Summer Wrap-up

Not much to blog about lately.  After a busy summer, it's been heaven to have nothing to do and nowhere to go.  We have been staying in our pj's until 10, playing in the yard, going on bike rides, making cool huts,

and just plain hanging out.  

School starts on Wednesday, and it's time.  When things are going great and we're all having fun and the kids are getting along, I think that I never want summer to end.  I truly love having all my babies home with me.  But then there's the times when it seems like nobody can get along at all and the fighting nearly drives me insane, and then I'm grateful that school is starting.  I think it's good for them to miss each other a little bit!   I heard one mom say that the last day of school and the first day of school are her favorite days of the year.  I love the freedom of summer and I love the structure of the school year, and fully appreciate both!  And now, we are ready for some routine.

And I think if I got to choose awards for the "Best Of" this summer, the awards would go to the Blaine Library Summer Reading Program, and Legos.  I would not have survived the summer without these two MVPs, who helped my children pass many happy, quiet hours in harmony with each other.  Thank you, dear friends.

Happy Birthday, Gram

I miss you every single day.

Northwest Washington Fair

We spent some time at the fair this week and I have many pictures to share, but first there is something I need to get off my chest.  I have eaten many words in my journey as a mother.  After all, I started out so young and idealistic.  At the top of my list was one thing I swore I would never do and after having four kids (three of them very high-energy boys), I have succumbed.  

We sometimes put a child on a leash.

Yes, that's right. And I like it.  

 

Well, now that I've gotten that off my chest, here goes my coverage of the fair. 

I LOVE the fair!  There are so many great things to see and do.  You may notice in the pictures that there is a disproportionate number of Sam pictures.  He was just SO fun to be with!  He got so excited to see all the animals and I don't think the perma-smile ever left his face.  I love his sense of wonder!

We parked downtown and took the shuttle, so Sam and Declan got their very first ride on a school bus.  Heaven!

Speaking of heaven, the Lego displays were incredible and Liam and Garreth spent a lot of time in the Hobbies building.

See the pleading look in her eyes?  Grace is now campaigning for a bunny.  Sounds like it might be do-able - anyone have any valuable rabbit wisdom to share?  We had rabbits when I was a kid, but I don't remember everything, so Grace has checked every rabbit book out of the library to research and see if this is the pet for us.

Declan and some roosters.

Liam and some baby chicks.

  One of my favorite things about our fair is the calves birth section in the dairy barn.  There are several cows that are due to have babies the week of the fair in one area so people can see the calves being born.  We were an hour off again this year, but we did get to see a very new baby calf, and also a video of a birth.  I definitely was more into this amazing part than the kids.

But they loved the milking barn as much as I did.  Sam might have stayed there all night.

Declan and ducklings.

Sam and goats.

The fam and some pigs.

Sam and the draft horse teams.

Watching the draft horse teams in action. 

Okay, I'm going to see if I can do this next picture justice.  In the arena, there were all kinds of shows:  some trick-riders with whips, some old and overweight barrel racers, cutter races, draft horses, and this little gem of an act:

Dorothy the soprano trick-rider and her horse Glory.  We had been getting ready to go over to the carnival, but when they announced this, Garreth and I knew we had to stay.  It was unintentionally hilarious.  This lady came out and coaxed her horse do some pretty lame tricks that he didn't really do very well:  counting with his hooves, nodding, pushing over some barrels with his head, "dancing" (which was really just trotting around while she tried to get him to turn sideways.)  But the real treat came when some opera music came on and Dorothy began to sing an aria while riding around the arena.  Garreth was pretty sure she was only lip-synching, I think she might have really been singing, but either way, it was enough to keep us laughing all night.  I wonder if she has any other talents she can add to next year's show - knitting maybe?

Eating some delicious Moo-wiches.

Tortoises at the fair?  Yes, there was even a reptile tent!

Sam and an alligator.

We ended the night at the carnival.

Cousins

This week we had a very fun visit from my cousins Jenni and Leigh.  They stayed for two nights and I had so much fun hanging out with them and staying up late visiting and laughing.  I can't believe I only took ONE picture... and I took my camera everywhere we went!  Thanks SO much for coming, guys!  It was so fun to see you!

Changes

Some of you might be wondering what is going on with the two kids we've been trying to get into our family.  I think I'm finally in an emotionally good place to be able to let everyone know that it won't be happening.  We have been working and fighting so hard to get them, but the State of Washington just wasn't as efficient as we needed them to be in getting all of our info down to Utah in the timeframe needed.  People just weren't doing their jobs like they should, and even though I spent HOURS on the phone trying to help our paperwork get from office to office, our interstate agreement just never made it into place.  

The kids are with a foster/adoptive family in Utah and are doing very well.  It looks as if both kids will be adopted, and all we can hope for now is that the adoptive parents will want to stay in contact with us so someday Sam can have a relationship with his biological siblings.   It has been unbelievably hard for me to accept.  From the time these kids were born, I have felt like they belonged in our family.  To not be able to get them just because some papers didn't get sent is heartbreaking.  

I have shed many tears and spent a lot of time in prayer, and I finally feel like everything is going to be okay.  I know that Heavenly Father loves those two and has a plan for them, and even though I was convinced that His plan involved me, I know He will take care of them.  I also know that He has a plan for my family and that He will send more children to us, some temporarily and some for eternity.  We have decided to jump right back into foster care.  Our family has a lot of love to give and we have been so blessed as we help take care of children in need.  Garreth and I are very passionate about "our cause!"  (How funny that it was so fore-shadowed -  we actually met in a college big brother/big sister volunteer program, although Garreth thinks that's a little cheesy and tells people that we met in a bar...)  

We are excited to see what the future holds for us.  We have already been getting calls about possible placements, so it shouldn't be long before five kids are running around the place. (Yikes!)  In fact, we were all set to take a 3 month old boy this week, but some family stepped forward at the last minute.   We'll keep everyone posted on any exciting changes in the Ratchford house!

Leavenworth, Day 3

Today was our last day in Leavenworth and we wanted to get an early start, so right after breakfast we headed down to the river for a quick swim.  Miranda and Cole jumped right into the cold water...

...but it took Grace and Liam a little longer to take the plunge.

After showering and checking out of the hotel, we went into town for ice cream.  There was live polka music in the park (and who doesn't love that?) so we listened while we ate. 

We also saw some old men in leiderhosen (and who doesn't love THAT?) so we posed for a picture.

Then we were homeward-bound.  

On the way, we saw this sign and Garreth and his BFF saw another opportunity to take their shirts off:

Then we had to explain to the kids why we thought the sign was funny (leaving out our imaginations' picture of nudists picking up trash on the side of the highway) and what a nudist was.  Our explanation?  Some people don't like to wear clothes all the time, and since that's illegal in public, they organize clubs so they can be nude sometimes.  After we said this, we heard Liam mutter under his breath, "Man, I want to join that club." 

It was a very fun weekend with great friends in a beautiful place.  Thanks so much, Muffolettos!  We love you guys!

Leavenworth, Day 2

We began another beautiful day in Leavenworth with a walk into town.  We said hello to our mountain goat friends...

...then the girls went shopping while the boys went down to the river.   We met up at the gorgeous spot they had found, with a perfect swimming hole.

Declan's diaper proved to be very super-absorbent, so we freed him of it.

Then Garreth and Filipe took the opportunity to add to their calendar-photo portfolios.

After lunch at a sweet little gingerbread cafe (the outdoor tables were wet-and-sandy-kids-friendly!),

we went back to the hotel for naps.

Then it was time for the best part of the whole trip - tubing on the Wenatchee River!  

We had SO much fun on the river!  We hooked tubes together so Sam and Declan got to have their own, attached to Garreth and I.  Alex got his own tube, too:

Sam and Garreth by a waterfall.

Grace and Liam hitting the "rapids."

Stopping for a snack and a swim.

Garreth and Sam by a flock of Canadian geese.

It was an absolutely perfect afternoon, and maybe our favorite family activity ever!