BREEZY FIELDS

Yesterday Ellyn participated in her first ever Special Olympics. She was awesome. She didn't love the jumping so much but she couldn't get enough of the ball throwing. We had to find an empty station and throw some more. My girl rocked it on the 50 yard dash, she was amazing. She ran with Veronica and came in second. She was a speedy little Chiquita and loved the cheering at the end. Such a cool event for so many great children. I can't wait for many more years of participation! Ellyn and Veronica- just after Ellie threw her tennis ball. I could never get a shot with the ball in the picture. Ellyn does a little warm up lap, mentally preparing for her big run. High fives all around for our champion. Ellyn basks in the glory of her medals. Either that or she's tired and the sun feels really good!

Today Ellyn had to go to school:-( The girls are on a week break, Mike doesn't have school for Columbus Day, and Anne and Peter are here with the kids. We will play all day while Ellyn slaves away (no, not really, it's fun work). So this morning Ellyn and I had a nice quiet morning. We watched a little Dora, I fed her 2 bowls o' Cheerios, I made one lunch. Just one lunch and then we got little Boo dressed without any interruptions. We had a very relaxing morning. I have decided that getting just one child ready for school in the morning is very pleasant. I think I'm only going to have one kid. Wait...no, it's not that I just figured out I made the above decision too late, it's because I have a CLS!!!! Yesterday morning Ellyn woke up and came into my room (Anne was a witness to all of this). Let me preface this by saying that for a few months now we have tried to tell or show Ellyn what we are going to do and then we give her 10 seconds before we make th...

First, a cute little story. I should make an acronym- CLS or CS. A few months ago, the same day we got our cat, I decided to finally follow through and get Ellyn some fish. Fish tanks were on sale at the pet store and if anyone knows me well they know that I have an amazing ability to put things off for months at a time (I had wanted to get Ellyn a fish for her birthday, you know, Valentine's Day). So... along with cat food I bought a tank, rocks, water treatment, goldfish food and two little goldfish. Sadie and Jane, with much giggling at their own cleverness, have affectionately named the fish Joe and Cody (you know our two yorkies we rehomed last year when we moved in, no I never blogged about it. It was painful for the girls and embarrassing as we let go of yet two more dogs. However it was necessary for this dreamy and safe house that we love). I digress. Ellyn loves spending time at the tank watching her two little fish (we have two snails now too but I don't thi...

A long, long, long, time ago we used to live in places that got hot. We discovered that Ellyn didn't do well with sleep (does she ever?) and heat. This week we had a bit of a heat wave. It even reached the low 90's. What we discovered long ago still holds true. Ellyn and heat don't mix (by the by heat and Mike don't mix either). We had several nights in a row of tantrums at midnight, cool baths at one, a van ride down to the beach in air conditioning at eleven thirty, Disney movies from 2-3, that sort of thing. But... I bought fans, the heat abated and rest was due to come to our house last night. That was before my friend ran over a screw on our way to book club and we came out to a flat tire and didn't get home until 1 am (we couldn't get the spare out from under the car, neither could my friend's husband). Then, Mike sleepily informed me that Sawyer had a fever and I should bring him into my bed (Mike was sleeping on the couch with Ellyn on the f...

Ellyn woke up at 1:00am last night. Mike and I had just gone to bed. The girl and her parents stayed up ALL night. She fell asleep at 5:30 and woke up on her own at 6:30. I sent her to school with the warning to her aide that she might fall asleep, but then again, maybe not. We've done this before. She never slept the whole day and was full of energy on our walk this afternoon (Mike, Sawyer, and I took a nice long after lunch nap. Mike's not as long, he had class). Ellyn was loud and happy enough to wake the entire family at one point or another during the night so we all walked around like zombies today. Not our Ellie Boo, she was as happy as a sweet little cutie in braids could be. Some day mysteries will be revealed. I can't wait until I understand the puzzle that is our Ellyn.

Sadie was our little miracle baby. Have I said that before? Maybe. But... she was and she still is a blessing from Heaven (sometimes, like right now when she is arguing with her sister, I have to remind myself of this). Sadie is a ray of sunshine with her white blond hair and her infectious smile. She keeps things lively, mostly in a good way:-). This month, as her baptism date quickly approached, we had the opportunity to listen to Sadie share her testimony and her knowledge of the gospel. She is a remarkable girl with a very sure knowledge of the love of her Heavenly Father. Before too much time passes and the memory is blurred I need to record the testimony that Sadie shared in testimony meeting at the beginning of June. In May Sadie bore her testimony for the first time in Sacrament Meeting. Mike has always been very strict about the children going up. He feels they really need to have an understanding of what they are doing before they bear their testimony. Hence, this w...

"Baby Ellie" as all her sweet little cousins (most of them younger) call her, turned 6 this year on Valentine's Day. I can't believe it. I have a tall gangly girl with three loose teeth and no more baby fat, except maybe in those sweet, edible cheeks. Ellie's birthday is always an emotional time for me. It is a time for assessments in school, a time for recognizing where Ellyn is, developmentally. We meet every year, the week before her birthday. It is an exact age very much in the forefront of my thoughts and it seems to me that I look around and every little kid I see is Ellyn's same age. On the one hand it is difficult for me to see where Ellyn should have been. There are those sad "what if" moments. I see what Ellyn's life could have been, how carefree and independent my six year old daughter would be. I wonder what sort of interests she would have had, what it would be like to have an energetic little kindergartner sprinting off the...

My sister is here for one more day. She is loved. You want to know why? She came down to see blue skies (and us of course). It rained the whole week before she came, it has been sunny the entire week she has been here, rain is forecasted for the 10 days after she leaves. God must know that a woman that is 8 months pregnant with her 5th child and is longing for a little sun needs it. We have played hard every day, any surprise there? No. Meags brought her two youngest, Wil and Hazel, and the little cousins have loved being together. Sawyer idolizes Wil. Hazel can't get enough of Jane and her make up. The swing set we traded our old washer for has come in mighty handy. It is set up in our courtyard, taking up a great deal of space, but well worth it. Wil, Sadie, Hazel, and Sawyer have spent hours playing outside in our beautiful weather. Story- yesterday Isabella and I took Ellie out on her walk. Ellyn seemed excited until we started walking and then she was teary and t...

The past two days have been much better. Yesterday Ellyn's Neurologist said that Ellyn is officially seizure free and there is no need for us to come see him anymore. Hurray! I think I have a solution for my renters if the management company will work with me. I'm hoping they can work off the debt doing home improvement projects (my tenant is handy). Grout, paint, what have you. I would cover supplies. I think it is a great idea where everyone wins. We'll see. Sadie and Sawyer are using me for a springboard as I crouch over my lap top. I think I should be done before any of us are permanently damaged.

The other day I was up really early, I can't remember why. I was in the kitchen and Jane walked in and gave me a hug. She was smiling and kind of laughing. I asked her what was up and why she was awake. She said that Sadie kept laughing in her sleep and it woke her up. Then she heard Sadie giggle and say (in her sleep mind you), "I don't think blue hair was a good idea." Last night was our ward Christmas party. Jane played a solo on her flute, "The First Noel." She did a beautiful job, so calm playing for over 200 people. I am so excited with her progress and love of the flute. We played little Christmas duets (me on the piano) for about 40 minutes yesterday afternoon. Ellyn was watching a movie, but she kept coming over and pulling my head toward her and giving me big smooches right on the mouth. It was so cute and I loved it, but I also knew after a few such kisses that she had a motive. Ellyn gives kisses when she doesn't want you doing w...

Every week we drive 45 minutes to Watsonville and 45 minutes home so that Ellyn can ride a horse for 30-35 minutes. Is it worth it? YES! Example- Ellyn hardly ever acknowledges people or animals. When we get to the barn Ellyn usually runs happily from the van, through the barn, and up the ramp to where the children get on the horses, laughing all the way. This week she was sidetracked by actually seeing her horse still in its stall. She ran over to the horse and reached up with her little hand and touched him on the nose. Then... as she was getting onto the horse with Miss Rachel she actually said "Horsey." This is very exciting for us. Ellyn has also seemed to be much more regulated (even tempered) since beginning to ride. Before school started Sadie and Jane would come out with us and they would let Sadie ride as well. Now Sawyer and I spend our time inspecting all of the horses, riding the giant tricycles, playing in the sand pile, or petting the dogs. All the while Ellyn...

"Show me a woman who doesn't feel guilty and I'll show you a man." --Erica Jong I found this quote on another blog a few days ago and I loved it. You want to know guilt? Watch your poor, sweet 5 year old that already has difficulties with walking limp across the floor. Why is she limping? BECAUSE YOU BROKE HER FOOT!!!

Yes, we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the two women from the Northwest. They have been delayed a day and it dang near killed my kids but they are living and they are coming. I gave myself an early Mother's Day present and hired a company to come vacuum, dust, mop, and scrub my bathrooms and as much as I hate spending money on something I can do and might even do better, it has been a huge relief. I hit meltdown point the other day and that was the result. But... I have been able to work on other projects that I haven't been able to get to and I haven't been a total stress case with my kids, good all around. I swear, by the time I make meals, clean up meals, get kids ready for school, do Jane's school, change diapers, run to soccer, etc... it would take me two days to do what they did in an hour and 45 minutes (there were two of them). Mike told me at the beginning of the deployment that I should just get someone but I am too cheap. However, I've dro...