Some random...

I am staring right now at a S'mores pizza, just out of the oven.  I'm waiting a few more minutes to dig in - right when the marshmallows start to get a little crunchy, but the chocolate is still warm and gooey and smooth.  It's delicious.  SERIOUSLY.  I think I should be allowed to eat one of these every night, for 4 nights, before I leave to make up for the next four months eating I will miss (plus, it's likely that any weight gained before then will be coming right back off - no reason to hold back, right?).  Yum. (BTW, they are from Papa Murphy's.  Go get yourself a slice of heaven, like now.).

Every night before bed the kids write down on there Princess or Toy Story themed calendars one thing they were most thankful for that day.  Their answers have ranged from playdates to bikerides to everything to nothing (on those especially cranky nights when Mommy and Daddy are mean to make them go to bed.).  And we write it down, exactly what they say, exactly as they say it.  Well, if I had a calendar to write down what I was most thankful for today, it would be teachers.  Teachers who care to call, to offer support, to promise extra love and encouragement to my babies while I am away.  Both Emerson and Braeden's 1st grade and preschool teachers have gone out of their way to call and offer these things to our family.  It's so hard that I'm missing the first day of school, but I am so thankful these teachers are looking forward to seeing my kids' faces.

Bikerides have pushed their way to the top of my list for fun summer things to do together.  It's on these rides that we can talk.  I encourage the kids in their riding - how Emerson is getting really good at bumping off and on the sidewalk.  Braeden can now go super speed.  Landen points out spaceships in the sky and we all ooh and ahh.  Moods seem to be instantly lifted.  Sibling fighting has no space between our bikes as we pedal along our small neighborhood streets.
Oh, and sometime we see horses.  :)

Since going to the train tracks last week, we decided Jon should get a chance to ride down there, too and this time?  We were lucky.  Well, I thought we were lucky.  A train came and crossed right underneath us honking is crazy loud horn as he passed.  Landen was laughing and waving (the kind engineers waved back), however Braeden looked like he was about to pee his pants.  He did NOT appreciate the loud noises this train was sending and those engineers should know better than to try and scare him!  ;)

As a parent I think it's easy to get weighed down by the mundane of everyday life, by the constant laundry, by sibling fighting (this saps the most patience out of me), and cooking meals each day.  It can drain you.  It can be less than exciting.  However this week, even though I have a huge list of to-do's to get ready to leave, I've been trying to choose the joy in the midst of the mundane.

Yesterday we found this stuff at Walmart called Aquasand for a $1 a piece.

Fun stuff, huh?

Like I said, only 4 more days until our plane takes off.  We then have a few days of random appointments in Santa Barbara and then Wednesday is surgery day.  I think I may take some pictures before and depending how I feel/how scary I look some after surgery.  While I am very nervous and sometimes scared, I do sometimes look forward to the transformation it may bring. 

Pictures to come soon!

Oh, and here are a few pictures of some sweet friends at a recent birthday party for a now 2 year old best buddy of ours.  A very creative and fun party put on by this mommy.

The birthday boy!  So excited he got bubbles!

And I caught a picture of this hot guy.  :)