Wow, guys, sorry I haven't checked in for a while. The last couple of weeks, as you may have guessed, have been quite busy. Part of it involved an anniversary/birthday trip that Ben and I went on for three days to California. Okay, why lie? We spent all three days at Disneyland. Yes, that was our getaway. I may write about it some more in another post, but Ben proposed to me at Disneyland 18 1/2 years ago. Some members of our family are kind of Disney fanatics. Not so much about the movies, or the characters, but the theme parks. When you visit a theme park, you truly are visiting the Happiest Place on Earth, so, what better place to celebrate an anniversary and birthday than at Disneyland? Sounds like a recipe for a great celebration. And it was. One of the funnest trips we've ever taken, though at every turn I'd see a little girl Evie's age, telling me about a roller coaster she went on, or two little kids Jude's and Truman's ages giggling, giggling, giggling on a water ride, or a toddling two year old like Clementine dressed in a ridiculous princess dress, and my heart broke a little in loneliness for my kids. The paradox of parenting. You want to get away by yourself, until the moment you finally are away. No matter, I promise you that Ben and I made the best of our homesickness by tearing throughout the park at lightning speed (not something that's possible to do with all seven kids in tow) getting to all the rides.
Well, now, I said I wasn't planning to write about our trip, but there it is. A quick synopsis.
As a place holder for not having taken pictures for a couple of weeks, I give you a couple from the Olympic party we had at the start of the Olympics. This was so fun that I think it will have to become a tradition. A few simple games, that everyone, from the littlest kids to the adults, can participate in, a few cheap trophies purchased, food representing the host country (we allowed for a little creative license with the Brazilian food), a bit of decorating which included wrapping hula hoops with streamers in the colors of the Olympic rings (that was my idea, and I admit I felt, and feel, so clever to have come up with it- I hope people pin it a million times on Pinterest!), and you have the makings of a fun evening for everyone.
School has started up again, more or less, for the kids. We aren't putting in our full days yet, but easing into it gently, which is how I like to do it. I've been bad about making sure my little boys have been practicing piano, so that was kind of my goal for this week. I love spending time with Jude and Truman on the piano, since they love it so much and watching them pick up rhythm and melody and harmony is so delightful. Let me write this here and now, as a reminder, for when I find myself too "busy" to help the boys with their piano practice.
One more thing- we are continuing to love Audible- perhaps the best addition to our lives that has happened to us this year. Gideon, Evie and I just finished Anne of Green Gables, and though we knew the story well, I, having read it a half a dozen times, Gideon once, not to mention the many, many, viewings of the movie, hearing it read aloud to us was a new way to experience it and we all laughed out loud throughout the story, as well as brushed away tears, and sighed, often, in the most satisfied way at the conclusion at the end. Gilbert giving up the Avonlea school for Anne, without any prompting, or even letting Anne know, must be one of the best moments in all of literature. Such a perfect book. We hurriedly began listening Anne of Avonlea because we just didn't want the sweet moments to end.
Today, Cate and Grace and I are going to finish up our last ten minutes of Unbroken, and then it will be To Kill a Mockingbird. I'm really looking forward to listening to this one, because I have heard that Sissy Spacek narrating it is second to none.
Finally, I hit upon the brilliant idea of downloading a book for my littlest ones, and let them practice sitting quietly like they are supposed to do during church. I picked out Beatrix Potter for them, which they like pretty well, but I am trying to come up with something they may enjoy a little bit more for next time. Possibly Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, Winnie-the-Pooh, even Betsy-Tacy, but I'm still deciding.
That's a wrap, you guys. Hope to post more soon. Surely you are all dying to know what I'm knitting, for one thing. That's coming, it's coming.
