August Tidbits

Brent: I thought you were sleeping in today?
Me: I did! It's 5:50!

I love my early morning walks before everyone is up and I can just enjoying this beautiful world.

*yelling at Sydney for putting the ukulele on the floor in front of her door rather than putting it away like I asked*
Me: The song goes, "When my mother calls me, quickly I'll obey" not "When my mother calls me, I'm gonna half-@$$ my way through life!!!"
Ireland: *quietly to herself* Yeah that wouldn't be a very good song at all.

We did one last can return to Michigan where we can get $0.10 rather than a measly $0.05 in Iowa. There are signs stating it's illegal if you are out of town and between the high gas prices and the guilt, it just wasn't worth it anymore. So we did our final return and headed to the beach. 

Again, that BYU cheer camp coming in handy!

My company's Chicago office is closing so they put the furniture up for sale at a discounted price. I liked one of the chairs so much, I snagged another. We brought the truck all the way downtown only to discover the chair was at another office. At least I could take a picture of the girls by the Sears tower!

There's a retirement community not too far from where we live and Brent and I like to take walks there because it's so peaceful. This time we found these little rocks:

I'm still playing around with that long exposure setting on my iPhone!

Pretty clouds at sunset!

Me: *finds weird container with dried stuff* Ireland!!! Is this weed?
Ireland: Uhmmm no.

Me: HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT WEED LOOKS LIKE?!?!?!

She started yelling in protest so I said to Brent: Isn't rage a side effect of heavy marijuana use?
Brent: Yep.

Ireland: *storms away*

Me: Ya know munchies are another side effect and Ireland does like to snack in bed...

When your teenager is almost as tall at your mom.

Speaking of that teenager, her high school had a color toss as part of Homecoming. She came home with soooo much orange in her hair!

Liesel was challenged to draw with one continuous line for Art Appreciation. I really love what she came up with!

We finally came to terms with our Crumbl addiction and got the cookie divider. Perfect for four girls!

Ireland picked selected this outfit for church and we realized she looks like a missionary!

Sydney's hand in mine.

First Day of School

Liesel was the first to go back to school. I'm not one to cry when the kids head back, I'm usually relieved to have a quiet house again. However, high school is kind of a big deal and I felt nervous and anxious for her. Turns out I didn't need to- she eased into high school like it was nothing!

I ran into her bus on my morning walk so I got to wave goodbye twice!

School is one thing, seminary is another! Brent and I kept telling her we completely understand how hard it is to get up at the crack of dawn to crack open those scriptures. Super proud of her for that. Early morning seminary really is a badge of honor and let me tell you, Liesel is earning that one!

This is the only year of her formal education that Ireland will not have a sibling in the same school with her. Last year she had Liesel and next year she will have Brigitta. But for the 7th grade, Ireland gets the middle school all to herself and I think you can tell how excited she is about that prospect!

She had left all her school supplies (including her backpack) in her locker during locker set up so she skipped onto the bus unburdened.

I should probably mention that for this first day of school I actually had to go in to the Chicago office. Brent was the one to get the youngest 3 launched and I have to say, he did a great job! This year Gita gets to rule the school in 5th grade

And then little Miss Sydney will be working hard in 3rd grade. 

One lovely side-effect of the pandemic is how grateful and excited the girls are to go to school. Especially without masks. It's funny what becomes a blessing when it's been taken away for a while. Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got 'till it's gone?

Brigitta is TEN!

Brigitta was SO excited for her birthday! We booked a table at the American Girl Cafe and she decided she had waited long enough to get her ears pierced so we booked that as well. However, traffic was more than a bargained for and we ended up being too late for her ear piercing appointment. They could rebook for later that day, but it was much later. It's a good thing we enjoy this place!

Actually, I really enjoyed myself hanging out with all these girls! Liesel and Ireland were happy to support their little sister and we just love the neighborhood girls as well. The conversation was really lively.

Brigitta had alllll the sweet treats her little heart desired. You gotta love a shake topped with cotton candy!

Love the adorable cake!

And of course ice cream!

Her friends were really generous and by the time the gifts were opened, she had quite a bit of spending money and gift cards! Good thing too because now we had a while until her ear piercing appointment. Liesel and Ireland asked to go shopping in the mall on their own which worked for me- they could take care of some of their back to school shopping- and I stayed with the little girls. They had so much fun picking out new outfits for their dolls and of course they couldn't wait to see how they looked.

Here are the new outfits! Two French and one British- a classic tale of two cities!

At long last, it was time for Gita to get her ears pierced and I have to say, she handled it like a champ.

A few days later she had her traditional breakfast in bed.

She opened her cards to find she had been gifted even more money! I'm telling you, she made bank off her birthday this year. 

The happiest of birthdays to our sweet Gita girl! You put the spice into our lives and our family would not be the same without you!

Gymnastics Camp

I love Gymnastics Camp for keeping the girls occupied, physically active and building strength. While they are gone Brent and I can get a chunk of work done and they usually come home good and tired. 

Sydney Beam- she falls off pretty much every 3 seconds but you can tell she's having fun!

Ireland Floor- she worked really hard on perfecting her handsprings!

Gita Trampoline- having a foam pit to dive into makes falling a little less scary.

July Tidbits

 I know, I know, I know- is there really anything else we could possibly say about July? It was so chock full of travel and activities all the previous posts speak for themselves. There were just a few things I simply can't leave out though!

At a random rest stop between our home and the North Woods of Minnesota, they had some fun signs outside the restrooms. Not only was it nice to have something to read while we waited in line, but they created a positive vibe- which says a lot for a roadside rest stop!

This one made me laugh.

Gita gets canker sores a lot and a kind staff member suggested a saltwater rinse. She even walked us over to the sink, made up the saltwater from a coffee cup and salt packets, but she watched over Gita as she did the rinse 3 times. It really helped. Did I mention this woman was pregnant? Clearly on her feet all day? One of the kindest strangers I've met in a long time? She gave us more supplies for the road so here is Gita doing one as we sped north.

Sydney: I wanna go to BYU.

Me: That's fantastic! Dad and I will come and visit you during homecoming week. We'll go to the football game with you and take you and your roommates to dinner!

Sydney: That's gonna be embarrassing

I've become a fan of taking a bike ride on my lunch hour. Gita is always game to go and I play Like Real People Do by Hozier. Watching her stand to pump, leaning intently over those handlebars, with impossibly tangled hair flying in the breeze, it feels... well it feels like summer!

We ran into the sweetest of our neighborhood dogs on one of our rides- Winston. He'd just had surgery so we had to stop and give him some loves. We ended up racing home in a downpour and we could hardly see the road. No matter, it was totally worth it to pet Winston for a bit!

With Liesel and Ireland at Spanish camp and Gita and Sydney at Girl Scout camp, the house was quiet. Brent wasn't available for lunch so I enjoyed a quiet lunch all to myself, by myself. It was heaven. This is the first summer I have had that luxury since the kids started rolling in.

My concerns that Gita and Sydney weren't going to get swim lessons this year were unfounded as they spent more time in the pool than an average year. The hotel in Bemidji had a great pool and they really enjoyed themselves.

I couldn't figure out the paper towel dispenser in the bathroom and Sydney glanced at it and figured it out in 2 seconds.

Me: See? You're the Whitney of our family...

Sydney: Because I'm a tech expert and I'm good at everything?

On the way to drop Liesel and Ireland at Spanish camp we saw a Herbie love bug!

I mean, I don't remember this in any of the original Herbie movies or the remakes, but there ya go!

Me: Do you miss Liesel and Ireland?

Sydney: *forlorn* Yes.

Me: Why?
Sydney: Because they're better than Gita.

Love the bedhead on this one!

That wraps up our busy, busy, wonderfully busy July!