Random

There is so much, well most of my life really, that this blog lacks but it is the only record that I keep. I feel like I need to add a few snippets of life once in a while that may be of no interest to anyone other than my children in 30 years when they are reading the printed book.

• Sophia is going to turn 4 next week!  Where have the baby years gone?  We moved to Argentina on Abe's 4th birthday. We celebrated at Disney on our way down and I thought that he was SO big. When Peyton turned 4, her entire Pre-K class (26 kids?) came to our home for a magic show and inflatables.  Now Sophia's birthday is 7 days away and I have NO clue what we are going to do.  Our house is in NO condition to entertain a group of kids.  Maybe something small outside in the yard for an hour?  I am pretty good at shooting from the hip lately.  We'll see what the week has in store.  Ideas anyone?
• Tonight we played outside in the "pod" with our neighbors.  The pod is our shared drive.  The kids LOVE it.  We ate pizza, made "clubs" and determined who would fulfill which responsibility, moms chatted and rode bikes!  Which brings me to my next point...
• We lowered the seat on Peyton's bike and Sophia hopped on and rode off ALL BY HERSELF! Not just the straight back and forth like so many kids do for a while, but turns and maneuvering!  She has been riding a Skuut for some time and she was cruising so well that we thought that she might be ready for a real bike.  However, she hasn't really spent any time on a bike with training wheels learning to pedal, so we were not sure how this would go.  Amazing.  I can't believe that our last baby can ride a bike! The other two just learned how last year.  This large driveway is so cool - mostly.  
• Why does it never cease to amaze me how well a child can navigate the computer and the internet?  Every time that I think I will teach them something new, they surprise me.  Abe created a profile for a program that he uses at school, he uploaded a photo of himself piranha fishing, added a quote by George Washington and announced that he would like to be a chemist and/or Marine.  Okay. 
• Our shipment is scheduled to arrive between Oct 3-10.  Thanks for the small window, 4 months after pack out, right during the only week the kids have off of school.  Whatever.  This life has taught me to be so much more flexible than I ever was before. 
• I love my minivan. Enough said.
• Steve is coming home on election day.  For better or worse, the endless political tickers make me feel like the whole country is counting down the days until we get to see him again.  
• I have been Halloween crafting with Janet, my MIL, and it has been so fun.  The irony is that when I am overseas, I have more time.  But it seems that to make something extra cute, I always need an item that isn't available or takes too much planning and preparation.  Tonight for example, I realized that I needed temporary spray adhesive to stencil fabric for pillows at 8pm as the kids were hopping out of the bath.  It suddenly occurred to me that I could just run and grab it.  Fortunately for me, my MIL who already had a house of sleeping children and another adult to watch them, was willing to go too.  So easy and convenient.
• Abe loves football and is playing running back in tomorrow's game.  This love for football has been such a surprise.  Most of you reading this are thinking that I must has lost it considering Steve's history, but seriously, I didn't think that he would like it this much. A year ago, he would have rather been reading Harry Potter.
• Tomorrow is the last day of signups for fall sports (apparently football is part of summer).  We thought that Peyton might like to play softball or volleyball while Abe plays baseball, but all she wants to do when soccer is over is go back to tennis.  Peyton says that tennis is her #1 sport and she really misses it.  So back to tennis.   
• Even though today was 106 again, the evenings are cooling off and I am beginning to see why every braves the inferno of summer.  80 and dry.  Perfect.  I am such an old lady about the weather  
• A little boy in Peyton's class who also is in our ward told his mom, "I really like Peyton.  I have been waiting my whole life for a girl like that."  Apparently she chases him on the playground during recess.
• I have a garage full of used furniture waiting for a coat of paint and I just can't decide which colors to pick.  Tonight I order aluminum leaf sheeting for one - just for fun.  If it fails, I hardly paid anything for it.