School is out!

I was so sad for the end of school. Some moms are excited for lazy days with no schedules so they can just hang out with their kids. Not me.

No schedule + my kids = disaster.

But there has to be some down time so Jace can nap. School was a perfect fit--we spent the morning at the gym, then Aubrey went to kindergarten in the afternoon while Jace napped and Lincoln had quiet time. Sometimes Jace napped in the car while we ran errands, but it was definitely simpler to have one less kid.

Not that I don't love my daughter, mind you, I just love her more when she is busy. She simply needs more stimulus than I can offer. So school coming to a close worried me.

Where are you, Ms. Sabado, when we need you? We sure miss you . . .

Aubrey has thrived this year in kindergarten and has been blessed with a great teacher. It was Ms. Sabado's first year teaching, so she had all the enthusiasm of being a rookie. We are so grateful for her dedication in giving Aubrey a good start to school.

I found out she was getting married a week after school ended and organized a group gift from parents in the class. All together, we had $240 which we put towards a gift card to Macy's where she was registered. I'm sure she appreciates that more than the alternative--candles, mugs, magnets, candy, etc.

I didn't feel comfortable sending Aubrey to school with a $240 gift card in her backpack, especially since it was from me and 11 other families. So I went to the school towards the end of the last day. I didn't know there was going to be an assembly, but I'm glad I caught it.

The school did a Math Relay this year--older kids practiced their math skills then competed with 90 other teams. It was a relay combining their math facts with physical feats. The teacher who sponsored the teams from our school promised the kids he'd shave his head if they did well. The assembly I stumbled upon was the ceremonial shaving of the head.

I'm kind of a geek and get a little weepy for random things--like finales of my favorite reality TV shows. Oh yeah, and the Olympics too. I cry. Lame, I know, but it's just me. The same feeling came on as hundreds of elementary school kids chanted 'Shave it off!! Shave it off!! Shave it off!!' and the teacher taunted them by pointing first to his facial hair, then leg hair, then arm hair, etc. Finally he was buzzed bald to the giggles and more chants ('Bal-dy!! Bal-dy!!') of the kids.

Why was that making me tear up? Because I really hated to see such a good thing come to an end. I love Aubrey's school. The teachers and administrators I've seen truly enjoy what they do, and that translates so well to how they interact with the kids and families. It's sad to see this part of her life go missing for a time, and sad that I'll be the one to fill the void.

While I'm doubly distressed that school is out, the kids and I will focus on having fun and enjoying the summer. And I'll be grateful every day that we have at least three more years with all our friends at Chloe Clark Elementary School.

At least now Aubrey can read to Lincoln--how fun! It keeps them both occupied, quiet, and not fighting.

Reality Check

So far, summer in Washington hasn't been quite so . . . summery. There were a few days recently where we were the coldest spot in the nation. Yeah, even Fairbanks and Anchorage, Alaska were 5-10 degrees warmer. Are you kidding?

Just when I was lamenting and boo-hooing about the cruddy weather, I saw reports on TV about weather issues in other areas of the world.

Horrible flooding. Scorching heat. Earthquakes.

Somehow having to wear a sweatshirt to stay comfortable suddenly didn't seem so bad. I really should count my blessings.

Forty years ago today

On June 4, 1968 my cute parents were married in the Oakland Temple. The wedding itself was not a storybook one, but they've managed to create a fairy tale nonetheless.

Neither of my parents had the support of their families (dad was a convert to the church, mom was the only active member in her family), so they were on their own. They chose Oakland as it was then the newest temple, and got in a car at BYU to drive to the beginning of the rest of their lives. I think my mom told me once that a past YW leader of hers lived in the Bay area, and she was the only person who came to their wedding.

That's always been so sad to me, but then such a strength at the same time. My amazing parents loved each other and were firm in their testimonies. They wanted to be married, and they wanted to do it right. Nothing was going to stop them, even though there were plenty of obstacles (disapproving parents, mom falling asleep at the wheel, a blown engine in their VW en route, barely making it to the courthouse in time for their wedding license, dad locking the keys in the car after the wedding--just to name a few). It didn't matter. They were there at the temple at their appointed time. And the rest, as they say, is history.

I don't know if they realized then what a legacy they were establishing for their children. And now, forty years later, their legacy lives on.

Do it right the first time.

Go big or go home.

If it's worth having, it's worth fighting for.

My parents decided to celebrate their anniversary by reliving their wedding day. They attended the Oakland temple this morning, and plan to revisit many of the same places from way back when. As mom said though, they've learned a little something in 40 years. No broken-down VW this time--they're renting a sweeeeet Mustang for their joy-riding (after flying to Oakland to begin with). And since hotels.com had nothing nice to say about where they spent their wedding night, they're upgrading that one too. They deserve it.

Way to go, Mom and Dad. I hope you're having a great time. 

Thanks for the legacy of love, and Happy 40th Anniversary!!

The Weiland Family in May 2006

Since then we've added three grandkids, and two more are on their way.

Charlie's Safari

This is a shout-out for the new Charlie's Safari Family Fun Center in Lacey. I heard about it through friends, then took the kids last night when Gavin was on call. Right now (until Saturday), they have a 2-for-1 deal, but you have to ask for it. I bought the $8 wristband, and my kids played hard for two hours. If you can't make it by the weekend, check their website as they may offer other specials. 

They have several bounce houses, a smaller playground for tots, and a GIGANTIC climbing/sliding structure. Even my friend's 9-year-old had fun. There is also miniature golf, laser tag, an arcade, and a snack bar. It is clean and well-decorated. The owner thought of everything to include a 'kid free zone'--a windowed room in the middle of it all with wi-fi where parents can hang out and still watch their kids.

I tried to find a newspaper article online with pics, but all I could find was this article about the owner. He sounds like a good guy with a lot of integrity, which is another reason to support his business. We will be back for sure.

Progress, not perfection

Aubrey is definitely making progress without the training wheels. I'm sure we'll be ready for the Annual Bike Derby coming up soon at her school. 

This video was supposed to show her triumphant return from a first trip around the block . . .  not so much. Maybe we'll post that another day. 

Oh yeah, and here is a picture of the tire rim and the skid marks from when the brake was stuck. Poor kid, no wonder she is doing better. (If you don't already know what we've been through with her bicycle, you have to read this.)

My Melon Boy

Lincoln loves watermelon. I mean loo-ooves it. When we go to summer picnics, we really have to watch him. He just might eat all that is there. At home, we have a little more control, but not much. Last week, he helped himself to the watermelon chunks in the fridge. And he's also been known to leave claw marks in a half-cut watermelon while trying to scoop himself a taste.

I had to pry this rind from his cold, wet hands. He wasn't done.

He loves other melons as well, and asks for them by name in the grocery store. He can say 'honeydew' pretty well, cantaloupe is 'can-ee-yope.' He really can't get enough of the stuff.

         

I can't say that I blame him. I like watermelon too, and I especially liked it on my mission. I don't know if everything tastes better when you're a missionary, or if the watermelon in Italy really was that good. On hot, humid, summer nights, my companion and I would pick one up on our way home. It was truly like a little slice of heaven. They're smaller there, and more juicy. Next time I go to Italy, I'll have to make sure 'l'anguria' is in season.

Aubrey, on the other hand, doesn't like watermelon at all. She prefers to feed it to the critters outside.

So as you gather with friends and family for Memorial Day and throughout the summer--enjoy this sweet, seasonal treat. We sure will.

To my devoted fans (hee hee)

Due to technical difficulties, I've posted stuff out of order. My post about Great Wolf Lodge was in 'draft' mode for more than a week while I tried to format photos. We have a Mac laptop and a PC desktop, and blogger works differently on each computer. I'll spare you the boring details . . . suffice it to say, you have to scroll down past the Mother's Day post to really see everything updated due to my recent procrastination and complications.

And while I'm typing about updates, I finally set up google reader. A friend of mine a long time ago commented about adding me to his 'blog reader,' and I had no idea what he meant. Well, I figured it out, and it's awesome. Basically, once it's set up, you receive an email every time someone in your list makes a new post. This is especially good for me so I don't spend too much time blog browsing and ending up on some stranger's blog totally engaged in their life story. I haven't figured out how to do it for private blogs though. Does anyone know? If you'd like to know more about google reader, leave a comment, and I'll email you what I learned.

That's all, happy reading.