Memorial Day Weekend 09

I'm still trying to contemplate how it is the year 2009 already. Its been 10 years since I graduated high school. My high school reunion is planned for a weekend in July in Mason City but it is over the same weekend that Dave and I will be in Minnesota for his grandma's 90th birthday party. I wasn't really planning on going anyway, but it is nice to have an excuse. Kala, Josh, Carrie, Austin and Renee were here over Memorial Day weekend. We didn't really do anything celebratory for the holiday weekend, we just utilized a long weekend to get together. The weather turned out really beautiful. We were able to eat outside on the porch for all the meals and we grilled lots of food. BBQ ribs, chicken, veggies....to name a few. The kids all played pretty well together...most of the time. There were melt downs and lots of screaming as well as lots of laughter. Austin is 4, Violet is 3, Renee is 2, and Calvin is 1. This time the visit of her cousins seemed to bring out the sassy and fiesty side of Violet. She is tough to befriend at this time, she has her favorite people to hang out with, and says things she doesn't realize are hurtful. Its like a new phase of testing she has begun. She is also growing really possessive of HER STUFF. Her cups, her plates, her bed, her door, etc. I think its the timing of her age and her stage of growing up and becoming more independent, and a big part of that process is having possession and control over things. I don't quite understand the balance I need to teach her about that concept. Calvin is a little delight unless he is sitting in a chair at church. He says "All dahh!" ALL of the time now, in between every bite almost. He has the cutest little "Ooooooh!" starting high pitched and going lower when he sees something of interest. I took a pic of Kala and Calvin together and showed him the pic, he had the same reaction. He loves to copy everyone and of course, loves attention. Kala decided to spend some time with our family during her "summer off". She came on Monday, May 18th and plans to leave on Wed the 27th. She wanted to give of her time and energy to help out around here with the house and the kids, and she's done exactly that. I have gotten to the point of really loving having her around, its been really nice. She has more experience with lots of different ages of kids after having spent so much time working in a day care, and cares for Calvin like he is her own. The running joke has been that he was hers and Violet was mine, because Calvin and Kala both have such light blonde hair. He has really taken to her. Its been really great to get to know her better, too.