All Right Already!

I've been fighting a battle with myself about this post. It's like having an angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. The angel is saying, "Don't do it!" The devil is saying, "You must!"

When I started this blog a couple of years ago, my intent wasn't to document every aspect of our lives. I wanted to highlight the spectacular, of course, but more than that, I wanted to open my eyes and my ears to the mundane sights and sounds ~ the smiles, the tears, the laughter, and cries ~ and highlight the ones that for one reason or another stood out. I wasn't interested in chronological events where I sat down on a regular basis to record library outings and zoo trips. Yes, I know that's mundane, especially since we have a membership to the zoo, but there's a method to my madness.

Or so I thought. For some reason not known to me, I feel the need to document the eleven weeks since my last post. That's the devil talking. And I listened.

All right already, here goes:

J and I finished up Faith Formation at the start of May; attended Muffins for Moms at the school; went to dim sum and Ikea for Mother's Day. We got bad news from Sacramento when we found out Mark has colon cancer. The school carnival was a fun and wet success mid-month. J's class had a Crazy Hair Day:



Memorial Day Weekend started out with a mommy/son date to watch Kung Fu Panda 2, followed by a day in Sammamish to celebrate PK's birthday, and ended with Hansen Day at the Mariner's game. M, Daddy, and I visited the Westside Co-op Preschool at the end of the month.

Also in May, J ran the kids' run at the Capital City Marathon. It was only a mile, but he ran his booty off:

And speaking of running, he was only one of nine kids in the whole school who ran the equivalent of a marathon during Track Stars.

And he kept running into June on the soccer field playing on a team coached by his future 3rd grade teacher:

They won no games, but they didn't whine or complain. They had a great time together, and that in itself made it a winning season.

By the time this picture was taken at the beach, I had signed M up for preschool at the Olympia Center. She'll start in September if I can get her potty trained. Yikes!

The school year wound down with numerous field trips: to the zoo (really???), Burfort Park, and sightseeing downtown.

Father's Day weekend was busy! Donuts for Dads, N's 4th birthday party at a very soggy golf course, lunch on Sunday to celebrate the papis AND D's 40th Birthday!

We celebrated on the actual day as well:

And I sighed relief because the scrapbook I had driven myself crazy putting together for the occasion was finally done!

If you hadn't noticed the addition to the family, that's N. We brought him home with us on Father's Day and the kids had a ton of cousin fun:

After a couple of days of hiking, playing, and celebrating his birthday, I took him home and M went along for two days with just the clothes on her back and a Pull Up in her hand.

We went to Kindergym for what I believe was the last time. We're going to miss Teacher Cindy:

The last day of school was the 24th:

And so was the opening of Cars 2. Daddy, J, and I all went to dinner and were the first ones in line for the 7pm showing.

Mary brought Joy at VBS:

We picnicked in the house on a rainy day:

The VBS crew sang at church; the grandparents came to lunch; and a couple of days later, after an "all American" meal at Din Tai Fung, the cousins got to hang out again on the 4th of July:

We had an awesome neighborhood fireworks show later that evening where the snakes were a big hit:

We went to the $1 movies the next day and J tagged along with Rob and Robbie to the aquarium in Seattle. He started track and field, and we left to Sacramento on the 6th:

We hadn't even been there 24 hours when, what do you know, we went to the zoo! Ugh...this is like a bad recurring dream :)

Daddy arrived on Saturday morning to join the madness.

The quinceanera was beautiful. I visited with my tias,

my cousins,

and a bunch of folks I hadn't seen in years. D got drunk, the kids ran around. A good time was had by all. I heart my familia ♥

Raging waters; dinner with the godmothers; snow cones on 10th Street; visiting some of my old stomping grounds;

a day of swimming with my girls and their brood; mourning a loved one; returning to the place where I got married;

trips to Target; eating at the taqueria, Jimboys, Paesanos, In & Out; staying out until 3:30 in the morning at the baile; fun at Funderland

when not having fun with their cousins

and loving Abuelita,

that's what CA was all about.

We returned on the 17th to gray skies and rain.

Today was our first chill day of summer vacation. We pretty much did nothing but laundry ~ oh, and upload the pictures you see on this here post. It took about two hours. I forgot some; some were the wrong ones. Whatever.

In other news: The US team lost the World Cup Championship to Japan yesterday. Casey Anthony was acquitted of murdering her baby girl. The last space shuttle launch was last week. Jennifer Lopez and Mark Anthony split; William and Kate visited CA.

And the devil is victorious....what an absolutely boring post. I surely hope this doesn't become a trend of mine!