The Beach

We went to the beach the week before Memorial Day weekend. It was a much needed trip for our family. We went last year in the beginning of July. The weather was awful-it rained for 6 straight days, and we lost power in our condo. Not your ideal vacation. Shortly after we got  back from that trip, I got sick and our world was turned upside down...and then we had Eve...and I still don't think we have recovered from all the chaos of the last year. We went to the same place as last year. It was kind of a redemption trip for our family. We could all be together as a family and be normal...or at least as normal as we'll ever be. We had seven straight days of sunshine and it was amazing. Here are some of the highlights:

Driving...not really a highlight. :)

The view from our room:

Survival

Definition: putting all your kids, including your six month old, on bean bags in front of the TV so that you can try to fold the 17 loads of laundry in the background. At least they are all clothed (even if it's in pajamas) and fed. 

Funny conversations...

Me: Esther why is your jacket in a plastic bag in your backpack? 

Esther: Because Mommy, I went poopoo at school and I was wiping and I got it on my hands and so I wiped them on my jacket. 

Of course you did. 

Noah: Daddy, I know about everything on the whole world.

Brian: I don't think so buddy. I don't even know everything in the whole world.

Noah : Yes I do Daddy.

Sometime later...

Noah: Actually Daddy, I know everything about the whole world except one thing.

Brian: What's that? 

Noah: Construction sites.

Brian: How come?

Noah: Because I don't know where they put the cranes or the bulldozers. But I know everything else about everything in the whole world. 

Noah: Daddy, is the Eiffel Tower a long way away? 

Brian: Yes. Do you know where it is? 

Noah: Yeah Daddy. Parich Ranch!

Oh Esther...

The other night I told the kids to clean up their toys. Noah promptly jumps up and starts working. Esther just dawdles and finds everything else that she needs to do other than clean. Finally after getting on to her multiple times and putting her in time out, she starts cleaning and really kicks it into gear. This is our conversation that followed. 

Me: Esther, Thank you for cleaning up and having such a good attitude.

Esther (in her sassiest most bossy voice): Mommy do you remember when I was sick and threw up and had to lay on the couch? 

Me: Yes

Esther: Do you want me to do that again?

Me: No

Esther: Then you better stop being mean to me.

Wow. Think we may have to invest in boarding school during the teenage years. Oh Esther, I already know it is going to be a rough few (or ten) years in there, but my prayer is that someday, years down the road, we can be friends again. :) I love you baby. 

The day Thomas became stubborn...

A couple Saturdays ago, we were eating breakfast like any other Saturday. Everyone was finishing up and getting up from the table. I can't really remember how it all started. I think maybe Thomas was throwing a fit about wanting to get down, and we told him to say 'please' just like every other morning. But for some reason, this time he refused to do it. We told him he couldn't get down until he said 'please' and he still refused. Sometimes I hate it when we make statements like that because that inevitably means a battle is about to ensue. The line has been drawn in he sand and Thomas must decide if he will cross over or stubbornly hold his ground. I remember reaching that moment with Noah and Esther, but it wasn't too surprising to me that they held their ground and a war began (one that has definitely not stopped ever since). 

But Thomas is a different story. He is so sweet and so mild mannered that I kind of allowed myself to believe that we may never have conflict. He was sure to let me know otherwise that morning. He sat in that chair from around 8:00 until around 11:00!!! Noah and Esthher were begging him to say it. We sat with him, we left him, we came back. He didn't budge. He cried, he screamed, he laughed, he started disrobing. Still nothing. And then, all of a sudden, after three long hours, we told one final time to say 'please' and he did it. Lots of cheering followed and he finally got down shortly before we put him back in his chair for lunch. :) 

Feliz Navidad!

Noah: Hey Mom, what's that song that goes, "Boogy snoggydog. I want to wish you a merry Christmas from the bottom of my heart?"
Haha!