4th grade overnight field trip

Eirik came home from school so excited today. Tomorrow is the 4th grade overnight field trip. He loves camping, loves packing gear, loves adventure and this one includes a campfire and all his friends. In addition, they will be doing a barn dance called the Virginia Reel (a square dance) where he will dance with girls!  His extra time grooming tonight, including the dreaded clipping of his nails, clues me in that it's a pretty big deal.  He was excited to show me all the moves to the dance today and practice with me in the back alley after school. I love to square dance. He's got my number.

Juni Feb 2016

Today Juni courageously climbed the climbing wall structure at the park.  As she stood triumphantly at the top Teig said, "Can you get her down from here? She's freakin' me out!" Juni said, "I not scared, (kared). I not kared of anyfing!" She flexed her muscles and made a fierce tiger face to go with her growl.

Juni's "spirit animal" is a pink dragon.
 I fell asleep reading to Juni. It was quiet 10 min. later when I woke up and I knew I was in trouble. I heard her coming up the stairs. When she appeared in the doorway she looked like she sparkled all over. Upon further investigation, I discovered she had found the container of brown sugar far too appealing to leave alone. She dumped it all out by the handfuls on the ground, then laid down in it, got it in her hair and tracked it through the whole house! 

Juni is obsessed with lipstick. I have to put all my make up and and nail polish in the top of my closet or she is sure to take it to a closet or behind a chair and play with it. Paul bought her bright pink lipstick as a bribe. She hid in the closet and drew all over the walls and her arms and face with it. When she got a long time out she said, "I pomise, I never do dat again.! I pomis!" Like a sucker, I gave her another chance the next day only to find it all over my sheets, her sheets, and the bean bag.

If she is doing something sneaky she will be hiding. I say, "Juni, what cha doing'? or "what do you have?" She'll look at me suspiciously and say, "shhh..." with her little fingers over her lips. She hid in Teigs closet and drew a whole detailed blue and green scribble mural on the wall. . It's hard to be mad when I love drawing on the walls too, and I love lipstick too.

Cousin Emily was in my care. We were getting ready for Grandma Law's funeral. I had Juni and Teig and Emily.  Amy had the other kids and were going to meet there.  As I was getting shoes on kids, Emily came out with a large, bright pink streak in her bangs. It looked awesome, but I knew Amy would not like it if I left it. I learned she did it with hot pink chalk. Juni had bean carrying it around all weekend eating a little in between using it as lipstick. We washed it out. (It almost all came out. I was sort of sad to see it go). Amy still noticed and was not happy!

I bought Juni a pack of squeezy fruit and gave it to Juni to eat on the way home from the grocery store. She ate some, then looked at me and said, Look mom, I spill it." then she proceeded to squeeze it out onto the floor of the car, her lap and hands, then smear it. Of course I grabbed it and scolded her. She said, "make me happy." I said, "Does it make you happy to make mommy upset." she said, "Uh huh."

Every time you give Juni a carrot or an apple with skin, she bites it, chews it and spits it out until she's surrounded by small bits of carrot or skin all around her.

Famous phrase, "I not do it anymore!"
She says "anymore" in almost all sentences.
She absolutely refuses to wear socks. She loves long hot showers. If she falls, she quickly looks around and says loudly, "I OK!"

After I took Juni's lipstick away again, she found me and said, "Daddy bought me new lipstick and you don't take it! I share with you, but you don't take it! It not yours! I share but it mine. OK?!! And you don't take it!" All the while this little girl is wagging her little finger at me with a stern look on her intense face!

Juni laboriously pushed her rocking chair all the way from her room to my closet. It wasn't high enough, so she got a stool. Again, not high enough, so she came to find me outside to ask me this question: "You please get my lipstick? I use just dab dab dab, witto bit.  It's super high. I can't get it. You help me?" I looked into her darling little eyes and trusted her when she said, "I keep it safe in my drawer." A few minutes later she went outside with Paul and the boys to play basketball.  It wasn't more than 5 minutes before Paul came in to get rags and soap to scrub a mural of hot pink lipstick off the neighbors garage door.


This week Juni drew with lipstick on our windows, pencil and pink crayon on the walls and cabinets and Joren's art. Pencil all over the walls.
She dumped all the marshmallows on the ground, ate all of Teig's valentine candy, clicked on Animal Jam and somehow bought a bunch of animals, smeared conditioner all over the shower walls and all surrounding areas and demolished a granola bar and then rolled in it at Paul's office in the lobby. 
She loves to draw circles around her eyes with pink marker. She says it's her kitty cat face. 

She puts her drink in her food at every meal. She unwrapped string and strung herself up in it all over her wrists and neck. Good think I found her before she turned blue. 

Her favorite foods are: Hot gogs, pizza, cottage cheese, and apple juice.  She also loves the show Octonots. She loves her puppy Roxy.

She is terrified of riding in the cart at the grocery store from a time when Joren jumped on the side and tipped the cart. She is also too scared to ride in a bike seat. She says, "you ride, I walk!"

She hates to sit in her chair and is always climbing on the table. She refuses all food and magically finds sweets anywhere they are hidden. She loves to sneak my phone while I'm asleep. I put a password on it and she now says, "Why you have password! I not know it! I need grown up phone. My phone not have games!"

Roxy joins the family

I went to the pet store on Eirik's birthday for crickets for Joren's gecko. Paul and I knew that more than anything Eirik wanted a dog for his birthday. I knew I was not ready, but Paul and I had talked about it and had decided that we would open ourselves to the idea. Teig asked me to go to Critter Cabana for crickets instead of where I normally go. I don't know how he got that idea, and I don't know why I agreed, but as soon as I walked in and saw the cutest puppy I had ever seen, I wondered immediately if unseen forces were at work.  I know Eirik has been praying for a dog for years. What are the chances that I would find the only dog I have ever seen that might steal my heart on his 10th birthday. She fit all our criteria so we went back that night as a surprise to pick her up. I will never forget the joy and excitement in Eirik's eyes when he saw that our name was written on the hold sign.  He hugged me for 10 minutes and said "thank you about 50 times." 
She is a delightful puppy. It took Eirik about 10 seconds to name her Roxy and we all agreed.  Welcome to the family Roxy.

feast your eyes

"Make sure you just drop my pants outside the door and look away. Don't feast your eyes when I open the door! Promise?"  Teig

Spring Break 2016

Highlights:

We drove south through the redwoods to San Fransisco and then on to a resort "The Majestic" in Yosemite valley, and back home through Bend.

Paul: I thought the kids did amazing in the car. It was great that Grandparents showed up and added a new dynamic right at the right time. I thought Stout Grove and coming into Yosemite Valley were amazing. Tunnel view was awesome.

Eirik: I'll remember that I bought a hatchet kit, and that Grandma and Grandpa gave me a survival knife for my birthday. I saw elk and a coyote up close and a bald eagle. I loved the candy shops like Powell's and seeing Zootopia.  I liked the hikes with Grandma and Grandpa and Easter and seeing Alcatraz.  It was fun when Jake and I slept in the small room next to each other on the floor and got up for a sunrise hike to the river by ourselves.

Joren: I liked getting Sprite when we stopped at gas stations. I liked being on the ferry boat out around Alcatraz and the hike in the redwoods. I loved Zootopia and riding the trolley.  I did not like being sick the whole trip.

Teig: I did not like when dad spanked me. I liked the boat ride and riding the trolley.  Easter was fun.

Juni: pink eggs, blue eggs, unicorns, baskets, Easter bunny, lipstick, me.  Juni got scared after being in the car for so many hours and started insisting that someone hold her hand or hold her on their lap.  I let her get out of her car seat for the slow drives around Yosemite.  That was her favorite part of the trip. "Hold my hand, I scared."

Mom: I loved seeing the Golden Gate bridge and the museum next to the Argonaut hotel that tells about the history of San Fransisco. It was very inspiring! I loved celebrating my birthday with my favorite guy in San Fran. I loved the rolling green hills under bright blue skies dotted with trees near Manteca, CA on the way to the breathtaking Yosemite valley. I loved laying in the meadow near swinging bridge, under El Capitan in the sun while the kids played and painted. We all did art in the Yosemite art center for an hour. I loved seeing them bent over their work. Juni did a nice drawing and then somehow found some masking tape and hung her painting on the wall near the other gallery pieces. She was so proud.  I was too! I loved the gorgeous lobby of The Majestic.  Paul stayed with the kids one night while I sat in the lobby and painted and drew until midnight. The huge ceilings, dark beams, wall sized fireplaces, iron chandeliers and Indian baskets and rugs made it both grand and cozy and exciting. It was a stunning place to be. I loved the night hike with the kids around the resort in the full moon. The kids were delightful and we all grew closer together.  It was a great success with loads of good memories.

Miss Mess

 Juni is a handful!  The boys have nicknamed her Master Mess Maker or Miss Mess for short.  Eirik did a superhero drawing of her as Miss Mess.     She loves to open and dump. Open and dump.  I think it's her motto.  She truly the cutest thing ever, but I will admit, I love when she sleeps and I can get a break from her mess making.  The other morning, I had to lay down by her in the middle of the night when she woke up to get her back to sleep. (Heaven forbid I let her wander in the middle of the night while I sleep. I can only imagine what she might do.) Anyway, I woke in her bed next to her in the morning to the soothing sounds of her saying, "Good Morning, I go make mess."

Some of her better messes:
1. chapstick twisted out, squished and smeared all over her carseat and clothes.
2. My make-up all over the back of the leather chair
    My make up all over her. 
3. Lipstick drawing all over the neighbors white garage door
4. lipstick all over  the windows
(noticing a theme)
5. pink marker on walls, doors, window sills, face, arms, hands, clothes .... everywhere
6. Repeated kitty cat face drawings with marker on her face
7. applesauce squeeze pouch squished, (on purpose) all over the floor of the car. When she did this, I asked, "why did you sqeeze that out?" She said, "it make me happy." I said, "does it make you happy to make mommy upset?" She firmly said, "yes."
8. Hair conditioner smeared all over the bathroom
9. pen on the walls at the beach house
10. pink lipstick drawn on her stuffed animals and dolls.
11. I caught her seconds before she decorated the white linen couch with green sharpie.
12. I won't even go into the mealtime messes. Let's just say that there is always food in her cups, she loves to squeeze everything and if it smears, it will be smeared. She's efficient.

I did think that having a girl would perhaps be less messy than having a boy, but that is not true. It's a good thing she is so super cute.

FEARLESS JUNI

One day Eirik was telling the siblings about snowboarding. He said, "It's super dangerous!" Juni immediately said, "I not cared (scared). Member I ride horse. It fun!" 

At the bounce house I helped Juni climb up some steep tricky bouncy stairs.  At the top Juni flexed her little 2 year old muscles and growled as loud as she could and said, "I mommy dinosaur!"

Juni likes to say, "no thank you. I say NO THANK you!" I wonder where she gets that. She also says, "See, I told you dat."

She has started looking at me with an accusatory scornful face and saying, "MOoom, Youuu!"
It is killer cute when she says, "my name Juneeper Oneroo, what's yours name?"

Worst Enemy

"Do you know what my worst enemy is? A blank piece of paper. I can't stand it! If I see one, I instantly want to draw." Joren

Sleepwalker

One of my kids sleepwalks.  One night I woke up to the sounds of water spilling in my closet.  I found a very disoriented boy peeing on the back of the door.

Juni at 2 1/2 years old

Oh the sweetness, the sticky sugary adorableness wraps around my little finger and melts my heart.  Juni could charm anyone with her little voice and huge bright blue eyes and fluffy angel hair. Her itty bitty body is perfection in it's bubbly cheerful enthusiasm. She is snuggly, she strokes my face and says, "mommy, i missed you." She says, "I wove you so much mommy." When I do things for her she says, "of fank you fank you mommy." When I ask her what the magic word is she says, "um.. pink." When she says her name, "Jewiper" it is cute beyond description. She wants to see herself in the mirror and when she does she says, "Ta Da!" If someone gets hurt or is sad she is the first to be there with a hug and kiss, especially if it is Teig.
When I ask her why she did something she says, "because mommy no." Imagine pure angelic innocence and that is Juni, but a while ago she was introduced to a little tempter sitting on her shoulder telling her of her independence. She has decided she will get her way. She will not be told no and she will hold out till the bitter end.  Juni wants to wear swimsuits, (pronounced "wissoot:" only. She will refuse any other clothes. This began back in March when we swam for spring break at the pool at the hotel. Since then she has also been obsessed with goggles and often won't leave home without them.  If I persuade her or manage to wrangle her into other clothes besides swimsuits, she will hide under the table, take them off and put on her swimsuit- often backwards and inside out.  Juni loves to color, but only with markers, and mostly on walls, doors, our wood floor or herself. In one photo here, she is covered in marker, but that is not a one time event. In fact, she will hide anywhere she can if she is able to locate my make-up bag and "do her make-up." I think she uses markers  as make up as well. One time she put maskara on pretty well without a mirror! She hates to let me do her hair, but if I finally do get her hair done, she will run around showing everyone her pigtails very proud. Juni does not like crayons except to eat or take the wrappers off of. Without fail, she will locate all the pink and purple markers or crayons and carry them with her until I snag them back and hide them again. Then when she cries to paint or draw I am such a huge sucker for anyone that wants to make art, I'll bend over backward to let her be creative.
One of her favorite ways to be creative is with her food. Granted, because I am not strict enough with her, the problem is worse, but the girl loves to smear, smash, squish and mash everything I give her. I won't tolerate the throwing, but I usually don't reprimand the messes besides to say, "yucky Juni, keep your food on your plate, use your napkin etc. We also wrote a family song called "Don't squeeze the cheese, because it's one of the messiest things she does. She can turn a cheese stick into a painted countertop in 3 minutes. I have said for about a year that she is talented at changing the form of her meal into something unrecognizable while putting absolutely none of it in her mouth.  She is hard to feed.  Lately she will eat cottage cheese, pizza, quesadillas, mandarin oranges, peaches, raisins chicken nuggets and hot dogs. Pretty much anything else is bound to fail and be everywhere.  When I ask her what she wants for breakfast it is always , "hot gog."  When I say no, she will refuse anything else and then wait until I'm not looking, open the fridge, grab a hot dog out of the package in the bottom drawer and eat it cold. (GROSS)!  She loves cookie dough and actually calls all cookies, cookie dough. This photo is of Teig and Juni sneaking some cookie dough off the counter. Teig and Juni are best little buddies. They miss each other when Teig goes to preschool. They give each other cute little hugs and kisses. Teig is extremely rough with Juni, but Juni is super tough. She doesn't typically fight back but she definitely won't put up with mistreatment and she stands her ground. With three brothers she has learned to stick up for herself and be a strong woman. There is nothing shy about Juni.

 She has a wonderful little friend named Lydia.  They are so cute together. Last year Lydia's mom, Rachel watched Juni and Teig for me for 4 hours once a week for almost 4 months. It was a huge service to me and I will be grateful forever to her. I got to go to art class during that time, and Juni and Lydia have become great friends. One day last month I was bringing Lydia to our house and she said, "Juni, you say words now??" Juni exclaimed, "Yes!" in the most excited voice. It was adorable.

Juni loves her sunglasses and calls them "gassy". If she experiences ANY sun in her eyes, she is immediately calling for her "gassys". Starting when school started, Juni needed her own backpack to be like her brothers. I love to see what she packs in her backpack. She is seldom without a phone, a swimsuit, a pink stuffed animal of some kind, and her "gassys". 

When the boys went to Disneyland they felt bad that Juni stayed home. They picked out an Elsa dress, tiara, wand and gloves for her to wear. When they got home, they all surrounded Juni (including uncle Michael and Uncle Dave) and watched and videotaped a very ceremonious, queenly presentation of the gifts accompanied by the "let it go" soundtrack. Juni was very somber and queenly as she carefully put all the items on and then spun lovely circles around the room showing off her new attire. It was incredible.

We had a rough morning this morning.  After refusing breakfast but spilling her fruit drink and making pictures in it with her fingers, she got into the markers and Paul's hair gel before 9 when I accidentally fell asleep on the couch after reading to them. I dressed her a few times, but she undressed each time. I ended up taking her to drop off Teig at preschool in her swimsuit a coat and her boots.  She sheds her shoes the minute I fight her into her carseat each time, so this time I insisted that she pick up her boots before I carry her in. She put up a major fight. I decided that since I had time, I would let her know she would not win every time she had a tantrum. I stood my ground and waited until she picked up her boots for me to carry her in. She stood her ground and refused. Finally I sat down to wait, then she sat down to wait and then she fell right asleep. HA, Kids win anyway. I carried her in, asleep without her boots.  What a girl.

DISNEYLAND- "KIDS WIN!"

Paul took the boys to Disneyland! He invited Jeanette, Jake and cousin Dave.  There were 3 adults and 4 kids so the theme of the trip was, "Kids win!" because whenever there was a vote, adults were outvoted.

Teig was so excited he could ride all the rides except space mtn, splash mtn and matterhorn.  Robot yeti - it was awesome. I covered my eyes teh whole time. Space mountain had a ghost theme for Halloween and was pretty scary. Paul was a little worried about how he would like the bigger rides. He would look over at Teig at the end of the ride and ask how he liked it.  Teig would slowly lift his little head and in his little 5 year old voice he would yell, "Best ride ever!" (one time he said, "Dad covered my eyes the whole time.")

Paul loved that they left early Thursday morning from Portland and by 11 or 11:30 he was eating a turkey leg in Disneyland. He loved the seamless, stress free travel with the shuttle and close hotel. He loved the snacks left and right and how easy Disneyland makes it to focus on the kids because all the work is done for you.  He also loved the all-you-can-eat country western. He said the best part is when it starts to get dark.

Joren's favorite rides were California Screamin' and tower of terror. "I went on it and it was so crazy!" he said.  He also commented on three days of walking, "I learned a new type of pain.. Foot ache" 

Eirik's favorites were 1. space mtn, 2. soarin' over CA, 3. Matterhorn 4. Big Thunder 5. Splash Mountain.  He also commented that  he will NOT go on California screamin' or Tower of Terror.

Teig loved it all, but his very favorite was swimming with Dad.  On the way up to the hotel room, Teig said after riding the Tower of Terror earlier that day, "So this is what a normal elevator feels like."

Dave's favorite thing was the turkey leg which he carried around for a few hours. He took it on splash mountain and pretended to be eating it in the photo. 

Dave and Paul got stuck on CA screamin'! They had to be rescued and taken out the back exit.  They got two fast passes to Cars out of it though so they said it was worth it.

Early Christmas lists

Joren has given me 4 Christmas lists so far this year, and it is still before Halloween!  I wish I had this kind of imagination.

Wheelees (shoes with wheels like you wanted to buy before)
remote control helicopter
3-DS
stuffed animal tiger
Bearded Dragon
Sword
Glider I can ride on
cauldron for mixing potions
pet owl
pet turtle
potion bottles (18)
ingredients box
replica of an elephant tusk
jigonotosaurus tooth
t-rex tooth
spinosaurus claw
nike fuel band black
candle
great white tooth
replica of a narwhal tusk
spending time with my mom
black candle
sword
pick axe
mountain bike with racing stripes and kick stand
Madagascar or giant day gecko
green fuel band
awesome tennis shoes
racing bike
leather finger-less gloves

The spelling and the drawings really are the best part! 

Try a Triathalon in Bend!

Saturday- drive to Bend, wade/ swim in river by all the people tubing, hotel, swim in pool, dinner at Jacksons corner  This place is incredible!! We all barely talked. We loved the food so much. The setting was super cool. I want to live there.  Late night run around hotel, hot chocolate in lobby, AC somehow got unplugged, Dave fixed it at 11:30! Hero of the night! Phew, we finally did get some sleep (even if I did have to share a full size bed with 3 kids! (squish).
Sunday- 6:00 AM guys left for Triathalon. Kids and I got ready and checked out and got ready to be super awesome support family to Dave and Paul. Dave and Paul kicked butt at the triathalon. Rest and nourishment at Jimmy Johns. Kids did an obstacle course at 12, ice cream and medals then to Juniper the water park for a long afternoon of swimming! Joren and I went off the rope swing and I swam my first 400 meter.. Yee haw! Drive home with fun stop in Sisters for dinner at Los Agavas for dinner. Bacon wrapped chilli rellanos. Yum! 
Great Weekend!! Let's do it again next year! 

Friend levels

"Daniel just unlocked a new level on my friend list. And so did Juni because of her cuteness. Juni, you're the best. I'll share Scratchclaw with you."

Teig

(Scratchclaw is Teig's invisible raptor friend.)

4th of July!

An absolutely perfect day. We were all superheroes in the Rockaway parade then spent hours and hours on the beach building sand castles. Hot dogs and s'mores on the beach and then 5 million fireworks and glow sticks and singing around the fire. We ended the day with baths and pizza and movies for the adults. A day I did not want to see end.

Family Renuion 2015

Family Reunion highlights

Melody's top 10
1. Ben and Paul stage fighting dressed as superheros in the Rockaway Beach 4th of July parade.

2. Juni in her wonder woman costume

3. building sandcastles for hours and hours with all the cousins in perfect weather

4. decorating the float

5. making feathers for our beach house craft

6. Zach and Arinn's amazing tacos.

7. Fireworks and ukulele playing on the beach around the campfire

8. Letting off lanterns into the sky at night

9. At the fireworks on the beach, Joren took Juni's hand and helped her sit down next to him in the sand to watch. I was behind and got to watch him put his arm around her and tell her about the fireworks while he shared his blanket.  Later that night I took Teig and Juni up to the house before the end of the fireworks to go to bed. They carried their new flashlights and glowsticks with them. I bathed them to get off all the sand and we laughed and sang songs. I tucked them in bed next to each other and kissed them goodnight. I stood outside the door and listened for a minute to see if they would go right to sleep. Teig took his flashlight and shined it around the room. Then he said, "Juni, I know it looks scary, but see; just a normal lamp, see; nothing on the ceiling. We're safe and I'm here to protect you. You can sleep. Goodnight Juni."  I don't think I've ever been so in love with my little boys.

10. I almost totally botched our dinner night and then everyone came to the rescue and saved the day. Everyone was so nice and quick to help. No one was critical (except me.. of myself) but because of their kindness.. I was able to forgive myself for being inept and keep smiling. Dinner was fine.

Joren:

1. Throwing out candy at the parade!

2. Cricket eating contest

3. Surfing with Uncle Zach and Daddy and Jake and Abe, Oly, and Elsie


4. Telling about my dragons at the talent show

Teig:


Paul:

1. Seeing everyone in the parade
2. Campfires
3. Getting help at dinnertime when electricity wouldn't work at the second house
4. There's no drama
5. The weather was perfect
6. Surfing
7. Superhero day
8. 4th of July and fireworks on the beach