Just plain lucky

I am, in so many ways, incredibly lucky.

I have several girlfriends whom I met when I was about two years old and who - 33 years later are still near and dear. When we see each other now, which is not as often as I would like, our conversations must ebb and flow depending on the mood and activity level of our growing brood of children. Because of this when we say good-bye I am usually left with many unanswered questions and am still waiting to hear the end of one (or more) half-told stories or adventures. While I would love to hear the end of the story and wouldn't mind even 20 minutes of mommy to mommy time, truth be told I love our chaotic get-togethers. I love watching our children get to know each other and play with each other. When I watch the kids play I am always struck by the fact that I was younger than Oliver when I met my wonderful friends.

I hope that our kids will, 33 years later, still get together with their children.

Oliver, Finn and Carver: Trouble. Three boys, money and and ice cream stand.


Exploring Walker Park.

Oliver and Addy: Loved playing together, but did not want to share snack.

Oliver, Henni, Logan, Nola and Fiona.

You might notice a theme from the previous picture - Oliver is smitten with Nola.

Two wheels!

Oliver is now riding with just two wheels!

In the middle of riding bikes tonight Oliver suggested we take off his training wheels. Anticipating a long evening (week or more) of crashes, tears and frustration I told Oliver that as soon as he mastered riding without training wheels we'd get him a new bike (Oliver's current bike is a $5 Huffy with bald tires and the chain guard is irreparable (Note: $5, not the side of the road)). As I was saying these words Oliver was mounting his bike. The words were still suspended in mid-air when Oliver tore down the driveway, turned and then proceeded to race up and down the street - seriously, no hesitation just pure speed. "Mommy, I get a new bike!" I scraped my jaw from the pavement, told Oliver I would indeed start my search for a new bike for him and then ran to the house to get my camera to capture what I thought was at least a week or so away.

I am so proud of Oliver! I can not believe I spent the evening watching him race a two wheeler up and down the street and then do tricks with it on a ramp (ah, yes, that is how the biking ended). Congratulations Oliver!

Henni Badger

I don't remember if I have discussed the honey badger here before. The honey badger is a pretty amazing animal. It is fearless and tough - it takes on predators such highly venomous snakes and lions. With respect to the larger animals, in physical confrontations honey badger can wear these animals out - and therefore, even though the honey badger is much small, take home the trophy. As stated in this incredible video about honey badgers, honey badgers just don't care: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r7wHMg5Yjg

Over the past couple weeks have have noticed that our little Henni has many qualities similar to the honey badger. Our little Henni badger is a compact little creature who, despite her size, likes to take on larger animals - even predators: Henni loves to wrestle with Oliver even when he doesn't want to wrestle. She will crawl over to him, climb on him, grab his hair...he'll kick her off, push her or any number of things he shouldn't do and she will just laugh and climb back on him.

She has also decided that there are no boundaries - the knobs on the drawers in the kitchen can be used as a climbing wall so that a little Henni badger can get to places she shouldn't. She also will push anything and everything over to anything and everything so that she can climb anywhere and everywhere. And stairs, the Henni badger don't care. The slide at the playground - the bigger the slide, the faster she can go, the bigger her laugh.


Food. Food don't stand a chance against the Henni badger. The night before last the Henni badger ate half a watermelon. When watermelon is not available she'll take on most anything else - this past weekend she devoured pizza and also dumplings and ramen from Wagamama. She loves to tackle food and cover herself with a fine film or paste of whatever she is eating. Seriously, this Henni badger needs a bath after each and every meal. But the Henni badger, she don't care (actually she loves baths).

And of course there is the wearing down of large animals - the Henni badger likes to wake up around 5 or 5:30 (although she likes to keep us on our toes and throws in a 8 AM wake up about once a week). While the Henni badger takes two naps a day neither Davis nor I have the opportunity to nap. Therefore, by 9:30 Davis and I are usually tucked in our bed, worn down by the badger.

I love Henni's spunk, her smile, her full-bellied laugh, her rolls upon rolls, her adventurous personality, love of the exciting and dangerous, her slimy kisses and all encompassing hugs...I love my little Henni badger.

Side of the road or free is fun

There is a popular expression - "The side of the road will take it...". Well, here at our house the phrase has been modified to "The side of the road, I'll take it." Ah yes, my exploits into finding items free on the side of the road or used items has been well documented. While a certain husband teases me about my bargain-hunting (and I recognize I use the word bargain loosely when we are talking about items found on the side of the road) abilities and addiction, he can not deny that free is fun. (A note from the certain husband: Free may be fun for the little ones, but free is not so fun for the husband who has to drag, for example, a large pool down the street pestered by heckling (wife: exaggeration) neighbors.)

Last week it was H-O-T! Davis and Oliver were off somewhere and Henni and I decided to take her trike for a spin around the block - when what to my wondering eyes did appear, but a large plastic pool with a "free" sign - so dear! When the boys returned I sent Davis to scout it out. He returned and commented that the pool was nice, but our yard was becoming a bit cluttered with my bargains. I sent him back down the street.

Check out the amazing Mr. Turtle pool! It has a slide and one can attach a hose to the pool so that it sprays water at the slide (a great idea, but Oliver says "Mommy, it like so much shoots water in my eyes. Like, shut it off." (No idea where he, like, learned to be a valley-girl.)




Amidst the laughing and fun Oliver asked me where the magnificent pool came from. I told him mommy found it on the side of the road (honesty is the best policy). He asked if any of his other toys had come from the side of the road. As I was pointing to and naming the items in sight that had come from the side of the road (the car for example) I realized how many of the toys in our yard had, in fact, come from the side of the road.

Ah, free is fun!

All times

We spent an amazing weekend at the Compound with Liz, Ben, Ethan and Adam. As were were leaving the Compound Oliver said - "They are old friends. Have us's known them since before dinosaurs?" While our friendship is not (quite) as old as dinosaurs we are lucky to call the Stockwells old friends - and there is just something wonderful about spending time with old friends.

The little ones (how did we suddenly end up with so many?!) got along amazingly well together.

They worked together to make an incredible sand castle gated community (although from the pictures I have one would never know that they worked together on this project - a picture with all four kids in one frame I do not have).



They made caterpillars together with crafty Davis.


And played together in the water and on the boats.




They also did a good amount of eating. Although I have to be fair and say that the majority of the eating was done by Adam. Seriously I have never seen a child eat like Adam eats - it is incredible.

We had a visit from Jeremy, Jessica and Burke over the weekend too - it was such a treat to see them - it had been far too long. Burke so adorable and I think Henni liked having another girl around for a bit.

We had an amazing weekend, one which Oliver summed up well - "I just want to be here all times."

Thank you Stockwells!