My hands are full...

Today the four kids and I were at the grocery store.  Granted this can be a bit of an undertaking especially if we are at Jerry’s store (he manages a Safeway), but today several people said to me, “you have your hands full.”  Sage found this very amusing, wondering aloud several times why people continued to say this to me.  Finally she blurted out, “she doesn’t really have her hands full, in fact two are missing.”  The lady gave her a funny look and then walked off.  I smiled and laughed to myself.  Hands full?  I had my hands full when I had a newborn in my arms, a one and three year old in the cart and a five year old hanging on to the side.  A ten month old, six, seven and nine year old… not so bad, three of four can pee by themselves. 

However, I am busy.  When I had started to blog I had hoped to write several times a week.  A journal of sorts of my life, which I am noticing is flying by in a crazy sort of way.  Let’s see, last Friday Max turned ten months old.

Saturday the girls and I hung out and then Jerry and I went on a Date.  We had dinner at Katie Downs, an adult only restaurant that is literally on the Sound.  We were able to eat out on the deck… it was wonderful.  We went for a drive and I got that ‘seeing a whole new place’ feeling that I love.

 Sunday we headed back to Wild Waves… it was cold and overcast but the kiddos still swam and Jerry and I even rode a water slide.  We got dressed and they rode some ride-rides.  Saxton and Brayden decided today was the day to ride the log ride and they had the whole boat to themselves.  They got soaked, but rode it several times.  Very cute.  Sage ended the day by deciding to ride a small roller coaster she had yet to ride.  She loved it and all three of them rode that several times.

Monday we headed to check out a new beach, Owens beach.  We didn’t stay long, but did check out some tiny tiny crabs and found some cool antique china shards.  A lady there had told us that there was a movie production studio once where now just stood old remnants of a dock.  And during WW II there had been a battle ship there and a cafeteria and that is where the dish pieces came from… they washed up after storms churned them from the sea bottom.  Very cool to a history dork like myself.  I’ll be back.  We decided to head to Point Defiance and have our picnic on the water.  We parked  and walked along the Sound to pebble beach.  The kids were a little out of sorts on Monday, cranky would be a good word and the walk was good for everyone.  After our lunch on our way back we saw a harbor seal fishing.  This was very cool.  We had fresh Copper River Salmon and corn for dinner… Yummy!!!

Tuesday was back to school and back to swimming for Max.  Wednesday I took Sage with me to my counseling session.  She has been having a rough time lately and I want to figure out what is going on.  My counselor thinks that she is finally feeling relaxed and safe enough to sort through all of her “sadness” that she remembers from when my ex and I were together.   She related it to a bottle of pop that has been slowly shook up and now whenever that bottle is tampered with it fizzes out everywhere.  Sage has been in counseling at school for months, but I want to also figure out additional ways to help her and the rest of the kids to deal with everything that has happened.  Sometimes it is amazing how a simple analogy can help make sense of some really complicated junk.  My friend who is also a therapist gave me another great analogy, ‘if you were on a plane and the oxygen masks were released, you put yours on first and then your child.’ She was referring to my quest to make myself better in order to be a better mom for my kids. 

Thursday was NW Trek day with Saxton.  I went with her and her class on a fieldtrip to see all the big animals in their natural habitat.  It was a great day.  I had a great group of kids and the park was located in a beautiful forest.  We saw deer, elk, buffalo, rams, birds, bears, cats and other animals.  We had a picnic in this tree-house like overlook and took several adventure walks.  I loved spending the day with Saxton and seeing her play with her friends.  Max was a champ and hung out (literally) in my pack all day.  Jerry had a golf tournament for work and was able to spend some one on one time with Brayden. 

Today the weather turned gorgeous and puppy, Max and I headed to Chamber’s Bay to go to the dog park and for a long walk. When I still lived in Fort Collins I would go hike in the foothills of the Rockies. I called it “hiking to heal” and I swear it helped me survive my separation from my ex. Now Chambers is my new hike to heal location. I walk, run and work stuff out. I even went down to the beach today and chucked giant rocks and said a sort of prayer as each one plunked into the water. It was very therapeutic and I highly recommend it. 

Tonight the kids had their spring carnaval at school.  They had a lot of fun.  Jerry and I had fun watching them.  At one point as I watched them run outside all excited to play with the parachute I told Jerry, wouldn't it be fun to be six, seven or nine again and so excited about these little things.