You Know You're From California If.....

So as not to be outdone by all the redneck, hillbilly, and Texan jokes, you know you're from California if:

1. Your coworker has 8 body piercings and none are visible.

2. You make over $400,000 and still can't afford a house.

3. You take a bus and are shocked at two people carrying on a conversation in English.

4. Your child's 3rd-grade teacher has purple hair, a nose ring, and is named Flower.

5. You can't remember . . is pot illegal?

6. You've been to a baby shower that has two mothers and a sperm donor.

7. You have a very strong opinion about where your coffee beans are grown,and you can taste the difference between Sumatran and Ethiopian. (And that's abnormal, because....?)

8. You can't remember . . . is pot illegal?

9. A really great parking space can totally move you to tears.

10. Gas costs $1.00 per gallon more than anywhere else in the U.S.

11. Unlike back home, the guy at 8:30 am at Starbucks wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses who looks like George Clooney really IS George Clooney.

12. Your car insurance costs as much as your house payment.

13. You can't remember . . is pot illegal?

14. It's barely sprinkling rain and there's a report on every news station:"STORM WATCH."

14b. AND they do a story about (gasp!) someone who forgot their umbrella!!

15. You pass an elementary school playground and the children are all busy with their cells or pagers.

16. It's barely sprinkling rain outside, so you leave for work an hour early to avoid all the weather-related accidents.

17. HEY!!!! Is pot illegal????

18. Both you AND your dog have therapists.

19. The Terminator is your governor.

20. If you drive illegally, they take your driver's license. If you're here illegally, they want to give you one.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to my Mother-in-Law and my Dad! What a coinky-dink, that they have the same birthday!

My Dad turned the big 6-0 this year and Aaron's mom is celebrating big number 33! (We told her she had to be at least one year older than us now.)

Leaking hot air

Wow! I didn't realize it had been so long since my last post. The busy days are just flying by, I guess.

Today we had a company come out and do an energy audit of our house. Our house is always too cold and if we turn up the thermostat, then our bill is sky high! They taped off the front door with a plastic sheet with a fan. It sucked air out of the house so we could tell where the leaks are in the house. I could feel the air blowing out of the light switches and along the baseboard. They also took around the infared gun and could tell where the hot and cold spots were. Turns out our house is a leaky disaster. He said the equivalent of all the leaks is like having a 3 foot square window open all the time. Usually they like to see a -1 rating and ours was a -14. Now this would be okay if we lived somewhere like Hawaii, but not here, where we need to heat the house!! Turns out the duct work isn't even screwed together properly so hot air is just blowing into the crawl space. The return register wasn't installed correctly. Lovely. I'm glad to know I'm paying to heat the crawl space. All the little bugs must be toasty warm.

The good side is that they are fixing the leaks and hopefully we will be much warmer this winter.

Pray for some friends...

Just wanted to ask for prayer for our friends Eric and Heidi. Their daughter, Maggie, is having a blood test to determine is she has a chromosomal abnormality which may result in her not speaking. You fellow Biolans may remember Eric.

Please pray for them as they await results. I am sure the weight of this diagnosis is very heavy.

Heidi, our thoughts, prayers and love is with you!!!

My Answer of the Day

You probably have guessed which of my children is more cautious. Like everyone else, my firstborn, Micah, is the cautious one. I wonder why first borns tend to be more cautious. I seen this played out in several families. Some have said that as moms we are more protective with the first, and when the second rolls around we relax. I really don't think I was that protective. If anything I have forced Micah to do certain things; and when he does it he has fun. I don't have to force Joel to do anything, he just plunges right in.

For example: around 8 months, Micah started screaming every time I vacuumed because he was scared to death of it. Joel could care less. At the Blue Angels this year, Micah buried his head and didn't want to watch it because it was too loud. Joel pointed and cooed at the planes. I never had to close doors to rooms I didn't want Micah in because if the lights were off then he would never go in. Joel: yah, right! Anywhere is free game!

Its been harder with Joel at this stage because with Micah we just didn't have to babyproof that much. Joel is just everywhere at once.

I wonder what the 3rd will be like.

My Question of the Day

In following Tweedygirl's lead I have my own question I've been pondering. I want to phrase it in such a way as to not sway you in your answer.

To those of you with two or more kiddos: Which one is your more cautious kid; i.e. which one is more afraid of the dark, afraid of the Halloween decorations, more afraid to try new things, etc. I don't mean to compare them right now, but how they acted at the same stage.

Those with one kiddo; how do you perceive your child?

Most of you can probably guess my answer but I will give my answer after you have a chance to answer.

Baby to Toddler

Wow, now that I've probably lost all my readers due to lack of posts.... here I am!

I didn't go anywhere, its just been the beginning of the fall with Bible Study, MOPS, etc. I went from summer where I had relatively little scheduled to fall with having just about every day scheduled. Throw in a trip to California and a 1 year old birthday party and you have no blogging time.

Speaking of the 1 year old. Somewhere between Sunday and today Joel turned into a toddler. He isn't walking yet, but his personality just has blossommed. We went to story time today at the library. Joel wanted nothing to do with sitting on my lap. With chairs, AC vents and curtains to investigate, who would? He also has this high pitched screech that he does when he wants something. He started this the day he was born and we haven't been able to break him of it yet. All good things for story time at the library. Then today at naptime we heard a thumping noise on the wall coming from his room. Turns out he is reaching up to the picture above the crib and swinging it back and forth against the wall. Loverly. Then when he was in the high chair (we have one that attaches to a normal chair) he was rocking it back and forth on the chair because the strap undereneath was unbuckled. He cried alligator tears when I put a stop to those fun times.

Lately his favorite place to play is on top of the toy box or on top of the Little Tykes picnic bench. He fell off of that one and placed a nice scrape on top of his head.

You've all heard stories from a friend or a friend of a friend about how they found their toddler on top of the fridge? I'm afraid I'm soon to become that friend. I'll be sure to take picts and email it around to everyone. Along with the stern warning that if you don't forward this to 10 of your friends then this will happen to you too. While you're at it you can record your name because a 2nd grader in Poughkeepsie, NY is doing an experiment.

All Done

I get all these ideas for blog posts when I am doing the dishes or folding laundry. When I actually have the time to sit down and write do I remember any of them? Of course not.

I have one cute story. Joel has learned to say "All Done" at the table-- complete with hands waving and sing-song voice, "awwwww don, awwww don". The other morning I heard him wake up around 6:30 and he starting fussing. Pretty soon I heard him saying in his crib, "Awww don, awwwww don." It brought a smile to my morning!

His vocabulary is growing very quickly. I'm trying to teach him baby signs, but I really think he'll just say please before he acquiesces and does the sign. I think he has close to 30 words all ready. He mimics just about everything we ask him to, and he correctly uses the words later. (except for "please" and "more", of course...)

Happy Birthday!

Yesterday was Joel's Birthday. Every mom says this, but I can't believe it was 1 year ago that I was in the hospital getting to know this little guy. Wow! This picture was taken at 3 months.


Here he is with his first bite of cake!

Speaking of cake, here is his cake! No one ever told me that when your kid gets diagnosed with a food allergy, that not only will you be making HIS birthday cake from scratch, but his sibling's cake along with every other family member!!! We had a Baby Einstein theme, so this is the cat (or maybe it is a tiger?) from the Baby Einstein pictures. I was worried that it didn't look like a cat, but more of a bear, but I think the whiskers make it very cat-like. I used a pan that is a panda bear, but depending on the way you decorate you could make it a giraffe, pig, dog or cat.

I don't particularly like to bake. Decorating cakes makes me a frazzled stress case. But every year I give in to the mommy urge and make a cute birthday cake. I was out of control for Micah's 2nd birthday and made TWO cakes, a dinosaur and an elmo cake. Last year I made one cake; a giraffe. I did make another, but it was a sheet cake and I threw on some Dora cake toppers.

I'm getting tired of presents!

Part of the peanut gallery!

We also prayed over Joel and asked for guidance in raising him. I have also reflected on the meaning of Joel's name "Yahweh is God". What a powerful statement. Not any other man or thing, but the LORD. My prayer is that he will know Him and testify of his namesake.

Will they, won't they?

So the moment I've been waiting for all summer is finally here.

The season premier of "The Office".

(I'll duck now while you throw pillows at me)

Does Pam get married? Does Jim go to New Zealand? Is Dwight still crazy? What new insanities does Michael pull next?

So much anticipation!

Disclaimer

Just a disclaimer about Disneyland. Did you know that $63 only allows Disney to just about break even on operating costs per guest?? They only make money on merchandise and food. For years they lost money on the admission price. A used to be in finance at the parks.

That's the price to operate the Happiest Place on Earth!

Doing the Shamu Slam

We're back from California! We had a wonderful time visiting friends, The Mouse and The Whale. Micah can now successfully do the "Shamu Slam" as well as sing "Its a Small World". Fun times!! We even met Mickey at his house, so now that question is answered, "Where does Mickey live?"

We had so many friends to visit, from my Biola friends, his Biola friends, our Biola friends, Disney friends, Calvary friends, and UCI friends. Throw in 2 days at Disney and 1 day at Seaworld. YIKES! A week was not long enough! It was so great to reconnect, talk and catch up. It was also so fun to see how big all the kiddos have become. Micah had a blast between all the playmates and theme parks. Micah is at just the right age for Disneyland. Everything was real to him. The Tiki Room was on his list, so we went there first thing. As the birds were singing he leaned over and asked "Where were the flowers that croon?" HA! Another must-see was Mickey mouse. He wouldn't stop talking about it so we headed to Toon Town shortly after tiki room. The cutest thing was him wearing his golden mickey ears all day long. He normally will not wear any hats.

Micah is also tall enough for every single ride at Disneyland except for Indiana Jones! This includes Splash, Thunder and Space Mountain! I couldn't believe it, not that we took him on those, we would have one very scared 3 year old! I did take him on one of my favorites, the rapids ride at DCA (that's Disney California Adventure) aka "the circle boats". He loved it! We even braved Pirates with him so we could see the new overhaul they did to include Jack Sparrow.

The fireworks were outstanding. Those of you near S. Cal; its worth the $ to see the fireworks while you can during the 50th. Awesome. Okay, well I don't know if its worth the $63 ticket price; FOR ONE PERSON; but you could probably watch them for free from downtown disney. Talk about sticker shock. After not paying for a one day pass for umm, maybe 15 years, wow have the prices gone up. Fortunately we were able to call some disney friends for day 2 admittance.

I just realized that I haven't mentioned Seaworld at all! After going to Disney for 2 days I guess that just overshadows it! Micah LOVED it and there were alot of unusual fish there. Like we saw one fish that has no eyes. It lives in some caves in New Mexico so its pitch black in there anyway. We also got to touch batrays and sting rays.

As much fun as we had, we are glad we moved to Seattle. Its much prettier here, although we loved being able to drive fast on real freeways with 7-8 lanes on each side. We are also glad to be back. We were so exhausted that on Sunday afternoon we all slept for 3 hours! Micah slept for almost 4 !!

3-Day post is up

Scroll down and you will see my 3-day post .

So... the big news was revealed and I feel like I could just about hear a pin drop. Aren't you all excited that my husband was ALMOST ON NATIONAL TV??
=)

The Big Secret Revealed

So I'm a little worried about all the hype bursting the balloon out of the secret. Karen, unbeknowst to me started a little rumor on her site that I supposedly had some great news to share. I did not. Then a week later I ended up having some cool news to share but I couldn't. Until today.

Are you ready? Drum roll please....

Aaron was in Hollywood yesterday as an extra for the TV show, The Office! Sadly, he didn't end up on camera, but he did get a picture with John Krasinski (Jim), met Rainn Wilson (Dwight) and Steve Carrell (Michael). The plot of the show was they were holding a paper convention where Michael and Dwight go and try to get as much swag as they can. (Susan: swag is free stuff) The producers invited real companies to come and man the booths.

It was really hard for me to keep my mouth shut, as that is my favorite TV show. Somehow I did it!

FYI--I'm still working on my 3-Day Walk post. I started it and probably 2/3 of the way done.

3-Day

For those of you who are new to reading my blog: My Mom died on February 8, 2006 from metastatic breast cancer. That night I decided to participate in The Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk. I wanted to do something bold and challenge myself as well as raise money to find a cure for breast cancer. I had no idea what I was about to experience. It turned out to be very therapeutic for me.

This is a LONG post. Mostly this is for me to remember the experience. Thank you so much to those who donated, I couldn't have done it without you! I was able to raise over $4000 for breast cancer research!

Day1:
Opening Ceremonies were held at Marymoor Park in Redmond. We had to be there at 5:45, yikes! I loaded my gear onto the gear truck and met our team, "Thanks for the Mammaries". There were many awesome team names like: Warming Hut Hotties, Save the Ta-Ta's, Heart and Soul, Walkers for Knockers, Breast Friends, and Beyond the Breast. Think of a euphemism for boob and there was a team with a name. Here is a team photo:
Opening Ceremonies were very emotional. The head of the 3 Day Walk talked about the reasons why people chose to do the walk. "There is a man here who is walking with his 2nd wife. There is a daughter here walking for her mom who didn't survive her fight." I don't remember much of what she said after that because I was looking for tissues. Then they let us go 2-3 at a time so that it was a staggered start and so that there woudn't be a mass stampede of 3000 people. Here is what I looked like during the walk:
We walked through Redmond up to Kirkland and wound up at Juanita Beach Park for lunch. Along the way there are pit stops every 2-3 miles with porta-potties, water, gatorade, snacks, and medical. Every pit stop has a theme; one was un-BEE-lievable, another western complete with photo op. Lunch was themed and so were the sweep vehicles. Sweep vehicles picked up people along the route who couldn't walk for various reasons. After lunch we made a big loop through Kenmore and parts of Bothell. Some friends from church cheered us on at the 2nd cheering station in Kirkland. We then made it to Big Finn Hill park where we camped for the night. It was a mobile city! They had medical tents, mobile kitchen, dining tent, shower trucks, porta potties, and sinks. They provided 2-person tents for us to set up. It was tent city!

At night they even had entertainment. The first night was karaoke and the 2nd nite was a disco band. One gal made it through days 1 and 2 unscathed then twisted her ankle at disco night! What a bummer! I tried to take part in festivities but I was such a zombie having woken up both days at 5 am or so. Not to mention walking 20 miles each day.

Day 2: This day we made a loop from Kirkland up to Woodinville over into Bothell and through Kenmore, up Simonds Hill, which was killer. It wasn't that steep, just long; 1.5 miles up hill at the end of the day. And it was 85 degrees. And I had a huge blister on my toe. And I had tendonitis in my left big toe. But, as signs often pointed out along the way; "Blisters hurt less than chemo." Wow, that kept me going!


Here are some of my walking buddies on Day 2 in Woodinville (from left ) Sunny, Jenn, April, Michelle, Denise, her son Bryce and us. We're at a cheering station at our favorite spot, Starbucks!
We are now coming up on lunch and Micah was standing on the side cheering all the walkers on. Then he ran up to me and gave me a big hug. The best!!

We camped the same place on day 2. At camp that night I had a chance to sign the remembrance tent; we could sign a tent like the ones we camped in. There was also a book where you could write why you were walking. Again, very emotional. There was a picture of a 3 Day walker from 2005 who had died this year.

Day 3:
We woke early to break down camp. I think my now I was just numb from the lack of sleep. We left camp and headed west to Shoreline and then south into Seattle. It was a beautiful walk with gorgeous houses and views of Lake Washington.





Closing Ceremonies: all the walkers walk in together, with the walkers who have survived breast cancer walk in last. All of us saluted the survivors by holding up one of our shoes.

This was a great experience. I enjoyed challenging myself and seeing what I was capable of doing. I found out I'm capable of alot! Having a goal really helped me focus on working out and walking. The best thing that came out of the experience was all the friendships that I formed--something I was not expecting. People who have been touched by breast cancer in their life and could relate to what I am going through in grief. People who haven't been touched by breast cancer but just wanted to make a difference. Great, quality people--friendships that I wouldn't have made otherwise.
View of Lake Washington from Sand Point neighborhood in Seattle. (near the U)

And, last but not least, this one's for Tim: www.gotripoffs.com

I'm BAAACK!

I'm back from the 3-Day walk, and it was an amazing experience. Once I've downloaded all the pictures I will post them and give more details of the weekend. Thanks to everyone out there, I was able to raise over $4000 for breast cancer research! Thank you!! Oh, and yes I made it every single inch of the walk! 60 miles!

Here are some pictures of Cowboy Micah:

Unexpected Visitor!

We had a semi-unexpected vistor last week. We were thrilled to see Wendy and take her to lunch. It was great to see her and talk with her about her job.





Micah and Joel in their "boat".

Joel does this new thing where he tries to smile for the camera. I think it looks kind of like a horse trying to smile, but its cute, none the less!

Deception Pass

We went camping last weekend at Deception Pass with our church group. We had a great time and the weather was wonderful. We even got to go hiking. Micah walked the whole way, I was so proud of him. It was about 1 1/2-2 miles, but it was straight up hill for half of it. We had a big group camping site which is nice because we were the only ones there and there is nobody else around. You also don't have to worry about cars and the kids. Great place the kids to roam and explore.

Joel didn't sleep well for a variety of reasons and Aaron ended up driving him around again. Sigh. We'll make a camper out of him yet! Hopefully next year will be easier camping with him. It was hard because he is crawling and does not like to be held for too long. Finally I just gave in and let him get filthy dirty crawling around in the dirt. Just had to be careful about rocks and bark in mouth!

The above picture is of Deception Pass, which is really a bridge. The first explorers thought the area was a mountain pass between two hills on a peninsula. Turned out it is an island not a peninsula.

Joel's Room

I finally finished Joel's room. Just in time for his 1st birthday. Yippee!
Here are some pictures:





A friend of mine painted the surf scene on the wall. I used the same bedding that I had for Micah, but my aunt made a new crib sheets and a valance.






























My mom and I made the chair pad cover.

















My friend also painted the "honu" on the wall. She copied the turtles from the valance. Need I say she is very talented? See the surfboard on the shelf? that's actually a clock! (Fred Meyer strikes again.) If you look to the left, Jodi you can see the cork board!










OOPS! Well I said the room was done, but as you can see there is a big blank spot. Fortunately I have an idea for the spot.

I actually DO have something to tell you

Karen was right. I actually do have big news, but I only found out today. Are you a prophet or something?

But, as she did say, I am sworn to secrecy. I will be able to tell you in a few weeks or days. Speculate if you wish but I will neither confirm or deny said guesses.

Now, on to Karen. She has held some elaborate hoaxes in her day. Ask her about how her children were conceived. Or is is that TMI?

Tim on KROQ

For those of you who know Tim: he will be on KROQ tomorrow morning at 7am. If you don't live in SCal you can stream it at their website.

He's decided he is not taking his shoes off anymore for airport screeners because of this article.

Here is Tim's reasoning:

No More. Today news came out that sending shoes through an airport x-ray machine tells the security officials virtually NOTHING. http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-08-14-xrays-airports_x.htm?csp=34 It serves ZERO purpose other than to give people the impression that all precautions are being made (even if they are meaningless). I’ve had enough of this inconvenience. Now that TSA confirms that it’s all a silly game I’ve decided I’m not playing anymore.

I will no longer voluntarily take my shoes off to walk through airport screening. If the good men and women with the TSA want to make me step aside so they can wave a wand over me, they are more than welcome to, but I’m leaving my shoes on. If in that process they want to force me to take my shoes off and are willing to carry my smelly tennies around and send them through the x-ray machine themselves, they are again more than welcome to. But I’m not doing it for them. I’ve been personally screened before. It doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t take all that much time and you’re not in trouble.

“That’s just stupid”, you may be thinking. Why put up with 5 minutes of hassle when all you have to do is take 30 seconds to take your shoes off? Two reasons:

1) Principle. If they think I’m such a threat because I happen to be wearing shoes (heaven forbid), then I’m calling their bluff and demanding they do something REAL to make sure I’m not dangerous.

2) Strategy. If even 10% of the people on each of my flights take the same stand, they will not be able to fund the man-power it will take to screen us all. Eventually they’ll give up on making us take off our shoes because they already know it does NOTHING. I know it’s a stretch but I’m willing to bet that even a government agency, in the long run, is not willing to blow their entire budget for something they know is meaningless. Eventually the airlines will not appreciate the back up at the airports either and will apply their own high dollar pressure on the TSA to help us along.

For sure, I don’t want to take it out on the gate workers at the airport, I understand they are doing their job. I’ll be polite and cooperative and won’t argue with them. If they request me to take my shoes off, I will in turn politely suggest that they personally screen me. I hope you’ll think about joining me. This idea isn’t at all original to me, other people are saying the same thing. At the very least, pass on the word.

Theoretically, I agree. Practically will I do this? No. He's not travelling with 2 small children. A stroller. A diaper bag. A computer . Food and drink for small children. I'm already going to have to endure close scrutiny because I will have *gasp* liquid benedryl and epi-pens. Anything I can do to get by faster in the short run is good for me. The security check is harrowing enough without putting myself through the pat-down.

I've been outed

Well, I guess Karen outed me. Thanks alot.

eight-zero-zero

You may remember that we bought an alarm clock to help us keep Micah in bed until 7:00, or as he puts it; seven-zero-zero. Last night he asked if he could get up at eight-zero-zero instead. Ummm... sure! This morning he got up at 6:15 to go to the bathroom, then I put him back to bed and told him he had to stay in bed until 7:00. Micah said, "No! Its, eight-zero-zero". Sure enough, he got up at 8:00.

I guess I'm glad he hasn't quite figured out the order of numbers.

Heaven Help Me!

I thought it was innocent enough.

Yesterday I wore a skirt. When Micah saw me in it he said "wow.. Mommy you look pretty!" He's done that before when I have worn dresses or skirts. So sweet.

Today after swim lessons we were in the locker room changing. He was watching some older girls (age 5-6) get their hair done. He looks and me and says slowly, " Momma, they are pretty," with a tone of astonishment and wonder.

He's 3 1/2 ! He's still my baby. All I could think of was what it would be like at 16!

I didn't think we'd be out of the girls locker room and into the family bathroom quite so soon.

Thanks!

Thank you for all the birthday wishes! It was very meaningful to me this year as I was not looking forward to my birthday without my mom.

In the morning, Micah and Aaron decorated the downstairs with Happy Birthday streamers. Micah also picked out yellow roses for me. Aaron said Micah was insistent on buying flowers for Mommy.

Micah picked out a cute photo collage/frame for me. Its hard to explain, but it will look great when I get the pictures in it. Aaron bought me a radio/cd player that mounts under the kitchen cabinet. Yay! I told him I wanted one several months ago and he remembered!

One of the best parts was going to McDonalds for dinner. No dishes! No cooking! {Aaron had already taken me out to a very nice dinner on Saturday night without kids--in his defense}

Disgusting

Did I keep you in suspense enough? =)

Here it is:
This morning I cleaned the kids toilet with one of those disposable toilet brushes. I usually throw away the cleaning part instead of flushing it so that it won't clog the toilet. For some reason that I can' t remember I left it on the plastic handle part and set it in the trash can. I think I was going to clean the other toilet, but at the moment I had to go dry off Micah from the shower in our bathroom. {you may see where this is going}

Joel was crawling around upstairs, playing in his room, or so I thought. After I dried off Micah, he goes running in to see Joel. Micah starts shrieking, "LOOK AT JOEL, MOMMA, LOOK AT WHAT HE IS EATING, GET HIM, GET HIM!!" I run in the bathroom to see him chomping on, you guess it, the toilet brush. EWWWWWWWW!!!!

I washed his mouth out with a washcloth with toothpaste on it. I thought about soap briefly but realized that would hurt him more.

Happy Birthday to me.

Disgusting

I have a really disgusting story to tell you, but I don't think I have the stomach for it yet. But I feel as though I must tell you.

Check back later

Would you like $20 with your Amoxicillin?

I have a new obsession.

Obtaining free gift cards from pharmacies.

A few weekends ago I was flipping through the Target ad and I found a coupon for a $10 gift card when you filled a new or transferred prescription. I did need to buy a birthday gift and I had been wanting to get some more epi-pens for Micah. (we have wonderful RX insurance) Made a phone call and off I went to get prescription and free birthday gift.

This got me thinking so I went home and flipped through more ads and I found more coupons! I found one for Rite Aid...tranferred Micah's antibiotics presciption and bingo! Free diapers! I had a sinus infection last week...what did I think about while in the doctor's office? Free groceries from QFC. (Never mind the excruciating pain and bloody snot)

In total I have received $60 in gift cards just for filling prescriptions. . . something I would have done anyway. I have a coupon sitting in my purse for another $30 giftcard. One of the kids is bound to get an ear infection soon, right?

Note: I have not abused my insurance and re-filled medications I have not needed. End Disclaimer.

Brothers

I have spared you the kid stories as of late, so I feel that I am due. I'm so excited because since Joel has learned to crawl, the boys are actually playing together! They were down in the rec room this afternoon and I heard Joel squealing and giggling. I asked Micah want he was doing and he said "I'm playing with Joel, my brother" (as if there's another Joel lurking around the corner, who is not his brother). Apparently they were shopping and Joel was helping him (Micah's words) by putting pretend food in the shopping cart!

Yesterday they were playing in the living room and were under the piano. I heard Micah say "okay Joel, now we get in here. All aboard! Now we're on the train. "

It warms my little Mommy heart! =)

Here's to hoping it lasts!

Laundry Woes

Okay, I'm up for new ideas on the laundry front. The way I see it people fall into 3 camps:

1. One load a day, no matter what.

2. One day a week, do all laundry.

3. Wait till the laundry is overflowing; or until clothes are all gone.

Presently I'm in the 3rd camp. I've tried #1, and #2, but I just have not been able to make it a habit. The problem with one load a day with me is that then every day I'm doing laundry. I guess I'd rather be in "laundry mode" and get it all done at once.

One organized thing I have going for me: we have a laundry sorter where we sort laundry as we put it in the hamper. Micah, not so much. I just want Micah to put his laundry in the hamper in the first place. We'll work on the sorting later.

If you have good laundry ideas that work for you, please comment!

A Grief Observed

I just finished A Grief Observed by CS Lewis. It is his journal that he wrote after his wife died from cancer. His insights and word pictures are powerfull. Here is one passage that I found to be helpful:

Sorrow, however, turns out to be not a state but a process. . . Grief is like a long valley, a winding valley where any bend may reveal a totally new landscape. As I've already noted, not every bend does. Sometimes the surprise is the opposite one; you are presented with exactly the same sort of country you thought you had left behind miles ago. That is when you wonder whether the valley isn't a circular trench. But it isn't. There are partial recurrences, but the sequence doesn't repeat.

I can't say exactly why this is helpful, but it is. I guess its because it validates what I've been feeling...just when I think I'm over one part or feeling it comes back.

On Second Thought

Aaron pointed out one other thing we miss from Southern California.
Driving fast.
Or at least driving at reasonable speeds, according to us. Every posted speed limit around here is about 10 under what it should be. The roads outside the neighborhoods here are 25! The bigger roads are a whopping 35! On the freeways, the state patrol actually pull people over for speeding here. We learned that the hard way about 3 weeks after we moved. I don't think I've ever seen someone pulled over for speeding on the freeway in S. Cal unless they were doing, say 100. We were just used to driving there, where you just drive as fast as you can with traffic. The normal speed is about 70, who knows what the posted speed is.

I long for the wide, open roads in Irvine like Culver, Barranca or Jamboree where the speed limit is 50 or 55. Thirty-five on W Lake Sammamish drive is just NOT cutting it.

Northwest

This July makes two years since we moved to the Northwest. I thought I might reflect on that:

Things that I like:
1. Fred Meyer: Starbucks, 1 hour free childcare, grocery shopping. Need I say more? Its the place where you can get a loaf of bread, tomatoes, motor oil and some cute new shoes all with one stop.

2. The Lakes: Lake Washington, Lake Sammamish. The latter is a 2 minute drive from our doorstep. The first summer I was here we went to the beach more times than we did the entire time I lived in Tustin. No crowds, warm water, short drive, small beach, lifeguard and bathrooms close by.

3. The Mountains: 45 min from our doorstep to the ski lift (without rentals). In the summer, there's hiking!

4. The Trails: Right outside our neighborhood is a trail that connects to a series of greenbelts across the city. Its wonderfull!

5. Housing Prices: Twice the house for less money than our bungalow in Tustin sold for.

6. Seattle: 20 min over the bridge and into the city with minimal hassles. (Unless there is a baseball game) Aquarium, zoo, pike place, seattle center, shopping!

7. The Job: Aaron is sooo happy here. Its a great place to work and they have phenomenal benefits.

8. Family: 45 min down to see family. What a blessing it was to be close when my mom was so sick.

9. Trees: We sit outside to eat dinner and look around: we feel like we're in the mountains in a cabin.

10. The weather: very temperate. I like variations in the weather, but it doesn't get too hot in the summer and not too cold in the winter. The summer is usually 70-80s and the winter is 30s-40s. If it does snow, its maybe an inch or two then it is gone the next day. No snow shoveling. Its just enough variation for me. And I like rain. When it does rain it usually doesn't rain the whole day. Did you know NYC annual rainfall is higher than Seattle?


What I miss from Southern California:


1. Awesome friends

2. Rutabagorz

3. In N Out

4. Jalapenos

5. Double coupons at Vons

6. Being able to walk to Whole Foods, the post office and library.

7. The character of our 1920s house.





So you see it mostly comes down to friends and restaraunts. I don't really even miss Disneyland.

Allergy Testing

I finally went in to see the allergist last week. That makes 3 out of 4 people from our family that have seen Dr. Lasley this year. I have had some strange reactions including pears and all hair conditioner. She tested me for environmental allergies and foods using a skin test. They prick your arm with a drop of the allergen. If it produces a welt then you're allergic. Surprise! My whole left arm swelled up from the prick tests-- and she watered down the dust and cat. I am still allergic to dust, cats, weeds, grass and mold. I am mildly allergic to dogs. However, maple trees is a new one.

I also had her test me for pears, oranges, and shellfish. She also tested me for all seafood except fish (oysters, crab, shrimp, lobster, etc). I had a reaction to the lobster! A big welt. I have probably had lobster about 3 times, and each time probably only 2 bites at most. Just never have developed a taste for it. Soooo... since lobster was such a big surprise, and pear did nothing she sent me off to get a blood test.

I came away with perscriptions for zyrtec, singulair, eye drops, inhaler, nasal spray and epi-pens. Whew!

From the literature they gave me:
Ideally, it is best for highly dust mite allergic individuals to avoid vacuuming or dusting duties.

Uh, can I get a persciption for THAT?

This place is h-u-g huge!

I had no idea what the blogosphere held.

It started innocently enough. I clicked through on one person's comment on Erin's blog that I didn't recognize. That blog led to another and another and another... well you get the idea. I had no idea there was such a stay-at-home mommy blog community out there. And they have all these cutesy things they do each week: Tuesday Treasures; Works for me Wednesday. One blog is even hosting a virtual home tour. Please don't click on these links unless you have a good hour or two to kill. It sucks you in like a vortex.

Some blogs are about crafts. One gal posts crafts for Christmas. I got a few cute ideas, but one felt Christmas tree was just so... well, bad. It also makes me feel so un-Martha Stewart like.

Some are about saving money. I have got a few great tips, like the incredible rebates you can get at Walgreens and some links to getting free samples. But I've read a few times about people rinsing out and reusing ziploc bags as a big money saver. What?? How does this save tons 'o money? When you think about the TIME you take to rinse them, then air dry them, how much is your time worth? We buy 2, maybe 3 boxes of ziplocs at Costco per year. Each box is about $7. So instead I could buy 1 box. Savings? $14. Is that worth it to you?
(I hope I haven't offended any ziploc washer-outers)

One I found is about her garage sale finds. How she found this book at a garage sale for a quarter then came home and sold it for $35 on ebay. And I was feeling good because I managed to buy swim diapers on sale with a coupon! (remembering to bring coupons is the tricky part)

Some seem like they are for mommy's who used to work and they miss it so the blog gives them a creative outlet. Here's one I've found that is entertaining. I love the name: What Makes a Housewife Desperate.

It made me realize that I like having a blog just for us...sharing stories about our kids and pictures. Inside jokes and reading Susan's escapades in maggots, German translation and 80s bands.

Enough time wasting for me.

Hermie and Friends

I picked up this cd a few weeks ago and I wanted to tell you about it. It's the Hermie and Wormie Scripture Memory Songs by Max Lucado. They put scripture verses to music and there are different cds categorized by verse topic. The one we have is about friends, but there is also one about following the rules, telling the truth, etc. Micah really likes it, and I think the music is pretty good too. It has really helped him remember the verses. I have even been able to apply the verses to him during discipline situations. Its been a blessing to hear him singing the songs while we are driving around.

I would recommend it!

Children Behave, that's what they say....

Thanks to Susan what did I hear my 3 year old singing today?
"I saw the sign and it opened up my mind I saw the sign."

Grumble grumble.

Neverless her post reminded me of this story:

Jodi and I played clarinet together in junior high band. This was at a small, small Christian school where all the teachers had attended Bob Jones U. (no offense Erin) We had the sheet music to "I Think We're Alone Now" by Tiffany (which was redone by a group from the 60s). We were playing around with it, trying to play it. Our hapless band teacher comes up and investigates and proceeds to take away the music and give us a long lecture. Did I mention this guy used to direct the band with scissors?

I think we got by without too much punishment. Demerits might have been involved.

I guess we got the music back because Jodi recently found it!

Useless Books

A post on another blog reminded me of something that irritates me. When you have a new baby I have heard many people insinuate that if you follow a certain method in a certain book, then your baby will sleep through the night. Not so. I tried it with Micah. It drove me insane because he didn't "follow" it. I did everything the book said. I would reread it thinking that I did something wrong. Many hours were wasted because I fretted that I was doing something "wrong". Please. Your baby can't read. It was me that had the problem, not my baby.

But what really gets my goat is when these same people then say.. "well, we prayed over our baby, asking the Lord to help him/her sleep longer. Maybe you should do that." Like I don't pray for my baby... I remember that was my main prayer in that sleepless time with Micah.. "PULLLEASE, Lord, please just let him go back to sleep!!"

Anyway.. if you don't have a baby (or even if you do) read the books to get ideas, but realize that God gave you an innate knowledge of what to do for your baby. Just realize that if they don't "follow" it then you are still a great mom! Babyhood is such a short time.... enjoy it!

Big News!

We have big news here at our household.

1. Micah prayed to accept Jesus into his heart and to be his friend! I don't think he understands ALL the implications, but he does understand that he does bad things and that Jesus forgives him for doing them. Yesterday he was about to say something mean to me, but he stopped himself, saying "no, no I don't want to say that... Mommy, you are a good Mommy." I asked him what he was going to say but he absolutely refused to tell me and he even looked embarrassed! Could it be the work of the Holy Spirit alive in my son's heart!?? Wow!

2. Joel is now OFFICIALLY crawling. He's been unofficially crawling for about 2-3 months. Now he has a full-fledged membership card. About 3 months ago he figured out how to push himself backwards. A few weeks ago he figured out how to go forward scooting on his bottom. He would cross his legs Indian style (or should I say Native American style) then lean forward and kind of scoot around. Here's a picture to clarify:



Last night he figured out how to get his knees under him and crawl the traditional way. This is exciting for us because Micah skipped this phase. He scooted a tiny bit on his belly (complaining and whining the whole time) and went straight to walking at 10 1/2 months. I finally got Micah to crawl at 18 months. I did it by forcing him to go through tunnels at the park. He would try to stand up and he would bump his head. Finally he figured out how to get his knees and arms working to crawl.

By the way... it is a myth that crawling has anything to do with reading. (That one is oft repeated to me.)

More Training

Today was my first 18 miler. It actually was closer to 19 because of a wrong turn made by the walk leader. Oops! I used duct tape on my feet and they felt pretty good. Just the same blister from before, no new ones.

I've been meeting alot of interesting people through the training walks. Its been great. I also must say its been hard. Hard in two ways. 1st: I completely underestimated the time it would take to train. I looked at the training schedule, but you just don't comprehend the time involved. Do you know how much time it takes to walk 18 miles? If you walk at a 3 mi/hr pace; that's 6 hours with no stops! Bless my dear husband who has been home all day today with the kids! Its one thing that I stay home with them every day, but he is not used to it and not used to their schedules. I think it has been good for him to spend some 1-1 time with the boys, however.

2nd way it has been hard: when you are walking for 6 hours, inevitably the topic of why you chose to do the walk comes up. It came up alot today for me. After about the 3rd or 4th time, it gets hard for me to keep talking about my mom's cancer. I find that I'm worn out emotionally after the walks. I also find that I dread them (to a certain degree) beforehand as well. I think because I know the only reason I decided to do it was because she passed away. I wish she was here and I wasn't walking. I guess its a reminder to me of what I have lost.

Research Study

Yesterday Joel participated in a research study at the University of Washington. It was an infant cognition lab through the brain research department. They wanted to test to see if babies take what they learn in one context and apply it to another context. They did this by showing him two toys; a frog and a fish. A researcher showed she was interested in only the fish. Joel was cute because he tried to talk to her. It was if he was saying " hey, look at the frog, that looks like fun too!", as he was pointing at it. They kept doing this until he was "officially" bored. We then moved to another room with the same two toys. This time the researcher would alternate which toy she was interested in. When she was looking at the frog Joel would look longer at her. When she was looking at the fish he looked a shorter amount of time at the researcher, showing that he already knew that she liked it. It was fun and an interesting thing to do.

They video taped his responses. So if you happen to be researching infants contextual learning you might see a short clip of Joel. =)

Joel has also participated in a hearing study at UW. That one wasn't as interesting and he got bored easily so he wasn't a very good subject.

Juice Plus

Thought I'd share what I've found here.

I guess I might as well....

...do the meme since I was tagged a while ago by Erin.

Here it is:
5 things in my refrigerator:
1. rice milk
2. lemon curd (the only thing in there that contains milk!)
3. carrots
4. probiotics (the good bacteria in yogurt with none of the dairy)
5. OJ with calcium

5 things in my closet:
1. shoes
2. clothes
3. purses
4. hats
5. hiking socks

5 things in my car:
1. Dora doodle book
2. water bottle
3. a used sticker book
4. a sit and stand stroller
5. 4 WD

5 secret addictions:
1. taking kids to McDonalds
{I feel I must defend myself here. There are so many kid things Micah can't do and besides, it has a playground where he runs around and burns many calories. Great indoor activity here with all the rain}
2. watching The Office
3. checking blogs about The Office {i know I'm a geek}
4. chocolate strawberries
5. going to tea

3 people to tag
1. Jodi (she needs somthing easy to blog anyway)
2. Susan (ditto)
3. Karen K

What is going on?

You may have wondered where I was:

Wed: Took Joel to Doctor as the aforementioned ear infection did not appear to completely go away.

Wed night: Joel develops fever of 103, this is after he is on antibiotics

Thursday: fever of 103 continues even with Omnicef

Friday: Back to doctor to see what is up with the ear infection. Ears look almost normal. Doc thinks he has a virus on top of infection.

Friday night: Joel is up every 2 hours. Aye yi yi: newborn stage again!

Saturday morn: Insanely, we leave for our planned camping trip with Dad, brother, sister-in-law, aunt and uncle. Joel seems to be doing better and fever broke. Micah on the other hand develops croupy cough. He has had a runny nose for about a month. Micah ASKS to go to bed while camping.

We have a great time camping despite sick kids and running on no sleep. We went to Ohanapecosh which is on the south east side of Mt. Rainier. I even got to go hiking sans children.

Saturday night: Joel is up yet again every 2 hours. Fun for all in the campground. Remarkably Micah sleeps through all the noise until 5 am, when he decides to get up. Aaron drives Joel up to Paradise and back, enjoying the sunrise. (though not what he would have chosen to do)

Sunday: Joel seems better, but now Micah continues to get worse. Now he has a slight fever. His cough and breathing get worse

Monday : Joel gets rash all over torso.

Tuesday : Joel has bright red diaper. Back to the doctor for Micah and Joel. Turns out Joel had Roseola on top of his ear infection . No wonder he woke up so much! Fortunately red diaper is nothing to worry about. Micah has a sinus infection and is on the verge of pneumonia. Doc x-rays his sinuses: yup they are all clogged up. Micah also gets albuterol treatment in the office to help with his wheezing. Such fun to hold the pipe in his mouth all the while trying to keep Joel occupied. Talk about 3-ring circus! Doc put Micah on a 3 course treatment of Zithromax (about a month). I really hope this does the trick!

Now for the preventive side. I have a friend that gives her kids a supplement called Juice Plus. Apparently it has whole food nutrients so its supposed to be better for them. She swears by it and says it has really cut down the number of colds her daughter has had AND she started preschool to boot! Has anyone else out there heard of it or use it?

Swim Lessons

We have started Mommy and Me swim lessons AGAIN for Micah. I was hoping to put him in the preschool I class. In Oklahoma we were at a pool and Micah was TERRIFIED. He wouldn't even get near the water even though all his cousins were playing in the water. We finally got him to put his feet in the water. Then I pulled him in with me and he clung to me the whole time, saying he wanted to get out. He's never done that before. Last year we went to Mommy and me classes 2-3 times and he did great. I guess a year of no swimming did him in.

The first class of the current session went well. He was still scared when we went, but the familiar surroundings were helpful. I think he then remembered the songs and games because he quickly was at ease. He let go of me and let me hold his tummy while he kicked and did his arms. He even floated around on his back! The 2nd class went even better. He jumped off the edge and went down the slide. I am learning that Micah is quite the cautious kid and needs to observe and be familiar before he does something.

Now Joel, on the other hand is going to be our "no fear" child. I took him in the pool and he took to it instantly. He kicked his legs and flapped his arms trying to swim to me. The other day in the baby pool he flopped onto his tummy. (There was only 3 inches of water.) He moved around with his arms while his legs floated around. He could move around like a rocket.

You're not suppose to compare your children, but how can you not? =)

My Day

Well I have been feeling rather UNproductive lately, so I thought I would tell you about my day today because I was very productive today. Normally I feel like all I get done is taking care of the need of the moment. Today I actually got real tasks done!

1. Took both kids with me to my yearly exam. Big mistake. $ for babysitter will be well worth it next time.

2. Went to Fred's to exchange Aaron's birthday gift (shirt was too big) and pick up some baked beans for BBQ tomorrow. Note: Fred Meyer is a WONDERFUL place here in the Northwest. It is worthy of a blog post all its own. Short story is it is a Target and grocery store all in one. AND they have free babysitting for an hour.

3. Went by bank to deposit checks.

4. Got Micah's hair cut.

5. Did first day of Daniel Bible Study

6. Took 45 min nap.

7. Cleaned 2 bathrooms

8. Made dinner for neighbors who came over tonight.

9. Cleaned kitchen

10. Worked on paperwork for 3-day donations.

Speaking of the 3 day, some of you have asked about training. Its been going well, although I had a slight hiccup while being gone. This past weekend I walked 16 miles Saturday and 13 miles Sunday. I have matching blisters on both feet despite taping them. What is nice is that the training walks I've been going on are led by a 3-day volunteer and they take place right around my house. In fact we walk by my neighborhood 2-3 times. The hills and trails around here are wonderful!

Family Reunion

We had a great time on our trip. It always takes me a few days to adjust back to life after we've been gone, especially when we've been to OKC or if Jocelyn's been here. She was here for 3 weeks then we were there for 10 days, so I have had a REALLY hard time adjusting back. Why? Because I get so much help from her that it is hard for Micah and me to adjust back to just plain old me around.

The highlight of the trip was watching Micah play with all of his cousins. Its been a few years since we've got together with the whole extended family. The last time was when Micah was a baby, so this was the first time he was old enough to play with the kids. He really enjoyed it, they had such a great time! There are 2 boys about 18 months younger than Micah and about 18 months older than Joel. So next year they will all be playing together! Micah and Joel don't have any 1st cousins, so Aaron's cousin's kids will have to suffice for now.

The lowlight of the trip was a major anaphalactic reaction at McDonalds. We go to McDonalds because I know what he can have and I know what is safe for him to eat. (For example, he can't eat a thing at Chick-fil-a, and alot of places in OKC slather butter on everything) After he ate he got down and played with his car on the benches next to us. He came over and had hives all over his face. They had spread up to his forehead and were forming on his arm. I gave him some Benedryl and they didn't go away after 10 minutes. I started to get pretty nervous and thought about getting the epi-pen out. He didn't have any trouble breathing and his tongue wasn't swelling. I called his allergist and they said to wait another 10 minutes. After about 10 more minutes the hives had diminished significantly. Talk about scary! What was scary was not knowing exactly what caused the reaction. I think what happened is he had got some ranch dressing from my sandwich on his hand. I saw it and wiped it off immediately, but didn't wash his hands. I don't know if it was the residue or maybe he had got some in his mouth before I noticed. Or, he might have got some cheese or milk residue from the benches when he was playing with his car. It seems like we always have trouble with his food allergy when we are travelling. I was just thinking before the trip that he hadn't had a reaction in a while and maybe he was outgrowing it. Wrong. =(

Joel also developed an ear infection while we were there. One night he screamed from 7pm -1am pretty much non-stop. Even if we held him he didn't stop. We tried every medicine: tylenol, sudafed, benedryl, mylicon, even suppositories. I think he finally passed out from exhaustion. Aaron had to go to the store twice, thank goodness for 24 hour Walgreens!

While we were there we went to the zoo, the omniplex science center, saw Cars, a water spray park, the pool, shopping and relaxation! So it wasn't all bad!

The best $10 we have ever spent.

We bought Micah an alarm clock. Not to get him out of bed, but rather, to keep him in bed. It worked like a charm! We told him he could not get out of bed until it said 7-0-0. He has been getting up at 6:00 or earlier! Too early for us, and too early for him. Yesterday he fell asleep at 10 in the car! This morning he didn't get up until 8:00! Yippee!!

Aaron thinks we should tell him he can get up as long as there is a 7 at the front. Because, what happens when he wakes at 7:15 and hence never sees 7-0-0. I say, he needs the rest, let him stay in bed until 8:00! That's what he did today--he said he stayed in bed until he saw the 0-0.

Spreading the Word

Some friends of ours here are on a waiting list to adopt. I thought I would post their info to spread the word furthur. They are great people and you can read their story here.

We got back from Oklahoma City yesterday. I will post pics and stories in the next few days!

Front Page News!

So Aaron was quoted in the Financial Times of London today. He even made the front page! Unfortunately his name was not attached to the quote. Microsoft released a new Beta of Windows Vista. Demand for download was so high that they couldn't increase their bandwidth anymore for fear of bringing the internet down! He chatted with some tech bloggers about this (see my previous post) and then it got picked up by different news outlets.

From the article:
"It's not that we didn't anticipate this level of interest or demand, but that we are at the threshold of what the internet can bear," reads a posting on the weblog run by the development team [Aaron] behind the software.

The Financial Times story is here.

Toilet troubles

Karen's latest post reminded me of a story that happened before I started blogging. Around January the toilet downstairs was flushing rather slowly, but still working. We never got around to trying to fix it. We had a huge superbowl party because, if you remember, our beloved Hawks were playing this year. Wouldn't you know it, right before everyone shows up, the toilet overflows and makes a huge mess down there. We tried snaking it and Aaron broke our snake.

A plumber came out the next day and tried to snake it. No dice. The lines were clear. He says there is probably something hard stuck in the toilet. Great. I'm thinking that one of the kids must have tried to flush a toy down. The plumber has to take the toilet up and look inside, and guess what is stuck in there? The splash guard from the potty seat. I remember fishing it out of the toilet a few times because it was loose. I guess I missed it one time. A splash guard is the little doo-hicky that attaches to the front of the potty seat so that little boys won't spray everywhere.

I contemplating sending First Years a plumbing bill.

Stehekin, Washington

The photo I posted of Aaron on this birthday was taken on our anniversary trip this year. It reminded me of where we went.

Just about every year we try to get away for our anniversary in February. This year we flew Jocelyn out using ff miles to watch the kiddos. (one perk of Aaron's business trips!) We drove to Lake Chelan which is pretty much in the middle of the state. We then took a 2 hour ferry boat northwest to Stehekin. (Pronounced Ste-he'-kin) It is at the very north end of Lake Chelan and the only access to the place is by ferry or float plane. There are no roads into the "town". Stehekin has water and electricity, but no phone service, tv or radio signal. They now can get internet and tv via satellite. There is a post office that receives mail 2 times a week by ferry. Oh, and the ferry only comes 3 times a week in the winter (when we were there). So you can only leave on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The other days it is a VERY long long walk by mountain trail. The mountains are so steep around there that there aren't even any trails out on the south end. The CCC tried to make a trail from Chelan to Stehekin in the 30's, but gave up because the terrain was too steep.

We had a great time, it is very beautiful there. I highly recommend the trek! It was a little nerve wracking with 2 little ones at home, but Grandma took great care of them. We would love to go back in the summer and rent a cabin with the kids. You can look here for more pictures and info.



View from our room.

Babies Are a Mystery

Wow, I have blogged 3 days in a row! Impressive!

I'm so amazed that Joel is eating table food at 8 months. I didn't think that happened until closer to 12 months. Last night I gave him some green beans (whole) and he ate them right up. Now I know for a fact that if I would have taken those same green beans and pureed them in the food processor he would have refused them. He even ate bites of my asparagus. Same thing has happened with peas. He tolerates baby food peas (even if I make it myself) but eats up the whole peas with no complaint. His favorites so far are squash, sweet potatoes, broccolli, pears and peaches. In case you were wondering.

Oh, and that reminded me. I think I'm allergic to pears. I bit into a piece of Packham pear and it tasted like a chili pepper! I gave it to Aaron to try and he said I was crazy because it tasted great! Shortly thereafter I could feel my chest tightening. This week I tried a Bartlett pear and I could feel my chest tighten and I got congested and started coughing. Sigh...

This is after I figured out that I'm allergic to most hair conditioners. I tried one that is all-natural with no chemicals; i.e. it contains only botanicals. Whoa nelly. My neck and scalp were on fire and itching like you wouldn't believe. Thus it is the plant extracts in the hair products that irritate my allergies not the chemicals. Every hair product has some plant in it. I did find one shampoo I could use, but no conditioner. Then I came across an ad in an allergy magazine (that I receive because of micah's food allergy) for a product called Free and Clear. I tried it out and I was a new woman! I had no idea that the shampoo/conditioners I had been using all these years were the source of irritation! I have always had itching, etc after I shampooed but thought it was due to some other reason.

Aaron is (almost) famous!

So Aaron's new team name at work is called "Community and Blogger Relations". There is a tech blog that he is quoted in. Look under the entry titled Windows Vista: Download vs. DVD.

Happy Birthday!

Today is Aaron's Birthday. He is 32, which makes him older than me for the next 2 months.

I love you!

Fun Times!

I've been trying to post this for 4 days now. Blogger can be frustrating!

Memorial Day: We went down to my aunt and uncle's house for a bbq. That was relaxing and fun. The boys got to splash around in the baby pool. Joel loves the water!



We've been having fun with Grandma being here. Aaron's mom has been here and its been great! We took a ferry to Bainbridge Island on Wednesday. We took the ferry not so much to get to the island, but to take a ferry. 3 year olds, you know. =) We found a fun park on the island too. Its not so much a touristy island, but more residential (from what I can tell). Many people live there and commute by ferry into Seattle. I met a lady on the ferry over that had two kids. She said that when she was pregnant she had to take a ferry over to Seattle to have the baby! Can you imagine? What about at 3am when there are no ferries? Its about a 2 hour drive around. (There is a bridge on the opposite side of the island that connects to the peninsula, but not Seattle).


Thursday we went to the Pacific Science Center. It had been ages since I had been there. They have made alot of changes! It was tons of fun and Micah really had a good time. There was a dinosaur exhibit, butterflies, insects, Toddler toys and the usual science center hands-on exhibits. We also saw an IMAX movie in 3D called Into the Deep. Micah really enjoyed that. It was fun to see him try to reach out and touch the fish.

Ha, Ha

I guess my lack of posts lately has caused ya'll to stop reading. (Yes, my Okie MIL is here right now!) So I guess I'd better get better at posting.

Here's a funny story. All the talk over at Susan's blog made me think of my own birthday coming up in August. I picked my Dad up from the airport last week when he returned from Hawaii. He told me that he sat next to a pregnant woman on the plane. I asked him how pregnant she was, and his reply? "She was about as pregnant as your mom was 32 years ago today."

Thanks, Dad, for rubbing it in.

Then he luckily pointed out that I can start rubbing it in that he will be the big 6-0 this year!

Off to Singapore

Aaron and Micah at the Mariners

Aaron left for Singapore Wednesday afternoon at 3pm. If my calculations are correct, he wasn't due to land in Singapore until noon today (Thursday). But, you know, 18 hours of flying on a plane with no children actually sounds enticing. Nothing to do except read, sleep or watch movies. There is the bad food, however.

Micah and Aaron enjoyed their first Mariner's baseball game together with just the two of them. We have a magnet chart for chores. If he fills up his chart then he gets to do a fun activity. We've gone to the Children's Museum (which has the ever-popular pretend grocery store) and to the zoo. This time his reward was a baseball game. He came home and announced that next he wants to see the football team and then the basketball team. Very sad to explain to him the impossibility of that at the moment.

Garage Sale

For some reason I wrote this last weekend, but never posted it.

The garage sale was today and I made $135. Quite a bit more than I expected. We sold all our big items. I even got a buck for Jodi's broken down umbrella stroller! The best part is that Microsoft matches gifts to charity, so I can double the amount of money. It was rainy this morning so I think that kept some people away. By noon the sun was out and more people came by.

Its strange what people will buy. We sold all of my mom's doiles. Who uses doiles anymore? I was very surprised. The cute Gymboree and Gap jumper dress? Unsold. Someone actually bought my parent's old green shell lamp. Its kind of like a chandelier--the shells hang down. Very 70's . I'm sorry I didn't take a picture. The giant spoon and fork didn't sell, however. (When I say giant, think 5 feet tall) I think we might have a use for those. Just be glad that none of you live near us during the Christmas season--except maybe Erin...hmmm... (insert evil laugh here: brr hhahhh ahhhhaaa)

Blogger is frustrating me!

I've about had it with blogger. Every time I complain about it Aaron tells me to move over to MSN spaces. When he saw I had started a blog on blogspot instead of MSN spaces he told me I was supposed to "support the family" or some such thing. Whenever I use Google instead of MSN search he has fits. Or he used to. Now he just shakes his head. I told him I would use MSN search when I could remember the address. Google is just so much easier to remember then search.msn.com or whatever it is. I think I'm developing the attention span of a 3 year old.

Anyway...this blog may be moving. Why is it that when I try to create a new post sometimes the tool bar comes up and sometimes it doesn't ? Then I saved a post as a draft. I came back to edit it later and it wasn't showing up. ARgh.

We're Back!

We went down to visit my aunt and uncle this past weekend in Danville, California. (East Bay area) Aaron volunteered to work at a trade show so we all went along to visit. It was nice to see them and get some sun. Unfortunately it was sunny here in Seattle as well, so we missed the good weather at home.
The kids did great on the way down. The way back was a different story. Micah didn't take a nap the whole time we were down there. He did okay with that since he's old enough now (3 1/2). Basically he still takes a nap because I force him and I need the break. (Not because he really needs it) But I digress. Joel didn't get good naps either and he definitely needs them. So by the trip home Joel was seriously sleep deprived. Our flight home was at 6:20 pm and Joel was so tired that he just screamed. He is usually such a calm, go-with-the-flow baby. Between no sleep and teething, I guess he had had it! After about 20 minutes he finally fell asleep and slept the whole way home. Fortunately the guy in front of us had two boys at home the same ages as our boys.

Does anyone watch The Office? Can you believe they kissed? I actually yelled at the TV, and I don't do this often. I think it is my new favorite show. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend you see reruns this summer.

We're having a garage sale tomorrow. Why do I always thing having a garage sale is a good idea? They are always so much work to make $50. Not worth it. Sigh. I hope I actually make some money. We are raising funds for the 3 Day Walk, so maybe people will feel sorry for us and buy stuff. Oh and did I mention its forcast to rain tomorrow as well?

So, I want to take an informal poll. Aaron's trying to convince me to cash in frequent flyer miles and get a ticket to join him in Singapore next week. Since my mother-in-law is here, she would watch the kids. Its about a 20 hour trip, EACH WAY. That doesn't include the time change. I just can't see leaving the kids for so long and being so far away. What do you think?

Happy Mother's Day

Today I decided to focus on what I have instead of what I don't have.

I am thankful for my mother-in-law, Jocelyn. My Mom told me several times how lucky I was to have her. In fact just a few weeks before she died she told me that Jocelyn treated me like her own daughter. It was as if my Mom was assuring herself I was "taken care of". Since the day we married, Jocelyn has always treated me as her own daughter, and for that, I am thankful. (My FIL has always done that too, but that is a different holiday =) )

I also love how she interacts with my kids. She is a wonderful Grandma. When someone shows unconditional love to my kids, it makes me feel loved too. True love of a Grandma: setting up the "store" and playing shopping with Micah ad nauseum. She doesn't mind getting on the floor and playing with Micah and Joel.

She is a woman of God. Jocelyn teaches Precepts at her church. She introduced me to Precepts and I have deeply appreciated the class. I know that if she has an opinion about scriptures, she has studied the matter thoroughly. She doesn't talk off the top of her head. I value her wisdom and insight.

When she comes to visit, she cooks, does laundry, and has even cleaned the bathroom! It feels like a vacation when she comes to visit! Its great! Most importantly she entertains Micah at 6 am when he wakes up.

The best part is she is coming to visit next week! Yippee!

Happy Mother's Day, and I love you Jocelyn!!

I Got Nothing

Nothing going around here that you'd want to hear about. Sigh. Nothing but poop stories and I will save you from those. The life of a mother with babies. I feel like my life is nothing but dishes, diapers, baby food, laundry, Dora and leap pads.
And then there is Mother's Day coming up. Not looking forward to that.

God at Work

What a blessing it is when God allows you to be a blessing to someone else. Yesterday I was walking to the park with the kids. I was going to do an extra loop around the lake to get in more mileage, but kids and reality stepped in. So we were taking the direct route to the park. Now I know why. This allowed me to meet Nancy.

She was walking towards me and she had on a Breast Cancer 3 Day t-shirt on. I stopped her and asked her if she was participating this year and shared with her that I was as well. Turns out she lives close by and we exchanged numbers so we could train together! She shared she was having a bad day and I told her I was too (with Mother's Day coming up).

We walked together today and she told me that right before she met me she had told God that she wanted a sign that everything would be all right. Then she met me, and then she got a phone call resolving her problem. Wow!

Its always great to meet new friends and to see God at work!

Training update-- 60 miles or bust!

Just wanted to update everyone on training progress. (and to take a break from poop stories)

Last Saturday I walked 9.6 miles. It didn't seem too bad at the time. The next day my back ached because I hadn't stretched enough. I was also starting to get blisters on part of my foot. I think its time for new shoes... or at least some duct tape.

Did you know duct tape works better than mole skin for blisters? Add this to your list of uses for duct tape (besides holding cars together, Jodi). When we went snow shoeing this winter, I got some blisters because of the snow shoes pulling on my boots. Fortunately the park ranger was out at the hut and she doctored me up. She put duct tape on my foot and said that it works much better. She said all you need in your first aid kit is some bandages and duct tape!

So this week I've been much better about getting in at least 2-3 miles a day. Micah's usually good for one mile in the stroller maybe two if I'm lucky. Thank goodness the park is a mile away so we can walk there and back!

Oh and I finally got around to printing out the training schedule. (Does that count for something?)

I'm pretty slow these days...

This morning I had a discovery. Micah loves Finding Nemo. He's watched the movie several times and he just got a DVD that has it in a "read aloud" book format. A guy reads the story and it turns the pages. Needless to say he's been listening to it non stop. In the fish tank at the dentist's office, the "volcano" is called Aywannahackalugi. I just figured out today that its a play on words I want to hack a lugi. (no idea of the correct spelling) Geez I'm slow.

May 1st was a big day

3 milestones were reached yesterday:

There are now four mobile individuals living in our household! Granted, one of them can only get around on his belly. . . and can only go backwards at that . . . but hey, it gets him around! (We won't talk about the other one, who jumps around and also falls on his head alot....) This momentous occasion is exciting for us because its fun to see Joel progress to crawling. Micah skipped this stage, so we haven't seen it before.

Joel's 2nd tooth popped through finally. Hooray! Hopefully the 2am wakings will cease. (until the bottom teeth decide to make an appearance)

Lastly, Joel is eating crackers! I gave him little bits yesterday to see what he would do with them and he actually could pick them up using the "pincher" grab. He didn't choke, but chewed them up, (or "gummed" them up), I was so amazed. I guess I lose track of things with the 2nd one. I didn't think he'd be able to do that until 9 or 10 months.

Mommy also learned something yesterday. I was backing out of the garage when I remembered I hadn't put the stroller into the car. I put the car in neutral with the brake and run back in, throw the stroller into the car and try to open the driver's door. I say "try" because it was locked. With the car running. With 2 small children inside. While I stifle a panic attack I try all the doors. Locked. Then suddenly I remember that Aaron never takes his keys to the Sequoia with him. I run back inside (fortunately I hadn't locked the door from the garage to the house) and find his keys on the dresser. Thank the Lord!! Major disaster averted.

The funny thing is, the topic of keys is something we squabble over. He only takes the keys with him to the car he is driving. I always have all keys. So if we for some reason have to switch cars or, take one in to get work done, etc, he has to borrow my keys. I always tell him to just put the one extra key on his ring. I'm so glad he didn't do that yesterday! Its kind of like the movie Signs. Everything happens for a reason: thank you Jesus!
=)

Baby Got Book

You gotta listen to this . You just gotta. Make sure your hubbie hears it while you play it.

I forgot the best part

Did I mention that I also have to slather #2 on a test strip for the lab to detect blood in his stool? Yes, all the joys of motherhood. This would make a GREAT Hallmark card for Mother's Day.
Thanks, mom, for inspecting my poop for me. I love you.

Solid Food

I have to rant. Joel is now eating solid foods. He made his way through orange veggies succesfully and his now happily on his way through the greens. My problem? What "The Book" says about the order of introducing them. You're suppose to introduce veggies before fruit so that they will like veggies. Well that's what I did, and I had constipation city! I introduced prunes and pears, and I have one happy, happy kid again! I think there is a reason God created veggies AND fruit!

[I'm not saying the name of "The Book" because I don't want to endorse it!]

Is It Summer Yet?

After 3 days of 70 degree weather, (yes, I know that is sweater weather for you, Jodi) I think I could get used to summer! I put shorts on Micah on Sunday. He protested saying they were baby clothes and that he was big boy. He thought they were pants for babies! I finally got them on him, and he touched his legs, in unbelief. Too funny. This goes along with the infamous sun story that almost every Mother has here. It happened to me around January. Micah: "Ooohh, my eyes, my eyes... Mommy, what is that bright thing in the sky?" Me: " That, my son, is a little known object seen here in Seattle. It is known as the sun. Repeat after me, SUN."

And from the "Why Buy Toys" department: his new favorite thing? Squirting water from a spray bottle. It entertained him for an hour outside the other day. He also likes to fill up the watering can and water all the plants outside. Nice!

We watched the newest movie version of Pride and Prejudice on Saturday. Yes, I actually talked my husband into watching it. My argument was that I watch 24 with him every Monday. I thought the movie was well done. They did a good job of getting the spirit of a long book down to a 2 hour movie. The major events were there, but the transitions could use some help. Several times I had to pause it to explain to Aaron what was going on. But, then again he wasn't paying TOO close attention. My all time favorite is the BBC/PBS version that came out in 1995. It is 6 hours long, however. I like it because there is time in that 6 hours to develop the characters, and that is my favorite part of Austen's books.

How Well Do You Know Me?

This is one of those emails that get passed around. I thought is was interesting:

4 Jobs I have had:
1. selling krusty pups at the fair
2. working at a plant nursery
3. receptionist/clerk for real estate services at the General Services Administration
4. library aide

4 movies I would watch over and over:
1. Pride and Prejudice (BBC version)
2. Sixth Sense
3. Walk the Line
4. Sweet Home Alabama

4 TV shows I love to/used to watch
1. Apprentice
2. The Office ( a new obsession)
3. How I Met Your Mother (the new friends!)
4. CSI Miami ( We love to make fun of Horatio)

4 places I have lived:
1. Taiwan
2. Monterrey, CA
3. Kadena AFB, Okinawa
4. Mililani, HI

4 places I have been on vacation:
1. Scotland/England
2. South Carribean
3. Puerto Vallarta/ Mazatlan
4. Rocky Mountain National Park

4 websites I visit the most:
1. this one
2. hotmail
3. www.the3day.org
4. www.grocerygame.com

4 of my favorite foods:
1. hot and sour soup
2. dark chocolate and strawberries
3. spinach salad with fruit and nuts
4. zip pac (i admit I have a soft spot for spam =( )

4 places I would rather be right now:
1. sleeping (doesn't that go without saying for all moms of babies?)
2. in Hawaii visiting friends
3. at PF Changs
4. getting a massage

4 things about me that most people don't know:
1. I went to 3 schools for 2nd grade
2. I was editor of my high school yearbook
3. we went backpacking for our anniversary once
4. I've read every Jane Austen book

Easter

We had a good Easter. Its so amazing to hear your child tell you the resurrection story. Its so neat to hear him repeat things he has learned either in Sunday school or from us. If he hurts himself, he says "I want God to heal it". And he really believes God will heal it! I'm beginning to learn what "faith like a child" really is.

Can you guess what I listen to in the car?
Micah, singing:
Holy, holy, hawewuyah, He wanes, He wanes; Gory, gory, hawewuyah, He wanes, He wanes.
--Repeat, ad nauseum
Its pretty, cute, though.

My Personal Challenge

My Mom

I have decided to do the Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk. This means I have committed to walk 60 miles in 3 days and raise $2,200 for Breast Cancer research. This is something I have wanted to do for a long time. Most of you know that I lost my mom this year. I am doing this walk in her memory; I want to do something to help eradicate the disease. I miss her so much.

If you'd like to sponsor me and donate to breast cancer research, click here.

Thank you!

Preschool Co-op

Today was preschool day:
Saying the pledge of allegiance













Circle time

Our Easter Baskets!





I had been thinking about homeschooling, so Aaron suggested I should try it out with preschool first. So myself and a group of friends who also didn't want to pay for preschool decided to have our own preschool. It has been so much fun! I am so glad that we have done it. It was pretty chaotic at first, but now I think we have a system going that is pretty good. It has been such a joy to see them mature since September. They are learning how to follow directions, listen to the teacher and work as a group.

Today we talked about Easter. We had an Easter Egg hunt with the Easter egg baskets we made. We also had special eggs that contained different symbols of Easter like a cross, a donkey, crown of thorns, a rock and of course, an empty egg! It was a great way to tell the story of Jesus' death and resurrection. You can see the set of eggs here . Its amazing how much they understand at age 3 and 4 about the death and resurrection of Jesus.

It was the flapper that did me in

I was gone for 2 1/2 hours.

You would think this would not be hard. Aaron had to feed and put the kids to bed. I had already laid the food out. Joel was giving him a hard time, spitting his food out, typical 6 month old. Micah ate, then was playing. All of the sudden, Micah jumps up and announces he has to go potty. At the same time, Joel dirties his diaper. As Aaron is cleaning Joel up, Micah says he is done. Aaron tells him to STAY WHERE YOU ARE, until he can get in there to clean Micah up. Aaron goes in the bathroom and finds most of the toilet paper roll in the toilet. At this point Aaron decides to make a gamble. Should I flush and then plunge or should it put my hand it and fish out the toilet paper? Aaron decides he's feeling lucky today, so he flushes. He says it was at this point that Satan intervened, because at THAT moment, the flapper decides to stay up. So the toilet water is slowly coming up then, it picks up momentum then just starts shooting out like a fountain. Meanwhile Micah wants to see what is going on and he is running around naked with a dirty bottom. Joel is screaming in his crib because Aaron had to put him down. Aaron throws down every towel from the linen closet and shuts off the water. However, next to the toilet on the floor there is a heater vent. Water is pouring into it. This can't be good, and he wonders where this leads. It didn't take too long to find out. Pretty soon he hears a waterfall downstairs; he goes down to see water pouring out of the ceiling into the downstairs bathroom. Great.

I came home to a quiet house with two kids asleep and two sparkling clean bathrooms. It was great for me!

Making Life Easier

So, first I get a robot. Now this. I had groceries delivered, courtesy of Safeway.com. Wow. I could get soooo used to that! It was worth every penny of the $5 it cost to have them delivered. It took about 1 hour, start to finish to do my shopping. No packing the kids into the car. No aching back from carrying the baby in the sling. No negotiations over whether or not to get animal crackers this time. No talking Micah out of getting the "car" grocery cart. (Its like driving a semi!) No baby falling asleep in sling, missing his long nap. No impulse buys. Just click here, click there, you're done. If you forget something, log on, click on that, you're done. Ahhh, technology working for me.

I also have a menu service called Saving Dinner. I get menus, complete with shopping list sent to me every week. So to do grocery shopping I just look on the list and find it on Safeway.com. Plus it makes you feel so healthy because you mostly end up buying vegetables. (The key is to then actually cook them....)