Back on a schedule because...

Paige told me the other day...

"Mama, I cold.  I have bug bites."

It was just too cute for me to correct her!

My new buddy: Mr. Clean

We haven’t even moved into the house yet and we already had our first dance show.  Yesterday.  Amazingly the girls waited two days after getting the keys to perform for us.  The yard is rather large – enormous compared to the one at our old house, so the girls have lots of room to run, play, do cart-wheels and dance.  They are so excited to have the outdoor space.  Although you would think that would stop them from fighting, but noooo.  Oh, I can only dream of that day!

The last three days have been filled with bottles of Mr. Clean, Lysol, and Windex, armed with long yellow gloves, buckets and a humongous pile of rags.  Let’s just say it’s been a ton of fun.

As of Wednesday morning, the previous owners were still at the house and I was anxiously waiting for them to make their exit.  They had lots of family drama go on over the weekend, which delayed their departure, not to mention their inability (or desire) to pack.  So finally by Wednesday mid-day, I was “Just leave.  Leave now.  Leave all of your junk.  Leave the dirty house.  Leave the garbage.  Just please exit as I really want to get in and get started on making it MY home now.” 

OK, so I really didn’t say these things to them, but nicely said something similar.  It was a bit of a difficult situation because they had been my parent’s neighbor for the last 32 years and I knew there were family dynamics playing a part in what they were dealing with and why everything seemed to be such a struggle.  But by delaying the inevitable and “trying” to clean wasn’t going to help anything or anyone.

Little did I know how dirty the house actually was - I had a feeling, but it's nice to wish for more than what you think reality is going to be.  And by me saying “dirty”, I’m being VERY nice right there.  I almost took a picture of my mom’s face as we were scrubbing down one of the rooms yesterday…I asked her if her facial expression was of “ugh, this is hard work and I’m really tired right now” or “OMG, this is so disgusting.  I need a good shower now!”  Obviously, my wish didn't come true.

The house needs a lot of work, but nothing that we are not capable of doing and nothing that we haven’t done before.  The end goal is what I keep remembering and staying focused on.  The long term potential is exciting for me to think about.

The girls are very excited to get settled in and already know which rooms are theirs.  Katelyn has already measured her room and furniture and had decided on the layout for everything.  She’s ready to move in now!  Vanessa has just been enjoying the fact that she can do cart-wheel after cart-wheel and not run out of room in the backyard.  Paige just loves the fact that the house is empty so she can twirl until her heart is content.  We have lots of work ahead of us and soon it will become our home where we’ll enjoy an evening sitting in the backyard while the girls play on the grass.

Going Home...Finally!

An adventure that changed my life forever

The finish line...60 miles later!

In November 2011, my dad and I participated in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day walk, helping raise awareness and funds to help find a cure for breast cancer.  This was not something that I had before, never having participating in anything more adventurous than my own family outings.  Seriously, what was I thinking by agreeing to walk 60 miles and raise $2,300? And since I didn’t decide to do this until the end of August, I only had about two and a half months to train…and let me tell you, by no means was I in poor health, but was my body prepared to handle the strain of all of those miles?  Probably not.  So I got myself a new pair of shoes and walked over 150 miles from my first training walk to my last just days before the start of the event. 

I was overwhelmed at the outpouring of support and love shown to me as I prepared to walk 60 miles. I thought my emotional journey would end once I had reached my financial goal and the physical journey would begin. However, I was completely surprised to realize that my emotional journey was only just beginning.

It was pouring rain as we completed the last few miles and throughout the closing ceremonies, but we were all smiles!

I've been asked how difficult it was to walk 60 miles, how tired was I, how did I prepare my body for the adventure, why would I participate in something like this. The answer...just like on any other journey in life, you put one foot in front of the other and keep on going. There was no quitting option for me, not even a desire too. Was I tired? Yes. But I got up the next day and did it again, and then again. Why?

I knew when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in the summer of 2011 that I could not just sit back and feel hopeless while she fights. I had gone through those feelings before when I watched my sister-in-law Jennifer fight and finally loose her battle to melanoma. Currently, my Aunt is fighting against breast cancer. She, too, received this terrible news recently and has undergone surgery to remove the cancer. She is healing from her invasive surgery and then will begin aggressive radiation. We are praying for her full recovery.

So many women, and men, have battled this horrible disease. Some have won, like my mom and mother-in-law (who fought and won 20 years ago). Some haven't been so lucky. Like the wife of an elderly man I met during my walk in November. He just happened to be at the same intersection that we were and we started talking to him. Once he realized what we were doing, he was overwhelmed with emotion as he told us about his wife that he had recently lost to breast cancer and the fight that she went through.

As my dad and I walked up and down throughout San Diego (who knew it’s such a hilly city?!), we came across a group surrounding a wheel chair being pushed by a frail-looking lady, wearing a cap covering her bare head. Yes, she too was on this adventure while she was fighting in her own personal journey. We crossed a bridge lined with survivors cheering us on, as we knew the fight that each one had taken. We walked behind a father and his two children all wearing shirts honoring the angel they have lost to this horrible disease, their wife/mother.

So why walk? Why, not? I do, because others can no longer.

And because I have three young daughters who will hopefully never have to endure this fight. And for my friends, their mothers, grandmothers, sisters, and aunts who are currently in the fight or perhaps have lost their battle...I walk in their honor.

In just 9 weeks, I’ll be walking again.  This year, I'll be walking in San Francisco; again I’ve chosen another hilly city!  Perhaps next year I’ll choose a location in the flatter part of the country!  I’ve been slightly overwhelmed with our housing situation that I haven’t really even begun to train.  However, I am much more aware of my activity level, my eating habits, and my lifestyle and, having participated once in this event, I feel more confident in my ability.

I’ve decided that while I can and am able too, that meaningful charity work needs to be a part of my life.  Giving to others who cannot provide for themselves, raising awareness for a respectable cause, doing random acts of kindness…all of those wonderful things that we hear someone else doing and always think how fabulous it would be to do something like that our self.  Those are the things that I want to do and the example that I want to set for my children.  We are not entitled to the life we have (whoa, entitlement…now there’s a topic for another lengthy discussion!), but have been blessed and, someday when I leave Earth, I want to leave it feeling good about what I’ve contributed to society. 

If you'd like more information on the walk, visit: www.the3day.org

Dance Recital 2012

Our dancers had their dance recital this past Sunday and they performed their little hearts out!  It takes such inner strength to stand up on stage in front of a thousand strangers, complete with the lights, props, costumes, hair and make-up.  They have practiced every week and were very excited for this day.  I know that at certain points throughout the year, when I am very tired driving them all over the place for their activities, I always wonder if it is worth it...if they are really getting anything out of it, what benefit will come from the weekly class, will they have any fun with it?  Looking at these pictures, I don't know how I ever thought about not driving them or supporting them in their activities.  Participating in a dance class, or any activity, is a part of their journey and will shape them into the ladies they are becoming.  I am so proud of them and what they have accomplished!  

Katelyn took a beginner hip-hop class, but it turned out to be a more advanced class than what we were expecting.  We were hoping that she would get some basic movements down, learn the beat and rhythm of the music.  Her teacher was very advanced and Katelyn would often get frustrated at the speed at which her teacher would move, especially considering most of these kids were beginners.  But she stuck it out, stayed in the class and smiled throughout the show.  I am so proud that she believed in herself and knew she could do it.  The recital's theme was Monopoly and Katelyn's dance was "Money".



  



Vanessa took a hip-hop acro class.  She loved it, as it combines her two favorite activities - dancing and gymnastics, but she was actually too advanced for it.  She needed something a bit more challenging, which is part of the reason why we'll be switching studios this Fall.  Her dance was "B&O Railroad".

It's Summer!

Summer is here!  I love summer because it gives us the opportunity to be outdoors, enjoy our beautiful Earth that God has created for us, spend time together as a family, try new things and go on adventures. 

The girls' last day of school, a few weeks back, were filled with mixed emotions.  I love their school, the staff, and the way they teach to the entire child.  However, come mid-May, I'm ready, as much as the girls are, for a break.  Thank goodness for summer!  We always make a list of activities and/or adventures that we'd like to try to accomplish over the summer.  We don't always get everything crossed off the list, but we have fun trying. 

Last day of Second Grade

Last day of Kindergarten

We recently took in our first game of the season.  The girls love attending and getting into the spirit of it, dressing in the team's colors, wearing their team's gear, and cheering/screaming loud when the stadium goes crazy.

All three girls have been taking swimming lessons daily too.  Both Katelyn and Vanessa already know how to swim, but it is not always pretty, so I was looking for them to get some stroke refinement and breathing techniques.  Paige thinks she can swim, but her brain hasn't told her body that she isn't water safe yet.  But at the rate that she is learning the skills, she'll be swimming on her on within the next year.

We visited some sea life at the Academy during our visit with Uncle Barry and Hannah.  I hear so often from others that Paige is no longer considered a baby or a toddler given that she is now (as of just a few weeks back) three years old (so why is she using a sippy, having toddler snacks, so very curious about the world...the likes of comments I am told!!).  However, look at her cute fingers and how can you not call those the fingers of a toddler?   

Check off of our Summer To-Do List...Visit the beach...

She's as happy as a clam living in the waters behind her!

She REALLY wanted to go run, roll, and play in the sand, but I made her stop and pose for this picture.  That must have been the longest 2 1/2 seconds of her life!  Just look at all of those grains of sand and gallons of water calling her name to come play with.

Ever wonder what they're thinking?

First they were just running away from the waves....

Then it became fun to stand in the deeper part of the wave without actually getting taken down by the wave.  No, we didn't go home dry. 

Summer is a time when many of our friends are in camps week and week.  Camps are a wonderful way to keep your kids busy, as well as to expose them to new things.  However, historically, we may do one or two camps, but then take the rest of the summer as unstructured and unplanned time.  It allows the girls time to just be kids.  We may stay home, hang out at The Lake, and go on picnics or on other fun day adventures.  I have never forced them to take a camp.  We talk about it, but ultimately it is up to them. I don't want to burn them out at such a young age in something that they really don't have any interest in.  This year, both girls participated in Vacation Bible Camp (at our Church) right after school was dismissed, but I don't have any really good photos during that time.  It's a lot of fun, like one big play-date every day, and the girls enjoy it tremendously.  

Last week, Katelyn participated in a soccer camp and Vanessa in a dance camp.  Katelyn had a wonderful time and made some good connections with her coaches.  She said she learned some new skills and refined some she already knew.  She made a strong bond with one of her coaches, which made attending every day fun and exciting for her. 

While Katelyn was on the soccer field, Vanessa was in the dance studio learning all kinds of crazy dance moves.  This was at a new studio for us and, so far, we are really impressed with it - the staff/instructors, the dances that they can teach the kids in just a few days, and the excitement for dance that they recognized within Vanessa and gave her an opportunity to express it.  I loved watching her passion develop over the week...this is a kid who sings, dances and does gymnastic moves from the moment she wakes up until five minutes after she is in bed for the night!

All the dancers in this dance, Kids, had some kind of kid-related prop, hence Vanessa's attached teddy bear.

And it's only June...we have so many wonderful adventures awaiting us in the coming summer days!