old

I know I'm not really that old, but hitting a new decade is kind of a big deal...

Spencer was quite mortified as he heard me talk to his mom last week. She had asked me how I magnify sound on my phone when I play music. I told her that I don't really use my phone to play music but that when I do, I put it in a glass cup or bowl and that makes the sound a little bit louder. Spencer picked his jaw up off the floor and looked at me like I was a complete embarrassment.

So no, I am not surprised with what he got me for my birthday. You can welcome me to the century/decade/whatever else. I am still behind the times in a lot of ways, but now we can rock out to Kidz Bop in style. Kitchens are the best place for dancing anyway.

tradition?

Spencer wants a boat. He grew up with one, and loved having that time when even though his dad was busy and worked a lot, he was out on the lake with the family and there were no other distractions. Spencer works a lot, and he finally had a Saturday off. {I'm hoping we are done with 80-hour weeks for a few months.} Tyler was having a birthday and it's been a while since we took the motorhome out, so we put it all together for a fun little expedition.

I think a lot about traditions, and especially having some in our family that are our very own. I haven't been good at keeping them up so far but I have a feeling that will change as the kids grow up a little and remember them, and remind me constantly.

We don't have any lakes or bodies of water close enough to be worth it (according to me), but maybe it will be a fun tradition to camp and rent a boat for a few hours once a year. My kids sure loved it (minus the life jackets).

Spencer was a natural behind the wheel. Even though it was a "slow fishing boat."

Tanner really was having fun...but was mad I was taking his picture.

Mom, can you edit out my life jacket?

This easy child of mine was so satisfied with just being on a boat that after 30 minutes he told us we could be done and go back if we wanted, and that he had had such a fun time. Easy to please, this one.

Ahhh, my cute, happy birthday boy. I'm kinda sad he has teeth growing into those huge gaps.

If this fun activity turns into a tradition, I'm definitely ok with that. Especially if that means we never have to actually buy a boat.

swimming

In 6 years we haven't missed a summer of swimming lessons. I don't need my kids to be fantastic swimmers, but I do need for them to be water-safe. All my kids start off very cautious of anything more than the bathtub, but once they get that confidence they are like fish and it's pretty much See ya later mom when we are anywhere near water.

This summer they both whined and complained when I told them they were signed up for a 2-week session. Tyler didn't want to, and Emma felt that she was so above swim lessons, as she is a pretty good swimmer. But on the last day they begged me to sign them up for one more session. I was especially surprised by Tyler, as he is the one that was needing the most help.

So, we spent 4 mornings a week, for 4 weeks, at the local pool. Tanner watched, and brought Mack with him every single day.

I chatted with friends and took pictures. I loved watching especially Tyler evolve this year, as he finally has the confidence and determination that I have been wanting him to have for so long. He can swim across the pool. Introducing...the next Michael Phelps.

Emma learned the butterfly. And she did her first flip off the diving board - what is more fun than that?

I love that I can feel a little less nervous now when we're at the pool. Or maybe more nervous with all the tricks they are doing.

Next year it will be Tanner's turn (gasp!).

mother hen

I am feeling like it was a bit too soon for me to have my first Mother Hen experience this week. One of the chicks was away and it drove me absolutely crazy. I'm so grateful for the "gathering" that happened today. I like everyone under my wings where they belong.

Emma has wanted to go on a plane trip by herself since she turned 8 and knew she was now "allowed" to. I always put it off because, well, I don't want her gone. And it's really expensive. But it's selfish reasons mostly. Her grandma invited her and it was quite last minute, which must have been a good thing for Emma because I didn't have a lot of time to talk myself out of buying her a ticket.  And I didn't have a lot of time to back out. The next thing I knew she was with her dad at the airport, and the next thing I knew after that, she was calling me on Facetime to tell me what fun she was having.

I am thrilled she got to have a trip all her own, that she got to get away from her little brothers and get some girl time with her grandma (they are so similar!). But me having to deal with bored, whiny little boys who just wanted their big sister home got a little old. Tanner asked anyone who would listen to him "where Emma go." He called her all the time asking if she could come back.

I was so glad she made it home with relatively little damage (on our end).

I guess this was good practice for science camp in 3 years and girls camp in 4 (!!!what?!!), but I may think twice before all those things actually come up...

I am so lucky to have a neighbor who always has her camera when it matters most.

Here they see our car...

Tyler chased our car around the corner...

And...reunited at last! These were some happy little boys, let me tell you.