It's been a long (too long) time since I last posted. We have been very, very busy. I did not even get around to sending out a Christmas letter. Some were fortunate enough to receive a "Holiday" card in mid-january but I ended up throwing most of those away as Groundhog Day doesn't really fall under the blanket of "holiday". So, if I had sent out a letter, this is what it would have contained...
**disclaimer: all information contained in timeline below is subject to interpretation and should be considered a potential victim of "mommy brain" **
THE BURNS' FAMILY 2011 TIMELINE
January 2011 - We are entering our second semester of homeschool and it is really hard getting up to speed.
February/March 2011 - I think we made a trip to Oregon one of these months. I am sure we had fun. The boys participated in their first science fair - Aiden studied earthquakes and Sean studied our backyard bird life. Aiden had his first encounter with sleep-away camp and liked it except for the stomach flu.
April 2011 - Malcolm turns one. I finally plant Malcolm's tree - all my kids have a tree. Malcolm's is a magnolia and will hopefully bloom every year around his birthday. I put his placenta under the tree. He's still, and always will, be my baby. The boys start year two of swim team. Sean has forgotten every stroke he once knew and spends the entire season doing some variation of the dog-paddle. Erik turns 39. He, he, he.
May 2011- I get a new bike. It's super cute and pink and I can carry Malcolm on the front in a baby seat. I love it. (Just FYI: the bike will be a recurring theme throughout the rest of the year.) Our first year of home-schooling is coming to an end. Hoooray! Aiden did very well on his STAR testing, even scoring a 100% in two of the math categories. I claim homeschool success.
June/July 2011- Sean turns six. Swim team continues. Summer begins. Three long months with four kids and no structure. Aiden and Sean spend a week (or two?) with Nana and Grandpop in Oregon by themselves. They attended two OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) camps each during that week. There is also plenty of time to watch good (ie. cable) tv, play outside, and eat fast food. They have a great time. I hang out with Malcolm and Gavin and discover that having two kids is easier than having four. Duh. There is also a yearly camping trip with friends.
August 2011 - Gavin turns three. Swim team ends. Gearing up for school - organizing, planning, pep-talking commences. Gavin starts pre-school. My joy know no bounds. Soccer starts for Aiden and Sean. Yes, I am coaching again. It's my first year coaching Sean. Camping with our church friends.
September 2011 - Homeschool year 2 begins - Aiden is now in fourth grade and Sean is in First. Did I mention Gavin is in pre-school? :) It is REALLY hard to get back into the groove. I am fortunate enough to have the kind of husband who lets me go to Omaha,NE for a weekend to reconnect with my college friends. I have a wonderful time walking down memory lane and looking to the future. True friends are a blessing and I hope to have these ladies with me for life. I throw out my back and decide it is past time to ditch the baby, baby, baby, baby weight and start going to the gym regularly. I also decide that as much as I love my new bike that I need a newer bike that can haul three kids instead of just two.
October 2011 - Aiden turns nine. We make a trip to New Mexico to visit Grandma and Grandpa. The drive goes well in that we all arrived with some measure of sanity and in one piece. It takes two days from door to door. We have the added bonus of seeing Aunt Amanda and Uncle Sal in the advanced stage of cousin making. There is mini golf x 2, the zoo, the aquarium, and the balloon museum for the boys. I spend the week fixing up Amanda's nursery (bird themed) - painting, refinishing furniture, and ripping up carpet - and do it with great pleasure. The room turns out very nicely. Toot, toot. (that was my horn) My mother and I host a baby shower.
November 2011 - Soccer ends and not a moment too soon. Actually it's about 2 weeks too late but no one asked me. It was a very difficult season and I am so glad to see it end. Daphne dies. We left for church and she was fine, we come back from church and she is dead on the living room floor. That simple, that fast. We take her to the vet one last time; a very sad procession accompanied by many pitying looks from pet store shoppers. Daphne was kind enough to treat us to lunch afterwards. Several weeks later the boys and I plant a "Daphne Odora" in her memory. We place notes, a picture, and her tags under the plant. Our memorial is doing well.
December 2011- We again visit Oregon, this time I remember for sure. Nana and Grandpop took everyone to Great Wolf Lodge which is now known as the "greatest place ever". Sorry D-land you don't have anything on water slides. Cousins Luisa and Levi arrive a bit early but healthy. Nana and Grandpop join us for the Holidays. I do NOT get a new bike for Christmas even though I asked Santa. The boys get things they didn't know they wanted and everything they did. I turn 29 again.
That's the end of our 2011 in a nutshell. Perhaps I should get started on 2012...
K
