Throwing off the bowlines...

Usually I set things down here to document what has happened so I can remember it in the future.  But this post is about something I want to do in future...something big.  And I don't need a reminder to do it.  This post will serve as a promise to myself that I will follow through on this "something big."

I want to take a trip with the kids around the world.  We'll take a year off, pack light, eat great food, see amazing sights, make new friends and come back exhausted but closer as a family and more understanding of our big wide world.  I think the best time for this journey is when Jack is in 5th grade, Logan is in 4th grade and the girls are in 2nd.  That is just 3 years from now!

Here are a few possible stops on our round the world trip:
Jordan
Peru
Egypt
Cambodia
Botswana
Turkey
Mexico
Brazil
India
Australia
Japan

And of course, Ethiopia.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” -Mark Twain

This quote has always resonated with me as I have always believed in living my life with no regrets.  And now that I've put the idea of this trip out there in the universe I know that I've got to make it happen or I will be disappointed by "the big something" I didn't do.

Friendly fruit...

This is a bit random but I like to put "happy" fruit in my children's lunches.  I imagine them at school, opening their lunchboxes and noticing the fruit.  I imagine them giving a small grin and shaking their heads thinking about how dorky their mom is but secretly loving the thought of me thinking of them.  And how can they resist eating these cute, healthy snacks...aren't they appeeling?

(For the banana drawings, use a toothpick to draw on the surface of the peel.  An hour or two later the drawings become dark.  For the orange, use a marker to draw directly on the peel.)

You know you are a mom when...

...you spend $35 on a thermometer that will take your kids' temperatures while they are sleeping.

...you carry said thermometer in your pocket on those days that everyone is feeling a bit 'icky.'

...you think wax paper is a perfectly acceptable plate (though you consider yourself to be environmentally superior and would never stoop to buying paper plates). ;)

...you know that snails make wonderful pets because they are low maintenance and easily replaceable.

...you think it's all worth it for these ones:

Once upon a time...

One year ago...

Two years ago...


Three years ago...


Four years ago...


Five years ago...


Six years ago...

Logan is 6!  This kid makes his own rules.  He is creative in everything he does...his absolutely favorite things to play with are cardboard boxes because he sees endless possibilities in them.  He is a lefty and proud of it.  Logan plans on being a husband and an animal rescuer when he grows up...if he ever grows up.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET BOY!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!

Once upon a time...

One year ago...


Two years ago...
Bri and Des are 4!  They continue to grow and change at such a rapid pace.  The girls have a lot of big feelings ranging from sheer joy to inconsolable angst.  They use new words every day, love to sing and move, have mastered riding scooters and mostly dressing themselves.  They've made so many friends and love participating in any Ethiopian activity we can come up with.  It is truly amazing to see how much they have changed in a relatively short time.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET BRI! I LOVE YOU!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET DES! I LOVE YOU!

Once upon a time...

One year ago...
Two years ago...


Three years ago...


Four years ago...


Five years ago...


Six years ago...


Seven years ago...

Jack is 7!  Seriously, where does the time go?  It feels like yesterday that we were bringing him home from the hospital.  He has developed into a serious, artistic, caring, mathematical, active kid.  This year he mastered getting his face wet and some basic swimming which was a huge deal.  He still loves Legos (specifically Ninjago).  His latest obsession is fast cars...spotting them on the road, reading about them and collecting the Hot Wheels version of them.  He is also starting to read more proficiently.  We love him and couldn't be more proud of him.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET BOY! I LOVE YOU!

Belated Birthdays

In previous years I've done an "once upon a time" post for my kids' birthdays. This year I am so far behind on blogging that I'm going to do these posts all back to back. But first, a look at how the kids wanted to celebrate their birthdays.

Last year, three kiddos (Logan, Des and Bri) were all in the same class together so we decided to do one huge party. Jack got to invite several of his kindergarten friends and we invited tons of families from our preschool. My parents even came to town to celebrate. We went to an indoor bouncy gym that has a ginormous inflatable slide. It was so nice and easy to have an all-in-one party and something that entertained several ages of kids and grown-up that are young at heart. Of course, we celebrated each kids' actual birthday with a classroom treat, cake and presents with family and trip to Scott's parents house.

Here are some of my favorite moments from that party (April 2011):

Rainbow cupcakes

Papa and Des on the big slide

Logan on the zipline

Jethro and Scott playing ping pong

Des bouncing with Bri and Nana

Jack sliding

Logan and his long-time girl friend, Claire

Getting silly with Nana

Granddad and Bri sliding

Jack at the air hockey table

Bri and Nana taking a turn on the slide

Cake time!

Cake please!

An exhausted but happy family!

This year, we changed things up a bit.  Jack decided to have two friends and Logan go to Chuck E. Cheese with him.  Des and Bri had an after school party with their preschool friends.  And Logan will be taking two friends and his brother to Chuck E. Cheese.  Who knows what next year holds?