We’re aware that there’s a honeymoon period at the beginning of every relationship. We’re hoping, of course, that it lasts indefinitely. Although, perhaps when the kids all start acting like siblings towards each other, that’ll be a good sign in it’s own way.

Last Sunday (the one before last, I guess), we went to the church picnic where Berry and Emma got their faces painted. Duncan didn’t want his face painted–until after he saw the girls’ faces and we were on our way home…

Duncan made this at summer school. Can you guess which cartoon character he is?

(I couldn’t. It’s Super Why.)

Here the monkeys are involved on one of their favorite activities: playing on the computer. They were playing a lemonade stand game and Berry decided to sit on Emma’s lap while they were waiting for the day to pass in the game to see how much lemonade they sold.

It’s much less mess than an actual lemonade stand.

On Sunday, we decided to go to the beach before summer was officially over, at Duncan’s behest. First, though, the kids had to form a rock band–well, the girls did, while the boys played on the computer.

I joined in on the mic and got Duncan going to at one point. It was fun. There is video proof on Adam’s website and YouTube.

Finally, we were ready to go and everyone climbed aboard the flowered minivan.

As soon as we got there, everyone leaped out and ran down to the ocean.

And I thought we were going to eat lunch first.

Instead, waves were jumped, caves were explored and cities were built on the shores of a trickle of water running down the beach. And my phone battery went dead so no more pictures were taken.

This week is back to school freak out week, where I learn about all the school supplies I haven’t yet purchased and scramble to get everything ready.

I did, however, manage to finish listening to the audio book I started in early August when I went to get the kids from Rochester. Jennifer Weiner’s Little Earthquakes. It’s the first complete book I’ve “read” in a long time.

I’d hoped to catch up on tale-telling for the past few weeks. Duncan’s 5-year well check up where he knew all about the blood pressure cuff from visiting an ambulance with Kevin…

…and how he didn’t make a squeak when he got 2 shots (containing about 8 vaccines, I think).

Then there was the mending of Berry’s princess dress…

…which she has taken to wearing at every possible moment. We quickly learned that you can’t wear dress up clothes to Montessori school.

The library, however, is fine.

Then there was their friend’s birthday party at a roller rink.
Berry loved it.

Duncan didn’t.

The first trip with everyone in the minivan…

(we went to a nearby park).

The kids enjoy going over to Nanny’s house most days after school for a little TV watching (we haven’t shown her how to turn on shows on the computer – we no longer have cable)…

…and the princess dress is fine to wear to Nanny’s.

Last weekend, Adam resurrected my old Toshiba laptop that died after I spilled pumped breast milk on it. I’d heard he was a genius. Turns out it’s true. Duncan helped too, standing by in case his tiny fingers were needed to reconnect little wires.

Or perhaps he was standing guard. As he and Berry now get to use that computer, much to their delight.

I’m seemingly obsessed with taking photos of Berry while she’s sleeping (or refusing to wake up in this case).

But she’s too adorable not to.

On Saturday mornings, we commonly take a trip to the library. Duncan and Berry love this globe.

And finding Dora books. And puppets. And anything else that appeals. It’s a great library.

Last Saturday we went to Adam’s nephew’s birthday party. They have a pool. Will really cold water. This is as far as the kids got into it.

Then we all went in the hot tub (which we cooled down to a kid-appropriate temperature).

And that breathless update brings you up-to-date with half of last weekend. More to come. You know, sometime.

A couple are teachers and explained that they’re not provided funding for school supplies and they mostly buy what’s needed out of their own pockets.

I smugly posted (this is an online group of friends) that Duncan’s school is just asking for a supply fee and that they’ll take care of it all. I think it’s wonderful.

Except Duncan is going to 2 schools for Kindergarten (as public schools offer only a half-day program). And the private school does have a school supply list — for both Duncan and Berry.

What strikes me the most is that they’ll need a lot of glue. Each child needs 2 boxes of glue sticks with a minimum of 4 glue sticks per box. That’s 8 sticks of glue for one child in 10 months, almost 1 stick of glue per month. What will they be gluing? The 2 reams of paper? The $20 of paper towels (I only have to buy 1 roll and write a check for $20 for the rest).

Berry also gets 2 bottles of liquid glue. I should warn them about the glue puddles she likes to make. And maybe buy some extra. Fortunately, to go along with the glue, they also request a box of wipes.

I’m happy to buy them whatever they need. We keep a craft closet (which has now spread into Duncan’s bedroom closed) well stocked with craft supplies. But the amount of glue is striking.

The other point on which I differed from my mommy friends was the “I’m going to cry when my baby gets on the bus!” Not only will there be no bussing to school (I’d be happy about that) I’m not sure there’ll be any crying on my part.

I’m excited for my kids to grow up. I love watching them grow, guiding them and helping them (slowly) learn how to become happy, functional adults. I’m not really sad that the baby years are behind them. They were fun while they lasted – great, exhausting fun.

And now we’re onto something new.

While the kids were away, I moved. And unpacked. I’m almost totally unpacked, the boxes in my bedroom/office being the last.

And I got away for an entire 24 hours (before returning to rent another U-Haul to move all the rest of our belongings we didn’t get the first time).

I flew to Rochester 2 weeks ago to pick up the kids and fly back home. I’ll have the pleasure of that 3 times a year. It was OK. Not my favorite way to spend a few days, but all went well with no delays, so there’s certainly no reason to complain.

I put together a photobook with the photos Kevin’s posted on his blog.

Click here to view this photo book larger

Duncan and Berry started a new summer school and seem to be settling into the new routine really well. Adam and I realized that taking everyone places in 2 cars wasn’t going to be OK for long. So we bought a previously enjoyed mini-van.

This is from our first family outing to a nearby park. All went well.

More to come later. Time for bed now.

It’s been a week since Christopher and Arthur left. I got an e-mail asking for my new address, so I presume they got home safely. It was a treat having them here. The kids demonstrably loved each other and Christopher cooked dinner every night.

Here’s a pictorial post of the fun and trouble cousins can get into together.

I missed it last year. We weren’t quite yet in Eugene. So I was committed to going this year. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find anyone to go with me.

Not one to ever let going on my own stop me from doing anything, I dressed everyone in their tie-dyed best and hopped over to Safeway on Sunday morning to buy my ticket. Then off to downtown Eugene with Duncan and Berry to catch the bus.

I didn’t have high hopes of seeing much of the fair. I just wanted to *go* and see what it was like.

It was hot. And a bit dusty. I’d been warned about that. But it was also shady, with winding paths between booths and trees. Of all the random fairs I’ve been to, this appeared to be the best organized and most pleasant.

I’d been warned about the naked body-painted people running about. But didn’t run into any. Probably because we spend almost all our time in the children’s area. Where we made sun hats. Like these:

And checked out a cool, giant kaleidoscope:

And a jungle gym in the kiddie playground:

Finally, when the heat was too much (mostly for me), we wandered over to the bus stop and caught a blissfully air-conditioned LTD bus back into town. Duncan amused himself taking endless narrated videos of the trip and Berry fell asleep on my lap.

It was also the first time I attempted to do some organized party games. That went mostly OK – with most guests participating, at least to some extent. Given that the birthday party theme was officially Dora (and pirate Dora at that), we did a Pin the Tail on Swiper game and then a Treasure Hunt game.

The great treasure at the end was a Dora birthday cake and ice cream.

I looked into cake pans shaped like Dora, but ultimately decided on a 2-layer round chocolate cake with strawberry jam filling. Drawing and filling in Dora’s head was about the most I could manage. Coming up with natural food colorings for her entire outfit seemed beyond my current capabilities. So I made a Dora cake. And then she was devoured, much like the Minnie Mouse cake last year.

Duncan made out like Swiper with all the Dora presents he got. There was a Dora mermaid (that you wind up so she swims around the bath), a little princess Dora, Dora clothes, a Dora bubble wand, a Dora ball and bat, a Dora keychain for his Dora backpack for school…

I hope he keeps liking Dora for a while. He’ll be bereft of clothing and toys if he ever breaks up with her.

The kids leave for Rochester on Monday for 3 weeks and Christopher and Arthur leave on Tuesday. Last Sunday we went to the Oregon Country Fair (pictures from that will be forthcoming soon). And I’m moving the chickens over to their new home at Adam’s today. Wish us luck with all of that.

The Foundation is always in need of good caregiver and patient photos and it’s hard to get them when people are in the hospital, sick and in need of care. It’s hardly the time you want to put a camera in someone’s face.

So, our wonderful photographer, Deborah, came along to capture some moments of visiting the pediatrician and getting xrays. Here are some of the out takes.

Waiting in the doctor’s office:

Poor baby in a splint:

Waiting for her x-ray:

Getting the x-ray:

And the prognosis? Her bone is healing well, but she still declares she has some pain when it’s touched, so we keep the splint on for another week. Then it comes off and we observe, while not letting her do crazy arm-related things, like batting practice and handstands. Wish us luck on that one.

Last weekend we went to the Saturday market with Christopher and Arthur. I find getting disparate groups of people together at the same place and the same time to be challenging. But we managed to meet up at the library then walked over to the market for a bit.

Mostly we ate lunch, then bought a few veggies. The bag of snap peas was obliterated by munching small children by the time we got back to the car. (Darn, raw, organic, freshly-picked, local green vegetables. I MUST get them to stop eating those. I, on the other hand, was magnetically drawn into a gluten-free bakery where I found chewy chocolate cookies.)

This photo contains the most people looking in the right direction at one time:

At some point during the week (back when it still rained in Eugene), there was a lovely double rainbow which I captured through the car window:

Just thought I’d share.

Since then, it’s been consistently hot and sunny. Which, really, is fine. A few days of 90+ is fine, especially when I spend most of it in an over-air-conditioned office.

This weekend proves to be a busy one. It’s Duncan’s birthday party tomorrow afternoon. It’s supposed to be a Pirate Dora themed party, although we may only be able to pull off the Dora part. We will have a treasure hunt, at least, leading to the greatest booty of all — the Dora birthday cake. Which I have to make tonight.

On Sunday, we’re heading off to the Oregon Country Fair. I will try not to sell the kids to any gypsies.

And that’s my random update for the week.

In general, Duncan remains obsessed with Dora (although he doesn’t care for her sidekick Boots much). He wears a size 6 or boys XS and size 1 shoes. He could do with more shorts for the summer.

His favorite animal is the giraffe. He likes understanding how things work – the body, the world, etc. He’s starting to read simple books by himself

And his molars are coming in! We went to the dentist this morning. And found that his bottom front teeth are getting wiggly and that his first set of adult molars are coming in. Which explains why he’s been grinding his teeth at night.