I was only half-kidding about

wishing Pete a Happy Father's Day.  After all, he is still waaaay over there and we are over here, thinking about celebrating Father's Day by our lonesomes.  We have decided on a Mexican brunch and Chinese take-out for dinner (Peking Gourmet Inn, anyone?).  No, I'm not cooking this weekend, as I have cooked nearly every weeknight since Peter left (whether I was home to eat the food or not) and I need a break, too.

I wish we could share the meals together, but at least we know this time next year we will be celebrating as a family.  Actually, two months from now we will be together as a family, at least for a little bit while Peter is on R&R.  Or, as Nick likes to say, "home for a visit."  The Little Guy truly seems to grasp that Dad is going back and forth for the next 11 months between his job and home and for that, I am so grateful, as it makes this time much easier.

The part about having to pre-record the video because it is Sunday where Peter is (and therefore, Father's Day) but only Saturday here?  Yeah, that kind of went over his head, but still made for an interesting discussion.  So….

Happy Father's Day to all dads out there, but particularly to Peter.  He is a fabulous dad-guy who truly loves and cherishes his kids.  He helps with Algebra, makes late-night lunches just so for a certain Bento box girl and wrestles/fights like a Jedi with the best of them.  We love you SO much and miss you bunches!

I knew we’d need

something this summer to keep us occupied. In fact, several somethings would be ideal.  Not that we would otherwise rest on our laurels, but I was really hoping that Kelsey might consider a swim team at long last.  

Grinning ear to ear after the 50 meter freestyle.

Up until now, she has enjoyed swimming and taken many, many lessons including stroke work, but had no interest in competition.  Cait had a very brief stint with it and decided it was not for her, so I didn't push it on Kelsey.  Plus, we would need to join a pool in order for Kelsey to swim with a team (our neighborhood only has a pool, nothing else) and that was an extra expense we couldn't afford to incur last summer.  This year, with Pete over there and the ISMA/danger/differential trickling in, it's a different story.

We talked about the possibility many times and Kelsey decided she was ready.  I was so nervous she would jump in the pool and hate it, but I could not have been more wrong.  Her first practice was exhausting, but she was with friends from both Girl Scouts and school…and they were all tired and dragging a bit by the end of practice.   She then missed two days for weather and an event, but by the following week seemed excited about practice.  By the end of this week, she was happily realizing that her endurance was increasing and that backstroke is "so easy!"  Her only issue was too many swimmers in a lane, thus she could not go fast enough for her liking.

There's that backstroke…she's the one with the arm mid-air.

Today was the big test:  time trials.  I worried about a repeat of Cait's aborted swim team attempt and shuddered in advance.  We made it in time for her to warm up and realize that everyone was just excited to be together.  The kids were great about hanging out together, getting their cards and making sure everyone was lined up as they should be.  Then the moment of truth:  she had the 50 meter freestyle to complete.

The whistle blew and off they went.  She was not the fastest, but she gave it her all and finished not far behind the others.  She got out of the pool and the first words out of her mouth were, "I finished!  I just kept going, I didn't stop and I finished!  I don't care if I am the last person, I am going to finish it!"

And there we have it:  We have just cemented our participation in the swim team because she is so excited about the opportunity and how she is a part of that and that she does her part…not whether she wins or not.  

Would I be happy if she won?  Absolutely.  However, I am even happier (and, yes, quite proud) that she is not bent on a trophy, but simply creating her own goals and following through.  She kept up the same attitude through the backstroke (which was even better) and left the pool after the trials tired but very satisfied with herself and eager to keep going.  Who could ask for more than that?

{this moment}: Rock the Mall

{this moment} – A Friday ritual. One photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. 

Idea courtesy of Soulemama.  

You guys

rock!

Each and everyone one of you who took the time to send a special message to Pete, to leave a comment here, to bake him a cake (yes, true story, is that awesome or what?!), post on Facebook  or call him, are fabulous.  He is normally a bit shy and retiring (just like me…two peas in a pod :-), but he was thrilled by the outpouring of birthday wishes and truly feels like he started off 40 in a great way.  Now if only the watch that I sent him (which arrived ON his birthday, miracle of miracles) had not been broken…

The watch business aside, 40 is looking stellar for Pete thus far and I have you  to thank for it. We have so much appreciation for each and every one of you for making us laugh, cry and feel a little less lonely on a special day.

Next assignment:  Father's Day! 

Just kidding (maybe)!

It’s finally here…

the day you have been waiting for, oh-so-patiently.  You may remember reading about it last year and thinking, will this day ever arrive?!

Now, I know I was not aware at that time that our lives would change so much by now.  I had no idea that Peter would be somewhere over there right and had totally planned something different for this day, until the unaccompanied tour happened.

Since he is there,  we are slightly limited in the celebrating that we can do.  Therefore, I ask you to join in to help us make this day truly special for Peter.  As you did last year (and he LOVED IT!!), please consider leaving a comment on the blog, sending him an email, a comment or DM on Facebook…whatever makes your heart happy.  

Should you be working with him in the same general locale or know someone who knows someone who remembers meeting him, feel free to give a shout out.  I know he will appreciate it!

Now, why all of the attention?  Well, because….

Lordy, Lordy, Peter's 40!

Yep, the sweet little guy above is now an awesome 40 year old husband, dad, and all-around fab guy.

Here's to you, Pete.  I'm sorry we can't be with you today, so hopefully you are dreaming of happy times with Coldstone Creamery Oreo ice cream cake, balloons, festivities that will make your little introverted heart explode with craziness.  We wish we could be celebrating right along with you, but since we can't this will have to do for now.  We love you and miss you, but know what you are doing is so very important and we will have the bestest party ever on your first R&R!

Love, 

Jen, Cait, Kelsey, Nicholas, Bailey (who misses sleeping on your head & stoking your cat allergies), & Theo (the guinea pig butler)

The birthday message would not be complete without the following from Nicholas Q.:

Rock the

Mall took place today.  200,000 of those to whom Girl Scouting (and its 100th Anniversary) is very near and dear converged on said grassy spot to celebrate, sing and, yes, swelter (it is DC in the summer after all).  

Kelsey's troop decided that arriving early was best and this was likely true.  We were able to snag a good spot not terribly far from the main stage and thanks to the jumbo size television screens, no one had a bad view of the stage.  Technically, the morning was the preview show, but events (such as the top seller tent!) were taking place all day long.  The afternoon was the main event (from 12 – 4 p.m.) and while I am sure it was fabulous, we bagged it at one.  Why?

It was just too darn hot and there were too many people.  

While we brought plenty of water and food, the sun was just too much, and there was simply too little shade.  It was a gorgeous clear day, but no matter how much water was consumed, it seemed like we were all dragging by 1 p.m. (having arrived at 9:15 a.m.).  As much as we wanted to participate more in the sing-a-long, the swelling crowds and long lines began too be too much.  We finally opted out and let others take our place so they could enjoy the rest of the afternoon.

The best parts of the day:

• Swaps!  The girls absolutely loved exchanging them and there were some darn creative ideas!  Props to girls in Florida (bags of sand & mini fake shells)  and in Maryland (Old Bay spices in a bag!).  Loved the creativity and only wish Kelsey hadn't possibly lost hers (holding out for a troopmate finding them).
• The mood!  Despite the heat, other than a few girls cutting in line at the water fountain, everyone seemed in a good spirits and polite was the word of the day.  It did get very crowded, but leaders and girls alike remained civil and calm (not all Mall events are so kind-spirited), and with all of the people and the weather, I was surprised how no tempers seemed to flare anywhere (that's the Girl Scout spirit).
• The location!  Really…it could not have been better.  What better place than the mall to have such a rally?  Despite the heat (perhaps earlier in the year might be better?), it really was a neat event.

Things I'm glad we thought of:

• Bringing our own food.  The lines for food and drinks were insanely long.  The mall almost seemed to small today as so many converged on it at one time.  If you ever attend, it is well worth it to lug along a (small) cooler filled with cold water and nourishing food.  We never actually found the water stations, but did make use of a hidden water fountain (until the lines for that became too long).
• Chairs!  It was a tiny bit cooler to sit in our camp chairs (when we had time to sit).
• Walking shoes.  We walked A LOT on the mall.  Enough said if you know anything about the mall and how some areas are not so grassy.
• Lowered expectations.  We weren't sure what to expect and given that 200K were slated to be there, we did not want to assume that we would hit every booth or see all of the  show.  This turned out to be best, as we stopped at the most important places and missed a lot of lines (not a bad thing at all).

I have to say I was a bit disappointed that there was still so much trash.  Swaps were dropped, plastic bags were handed out by vendors (after Girl Scouts were advised NOT to bring bags), Dove was a corporate sponsor (huh?!) and recycling bins were few and far between.  All of that being said, probably still one of the cleanest events I have seen on the mall in ages and the girls had a really good time.

Best of all?  Kelsey was able to use her all access pass to the top 100 tent!  Thanks to all of you who purchased cookies, Kelsey sold a whopping total of 907 boxes to people in over 25 countries and several states.  She had a chance to sit in the cookie throne, decorate special sunglasses with quite a bit of bling and take a break from the heat in the special tent (perhaps the biggest treat).  Oh, and yes, she totally plans on being at that tent next year, too.  

Another special moment

courtesy of the Salty Dogs.  This moment is truly amazing as so much love and hard work went into it. Please click over and see for yourself, but don't forget the tissues.

{this moment}: Reading Corner

{this moment} – A Friday ritual. One photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. 

Idea courtesy of Soulemama.  

I have been wondering the past few days

what to call my new 'look' if you will.  You see, I don't so much have time to glance in the mirror anymore and my judgment of how my day has been basically revolves around whether I made a decent dinner and the kids seem basically happy (good thing I didn't write this yesterday).  Not that I really stressed the mirror business before, but now it's really gone out the window.

ThenI happened to read this post today.  

Utterly hysterical and she describes me to a "T" when she mentions the whole "not minding leaving the house looking like a…."

I'm sure things will change.  I am sure at some point I might care (Pete's R&R?) what I look like (stranger things have happened).  However, right now I'm just thrilled that the kids are not wailing and gnashing their teeth over Peter being gone. It took Nick 13 days to say "I miss Daddy" the first time and he has a newfound love for brushing his teeth (formerly a nightmarish struggle), Kelsey has not only NOT quit swim team, but likes it (!), and Cait does not mind babysitting on short notice for lots of money. So, if I look like a wreck, at least it's for a good reason.

Anyway, go read it and have a good laugh if you are a parent, because you will SO get it…. 

Did you ever have that feeling

that you had finally done something right as a parent?  I don't mean to imply that most people don't, but I certainly don't always feel that I always do the *right* thing.  I might assume I am, but sometimes it seems as though it is years before I really know.  Yesterday, I knew.

I knew as this adult-like person marched out of customs into the international arrivals terminal at Dulles.  She pretended not to know me (I'd expect nothing less), and that was fine.  Why?  Because after a full week away, she came home wanting more adventure, not less.

Others straggled through customs and the gates.  They met their parties with tear-filled eyes and shouts of, "I never want to leave this country again!" (Really…I mean REALLY?).  I have a hard time comprehending that idea.  I understand being happy to be home, but never wanting to get out and explore again? 

Cait did not disappoint.  Two hours of pictures, talk of things that had changed, things that hadn't, oodles of picture and new kids she met at the school.  It was then I truly knew.

I knew that somehow, I, we had done something right somewhere along the way.  She went on this adventure with her own expectations and fulfilled them all.  She did it by herself at a far younger age than I ever would have conceived.  My doubts about my parenting skillz (or lack thereof) temporarily disappeared as I realized my daughter had successfully and happily navigated her first overseas trip. Yes, she had oodles of help from my friend, Berta, but she still had a lot to deal with on her own.  

I'd like to think that whether it's us or merely our lifestyle and the way we deal with it, that somehow we encouraged this adaptability and flexibility.  The curiousity that made her not only enjoy living in a place, but want to go back with such a ferverent longing.  And the truth?

I was nothing like that at her age.  I know my 13 year old self would be insanely jealous of Cait's ability to want to travel and navigate things on her own.  My 39 year old self?  I'm just very proud of of my 13 year old daughter and so glad that she has chosen to embrace what life offers her rather than just get through the different experiences and move onto the next one without looking back.