The Visit

So the Veermans made a cross country, month long, r.v. trip this spring - and parked their rig in our driveway for a few days!  I wish I had a picture of that.  We tracked their trip on our map until they pulled in our driveway!  One day, when the kids are older and we get our nerve up, they can track us.

One of the many projects: I think they squeezed a couple of quarts at least of OJ and one big jar of grapefruit juice.  There was one sticky mess on the porch, but a lot of yummy juice for breakfast.

It was great to have them around and just be a part of our routine.   Caleb by our church banner at the ball park.  They road their bikes over to Joseph's baseball game.

I had another one of this cute guy and his favorite buddy, Henry.  But I can't find where I saved it.

Kate got to go to Olivia's ballet performance.  I was the only one who knew which one she was because I was at the rehearsal.  Her bangs were slicked back and Kate never was able to figure out which one she was.  It took Mike half the dance...and the dance was only about 2 minutes long.

Sunday morning breakfast.  Eight kids and we made it to church on time!

Aquarium at the L.A. Science Center.  We went to see the space shuttle Endeavor.

Swimming at the Yerkes' pool

On the Midway and at the Oceanside Pier.  We drove up and camped with them one night.  I should have zoomed in on this pictures.

I might wish later that I had taken a little more time to write more commentary on the visit...how great it feels to be with dear friends from so far away, how easy it all was, how fun.  But this stage in life does not allow for as much commentary as I would like...not if I am actually going to enjoy the moments while they are here.

The elephant in the room

The developmental post

Since this blog has not been up to date since Greta was born, this news is old.  But Henry has indeed learned to crawl and will likely be walking in the next couple of months.  He's had the cutest army crawl of all the kids.

After learning to skootch, he stood up...

Then he had to figure out how to get down.

Maybe I'll get around to posting his crawling before he actually starts walking...we'll see.

Personality differences

Can you see it?

Bulls'-eye

 We read quite a bit of The Adventures of Robin Hood this year.  That might have planted the seed.  The Palomar Mtn. retreat center we visit in the winter has and archery range - this too has sparked interest.  Then there is the weapon obsession on our street.  We capitalized on all three and invited Joe's baseball team over for eats and archery.

 Making their arrows identifiable.

 Mini archer-ess

 A little tutorial/"please don't injury anyone; we have a game tomorrow"

Enlarge this to see Avery's arrow.  She missed the pie plate, but hit the poster bull's eye dead on!

 The dads were really hands on.

Coach Manny!

Avery, again, in case you missed her get-up. Party dress complete with "up hills" (silver high heels).

 Sweet boys.  Sweet boy.

Now We Are Six

It takes a long time to get to know your kid.  I am guessing most of their lives and yours.  I never realized how many presumptions I would make about their likes and dislikes, emotions, fears tendencies.  When they are born it feels like everyone else's presumption is that you know.  He cries and everyone glances your way - presuming you know the problem and how best to solve it.  It took 3 kids before I was comfortable glancing back and saying, "Heck if I know!?"  We mothers don't always know.  I don't always know.  Only problem is, I've spent my life being a know-it-all.  Having kids has really messed up my reputation.

Joe turned 6 this year.  And I am still getting to know him.  In a journal I keep about our babies (that's right, a journal just for details on pregnancy, delivery, development - you know my issue with journals), I wrote of weeks old Joseph, "He seems more emotional than Olivia..."  This has certainly remained true.  He feels life.  He is IN the moment, whatever the moment is and it may not be the moment the rest of us are in, but he is in it...and when it changes, if he isn't ready, he feels it.  He is good for me and Olivia this way.  She and I are often in the next moment and need the reminding to be present and appreciate.

We have some kids on our block who are really into weapons.  In effort to maintain some control over the ever growing arsenal and keep them from shooting eat others eyes out, we've taken up archery - as a sport, not a free for all.  We found a tutorial for how to make bows and arrows on line and with surprising little help the kids made them.  We function under the Lieuwen model of teaching our children to use tools rather than banning them and risking a curiosity experiment that results in a lost finger.  So, here they are hard at work.  Measuring, marking, sawing...

 They cut pvc pipe for the bows, then spray painted them.  They cut slits in the ends and filed to smooth.  String was tided tightly enough to cause the pipe to bow.  Then they cut dowels for the arrows and jammed wine corks on the ends for the "point."  (Pictures of finished project in next post.)

 Then we celebrated, just us.  (These are the tickets, Mom.  He's figuring it out.)

 Big sisters know just what to get.

 Then his "real" set.

 Not a bad shot

 Then he followed the arrows to his last gift.

 You notice he is the only one dressed.  He was up and ready for his birthday!

 Already showing signs of "too cool"ness.  He had to wear the birthday crown backwards.

 An intervention

 And spit all over the cinnamon rolls

 An evening celebration with friends like family.  Six.  Gee Whiz.