A one time offer

At the end of swim team yesterday Ruby was jubilant.  She told me she wasn't even shivering and that should could have kept swimming longer.  She said, "Why does it feel like we haven't been to swim team in 100 days?"  I told her it was because we had the weekend off, and because we all missed it on Friday.  "Why did we miss it on Friday?"  She asked.  I explained that it was because of the Fathers and Sons campout that the boys and dad went on, and how that gave us all a good excuse to take the night off.  Then she asked:

"Was that just a one time offer?"

Indeed it was, I told her.  That was only a one-time-offer.

In other news, the girls have been busy at school getting ready for the Parent's Day shows.  This meant two different Fridays Darin and I got to go to their classrooms and to be feted, thanked and impressed by how far they have come this year.  To say that I didn't get chocked up both times would be a lie.  They are nearly 1st graders.  How has this happened?!  

Ruby's performance was followed by rainbow sherbet, which she had to serve to her parents (and maybe sample before giving it to them?!).

Jane's performance was the following week, and was followed by lunch out on the lawn.  

To be extra festive we sprung Ruby from her dreary lunch in the cafeteria to join us out on the lawn.  She said she thought she should have been in Jane's class all along.

Do these girls even realize how lucky they are to have a dad who is a PhD student who is "off" for the summer?!  He is ever available to them.  I'm so happy about it all.

Have you heard that Jane lost her two front teeth?!  Also, she got her first pair of dangling earrings (that I'll let her wear) on Friday night while the boys went camping.  I hope you feel excited for her. 

It isn't even June 1st, and yet my kids want to eat watermelon everyday.  I had pulled it out of the fridge and had it on the counter waiting to be sliced, when I walked away.  When I came back through the kitchen, the kids had taken the situation into their own hands.  

Kind of like eating ice cream right out of the carton, only better.  Right?!  They were totally excited about their solution.  I think letting them destroy my watermelon in this fashion was likewise a one-time-offer.

Reminders and notes.

Ruby is in a note writing phase right now.  If she wants to remind herself something, she writes  it down.  See below:

Or sometimes the message is for me.  See below:

After just three days of swim team this was the note I receive.  Here's the translation:

Dear Mom, I do not like swim team.  Will you sign me out?  Please, sign me out!  Please, please, will you sign me out.  By: Ruby. To: Annee Earnest


Reader, do not fear, I am not in the least bit swayed by her note.  She will remain in swim team until mid-July when it will end, and she can thank me for it when she is 23.  Or at whatever magical age you realize how many amazing and wonderful things your mother did for you.  I am patient.  And persistent.

When I asked her why she wanted me to "sign her out".  She told me, it's because the water is cold.  I told her that was an awfully wimpy excuse, and that before she knew it, it would be so hot, she'll be dreaming of jumping into the water at swim team.

It will be in the 90s this week.  I think I might be seeing the "Thank You" note, sooner rather than later...

P.S.  Did you see the girl she drew in her swim team note?  She's smiling.  I think that proves that I'm right.

Sisters Update- Graduation Style

This week, in honor of our recent gathering for Christine's graduation, we decided we'd all dig through the archives and pull out our very own graduation photos.  Some are more vintage than others, ahem.

Here we go (someone tell me if I got the dates wrong):

SARAH 1997:

I spent the last 3 hours going through every photo album and memorabilia box in the basement and had pretty much concluded that there must not be any photographic evidence of my BYU graduation anywhere. But of course in the last box I would have thought to look in, I found a few priceless snapshots. I can't believe how young everyone looks. It's awesome to see Grandpa Z there. I forgot it was at the Provo Tabernacle. In all my searching I also found my old planner which reminded me that John & Stephanie were getting married that same weekend so Scott flew home for the rehearsal dinner and then back for the graduation (which he missed due to delayed flights and an unplanned overnight in Vegas) and then I flew out for the wedding the afternoon after the graduation.

Last week:
1. Supported the boys in their goal to participate in the school-sponsored No TV Week. No TV, movies, computer, video games, iPods - Monday through Friday. I wasn't going to make them do it but the promise of an extra recess motivated them. It was a challenge, but it was really amazing to see the difference it made in our home - more playing together, more talking about their days, earlier to bed, on time to school - how could we live this way forever? It's not practical in our world today to think we could live without computers and the Internet. But I suppose we could implement limits on all of the above, or do our own unplugged weeks from time to time. I was so impressed with their resolve I kicked in an extra $10 incentive mid-week.

2. Recovered from an amazing weekend with all the family visitors and activities. Cleaned up the house, got back to work, ate A LOT of pulled pork leftovers (sadly 6 lbs will still end up in the trash), made a pile of lost & found items (anyone claim the clinique foundation compact in the kitchen?).

3. Started planning details of our upcoming East Coast trip. Plane tickets are in place but need to figure out the New York City days hotels (I'm leaning towards a Central Park location) & activities (got our Statue of Liberty tickets already), and car rentals for the rest of our time.

4. Totally missed the Anthro sale. So sad. Oh well. Guess maxi dresses weren't meant to be for me.


This week:
1. Friday is our first Rooftop Concert. Need to pull it all together and make sure everything is covered. I'm tremendously relieved the weather reports are looking fabulous.

2. Update my blog - need to cover spring break, graduation/oliver's baptism weekend, and various odds & ends. Must update before our trip.

3. Get work project far enough along to be able to do a demo (maybe I'll have to go out to CA soon - it's been a while)

4. More planning of East Coast trip - actually need to pull the trigger on hotels and cars.

ANNEE 1999:

(Three months puffy and pregnant with Henry!  And Sarah is nearly 4 months pregnant with Brenden in the above picture)

Last Week:
-Celebrated Spring Break 2011 for the second time.  This time it was with the kids, and decidedly not with Darin, who is once again fully "Heads Down" wrapping up his semester.
-Took the children to the UNC Planetarium.  I was pretty sure this activity would be a total nerdy bust.  To my utter amazement my kids were way into the "Carolina Night Sky" show.  When it came time for the presenter to ask questions, all four of my kids hands shot up in the air.  They had many sky questions.  Who knew?!
-Sent Jane and Ruby to a day of horse camp.  We thought of Aunt Christine that day.  The girls went with a couple of their friends from school.  They rode horses!  Too bad I didn't stick around to see it.  They want to go back soon.
-Packed up Wednesday night, so that we could depart first thing Thursday morning for Carolina Beach!!  We spent all day Thursday at the beach and hotel pools.  Spent the night at the hotel Thursday night.  Found ourselves back out at the beach by 9am Friday morning, where we stayed until early afternoon.  Then we got hungry.  Found lunch at a cute Beach Shack pancake restaurant, and ended the day at the NC Aquarium.  It was the most delightful spring break trip I have ever taken!

This Week:
-Recover from spring break!  The house is a disaster.  Laundry is everywhere.  I haven't had five minutes to myself in weeks!  (come on, it feels that way to me!)
-I'll be subbing on Thursday and Friday.  I better savor every moment of my quiet Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday!
-Finish my quilt.  This is the week.  I just know it is!!!
-Have fun with Darin again.  By Tuesday morning he'll be totally done with this semester.  Everything will be turned in.  I would say we have a few day-time dates worth of celebratory fun coming our way.  He will have a three week break before he takes a summer class.

IE LI 2006:

 Last week:
-Easter Sunday with family in Provo complete with dinner, egg hunt, and family love.
-Monday morning short bike ride with Sarah and kids.
-Monday lunch with Jonathan, Ie Ling, and Ie Ling's boyfriend Blake at Zupas.
-returned to Virginia.
-swimming, T-ball, and preschool.
-finally took down the brass chandelier and replaced it with a paper lantern for the former dining room/present craft room.  Steve did most of the work.
-cleaned up the house only to let it get messy again.
-celebrated Steve's birthday with presents and one of Steve's favorite desserts, strawberry cheesecake.
-bought some gray TOMS for myself.  You were all right.  They are amazingly comfortable and I might have shed a tear or two in Nordstrom as I watched the TOMS video.
-went on a date with Steve.

 This week:

-swimming, preschool, t-ball
-help Steve execute the Elders' Quorum sponsored adult ward social.  Any suggestions for cool, easy, cheap centerpieces?
-a girls' night with friends
-I'm also thinking that I should host a playgroup at my house because it's going to rain a lot this week.
-hang up at least three things on the wall.
-exercise and eat well
-make a decision about doing another Ragnar Relay in September.  The team needs five or six more people.  Anyone interested?
-find a babysitter for the social

STEVE 2007:

RACHEL 2009:

 It's really, really sad to me that my home computer has died and won't turn on (Rachel got her computer back, so I've added this picture!).  I'm sure I can get it repaired, or at least get all my data off of it.  But I haven't been able to use it for the last week.  I thought my graduation photos were on my external hard drive but when I pulled it out to check tonight, they aren't there.  So so frustrating.  The only graduation photo I have is one I put on facebook at the time as a profile picture and the one I've attached.  I really wanted to pull out one of the group photos. Or the jumping photos!!  Ok, I should sleep it off.  

LAST WEEK
--Returned from vacation on Monday night and was glad I only had to make it through a 4 day week!  So sleepy.
--Tuesday - Finally used Macy's giftcard from the wedding to buy fancy sheets.  Just happened to be the first day of the Friends & Family 25% off event (ends Monday) so that was lucky!
--Tuesday - Made one last purchase in the Anthro discount window.  CZ you're right, they did still have the flower bathmat! 
--Got the house back under control post-vacation.  Cleaning, laundry, cleared off bookshelf, reorganized closet, unpacked a random box. 
--Pulled one more all-nighter on Friday night to help Ken finish his last paper for school ever.  34 pages long.  Thank goodness that's done!
--Slept almost all day Saturday, except for when we drove out to Olney, MD to go to the first Cafe Rio in the DC area!!  It tasted great.  They weren't as speedy as the Utah locations, but that will come. 
--Made a homemade pizza on Sunday afternoon as we have done almost every week this year.  (Best dough = whole foods, best sauce = still TBD...) But it is probably the last time we'll be able to do that for the summer.  It's getting too hot! 

THIS WEEK
--I'll be working at a client site out in Chantilly, VA for the next 2 weeks.  A little nervous.  Really need to leave early tomorrow.
--Finalize Mother's Day gift plans and order/mail
--SEE A MOVIE.  (Atlas Shrugged and Jane Eyre - still top of the list)
--Go back to volleyball on Monday night! 
--Cook dinner at least 2 times this week + weekend.  Run at least 4 times this week.  Time to resume these parts of life after the busy season shut down. 
--Possibly head up to PA on Saturday to visit some friends!

CHRISTINE 2011:

Last few weeks (this is a little long since I missed a couple weeks):

- Got locked out of my bedroom, which resulted in borrowing an extra tall ladder from the Wiley's neighbors to use to climb into my unlocked window on the second floor.
- Ran out of gas, luckily in a parking lot, where I was able to safely wait for mom and Brenden, Oliver, and June to come to the rescue.
- Took three finals and completed one final project, all of which resulted in me successfully passing all of my classes so that I could GRADUATE (with the exception of one pesky independent study class that is currently being tackled.)
- Enjoyed a great graduation/Easter weekend with most of my family in town, it really was perfect.
- Went to a Bees game and had a mini BBQ with friends, we try to take advantage of any warm days we have.
- Hiked the Y a few times, it's become a part of my minimal workout regimen.

This week:

- Work at Anthropologie Monday and Tuesday, I'm finally getting some more hours!
- Go riding at least twice and go to yoga three times.
- Make some good progress in my independent study class.
- Apply to take the CPA exam.