Back to School

It's hard to believe that summer is over and the kids have headed  back to school.  We have a 6th grader, 4th grader and 2nd grader in our home now.  Boy does time flies... it just seems like yesterday that they each started Kindergarten.

Countdown to School

The kids are headed back to school is 2 days and counting.

As we prepare for the big day (hair cuts, supplies, nerves, etc) I wonder ... did we slow down and enjoy our summer?  Did we spend time together?  Did we get to just "be"?

I don't know that we slowed down... it seems that life is always a bit hectic around here.

We did spend time together... Maui, soccer fields, driving to many soccer tournaments, swimming, etc.

I think I would have prefered more time at home to just be... I certainly know my yard would too. 

 Ready to snorkel.

 Playing together.

 Mama watching the kids play in the pool at night.

 Joey working hard with his team (they took 2nd place 2x this summer).

 Stefan working hard with his team (they took first place 2x this summer).

 Mirror Lake... look at this beauty!

 Wildwood at Mt. Hood

 2nd annual 3-on-3 tournament for Stefan and his buddies... they took 3rd place in their division.

 Putting up the shots!

The comment I heard last night was, "I think I'm ready to go back... it will be fun."  I guess that means we've done well with our summer fun.  Now, to make it through the first day jitters!

The Daniel Plan 50 Best Brain Foods

1.  Almond milk, unsweetened
2. Almonds, raw
3. Apples
4. Asparagus
5. Avocados
6. Bananas
7. Barley
8. Beans
9. Beets
10. Bell peppers
11. Blackberries
12. Blueberries
13. Bok choy
14. Broccoli
15. Brussels sprouts
16. Cherries
17. Chicken, skinless
18. Coconut
19. Coconut oil
20. Egg whites -- DHA enriched
21. Gojiberries
22. Grapefruit
23. Green tea
24. Herring
25. Kiwi

26. Lemons
27. Lentils
28. Limes
29. Oats
30. Olive oil
31. Oranges
32. Peaches
33. Pears
34. Peas
35. Plums
36. Pomegranates
37. Quinoa
38. Raspberries
39. Red grapes
40. Salmon, wild
41. Soybeans
42. Spinach
43. Strawberries
44. Tomatoes
45. Tuna
46. Turkey, skinless
47. Walnuts
48. Water
49. Yams/sweet potatoes
50. Yogurt, low-fat, sugar- and artificial sweetener-free (sweeten with stevia and/or low-glycemic fruit, like blueberries, raspberries or strawberries)

Have you heard of the Daniel Plan?  I hadn't... it's all the same information... eating well, exercising, staying motivated, but there is a catch... the "cute" Dr. Oz is one of the founders.  Check it out! I know I need all the help I can get... maybe you can find something inspiring as well.

The best birthday surprise EVER!

And I got it on video... except I really didn't... and I'm bummed... but if you could of seen her face.  We told her she was holding our friends new puppy and she oohed and ahhed over her and then... I told her Happy Birthday... this is your new puppy and she just lit up... she couldn't believe it... and I had it all on video... except I didn't.

Time to plan a birthday party!

My kids are deprived... we do birthday parties (with friends) every-other-year.  I know... mean, right?!?


Well, it works for us me.


September begins birthday parties for the next 6 months.  


Baby Girl has decided on a camping party (I said camping, not sleepover... I'm not crazy!) and Pinterest has provided a gaggle of ideas for us to peruse and choose from!

She definitely wants cake pops!

A gift for friends?

S'more station... yum... maybe too much with the cake pops?

Table... so fun!

A tent to hang out in... our green coleman will have to do!

I'm thinking we need to add a craft... please pass along any camping craft ideas... after the party I'll post our actual pictures... happy camping!

The coupon craze...

So, I'm reading blogs, printing coupons, organizing them {{ha}}, reading books, more blogs, watching video posts, etc.  I think it all comes down to what works for me!!! I'm not exactly sure what that looks like... yet... but I'm getting there.

I think I'm going to try the "shop with cash & a calculator" method... could be interesting.  I've noticed that there are certain items I buy in which there are so many coupons it is just WRONG if I purchase them without saving any money... yogurt, cereal, etc.

I've also been reading more about cooking ahead and freezing meals.  I believe this is going to be essential in my life.  My boys are eating... a LOT!  And they want food... snacks are not cutting it.  I think I'd like to implement a day of cooking... I don't think once a week is realistic for my life, but every 2 weeks I'm envisioning spending a day in the kitchen... prepping.

Any ideas?!?!?

I really love this boy...

His BBF (I know it's BFF, but it's a joke at my house... Joe can never get the letters right when he says them... hysterical) is in town.  He was invited to go to the beach, but because of commitments he could only go for a couple of days... so I drove him to Tillamook (with the other kids in tow) and then turned around and came home (don't worry, I had a chocolate/peanut butter icecream cone before I turned around)!  And... I get to do it all again on Thursday.

I really love this boy!

Fill in the Blank Friday

 

1.   My go to outfit for a dress-up occasion like a wedding is       a knee-length purple floral tank dress... it looks great with a shawl wrapped around it too.

2.  This week has been    a parenting challenge.  I've not been on my game and the kids can sense it (and take advantage)... hmmm... maybe it's my attitude.

3.  When it's dinnertime and I'm feeling lazy I'll usually eat     eggs and toast with the kids.

4.  My favorite pair of shoes is   my {red} danskos in the fall/winter and my nike flip-flops in the summer.

5.  A random item that I own that is completely unnecessary, but that I could never part with is      my jewelry from high school... it serves no purpose, in fact it's atrocious, but so much fun to look through.

6.  My favorite person is      my husband.

7.  If I were going to write my own blank it would say       What will you do today to enjoy being in the moment?

What are your plans this weekend?

Friends

I think I have a reputation in which I make friends easily... I'm pretty easy to get along with, helpful, caring, funny (ok... so maybe I'm the only one that thinks I'm funny, but I am!), etc.  That being said I really have a handful of friends that are part of my inner circle.  I am so grateful for those ladies. 

One of my inner circle friends just moved back into town and I couldn't be more thrilled.  We had a wonderful afternoon together with the kiddos... kid lunch, our lunch, kid hot tubbing, kid bike riding, ice-ee, iced coffee, and nail painting... what a great afternoon!

No other way to say it... my children were {{bad}}!

I had one of those parenting days.  The days when you just want to through your hands in the air and declare your demise.  It was bad... it was the boys... BOTH of them.

It started with an adventure to go swimming... but first let's tidy up, put away laundry etc.  Ack... it took forever.  They kept declaring their work finished and I was dumbfounded.  {{Your work is not finished if I can not walk in your room without walking on something!}}

We finally headed to the pool... my boys screamed and fought with each other forever.  I was the ref... I made them get out of the pool, I made them go eat {{because surely they were misbehaving because they were hungry, right?}}, my girlfriend finally lit into them... and it helped, for a second.

Some days we all end up on our "bums"

By the time I got home, I was done.  I looked at Joe and said, "Our boys were bad... even the friend I brought to the pool was dumbfounded.. she'd never seen them behave like this!"  Joe talked to the boys and made them scoop the yard.

Then, all was quiet.  I heard the tv on and thought {{good}} a little peace.  And then I realized that both boys were asleep and it was only 5:30... but I let them sleep because I was spent.  Baby girl, Joe and I ate dinner and the boys slept.  We had icecream and the boys slept.  I finally tried to move them upstairs for bed {{at 9pm}} and they woke up and they were hungry and then I was up until 10:30 with them and then I declared bed time again 'cause Mommy was tired.

Lesson learned: sometimes big kids are really rotten because they are tired and they need a nap.  I should have just made them go lay down.  In hindsight, Pepe had a long, exhausting weekend of soccer and he was tired.  When Pepe is tired he enjoys bugging Phinneous; which then turns into chaos.  Didn't I learn this when they were 2 and 3 years old?!?!?!?