thoughts on a sunday

• Brian's parents are building a cabin at Thunder Mountain (aka: the land) and my boys have been up there helping for the last several Saturdays.  We all went up yesterday and it was amazing to see the progress they've made.  Last time I was up there it was a big hole in the ground, now it's like a real cabin.  It's exciting.  I am happy that Brian and McKay (and even us girls too) have the opportunity to help.  I want them to be a part of it because I know it is and will be very meaningful to them.  Brian was saying at dinner how McKay will be able to tell his kids that he helped build the cabin when he was seven years old.  I think that's pretty cool.  

• Ellery, McKay, Sharp and Silas spent most of yesterday playing outside.  They have a pretty awesome fort, and are always collecting weapons to carry around and really do nothing with.  But they keep collecting them!  Ellery and Silas were so cute- burying treasures they found, playing house (Layla got to be the clubhouse baby) and Ellery had about three secret hideouts, which just happened to be in plain sight.  It was fun watching them play and just have so much room to imagine.  

the mini cabin the kids and I built

• It was really muddy up there- we all had about an inch or two of mud on our shoes most of the the day.  We huddled in the cabin during an afternoon thunderstorm (there WAS lightening in the meadow) and the kids kept busy by organizing all the construction stuff on the top floor.  Layla napped in scamp, which she calls the little house.  I was happy for her nap because the whole first part of the day she literally could not be close enough to me.  She was like climbing up my body, maybe wanting to sit on my head?  I don't know.  The nap was nice.

• On the way home dropped Sharp and Silas off and we got to stop and see sweet little Afton.  Even though we were so dirty, Jenn let all of us hold her.  I really loved snuggling that little one. She's really cute.  

• We have another cute baby in the family this week.  Missy and Ken had Iris on Thursday.  I don't know when we'll get to meet her, but the pictures I've seen so far are adorable.  (move back!)

• Okay, I got sidetracked by cute babies.  So when the kids and I finally got home there was a major hail storm.  It was so noisy and even though I wanted to give the kids a quick bath and put them to bed, I decided that since a hail storm is somewhat unique, we'd explore a little bit.  McKay, Elle and I dared each other to stand out in the extreme hail and the kids had fun collecting it to show Brian later.  We were shocked to see marble-sized hail!  I have never seen it that big before.  One of my primary girls said that the windshield in their car got cracked from it.  Crazy!

• Ellery has had a bit of a rough week in terms of being a good big sister.  TThis week there were a lot of moments where Layla was screaming because Ellery was trying to manipulate it in some weird way, or hitting her or stepping on her.  She is usually pretty sweet to her baby sis, but she is going through something right now.  

• Ellery is funny when she gets in trouble.  Today she was in a time out (for not doing her part of cleaning up the toys) and she yelled through the door, "Dad!  You should open this door because I'm going to punch you in the face when you do!"  It's horrible. . .but still funny.  Elle's got a definite weakness when it comes to cleaning.  Threats are a strong point.  

• The girls got a haircut this week from Rylee.  Hard to believe we took almost four inches off of Elle's hair (I believe there is such a thing as too long- we could have cut even more) and Layla got another cute a-line.  Brian, of course is not happy that I cut it short again, but we didn't let that sway us.  I know it's cute.

• McKay had another good week at school.  I went to his back-to-school night and met with his teacher.  She seems really great and was glad to get to know her better and get a clear picture of her teaching style and what the year will be like for McKay.  She told me he is completely happy at his table of girls and hasn't said a word about it.  

• I have some mixed feelings about him in school, I've said that before.  This first grade year just seems like such a big deal.  A big change.  I drop my boy off at school and he just walks away and is gone for six hours.  What is he doing all that time?  What conversations is he having?  Are people being nice?  Is he being nice?  Is he making friends?  Is he even eating anything for lunch?  I don't really know the answers to any of these questions and that is hard.  It's hard to go from being involved in practically everything that happens to him, to practically nothing.  It's hard to turn your first baby over to school.  

• I don't think Ellery is a big fan of her brother being gone all day at school.  She has been in a bit of a depression the last couple weeks, in that she kind of just follows me around and doesn't really know what to do with herself.  I hope we can change that.  She starts preschool this week, as well as a little neighborhood dance class, so I hope those things will help.  I know they will be good for her.

• Layla went to nursery today.  Brian joined her for the first hour, and he snuck out for the second. I heard her multiple times down the hall, but by the time I picked her up they were blowing bubbles and she did not want to leave.  She cried and screamed about leaving, go figure.  Her nursery teachers were confused.  

• Brian said he overheard them commenting on the volume of her voice- her happy voice, not screaming voice.  She can be quite loud when she is absentmindedly talking or singing to herself.  Pretty much every day she stands on the little step by the family room and sings at the top of her lungs like no one else is watching.  

• Another cute thing she's been doing is playing girls with Ellery.  Today Sleeping Beauty was flying around the room yelling, "I can fly!  I can fly!"  I also love how Layla's girls will say, "Hello.  How are you today?  Bye bye."  Those few sentences are about all Sleeping Beauty said today.

• Jana and I went to Swiss Days on Friday.  It was really fun to be out with just her all day.  My mom and dad were sweet to watch all four of our kids.  My girls were happy with that because they've been asking when they can go to Grammy's house.  Jana and I didn't buy much (I got a couple bows and arrows for the kids for Christmas, Jana a reusable swim diaper) but we still had fun.  Definitely never going to Swiss Days with children in tow.  Never. 

Walking to church.  I kind of like all of them, a lot.

Happy Sunday!