Brietenbush

We have most certainly grown in size and numbers during our years visiting Brietenbush.  Our youngest boys are still trying to figure each other out.  Lots of stare downs but I bet next year they are as much in the thick of it as the bigger kiddos.

I love this place.  I love taking my kiddos into the mountains but we are home this weekend with little plans and lots of sun.  The beach, bike rides, afternoon runs and early bedtimes are on the agenda. 

Unplanned Conversations

We get a ton of books from the library every couple weeks.  Lately Elizabeth has been loving the non-fiction choices.  I tend to just pull books that seem interesting without a lot of review.  This has gotten us into a couple of big conversations during nighttime reading.

 

Last night I walk in to give her a kiss and Jeff says “Oh great momma is here.  Maybe she can explain why the buildings are not there?!”.  What I thought was a book about tight rope walking and New York City was actually a book about 9-11 and the twin towers.  Sigh.  Not the conversation you want to have at 830pm although I think years of pediatric oncology nursing has readied me for these unplanned conversations.  I kept it simple with a brief explanation, talked a little about having and not having love in your heart.   The importance of embracing differences.  Answered only what was asked.  

Each time I swear I'm going to vet the books a bit more but now I think I won't.  Better to start these conversations at home.

 

 

Soccer

 With some trepidation we signed her up for a soccer team.  I am very protective of our family time.
It is with a sweet group of her friends and the coach is lovely.  There is no score keeping and they just all sort of of run in a little mad group.

 It is important for us to all be active together in varying capacities and this is just another way to enjoy an hour out in the sun or rain.  She is LOVING it so that is all that matters.

Sunflower Marathon

'If people sat outside and look at the stars each night I bet they would live differently.' Calvin and Hobes

Some folks may find solace in a church or temple.  I find mine in the stars, in the mountains and in the Methow.

 We went to the Methow last weekend.  Our favorite spot in the world and I don't say that lightly.  We dream of maybe owning a little piece of land out there one day.  Maybe a yurt or a small cabin.

 This time we went with a new group of friends and ran the Sunflower Marathon.... RELAY.

 It was organized by this rock star of a gal, Tammy, that just sort of has great ideas and can make them happen.  Luckily enough we were included in this plan and our kiddos have a ball together.

 We even managed a little climbing for the kids.

 It truly is the most amazing place on earth.  At least for our souls.

Sunny Spring Ski

I had the best day skiing with Elizabeth.  When she woke in the morning she said 'I don't want to go skiing' and I was bummed but didn't want to push things.  Then 30 minutes later she asked if it was too late and could we still go.  So off we went and it was the perfect end to the ski season.  It was sunny, warm, we ran into friends and had a picnic outside.  The best part is when we got back to the car she said it was the best day EVER!

I had taken the video below but was hesitant to post.  Not quite looking as I did five years ago but then thought how can I not post a video from the 'best day EVER'.  So perhaps I am rounder and wrinklier but I can still walk out the door and run a 10k, ski a 25k and have the best day teaching my kiddo to ski.  Example for my daughter and for me.

GOPR0181 from kathleen mcgregor on Vimeo.

Siblings

Driving home from work with the kiddos in the back Elizabeth says

"Mom I want to tell you something mean but I don't want to be mean and I am not a mean girl but there is a mean thing I want to say."

"OK well thanks for letting me know it will be hard to say but you can tell me anything." I    respond with great curiousity and slight trepidation.

"Mom, I don't like Henry.  He gets into my stuff and when I am playing games he gets in the way and ruins the games.  I just don't like him."


Oh sibling fun.  We have had a lot of conversations lately about it being normal to be annoyed by your sibling and we have been working harder to give her space away from her brother.  Keep in mind after skiing last weekend I offered to take her for a play date and she said she just wanted to stay at home and play with Henry.  So it is still many shades of gray. 

Henry

I keep forgetting to note the daily things that are happening especially with Henry.  He has hit so many milestones and is really at one of my favorite younger ages.  His word development is awesome and he babbles continuously.  When he is mad he sticks out that lip and then will just talk away talking very stern gibberish but at the same time you can reason him through some of his little fits which is nice.

His most used words are wavi (lovie), ouside, sissie (sister), caker (cracker) however he tends to say everything twice or as many times as it takes for you to acknowledge.  If he doesn't know the word he gets his point across like dragging his highchair into the kitchen when he is hungry.  His favorite activities including opening a door, closing the door and then getting stuck in a room, going outside, going up and down stairs and his scuttle bike which he can maneuver at quite high speeds.  Lately his need to be outside is overwhelming.  He goes to the closet, while screaming 'ouside', gets his coat, still screaming, goes to the door and then continues to howl 'ouside'.  I now leave the sliding glass door to the deck open so he can freely roam out there.  It does mean that we turn off the heat and all have to wear coats but there is no screaming.

He is enthralled with animals, water, swimming and sticking his hands into dirt.  So very different from his sister.


I had a doctors appointment today and brought him with me.  He was a blast in the waiting room, entertaining all that were there but the minute we entered into the patient room he LOST it and was literally trying to get in and under my shirt.  Couldn't quite figure it out but then remembered Christmas time and his ER visits (plural).  I guess he has a good memory.  It was great though cause he is old enough that I can now talk him through it and he calmed.  When the doctor came in he just pointed at me each time she came close and he was fine and just gave her big eyes the rest of the time

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Mazama Video Recap

medium from kathleen mcgregor on Vimeo.

One story I really want to remember happened while the Dad's were on duty and the Mom's were skiing from Mazama to Winthrop.

According to Jeff the older kids (Elizabeth, Lucia and Oscar) were all together in the TV room.  They came out giggling and said "We did something in that room.  Go in and see if you can figure it out.  HA HA HA."

Jeff walked in and almost immediately saw that the phone was off the hook and hung it up and said "Umm the phone is off limits.  What were you doing?"

Lucia announces "Oscar did it."

"Did what?"  Jeff asked

"Oscar called 911!" they announced with a bit less enthusiasm as Jeff is giving them the parental stare down.  Then the phone rings.

"Hello the is the Okanagan County Sheriffs office.  We received a call from your residence.  Do you have an emergency." said the caller.

Jeff reassured them that all was well.  Talked with the kiddos who continued to point to poor sweet Oscar as the one who masterminded this plan.  These girls are going to most certainly give us a run for our money one day if not already.

The killer part is as the Dad's were packing up to take all the kids skiing up drives the county sheriff.  They had to once again reassure and apologize. Jeff said to the sheriff "This is what happens when the Dad's are left in charge".  Apparently the sheriff was not really amused.

Oh my it has started!!

Mazama yet Again

 We again ventured to the end of the earth for a week of skiing with the Corvalis Crew.  It was perfection.  The older kids have taken off on their skis and it is awesome to watch. 

This year Carolina  exposed Elizabeth to her knitting addiction. Cute to see the older ones knitting together.

 The younger boys had their moments together and are figuring out play.

 Sledding was tons of fun for the little and big kids.

 The big boys built an epic sledding hill in the back yard.  The angle of the hill follows the straight down trajectory of the sled below.  The hill is basically a straight drop off a retaining wall.

 Not everyone was thrilled about the sledding.

Valentine

 Having our kids go to Chinese school they never really did Valentines Day.  We forgot what a big deal Valentines Day is as a kid but we were certainly reminded. Elizabeth was thrilled for a week and could barely contain herself.  Making the cards for all her friends was so sweet.  Jeff was able to attend the class party and snapped quite a few adorable shots.

 She LOVES her teacher who is perhaps one of the most delightful, true and engaging individuals I have ever met.

Nap Time

OK can you play where is Henry??  Can you find him.  And another thing.... who doesn't wish they had a nap time at work each day.  How civilized for sure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fqC_MTkjyY&feature=youtu.be

Might have to cut and paste this into your browser to make the video work.

MLK

On the drive home this week Elizabeth says 'Moomm??' in the way I know that she is very much thinking through something. 

Mom.  Life is not fair.

      Why is it not fair.

Well a long time ago, not as long ago as the dinosaurs but long ago, people who were black had to sit at the back of the bus.  Did you know about this?

      Yes.  Life is sometimes not fair.  It was very wrong that these were the rules.

Martin Luther King Jr. was a hero.  Did you know that mom.

      Yes he was.  That is why we remember him and how he helped us make life more fair.

There have been quite a few other comments the past week as she has learned about our MLK holiday and remembrance.  It is important we learn about our history and remember.  It is also poignant to watch her learn that life is just not fair sometimes.

Clouds in Seattle, Sun in the Mountains!

Guess who had her first day down hill skiing experience.  She did great and was able to make wedges down the hill.  Keep in mind there is little control at this point but she is figuring it out and most importantly had a great time.  Actually begged to keep skiing even after her lesson was over.  I was happy to oblige for sure.

 It helped that we went with Maeve and Shauna and that it is killing Elizabeth that Maeve can do the big lift.  Motivation helps.  It will be so fun when they are on level playing fields and we can all ski together.  Oh and yes one day I will have her carry her own skis but now the sled is king.  Right now I am still in the marketing phase of skiing and need to keep it fun.  Once fun then I will work her for sure.

Of course tonight when going to bed she whined that skiing was hard and sometimes scary and she didn't want to do it again and only wanted to cross country ski.  Alas we will see what she says in the morning.  Sleep changes perceptions for sure.  Just cross country skiing doesn't sound that bad either!

January

 Pops came to visit and Henry loved showing off his walking and his scuttlebug bike (gift from pops).  Henry has been racing through the house on that thing and is happy to run you over if in the way.

We have notoriously late walkers with both kiddos not walking until 17 months.  Henry didn't take off until a couple days prior to Pop's arrival but this made it especially fun for the visit.  Henry has been quite proud of his new skill and will puff out his chest with pride as he strolls across the room.

 Elizabeth was thrilled to put on quite a few performances for Pops and Henry was game enough to also dress up.  She also had a great time taking Pops to school to again meet her teacher.

 It was sweet also to see how Henry has warmed up to Pops.  I don't know if he remembers all of the visits from Pops but I think maybe so as he is very happy to spend time in his arms reading books or giving kisses.  Henry is sort of a reserved dude at times and doesn't go to everyone.  It is very sweet to see them bonding!  Makes me miss my mom but very grateful that I get to still have my dad to share my kids with.

Snow

The last day of school before the break there was snow.  It all melted by 930 am but not to fear.  We were out there by seven and stayed until it melted.  Now if we could just get some freakin' snow in the mountains for some skiing!!

GOPR0100 from kathleen mcgregor on Vimeo.

Flow and find your joy

Aunt Laura came to visit.  I can't even begin to say how excited I was to have her come for a visit.  We rented a place in the mountains.  Super awesome place at a lodge and with a pool.  I was psyched to just be, relax and enjoy my kids with my sister.  Not often I get to share my life with just her.

I wanted to make it special for her since the Christian was coming to visit the Jews.  I had some gifts, some sweets and even a stocking.  There are no photos here of the stocking.  There are no photos here of the mountains.  That is cause we were only there for maybe 14 hours and made a very hasty retreat back home.  We left in our wake a room full of 'sickie' (as Elizabeth calls it).  We will spare the details.

The poor little dude had it bad enough that he bought himself a visit to the ER for IV fluids after four days of 'sickie'.  He eventually recovered nicely.  Elizabeth and Jeff were only down for about 12 hours.  Laura and I were spared unless you consider the mega clean up duty and then no one was spared.

I was sad for a bit of time that we didn't get this great trip with Auntie Laurla.  Disappointment is really about expectations.  You expect things to go a certain way and then when they don't there creeps in the sad disappointment.  I am working on this awareness and was able to let these expectations go after a bit of time and really embrace the different trip with her.  This is not easy for me but if you let life and kids teach you then you learn to just flow and find your joy.  We laughed a ton, the kids recovered, the adults recovered, there was some sun, there was the park, there was the Nutcracker and it was nice.  Not the nice I had expected but its own different joyful nice. 

Now and one year ago!

Kids really let you see how time flies.  The first four photos are from last weekend.  The last four are from a year ago.  It goes so fast.  It is funny to me that in the photos from 2012 he always looks surprised.