California Lasts - Part 2

Last day trip to the beach: 

Last get together with school friends: 

 Last get together with the other youth leaders at church and the girls:

Man, I miss all those faces!  Trying not to dwell on it . . .

Daily bits:
Brandon had an errand to run yesterday in Salt Lake City, so we decided to make an afternoon of it and took Rachael to the children's museum up there. It felt really strange, just the three of us - two adults for one cute child. I kept commenting to Brandon that I didn't know if I felt like new parents with one small child again, or what I imagine it feels like to be a grandparent! It was fun to do that though, especially since Rachael often gets shuffled around in the busyness of life with three older siblings. She had a BLAST pretending she was a mommy in the little play house. She would push the vacuum around and say, "I'm a mommy", make pretend food and say, "I'm a mommy", sit in the rocking chair with her legs crossed and say, "I'm a mommy", get up to comfort a crying doll and say, "I'm a mommy" - as if it was the most fun she'd ever had!  I'm glad I've done something to make motherhood look appealing enough to imitate.

Elizabeth has taken to carting her blankie to school. She only takes it out once the day is over, but for whatever reason, she just likes to have something personal with her at school everyday. Last week it was her little stuffed poodle, Lilly.  She said she took her so she could read to her.  I love six.

Will is on a behavior contract at school. This is a first at our house. He is a very fun-loving kid, and since moving here has become part of a new dynamic among his friends where he's the mover and shaker, the one to make people laugh, Mr. Cool Funny Guy. It comes pretty easily. (He makes me laugh all the time!) But transitioning from summer neighborhood-life to school-life didn't go so smoothly, so every day he brings home this little sheet of paper with his goal of not being disruptive in class written at the top, and the teacher makes hash marks for his good and positive behavior, and we have to sign it off. To be honest, I've been waiting for this. Every year of school up until now I would go into the parent/teacher conference and wait for them to say something. When they didn't, I would ask, "How's his behavior? He can be pretty goofy . . ." but there was never a problem. Until now. Since instituting this contract, the positive hash marks always outweigh the negatives. He gets great grades, we have a good relationship, he's not rebellious in nature - he is just very social, fun and funny, and he likes to get a reaction. All that energy directed toward being Mr. Cool Funny Guy doesn't always help him be successful at school. Just thought you'd like to know my kids aren't perfect.  (Well, they are to me.)

One of Kate's Personal Progress goals she is working on right now is for "Good Works".  She's helping me plan and make dinner for two weeks!  Last night, to the Jack Johnson station on Pandora radio, we made spaghetti tacos.  My kids already knew about them, but I heard about them from our good friend, Scott McLeod. (Co-creator of the viral youtube sensation, "Did You Know? Shift Happens", just in case you wanted one more link. Definitely worth clicking.) I think that makes him a Renaissance Man - kind of like my ukele playing surgeon of a husband. He can now play "Three Blind Mice".

And he made me peppermint tea before bed.