Now, years later, our summer revolves around Evie's schedule.
It's all about her camps, her activities, her playdates.
The boys just tag along for the ride and get shuffled here and there to pick her up and drop her off.
However, they seem perfectly happy and enjoy just being included in the ride. So, while Evie is out and about doing her thing, the boys and I have spent these gorgeous summer mornings exploring, digging, and playing.
And, most importantly, swinging.
They love to swing.
They could swing
and swing
and swing.
During those long mornings at the park when I am pushing all three of them ("higher...higher...higher!!") I've started to use those moments to speak into them who I know they are and can be.
With every push, I say something along the lines of,
James, you are happy.
Caleb,You are kind.
Levi, You are smart.
You are all so special and loved."
They love it.
They smile and giggle, and I know these beautiful words of truth are penetrating their souls.
It's simple.
It adds more meaning to the moments on the swing.
And it adds even more purpose to my activity.
I've been trying to incorporate more intentional, positive affirmations into my time with them.
I'm taking my full time job of being a parent more seriously these days as I've witnessed the immense power words have. One word-one tone- can completely build up or completely discourage.
The kids are all so different, yet I know who they can become.
Even how they wake in the morning gives me insight into who they are and what I need to speak to gently guide them.
Caleb will greet each day exclaiming that the sun is up and it is day! He is joyful, dancing and enthusiastic about being alive.
His eyes are tightly closed and he is angry and disappointed it is time to get out of bed. Usually some snuggles and some soft blankets get him out of his morning funk.
Levi is unpredictable. He's not super joyful ,but not a total grump. He is influenced largely by the moods of those around him, especially those of his sister.
And then there is Evie.
She should be incredibly thrilled to wake each day.
After all, her day is filled with friends, field trips (and face paint).
To end the school year, Evie's class put on a little circus performance, something in which they prepared for and rehearsed for months. Evie was very excited about it.
It was a big culminating activity, and the school even had a professional face painter come paint all the kids' faces for the show.
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| She was a surfing monkey in the circus |
However, the minute she got on stage, she completely froze.
Like deer in head lights froze.
All the other smiling kids were singing the practiced songs and enthusiastically dancing around the stage. She literally just stood there doing nothing with a blank look on her face.
John and I didn't know how to react.
Part of us was annoyed. Was she doing this on purpose?
Part of us felt sorry for her. Poor thing is totally nervous.
But mostly, we were perplexed.
Fast forward to a month later. Fourth of July! This year was just the best Fourth of July we ever had with the kids.
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| Lake Oswego parade |
After a day of parades, we ended the night at our neighborhood party. Everyone was in the spirit of merriment, dancing to the live music, eating BBQ, drinking Sangria, and socializing.... And then there was Evie!
When she heard the 70s dance music coming from the stage, she seemed to not be able to help herself; she moved right in front of the stage, and danced her little heart out with total abandon. I mean, John and I stood there in complete awe.
Was this the little girl totally frozen on stage just a month ago?
Now she danced, uncaring of what anyone thought around her. She seemed to be loving every minute. She was hot, sweaty and would come over to us every ten minutes or so, red faced and in desperate need of water.
So, we let her dance!
And we danced!
The boys danced!
and we had such a wonderful time!
I never saw the kids so sticky, greasy, and grimy as they were by the end of the day on the Fourth of July.
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| Only a true party can cause this much dirt |
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| Waiting for candy |
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| Still waiting for candy |
Earlier in the day, we decorated our own bikes and wagons and participated in our neighborhood tradition of parading through our streets. John pulled Caleb and James in the wagon. Caleb, after seeing a drumming group in the parade earlier in the morning, decided he was going to bring his little drum along and bang it as we proceeded down the street.
He did get many cheers, which only fueled his passion.
I am always so excited about this parade tradition until we hit about half way through the mile loop around our street in the oppressive July heat of 4 pm.
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| Too hot |
Our celebrating continued at a neighbor friend's cul de sac where we lit smoke bombs and sparklers to the delight of all our children.
We then finished the evening rockin out at the neighborhood party.
We are in the thick of summer now.
School is a distant memory.
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| Last day photo |
We've been doing a lot of outings as a family on the weekends, like train shows, train rides and train parks!
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| Never too many trains! |
There has been a fair share of cheeseburgers and ice cream too!
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