Ramblings: Awaking from a six month siesta. Parte Dos.

August-ish
-I unpacked, organized, and unpacked some more. And once a day, I would give in to the moaning and pleading and take a break so the kids could swim. The twins became fish this summer being able to swim most days, so if we can get Trace swimming next summer, I'll have it made.
-Maddie is baptized at our church the same day we have a giant garage sale at our old house. Luckily the house sold and closed in record time--about two weeks. But that meant our stuff there had to get moved out fast. That was the longest day ever, and I want it on the record that I will never, ever, ever have a garage sale again. We almost got a normal picture of all of us. The bright sun didn't help us out...

Her program cover. Taken at the beach in Florida in March...she was freezing.

-Alex, Maddie, Aidan, and Avery all started school--a new school on account of the move. The big crazies were a bit nervous, but are fairly outgoing so we weren't too worried. The school tried to put the Triple D (the Dynamic Duo of Destruction) in the same kindergarten class and I freaked. Not a good idea. I questioned that move and was informed that there were four other sets of twins starting kinder, and I was the only parent that didn't want them in the same class. Really?!
Luckily, they got separated and its been the best thing ever for them. Their own friends, their own activities, their own stories to tell each other, and a minimally competitive setup. Though Avery is sure to let EVERYONE know he has mastered all of his sight words before Aidan. Trace and I chill from 7:30 until 3:10 when everyone's back and chaos ensues until bedtime, which on most days cannot come soon enough.

Aidan started with the tail end of a vicious black eye--he learned the hard way not to spin on the coffee table and fall face first on the tile floor. That picture is not altered at all--his eye completely matched the blue paint in the office. It was terrible. He got very self-conscious because everywhere we went, people stared at him so I taught him to tell everyone, "I beat up a fifth grader. You should see the other guy."

-I have two more gallbladder attacks--but this time I'm prepared with some pain meds. Finally my doctor says, "How about we just chop that thing out?" And then, "You shouldn't lift anything more than 10 pounds for three weeks after." Hmmm. Does that include my obese 25 pound ten month old? (I made it a week, more or less.) Post-surgery, she informs me that I had alot of gallbladder stones. One was a little smaller than a golf-ball---probably the culprit in the recent attacks. I was only a little sad she didn't save it for me because it's just the freaky kind of thing my friend Jessica would LOVE. That and pictures of roadkill. She could've made a necklace out of it.

September/October 1
-The boys start soccer, Alex starts Fall basketball, Maddie joins the jump rope club, and we spend most nights running from piano, to scouts, to practices, and to games while trying to finish homework, dinner, and an occasional shower here and there.
-Jeremy flees the country in an attempt to find peace and quiet, and a decent night's sleep. He fakes a long business trip to Chile and comments via email to me (which I read while melting in the 94* heat) that the weather there is a perfect 73*, Santiago is a gorgeous place, but he's frustrated that he doesn't speak Spanish. I had a message for him in very clear English: WHAAAA. And then tonight he got this email from me in response to asking "how were the kids?" (I'm not kidding--I did a partial cut and paste for you):

Aidan snuck and then ate the snacks I had packed for Trace to have at the game right after I told him NOT to touch them--(referencing the TWO 1/2 hours of basketball games I had to drag everyone to this afternoon)-- 

 Avery had a 15 minute FREAKOUT at the bball game over the iPhone and the fact that his legs "wouldn't work" when it was time to leave, which caused him to scream and writhe around on the gym floor like a wounded sea lion. A wounded sea lion in heat. A wounded sea lion in heat with ADHD. That REALLY REALLY wanted to play cartoon wars again. Then they hosed down the tile floors by alex's room with toilet cleaner while they were supposed to be in the shower, sprayed water everywhere, and talked about "crotches", "poop" and "wieners" for 30 minutes. Oh, and they've added "retarded" to their verbal repertoire--which obviously thrills me to no end. And they refuse to stop asking me if it is Fair Day yet. Freaking fair day.

Chile, is there room for one more down there? I'll only bring a carry-on. I don't even mind that I don't speak the language...in fact, that might be kind of nice.