Catching up

I have a lot to catch up on! I just haven't taken the time in our very busy spring and summer thus far to write anything although I think about it frequently. There's just something about May that's like a starting gun going off and everyone in Minnesota starts running as fast as they can to make the most of the nice weather while it's here...us included! So here's a recap of what we've been up to. I'll try to post some photos in the coming days:

- M decided to play baseball this year. This is the real deal - uniforms, practices, games, kid pitch and lots of coaches. It's been busy balancing the baseball commitment with Mixed Martial Arts and our other activities but we all kind of grew to like it more than we thought we would. His team, the Rays, were undefeated this year! They have a tournament next weekend and then are going to the state tournament the last weekend in July. It's fun to be part of a winning team and it's been really fun to see him develop his skills over the past couple of months. He and daddy have been working hard on catching and batting and he's really coming around.

- We spent 4 weeks in May/June with Pukefest 2010. We think that everyone caught Rotovirus because everyone was at it and it was a big ball of no fun! Just when we thought it was done, someone else would start puking or someone would start puking again. We only made one ER trip: with the G-man because it just wiped him out too much. Some IV fluids and Zofran did the trick and he hopped out of there a few hours later. Having all of the kids puking at the same time was an underlying fear of mine when we had 4 kids. While we never had all 4 at it, there was a night where I was by myself with 3 of them puking. It will live on in my memory but not in the happy box.

- On Mother's Day weekend, we visited the farm and for some reason, I just decided that it was time that my babes start going down to sleep without nursing. They must have been ready too because there wasn't much of a fight from either of them. I stayed with them until they fell asleep and would sing to them and comfort them as needed. It progressed over several weeks: I was sitting next to S (who had more trouble than C) with my hand on him, then edged away a bit and then on the edge of the bed reading until they fell asleep. Finally one night, I just left the room. I told them that they didn't need to cry. They could just go to sleep and...they did! It was so amazingly fantastic. It took a few more weeks until they were sleeping all night in their own room but now, it's every night. I put them to bed, kiss them goodnight and they sleep "all night until the sun comes up". So wonderful. So freeing. I'm getting sleep that I had forgotten existed! I wouldn't change a thing about my parenting style with them. I wouldn't go back and force them to cry-it-out and make them do this earlier than when we were all ready but man am I glad that we're here now! I love having my evenings back to myself again. I love having time to read to my older boys and spend one-on-one time with them. It's awesome.

- This spring, I was called back outside to do my walking. I started waking up with the sun and I just couldn't stay in bed any longer - I had to get outside. So, I started walking again. That first day stepping outside for my walk was like coming home. It was such an amazing feeling to be doing something by myself and all for me to take care of me. Motherhood can be so demanding and it's a 24 hour job. Yes it's important that we take time for ourselves to rejeuvenate but it's not always possible so when it became possible for me this spring, I was purely joyful. I now walk 2 1/2-4 miles 3-5 days a week and I'm lovin' it! (some days - gasp - I even run!)

- The urge to become a camper really hit me this summer. I had resigned myself to it last year or the year before knowing that having all boys would probably mean me camping at some point. My brother-in-law once regaled me with stories of his mother taking all of her 5 children camping by herself and while at first I thought she was nuts, it eventually inspired me to want to do the same. In talking with a couple of friends, we discovered we were all on the same page with that or were at least willing to try it so we did! We did our first mom/kid camping trip in June down to Nerstrand Big Woods State Park and had a blast. We have another one planned to Whitewater in August and we're just ecstatic about it. Turns out, I like camping and I love seeing my kids in the outdoors. It brings them alive in a new way and it's just heartwarming. We even talked daddy into doing an overnight to test out all of the equipment before we headed out on our own. I think there's going to be a lot of camping in our future and daddy's now talking about a pop-up camper. Hmmm, we'll see where that goes! In addition to camping, we've had a few other trips: one to the farm over the 4th of July, one to the Vet's Rest Camp in Marine on St. Croix for an Orchard Family Reunion, and now we're home for a couple of weeks which we all need before heading out again!

- I took one whole day and a huge laundry basket full of books to the library to do our school planning for next year. It's one of my favorite days of the year I have to admit. It's so exciting planning out what we're going to do and learn and I'm so glad that even after all of these years of homeschooling that planning our next year still gets me excited! M will be in 5th grade and G in 4th grade next year. It gets more "real" every year and no, we're not yet daring to utter the words "middle school" That's just way too real for this mama.

- When we're home, we've been having a blast hanging out with friends, exploring the Twin Cities a bit and just enjoying our relaxed schedule. We're doing a bit of school this summer but nothing major and we're very willing to take breaks. It's good, though, to keep those wheels turning and keep some things fresh in our minds over the summer and noone's complaining too loudly. The days are finally get downright hot which means that the pool is calling! We have our passes and hope to hit the water very soon.

- The Tallula-bean (as we've taken to calling our new niece/cousin) is now 3 1/2 months old, is growing like a little weed and is cute as can be. We're enjoying her very much when we get to see her. She's such a little joy and yes, it's fun to be the auntie of a little girl and no, it doesn't make me want one. I'm done. Finis. Done. But I'll take all of the baby girl cuddles I can get when I can get them!

- We are doing a community garden again this year although I'm quite sure that I'm being talked about for my poor weeding habits. We've been gone so much and then when we're home, we have so much to catch up on or just need time to play outside that I haven't been over to weed nearly as much as I should and it's truly obscene. I hope to get over there later today and tomorrow and maybe the next day too. I did find some yummy things growing in amongst the weeds so nothing but my pride seems to be suffering too much. I've been having fun testing recipes like crazy this spring and summer. I've fallen in love with my Vegetarian Times magazine and while I'm not vegetarian and don't plan to be, I am reducing the amount of meat that I eat and working to introduce a lot more vegetables into our diet. This has done the trick! I've found some amazing recipes and I love trying all the new ones I can. They're not always a hit with the family but they're willing guinea pigs so I appreciate that.

- Our G-man took on a HUGE challenge from his MMA instructor this summer: no sugar. No screens. Wow. He was hesitant at first and wanted to back out because 3 months is a long time but he's doing great. He has a sticker chart to mark off each day and nearly everyone has been highly supportive of him. He does get to have sweets at parties and we can still have family movie nights but it just takes those things off of the proverbial table in our day-to-day lives. It's had a wonderfully positive effect on the entire family and I find myself wishing that the summer wouldn't end! He's read several books already this summer and is getting interested in things that he's never taken the time to notice before. I just love it. Even M has reduced his sugar intake and his screen time. G's very much looking forward to his birthday next week, however, when he was told that he can play video games and have sweets. Not a free-for-all but something befitting a birthday boy to be sure. We're so proud of him.

So that's kind of our spring and summer in a very small nutshell. I'll get some photos posted soon!