Catching, Catching, Catching Up

The kids in school--Eliza in half day kindergarten--I'm trying to use these 2 1/2 hours best I can. I did lots of housework yesterday. I'm going to keep plugging along on the blog and hopefully dust off some family/travel videos soon. My nesting instincts may lean toward digital organization this time, ha!

So, a little run down on school last/this year. When we moved to California we had little idea of the craziness of the school district in our town. We chose our house largely based on the school that is a 5 minute walk across the street with no idea that it is one of the most overcrowded in the city. So, last year Davy and Eddy were overloaded to a school a couple miles away. It's a great school and the kids had nice teachers. I became resigned to the drive to and from, though I really wanted to be part of the walking crowd instead. Sigh. Anyway, this year Eliza got a place in the neighborhood school for kindergarten and a few weeks later we got a letter that Eddy had a spot for 2nd Grade. Still waited to hear about Davy. When I called the district partway through the summer they said they were looking into adding classrooms and moving children around so I got hopeful. But come mid August we got notice that Davy would still be at the school he was last year (which now we learn was actually lucky--he could have been assigned to any other school). I called the office and they said Davy was still number 18 on their waiting list--only one child in his grade had moved during the year. So I struggled with the decision to continue driving him to and from school, especially when I learned that the start and end times for both schools are the same (they were staggered last year). I don't feel that homeschool is the best choice for us at this point, though I continuously reassess that. Davy all year and summer had been begging to stay at the school with his friends. My mom helped me release a lot of my anger and frustration when she gave me the perspective that I could do this hard thing for Davy. I can't do it for the stupid government and policy but I can do it for my son. So every day we get a little more into the routine of two school runs. Davy has to wait at school a full half hour before school starts, doing his homework and reading. Eddy has his very own key and gets home a few minutes before we do. We are all growing in responsibility and independence. I hate it every minute I think about it, still, but I'm running out of energy to fight it.

PJ walks around the block. Love those longer spring/summer evenings.

Last spring we visited the mission at Santa Clara. It's on a lovely campus now. The real draw, though, was the wisteria blooming. Oh, they smelled divine. The concert in the chapel was gorgeous as well. One of our friends from London had just returned to the bay area and was singing, so that was fun to be surprised seeing him!

So the things I love about California are: the weather, the beach, the frozen yogurt. That is pretty much all, actually. I have to really commit myself to finding more good things about living here. The weather, though, that is worth the high price tag. We can walk out and be outside any old day we want with no preparation for inclement issues. Already we take it for granted. Ironically we spent much of the past months inside because I was not well with depression and then morning sickness. But the times we did get out were perfectly 75 degrees.

Eliza continues to delight me with her help at every turn and her whimsy.

Trying to keep afternoon tea a habit at least a few times a month. Eddy is our resident lawn waterer and snail finder. He made a habitat for the colony of snails he collected. They escaped in no time, only to be recaptured. We enjoyed some flexible work-at-home days. Collin will be beginning a new job next week and it may be some time before we have earned that kind of flexibility again. In exchange, however, we are hoping he will have more regular hours and that we will be able to put some extra $$ in saving.

This summer our family council decided that the children could purchase Minecraft. They were thrilled and have respected the rules of the house regarding its use. I've never seen them so anxious and eager to get the laundry folded and the floor swept. A couple times a week for about ten or fifteen minutes each is a real treat.

They all spend much time building amazing Lego creations. There was a bakery, a yogurt self-serve shop, many modular houses. I love seeing their designs. They have spent other pocket money on specific pieces like doors and stairs and tiles for making wood or tile floors in their buildings. Don't tell them that I would be happy to spend family money on these types of specific things--I love it all the more that they know they must save up and spend carefully their own earned money.

I go through stages of seeing the beautiful in our life. Sometimes all I see are my own annoyances so big they block out everything else. When I can push past those ugly parts I see this right in front of me. My family, so beautiful and so essential.

Collin played in a Deloitte volleyball tournament held in the city. He had fun if out of shape (he said that--I'm not saying anything he didn't first!). The tournament had a variety of fun kid games. Davy was brave enough to go on the big zip line a couple times. We waved from below.

I love when music fills our home.

Davy and daddy went to a scout BB gun shooting activity. Davy got one shot in the black and was understandably proud.

In Betweens in the Bay Area

The great thing about California is that outside fun can continue into fall without too much inconvenience.  We barely skipped a beat and never stopped eating ice cream until December, really.  The rent we are paying seems exorbitant, but the weather is really fab.  Pluses and minuses.  Everyday, the pros and cons swirl in my head.

Eddy and I stopped for a street sign picture.  Eliza wearing my grandpa Ed's wooden shoes.  One of my most treasured items from my grandparents' house.

Beaches.  We have been to a few, and a couple more than once.  I love living on the coast and being close enough to get away to the ocean.  Feeling the fresh air, hearing the roar of the waves, I love it.  The beach is always more fun with daddy, with mermaid tails and digging for sand crabs.

Santa Cruz quickly became one of my favorite day trips.  We've returned several times and no visit has been complete without Marianne's ice cream.  They have so many flavors.  My favorite is the Mexican chocolate.  They also have a cardamom pistachio Collin and I like, as well as orange chocolate.

I love this picture.  But kid needs a haircut.

We went to the pier and enjoyed a few rides.  Once per kid.  It was fun, although I don't know if we'll do it again.  Unless they are spending their own pocket money!

I'm trying to remember to take more every day pictures, without styling, without removing any ugly, without posing the children just so.  I think our life is pretty gorgeous, even with all the laundry and stinky shoes.

Which visitor was this with?  I can't even remember now, those first months were a blur.  But we popped into the cable car museum and got to see the actual cables running.  That was so cool!  Still on my list for someday soon is to ride a cable car.

General Conference weekend my sister Katy was visiting.  We watched a session from the tent, then went into the city for a Chinese lunch.  We walked a good bit of the city because parking so we also got to see the (replica) Gates of Paradise.

Whenever I take a cute picture on my phone I kick myself it's not on my "real" camera.  And then I kick myself because how lucky are we, to be able to so easily and relaxingly take pictures to remember children at 8, 6, and 4.

One of Eddy's birthday presents--and really to all the kids--was a fish tank.  They chose three small and three medium goldfish.  Most were gone within a few weeks, a couple hung on, but soon enough only one remains.  But he has now made it through us being gone for two weeks and some pretty shoddy daily care, so he's a hardy one.  His name is Bob and he's my buddy.  I actually am very fond of that fish.  The kids could care less.

I thought I could make it without a Costco membership, but I lasted a couple days on that.  The frozen yogurt got me in the end.  (Although our Costco recently started selling only frozen yogurt and that's just not okay.  So disappointed.  I may be saying goodbye to Costco after all.)

Swimming at Aunt Camilla's pool before it closed for the season.  It was an extremely hot week, so it felt so good!

Cousins on their way to a family holiday.  It was so fun that we were just a few miles out of their way so we met up for lunch!  The major pros of being close to family.

After school sometimes looks like this, with smiles.  Sometimes not so much . . .

Work and play.  Trying to do more and more of both.

More San Francisco.  Trying out all the bakeries.  This one--the Holmes Bakery--had a sublime churro croissant.  Aricault bakery has a chocolate almond croissant that I cannot stop craving.  So we're doing okay in the treat department.

More snapshots, just because.  It's not technically good, it's not really pretty but it is as authentic as can be--I can still hear those giggles.

Getting in all the sides of the Golden Gate Bridge.  This one above, with the rock maze, is at Land's End on the west side.  Below is on the east side at a place called the Wave Organ.

I enjoyed a middle-grade book called "The Book Scavenger" and a sequel "The Unbreakable Code" that take place in San Francisco.  I can recommend them.  Davy read at least the first one and enjoyed it.  Anyway, I found out about a few odd places in the city that may not have come up on my radar from the books, like the Wave Organ.  It's created from old cemetery structures and has pipes that go down into the organ.  When you put your ear next to one you hear the waves lapping against the pipes rhythmically.  Strange and one of a kind.

I've really got to practice this harsh sunlight thing California does.  I've been so used to my beloved overcast and diffused light settings for too long!

Always draining the cup.  Trying to keep up our afternoon tea habit about once a week.

Library run, Cub Scout hike.  All the glorious everyday stuff.

School assignments.

Eliza trying so hard to do the monkey bars.  She has a ways to go yet, but I have faith in her.  Although I often have to step away to not micromanage.

All my sisters.  I couldn't stop humming the Full House song.  I also backed into a car on this hill as I was trying to come out of our parking place.  Not my finest move.  It's-It are another discovery from those books.  They are oatmeal cookie ice cream sandwiches dipped in chocolate.  They sell at convenience store freezer boxes, or there is this outlet shop on the way home.

Putting the kids to work wherever I can.  They raked . . . I mean swept . . . leaves in the backyard a couple times.  Didn't really know they were working they were having so much fun.  They don't know how good they have life.  But I do, and I'm so grateful.