Just Me!!

Ethan and Charlie were off to school, Val was on her way to the Monroe fairgrounds so it was a perfect day to catch some geocaching time with just Markverse. We had a difficult time relaxing but we eventually let go of frustrations, and of course my expectations and just chilled out. We Geocached Dawson Park because I have tried several times for that cache without any luck. Tacoma was next, then schusterpark way, and then the final one was a revisit so I could drop a geocaching trackable at my favorite cache in Wapato Park.  Charlie's piano lessons was a complete fail because I thought it was at Ted Brown and it wasn't. Sometimes her instructor and I have hard time communicating. Instead of a piano lesson we went over to Black Bear and got a BOGO ice cream to drown our sorrows over missing the lesson. Note to self: ask sister if she is done with the piano. We need a really one soon! I am now hanging out at home watching Charlie play Mindcraft for 30 minutes of screen time. I a...

The first day of school started out very rocky! Charlie was cranky and didn't want a picture taken. For her first day she went to school with mom upset,her eyes red from being angry and teary eyed all because of a school picture! Crazy girl. After I got her to school, I had time to cook breakfast for the Wegley's and relax a bit with Val and Ethan. Ethan had a late start until 1215p. I made quiche, sausage, and Mark got us fruit. We hung out, made them take the personality test, and chatted with the kids. It was fun. After that I took my last Ativan because I have been hyper stressed and went to work on Charlie's Schuletute. My themes was going to be an ice cream cone but then I remembered her teacher was a bee keeper so I thought it fitting to use that theme. The gifts inside all revolved around hygenine and improving herself. So she got: Hair tie Multiplication cards Division cards Wild strawberry Toms Toothpaste Fiber gummies A stuff miniature bee called "flowers...

Everyday is like this- a list of "get it dones" to do. Today's top list was an attempt at a FTF (first to find) geocache. It was published by 10am and I was there by 1120am searching. Unfortunately it was at Wildwood so I had to drive a ways for it. I was unsuccessful in being the first but I was the 2nd. After Ethan and I signed the log we stayed and chatted with Team Finn, RWA, and 2nd1of3 (log names). We left feeling defeated but we met new people so it was okay and not a total waste. Ethan and I stopped at The Outlet Collection for a couple pairs of jeans and two shirts. 2nd to do done! Next was Physicals, and well child exams. Everyone passed with flying colors.  Charlie is 4'6.5, Ethan is 5'6, and Val 5'1. We talked about screen time, girlfriends and mental health, acne, bowel issues, immunization and diet. Everyone was on board. It was quick! Healthy smoothies after and then back to home to get ready for tomorrow!

Goofy expressions are the best Mr Elery Are you seriously taking pictures?!!! Lexie, Charlie, Sreypich Welcome Back Hawks!!! Paul Eun's It's not about the $$ 's that I am all excited about, it's about the principal. The principal being that we should teach, which I am focusing more on at home, the importance and value of items. Like your mother used to say when trying to get a child to eat their food, "there's starving children in Africa." Kids in Africa are starving, and a pencil to a child there is a precious gift. They use it until it is unable to write. One pencil can take a African child through a whole year of writing. Now I know that some kids in my daughter's school can't afford one, although I think we have no clue what poverty truly is (do you live in huts, sleep on the floors, and cook over a stone fireplace apart from a weekend of camping?) but to supply 100 pencils for a year is still considerabley rediculous. My hope this year is that...

I love it when my guys get to hang out. Fortunately Ethan has had a lot of time with his dad because of their love of sports. Ethan has chosen soccer as his sport to play but he also loves watching nearly every other sport out there. RSA Soccer has started out rough for the team. After their first pratice the coach left, then they got an interim coach, and now a new one who is working with the interim to strengthen the boys. They have added a strengthening day to the calendar every week and are suppose to be sending us a diet for the boys that will help strengthen their muscles. Ethan is doing awesome! I never see him pausing during exercises or stopping in the middle of a run. He has stamina, and that doesn't just come from being skinny, it comes from determination. I've never realized this before about him. He is very intentional and dedicated. I hope and pray for that to transfer into his AP courses this year. I also pray for a good friend at Franklin Pierce for him this yea...

I had the priveledge of hanging out with this cute girl for about a week and a half while her mom went to Africa. It was a true blessing. She is polite and sweet and always excited to do whatever we chose to do. She actually ate what I fed her (much different from Charlie), obeyed, helped do chores, and kept her cousin happy and occupied! My sister even brought me a charm from Amsterdam as a Thank you gift but truly I should've given her one!! I absolutely love this kiddo!!! Spent some time with Valerie painting rocks. We had so much fun and hope to do this again soon!

56 days gone, 62 buttons later, too many new friends to count, and one heart that has been changed forever!!! I am so happy to have her back from "The Best Summer of My Life!" Camp. She has changed in ways she will probably never tell me and is ready to conquer the world! Her next project is dog sitting from Friday the 18th to the 27th. I have no doubt that Ginger and Leo will love her!!! I'm not sure about her job plans for the future but there are plenty of options to chose from. Today we learned about Para educating jobs, IKEA warehouse jobs, Maris Farms temporary jobs as a few options! I'm a tad sad that everyone is showing pictures of their kids at College, and decorated dorm rooms but I can't tell you how proud I am that she is being financially responsible with her future. She said, "mom, don't worry (I do this a lot) I will have plenty of time to live in a dorm room and I won't be in debt when I do it." So I'm going to show you my dau...

Charlie searching and finding two geocaches! She is the geo super hero!!!  My week off was sort of a lazy one. We did buy Valerie Blue (her car) and run back and forth to Carnation but that was the extent of it. Mark had a ton of grading to do so we just kept our heads down and muddled through the week. Of course until I felt like a horrible mom for not doing things for them and with them. I love doing things with them so I planned a day where after I took Charlie to piano on Wednesday we geo cached (because Charlie can always finds the stash), went to Stewart Heights Pool, and then to see Wonder Woman at the Auburn Mall. It was a perfect busy end (I like busy) to my week off.  Val had a great week her campers were 6-9th graders. She opted to stay at the camp this past weekend and float the river, stay at Izzy's house (my honorary 3rd daughter), and hang out since this is the final week at camp! It is Halfway through their week at camp so I'm praying for all of them as they ge...