The 2024 solar eclipse

Today we had the pleasure of seeing an 87% total eclipse of the sun by the moon at around 3:15 PM. The kids were all pretty excited about it. I decided to get the younger two out of school early so they could come home safely and enjoy it with us. we tried to make an afternoon of it. We got the viewing glasses luckily at the last minute. I made viewing masks out of them. The idea was fully protect our eyes from looking up even around the edges. It’s a good thing I made those because Claire would’ve never ever been able to look up. She struggled to look up , even with the full plate coverage.

When it got to the very end at 87%. It was still so bright outside. The only way you could tell it was a little bit less bright was the fact that Clair could be outside without sunglasses and that never happens.

Each of the kids took turns going inside and coming back out to see it. David and I basically hung out outside and enjoyed it. David looked at it through his telescope. I enjoyed a couple siders.

It was an interesting experience, and I’m glad we made an afternoon out of it.

Ringing in 2023

New Year’s Eve has become a celebration each of my kiddos look forward too for each their own reasons I think. Ellie enjoys the pop music concert while watching the ball drop and the open access to junk food in her own house all night. Max enjoys the party aspects of it and that it’s a

Something different. Clair enjoys getting to stay up so late and commemorate the event with different memories. 

The past few years we have celebrated alone but with my sisters family back in town everyone was excited to be together again. So we did it. We had them over for the evening. Their was an 80s movie - Three Men and A Baby. There was laser tag - like in years past with a fresh batch of guns. There was an adult outing to Vintage for a couple drinks. There was lots of food and desserts for all. There was a small attempt at board games. 

There was a photo booth adventure directed by Katie. There was fun party favors and decorations for all to enjoy. The kids loves the noise makers and some may have gotten in trouble for blowing them loudly in others ears 

At midnight there was confetti popping in the driveway and there was the banging of pots and pans. 

There was some crazy moments and a little bit of emotions management needed but we persevered and celebrating letting 2022 out and bringing in 2023. 

I wish all my family a great 2023 and hope it’s a year

Of growth for everyone in personal development and in their relationship with Jesus. For me, I need to get my Heath a little better under control! 

Silly faces 

A team!

Kids insisted the adults get involved. 

“Jamie and Jelly”

Clair kept wanting a picture of kissing my cheek. 

Summer flies by

I can’t believe we are more then half way through another summer. Ellie starts high school in a month. I’m off to Poland for work for 10 days on Monday. It really is flying. The kids do a lot of just hanging out - Ellie in her room on that stupid chrome books or making her beautiful art and Max and Clair in the basement.  Sometimes Max and Clair are on the desktop computer in the office trying to do scratch coding. 

We did manage to get Clair into two camps - basketball with her friend Brooklyn and the Soccer last week with Max. I’ve been trying to organize some play dates at times. I wish they had more friends in the neighborhood. 

Ellie did have a friends pool party. Max and clair has a celebration for their birthdays mid June. 

The Ls are back local and we have had a couple afternoons and evenings around the pool with cousins which has been really nice. 

The work weeks are hard. I wish I could work less and spend more time with them. This guilt is real and will follow me around forever. Each day feels like a waste of these few years I get with my babies. They are the one thing I knew I wanted my whole life and it’s flying by. I’m really sad about that. I wish I could change it but with the lifestyle we have built I truly do not know how. I am great full for all we can give them. I hope and pray we have made decent trade offs but I sometimes wonder. I hope they feel loved and know how much I like being with them. Sometimes the stress of work is too much and I fail to demonstrate what they mean to me. Kiddos, I’m really sorry about that. 

Preparing to be gone for 10 days is hard. I’ve made a schedule and they will have some time with Gramma and their cousins. David has a schedule for food and doctors. It will be fine he tells me repeatedly. I know it will be but it’s still hard to leave. Work does call and I need this trip for my team who I do care about greatly. 

When I get back we are taking a family vacation road trip. This will be an adventure and they seem to be looking forward to it. So I am too! 

I’m thankful for the pool. We have lots of relaxing evenings and afternoons there. It’s also a good reason to have people over. They had a friend yesterday and today we have family friends coming. 

I hope they are enjoying their summer. I hope they enjoy the relaxation. The crazy fall schedule starts in one month. 

The Tiny Tea Shop

A few years ago kids made David and I are romantic dinner one night in the dining room where they served us. Ellie has been wanting to do this again. She decided she wanted to do it all granny was here for the three of us. Tonight we made it happen. You were menus as well as our reviews of the service as solicited by clair at the conclusion of the meal. 

Ellie was surely in charge of the whole deal, and she had to do a little convincing to involve her brother and sister. As a result of the convincing there was a bit of entertainment with the meal at centered around the fact that Max and Clair were captured slaves that worked at the restaurant.  Max put on quite a variety of outfits and craziness for us throughout the evening.

Clair enjoyed being a helper and tried to be silly a bit. She did come in and share a few jokes at one point. She enjoy dressing up and looking nice like her sister.

We had a delicious meal of salad, with borscht, and dessert.

Whole dinner experience went on for almost 2 hours. I think everybody had a good time and their dreams came true. I like seeing each of them get to add the room touches to an event like this. And it was wonderful seeing Max his pain was lower than it had been for a long time. I only wish I was able to stay that way but it’s spiked backed up before bedtime.

Christmas preparation By the Mom

I started preparing for Christmas earlier than normal this year, thanks to Vicki. We started discussing Christmas gifts and October. This really preparation helped make Christmas Eve more relaxing for me. I haven’t found time for a game with Clair during the afternoon.

As is typical of the past few years, I took a week before Christmas off work so that I will have time to be prepared and not be up until 4 AM on Christmas Eve. I don’t think I was ever up till 4 AM, but they were definitely a few years in the early days where I was up past midnight and tired in the morning. I don’t like being tired in the morning because I’m grumpy and I want to enjoy Christmas with my kids.

Earlier this week despite Max being home sick from school, I managed to get most of the wrapping done. I counted the number of gifts I wrapped the day I did the most. I spent a good six hours wrapping and wrapped about 100 presents that day. I had to wrap more two separate occasions. I think I wrapped her 150 presents this year. My children are spoiled. I am blessed to have the resources to spoil them. I also hope it’s not damaging them. I know that they get so much. I’m not sure if they know they get so much.

Thankfully Max and Claire, who have both been sick over the past week, have recovered. Sadly, David was sick today. He was running a fever. He had to get tested for Covid and the flu. I’m grateful that he was negative. And I’m hopeful that tomorrow he will feel better to enjoy Christmas with our kiddos. 

We managed to have all of the traditional Christmas eve activities completed. After breakfast we start by The kids decorating their gingerbread houses with loads of candies. Then we enjoy the afternoon lost the people who are not quite ready for Christmas finish Christmas preparation‘s. Then, we have a check could you reboard dinner before going to church. After church we come home and have cookies after giving the reindeer their food and setting cookies out for Santa. Finally after everyone is in their Christmas pajamas, stockings are hung in the living room with care. Tonight we ended with family prayer before sending the children off to their beds.

It was a relaxing Christmas Eve for me. Thankfully I’ve had the week off to prepare. I’m looking forward to tomorrow with my kids and hopefully my parents over for dinner.

I’m also thankful of the kids are at an age where I was able to get some decent pictures easily.

Happy Halloween

The kids really look forward to all holidays. They like the traditions. For Halloween they especially like the candy.

Halloween on a Sunday is not ideal, but they enjoyed it very much.

Clair is a superhero. She titled herself collision Clair. This is inspired by the book Mia Mayham. She really enjoyed the persona as well as the costume.

Max decided to be something scary this year instead of a superhero. He was a Grim Reaper. He didn’t wear the mask with the eyes much. I guess they get in the way of running around and grabbing candy.

Ellie was a fictitious character that has something to do with Minecraft. I’m not really sure. She is good with make up and she’s very creative with putting costumes together. She’s cute and she had a good time. She walked around with some friends.

Although it was a busy day and a busy weekend, they still managed to carve the pumpkins. I need to get pictures of Ellie‘s and Max’s Still from David. 

David and I walked around with Max and Clair. Henry and Jon joined us. Max was happy for that tradition to continue. Clair was determined to go to the whole neighborhood. But because her candy basket was so full I managed to persuade her against it. They came home with way too much candy. Now to figure out how to sneak it out of the house…

After counting the candy Clair proclaimed that she had over 250 pieces. Wow

Ellie and Max were also very happy with their takes.

Tomorrow they have school. They got to bed at a decent time and I’m happy for that.