Tap To School Night

Ever since Abizella started her dance class she has spent every non-school moment in her leotard. Imagine her thrill when we allowed her to go to "Back to School" night in style! She shared her fantasy with me of showing up and having her whole class be her audience as she thrilled them with her fancy new moves. We actually did take the whole production down a notch by insisting that the tap shoes stay at home. ...didn't matter, she twirled her way around the kindergarten room as she presented every element. We even made an encore appearance after visiting Superkid's classroom. I'm not sure where she gets her natural showmanship from. I remember when I took tap classes when I was about her same age. Glama wanted me to go into Bampa's office in my "Fireman's Cha Cha" tap costume to be oodled by the office ladies. I refused and sat in the car. Kinda feel like I should fly Abz out to Glama's office to make it up to her.
Superkid was a bit more humble about his classroom tour, but we were happy to see where he goes ALL DAY EVER DAY. He made a puzzle for us to put together and read a book to me.
And so a school year begins. We are actually into full swing. Even though life is busy these days, we have managed to fit 1 fun activity in for each of the big kids. Not sure how we are going to handle it when the little guys get older. Maybe Superkid can start driving when he is 10? Anyway, Abz is taking a ballet and tap class with her buddy Jordan. As I mentioned, she is getting in lots of practice time...
And Superkid is putting in another season of soccer...
And here is the cheering section...
WHAT???! Turkeys at soccer? I guess that is why the Pilgrims had turkey at their big feast. Easy pickings in these parts.

Just Tad

Tadpole's X-Man power is talking. Pops and I love to hear his perspective. After returning from work Friday night, Tad pulled me by my hand and asked me to come sit with him on the porch. After settling, I asked him what he did that day. He replied,
"Well... I guess I was just pretending the world was my race track."

View For the Kill

All of that time Little Chief has spent studying the form and function of his hand lately is about to pay off.

Honey Crisp!

These apples are simply too good to cook with. They are best appreciated straight off the tree sitting down (they make my knees buckle every time!). Superkid has been talking about his favorite season and all of the wonderful things to do all summer long. FINALLY it is time for some apple picking!
Honey Crisp Love



We did save a little room for some fresh-from-the-cow creaminess...
And even wandered over to thank our fine lactating friend...
I was worried that we might only have this one chance to load up on apples with our new crazy schedule... but that is crazy talk! We'll be back.

Toads in the Wild

This year we joined our church friends for a weekend in the wild for Labor Day. We haven't joined them in this tradition for years due to baby births and the long distance from home. Every year the ward-folk head up to New Hampshire for some time in the rough, lounging, swimming, hiking and shopping at the outlet mall right outside the camp ground (whaaat?!). Here is this year's crowd... and yes, some of the guys are wearing dress shirts and ties. Part of the tradition is to hold sacrament meeting in the rough.
Another part of the tradition is the feast afterwards that is headed up by Carolyn's fire-roasted turkey. She just stakes it up over the campfire, builds what looks like a rocketship around the turkey with foil, and lets the kissing flames do the rest. Dee-lish! Carlolyn holds the fame of being at every campout since the first was held 27 years ago.
Lots to do too! We hit the pool...


...to clean off our black cherry stained feet...
Splashed in the Saco River...

Got plenty of rest...


And cleaned up in Diana's Bath...

We couldn't hold Superkid back! Pops was tethered with Little Chief, so I chased after him ascending higher and higher up the falls. This kid is fearless. I hollered up to him, "Just look at you scamper up these rocks!" He hollered back, "Look at you struggle up these rocks!" It is funny because it is true. Scampering or struggling, a good time was had by all.
...especially when you find the perfect walking stick!

After all of that excitement it is nice to come back to the camp, roast a hot dog, warm your tired dogs over the fire (and a can of Saco River beans and a dutch oven full of Pop's famous ribs).
Unless you are more into eating straight up ketchup!
Life is good!
But the kids all agree, the best part was the tent. Oh the fun to be had in a tent, especially a tent with a dog door!

The next day after we were home, clean and rested Tad said, "Mom, can we go back to our tent now?"

Thing #4

Thing #4 happens to be the BEST!
He sure knows how to spoil a mama. I remember when Superkid was a baby and I would chat with other moms. They would say all kinds of crazy things like their baby's would sleep for 5 or 6 hours at a time. I knew it was a lie. From my experience a baby would die of starvation if he did not eat every 2 hours. Superkid's pediatrician asked me at his 1 year check-up how much he was sleeping at night. I told her two hours and she referenced Superkid's thighs and suggested that I could come up with a new strategy for calming a baby. Still, you can imagine my shock that a baby can actually sleep 11-12 hours every night and not just survive, but thrive! That's right, Little Chief is up to the 75%... okay okay... he is not off the charts like our chubster Superkid. But that takes some serious all night long noshing. I'll take the sleep thanks.
Look who sprouted some teeth last week?! Okay, they are really tough to see...
Especially since he is constantly playing with them with his tongue...
What sweet stuff. We kinda think he is the best one... well, at least until he gets big enough to be naughty. Right now he is all nice.

School Days

Back to School!
These styling school kids are all set for a year of enrichment.
Abizella has been excited for Kindergarten ever since she first learned about it last year when Superkid got dropped off and she didn't. She thought this day would never come. Although, as the big day approached she did get a few butterflies in her stomach. August was LOOOOONG for poor Abz, with Sara moving away, Jordan and our next door neighbor Bianca on vacation, and Maryn too far for a play date, this girl was suffering for want of social stimulation. When she told me she was a little nervous to go to kindergarten, I tried to cheer her up by telling her that there would be lots of little girls at kindergarten to make friends with. She then said, "They will probably like me if I have cute shoes. I will probably make friends with the girls with cute shoes too." I am bracing myself already for Jr. High.
A couple of weeks into school Pops did a reality check with Superkid. He asked, "So are there any kids that tease you at school?" In jest, Superkid rolled his eyes and said, "Dad, I am the second tallest kid in my class, what do you think?"
Cute shoes or not, what could be more comforting than your experienced 1st grade big brother putting his arm around you and chauffeuring you to his domain?