The living moment is everything. ~D.H. Lawrence

There is so much I can learn from this little girl.  After days of hot weather, perfect for days at the park and running through sprinklers, we woke up Wednesday to a cool rainy day.  We declared it a "we aren't going in the car anywhere" day which was just fine by me as we had been going full speed for awhile.  We had a slow morning getting ready, made zucchini bread (ate a half of a loaf between the two of us), snuggled and read her new library books.  It started to rain a little harder, the kind that you can hear on the roof and Taelin ran over to the window and shouted, "Mama, there are puddles that have to be jumped in!  Let's go!  This is going to be the best day of my life!"

What could I do?  They had to be jumped in.  We dug out the rainboots that were buried at the bottom of the outside shoe basket, donned our raincoats and I grabbed an umbrella and out we went.  If I hadn't had Taelin as my tour guide, I would have missed a lot of puddles.  She saw them everywhere.  It didn't really take much to make it a puddle.  Enough water gathered up that when stomped in made a splash...that was a puddle.

I took a few pictures but once I got a few, I put my phone away and joined in the jumping.  We probably were out for 40 minutes and she was just as excited when she saw the 10th or 20th puddle as she was the first.  She has such an ability to see the possibilities for joy in the moment and embrace them fully. It amazes me every time.

Once we had splashed in every puddle in the neighborhood, we headed home.  We sat down to pull, and I mean we had to pull, Taelin's boots off and about an inch of water fell out of each boot.  Her pants and socks were filthy. She thought that was hysterical. And it was. She declared a bubble bath was just what she needed, shaving cream for drawing was necessary for this particular bath.  Once we were warmed up, we ate some more zuchinni bread and enjoyed homemade chicken and rice soup, an afternoon nap (glorious!) and rounded out our day together snuggled up watching a movie.  

The living moment is everything. I am so thankful I have a little girl that reminds me of that everyday.

Photo a Day July 14-20

We are feeling better, the sun is shining (or at least is was last week) and we are taking advantage of it all! I just LOVE summer...the down time, being outdoors, the fresh produce, afternoon naps...all of it!  Here is just a glimpse of what our week was like last week.

july 14, 2014
blueberry picking with Maddie

july 15, 2014
blue lips from swimming lessons

july 16, 2014
we went out to one of my co-workers farm and the highlight was definitely riding their horse. 

july 17, 2014
parks aplenty

july 18, 2014
trying to wait patiently for cousin Lucy and her mom to find a parking spot so
 they could join us at the Portland Children's Museum.  she was not amused.

july 19, 2014
salem art fair...notice her custom designed button

july 20, 2014
out to dinner...I love sitting outside (really anywhere) with these two

Ready or not, here it comes. "It" in this case being kindergarten.

Well, it's official.  I don't know how to stop time.  This is not a surprise to you?  Well, then, I must have been the only one that didn't know.  This week, I registered Taelin for kindergarten and then today, tempted by a back to school "sale", she picked out her backpack.

It is way to big for her, but they honestly didn't have any that were smaller.  It was the first thing she wanted to show Joe when he got home from work and she decided she wanted to wear it to go get mail with Joe because she needed to practice walking around in it.  Anyone that knows her should not be surprised that it is pink with a little bit of purple. And you can't really tell, but I think the thing that tipped the scales in this ones favor is the little purple plush kitten that is clipped onto the zipper of one of the pockets.  I was a bit surprised that she decided against the few that had princesses or other characters that she loved.  I pointed out the ones with the group of princesses in particular because it was higher and I thought she would pick it when she informed me that she had seen but didn't want it.  I asked her why.  Her response, "I am not sure but it just doesn't look like a kindergarten backpack."

There it is.

She is so ready for kindergarten.  Her brain is curious and thoughtful.  She is willing to try things and is excited to learn.  She desperately wants to be able to read, is constantly writing notes and randomly starts counting to see how high she can get.  On one hand she has some very specific ideas about what will happen when she gets to kindergarten but then just minutes later she is asking questions about what it is going to be like.

The other day after we registered, she asked me what her schedule was going to be.  It is going to be a transition for both her and I as she is going to be going 5 days a week in the morning instead of 3 full days in the middle of the week.  I was explaining it to her and then she said, "But Mama, that is going to give us less time together."

"Yeah, that's true," was all I could get out in my regular voice before it was going to crack.

There are so many great things that are going to happen this year for her.  She will really start to read.  We are keeping her where is has been going to preschool so the class size will be small and art will be plentiful.  She is already in love with Miss Megan. The list of great things is endless.

But even though all those great things are going to happen, I can't help but feel a little sad about it all.  I shouldn't feel this upset.  Every single parent in the country has sent their kid to kindergarten and lived to tell the tale.  It is so silly (and not at the same time) that I am sitting here sobbing as I try to write.

We still have over a month until she starts.  Weeks of summer left and we will enjoy them.  I am not going to burn the time we have together now worrying about what is to come, especially since what is to come is such a step in the right direction. There is so much more that is coming that is just going to be amazing. But, right now, for these few moments, I am sad.

Nope, I haven't learned to stop time.  And honestly, I wouldn't really want to.  I have got a front row seat to something that is going to be incredible to watch.  She is such a lucky little girl and will do amazing things, whatever those things end up being.  I mean, really, how could she not with such an awesome new backpack.

Photo a Day July 7-13, 2014

We are all finally healthly (knock on the biggest piece of wood you can find) and I declared Monday morning that summer was starting immediately.  Taelin started her swim lessons for the summer, the garden got some attention, we had a couple of play dates that included popsicles and we ended the week with a camping trip to Beverly Beach which is my favorite place to go camping.  It was a fantastic week!

july 7, 2014
taelin was SO excited for swimming lessons...I think she is part fish

july 8, 2014
blossom rot on our zucchini...hoping that the spray I used works

july 9, 2014
maddie (and jocelyn) came over in the afternoon and the girls had so much fun
 with the slip n slide and sprinkler.  and of course a few fruit
bars (known as popsicles in this house) rounded out the afternoon

july 10, 2014
bangs cut! do they look uneven to you?
that's because they are...it's going to be awhile before the hair
 on her head grows enough to be even!

july 11, 2014
i seriously love this girl.
we were leaving for swim lessons when she asked me to take a
 picture of her.  she asked me if I liked her outfit and then told me it
 was called "really ready for swimming lessons"

july 12, 2014
we spent a few hours playing at the beach and was
 lucky that Nana drove down and joined us. this girl
loves her beach time.

july 13, 2014
we had this awesome tree across from our campsite that my climbers
 loved all weekend.  taelin likes to be safe so she decided
 to wear her bike helmet while climbing.

I have SO many pictures this week that I am going to have to add an insert to my Project Life album.  I have continued to work on getting caught up and am so excited to have a couple of days on the calendar to get together with friends to scrapbook.  The time with friends and the time set aside to scrap is very much welcome!  

Photo A Day July 1-6, 2014

I have been diligently working on catching up on my photos and my Project Life album and I am slowly getting there!  We are finally (knock on wood) healthy in the Crowe household and we have been taking full advantage of our summer.  I am hoping that our health holds and that we can continue our summer adventures! 

july 1, 2014
feeling better

july 2, 2014
summer tea party...because we can

july 3, 2014
a little pre-func.

july 4, 2014
fun day!

july 5, 2014
LaLa  and ChaCha came down to celebrate the
holiday and we enjoyed the sunny weather

july 6, 2014
Joe and Taelin had fun on the slip n slide!

Photo a Day June 18-30

My last post was a bit of a downer.  I know I am a lucky girl when I have so many people worried about me and offer to help.  I appreciate the worry and the offers.  It was my hope that my next post would reveal a healthier situation, but sadly that isn't going to happen.  It won't be quite as depressing though, I promise.

june 18, 2014
doing a little writing about our ladybug larvae

june 19, 2014
doing science experiments 

june 20, 2014
the virus begins

june 21, 2014
a blanket fort for a sick kiddo

 I have a really cute picture of Joe and Taelin watching T.V. but they are both a little under-clothed so I am going to just keep that one to ourselves.

june 23, 2014
day 4 

june 24, 2014
fever gone by the afternoon but still super congested
it was good to get outside and enjoy the sun

june 25, 2014
Grandpa and Gramdma came for a visit.  Tractors were on the agenda

june 26, 2014
ladybug pupa...that was fast!

june 27, 2014
tea party with Aunt Della and cousins Scott and Brittany
she started throwing up in the middle of the night...I am
really hoping we didn't get anyone else sick...

june 28, 2014
grandpa over complicating a project that wasn't necessary.
(and a nice shot of Taelin's mullet) 

june 29, 2014
vomit free for over 24 hours so we went up to the graduation party.
Taelin and her cousin Lucy had a good time with the big box that used to hold a present.

june 30, 2014
and throwing up again.... just once this morning but still  :/
Joe is still banished in the bedroom.  His eye infection isn't bacterial,
 because the antibiotics didn't help, so by process of elimination it's a viral infection.
The dr today said he still probably has another 3-5 days before they are better.  

So...here I sit.  We have already watch Peter Pan, part of Dumbo (we had to turn it off at the part where the mother gets taken away because it makes Taelin too sad), The Grinch that Stole Christmas and are now in the middle of the first Harry Potter.  Nap time will soon be coming. And at some point, I am hoping to get out of the house and take a walk.  July starts tomorrow...that would be a good time for everyone to get better right?

Sickness be gone. We are supposed to be having summer thank-you-very-much.

I am official over it. I am over the fevers and the vomit and the congestion and the piles of snotty tissues and the sadness and the crankiness and the exhaustion.  I am over it all.

Joe has been sick, then got better, and is now back in bed with two badly infected eyes and a fever.  I had a stomach bug over Father's Day weekend.  Taelin had a fever for 5 straight days with a lovely side of snot (the girl literally went through 7 boxes of tissues). She rallied for a few days and then woke up last night with an impressive display of vomit.  We were up all night.

Did I mention that my parents have been here since Wednesday morning?

My nerves are shot and I am exhausted. I felt like I didn't have a choice but to cancel my work trip with Joe sick.  Taelin got sick over the weekend we had reservations to go to Cannon Beach during their annual sand castle competition. She apologized for "ruining summer 'cause I know you really want to go" which I did and just broke my heart. Tomorrow is a graduation party for my cousin Scott's college graduation and my cousin Marissa's high school graduation.  I highly doubt we will be able to go.  Monday Taelin has a Tutu's and Tiara's class at her dance studio. Time will tell if we will make it.  My sister and brother in law are supposed to come for the 4th.  I honestly can't think that far ahead.

Right now I am in the living room getting ready for another night on the coach.  Joe has been banished to the bedroom with water, Advil, his antibiotic eye drops and the thermometer.  He has his phone and will surely text if he needs something.  Taelin's toddler bed mattress is lying in the front of me on the floor with a bucket next to it for hopefully no reason.  If the past nights are any indication of upcoming events, I will be more than likely watching Dora the Explorer around 2 a.m.

And....I am crying.  Typing all that out proved to be a bit overwhelming and an outlet all at the same time.

I don't "do" sick very well.  My "Jodie is a worrier" has over the past year developed into full blown anxiety when either Joe or Taelin is sick.  It is pretty much specific to being terrified that one of them will die.  I have heard too many stories and replayed personal experiences when it comes to sicknesses.  A simple, "Mama, my head hurts," gets my own head spinning and before you know it I am just sure that she has an inoperable brain tumor.  I know how ridiculous it sounds and I can talk myself down usually pretty good, but with this much sickness in a row, I am failing miserably right now.

I should just lay down right now, but I can't.  I need to sleep but if I lay down my brain will start spinning and I will work myself into a frenzy.  So, here I am.  After, I will probably turn on some horrible reality series on Netflix until I fall into a restless sleep, one ear always listening for Taelin.

So, that was fun and uplifting to read, wasn't it?  Sorry.

Hopefully the next post I write will be about a wonderful day we were able to have because everyone was feeling better.  We can all hope.