End of Summer

Things have been busy lately. For Charlie's birthday on August 26, we went up to Mt St Helens. We've gone or tried to go all the way to the top several times in the past, but never made it--it was closed by snow once, pouring rain another time and the last time we had a barfing child in the back seat and wisely decided to turn around and go home.

This time we made it up to the visitors' center at Johnson Ridge. It was a cloudy day, but still gorgeous. The girls enjoyed the trip, but their favorite part was probably the swings at a play area we stopped at.

We spent Labor Day weekend at the beach house doing absolutely nothing. It was great. Somehow we got caught up in a marathon viewing of "American's Next Top Model" a reality show. Not the kind of stuff we ever watch. But on a rainy day at the beach it was perfect. Thank goodness the girls had their portable DVD player to watch Dora or the current favorite, Higglytown Heroes.

This week was exciting as Wednesday was the first day of first grade for Annie. Tuesday night we went to an open house at the school and got to meet her teacher and see her desk. I think that helped a lot because she did really well the next morning. Last year she was pretty wigged out and actually had a nose bleed when we took her into kindergarten, so she ended up starting the next day. This year she went in and sat at her desk and after a few hugs was ready to go.

We were more concerned about Bethany, since she and Annie had not been apart for even a minute since we first met MeiMei. She was a little teary-eyed on the ride over to her preschool, Sonbeam, and kept asking where JieJie was. She was fine once we got to school and saw Mrs. Rhoda, the teacher both of the girls love to pieces. When I picked her up, she was excited to see JieJie again and they had a very cute reunion with lots of hugging.

Other than this the most exciting thing that happened this week is that our refrigerator has died. We had melted popsicles and ice cream and all sorts of stuff. So tomorrow my friend Becky is going refrigerator shopping with the girls and I since Charlie has to work. Just how I want to spend a Saturday!