Spring Things

 It has been 4 months since Elise's 3rd surgery to address the macrodactyly on her foot.  This past week marks what feels like the end of recovery.  Her wound has healed enough to allow for swimming and we are going to go shoe shopping when my sister comes to town this upcoming weekend to get an idea if any new brands and styles may work for her.  Hopefully we can expand from her extra wide New Balance collection.  She started up Karate again in the last couple of weeks as well.  I'm not quite ready to do a post on the whole experience and show photos just yet, still processing.  It was not an easy recovery, both physically and mentally impacting all of us more than we expected.  

We still have our parenting challenges, whether it's addictions to screen and sugar, lying, being mean to each other, age inappropriate emotional reactions, and having enough energy at the end of the day to parent effectively.  How to handle Lily's incessant asking for a phone for her upcoming 13th Birthday is also on our mind a lot these days.  After over a year of both of us working full time, we haven't found a balance we're all happy with. We'll keep trying and focus on the laughs and lighthearted moments whenever we can.  

Notable highlights from the last couple of months are mostly centered around hosting dear friends in our home again and all in all, we loved having people in our home again.  Glad COVID rates have decreased quite a bit recently around us.  Otherwise, the notable mental relief of having finished my volunteer commitment in what was a trying experience, a girls trip to Alderwood Resort in Washington, and a fantastic Easter celebration with Oma and Opa round out the last 60 days. 

We have one more week with Oma and Opa before they leave us until the Fall.  Seeing Lily as Louisa Von Trapp in the Lincoln High School production of Sound of Music will be the last hoorah before they leave.  

Paul and Nate experienced a baseball lover's dream over Spring Break by traveling to the Arizona sun with his 10U team, getting plenty of autographs from his favorite Cubs, and even getting a foul ball.  They both came home super happy.  Paul has started wearing contacts now too, mostly for sports.

Paul warming up his swing in Arizona

Paul got a big treat - several Cubs starters signed his glove.  Patrick Wisdom was super nice and then hit a homer in his first at bat - karma!

Our friend Knut surprising Oma and Opa all the way from Norway!

Paul in contacts

We introduced the kids to mom and dad's wedding reception restaurant as a way to celebrate the end of my volunteer commitment

Girls Trip to Alderwood.   Geocaching, Oysters, Smores, and downtime

Oma enjoying fried Oysters.  She doesn't like fresh oysters because they are too "shlappetybap"

Hosting my best friend Manju and her family from Florida.  SO.MUCH.FUN.

Manju, Abi, Shivan (13), Nala (12), and Maya (9)

Fun surprise evening out with Fluffy, our oldest and dearest Portland friend and his brother.

Finally hosting our dear Portland friends for dinner all together. Tacos and S'mores night.

Elise enjoying her first swim since surgery in December 2021.

Easter 2022 with Oma and Opa.  Solleier tradition time!

Vinegar, Olive Oil, Dijon Mustard, and Salt - voila

Happy Easter!