September 2017

I spent Labor Day weekend in Berkeley with my friends Chrissy, Suzanne, and Olivia. It was blazing hot outside (near 100) so we didn't do as much hiking and window shopping as we had planned. We did, however, have a lovely time.

We got pedicures, after calling around to several places to find one that had air conditioning. 

Wandered through an art museum. Ah, look how funny I am. Chrissy can't contain herself!

Ate lots of good food, although the struggle was real to find places that weren't vegan. We probably should have done some more restaurant research before the trip. Cinnaholic was a win, even vegan at the same time! 

It just isn't Berkeley if you're not doing some thrift store shopping. We hit up Urban Ore, this massive place whose goal, apparently, was to try to sell everything you're ready to throw away, so it doesn't end up in a landfill. Lots of treasures, lots of junk.

We also made a stop at the Goodwill, hoping to find a gem. Suzanne was on the lookout for a good jumpsuit. We all tried this one on - so hilarious! - but, unfortunately, it didn't go home with anyone. Foot straps, sparkles, and 100% polyester. That bad boy was hot!

My top highlight of the trip happened in the car. Suzanne and I got wacky and couldn't seem to stop shout-and-cry-laughing about everything. We somehow ended up in this long, slow line of cars and all the other roads were blocked off, so we had to just ride it out. Lo and behold, we found some signs posting that there was a sobriety checkpoint up ahead. Suzanne and I were so hyper that Chrissy and Olivia were literally afraid we wouldn't pass the test, which only seemed to make us more slap-happy. When we saw the cops, we stared straight ahead, and I, for one, held my breath. Of course we made it through, c'mon! I almost wish we hadn't, though. What a cool story that would have been to have had to take a breathalizer test and walk on the line when we were only drunk on friendship, kidless freedom, and overpriced milkshakes. It felt so good to let loose like that. I need more of that in my life. 

Todd took the kids to the beach while I was gone, and we all went again on Labor Day when I came back. It was the perfect place to be during a heat wave - it actually felt good to get in the water! We brought out the wetsuits and everyone did some boogie boarding. I haven't been out in years, and it felt absolutely liberating.

Gemma started pre-k at Cottage Preschool after Labor Day. Her teacher from last year, Ms. Diana, moved to Colorado this summer. We found this new place which is totally adorable; the only trouble is class is 10:45-1:30 instead of first thing in the morning, and the school is a 12 minute drive from the house. Gemma was happy there, but three weeks in, I felt so busy, even with G at school nine hours a week. We had her on a waiting list for the community preschool that meets on campus at the kids' elementary school. and when we got a call saying they had an opening, we took it. We've had a week at Croce now (a bit into October), and Gemma feels so cool, going to the same school as her big brother and sister. I drop all three kids off at the same time and don't have to spend part of my "me time" eating lunch and driving back and forth. It's going to be a better fit for our family.

First day of school giant cookie. I didn't take pictures of Hazel and Jack with theirs this year!

Todd decided we needed a projector so we could have outdoor movie nights. We are loving our backyard!

The kids are big into making secret hangout spots. We had dinner under this willow tree on the path behind our house one evening. Todd and the kids spent an hour or two hanging out there before dinner as well. They really want a clubhouse.

Gemma's latest obsession is the monkey bars. She has got blisters all over her hands. Every morning when we take the kids to school, she gets in line, waits while some first grader slowly crosses, both hands on the same bar, taking their time; when they're done, Gemma blazes across like some sort of primate. She's amazing.

We bought another cow. Thank goodness, because I don't like store-bought beef anymore.

We went to a cool festival nearby (in Dublin) called Splatter - it seemed to be totally art-based. They had tons of hands-on projects for the kids, from painting with kitchen utensils, to tying strings onto this massive conglomeration, to painting walls with spray bottles. It was awesome.

They had a sidewalk chalk art contest, and each of our kids entered. They got to fill an entire square each with their own creation, while Todd and I sat back and just watched them draw. I'm telling you, this was such a fun, laid-back Saturday. We are going to have to mark our calendars and go every year.

I had a really nice birthday. I woke up to the sound of Hazel taping crepe paper streamers to my doorframe, like I do for the kids on their birthdays. That sweet girl had totally pre-planned it, getting the supplies the night before and setting her alarm to wake her up early to surprise me. It totally made my day, her thoughtfulness.

I invited a handful of my closest friends to meet me at Panera for lunch. Now I'm really wishing we'd taken a picture of ourselves! It was so lovely - I'm going to do that every year. It just feels good to be surrounded by people I really like and who care about me. A grown-up birthday party!

My kids made me cards and limitless massage certificates, and Todd wrote me a lighthearted poem, a throwback to our dating days. I loved that. We had take-out lasagna and German chocolate cake with homemade coconut pecan frosting. That stuff is to die for!

That evening, after we put the kids to bed, Todd sat on the couch next to me and asked me what I wanted to do. Usually he's working on his computer or his phone in the evenings, and when he's not, we typically read, but what I really want to do, and he never has the energy for, is play games. Well, Todd played three rounds of Skip-Bo with me for my birthday. I felt so loved.

The next day, I cashed in on Todd's gift, and while Gemma was at school, I got a 90-minute hot-stone massage. Bliss!

Jack received the September Student of the Month award for respect. His teacher, Miss Wooten, wrote, "Jack ... is always listening attentively to both the teacher and his classmates during class. He is willing to work and play with anyone. He shows good manners by waiting his turn to do something." I'm proud of that good kid! He has always been really pleasant to be around, and I'm happy to see that working well for him at school.

We had a new fence installed, went to the ward campout (but didn't stay overnight), I've been writing the primary program in every spare second I have alone, Todd spoke in church and did a great job, I volunteer in the kids' classes at school, the kids are still loving gym class, and we started them up in soccer class as well. Todd's been getting in flight hours in the helicopter, Jack and Hazel are taking piano lessons, we've had friends over a few times, and I helped throw a baby shower for my friend Elaine. The kids went to the dentist, and Hazel and I had a date night for the women's session of conference, complete with pjs and candy and a laptop, all snuggled up in my bed. Gemma rode the bus for the first time with a group of her buddies, Todd and Jack went to the father/son campout (and did spend the night), and I've been doing a fairly good job of exercising every day and eating low-carb. Yeah, that's all the stuff that I didn't take pictures of. September was busy!

August 2017

The kids had a few swimming lessons with Carolynn Hoopes in August. Gemma jumped off the diving board for the first time and swam the length of the pool! So cool. She totally became a fish this summer.

We went camping in the Stanislaus forest for a couple of nights. The kids loved playing in the river, making fairy houses, and playing "The Impossible Game." The rules: whoever is it picks three or four spots that the others must run to and tag - in order - and return to you while you count to 20 with your eyes closed. Every time you get to 20, you can look and try to spot the others. If they are seen, they're out. So you have to run like the dickens to each spot, and calculate properly whether you have enough time to make it to the next one or not before you have to find a hiding spot. Oh, and did I mention it's a race? It's impossible, I say!

We went on a couple of hikes. It was crazy, but Todd thought it was a super idea to forge our own trails. Image the five of us trekking through poison oak-infested land, pushing through foliage and crossing rivers on the wet rocks. I swear, we're lucky no one got seriously hurt.

Yeah, we crossed the river right here. With school-age kids. 

We read books by the fire, the kids painted rocks, and we attempted to swim in the {freezing} river. We branched out from s'mores and tried a couple different treats. The best one turned out to be chocolate cake baked inside oranges on the fire. So yum!

The kids' most memorable spot will probably be Cougar Cave, this alcove we found that was so peaceful and cool and quiet, but also seemed to be the perfect place for a cougar to live, which made hanging out there a little exciting and risky. We went three different times, mostly to listen to Todd tell stories in the interesting setting. Todd is an awesome storyteller!

The last thing not yet accomplished on the kids' summer bucket lists was a trip to the beach. Sadly, Jack was really sick the day we planned to go. The girls still went, with the friends we were going to spend the day with, and they had a good time, but it was Jack who had put the beach on his list, so I felt bad he missed out. It was obviously the right choice, however, as he proceeded to take a three hour nap on the couch that afternoon. Sweet kid.

I've got a game club up and running with a few friends. I hosted in August and planned games we could play in my gorgeous new backyard: bocce ball, Mafia, corn hole, dice games ... I was doing such a bueno job entertaining my friends and showing off the landscaping job, until suddenly, we were disrupted by the sound of rustling in the bushes. There was a rat creeping around at 9:00 at night, not at all afraid of the loud group of laughing ladies. I was appalled! We asked Todd to help, and he came out with a rifle! Are you kidding me? (Sadly, no.) When it became apparent that he would need to use a different tactic, Todd went after the rat with a shovel, and scared it away with a rough swing. I was mortified, and truly hope my friends remember game night at my house for the fun games I came up with, or the yummy veggie tray and popcorn I offered, but if I were them, I'd definitely remember the Rat Incident. 

My kids are still crazy about Legos. Hazel made this hotel and it is one of the coolest things I've seen her make with Legos yet. It's got a lounge area, bedrooms, a rooftop deck and pool, an elevator, and even a check-in desk. The kids have had lots of fun playing with the Lego people at the hotel. 

The bunnies got old enough that we had to separate them so they wouldn't make babies. Everything I read said to get them fixed around 12 weeks, but everyone I called either refused to perform the surgery until they were at least 6 months old, or wanted around $300 a bunny to do it. Both the price and the complexity of keeping separated bunnies for months was so far outside of my view of simple first pets that we knew something had to change. After talking about it as a family, we decided we would rather use our extra money for trips than for bunnies, and we found new homes for Cocoa and Carmel. The kids are pretty sad about it, especially Hazel, but Todd and I realized we were in over our heads, and it was the right choice for us. 

The big kids went back to school near the end of August. Hazel is in third grade and Jack's in first. We've been biking, scootering, or roller blading most mornings and it's been a happy way to start the day. The kids seem to have good teachers this year, and have had mostly good feedback to report so far.

A big change for Jack is that he gets to play on the bigger playgrounds at recess. He and Hazel are even out there at the same time at morning recess, which we all think is fun. Jack's been attacking the monkey bars with a passion, and proudly grew a massive blood blister as evidence of his focus.

July 2017

We signed Jack and Hazel up for swim team for the summer. They had practices five days a week and meets every Saturday for a couple of months. That was too intense for us, so we went about half the time instead. Overall, it was a good experience.  Jack liked it the most. Hazel loathed wearing a swim cap (which she only had to do at meets!). We got them into it for the exercise more than anything. They improved on their strokes and definitely on their endurance. We'll probably do it again next summer.

We've been boating a couple of times with our friends from church, Richard and Karen Anderson. Jack tried wake boarding for the first time, and Hazel crossed the wake for her first time. Todd had some fun and tweaked his neck, and hasn't stopped complaining about it since, but still thinks we need a boat of our own someday. (Not till I have a convertible!)

We stayed local for the Fourth of July, attending our church pancake breakfast, making flag fruit pizza, going to the movies, and meeting up with friends to watch the Livermore City fireworks. Nobody even seemed to miss the Half Moon Bay parade we usually attend. It was nice to skip the drive, for sure.

Me with my friends Elaine and Katie at the fireworks. 

My plan to make the kids do all the work with the bunnies has not made them want to get rid of them. Everyone is still in love with the little fur balls. All the kids love to snuggle them, and Hazel and Jack are always willing to clean the cage and refill the hay. Todd built a new hay rack that sits inside the cage, so now all the hay drops inside and my floors are staying a lot cleaner. Maybe I can stand to keep the guys. Maybe.

Gemma has been on a major writing spree this summer. She is very self-motivated and recognizes almost all the capital letters now, as well as a handful of lowercase ones. Her favorite thing is to grab a paper and pen and write, write, write. It'll keep her entertained for an hour straight and is so fun to see. She often asks me to read what she wrote and seems amazed when I tell her her messages says, "I love my family," or something similar. "Does it really say that?" she asks in wonder, so excited that she has the power to convey messages. She's right on track. She's big into looking at chapter books instead of picture books, wanting so badly to be like Hazel. It's funny when she gets in the car and opens up her novel, then is disappointed that there are no pictures, and we're on the road and she can't switch books. (We have a lot of early reader chapter books that do have pictures, so it makes sense that she thinks she can get away with having the best of both worlds.) 

We flew to Utah again a couple of weeks ago for the Bingham family reunion. The kids were invited to the cockpit. The pilots were so friendly, sharing their hats and showing off all the buttons, passing out wing pins and posing for pictures. It was a little embarrassing to have the pilots think they were giving the kids such a unique experience, then have my kiddos reveal that they already did this a few months ago on a competing airline. Eek. 

Everyone was able to make it out, which was so nice. That made it the perfect opportunity to try for an updated family portrait, so very first thing, we headed to Mack Park to take pictures. Lucky for us, it worked out! 

Since we were all dolled up, I asked my mom to take our family pictures, too, and I think we got some really good ones. Yay! 

Back at Mom and Dad's house, we had a nice party, complete with some yard games, karaoke, a Mario Kart tournament, and lots of good food. 

We went to the Logan Aquatic Center, where the kids had a blast on the water slides and diving boards. Hazel did a flip off the high dive, ending with a massive belly flop - ow! She was a good sport about it. Jack went off the high dive for the first time; I was so proud of him! He's really learned to take some risks and try new things this past year. Gemma went down the twisty slide independently over and over again, and wowed all the lifeguards and moms with how she could swim all the way to the wall on her own afterward. She is turning into such a mermaid!

We visited each of my living grandparents. The big hit at Grandpa Bingham's was his darling barn cats. The kids were in love - especially Hazel. She truly seems to love animals. It was also fun to hear Grandpa recount how he met and courted Grandma. Apparently, she wasn't expecting his marriage proposal and they broke up for a while, which was awkward because they'd signed up for several classes together that semester (at BYU). Luckily, Grandpa tried again later, and all's well that ends well. 

We all had a good visit at Grandma Holley's. Somehow the story came out that Jack had been playing with a girl who is one of his buddies, and she wrote him a note asking if he was secretly in love with her, to which he replied emphatically, "No!" It got everyone talking about crushes from their childhoods and we shared some fun stories all around.

Kathryn asked Grandma to share the story of the time she and Grandpa stole a Christmas tree. Grandma seemed affronted! Apparently the story goes that by the time they got to the tree lot on Christmas Eve, the owner was home with his family and the trees were all doomed to be burned the next day. They would have paid for the tree if there had been an attendant there to take their money!

Todd followed it up with a story of his own, when he did steal a Christmas tree, and shared with everyone his adventure of hunting for the only tree in Afghanistan, and his Christmas with a decorated olive tree he and some buddies secretly brought back to base in the helicopter!

All the cousins: Gemma, Ethan, Jack, Hazel, Isaac

I love that my kids have just as good a time with my parents and siblings as they do with all their Bonner cousins. Family is family, and love is love.

Todd allotted himself a very generous budget for fireworks this year, and even went so far as to rent a truck because he could visualize how ridiculous it would be and how much space he would need for all his party supplies. He was out of control in the fireworks tent, with eyes like saucers, a kid in a candy store, reaching for items with no plan or reasoning. Literally, the kids were running up to him with random items in their hands, asking, "Dad, can we get this?" and Todd would answer, "Sure, put it on the table," without even glancing at what they had. It was ridiculous. He even found the legendary Iron Dome, which we searched for everywhere last year to no avail.

He hosted the show at an elementary school near Beany's house, and told her to invite some friends. Probably 30 young adults showed up. Todd had his products lined up all across the blacktop so he could be constantly lighting something off, aerials and fountains going simultaneously. There was a continuous light show for a solid thirty minutes. It was out of this world! Only one firework went awry (and singed two spectators). That freaked Hazel out, so I spent half the show holding her hand and preventing her from bolting. That was unexpected. Jack was working the crowd, making all the girls giggle at how cute and funny and excited he was. Gemma mostly snuggled Nana and oohed and aahed.

Probably my absolute highlight from the weekend was this moment I caught after the fireworks show. While all the adults were cleaning up, my kids gathered around the popcorn bowl and shared "stories from their lives" with each other. It was an adorable thing to catch and witness! I hope the three of them will be buddies for life.