Jack #1 and Jack #2
Making dog treats, glad we were all feeling better so the kids could enjoy some playtime during their break from school.
Jack, Grady, Nolan, Savannah, Ray and Asher
Playing in the sand in the cold for hours! Amy and I in coats and then wrapped in blankets. Amy a few days away from surgery.
The Fleig Family
Crazy Cold Virus thru our house and everyone sleeping a lot!
Thanks for taking care of the boys, cleaning my kitchen and then making some yummy cookies!!! You Rock!
Today Asher was all about Elmo’s World. As I spoke to my friend Leia today I tried to coax Asher to say Happy Birthday to her. He was already on his play cell phone, talking to Elmo’s World apparently. He said, “It not Aunt Leia it Elmo’s World!” pointing to his phone.
As we were having Family Home Evening I asked Asher to pick the song, he picked Elmo’s World, so we sang it. Then after FHE he wanted to sing Bob the Builder.
At 2:40pm Roger had to dash out again and take Jack to a basketball game. When they returned after 4pm I was still unshowered but my cute buckets were done and now I was really cleaning like a mad woman cause the sitter was going to be there at 5pm. The sitter came and I finally hoped in the shower. We left for our date after 6pm.
So I was a little grumpy and we hadn't planned anything special. But we ended up getting pedicures first at Lilly's nails. It was fantastic! I had not put my makeup on yet so we were sitting in the massage chairs and I started to put on my makeup as we were soaking our feet. The ladies that work there are all from Vietnam and they telling me how young I look and how pretty my makeup was. They were way over the top, but how can you not feel good about yourself when three women are going on and on about you. They were telling Roger he was so handsome and we were such a nice couple, anyway you get the point, it was a great way to start our date.
Then it was off to Nick's for dinner, we did not have reservations but they got us right in. The food was great! Nick's is this quaint Greek/Italian restaurant in Bellevue. Then we headed over to Macy's cause I need some stuff at the Origins counter. Then it was off to the movie theater for Paul Blart, Mall Cop. It was an uplifting and entertaining movie. If you like Kevin James then you will enjoy it.
So the end of the day was great and feeling like junk the first part of the day just made the end even sweeter.
This week I had the opportunity to watch my friend’s kids while she had surgery. They have been amazing! The joy they get from the smallest things surprises me over and over. The first day they were full of questions and exclaiming randomly “My mom is in the hospital!”. For the most part they were excited to have a sleepover on a school night, jumping up and down that they could wear our pjs.
Monday we worked on valentines for school, played at McDonald’s, and after FHE we had ice cream and strawberries. Before bed we laid on the fold out couch each child got to chose their own story book and sit next to me while I read it to everyone. They were so happy just to be included in my day they increased my joy in the days goings-on.
Today we dropped the older boys at school and then came home for a short while, during which they only made one massive fort and played restaurant. Then it was off to pick up Asher from preschool and brunch with some fantastic friends. Then off to preschool for the kids and home for Asher and I . Then off to pick the kids up from preschool and the big boys from school. Then off to scouts for Jack, afterward home for dinner. At dinner Nolan reminded Jack of our FHE lesson, “Remember Jack love everyone from family home evening last night!” Jack had been teasing Grady. Nolan’s comment made me so happy because someone was listening to my lesson. Then it was homework time and baths. After bath time I always dry my kids hair with a blow dryer and clip their nails. My extra kids all giggled and relished getting their hair blow dried. I also introduced them to baby oil for their elbows, knees and feet, they liked how soft their hands were after rubbing the oil in. Of course we had to sit on the fold out couch and all read stories again.
I don’t know, I might be able to handle six kids.
Thanks kids for being so sweet!
So the day started out a little different then most Saturdays, Roger and I both got up voluntarily by 8am. We had to get the boys fed and off to their activities, one to karate and one to piano. No problem, up at 8 we can make it by 10.
Asher decided today he wanted to potty train , he took his diaper off by himself. Just as we all sat down to breakfast (I mean as I sat down to eat, everyone else was finishing their breakfast) Asher got out of his chair and I noticed a puddle in his chair. It only took a few minutes to clean it up…
Roger left while I was finishing my breakfast so he could take Grady to karate. (Roger showered as I made breakfast) I still had thirty minutes to take Jack to piano.
As I headed to my bedroom to shower, Asher was looking in the mirror trying to figure out what went wrong with his shirt. As I snapped a picture he started peeing again. As I cleaned this mess up I still had 15 minutes I could at least change out of my pajamas.
Then Jack yelled there was something stinky in his room. Yes it was poop on the rug! “Oh ASH-ER!”
Now………………………… we were LATE.
We went to my cousins home to watch super bowl with him and his family. My cousin, Christian is really my mother’s 1st cousin but we are close in age and we grew up in the same town so we don’t usually go to the trouble of explaining it to anyone. Brian and Courtney are Christian’s siblings.
Brian, Christian and Courtney are my cousins I grew up with and am lucky to live somewhat close to now. Brian is oldest and a big instigator or family gatherings. Brian drove all the way from Spokane to Bellingham to be will all of us, what a great cousin, brother and friend! Christian lives in Bellingham and has always been one of the kind cousins, teased Courtney and I but looked out for us too! Courtney lives in Seattle and is one month younger than me we grew up inseparable until she moved at age 15 to Seattle. I love her as my sister!
I was so excited to see family and for my children once again to have an experience playing with their cousins. I grew up with extended family always around. We had family reunions multiple times during the year, every year. I do not know if my children will ever have that. But was very excited to give it to them in a small dose at least as they got to play with Christian’s children for an afternoon.
Is knowing your extended family vital to knowing who you are ? I feel like all of my aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents raised me almost as much as my parents. I have a deep love for all of them, but I don’t know if my children will ever feel that love for their extended family. We see our extended family about once or twice a year. I have pictures up of them, we talk about them but that does not make them physically present in our lives.
I want to change the situation but reality is most of our family lives in Florida and Missouri while we are in Washington. I think I am going to have to start creating opportunities for family to visit. If we go on vacation call everyone and personally invite them? Be more present in my extended families lives thru phone calls and emails so when opportunities come up we can be available. My aunt Jana used to fly thru Seattle for business and she would call so we could at least sit over a meal and catch up face to face for an hour.
I think that short interactions can be powerful and lasting because the effort is made to be present. If short visits are all we can have for now then we will take as many as we can until someday when all our family comes to their senses and moves to Washington.
