Assateague Island

Friday we went to Assateague Island.
We needed a cheap, new, vacation idea for this year.  We can't spend the night--we have no camping equipment and hotels are out of our price range this summer, especially since we would have to get two rooms.
In the spring, Maire checked out a book at the library about the ponies on Assateague Island and I began trying to plan a trip there before school started again.  It was actually quite difficult to get the information I was looking for; how to plan your day, what things cost, what the beach is like, are there any events or things we should try to see, and how likely is it that you will see a pony?
Eric and I finally set a date to go and just decided to go blind and find out what we could.  We knew we needed bug spray and that there is a beach.  Then Thursday I finally found a blog that gave actual information that is useful here:  http://www.alandsuejohnson.com/chincoteague_planning.htm  (thanks Johnsons!)

I also found out that getting to see ponies is highly unlikely as the ponies do not roam freely any more and are penned in. There is a boat tour of the island that almost guarantees seeing ponies but it is about $40 per person. ($40x6=? um, nope not going to do the boat tour).
Then the weather forecast got gloomier.  Chance of thunderstorms all day long.
Thursday night we told the girls that we can still go but we might not be able to see any ponies and if there are thunderstorms we can't go to the beach.  Do they still want to go??  YES!!

We set off on an Adventure!!
Friday morning it was raining.  And raining.  And there was thunder here at our house.
But we prayed for better weather and packed up our swimsuits and ham and cheese sandwiches and drove.
We didn't get a very early start--left at 7:30am.  But we had no problem with traffic from Springfield to the Bay Bridge to the island.

Rain.

Rain

Go away,

Come again some other day!

Erica sleeping

Sarah reading--I don't know how they can read in the car!

yes, everyone switched places at the bathroom breaks

Maire, "How much longer?"  

Here comes the sun!!

There was one seagull on to of each light pole going across a bridge. They looked so funny!

We made it to the Island and it was sunny!! Sunny, and windy, and bright, and hot!
And, we saw ponies.  Well, we saw what we knew were ponies.  They were far away in the distance.  Everyone used binoculars to see them.

in between the trees in the field there is a little group of horses.  

That was fun and all, but we spent the rest of our time on the beach.
Going to the beach with young children who are not strong swimmers is just a terrifying experience.  Every second is a life and death situation.  It is quite stressful.  And on top of that you have to apply sunscreen every hour with sand everywhere to 6 pale bodies that REALLY need sunblock.
But there is something about the ocean that is amazing.  You spend the day in awe of the power of the earth and the God who created it.  No man has any control of the waves yet they keep coming and the water pulls on you, inviting you to come and feel the sand, and the water, and the breeze.  It is terrifying and thrilling all at once.  How do you not go back?

There is a lot more to do on the island.  The beach is what we came for, but there are hiking and biking trails throughout the wildlife refuge.  There were many bikes.  You can also use a kayak or small boat to go up the inlets and look for wildlife.  There are eagles, falcons, dolphins, and of course the horses.  It is relatively untouched. There are also lots of mosquitoes, so if you ever go, don't forget the bug spray.  (at the beach there were no mosquitoes or bugs except in the parking lot near the dumpsters and outhouses).
One thing I am sorry we missed was the Pony Swim.  The last Wed and Thurs of July the ponies on the Virginia side of Assateague are taken across the water to Chincoteague Island to be auctioned off. Those that are not sold are taken back across the water to stay at the refuge until the following July.  That would be a fun thing to see.  They are rounded up by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department; a.k.a. The Saltwater Cowboys.  Maybe next year.

After we were sufficiently tired, wind blown, sun kissed, and sanded, we went home.  It was a great day.

Summer passes in a blur

Just to catch up, we have been running/walking every weekday morning.  But that is about all that is routine about our summer.  I am proud of our exercise but then there is so much  more to try to get done, nothing else is consistent--except that the baby takes a nap every day.

So many times the day passes in a blur.  And sometimes the camera gets passed around too.  These are great metaphors for what happens when I lose control of the day...

I'm a little out of focus;

 I know there is something I was going to do, but a little girl keeps getting in the way; 

 Oh yeah, I was going to clean up that mess, what a funny face :)

And here are just some cute ones of Erica who is getting bigger and much more demanding.  She likes to eat things that are whole.  A whole apple, an entire cheese stick, the banana still in the peel.
The only problem is that she still tries to put too much of it in her mouth at once, so, she CAN'T have the whole thing.  But then she gets mad, throws herself on the floor...and I watch in stunned silence as my adorable baby turns into a tantrum toddler.

 But you've got to admit, those pigtails are CUTE!!

More samples of our home in summer:

Maire growing her bangs out and a table full of food and snacks that have been there since this morning.

Sarah, from the perspective of a little photographer

Maire.  She took the camera too.

 The girls moved into the Master Bedroom.
Yes, my husband and I gave up our spacious sanctuary so that the girls could have more space.  They love it and now spend more time in their rooms playing than they did before.
It has given them 2 areas to play in, the basement and their bedroom.  Elizabeth and the baby sleep in one room--so it is kindof like Elizabeth's own room, and the other three share 2 bunk beds.  They made the extra bed a stuffed animal and library book storage area but they call it a reading place.

and yes, the room is always messy.

Summer rainstorm and chalk

cute little muddy toes

Rachel got a cabbage from her 3rd grade science teacher.
We harvested it last week--but we did not eat it.  It was home to too many other creatures.

Erica's cute curls and her new love of crayons

...and her love of putting crayons on the floor.

One last thing, I keep forgetting to put up that I made a really pretty dress for Elizabeth.  It was going to be her dress for the Cotillion Spring Ball, but Erica went in the hospital with Kawasaki Disease and that put her dress on hold.  Then I thought I could finish it before Easter Sunday, but everyone kept getting sick (including me).  Eventually I finished it.  I think I was done before school got out.  But I am quite proud of this dress.  Elizabeth picked out the pattern, but they didn't have her size, so I re-sized the pattern to fit her.

 It had these beautiful pleats/gathers up the side that are quite flattering, and I love the long short sleeves.  She picked out the color and it is really pretty on her.  I've got to take a picture of her wearing it sometime.

Summer Vacation--Week 1

I don't know what to say.
I am ready for them to go back for just a couple of days.

I was really looking forward to summer vacation.  I love having them home.  Actually, I think the part I like the most is the part where I don't have to have breakfast and lunch ready for each of the kids before 8:00 in the morning.  People say, "Oh, my kids make their own lunches."  And mine do too.  Really, they do. But I have to make sure they have something available to put in their lunches.  And make sure that there is a fruit or vegetable in there somewhere.  Even if I am not physically making it I get questions like, "Mom, are there more goldfish?"  "Mom, I don't like that applesauce."  and the famous, "What can I have for dessert?"
I hated when I was younger and the only thing we had for dessert was cinnamon graham crackers.  Usually Mom had something really yummy for us, but occasionally, the only thing she had to offer that day would be cinnamon graham crackers and they are a sorry excuse for a treat to help a child endure a long day of school.  So I try really hard to have something fun for each of their lunches.  But it can be stressful if I didn't make anything the night before.  I know, I could plan ahead,  blah, blah, blah--go read someone else's blog smarty pants.
Anyway.
So summer is here. One week down.
I didn't have to make anyone lunch in the morning all week long.  That was good.

But they were asking for food ALL DAY LONG!!
Gotta work out a system for that.

One of my goals for this summer it to get the girls exercising more and to increase their endurance.
So, we are going walking in the morning!  My goal is to get them in shape enough that in September we can walk around Burke Lake (about 4.7 miles) without weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.
But so far we have been walking a loop in my neighborhood that is about .73 miles and there has been plenty of weeping and wailing and fits of exasperation.

Another goal for the summer is to get Sarah and Rachael to read longer books-that aren't comic books-and that are at or above their reading level.  If for no other reason than to help them realize that a book that cannot be finished in one sitting may still be a good book.  I also want to help Maire move to beginner chapter books, and get Elizabeth to read the Anne of Green Gables series.  (BTW, I asked my Mia Maid class today if any of them had read or seen Anne of Green Gable and they all said, "No."  *gasp*  I was shocked!).  Everyone also needs math facts drills.
But that didn't happen this week because our water heater was giving us problems, then it decided to start leaking and needed to be replaced and I heard horror stories about water flooding the basement...so we didn't use hot water for 2 1/2 days and dishes and laundry piled up.
And everyone kept asking me questions.
And asking for food.
And sulking about how summer vacation is supposed to be fun and no one should be punished for not doing their chores during summer
And, Can I have another Popsicle?
And, When are we going to the pool?
And, Can we go to Disneyland this summer?

AAAAAACK!
It's a good thing Netflix has Blues Clues and Dora for the baby,
Phineas and Ferb for the rest of us.

Easter Eggs

     Growing up we took dying eggs very seriously.  And it wasn't just the kids.  Dad had some tricks up his sleeve and was always one of the last ones to leave the table.  My mom got us each a carton of eggs.  One dozen each is a lot of eggs to color.  It is also a lot of eggs to hide!  There were eight kids, but my youngest brother, Todd is autistic so he didn't ever participate with the eggs.  So seven kids with a dozen eggs each--where do you store all those eggs?  What pot do you boil them in?!  But Mom did it. She got it done so that before Easter we would sit down and color. We had wax crayons a masking tape, spoons, cotton diaper cloths for gently blotting, vinegar, and imagination.  We didn't get that advanced this year--but there was a start. 

Sarah's duck, Garfield, and bunny rabbit (she made some ears after I took the picture)

Rachael's frog and blue bird

Some of our favorites:

 

Spring Break Part 2

Wednesday we stayed home.  I got some work done here and they played outside again!  LOVED it!  This was the best weather for Spring Break that I can ever remember.  We did some crafts and pulled out all the glue, paper, stamps, ink, markers, puff balls, hole punch, you get the idea.  Then we put it all away after making a few cute Easter cards and pictures.   In the afternoon a family of girls came over the play and they had popsicles, climbed trees, rode the scooters, played with the Lego table, and  drew with the chalk.  Erica came outside again too.
Just a minor glitch came Wed evening when Rachael fell off her scooter.  When she came in crying I thought something was broken because it was a cry of a lot of pain.  But she calmed down soon enough and went back outside (but not on her scooter).

Thursday we went to the Zoo.  Best trip to the Zoo ever.  I found the entrance on Connecticut Avenue (that was new) and we found a great parking place.  We met cousins and friends and the weather was once again beautiful.  I do short trips to the Zoo.  Maybe because I always have a baby ready for nap time, maybe because my patience is short, maybe because I am a home body--I leave around lunch time.  But in those few hours we saw so many wonderful things.

Three families, 12 girls, 2 boys

Maire in the olive hat

Rachael in the Star Wars cap, Sarah in the purple sweater

Elizabeth (in the hat my Aunt Holly made for me) & Ethan--see the dimples?

lemurs on Lemur Island

Tiger

king of the jungle

We saw lemurs on Lemur Island--cross my heart, I've never seen the lemurs there before.  We saw the lions and they were moving and playing and climbing and hiding.  There were 7 lionesses and 3 male lions--one with a big mane.  The reptile house had the funniest Iguana and some very active crocodiles.  When we came out of the reptile house, there were the orangutans climbing up their 'ropes' to go from one part of the zoo to another on the "O" line they call it.  Never seen them do that before--it was fantastic!

Rachael's elbow was bothering her Thursday night and it was swollen.  Here we go again.
BUT no one is sick still.

Friday I couldn't get her in to see the doctor, so we went again to the ER.  oh. joy.
2 x-rays later it is still not broken, but they gave her a sling.

Saturday we did not go the Burke Lake Park because the temperature dropped making Saturday morning 40 degrees (bbrrrrrrr).  So we took them to get donuts again.  Donuts from Shoppers are really good.

Saturday night we colored eggs, but that's a new post entirely :)

What a lovely spring break we had.  And the best part is that I sewed all week long trying to finish a dress for Elizabeth.  Found out on Friday that I didn't have the correct kind of zipper or zipper foot (neither of this mentioned on the pattern and in the notions).  So the dress still isn't done.  I'm building up the courage to just make the dress with a regular zipper instead of an invisible zipper.  But I love to sew.  I think it is one of the things that I find pure joy in doing.  --and that's another post too.

Spring Break Part One

Spring Break was awesome!
First off, no one got sick.
That was great.

We weeded  our small flower garden out front and bought a few pansies at 50% off and some seed packets.  A member of our ward was getting rid of some hostas so we have 3 free hostas out front.
I do feel bad because our landlords had a really nice garden out front, but I think we killed it our first year here.  (I was really bad off our first year here).  The girls each picked some flower seeds; lavender, four o'clocks, sweet peas, and another one I forgot.  On the way home from getting seeds we got donuts at Shoppers 'cause they are the best.  The rest of the day was spent outside.  Erica came outside too and sat in the exersaucer.  It was beautiful weather.

Tuesday we went to Burke Lake Park.  We got there about 9:30 and we had the playground to ourselves.  I am still kicking myself that I didn't bring a camera.  I was going to bring it and I forgot.  It was another beautiful day.  They climbed the playground equipment like slides and stairs and bars and ladders, but they also climbed rocks and trees. Erica loved the slide and "ooohh"-ed when going down the slide.  She especially loved to go down with a sister sliding next to her.  Her hair got all static-y and that just added to the adoreableness of the morning.
Rachael and Sarah decided to make a see-saw by placing a branch in between where two trees met.  After several attempt they did it!  It was so fun.  All 4 of them could go on at once; one on each end with two in the middle on the fulcrum.  They even gave Erica a turn on it :)  Maire was fascinated by the trees that had knots or holes in them.  "Look I found a creature's home!"  Then she would find another one.  She filled each crevice or hole with more leaves to make it warm and the bed softer.  She wants to be an 'animal scientist' when she grows up and I think she will be. Elizabeth was a great big sister the whole time.  She followed Erica around, and carried her around.  She would greet the other little kids that started coming to the playground too.  She may be 12 but no one is too old to enjoy just being at Burke Lake Park.  

On the way home we stopped at the library because they needed more books in order to survive the time during Spring Break when they weren't going to be outside.  Everyone got books and for the rest of the day they would take turns reading and then going outside.  I know they are all reading comic books in these pictures but they basically devour as many books as they can on the first day.  I do have to limit 'graphic novels' or 'comic books'--only 2 each for Spring Break, but usually it is only one each per library trip.