Each birthday, my kids get to choose a birthday date with Grandma. Scout went back to his childhood and chose Chuck E. Cheeses and had a blast. He even invited Navy and Dash along for the festivities, which I thought was really nice! Afterward, Navy, Dash and Scout all agreed to take each other each year — and to ALWAYS pick Chuck E. Cheeses!
All of my kids are really good at our motto’s second decree — “solving their own problems”. But Pippi might be, pound for pound, the best. She was nursing an ingrown toenail tonight…and totally knew the drill. Even ending it with a spray of Hydrogen Peroxide.
Pippi — you are something else.
Twenty nine years we have known each other.
Who would have thought a young girl in her NafNaf overalls, and a young boy who was the star athlete would still constantly compete, still laugh with each other (or at), and still choose to sit next to each other on his mom’s couch.
Navy’s class had a whale watching field trip…and since I have never been, I was stoked to chaperone.
We were lucky to catch a grey whale. That’s kind of fun! But the trip became a bust when I was talking to the captain about the rumored blue whales. He told me we were on our way to see one just a few miles south when they found this Gray. I asked if we had any possibility to keep going and see the blue whale (which less than 1% of the population will ever see), and he headed up to head south when I watched a mother go up and say, “On behalf of the teachers, we need to turn around and go back because there are too many sick people.” I was really bummed, but didn’t want to contest the teachers. But then I found out that the stinking mom was speaking on their “behalf”. When everyone heard about this (including two teachers who were ralphing)…everyone was so ticked off because we all wanted to see a blue whale. Because of this over-zealous mother, we got back to shore an hour early, had to wait an hour for the buses, and missed the blue whales.
THE WORST PART…I was last to get off the boat, and looked at the Captain and said…”how lame is that mom”! He replied with, “yeah…and the other boats told us they happened upon the blue only two football fields away from us.”
At least we saw a gray??!!
It is so rare that we take a full family photo…but somehow before everyone undressed…I remembered, and used the Brockbank Easter Egg Hunt as leverage for everyone to cooperate.
Everyone took the warning seriously — even our seventh family member…except little Dashy…who never takes a normal picture anymore.
Look at these four.
Micah always says that every parent thinks their kids are the cutest. I tell him that is the case across the board…except in our family…because our kids are the cutest!
See!
The cooperation I enjoyed was unprecedented! This picture was at least ten minutes in…and everyone was happy to do anything I said…just to get in the car and head south!
I thought the pictures all turned out pretty good — considering that some were taken by my mom! Good thing Trilby showed up. But out of every picture…I have a favorite.
In a family picture, I spotted this oldest boy of mine looking at me, and I cut everyone else out to have just the two of us in this photo. There is just something about an 11 year old boy looking at his mom that way. Especially considering the way he looks at me sometimes when we are discussing homework, jobs and piano!!!
Each year, Easter is the same.
Brit and I fill our baskets together.
The kids wake up and find their baskets.
(I was informed by Navy that hers is always in the oven!)
After church, we always head to the Brockbank million-egg hunt!
My kids are master lookers.
Especially for the money eggs!
This year, my mom went to town. She donated a $100 egg, two $50 eggs, several $20 eggs, and various others. (A couple college kids and one working high school kid were in the mix.) The kids looked really hard. They were also hidden really hard. (Climb the tree, and one was in a crevice you could only see once up the tree.)
Everyone was deflated when Navy found the first $50 egg, and Scout found the second one. The others were divied out to everyone…but the $100 egg was still out for grabs. Everyone looked like crazy. I finally had to give them the half of the yard it was on. They looked and looked…and Navy scored it! It was awesome…but there seemed to be a monopoly, so I told Navy to take the $50 egg and re-hide it. I really wanted these starving college students to get it. The feelings were mixed on her hiding it again…but she did, and let the beast out of their cages. They looked pretty hard, and Doey celebrated when she found it!!! I was so excited..and Doey was elated…UNTIL…she opened it and it was empty. We looked over at Navy, and she said, “You only told me to hide the egg!”
In the end, Navy was at least $150 richer that day…good thing she is a proponent of watching her account get bigger. I looked at Doey and mouthed “I’m sorry”, but Doey thought it was a good move on Navy’s part.
After the hunt, B made his famous milkshakes, and we all sat back to the most exciting thing of the day….
We got to watch Gabe open his mission call to Viet Nam!
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Easter is always the same…but if it ain’t broke…
Each year, Dana point does not disappoint.
Where is Scout for the Easter Bunny picture?
Too cool.
But really?
Because that 11 year old was already camped out next to the oldest kid hunting area…marked “8-10 years old”.
His loot was ridiculous.
It was 2/3 of a brown grocery bag full.
He spent his post-hunt time separating and organizing.
And then he gave most of it away.
“I don’t really like the candy, I just like the hunt.”
In other news…Dash followed my advice and was much more tame, Pippi only searched for exactly what she wanted, and Navy spent 20 extra minutes hunting for any small treats left behind.
Micah has been working with Pippi for a few weeks on learning how to ride a two wheeler.
He says she is ultra-determined, but…”She is nowhere close.”
Micah was working with her, and it was a bit rough…but she would get a pedal or two in.
After a few minutes, he left to put something away in the garage.
So Navy stepped in to help Pippi out a bit.
And then the stars in Heaven aligned…
And she was off!!!
We were going crazy…so Micah came back out and was shocked!
It was all so exciting!
Even Casanova took a break from kissing the air to cheer her on!
So Daddy…this little girl of yours made you eat your words!
And something tells me that it won’t be the last time.
I don’t know who is worse to sleep with.
Pippi, who literally kicks you a hundred times while you are next to her (with great aim to the face might I add).
Or Navy, who saws logs all night — every night (at a volume that could be referenced with “horrifically loud”).
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