A Boring Post about My School Pick-Up Routine

Just a quick note to let the world know that we are still alive (but if you're a Facebook friend you already know that).  Life with 4 kiddos is going well.  Busy, but well.  The boys are a month into their new preschool program at Jardin International preschool.  They go three days a week from 9am-3pm, which was a longer day than we had imagined for them for their last year of preschool, but it's what is "required" for the Pre-K year at this new (to us) school.  Chloë only did 3 days a week from 8am-12noon for her Pre-K year.  That said, the new schedule does work out pretty well as they don't have to sit in the car and wait in the pick-up line with me on the days that I pick Chloë up at her school.  Her dismissal is 2:20pm and their's, like I said, is 3pm.  It's ALMOST perfect...just a little too long of a gap to be completely perfect.  I pick up Chloë and we usually have 15-20 minutes of "free" time before I get the boys.  Not long enough to do much, but we occasionally run into Target or get gas or some quick errand between the schools.  Or we just sit in the parking lot at the boy's school and talk and she'll have a snack.  It gives me some one-on-one time with Chloë to hear about her day....though she doesn't always like to tell me much or talk about her day so soon after getting out of school...but if I bring her a yummy snack she'll talk more :)  Like I said, we're still working this all out.  Where is Ella, you ask?  Well, so far it has worked out well that I can put her down for a nap at home bit before I leave to start the pick-ups and she'll stay asleep.  She's still in a crib so I don't worry about her getting out...and, in case you were about to call CPS on me), don't forget Myke works at home so he's just across the hall and listens out for her.

So, the pick-up routine is much smoother this year than last.  Also, I only have to do that on Mondays & Wednesdays.  Tuesday & Thursdays Chloë takes a bus with other kids from her school to the local YMCA and partakes in an after-school skate program at their skate park.  Fridays she has early-release day (12:45pm) so that day is different than the others.

I can't tell 100% how much the boys like school.  They will sometimes say they don't want to go, but they have always wanted to be home with mommy instead of going somewhere that I wasn't going to be.  They'll say it once (mainly Eli) but then have no problem getting in the car, getting dropped off, etc.  The entire day is in Spanish for them, so that's a big difference from last year, obviously.  I'm sure that has a lot to do with it.  They have no clue what their teacher saying (well, hopefully now, a month into the program, they know A LITTLE of what their teacher saying!)

The boys have started T-ball with an association called Little Rookies.  So far they seem to enjoy it, which I'm thrilled about, as they are pretty timid and shy with new things like that.  Soccer last Spring was a big FAIL.  Little Rookies has very small ratio of kids to instructor and the guys who work with the kids are great!  At least from what I've seen so far...we're only 2 weeks in.

Chloë starts soccer this Saturday so we'll see how that goes.  Ella has had 3 weeks of a little Mommy and Me Preschool class held at a local children's clothing store.  She loves that she has "her school".  It's very low key and relaxed (almost too much, in my opinion) but she gets to bring an art project home every week and she plays with Play-Doh, has circle time, gets a snack, etc.  So she's a happy camper.  Also, it helps me to slow down and focus on her on the mornings that I have with just her instead of just dragging her around on errands, which is my usual routine.  I'm trying to be better about that with all the kids...but that's a topic for another blog entry and another day.

I just can't believe my BABY is going to be THREE in February!!  I just realized the other day that I've NEVER HAD MY YOUNGEST CHILD BE 2 1/2.  
This is a first.  I want her to stay little forever.  She's sweet and sassy and kind and loving and empathetic and just beautiful all around.  I couldn't have asked for a better 4th child, temperament-wise.  Myke and I count our lucky stars on a regular basis.

Okay, going to close!  Good Night!  

Last Week of Summer

Oh my lovely hubby....how I adore thee

He got me a "37" candle...on my 36th birthday.

Been a busy Summer and the blog postings have been scarce...or at least the time to write has been scarce/non-existant.  One thing I am feeling accomplished about is that I FINALLY finished Owen & Eli's "first year of life" photo book that I made in iPhoto.  I started it over 3 years ago and am SO happy to finally check that "job" off my list.  Now to do Ella's...

Chloë starts first grade on Monday (5 days away) so I've attempted to make this final week of her summer packed with fun activities.  Well, not TOO packed...but fun things everyday.  She had a friend over for a playdate on Monday, Tuesday we went to a park, had a picnic lunch with our neighbor, watched a movie on the couch, played with the neighborhood kids scootering around the cul-de-sac and ended the day with swimming in our pool and a big pasta dinner.  It was a fun day.  Of course today she woke up with a sore throat so we are hanging low around here.  Sometimes too much activity can take a toll on a little person (or a big person for that matter).

This past weekend was my "birthday weekend".  Well, birthday was Friday but we celebrated all weekend.  I like to stretch it out as long as possible.  Myke took off from work at noon Friday and we spent the rest of the day just as a family.  It was much-needed time together as this Summer has been so non-stop with camps and visitors and we've all been pulled in different directions.  We just needed some time with just the six of us.  Somehow the word "just" in that sentence doesn't sound right ;)

I'm ready and not ready for next week.  I'm ready for a routine again, but I'm not ready to have to wake up at 6:30am everyday and get Chloë out the door by 7:30am.  The past couple weeks we have been in bed until almost 7:30am (at least I have!) and it has been nice.  The week after next the boys will start Pre-K and they'll be in school Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9am-3pm!  That's so long for them!  They have never been in a preschool past noon.  However, their current preschool requires a full-time schedule at least 3 days per week for the pre-K year.  I'll have to pack 3 lunches the night before for those days.  Agh!!  Need packed lunch ideas...especially since the boys' school is NUT-free!!  We are vegetarian...we LIVE on nuts over here.  Like squirrels.  So this should be interesting.

Spent Friday afternoon riding rides and go-karts at Boomers

Ella-bella

Go-Karts!

Owen & Dad

 Saturday at Carlsbad Lagoon with my new iSUP :)  

Carlsbad Lagoon

Stand Up Paddle Boarding 

Kyla didn't like to be left behind

Sunday Heather came to visit us and we took Chloe & Owen kayaking on a lake and swimming at the hotel by the marina.

feeding the swans

Chloë & Heather

Lounging with a cold drink...ahhhh

Playdate in the pool 

Movie time with our neighbor, Shane

Going to close now--more later!  

The six of us plus Kyla (can you find her?)

Here we are nearing the end of July...and Chloë goes back to school on August 17th!  Less than a month away already.  Granted, the Encinitas Unified School District does run on a "modified-year-round" schedule.  Well, they don't call it that, but I do.  They start the school year earlier than most districts and finish the year later than most districts.  However, they have a 2 week Fall break (who ever heard of that??), then Thanksgiving break, then a 2 week Christmas break, then a 2 week Spring break (versus the usual one-weeker that most schools get).  So there are pros & cons.  For the most part I like the schedule.  That said, I feel like the long summer break that I was so anticipating has somehow been gobbled up before my eyes...with only a few more weeks for fun and relaxation left.  Just trying to enjoy the time with my kiddos as much as possible before we dive back into school-year routine.

We've been busy with typical summer activities like swim lessons, days at the beach, swimming in the pool and camps. Chloë has done Beach Kids camp, Lego camp, and this week is in Vacation Bible School with Owen & Eli.  This is their first camp!

We've had a lot of grandparent involvement in our lives this summer, too.  Myke's parents live in the area now so we are able to see them quite often and my parents came out to visit for 2 + weeks.  So we've been lucky to have extra hands on deck recently.  We're on our own for August, though, as my parents are back in Virginia and Myke's parents are flying back to their east coast home for the month.

Attempting to get up (too) early to exercise tomorrow so I need to close.  Wish me luck (on getting up early..not on closing)  Good night!  :)

Spoiled!

I like to pretend that this is what my summer will look like...

Ahhhh....  :)

Reality: 

Here's MY reality:

 Okay, I will say they do look pretty cute & innocent in the above picture...and just look at that cute puppy in the back!  How can I even feel an ounce of stress looking at those sweet faces?   Ha!  We were out on a fast fast scooter and bike ride tonight because if I didn't get OUT of the HOUSE and RUN I would have gone INSANE!  I was seriously getting a tension headache from probably clenching my teeth.  It was a long afternoon, lets just put it that way.  Taking 4 kids to the library and constantly reminding them to use their "quiet voices" (which I don't think they even have!) while they argue over books, whose turn it is on the computer, who gets to carry the library card, who gets to carry what book, who gets to place our book returns in the book slot, etc... it can really start eating away at your soul.   However, for the most part, this is just a normal "day in the life of" for me.  I can usually handle it and roll with it with a calmness (or at least I like to believe I can and do...though Myke may tell you otherwise) but after awhile it just starts to be like nails on chalkboard.  Mainly, the whining or the bickering that happens when one of the kids is in a mood.  With four kids, someone is almost always "in a mood".  The seemingly rare times when everyone is playing nicely and the universe is in a peaceful motion are wonderful...and they do happen daily, so they aren't THAT rare, I guess.  Tonight was just constant.  Myke was out for the evening so I was on my own and the kids were just non-stop either arguing, getting hurt, taking each other's toys, etc.  So we went on a run to the neighborhood park.  Well, they scootered or biked and I ran behind them.  Running (or red wine...but usually on separate occassions) is my stress reliever.  It helped.  I felt immediately better.  Even when we got to our neighborhood park and Eli had to pee (no bathroom at this park) and cried because I told him to go in the bushes, then Ella peed her pants, then Eli cried again because he was thirsty and wanted a CUP of water and NOT water from the fountain, then Ella was walking Kyla and she got knocked over onto jagged rocks when Kyla started pulling fast, then it started drizzling on us.  I STILL felt overall better.  Gotta love running :)  I even stopped to take a photo (above) of my little rugrats.  They are a little neighborhood bike & scooter gang.  Don't mess with the Hines Crew!  

I'll add some pics from Myke and my 10th anniversary weekend below.  Was such a wonderful time.  I feel COMPLETELY spoiled because the weekend after that getaway I had a girls' trip planned with some friends.  We had planned it months in advance and when we finally came upon a date that worked for all of us and booked the resort/spa, I hadn't even noticed that it was the weekend right after our anniversary.  That said, Myke and I didn't have any anniversary plans until about a week or so before the actual date when his parents offered to watch the kids.  They didn't have to ask us twice, that's for sure!  

Starting the day out right: breakfast/coffee/tea at Olive Cafe in 

Mission Beach.  Near our old (pre-kid-days) stomping grounds.

All dressed up.  Let's go get married (again!)!

The handsome hubs

Same dress...

I wore this dress in 2010 for our 5 year vow renewal...

and also I know I had it back in 2005 and wore it to something or another..

can't recall.  Maybe even in Hawaii during my wedding week.

I can still zip it...wahoo!

selfie :)

Complimentary champagne sent to the room.

(too bad neither of us like champagne very much)

View out of the french doors to a private patio.

Compliments of The Grand Del Mar

Coffee by the pool

(don't look at the food in my teeth)

We had just had the most amazing breakfast brought to our room.

The staff wheeled in an entire table and set our food out on it.

Pancakes, toast, eggs, frittata, latte, tea, fruit...

All delicious and so much gluten free for Myke!

Peaceful & quiet Sunday morning

I didn't want to leave...

And a few from the girls' weekend.  We went to South Coast Resort Winery & Spa in Temecula, CA. It's about an hour's drive from where I live.  

Private table surrounded by grapevines right out

our patio door.

Wine tasting

MORE Wine tasting!

Spa time!

dinner

Iced coffee by the pool Sunday morning.

I didn't want to leave..again!

I've officially been spoiled for the past two weekends.  I'll admit it.  However, it was WONDERFUL and so needed!!  I got to have time with my husband with no kids and then time with girlfriends with no kids.  It was quite the stress-reliever.  I guess until I can get away again, I'll just have to keep running with my scooter & bike crew!  

End Of May Reflection

I'm SO behind on posting.  I don't even know where to start really.  Tomorrow is June 1st.  Summer is upon us.  Three more weeks until school is out (for Chloë) and I have have an 8 week reprieve from the daily schedule that has been our lives for the past nearly-10-months.  She's sounding excited and ready to be an first-grader...I'm guessing her teacher has been talking to the class about it lately.

The past month has been a busy one.  We had a couple tough weeks with both Myke and myself getting some kind of illness/flu directly followed by Myke's back pain coming back in full force (he ended up getting an x-ray guided needle pain-killer and cortisone shot into the affected discs in his back and is now doing much better.  This was his 3rd of such shots within the past 10 months).  LUCKILY, we had Myke's parents in town when we were dealing with the back pain.  That's an entire other story to share:  My in-laws have moved here...at least temporarily!   Very exciting!  They are living in the condo in Pacific Beach that they had rented out the past two years and previous to that we had lived in since 2003.   We are loving having family close by for the first time in YEARS!  They are a short 25-30 minute drive away.

Also, this past month the boys turned 4!!  We celebrated their birthday with a shark-theme birthday party at Moonlight Beach playground on their actual birthday (5/16) which fell on a Saturday this year.  Was a great time!  The kids played in the sand and on the playground, guests dines on yummy breakfast burritos, bagels, fruit, mimosas and coffee (juice boxes for the kiddos).  The sun eventually came out after a cloudy early morning...and all-day-rain the day before!  Was perfect :)

Ready to celebrate!  Shark Party!

The cake

Maureen & Thom in the shark "photo-booth"

4 year olds boys!

Twin-shot with Abby & Olivia from their preschool

Looking like a big boy :(

Kiddos

Another big May event was Myke & my 10 year anniversary, which we just celebrated this past weekend.  We renewed our vows with the help of a minister we know in La Jolla.  It was just the who of us and Pastor Walt on the cliffs at La Jolla Cove.  It was simple and sweet....just what I envisioned.  We had renewed our vows at our 5 year anniversary so I'm hoping we are able continue the every-5-year tradition for years to come.  After the vow renewal we went on a  stay-cation to The Grand Del Mar hotel in (you guessed it...) Del Mar.  Myke's parents took the kids for the night (really from 9am Saturday until 2pm Sunday if you're counting) and we went and enjoyed a wonderful and relaxing local getaway.   I'll have to post more pics later, as they're on my phone.  At our 5 year anniversary we went to Hawaii for 9 days.  For our 10 year we only were able to get away one night...so we made it count...and staying at the Grand Del Mar definitely was a splurge...but was simply amazing!   

Renewing our vows.  10 years.  La Jolla Cove.

A Hines Family Vacation!

First hour behind the wheel!  

Well, we FINALLY did it!   We took a vacation!  For longer than a weekend.  Just the six of us and the dog.  Now that we are exiting the "baby stage" we are feeling like we can actually GO somewhere  and, better yet, possibly ENJOY it!  So we planned a get-away for the 2nd week of Chloë's Spring Break (yes, she gets TWO weeks!).  We did something we have never done before...rented an RV.  Not just any RV...a 32 foot RV!!  It was HUGE!  Myke went to pick it up on Easter Sunday and when he pulled back down our street with it my jaw hit the pavement!  I had NO idea you could drive an RV that size without a special permit or license!  Apparently, you can.  And we did.  Well, Myke did.  I would have had a panic attack behind the wheel of that big rig.  

So we headed north and began our RV camping vacation.  I won't go on forever about it...but we all had a blast...beside driving through L.A. in gridlock traffic.  Myke was definitely white knuckling it and I was taking deep breaths...but we got there.  I was VERY impressed with Myke's driving and ability to remain calm in some crazy traffic situations.  I couldn't have done it!  Myke says he has a new appreciation for big rig drivers.

 As for the layout, the RV had a queen size master bed, two twin size beds (in bunk style), and then the kitchen table area and seats and the seats across from that both turned into beds, AND there was a full  size bed above the driver and passenger seats.  So we actually had an extra bed.  We could have taken a 5th kid!  (no thanks).  We stayed at 3 different campgrounds, the first being an actual RV Resort by Disneyland.  The RV resorts definitely have all the amenities and hook-ups.  The campgrounds were state-run so were a little more "roughing-it" style, but that's what we had set out to do, so we enjoyed those, too.  Even the coin-operated showers (whereas the RV Resort had a bathroom and shower fancier than most nice hotels).  We stayed at state campgrounds near Santa Barbara, California and then Malibu, California (no, Mom, I did not see Matthew McConaughey...sorry!)

The kids had a blast exploring, riding their scooters and plasma cars all over, playing on the beach, roasting marshmallows, getting to eat some junk food ("vacation food"), and just being outside.  I'll add some pictures.  Was a perfect vacation for us...didn't even need to find a dog-sitter for Kyla.  Four days was probably plenty for us.  By the end we were running out of clean clothes, the kids needed REAL baths as they were covered in sand, dust and dirt (and Myke & I probably were, too).  We had a great time and are already talking about doing it again.

Riding in style 

(we stored the car seats in a big storage area underneath the RV once we parked)

The other two

(and Kyla on floor)

Night #1

El Capitan State Beach 

near Santa Barbara, CA

Night #2

Dinner at El Capitan State Beach Campground

desserts (though it was pretty chilly!  these kids wanted ice cream and no jackets)

Owen LOVING him some Cheetos!

Roasting marshmellows

Breakfast inside the RV

Stormy clouds over El Capitan State Beach

Sea Lion in background

Leo Carrillo State Beach

Malibu, CA

Sittin' in a tree

The boys