First Day of School 2015

And we are back at it! Another year in school. Genevieve is a 4th grader and Jocelyn a 3rd grader. Looking forward to great things this year!

 Is she not the cutest patrol girl you have ever seen?

McCoy girls swim!

The girls have been playing year round soccer for the last couple of years and started getting burnt out. Although we enjoyed the competitive side of watching them play, us parents were getting warn out as well. So this summer, they decided to join the Naches Swim Team. They became strong little swimmers, diving off the diving block and swimming freestyle, breast stroke, back stroke, and even butterfly. 

They practiced 5 days a week and I found myself with more wet crumpled up suits, dirty towels, caps and goggles laying around then I cared for. But, it is a sport that I have always loved and the girls could swim every day if I'd let them so it was win-win with an added plus of obtaining a preventative life-saving skill.

The mystery continues...

This poor little girl has suffered with stomach problems on and off since April. This latest one requiring hospitalization happen the morning we were supposed to leave on our family vacation! :(

The IV meds helped her feel better  

And she was all smiles leaving the hospital and ready for vacation!

Mommy and daddy however are still scratching our heads trying to figure out what's causing her so much pain!

Ah rats!

There was a period of time, not long ago, that a certain mouse and his friends took the saying "mi casa es tu casa" too far and started inhabiting my living room and kitchen. As you can imagine, I was not a big fan of this and I began actively looking for a new residence. 

Fortunately the traps started working and the little boogers got the hint that they were not wanted at my house.

Fast forward a couple of months. Jocelyn spent the night at Grandma's house, went to a yard sale with her, and happened upon a stuffed rat toy. Her and Grandma devised a plan, and I was the lucky recipient...

Summer continues

This girl here turned 8 this last weekend. She thinks she's pretty cool. And she is!

Family hike with cousin Mikayla near Mt. Rainier. It was a lot of fun. Except for the part where Jonah screamed and threw tantrums. Or the part where Jocelyn fell and injured her knee. Or the part where Genevieve had a minor attitude breakdown. Yeah, it was fun. 

This little dude walked about .15 miles himself. The rest of the time he got flicked held. Did I mention how much fun he was?

Everyone is smiling! Oh, and the guy in the front lower left. That's Sam. He just realized that he really is in fact grey!  

The triplets cooling off

Dewey Lake

He is definitely a 2 year old little boy. But he's an awesome snuggler and cracks everyone up with his cute personality. I think I'll keep him!

Summer has begun

The chaos of life with kids out of school is upon is. And as much as I love seeing their cute smiley faces, I am finding myself spending ample amounts of time in my car driving them from one event to another.
BUT, Summer is definitely my favorite season, so the activities that take place are always a good time!

Keeping active - hiking!

Playing in the Bubble Balls for an end of the school year social

Living at the Lake - Jonah's first time tubing

My little buddy and I

Junior Gap2Gap - Jocelyn took 2nd place (5 seconds away from 1st) in the Ironman!

Genevieve sprinting through the obstacle course finishing in 4th place (only 1 minute behind 3rd place.)

Cousins all competing on separate teams

Jonah could live in this thing if I'd let him

I mean, come on...can you resist this face?

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Jocelyn powered through a long weekend of Yak Attack - a soccer tournament this last weekend.
Her Ninja Turtle team dominated, winning every one of their games and they played incredibly well. For these 7 year old girls, it was absolutely amazing to see the skill they have as a team. There was no "bunch ball' going on, only strategy, solid passes and excellent defense. And they did it all in style. I mean, look at these cute ninjas!

The love of a big sister

Jonah is lucky to have 2 big sisters, that even 21 months later, still absolutely adore him and are quick to rescue him whenever he sheds a tear.

Genevieve is very motherly towards him. She is calm, patient, and knows what he needs and wants. She doesn't over-react and will drop anything to be with him. She will one day be a very loving mother!

Birthday Buddies

9 years ago, Genevieve was born on her daddy's birthday.

These 2 will forever share a very special bond.

2006

2015

The Art of Puking

Call it what you want: vomiting, throwing up, puking, barfing, upchucking, regurgitating - but I'm going to call it disgusting and something that just took 2 weeks of my life!

The motherly instinct in women tells us to comfort our sick child, hold their hair back while they heave over the toilet, lay with them and rub them even if the reek of nastiness, and to tell them that it's okay if they accidentally miss the toilet. But that last thing there, that was hard to do.

One of my beautiful daughters, who shall remain nameless, found the art in throwing up in every possible place: carpet, couch, bed, etc. It didn't matter that there were towels and buckets surrounding her. She was able to go around those and soil the uncovered surfaces. She was really quite amazing at it. And we won't talk about what the other end of her body was capable of.

So as a mother that is supposed to comfort her child no matter what, I was feeling guilty for getting a little upset with her, telling her, "As SOON as you get that feeling, then run to the bathroom." She tried many times. Failing each and every time.

A few days later the other beautiful daughter, that shall also remain nameless, got the bug. I begged and pleaded with her to make it to the toilet explaining that then all I had to do wash flush it down. No laundry. No scrubbing with resolve carpet cleaner. No changing sheets...again.

In the middle of the night, she comes into my room. "Mom, I threw up and I couldn't make it down the stairs of the bunk bed."

Ugh.

Sam went to take her bedding off and clean up the mess while I stayed with her in the bathroom. He came back to tell me that he couldn't feel anything on her bed or even the stairs. So I went to check. Keep in mind that the other sister is sleeping on the bottom bunk, so I only had the light of the hallway. I eased myself up the stairs and felt all over her bed, around the millions of blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals, gritting my teeth as if when I finally touch it, it will burn my hand off or something. But nothing. I sigh with relief. I explain to her that it must have been a dream or something, but to be safe, we would make her a bed on the couch. I go to get her pillow off her bed, reaching up from the side of the bed (rather than climbing back up the stairs) and I step in it. All over the floor. She literally puked over the railing onto the floor.

I kept my cool. And I showed lots of love. But I had a hard time understanding how difficult it was to get to the bathroom before it was too late!

And then I got the bug. And then I understood.

And now 2 weeks later I am thanking God that we are done with it!

Kissing the Cross

As you fellow Orthodox know, we cross ourselves and kiss crosses, icons, etc at church. Jonah has been getting really good at this and does this without us prompting him any time he sees a cross.

While I was out of town, Sam was super-dad and took the kids to Get-Air (an indoor trampoline park.) Jonah saw the following "X" on the ground. He got down on the ground, crossed himself and kissed the "cross."

Sounds like he enjoyed being a big boy and playing tough with his sisters!

The adventures of the un-catchable RODENT

2 weeks ago. 2 weeks! That was the first sighting of a mouse in my house! My living room to be exact. Right under my couch. Where my feet sit. Where the kids play. And I use the term "mouse" loosely because quite honestly, I don't think it was a mouse. Or a rat for that matter. It was bigger. Way bigger. And fast. And it didn't have a tail. And no one seems to believe me because I was the ONLY person to actually see it.

But the truth of the matter is, I know what I saw, and I believe me.

And since that day 2 weeks ago, we have found multiple "droppings," bites out of the fruit in my fruit bowl, (which sits on my kitchen counter! Ewww!) and oddly enough, have been through about 8-10 different traps. I also use the word "traps" lightly because to me, the word describes the said rodent going near the "trap" and would then become enclosed in it and killed! No? Am I out of line to think such a thing? Well these (yes, I am convinced there are more than 1) rodents are smart enough to lick the peanut butter clean from the trap but not become trapped. Crazy. I know.

Alas, we caught our first one. Not the one I saw that night 2 weeks ago. This one was small. The one I saw was not. IT WAS NOT!

And I'm glad we caught the rodent. However, I don't like that it was caught in my pantry. And I also do not like that it was caught while the house was completely lit! I mean, the nerve! It might as well have just joined us at the dinner table.

And now, every time I enter my kitchen, I check one of the multiple hidden traps. Because who knows when we'll catch the others.

Holy Week

While discussing the events leading up to Christ's Crucifixion with the girls, Jocelyn asked me if Jesus was offered any food or drink. I explained that he was only offered gall and vinegar and how terrible those would be and that He declined to have any.

Her response: "Well that was a waste of time for them to cook if Jesus wasn't even going to eat it!"

And then Genevieve, while holding a candle during a vigil asks, "Why are we using candles? Why don't we just use the lights and the electricity?"

The First Lady

Earlier this week Genevieve asked me the following:

"Mom, do you know Mrs. Obama...she lives at the White House?  Well, she is having an Easter egg hunt this Sunday and I want to go to it."

She asked me as if it was equivalent to asking if she could have cereal for breakfast. I mean, why WOULDN'T I say yes?

We had to point out that the White House is 3000+ miles away and we probably wouldn't have time to go for a quick day trip to enjoy Easter festivities with the President and First Lady.

I love her innocence!

The Love of the Outdoors

"If Jonah ain't happy (outside,) ain't nobody happy."

This happens to be the theme at our house these days. And as you can see, he likes eating an apple while he plays. 

Haircuts

The girls have been begging for shorter hair. As a mom with a hair length well above my shoulders, it was hard to justify a "no" answer. And plus, Jocelyn's curls hanging down half of her back is a recipe for a brushing disaster. Can you say "rat's nest?"

So we chopped it.

My middle child, who once used to be EXTREMELY shy, cannot pose for a photo without going cross-eyed.

Catch-up

No excuses here...I'm 2 months over-due for a blog post. 

Life is GOOD! I have been with my new job for 10 months and love it! I definitely feel at home there and have already made a lot of connections with my patients. I now remember why I chose dental hygiene as an occupation. I also completed my 6th 1/2 marathon this year with a new PR and I have been enjoying my time bonding with my son while the girls are in school. 

Genevieve and Jocelyn are very active and involved in soccer, basketball, skiing, etc. and are truly enjoying their little brother. They adore him and tend to his every beck and call. 

Jonah is growing like a weed (slow down buddy!) and keeps us busy yet completely entertained. His favorite word is "mama" (can you blame him?) His favorite toys are my kitchen utensils. Why we buy him cars, balls, building blocks, etc. is beyond me. He prefers measuring cups.

Sam has enjoyed skiing with the girls almost every weekend. He is also gearing up for his 5th (?) annual "Reach the Beach" 100 mile bike ride this May. Be prepared, he might hit you up for a donation to the American Lung Association which supports his race. 

Sam and I celebrated our 13th Wedding Anniversary this year. We are definitely blessed!

But I know that really what you want is pictures, so, here ya go...

The snow wasn't coming to us...so we went to it! Mission Ridge didn't have much either, but more than we had at home. The girls currently live, breathe, and sleep skiing. Sam took them down an unnamed "run" which he considered a "cliff" or "black diamond." They obviously got their talent from their mother  father.

 

Daddy's little man visiting him at work

Drinking mommy's protein shake. Could he be any cuter?

I mean, Seriously?! 

These 3. They are mine. Don't be jealous.