Cousin Time...

A couple of weeks ago, we spent a week vacationing with my family (at my parents' home). The main purpose was to celebrate my Dad's 60th birthday. He's an amazing guy, and deserved to be celebrated in a big and fabulous way. For this big event, my sister and her family came in from Ottawa, and the boys and I were determined to spend as much time with them as possible.

It's tough having my sister live on the other side of the continent.  But she and I have no trouble talking for long extended hours each week - the phone makes the distance seem much smaller.  What the phone doesn't do is allow me the time to hug and cuddle and watch my niece and nephew grow up. So these moments together are HUGE. 

I grew up in a big family - there are 9 cousins on each side.  We spent a LOT of time with our cousins growing up - and have the awkward 80's pictures to prove it.  And I am so lucky that as an adult, I am still close with my cousins, and have the opportunity (thanks, facebook!) to keep up with their lives on a regular basis. In fact, here's a pic of just a few us and our children at my dad's party:

I want that same thing for my boys. But when your only cousins live so far away, it's tough. So we do our best to make the best of the situation, and the kids play together every second of our time together.

My oldest, by nature of his age, and, well, his bossy nature, is usually the ringleader.  He chooses the activity, and gets the "littles" going. My youngest is 5 months older than his cousin, my sister's oldest.  Up until this visit, they have had a very adversarial relationship. But for the first time, this visit they spent extended times playing together, off in their own imaginary world. And the baby?  Well, right now he's best at just being cute.  Both of my boys adore him and are very protective of him, and my youngest just can't wait until he's old enough to join in the games.  (Secretly, I think he's just hoping that the baby will be the one person he gets to be the "boss" of.)

Here are just a few pictures of their week together:

Group puzzle assembly

Chess with Aunt Erin

Puzzle time

Digging in the dirt

Watching for fish in the stream

Anyone who knows my kiddos knows just how much they adore their grandparents.  And when it came time to leave, and the oldest was upstairs wailing and gnashing his teeth about going home, I thought that was leaving them that was so hard. But it wasn't.  "But, mama, it will be months until I get to play with my cousins again! That is just too long.  I love them soooooo much!" While I hated to see him hurting, I was so glad to hear how much he enjoyed his time with them. We made promises of more-regular iChats, gave big hugs, and have already talked on the phone several times.  And still, on a daily basis,  my boys talk about the great time they had on vacation with their cousins.

Gotta love the cousin time!

A day at the lake...

My aunt and uncle have some property down on the lake where I grew up. It's a large reservoir, and they've worked hard to build a great place to spend the day in total relaxation. Recently, we were fortunate enough to be invited to come down and hang out with them for the day.  My cousin, who currently lives in North Dakota, was going to be there with her two children, and it was the perfect opportunity to get out on the lake and spend the day with people we adore.

While the boys have been taking swimming lessons, they are both still a little nervous around the water.  I figured that they would mostly hang out on the dock and in the shallow water's edge.  So when both agreed right away to hop into the canoe with my cousin's children, I was pleasantly surprised.  The water is one of my favorite places to be.  The kids had fun paddling around a little, and then it was time for Uncle Mike to bring out the big guns - the ski boat.

After watching their cousin (a strong and confident 7 year old) take a spin on the new ski trainer, my big one decided that maybe being pulled behind the boat looked like a pretty good time.  So, the two of them hopped into the dually - a double inner tube - and off we went.

(Confession time - He wanted out at the last minute.  Papa told him in no uncertain terms that he needed to try it, and I agreed.  At the same time, I was terrified that if it was a bad experience, we were in trouble.  The kid never forgets!)

Well, let me just say that the dually was amazing.  The peer pressure of having his cousin there with him, me in the boat watching out for him, and my uncle taking it easy, making sure the ride was great all worked together.  He had a blast.  We went slow, we went fast, we spun in circles giving them some great wake bumps.  The grin never left his face. And as soon as we got back?  My little one hops in with my cousin's little one. Oh my goodness - those two tiny little boys (3 and 4 years old) out there in the middle of the reservoir looked so far away.  And so very little.  And were having such a fantastic time! It was wonderful.

And through the afternoon, the fun continued.  They played in the shallows, the little one jumped into the lake all by himself (although it was far too cold for his taste), and the big one even gave the ski trainer a shot all by himself.

 
Then both boys got to watch their papa water ski.  It was his 60th birthday that day, and he wanted to prove to himself that he could still do it. And honestly, he was amazing.  He has always been one of the best skiers I know, and the years haven't changed that.  For a few moments, I was the little 7 year old in the boat, cheering on my daddy, watching him make it all look so easy. And my boys were thrilled at the cool new trick Papa had shown them.

It was a day that the boys and I won't soon forget.  My aunt, uncle, and cousin were such wonderful hosts, and the kids had so much fun playing together. I'm so glad we went down, and eagerly look forward to a time when we can do it all again.

Flying by...

Wow. I can't believe how quickly this summer is just flying by.  It probably isn't helped by the fact that we've only had a couple of weeks of summer weather.  But beyond that, the days and weeks are just disappearing before our eyes.   I've got lots to post about - we've had two birthday parties, a week with my sister and her amazing family, time at the lake, lots of playing outside, and a new roof. It's all been good.

This last week, the boys and I took a little break from all the party planning and connected crafting to head down to the river. It was a little cool when we got there, but we had the beach to ourselves.  We unloaded shovels and buckets and sifters and knitting, each set about our work. The oldest promptly began digging.  First it was the river's edge.  Later it was a deep tunnel under a log.  He was in heaven.  The little one made sand angels, threw rocks into the river, and searched for buried treasure.  There was constant narration for all the activity.

I got to sit and knit while the boys were playing.  We've entered a delightful stage this summer where both boys are better able to entertain themselves for extended periods of time.  They are both careful about safety, no one is eating the sand, and they will happily join together or with other children to create new worlds while I watch form a distance.  It is heavenly to be able to have a little "me time" without having to be away form them.

As the morning drifted towards lunch, we pulled out the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches the boys made before we left home.  With a bag of carrots, peas, and cherries, we had some serious fine dining, and the little one even believes it all tastes better with a fine coating of sand. We saw crawdads and tadpoles, watched boats float past, and felt the warm sunshine on our bodies. It felt like summer.

We can't wait to go again!

Saturday morning bike ride...

I think it started way back in my childhood viewings of the Sound of Music - the scene where Maria and the children are riding down the road on their bicycles wearing their new playclothes made of draperies. No, I don't have a dream of my kids running around in curtain knickers (although I'm not afraid to recycle old fabric).  But leisurely weekend bike rides as a family?  It's just one of those things I have always pictured doing with my family.

Now, I have to admit this "goal" was a little funny.  Two months ago, Max had a 12 inch bike with no training wheels and Luke had a 10 inch with training wheels.  That was it.  Not the equipment of quality family rides.  And for those of you who don't live in the PNW, you may not realize just how crazy and sacrilegious this was. So we've worked to remedy this - we've geared up.  Dan and I each bought a bike, Max has moved up to a 16 inch, and we found a tag-along on craigslist for Luke. We even picked up a bike rack so we can haul our bikes around to some of the great paths in the area.

We took our inaugural ride a couple of weeks ago - 6 miles on the Springwater trail.  We only planned on going 4, but I missed our turn to our midpoint stop, so we went out an extra mile before heading back.  With a bagel stop to refuel at the city park, and lots of greetings from other riders and runners along the path, it was the perfect start to our rides.

Today we decided to take another ride - a little shorter this time, since Max was pretty worn out after the first one.  (After all - the goal is to get them to love riding so they want to do it more often.) But the weather?  Not exactly cooperative.  It was sprinkling as we headed out of the driveway, and both boys were pretty resistant to the whole idea.  And as we unloaded the bikes, it really started to rain. We decided to give it a shot, anyway.

Within 2 minutes, it was pouring.  The boys were quickly getting soaked, and I could sense we were close to mutiny.  Time to pump it up - I was going to take a lesson from my dear friend, Beth, and we were going to "fake it till we make it."  So I started laughing and shouting about how much fun it was to ride in the rain.  I drove us through a big puddle and acted my silliest.  Dan saw where I was headed with this, and played along.  And after 30 seconds?  Both boys were giggling and talking about how much fun riding in the rain was. We ended up doing a 5 mile ride, soaking wet, with the trail almost to ourselves, and plenty of slugs to dodge.  And back at the car, both boys piped up to thank us for a "great ride in the rain".

We weren't exactly singing Do-Re-Mi, and the sun wasn't beating down on our flowing golden hair.  But it was wonderful, just the same.

Rodeo Fun...

It's a little funny.  I grew up on 40 acres, with cows, horses, and pigs.  We moved irrigation pipe twice daily in the summers and cleaned stalls in the winter.  My dad does his fair share of hauling hay, and my childhood was filled with playing in ditches and attending 4-H meetings. And as soon as I could, I moved to the city.  My husband also has a small town background, yet we've chosen to live a urban/suburban life. But my boys?  They have a deep LOVE with all things country.

Besides riding the ATVs and feeding animals, one of their favorite things to do is go to the rodeo.  They get all "cowboy-ed up" in their western shirts, boots, and hats, and then prepare to hoot and holler their heads off for a good two hours. Neither really has a favorite event yet - but if pressed, they usually say that the clown is their favorite. But saddle broncs, barrel racing, team roping, it doesn't matter - they love the rodeo.

Last weekend we headed to the Molalla Buckeroo for the Sunday night show.  (We really need to take better advantage of the daytime shows - the 8:00 pm start time is already past when they usually head to bed.  But with a late nap and some kettle corn, they are good to go!) The weather was beautiful, the crowd was great, and there were some fun rides to watch. There were even daredevil riders - acrobats on horseback that ranged in age from 12-18. And afterwards?  Fireworks. 

I never expected my two city boys to be so country at heart, but I'm happy to help them cheer on those bull riders every time. Well, until one of them decides that he wants to take a shot at those magic 8 seconds, that is...

Happy Independence Day!

It's late, dark, and the echoes of fireworks still sound like popcorn coming from the valley floor below us. My oldest son has just hung up his corduroy jacket and headed back to bed, but not before a big giant hug and sparking eyes, and the comment, "This was the best fireworks year ever..."

For the last 10 years, Dan and I have gone to the fireworks display in our old town.  There is lots of space to lay out in the field at the school and watch the personal fireworks from the homes on the surrounding hills and then the community fireworks display at the park. It's fairly impressive for the small area, and I love the "hometown" feel of it. And two days ago, we still planned on maintaining our tradition.

Then last night we decided to go to a rodeo, and knew that it would be a late night for the boys (3-4 hours past their usual bedtime).  We were more than a little nervous about two late nights in a row.  So, we decided to stay and watch the fireworks that directly followed the last rodeo event, with the understanding that we would just stay home tonight. The fireworks were great, and it felt oh-so-patriotic to be watching our Independence Day fireworks from a rodeo, while "God Bless the USA" plays over the loudspeaker. Our  little one held his hands over his ears, and waited for it to be over.  But the big one?  He was in love.

Tonight, in keeping with the adjusted plan, we had some friends over for dinner and playtime.  After all the running and building and bike riding, I expected that the boys would crash within moments of going to bed, and be asleep long before fireworks around the neighborhood began.  It didn't exactly work like that.

An hour and a half later, the boys were still up and giggling, and the fireworks began to go off.  I went outside to find that the view from our street allowed us to see not only Mt. St. Helens, but also large sections of our town and the town across the river. And everywhere I looked, there were huge, giant fireworks going off.  It was pretty cool.  And, well, the boys were still awake.  And I didn't want them to miss any of it. So I went and got them out of bed.

The little one watched for about 5 minutes before he and Daddy went back in to help him fall asleep. The big one and I?  We stayed outside for another hour. We walked around the neighborhood in bare feet to see what was being lit right around the corner.  We checked out the view from every vantage point in our empty cul-de-sac. And he talked almost the entire time.  His eyes sparkled brightly, the grin never left his face.  And at one point he said, "Mama, I could just stay out here with you forever." That alone made all my weak attempts at getting him back to bed feel like a huge, wasted opportunity. So we sat in the grass, watched the bright lights overhead, and talked.

I know it's silly, but I have always found fireworks to be romantic.  It's that whole "at the county fair with a cowboy on the ferris wheel" Americana thing.  But tonight there was a whole other kind of love there.  I never want to forget those moments with my big kid, oohing and ahhing over explosions and finding a kindred spirit who loves fireworks as much as I do. Especially in these years before it becomes about the fire and danger and excitement - because tonight, it was still all about magic and beauty.

It's nights like this when every fiber in my being sighs, relaxes, and knows that all is very right in my world.  Fireworks and magic and little boys and their mamas. Doesn't get much better.

Let's start summer...

(sneaking quietly back in...hoping you won't notice how long I've been away...)

It's officially summer.  In all the ways that count, we've made it. We survived a parade, school camping trip, promotion (for my eighth graders), graduation (for my very own kindergartener), saying goodbye to friends and teachers, shoving off of early morning rushing, and are now settling into our new routine.  I moved classrooms, and cleaned out the garage. We've had the necessary yard sale and spread almost 7.5 cubic yards of bark dust.  The first sweet peas are appearing in the garden, the kale is huge, and we will get to taste our first homegrown strawberries this afternoon.

That's an awful lot for a mama who likes things simple.

So some things had to be let go along the way - things that are important to me, but weren't viewed as absolutely necessary. I didn't make gifts for the boys' teachers - I used groupons and store-bought cards instead.  We've eaten out more than usual.  And at night I've crashed on the couch, too tired to even pull out the knitting bag.

But now it's time for the fresh start.  The boys and I are following (loosely) a weekly schedule to help us balance the work and the play.  We're lining up play dates and dinner guests and I'm pulling out the favorite summer salad recipes and looking for strawberry desserts. It feels good.

And being back in this space?  It's just what I need.

So, today I'll leave you with a few of my favorite pictures from the last few weeks. After all, all that running around must be good for something, right?

Kindergarten Graduation

Lemonade Stand at our Yard sale

Ready to march in a parade

Parade Preparations (although he sat in the wagon hiding under an umbrella once the parade began)

Playing in the river on our school camping trip

Self Portrait for kindergarten graduation

Max and his amazing guide, Katie

Luke and his wonderful guide, Alicia