National Wildlife Refuge Visitor's Center

Many of our visitors have visitied the National Wildlife Refuge Visitor's Center with us, but somehow Brian and Janine never have. So one of the days they were here we talked about going. The girls were excited to go to "the museum" but between J & B's car's a/c getting fixed and my general laziness for getting out the door it never happened. So every day after that Lily asked to go; so we finally did last Thursday. I must say I love that place. I'll never forget the first time I took Tyra and Thomas there. Tyra was probably 3 and as we were driving through the beautiful treesy exit and she sighed out "Thank you Mommy for taking us there!" It has always been a good experience, even this February in the freezing FREEZING cold when my dad and Pam were visiting us along with Lisa and Anne and their kids.

So back to the "museum", the pictures show the first thing where you can put your donations into the beaver's lodge, and pet the beaver. Then there are displays of some stuffed animals in the lobby. They there are displays with buttons and levers to push to learn about the world and how we can protect our planet from pollution, deforestation, etc. Finally there are beautiful displays of different animals in their habitats, and a place to look through binoculars at the Patuxent wetlands reserve.

Tyra's Swimming Lessons

For years now, whenever we sit down and discuss personal goals, or talents, or such things, Tyra has always said she wants to learn how to swim. Last summer in La Jolla, CA Tom started teaching Tyra in our pool, and Grandpa Lee taught her in his pool. But she still needed and wanted lessons. So this year I marked my planner for the morning the county parks and rec opened registration for their summer classes. So far, time and again I'd get around to trying in the first week or two and all the classes would be full, and being on all the waiting lists resulted in no phone call saying we were in. So I set my alarm and signed her up. Well, Tyra amazed me. She was so confident and did everything she was supposed to. When it was time for their first jump off the diving board I just prayed and yet still expected to see her inch toward the edge of the board then either refuse, or at least look terrified as she jumped. Well, she just walked, almost running, right of the edge!

"I Say It!"

I think all of you who've had a kid around this age have gone through this stage before. Elizabeth just delighted us all many months ago with her happy compliance with our request that she offer the blessing on the food. But something went haywire a little over a week ago when she started her "I say it!" stage. Whenever another person is chosen to say the prayer Beth yells out that she wants to. So often the person who was either about to start or actually did start will stop and say "ok, you can". Then EJ refuses to say anything, or even copy the parent trying to prompt her. So after a while we give up and ask the other person, only to start the cycle over. It's great fun. So one time after Lily had finished the prayer and I looked up to see how the tears were actually rolling down Beth's cheeks over this I had to film her. It's too funny. To date, the only time she has said a prayer since this stage began is when Aunt Janine prompted her

FAMILY THIS SIDE OF THE MISSISSIPPI!!!!

I am already enjoying the benefit of having family a short drive away! Janine and Brian just moved out to Winston-Salem, North Carolina this month. It is so exciting to me, since it has taken many plane tickets to see family for the last 9 years! J and B have found a house to buy and decided to come visit for a few days after getting their home inspection done. They were going to come Friday morning but after their birthing class Thursday night they called and said they were coming right away and would be here after midnight. Exciting! Our first such visit, and the most exciting part, that it is just the first of many, many, many!! Well, I'm off to help them make their world-famous chicken-tortilla soup!

Old Maryland Farm

I have had such a hard time getting out to do something with my 3 girls this summer. Between Playgroup, doctor's appointments, visiting teaching, and babysitting I've hardly had a day with a free morning. So I decided Thursday we were going somewhere, no matter what. Thursday morning did not start off well at all, but luckily Jo called early and said she was going to the farm with us, and suddenly I couldn't back out, even though I was ready to. It ended up being great weather, amazingly. I'd been all ready for the heat of the previous days. Elizabeth, at age 2yrs 3 months, has never been to a farm as a spectator (she was a little lump the only other time she's been) so it was fun. The kids enjoyed looking at all the animals. Then we let them ride the carousel and then the little train. They really enjoyed it all. We ended with a picnic and playing at the big playground (a truly nerve-wracking place for a parent with 3 children in 3 different places at all times!)

I'll post pictures later, but the greatest thing about it for me was the amazing thing which was: no whining kids. I am just accustomed to having every getting-out-the-door experience being the usual rush of packing the bags, the snacks or lunch, getting the kids dressed, finding hats, putting on sunscreen, filling water bottles....PLUS needing to say the enTIRE time: "Yes you have to go with us...No, I can't leave you here...It will be fun...We'll only be there a few hours...I'm sorry but you DO have to come....It will be okay..." To a certain young man who keeps saying the ENtire time "Do I HAVE to come? I'm NOT going!! It's BORING at the _____! I'm staying HOME! I want to play on my computer! I'm staying HERE!" etc. Not to mention the same conversation filling up most of the time while we are at whatever the activity is.
Aaaahhhh, THAT'S what I was looking forward to this summer. But I will say, I sure miss my boy, and I don't think I could be without him again for another summer!

Thomas' Camp Sunshine

Thomas continues to announce that he hates camp. He also continues to say that his day was "good" when I ask him. He swims Tues and Thurs, he has learned to miniature golf, and to frisbee golf, he went to Annapolis to the Harbor Queen, He goes Ice Skating weekly and is going around on his own now. His teachers play chess with him and withhold it for motivation, as he still says "I can't" and has a hard time wanting to participate in all the activities. He taught another student, Oscar, how to play it on Friday. I personally am impressed by the dedication the staff have to helping these kids. I'm meeting with the Occupational Therapist on Monday to get some ideas (she has a big body brush that Thomas loves (I don't know much about it, as getting info from Thomas is like pulling teeth!) Anyway, I'm proud of him: just the fact that he goes and tries, and rides the bus home, etc., all with very little trouble is neat to see.

Visit to Apu's Kwik-E-Mart (from the Simpson's)

Tom and Tyra went to the 7-11 that was turned into a Simpson's Kwik-e-mart today. There are only 11 in the country. One in Burbank, I'm guessing my brothers Ben and Micah will have been there by now! So I guess that makes us lucky that the one in the DC area is just down Kenilworth. I'll definitely have to make a stop by for a Squishee while it's still going this month.

Thomas' Turns 7

First thing when I woke up Thomas asked me to play 2 games of chess at once with him. Sort of like Bughouse only without partners. I ended up winning, but only because Thomas kept forgetting to put his pieces back on the board (only in Bughouse.) Then we made some Belgian waffles. Then Thomas was allowed to play around while Tyra helped us get ready. Tom spent a fun 3 hours at Home Depot while they looked for the kitchen cabinet that they had called twice this week to tell us it was in. They couldn't find it. Lucky for me he had Lily and Tyra with him, so I just kept going on the cake and stuff. Thomas chose everything about the party. He had Ellie Lambert and Dorian come and they played a long game of Trouble. Then KC and Emily came (with Emily's 2 nephews they were babysitting) with their ice cream maker and we made mint chocolate chip ice cream. It was great except for one thing. We used the peppermint oil LindaMom had given me in the place of peppermint extract. I'd been worried it wouldn't be enough as we only had about 1/2 what it called for, but boy was it EVer enough! I should have called LindaMom first to check it out, but things were so hectic at that point as everyone was here already, we just went ahead and added all we had...let's just say, that much mint oil can really wake you up and clear out your sinuses! It was still yummy, especially alongside the "Best Recipe" chocolate layer cake.
After outside play while we made the ice cream where Thomas played with his huge new frisbee and a huge soccer ball and hated the parachute we got from Costco....anyway, we went in and played K'Nex the rest of the time with Tom and Jerry playing in the background. All Thomas' favorite things. No organized party games for him!

I'm so happy that Thomas is doing so well lately. He has really matured a lot. He is really fun to be around. I always wonder how much is due to him just learning the skills he needs to cope and handle himself, how much he's just growing up, and how much is the training in first grade and all the extra helps he received from the special education department, and how much was parenting, etc. Well, it's nice to see him not get into panic mode nearly so often these days.

Well, I'm off to join the last half of Yoga With Dad.

I WANT 'MaLee!

My mom was in DC last weekend for a American Librarian Association Conference. She extended her ticket to leave on Thurs morning instead of Tuesday so she could come see us for a day and a half. I picked her up midday and we had fun trying to keep the girls happy at Bennigan's. We mostly talked and watched the kids play. When Thomas walked in from his summer camp and saw Gramma he said "When did YOU get here?!" The kids got to play on and around GrammaLee all night while she babysat and Tom and I went to dinner, blockbuster, and Trader Joe's. It felt so great to go out on a Tuesday night! The next day we dropped Tyra off at her Girl's Scout Camp and Thomas at his Camp Sunshine (at two different neighboring Elementary Schools) then my mom did laundry while she babysat the girls and I went to my last psychologist appointment. I don't know what my kids are going to think when they see their clothes actually FOLDED in their drawers! Well, when the kids realized Grandma would be leaving after dinner none of them were happy. Tyra said quite a few times "Why do we only GET you for ONE DAY?!?!" and such things. The next day, in spite of all the friends Elizabeth was around she kept saying forcefully "I WANT 'MALEE!!"

Achievement Days Girls Camp

Boy, this IS just like my old jourmals. I always get stopped when I need to write about a big event and don't have the "umph" for it. (It was usually a Christmas or other holiday) Then when I get the urge to write I sit down and realize that big event is not what I want to write about so I don't write anything. Silly, I know, but I have MANY journal entries that finally write the event in a nutshell or apologize (to whom? my future self reading? Like anyone reading could care!) So I loved Utah, have much to write and wonderful pictures to sort through and post, but not yet...

Tyra went to her Achievement Days camp last Wed, Thurs., Fri. She really seemed to enjoy herself. When she was trying to tell me about it Wed afternoon she said "It's like school and church and girl scouts all together!" Sister Beasy Sanders was the stake leader in charge and did a great job. I had worked with Beasy when I first moved into this ward 9 years ago in our ward's Ach. Days. Elizabeth is still in the crib that she lent me when Tyra was born. She's the one who threw Tyra's baby shower when we were so new in the ward. Now I'll let Tyra write a bit about it before I tell you how well she did in the program Fri evening after our potluck dinner:

We made a group name (CTR Superstars),motto (We work for what is good.), and cheer (C-T-R-Su-per-stars! Go - team!) We also made a flag. I made different things (journal, babysitters guide, and a prayer pillow) I wish it had lasted longer - it was only three days!


The skit they did for us was about the destruction of the newspaper office in Missouri when the two Rollins sisters saved the pages from the Book of Commandments then hid in a cornfield. Then when they all read what they thought they would be doing in the future Tyra said "I would be at BYU studying to be a scientist, maybe ocean scientist. Hopefully I can help the world. My mom is nuts that I'm grown up." Or something like that, it was longer.

It was just nice to have her rub shoulders with other Daughters of Faith in the area. I got the number of someone she'd like to have a playdate with. She had so much fun in Utah with the short contact she had with girls her age. She had Tom's cousin's daughter sleepover one night. And she was already friends with one of the neighbor girls by the time she saw her in primary.

Fun in Utah

We've been having such a fun time in Utah. We came in last Wednesday and have been having fun every day. I've been waiting to blog until we get home and I have my pictures, but I'd like to write some anyway. I'm going to do a little travel log for my own sake.
Wednesday: DadTom picks us up in the old blue wagon then drives home later in a new used SUV. GramaLee comes up to visit. Janine and Brian are already here with LindaMom and DadTom. Lily loves shopping with GramaLinda.
Thursday: I shop all afternoon with my mom, Tyra and Lily for summer stuff. I run into old Heritage Maeser Hall roommate Julia Johnson. We eat chinese for dinner, per Tyra's request and Lily eats with chopsticks for the first time, the entire time.
Friday: Me B&J do the Costco run for supplies for our trip to Capital Reef with my mom. Rob and Ang come in the evening and we get to see Ellie for the first time. She is super sweet, especially after 30 hours of traveling.
Saturday we finally got off for Capital Reef around noon. JandB followed us with Tyra and Lily. We stopped off for a pregnancy (Janine!) walking break. Somehow we missed an important turn right there and our 3 hour trip turned into 6 with EJ throwing up and Brian and Janine's car breaking down completely! I drove the 4 kids into Torrey where we were staying and DadTom went and picked up Tom with Brian and Janine and the car and took it back to the closest town and they didn't get in until after 9. I took the kids swimming cuz I'd promised but as we were all trying to fall asleep in our room (4 kids in the same room while it ought to be dark but I want light to read while I'm waiting for them to fall asleep, maybe you know how that goes?) I started to get a burning throat.
Sunday: We went to church in Torrey, the building was next to the Chuck Wagon motel we were staying in. Bigger ward than I'd imagined. (or maybe it just seemed big because it is such a tiny chapel. DadTom and Brian stayed with Tyra for the rest of church while the rest of us went back to switch rooms or sleep. Then we finally went in to Capital Reef. We did a fun hike (Capitol Gorge)to see some emply tanks that sometimes have water. Brian really banged his foot and ankle hard doing a jump from rock to rock. Elizabeth demanded the freedom to walk up the trail by herself loving the rocks and finding her way. DadTom had his hiking poles and coordinated the trip.
Monday:

Thomas' Two Teeth

Thomas lost one of his top front teeth last week. Then 2 days ago at dinner time he was eating his plain noodles and all of a sudden it looked like he had tomato sauce on part of the bite that came back on his fork. Well, Tyra and I screamed and screeched watching him dangle his second top front tooth around by a tiny bloody bit. I was about to yank it when Tom came in and said not to because it might be held on by too much skin and could really hurt. (Apparently the one time he remembers getting a tooth pulled that was the case. For me it seems like most of my teeth were pulled by my dad and I could never believe he actually pulled it out until I saw it because I couldn't feel it come out.) But before a few more screech-y minutes were past the tooth was out, and our Thomas is now classic kid ready to sing "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth". I'll post a photo soon, just wanted to write it before I forgot. He sure is so so so so cute!!

It's a strange feeling I get ALL the time with ALL my children. I am constantly amazed at how old, big, and mature they are while being amazed at how young, small, and immature they are! It is an amazing thing to be a kid, and I love watching that ever changing thing called Childhood!

Ticks and Picnics

Well, I am starting to put more than one tick per baggie, but this is getting ridiculous! I have been pulling ticks off our children (and Tom got one off my shoulder) ever since the weather got warm enough to start eating outside. So far, no big bull's-eye rash, but it's hard to pull ticks off of both "the girls" and then see them get runny noses and fevers shortly thereafter. I'm freaking out that I'll miss the signs of Lyme disease. But I'm trying to be vigilant! This is coming up because we just went to Petapsco State Park for Tom's yearly work picnic and Lily had her second tick in 2 days eating her upper thigh!

Besides that though, the picnic was fun, as usual. There is a little playground nearby, and as more and more of Tom's co-workers have kids it becomes a busy social place. It's fun to see the updates of people's lives I only see yearly. It's fun to eat good food outdoors :) This year one of the interns brought along his fire-juggling set, and that was interesting! But the girls favorite part was not the food, the playground, or the juggling. It was the stream, and throwing rocks into it for almost an hour straight.

So, while I hate ticks (and poison ivy, and humidity, etc) I love what comes with it, the beauty of nature, of picnics in places where the grass is just cut undergrowth and it's all so green and growing. I love, love, LOVE, the aesthetic of my children surrounded by (somehow dwarfed and magnified at the same time) the great green outdoors.

Thomas' spelling assignment

Thomas has to practice his spelling words then make up a sentence for each one. I thought I'd post his latest --and probably last--assignment (it has little to do with the fact that it contains my best compliment ever...I had to check with him and make sure that he didn't ask for any help from the teacher in making them up.)

1. What is the deepest ocean in the world?
2. Juan can run faster than me.
3. My shoes are newer than my shirt.
4. Can Marvin, Faith, or Brice jump the highest?
5. My parents are richer than me.
6. Is a blanket, a pillow, or a mattress the warmest?
7.I can jump over there.
8.Where is Geovany's house?
9. I eat dinner after I go to school.
10. I love my mother.
11. I think my mother is the kindest person in the world.
12. A mouse is smaller than an elephant.

Can Sand+Water Make Up for No Beach?

Lily has been whining for me to take her to the beach for a couple of months now. Well, maybe for about 9 months, about how long we've been home from La Jolla, California. Usually when we had snow she'd ask. But also whenever she was hot. Or pretty much whenever she remembered. So she's already had out the old wading pool, long before I would say it's hot enough. And the kids were having fun in the sandbox a few days ago digging a hole to the bottom and then burying each other. The picture is when Lil had just jumped out of it and they were starting in on Ellie Lambert. I sure hope Sandy Point Beach on the Chesapeake Bay is not full of jellyfish like the last few times I've gone, because at 30-40 minutes away, it's the closest thing we have to a beach. But who knows, maybe with our new (to us) minivan and staying home most of the summer we'll venture out to the atlantic 2-4 hours away more!? It's a definite possibility with Thomas' on board with the idea. He was spotlighted in primary this week and for the question "Where is your favorite place to go?" Tom and I first wrote down "home" because he usually balks at ANY type of outing and screeches that he doesn't want to go. But when I asked him how he would answer he quickly said "The beach! So I can dig big holes and fill them up with water" We all know how therapeutic the beach can be and I could go on and on about it, but instead I'll make a list for myself without beating out the complete thoughts.
WHY WE LOVE THE BEACH;
earth, wind, fire, and water
deep pressure touch (getting buried in sand, pushing and pulling it around)
to create something from nothing (a swimming pool for your sisters, a castle, etc)
to work and sweat (against the sand, against the waves)
to relax and meditate (a little harder when your watching 4 kids all over the place, but still possible from a sitting position for short bits of time!)
to "commune with nature"
to be with family and friends with nothing else to do, no way to get much else done. Close to camping in this regard
--as with most my posts I will not edit or really finish because someone's pulling me off and I just give up, but I know there was more...

Sad Father's Night

What a great Mother's Day! Thomas never did say that phrase though, he just kept saying Sad Father's Night:) Tyra has been full of secrets for over a week. On Friday night Tom and Thomas went camping on the Stake Father's and Son's Outing. When I suggested that all we girls could do a craft Tyra remembered something she'd been working on and shooed me out of the kitchen with instructions not to look. All day Saturday she kept mentioning exactly how MANY presents she had made for me, with little hints about them. I didn't think she'd make it through without giving them to me, but she just had me look at the cover of one and then listed what the others were in general terms (one is a card, one is a magnet, one is a poster, etc.) It was killing her! So after church on Sunday (and a VERY nice talk about how mother's aren't perfect but motherhood is awfully close to the mission of our Savior) I was able to sit down and enjoy so many amazing gifts from my talented kids. Tom gave me a book for recognizing bird songs (from Costco, very cool.) Tyra found a wonderfully smelly rose on the side of our house (I'd forgotten we even had that rose bush!) Anyway, I just love these kids and this man. I am probably the luckiest Mother around!!

Yoga Kids (or Anything Dad Can Do We Can Do Better)

Tyra in bound full lotus
the kids think it's fun to "levitate" in lotus
Tom can stay like this for quite a while!
the "if you can only do one pose it should be..." downward dog
and cobra, it's a nice stretch
Tom has had an interest in yoga since before we were married. We checked out a book of basic poses to do while still in Utah. Then he encouraged me to take a class here in Berwyn Heights. We've followed an instructional video and learned things from his mom and sister Janine. But for the last few years Tom has really become more serious about it thanks to his co-worker, friend, and instructor, Suneel. Suneel is a devoted yogi, he even goes back to India to be instructed by the most famous Iyengar yearly. And he's vegetarian. (Tom keeps hoping we'll go vegetarian, but not all recipes translate well into tofu, and sometimes I need to make my fall-back recipes. I am, however getting more and more vegetarian meals into my fall-back repertoire. Please send me any you have that deserve "fall-back" recipe status!) Well, as any of you with kids already know, whatever dad does is cool be it math or be it yoga (maybe for your kids it's baseball and physics, you know what I mean though...) So here they are enjoying quality Dad time. It's a nice bonus that they can do tricks (like Tyra in her bound full lotus pose) that even Dad can't do! I'll have to add it later, but Elizabeth is absolutely darling doing her downward dog pose!

Tyra's Trip to the Baltimore Aquarium

When I (Tyra) went to the Baltimore Aquarium, I saw: birds, marmosets, and golden lion tamarins (jungle ecosystem) frogs, dolphins (separate), all different types of fish, sharks, stingrays, coral and sea anemones. Whenever I saw anything I wanted to take a picture and near the end of the field trip I was afraid the camera would run out of batteries! Here are some pictures I took while having fun at the aquarium!

Whom I would cast as Edward Cullen :)

I've been reading up on Stephenie Meyer's Twilight in preparation for our bookgroup tonight. On her website she has all of her own top picks in casting should the book actually be made into a movie. So after looking through those, I then uploaded the current pictures from my camera into Picasa just as regular maintenance and saw the photo I shot of Tom as he walked in the door after work on Tues. I'll revise this with more info if he tells me I can (though it's not classified or he wouldn't have told me, it may not be prudent to post who he was briefing down on Capitol Hill...)
Anyway, reading Twilight is a good reminder of the gut feelings we had and still sometimes get to have. Like when Tom walked in on Tues. after I was done admiring I made him stop and wait for the camera...) We don't get as many times, because the surprise element is often hard to come by. But I still remember teaching 1st grade and when Tom showed up at the door, unexpectedly 30 minutes before class was over I was pretty much just like Bella, and my hands started to shake and I was smiling and trying to breathe while I finished my story to the class with him watching me, ordinary me. I love getting a chance to see Tom in surprise or new settings. The animal instinct of attraction is there, then the more you learn about this fascinating person the more you can't imagine being without him, no matter how hard it might sometimes be, because "he's even more unbelievable behind the face." (pg. 204)
So MY favorite pick for casting Edward Cullen would have to be Thomas Gordon Draper :)

Elizabeth Jane is 2 and 2 cute!

Tues was EJ's 2nd birthday. She woke up to the kids saying happy birthday and giving her the cards they made for her. Tyra drew a great killer whale on hers and Eeej just loved it. She also said "oooh, pretty!" When she looked at the great lines that Lily and drawn on her card. It was playgroup day, so we took some cookies to share with the friends at the Fairlands Park. The moms helped round up the kids for a picture and a round of Happy Birthday to You. (Note: it really helps get the kids to come if you mention the cookie part of it, not that it's to take a picture!)

Then while Beth was napping Lily and I desperately tried to make a whale cake, make some casseroles and clean the house and yard before some friends came for dinner. It was just Johnny and Auden, both born very near EJ's birthday, and their families, along with family friends KC and Emily and Jimmy (his wife Mia and baby Amberly had to stay home.) Well, I didn't finish any one of the things we tried to do: the house was still a mess, the patio not cleaned up, the dinner not complete, and the cake not completely frosted. Good thing Elizabeth is young enough to just enjoy the fun, and really, with perfect weather the picnic party was enjoyable!