Birthdays

I am so behind.  We had two very special birthdays!  Baba and Logan!

Yeah that's right I forgot to buy candles so there is Baba saving the day with invisible ones because don't you know 3 year olds know just how to blow out invisible candles.

Motorcycle cake!!

Sophia and Logan had this solid plan of buying plants for Baba and they picked out everything sooooo much fun!

What Sophia picked for Logan.

It was a really great day. 

Sophia "Mama I'm sad, because I don't get to share my birthday with anyone like Logan does."

That Logan is one lucky fella!

Happy Birthday Baba!

Happy Birthday my little 3 year old!

Birthday's Coming Soon!

A direct quote from the almost birthday boy!

"Baba cake flowers one two.  One motorcycle cake one flower cake Baba yeah!  Sleep wake up sleep wake up yeah cake.
Two cake yeah"

What more is there to say, he knows what he wants.

Sometimes...

Sometimes one of these just makes everything all better.

Hair picks

I think I am now officially in the living and though my kids are still a wee bit iffy, it is time to get back to posting.  As promised the pic of the haircut...  I must say at first blush I was not impressed but now that I am feeling back to my cheery self I must admit they look a bit sporting.
Oh how I love those two faces with or without the hair.

Long Weekend!

Oh how I love long weekends but this one... this one I am willing to give back.  Spent the first two days moving from the couch to bed and back again and today so behind on the weekend work (laundry, toy pick up, weekly planning) hat I completely overdid it and feel the need to go back to bed!

 In the midst of all of the required to function rest my darling husband decided he needed a haircut and then Logan wanted the same.... The only way to describe it is in pictures which will have to wait until tomorrow...

I rest in the knowledge that they both have good shaped heads and that hair grows back.

Birthday Boy

"Happy Birthday Honey"
"30 this year"
"You mean 34."
"I'm not 34 I'm 32!"
"That's right you're 32 Honey."

Who says I'm not sly!

Happy Birthday David!

Bad For You

"Mommy today we made snowmen at pre-school with candy cereal, you know the round ones like cheerios but the kind that's bad for you."

"Cool."

"Yeah but I left it at school, can we go back and get it so I can eat it?  I will eat vegetables later."

"Why sure."

She loves pre-school.  We stop in to pick up her snowman and the teachers come over and great us and take time to catch me up on what's happening.  It's such a lovely place we are soooooo lucky!

Sno....nope

Last week or there abouts we got a bit of snow. 

Now if there is one true deal about me...I am nuts for the stuff. 

I love it.

So at 5:00am when I awoke without the aid of my alarm clock because of the snow hush.  What did I do?  I got my kids up and in their gear and out into the back yard (yes I am sure my neighbors do not like me).

 It was awesome and true to Washington form by 6:00 it was raining.

Look at that beautiful mushy mess!

Lovely Leaves

This photo was taken back in November but it is my current favorite!

This is so them!  It's hard to believe how much they have grown.  I wish they would stay little just a bit longer.

Auntie Visit

We had an awesome visit with Aunt Hillarie and Dylan.

A little nail painting.

Truck playing.

Gift opening.... Check out the amazing dream catchers... If you are in the market for one I know a talented aunt that could make you one!

Drawing of said aunt.

Racing cars and hangin' with Dylan.  Was an awesome visit hope they come again soon!

Dinner Party

We go annually to a dinner party of a friend and get all gussied up.

Don't ask me...

Matching outfits made by Mimi.

Haircut--race car---movie?? Anyone?

This place was the bomb!

Looking dapper.

and sweet.

Fridays with Baba

Fridays we are lucky that my mom Baba can drive down and take care of the kids while David and I work.  I have been sneaking quietly in to catch them playing "nap time"  "Store"  "house" as well as drawing and a million other things.  Here are a few shots I got before they realized I was here.

It's such a treat for me to come home and see the kids so happily engaged in play.  David and I know how truly lucky we are to have her help and even more than that we know how blessed the kids are to get her time and attention on Fridays!

We love you Baba!

Great Grandma's Hat

A stop at Baba's house always must include a quick sneak into the guest room. 

Why you ask?

Well of course to wear the hat that Great grandma wore to Baba and Pop's wedding.

and to brush the dog that momma bought Pop for christmas long ago with the brush that was Baba's when she was a baby.

... and of course to sit in the princess chair.

You see this is all very important to a girl of 4.

Ode to Blue

We lost a valued, loved part of our family this week.  His heartbeat in our house is so greatly missed it is hard to imagine him not coming home.
Blue our faithful, trusted companion and first child for 12 years is gone.

It's so hard to describe the important place this chubby stubbornly sweet dog took in our lives.

He was David's ears barking and creating a fuss when people came to the door.

Phia's first and most patient playmate allowing her to dress him in the most ridiculous outfits.
Logan's first frenemy above Blue gave him a nice kiss to get him to move over so he could snuggle with Phia.

My walking buddy annoyingly happy to walk at 5:00am in any type of weather.

Arriving home from the vet I put the kids in the bath and sat down on the floor to take a breath automatically reaching over to the empty space that was Blue to pet him.

Woke up in the middle of the night to a quiet room without his bear like snore.

Stepped out of bed in the morning and stepped over his empty place.

Made my way down the stairs for a run holding the door open for the emptiness that didn't need to go out.

Arrived home from work and opened the door to a quiet home and reached in automatically to get him a dog treat.

Followed Phia in and out of the bathroom since Blue isn't there to keep the monsters at bay.

I won't miss picking up poop, the constant water puking and the ridiculously bad tooting but I would take it all back to have our guy back.

He was the best food vacuum, he was quick to come when needed and most importantly he was a much loved member of our family.

Today when we were coming back from the park we saw a rabbit running willy nilly through the field and I am quite sure it was Blue giving him a good chase.

Good Boy Blue! Get that rabbit but don't bring it home Mommy's allergic.

Be courageous

There she stands the tallest in her class my little girl growing and learning with all her might.  She stands at the ready excited and loving that she alone, is going to school. (Little brothers are not aloud you know).  I miss the excitement of that first day,  but she tells me all the important things.  She is the "Rock Princess" as her shirt announces and that her skirt is perfect for being a pirate.  All her old friends have gone on to kindergarten but that's ok because now there are new ones.  Except Sydney who she wishes "was just a little more her age and not bigger."   She tells me that a mommy liked her skirt and she told her that I could give her the pattern because I made it and then she could make one for her little girl.  That Mr. Tonio (Antonio) doesn't have a toehawk (mohawk) like daddy said and that he is still very tall.  That she likes her new teacher and that she wants to write "a newsletter for Daddy but don't tell him it's a secret."  That her favorite word is still courageous and that she liked playing kitchen with the boys.

I listen...
children maybe born to us or raised by us, but they are really only ours for a short time.  The world is ready for sweet Sophia and she ready for it, even though I am not ready to give her up.  I guess though, I am happy to share her.

Be courageous  Phia, Mommy is watching.

Rookie Mommy Mistake

So Mommy made a herself a huge mistake.  There was one of those little carnivals new our supermarket a few weeks ago.  Well... without thinking we decided to pull in and put the kids on a few rides.  There was a little roller coaster, cars and a bear ride.  The kids were so so so excited Logan was giggling in delight at the idea of riding the bear.  Well we marched our happy behinds up there and my heart just broke. Alas Logan was too short to ride any of the rides.  I had already talked with Sophia that she could only ride the ones Logan could and she was fine with that.  When we realized though that he couldn't ride anything well lets just say I had a moment.

Sophia bless her 4 year old love filled heart, she looked and David and I and said "Momma don't worry we can just go to the carousel at the beach." (Jantzen Beach) Signing to David hurry Dad horses.  Then she took her brother by the hand and talked about how we would go "and maybe we could get ice cream after if we are real sweet."  Well Logan had himself a full on 2 year old tantrum (and rightfully so in my mind he wanted to ride the dang rides) and Sophia just went right along telling him how it was OK and that we would do something else fun and not to cry. (Have I said how proud I was?  I actually sat in the front of the car all teary eyed listening to her.)

...and I'll be damned if she wasn't right we did have a great time.

...and they were real sweet and did get themselves an ice cream

I think he forgave his Momma for the little error in judgement.

p.s. we did drive clear around that supermarket until the carnival was gone... good riddance I say (I hope he is tall enough next year!

Ode to the little helper

This little one is always "helping".  If there are tools involved it's that much more exciting.  He is almost always carrying one tool or another (that later then becomes some type of weapon).  We recently went into a store and there was a burnt out light and he made sure to tell the checker.  "Broke, Broke"

"Broke MINE Help MINE"

Dog days of summer...

Well if we are talking grayhounds then I would agree.  I feel as though the days are screaming by.  My next few days of posts will actually be from last week when our family was visiting.  Here are two of my absolute favorite pics from their visit.

KA KA KA WA WA

Working in Baba's yard watering ..."Wa Wa Wa"

and cutting "Ka Ka Ka"

Happily out and about in Baba's yard.