The Ever Shifting Home

I love to rearrange. It's what I do when I'm stressed, or bored, or feeling uninspired. It happens often. Scott is very supportive as this rarely involves him and keeps me busy. Until it involves the kitchen, then both he and Dagny (one of my very favorite people) both spew words of frustration at me. You know you have found a lifelong friend when they know your home so well that rearranging the kitchen throws them off their game. ;) And yes, that means she cooks for me....and my kids...and Scott...or just for herself.
Now I'm off track, back to rearranging. Whenever Scott is out of town I try to complete some sort of home improvement project. This time it was creating a true desk space for the girls in their rooms. I also like to engage my thrifty side and be creative in how to complete my vision without spending a noticeable amount of money. Ikea was the answer for this project. 8 years ago my MIL bought me cubby shelves for the baby room. These shelves have been moved countless times and been used in so many ways that I would feel lost without them. Now, with the help of some inexpensive hardware and materials, they are the base for the desks I put together.
The addition of a purposeful desk space makes their rooms seem so grown up. There are still plenty of toys to trip over and poke you painfully in the foot in the middle of the night, but the focus of the room is shifting. Part of how the shelves needed to be arranged in Kate's room meant exposing the back side of the shelf. On a whim we grabbed some leftover scrapbook paper and decorated the unattractive backs of the cubbies. I suggested she tape pictures to the papers and she immediately grabbed the school photo of her BFF and stuck it on there. That made it feel like she is even closer to her teenage years.

Kate got to build her first piece of Ikea furniture. She was so happy I finally found a bedside table for her. Shh, don't tell her it's supposed to be a garden table. 

Drawer and Spoon. And Pinwheel

Drawer and Spoon
While Scott has been out of town the girls have taken turns sleeping on his side of our bed (i.e. smashed up against me so close they might as well be in utero again). One night on Leia's turn this conversation happend:
Leia: "Mom can we snuggle?"
Me: "Yes"
Leia: "Okay but we should face away from each other so we don't smell each other's breath."
Me:"That sounds wise." "I'll be the big spoon, you be the little spoon."
Leia: "How about you be the drawer and I be the little spoon?"
Me: "Sure kid."

Pinwheel
I have always described sleeping with my youngest daughter as "sleeping with a pinwheel." She does not stay in one place and has an amazing ability to kick me in the chest while dead asleep. My last experience sleeping in a bed with her has led me to a new definition of her pinwheel antics. This time she snuggled up against me so close that once she was fast asleep I moved to Scott's side of the bed to sleep. Like a heat seeking missle, a few hours later she was snuggled up against me again scooting me off the bed and back to where I had begun. On my own side. Now I am the pinwheel. It's exhausting having Scott be away on business!

Date Night Sunset

 Twice while on vacation we got to go on a date night with Scott's brother Ben and his girlfriend Jessica. We are spoiled by the giving hearts of my in-laws. And appreciate the opportunity to walk along the Malecon (the main oceanside strip) without worrying my children are going to get distracted by the vendors selling glowing light toys and run off to bask in its glow.

Oh Mexico

A Bradley family tradition has been created of spending every other Christmas in Mexico. We love the sun, the pool, the beach.... As the kids get older each year becomes a little more relaxing. On our first full day the girls spent 9 hours in the pool. 9! Day 2 was basically a repeat. As a parent I did not expect to be able to read a book on vacation again until my youngest was at least 8. I am so happy to have been wrong.
Somehow this trip turned into "How many animals can you encounter in a week?" It was nuts.

At one point Leia had 1 monkey on her head and 1 monkey on her shoulder. And the green bird in the upper left photo is almost as big as Kate's entire torso. But wait, there's more.
Before we left we told the girls we were not getting them gifts for Christmas but would take them swimming with Dolphins. They were immediately agreeable (and luckily the place wasn't booked, we would not have been forgiven!).
Uncle Ben, Jessica, and Aunt Sky helped make it possible.

Gigi, Papa Scott, Scottie and I watched from the stands that were fairly far from the pool but even we could see the huge grin on Kate's face when she was riding on the dolphin's belly.
New traditions were created (we are absolutely watching Elf every year, the kids laughed so hard) and old traditions were continued. Now it is time to detox from Margaritas and nachos.

Until next time Mexico.
P.S. I think I could fill a photo album with just the elevator selfies we took. A true test of photographic skills, and not meant for those with short arms.