I wrote this beautiful, thoughtful, philosophical, photo rich blog post on Sunday night. There were links and quotes. It took hours. Just when I was dotting the final i’s and crossing the final t’s something happened and I lost it. All. No sign. Sadness. Thought maybe I would try to recreate that today and maybe I will. However I had a few things I wanted to get off my chest just in case I don’t get it right. *editing at 9:44pm to say yeah that’s not going to happen…bygones.
So instead I present to you: 5 Things I feel are undervalued and need more praise.
1. Getting outside in the fresh air (preferable somewhere really pretty and natural but it’s not a deal-breaker if you’re just outside on the sidewalk) for a brisk walk or a slow jog. Here’s my facebook update from earlier if you missed it.
Today I was feeling a little bit melancholy and was really REALLY not feeling like going on my run...but after every run I make a point to tell myself, "you certainly don't regret doing THAT do you?!" so although I sooooo wasn't feeling it, I sat in my car for a minute talking myself into it, then I made a mellow yet uplifting little playlist and decided to at least walk. I was a bit sore from yesterday and figured that I would just get out and enjoy the pretty day. The minute my feet hit the forest floor I felt better. There is a reason they use the word "grounded" . Having your feet on a natural surface is good for your soul, people. I walked for a while, feeling a little better with every step. Then I decided to just do a really slow jog. I ended up having the best run I have had in ages and ages. I was able to run for further and longer than I have in ages and ages. By the end of my run I felt positively euphoric. All the sad cloudy thoughts were replaced with thoughts of gratitude and resolve. The outdoors + exercise are real, powerful antidepressants. If you are feeling sad or depressed, see if you can manage to talk yourself into putting on your shoes and just walking outside...start there. Put your arms over your head and take a few deep breaths....
Look at the views I was rewarded with today..
2. Crock-pots. Seriously people. They are not sexy but they could not be more fabulous. I feel like we just do not talk enough about how life changing and wonderful the humble crock pot is. It’s not that I actually hate to cook. I quite like it when I have a plan and time and ingredients on hand. I really rather enjoy it. But! There is nothing I hate more than figuring out a meal at 4pm when I am at my most tired, frazzled and domestically unmotivated. A crock pot is not quite what I consider “cooking” but it means homemade food for my family and it lets me get it all out of the way at 10am when I have a moment to think. More often than not, it takes about 10 seconds to get something really tasty going. When you have 7 people going in 7 different directions at dinner time it’s another big plus. And truly, you can get pretty creative and healthy in there too, you don’t need to use cream of something soup or velveeta if you don’t want to. I am a great devotee to my crock pot and have never, not ever bought a block of velveeta substance. I refuse to call that stuff “cheese”. Sacrilege.
3. Laying out your exercise clothes, down to the socks and bra and hair tie before you go to bed. And your kid’s clothes too. Total game changer. Seriously can’t tell you how many minutes have been lost and swear words said trying to find matching socks or a running bra in in the dryer in the mornings. It’s amazing how much more in control you feel of your day just doing that one simple thing.
4. Canned pumpkin and boxed cake mixes. You all know you can do this right? Just take a cake mix, (I usually use a spice cake) and a can of pumpkin and mix them together. No other ingredients. You can kind of almost feel ok about giving your kid cake for lunch especially if it’s baked up into a muffin shape. That’s another thing. If you want to make banana bread or pumpkin bread but you don’t want to wait an hour to eat it, then make muffins instead. Bakes in half the time and portion control. Why do people make things in loaves at all come to think of it?
5. Good music. Which may be defined differently by everyone. But truly. Music. Just today it played a big part in stalling my downward cycle this morning by motivating me to get moving. Later, as I was doing some boring/essential online shopping Ella came and asked me to put on the “Happy song” and then instructed me to follow her moves. Which are a lot more challenging for me than for her. Had a brief bonding and blood pumping moment there. Music is good. I recommend mixing up your playlist often and asking for ideas from a variety of people. I have found some of my all time favs in my teenager’s downloads.
Ok so that’s my random hit list this week. Happens to fall on Works for Me Wednesday so I’ll link up with that. What’s working for you today and what are your game/life changers?
5 humble things that are total game-changers
September Stuff
Hellloooooo! September is here and despite my delusions of preschool induced organizational grandeur this is the first opportunity I’ve had to blog.
Speaking of preschool…here’s the girl on her big debut day now..
This was the first time I made a crayon teacher vase instead of a pencil vase. It was fun and cute and had to be reassembled twice between front door and school door. We were a *tad* late. Here’s a tip: put a rubber band UNDER as well as over the crayons, this gives them something to grip on or they will just neatly slide off like a little crayon sleeve (trust me, it happened..twice)
Clearly she was nervous and unsure about school..
It’s so cool to have another kid at school with Muss Cindi! Can’t believe it’s been like…a lot of years.
So far September has been crazy but never let it be said that I don’t take time to stop and smell the..sunsets. Last night I was on a pilgrimage to BigLots to get coat hangers. When I noticed this little piece of sublime. I pulled into the parking lot of the school and enjoyed it for a few minutes. I mean come on now. How depressing to think I might have been poring over plastic tube hangers if I had not looked to my right at that stop sign. When I drove into the parking lot of the store I felt so bad for the people there, knowing what they had missed. Guys! watch more sunsets. I always feel like they are love letters from God.
I whine a lot about how having another kid so long after the others has really messed with my mojo but there are perks. Like having another shot at dressing another little girl and finding the perfect matching hair accessory. If you’re going to be shallow about it.
From my run this morning. Right before i took this shot, I got stung on the BUM by a bee or a wasp or satan himself. I don’t know but it HURT and I took great offense at being attacked from the rear AND in the rear, unarmed and unprovoked WHILST running. It just seems so many different kinds of wrong. However! I resolved not to let it deter me from my run. I went back to my car and got some lavender oil on the posterior area which took the edge off and then I went back to running. I discovered that when I ran faster it hurt less so I ended up having my fastest run in a while. Take that SATAN’S STINGING MINION!!!
This spider is dedicated to its work
A spider mansion. Not even a mcMansion. All the other spiders are hoping for an invite to this sweet pad.
This didn’t happen in September technically but on Sunday we went to some friend’s house and the kids got to jam a little bit which is pretty much one of my favourite things of all time, ever…so here’s a pic of that for your viewing pleasure. Also? How handsome are my big boys?
and my smaller boy too…for that matter.. (taken as he was regaling me about some of his september related stuff…)
Oh! And heree are some pretty September clouds reflected in our sweet new ride. Oh we bought a van today. As one does when one is about to make an international move… (my wrecking of our car was so well timed was it not? Gah).
Speaking of which…I’m pretty sure we have a New Plan regarding Moving To South Africa which I totally plan to update you all on tomorrow so tune in for that…..but right now I have to hit publish and brush people’s teeth and replace the dried out contact lens that popped out of my eye during family prayers and other glamourous and important things like that. Sooooo…happy September. May it be heavy on sublime sunsets and light on satanic stinging events.
Today (or last week but who is keeping track?)
Today I started out in a good hopeful mommy mood. My first words were kind and loving. I took time to play with Ella, fully engaged.
I made a good plan for the day. I drank my water, I took my vitamins. I used my oils. All was well.
But today Ella was not “on”. Ella was off. Very off.
Ella has spent much of the day:
Lying on the floor
Peeing on the floor
Screaming from the floor
Eating bites of things and then spitting them back out. On my clean shirt. #rageinducing
Screaming some more
Peeing some more.
In between we have had very, very loud construction at the house.
4 other children whining/negotiating regarding their chores and paid jobs
4 other children fighting with each other regarding their chores
1 other child becoming hysterical upon discovering that everyone else had their middle school packet but she did not on account of the fact that we had not provided the school with proof of immunization on account of the fact that we WERE NOT PLANNING TO BE HERE WHEN SCHOOL STARTED
While I am on the phone to the Dr. asking them to fax proof of said immunization child is wailing to me about how she cannot go on with living if she has to wait a few more hours to discover which team she will be for her brief time at school.
I hang up and yell at wailing kid in front of people working on the house. Classy stuff.
Ella is on the floor screaming.
A saw is shrieking intermittently.
A guy is at the door to tell me he is going to shut off my gas. WHAT??! (Frantic call to Aaron ensues, it was a mistake on the gas co’s part…but still….)
OK all of the above is where I abandoned my post the other shall we say Seriously out of Synch day where I considered it a literal miracle that we all saw bedtime physically unscathed and not incarcerated.
The day went on in that vein hence the fact that the above post was never published…. I’m not sure what day it was….several days have intervened between then and now. Some good some bad. PMS has probably been a large contributor to the bad days but whatevs. I guess I wanted to show why sometimes I really do have good intentions but the post does not get posted.
Other stuff that has gone down this week includes…hang on..consulting my iphone pics.
Ah yes… 5 Things to Tell You About From Last Week
1. fresh commitment to improving my cooking skills and habits.
The farmer’s market was gloriously inspiring this week. I know this is going to sound so corny, but I looked at the vendors, at their hands all rough and grubby and felt so envious of their literal connection with the earth, with something so real, and genuine and pure as good, organic produce. There is something about being outside that feeds my soul in a way that nothing else can simulate. No medication or food, music, therapy or meditation can ground me in the same way. My attempts to garden have been met with mediocre results at best in the past and this is not the season (haha) of the year or my life to revisit that endeavor but I realized that I could do better about connecting with that good food by cooking. When I do cook in an intentional (rather than throwing it together as quickly as possible) I find it very rewarding and meditative. Chopping up vegetables is my favourite part…
Then we saw the one hundred foot journey over the weekend..and that spurred me on even more.
And now..with all these good intentions, what should I make?
2. We did a lot of entertaining over the weekend. I had book club on the deck (by the way The Rosie Project is a great read). Gabe had some friends over for s’mores in the firepit and a sleepover
and then we had a farewell get together to say goodbye to our dear friends Janelle and Madi who are leaving us for Washington state. It was our first major goodbye. And I was not a fan.
An exhausting yet fun weekend.
3. I’ve managed my stress not murdered anyone this week, solely thanks to keeping up with my running commitment. I’ve been running mostly in the forest near my house this week. It’s an absolutely beautiful place no matter what time of day, and what season. Here are a few pics I took the other evening. Seeing that little deer was so life affirming. She was not afraid of me at all, even when I gasped loudly as I almost ran into her. I had decided to stop and turn around just before I saw her. Something made me decide, very deliberately to continue for a couple more steps before I did, had I not, I would have missed her. I’m not sure why, but this made the experience feel all the more special. She just observed me and kept on eating. I took several photos and talked to her for a few minutes until the mosquitoes feasting on me spurred me to continue moving. My evening ran was so soothing after my terrible day (described at the beginning of this post). I came back a new woman. I felt calm, grounded, grateful and peaceful.
A couple of days later I went at high noon. I left feeling energized, exhilarated and grateful. I remember thinking, “I have such a good life, I am so blessed” throughout that run. There are thousands of things I could and do complain about in my non-perfect life but while I was running on that day I realized how few of them really matter. I felt so grateful to move my mostly pain-free body to beat of the music. To feel my feet falling on the soft and cushiony natural surface beneath, to see the incredible beauty all around me. To have a home to return to with people who make me crazy a good deal of the time but only because I am crazy about them. I am so grateful to have people to really really care about. And who really, really care about me. Why do I ever drift away from running? Running or whatever my version is….shuffling, wuffling…it’s so important to my happiness, to making me feel like me.
Today I noticed that running up and down the stairs did not feel like a slog anymore. I am still not running for speed or distance. I am running because I can, because it’s fun. I run when the music gets me going and stop when my body says to. I am loving this approach. Speaking of which, I am loving this article so.very.much
4. This week Ella started using the potty. Pause for applause. I have photos but have resolved, for once, to not be that mother. Apart from the above mentioned day from hades, we have had no accidents. I am very proud of her. And yes, yes I know Ella is rather old for this venture but she has always been very very consistent and clear on her disdain for the idea of pottying, and I have never pushed my kids regarding this issue. Not because I’m a great mom but because I’m really lazy and I feel like if you can’t allow someone control of decisions regarding their own bladder and bowels then you are pretty much asking for trouble. And I have enough trouble. Life is Trouble. Ella’s rationale was this: Using potty meant that she was “Bigger”. And naturally being the smart girl she is, she wanted to remain Smaller due to the obvious perks it allows her in a family of 6 Biggers doting on her. I’m not sure where her watershed (haha punny?) moment was but with less than a month ‘til preschool starts (rollontheday) I was feeling particularly motivated to change her views on the matter one day last week. So.. upon taking off her morning diaper I said, ok, here we go, no more diaper or pull-up just tell me when you want to sit on potty. And she did. And that was that. (Apart from the unfortunate incident on Out of Synch Day the next day). So far. Knock wood, make sign of cross, spit on ground etc… (have just broken the number 1 Cardinal Rule of Parenting which is NEVER to mention when things are going well so I’m sure it’s all going to fall about momentarily.)
That same day Aaron took her to watch the boys high-school soccer game. I suggested he take the potty with for use in the van so we could keep the momentum going. I received a text from him that she was keen to set up her throne right behind the players bench. He felt that although everyone would probably have a very good laugh “many many years from now” he had decided against it. I applauded him on that decision.
She doesn’t even piddle in the bathtub. She asks to get out and then does her business in the appropriate receptacle. This is why waiting ‘til kids are practically high school graduates works for me.
5. Speaking of high-school. Awkward segue yes, but really just coming full circle to the beginning of the post. The kids will indeed be going to American school in 9 days. That was Not The Plan. But we are still waiting for a million visas/passports to come through. Oh my good hell people. This stuff is such a pain. In our conservative estimation we will be here until early October. Apart from my OMIGOODHELL moments here and there, I am mostly zen about this because..well it’s completely out of my control and also there is a lot to love about being here at this time of year. But I’m also frustrated that I can’t get my mitts on that new baby (BTW: warning: do NOT brag about getting to hold my sister’s baby in my presence unless you are in fact my sister or her husband or I will get angry, bitter and jealous and one never knows what might happen next…..)
Baby huffing aside, I’m anxious to start the next phase of our lives. I never do well in limbo. On the other hand, MY passport is supposedly in transit which has suddenly made things feel…very real. And I am unexpectedly terrified by that. I have never wished more for a crystal ball than I do now. Since I do not have a crystal ball I am trying to press forward with faith and view it all as a win-win.
But why not let me take you on a little jaunt through my obsessions for a moment?
If we go and Aaron does not get a great job and cannot join us and we have to return, the kids will have had that experience of being up close and personal with family for a few months and exploring a new culture. Right? Right. But in reality life is so much more complex. What if they love it so much but we have to come back and they can’t stand it here? They are perfectly happy here now in their blissful ignorance. On the other hand, what if they hate every second of it there and we spent all that money (ack) and then we have to return and now they are behind in school out of their social/sporting loops and and and and..they resent us forever for messing with their neat little world…eh that doesn’t worry me too much…they’ll survive. Kids resent their parents regardless, right?
Mostly I’m just worried about the money. Haha. As always. But really it is a lot of money. I also worry a lot about safety which is a harsh reality over there, and I am absolutely dreading leaving my husband. I don’t do well without him. He’s the yin to my yang (or whatever the zen side to the crazy side is) and I really like him. On the other hand once again, I’m actually really excited for that poor guy to get a break and get in touch with himself for a change. He really needs it. I think it will be very good for him.
For the most part? I am excited. Nervous and excited and terrified and resolved and unsure and calm and freaking out and and and….
I’m sure there is more about this last week to share but it’s getting late and I have to channel my inner farmer/chef now and make an incredible omelet with beautiful free range eggs and gorgeous farm fresh produce now….and then I need to go for a run. SO I am going to hit publish on this one.
I started the day writing a whole other post by the way. But that one is going to take some time and work. It’s kind of a life changing one about some stuff I have been mentally, spiritually and emotionally wrestling with for a long time. But I want to do it right. I don’t say that to dangle a teaser in front of anyone I just put it there for posterity that There Is A Lot Going On Right Now in my head and heart and spirit apart from in my life. I found it interesting how life sort of works in seasons. Seasons of stagnation/hibernation, seasons of rebirth/change. Ok really hitting publish now..see if I don’t.
(Ella last night watching a balloon floating away. I love this girl…and you know what? I think this is the right reaction to watching a balloon floating away..I could learn something.)
Goodbyeeeeeee Julllllllllllyyyyyyyy or 10 Big Things That Happened This Month.
(****please to be reading the above title in the voice of Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber when he says Goodbye my LOOOOOVE to that chick at the airport. Thank you).
(Ella on one of the many rides she fearlessly went on alone at age 3. she can’t be my kid)
OK so yeah.. I have written so many blog posts this year. No really. I have. I just haven’t posted most of them. They’ve been written though. Short and sweet. Lengthy and heartfelt. Fearless and angry. Tons of em. They are sitting in my drafts folder. But I dunno. Once I get them out of my system I just don’t have the energy or the desire to put them out anywhere else. I’ve been unusually non-sharey this year I guess. Anyway. It’s been a weird, weird year in lots of ways. But gosh I miss my blog. I really miss it being all about my family with too many photos of us wearing matching clothing and often silly shallow updates. I miss the levity of it all. The relative simplicity.
Lately I’ve been having all the thoughts. Most of which I’m not sharing with very many people and some thoughts which I’m not sharing with anyone at all. And that’s good and important but it’s also isolating. I’ve felt so disconnected and out of it in every way lately. Physically this year has been a challenge. Preparing to make a major move is isolating too (as discussed here in my last post) and changing my thinking in so many fundamental ways has all conspired to make me feel as though I don’t even remember the person I was a few months ago. It’s weird and surreal and kind of out of body. But blogging has always made me feel…more like me, it’s comforting and grounding and so in celebration of this last crazy month I’m just going to channel my old self and post an old style blog post. Hella heavy on the photos, light on the…well whatever it is that I am about now and just…go with it.
Without Further Ado: 10 or whatever number I get to Things that happened in July.
According to my picture files:
1. Not to be a downer but let’s start at the very beginning. I totaled my van on the 1st of July. It was a ridiculous silly accident in an empty parking lot at low speed which happily only involved me and one of the concrete bases of the light poles. But sadly, our van was written off. (Two years ago in July someone else wrote off our van. July is no good for us vis a vis, vans. ) I escaped serious injury but I have been in considerable pain for a solid month due to the air bag deploying. I have short legs and I sit close to the wheel. I was hit hard. Yada yada. My face was messed up, my wrist was messed up, my knee was messed up my rib was probably broken (it still hurts like the dickens to breathe some days). I was bruised in every conceivable place from my knees to my forehead. All this to say: PSA: Airbags save lives but they are not a joke. Pay attention when you are driving in parking lots and don’t let little kids sit in the front. Also PSA Part 2: for burns and cuts and abrasions don’t bother with triple antibiotic creams and stuff. Just go straight for the essential oils. Day 1in the gorey montage below is the injury right after it happened. I had applied frankincense and lavender while I was waiting for medical attention. It eased the pain immediately. Then I saw the Dr. and I don’t know if it was the trauma of the accident or what the heck but swear I forgot about the miracle of essential oils for the next week until I started violently puking from all the pain meds (not good fun with a mashed up torso and ribs lemmetellya).
At that point I was like…oohhhhhhh…yeahhhh the “oyels” as Ella calls them! So I started taking them and feeling instantly better. They worked really well on my muscular pain but here’s a nice little visual for how well they worked on the outside. The abrasion on my wrist had become sooo sore and looked infected. (It’s a really awkward spot to have a wound). I stopped using the neosporin and put a few drops of frankincense on it. Oh my word. That was not soothing. It felt like a thousand hot needles at first. After several minutes of that torture the pain eased and the healing began. Cue choirs of heavenly angels. People! There’s a reason the wise men brought baby Jesus Frankincense. That stuff is the bomb.com. Like yeah…it’s miraculous.
Sorry these pics are totes gross but I think they are quite compelling.
This is what it looked like one week after I started applying frankincense and lavender once a day. So yeah…essential oils. Freaking miraculous. Don’t forget about those.
As an aside Ella would come to me every day as this was healing to ask me if the mouth owie ate the apple owie yet. At first I was like…what the what you strange little kid but check it out. There is totally an apple up closest to my hand and if you look sideways that other big chunk of grossness looks just like a little pac man mouth. No? She’s so creative and weird that one.
2. We have been working pretty much non-stop on getting our house fixed up. Still. Yep. Painful process. Mostly it sucks that we are getting this house just the way I want it just in time to leave it. Life is just really stupid sometimes. Anyway, somebody better pay decent money for this house because it’s jolly cute now. Getting cuter every day. Pictures to come. Trrrrust me. Also? The whole process of getting one’s house fixed up? Not for the impatient. Also not for the recently injured. Also not for the prone to be foul of mouth. I have sworn more this month than my entire life put together and I’ve always been a potty mouth so that’s just alarming. And I shall say no more about that at this juncture. Lest I swear.
My darling Cindi’s summer Sayer project this year was helping us to turn the disaster area that remained after we cut the tree down last year into the firepit oasis of our dreams. All in one day. And she threw in a gazebo redo while she was at it. How much cuteness? The only problem with all this is having to leave it. And Cindi. How can I leave Cindi? Cindi will simply have to come with. That’s what.
3. ALL 4 of my big kids went to soccer camp this month. They had fun and we are broke. They are now extremely skilled at soccer. Benj even got to play on the all star team. Watch for them at the next World Cup. Or I want my money back.
4. We had our last (we think) July 4th as residents of the US. It was low key on account of being all beaten up from that July 1st accident but we had some friends over and made the most of it. The kids made a very patriotic trifle all by themselves and Ella fell asleep during the fireworks. This is Ella’s reaction to fear. Cover head with blanket, go to sleep. I am considering terrorizing her on a nightly basis.
That night we had some kids sleeping over and orchestrated some sparkler art. This was harder to make happen then you might imagine. A few of Gabe’s friends might be emotionally scarred from this experience.
4. Gracie went to her first YW Camp. I have no photos of that. On account of the fact that I was not there. (Quiet cheer). Hey! Did you know there are people who absolutely ADORE and actually volunteer for girl’s camp even when they are not obligated to attend. I have lots of happy memories from when I was obligated to attend but am not that other kind of person. Anyway happily there are quite a few nice people like that and they made sure our Gracie had a happy and healthy and altogether epic time and for that I am very grateful.
5. We went on one last (?? noooo) utterly blissful trip to Lake Michigan. My sister Shona swung into town just before we left and we finally got to show her a nice WARM time. She usually comes in December and was here for the entire polar vortex debacle (yet to be chronicled here) so she earned a lovely Lake Michigan trip. We stayed in an awesome house on a private beach and just dug in the sand, and floated on the lake, and had bonfires and s’mores on the beach, napped, read and just thoroughly enjoyed being together. We had very sketchy internet/phone connection. It was perfection. Today Benj said, “when can we go back to that house. all my troubles went away there”. Indeed. You know how I’m always harping about a desert island with just my family? This is what I’m saying. Total isolation. It’s a great thing. Here was my nice big bed and here was the view from that nice big bed. I enjoyed that nice big bed.
And this beautiful deck
And all that soft warm sand
The famous five. I do rather love them.
Nothing brings siblings together like sand. Well that and ganging up on their parents.
Family portrait attempt number 1…the shadowy Sayers
family portrait attempt number 2
Sayers in Silhouette.. 
All five playing together…they did this a lot. No fighting just chilling and laughing and loving each other and have I mentioned that I WANT TO RAISE MY KIDS ON A DESERTED ISLAND with no phones and/or internet yet?
Beach art by Gracie
6. Then we went to Chicago for a couple of days (we stopped for lunch in St. Joseph on the way) Ella was very excited to see an “Ariel boat” and explored this beautiful ship.
We hit the ferris wheel and other rides went on a boat tour around navy pier. Some (like Ella) enjoyed the ferris wheel more than others…(Like Aaron)
The next day we went to the museum of natural history. Which was pretty amazing. The dinosaur’s name is Sue and she was pretty chill.
7.Aaron and the kids departed since Gracie had to get back to girls camp and he had to get back to work…and Shona and I remained for some girl time. We stayed in a very cool historical hotel with an amazing view
and had an incredible dinner in a very high location (at first I felt pretty wobbly and hysterical every time the light of an aircraft hove into sight but after a while I just could not get over the insane views and did not want to ever leave)... We also saw the Blue Man Group, shopped, did the architectural boat tour and ate deep dish pizza at Giordanos and midnight. Then we took the longest (but surprisingly scenic) train road home. It was great.
Thanks for taking a detour to America between Paris and South Africa Shona xo
8.We also finally got passport pics and all that for the kids this month
Oh yeah in case you were wondering about that whole “we’re moving to Africa” thing. We ARE still moving to Africa. We were planning to be outies mid August but MY passport is hung up and now the kids need visas before we go (rather than when we get there since they considerately just changed a law to make it so) so this passport procurement is not as last minute as it may seem….and yeah we have pretty much no idea how long it is going to take for us to get out of here but lately we are figuring that everything takes significantly longer than one might think even in one’s most pessimistic prediction. Still! We are hoping sooner rather than later and signing on for Fall soccer while we wait. (yay.)
Bee Tee Dubs…It costs a FORTUNE to do anything with 5 kids. Passports not withstanding. PSA: don’t have kids if you aren’t a millionaire. Or something. Two things. Ella’s passport pic looks uncannily like mine at the same age. No I can’t find it, don’t even ask me that. Just trust me on this. Uncannily. Also unbeknownst to us by waiting until Benj’s 16th bday to get his passport he could get the adult version and now he has it for 5 extra years AND he got to sign it himself. Booyah.
9. Speaking of 16th bdays….
We finished off the month well on July 28th with Benj and Gabe hitting sometimes sweet 16 and frequently fabulous 14 respectively. Yes that’s 16 as in ALLOWED TO DRIVE and 14…um as in Gabey baby is now 14 and if he was in Idaho he’d be allowed to drive and WHAT THE HECK DOES THAT EVEN MEAN? (Other than that Idaho is even more cray than one might think). Does this make me an old person or something because seriously I am still 15 in my mind and maturity level so if so that’s just messed up man. Look….even they can’t cope with this reality. (Hashtag so excited to be blowing out their candles for mommy’s photo while all their friends look on.)
Here’s the humiliating bedhead let’s compare sizes picture which you can tell they love so so much… because I had horrible pregnancies and long labours and sometimes a kid needs to just make up for that once a year…you know?
10. Pretty sure I messed up the numbers up there somewhere but let’s pretend I didn’t cos this is a nice one to end on. So!!! As if July 28th wasn’t already so stinking cool and we weren’t efficient enough at birthday celebrating in this family. (2 boys are the same day, both girls with the same digits, Ella sharing her grandpa’s bday and Finny on Cinco de Mayo just hrs after my mom’s birthday). My baby sister Thalia went and had herself her first baby on the VERY SAME DAY! How cool is that?! Way cool that’s how. So now we have 3 of the most gorgeous people on the planet born July 28th. She had this epic labour and I kept thinking….14 years ago I was doing what she is doing. 16 years ago I was doing it for the first time too…it was pretty amazing. Considering 16 years ago she was about the same age Benjamin is now. Actually she was a year younger. OMG. Save us all.
Welcome to the world beautiful little Amelia. Oh how I love you already! It physically pains me not to be there to squish you and huff your newborn smell and fuss over your mommy..but soon I hope!
Good grief. Pretty sure not one person is going to make it all the way through this thing (if it actually ever posts at all) but that’s totally ok. I’m glad to have done some sort of round up. July had lots of good moments. I am so happy I did this. I know it sounds silly but I really am! I do feel more connected and grounded and Snaphappy Kirsty Oversharer Non-Editor ish already. It’s now well into August and I feel like August is going to be awesome.
