Our Family Adventures

Theo's Birthday

2012-01-31T19:30:00.000-08:00

Theo, pretty consistently, loves diggers. Excavator this and excavator that. All he wants are diggers. We have digger pj's, digger stickers, digger clothes, digger toys, digger lunch box, digger puzzles...one gets the idea. In a turn of events he has decided to push his obsession/love of diggers to the side for this lime green riding machine.

We went to REI tonight to buy his huge noggin a new helmet and he fell in love with this bike. I am unsure if it is a girl's bike, but I am leaning towards the affirmative. I am most certain that he loves it because it is all green, which is his very favorite color. He even exclaimed, "It has a suitcase!" referring to the storage bag on the front.

I am hoping he won't be the laughing stock of the neighborhood, but~hey~you aren't a preschool boy very often and if the boy wants a lime green bike with a bag on it, so be it! He kept talking about the bike as we left the store, in the car, and after we arrived home. He found his bike!

Only four months until his birthday. I can't wait!

Play Wine

2012-01-31T12:42:00.000-08:00

Augie raided the recycling bin and left an empty bottle of wine on the kids' blue table. Georgia came bounding in from school and scooped it up, asking, "Is this for our play kitchen?" in an excited voice. I laughed and had to say, no, it wasn't my intention for them to be playing bartender at ages three and five!

Cavalia with Georgia

2012-01-28T19:20:00.000-08:00

For Christmas Jon gave Georgia and I VIP Cavalia tickets. Cavalia is a traveling horse show that involves trapeze, 46 horses, live music, and acrobatics. It was excellent and Georgia and I enjoyed the VIP treatment which included 90 minutes in the VIP room before the show, free parking, appetizers such as shrimp, salad, pasta and dessert, and a stable tour after the show.

We had a fantastic time and Georgia said her favorite parts were the horses (of course) and the people. She said that she would like to come back twenty five more times!

Growing Up

2012-01-28T08:08:00.000-08:00

Leah once told me that it's hard work dying. There is an emotional and physical process and she believes that it takes energy and peace from the person going through it. They need patience, understanding, and ultimately for us to let go of them. Then they pass.

Though not as severe as dying, preparing for your first born leaving the house is a little bit of this pain requiring heaps of patience and a few tears along the way.

Kate grew up.

Kate turned eighteen and she will be leaving us in the fall and it feels as if she is leaving us behind. How did this happen? When did this happen? The cliche's are true~children grow up in the blink of an eye~and all of those sappy sentiments. You hear these and still one is unprepared. This sudden changing of the guards, excitement and dread packaged together, it is all just so bittersweet. With only a little bit sweet and heaps of bitter worry.

I don't worry much about Kate because she has a good head on her shoulders and a general direction on where she plans to end up. I expect there to be bumps along the way and hope those bumps are relatively painless. Can I get an 'Amen' if her biggest bump is a C- in a class? I hope for that rather than the other dreadful things along the way. I worry about bed bugs, cafeteria meals filled with MSG, credit card pushers, roofies in red cups, late night study sessions with muggers lying in wait, hepatitis C, insane roommates with crazy boyfriends, and young men with sealed juvenile records. You know, normal stuff.

This year is our year of 'lasts' while preparing for her next chapter. The last snowfall at home, the last friend birthday sleepover, the last year. A bit like dying I would say. Me, not her.

Thank goodness I don't have to do this process for another thirteen years. Yet, I know that in thirteen years I will be saying how fast it goes and how painful it is to send them off. I comfort myself knowing I have another thirteen years all the while realizing with the special gift of hindsight Kate is gifting me, time will pass too quickly. In the blink of an eye...

All the Girls

2012-01-27T19:49:00.001-08:00

I can't believe this is the last group shot for Kate and her friend birthdays. All of these girls have such bright futures and I am excited to see what life has in store for them. Cheers, girls!

Kate's Seattle Friends

2012-01-27T19:20:00.001-08:00

Miranda, Kathrin, Maya, Katherine and Soleil...all going off to college next year to different colleges. We will miss them!

Grandma Bonnie Goes to Preschool!

2012-01-27T09:04:00.000-08:00

Grandma Bonnie asked to go to the children's Montessori preschool for the morning. I have no doubt that everyone will love and mob her. Despite Theo not smiling for the camera, the kids were thrilled to have her join them!

Edited to add: Grandma Bonnie was "really impressed" by their preschool. She liked that the kids were learning about amoebas and geography. She liked the order, the calmness, and the boundaries set up by the teachers. The teachers liked her as well and said she could come back and stay with them anytime.

Kate's Birthday

2012-01-23T17:00:00.000-08:00

The birthday celebrations keep coming! We had family over to celebrate Kate (Leah's family, Meri, and Brian) with a make your own pizza dinner party. I set out three sauces, sun dried tomatoes, greek olives, pineapple, feta cheese, mozzarella, buffalo mozzarella slices, black olives, fresh arugula, roasted garlic, fresh tomatoes, fresh mushrooms, red and green peppers, sausage, canadian bacon, vegan chorizo, and pepperoni. It was truly a pizza smorgasboard!

Leah's family hadn't ever made their own pizzas so we all laughed when Leah's pizza was in the shape of a mountain and not a flat plane. Lauren made a minimalist pie and Meri's was precise, with little bits of toppings carefully spaced apart. Our kids chose black olives, red sauce, and sausage on theirs. Georgia ate her tomatoes on the side. Mine was delicious and consisted of pesto sauce, kalamata olives, roasted garlic, red peppers, sliced mozzarella, and fresh arugula on top.

Kate requested another chocolate cake so I made her one using a different recipe. Brian kindly brought an apple tart that was delicious! We paired both desserts with vanilla ice cream and ate until we were stuffed!

Another great party with wonderful friends and fantastic company. After each party, I feel so fortunate to have this group of people in our lives. Brian and Leah cleaned the kitchen, my mom helped with the kids and food, and Meri came with her sewing kit to sew together Theo's torn blanket.

We are very, very, blessed.

Tree Blocks

2012-01-23T13:07:00.000-08:00

We lost an apple tree in the ice and snow storm. The bountiful tree that brought the kids and horses much appreciated fresh fruit this past fall. We were sorry to see it down but I realized that it could serve another purpose~tree blocks!

I have been wanting tree blocks for the past 2-3 years. Basically, they are blocks in their natural shapes with their bark still attached. I appreciate the rustic feel of them and find them appealing on many levels.

Unfortunately, they are expensive. Usually around $75 for a decent set that has been rubbed with beeswax. The cheapest I can find them is for a 30 piece set for $45. Anyway, the apple tree will live on in blocks, making them that much more meaningful.

I am thinking that they will make a fine second birthday present for our littlest man!

Tractor Service

2012-01-23T12:54:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago Georgia and Theo's teacher mentioned how she was worried if it snowed and was looking for someone to come and plow the school driveway. I offhandedly offered Jon's services with our tractor, being that we live only a mile away from the school, and she said that she would keep us in mind.

It snowed, she called, and Jon and I spent three hours clearing snow, chopping up tree limbs, and stacking wood. Jon did more than the bulk of it, but I provided the lights and shoveled the walkway. Not to mention the eye candy and comic relief. I was also the safety car who drove behind Jon and the 3 mph tractor on the 35 mph road. Thankfully we only had to drive for 1/4 of a mile on that road!

Their teacher called and asked for Jon to bill her. I felt awkward about this, unsure of what the going rate was, and asked her just to give us a discount on our tuition. Honestly, Jon and I felt that it was a kind thing to do and help with at the kids' school. We would love a tuition credit but were satisfied that we spent three hours at the school being helpful and of service.

Today I dropped the children off at school and she gave us a bottle of champagne, fresh tulips, and a check that more than covered Theo's tuition for next month. What a pleasant surprise~I feel so appreciative of her thoughtfulness and it felt great helping the school out!

Nathan and Augie

2012-01-23T12:44:00.000-08:00

Leah's family came over and Nathan is now nine months old and walking with the help of a push toy. This is the first time that I have seen the kids really interact with him~and he with them~and Augie and Nate were the cutest together. I think Augie is curious about him and I catch him watching him to see what he will do next.

Georgia played peek-a-boo with silk scarves, Theo gave Nathan some balls to play with, and Augie showed him how to crawl down the hall and stuck close beside him.

They are all going to have so much fun this summer, I can't wait!

Snow Week

2012-01-23T12:26:00.000-08:00

We had a few years worth of snow this past week. Temperatures were in the mid twenties and we measured (after the rain and thawing started) ten inches on our back patio. I would easily guess that it snowed a foot at our house. Thankfully we didn't lose power~like the other 273,000 residents of our state~and we stayed warm and dry.

We spent each day sledding with the kids, baking, celebrating Kate's birthday, playing Fruit Ninja with Georgia, board games, and watching movies. Jon even made an igloo big enough to fit Kate that is still in our yard, six days later.

My mom flew in to surprise Kate on her birthday on the only day of the week when the airport wasn't closed or on a restricted schedule. She was lucky that she made it in when she did, sandwiched between two storms!

Our week went by quickly and we felt so fortunate to have power. Our ritual at dinner is to go around the table and say what we are thankful for. Each night, without fail, someone mentioned how grateful we were to have power and be warm.

Snow Ice Cream

2012-01-18T12:33:00.000-08:00

I found a recipe for snow ice cream off of the internet and decided to make it today with the kids. It turned out well (but cold) and it seems to be similar in texture and flavor to Dairy Queen's soft serve. We served ours with birthday sprinkles, naturally!

Theo, Georgia, and I trekked out to get some fresh snow and then the rest of the group helped stir everything together. Even Kate woke up (11 am) to come down and try it with us.

Recipe:
1 cup of whipping cream
1/2 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon vanilla pudding
6 cups of clean snow

1. Blend all ingredients and 3 cups of the snow together in large bowl.
2. Cover bowl and place outside in the snow for 30 minutes.
3. Mix in an additional 3-4 cups of snow to make the ice cream.

Kate's 18th Birthday

2012-01-18T12:24:00.000-08:00

On Kate's birthday we were snowed in with 7+ inches of snow and school's were closed. I think Kate would have preferred to have school, since she seemed a bit bored, but perked up when Brandon came over and Grandma Bonnie surprised her with a visit. By dinner time she was having fun and after dinner we drove her up to the local convenience store so she could buy her very first lottery tickets. However, she was bummed when she wasn't carded.

I made clam linguini, garlic bread, and a field green and arugula salad for dinner. Kate requested a chocolate cake with vanilla icing and we paired it with her favorite mint chocolate chip Breyer's ice cream.

It was a lovely, low key birthday and Kate complimented dinner (twice) so I think she liked it!

Happy birthday, dearest girl. We love you bunches!

Snow Pictures

2012-01-16T10:03:00.000-08:00

This morning, with the temp being a brisk 28 degrees, Jon and the kids dug out an igloo near the barn. Of course I was terrified that the kids would be buried alive in an igloo avalanche, so the kids and Jon turned it into a snow tunnel which makes me feel only slightly more at ease.

Jasper

2012-01-15T16:17:00.000-08:00

Snow Day Continues

2012-01-15T12:03:00.000-08:00

It has been snowing nonstop here and I would estimate that we have at least 5 inches of snow. Our patio table broke under the weight of it (it doesn't help that we still had the umbrella up and six patio chairs stored on top of it).

Here are some photographs I took today of Daisy running in it~while being chased by Starr~and Jasper playing outside. I love the photo of Georgia and Jasper sitting in the window seat enjoying the snow.

Tina Fey Post

2012-01-14T16:00:00.000-08:00

First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches. May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the Beauty.

When the Crystal Meth is offered, may she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half And stick with Beer.

Guide her, protect her when crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock ‘N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.

Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance. Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes And not have to wear high heels. What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You, because if I knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit.

May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers. Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen.Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long, For childhood is short – a Tiger Flower blooming Magenta for one day – And adulthood is long and dry-humping in cars will wait.

O Lord, break the Internet forever, that she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers And the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed. And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it.

And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back. “My mother did this for me once,” she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck. “My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental Note to call me. And she will forget. But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes. Amen. -Tina Fey

First Snow

2012-01-14T12:21:00.000-08:00

Snow! Oh, yes, we have been waiting! Watching the weather reports and hoping, searching, for snow! We had a 50% chance of snow that sticks and are so happy it found us! The excitement of the kids is precious and the energy in the house is electric! We love any kind of snow around here.

The kids went out to play in the yard while I took pictures. I came in and made grilled cheese, tomato soup, and hot chocolate with marshmallows to warm them up with. I would guess that they are having a pretty excellent day!

Augie in his underwear

2012-01-14T09:09:00.000-08:00

Taken this morning of 22 month old Augie in his undies. He likes to be just like the big kids!

Art Closet

2012-01-12T16:24:00.000-08:00

I love organization. My husband will tell you that I am not organized, and I think he is crazy out of his mind for saying this. I ask you, who with less organization could run the schedules of this house, the animals, prepare wholesome meals, keep up the laundry, and all the other things I do around here? I am pretty darn organized. It is a personality trait that I appreciate about myself.

I have the wrapping paper box; complete with scissors, mailing envelopes, postal boxes, and tape. I have bins under the bathroom sink for hair, nails, and makeup. I have canning shelves in the garage, complete with a canning journal that details recipes and the details of the day. I have a yearly gardening journal with drawn out gardens, garden tags, and comments about what grew well and what didn't.

I prefer order and lists and organized chaos. This leads me to my secret love: the Art Closet. I love almost everything about it. I appreciate how stocked it is, I like the variety of paints we have, I enjoy looking at it and knowing where something is in a few seconds. The only thing that would make it better would be new shelving paper and a labeler. But, hey, who has time for a labeler? I have to draw my neurosis somewhere.

I think the Art Closet is supposed to be part of the laundry room, but I have made those five shelves into crafty heaven. I am in no ways crafty, but I do want the kids to have access and the ability to make projects and a masterpiece or two along the way. Paints and glue on the top shelf, playdoh/craft projects/scissors on second shelf, school work/craft books/stickers on third, then paper/old magazines/glitz like glitter glue and sequins, and the last shelf holds coloring books/markers/crayons...the shelf with the most accessibility.

Anywho, I had a few spare minutes and noticed that my nirvana had turned into chaos. The kids and I spent an hour sorting supplies, throwing out old markers, and creating a new Valentine's bin in the closet. Pictured above is before and after~I hope you can see a difference.

Kids Asleep

2012-01-12T16:15:00.000-08:00

I started out trying to get a picture of Jasper sleeping on his back, legs in the air, on Georgia's bed. I didn't even know that he was upstairs with her but when I went to check on her before bed, found the two of them snoring away. My camera flash disturbed him and he rolled into a more respectable position.

I decided to capture sleeping Augie~who would have thought this day would come~and curled up Theo. I don't have many sleeping pictures of them and thought it would be nice to get some updated ones.

One of my nightly rituals is to walk up those 14 stairs and go first into Georgia's room and cover her up. Then I tiptoe over to the boys room and cover up Augie and brush Theo's hair out of his face. Theo is the only one of them who curls into his bed, like a squirrel burrowing down for winter.

Augie Sweeps

2012-01-12T16:02:00.000-08:00

Augie likes to clean. Mainly he likes to sweep with either a big or small broom and help use the dustpan. He is also a maniac when it comes to hand mopping floors. The minute he sees someone get out the mop bucket, he drops whatever it is he is doing and runs as fast as he can to get a cleaning rag to help. He is so tenacious that I literally have to mop after he is asleep because he seems compelled to be a part of it. I appreciate the help but have little desire for baby footprints through drying floors.

I can't really explain why he isn't wearing pants. I suppose it is because he must have taken his diaper off, used his baby potty, and we hadn't bothered to dress him. Instead of dressing him we thought it was just better to let him clean.

Cookbooks

2012-01-11T18:21:00.000-08:00

I have 25 cookbooks and I use one on a weekly basis. I don't think the Costco freebies count, so let's just say that I have 23 real cookbooks. When I counted up these books my first inclination was to purge them. Streamline the stash, because~let's face it~I use maybe three of these a year. As I dusted them off and straightened them up, I was reminded of different times in my life where they were useful and appreciated. As the minutes ticked, they almost became like photographs to me. Seasons of my life when I was young and a vegetarian. Or times when I was impressionable to the power of the Oprah Show and had to have the Jessica Seinfeld cookbook. Or who I have become~a home cook interested in classic recipes contained within Cook's Illustrated.

I have all the usual like the Joy of Cooking, Best of America's Test Kitchen and Betty Crocker~which is quite outdated but reminds me of my old Betty Crocker cookbooks I used as a kid.

Some of the cookbooks I keep around because they were gifts and highlight Hawaiian cuisine. The Pioneer Woman Cooks is a gift from Brian that I am thrilled to rediscover. Laurel's Kitchen, a vegetarian cookbook, dates back twenty years and reminds me of Aunt Jane. It is the ultimate in healthy and whole food cooking, much before its time. I hope that someday Kate will take it when she sets up her first home.

I use The America's Test Kitchen the most and it is my go to for breads and my much requested buttermilk pancakes. The Encyclopedia of Country Living, another gift from Brian, is useful if I want to butcher are own chickens, worry about mushroom poisoning, or even want to shear our own sheep. I love this book for its comical (to me) how-to information and keep it around for those just in case situations. I learned how to raise and keep ducks safe from reading this book. Obviously it didn't work and maybe I should have reread that section a few more times. I do appreciate the butter and cheese recipes contained between chapters of "treating my family with homemade remedies" and "basic beekeeping."

Martha Stewart's Housekeeping Handbook is along these lines, insightful information that I probably need to know. I know that there is a section regarding how to fold a fitted sheet. I skip over this section each time, knowing Jon folds all of our family's fitted sheets to perfection. I also have the Top Chef Quickfire Cookbook which reminds me of our enjoyment of the cooking show. Though we have yet to recreate one of the recipes, I am certain that at some point it will be something we do.

In the end, the cookbooks are for keeping and reminiscing. Thank goodness we bought a bigger house!

Poker Night

2012-01-10T15:25:00.000-08:00

My goal is to someday be that house. The one that has all the fun events, the kids are happy and dirty, and the neighbors all know one another...or at least the people that live at that house. In a good way. Not the police calling, kids screaming, dog barking way. The good way. If I say it enough will it come true?

My plot for neighborhood domination has been implemented through monthly poker nights. We host a monthly poker party starting at 7:00 pm and mainly the neighbor men come to play. Occasionally a few wives and even children come to check out the festivities. We offer snacks such as peanuts, veggie tray, and a baked good~but that's it. Honestly, it is quite the easy host and getting to know the neighbors has been a blast. Who knew Randy had poster's on his bedroom wall of Raquel Welch? Ewwww!

Here is my first attempt at photographic evidence~the men playing poker. Cue the music because this is when the neighborhood changed...and we began our intention of becoming that house.

Valentine's Cards

2012-01-10T15:14:00.001-08:00

I know it is early, but I like to do activities/projects in shifts with the kids. You know~in case of plague like sickness/injury/animal death/home repairs/fire (I caught the kitchen towels on fire last week) and any of the other disasters I have yet to experience. You know, in case of anything that can and does happen as a common occurrence around here. Living the life I lead, 6 weeks early seems very reasonable or at least extremely prudent.

Today I went to Ben Franklin when the kids were at school and picked up red construction paper, bingo markers, stickers, and sticky butterfly sheets to create homemade Valentine's cards.

After school, the older kids bingo dotted the butterfly's, I cut out the construction paper with pinking shears, and they helped stick them on. Step number two will be handwriting their names on the back and gluing a lollipop to each, making it look like the body of a butterfly. I am supposed to glue rolly eyes to each lollipop head but I am unsure if I will be cutting it too close to complete this. You know~six weeks and all!

Chicken Catching

2012-01-05T15:50:00.000-08:00

I am proud of Georgia for many things. How loving she is, how responsible she is, how much she can keep up with our family and her ability to get along with near everyone. That I can count on her for help with chores and to listen what I ask. How much she enjoys school and that the kids and teachers enjoy having her in their classroom. These all seem like normal parental reasons of pride.

And then we get to pride in chicken wrangling? Is there such a thing? I know it seems silly, but I truly am proud of her chicken wrangling skills. First, she isn't afraid. She isn't worried about getting pecked or having a creature who comes to her kneecap spread its wings and flap in her face. When catching a chicken she walks slowly, then faster, then breaks into a run trying to scoop it up. Once upon a chicken, she quickly bends down (in a frog leg fashion) and snatches it up in one sure swoop. I beam with pride each and every time she does this.

It is this part of chicken raising, the one where I watch my five year old child catch chickens, that surprises me the most. Before our own flock, I knew I would love having fresh eggs. I knew that I would enjoy their colors and markings and the personalities of the hens. I never expected to have as much pride as I feel when watching our child, in all her coordination and experience, pick up a hen within 30 seconds. Watching her in action makes me smile and thank our lucky stars that she has the opportunity to do this, to be so unafraid and challenged and competent~to be a bonafide chicken wrangler!

Coloring

2012-01-05T15:44:00.001-08:00

How long do I have before they don't enjoy coloring simple pictures in a coloring book? Especially coloring and sharing the same book? I want to capture the photograph in my mind of Georgia and Theo perched on bar stools with their bodies bent over their page. Their hands furiously scribbling~pressing too hard~color onto the page, intently focused on their work.

I love, love, love, their preschool hobbies of playdoh and coloring. They seem so little, so innocent, and just plain old precious.

Movie Night

2012-01-05T15:38:00.000-08:00

Here we are on Friday night movie night. Jon isn't usually home for it, but since he took the week after Christmas off of work, he was home to enjoy and take a few pictures of us. I love Augie's face as he was snuggling with his siblings in the corner of the couch. He looks ecstatic to be here!

I have no idea what I was drinking but safe bets are on some type of beverage/cocktail type creation.

Washing Jasper

2012-01-05T15:32:00.000-08:00

I washed the kids and then thought to give Jasper a bath. The kids were curious; wanted to help, and I thought, "Why not?" Off their clothes went and back into the bath went these two.

Theo preferred to watch from the sidelines. He may be the genius of us all!

Six Eggs!

2012-01-05T15:29:00.000-08:00

Today we found six eggs in the nest boxes! This is huge (and what is normal for a summer day at peak production) because we are in the midst of winter. Last year our hens didn't lay their first egg until January 17th.

Kids in the Bath

2011-12-28T17:10:00.000-08:00

I love me some kids in the bath!

Sledding

2011-12-28T15:22:00.000-08:00

Today we took the family (and Kate's boyfriend Brandon) sledding at Snoqualmie Summit. We woke up at 6:00, were in the car by 7:15 with lunches packed and on our way. The sledding session runs from 9-11 and we arrived shortly before 9:00 am, to 41degree weather and rain. Lots of rain. At first it wasn't too bad, but it really picked up and we were ready to head out after an hour. I am happy to report that the kids really didn't whine too much, and Georgia gets the best trooper award since she wasn't wearing a jacket met for any kind of rain. She was soaked straight through her shirt and barely complained.

Jon and I both went down the runs twice and alternated turns so the person left behind could watch Augie. The runs aren't recommended for those under three and I didn't want to take any chances with his little brain and neck on the slopes.

Georgia says that she liked going down with me the best because I don't go too fast. She thought that Dad goes way too fast and it's too scary to go with him. Theo was the surprise of the day since he is usually a cautious child. He giggled on the run and wanted to go for more. We totally look forward to returning next year or even this year (if my mom is up and we can leave Augie with her) if the weather is good and we can play some more in the snow.

I didn't get any pictures of the actual sledding because, as you can imagine, juggling three kids in a downpour and standing in line for the runs didn't leave any extra hands for the camera. The pictures are from when we first arrived and saw the snow.

Happy Birthday Jon

2011-12-27T18:58:00.001-08:00

Happy 37th birthday to my hardworking and loving husband! Wishing you all the best this year and I hope the massage and special breakfast of cinnamon rolls and sausage started your day off right!

Jon began his birthday by getting out the remote controlled cars my dad had bought Kate and playing with the children. He, I, and Georgia had a blast racing them around the driveway and~shhh~crashing into one another. After playtime, I dropped him off for a massage and went to pick up his white cake with butter cream icing.

We came home and had leftovers for lunch, let the refrigerator repairman in, and took a walk to the neighbors to visit. Around 3 pm we celebrated with candles and cake and Jon opened presents. He received fire pit forks for our campfire from Grandma Bonnie and Grandpa Steve, movie tickets and popcorn money from Aunt Jane, a Starbucks card from Uncle Brian, movie tickets from Kate, and a shirt, ski hat, and golf credits from our family.

This evening we went out to happy hour (YAY team!) with our, Andy and Sam, and Brian. Jon is hoping for a movie tonight to cap off his day of fun!

Happy birthday to my loving husband who works so hard to take care of us! We love you very, very, much!

Playtime

2011-12-26T14:51:00.001-08:00

Theo and Georgia playing with his new remote control construction center. They were laughing and having such a good time together, I couldn't resist pulling out the camera and taking a picture of them in action.

Smilebox Slideshow of Christmas

2011-12-25T16:47:00.001-08:00

Customize your own free photo slideshow

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T15:56:00.001-08:00

We all had a wonderful Christmas morning, waking at 5:45 with Augie and 7:00 with the others. Interestingly, Georgia was the last one up! I had predicted she would be the first one, especially since everyone went to bed at 7 pm the night before.

Georgia says her best gift was the tail wagging and barking dog. Theo's was his construction set, and Augie liked the playdoh sets, his laptop, and the Marbleworks marble run. Kate was surprised by her laptop and relieved to finally get the car garbage bag that she has been hoping for.

Kate was very creative giving her brothers and sister presents. She gifted her old Build a Bear outfits to Georgia and helped her dress all of her animals with them. She also put together a sensory table and filled a large tub with 25 pounds of rice. She put items like funnels, measuring cups, and small animals in it for the kids to dig up and play with. It is a huge mess, but the kids love it and it is good for them. The kids have all played with it multiple times today.

Jon surprised me with Cavalia tickets for Georgia and I. Cavalia is a sort of acrobatic show on horses and is supposed to be very grand. In addition to these, he also bought me photography lessons and the buttercrock I had been hoping for.

We gave Jon ski goggles, a rain suit, and a massage. I think his and my best gift were the pictures that Georgia drew for us and Kate had framed. I love catching Georgia's take on our family through her drawings. My picture is of her, I, and Starr~complete with Starr's pee and poo in a pile. Jon's picture was of our whole family, including Daisy the pony.

For breakfast we enjoyed Brian's coffeecake and Kate insisted on lox and bagels with fresh fruit. It took us three hours to open presents and afterwards we played board games with the kids, watched a Christmas Story, and snacked on leftover Cioppino.

Jon made a dinner of prime rib, green beans, rolls, green salad, field roast (for Kate), and sauteed asparagus. We have two kinds of pies for dessert~pumpkin and pecan. I can say that we are positively stuffed!

We had a wonderful Christmas with Aunt Jane, Uncle Brian, and the kids. It was cozy, we ate well, and the kids had more than what they needed. We are blessed in this life!

The Tree

2011-12-24T21:23:00.001-08:00

As Brian said, "Wow~That's alot of presents!"

I do believe there is a construction set remote control dump truck, barking dog, and a roaring ambulance waiting to be unleashed at 7:00 AM tomorrow morning. Let the games begin!

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T20:20:00.000-08:00

I like traditions and we continued in ours by eating cioppino for Christmas Eve dinner. Thankfully Aunt Jane and Uncle Brian were over to share in it and help cook with the kids. Brian supervised the kids cutting mushrooms and making the salad while Aunt Jane and Augie cut up the onions for the stew. It was delicious and truly felt like the best Christmas Eve supper~it only took an hour to prepare and always feels decadent with all of the fish, clams, shrimp, scallops, and crab in it.

For dessert we enjoyed gingerbread Guiness bundt cake with homemade whipped cream, courtesy of Brian. It had just the right amount of sweet and savory with the gingerbread and was to die for!

After dinner and dessert we bathed the kids, did the third load of dishes for the day, and let the kids open one present each. They chose to open the cute Wynn backpacks that Aunt Nani and Uncle Greg sent them from Vegas. Inside Georgia's pink backpack she received a playdoh cake decorating kit. Inside Theo's blue backpack he found a playdoh pizza making kit. Both kids love playdoh and truly we can't have enough playdoh in stock around here. Augie received a Wynn bib and happily helped his brother and sister create their playdoh food.

Kids were in bed by 7:00 pm after reading 'Twas the Night Before Christmas by Uncle Brian and Dad. By the time we went to bed Santa had arrived and put many gifts under the tree, the table was set for Christmas morning, and the garbage and dishes were taken care of. Yay team!

Now time to relax and watch the kids open their presents. It truly is an honor being their parent and tomorrow should be pure joy~with a few meltdowns thrown in, of course!

Christmas Eve Dinner

2011-12-22T11:16:00.000-08:00

Cioppino (serves 12-14)
55 minutes to make

Ingredients
3/4 cup butter
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups white wine
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp - peeled and deveined
1 1/2 pounds bay scallops
18 small clams
18 mussels, cleaned and debearded
1 1/2 cups crabmeat
1 1/2 pounds cod fillets, cubed

Directions
1. Over medium-low heat melt butter in a large stockpot, add onions, garlic and parsley. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until onions are soft.
2. Add tomatoes to the pot (break them into chunks as you add them). Add chicken broth, bay leaves, basil, thyme, oregano, water and wine. Mix well. Cover and simmer 30 minutes.
3. Stir in the shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels and crabmeat. Stir in fish, if desired. Bring to boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes until clams open. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with warm, crusty bread!

Games

2011-12-21T18:09:00.001-08:00

I asked the kids what they wanted to do this evening and offered up activities like going to look at Christmas lights or taking a flashlight walk. When I suggested board games they went crazy with excitement, and even Augie squealed and ran over to the bookcase to grab his favorite game.

I am inclined to think playing board games is becoming a lost pastime, similar to letter writing or cursive. Computers and screens seem to dominate so much of our culture. I try and make a conscious effort to sit around and play a board game with the kids at least 3-5 times a week. Tonight we played Share a Berry, a spelling game, Zimbo's, Treasure Trot, and a matching game. Theo's favorite was the lacing game Share a Berry and Georgia liked to play all of them except Share a Berry. Augie mostly just likes to steal the pieces and run off with them.

Augie and Underware

2011-12-21T18:03:00.000-08:00

I have officially given in to the young man named Augustus. Many times a day he succeeds in taking off his diaper and pulling down his pants. He then proceeds to run naked through the house, looking for either his Baby Bjorn potty or trying to climb on a big toilet. Today I asked him if he wanted to wear underwear and he was pretty happy about that. I don't know how long it will last, but he is quite proud of himself and no accidents so far.

This is a picture of him after he scooted his blue chair over to a light switch and watched the magic happen as he turned on and off the lights, again and again.

*Edited to add~as I was typing he came to me crying because he had peed in his underwear.

Lonely Playdoh

2011-12-20T18:58:00.000-08:00

I made playdoh tonight. I made playdoh by myself. I had hoped to make playdoh during our playdate today but one rotten apple spoiled that activity (a child who did not want to make playdoh, called everyone 'poopy' and was rough and pushed). Thankfully the aforementioned apple was not one of our offspring. I saved the craft and decided to get to it after dinner.

Tonight I brought out the supplies, gathered the children, and began mixing playdoh ingredients at 6:30 pm. The children had just pulled up their chairs to watch when Jon walked in and said, "Okay kids it's time to go." Go where? Awwww, library story time starts at 7:00 and Jon wanted them to go and do the Christmas craft. I sense a Christmas gift coming on...

So, low and behold, my glamorous life had me stirring playdoh on the stove until my arm felt like it was going to fall off. All by myself. Here is my creation of lemon scented purple playdoh. Tomorrow I think the kids and I will try again and make another color with the cherry Kool-aid packets I bought for this purpose.

The playdoh I made looks a bit greyish, like an old brain, so I would advise not using the purple and trying for a brighter color like green or blue.

Recipe for Playdoh colored with Kool-aid:
2 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
2 tsps cream of tartar
2 cup water
2 tbsp of vegetable oil
1 package of Kool-aid

*Mix Kool-aid and water on the stove until dissolved
*Add all other ingredients and cook 5-10 minutes more over medium
*Add essential oils to scent the dough

Kids Terror

2011-12-18T20:25:00.000-08:00

This is the mess I came out to after trying to lay down for an hour nap this week. I have been a bit under the weather and was hoping to kick my cold with some extra sleep~dare I say reduce my stress? Ha! Georgia and Theo call this typical construction/destruction "building forts." Augie had nothing to do with it since he was sleeping in his crib.

They are shortening my life span, I would bet on it.

Augie on the Toilet

2011-12-18T20:22:00.000-08:00

Augie continues to pee on the toilet when he is reminded or when he sees other people using the bathroom. I can't believe that at 21 months old he is so with it. The fact that he has the physical coordination, the desire to mimic, and the control of his body, astounds me.

He is an equal opportunity user and goes on either the big toilet with an insert or in the Baby Bjorn.

Georgia's Recital

2011-12-18T20:09:00.001-08:00

Georgia had her 'low key' winter ballet recital this weekend. We didn't buy costumes and instead the girls wore their pink leotards and tights from class. Their dance teacher, Miss Betty, provided little red and white Santa skirts and they looked festive but not extravagant. Georgia did really well; remembering most of her steps but refusing to look at the audience. She says that she enjoys being on the stage but she always appears shy. I am hoping that she will outgrow this and one day I might see a smile and wave from her on stage.

The song she had to learn and sing was hilariously odd! The girls wore white fleece muffs on their hands and sang the following My Muff and I song~
"When the wind goes puff puff puff
It's time for me to wear my muff.
It keeps my hands so nice and warm
even in a winter storm.
When I'm gliding through the snow
doing all the steps I know.
I feel so good I want to try to dance, my muff and I.
When the wind goes puff puff puff
It's time for me to wear my muff.

Ella is Georgia's best friend from class and we have known her since she was a newborn in our PEP's group together. The picture above is Georgia and Ella posing together backstage.

Georgia loved receiving her huge bouquet of flowers and immediately asked to carry them out to the lobby. She also wants to keep them only in her room, little lady appreciates some flowers! The flowers are so large because I had forgotten to order her a child sized bouquet and so we stopped by a roadside flower seller on our way out of town. Not bad for $20 in mid December!

Cookies

2011-12-11T16:04:00.000-08:00

Our neighbors (George and Kristen) brought us a plate of cookies today. I absolutely love having thoughtful, considerate, generous, and friendly neighbors! We hit the lottery on our street!

Carriage Ride

2011-12-11T15:55:00.000-08:00

Our neighboring shopping center offered free horse carriage rides and so we jumped in the car, braved the 35 degree weather, and went. We had much fun and I can safely say that Georgia enjoyed it the most, with my mom and I coming in close behind her on the enthusiasm meter. This was Theo's first horse ride since he has thus far refused to ride or sit on any of our horses.

Garden

2011-12-10T11:49:00.000-08:00

Who would have thought that I would be posting about gardening and its bounty in December, amidst 30 degree temperatures. Jon dug this beauty up out of our garden today. We don't use any pesticides or fertilizers, so the size of this beet is incredible! I wouldn't expect to find something of this size organically grown. Maybe its size is due to all the help the chickens have been giving it while scratching in the garden.

Having beets, steak, and rice for dinner tonight!

Georgia's Style

2011-12-07T16:01:00.001-08:00

Georgia came down dressed for school complete with multi colored beads and tens of hair bows in her hair. I asked her to look in the mirror at her hair to make sure that was the look she was going for. She did, and was very satisfied with her ahh, hmm, display.

According to her she received many positive comments on her hair creation from her friends. I love this independent, stylish, streak she has (even if it occasionally embarrasses me)!

Blue Eggs

2011-12-06T09:10:00.000-08:00

We gave up a few things when we moved out of the city. Namely, great restaurants being at the top of the list. We traded our close proximity to parks for our own park with much upkeep, weeds, and animal dung. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

There is a certain 'high' and rush of excitement to find your hens laying eggs for the first time. It almost seems like recapturing the feeling of finding your Easter basket or waking to discover presents under the tree. Who knew that such a tiny little thing, an ordinary egg, could provide such a cause for celebration.

Our newest hens, the ones we raised from chicks this summer, are starting to lay. This is newsworthy because last year we didn't get our first egg until January 17th. It is a thrill for us to see those first few blue eggs~from Gallop and Trot~and a speckled brown one from Sunny. I don't have pictures of the speckled one because Georgia decided she wanted to eat that egg for lunch yesterday.

What a marvel, a wonder, from just one little egg.

Out With the Old

2011-12-05T14:27:00.001-08:00

The water heater that came with our home is 21 years old and has been leaking water for a week. Today we bought ourselves a new tankless option~is it weird to get excited about this? It was pretty pricey but the benefits were the $500 tax rebate and the prospects of shaving hundreds of $$$ a year off of our energy bills.

Santa

2011-12-04T17:02:00.000-08:00

Our friends, Amy and Jon (and Benji and Annabelle) invited us over for a Christmas get together and special visit with Santa and Mrs. Clause. The kids were a little unsure of him but Georgia warmed up enough to sit on his lap and ask him which reindeer was his favorite~Rudolph, of course! He brought Georgia a Furreal kitty that she promptly named Butterscotch. Theo became much more interested in the big guy when he saw Santa eating cookies. He asked him which were his favorite kinds and Santa said peanut butter and oatmeal raisin. Santa brought Theo an ambulance that lights up. Augie received a light up helicopter and seemed to enjoy watching Santa and waving to him. What a blast we had!

Nutcracker

2011-12-03T20:22:00.000-08:00

My mom, Kate, I, and Georgia went to the PNB Nutcracker and had a ball. I think the highlight was going with a group of twenty and getting to go on a backstage tour at intermission. For me the highlight was the tour, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the dancers warming up, various stage backgrounds, and all the props like the rat masks and the chinese dragon head. Kate's highlight was PNB's peacock and my mom thought the dancing was superb and enjoyed the entire day.

My mom bought the girls a 'Clara' ornament and the boys received small sticker books of the Nutcracker. Afterwards we ate dinner at Tutta Bella because Kate has been missing their pizza since we moved out of the city.

My mom and Kate both thought this was the best performance of the Nutcracker that they have ever seen. I enjoyed it, but appreciated more being out with the girls doing something together.

Georgia Coloring

2011-12-02T09:41:00.000-08:00

Georgia and Theo have taken a greater interest in doing their 'schoolwork' at home and spend a good hour each day at the bar counter working on their work. Here she is coloring and practicing her writing. Her teachers say that she is a joy in class and true delight. She is always helpful, kind, and listens well. They say that all the kids like her and want to play with her, she has many friends. I am thrilled that her transition to preschool has gone so smoothly and she is having a wonderful time.

Augie Loves Jasper

2011-12-02T09:32:00.000-08:00

Augie loves animals. I mean that he really, really, loves them. He wants to touch any animal and squeals with delight when he sees one. I haven't found an animal that he is afraid of...except maybe the chickens chasing him when he walks by them eating food.

Jasper has been a source of healing for our family since Emmy died this summer. He may not be the perfect farm dog~killing a chicken, scalping two others, and jumping on the ducks~but he truly is the perfect dog for Augie. It makes his sins a bit easier to accept, remembering how great he is with a baby who rides him and touches every part of his body.

Augie likes to crawl into the dog bed and lay his head on Jasper and Jasper remains patient and calm throughout the entire invasion. He truly is a gift of a dog, especially after the dog biting incidents with Emmy and Phinney. We love us some Jasper dog!

Dentist

2011-12-02T09:21:00.000-08:00

Augie had his first dental check up at 20 months of age. When Kate was young, the recommendations were to bring them in at age three. I did and she had 3-4 cavities. I learned from that, and fifteen years later the recommendations are now to bring them in at age one for their first visit.

I booked out the clinic and had all three kids seen at once. It was a bit of a zoo with Augie running around and pushing furniture to far corners of the room (see above picture). Theo had a mild meltdown with the dentist but was fine with the hygienist brushing his teeth. This was a vast improvement from his last appointment where he kicked and screamed and wouldn't let anyone look at his teeth. Augie was somewhere in the middle between Georgia and Theo. He didn't love it like Georgia does, but didn't scream in panic, either. The boys had fun playing with the stuffed animals with teeth and brushing them with the oversized toothbrush.

I am happy to report that none of them have any cavities and their teeth look great. Interestingly, Georgia and Augie have similarly large teeth with little spacing. Theo has average sized teeth and lots of spacing.

What I Didn't Know

2011-11-28T20:48:00.000-08:00

I have spent the last few years judging other moms on Facebook. I know that isn't kind to think or admit, but it is true. I cringe when I see the posts about buying your kids violent video games. I cringe about alot of things that may be too sensitive to mention.

I have found myself saddened by moms lamenting the start of summer because they don't want their kids to be home with them. I want to shake them and make them realize how quickly it all passes, how one must seize the joy~and madness~of kids and soak up every precious moment. I have little sympathy for these moms, even as my own precious darlings were cutting the carpet, playing in the toilet water, and decorating our shrubs with dozens of Keurig coffe cups. Seize the moment, enjoy the ride kind of thing. Kids are work but good work~right?

All this changed this past week. I am no longer saddened by a moms Facebook post of vacation dread. I get it. I am outnumbered and unashamed to admit it. I have been lulled into enjoying my 2.5 hours of peace each day, caretaking for only one child during that time. I have been spoiled by preschool and the children have as well. We all like our time and want it to continue. In fact, need it to continue.

The kids were off of school for the entire week of Thanksgiving and you would have thought the devil himself was inside them. They pushed, they yelled, they ran and charged. Georgia, our animal lover, chased the dog and began growling at him. I caught her trying to corner him to put a sleeping bag cover over his head. It is no wonder that he didn't bite her face off. Or at least her hands. Theo started pushing the baby in a feverish state. They broke into the cupboard and ate half a bag of chocolate chips. And then blamed the baby. They colored on walls and the floor. And blamed the baby. I yelled and threatened and sent them out in the rain to play. Much to my dismay, they came back. Who had we become?

One week and this is how they act? One week from their friends and their routine and they go beserk? Christmas break is coming up and I am realizing now that I must plan daily activities or I may be tempted to eat my young. The only thing worse than going to overly crowded museums and play areas during vacation may indeed be staying home with them. I am willing to risk the germs, the crowds, and the expense to insure that we all make it through those two weeks. But, hey, who's counting? The only difference between me and 'those' moms is that I won't post my dismay of my own kids on Facebook. Or maybe I will. What I have learned is to never say never and to enjoy the ride.

Kate and College

2011-11-27T08:30:00.001-08:00

"Congratulations Katherine! After careful review of your application, we are pleased to offer you admission to Pacific Lutheran University for fall semester 2012. We believe you are the kind of serious student who will truly appreciate the challenging and supportive academic environment that PLU provides. We appreciate the unique blend of talents and gifts you will bring to the PLU community."

Our baby was accepted to her first college today! Pacific Lutheran University sent her a very promising larger sized mailing. I had high hopes that it was positive, but had to wait until Kate came home from work to confirm my suspicions.

She applied to four different colleges; Western Washington, Seattle University, UW, and PLU. Her first choice is Western Washington and then Seattle University at this point. She is becoming more uninterested in UW due to its sheer size. Even though PLU is a private school, the admission letter let us know that the average financial aid was $26,000, which seems promising.

Santa Pictures

2011-11-26T14:52:00.000-08:00

We went to the University Village Santa today (10 minute wait!) and took our yearly Santa picture. The kids were a bit reluctant to approach Santa but he did a nice job of talking to them and Georgia willingly sat on his lap. I had to drag Theo near him and the best shot we could get was Theo covering his face. Augie fussed and appears to be trying to break free. My favorite part of this picture is how Georgia accessorized herself~Mardi Gras beads and huge silk floral headband paired with her Christmas dress.

Breathing a big sigh of relief to have this done for the season. I hate waiting longer in the year to do this because the lines always increase and the weather gets even more nasty. It truly is a huge job to get four people dressed and willingly looking in the same direction!

Aunt Jane

2011-11-25T22:20:00.000-08:00

My Aunt Jane came up for the weekend from Portland to see us. I feel so fortunate to have her in my life, especially because she taught me how to be the aunt I would like to be.

Growing up she often sent me little care packages or things she thought I might like. It could be stickers, a picture, books, or a kite but the point was that she let me know that she cared about me. She shaped me as a person and helped me realize my greater potential as an aunt.

Jon and I have one nephew whom we have seen exactly twice in the past six years. Regardless, her way of being has influenced me to try and continue on acts of thoughtfulness. Who knows if our nephew even registers these gifts, but the point is to let him know that we care about him. That he is special and loved and important.

I think the picture of Augie watching her leave speaks as to how much we love her. Thanks, AJ, you are the best aunt!

Working on Christmas Card

2011-11-22T10:41:00.001-08:00

5x7 Folded Card

View the entire collection of cards.

Thanksgiving Menu

2011-11-22T08:18:00.000-08:00

Most of the time I use our blog as a photo album. Sometimes I ponder an issue or dribble out some commentary on our lives. Occasionally I use it as an open notebook; a place to jot down ideas and know that I won't lose them.

Today I am working on our Thanksgiving menu and wanted a place to organize my thoughts. The computer has become more commonplace in my life than a piece of paper and a pen. When did that happen? How quickly our culture is changing.

We are having Steve, my mom, the six of us, Brian, and Brian's mom to dinner. It all is pretty casual except for the fact that I have never met Brian's mom.

Drinks~
*Wine
Sparkling cider
Cranberry juice
Possibly a cocktail~but that might be too much pressure

Appetizers~
Deviled eggs
Cheese plate with pears and nuts
Stuffed mushrooms

Dinner~
16 pound heirloom turkey
Pan fried brussel sprouts with rosemary and shallots (a new recipe)
Cranberry orange relish
Apple/sage/celery stuffing
Jon's sausage stuffing
Mashed potatoes (my nemesis)
Turkey gravy
Green bean casserole (Kate's favorite)
Pumpkin pie
**Homemade rolls
**Sweet potato casserole
**Dessert

*My mom and Steve are bringing
**Brian is bringing

Georgia's Party Pictures

2011-11-14T16:07:00.000-08:00

Her family meal was lovely, surrounded by those closest to her. Georgia dressed in her silver sparkly Christmas dress and kept asking all day when people would arrive.

We dined on her favorite foods and ate a yellow cake with chocolate frosting and ice cream for dessert. She generously received a sweat suit and jacket from Aunt Meri, bead kit, suncatcher kit, and My Little Pony from Grandma Loretta, board game from Leah's family, horse purse and $5 from Aunt Jane, HUGE dollhouse from Grandma B and Grandpa Steve, and an autographed children's book from Brian.

It was a very happy day and low key birthday, the best kind!

Georgia is Five

2011-11-13T19:47:00.000-08:00

I don't want to be one of those parents remarking how fast the past five years have gone or how much I love my child. I think those are givens to most parents and certainly to us. I do believe it has gone fast but wish to remark deeper, yet always lacking the words.

Our daughter is five. Five. One whole hand. She is a jumping, talking, smiley little person who loves tortellini's, blueberries, and whipped cream. Her favorite colors are black and brown because "horses are black or brown." She is a snuggler who loves her nightly bedtime reads, especially reading about Curious George. She loves helping and can unload the dishwasher all on her own and fold laundry such as towels, napkins, and tablecloths. Often at dinner she reports that her favorite thing was school and she totally enjoys each day she gets to go.

She is our very own treasure and it is almost painful watching her grow into the outside world. She now has friends we don't know from school. This change always seems so pivotal in the grand scheme of parenting. These past five years we were in control of her social life. Now we aren't and it is unsettling. She learns about things at school that I have no idea about. It is bittersweet letting her spread her wings and grow and we are hoping she doesn't outgrow us too quickly. I still like her to hold my hand. I still need her to hold my hand.

At 10:27 AM we stood in the kitchen and toasted Georgia with sparkling cider and sang happy birthday to her. Seeing where we are now, in our new home with a joyful and spirited five year old is a dream come true. She is our very own wonder.

This evening we had close friends over and Georgia was gifted with lots of love, her favorite tortellini's for dinner, and presents. She says her favorite present was the Tangled horse and rider that we gave her. I also think that she really enjoyed the Share a Berry board game that Aunt Leah's family gave her. We played seven rounds of it before bed!

Happy birthday dearest little lady. We love you to pieces!

Augie Potty Training

2011-11-12T18:08:00.001-08:00

He pooped on the toilet! Isn't his little body delicious? I love that big belly hanging over his legs. All that baby chub and doing such a big boy activity~we are so proud of him!

Georgia's Party

2011-11-12T18:03:00.001-08:00

Quinn, Alexandra, Mia, Ella, and CiCi came to our home for a playdate birthday. I served grapes, strawberries, and crackers to them and they spent two hours decorating unicorn sugar cookies (thanks Brian for baking them for me), coloring horse pictures, and playing dress up in her room. There is nothing cuter than 3-5 year old girls in fancy party dresses wearing hair extensions. They were just precious! It was the quietest birthday ever and the kids were all so nice and well behaved. Simply a delightful group of girls and I give big kudos to Georgia for making friends with such a nice group of kids.

Georgia opened presents and remembered to say thank you for her gifts. Her favorites were a Tinkerbell coloring book activity set from Quinn and a pink pillow sleeping bag and pillow from Ella. She also received colored pencils and paper, a bracelet beading kit, and a horse board game.

Happy early birthday, dear G! The group picture is Ella, Georgia, Mia, Alexandra and Quinn.

Unicorn Cake

2011-11-12T08:38:00.000-08:00

After 3.5 hours a chocolate/Kahlua/chocolate chip cake with white frosting has been transformed into a unicorn! Georgia is pretty happy with the results and I think it turned out quite cute. I am sure the soon to be five year olds coming to Georgia's birthday will be excited to see it.

1st Haircut

2011-11-11T19:12:00.004-08:00

Jon, Brian, and Leah have been lobbying for Augie to get his first haircut. They aren't fans of the baby curls. I wouldn't have caved had Jon not butchered~and I mean BUTCHERED~his bangs in a home cut gone wrong. Today I compromised and had his hair trimmed up but kept the baby curls...just for one more haircut.

I took Augie to a local salon called Bella and Max. The kind of kidcentric, overpriced salon that has cars to sit in and movies to watch while you get your haircut. I have taken all of the kids to these types of fancy salons for their first haircuts but then transition them over to a more budget friendly economy salon.

Georgia was in heaven and beamed throughout her haircut. She jumped in the car that was her chair and smiled ear to ear. Because I had told them that Theo was a haircut crier, they thought it best to have Augie sit in the airplane next to Georgia at the same time. Augie didn't like when they spritzed his hair with water and he didn't care for his bang trim. Despite his occasional crying, he displayed none of the haircutting theatrics that Theo is known for.

Theatrics~where do I begin? I mentioned to Theo that it was his turn and he fell straight to the floor (boots flying off in the process) shouting, "No! I don't want my hair cut." I literally picked him up and forced his 35 pound body into the airplane seat. He was bucking out of it and frantically reached for me to escape. I had to move away lest he make a leap and hurtle himself out of the plane. The actual haircut was painful for myself, Theo, and the waiting clients in the salon. Theo fell over wailing, screaming, and pushed the hairstylists hands away. I bribed him with everything I know, but nothing worked.

It is incredible to me how much he hates getting a haircut. If I were a softer or more sympathetic parent, Theo may be wearing braids and have hair down to his bottom.

Augie Peed!

2011-11-11T19:05:00.001-08:00

Augie has been showing alot of interest in toileting since Theo is still requiring help (pulling up and down his pants and getting on the toilet)using the toilet. Augie enjoys sitting on the Baby Bjorn for fun and we always say, "Nice try. Maybe next time you will put your pee-pees in the potty." Well, I guess he figured it out (or it was a coincidental accident) because he actually did put his pee in it. We all clapped and yelled "Hooray!" and I gave him a mini marshmallow as an incentive.

He is such a smart little twenty month old guy! Most of the time we are taken back by what he knows, says, or does. Such a big day for him~getting his first haircut and peeing in a toilet.

Haywood

2011-11-11T18:28:00.000-08:00

My oldest friend, Briana, has a son who is just three weeks older than Theo. When I found out that I was pregnant with Theo I had high hopes that our kids would be close and that they would create many memories together. Up until now, our families have shared the major milestones like birthdays, but have had a difficult time getting together for memory making.

Briana mentioned that she would like to come and spend the night with Haywood at our home, and I excitedly said how fun that would be. She came after dinner and the kids played for a few hours and we celebrated Georgia's birthday with a butter rum cake (the kids weren't as thrilled as the adults with the flavor).

Our time went too quickly and Haywood was a dream to have in the mix. So polite, so easy, that we would love for him to come back anytime.

I had a lovely time and I think the best part was putting the kids to bed in their rooms and then coming downstairs and sharing some wine and a cheese plate while we watched TV. Cheers for good girlfriends!

Me Time

2011-11-09T13:01:00.001-08:00

In the past five years I have left my career to stay home, gain weight, deliver babies, feed the masses, and organize our lives down to the most minute details. Not to mention putting our house up for sale....twice...and moving to a new home.

I can't say that my life has gotten any easier, nor have my responsibilities eased up, but I am finally finding some time to get myself in order. My revolution began this past summer at the Nordstrom sale. I bought myself some red skinny jeans. Yep, a mere three years after the skinny jean trend began. I spent money on non stretchy clothing that is meant for people who maintain a certain size. These jeans represented so much more than a trend; for me it was evidence I was reclaiming myself (and willing to spend the money to prove it)! They are my "going out" jeans and I have exactly worn them twice.

A few weeks later I was driving by a church in our town and saw a sign advertising free exercise classes AND free daycare. I have been faithfully attending three times a week and have the beginnings of shin splints to prove it. Though I don't quite enjoy my hour of sweating and torture, I do think it is necessary to be mindful about keeping myself healthy for the children. Plus, I want to look good in those jeans.

Tomorrow I am going to see the dermatologist. This appointment is a big deal for me since I am not in pain or ogre faced and it could technically be deemed unnecessary. Our lives are so busy that anything nonessential usually gets passed and pushed back. I am proud of myself for attending to this appointment and hope to have baby smooth skin someday. Hey, one can dream~right?

There you have it~my life in a nutshell. This is why our Christmas letter stumps me so badly. You probably won't read about my red skinny jeans in it but they certainly deserve some rightful attention. They are a revolution!

The Elf in our House

2011-11-08T12:47:00.001-08:00

I broke down and bought one. An overpriced and overpackaged Elf on the Shelf. Three years ago I thought it was the most hyped and unnecessary product being sold for Christmas. Two years ago I thought it was just frivolous. Last year I sorta wanted one, but felt that with the move and all the upgrades on our home, it wasn't in the budget. This year I realized how quickly my babies are growing up and if I didn't start the tradition now, it would never happen.

So there you have it~we have an elf on its way to our home. The Elf on a Shelf comes with a story about how Santa sends him to each home to make sure the boys and girls are well behaved. He is a magic elf and can't be touched, but every night after Thanksgiving he hides in a new place around the home. The kids wake up each morning and go and find him. I hear he may be a Southern tradition but I have yet to get confirmation on that from our one and only expert, Brian.

My friend Claudia says that I am a memory maker. I enjoy setting up rituals and customs and seeing them through year after year. I suppose that I see the elf as just one more of those traditions that the kids can share with their own families someday. Besides, who couldn't use an extra ten minutes of morning peace while the kids run around the house trying to find the elf? *wink*

Georgia's Unicorn Cake

2011-11-08T11:46:00.000-08:00

Wish me luck...my Friday afternoon plans :)

Ingredients:
1 (8-inch) round cake
1 (9-inch) square cake
1 pink jelly bean
1 white Jelly Belly Mint Creme
1 black round candy (Bridge mix)
1 sugar cone
2 Tbsp white coarse decorating sugar
4 each red yellow, orange, blue and green licorice twists (Twizzler Rainbow)
2 cups coarse pink decorating sugar, optional

What you'll need:
A serving platter
A resealable sandwich-size plastic bag

Trimming the cakes:
1. Trim the cakes and arrange on a serving platter as pictured in template.

Frosting the cake:
1. Spoon ¼ cup of vanilla frosting into a resealable plastic bag. Set aside.
2. Spread some of the remaining vanilla frosting over the cone in a thin layer. Sprinkle with the white sugar to coat.
3. Spread the remaining vanilla frosting over the top and sides of cake and make smooth.

To complete the decoration:
1. Press the pink jelly bean for the unicorn's nostril.
2. Snip a small corner from the bag with the vanilla frosting.
3. Press the white Mint Creme onto the cake for the unicorn's eye. Pipe a dot of vanilla frosting on top of the mint and place the black candy on top as the pupil. Pipe a white dot onto the black candy to add sparkle to the eye. Pipe a white eyebrow above the eye with the remaining vanilla frosting.
4. Press the sugared cone, open end against the cake, as the horn.
5. Cut the rainbow Twizzlers into thin strands, each about 3 to 4 inches long. Arrange the cut pieces down the back of the unicorn's head and in between unicorn's ears for its mane.

Pep's Birthday Party

2011-11-06T15:40:00.000-08:00

Our PEP's (mom's group) babies turned five this weekend. I am grateful for joining this moms group when Georgia was three weeks old, making friends with eight other families who had October/November 2006 babies.

We have grown together~literally~with the addition of eleven more munchkins during these past five years. We spent the first six months of our babies lives meeting weekly and discussing everything from who and who wasn't getting sleep to diaper rash to marital disagreements. We spent the next six months discussion who was and who still wasn't getting sleep (ME!) to feeding theories to marital disagreements.

During the latter part of the first year, many of the moms returned to work. We have worked really hard making an effort to keep our group going and close. Birthdays, holidays, moms night outs, and play dates have been attended by all of us. We are an incredible support system and I have enjoyed making friends with these families.

I organized the fifth year birthday bash. I assume that this will probably be the last one with all of the group because families will move on to school and neighborhood friends. We held this party at a lego store and the kids had an hour to create lego figures and sculptures, then took these home as party favors. Another mom brought cupcakes, and we sang happy birthday to everyone.

Happy birthday and happy five years to my close group of Momma friends!

Kate's Wisdom Teeth

2011-11-06T15:39:00.001-08:00

After many tears and outbursts, I checked Kate in to get her four wisdom teeth out. During the procedure I waited in the office and heard the "whirr" of the drill/saw cutting them out~yikes! I am happy to report that within an hour she was finished and we were able to bring her home. She threw up on the way home, but once I fed her something and gave her her pain pills, she felt much better.

Brandon came over and kept her company; feeding her jello, changing her gauze, and replenishing her ice packs. Him being here brought her a lot of comfort and helped us in taking care of her.

Swimming

2011-11-06T15:37:00.001-08:00

Georgia is coming along swimmingly with her progress! This week, week seven, was the first week she didn't break into tears during her 30 minute swimming class. I am sending her to private classes where she has to jump off the side of the pool and the diving board each class. This terrifies her, but the theory behind it is that we want to start at the beginning of our worst fears~her falling into a deep body of water and not being able to swim to the side. The very first class the student has to jump off the side of the pool~twice~as well as two-three times off of the diving board. At that first class her teacher told her that she had to jump in and Georgia replied, "No thank you." The teacher smiled and said, "It isn't a choice." Georgia looked at her in disbelief and pulled herself out of the pool and jumped in.

I am happy to report that each week her skills progress and she likes and trusts her teacher. She is working on back floating and the backstroke, as well as a rudimentary crawl stroke. She never cries jumping off of the side of the pool and willingly does it. She still has an expression of trepidation when she jumps off of the diving board but she appears to be getting less and less fearful.

I am very pleased with her progress, and even though the lessons are crazy expensive ($24 for 30 minutes), I think worth every penny in time and skills gained. I can't wait to take her to Palm Springs next summer and see her really able to swim!

Dad's Birthday

2011-11-01T19:13:00.001-07:00

Today was my dad's birthday. He would have been sixty-six. It seems like so much more than two years have passed. Possibly a decade at least. We have had many changes with moving, another baby, and Jon switching offices. I suppose all that we have had going has helped ease his passing. My life is a constant reminder that there is a time for everything and it was time for his to come to a close. Before he died I asked him what his favorite meals were. I knew that I would need something to cling to, to remind me of him long after he was gone, and now I try and recreate those meals knowing how much he would enjoy them.

Earlier in the day the kids and I baked a pumpkin cake with cream cheese (and fresh whipped cream) frosting. The kids helped and were excited to make a cake for Grandpa John's birthday. I think he would have been proud of them and who they are. He would have enjoyed seeing them busy and capable in the kitchen.

Last year on his birthday we celebrated with a large chocolate cake. I assume we had a surf and turf dinner because that is what he had mentioned as one of his favorite meals. Tonight we just had the surf and enjoyed a bounty of Caesar salad, an appetizer of cold shrimp and cocktail sauce, french bread, whole grain rice, sauteed spinach, and King crab legs soaked in butter with fresh lemon. The kids were in heaven and they kept asking for more shrimp and crab.

We went around the table and said something nice about Grandpa John. Theo said, "Hi" and Georgia followed his lead and said the same. I reminded Georgia how much he adored her and thought she was just the funniest and most energetic child around. Kate said that she liked how he was always willing and ready to play games with her, like softball or card games. I told how I am always grateful that he took me to see small parts of the world like Disneyland, Mexico, ski resorts, Washington DC, and how we golfed at Pebble Beach (When I say that I golfed there, I say it very loosely. He golfed and I mainly drove the cart).

Happy birthday, Dad.

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T20:02:00.001-07:00

The kids dressed up to go to preschool and I dressed them in their dress up clothes~a princess fairy for Georgia and Woody from Toy Story for Theo. I figured that their real Halloween costumes would be too warm for the classroom and these were a last minute throw together. I thought they looked pretty nice and they had a ball dressing up. I had been worried that Theo wouldn't dress because he often is resistant to change, but he gamely put Woody on. His one concession was that he wouldn't wear the hat into his classroom. Fair enough.

After school I fed them boiled eggs for lunch, apple slices, and barbecue pork. For dinner we ate pot roast, roasted carrots and potatoes, and french onion bread to beef them up before the sugar high. I tried to put as much protein in them, to keep them going all night long. It didn't work because both of our kids (out of eight similarly aged) were the first ones to say they were tired and even Theo said that he was ready to return to the car. At 6:50 pm. By 7:10 we were on the road and by 8:00 pm everyone was tucked safely into bed.

We had a lovely dry evening (though cold) and went trick-or-treating in Bothell with Christina's family and Jen's family. With nine kids amongst us, we had our hands full but their neighborhood was surprisingly unbusy. We will definitely return next year!

Bring it!

2011-10-30T18:37:00.001-07:00

Christmas lights are up! I am so excited and my annual fight over when and how to hang the lights has been brought to a close. We have an ongoing debate in our home and every year I stupidly think it has been resolved. Only to rear it's ugly head when I innocently say, "Hon, it looks like the weather is dry next weekend. Can you think about putting the lights up?" Apparently those are fighting words, but thankfully we won't have this argument for another 365 days!

Augie

2011-10-30T18:35:00.000-07:00

Here is our little one roaming the yard this weekend while Georgia and I blanketed the horses, Jon hung Christmas lights, and Theo dug for possibly the last time in the sand pile.

Blocks

2011-10-30T18:27:00.000-07:00

Some of my more peaceful times are when the house is devoid of music or TV, the dryer is running, and the kids are playing together. This rainy afternoon I rocked Augie while watching the kids play in the window with their wooden blocks. Georgia set up a castle and a pasture and Theo built a tall structure. The house was quiet and we all watched and listened to the rain pouring outside. It is times like these that bedtime can be postponed and we could freeze time forever.

Ducks for Dinner

2011-10-28T19:33:00.000-07:00

Not really...even though Penelope and Sabrina have turned into Pepe and Steve. For the record, I did order female ducks but was sent these two yahoos instead. I don't have the heart to eat them and now we are stuck with two male ducks. They are nice to me but if one makes the mistake and either chases them or acts aggressively towards them, then one needs to watch the heck out. They will fly up and flap their wings at you~all the while hissing and acting like they will bite. Both dogs are afraid of them and that is saying something because one dog killed a chicken and the other bites children. Children seem way scarier than any old ducks, but our dog seems to disagree.

Since the weather has turned blustery, rainy, and just plain old cold, we haven't been outside much. The ducks seem to like to follow us and spend most of their day (much to Jon's chagrin) sitting outside on our back porch staring in the french doors. There is poop everywhere but I have to admit they are pretty funny. We eat dinner every night with these two watching us around the table.

Who is Georgia Marrying?

2011-10-27T12:36:00.001-07:00

While I was cleaning windows Georgia was looking at the slideshow of our wedding pictures on the computer. The following conversation ensued.

"Do you still have that pretty dress?"

I replied, "Yes, yes I do. It is boxed up and maybe you can wear it when you get married."

pause

All worried she says, "But I still don't know who I am going to marry yet."

I laugh.

"Maybe Augie or Theo." pause. Matter of factly she says, "Probably Augie."

Theo's Arm

2011-10-25T09:33:00.000-07:00

Theo got his cast off and he was really brave, more so than I expected. It was an interesting process for both Jon and I since we haven't ever worn a cast. Thankfully Theo didn't seem too anxious to get his cast off despite Georgia saying before we left, "It's going to hurt." I reassured him that it wouldn't and he seemed to believe me.

When we arrived he had an x-ray and then twenty minutes later his cast was cut off. I took a picture of two of his three pins and am still marveling how little it hurt him to get those pulled out. Without any painkillers the Dr. removed the pins by turning and twisting them out. Theo did cry but it wasn't a high pitched "I'm dying" kind of cry. I assume it was just uncomfortable and he did a great job during the 5-10 minutes it took to remove all of them.

I had promised Theo a cupcake afterwards and new playdoh, so Jon and I took him to Trophy cupcakes in Bellevue. He ordered a milk and a snowball cupcake and enjoyed every last bite. He mentioned more than once that "not Georgia, only Theo" was getting a cupcake. I think he thought it was pretty special for him to be the only kid in the family getting a treat, not to mention having both Dad and Mom fawning over him.

I am sorry to report that he has some nerve damage in his right pinky and is unable to move it. Dr. Schmale thinks movement may return in the next two months and we are to return if it doesn't. According to him, nerve damage is common with both his type of injury as well as his complicated surgery. Jon and I both were disheartened to hear this but are obviously hoping for all function to be restored by Christmas.

Our little guy is on the mend and we have been instructed for the next six weeks to limit his mobility. He is not allowed to jump, run, play with balls, ride anything with wheels or be around unleashed animals (this will be difficult in our home). He is at an increased risk for rebreaking it and if I could cover him in bubble wrap and angel dust I would.

Thank you again to all of the people who have sent prayers, well wishes, and spoiled our family with thoughtful gestures like dinners, gifts for Theo, and those who helped to make our lives easier this past month. We are indebted and feel so very grateful for you.

The Honey Goods

2011-10-23T16:32:00.000-07:00

I think this honey is fit for our Thanksgiving table. Until then, we will admire it through the jar and savor the moment of "growing" our own honey.

Honey Harvest

2011-10-23T12:20:00.000-07:00

After $800 in start up costs for two hives, countless hours, and about thirty stings, Jon and Andy ended up with approximately 5 total pounds of honey. Not quite the 50 pounds we were promised, and we all hope next year will be a much more profitable honey harvest. They suffered some mishaps like installing the hive incorrectly and one of the queens dying, and have learned alot from their efforts.

I am eager to do it all again next year because the experience of learning about different types of bees, seeing what the queens looked like, and watching them make their comb has been fascinating. Our honey is very dark~maple syrup dark~and I am eager to learn why. Was it because it hasn't been processed? Is it because of the flowers we have in our area? Life's an education and the opportunity to know more about the life cycle of bees has been thrilling.

Fingers crossed for those 50 pounds next year and at least some to share!

Camryn and Georgia (and Theo)

2011-10-23T12:15:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back our new neighbors moved into the house next door. They have a 17 month old boy and a soon to be four year old daughter, Camryn. Georgia has invited her over a few times to play and they run around and pretend to be birds. It is nice having someone so close for Georgia to play with and what a sight to see Georgia unlock herself out of our gates and leave our property to go next door. She seems like such a big kid walking out all on her own!

Shh...Augie's Ornament

2011-10-21T09:37:00.000-07:00

Shhh, don't tell Augie that this is his Christmas ornament for the year! I bought it off of etsy.com and it will have his name stitched on it. He is a tough one because he doesn't yet have a theme like the other kids. I thought this will make a sweet handcrafted addition to his tree when he has a family of his own. I love that the year is embroidered and that his name will be on it. Because, let's face it, the name Augustus will never be found preprinted on pencils, lunchboxes, and bicycle license plates.

Kate, like usual, is getting an angel ornament. Georgia is getting something bird themed like a birds nest, flamingo, peacock, or ostrich. I ordered Theo a miniature (doll house sized) shovel from etsy and am going to write the year on it for him. Jon always gets snowmen and I can count on my mom buying me a horse.

Christmas has Sprung

2011-10-20T13:07:00.000-07:00

I am so anxious to get to wrapping since I recently purchased 12 fabric bags off of etsy.com from Blue Agave Studio. I need many more but those will have to come in time. I am so excited for these bags to hide all sorts of goodies for our family and I can't wait to wrap everyone's gifts in comfy cotton and cute prints.

Chickens

2011-10-18T18:47:00.000-07:00

We lost another chicken a few nights back. No one knows what happened to Winnie (the white and black egg bound one) and we can't find any evidence of her. One theory is that she flew over the fence. Another theory is that an eagle or hawk swooped down and carried her off. Who knows? It is a shame we lost her and we are baffled as to what happened to her. The current chicken tally is 7 chickens, 4 of whom are actually laying eggs. The others will lay in the spring.

Pictured are our older flock in the front lawn. I love how they are foraging and that you can see Daisy in the pasture behind them. This is heaven to me and seems like such a fun way to grow up for the kids. Of course they will all probably grow up to be city dwellers and shun animal ownership~ha!

Augie in the Window

2011-10-18T18:42:00.000-07:00

Every night I go out to feed and put the horses, ducks, and chickens in for the night. I don't mind~and actually encourage the help~when the kids put the chickens and ducks in, but the horses are different. Starr is easy to handle and she is safe around the kids but our pony isn't. Daisy, the pony, refuses to be caught and so she runs from the pasture to her stall each night...sometimes making a beeline through our front or back lawns and always at a trot or canter. It just isn't safe for the kids and especially Augie to have a loose pony frantically running about.

This is the view I often see when putting the horses in~watching the kids watch me from the formal living room window. Aren't they sweet? It is kind of like they are out with me, at least in spirit during the nightly show.

Halloween Preview

2011-10-18T15:34:00.000-07:00

I like to take the kids pictures before Halloween when the weather is decent and I have time to do a trial run with their costumes. I am glad that I did this now, because I hadn't even tried on Augie's costume and was just hoping it would fit. It did (thank goodness) and the kids were all adorable. I had to bribe Theo with some candy and a Sprite to both put his costume on and hood up, but in the end his love of sugar ended our standoff.

Georgia~of course~wanted to be a horse this year. Actually, she wanted to be a horse rider and my mom found her this costume at a garage sale over the summer. She added my riding whip, her riding helmet, and looked like a mini horse rider.

Augie found his costume when we were shopping at Goodwill. I let him choose between a few different animals and every time he grabbed for the horse. He willingly put on his costume and walked around in it. Dare I say that he was simply easy going and unbothered by the horse head up top?

When I asked Theo what he wanted to be, I was certain he would say a construction worker due to his love of big trucks and construction. I even showed him pictures of costumes we could buy off of the Internet. He surprised me by saying he wanted to wear his alligator/crocodile costume that we already owned. Never a fan of change, I suppose that I shouldn't have been too surprised.

There you have it, three lovely little kiddos ready and raring to go for Halloween. I think this year may be the best year yet for Trick-or-Treating.

Prepared

2011-10-17T21:17:00.000-07:00

Jon and I had a "discussion" this evening about being prepared for the worst in life. I insist on life insurance for both of us and prefer to know where all the important papers are in case of an emergency. This conversation came to a head when I learned that we were still working on our 2010 taxes, and I panicked imagining myself trying to recreate them should he be unable to.

Jon calls this preparedness as having a doomsday outlook and my always searching for the worst. I surmise that due to being an older parent and having three youngins around, we need to strategize to insure the safety of our family. Ugh, heavy thoughts on a Monday night.

Normally I don't post about arguments we may have or the inner workings of our relationship, but I sit here and wonder if maybe he is right. Or maybe he isn't. Regardless, I do have an overwhelming need to plan, organize, and strategize life. It calms me and gives me an illusion of control over the possible doomsday (and I admit~they are doomsday) scenarios.

I am relieved to report that our 2010 taxes have now been filed, we do and are keeping our life insurance, and things will continue on course. Maybe not to the exact precision that I would prefer, but overall we have taken as many preparations/precautions as we can. And, for now, I can sleep a bit easier at night.

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-16T12:37:00.001-07:00

Something we do big in our family is pumpkin picking. It is always an event and we make a big deal of it. We like to try out new farms, and overpriced pumpkins and snacks are always parr for the course! Instead of Disneyland we go to pumpkin and Christmas tree farms and love it all the same. Our only requirement is that it have actual pumpkins in a field to pick and farm animals and tractor rides are a bonus.

This year we went to Bob's Pumpkin Farm in Snohomish, a short 10 minutes from our home. This farm consisted of 100 acres and had horses to pet and ride, a 10 acre corn maze, hay rides, a cow wagon with a mad man driver at the wheel, and goodies to eat like roasted corn and squash, BBQ, and hot cider.

We didn't take a stroller for the first time in five years and the kids did great. Even Augie kept up and I didn't hear a complaint out of anyone with all the walking we did. We all agreed that this was one of the better farms we have been to and plan to remember it for next year.

The rule in our home is that you can pick any pumpkin but you have to be able to carry it on your own to the wheelbarrow. I took pity on Theo and broke the rules, due to his broken arm, and let him choose the second largest pumpkin of the family. Augie did pick up his pumpkin but Jon helped him carry it to the wheelbarrow. Kate, like usual, chose the very largest one she could carry!

Augie

2011-10-15T18:46:00.001-07:00

Here is my cute boy wearing his new rain boots at 19 months old. He has put a few words together (remote da-da) and is talking quite a bit. He says Jasper for our dog, hot, moe for more, mom, siss for Sissy Kate, poo, wa bobble for water bottle, and many more. He likes to shake his head "no" at me when I ask him to do something that he doesn't like.

He rides Jasper's back, and thank the Lord for that dog, isn't bitten in the process.

He is a smart little dickens and plugs in any appliance he can to outlets. Tonight at dinner I witnessed him taking grapes off the vine and pulling the stem out of each one before he ate it. His fine motor skills are outstanding.

The new development in our home is him moving to his shared bedroom with Theo. I took down the pack-n-play in our room and decided that it was time for him to share with his brother. I am a bit sad to see him go but Jon is ecstatic. I am trying not to think poorly of my husband for his enthusiasm.

Georgia's Invites

2011-10-15T18:39:00.001-07:00

Here is a photo of Georgia's 5th birthday party invitations. These are the kid party invites, so most won't be receiving one. I wanted to document how cute they were and when Georgia saw them, tell how she squealed and jumped up and down. She asked to carry them and wanted to look at them again and again.

I bought these off of etsy.com for $1.75 a piece. I thought this was money well spent (since I only bought 7 of them) until Katherine chastised me for spending money so frivolously. She theorized that I am crafty, have extra time~WHAT?~and I should be easily able to whip these out. I asked her how she expected me, mom of three little kids, to get to the craft store and buy all the supplies needed for this project...not to forget the part about actually making them. She kind of shrugged and said that I could do it.

In the end, my sanity and happiness are worth $1.75 an invite and I am so happy to send them out. I am making Georgia's homemade unicorn cake and throwing her two parties. I am pleased with my efforts and will encourage Kate to make the family invites in the future!

Georgia & Augie in the Bath

2011-10-15T18:34:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite times with the kids is bath time. I love that all three take baths together. I love the craziness of having to remind them to watch out for one another as well as the tenderness they show when they play in the bubbles together. Here are Georgia, age almost 5, and Augie, 19 months, taking a bath together.

Of course I had to throw in a picture of Theo and his plastic bag covered cast. He has had a few baths since his surgery and on this night he had to wait until Augie and Georgia got out (so they wouldn't splash him). He spent this nights bath time playing with his one good hand and complaining that he couldn't join them.

Drag Boy

2011-10-15T18:31:00.000-07:00

Kate, when getting ready for Homecoming, decided to put make-up on Theo. Apparently he doesn't mind, and I was able to catch this hysterical shot of him. We don't often see him so exuberant and this was a special expression that I am so grateful I captured.

Theo, age 3 years and 5 months.

Fall

2011-10-15T18:29:00.000-07:00

It is becoming fall around here. Even though I am not ready for it, I do get a tad bit excited about decorating for the holidays, candles, and large meals with family and friends.