Stuff

Taggart saw the eye specialist last week and though I was fully expecting him to write the prescription for glasses that day, he surprised me by saying that he thought glasses may not be the way to go. So for now, he has to wear a patch every day for 3 hours. He doesn't like it very much but he is been getting better about it every day.

And on a different note...
I didn't feel at all ready for Fall to be here (Summer was way too short) but it's here nonetheless. So I decided to welcome it with a few decorations around the house. It always feels good to do a little changing and rearranging.

Disneyland 2010

I have really been wanting to get this post done. But trying to decide which of the photos to share with you all has been just about impossible.
So I am narrowing it down to things that I really don't want to forget.

I always want to remember:

- how overwhelmed Taggart (and the rest of us) were that first day. We had been up for way too many hours the day before and our first day in the park felt like a little bit of a disaster. We didn't have a plan and therefore we sort of felt like we were just treading water all day. It made us re-think the next day and they all went uphill from there.

- how fun and exciting it was to see the characters. Even though we mapped out our days with things we wanted to do that day, every time we saw a new character everything stopped for a meeting, photos and autographs.





- how hot it was. I don't think we could really forget this but I thought this should be documented nonetheless. I tried to keep a count of how many frozen lemonades we consumed but lost track after the second day. Monday was the hottest day, 44*C. We decided to skip the park that day and hang out at the pool instead. This was the thermostat hanging on the wall pool-side.



- how tired we all got. The heat contributed to this, I'm sure. Lots of sitting on Daddy's shoulders for Tag, especially at the end of the day as we headed back to our hotel.



- how much I enjoyed watching all the kids play in the waves at Huntingdon Beach. They were all happy in the pool that morning and would have just as soon stayed there, but once they got to the ocean and saw what California beaches had to offer, they realized why Tony and I pushed them all to go. The weather was perfect and this day was one of my favorites.


- how you all looked in your Mickey ears.

- how Taggart had to put his Woody costume on the minute we bought it. Woody is definitely his favorite right now. I also want to remember how Reagan kept trying to encourage him to give Buzz Lightyear some attention too so that he didn't feel left out. So funny.


- how different you all were about going on rides. Reagan and Taggart would go on anything with no fear at all. Hudson surprised me completely when he went on California Screamin' but then didn't want to do Splash Mountain. Cooper is a cautious soul and doesn't like to be scared, just like his Mom. :)

- the looks of wonder on those sweet faces.

I'm back

We have returned from our visit with Mickey and friends, exhausted and refreshed at the same time.
Today was filled with laundry and unpacking and sorting and cleaning. Unfortunately all of that left no room for uploading or editing of the 700+ photos that we took.
But there's some great ones and I promise to share. Soon.

In our backyard

I love that our backyard overlooks the high school field. I always have. Some people have questioned if it gets too noisy and do we have any problems with kids jumping the fence.
We have had the occasional 1/2 PB&J sandwich tossed into the yard from an ungrateful high school student, but that is pretty minor.
What I love about it is that we get to use the field to play soccer or fly a kite with the kids. We have used the track to train the kids to ride their bikes without training wheels. The track is a safe, open space that the kids can go and play and I can see them from my kitchen window.
I also love hearing the noise of soccer or rugby matches after school or on the weekend. They get a little noisy but it's good noise in my opinion. I have never ever wished that the school wasn't there.

And now we have one more reason to love it. Our high school (Cooper will be attending in two years) just got a football team this year. We have been watching them practice all summer and now the games have started. Cooper and especially Hudson are so excited at the prospect of playing for that team one day.
The games bring the kids out of the house and down to the bleachers to meet friends, hang out and watch the game.
Last night, it even brought dinner. I gave them 20$ and Nana walked down with them to get a hot dog, chips and a pop. Not the most nutritious dinner but they were all so happy that I actually let them go get it.

Just another reason I am so thankful for our neighborhood.

Hold on...

...to this. I have a feeling these days are numbered.

Getting overwhelming feelings lately of how all my kids are growing up so fast. I am now well past the stage of babies and it's exciting and heart-breaking all at the same time.
For now I am thankful that I can still sit on the couch with Tag and cuddle him up in my lap and that he is still very happy to be there.

Dahlias

We visited a new place last weekend. Ferncliff Gardens in Mission.

Thanks Julie, for letting us know about this little gem of a place.
The weather was perfect. Tony and I really enjoyed walking around and looking at all the varieties of these pretty flowers. Trying to decide what to put in our garden next spring.

Cooper and Hudson were less excited about the afternoon, so I put Cooper to work with the clipboard and price list. As I told him ones that I liked, he was meant to find them on the list and mark them with an X. Doesn't he look thrilled??

Reagan, on the other hand, wanted her picture taken with just about every bloom. How could I refuse?

Taggart was also quite into the flowers, for a while, then he found some trucks in the dirt to play with until we were done.


I am quite looking forward to having just a few of these in my yard next summer to cut and bring into the house.

MCC Sale

The MCC Sale.
Every September for as long as I can remember.
We don't always go, but Mom and Dad always do.
Every year.
This year we joined them for our fill of all the Mennonite food I grew up on.
My brother, John joined us as well.
Watermelon and rollkuchen.
Borscht.
Verenicki.
Porzelki.
Pie and ice cream.
We ate it all.

Then after our tummies were good and full, we headed over to the kids corner for some playing before heading home. The kids had a really great time and it's an easier place to hand over money for balloon animals, rock climbing, fishing for toys, etc. because all the $$ is going for something good.