Coming back!

 Hello everyone! I know it's been years since I posted. The main reason was because I was a nanny for two autistic teens and I didn't think it would be right to post about them since their dad is a very private person. 

But I'm back! Not as a nanny this time, but as a reading tutor. I hope I can get some interesting things from the kiddos. If not, I'll be sharing advice and techniques I use in my tutoring. Let's keep it fun! Welcome back!

First off, I just wanted to share some kids quotes from when I was watching some kids during a Bible study: 

E: how about I can turn into a wolf? 

N: and you have the power to eat me up! 

E: no, a nice one. And you already know I have the power to turn into whatever I want. 

Me: oh, it looks like a dragon. That's a good dragon. 

-- no, it's not. It's a bad dragon. Grrrooaaar! 

Pretend you couldn't find me cause I time-traveled to another world.

Pretend we're ninjas but I'm the baby so you have to teach me.

And, last but certainly not last: 

Pretend I'm the teenager so I don't care. 

Oh my goodness do they learn from watching other kids! 

That's it for today. Keep tuned in! I'll have more soon! 

Springtime

It's officially spring now, and the two teens I nanny went to the beach... Well, I took them there... And they had fun sitting on the dock and getting their feet wet while I sat at a picnic table and enjoyed the sunshine. Also the water was beautiful, sparkling in the sun. It's supposed to rain this weekend so I have to enjoy as much sun as I can soak up. I hope you get to enjoy it too!

A day at the park

Today is the third day in a row that Dylan and I have gone to the water park at Storvik park. Today we started off with a picnic lunch in the sunshine after wondering when the morning rain would stop. Dylan really is enjoying getting outside. Too bad we can't get his brother to join us!

Hello again

Wow it's been a long time since I posted anything! For the past year I've been nannying for a family that's new to Anacortes. There are two boys, age 14 and 12. Things are going well, though its hard to get the kids to enjoy the outdoors. Hopefully this summer will be a fun one. I know I'm having fun playing with my new phone... My first smartphone! Anyway I hope to spend time in nature this summer, even if it means having to do it after I get off work. Here's my challenge to you... Make a summer bucket list and see how many of the things you can check off!!

Birthdays, Berries, and Bee Stings

Can another year already have passed?  It seems the other day that the twins had their 5th birthday, and now they are turning six! Crazy times....
So, I wanted to give them their gifts today, and I swung by the house to visit while they were all out at the barn tending to various fix-it projects.  The girls thought their little stuffed animals were cute and were happy to each get a bag of Skittles (can we eat them now?), and all was fun.
Then we munched on a few blackberries that the girls had been picking, and all was fun.
Then it was suggested that we go and pick some more along the trail bordering the pasture.  We picked and munched, picked and munched.  The girls insisted that I take all the berries we were picking so I could make some cobbler for my parents when I went over for dinner.
And all was fun.

Until ....
It all started with Cooper (the dog) getting stung.  Big sis noticed and we were all concerned, but she seemed fine, so we kept on picking.
THEN we noticed it.  A wasp's nest bigger than my head was resting on the ground just to the left of the trail, and a bunch of wasps were crawling all over it.
EEK!
I'm sure my eyes widened, and I imagined the worst - wasps flying and crawling all over us, stinging us eight times each.  We all decided to GET OUT OF THERE QUICK - - - -
But we weren't fast enough.  Poor Sawyer got stung once and Rylee 2 or 3 times, including on her jaw.  Cass and I were fortunate enough not to get stung, but there were tears!  I can still hear Rylee scream when she first got stung. I thought "this is it!" Wasp apocalypse.
We got out of there okay though, and their mom came running, ice packs were administered and Benadryl given, tears were dried and all was well.
Happy birthday, twins!  I love you lots and you are brave, adventurous girls!!  Hugs and kisses and quick healing!

Making a Splash

Yay for summer!  The perfect time to take the kiddos to the beach to throw rocks into the ocean. I'm so glad they wanted to, instead of staying glued to their screens.  Good, old-fashioned fun wins another day!!

The boys and I took part in the timeless joy of picking the biggest rocks to make the biggest splashes, comparing the shapes, sizes and colors of all the rocks around us, and even keeping a few in our pockets.

Take time out to smell the ocean and listen to the seagulls sing!  Happy weekend!!

Back in the saddle

Well, here I go again! Back to work as a nanny, meeting new kids. It's an adventure, I suppose, is the best way to look at it. I have mixed feelings, but my lack of hours at my current job has led me this opportunity. My plan for today is to take some boys for a walk out at Washington Park, and hopefully they'll have fun exploring the beach and climbing the twisty tree. Since they are new in town, I hope this will be their first visit to the park. Maybe we'll get some ice cream after! Wish me luck!