Update

I am finally back online! Our computer died, forcing us to buy a mac. Hooray! It's great, but I'm not yet used to the tiny keyboard. Our time has been filled with all sorts of fun things. We went to the North Pole, which was a lot of fun. All the kids loved it. I had several moments of amazement at my children and how grown up they are. Now we are preparing for school. We have cleaned out closets, the garage, coat/backpack closet, and need to still do our desk/homework station. I feel like I am preparing to hibernate for the winter. Hans built me this awesome shelf thing that I call my mudroom. We painted it frog green. I love it. Whenever he does projects like this for me I miss Maryland for some reason. He must have done lots of projects there. We also had Hans' sister Tarmy and her family visit us. We had such a great time. We played in sprinklers, hiked to an impressive waterfall I was too tired to even really look at, attempted a puzzle, and just hung out. It was great. We have spent more time at the pool and the kids are such great swimmers.

Justin said to me, "Mom, You really need to teach me how to swim without a floaty on." He also told me I needed to teach him how to read. I love Justin. He is so logical. It works in his favor most of the time. He starts a cooperative pre-school I am doing with people from church next week. We had his orientation yesterday and I think it's going to be wonderful. We have 8 kids, which means I only teach every 8th week. I prepared my first week and I'm excited. I'm grateful Mia gets to participate when it is at our house. She is dying to go to school. I'm just happy she is not and that she can stay and be my friend. I'm not going to like it when everyone is gone all day. I spent an entire week of the summer trying to convince Justin that bears aren't capable of walking to our house from the forest. He doesn't believe me. He has to sleep with his window shut just in case...to which I told him that bears couldn't get in since it's too high...to which he replied that bears could come in the front door. I tried explaining that their paws can't turn the doorknob, but he just told me they could bang down the door. I stayed up until 10 three nights in a row having this type of conversation. I love it. I love him.

Mia is beyond cute right now. She has the most unique voice of any kid I know. Strangers make comments on her voice. It's sort of low, but just so cute. She loves ballet and wearing her Tetard (leotard). I bought her some ballet slippers, which she sleeps in. She also has a pink swimming suit that looks like a leotard and she wears that day in and day out and to bed and cries when I am washing it. She is that kid. And I love it. I have been woken up many mornings before 6 am with her face inches from mine whispering if she can change into her pink swimming suit. She waits anxiously for her 3rd birthday so she can have a party. She wants so desperately to be big and have friends of her own and school and go to gymnastics or ballet or anywhere. I want her to stay happily with me. I think I will cry when she stops calling ice cream honk scree and asks Hans to let her ride on his elbows (shoulders). I can't bring myself to teach her because I love it so much. Some day. I also have had strangers comment at how amazing it is that she knows how to find matching games on my phone and knows how to play them - more embarrassing is that she knows her way around you tube on my phone. I offer no excuses.

The girls are just so wonderful as well. I love them. I am going to miss them when they start school tomorrow. They entertain Justin and Mia, help me with chores, play games with me, and make me laugh. Ashley started gymnastics. Katelyn is still a level 2 at gymnastics. We opted out of soccer. Ashley is in piano. I am trying to simplify. I sort of hate that school takes so much time, but they are excited to go. We are excited for Ashley's baptism on September 4th. Please come.

Hans is busy at work. I always say that. He loved "having" to buy this new computer. He spends a lot of time visiting people from church for his calling and I appreciate that he is willing to do this sort of thing. He is a great listener. We see him less, but it hasn't felt out of balance. He spends less time on fun stuff for him. He gets to go for a long weekend with some friends next month and he is excited to dust off the dirt bike.

I have been loving summer. I am excited for the structure school offers, but wish it were just 3 hours a day instead of 7 1/2. It just is a reminder to make the time with the girls more quality time. I have been teaching a lot of yoga. It should drop to just twice a week now that school is back and people aren't leaving. I really enjoy teaching. It's been a great experience for me. I am right in the middle of marathon training. I sort of hate it and sort of like it all at the same time.I ran 20.3 miles this morning. I completely enjoyed the first 11, but the last 9 were not fun. I made it though.

I think I forgot a lot. And I also wish I had some pictures to offer, but we are still moving them from the old computer to the new one.