Doheny Beach campout

I would definitely qualify us as amateur campers.  At least this time we remembered our tent (long story for another time).  However, despite the foggy, cool weather, we had a good time.  The kids might even say a great time.  Doheny State Beach is right off of the freeway so it took until late into the night for the traffic (and RV generator) noise  to die down.  But once it did, sleeping to the sound of the waves was lovely.  Next summer we may even venture a little further from civilization.  I have a new respect for my parents who routinely hauled four kids out into the middle of nowhere to "live off the land" for the weekend.  It's a whole lot of work!  And often, in retrospect, a whole lot of fun.

Abbie

This week, on several pages of Abbey's school work, I noticed she had signed her name Abbie.  Upon further investigation, she explained to me that Abbie is a much "funner" way to spell her name and she'll now be signing it as such.  Is it legal to change your own name?  I mean, when you're in kindergarten?!  I just laughed and felt grateful she didn't decide to change it to Arrianna or Star Girl.  Neither of which would have surprised me.  

Vader vs Jedi

It's an interesting thing as a parent to watch your children grow.  I was writing today about Sarah's birth.   She's blessed our family for seven years now.  Have I taught her enough about her place in the world?  And not only Sarah, but her brother and sisters as well?  Will they be strong and confident and grow with integrity?  When the challenges come, will they choose the right?  Agency is such an awesome and terrifying gift!  As I watch my children, they amaze me with how much they already know.  They are so sweet and smart and good...and stubborn, independent and ornery!  All things that will serve them well as they grow.  And they are all so very different.  For halloween this year Sarah is going to be Darth Vader.  Appropriate considering her Dad's childhood obsession.  Last year she was a pirate.  The one eyed, growling, candy stealing kind.  She keeps justifying her naughtiness by saying "But Mom!!  Darth Vader doesn't have a mommy to make him be good!"  I think next year I'll make her be a Jedi Knight.

sister's weekend

Thanks to awesome friends and an even awesomer (hey, if you can say it in a sentence, it's a word!) husband, I was able to sneak off to Boise without the kids, to meet my sisters for our first annual Peterson girls retreat.  We spent three days seeing family...lots of family...and just bumming around Boise with absolutely no agenda whatsoever.  It was great!   A few things I learned..

• It is possible to eat almost an entire box of raspberry zingers in one night.  We lovingly refer to them as "tiger tails".
• I snore.  My sister made this crystal clear.  Instead of kindly whispering "wake up.. your snoring!" or "roll over please.  Your waking me up!" She would grab one corner of my pillow and give it a yank.  Not a pleasant way to wake up.  But then, I guess having someone snore in your ear isn't pleasant either.
• Downtown Boise is a lot cooler now than when I grew up.
• Doing just about anything is more fun when you do it with your sisters.
  

Here's to next year girls!  New York is looking good to me.

snow in September

So my title may not particularly grab you until you realize we live in Southern Cal.  Never snows here.  Except for inside my little apartment today.  I'm writing at this moment because...well, I'm trying to see the humor in this situation and  not come down on my children like a freight train.  As I write, there are little puffs of white powder jumping up from my keyboard (can't be good for the computer), and I can feel a fine dust working it's way in between my toes.  Let me explain.  I was in my room folding laundry.  Babies are sleeping and I hear Sarah and Abbey giggling, laughing, snickering and the like.  "Ahhhh" I think with a smile.  I just love it that my two oldest play together so well.  Ha!!  As I walk out of my room I smell baby powder.  LOTS of baby powder.  In fact, the sun is coming through the windows and I can see powder swirling and spinning through the air.  I think it's mocking me.  Do I walk out in to the front room now or should I sit down while the powder settles and count to ten very slowly? I do the latter.  When I finally peek around the corner to assess the damage,  I see Sarah and Abbey, looks of panic on their sweet little guilty faces.   They're trying to sweep the half inch of powder off the couch and rub it into the carpet.  Maybe Mom won't notice if we can make the orange couch look orange again.  So in a few minutes I'll be dusting, sweeping, scrubbing my front room/kitchen/hallway.  Because seriously people, that stuff really spreads.  Up side?  After I change Tyler's diaper I can just strip him naked and let him run through the house.  He won't get a rash.  Not anywhere.

little boys

Tyler is now officially 15 months old and I'm constantly amazed at how different he is from my three little girls!  Besides he ability to trip/fall/crash/bang on the ground, stand up, shake it off, and go on with his play, here a few other differences I enjoy.

• Although he isn't talking yet (other than mom, dad, and hi) he makes stellar truck, airplane, cow, and horse noises.
• His favorite toy is the vacuum cleaner attachment.  He waves it around like a sword and charges whatever he can (doors, walls, sisters)
• His ability to climb is currently unsurpassed.
• If he sees you close and latch a door, watch out.  He'll be into it as soon as you aren't looking!
• He has his mom, dad, and sisters wrapped around his little, chubby, manly looking fingers.

I thought this was so funny that I had to take a picture before I rescued our poor guinea pig.  In another few seconds, Tyler would have been all the way in.  Fortunately for the pig, Tyler's not that coordinated yet.  I'm not sure how long he'd been trying, but she was still free when I found them.