I'm not sure why, but seven is a big deal for me. It seems like a pivotal age, a time that Princess is transitioning from being a little girl to a big girl. I am observing so many changes that, I suppose, come with maturity. Then, I see signs of the little girl again. Both of them are simply amazing to me.
The Birthday Fairy visited our house and left something special for Princess to use with her dollhouse.
Dollhouse Playground
Princess also received gifts from family and friends.
Barbie Puppy Swim School
We partied with friends doing yoga and bouncing.
But the best gift of all was time with Daddy at Princess' favorite restaurant that serves gluten free pasta!
...and for that I am very grateful. For an entire year the Lizard King told me that there was never any incoming on his FOB, at least not near any people. There was never any danger. He always told me not to worry about him. He said that the enemy just had bad aim and in my naivety, I believed him.
When he received the job offer, you know the job that's 13 miles from our house, he brought this out.
This is some shrapnel from a bomb exploded 60 feet from my sweet husband and his team. The next day several contractors went home. It had become all too real.
If he hadn't gotten this job, he was going to go back to that place. I am married to the most amazing man. The sacrifices he has made for his family are incredible. I am grateful that he lied to me. I am more grateful that he is home.
I'm not really sure what normal is. We haven't had normal around here, well, ever. From the moment LK and I got together we had the ex, Needy Evie, to deal with. The Lizard King has worked two jobs, six days a week, with me working the seventh. The last year LK spent in Afghanistan, after getting laid off from his full time job. It has been an extremely challenging year for everyone.
That has all changed now. The Lizard King is home.
(Just so you know, my voice doesn't always sound like that...except when I cry and try to talk.)
The big news is that LK is home and he is staying home. Forever. He had an interview for a job that is THIRTEEN MILES from our house. He starts work today! The job pays well... well enough that he will only have to work one job... well enough that I will not have to go back to work... well enough that we can begin to learn what a normal life is like.
Yesterday was our first day back to Village Home! It was a whirlwind day.
(Most of the photos were taken with a cool app that I downloaded to my iPhone called Cross Process. :)
We started with Latin I
We learned how to say, "You are dumber than a donkey." The kids sure got a kick out of that one!
Somehow I didn't take any pictures in Music Class...
Then Princess had dance, where they are learning Jazz this term.
Drum lessons went well. We had to buy new drum sticks because the ones we had weren't a good fit for Princess. Today we're heading back to buy a music stand for her book and a practice pad. Our neighbors go to sleep at 7pm so playing has to stop by then. I can't imagine a 7pm bedtime. I guess that's why we're unschoolers. ;p
Yesterday was our annual 'Not Back to School Day' at our local amusement park, Oaks Park. This was our 3rd year...or is it our 4th? As usual, we had a blast!! Me? I forgot my camera, so you are left with pictures courtesy of my phone (which is often more convenient to pull out than my camera...I've got to work on that.)
We finished the day with a trip to a block foam recycling facility to drop off a minivan-full of block foam and make room in the back of the minivan for... well, you're just going to have to wait until tomorrow to find out what we got.
Guess who got a new scooter?!?! Princess just couldn't wait to try it out, but I was making dinner and we were waiting for the Lizard King to Skype. Hardwood floors make a great scooter course.
We always have something going on in our kitchen. On this day, we soaked raw almonds and soaked & sprouted beans. Almonds were then dehydrated at 105 degree Fahrenheit to maintain the raw"ness" and beans were cooked, jarred and frozen. This makes the almonds and beans more digestible! It also makes them taste so much yummier! And the beans are way healthier than the cans you buy in the store.
I love soaking and sprouting! Princess loves to work in the kitchen, too. Our kitchen is like an ongoing science experiment! And you get to eat the projects!!
We've tried it up and we've tried it down. We definitely prefer down. One of the best decisions we made when buying/building our new house was choosing to put the playroom on the first floor. Princess likes to be near us and this gives her the opportunity to play whenever she wants, without being completely by herself.
This room is just off the great room/living room and was actually meant to be a dining room. We have an eating nook in our kitchen, so a dining room seemed a little redundant. The space makes a perfect playroom for Princess and her adventures. Of course, if she wants some private time, she can always go upstairs and play in the bonus room or her bedroom. It's good to have options!
