Gratitude Day 13

I'm not gonna lie.  Today was a pretty frustrating day.  The kids were rotten, didn't listen well, whined, bickered, lacked gratitude; the normal things that I'm sadly accustomed to, but not to the extent I experienced today.

Chloe had her well-check up this afternoon with a new pediatrician.  Her appointment was at 3:00, but we had to be there at 2:45 to fill out paperwork.  By 3:30, with paperwork long completed, the wait was beginning to get old. And it showed by the kids' behavior.  What started as poking each other and giggling quickly transpired into the two of them circling me, while chasing one another, exhausted and out of breath, yet still managing to squeak and squeal just enough to capture the attention of those nearby.  Most who noticed the kids just smiled and gave me an expression of empathy.  But one man took it upon himself to tell Chloe and Ryan that this was a waiting room, and that they needed to stop running.  Oh, joy.  I wonder if he knew we'd been sitting for 45 MINUTES STRAIGHT!  Thankfully, it was only five minutes later that Chloe's name was called and we were FINALLY accompanied back to exam room 9, where we waited some more!  By the time Dr. Grace finally made it in to see us, I was in a pretty foul mood.  The kids would not keep their hands off of anything, including each other, and it seemed like none Chloe's responses to Dr. Grace's questions were in my favor.

Example:

Dr. Grace (while asking Chloe about her eating habits): "Do you drink a lot of milk?  Or do you eat cheese or yogurt?"

Chloe: "Um, not really."

Me (surprised and appalled by her response when she eats a TON of cheese and yogurt and drinks a couple glasses of milk a day): "Well, Chloe, to start, you have cereal every morning.."

Chloe: "Today we had pancakes."

Me: "Okay, MOST mornings, you have cereal for breakfast, then a string cheese, sliced cheese and/or yogurt for a snack, not to mention milk at dinner."

Chloe: "I don't like the yogurt you just bought at the store."

Not only was Chloe speaking inaccurately, but she was making me out to be a desperate, positive-recognition-seeking mother who wasn't giving her child enough calcium.  Dr. Grace smiled through Chloe's remarks, so hopefully she didn't think I was a complete lunatic of a mother.

When the exam was over, Dr. Grace asked if I wanted the kids to have their annual flu vaccine.  I agreed, but of course that meant I now had to register Ryan as a new patient, which took another solid 15 minutes.  By the time we finally got out of there, it was 4:52.  That's just over 2 hours for a basic well check-up and two flu vaccines!  Needless to say, all three of us were grumpy.  And hungry.  So we stopped at Noodles and Company because it was relatively close, BOTH of my kids will eat it without a fight (and I desperately needed no fights), and, well, it just sounded good.  I was already irritated with the kids due to their rambunctious behavior and disregard for my authority, which I suppose I couldn't fault too much considering the 2 hours we spent sitting for practically no reason.  Still, I was irritated.  When we pulled into the parking lot and the kids started spouting off what they wanted, I told them that they would each get the entree of their choice, but that they would NOT be getting their own drink.  Sorry, but spending $1.79 for a small soda per child just doesn't appeal to me, and I wanted to establish upfront that it wasn't going to happen tonight.  Either they would share a drink, which I was perfectly happy to provide, or they could EACH have THEIR OWN water.  Immediately Ryan announced he wanted Sprite, while Chloe demanded that they have fruit punch.  I quickly concluded that unless they could agree on one or the other, they'd both be drinking water.  Ryan wasn't happy, but got over it before we'd even walked into the restaurant.  Chloe, on the other hand... Well, let's just say she did NOT act like a seven-year-old for the next twenty minutes.  Oh yes.  We had the whole crying match, complete with stomping up and down and almost (one tone down from) screaming at me that she wanted fruit punch, NOT water.  By this point it had become an issue of principle.  What kind of mother would I be to reward this ridiculous behavior, to give in and say, "Okay, go ahead and have the fruit punch after all," just to get the kid off my back and/or escape public humiliation.  I tried explaining this to her, but it only made things worse.  Just looking at her made things worse.  She clearly just wanted to be left alone, with a cup of fruit punch.  

After ordering our food, I brought the kids their waters, to which Chloe scowled and then cried out, "I. DON'T. WANT. WATER."  When after another 2-3 minutes things were only continuing to get worse, I decided it was time to leave.  So I had our food made to go and we walked out.  I don't know how I managed to stay calm all this time because I was honestly ready to beat my daughter senseless.  But as we pulled out of the parking lot and drove away, I explained that her behavior was unacceptable, and that it would have been a poor parenting decision on my end to let her have the fruit punch after the toddler act she pulled in the restaurant.  During the next 5 minutes we sat in silence.  Then, suddenly from the back seat I heard a faint and pitiful voice say, "I'm sorry, Mom."  Chloe then acknowledged her poor choices - really seeming to get it.  This brought me some comfort.  We talked a little more and I reassured her that she was loved and that there would be plenty of chances to show me that she could make much better choices.  By the time we got home, everyone was back to his/her happy self again.  We ate our dinner, did homework, practiced piano, read for 30 minutes and prepared for bed.

Wow, I was not planning to go into all of that.  I am positive I have put my readers to sleep, and for that, I apologize.  Let me get back on track now with my gratitudes of today.  They are as follows:
  
1) A healthy daughter, who weighs 46 pounds (25th percentile for weight) and measures 46 inches (25th percentile for height). :)

2) Pancakes.  These are the very pancakes which today took the place of the milk-filled bowls of cereal Chloe couldn't seem to remember that she eats for breakfast about 98% of the time.

Last night, Chloe asked if she could make pancakes in the morning.  So I let her.

3) Clean, crisp air and beautiful Fall weather.

4) Technology of today, which allows me to get where I need to go, be reminded of my to-do's, most of which I'd honestly forget without them, and facetime with my husband, who is in a different country.





5) Ryan's sweet little voice and the way he says, "Sure!" and "Thanks!"

And the other "cute" things he does, like this:

This is what happens when I leave the powdered sugar and this four-year-old darling unattended at the dining room table.  Have some powdered sugar with your pancakes, Ryan.

And finally, here are the best quotes of the day:

While at Walmart, I was asking Ryan if he'd given any thought to what he might get Daddy for Christmas.  When it became apparent that he might need a little coaxing for ideas, I added, "Is there anything you think daddy might like?" to which Ryan replied, "No, I think kids are the only thing that like toys.  Not grown ups." :)

Tonight, after pouring what was left of Chloe's milk into his glass of milk and Chloe overreacting (she must have been really sensing that milk-neglect she gets at home - ha!), I said to Ryan, "Please tell Chloe you're sorry," to which he replied, "But Mommy, I'm tired of talking."

Then later, after I'd tucked the kids into bed for probably the third time, and was walking by Chloe's room, where both she and Ryan lay, the kids did what they do virtually every night: found any excuse possible to prolong the time before they dozed off to sleep.  They are relentless!  Here was one attempt documented:

Chloe: "Mommy, I know 3 synonyms!  Bye, goodbye and bye bye!"
Ryan: "Mommy, I want to tell you a question!  When I wake up, can I sleep in for a long time?"
Chloe: "Can we have ice cream for breakfast?"These 3 announcements were made in the order above, one right after the other.
Then a few minutes after that, upon Ryan deciding he now wanted to sleep in his bed and Chloe now wanted to sleep on his floor, Ryan asked me to heat up his rice bag.  We're talking 40 minutes after we have said family prayer and I have kissed them goodnight.  Very much fed up by this point, I say, "NO, Ryan!" to which he replied, "But my tiger is cold and needs a rice bag!"

Oh, my life.  It is not an easy one.  But it's a wonderful one. 

Gratitude Day 12

I realize I'm missing a lot of days here.  It's because I have pictures and/or more in-depth explanations I want to include in those posts.  I have an ongoing draft with all the days you don't see published yet, and promise to share them all soon.  :)

Here are the things I'm grateful for today:

1) No school!!

2) Chloe's blessing on breakfast, and the remarks which followed:

Chloe: "I like saying 'Our dear, kind, and gracious Heavenly Father' [when beginning a prayer].  Is that more polite than saying 'Our Father in Heaven?' Or 'Dear Heavenly Father?'"
Me: "I think they all have a similar message, Chloe.  Any one of those is a beautiful choice."
Chloe: "Hey, and they're all synonyms!" :)

3) C.S. Lewis' wise words.  The combination of truth and eloquence with which he speaks is inspiring.  I am comforted every time I read his writings, and can't wait to hug him in Heaven some day.

4) A play date at the park with one of Chloe's classmates, her younger brother, who is a month and a half younger than Ryan, and their parents, with whom I instantly felt a connection.  Great, great people.  Both doctors, which at first intimidated me, but then quickly dissolved.  It's always fun making new friends.

5) These two monkeys:

And yes, Chloe has a shirt on her head and Ryan is wearing nothing but underwear and a cape.

Gratitude Day 7

First off, Days 3-6 are in the making, and will be posted shortly.  They've each been written, but need pictures to accompany.

Today (Day 7) I am grateful for:

1) A gentle, understanding, and knowledgeable dentist, who happens to be a 49ers fan, too!  

2) A father, mother, and mother-in-law, whose wise and hopeful counsel provides peace to my discouraged heart.

3) Kind and giving children, who think of others and not just themselves.  Today Ryan took it upon himself to select from a vast supply of Halloween candy, 2 Hershey's bars, 2 suckers, and 2 even-numbered snack-sized baggies full of m&m's, to give to his preschool teachers, Miss Rachael and Miss Merin.  Planned and executed by Ryan, 100%.  Sweet boy.  And a couple weeks ago, Chloe, out of the blue, decided to sew a doll blanket and pillow for her teacher's daughter, who is Ryan's age.  Mrs. Winston pulled me aside the day after Chloe had delivered the treasures, letting me know that her daughter would not go anywhere without that blanket and pillow and that Chloe's thoughtful act of kindness meant so much to both her and her daughter.  In Mrs. Winston's words, "I appreciate Chloe's giving heart."  Sweet girl.
   

4) A phone call, first, from my mother-in-law, requesting to talk to Ryan to wish him a happy birthday, followed by a phone call from my mom, calling to tell me Ryan's birthday card will not be getting to him in time for his birthday tomorrow.  Clearly, both Mama Susie and Mama Jill weren't quite on a ball today, as Ryan's birthday is neither today OR tomorrow, but FRIDAY.  I gave both of them a hard time but quickly assured them that they weren't the only ones who had gotten it wrong.  My mom explained that she thought today was Thursday, and knew Ryan's birthday was Friday, the 9th.  I believe her.  She is crazy with remembering special dates like I am.  I love these two women in my life, and am honored to call them each "mom," even if they do get mixed up with their favorite grandson's birthday.

5) Clean sheets, which I am on my way to bed to enjoy.  'Night!

Gratitude Day 2

Today I am grateful for:

1) The ability to think creatively.  Now if only that spark didn't wait until the day before a birthday party to kick in, I'd be in a better frame of mind right now, and probably in bed sleeping.  It's like writing a church talk or preparing a lesson.  I never get my inspiration until 24 hours (or less) prior to the deadline.  Thank goodness I can take a nap after Ryan's birthday festivities tomorrow.

2) General Conference, and the ability to watch and listen from the comfort of my home whenever I please.  We weren't able to see all four sessions live last month, but as I've found moments of quiet, I have enjoyed the convenience of catching up on talks here and there by the click of a button.  Tonight, as I filled goody bags for tomorrow's birthday guests, Dieter F. Uchtdorf serenaded my living room.  Last year, the night before Chloe's sixth birthday party, I did the same thing, and ended up listening to more than half of Conference from the month prior.  What a blessing to have this wonderful material and wisdom right at my finger tips, any time and for whatever purpose I need it.

3) My girl friends.  This evening, Misty and Lorilee drove through Sacramento on their way to Chico where they are doing a color run tomorrow morning.  They stopped and grabbed me for dinner, and it was great - just what we all needed.  When I got home I told Neil how I missed having really good friends close by. I have made a few here, and one in particular is extra special, but nothing can be compared to the connections I made in Ripon.  As much as I don't like being farther away from those friends now, I am grateful that we are close enough that we still make the effort to stay in touch.

4) Alone time with Chloe.  After school today, Neil was home and so I snuck off to do some birthday shopping for Ryan's party.  I really wanted to go alone, I'm not gonna lie.  But Chloe BEGGED me to let her come.  So I did.  And it was perfect.  She was such a delight, and we had some good quality girl time.  During our drive home, she said, "Mom, Adam and Eve were lucky."  When I asked why, she said, "Because they got to heaven first and got to spend a lot more time with Jesus than we will."  It sometimes amazes how she can think through something so complex.

Ryan, 4 weeks old

5) Photos.  Well, duh!  Of course I'm grateful for photos.  But it isn't just the photos themselves, it's the precious memories attached to them.  Today I spent a little time perusing older pictures of Ryan to display at his birthday party tomorrow.  It struck me, as I sat there smiling at his sweetness, the power of a photo.  Isn't it amazing how a single glance at one you haven't seen in three, six or eighteen years can instantly take you right back to the day it was taken?  I love that.

Challenge accepted, Beth: Gratitude Day 1

My sweet friend, who was once more of a "that's-what-I-want-to-be-like-when-I-grow-up" figure (young mother and teacher at my mom's school), has a blog that I follow and love to read.  People tell me I'm a good writer.  HA!  BETH is a good writer.  I could read her blog all day long.  Doesn't matter the topic.  She always sucks me right in.  In fact, if she wrote a book about the most boring event in our nation's history, I would still read it because she'd written it.

Among her amazing posts was one I stumbled upon tonight, on my way to bed.  In it, Beth mentioned a simple little word called gratitude.  You can actually read the post here, if you'd like.  Trust me, you will not be sorry you did.

At the end of said post, she challenged her readers to write down 5 things they are grateful for each day during the month of November.  Now I've heard of the gratitude journal concept in a variety of forms, but unlike the others, who inspired but did not convince, Beth succeeded in all aspects, and I accepted her challenge.  My blogging efforts have been down right pathetic as of late, and ironically, part of the reason for that is because I have felt ungrateful, and naturally lacking a desire to write about it.  The ironic thing is that it's often in our darkest hour that we recognize what we have, when we make the effort to look.  And writing is a good way to do that.  Said Beth, "On one of the worst days of my life I could see the beauty in that day."  And it's because she chose to write down the 5 things she was grateful for, even though initially she couldn't imagine coming up with even one thing!  I want to be better about seeing the beauty.  Sometimes I do on my own, but other times I need a reminder to look for it.  I think this is a great start to getting back on track with blogging and also having a more positive perspective so that I better recognize the beauty in an ugly situation.

Since it's late and I'm exhausted, I'll make tonight's list a short one and simply mention the first 5 things I'm grateful for today that come to my mind.

1) Neil.  In all forms.  His common sense, positive attitude, hard-working nature, patience, and the fact that he loves me and tells me so every single day.

2) Halloween is over.  Don't get me wrong.  I like Halloween.  But I'm glad it's over.  I am finding that the older my kids get, the more is expected of me around the holidays.  Halloween this year was no exception.  I was up until 3am night before last punching gift tags, making endless batches of muddy buddies (okay, four) and dividing them between 50 cellophane baggies for the kids' classmates.  Then there's the rice krispie treats I signed up to bring to Ryan's preschool Halloween party (because all the other sugary crap they were given wasn't enough), not to mention the batch of homemade rolls I somehow took it upon myself to offer to bring to a Halloween party we attended that night.  Why do I over-commit myself?  I suppose I could blame it on sleep deprivation.  Anyway, the kids had their fun, ate their candy and junk, got to knock on lots of doors, and I'm grateful that we're done for another year.

3) My faith.  This is something I've relied heavily on these recent weeks as election season has heated the country.  I have many friends whose political views oppose my own, and it has been difficult to not allow this reality to discourage me.  My faith, however, has not only strengthened my beliefs, but it has offered comfort as well as a greater desire to spread love, even to those who aren't so loving right now.

4) Lay's Kettle Cooked Jalapeno chips and Pepsi.  My weakness.  And, sometimes, when I'm tired but have to finish edited photos for a patiently-awaiting client, my strength.

5) Chase Ian Fleming, who graced the earth with his presence for the first time seven years ago today.  Born to a loving mother (and father), who had wanted him for a VERY long time.  This mother I speak of happens to be my best friend, so it's safe to say I was just a tiny bit overjoyed when I received that phone call around 9:00am on November 1, 2005 announcing Chase had come, and was, as Wendy described, "beautiful."  Happy Birthday, Chase!  I am thankful for you.

It really doesn't take much digging to think of 5 things to be grateful for each day.  Hopefully I can stay on top of this during the month of November.  It's gonna be a busy one, between the kids' birthdays, Neil leaving the country for a week, Thanksgiving, and other holiday preparations.  But I certainly don't need to write a novel every night, so I think I'll be just fine.  Until tomorrow...  

Full heart

Tonight, Neil and I had a little heart to heart about something that's been on my mind, plans we've considered, our future, etc.  One of those talks.  There have been some extreme changes in our lives these past 2 months, including the re-alignment of Neil's territory, a move, selling our home, getting settled in a new area, doing our best to ensure happiness for the kids, despite the changes, and so much more.  With the chaos that's unfolded, there's been little time for heart to hearts.  So this one, I suppose, was overdue, and thankfully, productive. 

The details are irrelevant to this post.  Really I just want to say, because the fullness in my heart is so fresh, that I am eternally grateful for a husband who sees past my faults and just loves me.  From day one, Neil has done this.  He's just loved me, through it all.   

I recently stumbled upon this quote, and was amazed by how closely it resembled Neil.

“What really matters is that he will love you, that he will respect you, that he will honor you, that he will be absolutely true to you, that he will give you the freedom of expression and let you fly in the development of your own talents. He is not going to be perfect, but if he is kind and thoughtful, if he knows how to work and earn a living, if he is honest and full of faith, the chances are you will not go wrong, that you will be immensely happy.” - Gordon B. Hinckley

Happy 10th Anniversary, Mr. Andersen (37 days later).  Thanks for loving me.  I love you, too.

Happy Birthday, Courtney!

Please excuse my absence for the past month and a half.  We've had just a few things going on.  :)  More on that later.  For now, because I was a lame sister last year and had every intention of writing a birthday post, THEN DIDN'T, I must, before midnight tonight, pay tribute to my youngest sister (in-law - minor detail), who celebrates yet another birthday today!

Courtney Andersen: a girl who says it like it is; who knows what she wants and goes and gets it; who sends out thank you cards, even when it's not expected or necessary; who helps her niece with homework during family vacations (and shares her lollipops with her nephew), who knits and cooks and bakes; who, in two years, will be one wicked occupational therapist, and who, in two more years, will be the proud wife of Dr. Andersen, DDS.  Courtney remembers special dates, flosses her teeth daily, values the important things in life, loves her husband and dog, and is a great addition to our crazy family.

I'll have you know, Courtney, that we ate pizza for dinner tonight, followed by a freshly baked batch of pumpkin pie bites for dessert.  Let's just say, you weren't only celebrated in the South today.

When I said crazy, I was not lying.  It would not be the same without you.  {Lake Powell - September 2011}

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LITTLE SISTER! XO.

Tilden Park

Last Friday, the kids and I went with Heather and JD to Tilden Park in Berkley.  If you've never been, it's a great place to take your little ones.  This was our second time, and the kids loved it just as much as they did the first.  We rode the steam train, twice, played on the playground, fed the farm animals celery and lettuce, and rode the merry-go-round, also twice.  The kids had a blast, and it was wonderful being out of the heat.  On the drive up, there's an area to your left, where you can enjoy a stunning view of the San Francisco Bay.  Wish I'd captured it, but there's always next time.  Here's what I did capture!

That last shot of Ryan has to be one of my favorites of him to date. It tells such a happy story. Love it. It was a really great day. I am so glad Heather lives less than an hour from us.  We've enjoyed so many fun times in the two years we've lived in Ripon. Thanks again, cousin, for a fun last summer outing! 

Zoe London

Last Friday, the 27th, I spent a fair amount of the afternoon and evening at Doctors Medical Center in Modesto, where my friend, Janea, gave birth to sweet little Zoe London.  She had asked me weeks prior if I would photograph the birth, and naturally, honored and delighted, I said yes.  For as long as I can remember I've wanted to witness a birth, not to watch the bloody gore of it (I saw that in 10th grade Health class, not to mention experienced it firsthand with the birth of my own two), but to just be in the room when it happens; to witness reactions, facial expressions, the bonding between mother and babe, and simply take part in the wonderful and spiritual experience.  I have also, especially for the past six months, grown to love the idea of birth photography.  I am actually to the point, now, where I'd consider doing it solely if enough opportunities presented themselves.  The idea of capturing raw footage of such a glorious occasion, being surrounded by happy people anticipating the long-awaited arrival of a sweet, perfect, new baby, and being able to provide these people with treasured photos they'll hold dear to their hearts forever sounds rewarding beyond measure.  No huge concerns about exposure, perfectly posed shots or coordinated outfits, but rather the real and now of those precious and tender moments, which SO INSTANTLY vanish.  It seems there's a new movement with birth photography, and I really would love to hop on the bandwagon.

Well, while Janea wanted to attempt a VBAC, in the end, she had a c-section (for reasons irrelevant to this post).  The hospital had extremely strict rules, including only allowing 3 visitors in the room at a time, which explains why I spent several hours sitting in the waiting area surrounded by some of Modesto's most interesting residents.  At one point I was able to go back while Jared and Janea waited on the final word from the doctor.  I snapped some pictures, then headed back to the waiting area.  Shortly after that I came home for a couple hours.  Then, just before Janea was wheeled in for her c-section, I headed back.  I was NOT welcome by hospital staff to attend and capture this part of it, which we were all bummed about, but rules are rules.

And after little miss entered the world and Janea was taken to recovery, back I went to snap more pictures, this time of big brother, Taylor, meeting his new baby sister for the first time.  It was just so neat.  All of it. And, on a side note, I can now say I have watched Olympic Opening Ceremonies from a hospital waiting room!

Thanks, Jared and Janea for allowing me to be a part of this very special day for your family.  And welcome to the world, sweet Olympic baby girl, Zoe London!

Teeth and cucumbers

Chloe has been eyeing our two largest cucumbers for a week now, begging me to let her pick them.  Each day, though they've grown significantly both in length and width, I've felt that they could use more ripening.  Well, yesterday when we took a peek and noticed their monstrous size, I decided it was time.  The kids were delighted and each picked one, then proudly displayed them for a picture!

I didn't measure them, but I'm sure they exceeded 15 inches in length.  Despite the healthy size, however, I still worried that they weren't dark enough in color.  But I worried even more that if they got any larger, they'd start to split or rot.  Well, I got it wrong all the way around, unfortunately, because they were terribly bitter to the taste, at least a good 4 inches on either end.  I don't know if you've ever eaten a bitter cucumber, but trust me, it's very BAD!  I was sad, but thankful that the middle sections of each were fine.  Upon further research, it appears I let the cucumbers sit on the vine too long, hence the bitter taste.  Lesson learned!  This morning during our morning inspection, we picked 3 more cucumbers that were about half the size.  I just ate one and it was wonderful!
 

Here's another bit of exciting news from yesterday!  Chloe lost her second tooth!  This morning I snuck in her room while she slept to make sure the tooth fairy had paid her a visit.  Thankfully, she had.

And here's this morning's harvest! 

Every day I've had this garden I've learned something new. Yesterday's lesson? Don't let the cucumbers sit on the vine too long. Today's lesson? Our watermelons will likely need to be twice the size of the 13 inch baby above before they're ready. I didn't know how large they were supposed to be before harvesting because the little label/tag I stuck in the ground when I planted what was then 2 tiny stems has disappeared in the madness of my watermelon jungle. I don't even know what type of watermelons these are, again, because I can't find the tag, but since we literally have two dozen more (no exaggeration), I figured it wouldn't hurt to experiment with this one. I think after my experience yesterday with the cucumbers, I worried, too, that if I let the watermelons sit too long, they might have adverse events like the cucumbers did.  I lifted this watermelon off the ground, smelled it, knocked on it, and inspected it just as I inspect watermelons at the grocery store.   It appeared to possibly be ready, so I just figured why not and snapped it off the vine.  Well, upon cutting into it, I instantly knew my assumptions were premature, and that I should have let it bake for at least a week longer, and possibly more. It was completely white inside and flavorless. Oh well.  It still looks pretty sitting on the table with the rest of my garden goodies.  I read a few days ago that you shouldn't plant cucumber and watermelon next to each other because cucumber can give watermelon a funny taste. I surely hope this is incorrect, or that I'm just lucky because that's exactly what I did. Their vines have even intertwined. Again, I am learning something new every day.

The largest of the zucchinis exceed even the 11 inch one we discovered upon coming home from our Yosemite trip a couple weeks ago.  That's right.  This bad boy measured over 13 inches!  I would NOT have let it grow this large had I noticed it before today, but it just blended in so well with the rest of the plant that somehow I missed it until this morning.  It's a touch seedy on the inside, but not bad at all, thankfully.  I have more zucchini than I know what to do with, but have actually managed it pretty well.  I have several cups of shredded zucchini in my freezer ready for bread, spaghetti sauce or anything else.  And I'm trying to cook with it whenever I can.  It is so good for you, and I'm trying not to let ANY of it go to waste!

And the Andersen garden adventures, and, well, adventures in general, continue...

Just another summer night

We've spent a fair amount of the summer in our yard.  Between the garden and pool, the kids have found countless ways to entertain themselves.  Last Thursday night was like any other; first tending to the garden, then slowly migrating toward the pool.  Between the warm air, perfect light and happy kids, I just had to sneak in the house to grab my camera.

I will certainly miss these warm summer nights.  I mean, how can you beat swimming until 8:30pm?  And while we're asking questions, how is it possible that school starts in one week?  Ahh!!  It goes too fast!

"Two pairs!"

Today was a pretty good day.  No plans really; nothing pressing; just time spent with my kids.  The weather was mild with temps in the low 80s and a lovely afternoon breeze.  Neil was out the door, headed to Sacramento by 6.  Ryan was in my room by 7, announcing he had stayed dry all night and would be receiving a star on his chart as a result.  He then crawled into bed with me and, to my surprise, fell asleep for another two and a half hours.  Both he and Chloe slept well past 9.  Apparently their six hour play date with friends yesterday wore them out big time.  Chloe got up first and the two of us headed out to the garden to check on our onions.  Ryan got up shortly thereafter and met us outside.  Then we came in and they each ate a slice of zucchini bread for breakfast.  The rest of the morning consisted of playing with legos, taking baths, practicing piano and some other miscellaneous things.  There was bickering, but it was minimal, which was a nice change.  Around lunch time, we headed to the park.  After that, it was onto the library to finish our daily outing.  We love the library.  I didn't start taking the kids there regularly until just recently and that makes me sad.  Why I wasn't taking Chloe from the time she was a toddler I haven't a clue.  I guess it just never really occurred to me.  But now that both of the kids are a little older, I suppose it's more manageable and meaningful.  Since school let out at the end of May, we've made a habit of going every couple of weeks.  We sit together and sift through potential books to check out, read a few out loud, and then each kiddo grabs a basket and fills it with some new favorites to take home.  The limit is 25 books, and today, we checked out exactly that.

This evening during dinner, I informed the kids that their dad would read them some of their new books before bed if they were good.  Chloe then asked Neil if they could each choose two books.  Neil nodded, then presented Ryan with the following question:

"Ryan, if Chloe chooses two books to read and if you choose two books to read, how many books will we read total?"

Chloe immediately raised her hand, eager to answer, but Neil shushed her and repeated the question for Ryan.  Ryan thought for a few seconds, then replied, "Two pairs!"

We chuckled.  Even though technically the answer Neil was looking for was "four," Ryan did answer the question correctly.  How he came up with "two pairs" I haven't a clue, but it sure took some creative thinking.  When Neil asked Ryan a third time, now holding up two fingers and then two more, he got it.  Although I'm sure it helped immensely that Chloe piped in with, "I'll give you a hint, Ryan!  It starts with "f" and ends with "our." 

During the remainder of dinner and before I had to go to YW, the kids happily yakked away about various things between taking bites of their chicken parmesan, which Chloe told me was "delish."  Their voices overlapped most of the time and much of what they said was silly and irrelevant, but they were each precious and endearing, pure and sweet, and at one point I put my fork down, sat back and just watched them with a smile on my face.  I love their enthusiastic little spirits.  I love their zest for life.  I love their bright and cheerful personalities.  I love their blue eyes.  I love how much they love me, how they rely on me, and how eager they are to share with me everything that matters to them.  I love that they won't let me leave them without a hug and a kiss, and how they wave goodbye to me through the kitchen door as I back out of the garage.  I love that they care about my feelings and opinions, and that when they do something that makes me sad, they too feel sad.  It isn't necessarily frequent that I just adore everything about motherhood, but today I enjoyed many good, healthy moments, and I just had to write about them here.  I was conversing with a friend this morning (while the kids still slept), and mentioned at one point how I sometimes wish I could take a blissful moment and trap it in a jar, only to be opened for a quick whiff when I need a boost.  Today was one of those days I could have easily captured and placed in a jar for a rainy day.  I really do love the life God gave me, as challenging as it sometimes is, and wouldn't trade it for anything.

Oh, and I do believe that from this point forward, I will be referring to four as "two pairs."  :)

Chloe's first lost tooth!

On the 1st of May, Chloe had her 6-month teeth cleaning appointment, during which Dr. Shah showed Chloe an x-ray of her teeth.  These particular x-rays were really cool in that you could see one of her adult teeth sitting directly beneath her baby tooth.  Dr. Shah told Chloe that, based on this x-ray, it wouldn't be long before the baby tooth fell out, making way for the adult tooth.  Chloe was fascinated with this concept.  Several of her friends at school had already started losing teeth, and she had been asking for months when it was going to be her turn.  Now there was light at the end of the tunnel.  Upon leaving Dr. Shah's office that day, Chloe proceeded to announce to all who would hear her that she had an "almost loose tooth."  :)

Sometime between the night of June 24th and morning of June 25th, Chloe's tooth went from being "almost loose" to "loose."  She was thrilled to make this discovery, and spent a good part of the day sitting in front of the bathroom mirror wiggling said tooth back and forth.
 

Well, Sunday (the 8th) is when the monumental event finally took place.  As I was awakening from an afternoon nap (a rarity these days, but certainly one I earned after staying up late the night before preparing a church talk and then delivering it that morning), Neil came into our bedroom and said, "Looks like the tooth fairy will be making her first visit to our house tonight."  Apparently Chloe's tooth wasn't just loose, but barely hanging on.  In fact, we worried that she might lose it in her dinner, so Neil offered to pull it out before we ate.  Surprisingly, Chloe was happy to let him.  After all, this had been a long time comin', and she wasn't going to allow fear to stand in her way!
With little to no effort, Neil gave the tooth a gentle tug and out it came.  Chloe proudly held it in her hand, then ran to the nearest mirror to admire her new grin.
Sunday night she placed her tooth inside a ziploc bag and under her pillow.  The following morning, she was delighted to find, in its place, a dollar and a First Lost Tooth certificate.

She was and is still quite proud.  And she looks oh-so-cute with that little gap in her mouth.  Won't be long before there are plenty more.  The other night I asked her if she'd please stop growing, to which she defiantly replied, "But I HAVE to!  That's what we do!"  Love her.  Congrats, little miss!