October 2018

Gemma is obsessed with horses. She has multiple toy horses in varying sizes, from Lego to American Girl doll. She was recently invited to a horse-themed birthday party and came home with a stick horse she can ride. Score! Our neighbor was giving away a horse dress up, and we were lucky enough to snag it. She gasps in delight whenever she sees a horse while we're out driving. She loves every book with a horse in it. Her dream is to own a horse ranch when she grows up.

We had Luna with us for the first two weeks of October, and then she was with her parents the rest of the month. She's getting bigger, talking lots more, moving lots more, and wedging her way deeper into our hearts.

Jack is developing best friendships with two boys from school, Adam and Jonah. We try to have them over to play as much as possible. It's easier with Jonah, because he lives just 10 or so houses away from us. It's fun to see Jack feeling comfortable with his buddies, being silly and playful, and being smart and creative with them. Neither boy is in Jack's class this year, but they all three gravitate together at recess, and their friendships are proving strong over time.

Sometimes we luck out and have Kate Ellsworth over to play. She's Hazel's age and in our ward, but she's one of those magic kids that pulls everyone together. When she's over, all three of my kids have a friend to play with. (Even when it's pouring rain outside!)

We had school off the first Friday in October, and spent it well. In the morning, we went hiking at Brushy Peak with Hazel's friend Adrianna's family. It was tough work with the stroller!

That afternoon, Suzanne Hope brought her crew up from Sunnyvale and we went to the awesome local corn maze. Although, first we had to check out the animals and the corn box at the pumpkin patch.

General Conference was awesome. Everyone was excited to hear the announcement that starting in January, church meetings will be shortened from three hours to two. Todd and I talk often about how to better use our time on Sundays to study the gospel with our kids. We're excited about the challenge to make our worship more home-based.

Todd flew over the house one evening while he was out getting hours. It's always fun when the kids get a chance to run out and wave to him.

We had parent-teacher conferences. All the kids are doing great in school. It's pretty awesome when your biggest pet peeve is that your kids read too much.

My game night group had a getaway weekend and it was a.m.a.z.i.n.g. We all went out for dinner and then spent the night at a local hotel. We brought music and games and snacks and just played and laughed and talked late, late into the night. Everyone was pumped and silly and happy to be there. It was one of those times that just makes me smile in satisfaction every time I think about it. We literally just played game after game after game until two in the morning, and gabbed and connected and left refreshed and recharged.

Me, Elaine, April, Kirstan, Katie, Joleen, and Karrie

Todd blew me away with his amazingness and took our kids to San Francisco for the day while I was out with my game night girls. They rented a canoe at Golden Gate Park, found a great place to fly Jack's kite, toured the Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory, rode a taxi (Uber, actually, lol) and who knows what else. When the kids came home, they could not stop talking about how much fun they had. What a dreamboat Todd is. He came home early from work on Friday so I could head out, had a pizza and movie night with friends that night, and took our kids on a city tour all day the next day. I was blown away with how cool and supportive and fun he was. He tricked me into falling more in love with him while I wasn't even spending time with him!

We drove down to Santa Cruz to check on Luna, and took the kids to the Henry Cowell Redwoods while we were there. I remember being so amazed by those trees when we first moved out here (in 2005!) and it was kind of sad to me that they looked normal-ish this time around. We really live in an amazing place, full of beauty. I hope I appreciate it enough.

We had Red Ribbon Week at school, with different themes to dress to each day to pump the kids up. I always love crazy hair day.

Halloween contained itself and all its parties to under one week this year, which I appreciated. We had the school carnival on Friday night, then the church trunk-or-treat Saturday night, followed by festivities on actual Halloween (a Wednesday this year) with a school parade and trick or treating in the evening. Lots of fun, but all at once, so it didn't overtake all of October like it sometimes does.

We had awesome Harry Potter-themed family costumes this year. Hazel was a Hufflepuff, I was Professor Trelawney, Gemma was (a totally darling) Hedwig, and Todd and Jack were Lucius and Draco Malfoy.

Hazel's best friend, Aarna, was a Slytherin. They commiserated together on the back row as the entire fourth grade danced to Michael Jackson's Thriller in front of the entire school AND parents.

We ran into Adam and his family while we (and the rest of the city of Livermore) were trick or treating at Winding Stream, or what we refer to as "Halloween Street." I'm sure I mentioned this last year. This street is over the top with decorations and is a total party. There's even live music. I haven't talked to one person yet who didn't go over there on Halloween night. It's tons of fun, but is probably at least part of the reason why our neighborhood is empty and we had to go looking elsewhere to have a fun night on Halloween in the first place.

September 2018

Lucky for us, a friend from school let us know that a theater nearby was showing the Harry Potter movies for a week, so all the kids donned their cloaks and we headed over for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

We had Labor Day brunch with Suzanne and Chrissy and their families. We were all excited to see Suzanne's new rental house - so exciting for them to get a place with more space! - and, of course, everyone was happy to feast on cinnamon rolls.

Luna likes to wear Hazel's shower cap to match me while I shower.

Luna climbed up on this mat at the big kids' gym class and then refused to try to climb down herself. She laid up there and cried for fifteen minutes before finally attempting it and seeing what a simple task it was. She's a stubborn little defeatist.

Gemma has been exceptionally cute lately. Todd and I are so sad that she's growing up.

My favorite playdates are the ones where my kids run off happily and I don't see them again for an hour; meanwhile, I can wash the floor or accomplish some other long task. But the kind where the kids need me to help them make homemade play dough or squishy colored pasta can be fun, too.

The kids had their annual fun run fundraiser at school. Everyone put forth a great effort and had a good time. Hazel ran non-stop - like a machine! like her dad! - and Gemma melted my heart walking laps holding hands with her two best friends from kindergarten, Ellie and Imogene. Jack and his best friend Adam kept each other going strong the whole time.

We went to the Dublin art festival, Splatter, for the second year in a row. It did not disappoint. It's very creative and low-key. The kids made egg drops, used pastel chalks, sprayed walls with watered-down paint, and watched cloggers dancing jigs.

Jack's teacher assigns them individual points when they're on task or otherwise making good choices in class. Each Friday they can cash them in for prizes. Jack was super excited to spend his on a day using the teacher's chair.

Todd's primary class earned a party by bringing their scriptures to class week after week, so we hosted them in our backyard. It was a blast seeing all those nine-year-olds on the zip line and playing tetherball. Our backyard is seriously the best!

Todd surprised me on my birthday with an overnight getaway and a Norah Jones concert. Chrissy and Gordon watched our kids, and we had a much-appreciated night out, talking and relaxing and enjoying ourselves. I've got the best husband! I feel so lucky and grateful to be married to him.

We stopped in a chocolate shop down the street from our hotel in Saratoga and picked out some treats. They were lovely, but we couldn't really enjoy them, knowing as we ate them that each piece cost five dollars! There hadn't been any prices listed, and we were a little shocked when the saleslady gave us our grand total. I'm sorry, but they weren't that good. It kind of ruined them for us. 

We've begun a massive garage clean-out project. This load is all the Home Depot returns that have piled up in a corner over the past year. Lucky for us, the store took them all back.

Gemma was thrilled at the opportunity to sing in a school assembly, some songs about apples with all the kindergarten. She was adorable, of course.

And, lucky for me, the assembly was a two-fer, as Jack was awarded Student of the Month as well. He said later that he was hoping he would get picked, but he didn't really expect it and was taken by surprise.

The school had a grand opening for their new maker space. Hazel was totally in her element, making this marble run while the other kids (and adults) ogled at her paper and tape mastery. The girl's got skills!

Our friends, Richard and Karen Anderson, invited us to go boating with them. We usually go with them several times each summer, but we have all been busy this year, and this was the first time we all got out together. I wasn't looking forward to it because I don't enjoy getting behind the boat, but I'm so glad we went. It was a super happy day for all of us, and I soaked up my time at the front of the boat snuggling my kiddos and cheering my family on. It was seriously a fantastic family day and I feel embarrassed that I grumbled about going. I don't have to get on the wakeboard to love boating! Jack and Hazel were so cute out on this RAD together, chatting and laughing. Jack insisted on documenting the day in his journal after we got home, which is a big sign that he's had a truly stand-out experience.

August 2018

 Vlad and Hope decided to keep Luna with them the first week of September, which could not have come at a better time. I'd had a near mental breakdown the week before, crippled under the stress of the situation, and took full advantage of the break. I'd already signed my kids up for a summer camp being run by some teenage girls from church, so suddenly, I had three hours absolutely to myself each morning, for the first time since Gemma finished preschool in May. I scheduled a pedicure, a haircut, and a massage! We also canned peaches, which would have been a daunting task with Luna in the house.

Todd was asked to help fight fires from his helicopter for a week. We debated about whether or not he could take the time off to help, but decided it would be worth the sacrifice so he could get a ton of flight hours in now and not have to take so many trips up to Sacramento over the next few months.

Meanwhile, we watched our friends' kids overnight so Chrissy and Gordon could have a getaway to celebrate a birthday. My kids loved having their "California cousins" sleep over. Everyone had a great time playing together. Lots of cars with the little kids, and some wild water ballooning with the bigger ones out front. It was all over too soon, but we finished the fun off with an hour or two at the pool before they went back home.

Luna came back Sunday evening, and Todd was still gone fighting fires. It was a rough week for me, but we tried to fill it up with fun. We went to a couple summer library programs (all about animals from the area, and a dinosaur dig) and spent a day at the Oakland Zoo.

We went to a splash pad with friends, and got root beer floats from A&W one day when they were giving them out for free. We had lots of playdates with friends, started back up with gym class, and even hosted Grammie and Poppa one night when they came out to check on Vlad. I had another stress-induced breakdown, so Todd came home early from fighting fires.

Vlad and Hope picked Luna up at the end of the week and wanted to keep her for a solid week again. They actually had a well-baby check up scheduled for Luna the week after, so they decided to keep her for two weeks instead. I was grateful for the break, and the chance to have the last week of summer and the first week of school alone with my kids.

We filled that last week of summer up with playdates and trips to the pool. I hosted game night and Todd and I had an extravagant date night. One of my favorite musicians, Phillip Phillips, was in concert here in Livermore, so we splurged for tickets, which came with a hoity-toity dinner at the winery beforehand. The menu was totally intimidating, but the food was delicious.

The live music was energizing and the whole night was lots and lots of fun.

We found out who the kids' teachers would be for school this week. Hazel was especially excited to get the teacher she was hoping for, and made her some cool name art. She was inspired by the artists she'd seen making letter art at Six Flags, where she and Todd had spent a day at this same week. (Todd reported that the roller coasters made him totally sick, but that Hazel loved it.)

August 20th our darling, spunky, speedy, sweet Gemmster started kindergarten at last. She has Mrs. Coon and has reported consistently that her days spent in room 27 are "awesome!"

Jack has Miss Bakalar for second grade and so far has really enjoyed it. He's coming out of his shell and having lots of fun with friends, while still being a model student. He especially loves the days we can rollerblade to school.

Hazel is in fourth grade with Mrs. Lockhart. Between the three kids, I can't walk them all to their classroom doors each morning, so Hazel got the boot. We all thought she would be upset about it, because she sure was clingy about our every other day schedule last year, but day one she reported that she feels so grown up kissing me goodbye and walking to her classroom alone. In fact, that first day of school she was on a high, declaring that for the first time in her life, she is able to be free from the oppressive eye of her mother and actually do some things without me breathing down her neck, micromanaging her entire life. Hello, preteen! Ha. Apparently, her teacher told them they are all "grownups in training" and that she was going to treat them like adults in class. They ate it up!

I took advantage of being baby-free and accepted my friends' offer to come to the park to work out after school drop off. It helped me keep my mmd off the time so I wasn't constantly thinking about what Gemma might be doing next.

We had our traditional giant cookies after school, but I forgot to take any pictures this year! With three kids to report, it was a busy afternoon!

I got released from the Primary presidency and put in the Relief Society presidency at church. I was super sad about it. I'm coming to terms now, but it took a few weeks!

Todd built a tetherball post for our kids. I'm telling you, it's party central over here! Tell the man he can't build a tree house for his kids, and he'll really swing the pendulum the other direction, you know!

We drove down to Scotts Valley on August 25th and picked Luna up. It was overwhelming seeing their housing in person. It gave me a renewed drive to care for this little girl the best I can when we have her. All my kids are absolutely in love with her and so, so sweet with her, which I'm grateful for. I can see that this experience has been good for my kids.