katie bean

• Today was an unintentionally busy day.  Uncle Luke called to tell us that he would be visiting the site his company is demolishing, so we went down to watch the diggers smash the building.  I was completely mesmerized and fascinated by it.  You guys were more interested in "puming" (shooting) Uncle Luke with your bows.  Uncle Luke told you he was a ninja and he dodged your arrows.  George, you thought it was the best thing ever
• The site boss was so nice to us and let you guys "drive" the bobcat, then moved the big excavator so you could drive it too.  George, you were in little boy heaven
• George and Lila, I took you guys to daddy's school because he had arranged for you to go to the music room to make music.  George, you played the drum kit the entire time and LOVED it.  Lila, you alternated between singing and playing the bass drum and the tambourine
• Jane and Katie, today was the first day you came home by yourselves and let yourself it and were alone after school.  Wow!  You're 14 and 12 and today was the first time ever.  Katie, I gave you the key because you usually arrive home before Jane (even though your school is farther away), and I thought the key had the best chance of survival with you :)
• I had a massage today.  It took me two hours to get everyone everywhere they needed to be with everything they needed so that I could take an hour to myself.  I wonder why I don't do more things for myself, but then I do, and I remember that sometimes it's more work to "relax" than not.
• Daddy was super annoyed when he got home from work.  He had a busy day and had lots on his mind.  I had mercy on him and took you all out for a walk (except Jane...you opted to hide away in your bedroom and promised not to bug daddy).  We hung out on the front steps for a while, then walked through the forest.  The sun came out and it was so lovely.  I'm so inspired by light...I couldn't stop taking photos of you guys
• Katie, we stopped at the end of the pathway and the light was so perfect, I asked you to pause for a photo.  Total déjà vu.  I looked back on the photo I took of you in the same spot last year, and sure enough it was in the middle of April.  We'll have to make this an annual event, because you, plus that light, equals pure magic
• Katie, you were in a fabulous mood this evening.  Lots of silliness and hugs and kisses and playing with the babies.  I took you guys to Starbucks to get you a treat and buy daddy some more quiet time at home.  Katie, you told me a story about something that happened at school today, and you were laughing so hard you couldn't even talk...which made me laugh until I was crying.  We were quite the spectacle in Starbucks.  I was trying to take photos while you were laughing because I LOVE your laugh, but I was shaking so hard from laughing myself, that I'm surprised any of the photos turned out at all.  You're such a joy Katie Bean.  A ray of sunshine (except when you're not...right!?!?!?!?!?!)
• Lila, you got the infamous Unicorn Frap.  You were super excited, but about halfway through, you told me you didn't like it because it was too "salty."  I'm not entirely sure you know what salty means.  You finished it anyway, along with the remainder of George's...you actually drank them both at the same time, with two straws in your mouth.  As you took the last slurp, you collapsed to the ground in total and utter exhaustion, gasping hard, like you had just finished a marathon or something (you were just being silly and dramatic).  It was so funny.  It made Katie and I start laughing all over again.  We could not stop giggling.