Hannah!

Over the weekend we had a wonderful visit from our dear friend, Hannah Shevitz.  This Hannah-Only trip was conspired among the parents while we visited Washington during the summer, after despair from Hannah and the boys that we weren't going to have a lot of opportunity to visit with her.  She was at swim camp the two days we spent in Everett, then she was gone in Georgia for much of the middle of our trip and her return was during the Conlin family reunion, so the boys were only able to really hang with her for the last couple of days we were there.  So a special trip was planned.

We had such a fun time having a sister and daughter for the weekend!  She was a welcome addition to the Chaos.  Hannah fits right in with our boys; their connection is always instant, and has been nearly life-long for most of them.  We planned a little special afternoon for her and Ben on Saturday, but otherwise, she just got in the groove with the regular schedule of life and was perfectly happy.  We love our Hannah and feel so grateful for the time she spent with us!

As guardians for an unaccompanied minor, Josh and I were able to go all the way to the gate to meet her.  It is evidence of how little we fly that Josh thought the ride on the airport train to the terminal was really exciting.

She's here!  We were honored to be the destination for her first solo airplane trip.

Hooray!

Welcome to CO treats!

Having someone with long hair to braid is fun!

Due to testing days, Josh and Luke had no school on Friday, Hannah's first full day.  So we found fun (and delicious!) ways to while away the time waiting for the older two boys to come home from school.

Hanging with the guys; doing what they do.

I had promised Ben and Hannah some one-on-one time, so we started at the bowling alley.

Then it was time to jump out the crazies.

Dinner at Noodles and Co.  They said we had to.  "It's like a tradition when Hannah is here!"

Had to get in one more braid before sending Hannah home.  I never thought I'd be a good "girl-hair" mom, but I'm not too bad, especially if I had more practice!

She fits right in, doesn't she?

Goodbye hug.  So sweet and sad!

Me and my girl!

Josh really loved helping Hannah with her bag, even though she didn't need it.  Such a gentleman!

Off she goes (boo hoo)...come back soon!

Two, Four, Six, Eight! These Four Grades are Really Great!

This week the boys began the 2014/2015 school year.  This time of year is always so bittersweet for me, as it is a true indicator of the quick passage of time and the reality that our boys growing older...oh no...oh dear!  Sappy post alert!  At least it's short(ish).

It was a great summer, and we were still having fun, which makes it the perfect time to start school...before bickering and boredom really start to surge.  The gift of this summer really comes from this golden phase of life we are in: our oldest isn't diving headfirst into teenhood too quickly and enjoys time with family still, and our baby is no longer a real baby: no diapers, no naps, which makes activities so much easier than in the past.  Plus, the older boys are pretty good at problem solving, especially the two oldest, which helps diffuse conflict, and they don't mind helping me entertain and break up conflict between the little boys.  The little boys have a decent level of self-care (wiping!  filling a water bottle!) and self-preservation (looking both ways before running into the street!  wearing helmets without being asked!).

Also, the boys are all at a stage where their personalities, which have always been unique and interesting, are developing depth, each in their own way.  I love just listening to them all talk about their things, the things that occupy their brains.  The slower pace of this stage, blessed by a little more sleep and a little less chasing, and ease of these days, after the baby worry but before the teen worry, allow me to really feel our relationships growing deeper as the days go by.  It's not that I didn't enjoy the baby and toddler years; I loved them!  And it's not that I'm just now starting to feel connection with the older boys, they are my best buddies.  It's hard to explain if you're not in it, but there is just something about leaving the little kid years behind yet not fully being in the teen years that is golden.  And we lived in that golden glow so much this summer.

I am so proud of my boys.  They make good choices, {ahem...for the most part}, and have good friendships.  They are all kids who love school and learning and we are blessed to send them to fantastic schools with impressive teachers, so I'm happy to push them out of the nest to learn and experience this great life, but I do not love how the busy school year pulls us in multiple directions every single day and eats up the time our family has before Conlin boys start venturing into the world on their own.  Even though all the things they are doing are for their benefit and enjoyment, I am inclined to keep us trapped in this little bubble of time, these shiny golden days of our lives, forever.  But I can't....  So here we go, ready or not, into the next school year: where exciting things happen, growth occurs, changes are inevitable and oftentimes beautiful, learning is embraced, joys and heartbreak await, and I get to witness it all and hold on to all the gold that I can, in my mind and my heart for that someday when my teenagers are driving me bonkers, or beyond that, when I will no longer be busily performing the school year juggling act, and I will miss these days so.

Luke--2nd Grade with Mme. Brown

Josh--4th Grade with Mme. Lepillez

Ben--Sixth Grade; first day of MIDDLE SCHOOL!

Zac--8th Grade; last year of middle school.  Wha?!

And just because the walking away breaks my heart, so it must break yours too, here's Ben walking to his first day of middle school with Ryan, Micah and Josiah, our neighbors.

The Bits: August 2nd through August 17th

Some end of summer vacation Bits!

It was good to be home from camp.

Pre-season scrimmages!  It looks like it's going to be a good season!

It's amazing how two little Lego minifigures can entertain a 4-year-old throughout an hour of sitting quietly in church.

Luke refused to go, but Tommy started up a second session of summer swim lessons and was given special permission to be in the ages 6 and up Pollywog class so that he could move to the next level.  We may have a swim-float-free future on our horizon!

Back-to-soccer shopping!  Man, having kids is expensive!

Summer evening storms often mean canceled soccer practices.  At least the view is pretty while we sit in the car waiting for the lightning sensor to stop flashing or to be sent home because it won't stop flashing.

Hot day water wars.

Ben's team relaxing with some fro-yo at the end of The Player's Cup, the first of three tournaments the team will participate in over the next four weekends.

One pro of orthodontia while in elementary school?  When I told Josh it was "Expander Day" he said, "YAY!"  I never get that kind of response from Zac when it comes to the orthodontist!

I love how the storms look as they roll in.  Or is it Mordor...?

A rose between two thorns....  Haha!  Really though, we love both our Washington and Colorado teams, and had a great time watching the preseason Denver v. Seattle game.

Take that, hail!  Our squash has rebounded!

Sunset and a new app.

I love when the events for the older boys, like the swim team picnic, come with entertainment for the little boys.

It was a nice day for the summer swim team celebration at the park.  Josh placed seventh in the 100 Freestyle and 50 Backstroke, and eighth in the 50 Breaststroke among the 8 and 9-year-old YMCA of the Pike's Peak Region swimmers (not including the USA level swimmers).  Go Josh!!!

This is really happening.  Grizzly Jump Start proved it.  He has a locker.  I guess it's for real.  Ben is going to middle school!

Ben earned his Arrow of Light badge last August, but it took all year for him to finally be given the actual plaque.  Fortunately, he's a patient guy; and we get it, once the badge is given, it's easy to move on to the kids who are still Webelos and working toward earning it so it gets put on the back burner.  Still, Ben is so excited to finally have this symbol of his efforts in Cub Scouting and cannot wait to hang it up in his room.

Zac: another victim of flour tag.  What a fun Deacon-led mutual activity!

It's all about the card tricks at our house right now.

It's been a pretty darn great 16 years.  I think we'll keep going!

Three boys ready to kick some booty for their teams at the Pride of the Rockies Tournament!  Aren't they adorable?!  It was a busy weekend hopping from field to field, and hot and exhausting too, but it is so much fun to watch these boys play that it was all worthwhile.  Zac was only able to play in one game, since he had a Scouting event, but he was a big contributor for that game and was called out for his ball control and good decision-making by the coach at the end of the game (which happened to occur at halftime due to a lightning storm).  Ben had a hat trick in one of his games, and scored what the ref on the field called "the goal of the tournament" in another game.  Josh found his groove in middle defense and did us proud, proclaiming it his favorite position ever!  We did have about 20 eternal minutes of heart-wrenching terror when Luke became lost after failing to notice that Ben, whom he was following, had taken a turn toward the field where Josh was playing.  He was found nervous and shaken, but OK.  I, on the other hand, who had been in panicky search mode, fell apart, hyperventilating and sobbing, as soon as Adam found him (three fields away in the opposite direction from where he should have been).  Horrible, horrible experience.

We spent our anniversary evening watching soccer games at the Air Force Academy.  So romantic!  That's how we roll.  Fortunately, we had a chance to celebrate the night before.

Colorado weather is awesome, even if it cancels soccer games.

Best playdate ever!  It's nice when your best pal has a horse for a pet.

Zac and his friend Will were elected to attend the Boy Scout Order of the Arrow Ordeal last spring, which they completed this past weekend.  It is all shrouded in a bit of mystery, but he was able to share that he had to be silent from the time he checked in until the induction ceremony at the end, communicating with his team only through motions; he was only able to eat an egg and toast with cheese all day before the evening feast; he had to create his own shelter out in the wilderness and sleep in it alone; and much of the day was spent in manual labor.  But HE DID IT!  He is an official member of The Order of the Arrow.  And he's glad he did it...and glad that it is over.

Zac and his friend Will were elected to attend the Boy Scout Order of the Arrow Ordeal last spring, which they completed this past weekend.  It is all shrouded in a bit of mystery, but he was able to share that he had to be silent from the time he checked in until the induction ceremony at the end, communicating with his team only through motions; he was only able to eat an egg and toast with cheese all day before the evening feast; he had to create his own shelter out in the wilderness and sleep in it alone; and much of the day was spent in manual labor.  But HE DID IT!  He is an official member of The Order of the Arrow.  And he's glad he did it...and glad that it is over.