Reader

Miss Abby is becoming quite the reader, and it's pretty fun to watch it happen.  (Truth: It is NOT AT ALL fun to listen to her sound out every word she sees, even the words she already read out loud.  Like this~ "I love my mom. I l-l-l-l-l-ove m-m-m-m-y m-m-m-m-om.") But the other day, her newfound talent brought her some disappointment.  Instead of Taco Del Mar, Abby has always called that restaurant "Taco Bell Mar." We thought it was cute, so we started calling it that too.  The other day when we were eating there, she looked down at her cup....

Abby: Hey! This says Taco DEL Mar. That's not right.
Me: That's what it's really called.
Abby: Then why do we say Taco Bell Mar?
Me: Because you called it Taco Bell Mar, and we thought it was cute.
Abby: You LET ME CALL IT THE WRONG NAME? All this time?
Me: It was cute!
Abby (mumbling to herself): Taco DEL Mar.  Taco DEL Mar.  I can't believe they didn't tell me!

Just wait until she sees the word "animal" written down and realizes she has been incorrectly saying "aminal" for her entire life! 

Merry Christmas 2011



We wish you a day filled with peace, love and happiness.  Merry Christmas!!



Un-Christmas Moment

In case you think that it's all Christmas magic and unicorns over here at Casa de Eitzen, I thought I give a little peek into tonight's Christmas activity.....

I love to look at Christmas lights, so on this very cold and clear night, I suggested that we go get hot cocoa and drive around to see the light displays in town.  No one was overly enthusiastic, but the promise of hot cocoa got everyone in the car. 

Josh: Why are we doing this again?
Me: Just to look at all the lights.  They're pretty.
Josh: (shrug and sigh) OK
Me: Oh! Look at that one!
James: Oh, yeah.  That house gives out the best candy at Halloween.  You know what would make this fun? If houses gave out candy!
Me: You know what makes this fun??? That the lights are pretty, and we are together as a family.
John: (muttering) If you say so.
Abby: (LOUDLY) Jingle Bells, Batman smells.... Josh, what's the next part?
Josh: Robin laid an egg.
Abby: Right: Jingle Bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg.
Me: Thanks, Josh.
Josh: (smirking) You're so welcome, Mom. 
Abby:  Jingle Bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg.
Me: Abby, that's really enough of that song, Abby.  Why don't we just listen to the Christmas music?
Abby: (quietly) Jingle Bells, Batman...
Me: ABBY!
Abby: Geez. Fine.
James: Mom, how come we had to get kids' hot cocoas? You got a big one.
Me: Because we know how to be grateful for what we get, James.  That's why.
James: I bet you are grateful.
Me: James, one more word and you will have no hot cocoa. 
James: Geez. Fine.
Abby: Jingle Bells, Batman
Me: ABBBBYYYY!

We drove down to our beautiful little downtown  area to see the lights....
Me: This is so pretty.  I just love it.
James: I wonder how much money they are wasting with all this.  I bet A LOT.
Abby: Jingle Bells, jingle bells, Batman laid an egg.
Me: ABBY!
James: Just think how much other stuff they could buy with all that money.  Who pays for this?
John: We do, with taxes.
James: Can we say we don't want to?

Heading past Teresa's house....
Josh: Hey Mom, wouldn't it be funny if we went up to their door and started caroling?
John: It wouldn't be funny because none of us would sing.  We'd be terrible carolers.
James: That's because Dad doesn't have any Christmas spirit. 
Abby: Well I would sing.  I'd sing Jingle Bells, jingle bells, Batman....
John and I (in unison): ABBY!

Continuing our tour...
Josh: Geez.  Haven't we been on every street in McMinnville yet? 
John: Seems like it.
Me: Fine, let's go home. 
Abby: (singing) Dad doesn't have any Christmas spirits, spirits, spirits...
James: It's spirit, Abby.
Abby: Same thing, James.
Me: Spirits means ghosts.
Josh: Like how Christmas is about god dying.
Me: WHAT?? No, it's about Jesus being born.
Josh: Oh, right, sorry.  I was thinking of Easter.
Abby: GOD IS NOT DEAD.  He lives in our hearts. (Did I mention that Abby's been going to church?)
Me: That's right, Abby.
Abby: Then why did Josh say he died?
Josh: Well, that's what Easter is about. 
Abby: WHAT?!
John: Am I having a stroke? I think I'm having a stroke.
Me: OK, you guys, enough. Christmas is about the birth of Jesus. End of story.
Abby: Jesus is God's son.
Me: Right, yes.  You've got it.
Song in the car: "It is the night of our dear Savior's birth."
Josh: Oh! I should have just listened to the song!
John: Seriously.  Is this what having a stroke feels like?
Abby: Jingle Bells, Batman smells......

Let's just say that next year, I'm going alone.

Christmas Moments: #1

Of course, I decorate for Christmas the second Thanksgiving is over, and it might be the only time of the season that I am grateful for a fake tree.  I can put up the tree as soon as I want, and know that it will sparkle and glow for 30 solid days, with no watering, no needles, no drying out.  In the new house, it sits in the corner of the back room, and it makes me happy every time I look at it.  I was able to decorate the entire first floor with the decorations that I had and still have some things left over, confirming once and for all that I have too many decorations. 

This year, the decorations were put up slowly over the long weekend, and on Sunday night, we finished up with the angel on the top of the tree.  As a side note, I have a weird thing about Sundays.  We grocery shop, run errands, do laundry, and clean on Sundays, and that day always feels.....settled.  I can open the fridge and pantry and see enough food for at least one week, but probably much longer; we have clean, nice clothes to wear; there is toilet paper and deodorant and shampoo and soap--we will not want for anything in the coming week.  I always think that no matter what happens, we are set for at least seven days, and it is one of my favorite moments of the week.  Since I have never wanted for anything in my whole life, I'm not sure why it's so important to me, but it is.  So, on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, when the kids hung the last ornaments and called John to do the angel, it was just a perfect moment. Things were looking good for the Christmas spirit......

Christmas Spirit

I've tried to write about this about ten different times times, and every time, it kept coming out cheesy and not quite right.  A little self-indulgent and melodramatic, to be honest.  I'm giving it another try, and this time, I made myself a promise that I will, in fact, hit post when I am done......

It's no secret that I love Christmas.  Everything about it makes me happy, and I tend to go a little overboard with it in just about every way.  It isn't simply about being happy though.  Many times throughout the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I have a feeling of contentment.  Of peace.  Of a full heart.  That feeling certainly comes at other times in the year, but the Christmas season is just full of them, one piled on top of the other. 

There have been a few times over the years that the "spirit" of Christmas has just never arrived.  I think that my own expectations of what should be have gotten in the way a time or two.  Or three or.... ten.  I know what I am hoping for, and I try to make it happen.  As I have gotten older and learned a few a lot of lessons about what really matters, I have found that the Christmas spirit is there, waiting for me, each year.  It sounds like an oxymoron, but when I make a conscious effort to sit back and relax, trusting that the magic will come, it does. 

Although in some years, the "spirit of Christmas" comes just for a minute or two, this year has been different.  I'd like to think that the little talk I had with myself on Thanksgiving night helped.  I told myself that I would have no expectations for this year.  That I would enjoy the little things and just wait.  And to my surprise, I could do it.  I could let go of expectations and enjoy, and wouldn't you know it? The magical moments have arrived both in the most obvious of places and in the tiniest details.  This year, perhaps more than any other year, my heart is full. 

It isn't even Christmas yet, but the "moments" have been abundant so far. In the coming days, I plan to write about them, as many as I can find time to put into writing.  The Emanuel Christmas party.  Making stockings.  Snuggling into bed in a hotel room next to the ocean to watch Elf with my family.  Feeling transported back in time walking on the beautifully lit, nearly deserted streets of Newport.  An ornament exchange.  Mother/Daughter lunch.  Date night. Decorating our new house.  A Christmas program.  A piano recital.  A BIG surprise.  A kindergarten Christmas party.  A date with my special girl.  An indulgent evening. 

But for now, I keep thinking about the mornings of the past few weeks.  We've had unusual weather this December--cold and clear, with some very foggy days thrown in.  Each day, as I have left for work with Christmas music playing, I have driven past my bundled up children at the bus stop, waving wildly with big smiles on their faces.  Josh and I have chatted quietly as we drove up the hill, and just before I dropped into town, a beautiful sunrise has greeted us.  Pink and purple and yellow, with the mountains silhoutetted in the distance, a colorful sunrise is completely unexpected in the usually drab, gray Oregon December.  And so, nearly every morning this month, the unexpected took my breath away, and for a moment I could feel Christmas.   On about the fifth day of this, Josh sighed and said, "Mom, you say the sunrise is beautiful EVERY MORNING.  Aren't you expecting it to be beautiful by now?" I started to explain, but found that I started to tear up instead.  He glanced over at me and said "Well, it is really pretty" and shrugged his shoulders.  He doesn't get it now, but someday, he'll learn what I am slowly learning myself: That sometimes the spirit of Christmas is found where you least expect it.

Thankful

I didn't participate in the Facebook "I'm thankful for..." game.  I enjoyed reading other people's thoughts (mostly) but I've met myself before, and I'm pretty sure that I could never post for 30 days in a row.  Well, I could.  I just don't think I would. 

Which doesn't mean, however, that I am not thankful for many things in my life.  I am so very, very lucky to have so very, very many wonderful things in my life.  An active, healthy family.  A steady job that I enjoy.  A warm and beautiful house. Good friends. You know the drill.  My cup certainly overflows. 

30 things I could have told Facebook I was thankful for......

1) The sass that is my daughter.  She drives me crazy and lights up my life.  All at the same moment.
2) The opportunity to watch Josh in class.  He's growing up, and I get a front row seat every afternoon.
3) That James is thriving in third grade, spending each day with his best, best friends.
4) My husband, who only complains a little that I am always planning his life out, minute by minute.
5) My family.  Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, sister.  You know, the ones who get Medford.
6)  My friends. Cheese plates and wine and Diet Coke and lots of laughing.  And kids.  LOTS of kids.
7) The view out my back window. 
8) That my friend's trip to Ethiopia changed my world viewpoint in a lasting way.  Now, I want to go to Ethiopia, and I want to always remember what matters. And I didn't even have to pay for the plane ticket.
9) That other people keep supplying me with babies to snuggle.
10) That my new job pushes me out of my comfort zone. New places, new people, unanswered questions. And I haven't even died yet.  Who would have thought?
11) Power Hour.  James comes home with completed homework EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.  I could cry tears of joy just typing that.
12) A tight budget for the last three months. I'm glad to know we can and did live on a smaller budget as our finances adjusted from the whole purchasing a house while keeping the old one scenario.
13) The long season of bright red and orange leaves on trees this year.  So beautiful.
14) That my kids are looking forward to making Christmas stocking for other kids almost as much as they are looking forward to their own.
15) That we have a steady flow of kids at our house.  And that our kids join the steady flow of kids at other people's houses.  Living here is giving them the childhood I want for them.
16) Chocolate ice cream.  And Rocky Road.
17) That tomorrow night, I get to watch Love Actually to kick off the holiday season.
18) Kids who ask me to give them spelling tests and math problems.  For fun.
19) The fact that if you try hard enough, you will learn to love coffee.  Especially Pumpkin Spice Lattes.
20) That my husband makes dinner nearly every night.
21) Sunday afternoons, when my fridge is full and my house is clean.
22) Christmas decorations.  And Christmas music.
23) Being able to play a simple song on the piano.
24) DVR
25) Knowing that any given moment, there are at least ten people less than ten minutes away I could call on to help me or my kids. 
26) Listening to a rainstorm from my warm, cozy bed.
27) That my mom takes pictures to record the moments of my life.
28) That for $100, I got to own a sectional.  I've always wanted one, and suddenly the stars aligned.
29) For the first time in a VERY long time (well over a year) John will have off four days in a row.  We will be all together for FOUR days.  Sleeping in, Christmas decorating, hot chocolate drinking, relaxing days. 
30) Tomorrow, my entire family will come together in a warm house with more food than we can eat.  We will laugh and talk and be lucky.  And that's what really matters. 

Solution!

John and I were talking about our days tonight while we made dinner.  At one point, I made a joke about something happening, and he said "I'd start looking for another job if that happened!"

Josh overheard the tail end of the conversation and started offering suggestions of new jobs to apply for...all in town, of course, and all reasonable ideas. 

Abby walked in half way through, and after listening for a minute, her face brightened....

Abby: Dad!! I know! You should work at McDonalds!
John: Well, that would be a pretty great job.
Abby: I know! Or! Or! Wal-Mart! You could work at Wal-Mart!
John: (with a hint of sarcasm) Thanks for those great ideas, Abby.  I'll keep that in mind.
Abby: (with nothing but sincerity and a smile) You're welcome, Daddy.  I always have great ideas. 

Oh, to be six years old.....

I know one thing for sure: I don't want to be the one to tell her we were only kidding.  Those two places may have no redeeming qualities, but to her? Those would be the coolest jobs EVER.

Halloween Fun!

Halloween 2011 was a rousing success at our house............

Annual Pumpkin Carving! Yet another tradition that I have to force my husband into only to find that he likes it even more than I do.  Look at that concentration while he carves! He even has his tongue out a la Michael Jordan....

Every time I tried to get a candid shot, she would catch me and pose.  Everything is a photo op for this girl.

Seriously.  Getting a decent photo of these three is impossible.  Someone is always moving or tickling a sibling or complaining or making a goofy face.  This was the best of the bunch....

My general rule for Halloween costumes is that I won't wear it if I won't look cute in it.  I want to be able to do my hair and makeup and wear normal clothes, which is why I'm usually a) a cat or b) a witch.  Clearly, I lost my mind for a few minutes for our annual Halloween party and by the time I regained my sanity, it was too late! We are each other in case you need a hint.....

For Josh, any outfit that doesn't include athletic shorts is a costume, so hippie was as far as he was willing to go.  James is a skeleton death ninja or something like that.  A pretty sweet faced skeleton death ninja. And Abby? She's an undetermined "rock star."  As long as it included sparkles and makeup, she didn't care what she was.

See? Sparkles and makeup.  Her dream come true. PS You guys, her eyebrows are a hot mess.  Any suggestions??? I'm not willing to wax them all off and start over yet, but I'm getting close!

We decided to have pizza together and then go trick or treating as a herd this year.  We really do travel best in packs.  This picture makes me laugh for about three hundred reasons.  Trick or treating with friends made this, hand-down, the BEST HALLOWEEN EVER.  If I hadn't been near death (what? It's my blog and I can be melodramatic if I want to!) with a miserable, turning into a sinus infection cold, I would have enjoyed it even more, but for the kids?  It was pretty much the best night ever.

Our house....

(Did anyone else start singing that Crosby, Stills and Nash song? Or maybe Young was in there too for that song?)

I loved our old house.  So very much.  It was the first house we purchased and the place where each of our babies joined our family.  I loved it so much that we stayed there way. too. long.  It was just hard to imagine being "us" anywhere else.  With all its imperfections, it was our home in the truest sense of the word.

I had to force the move to our new house.  John moved quite a bit growing up, and he really didn't want to have his kids moving around a lot.  He also wasn't looking forward to the actual act of packing up and moving.  And in the back of my mind, I was pretty nervous about living somewhere else.  What if it didn't feel like our home anymore?  But I pushed and pushed, and soon, we had purchased a brand new house.  A house with a bedroom for each kid and three toilets and a two car garage and a heat pump and around 850 extra square feet.  As we lived surrounded by boxes and I used up every spare minute of summer vacation packing, I wasn't exactly sure we were doing the right thing.

I didn't need to worry because I love it here.  It's just the perfect amount of space for us.  We always liked living in a small house because we were so close to each other.  Except, we were SO close to each other.  Our new house is not a mansion by any means, but every one can have their very own space.  Doors can be closed and peace and quiet can be had.  It's cozy and pretty, and the neighborhood is pretty darn great.

Every day when I come home from work, I am so happy to walk through the front door.  It feels like home, and I can't believe we have ever lived anywhere else. 

If you are reading, and you live nearby, you can stop reading now.  A few people have asked for pictures, and even though these aren't great, you kind of see what it looks like.  We've added window treatments and wall decorations in some places, and you can't see cerain things like how gigantic our master bedroom is (seriously, it's kind of embarrassing)  and how pretty the views of the hills are from the back windows (so, so pretty.)

Front Room

Kitchen

Dining Nook

Back Room

Abby's Room

Josh's Room

Kids' Bathroom

James's Room

Master Bath

Master Bedroom

Independent is the Nice Way to Say It

Abby's best buddies both ride two wheelers now, so she has been asking and asking me to teach her to ride her bike with no training wheels.  To be honest, I don't find the "learning to ride a bike process" in the least bit enjoyable.  I guess it's actually the teaching to ride a bike I dislike.  I'm all sweaty and trying to keep up with the bike, and then the second I let go, the bike crashes and the rider is none too pleased at my giant parenting fail.  Repeat 18 (hundred) times, and you've got the two wheeled bike experience.

This probably explains why Josh didn't ride a bike until he was nearly seven and my dare devil James was nearly six when he finally lost the training wheels.  Training wheels=my life made easier=PLEASE JUST KEEP YOUR TRAINING WHEELS ON FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, ABIGAIL.

The kids were out front playing when I saw a flash of purple cruising by on a two wheeled bike. A double take and a triple take later, I discovered that Miss Independent had no plans of waiting for me.  She commandeered the appropriate vehicle, and off she went.  It's funny until I see the future ahead with this girl.  Then? It's kind of scary. 

I avoided the sweating chase after a teetering bicycle, but I think I may have just gotten my first gray hair. 
And this one?  She is cruising up and down the street, laughing all the way......

Twelve!

Josh turned 12 this morning, just before 3  am.  I'm not quite sure how I feel about that...excited, lucky, proud and a little bit sad.  Twelve seems like the last frontier of childhood, and although at times we'll still see our little boy, those times will soon be few and far between.  And then fewer and farther between until there is just a grown man in the place of the little blond boy.

Up early for an away game this morning,  Josh came into my bedroom to climb in my bed. "Hi Mommy." (Being called Mommy.....talk about times that are few and far between.) I could almost see the little boy he used be as we laid in the dark talking about the day he was born.  Almost, until I noticed his feet only inches from the end of the bed.

Later, in the car, in the far back where you sit when you are much cooler than your family, he laughed and talked about girls with a friend. Not interested in anything I had to say, the boys were in their own world. As the laughing got louder, I listened carefully to hear what they were saying. And quickly realized they had left girls and were instead giggling about a game of Life they had started on the iTouch. Little boys again for a moment.

I watched at the game as my tall, confident boy threw his body in front of ball after ball and kick after kick. No fear, no hesitation. Playing the number one team in the league, the coach left Josh in at goal for over an hour. With only ten minutes left in the game, our little Bad News Bears last their focus and their momentum in the face of a relentlessly skilled team and were scored on five times in those ten minutes. By that fifth goal, my confident boy was slumped and in tears.  But, with his head held high, he joined his team for the high fives, running down the sideline looking each and every spectator in the eye.  There were lots of sympathetic looks sent my way, but I was more than proud, knowing how hard it must have been to let everyone see him cry.

Back at the team meeting, he teared up again, but this time because he was overwhelmed by his team all cheering for his efforts at goal, patting him on the back, high fiving him.  And then, while a friend reminded the team to sing Happy Birthday, he was all smiles, beaming as his friends all sang, badly and loudly with lots of Cha-cha-chas.  And when his coach asked who could come help out the older boys at their afternoon game back home, he jumped at the chance to get right back on the horse.  It paid off because at forward and defense, he helped that team to its first victory ever.  He didn't score a goal, but he said it was "good because he was just helping out."  It was their game to win.

I think that his twelfth year will be a lot like today.  Lots of emotion, lots of giggling over girls followed immediately by giggling over a little kid game, lots of mature moments mixed with glimpses of my little boy.  It's fun to watch him grow up, but oh my, is it bittersweet.  Happy 12th Birthday to my nearly grown up baby boy.

Soccer

We are pretty big fans of soccer around here.  The boys would rather play soccer than just about anything else, and Abby has been enjoying her first soccer experience too. 

Josh joined a competitive league this year, a team that travels to other cities and plays teams from all over. Their team is.....developing. (That's a nice way to say not very good, right?)  Actually, the boys are all good soccer players, but they are simply outmatched in their league for the most part.  The first few games were BIG losses (think 8 to 0. or 11 to 0) and it kind of released Josh to just enjoy the experience.  It's not that he isn't still competitive (he still spends a lot of time reading the stats and determining what place in the league they might be able to reach) but he has been able to relax about the goals and the winning and work on being a better soccer player.  Surprisingly, he has discovered a talent for goalie this year.  He plays goalie for the first half and forward for the second half of each game, so (in the games where they at least had a chance) he has saved a lot of goals and then scored a few too. 

James is playing with many of the same boys that he's been with over the years, but third graders can play football here, so we lost some boys off the team.   They combined our team with another team in the same boat and pretty much created a powerhouse.  They've won every game, and they usually win by a lot.  Our friend Joel is the coach, and no matter what configuration he puts on the field, they score.  A lot.  James has confirmed that H.A.T.E.S playing goalie, so I don't think he'll be following in his brother's footsteps. He is happiest when he is running the field, scoring goals!

Abby, it turns out, is a pretty good player too.  Her team is filled with a lot of little sisters, which makes for a pretty skilled kindergarten team.  They already know that you switch sides at the half, that you have to keep your heels down on a throw in, that you should get open for a pass.  And sometimes, they even pass the ball.  Not surprisingly, they have also won every game.  She is doing well so far, and being the absolute, by a foot, tallest on the team is helping her become quite the goal scorer.  More importantly, she LOVES soccer and badgers me constantly about "how many days until my next game??"

As for me, I love fall soccer. (I may have mentioned that a time or two.  Or three.)  The fields are surrounded by trees full of colorful leaves, the sun shines often, and the kids are happy.  They always have muddy knees, no matter how many showers we take, and they always sleep HARD.  Watching them do something that they love, something that they are good at, is pretty awesome.  And I really love that they all share the love of soccer.  The other day, someone said "Well, of course Abby scores goals.  She's an Eitzen kid.  The Eitzen kids are all good at soccer." The Eitzen kids.  They share this little piece of their identity, and it makes them a matched set. I just kind of love that.

Team Eitzen

The Sweetest Little Couple You Ever Did Meet

(Well, they're regular sized.  But very, very sweet.) 

This year, my grandparents turned 80 and 85.  They also celebrated 64 years of marriage, which is pretty amazing.  Their birthdays are just a few weeks apart, so my family wanted to do something special to mark such momentous milestones.  The only problem? They didn't think it was much of a big deal.  No celebration needed. How silly.  After all, it's just a couple of days on the calendar, for heaven's sake.  (Slightly paraphrased, of course.)  My mom talked them into a little birthday party.  No big deal, just family getting together like we always do.  It was today, it was just a family gathering, and it was just exactly right.  Because really, what better way to celebrate the two most important members of our family than by simply being together as a family?

My grandparents, Alan and Peggy, are pretty great, and when they got married 64 years ago, they established a pretty great family.  Sometimes people don't get our family because we are so tight knit and so close and never, ever have family drama.  Really and truly.  I never feel quite as safe and warm and loved than I do when my whole family is together.  And my grandparents are the ones who have made that happen for me, for us. 

If you've never met them, you might wonder just makes them so amazing.  Their house is always the same: spotless, warm, and scented by something wonderful like beef stew or homemade soup or maybe a lemon cake.  If you go there, you will always find them in the exact same chairs, and my Grandma will always say "Well, if isn't Allison" (or Josh or Mary or John or James or....)  in a way that makes me smile.  And my Grandpa will always, always thank you for coming even though it's you who should thank them for letting you come.  If you want them to, my Grandma will make you butter toast and my Grandpa will get you water in the same little amber glasses you've used since you were born.  And if you find yourself in need of something, anything, they will always have the exact right thing. (Once, when Josh was first diagnosed, he ate pounds of chicken and noodles in a steroid binge.  We got most of the way to my Grandparent's house before in a bout of nausea, he threw up every single bit of it.  I was frazzled to say the least, but my Grandma knew what I needed.  She went into the back closet and found a towel with a hole cut and basted right in the center.  "There. You just slip it on and off his head and then it can be thrown in the wash."  It was already made for a reason that I still don't know, and it became our "special" towel and saved us from many an upholstery cleanup.  See? They're like that.)  If your sweet baby boy is in the hospital, they will come visit every single time, even though it will just about kill my Grandpa to see a little kid so sick, and they'll bring you homemade soup when they come, complete with a spoon and a package of crackers.  And at Christmas, if you are lucky enough to be in my family, your Christmas money will be wrapped with a very sensible item.  And somehow, no one knows how, it is always just the very thing you need.  Like dish soap or a pillow or a pot holder when you just said you needed that very item.  I could go on and on and on, but the most important thing to know is this: always, always, always, you will feel good and safe and loved by them, no matter who you are. 

When I was little, I knew that they were something special and I didn't think I could appreciate and love them more.  But then, when I had my own kids and saw them hold my babies and talk to my kids, I found out that actually, I could.  I DO know how lucky I am to have any grandparents at all, let alone the wonderful grandparents that I have.  Very few people have what I have, what we all have in our family.  85 years and 80 years of a well-lived life are pretty great accomplishments, but from where I sit, a big loving family that wants and needs to be together is even a little bit more amazing than that.  Happy Birthday to my sweet, sweet Grandma and Grandpa!!

The Village

I spent the day today at Myers-Briggs personality type training.  As part of my "teacher coach" job, I receive training to help me work with all types of people.  I actually went to this particular training last fall too, but it's a good refresher to remind me that many people are different than me and might need different things.  My personality type is very clear:  if you know Myers-Brigg, I'm an ESTJ.  If you don't, it basically breaks down to this: I prefer to process by talking (shocking), I prefer evidence over feelings when making decisions, I prefer step by step tasks and directions, and I really prefer to just get tasks done.   None of this is really the point of this post though.  The point is that the past few weeks have put even my step-by-step, methodical nature to the test.  Planning the move, executing the move, setting up a new house, starting a new year and a new job, organizing child care and pick up and drop off and sports and activities.... well, even I, as a very clear ESTJ, have been pushed to my limit.  There is just so. much. stuff.

And it is during times like these that I really appreciate my village of friends and family.  I started counting the number of people who have helped me out in some way over the past two weeks, and I lost count at 35.  35 friends, family, and co-workers!!  Just today, Teresa's parents took over the care, feeding and transportation of the Eitzen kids while I headed to my workshop, and then my dad stayed late to take Josh and Abby to the dentist for me (and that's pretty brave!)

The real point of this post (and boy, did it take me a long time to get here) is a story that really takes the cake.  Literally.  Yesterday was Abby's birthday.  And it was a L.A.M.E. birthday.  We normally make birthdays a special day around here.  The birthday child picks breakfast, they get treats at school, we go out to a special dinner and we have a special birthday dessert.  But as I have mentioned a time or two (or twelve) things are pretty crazy around here, and her actual birthday just got brushed aside.  (Before you feel too bad for her, we did celebrate on Sunday, and she will have her party next week.  Still.) I was down at school last night working on sub plans, and she was with me (see? Lame.) And she was pretty much driving me insane, so I kind of snapped at her.  And then I remembered that a) she is only six and b) it was her birthday! I felt so badly that we hadn't really recognized her special day.  And then, I checked my email and saw this. 

Teresa saves the day.  Earlier in the afternoon, while I sat with James for his miserable dentist appointment, they had cake and candles and singing and even a present from Baba (Teresa's mom).  Right there in my inbox was photographic evidence that my girl was happy and celebrated on her special day.  And that is why I couldn't do this working mom business without my village. 

Six!!

Today, my girl turned six.  She is many things, my Abby.  She is older than her years, always chasing after the big kids, both literally and figuratively.  She is more independent than any other six year old I know.  We have to watch this one in stores and restaurants, or we'll find her ordering a milkshake or asking for a size from the back.  She is a questioner, which mostly drives us crazy, but also will serve her well in life.  She is a bit of a queen bee, never unkind but always in charge.  This may not always serve her well, but I know that she will always stand her ground.  She is beautiful, and nothing irritates her more.  She is never-endingly frustrated and embarrassed by the constant compliments from strangers, and yet, we often find her admiring herself in the mirror.  She is sassy and funny and confident, and she currently has very questionable taste in clothes.  She is a little sister, a daughter, a granddaughter, a great-grandaughter, a cousin, a niece and a friend to many.  But most importantly, she is mine, and she is adored.

Questionable taste in clothing? Let's call this choice Exhibit A.

Update (because seriously that is all I have time for anymore!)

Things are good at the Eitzen Zoo.  Great, actually.  I was more than a little concerned about this week of seriously major change as the summer raced to a close, so I feel pretty relieved today.  While it's true that I am mostly just barely keeping my head above water, I feel happy.  I thought it would be nice for family history's sake to at least keep up with some blog updates while I re-learn how to swim! This will be a long one because who knows how long it will be before I have time to sit and blog again. 

The House Situation: I am in love with the new house.  I really, really love it.  I love that we see pretty, rolling hills from our windows.  I love that the streets are wide, and that there are always kids playing and people strolling up and down the street.  I love that my kids are so close to their friends, and that they can go from house to house like it's 1955.  I love that I have to put a sweatshirt on at night because the a/c just gets too cold for me.  And more than anything, I LOVE that my kids are sleeping better than I've ever seen them sleep.  The old house is just about ready to rent, and my fingers are crossed for a renter soon. We are all ready to be done with it, and the transition to the new house was just as smooth as could be. 

The Job Situation:  Working full time is....fine. Maybe even good. It's only been a few days, so it's hard to judge, but I think that most of the details are figured out with my own kids, and I really like my class, even though it's the biggest class I've had in years.  32 sixth graders is manageable, but 25 would be so much nicer.   We'll be fine though.  They are nice kids, and I have some of my very favorite kids in my class.  (Including my own.  More on that in a minute.)  I think that I'll be really busy this year, but I am feeling good about it. 

The Josh Situation: He loves school.  L.O.V.E.S. school.  I think the switch to middle school was just what he needed.  He is hanging out with the people he likes the most, people who are kind to him, and he likes his classes.  Speaking of classes, in August, the counselor called to tell me that the computer had placed him my class.  The story is long, but in the end, I decided that it would be a pretty great experience for me to get to know him in a different way.  And I happened to know that some of those great friends he has were in my class too.  We were both a little nervous, but so far, it's totally fine.  I thought it might be weird, but no one even seems to notice.  He is, just like I have always assumed, a quiet and hard-working boy.  I love that I get to have a little window on "school Josh", and he likes that he feels comfortable in my classroom and spends each afternoon with his best friends.  He and Diana ended up with the exact same schedule (not by design, I swear) and that meant they could be locker partners.  They both braved the possibility of being teased and stuck to the locker plan.  And that means that when I walk by locker 502, I see Josh checking his hair in a pink mirror.  Pretty funny.

I took this picture secretly.  The conversation was something like this "I am so nervous.  I've never been more nervous." "No, I am so nervous. I am the most nervous I've even been."  Now they walk around the halls like they own place.

The James Situation: He didn't bat an eye at heading into third grade.  My unease about the work load has not gone away, but he is feeling good.  In true James fashion, we had tears over last night's writing homework (A WHOLE PAGE ABOUT MY SUMMER??? OH, THE HUMANITY!) and a confident "Fractions are so easy!" and a quick finish on tonight's math homework.  He loves his new room, is fine without Josh, and has even seen his fear of robbers start to subside in his new second floor space.  He will go to the after school homework club beginning next week, and he couldn't be happier about it.  Even better, he will get to ride the bus home with his buddy G (and soon both his G buddies!) on Fridays.  He is just his normal, happy chilled out self. 

Maybe one of my favorite pictures ever of James.  Love this boy.

The Abby Situation:  This girl.  Really.  I don't know what to make of this one.  She was a little nervous the night before kindergarten, but by morning, she was READY.  In leggings, a sparkly T-shirt, a vest, and hair "in a ponytail so she could write", she hit the ground running.  Literally.  I could barely keep up with her as she sprinted towards the destiny she has been waiting for since birth.  The day she was born was Josh's third day with Mrs. M, and today, she completed her third day with Mrs. M herself.  It's fun, she loves it, and she seems to sail along academically.  Her best friends Molly and Carter are in her class, and she has already eternally pledged friendship to several more kids.  She also started a new after kinder class on Wednesday.  That school sends a bus for her, and she eats lunch there and attends another kinder session.  I was a little worried because it was a last minute arrangement.  When will I learn that this flexible child (who embraces change in a way that clearly did not come from my DNA) will be just fine?? When I went to pick her up from the after kinder program yesterday, she looked up long enough to say hello and smile and then went right back to her new found besties.  She is so fiercely independent in a way that I admire but do not fully understand. 

Do you see the pose-y leg pop on my daughter? She thinks she is pretty hot stuff.

The Bus Situation: Part of this back to work full time business means that the beloved Eitzenney (Eitzen and Denney kids, get it?) routine had to change.  Teresa is back full time too, but we searched for a way to keep a little of the old.  Our move helped out on this one.  It just so happens that our house is on the bus route.  And if the kids ride the bus to school, I can make it to work on time.  So, the Denney girls will come a little earlier to eat breakfast and then the four elementary kids will ride the bus together.  Today was launch day.  I was so nervous! Not one of them have ever ridden a bus to school, and I wasn't sure we could make the times work.  But the timing was perfect.  We started out the day together, just like we have on every other school day for the past ten years, then I walked them over to the bus stop.  They just about danced onto the bus, meeting Jessica the bus driver, and quickly finding friends to sit by.  I just about cried.  For some reason, watching them all get on that bus just felt super emotional.  My own two babies and the two babies that are almost my own, just as grown up as can be, not even looking back.  Sob. I wanted to take a picture, but in my rush to get them to the appointed corner (only to wait for five minutes) I forgot the camera!

Do we have A LOT of work to do between the old house and this one? Yes.  Will all these changes still have days that feel difficult? Definitely yes.  But overall, sitting here in my nice cool house with it's new and clean everything, getting ready for a tomorrow in which we will all feel happy and fulfilled, it feels just right.  Mostly because of this:

And even though it makes me sad to see them get so big, because of these confident, healthy, independent people:

PS John is fine.  Working a lot, but finding time to help me set things up in the new house and taking over for me on the never ending battle with the cable/phone/Internet company so that I don't actually murder someone and end up giving up my happy life for a prison cell.  The new house is the only change for him, but he loves it too. He'll just love it more once the garage is done. 

Update

I sat down to write an update, and it started like this: Well, we have had several issues with the bank, so our dates are being pushed ba... And then the phone rang! The issues have been resolved, and final approval was just issued for our loan! We'll still be a few days behind schedule, but should be able to have our big move-in day over Labor Day weekend, as planned.  Phew! Until the keys are in my hand, I won't be totally sure that we won't have another problem, but it is looking promising to get keys on Tuesday or Wednesday. My fingers are crossed for Tuesday because we have a weird back to school schedule, and although I start back on Monday, we have Tuesday off.  I don't know why, but the kids will be with my parents, and I could get A LOT done that day if everything falls into place.  It probably won't, but.....

So.  We'll be moving soon.  Really soon.  And mostly, we'll be moving very organized, very thoughtfully packed boxes.  My memories of  Summer of 2011 will be mostly a blur of organizing and packing, but it will be great when it's done. 

And, in the midst of the house stuff, we've still squeezed in a lot of fun.  Packing the bags and walking out of the chaos in our house is pure bliss, and we've been heading off to some of our favorite places.  Just the five of us went to Eagle Crest again this year when John managed to get 3 days off. (In a row! His job is another thing that will be worth it in the end, but it's sure a pain right now.)  The weather in Eagle Crest was GORGEOUS, and someday, I just might write about our trip.  Just a few days after that, we went camping in Beaver with my entire family.  Like our Medford trip, John couldn't come, but the kids and I had a great time.  I discovered the joy of sleeping on air mattresses, the weather was great, the bugs were nearly non-existent, and the kids played with their cousins from dawn until dusk. And then just yesterday, we got home from six days in Seaside with my mom (and various other family members off and on).  John was able to come for the weekend, and we had the best weather.  My trusty flip flops look worn out, and that is the mark of a good summer. 

Last night, I registered Josh for middle school.  In line, I heard "Mom! That was so embarrassing!" at least ten times.  It's official.  I have a middle schooler.  I also plan to write about Josh going to middle school at some point.  It's....weird.  And great.  And exciting.  And anxiety provoking.  And it kind of makes me want to cry. 

We already know that James will have the same teacher for third grade that Josh had, and that for the first time, he'll be in class with all three of his best friends.  The Fabulous (fearsome?) Four.  I have some thoughts about James being in third grade too, but they definitely make me cry and definitely need their own post.  Definitely.

And as for Abby, we're pretty confident that she will continue the tradition and have the wonderful Mrs. M for kindergarten.  Both boys had her for kinder (and James for first grade too) and I couldn't be happier that Abby will have her too.  She'll most likely have her two oldest friends in her class as well.  And the two spunky girls out of that trio could give Mrs. M a run for her money.  I know she can handle it though.  So far, I haven't been too emotional about her heading to school.  I don't think the actual day will be very pretty for me though.  I also recently realized that I haven't made any arrangements for her for after kinder care for the first week of school. Maybe I'm not emotional because I am in complete denial?

Assuming that I'm not a puddle of tears and gulping vodka from the bottle (which is a real possibility as we move, I start work full time for the first time in ten years, Josh starts middle school and Abby starts elementary school all within a three day span), I plan to keep up a little bit better here.  This fall is going to be full of changes and firsts, and I'd really like to have it documented!!

Remember?

So.  Remember when I was going to blog a lot this summer and catch up on all our happenings?  Well.  This little thing called buying a new house happened, and I've been up to my ears (sometimes literally) in cardboard boxes and garbage bags and Goodwill bags.  Oh, and also the gigantic mess that three kids on summer break make EVERY SINGLE MINUTE OF THE DAY.  I was going to take the kids up and make one of our awesome new neighbors (more on that later) take a cute picture of us with the sold sign to post here.  Ha.  If I could find some empty floor space, I'd be rolling around on the floor laughing that I thought that might actually happen.  (But I would not, under any circumstances, think, say or type ROFL. That one makes me want to slap people a little.) 

Anyway.  See that crazy train of thought that just happened there?  That is kind of how my packing process has been going.  I do a kitchen drawer then a load of laundry (stop laughing, Mom) then pack a box then look at photo albums then pack a bathroom cupboard then go get a pedicure.  (Not kidding about that last one.  My toes are a very happy, shiny bright pink at the moment and that massage chair has never felt so good!) 

I got up early (at 7, and I know, I know, other people have to get up before 7 year round) this morning and started working, so I decided that I could break for 20 minutes to write this.  The boys are camping with Grandpa and Abby had a fun-filled three nights with Grandma, so I've been making pretty good progress.  If you walk in to my house, you might not see it, but it is happening.  Our close by date is only 23 days away and we will be gone for 13 of those days, so I feel pretty rushed.  But I have been organizing and packing with care, so I think that unpacking won't be too bad.  I've also been vacuuming corners and cleaning drawers and cupboards as I go, so the preparation for the renters hopefully won't be too bad either.  (Don't you like how I said renters as though they exist?  We will be renting this house out, but as I've failed to go sign the property management contract for the past three days, that may be more of a theoretical situation than an actual one.) 

I've learned a few things as I've packed.

1) We have a lot of stuff.  A. LOT. OF. STUFF.

2) We use only about 10% of that stuff.

3) There is nothing like taking fifteen bags to Goodwill and receiving an email from Glimmer of Hope, detailing the drought and starvation in East Africa, while you are in line to make you feel like an over-privileged, first world brat.  That actually happened to me, and knowing that there were at least another 30 bags to go didn't help much.  See also: paying for bright shiny toes.

4) I am practically a hoarder.  Some of the stuff I have found is ridiculous.  (You should see the shred pile since I felt the need to keep every bill that I have ever paid.  And every single one has our name and address on it.  And all my college stuff has my social security number emblazoned on every page.  Ironically, my actual social security card has yet to surface.)

5) Sometimes hoarding has its benefits.  Finding a letter from my Grandma, who died over fourteen years ago, was pretty great.

6) Finding a letter from my Grandma will make me cry and cry and cry.

7)  I don't know what you are supposed to do with china and silver and antiques.  I could seriously write twelve paragraphs about my feelings of conflict over this one.  I won't , but I could.  (And you can all be glad that you aren't my mom, who had to hear out loud my conflict over this one.  And PS, nothing that you say about it will be the right answer.  Just ask my mom.)

8) And finally, I am NEVER moving again.  Seriously. My plan is to stay in the new house until I am so old that my kids will have to pack the house for me and then drive me to the nursing home.  And then they can curse my hoarding tendencies and wonder why I insist on keeping every bill and decide what to do with the china and silver and antiques.

I hope that it won't be another month before you see me here again, but I'm not making any promises!!

Great Wolf Lodge

A few years ago, when the Washington Great Wolf was new, we stopped to see what it looked like on a trek home from Tacoma.  It was pretty cool, and the kids were pretty impressed.  But when the employee stopped us on the stairs to offer them chocolate covered marshmallows, they were hooked. 

John wasn't sold on the idea at all, but after several years of wearing down his defenses, I finally got him to agree to a trip this spring.  I neglected to mention the price, mumbling something about packages and blah, blah, blah, and booked the trip.  Actually, as Teresa can attest, I hemmed and hawed for several days weeks.  Because you know what? It is REALLY EXPENSIVE.  Not trip to Europe expensive, but for what it is, it was pretty spendy.  We couldn't take advantage of the special deals because we had to go on a weekend, and with John currently working every Saturday except holiday weekends, we had to go on a holiday weekend. 

But finally (to put Teresa out of her misery) I pushed the "Buy" button, and our trip was booked.  We went on the Friday before Easter, deciding to take John's little commuter car instead of the gas guzzling van.  The kids were thrilled. 

Real photo of the back seat.



Posed photo that I forced Josh to take to show how much FUN this family adventure was going to be!!

 

We arrived right around the time when you can go into the water park.  Annoyingly, we had to wait in a really long line, but once we finally got there, we were pleased to find that our room was ready early.  So, we went to our room, changed into our suits, and we were off. 

Overall, I thought that Great Wolf was OK.  Everything there costs a fortune (8 dollar KIDS' MEALS, really?) and because of the time we went, there were a ton of people.  But.  The kids loved it.  Abby was big enough and brave enough for every slide, and we managed to conceal the location of the annoying 1 foot kiddie pool (where obnoxious seven year old boys continuously squirt you with conveniently placed squirt guns) for most of the first day.  The kids loved the wave pool, and we were able to go on the slides over and over with not too much waiting.   Because I was in the water the whole time, I didn't get any pictures except for this one as we were leaving.



We were actually all pretty grumpy by this point.  Lunch had been a trial and Saturday was BUSY. 

 One night was plenty there, and even though we managed to miss the one warm day of Spring, it was worth the trip.  I think we'll even go again sometime. We'll just go on a random Wednesday to beat the crowds and save hundreds (not exaggerating) of dollars.

Sleep

I am a great sleeper.  I think that I always have been, and although I don't need a ton of hours of sleep to be happy, I fall asleep easily and sleep hard.  I like to sleep uninterrupted, and I am pretty grouchy if I don't get my six hours IN. A. ROW. 
The kids have pretty much inherited my love of sleep.  Josh was a difficult newborn until I realized that if he slept in bed with me and could nurse whenever he needed, drowsing back to sleep, he was happy.  And then one day at eight months, he signaled that he was done with my bed and proceeded to sleep through the night in his crib. Every night.  James and Abby did almost the exact same thing, although they both only woke up once a night, even as newborns.  Until about eight months, when they moved to their own crib and slept through the night. Every single night. 

When other people would complain about how many years it had been since they slept through the night, I would just sit quietly.  When pressed, I'd just say something non-committal, like "Oh, they're pretty good sleepers," so as not to be murdered right there on the spot by the sleep deprived person asking. 

When Josh was first diagnosed, I had horrible nightmares.  Someone was chasing us, trying to get to Josh and I had to keep him safe.  Hmmmm.  Doesn't take a dream analyst to figure that one out, and for the first time, I was not sleeping well.  And soon, Josh began having nightmares and would come in and wake me up every night, scared.  Sometimes, he would wake me up ten times a night.  And I'll admit, I wasn't particularly nice about it.  Even after the oncologist explained that he would have long-lasting fear and anxiety and would not trust adults, most especially the ones who held him down for painful procedures, to always keep him safe, I was still pretty grouchy about it.  Because I'm nice like that.

 It took some trial and error, but we finally figured out that he felt better if he could come sleep on our floor when he got scared.  So, we made him a little bed on our floor and every morning, even though he started in his own bed, when I woke up, he was there on my floor, sound asleep. 

After about a year of that, we gradually coaxed him (bribed him) to stay in his own bed, a task made easier by sharing his room with his brother.  Sleep had come to our house once again.  Abby arrived, but she loves her sleep even more than me, and has ever since she was a tiny baby.  (Evidenced by the fact that she has slept in until nine every day of summer break so far.)

With the exception of some bedwetting from James a while ago (who as he got older would just get up, get a towel, lay it down and then sleep on top without waking anyone up), we all sleep through the night.  Every night. 

Suddenly, for no reason, sleep has become elusive at our house.  Josh's anxiety and nightmares have returned with a vengeance, and he is waking me up at night, scared.  James is scared terrified of robbers and has a hard time falling asleep because of it.  Some nights, it is 10:30 before he falls asleep. Abby has just hit the developmental stage where bad dreams become more prevelant, and I can't tell who is more annoyed by their interruptions in her sleep--her or me.  As for me, the hardest sleeper of them all? I have been having nightmares again too.  The horrible, wake up terrified, remember every single moment of them kind of dreams.  

I wish that I knew why so that I could fix the problem.  Maybe the transition from strict routine to no routine? Maybe this happens every summer, and I just don't remember it? The counselor has been called for Josh.  I have been working through the robber thing with James (he was asleep by 9 last night) and I have been letting Abby just crawl in bed with me when she is scared.  My bad dreams will go away, they always do, and soon (I hope!) sleep will return to our house. And next year, when this happens again (?) I'll have evidence here that even when it happens, sleep does come back!

Easter 2011

.......was a long time ago! Whoops! Anyway....

We had a great Easter, filled with traditions (shocking!) and candy and happy children. It was not really filled with much picture taking, but I did get a few shots and borrowed a couple too.

Easter 2011 in pictures (and wordy captions):

First up: Annual Playgroup Easter Egg Hunt!

We've been doing this for a few years now. This was the third annual, I think. The number of kids keeps growing, but they all still patiently pose for the picture and then patiently wait for instructions.

The hunt is on!!

Miss August Lily was too little to hunt, but she did have fun watching the big kids. I think that next year, she'll be unstoppable!

Checking out the loot, while little Rebeka supervises. She did get to hunt for a few eggs of her own, with her actual big sister and several wish-they-were-her-big-sisters cheering her on.

Abby and Molly. I'm surprised they could take a break from talking to hunt for eggs, but they must be good multi-taskers.

The big boys (plus one super cool sister) off on their own, being cool.

James and Grayson not wasting any time. Who knows when an adult might poke their noses in and ruin the candy frenzy??

Next: Easter Eggs!

The picture may be blurry, but you can read the irritation with being asked to pose with his favorite egg, loud and clear in his eyes. He was a good sport, though.

When I asked them to choose their favorite egg, I assumed they would pick one that they colored. Not Abby. She immediately picked this catepillar one and wouldn't consider any other egg!

No irritation in these eyes! He wanted to know how many favorites he could pick.

Goofballs.

And Then: Annual Misery. I mean, Easter Morning Pictures!

Why, oh why, is getting a decent Easter picture so difficult?! They act like they have never seen light before and complain and whine and squint until I want to throttle the three of them. The weather was weird and dark, so the lighting is bad too. This was the best of the bunch, believe it or not.

I like this one of Josh. He earned favored child status that morning.

Seriously. What is with the squinting? It was CLOUDY and dark and about to rain. She isn't squinting in all of them, but the others aren't great either.

Oh. My. God. He is one of the most beautiful children in the world (I may be biased) and THIS is what I get from him. His hair?? And the squinting?? And the cheesy smile?? We gave up right after this one.

And Finally: Easter with Family!

Cousins. My mom's neighbor made the cookie bouquet basket in the bottom corner, and we had to get a quick picture before we let them dig in!!

These two have suddenly become tall, lanky middle schoolers. Who let that happen?