This past week has been one big party. It seems like we've had balloons and streamers covering our house since June. We didn't do much for the 4th of July, a family BBQ and then fireworks, but Erilyn has been dancing around the house singing "Oh spacious skies, oh beautiful, oh spacious skies..." all week long. She loves to sing and dance, that girl. Anthon's birthday party was on Wednesday. I think I like summer birthdays. I used to feel sorry for the kids, but now I prefer it. All we do is find some water, through up some balloons, and call it a party! Anthon asked me to make a pirate cake again, so we did. To quote his friends, "Anthon, this is by far the coolest cake ever." I'm glad they thought so. His party was super easy for me. We swam in our neighborhood pool, opened presents, ate cake, swam some more, and tah dah. Anthon is 7.
The kids are getting to be quite the little fishies. Erilyn doesn't use floaties at all anymore and can swim nearly the whole width of the pool, which is probably 30-40 feet wide. She's fearless and tireless, so we swim nearly every day. Tanner has a little seat that he floats around in and loves it. That pool is my saving grace. I couldn't get through the Texas summers without a pool.
Since last Sunday, Anthon has read the Illustrated Book of Mormon Stories cover to cover--twice, Little House on the Prairie, Young Cam Jansen and the Library Mystery, Young Cam Jansen and the Double Beach Mystery, Young Cam Jansen and the Ice Skate Mystery, Young Cam Jansen and the 100th Day of School Mystery, Science on the Edge: Nanotechnology, Charlotte's Webb, Stuart Little, countless board books and picture books to Erilyn and Tanner, and is now about a third of the way through The Trumpet of the Swan.
He reads a lot.
I consider myself a pretty voracious reader, but I've read maybe half that many. He read all the Cam Jansen books in one day.
(Kirk took this picture; I've learned to be grateful if I'm at least looking at the camera when he snaps it. So, while this is not the most flattering picture of me or of Tanner, at least we're both looking at the camera with our eyes open (mostly)! And I'm even kind of smiling! It's a keeper.)
Tanner is cruising. It won't be long now before he walks and I'm a bit sad about it. Of course I want him to progress and learn and grow; that's part of the job satisfaction of being a mother. But I'm really enjoying his babyhood and trying hard to cherish every minute. I'm in a good place with my kids right now. We don't have any major issues we're dealing with. They are all happy, learning, growing, and good, sweet kids. I'm sure that will change, but it's fun right now. We've been playing a lot of games together: we like Uno Attack, Go Fish, Old Maid, Sum Swamp, memory games, Candy Land, and Erilyn is learning to play Wii Sports so we have regular game nights.
I'm trying to get back into running and it's kickin' my butt! I did two miles the other day and was feeling pretty good about myself until I recalled having run two marathons. I'll get there, but it sure is rough just starting out after a two year hiatus.
Tanner's new favorite game is to use the vacuum as a push toy. He's always liked the vacuum, following us around when we're going the floors, but now, once we turn it off, he'll crawl up to it and start pushing it up and down the hallway. If it gets stuck, he'll start yelling at us until we un-stuck it, and then off he'll go, up and down the hallway again. So cute!
Dinner time...
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