Labor Day

Steve worked on Labor Day because it's fall tax season.  Though he did come home early enough to go to the swimming pool with us one last time.

 Mi Na loves her dad.

 Mei Li loves the deep end.

 Tough guy.

Sweet guy. 

Over the top toothless grin. 

 

Her cuteness kills me.

Labor Day baby bump (31 weeks)

And that was the end of our summer, folks!  Until next year.  Don't bother bringing the mosquitoes.

Long live summer!

 

Mi Na woke up with a fever.  She wasn't too ornery, but she did request to take a nap this morning.  The idea to go to the National Zoo came to me at 10 AM, which was of course too late to do anything about it.  So we didn't go, but I did break out the new water guns.  The kids haven't really played with any before today, but they definitely enjoyed them.  Mei Li and Stephen expressed gratitude multiple times for their fifty-cent treasures.

I love how simple things make them so happy.

After the backyard water games, they came inside to wash up.  Mei Li and Stephen created an obstacle course that kept them happy for most of the afternoon.  Mi Na just wanted me to hold her.

This evening, we saw a bunny in our backyard.  Mei Li and Stephen were so concerned about it eating our grass and vegetables that they decided to set a friendly trap for it.  It consisted of a box, string, and some baby carrots.  Mei Li even painted the inside of the box with her nail polish to make it look like grass.  From the deck, I watched Mei Li tiptoe into the backyard to set the trap.  She looked up at Steve, Stephen, and me and whispered, "Don't worry!  I'm okay!"  Somehow I don't think we'll catch a bunny, but it was cute to watch them make a plan (for a whole hour) and execute it.

Long live summer!

Wednesday

I didn't drive to the school today after Mei Li got on the bus.  My car is broken.  

Mi Na went down for a nap right after we took Mei Li to the bus stop.  Stephen had a short quiet time and then I asked him to help me make pizza dough.  I'm really loving this recipe, by the way.  I resisted almost every urge to correct his helpfulness.  He loved watching the "tornado" in the mixer.

He wanted to watch TV after making the dough, but since he lost TV privileges for a week, we made a birthday card for someone special instead.  He sat on my lap and I helped him write the letters.  I love that boy, and I'm glad that Mei Li being at kindergarten has given us more one on one time together.

Mei Li had a frown getting off the bus.  She came straight to me and had me hold her.  Somehow, in the one mile between the school and home, she got sad.  Her brand new friend who is in her class and on her bus, decided to go to the back of the bus (against the rules for kindergarteners) with her older friends instead of sit next to Mei Li.  I consoled her, and she seemed to feel better.  Her smile returned as soon as she saw her neighbor friends playing outside.   I love her resiliency.

We were all ready to go to the swimming pool when I heard Mi Na say, "Da-ee."  Steve had come home early.  He got his suit on and we were about to leave when the ice cream truck rang its bell all the way down our street.  It wouldn't be summer without an ice cream truck treat, so we indulged Mei Li with an ice cream sandwich and Stephen with a cyclone popsicle.  Mei Li said, "Wow! Dad's home early, the ice cream truck came, and now we're going swimming!  This is turning out to be a great night after all!"

 

Mi Na and I stayed at the pool for half an hour and then we rushed home to make the pizza so it would be ready when the others got home.  Mei Li said I got the dough just right this time.

Tonight after the little ones were in bed, we did her homework and read a couple of books.  Then she asked if we could read from The Friend magazine.  We read several stories and after we were done, I told her that no matter what happens at school, she will come home to a house full of people who love her.  She said, "I know."  I'm glad she knows.

Long Live Summer

I love the fall, but each year as summer comes to a close, my heart aches a little.  This summer closing will be especially painful for me as Mei Li will be going to kindergarten every day.  I'm not ready for that!  Not yet!

I am, however, ready to have a better routine and not wonder what we are going to do with our time.  Kindergarten and preschool will give us that.  So that's good.  In the meantime, we're going to live up the last of summer.

   Last Wednesday, we went to the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum.  It's such a neat and easy activity for the kids.  Even during tourist season, it's not too crowded.

 On Saturday, we went to the local farmers' market and bought some produce and orange muffins.

Then it was off to the Redskins Fan Appreciation Day.  Stephen was in love with the motorcycles near the entrance.

Here are Mei Li and Stephen at football practice.

 

Steve and Stephen wore BYU gear in honor of the second string, injured quarterback, John Beck.  We watched him throw the football around a bit before leaving.

Yesterday, we went to Cafe Rio to meet my old friend, Angie.  Cafe Rio is just as delicious as I remember it being in Utah, BUT I don't believe they have the cilantro-lime vinaigrette!  She didn't even ask me which dressing I wanted, she just handed me some tomatillo ranch, which I love too, but certainly someone somewhere cares deeply.

This morning, we went bowling with friends.  I thought it was cute how when Stephen's ball didn't hit any pins, he turned to me and said, "that's okay, Mom," just to assure me that he wasn't disappointed.  I've been trying to teach my kids to lose gracefully.  Nobody likes a sore loser, or winner for that matter.

Tonight, we had the missionaries over for dinner, and that is why the picture at the top of this post features Stephen riding his bike, wearing Mei Li's backpack and his helmet.  He wanted to be just like the missionaries.  A mother never discourages that kind of imitation.

Summer, don't go yet.  Yes, you're hot and sticky and unbearable at times, but you're also very easy-going and flexible too.  We have just a few more things we need to do.

Lazy Summer

I have not felt like blogging lately.  I feel like I've forgotten what to blog about. We have not been very busy this summer.  Our trips are over with, although I hope we can squeeze in another.  I guess that's what I mean by "busy."  Even the most minimal care of three children five and under is very busy.  And I think that my children are much more than minimally taken care of.

 We've been at the pool, of course.  Mi Na loves the pool.  She's not content to sit in my arms and loves to scoot around the baby pool or walk around the entry of the bigger pool, while I watch her every move.  Stephen and Mei Li are getting to be so good at swimming and I'm so grateful.

I have been tending my garden, which I love.  Our cucumbers, tomatoes, green beans, and herbs have been delicious.  This was my first garden and I think we have all learned a lot from the experience.  I know exactly what I should plant next year.  For instance, I probably shouldn't waste gardening space for growing baseball-sized watermelons:

Those watermelon quarters are sitting on a small plate.  Each quarter produced one delicious bite.  For some reason, the watermelon stopped growing, but continued to ripen.  I suspect I didn't give them enough room.

Mei Li and I are still doing summer school, but find it harder to fit it in now that I've cut out Stephen's naps.  I think that we're going to have to start doing it after Stephen and Mi Na go to bed at night.

Stephen's earlier bedtime has given us more couple time at night and an earlier bedtime ourselves.  We've been waking up before the kids and exercising.

We basically do the same things every week and while it probably doesn't sound very interesting to anyone else, I find myself (most days) looking forward to it all.

 The Sisters are on Rachel's blog this week.  Check it out.

Lately, we've been...

learning how to fold our arms for prayer (I love how it looks more like a hand pile in a team huddle),

 

summer schooling,

pool side,

 

 walking in the rain,

skyping Mexico (aren't my sisters and niece gorgeous?),

 

  pretending to be "Dark Vader,"

 

enjoying Steve's presence at bedtime,

and just loving each other.


This is shaping up to be a fantastic summer.