Playing Dress Up

It all started a few months ago when the girls were upstairs playing and I walked into their room and saw Rea wearing my wedding dress. (Insert gasp here.)

It's not that my wedding dress is particularly delicate or anything, it's just NOT a toy. And then there was the whole "why were you in my closet digging and rummaging around and HOW did you find it?!?!" thing to discuss. But girls are girls and I recall raiding my mother's closet and doing similar things at their age, so I steered them toward some less beloved articles of clothing (things my mother HADN'T slaved over hand-sewing for weeks) and they were happy.

For awhile.

Ever since then they have been asking for more dress-up clothes. Particularly feather boas!! They weren't content just wearing my normal clothes, I guess they're too normal....

So imagine my delight when I cruised by the Salvation Army last week and saw a big sign saying "40% Off Everything Inside"!!!! Well. I loaded up on the most garish and obtuse - I mean outstanding gorgeous dresses and accessories I could find! Apparently I did not disappoint. This is truly one of the most awesome things about little people. "Treasures," in their minds are not the things that cost the most or come with the greatest sacrifice. They are the things that provide substance to their biggest dreams coming true.

And if you are a faded red sequin prom dress cast-off from 1987, then you are just that - the stuff dreams are made of!

Fonzie Goes to School

So the routine as of late with getting the kids to school in the morning includes me racing home from work at 7:30 (if there are no emergencies, which inevitably happen only at shift change) scooping up the kids who are waiting in the garage, and then rushing to get them there by 8:15. (It's a 15 minute drive home from work, and a 20 minute drive to school - IF there's no traffic. But of course there always is.

I have stopped laying their clothes out the night before. I just decided that they were getting old enough to know how to throw on a pair of jeans and a shirt and call it a day. You'd think. And usually that's fine if you're Rea, AKA "Sporty Spice" who mix and matches her sneakers, sweat shirts, and running pants. If you're Ni'ke, then you find the most avant garde combination of clothing possible and put it all on at once. No big deal. I've worked through my issues concerning her high fashion choices and she's free to do her thing. Except the socks on the OUTSIDE of her leggings, that one still makes my teeth hurt. But other than that we're good. Ya'shar insists he needs help buttering his toast, but he seems to dress himself quasi-appropriately.

Then there's Ma-lak and his new hair style. Think Fonzie, James Dean, and the little Home Alone kid, all in one delightful, slicked down picture of morning preparedness. Not to mention the awesome leather jacket handed down to him from his idolized older brother, circa 1993, and the look is complete.

This was how he walked out of the house the other morning and got into the car to go to school.

Kinda too late to do anything, except reach back from the driver's seat and "tossle" up his new 'do, which he wasn't about to let happen. I certainly did try. But he convinced me that he'd been working on his hair ALL morning. Indeed.

On the bright side, he's pretty self-sufficient with getting ready for school in the morning. He's clean. He's prompt. He smells nice. He's adorable. He is a little quirky. He's mine. And I'm entertained everyday on the way to school.

There is no down side!

My New Sport, I Think....

After much encouragement from my supportive husband and super excitable children, (along with an MRI of my knee confirming that I need to lay off the running) I finally succumbed to their begging and hopped on the swimming band wagon.

True, swimming and flutter kicking is really great for strengthening the quad muscles that support my sliding knee cap. And the cardio exercise is intense. Very. And my husband loves swimming with me. And I need a new sport. And my children like letting me borrow their goggles. And it's fun to swim. Right??

Um. I wouldn't really call it fun. Not THAT kind of swimming. Sure, splashing around on a hot summer day, lying on your raft, enjoying a foo-foo drink - that is incredibly fun!! But I have two words for ya. LAP SWIM.

Up and down and back and forth and keep your legs up and your elbows up and keep your head down in the water and watch your form and DON'T STOP and keep going and you can do it and wow..... It's HARD to swim!!!! (But it's good for me.) But it's a pain to drive somewhere to exercise. (But it's great for my heart and my knee.) But it's a pain to change my clothes 4 times and get wet and then get dry and do tons of laundry. (But I need to stop making excuses.)

I think my swim cap says it all. I just needed a physical reminder to convince myself.

The pool is my friend.

Menlo-Atherton Swim Meet

The past weekend we adventured down to the south bay for a swim meet with the kids. Gorgeous perfect weather! In fact it was downright HOT! It was only 75 or so, but it felt like 85!! Yes, I forgot my sunscreen..... (sigh) So I spent a lot of time in the shade!

Our little swimmers did GREAT!!! Ma-lak definitely has the competition bug - he loves to swim, but he really REALLY loves to win! He got two first place ribbons in four of his events, and he and Rea both got medals for fast "A" times in the 100 yard freestyle!! Ni'ke and Ya'shar are improving daily and doing so great!!!

Go, Santa Rosa Neptunes!!

Swim Mom

Yes. I have slowly become acclimated to the concept of being a "swim mom". What does that mean???? Well, besides the obvious criteria of going to all your kids swim meets, cheering louder than anyone around you, packing up snacks and chairs and tents and dragging the kitchen sink along as well, it also means buying the shirt. You know. Like if they were in college it'd say "Harvard Mom". (That's just an example, but I have high aspirations!)

But I didn't really dig any of the "Swim Mom" shirts, so I found an equally cool and fun one, still high-lighting the topic of swimming in general. Swim Chick. And since I've started swimming, it seems to fit.

Warm Ups!!

Like Father, Like Son

I love how Ya'shar is always so intent when he's working on something. Total concentration! We went out for dinner on Saturday evening, and while we were waiting on our food, Daryle gave the kids a "coloring lesson." Hilarious!! They took their instructions very seriously, and Ya'shar "practiced" the next day.

Hotel Hanging

After a delightful lunch at the Fish Market we headed to our hotel to relax. The kids of course made a bee line for the pool. Never mind that they would be spending the whole next day in the pool at the swim meet.... :) They have gills, and their fins are coming in quite nicely.

PS I love hot tubs!!

Downtown San Fran

Before we got to our final destination for the weekend, Daryle and the kids dropped me off for a couple hours so I could take a class in San Francisco. (I learned how to put in IV's under ultrasound!! Very cool!)

Anyway, this farm girl has always had a tiny infatuation with the big city.... I love visiting San Francisco whenever we have a chance, and did I say that it was the most beautiful sunny day EVER?? I must go back soon, partly because I found the most amazing little shop that I didn't have enough time to properly explore.....