Birds

The play is over!
Let me just say that again, the play...is over!
It was great working with Heather, I think this year was easier than last year and my hope is that next year will be even better. I'm looking forward to having lunch with Heather so we can talk through things we'd change and keep the same for next year.

I worked today and one 4th grade girl came up to me and said, "My days are so empty now that the play is over." I had to laugh a little because she sounded so down about that...I, on the other hand, am ecstatic!

Yesterday I walked the kids to school with the dogs. There was nothing on my schedule until pickup so we walked down to Green Lake and walked around it, then went to the off leash area for a while. By the time we got home it was almost noon. I did have to go into the school because even though the play is over there is still plenty of paperwork to wrap up. I should be finished with everything by the end of the week.

While the dogs and I were at Green Lake we saw a bald eagle. I've seen a few here and there but they are usually soaring. This one was just perched on a big ole tree.
I know it doesn't look like much through the lens of my phone but it really was quite something.

The other night I purchased an application called Hipstamatic for my phone. I think the pictures turn out pretty cool. Here are a few from the dog park:
I think that first one kinda looks like a ghost dog. And the green one looks like something out of Neverland (from Peter Pan, not Micheal Jackson...)

Multnoma Falls

We moved to Washington about 10 years ago. We love it. We love the fact that on a clear day you can see mountains in just about every directions. As much as we adore living here, we haven't taken advantage of all the amazing places we have access to. Many of our friends take regular trips to the mountains to go skiing or travel a few miles to some hidden cabin in the woods. Our family has taken a number of road trips to Portland and it is a great escape from our regular lives.
Trey had a show in Portland he needed to go to which would've meant he'd be gone for a big chunk of our weekend. So we asked Andrew if he could watch the dogs and loaded up the kids and their swim suits and took a last minute overnight trip down I5. Trey thought it might be fun to drive a little bit further and stop off to see Multnomah Falls on our way into Portland. I'm so glad he did. Despite my fear of heights, we trekked up the path towards the bridge that looks straight at the water fall. It was beautiful. I gave August a chance to take some pictures, and then Hazel took her turn. It wasn't a long trip, but it was at the perfect time.

Ugh

You guys?
I am tired. I'm so tired that the kids are commenting on the bags under my eyes. They are asking if I'm okay. They are making mention of the wrinkles they suddenly notice on my face.
My children aren't doing this because they are mean spirited. They are doing it because they are just now noticing it.
So, why am I so tired, you ask? Well, not sure. Could be that Hazel is sick again. Could be that it's spring but it's not really spring. Could be that we have to fix our stinking chimney. Could be that the play is coming to a speedy end next week and we're in full speed. Could be that August is experiencing some difficulties at school. Who knows.
This parenting thing though, it's killing me. So many choices, so many decisions...I'm sometimes finding myself wishing we could fast forward through the middle school years. And I say that knowing full well that I'll want to fast forward the high school years. And then? I'll wish to go back in time, to relive all the sweet moments. All the times when Hazel needed me because she wasn't feeling well. I'll want to be in the moment when August reached out to hold my hand because he felt alone in the world.
I can sit here on this couch and know all these things and the only thing I feel right now is TIRED. And I want this part of parenthood to be OVER.

LIttle Bit of This

August. Man! He's 11 and already I feel like he's on the roller coaster of change.
We just finished up our mid-winter break...thank the Lord! We had no plans so when Hazel came down with a terrible case of strep and August threw up we didn't have to cancel anything!! We also got to enjoy the sun most every day of the break. It was lovely. The house was warm, the dogs were creeping along the floor following the sun patches, just lovely.

August is in 5th grade and in 5th grade comes many things. B.O.? Yup, hit that milestone. Crushes? Well, he won't admit to any but there are plenty of girls who are crushing on him. Flash? What's Flash you ask? Well, it's the health curriculum that our school district teaches the 5th and 6th graders. And August starts his lessons this week. He's been pretty chatty about it, wondering what they'll tell the class and if it will be embarrassing. I've reassured him that the paperwork we've received from the school makes it sound very tame. It's more about what is going on in their bodies than anything else. And they separate the boys from the girls...I think he's glad about that but still feels pretty anxious.
In an effort to lighten his mood about it all we've been singing Flash by Queen and we found the above plaque while we were at the park this past weekend. It's just always on his mind right now.

With 5th grade also comes the middle school tours. Things have changed in our district so that now there is only one school your address can go to. Ours happens to be the largest middle school in the STATE! It's bigger than my high school. I thought I'd be freaked out when Trey and I went on the adult tour but I really had no feelings one way or the other. A few days later we toured the building during school hours with August. His eyes were wide the whole time. The programs this school has are pretty impressive. I think he felt inspired as we listened to the student band play...and it actually sounded like music!!
The above pictures are of the auditorium. How cool is that? Totally art deco. My sister-in-law would love it!

I mentioned earlier that we've been enjoying a huge sunny streak. It's been glorious. The dog parks have been full to the brim with happy dogs and their owners. After church on Sunday we loaded up the car and spent a good part of the afternoon at one of the bigger off leash parks and then went on a little adventure. This particular park has a huge off leash area that is surrounded by water on one side and an even bigger general park on the other. Hazel and I have spent many hours walking this park while we waited for August to finish up soccer practices and games. We had a wonderful Sunday and I think we were all ready to be healthy and back to our regular routine of going to school and play practice.

Rainy Day Girl

Hazel just posted a blog about her experience at Urgent Care check it out:

itshardbeingakid.blogspot.com

Hazel

Hazel is sick.
She complained about a sore throat once or twice on Saturday but she seemed fine. No fever, same energy level. We even met up with friends to see the new Percy Jackson movie and eat burgers. Sunday we ventured out to see Annie at the Paramount. I won't lie, she was pretty sick on Sunday but we gave her some children's Tylenol and she was OK to go tot he show.
Sunday night was rough. She woke up several times crying that her uvula hurt, yes, her uvula. At 6am I called the nurse helpline because she was drooling and unable to swallow. We've called the helpline before and every other time they've talked me down and suggested that we wait until her doctor can fit her in to see her. This morning they wasted no time. The woman on the other line asked if there were 2 adults in the house, she asked if we could both go to urgent care just in case Hazel stops breathing!! And if there was only one adult that I should call an ambulance.
August popped up as soon as I entered his room, threw on some clothes and was at the door. The whole family took Hazel to urgent care.
I was impressed how quickly they took care of Hazel. Once I said she couldn't breath and they saw her drooling they ushered her into a room.
Poor girl went through some throat numbing solution that really was a good idea but didn't work so they put an IV in her and gave her all the medicine that way.
In the end they said it was a terrible case of strep. She's had strep before but it's never been this bad. They gave her a steroid to make the swelling in her throat go down, a pain reliever to help her feel more comfortable (and help her sleep) and more antibiotics than I knew you could give a person.
We came home 2 hours later to a sleepwalking little girl. She slept for 3.5 hours and woke up asking for some food. Right now she's downstairs watching a movie with August.
And August? He's being so sweet to her. He even bought her a little bear that she's been carrying around for the last few days. And? He's delivered some of her Girl Scout Cookies for her...he's such a good big brother.

On My Honor

Hazel went from a Daisy to a Brownie today...anybody want some cookies?