I have done a stellar job of completely ignoring our house since we left for Ohio.  Today I will have to remedy that :(  In the meantime we've been having some fun.  Yesterday was H.O.T.  Kindergarten had it's Elm's beach field trip, this is my favorite outdoorclass room.  So fun!    We learned about shells and went on a scavenger hunt and learned about birds, and looked for shells and built sandcastles and had a turtle race.  We saw a bald eagle and an osprey fighting over the water! Saw lots of critters and heard lots of birds and got our toes wet (against the rules ;) )All very fun.  We came home hot and sweaty and tired.

 Despite being hot, sweaty and tired this was the day we had chosen to take our canoe on it's maiden voyage.  Ethan and Hannah both didn't want to go and both had other commitments so that was okay.  Monique took them to church with her kiddos and it worked out great.

 So we packed up all our gear, of which there was much.
Hefted the canoe on top of the car.
Grabbed some gatorades and put on our water shoes and hats.
Drove down to the wharf.
Unloaded the canoe and the gear and the gatorade.
Drove back up the hill to Big Larry's because someone forgot to pee.
Bought single scoops to thank Big Larry for the use of his facility.
Drove back down to the wharf.
Got in the canoes.
Breathed a sigh.
Paddled around.
Caught a fish (Rob)
freaked out a little (Lu)
relaxed (me)
saw some osprey
saw some turtles
saw a river mammal (otter maybe?)
watched the sun begin to set
nice 2 hours on the water
hauled the boat out of the water
put gear away
threw away empty gatorade bottles
drove home

Went to Salsas at 8pm
Ate
Came home
put Lu to bed (R mowed the lawn, in the dark)
showered
put Lu to bed again ( I assume he put the other two to bed )
flopped in bed
ZZZzzzz

getting home

As idyllic as our Sunday was our Monday drive home was the flip side of the coin.  The children were good mostly but it was long and everyone got grouchy.  Actually R was the least grouchy and even laughed at our complaining, which was quite nice really.  Still traffic was bad and we rerouted to a longer course.  The day was long and longer than we planned, both hard things.

The weather was kind of dreary but we made the most of our rest stops and made it home in one piece.

Tuesday everyone was pretty tired.  We got up sluggish and lateish out the door.  Hannah got locked out and had to sit on the porch and wait for the rest of us to get home, a longish wait.  Lu didn't practice the paino since we were gone and we rescheduled her lesson.  We had some more grouchyness.  On the bright side R and I did practice putting the canoe on the top of the car and were successful which I was happy about.  The first time I couldn't' lift it over my head.  Last night R came home and he had studied out how to do it and it worked just fine.  Yay!  Also last night I rearranged the patches on Lu's Brownie vest to fit better and leave room for next year's patches, the picking out took awhile but I was happy with the result and thanx to Abba my iphone now controls the apple tv and we finally got it to work (since the children lost the teeny tiny remote weeks ago) so I choose a show and picked away and Lu was tucked in her bed sleeping sweetly and it was a nice last hour of the day.

Sunday

 Today was our last day here.  This morning we went to visit the Centerville ward, it's the ward we always go to when we come to Ohio.  It was very nice.  I especially liked one of the talks on Faith.  Also 2 young women's mission calls were announced.  Ever since last falls announcement lowering the mission age so many young people have been going on missions.  Each time I hear an announcement I am just flooded with a joyful feeling.  I am so excited for them!  I wish I had served as a young woman, can't wait to go as an old one :)

After church we picked up UB and headed over to see Grandpa Thacker's house.  He and Abba and Nana have done a lot of work over there getting it ready it sell.  It looks wonderful. Then we headed home to spend the afternoon playing together.  The kids swam and played baseball in the yard.  They lit off lots of fireworks and we had a delicious BBQ on the porch.  Nana dyed Hannah's hair and we had pie.  It was a good day :)

batting practice

Z supervising the firebombs

how much fun can we fit into one day?

lunch is ready

A lot!  This morning I woke up and walked Z.  She was very excited to be in a new neighborhood.  When we got back Bub was waiting to tell me that he and Nana were heading off to Dunkin Donuts for breakfast.  

While we ate we made our plans for the day.  Stop one was Dorothy Lane for Lobstermania.  We met Brenden the lobsterman from Maine who flew down a boat load of those yummy crustaceans.  They cooked them in the parking lot and we brought them home for lunch.  Yum.

After lunch Abba, Ethan, Dad and Lu went lazer tagging.  Nana and Hannah and I went to the shoe store.  

Then Abba and Ethan went to meet Dylan and his dad for some golfing and UB and Lu and R met us for some more shopping fun.  We ate delicious frozen yogurts, went to the book store and went to dinner.

Then we came home and some of us swam, while others of us found our jackets to life guard in.

Then Abba, R and I went to see Star Trek and Nana kept the kids.

Busy busy fun fun

one of these things is not like the other

Ethan on the course

ohio

For weeks the children (and the father) have been begging to come to Ohio for Memorial Day.  I didn't want to, not because I don't love to come but because it was going to be a quick trip, really quick. Finally I relented and we added a day by taking today off from school/work.
Normally I like to leave the house pretty much spotless before I leave on a trip.  Hannah says I want to die under false pretenses because when she asked me why and I told her if we died on the trip I would want to leave the house clean.  I don't care if it's false or not I still want to.  I would want it to be that clean every day but....
Anyway, this time we did not.  It's tidy(ish), if you count leaving rinsed out dishes in the sink from breakfast this morning, a soccer ball on the living room floor, camping gear from last weeks father and sons outing in the dinning room and piano books sitting out in the living room (to name a few) and the basement, I won't even mention what that looks like.  But we still left, and no disaster befell us and Michelle, who is watching Millie and Fluffy has seen my messes before. I guess I do need to ask one more favor...Michelle, if we die before we get home can you tidy up a bit and pretend that's how it always is? :)
The drive was pleasant and we made good time.  I drove half and R drove half.  I got to chat with Mom and  Val and Dani and Jenna so that was fun.  R did some work.  The kids watched some movies.  We played "what's my carb" and argued over if fractions could be even or odd.  Good times.
Then we made it and Nana had an awesome taco bar ready for dinner and the girls swam in the pool that Abba so nicely heated up for them.
After dinner most of the gang headed out to the movies to see Iron Man 3.  UB, Lu and I stayed home and had a nice chat while Lu looked at cuff links and assorted things from Grandpa Thacker and I made cookies.  I asked Lu if she wanted to help because she normally does and she said "mom I can make cookies any time, how often do I get to talk to Uncle Brian?"
So I am very happy I came.  It's always such a treat to be with family, it makes my heart happy.

Middle School Art Show

True story: three years ago at the end of 6th grade we went to the art show and saw all Hannah's fabulousness displayed.  On the stage the 8th graders had "ugly jugs".  They were so cool and ugly.  I wished Hannah had made one.  Only 8th graders get to.  Then the next year, 7th grade we went and saw the wonderful art and again the jugs.  Then finally this year Hannah made a jug and seriously hers was the best one!  It is ugly and amazing!!

life with an almost 11 year old boy

Ethan cracks me up, regularly.  Yesterday he had some funny things to say.  First we were eating dinner and he said "so I think if you really really like someone you shouldn't date them first.  You should date them third or fourth because no one ever marries the first person they date."

We were shopping for dance stuff and walking by the pajamas in walmart where Ethan spots some "little nothings" as mom used to call them, for married ladies to wear.  He lifts it up and stares at it a minute then says "what kind of dumb bra is this??"  Hannah said "Ethan that's not a bra it's... (pause)...looks at me....(pause)...a bra, let go of it!" and she pulled him off to the much safer baking aisle.

the other day Ethan said to me, I really want to go to a bar mitzvah, good thing I am friends with Liam, he might invite me.  I thought this was so funny because I too have always wanted a Jewish friend to invite me to a celebration!

after our 6th grade orientation at the school we stopped at Chipotle.  I asked Ethan when his school's "growing up night" was.  He said, oh we already had it.  Why didn't you give me the form?  He didn't want to go, which is fine but funny.  So I said, okay well since you are so grown up you need to start wearing some deodorant  Code for he is now a stinky boy.   He agreed and R and E headed to Wal mart to buy some on the way home.

Last night, walking into the middle school I suddenly felt very sad.  My little boy is not so little.  I dread the day when he doesn't hop into his "spot" in bed and hang out with dad and I.  When he doesn't tell us everything.  ....When he grows up and belongs to some other woman :(