Aug 23

Summer Side Up

Somehow summer is beginning to wrap up and school has started once again. This was our first summer without the kids in some kind of daycare (for the most part) and our first one with grade school aged kids, with all that entails. Everyone says it goes by in a blink -something that I believe also occurs to kidless people in terms of the shortness of Alaska’s summertime- and before I knew it, back to school pressure was on! While school is a topic I haven’t tackled yet, let’s delve into some of the fun happenings since our return from Juneau in mid-July.

Emerie had her first eye check in six months and passed with flying colors. The daily patching -with much effort I might add- is genuinely making a difference in the sight of her left eye and her brain’s awareness to use it. While patching will continue for at least another year or two, we are very excited to see the results that equal about 20/40 vision and greatly improve her future welfare.

The other day I heard Emerie reflect to a neighbor kid that she has to wear glasses because Doctor Winkle told her to and that patching helps her eye get strong. She clearly articulated that she only did it because he said so, not her parents :D.

Enjoying and playing outside as much as possible during the summer months is a requirement. Since sunny weather is more of a rarity the past few years and something to take advantage of as much as possible, the girls are finding new ways to entertain themselves and enjoy the warmth. This specifically pertains to anything flower or berry related (Reagan constantly warns her sisters don’t eat the sick berries, those make you sick!), grass soups and other creations, and all types of tea parties, pretend and with real food and drinks. Harper especially likes setting up such events for her dolls and seals and later inviting her sisters.

Harper also now announces herself into a room with a loud (and proud) Harper alert! Harper alert! and a grand entrance into the space. It’s pretty cute.

Another general accomplishment from Reagan, her first braid! She was SO excited to show her first twist braid, and all by herself. Having three girls, I can’t until until the day that they start doing each others hair. The makeup portion of that journey has already begun, but maybe I should rephrase to say when the makeup and hairstyles are socially acceptable in public…although Craig has no problem sporting that wild eye shadow and going out and about.

Her creativity continues, more recently with toilet paper rolls creating wishing fountains. One caveat I noticed after the fact- when she ran out of toilet paper rolls, she went into the bathrooms and unrolled the ENTIRE new rolls and left it in a hot mess by the toilet. So. Much. TP.

You wouldn’t believe the compilation of flowers that pop up all over the house. Dried flowers, drown flowers, moldy flowers, beautiful bouquets, fist fights over who gets what flower, explosions of petals in the car, under their bed, stuck to your socks…essentially across every surface of our living space. A $15 flower bouquet from the store gets hours of enjoyment, and some fighting, and is well worth the money! We now draw and paint flowers, the girls seek out lupin for Grandma Sue and fireweed for me, just to make sure we see them (real or artistic), and they exist to the level that rocks existed around us when the girls were toddlers. #flowerpower … right?

Another box checked for back to school, the triple haircut. I took all three to my favorite hair expert, who just so happens to be a twin mom and all around rock star of a human, and we survived an hour adventure resulting in three haircuts and much excitement over the machine that sucks the hair off the floor and into it. Everyone wanted a quick wash (because why not!) before their trim and air dried while the next had a turn. Reagan begged to have shorter than shouldn’t length so we compromised with hers an inch shorter than her sisters, but still past shoulder length.

In addition to a triple haircut was our next dentist visit. I’m happy to report no cavities -maybe a bit shocked by that too- and plan to seal all those new molars in about six months, that are now popping through everyone’s gums. We also have more loose teeth, although none are ready to commit, we anticipate those top front ones will be abandoning ship sometime this school year, based on the latest x-rays.

I made it approximately two weeks with kid booster seats in the back of my Toyota Rav4. My love for my car lasted a decade, but juggling three kids into boosters forced me to upgrade to a roomier vehicle with a third row. We broke it in a trip to Girdwood to enjoy Double Musky, and I’m loving the girls now buckle themselves in like professionals, after five plus years of four point harnesses. Milestone achieved!

Grandma Anne visited for a few weeks in July. The adorable picture you see next to this paragraph shows her handiwork on custom colored kuspuks, which still fit but needed minor mending to accommodate the girls growing bigger. The girls played lots of board games, crafted with everything from glue to glitter, and read lots of books during the visit.

Our kitty Winston went missing for 12 days, reappearing the night before we left for Kenai, vocal and malnourished from wherever he landed. A night or two is no concern, but after a week we reported him to the pound with no success. He ended up snuggling in the girls’ beds that first night and getting lots of love, and seems to be doing better now. Harper was very excited for this cuddle picture with him.

Another summer past time, constant trips to the you-pick farm. I have to at least add this to the blog, knowing it’s one of my favorite adventures and gets easier to do every year. The girls love jumping on the massive blowup strawberry (which was deflated on our last visit disappointingly), and ready for the fall zip line fun. We also impatiently wait for potatoes, carrots, and peas to open.

This picture articulates a creative activity the girls invented while playing at home over the summer. When focused on something around the house and not physically upstairs, fashion shows begin with the theme “dress like Mom.” This usually entails a master bedroom closet raid, complete with boots, shirts, skirts and hoodies donned and strutting around the house. The volume exponentially increases after a few minutes, and by far the favorite accessory is the discovery of bras, which produces a huge amount of giggles and wildness when on display. By the time I return upstairs, it’s an explosion of clothes (the less fun part of it for me!).

After a weekend at home to recover from our excursion down south, we packed up once again and headed to Kenai, this time for a family meetup for the next set of identicals (twins) to join the family. I completely dropped the ball on travel preparation, forgetting entirely to book somewhere to stay. Luckily we received an amazing offer to use a camper for two nights, parked outside of Jaren and Savaya’s house. The girls were thrilled at this new accommodation, since it’s “so” different from staying at a hotel or at a new house, as the girls say when we go somewhere (we return to our old house on the way back!), and overall other than a bit cold, they did pretty well. All three slept in the top bunk over the driver seat, while Craig and I corralled in the bed in the back and Grandma had the table turned bed. And you know what you do to solve being cold? Have a kid sleep next to you.

Sue and I helped set up the lady bug themed baby shower while Craig wandered with the kids through parks and jump parks on the peninsula. During the event the girls were in high spirits, continually sipping cups of juice, munching on snacks, and scarfing down a slice of cake as they ran around with the other kids on the beautiful, sunny day. All three seemed to enjoy watching Amber open presents and seeing all the baby outfits and goodies; it was a sweet reminder of how long ago that stage feels for us and how it really wasn’t that long ago. Everyone colored custom happy baby shower pictures along with our presents, sported pink necklaces (because baby girls of course!) and ran around with the ladybug fans and balloons for most of the afternoon. They were exhausted from the excitement and the fact everyone was cold and up way earlier than normal after a late night. I managed to get Emerie and Reagan to briefly doze off on an intentionally long drive back to the camper; Harper not so much, but she did settle for a bit in her booster seat.

We attempted a short lived fishing venture that night, not heading out until well around normal kiddo bedtime. It was still light and sunny and exactly three kid life jackets were waiting for us. The girls were full of energy and couldn’t resist running along the water, tossing rocks and collecting grass and wildflowers, completely unconcerned with how dirty they were getting or interrupting other folks trying to make a catch. After Savaya caught a fish, Jaren turned into a tour guide, showing them all the fascinating details of the catch—the slippery scales, the wiggling fish, and of course, those eyes that seemed to beg for a poke by three excited girls. They gathered around curiously as Jaren strung it up, getting a front-row seat to the process. It was a thrilling few minutes that would be replayed in their minds long after the drive home that night.

It was quite the whirlwind weekend, but also really fun! I look forward to these memories all year round and especially when timed with family. We are so lucky to be able to hop in the car and drive to see so many extended family members, something I did not grow up with. I’m already looking forward to next year, planning to step up our game for some real combat (dipnet) fishing, or get out on a boat. On the return drive we pit stopped at the train car for waffles, making sure Craig had a chance to experience it and I enjoyed a fancy coffee. The waffles were as delicious as ever (I finally tried them!), and the kids enjoyed the fun of eating in such a unique spot. By the time we made it back to town in the early afternoon, we (the adults obviously) were happily worn out and the kids happy to be home, with full bellies and a weekend’s worth of new memories to cherish.

Our next adventures relate to back to school and my kindergartners turning into first graders. More to come on that soon!

❤

Aug 09

Don’t “Juneau” What We Did This Summer?!

Better late than never is my theme lately on life blogs. Summer is often such a whirlwind that keeps us constantly on the move; I always have the best intentions of documenting the cute and exciting things that happen, the funny moments, the unexpected surprises, and the sweet (or hilarious!), everyday comments that ring into my ears. But before I know it, another day has passed, and I realize I forgot to jot down those memories to expand on later. Staying connected through these little updates over the years helps everyone feel more involved and more present, even when we’re miles apart. It’s one way to ensure that no matter how hectic life gets -and it can get pretty hectic with three- we’re all part of the adventure, the ups and downs, the big moments and the little ones, together.

We trekked down to Juneau for nearly two weeks at the start of July, with the plan to work in state office buildings there while the girls bummed around the city with Grandma Sue, wreaking the normal triplet havoc. We broke the record on number of suitcases, and resulted in what I felt like quite the spectacle lugging everything into the airport. The girls each had a tiny, pull behind carry on stuffed to the brim with their dolls and toys, and they even dragged their booster seats to the ticket counter, with minimal grumbling and groaning on the way. TSA and getting to the gate were much easier this time around -we haven’t flown with them in about 15 months- and they were oddly displeased at the lack of requirement for shoe removal as we passed through security. In fact, they strongly expressed their disdain to the agents, who were cracking up about it as they passed through. And I can also say, going through security with three six-year-olds is faster than going through it alone for a work trip: figure that one out!!

We occupied the back row of the 737 aircraft, which is actually amazing with multiple kids in tow and minimal turbulence. Reagan wanted Mom time on the way down and everyone swapped parents on the ride back. The best part about the flight down, besides how ridiculously smooth it was (for once), were her sentiments, which mostly consisted of repeating Mom, is this dangerous? It feels dangerous. Is flying dangerous? I think it’s dangerous. Once above the clouds and leveled out, she demanded to know why aren’t we moving anymore? How do we get there if we aren’t moving? It was unusually smooth, with only bright, blue sky and a layer of clouds below, giving the “air” (haha) of stillness.

After boarding Emerie asked twenty times when we would actually move and eventually figured it out as we pushed back. Harper stopped and explained to several smiling passengers that she was a triplet, and that her and Emerie are indeed twins, with another sister being her triplet. She continued to explain she had her own sac and so did her sisters and on and on… I still find it somewhat disconcerting that the layout of them before birth is explicitly shared to random strangers at the airport, at the store, everywhere.

Flights both directions were uneventful and everyone snacked and watched Bluey or Lion Guard on the iPad with minimal fighting; Craig worked on another yarn project and I listened to music and played random iPad games. One store had iPhone looking gum containers that were also devoured on the return flight; so funny. And I now believe we can tackle a longer flight and actually leave Alaska for a trip, and we will survive it! With a full backpack of snacks.

We stayed at Papa Cliff’s house for the whole trip, pulling sleepy blondes out of bed bright and early and loading the car in pajamas and messy hair, to drop them off at Grandma Sue’s to get ready and have fun for the day. Some nights everyone went to bed smoothly, other nights resulted in random and hyper chaos. For the most part, everyone slept well once asleep, and even through all the fireworks on the 4th of July, which were much louder and more constant than at home in Anchorage. At one point I could hear Harper comforting Emerie on the loud booms, explaining they were fireworks and she didn’t need to be scared. Very sweet.

Fourth of July weather was nice for the most part, at least in Juneau standards. It poured for a few minutes during the first downtown parade, nothing raincoats couldn’t handle. It didn’t diminish any candy collection or excitement; and Juneau may have a better parade than Anchorage! This being my first experience at it -we tried during our unplanned visit in 2019 and gave up due to the lack of parking and tiny toddlers in tow- and it was really fun. We grabbed hot coffees and smoothies at Heritage and walked over for the fun. The girls wore fancy flag dresses recycled from another triplet mom, fancy braids and hair ties (of course), and to top it off everyone’s faces were bejewled with sparkly “gems,” including Craig’s. Auntie Amanda was a little harder to convince, although I do believe one, lone gem made it on her cheek after we pinned her down.

The girls retrieved SO much candy. It must be a Juneau thing to distribute saltwater taffy and all the adults seemed quite excited by that too. The biggest monstrosity of the entire event was the man handing out plastic whistles to EVERYONE, and the crowd suddenly turned into a throng of tiny noisemakers. Parents winced while the kids, of course, thought the increase in volume was fantastic. I found myself caught in the middle of this chaotic symphony, ears ringing as I tried to embrace the sound increase. It was a sensory overload, but seeing the girls’ faces light up with joy was pretty priceless, and those damn whistles were hidden not long after we returned to the house.

We trekked over to the Douglas Island parade to ensure we had enough candy…and apparently more whistles, and enjoyed lunch at Island Pub. After the second parade the girls were climbing all over Auntie Alicia and Amanda, wanting to be carried, which was great for Craig and I not giving into it (hehe). We explored the beach a bit and played at the playground, snacked on lemonade and cotton candy, and it was an all around good day.

Another reason for the timing of the trip was for Craig’s 20 year high school reunion; somehow he (we) is that old overnight. The girls played a solid two and a half hours at the playground by the barbecue, with only a bit of rain and a lot of sand to ensure everyone was very dirty by the end. They didn’t even sit down to eat their burgers, and were very tired on the way home.

Another day one of my fabulous coworkers took us out for the girls’ first boating experience. Balancing their enthusiasm with safety was crucial, as we caught waves in hopes of seeing some wildlife. Riding a boat with three kids in Alaska is a minor feat in itself, and the very reason we hadn’t attempted this adventure when they were smaller. Other than the constant adult holding each kid’s life vests as we moved, it was a pretty easy experience and no one landed in the water or needed rescuing, even our wonderful tour guide from triplet time.

The breathtaking view of rugged mountains, expansive waters, and spots of sunshine provided a stunning backdrop; it is hard to describe. Even after growing up in this inspiring state, I am still in awe at such beautiful moments and hope the kids grow to appreciate how lucky we are to be here and raise our kids here. The kids, bundled up in warm layers, were filled with excitement and curiosity, pointing out every splash, boat, and potential animal sighting. We didn’t fish and catered to the demands to see specific wildlife, including a bunch of sea lions and whales. Harper expressed her opinion that we didn’t find any wild seals -which we spotted a different day from a dock by downtown- but also enjoyed listening to the sea lions expressive conversation from a distance. Luckily the girls have their father’s DNA when it comes to motion sickness, and the movement had no resulting effects on them. It was a memorable afternoon.

In addition to the boat excursion, one morning Sue took us to a beach at a low, negative tide, to see what we could find. As you can see from the photos, no hair was done or breakfast eaten, faces were dirty, but at least we changed out of pajamas and into coats and boots! It was well worth the reduced sleep, and I enjoyed it too as an “Anchorage city girl” myself. We left with three buckets of shells and other treasures…and happy girls.

Another first that my mom heart strings weren’t completely ready for, their first sleepover without mom or dad. While my emotions were a mix of pride and a pang of sadness on the realism they continue to grow up, it went smoother than I thought it would. In fact, it was no big deal to all three, sleeping over at Grandma Sue and Papa Lon’s house, and all demanding to sleep in Auntie Manda’s bed. I question if adults had a comfortable night of sleep, but everyone seemed in good spirits the following morning, and like it was no big deal. Sob!

One day after work we explored downtown and looked around for seal earrings, one piece of jewelry Harper desperately wants me to find, and I’m not sure actually exists. In the past I’ve found a diamond panda necklace and turtle earrings, but nothing seal related (which is not surprising). Auntie Amanda treated the girls to ice cream and I even cheated on my no sugar and ate a few chocolate covered, Alaskan blueberries (SO good). Emerie found a stuffed turtle with a baby on its shell, Harper found a stuffed seal she HAD to have for the collection, and Reagan spotted a panda face plate that she wanted more than a stuffy. I am happy to report the plate even made it back home without getting broken!

We finished our two weeks of adventures with two normal tourist activities when you visit, checking out the massive whale fountain and walking out to the falls. We lucked out on clear blue skies for our downtown excursion, and the girls begged me to find enough coinage for a wish at the fountain. It was a VERY big deal. In fact, Harper wished for a fabulous pink dress OR a pet seal to live in the bathtub, Reagan wished for all the Princess Sofia dresses in the land, and Emerie insisted she couldn’t divulge her wish with me or it wouldn’t come true, so who knows what whim she willed as her quarter went into the water.

We later walked to the waterfall out by the glacier, with a huge throng of tourist buses, moving very slowly. It was the perfect mix of clouds and warmth, so the walk wasn’t overly hot or bright, and the girls didn’t complain about temperature. They did complain about distance on the return trip, on a flat, gravel pathway, but managed to survive such hardship by collecting rocks, climbing and jumping off rocks, random screaming, and befriending a baby squirrel that followed us a ways. Harper at one pointed even noted I’m tired and my feet hurt, I need water and I just want to sit and watch TV… for a walk of less than a mile each direction!! The falls were beautiful and surprisingly loud, and everyone climbed up for a closer look. Grandma also muscled them up on one of the huge rocks, so they could stand in awe at the top and see everyone down below, much to their joy.

Also on the way back, Grandma Sue went into a legendary only-Sue-can-come-up-with-this-BS explanation on how the large rocks fell down the mountain from Elsa’s high castle, because it’s summer and the warm weather is making everything melt… something like, since it’s summer now and Elsa’s magic isn’t keeping things cold anymore, everything is starting to melt—including the mountains! That’s why these rocks have come crashing down and don’t look frozen anymore. Adults passing by were cracking up and pausing to inconspicuously listen to the animated narration while the girls (especially Emerie) argued about the validity of the information. The tale continued to expand as Sue defended her version of events with a mischievous smile. I mean if you really think about it…why not?? Juneau has a great winter climate with loads of snow (lately), it’s secluded and peaceful from the rest of the world, very beautiful, the northern lights boast their own type of magic that she could probably tap into, there’s lots of wildlife and options to connect with nature, and on and on! Yeah yeah, I’ll stop now. Suffice to say after a couple of weeks, Emerie is fully convinced that Queen Elsa of Arandale lives in Juneau during the winter, and is displeased that we missed her presence because our visit was the wrong season. Grandma has some work to do to keep her story true for next time we head down during the winter season! I have a feeling we will be trekking out to the falls in our snow gear.

All in all, it was a good trip- I questioned if two weeks away from home would be too long, but now that the girls are older and activities are easier to do, it was just right. They befriended a number of other kids on several play dates, kids we will have to see again on our future visits. They enjoyed many outdoor adventures and beach visits, parades and tasty foods, and spending time with family, i.e. torturing Auntie Amanda and Papa Lon, climbing all over Alicia and getting snuggles, and you can’t forget all the nail polish salon afternoons that occurred too. Good memories!

Until the next time ❤

Jul 05

Little Entrepreneurs & Summer Shenanigans

The girls embraced their entrepreneurial spirit during the first weekend of sun this summer and set up a lemonade stand at the end of the driveway, in coordination with the adjacent neighbor’s moving sale. For over two hours the night prior, all three worked on customized signs, using lots of color and adding hand drawn lemons and cookies. My freehand bubbles letters are not great, but their tracing and coloring over them turned out nicely. If you look closely, stylistically all three signs are very different, with Reagan spending a great deal of time drawing patterns in the letters, Emerie went for a more jagged look, and Harper added a cookie path at the bottom. Craig woke up early that morning to hand squeeze two Costco bags of lemons, and I managed to drop an entire first batch of it on the front steps (at least it wasn’t inside!) as we were setting up. Life lesson, carry juice containers from the bottom, not by the handle, which is useless…. The girls also helped Sue make chocolate chip cookie bars and her special rice krispy treats, which were individually bagged and ready to show the neighborhood the delicious treats typical in our household.

The two hour event was busy, and definitely hot from the first direct sun of the season! The girls hung out for most of it -a year ago it probably wouldn’t have held their interest that long- and Craig even had to run to the store for more lemons, thanks to my fiasco. We ended up raising the goodies to $1 a bag, after getting a lot of grief they were too low. The first sale of the day from a neighbor produced a $5 payment, which impressed me but not the girls, who seem to have a preference for quarters. It took about two hours to completely sell out, which I didn’t expect to happen! By the end of the morning, inflation became a major factor in prices and the girls were telling people $20 for a cookie bag, up to $36! Good thing that came with lots of giggling.

A few other notable things from this past June:

With childcare costs dramatically increasing this year, we opted to bring Grandma Sue up to spend time with the kids while the parents worked. With Craig traveling for work and me heading off to the office each morning, the girls discovered a couple new shows; one being The Lion Guard, a spinoff show to the Lion King, and Sofia the First, which is all about the princesses. In addition to some new shows, all three collected sticks on our adventures this month, absolutely heartbroken with denials they couldn’t come in the car, so in true Grandma Sue style, everyone found new sticks and made customized “Rafiki sticks” to play with. After lots of feathers and other craft material, and half of Craig’s hot glue from the garage, all three prance around with them proudly, surveying the pride lands of Alaska. Summer is fun, folks!

Two weeks of real sunshine meant all kinds of backyard activities to shove into that time, in case July turns cloudy and rainy like last year. The girls turn into self proclaimed “swim-girls” and love selecting a swimsuit to rock for the day. The water slide came out a number of times, as well as the kiddie pool, with insistence that cold water is still not acceptable. After many summers, the water table is still a hit, whether it’s filled with Orbies, water, dirt, or a combination of the three. The puppy also enjoys drinking out of it.

A sunny week wouldn’t be complete without a quick jog down to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center in Portage at least once. It was a perfect day and warm enough to leave the coats off, even with the breeze. We accidentally timed it to see a newborn, surprise baby muskox- only 16 hours old and snuggled in the sun, not a care in the world. After many fruit snacks and my feet are tired -oh and the picking of TONS of dandelions and other weeds- we had a great afternoon. Did I drive toward Portage at the end to make them sit in a patch of lupine for a photo?? You bet I did!

Our annual trip to Kenai was also a success. Craig continued to work from the office that week and I attended a work inspection and public involvement event while the girls chilled and explored with Grandma, and it was even easier to navigate than last year’s excursion. We did the usual fun, hopped over to Homer for an afternoon to walk along the spit, swing on the swing by the ocean, eat cheeseburgers to warm up, and find more flowers, played at the main Soldotna playground and walked along the Kenai River, and even ate breakfast (caramel waffles) in a retired train car, which was really cool. Dinner at cousin Jamie’s house, with smores and a fire, is now an expected activity when we wander around the peninsula. The girls really enjoyed playing games with Hayden and Maddie while Grandma and Mom had a nice break around the fire. We ended up staying up late every night, and the girls did pretty well with the routine change and were up for the challenge.

The first Saturday market visit of the summer couldn’t have been on a better day. The girls went down the massive slide a dozen times, their pace eventually slowing up three flights of stairs. Craig, Papa Cliff and I rode the merry-go-round a couple of times, even sitting on the horses. The spinning swings were a huge hit and a first for the girls. Even Reagan, who doesn’t like going fast, had a huge smile plastered on her face. Emerie posed her arms and legs silly ways each time around, looking like a suspended ballerina, and Harper hollered and yelled snarky remarks at us each time they circled.

One spinning ride turned out to be a little too adventurous, even though Harper and Emerie pleaded with to ride it again. All three were strapped in together, and as the ride picked up speed, they forcefully ended up squished into one side, laughing and squealing. Reagan, on the other hand, wore a look of pure terror, clutching the safety bar as if her life depended on it, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and regret. Harper and Emerie, meanwhile, couldn’t stop giggling, their infectious laughter filling the air. It was a scene straight out of a comedy show, although Reagan might not completely agree with that. We all agreed that we’d save that ride for another summer, or perhaps next time, when a non-motion sick adult could join to keep the peace and balance the scales a bit. Until then, we’ll stick to the merry-go-round and super slides!

We also adventured a little north this year and rented a cabin in Talkeetna for a few days. It was a nice break to go somewhere we haven’t explored in a while, and the girls wanted to check out EVERY single tourist shop in downtown. It was a lot of fun and all kinds of treasures were found, including patterns to a turtle and seal themed quilt -which Grandma Anne is now tasked with making, as well as finding an equivalent panda pattern to create for Reagan- and felted, kid-size purses, one being a panda. Lemonade stand revenue was definitely used during this trip. Much ice cream was ingested (I even cheated on my diet to collect fireweed ice cream calories), as well as a couple fun dinners out. We played along the water with a beautiful view of Denali, and timed our excursion before the wildfires up north began. The last pit stop on the way out of town was to a spruce syrup farm, who had the BEST ice cream and syrup for sale.

I can’t wrap up this blog without giving a special shout out to Craig, who continues to fully embrace his girl dad side. He not only rocked custom six-year-old makeup but did so with an admirable level of enthusiasm. The girls have a unique flair for makeup artistry, preferring to make each eye a different, vibrant shadow color, resulting in a look that can only be described as delightfully chaotic (you like that?!). And this day was no exception. Picture Craig, out and about, his eyelids a kaleidoscope of clashing colors that adorned attention with every blink. The funniest part was seeing people’s reactions – a mix of surprise and amusement – whenever they made eye contact with him; I kept forgetting about the colorful masterpiece he was sporting until he’d respond to me on something. The girls were absolutely thrilled with their work and beamed with pride as they wore their own rainbow-hued eyelids for the day. It was a testament to Craig’s dedication to making his daughters happy, no matter how wild the makeover! Don’t even get me started on his toe and fingernails….

And now, it’s time to kick off July with a bang and explore the exciting adventures that await us in Southeast Alaska!

❤

Jun 15

And that’s a wrap!

What a whirlwind few weeks! The girls made it through their first year of elementary school and are already excited to claim first grade. While displeased that beloved Miss Tawni won’t teach them next year (since they assumed she moved up every year haha), they also contain excitement for Miss Kelly, who is just a couple doors down the hall. Looking at comparison pictures from day one to the final day, you can see how much everyone grew, not just in height!

Kindergarten is always a significant milestone of achievement. Kids start as preschoolers, becoming comfortable out in the “world” and leave the grade as elementary schoolers, with boosted confidence, better social skills and vocabularies, and understanding new concepts for math, reading and writing. I won’t claim that my kids are the smartest, most accomplished, doing amazing at all intellectual challenges thrown at them kids; I will say they are all on track, working hard to learn new skills, asking questions about everything, and greatly advancing from day one. And that is all we can really ask for, making sure to support the growth and challenges and make the time to help them achieve milestones and grow up happy, healthy and supported.

Is it hard to do with three at the same level of development? Yes! It is hard, and I often get in my own head about how we should be better, do more things, read more at night, have less screen time; all the typically mom (and dad) stresses that we all face. But I also must remember they love and spend SO much time coloring and drawing, sitting with puzzles, making up playtime stories and games, discussing the day’s events in bed at night, cooking all the things, and so many other skills they didn’t possess two years ago. It is wonderful to watch and new things are added to the list every day. We could certainly do more, but are also doing so much at the same time.

The girls’ school didn’t do an official kindergarten graduation, but their home school gave us the option! So of course, I couldn’t resist ordering caps and gowns and participating in such a wonderful event, just for the pictures. The week before we did a home school run craft and everyone “stickered” their caps (Reagan found ALL the panda ones, Emerie found all the turtles with Reagan’s assistance, and Harper was sad at no seals but found a lot of other fun ones), they painted a pot for a sunflower seed, and made a hand print. All three had a quick questionnaire away from the parents and each other’s ears, in which all three still answered we have no pets, which cracked me up since we literally have cats and chickens (and now a puppy!). They are such funny responses I have to copy them for sincerity, and share the corresponding photo taken with the silly glasses. Boy, how alike do they look with those expressions, and the matching shirt doesn’t help!

Harper was born March 20th in Anchorage, Alaska. She currently lives with Mama, Dada, Reagan and Emerie. As for pets, Harper shared they do not have any, but one day hopes to have a pet seal. When she is not writing, she enjoys eating chocolate ice cream, planting flowers, finding treasures and dancing. Harper dreams of being a ballerina queen when she grows up and wants to have SIX children while living in a pink house.
Emerie was born March 20th in Anchorage, Alaska. She lives with Mama, Dada, Harper and Reagan and does not have any pets. When Emerie is not writing, she enjoys planting seeds to turn into flowers. One day Emerie hopes to live in the Disney Castle as Queen Elsa Ballerina, with her three children.
Reagan was born March 20th in Anchorage, Alaska. She lives with Harper, Emerie, Mom and Dad and does not have any pets. Coloring, playing with stuffies, dancing and snuggling in bed are things Reagan enjoys when she is not writing. She dreams of one day being an artist in Seward, Alaska (very specific!). When asked about future children, Reagan shouted, “I don’t want any kids!”

On graduation day, the girls were uncertain why they had to wear loose gowns and weird caps, but went along with their crazy mother and were good sports about it. Grandma Sue and Miss Tawni were able to attend and join in the fun, and the sun came out just for that day, so their name calling ceremony wasn’t rushed and miserable. Everyone lined up and was called down one by one to accept their gift bag. They stood behind their name stars calmly until the last name was called. All in all, I might have had a bit of a lump in my throat; it’s tough hitting these milestones only once, and knowing that is the only time we will experience it, even when it’s three fold!

As for my little graduates, I couldn’t be more proud of how much they’ve grown and thrived during their first year of elementary school. I genuinely love that we know the teachers, the school and where they spend their days…because the world is a scary place! This milestone is a testament to their hard work, curiosity, and resilience. Each of them has learned so much and shown remarkable progress in their own unique ways. From mastering the basics of reading and writing to developing a keen interest in science and art, their journey is nothing short of inspiring. They’ve made new friends, discovered new passions, and faced challenges with courage and determination. It’s incredible to see how they’ve adapted to the structured classroom life, embraced the excitement of learning, and found joy in their accomplishments. Here are a few specific achievements and areas where each truly shined:

Harper recently started drawing and writing “lists” more than prior months, checking things off as they occur. I’m not entirely sure which school subject she is drawn to -it might be PE or dance related things- she also really likes to color and is getting pretty good at it. She sits and focuses on craft creations much longer than in the past, and thrived learning her dance routines this year. Harper is still working on a couple of her letter sounds and continues to try to figure out the answers when she doesn’t know them.

Emerie trends toward a joy in math and is often sitting in the back of the car, reciting her numbers and seeing how high she can count. She will scold her sisters if they interrupt her concentration, especially once she gets past one hundred. At home we will often find her listening to a story Tonie by herself in her bedroom, completely content, or thumbing through a book and looking at pictures. I think she will be our bookworm and she loves doing the reading application on the iPad. She also enjoys coloring more than prior years and brings her own style to her creations. If she is shocked or frustrated, you will hear her announce “oh biscuits!”

Reagan has definitely excelled on her handwriting, letter comprehension and freehand drawing. She will likely be our writer and is always willing to assist a sister on writing a letter or depicting the correct sound. She loves to draw and color everything, something consistent throughout her preschool years. She is the closest to reading comprehension and the connection between the sounds into words; she is at the brink of figuring it all out! While English class is probably her favored subject, she also continues to love to sing; albeit a bit shyer than her sisters. At home she is always humming and singing different tunes, or ones she invents herself.

I also have to highlight the improved handwriting. Personally I prefer the “loop de loops” that emerged from their very early years, but since that can’t last forever, I will accept the accurately scribed letters going forward. This image shows week one of kindergarten to the last week of school; showing their quarterly progress.

Toward the end of the school year I began a mental debate on how to proceed into first grade, with all three staying together or splitting one out separately, since only two first grade classes exist. After discussing with Craig, their teacher, and my fellow mom friends, I believe keeping them together is the best option, although maybe splitting them up at separate tables or desks not immediately next to one another might help. I did ask each kiddo if they wanted to split or stay together and received a resounding response to stay together. Another factor that could have helped would be who stayed with bestie Nicole, and if split, the solo kid would HAVE to end up with her, in order to level the playing field.

When considering who to split out solo, the best option scholastically is Reagan, who picks up and learns things so effortlessly, but is also the one that likes being alone the least of the three. Moving to Emerie, if she split out solo, she would instantly feel left out, something that her sisters often do to her during playtime and require coaching on, which would make that dynamic more difficult. Lastly, if Harper were to split out solo, which might prove as a good option since she is headstrong and needs reminders to try to figure something out before demanding help instantly, but she also really likes being around her sisters and included in the group. It seemed like a no win scenario option to me, with a literal third wheel getting excluded from all the activities of the other two, and I’m not ready to face that. Not to mention two different classes would also equal different fields trips and homework, and more parental support on both sides. This all concluded my mind to keep everyone together, as they’ve done since entering preschool at age two and a half, and see how it goes.

As we ease into the summer months, I find myself reflecting on the passage of time and the milestones that come with it. Although this blog isn’t as timely as school year end, it’s a reminder that it’s okay to feel that tightness in my chest at the thought of everyone growing up so quickly and reaching their milestones simultaneously. Transitions to next steps are especially challenging for me, particularly without another little one to follow in tow and stretch out the current parenting phase. While these events are undoubtedly exciting and fun to prepare for and experience, they also bring a mix of stress and sadness. My mom brain feels the weight of these moments, realizing just how far we’ve come in this childhood journey. The days seem to fly by, and it’s a bittersweet reminder of the fleeting nature of these precious years.

Witnessing their enthusiasm for school and the pride in their achievements fills me with profound gratitude and excitement for what the future holds. These early experiences lay the foundation for a lifelong love of learning, and I can’t wait to see where their educational journey will take them next. My heart swells with joy as I celebrate these special moments and look forward to all the wonderful adventures that lie ahead.

Happy Kindergarten graduation ladies, we are so proud of you!

❤

Jun 02

Performances and Puppies!

After months of inquiries as to when it would happen, the girls attended their spring dance recital earlier this month, for both tap and ballet. After Harper’s solo dance class last spring, Emerie and Reagan begged to join so they could perform on the big stage like Harper. Custom costumes for each routine made for some excited little girls, and the big evening happened on an already big day, the last day of school.

Attending another ballet school’s performance the weekend prior also amped up the excitement. The Alice in Wonderland theme was really fun and everyone dressed up for the occasion, including Papa Cliff! The girls kept saying I looked beautiful -just for wearing a skirt- and all wanted do pose for photos and wear crowns. Craig went all out and did temporary hair color for each kiddo and everyone was ready for an evening downtown.

To our surprise at the girls’ show, Emerie turned out as the crowd pleaser, waving constantly and ensuring she was in the front of the group. Harper attempted to stay close to Miss Jess just like last year; while Reagan was more shy and stayed toward the back, focusing on her footwork. It took a bit to figure out who was who from so far back in the auditorium, and even then I wasn’t completely sure I was right on Harper and Reagan. Doing the same hairstyle and costume and a significant distance equals difficulty!!

The girls were excited for “real” eyeshadow and my eyeliner, and did pretty well to not smear it everywhere. Harper ripped her tights after the first dance and although displeased, thankfully didn’t throw a fit over it. Also unlike last year, Craig didn’t have to carry a screaming, overtired toddler to the car; all three did great after the picture with their teachers and some much needed French fries; bedtime routine was smooth sailing after a long night.

Another fun event that week, arguably the best run kid event ever, was the annual Anchorage Fire Department’s spring open house, at the training station over by the hospital. It was seriously the most fun event, with an immediate stop at the free face painting, a hotdog snd hot chocolate lunch due to the cold temperatures, and tons of activities to try and things to climb on. Don’t forget the bouncy houses and shaved ice!

Everyone climbed in the fire trucks and asked the kind firefighter five thousand questions about all the buttons; I had to pry Reagan away as she kept thinking of new things to ask. Everyone tried drilling concrete (with ear protection of course!), smashing soda cans and crumpling wood piles with the cool power tools. All in all, it was a really well done event, even with the rain! We will definitely return next year.

While Papa Cliff was here for a quick visit, the girls were excited to build the girly Lego sets with him, and we were quickly reminded that building a set with three six year olds at the same time is impossible. Building with two is actually doable. All three definitely demanded turns and they are improving on putting them together.

With summer’s arrival and the ground completely thawed, we finally buried our sweet kitty Rory, who spent the past two months solidly frozen in the garage freezer (unbeknown to the girls!). About two years ago we did this with Rafi and impressively the girls remembered that and knew what to do. Everyone sprinkled rose petals on him from their dance bouquets from Craig and added a million dandelions atop the dirt. It’s never easy to bury a beloved pet, but as death is still a part of our lives, I believe it is good to share the experience and talk about it, and prepare them for something that is not enjoyable, but happens in real life. They did great; Reagan needed some hugs but otherwise all were satisfied decorating his resting spot and asking questions about him in heaven with Rafi. Yes, Emerie still verified that his head was indeed still attached to his body….just in case that changed since she last inquired.

Unrelated to the burial service, Craig convinced me and the girls that adopting a puppy was the logical next step for our household. While this is continuing topic in our lives, he managed to find a super calm, five month old lab mix to bring home to love. The best part…in my opinion? She chews EVERYTHING, so all toys and clothes have to stay off the floor. That’s an instant way to convince kids to clean up after themselves, don’t you think?? The poor little teether is finding all kinds of goodies to enjoy, including our feet, cat toys, real mice, and the handles off bags. Seems like we have another toddler in the house. Just like with Rosie, the girls unanimously agreed with Harper’s first name suggestion, Gemma, and insist she sparkles like a gem or diamond. Insightful, right?

So we ease into summer with an empty, cat less freezer, and a new, sweet pup. If we can potty train three toddlers at once, we should be able to train one pup…I think!

❤

The Douglets

Triplets in Alaska

Author: akreba