Volleyball is upon us

For me, fall arrives in late August when i head back to volleyball tryouts. We had 39 girls this year for 3 teams. Pretty good competition and lots of indecision. Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh and the University of Washington Volleyball program are both doing amazing things to inspire mini-volleyballers. Tryouts are complete. The teams are chosen. A few cuts were made. I have 6 sophomores and 6 freshmen. It reminds me of where I was a year ago. Natalie was 3 weeks old when the season started last year. I have actually planned both my kids around volleyball season (Natalie not quite as well planned, but i was able to get her out before the season). The other coaches decided they were game to have me bring her, so we made it work. This is our manager Thea (who used to play for me). She was fantastic with Natalie and really threw her dad (who is our C team coach) into a tailspin whenever she would "wear" Natalie. Natalie would go from Mom to Mom during the games (and head coach Julie, who was a baby whisperer). It was great fun, but looking back, i really cannot believe I was able to pull that off. And of course, it's all in addition to my regular work. This year, the kids are either going to be home with Ryan or home with a babysitter. It'll be crazy around our house for the next 9+ weeks, but I absolutely love it and am thrilled to back in the gym.

Our New Ride

We took the minivan plunge. We are the owners of a gently used Toyota Sienna Minivan. I wasn't seeking one out but a similar one to the one pictured found me. More about that in a minute - first a sidebar:
On Bainbridge Island there is a Yahoo group called IslandMoms. See an article about IslandMoms here. I'm addicted. One time I went to a party and someone said they post things on IslandMoms all the time and I wanted to know her name to know if she was one of the "more controversial" posters. Turns out she was a neutral poster. IslandMoms is a topic of conversation - usually when someone posts something controversial - nothing like a wild comment about parenting styles to get 1200 women and men all fired up. Way back when, people used to put things for sale on the site and I bought a glider for Zach's room. It winds up that the woman (who was one of the cofounders of Islandmoms) was the facilitator for my Mom's group (PEPS group) with Natalie. Small island . . . After some time, and too many posts for sale items, the group has encouraged participation in several similar groups - a Bainbridge Island Freecycle where you post things you don't want but think someone may so you don't have to have a garage sale. I've gotten rid of an Exercise Bike, Cat Litter Box (yep, you're reading that right) and more. There is also a Online Yard Sale - a localish Craig's List/Ebay type thing. I've gotten scads of great deals on here too - patio furniture, washer/dryer, bathroom cabinet, gotten rid of toy organizers. So here is where my car comes in. The other co-founder of IslandMoms (who I know through Yoga) recently posted her Minivan for sale. I pounced - it was a great deal with really low miles. I decided I could live without the sunroof and leather (at least I can for now). She and her family are sailing off into the sunset - literally. They sold most of their things, moved onto a boat with their 3 kids and are just going... pretty unbelievable. Read more about their story here. So long story short, we bought her van. It's roomy, has a gazillion cupholders, lots of storage, fold down seats, one automatic door. I have officially given in to mom-dom (because of course the volvo stationwagon doesn't scream mom). Now . . . i have a 2003 Volvo for sale if anyone is interested.

Boys & Motorcylces Take 2

Every year Zach receives some Toys R Us gift cards from sympathetic, generous family & friends for being the product of poor parental planning with a Christmas Eve birthday. The idea is that we will find him a 1/2 birthday present. So Zach was smitten at a birthday party with a 4-wheeler that hauled (in mom's opinion). And I knew (really, hoped) I had found his Achilles heel. But I just don't want him to feel like he gets everything he wants, so we made him EARN it by staying in bed for 7 nights (without getting out of bed). It didn't need to be in a row because I thought that might be too hard. We printed a picture of a 4-wheeler and each morning he could cross off a night. Of course the first night, it was my turn to do bedtime and he failed to earn the checkmark. Of the 7 nights he stayed in, 5 were for Dad and 2 for me - no surprise there. Ever since he has moved into a big boy bed - 16 months ago, he and I have been going round and round on bedtime. I have read parenting books, visited websites, talked to friends and family, tried many methods to try and keep him in bed, or in his room - hard love, lots of love, taking toys away, keeping toys, nightlights, no nightlights, gate, double gate, star turtle, flashlight, cuddling, not cuddling - you name it, I've tried it. He's fallen asleep on the floor, in his bookshelf, on the bed most nights - but needless to say, it's not been the highlight of my parenting. So I finally found a 12 Volt Motorcycle on Craig's list that was much more reasonably priced than Toys R Us so I jumped on it. We brought it home Thursday night and charged up the batteries. He was ready to ride on Friday, but the batteries were duds, so off to Toys R Us to get the new batteries - thanks Auntie Grammy, Pops & Samantha. Bedtime Friday night - different night, same story. He was out of bed for me 3 times - UGH! So we held tough and no riding Saturday - it did help that it rained. This consistency thing is SOOO challenging at times. But Saturday night he was great - for Ryan of course, so this morning he asked about it first thing after waking up. I don't think he got off the motorcycle more than 3 or 4 times before the batteries died - the kid was in Heaven for almost 2 hours! Ryan is off to Vegas for 5 nights for the International Association of Fire Fighters Conference, so I'm going solo for several nights. 1st night - so far, so good. Maybe that is why parents buy their kids cool toys, so they have something to take away if the misbehave :).

Here's some pretty big grins from our "dude." As I looked at the pictures, he is smiling in EVERY single one of them. And anyone who has ever tried to take a picture of Zach (or with Zach) knows that he isn't always game for pictures
(which we are working on by trying to take more and more).

50th Anniversary

From Anthony's wedding (2006)

So my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last Saturday, August 2nd. Pretty amazing. All 7 kids and our 8 kids descended upon Sequim for family pictures and a party with some of their friends. We surprised them by taking their old family films from the early 1960's and having them put onto DVD (a wonderful new service thanks to Costco). I noticed that 80% were of Scott (the oldest), 20% of Scott & Dru and ZERO of the rest of us. I'm glad I'm stopping with 2 kids. The cousins (ages 13, 11, 9, 7, 7, 7, 3 & 1) had a blast playing together. To top the week, my almost 99-year-old Grandpa has finally moved in to an assisted living facility. He has been living with our parents for the past 18 years. They soon realized that once our brother Travis moves out to go to UW this fall, it will be the first time in 45 years that they have lived alone. That fact may be more amazing than the 50th anniversary. I explained to my mom that I do NOT want to follow in her footsteps. Congrats David & Cynthia . . . 50 years is a long time.