Are You Ready For This ?

Today marked the last day of school for my kiddos for this school year.  This is an occurrence every year, and usually signals all sorts of upcoming events that I'm very excited about: backyard barbecues, Popsicles on the front lawn, trips to the swimming pool, little mini-vacations, and even working in the yard on family projects together.  Karen even has some great plans for a summer schedule to help keep the kids from either extreme (being sooooo bored or just playing video games and watching movies all day).  All in all, it should be a great summer vacation for everyone in the Case household.

But that's not what has me in a reflective mood.  It is what happens after this summer that has me nearly paralyzed with fears of inadequacy, both my own and that of my children.

Here are the BIG changes coming our way in early August:
- Josh Jr (our oldest) will begin High School.  Not only that, but he will also begin attending early morning seminary which starts before 6:00am.  I am NOT a morning person!  I think he will adjust just fine, but time certainly goes faster once they're labeled by school year names: Freshman.
- Ben (2nd oldest) will be in TWO different advanced classes (8th grade math and Honors English) in only his second year of middle school.  He's plenty smart enough, but I'm running out of things I can help him with when it comes to his homework!
- Brooklyn (our oldest girl) will begin Middle School.  She is ready for this, but I am NOT!  She's still my little girl but 6th grade brings with it the start of becoming a woman and I am NOT ready for her not to be my little girl any more!
- Savannah (our middle child) will now be our oldest, and therefore most relied upon, kid at the elementary school.  She's up to the task but watching out for her and her younger sister(s) (especially that crazy Catalina!) will be a challenging change for her.

Myra, who turns 4 this summer

- Myra (our youngest daughter) will begin attending pre-school.  This would be just exciting except that she is still not 100% potty trained, which always fills parents' heads with trepidation about being judged as horrible parents.

As with anything else, I'll try not to worry too much about the changes until they get here, but the gloomy cloud of possible problems seems just a short ways down the horizon.  Wish us luck!


Song Of The Day:
I heard "The End Of Innocence" by Don Henley on the radio today and it just felt fitting for the post I had in mind.  It's probably more related to my oldest son and oldest daughter switching to completely new schools, but it also seems like the innocence of all my kiddos is disappearing so fast.  I'm really not sure I'm ready for this, but I guess I have to be.

Do You Know What I Like About Your Hands ?

Catalina, age 6, asked this question to my mom (a.k.a. Grandma Julie) when she was hanging out with her recently.

The conversation, as best as my mom could recollect, went like this:

Catalina:  Hey Grandma, do you know what I like about your hands?
          Grandma Julie:  No sweetie, what do you like about my hands?
Catalina:  (grabs my mom's hands)  They look like cheese pizza!
          Grandma Julie:  (silence)

Gotta love the honesty and unique perspective from a child!  :)


Song Of The Day:
I've been looking for a great post to try and connect the song "I Believe" by the UW MadHatters to.  I believe this is as good a post as any.  I believe that children can teach us how to not take life so seriously.  I believe kids simply try to find joy in whatever situation they are in.  I believe kids make us laugh because they just are instead of censoring themselves.  I believe my mom's hands do kinda look like cheese pizza but I believe she was a very good sport about it.  Thanks for being such a great Grandma to my kids mom!

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Which One Are You Going To Be Today ?

Any parent knows that their kids are going to bring them great joy ... and also LOTS of stressful situations.  There is a constant question in my mind, which I believe ALL parents ask themselves about each of their children from time to time: Which one of your personalities am I going to be seeing today?

Seven different kids, each with many different moods, leads to an infinite number of combinations of chaos in the Case Place.  On any given day, there will undoubtedly be a tired kid, an angry kid, a sad kid, an excited kid, a hungry kid, and several happy or content kids.  This doesn't even account for the variations of mommy or daddy moods.

So the other day when I saw the following set-up in the supermarket, I realized that it didn't just apply to my daughter Catalina, but was representative of ALL my kiddos ... although I think 'fat free' is a bit of a stretch for anyone!  :)

Song Of The Day:
Despite the stresses and shifting emotions each day, I'm so happy to have all of my kids and my awesome wife in my life.  Kelly Clarkson's song "My Life Would Suck Without You" is very accurate.  How boring would it be without a little dressing on our salad of life?  Love my kids!

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That All Just Happened TODAY ?!

I don't normally brag on my awesome kiddos, but just this afternoon I learned the following about four of my seven kids ...

• Ben was first in his grade at school for reading during the quarter.
• AND ... was selected (one of 12 from his elementary school) to attend a space mission practice event.
• AND ... competes in the school district's Battle of the Books tomorrow. 
• Brooklyn was second in her grade at school for reading during the last quarter.
• AND ... is going to audition for the school talent show by singing "The Star Spangled Banner" (which is really a tough song!)
• Savannah moved on to the semifinals of the school talent show (singing "Trouble" by Taylor Swift).
• Catalina got the BIGGEST part in her kindergarten play for school (Blue Shark, with about 7 lines of dialogue ... out of maybe 20 lines for the whole class).

 

Well done my awesome offspring, well done!

Song Of The Day:
Looks like I finally have a reason to use "Lovely Day" by Bill Withers.  This is an oldie but a goodie and contains my favorite it-is-being-held-out-so-long-you-think-the-singer-will-pass-out note in the history of music!

A Lovely Da-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-ayyyy!

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Guys, Is It A Party Upstairs ?

While finishing dinner at the table this evening with my beautiful wife Karen, our youngest daughter Myra was watching some show on Karen's iPad.  She was mesmerized with the show.  So we decided to conduct an experiment.

I offered her some candy.  I offered to take her to the store.  I asked her if she wanted to go get ice cream.  I told her I was going to have to throw away all her toys.  I made up a short story about an elephant trying to teach a monkey to fly.

No reaction from her whatsoever.

Then Catalina came upstairs to get a drink of water.  She saw Myra watching a show on the iPad and stopped next to her for a minute.  Then two minutes.  Then five minutes.  And then ten minutes had passed.  She got caught in the same gravitational pull of Netflix (I think that's what they were watching).

So I conducted the same experiment with her as I had with Myra.  Not so oddly, the results were exactly the same.  I even offered her money and to go bowling (which is something she always asks to do).

Nothing!

Another 5 minutes passed and then her older brother Ben and older sister Brooklyn came up the stairs.  They both eventually made their way to the iPad and got sucked into the same black hole.  After another minute, Cat was finally able to step away from the screen.  I pulled her in for a hug and told her all the "offers" I had made to get her away from the screen.  The shocked look on her face was priceless.

And then, as she headed downstairs to watch a movie, she shouted back toward her brother and sisters (who were still huddled around the iPad) ... "Guys!  Is it a party upstairs?!" ... like she hadn't just been captivated for half an hour!

Karen and I did not stop laughing for a long, long time!

Song Of The Day:
The words of the song might not be related to the post, but "Look Away" by Chicago came to mind as I struggled to get ANY of my children to look away from the iPad.  It's a great song regardless of the seemingly random use in this post!

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Sweetie, What Are You Doing?



Catalina was the "Statue of Liberty"
Myra is looking over the water on the left

We spent several hours today (Monday) aboard the USS Alabama, which was a highly decorated ship during several wars in its heyday.  The whole ship is so massive you could easily get lost in hundreds of different areas.  Our kiddos had a blast turning knobs and dials all around the ship.  They also loved the fact that it was easier for them to climb and descend the tiny stairs inside the cramped quarters of the vessel.  It is NOT easy to go up or down these stairs when carrying a toddler, an issue I am certain the sailors who worked on this ship never had to deal with.

My favorite experience was when we were getting ready to leave.  Myra, 2 1/2 years old, wandered off and crawled into a very cramped (but perfectly sized for little kids) mechanical room.  I caught up to her and asked her this blog post title question.  She replied "But we nevuh go'n see dis pyace agayin ... So I wiz sayeen goobye."  It was just so sweet.  As I collected her in my arms to carry her to the car she sniffled a little and said "Bye bye big ship.  We go'n miss you.  Tanks for da fun."

Song of the Day:
I keep thinking of "Orinoco Flow" by Enya.  Most people refer to it as the "sail away" song because that's the refrain in the chorus ... Sail away, sail away, sail away.  But the song title is Orinoco Flow and its fitting for visiting a big war ship memorial.

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Can We Stay Up Just A Little Longer ?

I normally detest this question.  It puts me in a very awkward position.  If I say yes, then I could be setting my kids up for failure (at least in terms of their sleep patterns and waking up on time, etc.)  If I say no, then I'm the "bad guy" who "never let's us do anything we ask!"

Yesterday evening it was a much easier situation where everyone wins.

My four daughters and their Aunt Jodie
(L-R: Myra, 2; Catalina, 5; Savannah, 7; Brooklyn, 9)

You see ... my oldest daughter Brooklyn asked the question because she had been reading scriptures to her younger sisters and wanted to finish the chapter they were on.
Cue the tears of joy.

Me:  "Yes.  Of course you can.  But after you finish that chapter you really need to go to bed."

My girls: "Thanks dad.  We love you."

Me:  "I love you too."
(long pause in the doorway)
"And I'm happy you like to read your scriptures."

Song Of The Day:
I don't listen to country music all the time, but there are some moments that are best captured with a twang-in-yer-voice kind of song.  "I Loved Her First" by Heartland is one of those songs and it was on my mind last night as I was leaving the Bunk House (that's what we call the huge room all four girls are sleeping in nowadays).  I know the day will come (not for at least a decade, but sooner than I'll ever truly feel ready for it) when I "give away" my daughters to their respective sweethearts.
For now, I'll cherish these special moments as long as I can.

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