Days with Katherine

One thing I've noticed with just Katherine alone is that there is no time for leisurely blog-writing or reading.  It's not that she doesn't play by herself and entertain herself, but she wants you in on it too.  Calling for me to look at this or listen to this or getting in a jam she can't get out of.  But this is my focus now, and I try to soak up as many memories and hugs and sweetness as I can.

Yesterday I went to Debbie's for a nice cup of coffee and adult conversation.  They're wanting to list the house as soon as possible, and it just takes so much focus and time and decisions.  I know the house will sell easily.  They just want to take as much advice as they can to make it pleasing to future lookers.  I would buy it just because of the back yard. I should have taken pictures, but it's lovely.  It backs on a green belt.  I think that's what you call it up here.  No houses but just trees and a walking trail.  It's fenced and lanscaped really nicely with patios for relaxing and cooking.  I got an upstairs tour, and I think it's perfect.  I could move right in.  Across the street from the Win-Bins.  Nice place to garden.  A sewing room upstairs with built-ins.  I'm sure it's in my budget!

I left there to pick up Kate early from school.  It would have been sad except I know she'll be back next year, just not with the same teachers.  She has really blossomed since Christmas and is excited to be there and has a bunch of "friends."  She doesn't know all their names, but they are her very special friends.

We ate lunch and headed back to school for the Rooster Valley Carnival!  When we got there, we could find no parking anywhere, even though the church across the street had rented us their parking lot.  We parked pretty much downtown and walked about five blocks - which was the most interesting part of the day for me.  Kate wanted to stop and comment on every little thing she saw - flowers, a chalk hopscotch drawing, a puppy, a lady working in her flower bed.

Graduation was not over yet when we got there, so we wandered around and got her some popcorn and a juice box and talked to Chloe and Gracie's mom.  Here they are standing in line for cotton candy.

The girls got to bounce in 3 bouncy houses with slides as many times as they wanted to, and it was SO fun.

She's a patient little line stander and didn't seem to mind at all.

Because the reward was worth it.  Over and over.

Once she tired of that, we went to see what else we could find.  We found pony rides, and she really wanted to ride the small gray one, and we stood in line for 10 minutes without moving, and she just decided it was too hot to do that, so we found a water sprinkler to cool off and another line for cotton candy.  Twice.

Everyone REALLY wanted cotton candy.

On the way home, happy to pose with her second cc twirl and a blue mouth.  The next time she goes to school, this will be her pre-K building.

Heading down the street to find the car.  Five blocks was really seeming like a long walk for Mimi.

Yesterday was our first full day together, and we filled it up pretty nicely.  We walked Graysen to school in the early morning chill.  I miss doing that.  The bigger kids were all heading to their classes, and Graysen had a moment's hesitation from going in a different door than the usual playground entrance.  But then she saw Paige who gave her a big smile and got a hug from Lola, and she was on her way.

I sent this to Emily labeled Little Cosette.

Kate and I then drove to downtown Snoqualmie to the post office, and the only thing of note was this beautiful rose.  I think it was a rose.  It was a sort of ramshackle kind of house - or maybe it was a shed - but it was surrounded by the most beautiful flowers.  I didn't want to go any closer.

We then headed to the grocery store.  It's been awhile since we've gone together, and I forgot how much fun she makes it.  Comments about everything!  She wants at least one of every fruit there.  We glide sneakily past the bakery area while she's admiring the apples, but then she sees the candy and nuts.  She doesn't beg or even ask twice.  Except for her popsicles.  

It was the day to fill up Mimi's snack shelf, so she chose Teddy Grahams and pretzel Godfish plus some granola bars, but she didn't let me forget the promised ice cream.  Every aisle, she would mention is in an offhand sort of way.  So many times!  When it came time to choose, she got something I would not have.

I would have chosen something less staining and cheaper, but she had a fit over these.  Loved, loved, loved them.  I guess one every other day or so won't be so bad.  Smart marketing, of course, to put that Paw Patrol picture on there.

The girls were perfect after I picked up Graysen, so it was a good day.

This morning, Kate discovered the Reading Club Book List on the table and went ahead and wrote her name on one.  I noticed that it's ages 5 to 12, but I'll let her do it anyway.  There's a Newborn to 4 one that I missed.

She gets to color in a square for every 20 minutes she's read to, so I set the time and told her to pick out which books she wanted to read.  

All of them.

So, that catches us up for a bit.  This afternoon and evening is the first Farmer's Market, but it's so cold and gray that I think we're going to skip it, especially since I filled up the refrigerator with produce yesterday.