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Empty Nest

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Re-enrty has been so hard after this vacation.  We had THE BEST vacation in a long time.  I laughed a lot and relaxed so much. The kids all had a blast.  It truly changed me.  It made me really think about what is important in our life....time together, playing games, laughing with old friends.  Our family can be a bit serous and goal oriented much of the time.  On vacation, I really lived in the moment and just had fun.  I realized that we need to do a lot more of that.  In fact, this whole summer has been really fantastic and fun (for me anyway).

It is a little quiet at our house right now. Will is in CA for the US Water Polo Junior Olympics.  I am really proud of him.  Not many kids get to participate in the Junior Olympics and Harry has been there for Judo (and won silver) and now Will is there (their team is losing but they are there!).  Funny thing is... I have never really thought of us as a very athletic family.  I am not athletic AT ALL.  But these peanuts are really surprising us with their athleticism!

Anyway, Will is having a blast with his team...bonfires on Laguna Beach, hanging out on Balboa Island, Van's Surf championship, team mass at Mission San Juan Capistrano...it does not get much better than that!

Early this morning, Harry left for his fifth year at Camp Utopia (not its real name;)  He is going for 2 weeks this year and I am a little sad.  I really enjoy my kids' company and I miss them when they are gone that long.  In fact, yesterday morning before he left, Harry and I had a date.  He is a coin collector (silver, really) and he wanted to go to some garage sales to look for silver coins.  I don't really enjoy garage sales but I sure did enjoy the two hours hanging out with my smart, sweet 12 and 1/2 year old son.  He is such a fabulous kid. I love his personality and it is fun to have one on one time with him.

We took Harry this morning to the bus for camp.  Kate was a little sad for two reasons.  One is she REALLY wants to go to Camp Utopia and she figured out she is old enough but I am making her wait until next summer (I am not ready).  And two...she LOVES her brothers.  She will miss her Habu profoundly for 2 weeks.  She cut 14 pieces of post it notes to count down the days until he comes home.


You can see how sad she looks in the photos...

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Waiting to check in and take his temp to make sure he is not sick:)

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6 am waiting to board the camp buses with his buddy.

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Hugs goodbye...

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After the buses pulled out, we went home and grabbed breakfast
and then headed to the beach with Kate...

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She was a little scared/intrigued by the jellyfish.  We also found some cool sea slugs.


Dave and Kate built a sandcastle...

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And some drippy castles too...

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It was a very nice day.  And tonight Kate is spending the night with a friend, so the nest is really empty. It is weird.  I have no kids to cook breakfast for in the morning and no one to chauffeur to work or camp!!  So strange.

I have a few more posts to do from our vacation and then another post where I will auction off some clothes for a blog friend's adoption.
So, if you are interested in some Matilda Jane and other clothes, check back this week.

P.S.  {Kate's suit is from Target}

18 comments:

  1. Oh, Kate's face is soooo sad - how sweet.
    Will stalk your blog for the auction - yay! Great chance to buy cute clothes for a great cause!

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  2. I love Harry!!! He is going to have a ball. I'm so proud of him!!

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  3. So sweet to see how sad Kate is to send her Habu off to camp. She look so darling in that bikini... look at those long legs! Enjoy your one-on-one time with Kate.

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  4. the empty nest, i can't help but think of all the things it implies: empty as the mama who bids her baby goodbye at the dorm room and has her nest go from full throttle to oddly quiet ... empty as the woman who can't seem to embrace what God has gifted ... empty as the barren woman who longs desperately to fill a nest, a space ... empty as the mama who's overwhelmed in her calling and trying to find her faith ... empty as the sister who has a full house, but still feels, herself, half-empty ... and empty as the mother who breathes in a sliver of sweet peace when the children head off to camp or grandmother's house for a bit. as a mom of five and a woman in the midst of an overflowing nest...i think about these things. empty to me is a promise word. something God wants to fill. and He more than anything, regardless of our nest, desires to fill it with Him -- with His fullness.

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  5. I love that you pinned it "Camp Utopia" - made me smile.
    XO

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  6. Love her bathing suit and I know what you mean about the empty nest (mine is that way all summer)!

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  7. Glad will enjoys overnight camp. I went once and was NOT a fan until lacrosse camp in high schools, but I was with all of my friends. Wish I had given it another go when I was his age...

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  8. "Watching" Harry leave for camp and seeing Miss Kate's little face was almost too much. What sweethearts you have!! :)

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  9. One advantage of older parenting, I have many years to go before my next is empty; ironically, I spent many years before parenting with empty nest syndrome...

    Kate looks stunning in those colors.

    I've enjoyed your beaches posts; looks divine.

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  10. Not sure where my first comment went...

    I have many years to go before empty nest, one advantage, I suppose of older parenting. Ironically, my empty next began before I became a parent, i.e., the five year wait.

    I look forward to your beaches posts every year!

    Kate is stunning in those colors...I think the target site crashed from everyone trying to find one!

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  11. Am sure it feels so strange without the boys around! Sweet Kate -- hope she is feeling a bit happier and am sure she enjoying some fun times with you and Dave!

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  12. Harry looks really excited and poor Kate has the sweetest sad face!! I can remember having the SAME SAD FACE when my college aged sister would return to school after the summer break!! Nothing like SIBLING LOVE!!


    PS Love Kate's swimsuit and that Kate has the LONGEST LEGS!!!

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  13. Oh boy how I can relate..those goodbyes were always so bittersweet. Always fun to see them excited and ready to go but it takes a few days to get used to the new quiet....try to enjoy the time "off" and before you know it they will be back! Let Kate shower in all the attention....

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  14. I am sure you found something to do with your empty nest time. It looks like the beach helped Kate get over her sadness.

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  15. Oh she does NOT look happy! it seems like a cruel joke that as our kids get older and we get to know them better they go off and leave us!! Hate that!
    xo

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  16. Excited to see the clothes for auction. She is always dressed so cute.

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  17. I'm a bit late to the party but just read with excitement that Will was our in our neck of the woods! Balboa Island is in our backyard and my kids have many school friends who live there! I hope he had a wonderful time out on the left coast. Our ocean water is coooold compared to the east coast (the current originates in Alaska). Currently, the powers that be are petitioning to remove our beach bonfires. I'm so glad Will got to experience this tradition in our area. You remind me to take my kids out there before it's too late.

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  18. I hear you! I am so sorry that Kate is getting teased. I hope that it will pass! If it continues you need to address it with the girls mother.

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Thank you for your kindness.