Our Scrumptious ( Vegan) Life: July 2018

For the last few years, we've relocated to the West Side for a camp for Elianna. SIG (Summer Institute for the Gifted) takes over schools across the country and does both residential and day camps. SIG does a camp in Seattle (Redmond actually), at a private school and this year Marielle has joined her sister. It's kind of an undertaking; we didn't know the area at first and rented a house farther away than we wanted to be, the next year our Airbnb host canceled 2 days before we were supposed to leave and left us scrambling to find a home. Mike only gets off about half the time so we miss him. All that being said, we really enjoy it. This year we chose the same house we found on the fly last year and it's just perfect. It's close to an amazing park, we always go opposite traffic and it's quirky and fun. I love the diversity in Seattle and seeing the big lakes. Elianna has always had a great time at the camp and has made friends that carry over year to year. Even Marielle who was worried about people not liking her has made a friend who seems to like her as much as she does.

Mike got here a few days ago and has been shadowing some doctors at Harborview Medical Center so he can become our local go-to guy for non-accidental trauma diagnoses in Spokane. I've been going to the gym everyday and exploring the various walking trails. When we pick up the girls they have either been doing playdates, taking Hapkido classes or playing at our local park.

Who are the girls these days? Let's see, Elianna is confident, opinionated, sassy and a challenge. I say she's a challenge because she challenges most things I say on the daily. As an example, there is a very sketchy, half built tree house at our Airbnb. Marielle had already fallen and gotten hurt and when I made it off limits, her response was, "Well how are you going to know if I go in it or not? You can't be out here all of the time." Oy vey. It keeps me on my toes, trying to teach her without squashing her. She is constantly irritated by Marielle which vexes me to no end, all the more so because I can't control it. Sometimes they get along famously, others, it's all tears and screaming. I really, really hope they end up being friends when they are older but it's anybody's guess right now. Elianna is very sweet however and beneath all her bravado, she's still an 8, almost 9 year old who very much needs her momma. It's hard to remember that sometimes because she is so mature in other ways. We have talks at night before she goes to bed and I just love those. She's a reader, much like I was and because she has a kindle, she won't ruin her eyes reading by the light from the hall until 10pm. One of my favorite things right now: She can't wink, not even a little. So when I wink at her, she'll take her finger and pull down one eyelid. Makes me melt.

Pictures that capture Elianna perfectly:

"Very well, peasant, you may take the royal picture"

Sweet girl at the farmer's market, visiting the goats

Sassy girl on a family run

And who is Marielle? Our Mod-mod has grown up after a fashion. She's a very young, almost 7 year old who wishes with all her heart she was one of the big kids. She's hyper aware of being left out and constantly (to our dismay) screeches about things not being fair. She is always on the move and I don't think she has sat down for a meal yet; she's got one leg on the ground, two chair legs tipped up...there have been times when I hold her hands and move them up and down and she'll jump and jump and jump and jump! The energy pent up in that tiny body is impressive. She has continued with gymnastics without her sister and has taken to cross country with a vengeance. When she decides to turn it on, she looks like a gazelle, or a Kenyan! She is stubborn like her sister but crumples with the slightest bit of sternness. She feels all the feelings and very intensely; she can wail like nobody's business! She is the sweetest little girl and loves, loves, loves to snuggle. She tags along after big sis and always wants to play "family". She is a reader too, although not as much as Elianna. She would much rather be active than sit down to read and is often disdainful of Elianna's attachment to her books. She asks big questions, like, why do people think men are better than women? Is the Bible real? What is the Bible? Which Presidents owned slaves? Another Sokoloff girl, keeping me on my toes!