Happiest Little Girl in Church

Saturday night, a good friend of ours released a full length worship album.  To celebrate, she held a concert at church.  Audrey LOVES her music and knows a lot of the songs.  Her favorite song is a techno song inspired by Lady Gaga (if you can imagine a worship song inspired by her....).

For the last song, Devoted, Audrey ran up to the front of the church to dance and see better.  She was invited up on stage and got to sing and dance with her.  She was so happy and excited.  I was so happy for her that I cried.

An Audrey Funny

Over labor day weekend we went to my mother in-law's. Their little town has a large Paul Bunyan Days festival over Labor Day weekend. One of the events is a tricycle race followed by a kiddie parade. The kids dress in costume appropriate for the theme and make little floats out of bicycles and wagons.

While we were waiting for the parade to start, Audrey looked at me all concerned and said, "But mom? Where's the kitties?"

Gone .....

This past weekend, Josh, the girls and I went out of town to visit his mom for Paul Bunyon Days.  Andrew and Kymberly were spending the weekend with their mom.  It was Andrew's last weekend at his mom's house before leaving for boot camp.  Not 30 seconds after we had finished our conversation with Josh's mom about when boot camp graduation would be, we got a phone call from Andrew.  He and his buddy were being called up early.  They were to report at the recruiter's office on Monday at 11 am.

We high-tailed it out of there, wanting to be home with Andrew for his last weekend.  We thought we had another week, but the Marine Corps had other ideas.

Sunday morning we went to church as a family.  Andrew's mom joined him for the morning as well.  It was a nice time of worship.  And Pastor M. called us up to the front to pray for Andrew as he goes on his journey.

Sunday afternoon Andrew came over and hung out with us in a quiet house.  He played legos with his sisters.  He got last words of wisdom from his dad.  Then we all went together to his mom's house for a nice family dinner.  In 4 years, it's the first time both families got together for a meal.  Sure, we've had constituents together and been at large celebrations together, but this is the only time we've had a meal, just the 10 of us.  It was a nice dinner.  There were no tears.  Just chatting and fun and goofiness.  The girls enjoyed being chased around the kitchen and proved that kids can only have fun if they are screaming.

Then Monday the dreaded event happened.  We drove Andrew to the recruiter's office.  We gave hugs.  We cried.  We encouraged.  We loved.  We cried.  I took lots of pictures.  

Which brings me to today.   I'm not typically an emotional person.  It takes quite a bit to make me cry.  I did cry when we left him in the hands of the recruiters.  But it passed pretty quickly.  I've been the strong one in all this.  Ready to see Andrew continue on his way and mature and grow and gain direction in his life.  Knowing that this is what's best for him.  As his step-mom, I'm not as connected as Josh and Andrew's mom.  I've felt more pain in the last 24 hours than I realized I would.  I think about what Andrew is going through and my heart hurts.  My stomach gets knots.  And then sitting down for a few hours to edit 200+ photos of us saying good-bye to him.  And it hurts even more.  If I'm this sad and heart broken over him being gone, I can only imagine how his mom and dad and sister feel.

About 20 minutes ago we finally got the phone call we've been waiting 24 hours for.  That "Recruit Roosa has arrived safely in MCRD" and we'll hear from him via USPS in a couple weeks.  A COUPLE WEEKS!?!?!?!  I have to wait that long to hear from him?  That long until I can get his address to send him a letter?  I've already written one letter.  I'm sure I have another couple ready to write too.  His first mail from us will likely be several letters in one large envelope.

I'm excited for who he will become.  I'm excited to see his transformation.  I'm pleased that he has direction and a future.  The Marines will be good for him, and he'll be good for the Marines.

2 days down, only 12 weeks and 5 days to go.

 

Date Weekend

Josh and I cashed in all our past and future favors with a very dear friend to watch the girls for a weekend. We dropped them off on Friday after work and met them at church on Sunday morning. So we had about 36 hours to do whatever we wanted on OUR schedule. Grocery shop alone. Eat a quiet and leisurely dinner. Sleep without fear of being woken in 2 hours. Sleep IN. Just imagine the possibilities.

Saturday morning we slept in and then went to brunch. We enjoyed mimosas and high fatty food.


Then we hopped on BART and went into the city to just explore. We got off BART and just went down a street that looked interesting. We went to Union Square to see all the best shopping. Wandered around Williams-Sonoma, went into a friend's favorite store Lululemon. I'd never been there and hear such great things about them that I had to check them out.


We saw China Town so we wandered in that direction. Then ended up in Little Italy where we had a Cannolo (yes - cannolo - cannoli is plural and cannolo is singular). Then saw the signs to get to Coit Tower, so we went up that way. Then back down to Little Italy we saw Lombard street (the world's crooked-est street). We walked up Lombard street and then found ourselves in Russian Hill. Found a cute little "mini-park" that literally was a slab of cement, some flowers and a couple benches on an old house lot. We wandered around some more, found the Cable Car Museum and looked in there.

Then meandered and ended up at Fisherman's Wharf. We took a tour of the S.S. Jeremiah O'Brien, a Liberty Ship from WWII. Then headed over to Pier 39 for some dinner. We both saw some things we'd never seen before and ended up walking about 10 miles - up and down the big hills. It was a lot of fun, and something we'd love to do again, but in a different part of the city.

I just took my small point-and-shoot camera. There were times I wish I had my SLR so I could get a better view or adjust my exposure or really be artistic with my composition, but for the most part I'm glad all I had was my P&S. Made it a lot easier to carry it around.

Here are a few photos of our day (if you click on any of the photos, they should take you to my flickr page where you can view all of them).

Mimosas with breakfast

The only chinese looking building we saw in Chinatown.  I think it was a medical clinic.

Church in Little Italy.

View of the Bay Bridge from Coit Tower

Top of Lombard Street looking down

Sneaking a kiss while I'm trying to snap a photo in Russian Hill's Mini Park

A time I wished I had my SLR.  The texture of these buildings was neat.  And the colors and brickwork and chipped paint.  They were really cool looking and this photo doesn't do them justice.

The pullies in the cable car museum.

Another time my SLR would've been nice.  Again ... lots of texture and neat colors in the museum.

The stairs into the USS Jeremiah O'Brien

Through a porthole looking out

One piston of the engine.  Video footage of this ship's pistons was used in James Cameron's The Titanic.

Just for fun

The Anchor

Are you sick yet?

Thought this was pretty cool

Random

It's been far too long since I've posted.  I just don't have much time for blog posts.  Most of my spare computer time is used editing photos.

I spent 5 days earlier this month at my BFF's Wild West Themed wedding.  It was such a great time.  

We've been battling the heat.

The girls have been healthy for 6 weeks now.  Shocker!

Annie is sleeping much better at night, even night weaned and almost all the way through.  We're working on getting Audrey up easier in the morning so she can stay up a little later at night.

Andrew leaves for boot camp in 5 weeks.  

Kymi has band camp in a week.

Josh and I are continuing to run.  He's training for a marathon and I'm training for another half marathon to do with my neighbor.  

Late June my grandmother passed away.  I wrote the following memories in an email to my mom/sister and another one to Josh.

 I’ve spent the last 15 minutes reminiscing about all our summers at the cottage.  Washing off with the hose outside.  Running up and down the sand dunes.  Walking to the playground with Joel and Rachel.  Joel and I teaching the younger cousins how to play poker.  Grampa sorting endless baseball cards and giving the damaged cards to Chad. The old rusty swingset under the oak tree.  And speaking of the oak tree, those darn acorns.  Man those hurt when you stepped on them barefoot. Wandering the woods across the street, avoiding the poison ivy. Going to the Willoughbee’s (sp?) for some candy and visiting. Those bunk beds too close to the ceiling.  Hit my head almost every morning when I woke up. The carpet walkway to the beach that wasn’t ever long enough so we still had to endure the hot sand.  The sand all over the carpet, defeating the purpose of the carpet.  Gramma ALWAYS baking or cleaning or cooking in the kitchen.  She NEVER stopped. Doing puzzles at the kitchen table. Building card houses in the living room.  Gramma hanging our underwear on the clothes line.  I never understood why we couldn’t just use the dryer. 

There was a park about ½ mile from the cottage that we walked to a lot when we couldn’t go swimming.  And there were sand dunes.  We’d run up them as fast as we could and always run out of steam halfway up.  And then run down and fall and end up just sliding or rolling down the hill.  And come home covered in sand in our clothes.  In our pockes and undies.  There was a hose on the side of the house with a shower head type attachment and we’d all have to clean our feet (and the rest of ourselves) there.  All the little kids would get totally naked and wash off.  It was embarrassing when you reached a certain age.  Then we go inside.  The bathroom had a direct door to the outside so we would just go inside and shower without tracking water or sand throughout the cottage. One year in early July, I was marching in and out of the house.  I had found a small American Flag and was carrying it.  I think I was even wearing my blue shorts and red shirt, I don’t remember for sure.  Anyway, I was marching all over the place.  Grampa got so upset.  “Quit slamming the door.  In or out.”  Gramma said, “What are you doing Chris?”  “I’m marching in the 4^th of July parade Gramma.”  And she had a brilliant idea.  She decided that Nicole and Megan and I would get all decked out in our best patriotic clothes and grab flags and march in the parade that week.  As the parade came by our cottage (we were pretty early on the street I think) she just found a hole and shoved us in.  I think it was Megan who freaked out and refused to go in, so Nicole and I marched alone.  Or maybe they both did.  I don’t remember very well.  But I marched in the 4^th of July parade for the cottage.  My first ever parade. 

Mommy and Me Monday

Last week the girls were up way too early for Josh's taste following a late night gig.  So I got up with them and let him sleep.  To entertain them (and help myself) we did some yoga all together.  Then Annie and I played some drums a bit.


Meanwhile, Josh decided he was awake and came out and saw us.  He snapped a couple photos of us in the process.

Triagle Pose - Annie wasn't so much into it. 

Playing drums with Annie

Daddy Daughter Play Time

Josh has been so busy with his bands this summer that he's been missing his girls. So on our day off, after our hike, we decided to hit the park for a picnic and some daddy-daughter play time.   

the pretty girl on top of the car

Climbing high

WEeeeeeee........ 

Wave at Mommy

Morning Hike

We had no plans for the morning of the 4th.  We were excited at the prospect of having the entire morning to do something fun for us and no one else.  So we packed a picnic and went to a close regional park and went for a hike.  Hiking with a 3 y/o and a 19 month old takes a lot of patience.  We'd never spent any real time in this park, so we didn't really know what to expect.  It's near a reservoir, and some of the trail heads go that way.  It's also adjacent to some houses.  


We encountered quite a few runners (a goal of mine is to do some trail running) and lots of dog walkers and our share of cyclists.  We heard a horse, but never encountered one.


Knowing that the girls would give up pretty quickly on the hiking part of the morning, we took both the jogging stroller and baby carrier.


We started out with Annie in the stroller and Audrey walking.  We ran, narrowly escaping the monsters, stayed ahead of daddy looked at the flowers and trees, listened to the birds chirping and bugs buzzing.  We tried to keep Audrey interested in what we were doing.  Let her set the pace.  We found a cool stick for her to draw in the dirt.  


At one point Annie wanted to get out and stretch her legs.  So she got out and Audrey took the seat in the stroller.  That didn't last long, so Annie then found her way on my shoulders, and then into the baby carrier.  


We estimate that we hiked about 6 miles round trip.  There were some super steep hills that we had to go up.  We got a thorough workout pushing a stroller and wearing a baby.

Helping daddy push the stroller

Look at daddy way up there and we're down here!

 

Family photo!!!

The baby carrier is AWESOME!!!

Eventually both girls fell asleep.  A little early for their nap, but we wore them out early.

These were all taken with my point and shoot.  I sure do miss my Nikon when I use my p&s.

Happy Graduation Day Andrew

Today is my step-son's last day of high school.  Tonight he becomes a high school graduate.


It has been a long and grueling education for him.  I've only been around since he was in 6th grade.  But he started having difficulty in 5th grade.  He's a super smart kid who just didn't want to apply himself.  So year after year, semester after semester, there were report cards and progress reports and notes from the teacher that did not make a parent proud.  We all knew he was capable of doing the work if he wanted to.  And he proved that in the classes he enjoyed.  And on his standardized tests every year.


His senior year of high school was a great year for him.  His best since elementary school.


This year marked another change in him.  Last fall he signed his life away (literally) and agreed to join the US Marine Corps.  So every Tuesday night and once a month he got together with a bunch of other kids who did the same thing and did PT.  Not only was he getting physically prepared for boot camp and the Marines, but he was getting mentally prepared.  There has also been a drastic change in his attitude toward life.


It has been a real pleasure and treat to watch this young man grow and develop and mature.  From an awkward 12 year-old who's voice is changing and is growing faster than the weeds in our back yard to a mature man who is ready to conquer the world.


Congratulations Andrew!  I love you.  I'm proud of you.  And I will always be in your cheering section.

Another Annie Update

She's officially 18 months old.  And she is learning a new word almost daily it seems.  I'm pleased to watch it happen.  When Audrey was learning to talk, I remember hearing about the language explosion around 18 months.  Audrey was an early talker and communicator.  She picked up new words as early as 13 months and was talking in full sentences well before 18 months, so when she hit the 18 month language explosion, there wasn't much to see.  She went from sentences to paragraphs and was able to sing songs and similar skills.  


Watching Annie develop has been different.  Borderline stressful.  She's refused to learn a lot of signs, she just does a lot of throwing, pointing and grunting.  At times Josh and I tossed around the thought that maybe she was autistic or had some other sensory disorder (her low vocabulary coupled with her sudden and almost uncatalyzed tantrums).  


But in the last couple weeks she has really picked up her communication and has surprised us.  It's been really fun to watch her figure it out and suddenly say a new word.  Even Audrey is amazed at Annie's development.


Since the last list, she has picked up the following words:

• Audrey (Au'jee)
• Gayl (Dale - with a really soft l sound)
• Dora (Rora)
• hat
• hot
• pizza (tee-zta)
• shoe
• dog (ghog)
• woof
• you
• ball
• cookie
• poo-poo (or maybe it's boo-boo or boobie - I can't tell)

She's really grasped the concept of please and thank you.  So when she asks for something now, if she doesn't know the word, she points and says please, instead of points and grunts.  That's a refreshing development.

I'd really like her to learn how to say/sign help.  That's high on my list.

I'm really pleased with these developments.  Excited even.  It's so fun to watch her grow up.  She has held onto her infant-ness well past her infant days, but these developments really make her seem more like a toddler and less like a baby.