Last time I wrote I think I was getting Xander ready for scout camp. I drove him and 2 other families up to the San Pedro terminal to depart over to Catalina Island for a week long camp. He was very excited and before I left to come home, his tent mate and he gave me a laundry list of things they would like in their "care package" that he knew I would be sending. Asher (Xander's tent mate) has his mom there as an advisor so if I didn't add something in the box for him, he wouldn't get anything in the mail.
As I was leaving, I yelled across the way to Xander that I was going to be on my way, he was about 15 feet from me and hanging with his buddies. All of a sudden, he reaches out both arms and walks to me with this "I'll miss you mom" look on his face. Now mind you, there are hundreds of boys standing around, parents and others. For a 12 year old boy who normally banishes me to the outskirts of where ever we are so that I am seen but not heard from, when he reaches his arms out, gives me a huge, long-lasting hug and nuzzles into me, well, I almost lost it right there on the dock. That meant more to me than anything. Loving my kids is the most wonderful feeling I have ever felt and to get it in return is the greatest experience of my life! I love that kid like crazy and he is such a good kid. May he always be this sweet and loving!!!
On my way home from Long Beach I had a nice conversation with my mom. It was good to hear her voice and to just be able to share what's going on in our lives. I do miss them terribly and know at some point that we will make it back home but for now, phone conversations are always nice to share!I was exhausted by the time I returned home so down for a nap I went. That is a rare thing for me, I almost never nap (it spoils my beauty sleep at night and boy do I ever need that beauty sleep, lol)! Afterwards we all headed down to the Kjell's house for a swim, wine and conversation with all our neighbors. We live in a great 'hood!
Monday-Wednesday I made an impromptu trip over to Palm Desert/Indian Wells with my neighbor and friend Maureen who lives across the street. She had her 2 girls, a boy from Italy that is staying with them and Debbie's 2 kids and then I had my own 2 kids. I am not sure if we were insane or what thinking that we should go alone with 7 kids between us. I guess since I am writing this, you know we survived the trip without any great incidents!!
When we arrived in the desert, my car thermometer read 111 degrees. WOW was it ever hot! We immediately hit the pool and poolside bar! I have never wanted to just stay in a pool without getting out in all my life. Once you were out of the water it was just hot, plain old hot! It was fun for the kids. The dive in movie for the night was Ice Age, the Meltdown which of course they had all seen so we headed to the comfort of A/C and take out.
Tuesday we headed to Cheesecake Factory for lunch then off to Knott's Soak City water park, FOUR hours later and the kids were exhausted (good for early bedtimes and a sneak for us mom's down to the lounge)! The kids had a great time in the water. I think that had I not had Christian with me, Hannah would have ridden every water slide possible that she was tall enough for. She is such a dare devil. She rode this one slide where you sit on top of the tube, hold on to the handles and it shoots you down this long twisty, winding tube and into the water. She rode that one many times. She loved all the rides, the more twists and turns and water, the better. Good thing she taught herself how to swim just the week before. I think she already knows the power of "the Secret" already. She thinks it, she can do it, there will be no stopping her in life. This should serve her well! I was very proud of her.
Christian on the other hand is my reserved, laid back, let me think about it and get used to it first kind of guy. He wanted to do things in his own way at his own pace and wanted nothing to do with the tall water slides. The baby slides and playing in the splashing water was just fine for him. He is definitely a mama's boy and needs me to be there every step of the way with him. He is adventurous in his own way and is getting ready to ride a 2 wheel bike with no training wheels. He rock climbs large walls, he rides a scooter from the tops of large hills to the bottom with no problems, doing turns, etc but the water is not a place he really wants to be adventurous so with this, we are cautious and let him do his own thing and that's okay with us.We hit the outlets in Cabazon on the way home however it was too hot to shop! I didn't think I would ever say that but it was. The heat was oppressive and miserable. Needless to say, I came home with very little and a much happier bank account!!
Today is cleaning day around the house and working on my "to do" list, grocery shopping, etc. We leave a week from today for Costa Rica. I need to get many things accomplished before we head out on our trip to see our friends who just moved there from Charleston. So off I should go and stop the long novel that this is coming to be. I promise shorter updates for the next week. Take care and talk again tomorrow. ~K & B
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