Rejoice Rant and Ramble

Super Bowl Sunday

2012-02-05T20:31:00.000-08:00

Super Bowl Sunday isn't a big deal for my daughter and I. My son went to a Super Bowl Party. Hubby Man and I are still recuperating from a cough/cold. Hubby Man decided to (gasp) skip the big game. You see we cut the cord on our cable bill just over five years ago. If Hubby Man craves a sports fix we'll go out to a sports bar, order a nice appetizer and drink and settle in to enjoy the game. In the years since we've been sans cable he's only done this about 2 or 3 times. If you're wondering why we made the decision it was a cost and time factor. When we had cable we were sitting on the sofa way too much and we were spending nearly $80 a month on cable + extra for high speed internet. We cut the cable bill and kept our internet. We save nearly a $1000 a year by not having cable. Cool huh?

What all the fashionable 4yr olds wear to mow the lawn.

What all the fashionable 4yr olds are wearing on their walks.

Safari

2012-02-04T16:51:00.001-08:00

Safari scrambled into our hearts. Even regal Sophia has accepted this wild kitty. In this photo Safari looks so calm as she quietly plots a new attempt to crash thru the window and make her way to the bird feeder. You'd never know that minutes later she had a different prey in her sights. Kitty managed to spring to the top of the refrigerator only to launch herself off the fridge and onto my unsuspecting shoulders. Turns out my cooking fascinates the cat and she simply can't help herself from investigating. I was making a meatloaf at the time. I didn't know I could scream in that high of an octave. After I'd calmed down and removed my feline "helper" from the kitchen I finished the meatloaf and then sat down in frazzled state. Safari quietly approached me. I stared at the kitty and said "now what?!" Safari pounced onto my lap and proceeded to curl up and purr. Crazy kitty.

Observations

2012-02-03T10:08:00.001-08:00

Sophia floats down the hall with the grace of a prima ballerina.

Safari thunders down the hall with the grace of a rhinoceros.

They both are furry purr factories. I've never really been around cats before. These are two very different cats.

Perspective Makes All The Difference

2012-02-02T09:04:00.001-08:00

Today I sat in the parking lot outside of my office. I'm fighting a cold/cough/sore throat combo. I mustered up the energy to go in but before I left my car I decided to do something creative. I took pictures of my scarf and changed the filter on my camera. Same scarf but it looks so different. I marveled at how filters can make things look so differently and then I changed my mental filter. I smiled and went into the office. Instead of looking like I'm in a funk I can smile. I can cough and smile. Here's to changing our own mental filters.

My Son Said

2012-02-01T21:12:00.001-08:00

‎Early this morning my 13yr old son enters the kitchen, sees me slumped over a mug of Theraflu and says in a deep blockbuster trailer style narrative voice "in a dark kitchen one woman stands alone clinging to the hope she will survive. Only Theraflu stands between her and TOTAL annihilation." Made me giggle so hard I started coughing. I love that boy of mine.

Oh yes I did!

2012-01-29T20:57:00.001-08:00

These are undoubtedly the sassiest shoes I have ever owned!

This time will be different

2012-01-28T10:24:00.001-08:00

Kitty is convinced she can find a different way to pounce that will take her straight to the bird feeder. I'll have to give her points on persistence and creativity. She has found a dozen ways to pounce on the window.

Say Cheese

2012-01-26T20:09:00.001-08:00

In retrospect I may have used too much cheese but it was delicious.

It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time

2012-01-23T19:20:00.001-08:00

In a rare moment I was able to get Safari to hold still long enough to allow me to capture a picture of her rather than a blur.

It was also tricky to get a good picture of Sophia. Sophia kept turning away from the camera and gave me the cold shoulder. Sophia is nonplussed about Safari's arrival.

Oddly when I turn to my feline loving friends for kitty advice they say in disbelief "why did you get two?" and then they chuckle, smile at me and shake their head.

In other news Safari is a budding concert pianist. Sophia has managed to feign mere disdain instead of hissing hatred. I take this as a good sign.

A non-plussed Sophia trying to ignore me.

Most of the time Safari is a blur.

Four Legged Teachers

2012-01-23T08:54:00.001-08:00

Hubby Man and I agreed to adopt a cat. Sophia became our first family pet. Sophia is a refined lady, a sophisticated feline who quickly settled into our home in a peaceful manner.

Hubby Man and I realized quickly we needed a second kitty or we would spend the rest our home life listening to the kids negotiate for the cat.

We adopted Safari who was surely named by a prophet. Safari is a cat who's idea of a good time is skydiving off the top of the refrigerator. Safari is wild, fearless and unstoppable. Safari is a combat kitty who I think is perfectly matched to a teenage boy. Sophia being royalty is well suited to my princess daughter.

Sophia however is NOT excited about sharing her castle. Hubby Man has been owned by cats before. He knows the lessons already. I however have much to learn.

Morse Code

2012-01-22T09:12:00.000-08:00

I waited impatiently for my computer to boot up. I innocently tapped on the arm of my chair...or so I thought. Turns out I was tapping in Morse Code to the kitty! I was tapping a message that said "attack my pink slipper - attack the slipper now."

Snomageddon Continues

2012-01-18T12:53:00.001-08:00

Two determined siblings set out to answer the burning question....can you sled in a laundry basket?

Snomageddon

2012-01-18T08:38:00.001-08:00

Four inches of fluffy white stuff fell from the sky. Locals call it Snomageddon.

I discovered a mystery

2012-01-17T18:55:00.001-08:00

Does anyone know what this means? I found a mysterious pillow case in my linen closet. I have no idea where this came from!

Hubby Man writes! "I was curious and discovered that this is part of a Finnish melody. Translated I got this, "The son will be in the forest, sankar jylhän kuusiston." Interestingly, the meaning of my name is, "of the forest." Coincidence?

-hubby man

Family

2012-01-14T20:18:00.001-08:00

The kids, Hubby Man and I went on a short little road trip to pick up the newest member of our family. Along the way we were treated to a visit with my Aunt, Uncle and my Gram. We had a great time. It was so good to laugh and catch up. And meet our new addition....sweet kitty had surgery earlier this week. New kitty is so sweet, mellow and affectionate. We love her already.

Beauty Attack

2012-01-12T08:59:00.001-08:00

To round the corner and be assaulted by such beauty is a delightful shock to the system. Sunrise over Mt. Rainier in Tacoma WA.

Picture Wednesday

2012-01-11T18:22:00.001-08:00

The camera on my phone allows me to capture and share scenes from daily life like these.

The sunrise this morning gave the kids and I a beautiful backdrop to Astarte our day. You can also see my daughter sporting her latest look at school. Now if only I could get the men in my life to pose you'd get to know the whole fan-dam-ily!

Sunset

2012-01-08T19:14:00.001-08:00

Tonight's sunset needed no filter on the camera or Photoshop.

Woodsy Walk

2012-01-08T18:58:00.001-08:00

The camera in my phone really impresses me. I went on a five mile walk today and felt giddy, drunk on fresh air, sunshine and miles.

What do your eyes focus on?

2012-01-07T16:37:00.001-08:00

Something about the blues and greens seemed so pretty to me that I didn't mind sitting in my chair quietly doing nothing but feel blessed to see such beauty. I don't mind those telephone poles or wires one bit. I just look right past the ugly and focus straight on the pretty.

My Impression Of...

2012-01-04T22:40:00.000-08:00

Tonight in Cardio Haven - If you saw me on mile 1 you might have thought "oh what a happy power walker." Mile 2 you may have thought "oh what a determined jogger." Mile 3 you may have thought "oh what an attractive zombie." Mile 4 you might have thought "perhaps that woman needs medical attention."

It is no small miracle the burning sensation in my legs didn't set off the smoke alarm. Crikey! You gain a ~~few~~ several pounds and take a ~~few~~ several weeks off of consistent exercise and suddenly it's like starting from scratch all over again. My body has short term memory. Apparently (cough) my body doesn't (cough) remember (sputter) I'm capable of finishing half marathons.

Good night blogger land. I'm taking my weary but determined self to bed.

Improv Spoof

2012-01-04T19:18:00.001-08:00

I've watched this a few times now and can't help but snicker at the "second wind I'm really doing it!" I've never attempted 26.2 miles on pavement - I did it once on an elliptical but pavement - sheesh!

Princess Learns Frisbee

2012-01-02T10:22:00.001-08:00

Patiently Hubby Man taught our four year old how to toss a frisbee.

Snack Time

2011-12-30T18:09:00.000-08:00

K and I had an excursion today. We ate a Volcano next to a waterfall, under a rainbow, adjacent a family of gorillas. We did this all south of downtown Seattle in Tukwila, WA at the Rainforest Cafe in Westfield Southcenter. My daughter really enjoyed the trumpet of the elephants, exotic fish tanks and shooting stars. The thunderstorms every 30 minutes and gorilla family that shook the trees caught her by surprise but she was thrilled to have a good view.

Rainforest Cafe is a full service family friendly restaurant. My family and I visit once maybe twice a year. When it comes to the bill you must remember that you had dinner and a show otherwise you'll find it on the prices high side. Our service was fast and friendly today. This is a very popular destination restaurant and sometimes can carry a 45 minute wait which can get pricey because you wait in the gift shop filled with attractive souvenirs. I suggest setting a budget well in advance of your visit and let your kid/s know what they can spend on a souvenir for your kiddo so it's easy to say yes/no without breaking the bank.

Thunderstorms and gorillas scared and then delighted K.

We sat next to the waterfall.

Volcano!

Her first bite...

She likes it!

(Note the funny bar stools)

K Said

2011-12-27T21:05:00.000-08:00

My four year old woke up early and dressed herself this morning. At 5:00AM I suggested she go back to sleep to which she replied in a matter of fact tone "oh no Mama I have way to much to do. Look at all these toys to play with and I have a big imagination you know."

A Charged Activity

2011-12-25T14:23:00.001-08:00

My son introduced his little sister to the wonders of static electricity.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T10:29:00.001-08:00

The Year In Review

2011-12-24T12:06:00.000-08:00

In the hustle and bustle of the holiday season I snagged a few minutes to reflect on the year 2011. Forgive me for being brief – no time for a long chatty Christmas greeting for I’m sitting and rocking, staring out the window and at the tree, sipping coffee, listening to the sounds of my family and feeling very blessed and thankful. That’s a lot of ‘ings. May your 2012 be filled with happy healthy ‘ing’s in abundance.

Picture Friday

2011-12-23T09:02:00.001-08:00

My household loved ones.....I think soon we will have a four legged edition to the mix.

Gingerbread

2011-12-21T07:51:00.001-08:00

Poised over his gingerbread house carefully crafting his entry way my son stopped and said "Uh Mom can you get high from a gingerbread house? I mean seriously have smelled these? This is powerful stuff!" Here's to being high on life. I love my kids!

Excuse Me, Can I Get A Blessing?

2011-12-20T16:46:00.001-08:00

It was a busy week night. I was caught up in the whirlwind of coming home from work, preparing dinner and helping my son with homework. In the midst of all the activity my four year old sneezed. I was busy in the kitchen. I felt a tug on shirt. I looked down to see my daughter staring up at me, her hands on her hips. She had an expectant look on her face. She looked so serious I had to smile and ask "What is it K?" To which my cherub replied "I sneezed and excuse me but can I get a bless you?"

I hugged her, said "bless you" and patted her on the head. Here's to asking for blessings and patiently waiting.

Construction Site

2011-12-20T09:02:00.001-08:00

I sure hope their homeowners insurance covers the accidental "sunroof." My four year old and I had fun giggling our way through this construction zone. My son is still working on his masterpiece and hope to have a finished product to share with you soon. Hubby Man's inner engineer got the best of him and he had to literally wash his hands of the project. Too much instability and imperfections with our building methods. I could see him shake his head knowing full well way in advance that the roof would slide off Ahhh but the kids and I had gloppy messy icing covered gumdrop fun.

Oops

2011-12-19T13:28:00.001-08:00

Apparently I have been a little too merry and not so bright this holiday season. From Halloween to now I gained five pounds. Egads and gadzooks! I have to burn an excess of 17,750 calories to shed the extra fiver I'm carrying around. Shaking my head and rolling my eyes. I apologize now for what is sure to be a string of fitness related blog entries in my immediate future. Hope you'll be patient with me on this journey.

Date Night

2011-12-18T10:09:00.001-08:00

Hubby Man and I went to The Grand Cinema in Tacoma for an artsy indie movie called "Melancholia." Kirsten Dunst's performance of someone who struggles with serious depression was haunting. Her surrounding cast of people that support her and live around her also delivered solid performances. It was a sad film and not our usual genre but we both appreciated the intellectual angles of the movie.

A Jar Full Of Jolly

2011-12-16T17:07:00.001-08:00

My first time making homemade spirits. Pictured here is vodka infused with jalapeño and mango in one bottle and in the others vodka infused with cranberries and lime zest. It was fun making these. I hope I get to enjoy these with friends and family.

Sunrise

2011-12-13T09:06:00.001-08:00

Mt. Rainier and the morning sky took our breath away. What a show to see before dropping the kids off at school and heading to the office.

K Dances

2011-12-05T21:54:00.000-08:00

Another Pretty Day in the Neighborhood

2011-12-04T22:18:00.000-08:00

Parental Visitation

2011-12-03T22:19:00.000-08:00

Last month my parents came for a visit. It was so good to see them again! They live long distance so we don't get to see them often. Aww we miss them already.

Thanksgiving Part Five

2011-12-02T22:16:00.000-08:00

We had so much fun spending time with our friends. We played games, put on skits and recitals. We told stories and had a terrific time in general. I cooked the traditional fare - but only the bird warranted a photo shoot. What a treat - this trip was. What a treat indeed.

Happy Thanksgiving Part Four

2011-12-01T22:13:00.000-08:00

We took a trip to Seaside and visited the Aquarium. K and A held their first starfish and small crabs native to the Oregon Coast. We picked up a few souviners in the gift shop that both kids still seem to appreciate a week later. K especially loves her small plastic "critters" all sea-life creatures of various sorts.

I have memories of a rare family vacation to Cedar Rapids an amusement park in the mid-west. I was allowed to take home a cedar treasure chest. It must've been barely four inches wide but for some reason I loved that treasure chest emblazoned with their logo. As a young girl I'd open it up and could smell the cedar and it reminded me of how much fun we had on that trip. I carried that chest around for quite a few years.

Now we have memories in our phones and online. Souviner shopping may not have the same impact but I wanted to try and give that to the kids. We had so much fun feeding the seals, making crafts, holding "critters" and hanging out in Seaside.

K Said

2011-11-30T22:10:00.002-08:00

Earlier today my 4 yr old had a fever. She can spike a high fever quickly so I watched her temp carefully. As I tucked her in for the night she looked up and said "Whoa Mama, I am so so SO sick!" I asked her how she knew. She replied "Watch me. One. Two. Three. Three Mom, that's it. I'm so sick I can't count!" I kissed her little forehead with all the Mommy Magic I could muster. Hope my sweet pea feels better in the morning.

Thanksgiving Part Three

2011-11-30T22:10:00.000-08:00

More frolicking on the beach. Ahh the beach.

Happy Thanksgiving Part Deux

2011-11-28T22:03:00.000-08:00

There's something about salt water, sand and the surf that's conducive to frolicking.

Happy Thanksgiving Part One

2011-11-27T22:01:00.000-08:00

Over the Thanksgiving Holiday we had the opportunity to spend time with my friend H and her daughters in Cannon Beach, OR. Hubby Man was under the weather but gave us his blessing to leave him in peace and quiet (stocked up on Chicken Noodle Soup) and hit the coast without him. We missed him but had a wonderful time on the coast.

I'll post a five part series with pictures to share a few memories from our short trip.

Happy Birthday Hubby Man

2011-11-27T21:52:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Hubby Man!

A Howling Good Time

2011-11-27T11:48:00.001-08:00

Random Notes for a certain Twitter Mom I know:

I took my son to the Great Wolf Lodge to celebrate his 12th birthday. We took a good friend of his along for the festivities. We arrived and to our surprise learned we were upgraded to a large spacious suite complete with fireplace, living room, separate room for the boys, full bath by the living room and a master suite. There were three televisions in the suite. It was a magnificent room and were all felt insanely fortunate. I decided instantly the suite would've been worth the splurge. Having the space and privacy felt luxuriant. If I had to do it over again I would blow the extra cash on the space. I learned the suite we had started at $369. Ouch but oh it was lovely having the space...what a blessing we received a free upgrade!

We didn't need a room key - we had a wrist band. Wristbands rock. No carrying your purse or ID around a waterpark. Nice. And I could charge things to my wrist band. I didn't give the charging privileges to the boys but we plenty of kids walking around charging things at the restaurant, ice cream stand, arcade and kiddie spa and waving their wrist bands and charging things. Those were happy kids. I wondered about our personal budget and resisted the urge. Oh and I recall hot cocoas and a latte on our way out - wave the wristband at the barista...

There's a "game" involving expensive plastic wands. You purchase the wands and walk the kids through the Lodge. The kids get to find clues, wave their wands, solve riddles, and even fight a battle with their wands. The wands were over $20 each. As you walk along the resort the wands light things up, open treasure chests, make "trees" come alive, "wolves" howl etc. I saw the hallways of the resort filled with happy entertained kids and in some cases their parents tagging along. It would've kept the boys busy for at least an hour. I thought they would've enjoyed it - but we were already at $200 for the room, + birthday dinner for three, trip to the ice cream shop, + breakfast for three + the money I'd spend on the actual birthday gifts. I did the math - I knew things were adding up quickly. So again I resisted the urge. After all - we were there for the waterpark. The boys didn't mind not too much...

(I saw lots of girls dressed up princess dresses prancing through the resort with their wands. I know my nearly five year old girl would've loved the activity.)

There were lots of unchaperoned kids. I have a background in the hotel industry. I think it's a mistake on the parents part to let young kiddos roam alone. Just because it's a kid friendly resort - it isn't wise to let kids explore a big resort unattended. I did let the boys go from the pool to the arcade by themselves while I sat in the restaurant and used wi-fi and enjoyed a margarita ...but the boys are nearly teenagers. Ahh. Nice. Wave the wristband at Mr. Bartender. It was lovely not having to carry a charge card and ID.

The resort had story hour towards the bedtime hour - in the lobby by an animated tree complete with hooting owls and howling wolves. The boys decided they were too old for story hour and wanted more time in the water park. Story hour would've been great for my daughter.

All in all we had a fantastic time. I actually relaxed and had just as much as fun as the kids. We'll go again. But we'll go eyes wide open - we'll go with a big budget and plan on blowing some bucks on another fun family memory. Oh and both kids gave the place two resounding thumbs up.

Pretty Day!

2011-11-20T21:23:00.000-08:00

Future Fashionista Said..

2011-11-18T20:28:00.001-08:00

My future fashionista picked this ensemble out herself. When asked if she was ready for school she gasped, froze and took a moment to think. "Yeah baby you betcha!" I love every ounce of this kid!

Living Room Sprite

2011-11-18T19:30:00.000-08:00

A mythical Living Room Sprite graced us with a visit. I was lucky enough to capture her on film.

Lunch with the Parentals

2011-11-17T13:54:00.001-08:00

My folks are visiting. I took the day off and we went to lunch at Patty Coynes in Tacoma, WA. http://www.paddycoynes.net/

Irish Stew with Guinness and Soda Bread

Guiness Float topped with Whiskey Praline Ice Cream

Grandma O'Malley's Apple Crisp with Whiskey Praline Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce

Chocolate Bread Pudding with Whiskey Praline Ice Cream

Lunch with my parents

Random Information From My Mind To Yours

2011-11-13T11:49:00.001-08:00

We got free groceries this week. Our rebate from Fred Meyer was nearly $191.00! Whoo to the hoo! This week my family will gather round our table in the kitchen to share stories and the following meals:

Sunday: Porkchops with rice and steamed vegetables

Monday: "Fried” (oven baked) chicken with green salad and bread

Tuesday: Pasta, marinara and meatballs with salad and garlic knots

Wednesday: Buttermilk pancakes

Thursday: Grilled chicken and rice with sauteed vegetables

Friday: Pizza and dessert night

We managed to get into a nice routine with our family dinners. It isn't always easy with school, work, commute and sports but we seem to pull it off. The kids each take turns picking a meal for us to enjoy. Friday is standard. We only have dessert once a week in our house. My son picked Tuesday's dinner. My daughter picked Wednesday. Hubby didn't get to pick - he seems fine with pretty much anything I serve with the exception of beets. My man does not like beets and neither do my kids.

Oh well - more for me.

In other news, Hubby and I had a fun date night last night. We tried a new restaurant in the area. The place was packed. We enjoyed a drink at the bar while we waited for our table. I had a fun cocktail - it was a sorbet made out of sweet and sour bitters in a martini glass served with a shot of agave tequila. I poured the tequila over the sorbet for a fun and tasty twist on a margarita. Hubby had a Run Punch drink, the sweet kind that don't taste like alcohol...those will sneak up on you. We each had a tremendously delicious King Salmon served over a bed of sweet potatoes cooked with bacon and spinach. Yummy! We then walked over to the theater next door to take in Tower Heist.

Spoiler alert: if you plan to see this movie you may not want to continue reading...

Eddie Murphy's performance was similar to any other of his other movies. Nothing new. We couldn't remember the last movie we saw Alan Alda in - he did a great job of playing a Bernie Madoff type character. He delivered a solid performance of a jerk. Ben Stiller did his usual performance of a likable good guy who twists a little but stays true to his self throughout a goofy situation. The surprise and delight for me was with Casey Affleck's performance. I thought he stole the show. Hubby man and I both enjoyed Matthew Broderick's performance. And Tea Leone it was nice to see her again. Overall it was a pleasant date night movie with a few laughs.

After our movie we went back to the new restaurant to try Buttermilk pie! It has a texture that reminds you of a meringue but with a light custard feel. It was creamy with lemon zest. I don't know what they did to the crust that made it require effort to cut through the sucker but boy was it tasty! My mouth is watering as I type this. It was worth the five miles I'll have to walk to work off that meal.

My son is old enough to babysit! Celebrate good times! My son is happy to earn a few extra dollars. I'm happy to not have to recruit new sitters. And K is happy to hang with her big "bubba." Win-win! And now my dear friends and family I'm off.

Love ya,

Private Pep Talk

2011-11-12T10:53:00.001-08:00

I just overheard my four year old giving a pep talk to her stuffed animals. The animals were lined up on a bench facing forward. She's walked back and forth in front of the bench. "Come on guys! You can do this! I believe in you!" When asked what she wanted them to do she said "Uh Mama that's between me and them."

Lighthouse

2011-11-11T14:48:00.001-08:00

Turns out the local Lighthouse has a pedigree of sorts. It's ranked in the Top 10 Lighthouses to Sleep In. http://www.smartertravel.com/photo-galleries/editorial/ten-best-lighthouses-to-sleep-in.html?id=36&photo=9909

And the US Lighthouse Society said it was the "finest example of a restored historic keeper's dwelling in Washington State, or the US for that matter."

Nice! I love spending time at the park by the Lighthouse and the Lighthouse Keeper's Cottage. It would make a marvelous spot for a family reunion. Maybe someday...

Seattle Was Too Nice For Me

2011-11-10T09:58:00.001-08:00

An article came out via a writer for CNN. "Seattle Was Too Nice For Me" It's a fun read. Worth the click and a few minutes. I smiled while I read it. I love the part that compares the Sculpture Park in downtown Seattle to a highbrow miniature golf course.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/09/travel/seattle-washington-too-nice/#

Guess Who Needs a Very Special New Dress?

2011-11-03T07:05:00.000-07:00

Note the angle of her right leg? She's very limber this girl!

Yesterday coming home from school I heard this floating up from the backseat: "Mom, I need a new dress, a very special new dress."

"Oh? Why's that K?""Well the Moon is very lonely and I have to go visit but I need a special dress in outer space."

"The Moon is lonely? I wasn't aware. Should we chat with the Moon to try and cheer it up?"

"What? No, that would be silly. The Moon can't hear us all the way down here. We're too far."

"I see. So this will be difficult to go visit the Moon?"

"No. It's so easy. Daddy is going to throw me really really really really high and that's it."

"How will you get back down?"

"I'm gonna jump and Daddy will catch me."

"I see. So why do you need a very special new dress?"

"Yesterday yesterday yesterday (which means 3 nights ago) the Moon saw through my window and my closet was open and the Moon saw all my dresses!"

I told my husband this. I thought he'd be warned about the lonely Moon with a habit of peeping in through windows instead he got this far away dazed look in his eyes. Perhaps it was because she's four and already coming up with creative ways to go shopping? No, it was the Engineer/Scientist in him. He shook his head and explained even if he could catch her she'd never survive re-entry. Ahh but he didn't factor in the v e r y special new dress.

Inspire the Chef Please

2011-10-29T11:29:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling a little uninspired in the kitchen lately. This is what I came up with for a menu plan this week. Any suggestions on easy ways for a working Mom to improve and yet remain kid-friendly?

Saturday: Chili, cornbread with optional sides of peach & cucumber salad
(My kids aren't big chili fans but they love cornbread. The peach & cucumber salad is sweet but filled with fruits and veg. This meal is devoid of Mom guilt. If the kids don't chow down on the chili they still have a starch, veg & a fruit. And each time I serve this meal the kids bravely attempt a "thank you" bite of chili. I'm hoping I'll wear them down one winter and they'll miraculously love chili one day. I make it in the crock pot. Love the smell of simmering chili.)

Sunday: Pork chops, rice and vegetable
(Crowd pleaser as long as the veg isn't beets, brussel sprouts or cabbage this generates a thumbs up from everyone.)

Monday: Vegetable stew, French bread with optional side of yogurt fruit salad
(My 13 yr old now likes veggie stew which gives me hope for my chili strategy. My daughter still turns up her nose at it which is why I serve the fruit salad with Greek yogurt. Again this meal is served sans Mommy Guilt. I like the process of vegetable stew. The colors of the veg. The simmering in the crock pot. Sigh. A good stew with a great crusty loaf of French bread? Sigh.)

Tuesday: Spaghetti, garlic bread with green salad
(Crowd pleaser)

Wednesday: Stir fry over rice
(Crowd pleaser as long as you separate the items on my 4yr old's plate. She's not a huge fan of food touching each other yet.)

Thursday: Breakfast for dinner
(Crowd pleaser)

Friday: Pizza and dessert night
(Crowd pleaser)

Hey you know what? After writing this out I'm actually feeling pretty good about this plan. Wish me luck people. It's not always easy making meals at home with the work and commute schedule but I'm committed to making sure our family gathers around the dinner table every night.

Tinkerbell Says

2011-10-29T10:21:00.000-07:00

‎4yr old wearing her Tinkerbell costume says "Mama, did you know Robin Hood and Winnie the Pooh are best friends?" To which I reply "How do you know that?" With the subtle hint of duh in her voice she says "Well they both live in the Forest."

More Pics & People I Like

2011-10-28T13:55:00.000-07:00

Fireplace Remodel Update

2011-10-27T23:12:00.001-07:00

Feed the Herd

2011-10-24T07:21:00.001-07:00

My 4 yr old: "Mom, did you know I found a teeny tiny baby unicorn?"

Me: "You did? This is a big deal for teeny tiny baby unicorns are extremely rare."

4yr old: "Uh no they aren't. You just close your eyes, think happy thoughts and they're everywhere! A whole herd of really cute teeny tiny baby unicorns."

Me: "A whole herd! Who will feed them and take care of them?"

4yr old scrunches her face up and thinks for a second. "Maybe we can ask brother and Daddy to do that."

I wish you could've seen my husband's face when I asked him to feed the imaginary herd of baby unicorns.

An Anthropologist Gets A Haircut

2011-10-23T14:11:00.000-07:00

A recent trip to the salon inspired me to try my hand at satire. The salon is a sort of library for me. It's time to sit in a chair and not do dishes, laundry or work. The beauty salon is a glorious chance for me to read. I'll set the scene - I'm sitting in the chair trying to read my book (of a scientific nature) when I'm awestruck with what's happening around me. The conversations that float through the room, the sounds, sights and my observations led to this:

An Anthropologist Gets a Haircut

The hair salon as a universe:
The center of which is the cashier where women, satisfied or not, pay tribute to those who cut color and coiffe. Women of all ages and lifestyles enter into orbit with their stylists as moons and stars. Men are the occasional comet. Unattended children are black holes.

The hair salon as confessional:
Bystanders may witness a strange phenomenon when clients of the feminine persuasion are draped with a cape. Select females who ordinarily possess puritan tendencies, cloaked and covered from knees to neck, morph into verbal exhibitionists and strut through conversations emotionally naked.

The hair salon as sound:
A constant hum of chatter intermingles with the sounds of footwear like the high-heeled clomp, flip-flop shuffle and sneaker squeak. The occasional chime of pocket sized cellular devices interrupts details of divorces, deals, dramas, drinks and dogs. Against a backdrop of sink spray are revelations about food, fashion, finance, fitness, friends and felines. Amidst the buzz of hairdryers women, memorialize their mothers, men, movies and the mundane.

The hair salon as science:
Follicles of today require excursions for exotic blowouts and polymer processes to smooth and shine. Molecular treatments moisturize while highlights brighten and lowlights make statements of one’s status as trendsetter. Kinetic energy can be observed when a viscous hot wax is applied to the corpus de client. Additional scientific measurements take place as precise mixing of chemicals emits desired intensity of new colors.

The hair salon as time machine:
Stylists labor to defy the basic forces of nature and attempt to aid the young look older and the old look younger. Though a vast majority of clientele appear rushed and busy they seem unfazed by the time commitment of modern day grooming practices.

In summation:
The hair stylist is a keystone species worthy of protection. Should the survival of stylists become jeopardized the stability of the entire ecosystem for women would be in danger. Males while less inclined to depend on the stylist should intervene in the protection of the salon habitat. If men were forced to cut their own hair this would have a negative impact on their ability to attract potential mates.

Written by: Meilee Anderson

I Surrender

2011-10-23T13:21:00.001-07:00

Roasted, stewed, sauteed or seasoned...doesn't matter it's still cabbage. I surrender. Can't seem to make it palatable for me or the family.

I'm all for healthy eating - and for eating what's in season but yuck! I just can't seem to transform the lowly cabbage into something to cheer about.

More Pics & People I Like

2011-10-21T13:37:00.000-07:00

In the Locker Room at Safeco Field!

I'm not even a baseball fanatic and I had a blast!

From the Press Box.

On the "O" deck at the Space Needle.

Even on a rainy day it's a cool view at the Space Needle.

Knit one, giggle two?

2011-10-20T12:35:00.000-07:00

I wonder if the knitter of this hat suffered puncture wounds. How could one possibly knit this hat and not giggle yourself right into the ER having to explain knitting needle injuries?
http://www.etsy.com/listing/70050443/preteen-bb-black-mix

Put the coffee down and pick up the air guitar.

2011-10-19T08:42:00.000-07:00

So I've got my kids in the car I'm on my way to drop them off at school. I hit the search button on the radio. "Sweet Child O'Mine" comes on the air. My hand hits the volume button and suddenly I'm transformed from mild mannered Mom into the Back Up Singer Axel Rose never knew he needed. My son says "Uh Mom, did you have your coffee this morning?" Coffee? Who can drink coffee? I have an air guitar to play. (At the stop lights of course. I didn't play air guitar while driving!)

(Mom and Grandma I'm just telling you now this music probably isn't your cup of tea.)

Inspired

2011-10-16T21:26:00.000-07:00

Cardio Cinema tonight. I logged 3 miles and lifted weights for 45 minutes while watching this incredible documentary. http://pelada-movie.com/ Inspired by the pure love of soccer around the globe I teared up several times.

Must get out and kick the ball around with my kids more often. Much more often.

Promoted / Demoted

2011-10-16T10:42:00.001-07:00

Strange? When I approved the sleepover, rented the movie, ordered the pizza and dessert I was and I quote "The Best Mom Ever!" Fast forward 12 hours later when it's time to clean up the mess, get dressed and go to church I'm suddenly demoted to "Worst Mom Ever!" I have an odd feeling this teenage behaviour happens with other families too. Any tips to share from other parents of teens?

More Pics & People I Like

2011-10-14T13:22:00.000-07:00

Usually I'm sitting in that chair. Welcome to my office.

Today at work...

2011-10-10T22:38:00.000-07:00

Often times I'm asked questions about what I do at the office. My job offers me much diversity in the projects I get to work on. I'm never bored at work. Never. Today among other things I worked on our database. We'd been using several lists for years and we're merging and cleaning up the list. Err...I should say I'm merging and cleaning up the list. It's handy to know who to talk to and how to reach them.

I also helped a meeting planner find a venue for a conference. This particular group needed a small block of hotel rooms, meeting space and a venue for their annual banquet. I work with nearly 70 hotels and thanks to my database of hotel contacts I can quickly and easily introduce people that need space to the people that have space.

I worked on new travel packages. I looked at the area businesses I work with and tried to find good matches. Hotel + Restaurant + Activity = Travel Package. It's yet another way to sell and market the area. There are lots of moving parts to a successful package. You can have the best price and fun concept but if the public can't find your awesome package to book it...well what's the point. You've got to have a strong concept, good value and a way to promote it.

In 3 paragraphs I summed up my 9 hour day at the office. Let's see if I can sum up my day at home.

This morning my 4 yr old announced she was going to school to "read, learn stuff and play really-really-really-really-really fun things." She didn't elaborate too much about what exactly the really fun things were other than she implied they involved her friends, toys and the playground. She practically gave me "you'd have to be a kid to understand" speech.

My 13 yr old had a pop quiz in Science, a math test, soccer practice, art club and a series of text messages that caused him to stop playing X-Box 360 and type on his phone at lightning speed. He's fast on the soccer field and fast typing on his phone that boy of mine.

Hubby Man likes the progress on the on-going fireplace project. We should have the remodel project finished and the living room back to normal in time for Thanksgiving. Fingers crossed. Knock on wood.

I left out a few things but this is a blog not a novel. Do feel free to leave me a comment and let me know how life is with you. And to my faithful reader Cool Grandma B you do a fantastic job with keeping up with my blog and the blogs of the family. I know I speak for all my blogging cousins when I say we're proud of you and we adore you.

Goodnight Blogger-Ville.

People & Pictures I Like

2011-10-07T13:12:00.000-07:00

A group of Military Reunion Planners I got to work with.

Wonderment captured in my daughter's face aboard a Seattle Duck.

A very pleasant and talented restaurateur I get to work with.

Yours truly with Hubby Man.

Me near Home Base at Safeco Field.

Me "hamming" it up with a Moose.

A very pleasant and smart lady I get to work with.

My very dear friend "H" and I at the start line of the RNR 1/2 Marathon .

One of the few pictures of me I like taken with friends when I was 9 months pregnant with K.

Me with one of my coworkers and her friend.

Feeling good at the start line of that 1/2 marathon.

I got invited to a meeting at Google's Corporate Office in Seattle.

I did it! (Again!)

K and Hubby Man aboard a Duck. K was all giggles.

Insurance

2011-10-06T07:30:00.000-07:00

Early this morning my kids and I sat around the kitchen table eating our breakfast cereal and giggling over old episodes of the Pink Panther cartoons. One scene involved the Ant & Aardvark. The Aardvark in his haste to catch the ant wasn't watching where he was going and ended up in a motorcycle accident. My son looked at me and said "I hope he has Geico."

I giggled. I don't know what's funnier the whole idea of an Aardvark needing motorcycle insurance or my son referencing an insurance company for a cartoon character. If you're not familiar with the cartoon here's a typical episode.

K giggled and then she said...

2011-10-05T23:01:00.000-07:00

One rainy night on the way to soccer practice I heard my 4yr old giggle. I glanced in the rear view mirror to see my kiddo look out the window and giggle again.

"What's so funny K?"
"Mama, I thought of something hill-air-eee-us!" Giggle.
"Hilarious huh? What's your funny thought?"
"It would be so funny if the raindrops were tickling the trees." Giggle.

On the way from the car to the house we dodged heavy rain. K giggled so hard her older brother had to carry her into the house. So I say....here's to ticklish trees.

Hubby Man

2011-10-05T00:40:00.000-07:00

My hubby man, when he wears jeans they're always Levi 501's with the button fly.

Hubby Man can change a tire, sort a spreadsheet faster than you can say "Excel" and he can fix things. All sorts of things in the hands of my Hubby Man can be fixed. Hubby Man has fixed my aching shoulders - he's fixed bikes - broken tiaras - the garbage disposal - and my son's X-Box.

Hubby Man is many things including: our family's Chief Financial Officer, Mechanic, I.T. Department, Maintenance Engineer and Spider Assassin. He's the one I turn to for everything and though he's hard wired for logic he's learned to live surrounded by emotion. My Hubby Man snores - he's saws logs like a Lumber Jack. He drives a manly man Jeep he inherited from his Father. And he can grow a beard just by thinking about it!

He's a raging inferno of heat that doesn't mind my antarctic feet at night. He forgets to take the garbage out but remembers to pay the heating bill. Hubby Man doesn't do Facebook or Twitter but he does read my blog because he likes to know what I think, feel and write about.

I love that Hubby Man of mine. And this entry is for him and for all the Hubby Men out there that love their wives and families.

Ahhmmmm Oooooohmmmm Confessions of a Parent

2011-10-04T14:11:00.000-07:00

Did I mention I'm now the parent of a teenager? You ever hear the most famous parental karma blessing? "Someday you'll grow up and have a kid just like you." The profundity of that statement should never ever be underestimated! It may not seem like a blessing but it is.

You see when this famous blessing comes true it gives the parent an extraordinary learning opportunity. I'll explain.....in my teen years I was at times mouthy, entitled, disrespectful and disobedient. My son inherited a generous portion of my "mouthy gene" and has gone a few verbal rounds with my husband and I. It doesn't happen often but when it does I call my parents and apologize to them for the grief I put them through all those years ago. (They chuckle from time to time but they're very sweet and supportive.)

My parents presented a resilient united front. They held me accountable, called me on my behavior and determinedly loved me through my teen years. They could've given up and passively parented but they didn't - nope they survived my epic stubbornness.

Most of the time there's harmony in our home but when there isn't...my husband and I both cling to the fact I grew out of it. I survived my own teenage years and matured into a functional adult. I should mention rebellious attitudes stump my husband. Hubby Man was hard wired for logic in his youth. He didn't see the logic of rebellion. Why rebel if you'll only get into trouble? Whereas I felt compelled to challenge everything. (Insert heavy sigh here)

If you're having challenges with your kiddo/s here are some tips that have proven helpful in my household with my 13 and 4 year old:

Pick your battles wisely.
Keep your love tank and your kiddo's love tank as full as possible.
When your kid mouths off take a deep breath before you respond (I tried an idea from the authors of Love and Logic. For some weird reason it works! I close my eyes and I kid you not I make the "ahhhhmm ooooohmmmm" sound. I even touch my fingers to my thumbs. It's unusual I know but it really throws my kids for a loop. For some reason my kids quiet down and stop in their tracks for a second. I no longer feel the need to argue my kid/s into a corner or put them on the guilt trip express. Nope - I'm just calm and in a good mental space where I can deal with whatever's going on.)
Don't take the bait - don't argue - state your piece and leave it at that.
Avoid issuing punishments in the heat of battle - it's OK to remind your kid/s that actions have consequences but wait until things calm down and you can think logically before you lay down the law
Find another parent you can turn to for advice - when you're upset it's good to have a safe place you can vent - you don't want to unload frustration on your kid

If you're a parent and have tips that work for you please share them in the comment section. I'd love to hear from you.

Ow Ow said K

2011-10-02T14:51:00.000-07:00

"Ow. Ow. Oh boy. Oh boy!" my daughter said it just loud enough for me to hear but it didn't sound like an urgent cry for help. Curious I got up and walked down the hall. "K, are you alright?" My four year old looked up and said "There's a really really really really big idea in my head and it's so big it hurts!"

Taken aback I said "Oh dear! Let's get that big idea out! What is it sweetie? What's your big idea?"

Without missing a beat my daughter said "We have to color a pretty pretty picture right now! And maybe go rollerskating too."

Remodel Schmee-model

2011-10-01T12:52:00.000-07:00

I received some questions on the fireplace project which prompted this update. It's a not so balmy 62 degrees in my living room which makes me appreciate the warmth from a cup of tea or coffee, my laptop and a snuggle on the sofa with my kids or hubby. The mason told us the project should be complete in 4 weeks which probably means by Christmas. (Please oh please let the mason be right) My philosophy on remodels is to double whatever the contractor tells you. If they tell you 3 weeks and $ X amount of dollars - quietly in your mind double it. If you can mentally wrap your head around double the amount of time and money you'll probably be safe from unhappy surprises along the way.

Before the remodel.

During the remodel

Complete demolition

Eventually bookshelves will flank a stone fireplace

How often does one look up a chimney?

Looking up a buffer zone between the interior wall and chimney

Where the hearth used to be there is a trench 3 and 1/2 feet deep

Illustration of the finished fireplace

Twylah

2011-09-30T08:52:00.000-07:00

If only I could organize my closet as well as Twylah organized my tweets! There's a new free service that takes ones posts on twitter and organizes them by topic to display in a format that looks and feels like a webpage. It's a much easier way to read tweets than on www.twitter.com.

Here's my newly minted profile on Twylah: www.twylah.com/meileeanderson
It's not perfect but it's a neat way for people who don't have Twitter accounts to see my tweets.

Classic Snatch & Grab

2011-09-29T19:50:00.000-07:00

(Click on the photo to enlarge)

These two masked bandits are merely decoys. While the kids and I stood in the yard staring up at our two visitors we neglected to see their three siblings on our deck pilfering the bird feeder.

Classic. Distract, snatch, grab and scamper away as fast as your furry legs will take you.

Twitter birds fear not for I shop for your seed at Costco.

What Has 4 Legs, 2 Wheels And A Really Big Sense Of Accomplishment?

2011-09-27T20:39:00.000-07:00

What has four legs, two wheels and a really big sense of accomplishment? I'll give you a hint...she's four and she has her Daddy wrapped around her finger.

I don't know who felt more accomplished....my daughter for tackling her very first bike without training wheels....or Hubby Man for helping her learn to ride. Either way - it's a win/win.

Welcome to the Thumber-Dome

2011-09-26T22:06:00.000-07:00

One rainy Sunday afternoon....

Eight thumbs entered but there could only be one victor. Welcome to the World Wide Federation of Epic Thumbwrestling. Welcome to the Thumber-Dome.

Once Upon a Dark & Stormy Night

2011-09-26T20:26:00.000-07:00

Once upon a dark and stormy night a contented Washington State resident snuggled her kiddos and watched a mighty squall blow across the white capped waters of the Puget Sound.

Anyone seen my business?

2011-09-25T09:53:00.000-07:00

Overcome with a case of silliness my four year old made a riotous scene in the living room whopping-dancing-hollering-singing-giggling. She stopped long enough to look me in the eyes and said "Mama, where's your business?" I told her about my office location. She scrunched up her face "No, no, not that. I mean your business! You know your monkey business. Where is it? Where's your monkey business?"

I'm Not a Pretty Princess?

2011-09-23T08:40:00.000-07:00

On the way to preschool my 4 yr old daughter said to me: "Mama, I see Caleb today. He loves me." To which I replied "Yes you told me. How do you know he loves you?"
K: "Well, he makes me feel like a princess, a pretty pretty princess."
Me: "Oh that's a nice way to feel."
K: "Yup."
Me: "Your Dad makes me feel like a pretty princess."
K: "No way!"
Me: "Yup."
K: "Uh Mama...you're not a pretty princess."
Me: "I'm NOT?"
K: "No. You are not a pretty pretty princess. You are a beautiful beautiful queen."

She melts me. That girl of mine totally melts me.

Vroom Vroom

2011-09-22T19:44:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time at Pacific Raceways a very happy Washington state resident went Vroom Vroom!

What a rush! I still remember driving on the racetrack like it was yesterday!

Hubby Man

2011-09-21T23:04:00.000-07:00

On the way home from picking up my 4 yr old these words floated up from the backseat.
"Mama, I love you but I'm not in love with you."
Me: "Oh K what an interesting thing to say. Why do you say that?"
K: "Well Caleb walked with me today and he held my hand and we played on the monkey bars. You know what that means?"
Me "No, sweetie what does that mean?"
K: all smiles says "He loves me and he's gonna marry me."
Me: "Does Caleb know that?"
K: "Oh yes. I told him so."

It made me think. It made me smile. She's so young. Has her whole life ahead of her. Plenty of time to figure out love. I fell in love with this man and stayed in love for more than six years now. Here's to all the happy hubby men out there in the world. And here's to the young boys who listen to girls.

Uh Oh

2011-09-15T19:15:00.001-07:00

Headache. Sore throat. Fever. What happened on my commute home? Mildly annoying tickle in throat morphed into a raging assault. Reaching for the Nyquil in 3...2..1

Memories

2011-09-14T20:03:00.000-07:00

A shriek pierced the air followed by "Oh. My. GOSH! I FOUND IT!" Moments later my 4yr old came down the hall holding a baby doll. She held the doll up to my face, sighed and tenderly said in a very serious tone "Mom, you remember this? I used to play with this when I was a little kid."

Shopping

2011-09-12T20:32:00.000-07:00

I mentioned our fireplace project in an early post. These are some photos we took while out shopping for stone. Hubby and I both loved the colors in this stone water feature. We decided some day after our budget recovers from the chimney repair, fireplace project and the bookshelf install.....someday we'll have a new deck with a water feature like this one.

Aren't these colors in the natural stone so beautiful?

These steps and stone walkway were stunning when wet.

This is a slab of basalt quarried from Eastern Washington.

The slab will be cut in half lengthwise to make our mantel and hearthstone.
Then the slab will be polished on the top until it shines like polished granite.

Remembering 9-11

2011-09-11T05:34:00.000-07:00

Ten years ago I was scheduled to introduce a key-note speaker at an early morning meeting. I had made arrangements with my son's day care - they would open early for me. I arrived at day-care and found my normally cheery early riser grief stricken, her face ashen. She stammered something about a big accident in NYC, a plane hit the World Trade Center.

My blood went cold. We stood in silence glued to her television and watched in horror. We stood together long enough to acknowledge this wasn't a horrendous hoax - this was real. I grabbed the nearest phone and tried to reach people I knew. The lines were busy. I left for the office in a hurry convinced the meeting would be canceled. (It wasn't)

I arrived at the hotel I worked at and found the lobby filled with anxious business travelers. As the crisis unfolded flights were canceled and people were stranded. Our phones rang constantly for hours as meetings and reservations were canceled. Guests needed assistance finding rental cars so they could drive home instead of fly home - all so they could be with their loved ones. I tried to reach people I knew in the City but calls couldn't go through. I would find out nearly 12 hours later the people I knew were safe.

My son has two Uncles that worked in the towers. The Uncles worked a late shift. Their boss asked them to pick up overtime. The tired Uncles said no - a decision which caused them to miss the attack by 2 hours.

My son's Aunt was 2 blocks away from the Trade Center at the time of the attack - she was walking to work. My son's Cousin was walking to school - he was in 7th grade at the time. (The same age as my son now.) The Cousin was 4 blocks away when the attack happened.

As I sit here today and type this I have a lump in my throat. I pray the survivors missing people killed in the attacks have peace and feel the nation remembering along with them. I hope the survivors don't feel alone today.

I pray the people that worked marathon shifts to save and serve people in the crisis know how much they're still appreciated to this day. We all have a 9-11 story. Please feel free to share yours in the comment section.

Guess Who Woke Up Feeling Awesome?

2011-09-10T17:30:00.000-07:00

K woke up early this morning and felt "all full of awesome" so she dressed herself accordingly.

Perky Basement

2011-09-10T09:52:00.001-07:00

3 miles , 1 load of laundry and 1 episode of Master Chef. Yay! Logging miles in my basement sure has its perks.

Termites

2011-09-08T20:00:00.000-07:00

A swarm of flying termites is passing through our humble burg. An uneasy feeling exists in the tummies of one Hubby Man and yours truly.

My 7th Grader

2011-09-08T14:36:00.000-07:00

It's not easy to get my busy 7th grader to stand still for a photo. Case in point the slightly out of focus lower photo. This semester my son has Spanish, Pre Algebra, Language Arts, Advanced PE, Art and Social Studies. My son's math class makes me nervous. He's approaching the age where I checked out of math class and barely started to scrape by. I had no interest in math for some reason.

A is busy on a league soccer team, keeping up with his new classes and has recently started to "beat" his video games. (Meaning he completed every level and beat the game) I can't believe he'll be 13 in less than two weeks.

CANNOT believe it!

Ahh pretty sunsets

2011-09-07T20:30:00.000-07:00

From our living room we sure enjoy the sunsets. Someday we'll have a new deck and can enjoy these al fresco. Right now our existing deck has a bad case of wood rot and needs to be demolished and replaced. Maybe by next summer we'll have that project finished.

Grocery Shopping with K

2011-09-06T14:18:00.000-07:00

My daughter sat with me at the table as I composed my grocery list. "Mama, I want to help." "Alright" I said "what should we get at the store?" She proceeded to rattle off items and then suddenly gasped and "I'm not ready for the store yet!" My 4 year old ran down the hall to her bedroom and came back with her shoes on and you'll notice a tiarra on her head. "Now I'm ready for the store Mom."

Click on the lower photo to read K's picks for the store. Note the crown, toys and horse.

Young Fashionista

2011-09-05T14:14:00.000-07:00

I forgot to post my daughter's picture from her first day in her new Pre K class. K picked this ensemble out by herself and selected items head to toe without my input. She's such a creative young fashionista. I'm glad she's got her own sense of style and enjoys color.

K will start kindergarten next year. For now she's happily learning to hold a pencil correctly instead of holding in her first. K can read all her letters and numbers. She can recite easily songs and the alphabet. She's had phonics class at her preschool and beginning math. She's just starting to sound out letter blends and is beginning to show interest in reading. Whoo-hoo! I hope she likes reading as much as I do!

Home Improvement Update

2011-09-04T16:00:00.000-07:00

In these two photos you can see the progress on the fireplace. Hubby man realized quickly we should hire a professional mason to finish the demo and replace our fireplace, hearth and mantel. Masons interviewed. References checked. Mason hired.

Next step pick our replacement stone. Stores visited. No stone left unturned. Selection made. In the top photo between the old brick and the wood you can see the color palette we selected. The rock we chose was quarried in Montana. Our hearth and mantel will be basalt (not pictured here) quarried from Easten Washington. Hubby and I both like the idea of our rock coming from the Pacific Northwest.

Our plan is to install floor to ceiling bookshelves behind my rocking chair shown in the lower photo. This project will be done in stages as our budget can stretch and accommodate this improvement. The Mason starts work this month. I'm glad we'll have a new fireplace finished in time for winter. Oh and our chimney needs work too. Apparently we have some damaged bricks and groat the mason discovered on inspection. Luckily we can get that fixed before too much damage was done and we had to incur massive repairs.

So there you go - hurray for home improvements.

Light Reading

2011-09-03T13:59:00.001-07:00

I read a few books this summer. Did I mention I love to read? It's hard to always make time for it - but I do so enjoy reading a good book!

Poolside in the Southside

2011-08-30T20:52:00.000-07:00

Grandma Mary and Grandpa Loren visited our area and brought along some of their friends from their hometown. We had an opportunity to visit with them and since the first day of school was right around the corner I decided it was time for a last hurrah before school started. I made reservations and packed up the family for a fun filled Staycation. We arrived at the Doubletree Suites by Hilton Seattle Airport – Southcenter in good spirits. At check-in the kids were wide eyed when they were each handed a warm chocolate chip cookie. As we rode the elevator up to our suite both of my kiddos wore chocolate covered grins. Our family of four had plenty of space to spread out in our room before we split up and headed out. (I believe in quality together time but I also put an important on bonding individually with each of our kids)

Day 1: Boys night out – my husband and son headed to a Mariners game. The hotel shuttle took the guys to Light Rail. (Light Rail means an easy ride to downtown Seattle without the hassle of traffic or expensive parking) Girls night out – I took my daughter on her first official shopping excursion (Thank you Westfield Southcenter for having such a huge selection of stores) followed by dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. After a short walk back to our hotel my daughter and I spent the remainder of the evening poolside before her bedtime. Then it was “me time” as I ordered an in-room “chick flick” I had unsuccessfully tried to drag my husband to see.

Day 2: we started our day with a healthy breakfast. The hotel buffet had plenty to choose from. Happy and full we set off to visit theMuseum of Flight. The Museum is a crowd pleaser for our family. Included with our admission that day was a craft activity for kids. We learned about helicopters, built and decorated a small model then climbed up stairs to drop our copters and watch them fly. There’s a never ending array of things to look at it. Each time we visit we notice something new.

After a few hours at the museum we headed off in search of a local restaurant for lunch. Galliano’s was on the way back to our hotel. We sat outside, sipped Italian Soda and enjoyed the flowers, shade, music and nice breeze. Then we headed back to the hotel for Dad and daughter to have an afternoon siesta. My son and walked to the AMC Theater for a 3D version of Spy Kids complete with smell-o-vision! After our movie we browsed the shops and picked up items on the “Back to School Shopping” list.

We met up at another family favorite, Outback Steak House. After a delicious dinner we walked back to the hotel, relaxed for a bit and went pool side. It’s amazing how much mileage you can get out of a hotel pool. The kids were content to swim for hours. We all had a great time! Staycations are fun and when winter weather hits – we’re headed poolside in the Southside.

Along the way in our weekend getaway we had some fun times with Grandma Mary and Grandpa Loren. Here's to taking a vacation in your own backyard!