First Steelhead Of the Year

This is my first of many steelhead this year. Joe and I have been out 3 nights and the fishing has been slow. It is nice to catch the first fish. It was 25" and about 6 or 7 lbs, good for an A-run fish. I did happen to be using his lure and he did happen to be driving (the 1 hour out of 14 this year).

I'm living in a crazy house

Air guitar...

Metallica released their new single and (drumroll please) they are launching their US tour this fall. At least one person (and it looks like two) in this house are thrilled. The rest of us are used to it.

Feels like Fall

I found this monstrous zucchini on our front porch after naps.

What to do with a ridiculously large zucchini? Make zucchini bread.

Ed got into the spirit by cooking a chicken he actually slaughtered with his own two hands for some friends of ours who raised lovely free-range, organic, etc., etc. chickens.

I think it's fall--but it's a little soon to say. I would be thrilled to have fall come this early (as long as it doesn't mean winter is coming early too!). But I have two more weddings with outdoor receptions so I hope the sunshine sticks it out for two more weeks! So far I have been loving the cooler weather--my windows are open all day, we can actually go for walks before dark, and we've been baking away. Ahh, my favorite time of year!

Absence makes the heart grow fonder...

Now that Ava's gone every morning, Jack feels privileged just to be with her in the afternoon so they have been seriously busy playing together. Here's Ava sharing some of her newfound knowledge with Jack.

The 1st Day of School!

Showing off her back-to-school present: cherry earrings!

Scrambled eggs with daddy. She was so excited this morning that when Ed got home from the gym at 6:30 she was already waiting in the window for him.

Dressed and ready!

Saying goodbye to Jack who is clearly not happy about it. As soon as we left the school we had this conversation:

J: Where's Ava?

Me: at school.

J: Why's Ava not in her carseat?

Me: She's staying at school for the morning.

J: When's Ava coming home?

Then he repeated that last question about every 10 minutes through the morning.

All grown up.

Cousins!

Ava and her first teacher (aka Grandma!)

Standing by her desk with her name on it.

Lunch at Pizza Hut!

Ava's last night of freedom

This was Ava's last day before she starts at least 13 years of school! It was a busy day with the pool, home for naps and some fried chicken, and then the park (and Starbucks). Her uniform is ironed, her school supplies are packed and she is ready to go!

Don't worry--she didn't drink all that herself.

We finished the night with cookies--a treat Jack doesn't usually get to stay up for!

Ed's personal Olympics

So, you know I am a bit of an Olympic addict and frankly I'm getting worn out--it is very stressful! One of the events that stresses me out the most is during platform diving when they start off with a handstand and then flip into a dive. So last night at 11:00 pm when I should have been sleeping but instead was worried those poor girls were going to whack their heads on that platform, Ed informed me that it really wasn't that difficult and proceded to show me just how simple it is. While I would like to give Ed a 10 for his late night efforts, his reasoning had a few problems:

Number 1: the girls do a handstand, not a headstand (which alleviates the need for the pillow)

Number 2: they are doing this 10 meters (I'm thinking that's over 30 ft?) in the air

Number 3: they push off with their hands and do many twists and flips and then dive head first into the water

P.S. this picture may be a bit fuzzy as I was laughing so hard I could barely push the button. Back in his glory days, Ed could do all kinds of great tricks including a standing back-flip....ah, how times have changed.

Getting ready (and excited!)

Our friend Sarah made Ava this super cute messenger bag for school and as soon as Ava got up this morning, she packed up all her school supplies, tried on one of her uniforms and asked me to take her picture (of course!). She is getting so excited! Although we did have a bit of a setback when she learned she can't wear flip-flops to school--I think she was ready to call the whole thing off! The cool bag helped change her mind and we are back on track--thank you so much Sarah!!! We both love it!

Just call me grandma

This picture is a little old (notice Jack's still-chubby cheeks) but that's okay because it is still relevant as they play this everyday. The thing about Jack is that he is a very versatile playmate--sometimes he is the daddy (but that doesn't always last long as he is a little messy and as Ava says "oh well, these things happen your husband is only two." Obviously.) and sometimes he is the baby. Which makes me the grandma, which is hilarious to at least two people in this house.

Back to normal...

but still skinny.

The top bunk

At some point in the weekend Ed headed out long enough to get the mattress for Jack's top bunk--he was too sick to notice at the time but last night everyone was excited to play up there!

On her own

Ava was a sweet trooper while Jack was sick--she was basically on her own for five days and she gave her self long, fluffy bubble baths, organized her bead set, even made her own lunch at least twice (yes, Jack kept me that busy. gross.). But her favorite thing was to finger paint--she got Ed to join her one night.

The road to recovery

Jack ended up with the rotavirus--a nasty, LONG-lasting bug we knew he'd get eventually. Here he is holding tight to that sippy cup and watching his John Deere movie for the tenth time.

Morning of day six--he sat up at the counter and said, "Jack is hungry." That is a sad, skinny face--nothing like a nasty virus to help lose that baby fat.

Later that day. Ava was so happy to have her buddy back--she read to him, fetched his toys, brought him drinks!

Sick little bugger

This is Jack's first (of, I'm sure, many) bouts with the flu. He was a brave little boy but by the end his little voice saying, "all done, all done" was more than I could bear. Thank goodness his daddy was home!

The gap is getting bigger!

Ava lost tooth number two and thank goodness Ed was here because it was pretty bloody and traumatic.

So I am totally exhausted...

from staying up till midnight every night watching the Olympics! I'm a big fan--I'll pretty much watch anything (kayaking, synchro diving, of course swimming, etc.) except basketball and they only come around every four years so it's usually worth the late nights but then again I've never been pregnant during the Olympics and this year I swear I'm as tired as the athletes! The problem is that I am totally addicted--I watch the trials, read the articles, and am well prepared by the opening ceremonies but this year the main lesson I have learned is that I should have bought TIVO!

The Sawyers

I stole this from Paula's blog. This may be the first time we've all been together since the boys were born--it's been a busy summer!! These group shots are rare so you might see it in your Christmas card!

Waiting for a friend to come over

Today she asked me if you have to ask someone if they want to be your friend in kindergarten or will you just know.

He should really have his own cereal commercial!

My new best friend

The good news is that I am over six months pregnant (woo hoo...less than 3 months to go!). The bad news is that I am over six months pregnant (I'm pretty sure I can get a lot more uncomfortable in three whole months!).

Sometimes it's just not fair...

While I was doing this (see above), Ed and the kids were doing that (see below).

1st Annual Family Cook-off

Supper!

Here's Ava talking with Jessa's twins: for Ava, the only thing better than one baby is two!

We attended the first of (we hope) many Casebolt/Sawyer Family Cook-offs. Dave, Jim, Joe, Josh, Ben, and Stephen did the grilling and Ed and I and mom and dad were the judges (not a bad job!). While Dave (of course) won the grand prize of a Williams Sonoma monogrammed steak branding iron, all of the dishes were great! And after the judging (which was actually very serious and well-ruled--we weren't even allowed to walk around back where the grills were!), we all sat down to eat. There are 16 adults and 12 kids (five baby boys born just this spring!) so we don't get together that often but when we do, it's a good time!

Pool Time!

If you know Ava, you know this is exactly what I must be doing poolside.
Jack gets completely mesmerized by the water. Last time he stood under a hose for at least 15 minutes not moving a muscle.

I love floating.

Here's what I have learned: taking the kids to the pool by myself is not at all relaxing; taking the kids to the pool with Ed, however, is like a mini-vacation. We've been going twice on Sundays and on the first trip before naps, Ed plays with the kids in the water while I nap or read or sit and do nothing at all in the shade. At some point I take one of the kids to the lazy river and tube for awhile and then I head back to my lounge chair till it is time to go. There is something really fantastic about this guilt-free laziness because everyone is happy and playing and not missing me at all. We eventually head home for naps and then back to the pool for the evening and this time (now fully rested!) I actually join in the fun and we watch Ed go down the big slides (pregnant people not allowed, which is too bad because I LOVE the slides) and dive off the diving board, which Ava calls the bing board. We usually end the night with ice creams and pizza and it is truly a day of rest (at least for me!).