August...

Time is flying by and we are packing in every last bit of fun before moving into the new school year.  I am going to be leading five 1-hour Mommy (Caregiver) &; Me classes (I love alliteration, so if anyone wants to come up with a 21st century alliterative alternative to Mommy &; Me, I'm all ears) at her preschool next year, so this is a big transition.  Isla & Isaac will be going to child care three mornings a week at the preschool while I teach.

We just got back from a wonderful trip to my parents.  We started with a trip to visit / meet all the Great grandparents.  We stayed with my Grandma Helen & Grandpa Don in the 1st bedroom, just like old times.  In the afternoon we went swimming and it brought back so many memories - just the smell of the pool, the hot wooden deck and all the trees had time traveling properties.  Isla was nervous about the water but eventually relaxed from a death grip to choke hold.  (I NEED to get her back in swimming lessons!) I had to pause a few times during the trip to remind myself that I wasn't the kid.  It was such a fun visit!

The next day we went to visit my Grandpa Bill and Nanny Claire in their new place in a Retirement community.  They were busy with auditions for their next play and Claire had a final rehearsal for her choir group but we had time to have a delicious lunch, check out the wild turkey's by the lake and a nice visit.  After lunch we drove home and got stranded in the middle of central CA when the van overheated.  After a series of very fortunate events we made it to a shop, got a rental car and drove the rest of the way to my hometown.

Our visit was really wonderful.  Isla and Isaac were both so thrilled to be with their Grandparents and I loved being home.  Grauntie Didi made it back from her Alaskan fishing adventures in time for lots of visiting and Isla was in Heaven - she couldn't get enough of her Grandparents and Grauntie.  (Isaac was a little overwhlemed by it all.  He is generally much more mellow than Isla was at his age, but this trip made me realize that he needs his routine and the comforts of home to be truly happy.  He really liked meeting the Gr. Gr's but by the time we got to my hometown he was a little overwhelmed by all the new people.  When we got home after the trip he literally laughed out loud in delight when he saw his room and when I started his normal bedtime routine by getting his bath tub.  It was adorable.)

The stars aligned and some of my closest friends were home (some with babies in tow!) during our visit.  I invited my theater / high school BFF, Katy, to visit when we were there and she brought her amazing fiance, Ed (Team Edward, y'all!).  We stayed up until 1AM talking and after the trip I feel like Ed has always been part of our group.  His love and admiration for Katy is obvious.  I'm so glad Katy has found someone deserving of her. My other theater/4-H BFF, Shanni, was in town and we had a great time catching up and exploring the new mexican ice cream shop.  Nan, another dear threatre friend was there with sweet little Lucy (doll face!) and we had an impromptu triple playdate when Katie brought her daughter Ayla over.  Also, Namo and John were in town and came over with Namo's family for dinner, so all in all it was a wonderful visit.  I tend to be anti-social when I go home and I'm so glad that wasn't the case this time.