Back to School

Today is  the last day of summer, and in true Seattle fashion, it's raining and 51 degrees outside. This summer has been weird in so many ways - the weather (lots of rain), the fact that we didn't do a lot, and our camping trips were a flop (except for the one to Potlatch with just me and Jeff which was pretty fun), and we did not go to a single park, beach, hike......pretty much anything outdoorsy and summery. What DID we do all summer?  Well, I can say without a doubt the kids watched WAY too much TV and had WAY too much computer time. We had two great trips to Boise and Coeur d' Alene to visit family. We spent another day with the Spokane Moore's so in all, we visited a lot of family this summer, which was nice. But it still feels like "the summer that wasn't" as Jeff put it. I had such big plans for the summer - each week I neatly penned activities into my calendar - music in the parks, outdoor movie nights in the parks,  festivals, fairs. And we did none of it. Such a bummer. And now it's back to school. Always a dreaded and anticipated time. Who wants to get up early and start a routine again? NO ONE! But who's excited for a new year, a new start, new friends, new clothes.....EVERYONE! As dreaded as that first day back is, it's also a pretty fun time for kids and moms. By the end of the summer, I crave a little routine, and the kids are just plain bored. So getting back into a schedule is a good thing, even though  it means homework, chores, and regularly scheduled meals (another casualty of summer - eating on a whim!). Tonight I'll pack up four lunches, attend sixth grade curriculum night, and try to get the kids to bed by 10 p.m. which, considering their summer "schedule" is super early. Tomorrow, they'll all wake up excited and ready to go....it's the next day, and the one after that, and the one after that, which will be difficult once the first day anticipation has worn off. And me? I'll be back to......what? Time to reinvent myself once again.......

I have the breast husband............

That's not a typo. This post is about boobs. I took off my bra tonight and thought I heard a kid coming into my room. I said "I hope that's not a kid coming in, I just released the hounds" and then, observing my "girls" remarked "I wish they could still howl at the moon!" to which Jeff replied "Now, they're just looking for bones!" HAHAHAHAHAHA! What a funny guy.

Fortune Teller

The kids were talking today and Harrison reminded me of something that happened several years ago.  I was still married to Doug, and we had taken the kids to Edmonds beach for the day. It was probably during the last year or two of our marriage, and, truth be told, things were already on their way downhill. As the kids played in the sand and collected rocks along the shore, I noticed a lady in her 60's painting at an easel she had set up on the sidewalk. I walked over to admire her painting and asked her about it - it was a painting of a man, woman and little girl. I asked if she was painting anyone specific and she pointed out that the woman was ME. She had painted me from the back, standing and watching the man and little girl playing on the beach. The man was not my husband, but another random man she had observed at the beach and the little girl was a blonde girl of about six or seven. Neither of her other subjects were still around, but I was both impressed and a little weirded out that she had been painting ME without my knowledge. I felt pulled to ask her if I could buy the painting but then I thought, well, the other people in the picture aren't MY family so I just left it. How ironic that just a year or two later, I met Jeff and Arlie. The man and the little blonde girl in the painting. Was it fate? Was she clairvoyant? Was it a coincidence? I don't know, but thinking back it's ironic. Arlie pointed out that it was possible she and her dad were actually AT the beach that day. Wouldn't THAT be ironic? Who knows. But I still think it's pretty cool that a random woman painted my future at the beach. Wish I'd bought the painting!

Mukilteo beach with the cousins......

Arlie sitting pretty and arabesque on a statue........

The girls show off their shell collections

Arlie 12, Makayla 11, Maiya 7.............girls on the beach.........

We rode the ferry to Whidbey Island........

Girls on the ferry.....

Statue at the park......

Greg and Jeff

I'm king of the world!

Heather and Greg on the ferry

Jeff and M-L...........Maiya on the beach

Maiya searching for shells...............Adorable girls!

Spokane Moores meet Seattle Moores over soccer

We went to Snohomish to watch Makayla play soccer in a tournament. She was an amazing goalie! Maiya was adorable as usual.......

Harrison, Maiya, Arlie

Arlie and Makayla so grown up!

Cousins!

Pig Pickin' 2010

Mt. Si in Issaquah........on the road to Idaho!

We stopped at Wild Horses Monument

Then, finally arrived in Coeur d' Alene and our reward - Kaden and baby Jackson!

Three week old Jackson William Fox

Hayley loved taking care of him....

He looked so tiny in Papa's arms.....

Little munchkin on Hannah's lap!

Squishy baby with Aunt Mo!

Everyone wanted a turn to hold him...

Mamma E now has three grandbabies!

Deven and Kaden made a makeshift table.....

Aunt Marcia had some Jackson time too (but she lives closest so she had to share!)

Uncle Doug and Aunt Mo

Harrison holds Jackson

Aunt Shrek and Nephew Donkey!

Uncle Doug and Mamma E

Hannah and Kaden say cheese!

Harrison took his first Harley ride!

Sydney and Stu

The Bryson Family

Mimi and Papa looked great! And Uncle Doug got some Jackson time........

Aunt Mo LOVES her Kaden

Time to turn the pig

The kids named the pig "The Situation"

Experts and novices work together to turn the pig

Yummmmm........can't wait to eat it!

Arlie and Uncle Doug hang out............Aunt Mo made a onesie for Jackson!

Hayley and Jackson bonded...........and Jackson smiled in his Pig Pickin' attire!

Mimi and her great grandson!

Harrison ate the pig's eye! YUCK!

Mary-Leah and Kerri Williams

Hayley really enjoyed taking care of Jackson

Siblings! Monica, Doug, Marcia, Mary-Leah

Hannah and Arlie look so sweet.....

Jackson says it's time to snooze............and Papa found this picture of his very first pig pickin'! Wow!