Does Not Compute.

Breckin has his daddy's movie memory.  It's uncanny.  He's always had a good memory for details and has remembered every little outing we have or place we go for dinner.

But, he kills me with Star Wars.  I know that Dustin has talked about Star Wars with him since he was in my belly and we have a neighbor who has done nothing but fueled the fire since Breckin was two years old.  (That's right, Chully.  He was TWO when you started with Boba Fett and the big R2D2).  Breckin has only seen each Star Wars movie once.  Once.  Yes, he has some Star Wars lego sets and it probably helps that he likes to play the video games but his knowledge of the droids and planets and which part of the story is in which episode is killing me.  It could rival some adults, for sure.  I've never seen all six movies (throw your stones now, please) so I have no idea what he's talking about half the time.

His good night story is the Star Wars lego encyclopedia.  He wants to read each data file and know when the piece came out, which set it came with, and which movie it appeared in.  Now there's a chapter for The Clone Wars- an apparent tv show that continues the movie story line and one I've been avoiding as long as possible.  It's on Cartoon Network, has serious story lines, and is more graphic than the charming PBS Kids shows he loves.  Must.  Let.  Go.  Of.  Childhood reins.  I finally recorded one for him today while he was at school cause I knew he would freak out.  The show starts as soon as he can physically fling his backpack down and not 30 seconds into the opening shot, he gets all excited that it's on such and such planet and there's the blah blah ship and oooo mom, that guy with the blue face is Cad Bane.

Really?  This stuff sinks in so flippin fast.  He's seen them ONE TIME.  And yet he lives and breathes Star Wars and ninjas and wildlife explorers.  If, one day, his high school teachers could make ninja movies that taught about math or sentence structure, there is no doubt he would remember it forever.  Is he really going to be one of those guys who remembers quotes from every movie they see and knows who was in which movie with who?  Cause I already have one of those guys in my house....

Happy Birthday Ella!

The princess is now 2!!  And, if you don't feel like this on your birthday, find a way to make it happen.  All it takes for Ella is Jessie and the rest of the Toy Story gang.

For a change from our usual birthday fanfare, we had a quiet day at home opening her gifts, eating pink cake, and watching Toy Story 3 (or as she calls it "watch Woody?").  After a crazy Thanksgiving week, apple cup party, and skimming over Dustin's birthday, it was all we could handle.  And, she was perfectly happy.

Happy Birthday, baby girl.  You are a complete blessing.

Her Brother's Shadow

That little girl follows her brother around like it's her job.  She knows where he is at all times.  She does what he does and says what he says.  She has the little sister shadow like no one's business.  Ella has taken to playing under the dinner table, standing on her head, attempting to jump on the couch before I can catch her, slide down the stairs on her bum, tickle, chase, making funny faces, and- the most important little sister job- annoying his friends.  She will stand at the bottom of the stairs and holler "OWEN" or "KELLEN" at the top of her little lungs when Breckin runs upstairs to play in his room with his friends.  She loves his friends as much as she loves him and will mortify the both of them relentlessly if she sees them on the street.  Poor Owen and Kellen don't know what to do with her so they avert their attention and attempt to pass quietly.  I'm sorry, quietly is not a word known in our house.

Today, she took her Breckin parroting to an extreme.  I always know where she is cause one and a half year olds aren't as quiet as they think they are.  I can hear some sort of toy pounding or sing songing or little feet stepping wherever she is.  Or I can at least catch a glimpse of that hair swooshing around the corner as she pushes her little shopping cart filled with towels.  (Her fave!)  But today, while I was making lunch, after checking in her usual hang outs, I couldn't find her.  Not under the table, not by the toy drawer in the kitchen, not at her little white table doing puzzles.  I called "Ella?" and heard a giggle.  Not too far away from the kitchen counter but nothing I could see.  "Ella?"  Something smacked a wall and more giggling.  And pattering of feet.  "Miss Ella Bee?  I'm gonna getchu."  The surefire way to make her run down the hall.  Giggles but no running baby.  Then I see a small pair of jeans sticking out from under the dining room window curtain panel.  That girl has watched Breckin play hide and seek enough times to understand how to find a hiding place and STAY THERE!  What the heck?  She was standing perfectly still- except for her little head wiggling back and forth with the excitement of being found.  I tickled that curtain panel's baby belly and out she came.  Holy cow am I in for it.  She can manage, at one and a half, to hide behind a curtain and stay put even with the threat of I'm gonna getchu...  I'm fascinated and scared and proud.  And in big trouble as she finds better places to hide.

My Husband Loves Movies

He loves them so much that once in a while he cooks up a plan to watch all of a series of movies in one day.  Like all six of the Star Wars (done it) or all three of the Lord of the Rings extended versions (not yet).  It seems like a marvelous idea but when it's over, the idiots dummies fellas who participate with him are cross-eyed and swear to never watch movies again.  They are sore and cranky and sick from too much movie snacks because we all know you can't watch a movie without enough red vines and chips and Goobers to last a Himalayan expedition.  Today- actually last night and today- they schemed to survive the ultimate Harry Potter viewing.  They watched all seven movies over the span of Friday evening and from 9:30 am until 11:15 pm today.  They work themselves illegally doing this only allowing a ten minute break between movies, one half hour for lunch and one half hour for dinner and Dustin is a relentless coordinator of film times keeping to a strict schedule and posting it well in advance just in case one more person wants to sneak in between shows.  They will know to show up at exactly 3:52 pm to catch whatever movie starts next in case they've seen the prior episodes.  It's insanity at its finest.  I don't attempt to stick around and partake.  I don't love movies THAT much and I love my lower extremities more than their determination of finishing what they said they would.  I don't think I can sit that long.  Most of the time they are bleary eyed and sick of it half way in but damn it if they aren't going to complete the task. 

So where does that leave me?  Well, we haven't done one of these feats in a while so when I said yes to this chore, I forgot that small children are a) not quiet in a house 2) not able to watch these movies and f) not likely to leave Aaron alone especially if he brings Brutus.  I started planning a day long excursion with both kiddos but didn't decide on our destination until midnight on Friday.  Where could we go with questionable weather and stay out for twelve hours?  It had to be a combo of things so we did the errands business in the morning- hair cut, Starbucks run, gas up the car and hit up Northwest Trek AND IKEA for the rest of the day.

Usually any two items from that list is enough to run Breckin and Ella ragged but the whole list?  It was the antithesis of movie day.  I didn't sit down for twelve hours.  Ella sort of did but she was more interested in getting out at each animal habitat and playing in the kids furniture at Ikea so not only did I not sit down, I was lifting her in or out of the stroller five hundred times.  Breckin walked the whole way at Trek and played in the ball pit at Ikea.  Hello exhuasted feet.  Both kids were phenomenally good.  Beyond my expectations.  I think it helped that it was a yes day.  Wanna go back to the wolves?  Sure.  Wanna eat hot dogs for lunch?  Sure.  Wanna visit the scientist research cabin fourteen times?  Ok.  Slow down?  Fine.  Run?  You bet.  Whatever caught their fancy, we did.  Cause we didn't have to be home at any certain time.  We spent six hours at the Trek going back to visit Ella's favorite river otters no less than ten times.  We checked on Breckin's wolves at every opportunity.  We played scientist and lost camper and forest adventurers in the research cabin.  We had ice cream.  Twice.  We had the luckiest tram ride of the day seeing newborn bison, black tailed deer, their babies, trumpeter swans, mountain goats, elk, caribou, moose and their babies, a hummingbird flew through our window, a raccoon, blue heron, and bullfrogs.  Breckin saw a wolverine go poo in it's den.  He listened to the park ranger talk about a Spotted owl and asked intelligent questions like "how old is that owl when is his birthday mine is May 11th?"  and "did you know I've been very good at not touching the stinging nettles?"  and "I think I'm kinda done with this owl which way is it to the wolves?"  He's scientific like that.  I took some pictures but it wasn't worth my arm skills to try to juggle the camera and chase Ella and pull Breckin back from habitat fences.  So the pictures lost the battle.  There are some over there.  They ended about lunch time as did my arm tolerance. 

The kids went to bed at 10:30- parent award of the year, I know- but we don't do days like this very often and I'll consider it a vacation day.  Would they have gone to bed much earlier if we were in a hotel or cabin?  Nope.  And I'm really hopin they sleep past 8:00 and don't mind playing some board games or coloring or watching a movie tomorrow.  My feet could use the break.  Sorry, hon.  Looks like it's more movies.

A Typical Friday Night

So, every Friday night we get together with one of our favorite neighborhood families.  They have two kiddos that play well with Breckin and Dustin and I enjoy their company.  We have a constant battle going with canasta..... that's another story.

Last Friday, as usual, they came over around dinner time.  We enjoy a simple, kid friendly dinner together and the kids play together while the food is cooking and again after we eat until it's movie time.  They mostly monkey around in the playroom upstairs while we chat and relax downstairs.  The dynamic between the kids is very liquid as it contains two boys the same age with one girl who's older.  It's anyone's guess if the brother and sister are going to get along OR if the boys are going to get along.  This is that time in their lives where they learn to handle stuff and compromise and be kids- we've all been there, in a room with other kids and parents who marginally care what you're doing and as long as no one's bleeding, carry on and sort it out.  We have the added element of Ella who goes to bed about the time the movie starts and creates a nice break in the canasta game.

I was taking Ella up to bed and crossing through the playroom when I see:
Kellen on one corner of the playroom couch crying.  Seriously crying with his hands at his face and not looking at anyone.
Mikah on the other corner of the couch reading a book and looking seriously annoyed and like she'd like to be anywhere but stuck in this playroom with two juvenille boys.
Breckin playing in the middle of the floor aimlessly saying "Don't cry.  Come on, Bells.  Don't cry."  But not really showing brotherly love to the one who is crying.

I ask Kellen if he's hurt.  He shakes his head.
I ask him what happened.  He quietly says Breckin sat on his head to which I immediately look at Breckin with the mom stare of doom.  He says his head doesn't hurt but Breckin farted and it stinks really bad.  He says he's crying because of the fart and his head doesn't hurt but it just really stinks.

I take Breckin in Ella's room with me- while biting the insides of my cheeks to keep from laughing cause dang it I have to be serious and clearly seperate these two and at least discipline the head sitting.  There's not a whole lot I can do about the farting.  He is, after all, a boy and related to his father.  Breckin sits quietly with me to give Kellen time to recover and all goes well thereafter. 

But, really?  Do I really have to have another male in the house who can bring tears to the room?  Honestly. 

I got robbed. A1-5 might have won this time.

First of all, HOLY COW.  I was thinking I hadn't blogged anything in a while and I haven't kept up on reading the blogs that inspire me and interest me and let me read something other than Hop on Pop.  And to see that I haven't told you anything since February 4th!  Really?  What the heck?  It's not like we haven't done anything.  In fact, we've done quite a bit.  Breckin has had plenty of antics and Ella says a new word every day.  Today, it was "small".  Yesterday it was "down".  She adds something new every day, I swear.

Well, let's get caught up.  I'd love to walk down memory lane of February but there is one glaring event that blurs out the rest.  It threw me for quite a loop, made me drowsy and spacey for an entire day, and kinda smooshed every other thing that happened before it together behind this veil of holy-crap-ness.  Let's just say- the frickin Groundhog lied.  And, he lied big.  Spring did not come early, rather, winter had one last HA HA HA YOU'RE AND IDIOT FOR CROSSING THE PASS IN FEBRUARY moment before March starts. 

We did some stuff in February, blah, blah, blah.  And then, on February 19th I hosted a beautiful baby shower for a dear neighbor and was so excited to have some long overdue girls time that I left for Spokane- a 300 mile trip- at 5 pm on Saturday night.  Pass was clear and dry and it was actually a perfect time to leave cause the kids ate dinner in Ellensburg and crashed in the car for the rest of the trip.  I got to zone out to some Twilight soundtracks and mentally vacate the child-focused portion of my life to reminisce in my head about all of the fun we had in college and beyond.  I love driving alone- or mentally alone- for the pure sake of thinking about whatever without conversation interruption.  It was a nice and much needed mental break. 

Anyway, we got to Spokane about 10:30 at night, waited for the girls to get back from the hot dog store, and settled in.  The kids fell asleep relatively well and on we go.  I don't remember if it was late at night on Saturday or it waited until Sunday morning but A1-5 made an appearance.  A1-5 is Breckin's imaginary nemesis and he shows up now and then- mostly in the comfort of our own home.  This time, he drove across the state and invaded Joslyn's house.  Fortunately, Joslyn was ready with a secret hideout (the back covered porch), a bad guy gun (a caulking gun), and a team of spies on the good side (Mo, Maggie, Jos, and me).  Breckin made us look out for him constantly. 

What's the best place for a bored little boy with no Saturday morning cartoons, not many toys, no computer games, and an imaginary bad guy to chase?  A mostly empty pizza shop.  He jumped right up on the bar stool and chatted with the hostess.  He was fascinated by the pizza maker throwing the dough and asked if he could watch.  He checked the fire now and then for OUR pizzas.  He turned everything in the store into something related to A1-5 hunting.  He did anything he could to not sit in his chair. 

We spent most of Sunday just hanging out at Jos's house, walking around Riverfront Square Park Mall- or whatever it's called- and letting Breckin get some wiggles out at the children's museum.  Miss Hands Tenneson joined us and we headed back to her place cause most of us had never seen it.  The kids were losing their very last ounce of patience when we went to dinner at Red Robin and back home to crash. 

Monday was spent in Coeur d'Alene or as Breckin says "I didn't know we were going on a vacation while on our vacation!"  He loves that town from the last insane road trip and we did our now-ritual stops at the ice cream shop, Figpickles Toy Store, CdA Olive Oil Company, the giant metal moose, and the big rocks in the park.  Of course, A1-5 was there and Breckin had to hide in Jos's little storage closet in the oil shop.  Just after the fire truck made an appearance, I was notified that A1-5 had to go potty and we hightailed it out of there to hit the road back home.  Except the road hit us.

We left Coeur d'Alene around 2 pm thinking even if we got to the pass around 6 pm, it'd just be getting dark and we'd make it over the pass with no problems.  Three potty stops, a dinner stop, and some slow traffic later got us to the pass later than expected.  We knew there'd be a bit of snow but hot damn.  I was more nervous than I'd ever been.  I turned Looney Tunes on for the now awake kids in the back seat and white knuckled it.  We swerved.  We spun in a circle and somehow straightened out.  I was absolutely sure we'd lose all traction trying to get on Highway 18 and called Dustin to get ready to come and get us.  I can't convey in words what a scary drive it was.  We locked up and spun our tires and- by the grace of God- made it over the pass, through Issaquah, and home by 10 pm.  Eight hours after we started.  I think A1-5 was responsible for the snow. 

All the next day I was drowsy, couldn't stop yawning, could not focus on anything, and felt a little nauseated.  It was a horrible feeling but the kids slept in and just wanted to play quietly.  I think they were worn out, too.  It was worth every moment to see my girls and spend some much needed time just being together.  It's a good thing we planned that trip at the beginning of a week off of school cause we have needed every day to recover. 

You LIED Mr. Pool.

I was so excited about our day out at the park that I paid close attention to Steve Pool the weather man on the 11 o'clock news to see when I could ruin us again soon.  What's that?  Thursday will be sunny and close to 60?  Lovely!  It's a perfect time to grab a quick lunch at mickey d's and drive North to Bellevue and hit a place we haven't been in ages.  I don't think Ella's ever been and Breckin couldn't remember it at all.  And that kid remembers everything.  I wasn't sure if the animals would be out cause, after all, it was January but we brought our heavy jackets (lesson learned from yesterday) and arrived at Kelsey Creek Farm shortly after 1 pm.  It was overcast and 45.  Degrees.  Not sunny OR 60.  In fact it was downright cold.  I had two jackets on and thank goodness I have random snow hats in my car cause I drive around prepared like that. 

Maybe I'm a glutton for punishment or my memory is so bad that I forget how wrecked we were the day before.  Cause we really just did the same thing to ourselves all over again.  But, man, it was fun.  Breckin chased the ducks.  We swang and climbed through mazes and played in a little house and see sawed at the park.  Ella mooed at the cows.  Breckin pointed out the rabbit poop.  The pig oinked at all of us.  We walked up and down and up and down the hills between animal fields and Breckin asked if he could run down and back up the hill one more time before we left the cow pasture.  Sure, why not?  No, buddy, you can't get good exercise and run up a hill..... I don't think so.  Run away, kiddo, run away.  Ella said moo to the cows, neigh to the horses, baa to the sheep, and sniffed at the rabbits.  She was a farm expert.  The highlight of the day according to Breckin?  A small amphitheater with a basic stage and some metal benches in the side of a hill.  He put on a show for us then we put on a show together for the horses then Ella got frustrated with the woodchips on the stage and tried to take them all off carefully.  She may or may not have tried to eat some.

It was 3:00.  Hmm.  Do we see if we can pick up Daddy from work early?  Fat chance since he was hoping to work late and have us come get him so he could skip the vanpool.  I needed to go to PinkBella cupcakes anyway and scope them out for an upcoming baby shower...  Do the kids have it in them to eat a cupcake and hang out at the boats?  Could we make it last until it was time for Daddy to really leave work and he could just ride with us?  Oh why the hell not.  I love exhausted demon children at dinner time.  I mean, I must.  Why else would I run them ragged and feed them straight sugar. 

Cupcakes.  Check.  (and AWEsome, by the way!  Mmmmm coconut.)  Play at the boats.  Check.  Peek at the See Kai Run shoes at Bump cause I still have a $35 gift card that I can never seem to spend.  Check.  Quick $8 detour through Lego store to give Daddy ten more minutes at work.  Check.  Drive home with maniac screaming Ella who doesn't want her binkie but wants her binkie and jabberjaws Breckin who wants to talk about his amazing day.  Check.  Have all intentions in the world to make a quick dinner- even if it's cereal but give in to the idea of Taco Bell/KFC when it starts to take an hour to get home.  Check. 

Crazy ass day #2 done and Friday will consist of tucking ourselves in at home, playing board games, finishing the laundry I started on Tuesday, and chilling out.  And not complaining about the rainy day. 

Oh, fresh air. We missed you.

Seriously?  We went to the park for a little over two hours today and it WRECKED us.  It was sunny after 1 pm for the first time since last fall.  And it was over 45 degrees.  And Ella woke up early which means she napped early which means she was awake by 1:30 pm which means we'd have enough time to spend at the park before it gets dark at 4 pm.  See, there are a lot of factors that have to happen just so in order for us to hit the park on a weekday.  If Ella sleeps in past 8:00, she doesn't go down for a nap until after lunch.  And that lands us at home base until she wakes up.  If she gets the early nap and goes down for the count at 11 am or earlier, we have all afternoon.  But, it's Seattle.  And if the sun comes out in the AM, you can be sure it'll be gone and overcast with scattered showers in the PM.  We can never get all factors to line up- PM sun, Ella's early nap, no other prior engagements, temps above frozen fingers- in the winter.  Until today.  And HoLy CoW did it wreck us. 

We drove to the Pirate Park (not it's actual name but the name given by Breckin therefore it shall always be called that) around 1:45.  Lightweight coats cause we almost got sunburnt walking home from the bus.  Yeah, we're pasty like that.  Breckin pushed his cheetah button on his jacket and ran full speed to the swings.  You'd have to know him to know that 1) I'm not kidding about that and b) The buttons change daily. 

We did some of this

And a little of this

And Breckin taught Ella how to slide like this

And Ella wore her sassy pants like this

And said very grown up things like No No and Rawr and Bye Bye.  And the most important thing?  She left her shoes and socks on!!!  For the first time in her life, she didn't rip her shoes and/or socks off the minute she could reach her feet.  Yay Ella! 

You'll just have to check the photos tab to see the rest otherwise this blog could go on forever.  We played pooh sticks.  Google it.  We danced on a tree stump.  We made a very small tree fort and all fit inside.  We chased birds.  We swang and swung and swinged.  For an hour and fifteen minutes we swinged.  We went down slides and up slides and fell in the wet woodchips and ate them.  We froze our fingers and necks cause it turns out the park which is in the woody area is shaded and therefore not sunburn status like our front porch and our lightweight jackets and no gloves was a bad idea but we didn't care for two hours cause we were breathing fresh air DAMMIT.

And now?  Now we are wrecked.  Ella was out like a trout by 7:30 and I fell asleep with her in the rocker while she was chowing on her milk.  Breckin is a disaster.  He was SOOO good at the park and left nicely and used great words and was nice to all the kids and now his daddy is getting the brunt of that.  He fell apart when his sister took his green plastic sunglasses out of his drawer.  He crumpled on the floor when he found out it was hair wash night.  He had a slight meltdown when his bandaid fell off and he discovered wrinkly bandaid skin on his finger and it felt different and he doesn't like different.  He is wrecked with a capital WRECK.  But DAMMIT we got fresh air.  And it felt SO NICE.

Happy MLK Day!

Leave it to a day off of school to bring me out of my blogging funk.  Good ol' Breckin and Ella have me in stitches from the time they wake up til they are fighting going to sleep.  It's one of those holidays that polarzies employees.  Not everyone gets the day off- though they should cause Dr King was a pretty important guy- so those that do have an extra weekend night and those that don't are a little extra scowly on Monday.  School is definitely out cause the Murphy's Law of public school is If There Is Any Reason To Stay Home, We Will Take It.  But, Dustin had to get to work.  What's a better way to break up a cold, rainy day stuck in the house than going to visit Daddy for lunch?!?!?! 

It used to be kind of easy.  Sometimes we'd pack a pail and eat in his common area.  Sometimes we'd pick him up and have a nice lunch out at Red Robin at the mall.  Sometimes we'd be his lunch meeting between two other meetings and make it a quick fill up at Jimmy Johns.  This time, it was a nice combo.  Breckin, Ella, and I grabbed said Jimmy Johns and took it up to the common area.  After all, a trip to Daddy's office is not complete without stalking Drew.  That sandwich shop is ALWAYS busy and they move fast.  You have to be on your game to order there.  There's no browsing over the veggies like at Subway.  Those guys are moving and you just might get kicked out if you aren't ready when it's your turn.  Breckin won't eat lunch meat and Ella can't chew raw veggies yet so their orders are easy- The Veggie and a Ham and Cheese Slim.  I'm preset with D's order- Lulu, extra tomatoes.  I didn't really think about mine so I ordered the only sandwich I've ever ordered there cause I was too afraid to look around the menu and panicked when it was my turn and blurted out Beach Club for fear of not getting a sandwich at all.  It turns out it doesn't matter if my son is dancing and swinging around like a hooligan at a place like that cause he really just blends right in.  So, I let him get some wiggles out while we waited the 5.2 nanoseconds it takes them to get the food ready and we hightailed it over to the big, black skyscraper of Breckin's dreams.  He LOVES that place.  He loves the lobby with the orange chairs and the revolving door and the giant yellow airplane that greets you and watching Daddy use his top secret agent badge to make the elevator work and the nerf gun proudly on display in the elevator lobby on floor 12. 

We are greeted instantly by a table of D's coworkers who know everything about us and us nothing about them.  I know my familiar faces and everyone in the building knows the moment that Drew is spotted.  He's the big celebrity there.  After all, he does have a velcro dart board and nerf guns at his desk.  And, he and Breckin go way back.  Breckin tries to act all cool and slap him high five and say big kid things like "what's up, Drew?" but internally he's acting like he's in front of Robert Pattinson.  He just wants to hang out with Drew so bad and go to his desk to play darts and see all of his toys and shoot the nerf gun.  He talks about Drew for days before we go to the office and days after we've come home.  In fact, on the ride home he wondered if Drew would come over for a playdate and make his own kinectimal.  Kids can sense other kids disguised as grown ups.

Breckin knows his way around so he got us some drinks from the fridge, checked up on the things he can see from the window, and patted the glass buddha statue's belly as part of his I'm Here ritual.  Ella is being ok until she sees the sandwich bags and lets us know she is ready to eat.  She has a bad habit of shrieking like Ellen Degeneres does to her audience and points sideways at her food until someone has torn Ella-approved pieces up for her to frantically stuff in her mouth like she hasn't eaten in days.  And, Breckin eats half standing up for fear that he might be able to sit down for longer than 12 seconds and it would ruin his entire crazy man game.  He talks loudly in general and chats with anyone in earshot so between Mr. Wigglypants, loud kid voice, shrieking baby, and fully distracting more people than we should have, I don't think we'll be back for lunch with Daddy anytime soon.  We made D late to a meeting and Breckin got stuck in the revolving door on the way to the car.  It was a good way to get the kids out of the house on a dreary day but we'll probably just stick with a mall playland or the McDonald's slide from now on.  Sorry, hon.  Tell your coworkers we apologize for disrupting their work space and making you late for your meeting.  And, of course, tell Drew that Breckin says HI.

Happy New Year!

I am exhausted.  Last night was one of the best New Year's Eve nights I've had in a long time.  Dustin and I got to get away to fabulous Everett (hey, it's the journey- not the destination) for a long lost friend's wedding.  We loaned our kids out to my parents' for the night.  And by night, I mean noon on Friday.  What?  We had to beat the crowds at the casino and outlet mall in nearby Tulalip.  And it's a good thing we did cause I sat down at some random Panda Pagoda (who the hell's ever heard of that?!??!) penny slot machine, hit the button a few times, and bust out three pagodas worth 23,000 CREDITS!   I look away from my machine for a minute and glance back to see 23,185 credits on my screen.  I'm like "Hon, wait.  How much is 23000 credits?"  Twenty three bucks?  What?  230 bucks?  Sah- Weet!!!

Backup.  That didn't happen until after shopping.  Mo, Maggie, and I- after Bobby was rescued from the clutches of Claire's- milled around the outlet mall in no apparent direction.  We wandered in and out of shops mostly to escape the bitter cold of the outdoor hallways.  I got a super cute, bright ass pink, Kate Spade purse that will only be used on Mommy's night out events cause it's not big enough for one diaper.  On sale for 30% off then another 40% off.  Hells yeah.  Dustin and Bobby, not to be bothered by droves of women, went to more manly stores like Ralph Lauren and Nike.  You know what I say?  Uh huh.  They still shopped.  On their own accord.  And bought shirts.  Manly style.

Mags got some kick ass bling for later.  Mo got a Wilma Flintstone on crack necklace set.  We all ate HORRIBLE food that rounded out to $9 french fries cause the actual items that came with them were Army food rejects.  Who cares.  On to gambling and the 4 pm buffet.  We played the cheapest slots with the most freebie games we could find.  The boys played manlier table games.  Done.  Eat first, vip and HolyHellThatBartenderIsTryingToGetUsAllLaid later.  Buffet was meh.  Good enough to fill our bellies but not the NYE food of champions. 

On to the wedding.  The girls and I took every opportunity to doll it up cause what the hell?  It was New Year's Eve for crying out loud AND we were at a wedding.  We had hot shoes and shiny, pretty jewelry and sexy little dresses and make up with extra oomph.  Hot!  Do I have pictures to prove it?  Nope.  Dumb ass me forgot to charge the camera battery before we left.  You'll have to believe me until I can snag some from Mo and Mags.  And Bruce. 

Oh yeah, the wedding.  A little unconventional- the details aren't important.  What matters is that they were a super cute couple who could only look at each other.  She was BEAMING.  And, I got to reconnect with people I haven't seen in way too long.  Like 10 years or so.  I had a frickin blast.  Conversations were hilarious and clearly fueled by the Hosted Bar bartender.  That guy was happy with the pours and the customers were happy with him.  Met some new friends who had me in stitches and just when I was feeling guilty and lonely for my kiddos- Bromund's squishable baby boy let me hold him and dance with him and gave me drooly kisses on my face. 

Ok, so the night ended with some minor rum fueled drama in the parking lot- 4 FRICKING MILES!- you know who you are!  And, Maggie wasn't feeling so hot.... Hmm.  Can't imagine why.  But we went back to the casino, ate at Denny's, and hit the sack at 3:45.  It was a throwback to when we all started hanging out and reminded me that I can no longer hang like that on a regular basis.  I am more tired than I can really handle yet I can't stop smiling about it all.  Looks like 2011 is going to be a good year! 

Pop Quiz Hot Shot!

It's time for our favorite new game show!  Where contestants find random pictures on their computer and have to look for the date taken in order to figure out which child it actually is!  Now, with our at home game, everyone can play!  It's time to play- Is it Ella or Breckin?!?!?*

Soggy Pumpkin Patch, CHECK!

Well, we made it.  One more year of delusions that Seattle will be sunny in late October so we put off the pumpkin patch trip as long as possible by lying to ourselves that we do it because we don't want rotten pumpkins.  Meanwhile, we allow ourselves to rot a little by tromping around in the muddiest places on the planet in search of vegetables.  Sure, we'll pay obscene prices for produce at the grocery store cause there's no way in hell we'll take the time and muddy effort to grow our own but Dang It! we are going to a pumpkin patch come hell or highwater to get a squash.  Cynical?  Only because this year was the wettest, coldest, muddiest I've been and I didn't even jump in lakes, er, I mean puddles or fall in a slick patch of mudslime like my crazy little man.

Don't get me wrong.... I had a really good time.  We found a fantastic little family owned place in Enumclaw.  We managed to do all of the outdoor activites including "Uncle Steve's Redneck Sandbox"- a mostly buried hot tob filled with dirt- seconds before the torrential downpour that had us trapped in the covered Corn Box for half an hour.  And, the kicker?  We didn't even get pumpkins there.  We didn't make it to the patch portion before the monsoon so we hightailed it out of there- stopping only to inhale a dozen mini donuts on the way to the car- and got pumpkins at Foleys and Safeway instead.  Breckin had a total blast.  He was allowed, even encouraged, to stomp and jump in the biggest puddles he could find.  He fell belly first in a large patch of matted grass/mud/soggy boot slime.  He rolled around in a giant pit of dried corn niblets.  He saw animals, rode in a tractor train, blew giant bubbles, and raced a rubber ducky down a water chute. 

Pumpkins got carved.  Cider was drank.  We even tivo-d the Hawks game for when we got back.  Ella could have cared less and was not amused by any of it but she maintained sanity most of the time.  Next year, I'll have two mud monsters by the end of the day. 

 

Ah Damn.

Ella got up the stairs today.  She's been real deal crawling for a little over a week.  I mean, motoring with both knees coordinated and head down and hands cruising and little raw red marks on her knees by the end of the day crawling.  She inches towards the office.  Stops by the dog toy bin.  Keeps heading down the hall and HOLY GRAIL there's the stairs.  What is more perfect than a small, reachable ledge that's just the right height for stubby legs to swing themselves up on?  Stairs are not going to move out from under you.  They aren't going to get up and walk away (like when your doggie is sitting nicely against the couch and you grab her collar and stand up all wobbly like and your doggie looks at you like what the hell? and walks away and you fall on your face).  And, your big brother left his nice little bucket of trains on the landing so all you have to do is crawl and shimmy and swing your way up two little perfect-baby-height stairs.  Done!  Throw each and every train out of the bucket knocking yourself in the heels with half of them.  Done! 

Where did my little baby go?  I used to set her down on her kangaroo blankie in the living room and unload the dishwasher, fold some laundry, and vaccuum and know perfectly well that she'd still be there chewing on Big Bird's nose when I was done.  Smiling and laughing and perfectly content.  Damn!  Those days are over! 

I mean, yay for growth and all but LAME!  Now I am on the chase.  My saving graces are the exersaucer and the playpen.  Fortunately she still loves to get in both of those.  I am screwed when those have seen their day. 

Oh yeah, Breckin said I had a unique perspective.  And, read a new book all by himself.  And sent Daddy an email.  And, knows how to click on the Add to Wish List button when he sees toys on the computer that he likes.  And, plays computer games on playhousedisney.com and nickjr.com.  Again, where the hell did my babies go?

It's A Small World After All

Guess what?  Breckin's Kindergarten teacher was my 4th grade teacher.  Seriously.  And, I'm 42 miles from where I went to school.  (I just made that number up, I don't really know how far and am too lazy to go google it.)  We got the letter saying he had Mrs. Blevins and I thought to myself, Hmmm, I had a Mrs Blevins when I was in elementary school.  Isn't that weird.  But, that was 20 years ago-CHOKE- and there's no way it's the same lady. 

Wait.  She was doing her student teaching or maybe 1st year of teaching as a "helper" in my 3/4 split class.  The main teacher was Mrs. Singer and Mrs. Blevins was sooo young.  Like maybe 24 or so.  Plus the 20 years between my 4th grade class and now.  So 44.  What does the nice secretary at school tell me?  Oh, she's probably in her mid 40s and has taught for a long time.  Huh.  Weird coincidence.  Go to meet Mrs. Blevins today at Breckin's "meet the teacher" before school actually starts.  I knew from the moment I saw her it was her.  Same face.  WACKY BANANAS.  She taught at Sunrise for 14 years after I was there.  Guess what happened THE YEAR after she left to move to Maple Valley?  I did my student teaching at Sunrise to finish my Masters.  We missed working together by 1 school year.  WACKY BANANAS.

Let's all sing together now.  It's a small world after all, it's a small, small world.
 

The big trip.

Fruit snacks   $1.00
Paint, crayons, markers, glue   $5.42
R2D2 lunchbox    $6.99
lunch at Red Robin   $22.18
play time at Kids Quest   $0.00 cause Grandma and Bapa are the coolest and got us a membership
New Buzz Lightyear undies   $5.99

Getting choked up while picking out a Batman backpack in Target just thinking about the first bus trip, the first day of school, the first recess, and 12 years of childhood flashing before my eyes. 

Priceless.

I'm not ready and he is.  It's not fair. 

Breckin, meet your match

On Tuesday nights, Dustin has bowling league.  So, it's up to me to provide dinner for one carefree adult, one exhausted child, and one relentlessly happy baby.  It's up to me to entertain said group and it's usually up to me to put those three to bed.  Unless, one some occassions, Dustin gets home earlier than bedtime and stirs the sleepy pot with Daddy excitement. 

Last night, this carefree adult, partially exhausted child, and happy baby chose hot dogs and mac N cheese for dinner.  Don't knock it- everyone was fed and pleased.  Then, because the sun appeared, we wanted to play outside.  At the tube slide park.  Up the hill.  Cool.

I didn't want to have an aching back (silly, me) so I thought, hey!  Why don't I stick Ella in the front seat of the double stroller w/o her car seat so she can see where we are going and not get so hot in that thing?  Great!  Bust out the stroller, get Ella set up, Breckin jumps on the back running board and away we go. 

Two houses down.

We invite Kellen and Mikah along with us- the more the merrier at the park, I say.  They play so well together... I'd take them anywhere.  Except, my master plan of alleviating my back gets trashed.  All three of the age 5+ children hopped on the running board together.  Superfun!  Folks, that's 150 lbs + of children.  Plus the 20 lb one up front.  Plus the 20 lb stroller.  Dammit- why didn't I just strap the Ergo on and make Breckin walk?

I don't know but up the hill we go.  Up and up and up the hill.  Breckin says "Yay!  We are finally there!"  Kellen says "I thought we weren't going to make it in time for my bedtime."  Oh, Kellen.  Go play, sweetie.  Mommy's arms are no longer attached and I can't feel my calves.

Play play play.  Everyone had a great time.  We leave at 7:55.  Everyone hopped back on for the ride back- downhill is just fine for an overloaded stroller.  In fact, it's more fun cause it feels like it's out of control.  Whee!

Breckin:  We should have a playdate.  I like playing with Kellen and Mikah.
Kellen:  We don't want to have too much excitement.  When I get exhausted like that, I just fall asleep.

Seriously?  That's pretty wise thinking for a 5 year old.  I don't think Breckin meant right that minute- maybe a later date.  But, it's words like those for why I love Kellen and think he's such a good match for Buddy.  They bust out with some of the funniest things I've heard and they are both comfortable with punching each other in the middle of the back like it's the greatest form of love.  Kellen, I'd take you to the park anyday.

Oh, hell. McStuff with no pics.

Yeah, it's Monday again.  Yeah, I had another "1 lb week."  I'm not losing weight (well, technically, I am cause I am throwing old stuff out of the house and that's a bigger weight for me than my body ever will be) but I am losing stuff.  Slowly.  So slowly that the average person couldn't really tell.  But, if I just showed up one Monday with a miraculously clean craft room, this journey of the McStuff Monday would be a joke.  And a mini-series.  I'm going for a 6-season, epic battle with my stuff.  I will win but it's really hard for me. 

I have a hard time getting rid of my stuff.  Mostly, my craft stuff.  What if I need it one day?  It's raw materials and what if Breckin has a craft project for school that requires a small square of neon orange felt?  If I throw that scrap away, I'll kick myself for having to buy another one.  I'm not a hoarder, people, but I'm as close as you can get without the germiness and rotting food and inability to walk through rooms.  I have squiggle scissors that I got when scrapbooking first took off- in 1995.  I have fabric that my Grandma Mary used to have in her stash and have vowed to make a mini-quilt someday with them but haven't found the perfect pattern.  I have 2 oz jars of acrylic paint in every color imagineable cause I've painted with them- even if just a small drop- at some point in the last 10 years.  What do I get rid of? 

Well, this weekend, I got rid of scraps of paper, fabric, and ribbon smaller than my hand.  That was my guideline.  Know what?  I got rid of a large Nordy's bag full of scraps.  If I need them, oh well.  I still have a wall of shelves of other, larger pieces that will have to work.  

I still have those empty bins waiting to be filled and I still can't decide what should go in them.  The table is still cluttered with stuff but one of the boxes is actually just holding empty bins.  My next project is the photos.  I know we have multiples of most photos and I'm ready to pare them down.  They will all go in albums until the day comes that I can scrapbook them.  One of these days, you WILL see a clean room.  And then, season 2 will begin cause it'll take me even longer to tackle another space.  Who knows, I might interject another McStuff room in the middle of this one.... The fridge and pantry are looking mighty McStuffy...

Gettin' Itchy

Here's something I realized:  Today, I was bored at work.  And, in the last 12 years, I haven't lived in one place for more than 2 years at a time.  Serioulsy. 

I went off to college in 1998, lived in a different dorm or apartment each year, moved into a different apt after graduating, hopped back home for a while, then to Issaquah from 2005-2007.  We've been in our Maple Valley place since Sept 2007 and this is the longest I've been in the same place since I was a kid.  I lived in the same house from the age of 5 til I left for college... so I should be content to be in one spot for a long time, right?  Nope.  I don't know why but I'm gettin itchy. 

And, not move across town itchy.  Like today, I was looking at property in Scotland.  And, how to apply for a work visa in the UK.  And job openings in Glasgow.  Like, it went that far.  Here's what else I realized.  I don't think I have the drive/guts/ability to sell our place and uproot my kids/husband and actually follow through with it.  For now, I'm content to have window shopped living in Scotland.  It would kill me to move away from all the people I love but dammit, my beautiful mother raised an independent, do-it-if-it-kills-you kind of girl.  I think if the house would sell and Dustin would be on board, I'd follow through.  What does that say? 

Here's the house that I think would be fun.

  Really?  What's so appealing about that?  Is this my mid-life crisis? 

Here's what I THINK is happening.  My momma raised my sister and I to feel totally comfortable on our own.  Went to summer camps for a week by ourselves at 1st grade.  Flew to see grandparents (not on our own) every summer.  Went to Europe with other students in high school.  Flew to see them in Indy in college.  Went to Cambridge University on my own in college.  Took the subway to London and stayed in a hostel in White Chapel late at night by myself.  I'm used to just up and doing stuff.  AND, I LOVED England/Scotland.  LOVED it.  I would live there in a heartbeat. 

I think I'm missing my travelling days and feeling bogged down by life and wish I was able to just go.  Only, this time, I want to bring my family.  I stayed in a house similar to the one above when I was in Cambridge.  I went to Scotland every weekend I could and backpacked across the Highlands.  I MISS it.  I want to show Dustin and my kids the beauty of that place and heck, I'd just stay there.

But, on the same token, I love my house.  I love my neighborhood.  It almost makes me cry when I think about how wonderful and loving and fabulous our neighbors are because I grew up on a street just like ours and I CHERISH my childhood.  They love my kids.  I want to stay where I'm at and raise my kids in the same house for the entirety of their childhood.  I want to give them what my parents gave me.  Freedom and independence and confidence.  I want them to have roots and wings.  For that, I'm just fine with window shopping my other life. 

A brick, drafty, narrow house with the washing machine in the kitchen and no dryer and a small garden in the back with wild guinea pigs and bedrooms too small for a double bed and a toaster built into the oven and tea 8 times a day will have to wait.... 

Screaming Kids and a Smart Mom

I am patting myself on the back.  I don't do it very often but today, I deserve it.  After attending one of Breckin's little buddy's birthday party at a local, generic Small People's Gym Class Place, we decided to have Breckin's 5th Birthday Party just like his.  I can bring my over-excited, nearly-fainting-from-anxiety wild man to an air-conditioned, gated facility.  They will provide paper plates, napkins, party bags, and bubbles.  They will also provide a FANTASTIC, energetic, enthusiastic young adult to run my kid ragged while singing as many train songs as the world holds.  He will dump buckets of oddly shaped foam things on their heads, give them drumming sticks to hit on whatever they please, shove them into giant barrels, knock them off of a bouncy air log, encourage them to jump wildly into a pit of inner tubes, and lead them in a parade of idiots.

At one point, I glanced out from my cushy bench to see four boys with bright red faces and soggy hair laughing hysterically at how many times they could fall over, two girls chasing each other over a bridge, a 1 yr old playing basketball, some kid stuck in a stack of innertubes with his legs flailing above him, and a little boy being rolled- much to his delight- inside of a brightly colored barrel like he was going over Niagara.  Ok, there were 2 kids who weren't so sure of this madness and chose to sit quietly and play their DS but, hey, they were 10 and clearly much too cool for this kind of nonsense.  Except when I caught them chasing mini bubbles and flipping on the giant sofa cushiony landing pad.  Mmmm hmmm.  The best part?  The parachute.  Remember when you were a kid and someone hauled out that huge parachute with the handles and the jerk across from you yanked that thing so hard that your arms fell off?  Oh. yeah.  Pile those kids on top, have parents yank that sucker up and down, and the ripples are sure fire giggle-makers. 

Then- because there are no rules- all the kids sit down on the floor.  Quietly.  The first time they were asked.  And given cupcakes and juice/water.  They could make a mess and I didn't have to clean it up.  They could yell as loud as they wanted and they weren't told to quiet down.  They could bang on stuff, jump off stuff, land on their heads, tackle each other, and throw things and it was OK.  It was worth every penny to go to someone else's place and let them go hog wild.  I left with my brain intact, a smile on my face, a tired kid, and happy friends.  Pat pat pat.  Right on my back.  Happy Birthday, Breckin!

Updates and Good News and Stuff

Update:  Breckin was watching the news with me last night as I was making dinner and getting ready to go to Zumba.  He sat patiently through the various reports of car crashes (he loves it when they show the ambulances and fire trucks), updates of the volcano (LOVES that one), and weather report.  I turn my back to help Ella reach her lost Little People puppy- who is really taking one on the ear due to her need to gnaw on stuff- and hear this:

Breckin:  Mommy! MOMMY! You'll never believe this!  Daddy is going to be SO excited!!!!  At this point, he's jumping up and down and running up and down the hallway  His favorite show is coming back on tomorrow at fourteen firty.  (Hey, when I quote, I quote exactly.  For those not in the know of 4 year old time telling, that's 4:30.)  We better tell him so he can watch it!

Me:  Whoa.  What are you talking about, buddy?  Calm down.

Breckin:  I'll give you some clues.  Dramatically stands still, holds his hands out in "just stop right there" stance.  Looks at me with a very serious face.  There are guys who throw something.  Guys who catch something.  And lots of guys who just tackle all over each other.  Huge grin cause he's so proud he came up with three, good clues.

Me:  Oh, no.  Not football.  Daddy IS going to be excited.

Breckin:  YES!!! YES!!!  Daddy will LOVE THIS news!!!!  Commence running up and down the hallway pretending to tackle things.  Actually tackle Tiki.

And, what did we forget to do?  Tell Daddy.  Hey, Daddy- there's football on this weekend.  There's no foolin anyone in our house about how much football you watch.  It is, after all, your favorite show and Breckin is now programmed to keep you in mind when he sees commercials. 

In other news:  My engagement ring (but not the wedding band) fits back on my ring finger.  Oh, you didn't know I was still swollen/pregnant in the hands?  Yep.  I am.  Last time, I gained 1 1/2 shoe sizes during the pregnancy and that lovely change decided to stick around to this day.  This time, it's the hands.  Here's the bad part:  I had a cheeseburger for lunch and my fingers swelled up again so both rings are back on my pinky.  It's an hour by hour update.  I refuse to enlarge the rings. 

Stuff:  Ella rolled over back-to-front and front-to-back but no one saw it.  She was chillin on her playmat, talking with her green frog, on her back.  I turned my back to take Tiki up to her crate and when I came back down, she was on her belly.  I gave her a quick kiss and congrats.  Got Breckin in his shoes and jacket for school, turned around, and she was back on her back.  Hoisted her up to congratulate her again, apologize for her being the 2nd child and me forgetting to have the camera ready, and packed both kids out the door for the day.  Sorry, Ella.  We'll get something on film.... I promise.  Oh, how life changes.