mid summer joys and blues

I was just laying down with a sleeping Sloane, reading my old copy of Why the Caged Bird Sings that Mom had around the house while the kids are playing in the living room and here's a little glimpse into our days. I can hear voices escalating until Billie pronounces Jackson "the meanest boy I've ever met! ...in my WHOLE life!!" Running feet through the house searching every room for me (Bill and Boppy are out and Mom's at work). I pull the covers up and stay quiet until they are yanked off my head and Billie is talking at the speed of light. "Mom, i really need you to handle this because Jackson completely just grabbed the circle/thing off of my spinner dinner and that was so MEAN and i really need your help!!" Sloane's eyes open a little and close again. "okay Billie, I'll be there in 2 minutes. Let me just make sure Sloane can sleep" "What?" (Billie has had a pretty serious loss in hearing since getting over a summer cold and we're waiting and hoping that clears up soon.) I repeat in a louder voice. "Thanks Mom." Two minutes later when I walk in the room Jackson, upon seeing me, reaches for the circle thing and hands it straight to his sister. We have a talk about grabbing and now I'm here. Also on my mind at the moment is that warm baby has to be the best feeling ever. When they're in their feety jammies and snuggled up...it's irresistable.
So, it's been a while. Let me see. Bill ALMOST conquered the mountain just after turning 30 but altitude sickness hit and it wasn't to be. Of course, the trip was still a fun one for he and his sister Meg who did make it all the way to the tippy top. There's some amazing pictures looking down on all those other mountains and i think they're both glad they had an idea and actually made it all happen.
Jackson had his pop rock experience today- his choice of the quarter candy sold at the main street soda shop. You can choose any flavor of syrup to be added to your coke and the smallest size is just an old fashioned (pre-starbucks) plain white styrofoam coffee cup for just 20cents. It's SO cute in Minonk.
My cousin Katie and her hubby had a little boy two days ago and I got to see them in the hospital and be here for that- never been around for a family newborn before. Landon is ADORABLE and i'm slowly coming around to this whole new place to be. I am not totally over Okinawa- it's like a high school break-up because i miss all the good things and i can't remember anything bad. Except the kids didn't know what peaches were and we didn't get sweet corn on the cob. I try to console myself with this when I get all slyvia plath.
I keep thinking of things to blog and then when I sit down to write I forget them all and write about nothing.
More soon.