Goodbye Happiest Place On Earth

Goodbye Donald. You're a cool duck, but you're not her favorite.

Goodbye beach. We had great fun boogie boarding and building sandcastles with Grandma.

Goodbye Toon Town. We wanted to take one of your cars home.

Goodbye rides. We were so glad that everyone was tall enough this year to ride.

Goodbye Goofy. You were awesome. But you weren't The Love Magnet's favorite, either.

Goodbye Roger Rabbit ride. We would have loved you if you hadn't broken down right when it was our turn. We had to make do with props.

Goodbye Train around Disneyland. You made it easy to get around.

Goodbye Handy Manny. YOU were The Love Magnet's FAVORITE. She followed you around the park until you stopped for pictures. When she told you she loved you, you KISSED HER HAND. My daughter talked about it for the rest of the day and all the next during the plane ride home. You made her summer, Mr. Manny.

Thanks, Grandma and Grandpa. We had so much fun with you.

Happiest Place On Earth

Meeting Minnie (and making your older brothers stand in the picture with you):

priceless.

(The Love Magnet will be talking about this for months)

Spending time with your dad:

priceless.

(very deep conversations about mathematics, physics, and stuff I can't follow)

Hanging out with your grandma, constantly saying "Watch this! Watch this!:

I don't think there is enough money in the world for this woman's patience.

Spending time in what is billed as "The Happiest Place On Earth":
Priceless. But only too a point. After a while, all The Love Magnet wants is to go back to the hotel and swim in the pool.

Multiple people to keep an eye on The Love Magnet:

PRICELESS!

(and thanks to the new leash - which she can not stand - there have been no escapes)

Sunday Gratitudes

Today in Sunday School we were studying the story of Samuel and Eli, particularly the part where Eli doesn't really make an effort when he disciplines them. The result is that they are destroyed and the Ark of the Covenant is taken. The story started a conversation about how we should not be our children's 'buddy' but really act as our children's parents and use that role to teach and instruct. Other adults were commenting about their children and how hard it is sometimes to be the parent. Huge gratitude to those parents for sharing their stories about the difficulties we face in parenting and disciplining our children. I don't feel like the mean mom, now. I'm not the only parent who insists their their kids learn how to work and do the job right the first time. Nor am I the only parent who gets the eye roll, the emphysemic sigh (I laughed hard at that description - it perfectly describes one of my children), the hunched shoulders, or the "it's not fair!" soliloquy.

I'm grateful for our upcoming vacay with Mr. Wonderful's parents. The kids are really looking forward to spending some time with their grandparents. They are good people. I love, love, LOVE my in-loves.

The Love Magnet took off again today. The front door was locked, as was the backyard gate. She went through the garage door (I didn't hear it with the dishwasher running). My next door neighbor saw my daughter chasing after my dog down the street. Neighbor tried to get her to stop, but The Love Magnet ran faster when she realized she was being chased. Neighbor caught her far down the next street and brought her back. I found out when Neighbor's firstborn knocked on my door to tell me his mother was chasing after my daughter. I'm grateful for my neighbor for bringing my daughter back. I've asked Mr. Wonderful to install alarms to tell me when any door to the outside or garage is open. I also bought a child leash. I hope that teaches her to not run.

I did a record amount of laundry this week. I'm grateful for the smell of clean laundry. I will be more grateful when all of my boys know how to do their own laundry.

My garden is starting to do better now that it isn't raining so much. The corn and peas look happy. The tomatoes look almost dead. Pumpkins and watermelon are finally starting to improve. The herbs are straggly. The strawberries are starting to bear fruit. I'm grateful that I'll be able to provide fresh, organic food for my family. I'm still learning. I wish I had inherited a little bit of gardening talent from my grandma.

What We're Doing During Summer

Going to a preserve to see these.

Planning a vacation here.

Reading this in 90 days and discussing it at

Family Home Evening.

Printing off chore charts from Free Printable Behavior Charts.

Tracking the Flat Love Magnet on this.

Studying this and combine our findings in a science journal.

Cooking Lessons

Swimming lessons and swim meets

Hiking

Scout Camps

What are your plans this summer?

Seattle Trip

We stayed at the Marriott Residence Inn. Two bedroom suite with a kitchen we perfect for a family of six. It came with breakfast, too, and it was close to the trolley. Unfortunately, the pool was out of order. That was a huge drawback. The hotel told us we had permission to use another Marriott's pool. It wasn't worth driving over for that. The kids were so disappointed. It was the only downer of our stay there.

The Love Magnet Loved the trolley.

Navigating the streets of Seattle from the Trolley to Pike's Placde Market.

The only way to keep track of the Love Magnet was to put her where she couldn't run.

The guys that throw fish. They kept reminding the gawking crowd that they actually sell fish, too. We had no way to store it so we didn't buy. Can you see the ugly monkfish hanging over the edge?

Thirdborn got quite adept at handling chopsticks. We were so proud of him for trying everything in his bento lunch.

Pike's Place Market

Mr. Wonderful got to meet two of my Cookies and The Scotsman. I wish I would have taped Firstborn giving his rendition of the Scotsman helping his daughter tell the story of the Three Little Pigs. He nailed The Scotsman accent perfectly.

Dinner with Cookies. Yes, those are two real, talking Cookies with me. And daughters, whom we like to refer to as Cookies-In-Training. Dinner was at Ray's Boathouse. Amazing food!

Riding the Ducks on a cold and rainy day. The younger kids had a great time. Remind me to never do this again.

We stopped at Snoqualmie Falls on the way home. Taller than Niagra Falls? Hard to tell.....

Mostly togetherness at Snoqualmie Falls. Firstborn stayed in the car. He sprained his ankle in Seattle. Walked all over downtown. Hobbled up and down hills. He had it with walking.