The Chic Sheikhs

Classics

2011-08-08T00:15:00.000-07:00

I've often found myself wishing that I was familiar with many more classic novels and films than I currently am. So I've started attempting to catch up. I probably need to print out some must-read or must-watch lists and just start checking them off. But for now I've added a few movies to my Netflix queue that for some reason I missed the first time. Most are just pop-culture, but others are timeless. A few that I've watched so far...Breakfast at Tiffany's, Say Anything and Footloose. Funny list...I know. I'd love to know what your favorite classics are so that I can add those to my list as well.

I've also been reading some classic novels to Troy. We started with Black Beauty (can you believe I had never read this book or watched the movie?) I balled my eyes out reading the book to him. I'm such a girl, I cry about anything. I mean (spoiler alert) the horse does not even die at the end like I had expected. But I cried through most of it anyway. I even cried reading the "about the author" page. Now we are reading a junior-readers version of Moby Dick that I picked up at a yard sale. Yes, another classic I had no clue about. So imagine my surprise when they started harpooning those poor whales. Troy can't get enough of this book. I've never seen him so enthralled by any other chapter book. But then again, I guess it shouldn't be too difficult to compete with titles like The Mouse & the Motorcycle and Hank the Cowdog.

Now that I think about it, there are a ton of Broadway shows that I have no clue what they are about either. Les Miserables, Fiddler on the Roof, South Pacific, and West Side Story come to mind. Hmm...might be a good excuse to join my husband on a business trip he has to NY this fall. I'm sure he'll like that idea..."Do you mind if I purchase an expensive airline ticket to NYC and also a bunch of expensive Broadway show tickets while I'm there?" Why would he say no? LOL.

I resemble the remark a friend of mine used make, "I'm about as cultured as a box of wine!" Now let's see if I can change that up a bit. Next up on the book list...Wuthering Heights for me and Treasure Island for Troy.

Happy Birthday Michael (42)!

2011-08-03T22:28:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my husband. Always the coolest & most fashionable guy around. I love you.

Best Friends

2011-08-01T23:42:00.000-07:00

Me (Reading Story to Laura): "Pooh and Christopher Robin are best friends. They love to spend time together and have fun."

Me: Laura, who is your best friend?

Laura: You are Mommy!! (big hug)

Laura is 3!

2011-06-26T21:59:00.000-07:00

DC

2011-06-23T23:43:00.000-07:00

Better late than never.

We spent some time this past April exploring the "other" Washington. The cherry blossoms were in bloom and the weather was warm enough to swim in the hotel's outdoor pool. Perfect! We visited all the usual places like the Smithsonian museums, the capital buildings & monuments, the national zoo, the national cathedral, and lots more. My favorite was when I finally said "no more Metro" and instead started to drive around all the different neighborhoods. They are gorgeous. I discovered that DC isn't really a town for kids. I rarely saw a child younger than 10. Turns out not many kids live in the city either, which is why you won't find many parks with play structures. I no longer take that for granted in Spokane. Here we can go just about anywhere and have a park to play at. Not so in DC.

Why is it that at the zoo kids always have more fun playing on the animal statues than they do looking at the actual living animals? Someone should open up a zoo of just concrete animals. I'm sure my kids aren't the only ones who would love it.

Love the scrunched up nose smiles.

A friend told me that we should visit Georgetown Cupcakes while we were in DC. It's the small...no make that tiny...cupcakes-only bakery behind TLC's hit show "DC Cupcakes". We waited in line for at least 30 minutes to enjoy our $4/ea. cupcakes. They were good, but they weren't THAT good. Now I've got to watch the show.

We also had a chance to visit with some friends we hadn't seen in ages and say hello to a few relatives in the area. If you ever get the chance to visit Hershey Pennsylvania, don't miss out on the tour of Chocolate World. So much fun that Laura slept through most of it!

DC was a great change of scenery. I'm looking forward to taking the kids back again once they've had a chance to learn a bit about American history in school. But in the meantime I wouldn't mind going back without the kids. Hmm...let's put that on the calendar!

Lucky Parker

2011-05-22T21:43:00.000-07:00

I've never won a coin toss. I always lose at the casino. The lottery is not my friend. Stores never have the shoes I want in my size. I could buy 99% of the available tickets to any given raffle and still not win. They quit making my favorite flavor of ice cream. And my favorite lipstick color too.

But the universe makes it up to me. You see, I'm a lucky parker.

Really...I have truly amazing luck finding fantastic parking spots in the most improbable situations where most folks wouldn't even try.

It usually goes something like this...

Me: Oh, it's the Bloomsday race number pick-up and trade show today. No worries, I'll just drive down and get a spot right in front of the entrance to the convention center.

Husband: Yeah, right. You will never be able to find a spot there today. Better look on the opposite end of downtown for a spot.

Me: Pull in to open parking spot in previously stated location.

Husband: Reaches down to lift his jaw off the car floor, shakes his head in disbelief and then mumbles something to the effect of "how the hell do you always do that?"

Me: Who are you with?

Kids: Lucky Parker Joy!!

Michael was so impressed with my lucky parking ability that he snapped this photo from inside the convention center at the Bloomsday trade show this year. I drew an arrow to highlight the awesome parking spot.

Race day was no different. Found a great spot very near the start line. Lilac Parade...Some people arrive hours early. Not me. But that's okay, still got a great parking spot. Shopping at Target on Black Friday? I'll be the one parked in the spot nearest the entrance.

I don't know how or why this happens to me. But hey, I try to be grateful for and appreciative of all the little things in life. Parking spots & all. LOL!!

Kitchen Makeover

2011-05-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

It's not completely finished yet, but thought I'd share these pictures.

Before...

After...

Before...

After...

Our budget didn't allow us to everything we would have liked to, but I think this is an awesome start!

Laura vs Road: Road Wins

2011-05-07T19:45:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken after the goose-egg bump swelling had mostly gone down.
Proof positive that just walking down your street is super dangerous when you're just two years old.

Bye-Bye Winter

2011-03-21T23:05:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to say "Goodbye" to a very long winter season and "Hello" to spring.
Here are a few winter pictures to remind us that winter is more than just the blahs.

Extreme Sledding...

Christmas Tree Cutting...

Skiing...

Ice Skating...or at least trying to...

Snowmobiling...

Really Big Snowballs and a Laura Sized Snowman...

Yep, we all had some fun this winter...

Ready to Run

2011-02-28T22:16:00.000-08:00

It was completely out of nowhere. I looked at my husband and said, "If we are going to do it, we should do it now." I saw the twinkle in his eyes a split second later as he realized what I was talking about. He knew exactly what I was eluding to. We should run away. Far, Far Away.

It's not the first time we've considered this option. There is a point with our seasonal business each year, when we've collected most of the money due to us, but not yet paid many of the bills. During this brief moment in time each year, when illusion makes our financial picture seem extra rosy, this is the time when we dare to dream what it would be like to pack up our family and leave this country for greener grass somewhere on the other side of an ocean. Sell everything we own, say "screw-you" and fall off the map. We should take all this money, most of which isn't really ours, sell everything we own and run away to a place where they would never find us.

That's my dream. To run away and start over. It always has been. In one form or another.

Every time life gets difficult, each time someone criticizes me or the decisions I make, each time I feel insecure, that's when I fight the strong impulse to run.

In real life I have run away a few times.

It started when I was very young. Once when I was probably four years old I tried to pack up everything in my bedroom so I could run away. I wasn't sure where I was headed or how I was going to carry everything with me, but I certainly wasn't leaving without my top 25 favorite stuffed animals and every item of clothing in my dresser. I clearly remember my mom walking into my room. Naturally she got very upset when I told her of my plan to run away. She told me that I had better get all of this stuff cleaned up and put away before my dad got home or else I was going to be in huge trouble. I tearfully followed her instructions, never even making it out of the house on that attempt to run away.

Shortly after graduating from high school I was confused about school and relationships. I just didn't know what to do with my life. So I ran away to the other side of the country and lived there for a year. It was one of the best things I've ever done for myself. It really opened up the world to me, having that opportunity to explore many of the big cities on the east coast.

After graduating from college I ran away again. First to a new job in an exciting city and when that didn't work, I ran away down under for a couple of months. It was the best experience of my life up to that point.

I've even tried to run away from my marriage once or twice too...who hasn't at one point or another?

The trouble is that the world is actually quite small. And it doesn't matter where you go or what you do. You are still you. Running away helps for a bit, but problems have a way of following you no matter where you hide.

I guess it's that realization that keeps us grounded in our lives as they exist now. This time anyway. But if we ever turn up missing about this time of year, you'll know where we've gone...Or will you?

iLove

2011-02-19T23:04:00.000-08:00

Dear iPhone,
I've only known you for a week or so now, but already it's so difficult for me to be in a room without you. If I would have known how special our relationship could be I probably would have switched carriers long ago, rather than waiting years for Verizon to finally offer you. I can't live without you now. I stay awake much too late at night, just so I can press your buttons in private. You are my coolest accessory, my phone, my iPod, my work, my camera, my calendar, my watch, my grocery list, my kids' electronic babysitter, my weather report, my turn-by-turn GPS directions, and my love-note sender. You make by heart beat fast each time I hear your chime ring. I'm sorry I didn't buy you insurance, so please, please don't ever get hurt or leave me.

I love you and that sparkly pink bedazzled outfit you're wearing.

I'm Forever Yours. ~Joy

Procrastination

2011-02-12T23:35:00.000-08:00

Wow - I've been bad about keeping this blog going. Not sure why I procrastinate so much. I guess I just feel like since I don't have time to really make each post my best writing possible, that I just don't bother to post at all. Before I know it another month has come & gone. But now that work is slowing down just a little bit and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel (spring), it's time to recommit myself to this page.

Here's more than a few tidbits about what's going on with each of us. I'll try to get some new pictures posted soon!

Laura
I have to say that I really miss snuggling with my baby, but at the same time this 2.5 year old is such a pleasure. She is my little shadow, my mini-me. She loves to help me do everything from housework to "helping" me hold a pen when I'm writing something. She especially loves to help unload the dishwasher, vacuum and cook. She is getting much better about entertaining herself for a good amount of time. She has really entered the world of make believe and her most favorite toys are her Scooby-Doo action figures. Her world pretty much revolves around Scooby-Doo right now. The first thing she wants to know when she wakes up is when she can watch Scooby-Doo. We read Scooby-Doo books, eat Scooby-Doo mac&cheese, snack on Scooby-Doo fruit snacks and we even made homemade Scooby-Snacks for human consumption (chocolate cookies cut into dog-bone shape). Other favorites are all the Tinkerbell princess fairies and coloring, especially in her Hello Kitty coloring book. I just found out today that she knows the alphabet song and can sing the whole thing, but her favorite song remains Jingle Bells. She asks me to sing it to her about 5 times every night before she'll fall asleep. I've really got to look up the lyrics and see if there is another verse I can add. She is becoming more & more social at the co-op school we attend. She really looks forward to going and is already practicing for middle school by singling out the kids she does and does not like. She will frequently rattle off the list of which kids she likes & dislikes. If you've wronged her even once, you are on her don't-like list, so don't mess with Laura...this girl can hold a grudge! We moved her to a big-girl twin bed which she loves and it immediately cured her of wanting to sleep in our bed. She sleeps regularly from about 7:30pm-7:30am and rarely wakes us up in the middle of the night anymore. She is still the lightest sleeper ever, if you just peek into her room her eyes will open wide and she'll start a conversation with you. Boom, just like that she goes from being completely asleep to wide awake. She changes her clothes at least 5 times a day and frequently comes out of her room dressed for a fancy ball in her cutest tutu, feathery high heeled shoes, several necklaces/bracelets, a sparkly purse and headband with a huge flower on it. At school, the first thing she goes for is the ballerina leotard/tutu outfit. I don't bother to make sure her clothes look good before heading to co-op, because I know she is just going to put the ballerina outfit over it all anyway. Her hair is getting a little out of control. It reaches the end of her back when it's wet, and then bounces back up into beautiful curls, at least until it all turns into one huge snarly mess. I just can't bring myself to cut off those curls yet. I'm so afraid they won't come back. She does allow our amazing babysitter Katherine to create beautiful braids and pigtail styles, which I'm not allowed to even attempt to replicate. Her favorite foods are hard-boiled or scrambled eggs, pepperoni, blueberries, tomatoes, plums & cottage cheese and of course, Scooby Snacks. She gave skiing a try, so now daddy has bragging rights to say that he started her skiing when she was just two years old. She truly is the girly-girl I hoped to have. All pink, all the time!

Troy
Troy has begun really considering all the career options available to him. His recent choices have been Scientist, Engineer, Architect and today, Artist. We're just happy that he outgrew his three-year old fascination with becoming a garbage truck driver. He has earned a reputation at school for being good with all things science. His favorite musician is Katy Perry. Thank goodness he doesn't understand many of the lyrics...his favorite song by her (lyrics according to him) is "You're Safari you Know" (you're yes & you're no). I think it's better the way he sings it! It's especially cute listening to him talk with 3 missing teeth. When will those adult teeth ever pop through? He is taking gymnastics and nearly lost one tooth in the giant foam pit. Lucky he was able to save it for tooth fairy, which I've managed to convince him really does exist. And speaking of gymnastics, he loves to show off his handstands. His favorite "toys" are his electricity set and his microscope. He is really reading now and loving it. To me the whole process of children and literacy is just incredible. It's fun to see the wheels spinning in his mind as he attempts to read everything. Today we moved all his books to a new larger bookshelf and I realized that his book collection is more of a reference library. His favorite books all have names like "The Human Body", "The World Of Science", "How Things Work.", "Solar System Experience" and "Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs." The registration dates for next year's school year are approaching and we are contemplating keeping him at the private school for first grade. It's a tough decision, but in the end I know that we are lucky to have a choice between two really good schools. The public school in our area has a fantastic reputation and he would probably do great there, but I feel we shouldn't mess with a good thing because he is doing so well at his current school. I wish we didn't have to make the decision in early March for what will be best for our child come September. So many things can change in 6 months. Anyone have any opinions about private faith-based school versus public school? He has been really testing us to find out how much control he can gain. I hope this is just a phase and that it will end soon. He's also figured the whole skiing thing out. I can no longer keep up with him down the slopes. Troy is a super kid and I truly enjoy spending time with him and listening to all the stories he tells "for real, mommy."

Michael
Michael has been running regularly, training for Bloomsday and perhaps a half-marathon later this year. He continues with his work-a-holic ways, usually working about 18 hours a day to...
A. Help companies secure much needed financing.
B. Keep the books for our ski vacation rental business (aka - fixing my mistakes)
C. Market the Memory-Maker event kiosk (don't ask)
D. Push for an almost cure for cancer to become available (ask him)
E. Constantly working the stock market (he used to be a broker)
F. Negotiate a Nigerian oil deal (for real?)
And the list goes on & on. I can promise you that you've never met anyone who can network the way my husband does. He can travel anywhere in the world and always have someone in any city to meet up with to discuss some business opportunity. I've mentioned to him that he should seriously consider writing a book about how to network. He is the master of it. For real.

Me
Well, I got an iPhone a few days ago. Text me!
What more is there to say?
:)

Honeysuckle

2011-01-24T21:49:00.000-08:00

I haven't been too excited for a new year these past few years, but for some reason I was really looking forward to the start of 2011. I don't know if it's because a whole new decade seems more promising than just a plain old new year or what, but I just started developing this sense that 2011 was going to be a great year for me. We have a lots of exciting things happening this year that I'm truly looking forward to and I've also got quite a few personal goals that seem more achievable now than ever before. But still, I just couldn't quite put my finger on what it was about 2011 that I was so looking forward to.

And then I read this little gem of a headline... Pantone "the world-renowned authority on colour" announced that their color for 2011 is none other than....PINK! Well, technically they call it honeysuckle. But for real...the color of the year is PINK!!!! Every time I go out I'll see pink on everything from clothes to housewares, to interior design, to gasp...might they make a honeysuckle car??? The celebrities are already wearing it. http://lifestyle.msn.com/your-look/celebrity-style/staticslideshowinstyle.aspx?cp-documentid=26784467

I think I've mentioned on this blog before how much I adore the color pink.
So Yes, 2011 is going to be a fabulous year because it's a PINK year. Yippee!
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/lifestyle/Home-d-cor-trends-for-2011_8268155

Hurry, run out and purchase something Pink. The year goes fast and next year the color will probably be something disgusting, like rust perhaps? So go get your pink now and enjoy this incredible year!

Window Shopping

2010-12-10T22:30:00.000-08:00

I'm trying my best to not step foot in a shopping center for all of December and to do the majority of our Christmas shopping online. So tonight I've been surfing the web looking for perfect gifts for a few people left on my list. Here are a couple of must have items that I've stumbled upon.

Every grandma needs a "World's Best Grandma" thong.

And who doesn't need their own leather beer holster?

I have to admit that stopping in at the mall to buy sweaters for everyone is beginning to seem like a more promising option!

Scattered

2010-12-07T00:25:00.000-08:00

If I just bury my head in the snow will it make time stop? Just for a day or two, that's all I need. A day or two with no work & no kids. If I had that I think a beautifully decorated tree, with lovely gifts for everyone I know under it, would appear in the living room. Twinkling lights would be attached to our roof line. Christmas cards with pictures of a perfect family (mine of course, don't laugh) would be in the mail to friends & family And the Christmas dinner menu would be cooking itself.

And...back to real life...

My house is disgusting, I am working constantly. (Make hay while the sun shines, right?) I don't dare drag all the boxes of Christmas decorations out of the garage because I know the kids will make a huge mess digging through it all and then I won't have the energy left to put the stuff up or away again. I need new clips to hang the lights on the outside of the house, but no store has any of the kind I need left in stock. I refuse to break our somewhat new tradition of driving way north to cut a fresh tree, so I have to wait until husband returns home from business travel because there is no way I am doing that one by myself. We don't have a family picture for cards yet. I thought about doing some kids-only shots, but then the kids got into a fight and let's just say that Laura's face isn't photo ready at this point. Why does that always, always, always happen right before it's time for the kids to have their picture taken?

I'm hosting Christmas Day festivities at our house this year. I need to plan the dinner menu, so I consulted my "Joy of Cooking" cookbook. According to the name you would think that this would be my favorite cookbook, right? WRONG. The suggested Christmas Day menu consists of Roasted Stuffed Goose with Giblet Gravy and Kourambiedes. Giblet Gravy??? I'm not making this up! The only thing I'm stuffing this year is my kids' stockings. And what the heck are Kourambiedes anyway? Although I am thinking about attempting their suggestion for a side dish of grated butternut squash gratin. Something about the word gratin in the title of any dish always makes me think that I'll like it.

So rather than do anything that I should be doing right now, I thought I'd daydream about my wish list this year. It's a short list.

1) iphone - There is no way my husband has missed my hints about this. At Laura's school they sent out a list of all the parent's cell phone numbers along wtih a side note of whether it was okay or not to send them texts. When the list came out, every single person said "yes" to texting, except for me. I'm banned from opening any texts because they cost like $100 every time I look at them or something. Somebody please help me join this century! And by somebody, I do mean either my husband or Santa.

2) Mink Eyelashes along with someone to professionaly glue them on me before some fancy New Years gathering that I haven't been invited to yet. (I didn't even get invited to my husband's work Christmas party.) Okay, so it's in Denver and I probably wouldn't have gone anyway. But I would have been flattered to at least have been invited! I've never worn false eyelashes, but I think these would be the way to go if I ever did.

So there are a few other things I'd love to have, but how cool would I look sporting false lashes and texting on an iphone while I pick the kids up from school? Because really, that's just about the only place I ever go these days.

We did have a great Thanksgiving with friends in Seattle this year. I love that Sonja and I have been friends for so long, I think we first met when we were around the same age that Troy is now. Everyone needs at least one good friend who will be there for life. We might not be as close as we were in high school, but it's good to know that we'll be friends who can count on each other when needed for our entire lifetimes, for sure. I wonder if my kids have met any friends yet that they'll have Thanksgiving with one day when they have a family of their own.

Here she is with her little man who looks just like his daddy.

The Kid Table - It's a right of passage. I'm pretty impressed with myself for managing to snap this shot of every kid with food in their wide-open mouths.

Sonja's daughter introduced Laura to the world of Barbie. There is no going back to life without Barbie now.

My grandma Ida will be happy to see that Laura is taking after her in the music department. She loves to sing too.

And so since burying my head in the snow wouldn't be much fun and I can't make life stop so I can catch up, I'll choose to just enjoy every moment. I can be stressed about working, cleaning and holiday deocrating & cooking another time. But right now is the time for loving my babies while they're still mine, because who knows, one day Troy might be designing the aircraft that Laura is piloting and they'll fly away from home without me. Maybe then I'll have time to really worry about stuffing that goose.

Winter

2010-11-22T22:47:00.000-08:00

The snow and frigid cold weather is here!

Luckily we stocked up on firewood a couple of weeks ago, so our house is nice and toasty warm. My parents upgraded to a gas fireplace a few years back, so we get the benefit of having all the wood that has come from their property.

The experts say that we women tend to marry men who remind us of our father. I never thought that was true much in my own life. However, looking at this picture of my husband & my father, it does bring me pause...

Tango had a super fun time supervising the work crew. I think he was meant to be a farm dog. He loves roaming free in the country. Sometimes he goes on "vacation" here when he needs a break from city life.

I love to sit in front of the fire and daydream. The warmth soothes my nerves, even when the messiness of burning wood frustrates me. Troy took this cute picture of Michael & Laura by the fireplace.

The best thing about snow is that if we get enough of it, it actually covers up all of our disastrous landscaping (nothing but weeds). Maybe next summer will be the year my yard magically turns beautiful without me doing a thing to it?
Hey, don't throw that snowball at me!

Laura played in the snow quite a few times before I finally convinced her that wearing a coat isn't all that bad. I'm not sure why, but this picture is one of my favorites. Summer pajamas with snow bibs & hat. The seasons collide.

Troy is awfully proud of himself lately. He now knows how to mow the lawn, shovel the driveway & change out the summer tires for snow tires. I'm not sure how I feel about him turning into such a grown up boy.

He's getting pretty good at ice skating too. I'm amazed at how hard he tries. No matter how many times he falls down, he gets back up again and usually manages to keep a smile on his face. I hope to see more of this attitude as he grows up, instead of so much of the frustration & stubbornness that we've been seeing too much of lately.

One of our favorite days of the fall/winter season is Bonfire day at the Millers property up in Colbert. It rained a bit this year, but we didn't let it dampen our fun!

So I always make an effort to take plenty of somewhat attractive photos of my family. I'm rarely in any pictures, but when someone does snap my picture, it's usually something like this one...a totally unattractive pose while eating junk food (smores). Thanks guys! At least we have documented proof that I was actually around, despite the fact that 99% of our pictures don't include me.

And totally unrelated to winter. I can't get over Laura's hair. It has gotten so long! Doesn't this seem like a lot of hair for a 2-1/2 year old? How I hope the curls stay, even if she'll hate them when she's older!

The Joneses

2010-11-13T01:12:00.000-08:00

Beware...long & totally boring post with no pictures. Just killing time while I wait for the washer/dryer so I can do yet another load of laundry. Is there such a thing as being caught up with the laundry???

A couple of months ago I saw a movie called The Joneses. It was a cute, silly movie and I didn't really think too much of it. But I've had this nagging feeling in the back of my brain ever since I watched it. Now I question so many things I do and have done. How much of it is me and really the things I like & want versus how much of it is me trying to keep up with the Joneses?

The first glaring example is this blog. I started it because my truly talented & creative neighbor has a blog that I enjoy following, but I always used to feel a bit left out every time I read it because I didn't have one of my own. This is how The Chic Sheikhs came to be.

Another example...many years ago a friend of mine was in a community theatre play. It sounded fun, so when I had the opportunity I tried out for and landed a part at The Old Orchard Theatre. I told myself that I loved acting, even though I nearly puked from nerves at every performance moments before the curtain opened. I ended up loving the experience and being in plays there for several years in a row. But did I originally venture that far out of my comfort zone for me, or did I do it because a friend did and so I thought I should too?

A few years ago another friend told me she was volunteering for the CASA (court appointed special advocate) program. It seemed like a great volunteer opportunity, so I signed up and went through a fairly intense and time consuming orientation program. I never actually signed on for a case to work. I said that it was because I got pregnant and didn't have the time & energy needed to fulfill the role. Honestly, that may have been part of it, but I've not gone back to it yet and I think it's probably because it was not something that I was doing because it was my idea, but something I thought I could/should do because a friend was doing it.

My biggest recent example of this has been with running. I have never been a runner/jogger, whatever you want to call it. And when I say never, I mean I had NEVER even run a full mile in my entire life. I HATED running and had no interest whatsoever in that form of exercise. Then not so long ago I started to feel left out and isolated because it seemed like EVERYONE I socialized with was a runner, including all the moms at the kids' schools (seriously like 95% of them), friends, neighbors and just everyone. I continually found myself left out of nearly every conversation because they would inadvertently always turn into conversations about how far or fast a person ran that morning or what marathon they were training for or something that their running partner had said to them. I don't know, maybe I just need to start hanging out with out-of-shape fat people like myself. I was just so annoyed by feeling left out all the time. So I started running. I obsessed over running websites and learned everything I could about starting out, strengthening and improving with time. I gradually increased to being able to run (slowly) 3 miles without stopping. I know, I know...big deal, right? because you probably already ran 10 miles this morning. I think everyone I know probably did. But it was a huge milestone for me. Something I'm actually kind of still shocked and proud that I was able to do. I might have even started to enjoy it (mostly thanks to my iPod). Then I hurt my knee from running and got better. Then I hurt my back from running and 6 months later it's finally feeling mostly better. And after that punishment you know what I've been thinking about? Starting to run again. Yeah, I could do a million other things... Pilate's, Walking, Swimming, Strength Training and on & on. But you know what? I still want to be a runner, just so I can keep up with (pun intended) the Joneses.

This all sounds so silly written out. I'm just always so envious of people who have careers & hobbies doing things they are passionate about. I must be too insecure to even be able to figure out what things interest me, for me. I guess that ever since watching that movie I've just been really questioning the motives behind the things I want and the things I do. Am I doing certain things for myself or am I doing them because of examples that have been dangled in front of me and I've wanted to prove that I could do it too. Probably started in childhood always wanting to be able to do the things my older brother got to do. Who knows. A therapist perhaps? Oh, if I had the money I'd be there in a heartbeat! So in place of therapy I'm making an early New Year's resolution to find something that interests me and start doing it. Something that no one else I know does. Maybe it will be volunteer work somewhere, learning a foreign language, taking a class or maybe I'll go skydiving again. But it's going to be something for me and only because I'm interested in it for myself and not out to prove anything to the Joneses.

And an even more worrisome question. How do I keep from projecting this feeling of needing to keep up with the Joneses onto my children? How do I expose them to a variety of things and then encourage them to pursue their own interests without pushing them to do the things that myself or other people think they should be doing. How do I guide them towards the things that they'll become passionate about as adults?

Thank goodness the buzzer on the washer just went off. Maybe I will get all that laundry caught up after all!

Halloween

2010-11-01T23:46:00.000-07:00

Lego Man and Minnie Mouse.

When Troy was two his Halloween costume was Mickey Mouse. So I couldn't resist making Laura Minnie Mouse this year, just so I could get these pictures and put them side-by-side in a frame for display at our house every October from now until forever.

The Lego Man costume seemed like a simple enough idea. A cardboard box body and a yellow poster board head. Easy right? It ended up being a lot more time consuming & tedious than I had anticipated. Troy was seemingly doomed to be costumeless at his school party until my husband took the project over. And I must say WOW! This is why I love my husband. He's not great at do-it-yourself home improvement projects or vehicle maintenance, but if you need someone to make a Lego Man costume at 11:30pm, he's the man for the job. Seriously saved me on this one, thank goodness!

On a side note, I might have had more patience for the project had I not spent 2 hours running all over Spokane looking for a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter. A bit of advice: Do Not sign up to bring pumpkin shaped cookies for decorating at both of your kids' school parties until you've confirmed that you actually have a pumpkin shaped cookie cutter. You will not find one available at any store in Spokane two days before Halloween. (Yes, I even checked at Michaels, Target, JoAnn's, Shopko, Walgreens, Fred Meyer, K-Mart, Rosauers, Safeway, Dollar Tree...you get the idea.) You will however find a plentiful supply of gingerbread house making kits and Christmas Tree shaped cookie cutters.

Trick-or-Treating Fun with the neighbor kids.

Vegetarian Favorites

2010-10-21T23:11:00.000-07:00

You're a Vegetarian?

What do you eat????

My standard answer (while gesturing toward my middle section) is "obviously too much of something."

Here are a few of my favorite somethings...

Veggie Soup
This is a Rachael Ray Yum-o! recipe, because it's good and good for you. It's one of those dinners that warms your soul on cold winter nights.
Tomato-Vegetable-Pasta Soup

Black Bean Enchiladas - Even the kids ask for seconds when I make these...

Lately I've been hooked on Asian Peanut Noodles. I have about 10 recipes for different variations on the same theme. I love them all. Here is a favorite (minus the chicken).

I'll usually throw in a few extra ingredients like carrots, celery, green onions, minced ginger root, cabbage, mandarin oranges, and various Asian flavors like hot chili sauce with garlic. I also like to use organic udon Japanese wheat noodles because it makes it a little more authentic feeling than using spaghetti noodles.

I have lots of other favorites too. I'll try to post a few more another day.

And don't ever be fooled into thinking that just because something is called "vegetarian" that it's good for you.

For example, look at Blimpie's Veggie Supreme sandwich.

1,106 calories
56 g fat (33 g saturated fat)
3,074 mg sodium

While I've never had a Veggie Supreme at Blimpie, it is still true that my vegetarian diet often consists of too many processed & refined foods. I love sugar, in most any form. But now that I'm in my middle thirties I'm starting to waver a bit. I'm craving more whole foods, so I'm thinking about becoming what a friend of mine calls a "recovering vegetarian" which means that I do want to start adding a few meat items to my diet. Maybe a sandwich with a single slice of turkey or ham or some very small chunks of chicken in my salads. I'm just getting tired of making meals for my family that I never eat myself. Then I end up too tired to make anything decent for me and a proper dinner a bowl of Cheerios does not make.

I'm confident that you won't ever catch me eating red meat, but maybe a little fish & poultry once in a while will be a start. Hmm...Maybe...maybe....maybe...

"I THOT IT WUS A SESHEL"

2010-10-08T22:59:00.000-07:00

Troy lost his first tooth last weekend. He didn't realize it until it was too late to recover the tooth. We were at the lake and he was eating a fruit roll up. When something went crunch, he thought it was a seashell and threw it on the beach. Later that day when I noticed his tooth was gone, he realized what had happened. He wrote a letter to the Tooth Fairy to explain why he didn't have a tooth to put under his pillow. I guess she thought it was okay, because she still left him $2. Darn, I wanted to get him one of those special boxes or pillows to put teeth in for the tooth fairy before that first tooth fell out. Here is his letter, as well as the translation.

Dear Tooth Fairy,

I was eating a "Fruit by the Foot" If you're wondering what it is, this. (taped to the letter is a chunk of fruit roll-up gunk) My tooth fell out and I thought it was a seashell. I left it at Diamond Lake. Follow the arrow. (he taped crystal in place of his tooth.)

I guess I still need to explain to him that he won't find many seashells at a lake...

Hanging on to Summer

2010-10-03T15:17:00.000-07:00

Took the kids to the lake yesterday and we all went swimming, even the dog. Yes, that's right...we went swimming on October 2nd! And you thought that here in Spokane we were supposed to be breaking out our wool sweaters this time of year. The strangest thing is that it was THE BEST DAY of the summer in my opinion. Absolutely perfect for a day at the lake. Not too hot and not too cold. There was not a cloud in the sky. Not one single cloud! The lake was glassy smooth and I think we were maybe the only people at the entire lake. Because really, who goes to the lake during October in Spokane??? LOVE IT!!!

Mother Nature - May we please have a few more days exactly like this?

Michael & The Sheikhs

2010-09-26T22:44:00.000-07:00

Ever Google your husband??? I did and this is what I found.

I think Michael & The Sheikhs sounds like a great name for a band.

Now I lay me down to sleep...

2010-09-23T20:22:00.000-07:00

I always wonder what my kids dream about. Sometimes I wonder what they were thinking about before they fell asleep too.

Was he saying a prayer when he fell asleep?

Was she guarding her potty seat, fearful that mom might come to take it away and make her start using the big toilet?

Working from Home

2010-09-22T22:28:00.000-07:00

I ran across this fun little cartoon series about working from home. Michael and I both work at home, so you can multiply the feelings expressed here times two. I do love working part-time at home and wouldn't trade the time with my kids or my bubblegum pink office with a garden view for a dingy grey cubicle with fluorescent lighting again (unless we got very, very, very poor...which might happen sooner than later if money doesn't start to grow on trees, but I digress). Anyhow, the perks of working at home certainly outnumber the disadvantages, but when I say that working from home is a blessing and a curse, let me clarify what the curse part is...

1. You're always at work. 2. The house is almost always a complete disaster because 4 people (2 of them being messy young children) are home all day, every day. 3. You rarely have anything interesting to share with your spouse because they already know how your day was. 4. The phone rings all the time, even in the middle of the night. 5. It's difficult to find a balance between making money and being with your family. 6. No workplace friendships. 7. Not being "in the know" about anything, because if it's not an MSN headline on my computer monitor, I didn't hear about it. 8. The refrigerator is just a few stairs away. 9. The espresso place is not on the way to work. 10. Never an excuse to go shopping for a new outfit. 11. Worry that your children won't have a proper example of what having a real job looks like. 12. When you're home all day you start to notice a lot more stupid things that are wrong with your house that you'd like to change. 13. Higher heating bills during the winter because the house needs to be warm all day. 14. It's difficult to focus.

This & That

2010-09-17T23:34:00.000-07:00

I am behind in posting, so here are a few tidbits that I should have posted earlier.

Laura let me put pigtails in her hair for the first time. She laughed at her reflection in the mirror and then yanked them out.

I sold my old car that I bought when I graduated from college. I hadn't driven it for over two years, but it was still difficult for me to part with. It was the most expensive purchase that I made on my own while a single adult. Letting go of it somehow made me feel that I was letting go of that whole part of my life. I really loved that car. Here is me signing over the title. Good bye my old Saturn, I'll miss seeing you in the driveway.

First day of Kindergarten for Troy. So far, so good! He's such a big kid now. We went for his 6-year well child appointment this week. He is 47 inches tall and weighs 47 pounds. Hmmm...If that could be me at 5'4" tall, I'd only weigh 64 pounds!

And Laura had her first day of school too. We go to a parent/teacher cooperative preschool, which is really just playtime for the kids and lots of socializing and support for the grown ups. I am so grateful to be a part of this group. We all understand that parenting is an important job, but also a tough one that calls for lots of moms' nights out!

We rode the "Route of the Hiawatha" bike trail. It's a great 15-mile ride near the Idaho/Montana border on an old railroad route that goes through lots of tunnels (one is 2 miles long & very cold, dark & wet) and over some high up trestles. It was beautiful, but of course we didn't get any pictures because I brought my camera without the memory card in it. Laura rode in the kid seat on the back of my bike and Troy rode his own bike. The last few miles were terribly rough for Troy, but he tried to be a good sport. I'd like to go back and ride it round-trip without the kids. Here's a picture I found online of some other people riding the trail who look like they're having a nice time too.

Troy and I brainstormed Halloween costume ideas. We came up with a great idea that I'm so excited about. Mostly because it's something that I can actually make myself, instead of paying a fortune for one from some online place, which is what I normally do and will still do for Laura (she wants to be Minnie Mouse). I'm not giving away Troy's costume idea yet...have to wait and see if it will turn out or not! Speaking of Halloween, I'm tempted to take a drive to Wenatchee just to see this pumpkin cannon in action. Do they have one of these anywhere in Spokane?

We celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary last month. We both pondered if perhaps our marriage was doomed when the restaurant we eat at and have our picture taken at every year, only on our anniversary, had an emergency closure due to a water main break. We drove the 45 minutes out there to get this picture with the sign that says Closed Today for Emergency Utility repairs just to make sure we didn't piss off any marriage gods or anything. Then we went to the casino and remembered why we never go there.

I've been having trouble concentrating & focusing, but I've started to get serious about work again. We've been getting more business earlier this year than we've seen in the last few. Maybe the economy is improving? I hope so, because I'd love to be able to afford to make some major home renovations. Seriously, how much longer do I have to live with this 1980's blue carpet that's threadbare on the steps????

I've never watched much TV, but for some reason I have been really missing my favorite shows this summer. I'm pretty excited that the new episodes are starting next week. Have you seen Modern Family yet? I never miss it...so hilarious! Other favorites are Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy and The Amazing Race. Cheezy shows, I know. But I still love those few hours each week that I do nothing but veg out on the couch.

I expect Laura and Michael to both turn blue any day now because they both eat so many blueberries. Here they are picking them.

We took our first family camping trip. My brother, parents & their two new puppies tagged along. Lake Wenatchee was nice, but a little far to go. It's amazing to me how much crap you have to pack when you go camping. Luckily between our neighbors and my parents, we didn't have to purchase too many things. But oh my goodness, our car was full!

Troy captured a chipmunk and I think he was genuinely disappointed when I told him that we weren't really going to have chipmunk stew for dinner.

And one final thing I was pretty excited about...Troy finally decided to give the carousel a try. It's only the second time I've ever convinced him to ride. It was Laura's first time and she was absolutely thrilled.

The Garage

2010-09-05T21:41:00.000-07:00

We have a large, 3-car garage. This means that we can store our two cars plus A LOT of CRAP.

I declared today "clean out the garage day" at our house. My husband grudgingly agreed to follow my lead. It went something like this...

Conversation #1
Me: Why have these two overstuffed garment bags been hanging here since before I met you?
Him: Those are my clothes from the Air Force Academy. You can't get rid of those.
Me: Yeah, but could we maybe move them to someplace where I don't have to look at them every day.
Him: No way. I like them there. I might want to get them out sometime.
Me: Yeah, because those clothes will totally fit you at 172 pounds just like they did when you wore them when you were 135 pounds in college.

Conversation #2
Me: What's in these boxes?
Him: Those are baseball caps (hundreds of them) from the Olympics in Atlanta. I guy I used to know financed them and they didn't all get sold. I told him to ship them to me and that I'd try to sell them on eBay or something.
Me: I am so giving those hats to Goodwill.
Him: NO! You never know, they might have the Olympics in Atlanta again and then they might be worth something, like collectors items or something.
Me: OMG - make mental note to donate hats next time husband is out of town. If you start to see a lot of homeless people in Spokane wearing baseball caps from the 1996 summer Olympics in Atlanta, you'll know why.

Conversation #3
Me: Can we get rid of these old interior doors & trim pieces?
Him: We could get a saw and cut them up to use for firewood.
Me: Um, we get about 100 tons of firewood from my parent's property every year, we don't really need to resort to burning old doors.
Him: Just leave them there. We might need them for something.

Conversation #4
Me: Do you think you could fix this garage door that hasn't worked (or even been opened) for three years?
Him: I guess, maybe.
Me: I discreetly go inside & call my brother to ask him to come over to help. When Brother arrives on scene I act all surprised..."Oh look, Jason came to visit. Maybe he can help you fix that door while he's here."
Him: We'll have to go to Home Depot.
Me: See ya later.
Him: I bought the wrong parts, blah, blah, blah. My neck hurts. I'll fix it another day.

Then the wind & rain storm came while all of the "stuff" was sitting out on the driveway.

And this is how the entire day went. Miraculously we were able to throw away enough junk to fill 3+ large garbage cans. And the garage is much neater than it was. We still have way more junk than I am comfortable with, but now I can at least do things like take the trash out and get the kids into the car without worrying about tripping on something & breaking a leg. I guess the true sorting through & organizing will have to wait for another day.

I celebrated my small garage victories this evening by watching a TV show about Hoarders.

Rock Meets Glass

2010-09-01T17:01:00.000-07:00

You're not a true boy until you've busted at least one window.

This was a nightmare to clean up. I'm thinking of replacing it with a screen instead of glass.

How can such a sweet, innocent looking boy possibly cause such trouble??

Troy is Six!

2010-08-28T22:03:00.000-07:00

"Mommy, I don't feel like I'm six, I still feel like I'm five."

When did he get so big? How can he possibly be six already??

Another awesome birthday for Troy. This year he chose "Tom & Jerry" for the theme. I had an incredible cake made for him, but didn't do any other "Tom & Jerry" themed games or anything. We had the party at my mom & dad's house, so he only invited a couple of friends plus family. I have to say, it was the easiest birthday party we've done so far.
(Thanks mom for having us all to your house!)

We gave him a HUGE present this year. A trampoline!
(Thanks dad for spending most of your Sunday putting this thing together!)

(It looks really safe here with one leg balancing on a small brick, doesn't it?)

Mostly it's my trampoline because I've wanted one since I was 8 years old...but we'll just pretend that it was really a gift for Troy. (wink. wink.)

We wasted no time getting it broken in... SILLY STRING FIGHT!

Troy at age six

He is starting to ask some tough questions like,
"If you go to Heaven when you die, why do you get buried?"
and
"How did the doctor take Laura out of your tummy?"
and
"Santa Claus isn't real, is he?"

His front teeth are getting wiggly, which absolutely makes me squirm. Loose teeth are so not in my job description. "Go show your dad, or your sister, or your stuffed animals. Show anyone but me, PLEASE!"

He likes to brag about being an engineer and he definitely has an engineering mind. Everything revolves around building & designing. He falls asleep at night dreaming up new inventions. He loves to "design" houses on graphing paper and he gets into great detail. His drawing ability has surpassed mine. Sadly, I think it's a challenge just to draw stick people.. Lego creations get more amazing by the day. One of his favorite TV shows is "How Things are Made".

He is terrified of spiders in the house. Every time he finds one he screams so loud that I think someone has broken into our home and is trying to kill him. Scares me every time.

He knows how to read the easy stuff, but gets frustrated & gives up too quickly. He does like to be an author and will proudly show you many of the books he has written & illustrated. His vocabulary is huge and he often uses complex words that make you wonder if he's really a twenty-five year old inside a six year old's body.

He loves & hates his sister.

He is interested in and wants to know about everything. He is always open to learning about & trying new things. You name it, anything from science projects to sports classes to farming to electronics to dancing to foreign cultures & languages. If you want to teach him anything at all, he's a sponge ready to absorb it all.

He is incredibly stubborn or strong-willed or whatever you want to call it. If his mind is made up to not do something, there's no changing it. He is spoiled and frequently has a bad attitude when things don't go his way or he feels they are not fair. We're working on this one.

He still won't go on the carousel. I don't know why.

I asked him if he would like to update his room to be more of a big boy room instead of the cute baby nursery theme stuff I decoreated it with before he was born. He said he might want to, but then his eyes filled up with tears and he said no, probably not, because he would really miss the animals that are on the wallpaper border.

He thinks he is sneaky and it is so funny to see him trying to get away with something. But he really does know right from wrong and in general tries hard to be a good kid. He really does help me a lot.

He starts Kindergarten this week. My little boy is big kid now. (insert tears & sobbing here.)

Sometimes he will snuggle with me though, which makes the last 6 years totally worth it!

Happy birthday Troy!

And just like I tell you every single night when I tuck you in...I love you more than anything in the whole-wide-world!

"P" stands for Pigsty???

2010-08-14T18:23:00.000-07:00

Items I cleaned up today that start with the letter P.

Paint
Perler Beads
Poop
Pee
Pillows
Peaches
Pears
Peas
Play dough
Pink Lemonade
Pipe Cleaners
Petroleum (yes, kids will play with the gas can in the garage while mom is away and dad turns his head for half a second.)

Chance of us having Popsicles for dessert? 0%

Bad Combination

2010-08-06T23:08:00.000-07:00

This...

And This...

Montana

2010-08-04T21:33:00.000-07:00

Michael had to travel for work last week and I didn't really feel like staying home, so I packed up the kids and drove to Montana.

This is a much more difficult & longer process than the previous sentence would make it sound. Those of you with small kids know what I'm talking about.

1. Spend two days debating if I should even attempt such a trip without husband & wonder if it would be worth the effort. But I do love Montana during the summer, so I decided to go for it!

2. Begin packing...Try to remember where I put that new tube of sunscreen. Two year old already found it and squeezed entire contents onto carpet. Two year old unpacks everything because she wants to try on every shirt/dress/underwear in the bag. Keep packing. Five year old adds many boxes & bags full of toys/books/stuffed animals/craft supplies that he absolutely cannot live without for the next two days. Keep packing.

3. Get everything & everyone (including the dog) into car. Kids are buckled in but must get out of car to go potty again & grab that one last thing they forgot.

4. Drive out of neighborhood, turn around & come back because I forgot my phone.

5. Drive out of the way to drop dog off at parent's house. Realize that phone battery is dead. Spend an hour at parent's house making sure phone gets properly charged because I keep forgetting to order a car charger off eBay.

6. Pack kids into car again along with everything they've taken out of it while waiting. Hook up DVD players for kids. Realize there is only one player and the other one was left at home. Handle huge crying tantrum. Kids get out of car to go inside Grandma's house to pick out more books to read since they'll have to take turns watching movies. (Laura doesn't even like to watch movies, she just likes to have possession of something she knows her brother wants.)

7. Buckle kids in car again and depart parent's house. Stop at Diamond Lake, stop at Newport, stop at Sandpoint, stop for gas, stop for lunch, stop for potty breaks, stop to stretch our legs (like we even need to), stop for snack, stop to move DVD player to other side, stop to take picture of Troy with the "Welcome to Troy, Montana" sign. I would have gotten a better picture of this, but I was in a hurry because I didn't want to get stuck driving behind that big, super slow camper guy...again. Stop again.

8. Arrive at destination eight hours after leaving home. Destination is actually only supposed to be four hours away.

9. Oops, didn't book a hotel room.

11. Ends up being worth it because I get to surprise my old college roommate who always makes me laugh. We hiked a bit on Big Mountain, picked a few huckleberries which were surprisingly abundant on the easy mountain trails, visited all the fun shops in Whitefish, listened to a great band & ate dinner at a downtown street party in Kalispell, drank wine with my friend, went swimming a few times. Even with all those sibling fights thrown into the mix, I still managed to enjoy the trip. It's not like they wouldn't have been fighting at home anyway. So glad I made the effort.

12. Repeat most of the above steps two days later on return trip to Spokane.

Musings of a Grounded Travel & Adrenaline Junkie

2010-07-26T14:02:00.000-07:00

I've jumped out of an airplane twice, jumped off the original bungee jumping bridge in New Zealand, floated over the earth in a hang glider, parasailed over the ocean, and scuba dived at the Great Barrier Reef. I've drank wine in a castle up on the hills overlooking Florence, Italy and tasted their pasta, pizza & gelato too. I've ridden in a gondola under the romantic bridges of Venice. I've tickled my toes in the sandy beaches of Hawaii and learned how to relax at the Cook Islands. I've ziplined through the forest canopy of Whistler, B.C. I've spent many weekends exploring the wonders of Manhattan and visited my then employer at his office on the 86th floor of the World Trade Center, without even thinking it could be dangerous. I've windsurfed across a lake and ridden fast loop-the-loop roller coasters. I've gambled & lost in Atlantic City & Vegas. I've swam under waterfalls. I've fallen head-over-heals for men I shouldn't have. I've ridden airplanes, trains, subways and buses on my own and loved the feeling of independence...of carving out my own adventures in this amazing world. I thrived on the knowledge that I could go anywhere and do anything my heart desired.

Now I look forward to playing with the kids at parks in Spokane just to get out of the house. A rare shopping outing to Target without the kids is like heroin to me. We take weekend trips to here or there, but never far and never me alone. My parents know all my plans, because they are involved in most everything I do...either watching the kids, the dog or joining along with us. I am financially dependent on my husband's income. I have no overseas trips or adrenaline laced adventures planned.

So how did I get here...void of all but the most basic type of independence? Why did I choose to get married & have two kids? Was it because I thought it was expected of me? Was it peer pressure to keep up with what my friends were doing? Was I too insecure to be on my own? Did I neglect to look past the age of two when I dreamt about what being a mommy to a baby would be like? Am I trapped? Or does it just feel that way?

The truth is that being married and having kids is another of life's grand adventures to add to my list. It's just a much longer adventure that reaps lasting emotional rewards. And even though it sometimes feels that I am, this travelin' adventure junkie isn't grounded for good. Won't be long now until my kids are filling up their scrapbooks with memories from the crazy holidays their mom brings them on, by her side.

Is Your Mom Home?

2010-07-14T15:28:00.000-07:00

So today I answered the door to find a landscape company sales guy on the front porch. He looked at me and said "Hi, is your mom home?"

REALLY??

I looked at him and said "I am the mom."
But really I wish I would have come up with a wittier response at that moment.

Maybe I'll hold off on getting a face lift for a few more years... How funny though!

New Style!

2010-07-12T00:12:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to update the format of my blog for a while now, but am just finally getting around to doing it. Isn't it better? You can actually read the text now without a magnifying glass! And the colors are so much more me. Maybe this new design will be a catalyst for more frequent posting? Hope you enjoy!

Rock Ranch

2010-07-09T22:32:00.000-07:00

Just when I think I've seen all Spokane has to offer for kids, something new will surprise me. This time it was Rock Ranch. http://www.livingstonesrockranch.com/

This place is seriously amazing. The owner has a HUGE collection of rocks, minerals & crystals on his 40 acres in the Saltese area. He uses heavy construction equipment to bury all kinds of fancy rocks in the dirt on his property.

At the start of the tour the owner does a whole kid-friendly talk about geology & rocks. Then the kids get to dig & sift through the dirt to find any rocks they want to keep. They wash them off, talk to the expert about them, check out how some of them glow under a black light and then they get to bring home all of their loot!

The kids also get to tour the museum, which has an impressive collection of minerals from all over the world, plus lots of antique mining gear. And of course, a gift shop too.

The scenery is beautiful in this area. How did I not know this part of town existed? Worth the trip if you're out in the Valley and feel like making a short detour.

I managed to snap this shot of Bambi on our way down the hill from Rock Ranch. So precious!

This was one of my favorite rocks. I think he said it was called corral reef and is found somewhere in the middle east.

Royalty??

2010-07-01T11:18:00.000-07:00

"How come you always treat Laura like a Princess, but you never treat me like a King?" ~Troy

Yahtzee

2010-06-28T22:33:00.000-07:00

Yahtzee has always been one of my favorite games. Growing up I can remember the look of amazement on my mom's face each time I rolled a Yahtzee, usually multiple times during each game. I used to be lucky like that.

I also often played the game with my great-grandma when I would visit her for an afternoon or overnight stay. When she downsized many years ago, her Yahtzee cup is one of her things I asked to keep for myself. I love that she lined the cup with green felt, because otherwise the dice were too loud. It makes me happy that the Yahtzee label on the cup is worn down from age and being used during so many enjoyable games. Now that she's been gone for several years, it's extra sentimental to me.

I hadn't played the game for a few years, so I thought I might try to teach Troy. It ended up being a little more than he was ready for, so I was happy when I found this Yahtzee game at a yard sale, the very next day.

Hopefully my kids will remember some great family Yahtzee-game moments too.

Laura is 2

2010-06-27T22:41:00.000-07:00

Laura turned two years old earlier this month. We had a little party at the park with some of her friends from co-op. She knew she was the center of attention with her sparkling tiarra on. So cute!

Laura at age 2....

She completely potty trained herself with rarely an accident.
She won't sleep in her bed anymore, she prefers to get her beauty rest while sleeping on her bedroom floor. She used to really love her toddler bed, so I'm not sure why the sudden love of floor sleeping.
She won't sit in a chair at the dining table while eating. She will only stand on her step stool at the table. (This might have something to do with Troy pushing her off the chairs a time or two.)
She is in the 4th percentile for weight and the 73rd for height. Everyone says she is tiny.
Her hair is still her #1 most eye catching feature. It has lightened up a lot, but is still hanging on to a hint of strawberry blonde. Everywhere we go people say "Oh, I just love her hair" or "Look at those curls!"
She is starting to talk more each day and knows a dictionary full of words. I'm getting better at understanding them, but most people probably wouldn't know what she is saying.
She is super sensitive about the most random things. If you do "This Little Piggy" with her toes, she will burst into tears at the end because the last piggy was crying all the way home. She feels bad for it.
She is cautious around strangers and generally stays close to me when we are out & about.
She likes to push shopping carts around stores rather than ride in them.
She can name all the colors. Her favorites are pink and blue.
Her favorite foods are cheese, watermelon, hard-boiled eggs, ranch flavored anything, and cookies.
She loves playing in the water and squeals when she runs through the splash pad at the park.
She likes to sneak into Troy's room. When I catch her in there playing with his legos she looks up at me, puts her index finger to her lips, says, "shhh" and starts to giggle. I think she might love to play practical jokes when she gets older.
Her favorite book is "Pinkalicious" about a little girl who eats too many pink cupcakes & turns pink.
She likes to draw, but lately it's been more on the walls, the floor and on herself than on any paper. Sidewalk chalk art is definitely a favorite activity.
She doesn't need a nap anymore. I miss that hour of downtime during the afternoon.
She adds so much happiness and fun to our family. You can't help but be in a good mood when she smiles at you and gives hugs & kisses.

Summer Activities

2010-06-13T10:57:00.000-07:00

I signed Troy up for a bunch of classes this summer. Everything from art to golf to science. Anything to keep him going. I know a lot of families like to take a break from activities during the summer, but I'm all about making sure we have at least one scheduled activity each day. Otherwise I pretty much lose my sanity. We do still have tons of time left for other things like swimming, playing at the parks, bike rides and other adventures.

This cartoon strip made me laugh. Not sure if you can read the small print, but basically the mom is squeezing all the activities onto the calendar and the dad asks if maybe their son is overscheduled. The mom replies that sometimes she thinks he might be, but then she remembers that the boy likes to take things apart with power tools in his spare time. Totally Troy!

Troy has been obsessed with tearing apart circuit boards lately. I let him take apart our old garage door opener (not the remote, but the actual opener thing that mounts on the ceiling) and ever since then he asks everyone he knows if they have any old circuit boards he can have to take apart. I'm definitley getting him this toy for his birthday this year. Reminds me of a funny Electrical Enginner I used to work with. He always joked that it took 2 letter E's to spell geek.

Just Wondering

2010-06-11T21:02:00.000-07:00

Why is it impossible to keep the kids out of the kitchen while I'm trying to make dinner, but equally as impossible to keep them in the kitchen (at the table) when it's time to eat dinner?

Our Goals circa 2001

2010-05-23T10:51:00.000-07:00

While helping Michael search for something in his office the other day, I came across a list of goals for our future together that we had brainstormed about and written on a piece of scrap paper dated November, 2001. That's the year before we got married. I don't remember making the list, but I'm sure at the time many of the things seemed difficult to attain. Looking at the list now, we've accomplished so many of them. It was a good reminder for me to be patient and remember that eventually we will have a chance to do most of the things we'd like. A few of the goals we've achieved....

1. Having a great wedding & honeymoon. (We look forward to a return trip to the Cook Islands.)
2. Getting a puppy. (Tango!)
3. Keeping our house - not moving. (We still love it here!)
4. Home Improvements including painting the house (It needs another coat already), a new roof (done), remodeling a bathroom (we've updated 2.5 of the 3.)
5. Having a kid. (We've got 2 of the best now.)
6. Finish Bloomsday in under 1:15. (Michael's done this a few times, but my best time remains 1:30.)
7. Taking a weekend getaway trip at least 4 times a year. (I haven't kept track, but I'm sure we've smashed this goal. We've been on many fun & memorable holidays.)
8. Getting a wireless network in our house. (Eveyone has one now, but back in 2001 this was high-tech thinking!)
9. Go skiing often. (We do.)

Of course there are a few on the list that we have yet to conquer and some that don't seem as important now as they did then. But I'm amazed at how many things we've also done that we didn't even dream of doing back then like owning lake property, purchasing 2 new cars, landscape work, redoing our downstairs living area, spending a summer in Breckenridge, me quitting work to stay home with kids & help with business and Michael being able to work at home full-time.

I hope to make it a new tradition on our anniversary each year that we will add new things to the list and hopefully cross a few of them off. Of course many things on the updated list will still seem out of reach, such as building a lake place, major updates to our house, dream vacations, athletic pursuits (marathon running), growing our business(es), finding a church home, and really just having more time to enjoy being a family. But I just have to look back and realize that we really can accomplish our goals...we already have!

3-2-1 BLAST OFF

2010-05-08T13:52:00.000-07:00

Last month Michael and Troy took a father/son bonding trip to Florida to watch the space shuttle take off. It was quite an experience for both of them. It was the longest amount of time I'd ever been apart from Troy, so of course I worried about him the entire time. I'd like to think he missed me too, but he was probably having too much fun for that. A few of the students in Troy's preschool class (Troy included) had random ties to several of the astronauts on this particular mission, so his teacher did a whole teaching segment on space and the kids even built a giant spaceship for their classroom.

After the shuttle launch they had fun at a beach party with many of Michael's classmates from his days at the Air Force Academy. Poor Troy got the worst sunburn that he's ever had or ever will have. Father & son both now have a greater appreciation for the benefits of applying sunscreen frequently...

Downtown Disney offered the world's largest Tinkertoy display and an opportunity to build & race Lego cars at the Lego store. Of course, Troy's car won the race.

Lego Dogs

Troy now loves miniature golf.

And no trip to Florida with a 5 year-old is complete without a visit to the Magic Kingdom with it's race cars, flying elephants, spinning tea cups, lights pararde and of course a tour around the globe via the "It's a Small World" ride.

All in all I think their trip was "Out of this World."

Big Girl Bed

2010-04-27T14:58:00.000-07:00

We moved Laura from her crib to a "big girl" toddler bed. So far it's been an easy transition. She doesn't try to get out of bed at all and even waits for me to get her when she wakes up in the morning. She loves to read books before she falls asleep...

Handsome Men's Club

2010-04-03T13:46:00.000-07:00

I wish I could have been in the room when this was filmed...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyGJXLxtVEo

Matthew McConaughey is my FAVORITE and most of these other men are close seconds.

(sorry honey...)

Little Easter Bunny

2010-03-28T18:10:00.000-07:00

The Easter Bunny came early this year...thanks to some friends who really know how to host an egg hunt for toddlers!

uncomfortable in my own skin

2010-03-27T23:00:00.000-07:00

I've been incredibly frustrated & disgusted with myself lately for a long list of reasons. Mostly because I've gained too much weight this past year. But also because I feel like I'm not good at anything and that I only make time to do everything half way or just good enough. But nothing I do is great. It's a mental struggle for me just to make it through to the end of each day. All day long I look forward to the moment when I can go to sleep at night. I want to do so much more, but always lack the ambition or motivation. I don't like the way I feel on the inside or outside.

I help with our business, but there are a million things about it that I'd like to improve. I'm a mom and so far my kids are still alive, but I know I should be doing so much more with them. I've been exercising more than usual for the past few months, but it hasn't made the tiniest difference in my figure. None of my clothes fit. I dread getting dressed each day. Many of my friends and other moms from the kids' school have fabulous careers, or at the very least hobbies that they love & win awards for doing so well. I feel overwhelmed with just the prospect of getting through the basics of each day...dishes, laundry, kids to school, etc. I'm getting further behind with everything I keep meaning to do some day.

I'm not clinically depressed, but 'happy' isn't the first word that pops into my head either. Maybe I just need a vacation from my life for a few days, or weeks, or months, or...

I once read somewhere that you should always be extra nice to everyone you meet because every single person out there is dealing with their own private struggles or fighting their own personal demons, even if you can't see them yourself from the outside. I think it's very true.

Seattle

2010-03-23T12:41:00.000-07:00

We had a fun weekend getaway to Seattle a couple of weeks ago.

Our first stop was to the LEGO store in the Bellevue mall...which I think was the highlight of the entire weekend for Troy. He was able to fill a large cup full of his choice of pieces and he also built his own Lego guy complete with the accessories. Thanks to my neighbor for telling us about this awesome store!

We stayed with my good friend Sonja & her family. We call her house "Hotel Hoefty" because they rarely have a weekend without guests, so you always have to call ahead to make a reservation. Their daughter was so in love with Laura and really thought she was her own real life doll to play with. Too cute!

The weather was perfect! Seattle has such a bad reputation for rain, but every time I go it's beautiful. It was even warm enough to indulge in ice cream for my birthday treat!

The view from the space needle was incredible. I haven't been up there for so long I had forgotten just how far and how much you can see.

We also visited the bodies exhibit (http://www.bodiestheexhibition.com/bodies.html) which I was really looking forward too. It was fascinating, but a little difficult to fully appreciate while making sure that Laura didn't knock any of the bodies over or anything...she mostly refuses to be stuck in a stroller these days.

The next day we visited the Woodland Park Zoo. I'm not a huge fan of the zoo concept in general...I'd prefer to go on safari in Africa. But with kids in tow you can't beat the zoo to see all those great animals in one afternoon!

We love Seattle!

Private School Registration Frenzy...in Spokane?

2010-03-08T13:20:00.000-08:00

Anyone who still thinks that Spokane is a small town blissfully free from the headaches of big city life apparently needs to readust their mindset.

Silly me, I forgot that today was the registration day for next school year at Troy's school. I didn't show up at 3:30 AM to get in line for the 8:00 AM registration start time like all the other good moms did. Nooo...I showed up at 9:15 and then realized what day it was. Now he is 109th in line for the school. And I'm guessing many of those first 108 are wanting the same class I was planning to get Troy in.

Seriously, why the frenzy?
If I wanted to deal with New York attitudes and ideals, I would move to New York.

Half-Pint Half-Pike

2010-02-27T20:53:00.000-08:00

I always used to laugh at the cute little kids who would race by me on the ski slopes. Now my kid is one of them!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s3TbJibwk8

Traffic Citation?

2010-02-26T12:49:00.000-08:00

Michael and I have both received traffic tickets this month. Luckily we know how to get out of them - sort of. Read on...

Anyone who knows me, knows that I've had more traffic citations than any normal person. Usually they are for stupid stuff like going 33-mph in a 25-mph zone or an impoper turn. Most recently I received one just at the bottom of the hill in our neighborhood for not coming to a complete stop at 4-way stop where cars rarely ever actually stop completely. Seriously - these cops are just waiting for me to commit the silliest little infractions. If I'm going to get a ticket, couldn't it be for something that's a real problem?

A week after my 4-way stop incident Michael got a speeding ticket of his own in Chewelah, on his way home from skiing. Now we both have outstanding tickets to deal with - give me a break!

So here's how to get out of the ticket, or at the very least keep it from affecting your auto insurance rate...

On the back of the ticket you have 3 options:
1. I am guilty and have enclosed a check.
2. Mitigation Hearing - I am guilty but want to explain the circumstances.
3. Contested Hearing - I did not commit the infraction.

Alway choose option #3 - even if you are guilty.

I know it sounds wrong, but seriously choose the "Contested" option. You will then receive a court date where you can choose to speak to a prosecuting attorney. Ask the prosecuting attorney to please reduce your citation to a "non-moving violation". They will then change your ticket to say that you have expired tabs or a headlight out. Non-moving violations DO NOT affect your auto insurance rates. You will usually still have to pay the entire $$$ due on the ticket, but at least your insurance rates won't go up too.

They will also offer you a few other options if you don't want to pay the ticket. One option is agreeing to not receive any traffic citation for a year. If you don't get any, then the ticket will drop like it never existed. If you do get one (anywhere in North America), you'll have to pay for both tickets and they will both go on your record. There are a few other similar options available as well.

If you choose to "Mitigate" they will usually send you a notice that they have reviewed your record and are able to reduce the fine. It will still go on your record. But if you want to, you can still request a court date to explain the cirucumstances.

But if you've got the money to pay the ticket, your best option is usually to contest the ticket. The only time this doesn't work is if you received the ticket in a school zone or park area. This has worked for us and many people we know who have received tickets in Spokane County. For Michael's ticket in Chewelah (Stevens County) I just called the court and asked to speak to the prosecutor. She agreed over the phone to reduce it to a non-moving violation so he doesn't have to drive to court in Colville.

So there you go... Hope this information helps everyone reading this who will one day commit a minor little traffic infraction. Good Luck & Safe Drving!

Dreaming in Pastel

2010-02-21T16:53:00.000-08:00

I love spring colors. All the stores have everything out for Easter and I truly have to look the other way or else I'd come home with loads of pretty kitchen towels, cutesy pastel dishes and other kitchen stuff with polka dots & squiggles on it, all kinds cute decorations, loads of pink shirts & sweaters, and of course pink carnations & gerbera daisies for the flower vase. I'm definitely drawn to all the pastel colors. If my house was a different style you can bet that I'd have cute shabby chic type furnishings & decor in every room. I love the antique white furniture with the feminine flowery linens. I did paint my office dark pink and Laura's room bubble-gum pink, plus I've got a big pink overstuffed chair in the living area, so our house is not without its share of pink! I remember once in high school a few of my friends and I got together and made gingerbread houses at Christmastime. Someone pointed out to me that I was the only one who decorated my house with pastel colors. Everyone else used dark winter and Christmas colors. It's interesting to me how different personalities are drawn to different colors. I try to fight it and purchase things from my second-favorite color palette, the earth tones. I do love lodge style furnishings, brown eye shadow, dark wood floors and many other things made from nature inspired hues. But deep down I'll always be a pink girly girl.

Jump!

2010-02-19T12:28:00.000-08:00

Everyone has a Twin

2010-02-05T21:13:00.000-08:00

Anyone see the similarity?

Christmas

2010-02-02T23:09:00.000-08:00

Better to post late than never at all...

We had a wonderful Christmas this year at my parents home. My mom went overboard as usual, all the while swearing that it really wasn't too much work to have so many guests over 2 weekends in a row.

We were blessed to be surrounded by family.

This kids were buried deep in presents, of course.

Troy got to play with his older cousins, who he adores.

Troy's school Christmas concert was entertaining as expected. He is such a goofball. It must have felt overwhelming to be in such a huge place filled with hundreds of people.

Christmas lights at the conservatory in Manito Park are amazing. They have a Christmas cactus there that is over 100 years old. It was in full bloom and was absolutely beautiful. If it's a good year, my Christmas cactus at home will get one bloom sometime around Easter.

Gingerbread house building at the Davenport Hotel. They have professional architects and designers build phenomenal structures and then the kids get to make their own to take home.

Visits with Santa can be traumatic...

Tango thought he would be safe from the craziness if he slept inside the train track circle.

Christmas felt a little off this year without any snow on the ground, but I guess we still have our memories of last season to see us through this strange year of no snow.

Somehow I managed to lose or erase all the pictures of the kids I took at our house Christmas morning opening their stockings from Santa. I sure do hope they turn up sometime. It was so much fun watching them.

Facebook

2010-01-20T15:11:00.000-08:00

I am the last remaining person in the universe who does not have a Facebook account and I'm starting to feel left behind.

I decided a long time ago that I wasn't interested in joining yet another social networking site that would fade out just as soon as the next popular one came along. But it's starting to appear that Facebook has more staying power than I gave it credit for in the beginning. I've heard about how great the site is, even though everyone admits to wasting too much time with it. I laughed when a TV show mentioned Facebook was created so that everyone could hook up with all the people they didn't get a chance to sleep with in high school.

On a more serious note, a couple of recent Facebook happenings are starting to push me over the edge...
1. Friends who announce the birth of a new baby on Facebook, but don't bother to email or call their non-Facebook friends to let them know.
2. My daughter's school/playgroup now has a Facebook account, which will probably quickly become the go-to place for scheduling play dates or to share cute pictures they took of the kids at school...if my child's picture might be out there, shouldn't that be a site that I monitor? Will Laura's entire social life be ruined at 19 months of age because I didn't join in?

So...what to do? Hold my ground against social networking or join the universe?

Conjunctivitis, Pollakiuria, Ear Aches & More!

2010-01-13T14:35:00.000-08:00

It's been a fun few days at our house. Took Troy to the doctor the other day and had to check off every symptom on their list and add a few more of our own...

Fever - Yes
Runny Nose - Yes
Goopy Eyes - Yes
Ear Pain - Yes
Sore Throat - Yes
Tummy Pain - Yes
Change in Appetite - Yes
Lack of Energy - Yes
And so on...

At least he is old enough to verbalize his pain... I laughed when the doctor was checking Troy's stomach and asked him "Where does it hurt?"
Troy replied, "Well, it hurts in a square shape right here."

And then there are the eye drops that make him "feel like a scorpion is stinging me."

Happy New Year

2010-01-05T13:01:00.001-08:00

Which are you?

"An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in.
A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves."
~Bill Vaughan

In 2010 I resolve to...

Join in playtime with my kids more often.
Go on more dates with just my husband.
Take my dog for more walks.
Do a better job helping out with our business.
Spend more time at the lake. Any lake.
Read at least a few books that don't have anything to do with self improvement or parenting.
Train for a marathon and hopefully run at Kona in June.
Make a real dinner at least a few times a week, every week.
Try a new vegetarian recipe at least twice a month.
Find a new hobby - acting? musical instrument? knitting? interior design? skydiving? (I'm open to suggestions!)
Paint over the ugly blue walls in our living area.
Spend more time with my grandmas, as well as other family & friends who I don't see often enough.
Figure out the not-so-advanced features of my cell phone, digital camera & iPod.
Update this blog more often.
Volunteer.
Be an optimist....

Happy New Year!

Oh, Christams Tree - Oh, Christmas Tree...

2009-12-22T11:25:00.000-08:00

Every year we drive way up north to a tree farm and select our perfect Christmas tree. This year we ended up going on the coldest day of the year. I think it was single digits and probably well below zero with the frigid wind. We had fun anyway.

I wanted to get a blue-spruce tree, but Troy said, "No, let's just get a green tree this year."

I think I look like Paul Bunyan in this picture.

Laura at 18 Months

2009-12-08T13:46:00.000-08:00

Artistically inclined. Loves to draw, sing & dance.

Has strawberry blond curls that hang in her face.

Chooses her own clothes & accessories every morning, but mostly just likes to take her clothes off.

Throws a fit if I make her wear a hat, gloves or snow boots, even when it's freezing outside.

Loves shoes. If she sees a pair anywhere she has to try them on. No matter who they belong to.

Knows 40+ sign language signs and uses them all the time.

Learning to speak a new word every day. Most used words are MAMA - THAT - HOT - Uh-Oh - UP - DOG - DUCK. She can also tell you what sounds various animals make.

Favorite foods are grapes, blueberries, strawberries, watermelon, pasta, cottage cheese, fish, carrots & whatever Troy is eating.

Enjoys cleaning up any mess almost as much as she likes making it. Puts her toys away, gets the broom & dustpan if she spills something on the floor, loves to be helpful in general.

Gets super excited when it's time to attend her toddler playgroup school one morning a week.

Is thinking about being potty trained. Brings us a diaper when she is ready to get changed and loves to sit on the big toilet.

Thinks it's funny to torment her brother by messing up his Lego creations & pulling his hair.

Gets ready to go places by getting her purse & shoes and making the sign for car.

Weighs 20 pounds & has for the last 5 months.

Stays out of trouble and listens when I say no. I haven't had to childproof the house at all.

Loves to take a bath.

Sleeps all night, usually 11 hours straight plus an hour nap during the day. Always sleeps with the blanket aunt Dolores made her and the little pink puppy Troy gave her.

Favorite games are still "peek-a-boo" and "run away from mommy as fast as I can"

Driving is Dangerous

2009-12-06T08:53:00.001-08:00

I was unfortunately a witness to this car vs semi truck accident yesterday afternoon on I-90. I watched the car go spinning and was the first to reach the car immediately after. I called 911 while running over. The woman driving the car was conscious but I think a lot banged up and in shock.
Be careful, it's a dangerous world out there. Your life can change forever in an instant.

Troy gets Published

2009-11-30T14:04:00.000-08:00

Spokane's local weekly newspaper, The Inlander, publishes an "Annual Manual" featuring everything there is to see & experience in Spokane. This year they included a picture of Troy. He's there on page 203, working intently on an art project at Mobius. Pick up a copy and check it out!

Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T19:39:00.000-08:00

What is Wrong with People???

2009-11-24T11:31:00.001-08:00

"I usually don't beat my kids."
~Keyana Key (age 28)

Mother of 3 children, one a 3-year old boy who is currently being hospitalized because his own mom assaulted him at the bus station in Spokane.

Don't forget to include a prayer for all the abused and neglected children when you gather round your Thanksgiving feast this week.

Splish-Splash

2009-11-18T14:09:00.000-08:00

The kids are going to kill me for this posting when they get older, but I couldn't resist!

Troy has never wanted to take a bath with his sister. Last week he changed his mind and decided it might be fun, so I had to take some pictures because it just might be the only "siblings in the tub together" moment at our house.

I love the look on Laura's face in this one. She is just looking up to her big brother like he is the greatest thing ever.

Halloween Fun

2009-11-10T14:14:00.000-08:00

Jack-O-Lantern carving... The cutest little lamb you've ever seen...

My neighbor's bumblebee...I mean babyLight-saber fights...

Anakin-Skywalker at school...

Now that's scary!
Chocolate covered cemetary

All Dressed Up with No Place to Go

2009-10-30T21:07:00.001-07:00

Seriously cute.

Anthropologie

2009-10-26T14:26:00.000-07:00

Why have I never heard of this store?

www.anthropologie.com

Forget Pottery Barn...I love this place! Especially the home decor & kids stuff.

I'm thinking that Laura and I definitely need these matching aprons so she can help me bake cookies when she gets a bit older. Too cute!

Unfortunately the nearest store is in Seattle or Bellevue. I've been thinking about a trip that direction to visit friends anyway...

Tree Huggers

2009-10-21T22:04:00.000-07:00

Scenes from the fall leaf festival at Finch Arboretum.

Wild Walls

2009-10-20T16:54:00.000-07:00

Troy had the opportunity to scale a climbing wall at a friend's birthday party. He's had the chance to do this before, but never would. So I was extra proud of him for giving it a try this time. He did awesome and climbed higher & faster than most of the other kids. When I asked if he wanted to come back do it again sometime he said, "No, not too much." I don't blame him. It looks difficult & scary.

Shoes

2009-10-07T15:18:00.000-07:00

I was thinking about going shopping for a few new pair of shoes because none of mine seem to be comfortable anymore. My feet got bigger or flatter or something after having Laura and a pinched nerve in my toe hasn't been helping matters. So I decided to take a look at what I had, to make sure I didn't buy anything I really didn't need.

And that's when I discovered that I own no less than 30...yes, 30...pairs of shoes. This collection includes everything from flip flops to snow boots to shoes that I've worn once, or worse yet - never worn.

I don't know how this happened, but I'm beginning to understand how it's possible that Imelda Marcos could end up with 3000 pairs of these things.

We all Scream for Ice Cream

2009-09-16T20:50:00.000-07:00

An Ice Cream truck has been musically making its rounds about our neighborhood the last few weeks. I was surprised because I think it is a first for our area. It's usually a challenge to even find a pizza place who will deliver up here, so seeing an ice cream truck was a bit of a novelty.
Actually, I probably thought it was more exciting than the kids did, just because I never got to experience such a thing as a kid growing up in the middle of Nowheresville.
(But getting to have horses more than made up for it!)

Red Box Movie Vending

2009-09-11T20:35:00.000-07:00

My new favorite way to rent movies. http://www.redbox.com/

These Red Box movie-rental vending machines are popping up everywhere these days. I've seen them at Rosauers, Walgreens, Albertsons & Walmart.

They have a good selection of current movies in every machine and you can rent them for only $1.00 per night. Then you can return the movie to any Red Box. It's simple and they email you your receipt to help you keep track of what you may have rented. You can even go online, read the teasers for each movie, and then reserve the one you want so that it is guaranteed to be in the box waiting for you when you arrive.

It's amazing how kids & technology can change your habits. Michael and I used to see a lot of movies at the theaters...I think we probably averaged at least one or two a week. But then we had kids and instead began frequenting our favorite video store downtown. We kept up our movie watching from the comfort of our couch. I used enjoy our weekly trips to Premier Video. It was fun to browse the movie selection with him. Then the store went out of business. There are not any other rental places convenient to our house, so for a long time we just didn't watch any movies. I felt completely out of touch. I'd never even heard of any of the movies that friends would mention having seen. Then came Comcast On-Demand movies, which are super convenient, but expensive. We really limited our Comcast rentals so that the cable bill wouldn't blow us away any more than it usually does, which means we never got to see every movie we would have liked to. Alas, the Red Box arrived at our favorite grocery store, and now we get to watch all the movies we want. Yeah!

Yes, I do know about Netflix and Blockbuster movies by mail. But that doesn't make sense to me because you are paying for the service even during times when you might not rent any movies. And the "green" part of me shudders at all the extra garbage mailing those movies back & forth must create.

Troy Turns 5

2009-09-03T22:31:00.000-07:00

We always try to make a big deal out of Troy's birthday so he can feel extra special. And this year was no exception. You only get to turn 5 once, right?

Troy asked for a Lego birthday party this year (He has future birthday party themes already picked out too, for every year until he's 20.)

I was so happy with how the cake turned out. Lego bricks with a Lego man. Troy gave the man a black eye trying to find out if his head would turn. Yes it did, and the arms moved too.

We had builder's hats for all the kids to wear, in keeping with the Lego Building theme.

The party was at the park near our house. I love having parties there because all the kids have lots of room to run around. Troy always has to go up the slide the hard way.

Checking out all his loot.

A couple of babies also made an appearance at the party. Emma belongs to my cousin Shauna and Henry belongs to my friend Sonja. They were born only 1 day apart and are both so sweet.

5 year-old Troy is truly an amazing kid! He is still smart and incredibly stubborn, but this past year he has really become quite independent. He loves sports classes (swimming, soccer, tennis, basketball) and wants to learn to play golf, do gymnastics & skateboard next. He also wants to learn how to breakdance and play the electric guitar ("not a regular one"). His downhill skiing improved a lot this past winter and he is still a maniac sans training wheels on his bicycle. He loves to turn on the stereo and dance and also has definite opinions about which songs we should listen to while in the car. He is a huge backseat driver. His feet are huge size 13+ and he has grown quite a bit taller this year too. He is excited for preschool (5 mornings a week now) and always gets himself dressed and ready to go. His favorite foods are watermelon, pizza, mac & cheese, root beer floats, tuna fish sandwiches, turkey wraps, spaghetti with grandma's homemade meatballs and Taco Bell. I'm proud to say that he has still never been to McDonald's...ever! Favorite shows are Tom & Jerry, Scooby Doo, Star Wars and Discovery channel type programs. Favorite toys are Legos, monster trucks & light sabers. His favorite color has always been orange. He generally gets along great with everyone and has many friends. It's not uncommon for him to run into them when we are out & about. Michael recently commented that he runs into his friends more often than we do our adult friends. He usually takes showers now instead of baths, but still enjoys a good bubble bath now & then. He has a bittersweet relationship with his sister, sometimes playing nice with her ("Can Laura play at the park with us too?") and always rejoicing in her major & minor milestones ("Look Mommy, Laura just built a house with these blocks!"). But usually he is a lot frustrated that she likes to "bother" him and mess with his stuff. He likes us to read chapter books to him now and I think he will probably be reading them himself before he turns 6. He likes to write the letter "Y" at the end of his name so that it "looks like a football goal post". He understands time by how many mornings he has to wake up before an event takes place. "How many more times do I have to wake up before my birthday party?" He really is a great kid and I wouldn't trade him for any other! Happy birthday Troy!!

Too Old for Rock Concerts?

2009-09-01T10:37:00.000-07:00

Saturday night we saw Nickelback in concert at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington. I'd never been there before, so I was excited to see what it was all about. It was a beautiful setting, just like I'd heard. What I didn't realize is that there would be 3 opening bands and Nickelback wouldn't even come on stage until after 9pm (over 3 hours after the concert started). Sitting on a steeply slanted lawn for 5 hours made me and my back feel OLD. Add to that the profanities that the bands constantly used and all the marijuana smoke floating around and I not only felt old but not even remotely "cool" enough to be at a rock concert. The opening bands Saving Abel, Papa Roach and Hinder weren't my favorite, but Nickelback was fantastic and I was happy that they played all my favorite songs. Now I can finally say I've experienced the Gorge at George! Special thanks to my parents for letting the kids have a sleepover at their house. This was Laura's first slumber party away from mama and she did great.

7 Blissful Years...

2009-08-17T21:58:00.001-07:00

The seven year itch? No way.
(Ok, maybe just a little. But for better or worse, we're stuck with one another!)

Each year on our anniversary we have dinner at the same great restaurant. The place is out in the middle of nowhere and we only go there once a year, so it makes it a special tradition. We always have the waiter take our picture.

First - 2003
Michael was sweet and remembered to have a replica of the top tier of our wedding cake made.
Second - 2004
A week before Troy was born.

Third - 2005

Ugly, clashing shirts.

Fourth - 2006

I don't remember anything about this year.

Fifth - 2007

I had a few too many glasses of wine that night.

Sixth - 2008

I think we look pretty good considering Laura was only 2 months old and we probably weren't getting much sleep.

And this year, our seventh wedding anniversary... 2009

Welcome Emma June!

2009-08-16T22:05:00.000-07:00

I hosted a "meet the baby" shower for my cousin Shauna's baby girl. She is 5-weeks old now and just so precious & sweet. I didn't want to give her back to her mama, but had to before I came down with a severe case of baby fever.

The beautiful mommy & baby...I thought the cake turned out fantastic. It was such a cute cake the pictures hardly do it justice. It even matched all the the plates & stuff. It made me sad to cut into it. But I'm even more sad that the bakery that made it is closing because the owner is having a baby, which I guess will be the last bun in her oven. Does anyone know of any places in Spokane that decorate awesome cakes? And totally unrelated to the shower, one of my favorite new ways to waste time is by watching "Cake Boss" Monday nights on TLC. Their cakes really are works of art.

I was especially proud of my domestic diva accomplishments while prepping for this party. I made lots of food that I hope the guests thought tasted at least half as good as it looked.

I wish I would have taken more pictures of the baby and less of the food!

Congratulations Shauna, Dave & Big Sister Grace!

We are excited for all the fun play dates the girl cousins can have when they get just a bit older.

Strawberry Blonde Curls!

2009-08-16T22:00:00.000-07:00

Just another good-hair-day for Laura...

Home Sweet Home

2009-08-09T21:23:00.000-07:00

We arrived back home in Spokane last night and reality is sure setting in. I managed to get most everything unpacked and the car vacuumed out this morning, but already the kids have turned the house upside down. It's amazing how quickly that can happen. Now I'm trying to deal with all the stuff that happens to your house when you're gone for a month like rotten food in the fridge, pumpkin vines growing into the street, and all those pesky bills that don't stop coming just because you've been on holiday.

Now that we are home I'm trying to focus on all of the things going on in the next couple of weeks. Some highlights include chauffeuring Troy to & from sports camp every day this week, hosting a baby shower for my cousin this weekend, planning & hosting Troy's 5th birthday party, a friend's wedding reception, a home owner's association meeting at the lake, co-op preschool orientation for Laura, a monthly Bunco game with the neighborhood girls, birthdays for both my mother & father in law, my 7th wedding anniversary, Troy starting preschool again, and then I'm super excited to end this crazy month by attending my first concert at The Gorge with my favorite group, Nickelback, performing. This might not sound like much for some hyperactive families out there, but it's busier than usual for us.

We had a great time on vacation and it's true that a month just wasn't long enough. However, it is nice to once again sleep in my own bed and enjoy all the other familiar comforts of home.

Vacation is fun, but home is sweet.

Michael is 40!

2009-08-05T20:09:00.000-07:00

When I first met my husband he was 28. I guess that's why it is difficult for me to fully accept the idea that I'm married to a 40 year old guy. If he's 40 now, that means I must be a lot older now too. I do think he makes 40 look good though. Most people guess that he is much younger.

It was just the four of us here in Breckenridge, so we had a small party. I didn't think I could fit 40 candles on the small cake, so I just used 4 candles, one for each decade.

Laura helped him unwrap a present.I doubt he wished for a matching hat & shirt that say "Old Guys Rule" before he blew those candles out, but that's exactly what he got from my parents. I thought it was kinder than the vulture figurine they got him when he turned 30.

The kids and I gave him a nice leather jacket.

It's easy to get tired when you are 40 (or 4), so why not take a nap on the coffee table?

Denver

2009-08-01T06:57:00.001-07:00

We spent the past week in Denver. The kids and I had some great adventures while Michael spent time at the downtown office of a finance company he's been working with recently.

Waterworld
http://www.waterworldcolorado.com/
Our first visit was cut short by a thunderstorm, but we are looking forward to returning to this awesome water park.
Tiny Town
http://www.tinytownrailroad.com/
This is a great place tucked away in Turkey Creek mountain pass. It started out in about 1915 with a father building little houses to delight his young daughter. It quickly grew and became a top tourist destination. There are over 100 little buildings all decorated on the outside & inside. My favorite was the inside of the saloon with barbie & ken dolls all dancing, drinking & gambling. We even took a kiddie type train ride around the whole Tiny Town village. The buildings were just the right size for Laura.
The kids were allowed to play inside some of the tiny houses. Laura absolutely loved this little playhouse. She kept hiding in the back corner so I couldn't reach inside to pull her out. Makes me regret not buying that super cute playhouse I saw at Costco earlier this year.
I took this picture for my parents - the Tiny Town Harley Davidson shop...
Butterfly & Insect Pavilion
http://www.butterflies.org/
This was a great place to spend the morning. They had all kinds of insects, spiders, beetles and bugs in general. There was a huge greenhouse type area with thousands of butterflies from all over the world. They were fun to watch flying about, but really difficult to photograph. This place also had a huge exhibit called "Shrunk" with a bunch of larger-than-life insects that moved around and made you feel about as small as an ant.

Here is Laura pretending she is a bee in a hive... Troy had the chance to hold a tarantula. He asked me if I wanted to touch it. NO WAY! Afterwards he got a sticker to wear that said "I held Rosie."

Cockroaches anyone?
Botanic Gardens
http://www.botanicgardens.org/
The botanic gardens were great because they had a Jurassic Gardens exhibit with about 15 dinosaurs placed throughout the gardens. Troy made it into a scavenger hunt using the map to try and locate every dino. It took several hours, but we found them all!

The Wildlife Experience

http://www.thewildlifeexperience.org/

I'm not really sure how to describe this place. I guess it was a museum of sorts. There were all types of great displays including a huge area dedicated to "Globeology" which featured life sized animals and their habitats from all over the world. They also had huge caves, waterfalls and a submarine simulator that I couldn't drag Troy out of. My favorite part was the gallery of pictures by Joel Sartore, a National Geographic photographer. If you haven't heard of him, it's definitely worth looking up some of his work.

Troy was allowed to touch a snake. I forget what kind it was.

Aquarium

http://www.aquariumrestaurants.com/downtownaquariumdenver/flash_content/index.html

We didn't actually go through the aquarium, but we did have a great dinner there, compliments of the company Michael is working with in Denver. The restaurant was basically in the middle of a 250,000 gallon fish tank. The kids had a great time watching the fish and sharks swim by and Troy was mesmerized when a scuba diver came in to feed the big fish a dinner of little fish.

Platte Valley Trolley

http://www.denvertrolley.org/index.html

This was a just a fun little trolley train we had a short ride on along a river near downtown.

I don't think anyone can deny the similarity of mom & daughter...

2009-07-27T20:23:00.000-07:00

The bike trails throughout Summit County are amazing. You can ride everywhere & anywhere. We had a fun ride on Sunday morning, but realized that weekends really are not the time for a slow family ride. Hundreds (yes, hundreds) of serious riders were speeding past us. It felt like we were on a bicycle freeway. Most of the riders here are so serious. They all wear fancy Lance Armstrong looking bike jerseys and some seem clearly annoyed that they had to share the trail with us. Riding is so popular here that I think they need to have separate trails for the Tour de France riders and another for families like ours.

We found an awesome playground down the road in Dillon. It has to be the playground with the best view in all of North America. Just beautiful overlooking the lake with the sailboats and mountains in the backdrop.

Troy made it all the way up the climbing wall. It's the first time he's tried one. Usually when we see a climbing wall somewhere he says "no way." I just noticed my shadow in this picture.

Laura made a friend...

We attended a concert by "Leon Littlebird" at the Dillon Amphitheatre. He is a Native American guy who plays hand crafted wooden flutes and other instruments. He said his songs were all imitations of the sounds he finds in nature. I wish I could have listened longer, because the music gave me chills down my spine, it was spiritual sounding. Unfortunately the kids didn't think it was as enjoyable as I did so we didn't stay long.

We took a guided hike and learned a lot about Breckenridge's mining history. We got to see how the miners worked & lived and also the devastation the mining caused to the mountains. Troy was fascinated by all of the old machinery, sluice boxes and what not still stuck up in the hillside.

I took the kids to see a show in Frisco called "The Ant & The Grasshopper" based on the story by Aesop. The actors were all professionals with impressive credentials listed in the program. Looks like so much fun it made me want to take some acting classes or maybe sign up with Green Bluff's Old Orchard Theatre again this year.

Vacation Update

2009-07-22T11:33:00.000-07:00

We are still staying busy here in Breck & loving it! My dad was here for the past few days, so we took advantage of his handyman skills and fixed up some things in the condo. We also visited a huge street fair with about 75 booths of all kinds of antiques. Not usually my thing, but it was fun. I was surprised that my dad opted out of the Breckenridge Beer Festival, but I guess drinking a ton of beer at this altitude would take its toll.

I think mom & dad enjoyed themselves. The kids and I were sad that they had to leave for Spokane this morning. My mom was a tremendous help our first week here. We wouldn't have been able to pack so much fun into every single day without all of her help. Michael will arrive on Friday night and then I am hoping we will get to do some more bike rides and hiking.

Some pictures of our many adventures thus far.

At a park in Frisco...
At a frontier fair in Keystone...

Laura walks everywhere now. She never crawls. I'm happy and sad that she's a toddler now.

While visiting Vail, Troy got to see his first magic show ever. How do they get those metal rings inside & out?

A beautiful bike ride around Lake Dillon, shortly before a massive thunder & lighting storm hit...

A golden eagle we saw at a "Birds of Prey" show here in Breckenridge. This picture was taken moments before the eagle started trying to fly and his massive wings knocked off the handler's glasses and nearly knocked him completely over. funny.

Mom & Dad at the top of a Peak 8 chairlift in Breckenridge...

Troy and mom enjoying some ice cream. Troy was nice enough to let me finish his. Yummy!

2009-07-17T20:16:00.000-07:00

Breckenridge Fun. Ice Skating, Gold Panning, Bike Riding & Playing!

C'mon & Get High... 12,998' Above Sea Level

2009-07-13T20:39:00.000-07:00

Okay, so the town of Breckenridge at the base of the mountain is only at 9,603 feet, but that's still much higher than the 2,300 feet we are accustomed to in Spokane.

I'm not having much luck getting pictures to Blogger, but here is one cute one of Laura's first time in a swimming pool that I did manage to get uploaded.
There's no such thing as too much fun!

After two days of driving about 1200 miles with my mom and the kids we arrived in Breckenridge Thursday night. The kids did phenomenally well in the car. It was much easier of a drive than I had anticipated.

A quick summary of what we've done here in Summit County the last few days. Sorry I'm not able to get more pictures uploaded. It truly is so beautiful here.

Main Street - Exploring all of the great shops, parks, restaurants & incredible mountain views. There's still snow up there!

Peak 8 Fun Park including the super fun SuperSlide down the ski hill, human maze and quad jump trampoline.

Vail Farmers Market & Art Show

Bike ride on trail alongside of lake with a water-taxi ride back to the start.

Imagination Express - African drumming show with music instruments for all the kids to play along.

Mt. Top Children's Museum - Really a great place with interesting, quality, hands-on stuff for the kids & parents too!

Ice Skating session with story & craft time included as well.

Gold Mine Tour with chance to pan for our own gold.

Movie Ice Age 3 at the 1-screen theatre inside of a college building here in Breck.

Shopping at outlet mall in Silverthorne.

Swimming!

We Love Breckenridge!

July 4th Fun!

2009-07-05T12:47:00.001-07:00

Our tradition on the 4th is to watch a Spokane Indians baseball game. They always have a surprisingly good fireworks show after the game. Then we rush home and watch the fireworks at Riverfront Park from our deck.

We also went on a great bike ride on the Centennial Trail next to the Spokane River in the morning. Troy is a fantastic bike rider and Laura enjoys the view from her kid seat on the back of my bike. Somehow we didn't manage to get any pictures of us on the bikes, but we did get a few next to the river.

Uncle Jason joined us for the game this year. Laura enjoyed sitting with him the best.The kids got invited out on the field during the 7th-Inning Stretch to sing God Bless America and to watch a few bi-planes fly formation over the stadium. I'm bummed that I didn't get better pictures of it.

Colorado

2009-06-29T22:12:00.000-07:00

I've always loved to travel and my list of places to visit before I'm too old to enjoy them is extraordinarily long... When I do have the opportunity to go somewhere interesting I try to stay for as long as possible to get a true feeling for what the area/people/culture are all about.

I'm definitely ready for another South Pacific holiday, but with kids so young I figured we'd keep it stateside this year and head to Colorado.

So next week I'm driving to Breckenridge with the kids and staying for an entire month. We'll be using our condo there as a home base while we explore all the nearby ski towns and bigger cities too. Some family & friends will be joining us intermittently as well.

The crazy part is that I don't think a full month is enough time to see & do everything I'd like to. So I haven't even left for this vacation yet, but I'm already planning the next!

Stay tuned for blog updates direct from the Colorado Rockies!

If It Ain't Broke...It Will Be.

2009-06-23T23:22:00.000-07:00

This funny cartoon has been the new theme at our house.

Kids can & do destroy everything.
And things still break even when the kids didn't have anything to do with it.

Exhibit A: Our dishwasher this evening...

Laura is One Year Old!!

2009-06-09T20:39:00.000-07:00

Our sweet baby girl turned one.

I have delighted in every cuddle, snuggle, smile, kiss & giggle. I have absolutely loved watching all of her "firsts" during this remarkable time. And now her first birthday too.

This princess party hat she received is perfect because she really is a princess. Definitely a girly girl. She loves to play dress up. All day long she begs me for hats, hair bows, necklaces and basically any girly dress up clothes or accessories she can get a hold of. Everyone at the party laughed when she tried on her new clothes & accessories all on her own.

She was lucky enough to have both of her great-grandmas at her party.

The party was mostly great. Although I did feel like a horrible mother when she tried to put her candle out with her fingers. We didn't get any pictures of her eating cake, because she was a little overwhelmed being the center of attention (with burned fingers) and didn't want to have anything to do with the cake.

Best in Show

2009-06-05T13:01:00.000-07:00

My relatives have a great business traveling to dog shows all around the country and selling everything & anything a person could want for their dog. http://www.3cdog.com/

On Memorial day we decided to visit them at a dog show in Coeur d'alene.

Here are pictures of some silly dogs ready to strut their stuff.

And if you've never seen it, be sure to rent the funny movie "Best in Show" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0218839/

And my favorite doggy item (this was not an item my relatives were selling)...the Bitch Britches. Yes, that sign says you too can buy underwear for your large dog for only $39.50!

"I'm Bored" - Troy

2009-06-03T14:05:00.001-07:00

Quote from Troy, only 2 hours after I picked him up from his last day of school. It's going to be a long summer!

Two Big Noses

2009-05-30T09:40:00.001-07:00

Crawford State Park & Gardner Cave

2009-05-28T15:44:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness for my Mom & Dad, aka Grandma & Papa. They regularly invite Troy to their home for weekends of fun when I am needing a break from his abundant energy & 4.5 year old attitude.

This past weekend they took a day trip and visited Crawford State Park, which is somewhere north, near the Canadian border. http://www.parks.wa.gov/parks/?selectedpark=Crawford&subject=all

He thought the caves were great, especially this "rocket ship" formation.

They also visited a dam in the area which had massive amounts of water flowing. I believe it's called Boundry Dam.

Troy says "Thanks for a fun weekend Grandma & Papa!"

Sunglasses & Hats - It must be Summer!

2009-05-23T21:08:00.000-07:00

Sunshine is good. Summer reminds me why we live here.

How many times did you leave the house yesterday?

2009-05-21T20:46:00.001-07:00

So you are curious about what a stay-at-home mom does all day?
Following are the highlights from my day yesterday.

6:00 AM
Depart home to take husband to airport.

8:55 AM
Depart home to take son to school.

9:25 AM
Depart home to pick husband up from airport because his flight was delayed several hours.

10:30 AM
Depart home to take lunch to son at school because I forgot to send it with him earlier.

12:20 PM
Depart home to take husband back to airport.

1:15 PM
Depart home to pick son up from school.

3:00 PM
Depart home to go to scheduled appointment at U-haul to have a trailer hitch installed on the car so I can get a bike rack.

6:30 PM
Depart home to pick up an inflatable ball pit for daughter's 1st birthday present...(it's very fun!) from a Craig's List ad. This was the only time the seller was available to purchase it from her.

Yes, that's right. I left the house 8 separate times to go somewhere. The neighbors must think I'm crazy. Garage door up - Garage door down - Garage door up...

In addition I changed diapers, prepared meals, payed bills, did a few loads of laundry, tried to clean the house up, bathed & dressed kids, kissed owies and in general made sure the kids didn't harm themselves or each other. (Trust me, it's harder than it sounds!)

So that's a day in the life of a stay-at-home mom. Now you know!

Diaper Wreath Baby Shower Gift - Fun Idea

2009-05-18T21:23:00.000-07:00

So I have been invited to a lot of baby showers lately and now have a standard gift that I give each expectant momma. A diaper wreath. They are easy & fun to make and a great conversation piece at the shower.

You start with a basic floral wreath or heavy cardboard type ring. Then you fasten diapers around it using clear plastic hair elastics. Then add all the goodies on to the diapers with some pretty curling ribbon. Standard items usually include pacifiers, rattles, bibs, spoons, rubber ducky, booties/socks, stuffed animals, washcloths, hair bows, etc.

Here are pictures of a few that I've made...

The first couple of these I made I wrapped the diapers tightly around the wreath form. But I discovered that they look cuter if you leave the diapers flat (like the picture above). It gives the wreath more flare.

This is the only gender neutral diaper wreath I've made. It turned out okay, but I prefer the pink or blue themes. They just stand out more than green & yellow.

People make amazing gifts out of diapers these days. Check out these other ideas.

The Diaper Cake...

The Diaper Bouquet...The Diaper Bathtub...

The Diaper Choo-Choo Train...

Check out diaperzoo.com for more amazing diaper creations.

Livestock Show

2009-05-11T21:14:00.001-07:00

Troy's school field trip to the Junior Livestock Show at the fairgrounds sounded like it might be fun. Unfortunately it was a bit dull because there were only 4 types of animals...steer, swine, goats and lambs. Troy and I both couldn't stand the smell in the cow & pig buildings so we left those almost immediately. The goats were goats and the lambs looked cold without their hair. Laura enjoyed listening to the cows say moo. The lambs always make me chuckle because they remind me of a comment a friend of mine said about them all looking like KKK members with the white hoods over their heads (so they stay clean).

This was the best informational display board I saw. I thought it was cute how they filled the cowboy boots with dried flowers. The colors/theme also reminded me of the cutest birthday cake I've ever seen. (picture at end of post).
Brrr...I know my wrinkles look cute, but why did you shave off all my hair???
Troy thought the huge scissors they use for shearing the animals were pretty cool.
I plan to have a cake like this made for Laura's birthday when she turns 4 or 5.

Bloomsday

2009-05-05T13:09:00.000-07:00

1st Place Michael

2 hours, 23 minutes & 42 seconds

2nd Place Troy

2 hours, 23 minutes & 43 seconds

3rd Place Tie Laura and Joy

2 hours, 23 minutes & 44 seconds

Troy was grumpy during the whole race and even grumpier when he found out that daddy beat him by one second.

Laura fell asleep at exactly the same time we crossed the "start" line.

The famous vulture at the top of Doomsday hill.
Laura is a big fan of the Bloomsday shirt this year.

"A garden is never so good as it will be next year."-- Thomas Cooper

2009-04-27T21:51:00.001-07:00

"Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them."
— Eeyore, from A. A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh

Troy and I have been working hard this past week to get our raised garden beds ready to be planted. Today was the big day. I don't know the first thing about gardening, but here's hoping that at least some of the veggies we planted will grow. When you have a 4-year old "helping" and a baby napping, planting a garden is really more of a hurry up and get the seeds in the dirt as fast as possible task. There was no methodical planning here. I will be surprised if the plants actually grow, but it was a fun diversion for the afternoon. It did rain lightly after we finished planting. Is that considered a garden blessing from Mother Nature? I still want to add some other starter plants from the garden center, but today was a great start.

The boys planted some pumpkins in their dirt play area too.

We already have garlic, peppermint & rhubarb growing. These plants magically reappear each year.

"Earth laughs in flowers."-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Summertime Dreams

2009-04-22T21:40:00.000-07:00

With the springtime sunshine we have had for a few days I am starting to look forward to spending time at the lake this summer. We usually head out to my grandma's cabin at Deer Lake or to the public beach at nearby Fish Lake. However, a couple of years ago we went crazy and purchased a terrific waterfront lot at Diamond Lake. It is one of the last undeveloped lots on the lake and one of the nicest lakes in the area. The property faces west for afternoon sun, it has a great sandy beach, no seaweed and the water is shallow for a long way out, which makes it great for kids. There is a nasty old mobile home which reeks of cigarette smoke on the property. We are renting to some very nice people who are unfortunately not very good about paying rent. The goal is to get rid of the mobile home and build a dream home sometime while the kids are still around to enjoy spending summers there. It's also not too far from 49 Degrees North and Schweitzer ski areas, so it could be a fun winter getaway too.

This is how it looks now...

This is how it will look after we win the lottery...The view from the property is nice as well...

Were Babies Bigger during the 1970's???

2009-04-20T21:30:00.000-07:00

Why on Earth did they build houses that were completely DANGEROUS for small kids during the 1970's? Our 70's-ish house has an ugly iron banister with rails spaced so far apart that most kids under age 2 could easily fall through. And our large second-story deck has huge spaces between the railings as well. Were babies bigger back then so they couldn't fit through the spaces??? Was no one concerned about them falling 2+ stories??? What were home designers thinking???

Today I finally got around to covering the gaps in our banister railing so Laura can't climb through and fall downstairs. I hate looking at this clear (but dirty with smudges & fingerprints) plastic/plexiglas type stuff. I affix it to the railing with cable ties. I swore that I would have a safer railing installed before my next child got to this stage, but guess what? The old railing is still there, so the plastic shield that kept Troy safe for 2 years had to go back up to protect Laura this time.

Notice how we also had to strap a tacky looking strip of wood to the edge of the banister so we could have somewhere to mount the hardware for the gate at the top of the stairs.

Laura has been getting into a lot of "trouble" these days...even if she is still small enough to fit through the banister railing...It's amazing what messes a 10-month old can make!

Oops...Notice the food-processor blade under the door. Time to childproof some more!