The guide book on the internet said to budget an hour and a half for the climb up, and another hour for the descent. "Not for the faint-hearted" it had said. "Extremely strenuous, and exposed...but worth it for the views."

At least they got one part right- the view was spectacular. I had just made the round trip in less than 35 minutes of exhilarating trail running, including the rest at the top to catch my breath and watch the sun rise up over the distant hills.

The desert really can be a beautiful place, I thought. Especially when you know you don't have to live there. 

I love sunrises. There is something about the breaking of dawn that has always seemed magical to me. Perhaps it's the boundless energy that is stored up in the moment, like the silky smooth face of a wave in the ocean in the moment just before it goes crashing into complete chaos. What events will transpire in the next twenty-four hours? How many human dramas will unfold- lives changed forever in the beating of a butterfly's wings? For all I know, history could be in the making.

Or not.

But that's the beauty- anything could be possible. And the sun, rising up over the horizon, is the shot that will signal the start of a new day.

Bang.

*****

After washing up at the trail-head, I changed shoes and tucked in the button-down shirt I had brought for the occasion. I then used the gel I had purchased that morning to smooth my hair, and applied lotion to hide my cracking skin (it wasn't appreciating the desert as much as I was). Walking out, I waved to people I had passed on the trail on my way down, smiling to myself at the self-indulgent idea that they might not recognize me as the reckless maniac they thought they had just seen a moment before. 

Finally, I pulled out my phone and called for a ride. The second day of my dental conference was about to begin. 

The ride though, I cannot let go without comment. Uber, the much-celebrated avant-garde mode of transportation, was quickly becoming a new habit of mine. It is strangely addicting, and I must admit that I have fantasized on more than one occasion of an entire vacation spent doing nothing but riding in the cars of strangers, asking them about their city, and learning about their lives in the process.

In this particular instance I got to meet Dennis, a man in his 70s  and a native of Phoenix. He once owned a thriving upholstery business before, according to him, the box-stores took over and killed off the people's expectations for fine home furnishings. He had failed to see the writing on the wall, he told me, and he lamented out loud that he didn't re-train for other work at the time. "The world was changing so fast, and that was something that took a lot of us off-guard." That's what he said, and it caused me to think about things a little bit differently. He soon found himself bankrupt and without a job, and moved in with his son's family. Uber, he said, gave him a chance to feel useful again. He liked it, and it allowed him to contribute financially to the household and regain a sense of independence.

Besides Dennis, I met Aasera (who goes by "Abby"), a refuge from Iraq who moved to the states one year ago and was trying to get her GED so she could go to college. I met Maria, who stayed at home during the day to take care of her grandchildren while her single daughter went to work. I met Cody, a college student who drove at night while his fiance' went to work. I met Scott, who did Uber on a full-time basis and was in the process of developing an App for his fellow drivers. 

I couldn't tell you why, but meeting all these people- complete strangers- and riding in their cars and talking with them for a few minutes- it all gave me a tremendous feeling of faith in humanity, as cliche' as the catch-phrase may be. It was cool. 

*****

As for the dental conference itself, it would be difficult to describe for most of the people who read this blog. The title of the seminar was "The Art of Case Presentation and Treatment Planning," and the presenter was Dr. Frank Spear. Now, for most dentists I don't need to say anything else- Spear has seen a great deal of success in branding his own name, owns a massive "campus" in Scottsdale, is something of a dental god to some people, and is an exceptionally good teacher. The weekend reinforced to me the idea I have always held that the first step to learning is the realization of things you didn't know you didn't know, and I came away with a large list of items to work on that will make me better at what I do.

That is probably as much as I could say to people who aren't already involved in dentistry without devolving into the shop-talk of my trade. Just know that I found the presentation to be engaging and worthwhile. It was one of those rare experiences that may be able, years later, to be seen as a milestone of my own professional development.

*****

Friday night, after changing my clothes yet again, I called for another Uber. The Sugar Thieves were a blues band who had started up in Arizona, but had recently enjoyed a bit of national success. They also just happened to be playing in Phoenix that night.

There is nothing like a good concert to cap off a wonderful stay in the desert.

*****

When I got back into town I drove straight from the airport to the theater in Spokane, where I saw the Broadway show "Kinky Boots" for the second time that week (we had also gone on opening night). It's a great show, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to have its songs in my head for the next several weeks.

Rachel and me on opening night

*****

In a few days I drive to the airport yet again- this time to drop Rachel off for her cruise to the Bahamas and stay in New York. Leading up to this, she has gone out of her way to take each of our kids out on special one-on-one dates. She'll be gone for 10 days. We're definitely going to miss her, but we are all super proud of the degree to which her career has taken off. The other day she overheard Evelyn talking to her friends about how cool her mom was because of her job. I love  that! I also have to say that she is somewhat of an inspiration to me. There is nothing quite as fulfilling as watching someone you love very deeply when they are in their element doing something they are passionate about.

Love ya, Rach.

Have a good week!

I think there is a party starting in my tummy

      -Maren

Wow, am I getting behind or what!? I have exactly five minutes before I have to go back and see my next patient. I keep telling myself I'll get to this blog sometime, but it never seems to happen, so I guess I'll just write the five minute version of things.

Maren had a birthday and it was a lot of fun and she had a party with all her friends with a mermaid theme and games and everything and she also brought cupcakes into her preschool class. She is five years old now.

We went on a trip to Utah to visit family and that was a lot of fun too and we stayed at my brother's house in Logan and spent time playing games and eating good food and climbing the little hill by their house with the kids. Speaking of kids, they had a lot of good times in the unfinished basement except for the time when Lindsey fell and cut her lip so bad she had to go to the ER and get stitches, but she was in good spirits the whole time and pretty stoked about the stitches so I guess it all worked out okay. On the way home from our trip we ended up taking a 20 hour detour due to really bad weather, but Rachel and I had to work the next day so we drove through the night and made it happen and our kids were awesome travelers.

Evelyn also had a birthday where she turned 9 years old and she had a party with all the family in Utah and another one when her friends came for a sleepover at our house with a Harry Potter theme and another party with just our family at our house and tonight she is finally getting her birthday dinner in the most drawn-out birthday celebration ever.

Rachel has less than a week before she interprets her first Broadway play and she has been practicing a lot for it and she is going to do a great job and then right after that she is catching a plane for New York for her interpreting cruise and vacation and she is pretty excited about all of this. Meanwhile, I am leaving on Wednesday for a 3 day stay in Scottsdale for a dental thing that I am actually pretty excited for.

This weekend was sort of crazy with Evelyn's sleepover party and then another party at the Kroc center for Addy and Jackson's friend, and then another party/game night at our house with the people I work with. I also took the three oldest kids for a while while Rachel practiced for her play and we went out to a buffet lunch and then went rock climbing and then went to see the movie Moana at the discount theater. Good times.

Here's some pictures. Have a good week!

BFFs at Evelyn's sleepover

Cousin Time

We made it to the top and found lots of golf balls along the way

The kids were waiting in the car at the Kroc center and playing on my phone. I guess we have a budding photographer in our family because somebody took this picture but I have no idea who.

It's been a pretty laid-back week for us. Here are some quick-takes of what we've been up to:

*****

I have to say, I feel a little bit isolated up here in Northern Idaho from most of the political dialogue (if you can call it that) which seems so prevalent these days. For the most part, I like it that way. For now at least, it is much more practical for me to be an interested spectator in the political arena than an active participant.

At the same time, I have a shop in my backyard that is full of furniture, proving that we aren't totally off-the grid.

What does this have to do with national affairs? Quite a bit, it would turn out.

The furniture represents donations intended for a refugee family that was coming over. I'm pretty sure they aren't terrorists or rapists or baby-eaters or anything- just a normal family trying to get out of a pretty dangerous situation. They were supposed to be here soon, and I offered up my shop as a short-term storage facility. Well, it turns out that their arrival has been delayed. And then it wasn't. And then it was. And then it wasn't. I don't even know where things stand at the current time.

So...for all the political big-wigs in Washington who I'm sure are following my blog, please let this family come over before I get started on my Spring cleaning. If not, then I have two dressers, a bed, several bookshelves, and a large fake Christmas tree that you can help me store until further notice.*

Thank you.

*I'm not complaining here- just being deliberately facetious. I really do have plenty of space and am happy to store these items for as long as it takes. I also don't think I'm alone in hoping that this happens sooner rather than later.

*****

Next, I want to mention my back. As it turns out, I'm not a gimpy old man. Not yet, at least. I appreciate all the well-wishes from friends and family, but it's really not that big a deal. I'm doing well with my physical therapy, and I can still sort-of rock climb (but not lead). I also have some weird black tape on my back that they say is supposed to help, but I think they just needed something to do with their extra tape because it seems totally useless to me. Certain exercises help me to feel better, and I imagine it will only be a matter of weeks before I'm a hundred percent again. Best of all, surgery has been ruled out for now. So...yeah...that's good.

*****

On Saturday, we hit a milestone for our family. Lindsey and I worked together to disassemble her crib and unceremoniously drive it to the dump. A new dresser and twin bed took its place.

We have had a crib in our home for over nine years. And now we don't any more. We probably won't ever have one again. It's a big day. Our little family is growing up!

*****

Jackson and I made a birdhouse. He planned it, helped me pick out the wood, measured it, and did almost all the work himself. I was just there to hold boards while he cut them, and to make sure things didn't get too out of control with the power tools. He did a pretty good job.

*****

Evelyn went on a camp-out this weekend up in the mountains. Well- they called it camping. Actually, they stayed in cabins and played games most of the time. I think she had fun though.

*****

Other news: Rachel and I got a babysitter so we could go watch the Super Bowl. We both ate way more junk food than we should have, and it was fun to get out.

Evelyn put together a great presentation on JK Rowling and delivered it flawlessly to our family. Good job Ev!

While Ev was at her camp, we took the other kids to Home Depot for their monthly craft day. Everyone built boxes with picture-frame lids.

*****

Have a good week!

Last week I made mention of my back hurting. I finally went into the doctor for it because it kept getting worse, and he thinks I may have a slightly herniated disk. I'm in physical therapy two days a week now, and if progress isn't seen then we're looking at surgery. So....that's my exciting news.

Yesterday I got a call from Rachel saying she was at the doctor with Jack. Apparently he was playing a game with his friends at school called "tornado" and he ended up running smack into a metal pole. He hit it hard enough to make him lose any memory of the event, They thought at first that his nose might be broken, but it turns out it wasn't. It did look awfully swollen later that evening, and it was very tender. After the doctor's visit school was almost over and he could have just gone home, but he asked to go back so he didn't miss the after-school science program he is in. That guy is tougher than he seems sometimes.

Here's Rach and Jackson getting ice cream before going back to school. Jackson's nose swelled up quite a bit more as the day went on, but I guess it's going to be fine. FYI: Kids don't like it if you call them "Elmo" when their nose is swollen up.

On Saturday, we all went into Spokane. I took the older kids to the science museum, and Rach took the youngers to the children's museum. Everyone had a fun time. On the way out of town, we drove past a small playhouse that we didn't know about. Curious, we booked tickets for the show that night and were actually pretty impressed with the quality of the acting and the venue. The show was "Disgraced," which I guess won the Pulitzer when it came out on Broadway in 2013. The show was poignant and thought-provoking, and Rachel and I had fun. We'll probably be back to see most of the performances this place has to offer. It's always fun to discover something new around your area.

Speaking of Broadway, Rachel had her big audition this week. If you want to watch the video, I have embedded it below. She interpreted the main theme from Phantom of the Opera, and even as a guy that doesn't have a clue what she is doing, I think it looks cool. If you watch it, be aware that the first few seconds are silent as she introduces herself and the piece she will perform.

This is just a still-shot, because I can't put a movie in a book when I compile this thing into a hard-copy.

Anyway, Rach was super nervous after sending it in. She has been wanting to do this for a long time, and she finally felt qualified.

We weren't sure how long we'd have to wait for a verdict, but two days later she got an email asking if she could do a show in the future. She made it! I am so proud of her.

Have a good week!

I'm getting behind, and when that happens then the quality of my posts goes down. Instead, I thought I'd give you a glimpse of our day-to-day life through text messages that Rachel has sent to me over the last month or so.

*****

Your Durango has the get-up-and-go of a camel

There was an ant in my kitchen. This means war. Don't. Mess. With. Me. I brought out the big guns (picture of her holding a can of Raid that is probably as long as her arm).

"Mom, you want some time to type? Perfect! I will just pull out a full roll of tape, color on the counter, dump your full mug of coffee on the couch, find the scissors to cut up any paper I can find, and touch the keyboard whenever I have the chance." -Your favorite daughter, Lindsey

Instead of earning my normal gold star it was more of a rusty square kind of day.

"Mom, Life is play!" -Adalie

I did not think people really said "oomph," but I just saw/heard Ev tumble down the stairs in full snow attire and it came out clear as day.

I really love our kids right now

I just had a fantastic idea! Create an energy plant that runs off people on treadmills and cardio machines. Have a lottery or use people on government assistance to run the machines. This would provide low-skilled labor, health benefits to combat obesity, and clean energy. Bam!

Picture of kids reading: Love this! The kids are reading about an octopus together.

...3 minutes later: Do you like you I avoided using the plural of octopus because I think it's weird?

I just got in the car and my hair is completely frozen into stiff icicles

I can feel my mind slowly slipping into a dark abyss. Do you have any idea where Maren and Lindsey's coats are? It's been a missing read-at-home-books, vanished gloves, two disappeared coats, MIA Christmas present that was due last week, give my son a bloody nose on accident, mud on the seats of the van, two children late for school, forgot my grocery list kind of day.

I need a secret formula for this morning. The kids have been downstairs for two hours playing their game. They have incorporated cleaning the house and getting ready for the day into their game, and now they are saying they want to just keep playing (happily) at home instead of going to the Children's museum. There have only been two upset moments and they have solved both of them by themselves. In the meantime I have listened to a news podcast and a sports podcast uninterrupted, and have gotten a lot of cleaning and laundry done!

Can human beings see the world as it actually is? If so, is it the same world for all of us? I fear if it isn't then we have no chance at reconciliation. But if it is the same, then what role do emotional or intellectual process play other than to distort? Why is a process necessary at all between perception and action? -Questions from a class I am taking

I think Joseph Martin did not realize what he was getting himself into with this musical score. About halfway through, it's like he got sick of writing flower language and just added a bunch of glorias and hallelujahs. (About some music she was interpreting)

Advice for the day: do not go downstairs or open any doors. See- the house is clean!

*****

As far as activities go, things have been pretty normal lately. The three oldest kids are going to be in a Winnie-the-Pooh play and will find out their parts later this evening. I somehow hurt my back, and now Lindsey thinks the funniest thing in the world is to mimic me gimping around the house. Rachel is getting ready to audition for her debut as a Broadway interpreter (She's doing Phantom of the Opera). Work is picking up for me quite a bit, as it normally does around this time of year. The kids had a few snow-days and we took full advantage by going out to breakfast and sledding as a family.

Last week, Rachel and the kids went down to visit Grandma and Grandpa in Rexburg. From what it sounds like, they all had a good time. I stayed home and had to work one of the days, but took advantage of the weekend to watch a lot of football and explore some of the back-country on skis.

Here are some pictures.

These first two are from the Rexbure visit. The kids love playing at the school where Grandma teaches (kindergarten).

Here's some of the skiing I did. I found this little hut with no tracks going to or from it- it was open and had a wood stove, so I started a fire and took a nice warm lunch break with a good book and a cup of hot cocoa. It was nice.

Evelyn planned a party for our family. It was actually a lot of fun. Here are some of our activities. Jackson made the octopus with all the swords. It's a ninja.

*****

Have a good week!

Family update time! But first, a couple of housekeeping things. On our Christmas post (Dec 27th) Rachel has gone back and added a bunch of stuff, so you should check that out if you're interested. We also had a pretty good week that I have written about at the end of this post.

Also, keep in mind that what you are about to read are narratives- story lines that I see developing in each member of our family. And while I believe they are mostly accurate, I also recognize how limited (or limiting) they can be. Is it really possible to sum up an entire personality in a few short paragraphs? Obviously not. The descriptions are inevitably simplistic and flawed. It's the best I can do though, to share a little bit of each of the amazing people in my family with whoever might be reading this blog.

Alright- let's get going. Evelyn says that life isn't fair because we always go youngest-to-oldest when we do things (she does have a point). In the interest of proving her wrong, I have decided to change things up a little.

Rachel:

Favorite memory of 2016: Trip to the beach with our family

Proudest moments of 2016: Coeur d' Fondo (108 mile bike race) and helping out in kids classes

Activity hopes for 2017: Family backpacking trip

Personal ambitions for 2017: Mad cross-stitching and crochet skillz (she wants to learn these skills with the kids along with her other personal goal). 

Rachel is my best friend and the love of my life. I am continually astounded with how much she is able to do, and how well she does it. She loves her job as an ASL interpreter and is at the top of her game when it comes to her profession. In a few months she will interpret on a cruise ship for the second time (this time to the Bahamas), followed by a personal vacation for several days in New York City, "just because she happens to be in the area." I'm jealous.

Besides work, Rachel has also excelled at her newfound hobby of cycling. She got a new bike last spring which has almost become a member of the family (it even goes on vacation with us), but I guess it's worth it because she's been a competitive racer in several events. I know she is itching to get back on the roads as soon as all the ice melts. In the meantime, she keeps up a fairly rigorous training schedule at the gym in anticipation of the next season.

Let's not forget, of course, that Rach is also Super Mom. Leave it to her to keep our family actively engaged in all kinds of fun activities and learning experiences. She helps out in all the kids' classes, and even goes to a little pre-preschool mommy-and-me thing with Lindsey each week. She also makes sure our family eats more than just eggs, cold cereal and frozen pizza- the regular menu items on my nights to cook.

I could go on and on. Rachel has a very active social life with book clubs and meet-ups (with and without kids); she is engaged in our church community; she is an intellectually engaging person to talk with; she is a great dance partner; she likes football; she puts on a coat and plays outside regardless of the weather. What's not to love about this girl?

Logan:

Favorite memory of 2016: Palouse Falls hike in the rain with kids

Proudest moments of 2016: Performing with the guitar and becoming a better musician

Activity hopes for 2017: Canoeing to an island as a family and camping; Go to a Seahawks game

Personal ambitions for 2017: Better improv blues lead; maintain 5k (running) time but get back to rock climbing 5.12 pretty consistently

I go to work as a dentist and I love my job. I come home to my kids and I love my family. I read a lot of books and like exploring ideas through good literature. I play the guitar- weekly in a band at church and almost daily on my own. I run- I couldn't really tell you why, but I find it relaxing. I go on dates with my hot wife- have I mentioned that she is my best friend? I rock climb and I've gotten to do some pretty fun trips in the last year.

I'm looking forward to 2017. It's gonna' be great.

I consider myself exceptionally lucky to be married to Logan who is an amazing person and is the love of my life! If I were to sum up my goal for last year in one word, it would, in fact, be my favorite word- balance.  I mention this here because the person who gave me my inspiration for this idea was Logan.  I am impressed with the masterful way he uses his time and resources to carefully balance all of the different goals he has for his life.  

I am not the only one to benefit from having Logan in my life.  Our kids have the best dad in the world!  It is apparent that Logan's top priority is his family.  Looking back at the year I see it is full of times that Logan set aside for one on one time with each of the kids. Individual pizza hut dates, kid only backpacking excursions, Silverwood dates, numerous rock climbing experiences indoors and out, and multiple papa hiking trips and outings. Our kids are pretty lucky, and I think Logan enjoys these adventures just as much!

Logan and I are continually reading books out loud together and our list of books read has probably exceeded 150.  Logan is working to rival that number with how many books he has read with our kids. Every night he reads a few chapters to the older kids and they have some entertaining book discussions!  Some of the favorites include; The Lightning Thief,  Ivy and Bean, The Magic Tree House, and Frindle (this author is pretty amazing in giving fun things to think about and question). This is a magical time for the kids and I enjoy listening in on their conversations and insights about the books.

Along with reading to the kids, Logan is constantly listening to a book on audible.  He has read an impressive list of fiction, non-fiction, and classics this year.  Some of his recent favorites have been Hamlet, Of Human Bondage and Watchmen.  These books have led to some great conversations and a lot of introspection on his part.  When Logan is not listening to his book he enjoys a wide variety of podcasts.  Left, Right, and Center, The Economist, The New Yorker (which he enjoys reading the physical copy cover to cover each week), and the Seahawks Nest are a few of his favorites.

When does he have time to listen to all of this you might ask?  When he is running, of course!  Logan keeps up a pretty vigorous running schedule and I must say that he can run impressively fast and makes it look easy. This year he ran two half-marathons with finishing times around 90 minutes which is pretty fast if you know running. I'm pretty sure he has a goal to be able to run a sub 20-minute 5k from now until the day he dies (kidding, not kidding).

Rock climbing will always be a part of Logan's life.  With Q'emlin park five minutes away and the Kroc climbing wall 10 minutes down the road this should not be a problem. Logan has spent a lot of time with friends at the Kroc this year working in the 5.12b range- down from last year but still pretty impressive. He also spends quite a bit of time bouldering, which has become a new sub-hobby for him. Logan is a pretty amazing climber and I love to sit back and watch him. He has a smooth strength and grace to his movements that I have rarely seen mastered by others.

Alpine climbing has also piqued Logan's interest and he planned and completed a few noteworthy trips this year.  He was able to escape to the Tetons with his cousin Donny. It's hard to believe that it has been ten years since these two have done a trip together.  It will definitely be much sooner before it happens again!  Logan also went on a Wind Rivers trip with his dad and brother, Griffin. I can see many more trips in the future.

Logan's mad guitar skills have increased by leaps and bounds this year.  He plays in a band weekly and is constantly learning new songs to perform.  He is also doing online courses specifically in blues guitar (his favorite).  I enjoy watching him perform and I can tell he loves it!   This Christmas he got an amazing ME pedal and amp emulator. He has already learned a lot and is composing his own songs using the looper.  

Logan and I have date night practically every night after the kids go to sleep.  We can be found talking, watching a movie, reading together, or learning some sweet dance moves, I love spending time with him.  We also make it a point to go out on 2-4 dates out of the house monthly. We have had some fun ones this year!

Work at Loftus has been pretty great this year. Logan loves his profession and enjoys having his own office in Post Falls. He has a fantastic team who works together well and the atmosphere of the office reflects this.  

Somehow Logan also finds time to update the blog weekly to create The Hazard Chronicles volumes that are one of my favorite treasures.  I am impressed with how well Logan balances his life! He is an excellent dad and husband.  I look forward to many wonderful years with him!

Evelyn:

Favorite memory of 2016: Going places with family

Proudest moments of 2016: Invent Idaho project making it to state

Activity hopes for 2017: Backpacking

Personal ambitions for 2017: Discover a new book series to enjoy

Evelyn loves to read and has become somewhat of a "walking encyclopedia." Seriously, she will come up with the most random pieces of information out of the blue, that are somehow surprisingly relevant to the situation at hand. She devours books at a pace of about 3 a week, and is currently working her way through the entire Goosebumps series that she got for Christmas.

Besides reading, Evelyn has taken up an interest in fashion, and has developed a look that is all her own. Most of the time I'm pretty impressed with her ensembles, but every once in a while something wild or weird comes up. Recently, she has developed an interest in designing her own clothes, and is learning how to use a sewing machine to this end (thank you, Santa).

Evelyn is so stylish! She loves choosing her outfits and she has a good eye for putting extra accessories on that actually work well.  She has also been experimenting with her hair and I have enjoyed seeing the results.  I am excited to shop for her for her upcoming birthday.  I have never been much of a "girly, girl," but I can definitely get into shopping for one!   

At school Evelyn consistently comes in far above grade level, seemingly without even trying. The impression I got at parent-teacher conference was that she acts more as a tutor in her class than as a student- which can sometimes lead to her talking out of turn. Still, I am proud of her achievements and so is she. Her favorite part of school is when she goes to "Challenge" with her two best friends. It's a gifted and talented program that focuses on critical thinking and the arts.

As a mom it is fun to hear about things your kids are learning that don't come from you. I enjoy hearing Evelyn tell me all about the Greek God's or Greek culture or whatever else she is learning about in Challenge. This class is right up her alley and she loves learning for no other reason than to learn.  

As a dad, the biggest thing I see in Ev is a newfound confidence in everything that she does. She takes initiative on a lot of things, which I see as somewhat precocious, and she sometimes seems to be mature beyond her years. She is interesting and fun to hang out with, and I am excited to watch as this personality continues to emerge.

Ev loves to collect things.  The word "things" has quite the broad definition.  She keeps everything from milk carton lids to pens that do not work, to spiral ring binders that are actually just the spiral binding... You get the point.  Logan and I, on the other hand, are exactly the opposite. We frequently purge our stuff and throw out anything that has not been touched in six months.  Occasionally I will keep something and give it the next six to see if I use it. If not, it is gone.  I must say that I have occasionally needed things and asked Evelyn. She can generally provide the needed item. Paper clip, anyone?

Evelyn is growing up and becoming extremely responsible. I noticed this when she had her ears pierced this year and every single night, without fail, she would come upstairs and take care of them. Another way that this responsibility manifests is when she wakes up every other morning, gathers all of her stuff, and marches into the shower without being asked.  This is a pretty big deal because she is taking responsibility for something she really dislikes doing. Also, I do not think she has missed one day making her bed in the morning (and many mornings she has even made Addy's bed) which she began doing of her own accord.

Adalie: 

Favorite memory of 2016: Exploring tide pools

Proudest moments of 2016: Hip-hop recital

Activity hopes for 2017: Take a day off school for no reason other than a "Hazard Holiday"

Personal ambitions for 2017: More hip-hop

Adalie happily fills the role of "family cheerleader." I love how she is constantly encouraging other people in the things they are perusing, whether that's giving out high-fives at cross-country tournaments or holding up hand-made signs while others are performing on stage. She has a smile that can light up a whole room, and brings with her an energy that is contagious.

All this is not to say that Addy isn't skilled and talented in her own right. As I have written in the past, I often think of her as a freak of nature- a kid who somehow just excels in everything. I don't know that she's the absolute best at anything I can think of, but she is right up there in so many areas that she can feel pretty much at home in any environment.

Her interests lately have turned toward dancing. She loved her little hip-hop group and can pull out some pretty good moves on the spot. At home we regularly turn music up loud and let the living room become a dance floor. We all get in on the action, but Addy is usually the most enthusiastic. She is already looking forward to more dance classes in the future.

Adalie is a sweetheart! She is an excellent listener and I can count on her to be awesome when everything else is falling apart (yes, sometimes this happens... especially when we are getting ready to go somewhere).  Adalie also has a very tender soul.  If the kids are being overwhelming and I make a blanket statement about the kids she is quick to ask "Everyone except me, right Mom?"  

I have a very vivid memory of one morning when I asked her to jump in the shower.  She looked at me and said, "no."  I almost fell over from shock because that was so unlike her.  Just as an update- she never did it again.  I think she was just trying it out to see how it felt.  I make it a point to tell her how much I appreciate and love her.  I want to make sure she gets good attention because sometimes I feel like most of the attention goes to the squeaky wheels.

Addy is reading up a storm! This girl devours any books she can get her hands on.  She enjoys picture books and chapter books alike. Some of her favorites are The Magic Tree House and a fairy adventure series.

I asked Addy what kind of books she wanted for Christmas and her immediate reply was nonfiction books with facts in them.  I found a hard bound book of 5,000 facts and when I looked through it I was disappointed to find page upon page of thick text. Adalie loved it! She randomly comes up to me and asks, "What would you like to know a fact about?"  I have found her multiple times on the couch immersed in her new book.

Jackson:

Favorite memory of 2016: Rock climbing and running x-country

Proudest moments of 2016: Training for and completing a bike race

Activity hopes for 2017: Overnight rock climbing trip

Personal ambitions for 2017: More rock climbing

If you can't tell by reading his answers posted above, this guy loves rock climbing. And as happy as I am about this fact, I have to admit that it is a little bit puzzling because he doesn't go with me all that often. Maybe one or two times a month- which is a lot more than most kids I guess. He is currently sending 5.6-5.7 pretty easily, and can do an occasional 5.8 if he has the patience to work on it. The funnest thing to watch is his acrobatic style as he jumps from hold to hold, making moves that don't seem possible for someone of his small stature.

Perhaps Jackson's uncanny ability to work out unique solutions on the rock stems from his extreme creativity. The world, through his eyes, must be a spectacular place. I've written about this on the blog before, but it still holds true. He is constantly coming up with something new, whether it be an invention, a story, a fort, or a game.

In school, Jack is exactly on grade level when it comes to academics. He is also exceptional when it comes to many things that cannot be measured. He is often the quickest to help when he recognizes a need, and makes friends easily with whatever other kids find themselves in his "bubble." He is inquisitive, thoughtful, and tenaciously devoted to whatever he sets his mind to.

The beginning of the year was a difficult one for Jack in the world of books.  He did not relly enjoy reading and he viewed it as a chore more than anything. That was until the teacher sent home a National Geographic reading book about Sharks.  Jackson picked up that book and immediately read it out loud to me more fluently than I had ever heard him read.  He kept that book with him night and day and he read it to anyone and everyone who would listen.  He discovered the world of animal non fiction books and he has never looked back.  He gets library books weekly and is excited to read for puppy minutes each night.  He loves to share facts with me and read out loud.  Every time we go to the library he has his heart set on a subject and he finds books on that topic.  The other kids search out and find ones they think they will like, but when we enter the library Jack is on a mission. I love his enthusiasm and I love hearing him read! He is doing pretty awesome.. He still can not stand reading the pointless books that his teacher sends home for him. Who can blame him when there is so much cool stuff out there to learn about!

One interesting thing about being a parent is observing similarities and differences in your children.  I have noticed that each of our children have a unique set of emotions and emotional responses. Jackson is very driven by his emotions and whatever he is feeling is taken to the extreme.  This creates a very driven, empathetic, and intense little person.  He is passionate with what he does and is learning to manage the larger than life emotions he houses in his little frame.

Jack is one of the most driven kids I have ever met.  He is constantly creating something or experimenting.  His experimentation has sometimes been a challenge for me. I have always wanted our kids to have the freedom to figure thing out and to make mistakes as they learn, but I did not anticipate the messes that this freedom could cause! He says, "Mom! I am going to do an experiment!" and I hear "Mom! Are you ready for a gigantic mess?" We have come to a wonderful compromise with this. Whenever he asks to do an experiment (in the event that he actually asks) I respond that he needs to have a hypothosis first.  Sometimes he comes up with one himself and sometimes we think of one together.  For some unexplained reason this helps me a lot.  Oh. He also knows that the upstairs must be clean before he can do anything. It's the little things and mom needs her sanity. 

Maren:

Favorite memory of 2016: My birthday

Proudest moments of 2016: Singing in my school program

Activity hopes for 2017: Go on a cruise (on the lake)

Personal ambitions for 2017: Learn to swim by myself in the deep end

Maren has become quite my little sidekick lately, whether we are exercising at 5:30 in the morning or watching a movie late at night. If I ever leave the house without saying goodbye to her, I can pretty much count on a phone call. And if I'm cooking something in the kitchen, you can bet that she is right there with me, either helping or else watching dutifully from the other side of the counter.

Right now she finds herself in a difficult spot in the family. She is definitely NOT a baby or a toddler, as she is quick to remind us whenever she is "forced" into the Play-care (Kroc Center babysitting) with Lindsey. At the same time, she isn't quite old enough to keep up with the other kids, either physically or intellectually, as they play games or explore new areas. Almost...but not quite. This leaves her with lots of "papa time," which I can't complain about too much. Maren is a joy to have around, and I couldn't ask for a better partner.

As far as activities go, the two things she loves most are probably her preschool, and swimming. She has taken to the water much quicker than any of the other kids have, and will soon be swimming confidently on her own (which makes my job a lot less stressful in the summer since we basically live at the beach). Coincidentally, her favorite thing is the world is probably the idea of mermaids. Seriously.

Maren is unique in that she is not really content sitting and reading books with me.  I have had to find other ways to bond with this little.  Her favorite thing to do is to play and use her imagination. This year there was a six month stint where every time the bus left in the morning she was magically transformed into a momma and I became her little Honey.  There were times when this got old, but most of the time it was pretty fun.  I took her to work (preschool) every morning and the game continued as soon as I picked her up.

Maren is the most independant and stubborn child that we have.  I know that this will be great for her in the future, but it can get pretty crazy for me in the here and now.  There was a 2 month time period where I would bring her to preschool in the morning and sit her in her own special chair with her shoes beside her.  She knew that when she chose to put her shoes on then she could play.  The battle at home got pretty intense and this solution worked.  I am reminded of this recently because for the last two weeks she has absolutely refused to put on her snow pants because they are not pink.   The last three times we have gone sledding she has opted to sit in the car instead. I am impressed by her sheer willpower.  Her preschool teachers are aware of it, and today for her snow day she decided that gloves were not for her.  The teacher said that was fine and that she could stand outside by the door until she chose to put them on and go sledding.  She stood in the same spot for the entire time and every time the teacher checked on her she was just fine.  Maybe snow just isn't her thing.

Maren is constantly talking, telling me stories, and singing her own made up songs to me from the backseat of the van.  She has so much spunk and character! I love the time I get with her during the day.

Lindsey:

! 

What a little bundle of happiness! There's that country song- "You're gonna' miss this," and all it takes for me is a glance in Lindsey's direction to know that it is true. Every time I hold her, or play with her, or read to her, or put her to bed, or do anything else with her, it's like there's this little voice in the back of my head reminding me that this is the last time I'll get to be a part of this fun stage of life with my own kids.

And it is fun! Oh, it can be frustrating at times...like when she shows up naked and has suddenly "lost" every stitch of clothing she owns, or when she thinks of endless excuses not to go to sleep, or when she finger-paints everything in her entire room with Vaseline, or when...well, you get the idea. But at the same time, there are the cuddles, the absolute sunshine that is her face when I come home from work, and the hilariously random things that come out of her mouth without her even realizing what was said. I'm gonna' miss it, it's true, but at the same time I am so looking forward to seeing who this girl becomes.


Miss Lindsey is pure sunshine!  I will do just about anything to get her to giggle, and I will do even more for a little cuddle.  She is growing up so fast and I am sure going to miss her littleness. She has a little bounce in her step and when she runs it is just about the cutest little prance you have ever seen! She is getting more independent every day and loves to be in charge of doing things (pushing the button to shut the car door makes her feel so grown up!). 

Lindsey loves sitting on the potty any chance she gets.  She goes through the whole process and is exceptionally proud of herself.  The whole process, that is, except for actually going to the bathroom.  She has gone a grand total of one time! Her interest is definitely there and she is getting better at not falling in. :)

Our sweet girl is SO smart.  I know that every parent says that about their kids, but this parent is right! I remember counting vocabulary words for each of our kids when they turned two (the doctor says they should have a fifty word vocab at this age). I also remember counting signs that the kids knew as words so that they could get up to the fifty mark.  At Lindsey's second birthday I started the ritual counting. I began with body parts, then outside words, then food words and so on.  If pressed I would estimate her vocabulary was around 600 words.  It is still growing at an astronomical rate.  She talks all the time and I love her sweet little voice! I just want to capture it in a bottle and keep it forever. Lindsey also knows all of her colors by recognition and recall and she is working on counting and shapes.

*****

Besides the update on the family, here's a quick look at our recent activities:

Seahawks date! We had a great time watching the game with a bunch of other fans- especially since our team won. It got very loud in that little building. I don't expect we'll be so fortunate next week.

Climbing with the kids. They're all naturals. Addy giggles all the way up (and all the way down) while at the same time yelling words of encouragement to random strangers. Jackson is impressive and just struts his stuff 'cause he knows he's a star. Evelyn explains to anyone who will listen how she probably inherited a musculoskeletal system that is favorable to climbing due to the physical attributes of her parents and genetic recombination at the molecular level.

I love these guys!

Have a good week!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone!

Next week I'm planning a traditional New-Year post with updates on everyone so be sure not to miss that one. As for today, I'll talk a little about our splendid weekend:

  

On Saturday, the big activity was to go to the science museum. We liked it so much we decided to get an annual pass for our family. We will definitely be back.

The museum was hosting the Bodies traveling exhibition which you may have heard of. It is an anatomy exhibit with plasticized cadavers. Me, Evelyn, and Addy went to this part of the museum (other kids thought it was too yucky) and loved it. No photos were allowed, but I think that for all of us it was the highlight of the day.

That night, Rachel and I got a sitter for the kids, went out to dinner, and then spent the night on the town. What a party! Spokane hosted their First Night, where there were five major venues with different shows at each. We went to a blues concert, a comedy show, a magic show, and then finished the night up with an awesome bluesy/country band and a lot of dancing. At midnight we went out along the river with everyone else and counted down the new year, followed by lots of fireworks and noise. This is the first time since we've had kids that we've been able to go out for a new-year's celebration and it did not disappoint. It was so much fun!

We've been getting a lot of snow lately. We went sledding on Monday and the kids have been playing in the snow pretty much non-stop for their whole Christmas vacation. We also did tie-dye shirts yesterday (stay tuned), and took the kids to see Trolls in the theater. It was a good weekend.

Well, that's about all for now. Next week I'll have a lot more to say.

Have a good week!