter's 3rd birthday and there was a lot of build up to the big day.  Poor Peter.  Since the middle of April, he has patiently waited through five birthdays - and at least three times a week he has asked, "Is today my birthday?"

It was a joyous morning when I could finally tell my sweet boy, "Yes Peter! Today is YOUR birthday!"

He was thrilled with the small things... birthday cake at Oma's and Grandpa's, shopping with Grammy and Papa, balloons around the kitchen table, and a birthday sign which he proudly told people read:  "Happy Birthday Peter."

Peter is a great boy - but man, is he intense and wow, does he have a lot of energy.  I don't know who came up with the phrase, "Terrible Twos" because in our family, the threes have been way harder.  And so, I am just buckling in, getting ready to ride out the next year with my boy.

In any case, here are some things I love about Peter on his third birthday:

1. He is the youngest of three brothers, but he can keep up with the bigger kids with no problem.

2.  He loves to work.

3.  When I call him, if he isn't ready to come, he just holds up one finger and says "Minute."  99% of the time it cracks me up, 1% of the time it infuriates me.

4. He has the biggest brown eyes I have ever seen.

5. He loves curling up on my lap and giving me juicy kisses.

6.  He is an athlete.

7. He says the longest prayers - often they involve him looking around the room and blessing everything in sight.

8.  He pretends to fall asleep every time we are in the car and makes the loudest snoring sounds.

9.  He is funny.

I can't believe my baby boy is three.  He talks, he runs, he does flips on the trampoline (actually they're just summersaults but he calls them flips,) he has very strong opinions but he is so sweet.

Happy Birthday to my Peter.  I love you, Little Son.

Lucky

Twelve years ago today I married this handsome gentleman:

When Andrew and I got married, we had known each other for almost two years.  We had been friends before we dated and I thought I knew him pretty well.  Now, as I look at this picture and realize that I really didn't know him at all.  I had no idea all the things he was capable of and I certainly didn't realize how lucky I was to be marrying this guy.

Since that day, Andrew has been:

-a Y2K Committee intern

- a long-term care gentleman

-a medical student

-a medical intern

-a resident

-a board certified ER doctor

-a life-saver (literally and figuratively)

-an electrician

-a plumber

-a painter

-a barber

-a chauffeur

-a house cleaner

-a furniture mover/packer/unpacker

-an exterminator

-an OB (he delivered all five of our children)

-a surgical patient x 3

-a landscape architect

-a gardener

-a biker

-a skier

-a surfer

-a sea-kayaker

-a sky diver

-a grill master

-a photographer

-a videographer

-a part-time blogger

-a pack mule

-a coach

- a care giver

-a foot massager

-a back scratcher

-a blessing giver

-a friend

-a confidant

-a sounding board

-a motivator

-a peace maker

-a reader

-a teacher

-a comedian

-a skiing instructor

-a dancer 

When I was growing up, I always dreamed about the man I would marry - and Andrew has exceeded every hope I ever had for myself.  At work, it is Andrew's job to save lives, but at home, he does so much to make all our lives better. I am so lucky that twelve years ago today, this handsome man, in this good looking tuxedo made me his wife.  I am a better person because of it.

Happy Anniversary Andrew.

I love you.

Nine is Just Fine

It was Abby's birthday a few weeks ago, and I have been negligent in getting a post written about my favorite nine-year-old girl in the world.

A couple of years ago, I was talking to a friend whose daughter had just turned nine.  "I just can't believe I'm already half-way done raising her," my friend said.  "In nine more years, she'll have graduated from high school."  

Ever since that conversation, I have been slightly dreading Abby's ninth birthday.  I'm not ready to be halfway done raising this girl.  

Well, despite my trepidation, Abby's birthday came and went and it was a great day.  Oma and Aunt Laura took her to lunch for her birthday - at Abby's request they took her to sushi.  After lunch, Laura arranged for a mani/pedi for Abby - it was her first and she is now a fan!  After her afternoon of pampering, Grammy and Papa took her toy shopping and she came home with a stuffed baboon that wraps his arms around her neck.  

(What a relief.  Just when Andrew and I thought our baby girl was all grown up - eating sushi and getting mani/pedis- Abby reminded us that she is still our little girl with a soft spot for stuffed animals.)

We adore Abby and all that she does.  I have always considered myself "the reader of the family," but recently that title has been taken by Abby.  Just today we added up the number of pages she has read in the past two months - and I kid you not - she has read 4,921 pages since the middle of April.  I have asked her to do a book review for the blog, so watch for that in the next few weeks.

Abby is witty and clever and so fun to be around.  Her brothers and sister adore her.  We all think Abby is pretty great.  So, even though Abby is now nine, there is no way we are halfway done with her.  We are keeping her around for a lot longer than that.

Happy Belated Birthday to our Abby!

We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE you!

A Tribute to My Dad...

Dad,

I have always felt lucky to have you for a dad - and here are just a few of the reason why....

I have always known that you love me.

When I was down, you always encouraged me get back up on that horse.

(At the cabin - 1976.)

You have great jeans   -   I mean genes.

(At the cabin - 1972.)

You support my family in all the things we do.  

(Henry and Grandpa at Lotoja.)

You love Mom.  Thank you a million times for that.

(Mom and Dad on their 40th Anniversary - June 2008.)

You appreciate the little things - and the big things.

(Grandpa and Lucy - 1 hour old.)

For all the things you have taught me, and all the things you do, I love you, Dad.

Happy Fathers Day.

Love, 

Elizabeth

Tell The Teacher We're Surfing

We waxed down our surfboards, and didn't wait 'til June.

We kicked off the summer a little early this year.  Thanks to Elizabeth going to girls camp with the Young Women in July we altered our "summer" beach trip and went before school got out.  The kids did great on the surfboard with our new easy three step process.  They start out on all fours as I push them as the wave comes.  Then they just stand up, as easy as walking on the deck of a boat.  It would be the equivalent of me on a river barge.  When the ride is over, they just step off the board into the shallow water. 

Surfin' USA.

Abby's sporty technique

Isaac's turn

Abby and Isaac Tandem

The other highlight is sea kayaking.  Elizabeth took Abby on some good rides, braving the cold water, and only got flipped once.

California Girls

Lucy sampling local plant life

Exploring on all fours. No tempting sand to eat.

Henry making beach sculptures

Peter's patented casual lounge mode. This is how he is usually found in bed after waking of from a nap with his hands behind his had, legs crossed.

Lucy's tutu swimsuit. A must for sitting in the sand.

No tutu, but perfect ballerina toes (and shrunken hat)

Abby exploring an octopus's garden, and catching them.  This is like going back in time for me, watching them lift up all the same old rocks I looked under as a kid in search of the same prizes.

It may look like a karate kick, but it was more of a dance number.

Lucy getting kisses from her cousin Sam

A well needed rest stop in St. George which turned into wading in the red sandstone fountain, staining clothes, relay races on the lawn, and an impromptu family portrait.

It's Official

School ended last Friday and summer has officially began.  We are staying up late and sleeping-in a little in the morning.  Abby and Isaac are taking tennis, and the kids have already logged some serious hours jumping on the trampoline with the sprinkler on underneath.  We are eating most our meals outside and driving with the sunroof open.

Life is good.  Very good.

School seems like a distant memory - even though it was only a few days ago that we said good-bye to all the wonderful teachers.

Closing flag ceremony with the whole school.

Isaac with his awesome Spanish teacher.

(Isaac had a great last day of school, as evidenced by the chocolate all over his face

and the wad of gum in his cheek.)

And with his amazing English teacher.

(The kids all love her so much.  They all tell me that she smells SO good!)

Abby with her Spanish teacher who taught Abby so much this year.

And with her English teacher who loves books and art as much as Abby does.

The kids had a great year - even though it went by WAY too quickly.  We feel so lucky to have such a great school and have so many fabulous teachers.  

But now, we're going to kick back, relax and soak up every minute we can of summer.  HOORAY!

The Rites of Summer

When I was in the eighth grade, I read the book Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury.  It was required reading for our English class and I knew that on the assigned date,  we would be tested on things like symbolism, themes and character analysis.  I'm sure I started reading the book somewhat begrudgingly, but I know that once I started reading, it didn't take me long to connect deeply with that book.   There were ideas and descriptions in the book that felt as though they had come from my own heart.  This was the book, that for me, captured the essence of summer.

Every year at this time, when school is almost out and we are on the cusp of summer, I think about this book and the magic I felt the first time I read it.

Dandelion Wine is a coming-of-age book set entirely in the summer of 1928.  Douglas Spaulding is a 12-year-old boy and we experience summertime through his eyes.  It is about capturing all the small moments that make up summer and savoring them.

In one of the chapters, Douglas and his brother create a list entitled "Rites and Ceremonies."  On this list they would write all the things routine things they did every summer that were part to the season - things that made summer, well summer.

At age 14, I was so taken with this idea, that I started making my own "Rites and Ceremonies" list at the beginning of each summer.  I thought about all the things that meant "summer" to me, and I would write them down. Then, as I went through the summer, I would cross them off my list as I accomplished each of them.

Even at that age, I sensed with nostalgia how short-lived the summer magic of my youth would be. And so, I made my lists, wanting to do everything I could to make summer last and to live each moment to the fullest.

I remember my early lists.  They included: drink a root beer float, swim in a cold lake, ride a horse at the cabin, walk to Emigration for a popsicle, count the stars, barbecue hamburgers, drink lemonade, check out books from library, get tan, eat fresh strawberries, ride bike to Foothill, lie on the lawn and watch the clouds, night swimming, eat watermelon, play night games, have a water fight, watch fireworks, etc.

As I got older, some things on the list stayed (root beer floats and getting tan, for sure), some things got dropped (like swim in a cold lake,) and other things got added, like go water skiing, ride in a convertible and get a summer job.

These lists have continued.  Every year I make my list of things to do that will make-up summer  - although now they are more about creating summer magic for my kids than for me.  Still, this time of year, I get a little giddy thinking about the summer that lies ahead with all its possibilities.  And I get a little nostalgic for my kids, knowing how fleeting the summers of childhood really are.

And so, I make my list for me and my kids - including many of the things my 14-year-old self loved -  like root beer floats, counting the stars and water fights.  Let's bring on the rites and ceremonies of summer.  I can't wait!

So what are your rites of summer?

The kids rafting down the stream at the cabin - Summer 2009

Isaac - filling the inflatable pool - and showing off his physique

Minnesota, Summer 2005