The "Middle Child" and "The Milk Guzzler" are gone. 

Hayden is on his first cruise.   He and nine other graduates (along with five sets of parents- thank goodness) are on a ship headed toward Mexico. The gulf will never know what hit it after having met Tropical Storm Bill only to turn around and meet Hayden and friends.  

I made Hayden agree to follow one rule. 

Have fun as long as what you're doing doesn't negatively affect the emotional or physical health of you or anyone around you. 

He thought that sounded like a lot of rules. I was proud I thought of that. 

Hallie is at my parents house. We sent her back with them after Hayden's graduation. She's already asked for a puppy. Days later she sends me a picture of a kitten wrapped in a blanket. She's named him Cleo. I had to say no from four hundred miles away. Guess I should have given her and my parents a rule too. 

This means Rylie is geographically an only child this week. I was going to get a lot done this week. 

She thinks she's in heaven, having our undivided attention. The girl has plans; plans that I'm finding, are better than the ones I had. 

When you're with just one you can do all kinds of things that are harder to do with three. 

Rylie and I made a fort (which we forgot to take down before it rained). It was a good old fort and I got a picture of it. Now, years later, the picture will play tricks on her memory and she'll think I was fun like that even though this is probably the first time she's experienced an handmade outside fort (sad, huh?).

With one kid you can splurge on those Honeycrisp apples at the supermarket knowing they won't have all been eaten before nightfall. They're too expensive to disappear that fast. 

You can buy Rainier cherries for the same reason. I bought them yesterday and there's still a few left. Rylie and I practiced tying the stem in a knot with it in our mouth. (I'm pretty sure Rainier cherries have shorter stems-in other words, we weren't that successful). I put fancy fruit in my basket full of groceries and my bill was still cut in half. 

We played Scrabble. 

I taught Rylie how to start the car while we were at HEB to get the air going. With three, my mind never thinks a step ahead like that. 

We sang songs.

We took a long walk at Doornbos park and fed the ducks, a squirrel and some creepy, aggressive birds.  

   
 We made smoothies so thick and cold we gave ourselves a brain freeze; all this (except for the fort) in a day. 

I was a sucker at one of the mall kiosks. For six dollars she got to ride a horse in the mall for fifteen minutes!!  

 Moments to remember. 

Hallie's been gone over a week. Thank goodness for texting. 

When we dropped Hayden off for his trip, we got back in the car and noticed that quiet was our new companion. Rylie, referring to her rotten big brother, said, "I'm going to miss that guy's shenanigans". 

Truth be told, I do too. I miss the two big ones. 

But I'm remembering how important it is to get to hang out with each one when given the chance. And even when the chance doesn't fall in your lap to spend some time one-on-on, it's beneficial to make time and give your kid your undivided, attention. They deserve some unfrazzled you. I'm reminded to make that happen. 

Love the one you're with. 

And make time to be with the one you love. 

I've said, "Make time to date your man". 

Date your kid too. 

We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today. -Stacia Tauscher

Fruit Smoothie Recipe

  

I banana

2/3 cup pineapple (or other) fruit juice

1TB (or so) Orangejuice

1 TB milk 

1 cup yogurt 

1 cup frozen fruit (So far we've tried mixed berry, strawberry and mango) 

A handful of ice (if you want the brain freeze). 

*I must be ill, I almost forgot the sugar. 1 (or 3) teaspoons of sugar

Put it in the blender and share with your date. 

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