Update

Eliza has a way with words. I will always remember when she was two and I pointed to a picture of a snail in a  book we were reading and asked her if she knew what it was. Confidently she answered, "Uh, huh, It's a...a...roller snake!" This week when Norah and I were making faces in a mirror, Eliza called the reflections "color shadows."

This week she will be five and she has grown up so much in the last year. She has even decided to go to the dentist!  She also found that she can dunk underwater and is now a certified fish. She had a great time at swim lessons with cousin Cecily and is constantly dunking underwater. She is very responsible, helpful, understanding, thoughtful and just a little bit mischievous. She is so smart and I've asked her a few times if she would like to go to MCP this year, but she would rather have pre-school with grandma. She'll be having school everyday with Derek, so I just might start her in first grade MCP next year. I'd also like to get her into ballet this year.

Derek is inventive as ever. Last week he propped up the box fan so it was almost lying on the floor and then flew paper airplanes over it, experimenting with different airplanes and fan angles. He has been wanting some Pokemon cards for quite a while so this week I bought him a pack. He earns a card every time he quickly obeys or does something like make his bed without being told. If I have to ask him to do something more than twice, he has to give me a card. (If he does it the first time, he gets a card. The second time I go to him and make sure he has heard me, and no cards are involved.) It has been a great week of him being a great listener and quick obeyer. He hasn't lost a card yet and is always looking for ways he can help around the house.

Emma got her ears pierced for her birthday and has inspired Megan to do the same. Emma has also decided to get her haircut short. She is loving being a beehive. She is so helpful and thoughtful. She's kind of the ring leader of all the younger cousins but she doesn't let that go to her head or abuse her "power." She is a good example and tries to straighten out problems when they arise. Her and Merian are close friends even if they are extremely goofy together. I can't even guess how many hours Emma has read this summer. She reads every chance she gets and a lot of times when she is not supposed to be!

Norah can't live without Megan and Emma. She is excited that we moved her bed into the girls' room and she doesn't ever want to come to bed with us. If she wakes us in the middle of the night and I bring her there she cries for Emma or Megan and says she wants to be in their bed. I'm not sure if I'm touched because of their closeness, or jealous because I am her mom and I'm usually the favorite. She loves the water and going swimming in Grandma Lewis's pool. She talks up a storm and says the funniest things. Friday, after a trip to 7-11 celebrating the end of swim team/lessons, it was "Mmm, mmm.  Best Slurpie I ever had."

Megan had a blast at the last dance. She amazes me. I would always go to the dance with a group of friends and I watched in disbelief when I dropped her off and she confidently (and gracefully) walked into the building by herself. So much for being a shy awkward homeschooler. When she was there she found a "sister" from last year's trek and hung out with her. They had a great time dancing all night. Listening to Megan's report, there was some serious calorie burning going on. Megan was also asked to dance nine time by boys she didn't even know. She must make an impression, however, because one said he remembered seeing her at the last dance. Carrie and I are planning a shopping trip with her to get her ready for High School. We have to talk her into buying clothes because she insists she has enough. A lot of what she has are hand-me-downs from aunts, and although she looks cute and loves what she has been given, I think once she has tasted what it feels like to wear new clothes you've picked out yourself, she will be addicted.

Merian has been breezing through the Harry Potter books this summer. Have I ever metioned how she always says "as you wish" when ever we ask her to do something? Luckily Eliza has picked that up from her. Merian only has nice, positive things to say. She is always telling me she loves me, that I'm beautiful and that I'm the best mom ever. She still likes to snuggle and I feel bad that I am not very good at that. Poor Megan shares a bed with her and Merian almost pushes her out. I've tried to get Emma to switch places so Merian can be with Eliza since Eliza likes to snuggle too.  I'll have to watch a movie with her soon so I will sit down long enough to be with her. Merian likes to watch the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice. That surprised me. I didn't know a nine year old would have patience for such a long movie or the archaic language.

Michael just got back from a 50 mile hike and will be leaving for Scout Camp tomorrow. Nathan reported that Mike did well on the hike, even though he was the youngest there and the trail could be tough at times. I'm proud of him. He's looking forward to going to the dances next month and enjoying the freedom being older brings. Friday he and Jacob rode their bikes to the newly opened Dairy Queen and bought their own dinners. Then Jacob spent the night and I neglected to give them a bed time like before. They stayed up all night watching movies, playing video games and eating DQ ice cream cake. Still, Mike mowed our enormous lawn and pulled weeds at Grandma Yeats before taking a short nap. We had to wake him up to pack for camp. He was half asleep so I hope he can remember where things are stored in his pack when he gets there. Live and learn.

The Brave Explorers at 5:15 AM. Clean - before the hike.

While Mike was on the hike we had cousin camp. It was a hit! The kids made shirts, had a field day, and learned about super saturated saccharine solutions where they made rock candy. They also made Harry Potter wands and since then have been practicing their spells. Even Norah can be seen waving her wand and saying "Legardian Leviosa" or something like that. We always end with a talent show and it's fun to see what the kids come up with. We leave it up to them. I think it is good for them to come up with the idea and practice it on their own. This year Emma choreographed a dance routine with  Kenna and Merian, Megan sang "What is this Feeling," with Emma, Merian and Aunt Erin, Derek did a balance beam routine, Eliza danced, Merian sang a Harry Potter song with Emma and Emma taught Norah the "But I can't pay the rent" skit.

Cousin Camp always involved plenty of swimming.

On Friday, Nathan and I celebrated 16 years of being married. It's amazing to think that much time has passed, all the things we have done and been through and how much our family has grown. Things only get better as time goes on.