More Stuff....

I downloaded the images from Glenn's phone this week.... so here are a few things from our summer via phone camera :).

The kids had swimming lessons....
Miss Jennie was awesome.

 We signed our lives away with our lender and Escrow agent

*Yeah, this smile is a little forced... suddenly getting commitment issues as we signed.  

I'm glad to say they've dissipated.

Glenn was amazing and stayed calm and sure of our decision.  I'm sure glad he was there.

 Max began 2nd Grade!

3D movies at Dreamworks (they TERRIFY Ali.  After 25 minutes of her hiding under her blanket and sweating profusely, I finally took her out.  It was a very sincere "Thanks Mom" she gave me after that.  We'll not try that again with her for awhile.)

The kids figured out this trick with jelly bracelets...

Glenn took care of the kids for a weekend while I went to Utah for a friend's wedding.  He is such a good Dad!

We're starting to see Hotel Transylvania advertising!

(This is the movie Glenn worked on at Sony!)

Some shoes we bought for and upcoming wedding... I've been practicing daily in those things. 

It's all fun and games until someone rolls an ankle... (knock on wood, hasn't happened yet!)

 Max lost that blasted tooth!

Glenn made an awesome art piece for an LA shop's art show.  Japanese film was the theme. 

 Godzilla is about the most we know about Japanese film!  That is bent wire, by the way.

Playing tennis for date night... love the intensity?

Rat Abatement... Eek! and Hooray! all rolled into one.

Day to Day....

We've had fun times lately visiting with those fantastic Robinsons, freeing Ali from the binky*, camping in the backyard, and making massive bubbles.  

Max took this picture... we were rather impressed!

Happy to be camping in the backyard!  She especially loves her pink bunny sleeping bag.

One of Max's favorite parts of camping is playing games in the tent.

I love, love, love how she will put her arms around me.  Sometimes when we are sitting on the couch, she tries to put her arm around my shoulders.  I could die with happy.

I love that they were as big as Jonas!

Making these bubbles has been on Glenn's bucket list for awhile.  They are pretty awesome.  Even if it did take a scary trip to Walmart to pick up liquid glycerin...

Ali got to pick out a new baby doll for making it through the week binky-free!
 She was very intent on the doctor kit baby.  

I just think she's cute!

 *My dear friend Shauna was over and I mentioned that I needed to get serious about de-binkying Ali.  A moment after I finished that sentence, Shauna turned to Ali and asked if her baby Mayan could have her binkies "because she needs some more".  Ali said sure and went straight to her room for them... with me trialing her the whole time trying to explain that she would not get them back.   Shauna reinforced what a big, kind girl she was and how she didn't need them anymore.  I was terrified and secretly kept two reserves just in case!  I had promised Ali that if she could go for four days without her binky, we'd go pick out a new doll together.  The first day and a half were kind of rough (although, she was a cinch compared to Max!).  The first night she bawled and bawled and I played songs on the piano to try to distract her.  Finally she asked for water and I went in to tell her how very proud of her I was, how I knew it was hard, and that I wanted to help her.  She was so sweet, drank the water and told me "Mom, I'm proud of you too." Then laid down and didn't peep again for it that night.  By the third night in, she told Glenn "Mom says I don't need my binky- I'm a big girl".  She is a strong & good one, this Alison Kim. Sure do love her!

He's SEVEN (well, and a month...)

Max turned a fantastic seven last month and I failed to document it here with the wild times we've been having.  So this is my attempt at redemption :).

(Next year is supposed to be his party year, but we're together daily with our next door neighbors anyway so we figured they should come along for Chuck E. Cheese and Cake...I know, way to stick to my resolve!)

(Note the Halloween Lego train in this picture-- Max's big birthday gift.  He got up at 2 am to open it and was sent back to bed.  Not thwarted, he got up again at 4 am and built the whole thing by the time we had woken up!  This boy ADORES Legos.)

Brilliant

Kind-hearted

Lego Lover

Fort architect

Snaggle toothed

Believer in prayer

Present lover

Math natural

One of a kind

Creator

Sweet Big brother

Mom's other set of Eyes

Rule follower

Ever growing

Ever impressive

Ever lovable....

MAX.

His Fort-e

Ah forts.... Max's new obsession.   

Four rooms? 

Two story? 

No problem.  

He'll do it.  

It's like living out his creating dreams in real time and space.  It's a lot messier than Legos... 

but who could say no to that satisfied little face?

Wanting an Escape...

You know those moments when you want to close your eyes and make it all go away when you open them? This weekend has been full of those.

About three weeks ago we started considering buying a home (low interest rates with housing prices coming down).  It was meant to be a little casual research while we built up our reserve funds to meet the hearty down payment/closing/reserve funds costs.  When nearing a half million dollar mortgage, that adds up to a good chunk of change.

We decided to see if the property we were renting would ever considering selling.  Bad, bad idea.  Not only were they willing, when we didn't make an offer because the selling price pushed our budget too hard-- they called two days later to say they were selling the house anyway.  There will be a "For Sale" sign in the lawn and lock box on the back door by Tuesday.  Never mind that we have a renter's agreement until the end of Sept. -- we are now in the "We can call two hours ahead on any day to have strangers walk through your home, then can boot you out if they don't want to do a 60 day Escrow agreement" zone.

Now, I know that isn't the end of the world, but it makes me feel so vulnerable...and I really do not like that when we are discussing my home and children.  We don't have enough money saved up yet to bid on homes immediately (we thought we had two more months for saving up the remaining funds), and this home will sell FAST (I've been watching the market, and that is the pattern... and they are asking too little for it. Still too pricey for us though.)

Sigh.  I don't know if I will even post this.  But I am a bummed lady over here.

Boots

Ali told me "Mom, I love my boots so much!"  I knew it was time she was introduced to this song...  

That Blasted Tooth....

I've been watching it for weeks.  He won't let me pull it.  It gets worse everyday.  We hold daily sessions that look like this... (Note, I try to look innocent and harmless to earn his trust... make no sudden movements...)

Yeah, ignore what I look like.  I've been quarantined home with these little guys all week. 

 Love it when kids get sick...

Although, it is one of the nicest times when they are so tired they fall asleep in your arms.  Sometimes I wish we could stop time and stay there for a couple hours. Then come back to it in 10 years when they're teenagers....