Free time

I don't work on Tuesdays, and it's Larry's last day of vacation, and both kids are in VBS until noon today. What to do, what to do?

Yesterday we went berry picking, we intended on just getting some strawberries before the season was over, but they said their first crop of raspberries was ready TODAY. So we did both. 22 pounds of strawberries and 7 pounds of raspberries. Yum-O. Now to process them!

Then I had to dash out the door to meet my co-workers for a girls night. Two of our vendors sent us some nice gifts so we had the early bird dinner at Hearthfire (BBQ Prawns for me, delish) and then watched The Proposal. Ryan Reynolds. ScarJo is a lucky woman. I have had a celeb-crush on Ryan since the days of Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place. He is the perfect balance of funny and sexy.

Then I came home and screwed around of facebook for awhile and got some of the best news I've heard in a very, very long time about a dear friend of mine. But I have to wait to gloat. But I went to sleep with tears of joy in my eyes for her.

It was a good Monday.




Larry usually ignores me when I have a camera aimed at him, so I said "come on, look at me!" so he did. This is all I got. Maybe he was uncomfortable because all the Mennonite (or whatever they are) women kept staring at him like he was a alien. (Why are MEN picking berries? That's women's work!)
Shumway's berries, in my opinion the sweetest berries in Whatcom county. Larry also found a dirty strawberry, heh-heh.
Julie and Jackie enjoyed their Lemon drops, I had a Kamikaze.

A very nice meal, thank you Charlie!

photos

For some reason none of my photos will upload to blogger, it says they are uploaded, but there is nothing there.
So I've posted the marathon pics on my facebook page, and I hope to get some pictures from our pizza party posted there too.
Dang it!

13.1

The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start. -John J. Bingham

Kate the wonder-runner and I finished our first (of many to come) half-marathon! We are nearly crippled by the experience, but strengthened to know that next time it will be easier, and that pain is temporary, pride is forever.

Kate says she's going to commemorate the event (and future ones) with little tattoos. I think the locks would be changed at my house (and my mothers too) if I came home with ink. I think my brother is tattooed enough for the both of us, and my mom can't bear to have another child's body marked for life. And Larry? I don't know what his problem is. I was kind of thinking of getting a blacklight tattoo, then nobody could see it unless I shone a black light on it, but I'd still know it was there.

Well, every inch of me is sore, we'll see what tomorrow brings in the ways of pain! I can't wait for my next race!

*For some reason Blogger isn't uploading any other pictures besides this one of Kate at our half-way marker. More to come (I hope!)

Pizza Pleasure

Our pizza party turned out to be a lot of fun, the mood was festive, the children were all happy, and there was great conversation all around. I hope everyone enjoyed themselves as much as our family did!
I've got to finish packing and snuggle my kids and hubby one more time before Kate and I head south! I have to say we've been quite the scene trying to plan our itinerary. We both are so desperate for alone time (translation: no kids) that we keep bouncing around on all the activities and restaurants we want to go to. Seattle Outlets! PF Changs! Bellevue Square! The Old Spaghetti Factory! Pike Place! Buca di Beppo! Whole Foods! Uwajimaya! Cost Plus! Cheesecake Factory! And we've got to fit 13.1 miles into the middle of all of it!

P.S. There aren't any pictures yet because Larry likes to EFF around with the camera settings and now the pictures are in a .NEF file instead of a .JPG so they won't download. Then I have to convert each picture into a jpeg before Blogger will upload it. Grrrr.

2 more days!

Random pictures for your viewing pleasure:
The homeland security helicopter at Lake Samish. We walked right into a high-speed car chase when we met Larry down here during his bike ride. He had to jump into a ditch to get to safety! The copter is looking for the guys and they pulled one out of the water after they ditched the car and tried to run.
Katie forgot to bring a ball so she drug in the entire line of swim buoy's. Then I realized that she got her tooth stuck in the buoy and couldn't get free so Larry had to wade in and rescue her before she drowned. At least there were 20 police officers around to help if needed.

Heather the vigil ante called the police and reported these suspicious looking men at the skate park. Two of them came riding up the hill in a very nice bike and a tricycle (usually disabled people are the ones riding tricycles) and I found it kind of strange that these able bodied men had such nice bikes (the other was a cruiser). Then they met some friends and they all took turns riding the bikes, which I also found odd. If they were their bikes, why would their buddies find them so fascinating? Then one of the riders got in a car and drove off. So I called the police, mostly because of the tricycle. If they stole that from someone who really needed it...

Larry is planning on joining the circus.

I'm getting so excited about the Rock and Roll Marathon (well, half marathon) on Saturday! I think Kate and I are both equally excited to be A. Doing something that is solely for ourselves and makes us healthier, happier humans; and B. We have 36 hours without responsibility! I have to admit, it's crossed our minds to skip the marathon and sleep in, eat indulgently, and leisurely putter around Seattle. We don't get to "piddle" anymore.

Even tonight when I went for my walk, I walked down to Haggen to grab some benadryl lotion for Natalie (who has a icky rash from some sunscreen) I found myself browsing the lotion and body wash aisle. It was so nice to just browse without threatening the lives of small children.

But I won't have any time to get anxious about the race. I have to work bright and early tomorrow, shop for some groceries, come home and clean, babysit two children for two hours, then prepare to host my Domino's Pizza Party for 50 people and hope like hell it doesn't rain or else it will be a cozy party! But fun nonetheless.

I should have seen it coming

Natalie frequently writes me letters and draws me pictures. They don't differ much in what they say or look like. Until yesterday.
She brought me the card and read it to me. "Dear Mom, I love you ever time. And you love me ever time. Thanks for having me. Love, Natawee" Huh, the 'thanks for having me' part is new. Then I opened the card and saw a picture of me and a picture of Natalie. But there was something else that had never been there before. Little squiggly scribbles at the bottom of the circles that is our body/head.
Natalie described the picture for me. "That's you and that's me and I came out of your tummy. And there is your pee-pee, and there is my pee-pee. I came out of your pee-pee!"

Oh god, I'm in trouble with this one.

***There is no photo since you drew it all in yellow and it just doesn't copy well. And I don't really want all of you seeing my pee-pee!

Winthrop Part Deux

A cool Marmot lair was behind our campsite.

Dad getting his Fathers day gift from Natalie.

Brady with another hole in his head.

Granny slaving over the campfire.

We had to stop and catch our breath over the vista.

The lazy bucks.

Yet another beautiful view on my walk.

Did you know that Old Western Marshall's drove around in purple glittery TransAm/Camaro/Firebirds?

The kids had no idea what I was trying to get them to do in this photo, hence the expressions.

I think this was hole 8, a real toughy. Joe and Grandma Honey are checking out Larry's position.

Got Bedhead?

Home again, home again, jiggity jig.

Back from the East

I've been knee deep in laundry and dishes (and filthy feet) so I'll post more tomorrow about our trip. Some highlights:
-Brady lost his tooth the first morning we were there.
-Larry rode from Winthrop to Liberty Bell and back down (5500 feet of climbing in 33 miles, then 33 miles right back down).
-I got 2 days of walking in and saw a coyote and 4 lazy forky deers.
-I realized that we are quickly outgrowing van-camping. My poor van was at capacity.
-We missed Katie. Everyone had their dogs and we left her behind because we thought it would be too hot for her (and we had no room in the van).

The back side of Liberty Bell and the Early Winters Peaks. Larry told his mom he wanted a picture because he and a friend are going to climb Liberty Bell this summer. His mom had a few words for him about this idea.
If Katie's face got any longer, it'd be on the sidewalk. She was so sad to see us go.
Thank goodness for side-view mirrors.

Schools out for summer!

Brady has officially become a 1st grader, and he's also about 2 seconds from losing another tooth. We leave tomorrow morning for 4 days in Winthrop! I think I'll pretend I'm a lizard and find a rock to lay on over there. See you Sunday!


A very nice bunch of boys.
Mrs. Roberts and Brady.

Someone was a little excited about all the hoopla going on (lots of air guitar, break dancing, and wrestling).

Pomp and Circumstance

A few highlights of Josh's graduation celebration (in apparently no particular order, thank you blogger):
Katie was banished to the laundry room for the party (she's a food thief and a licker). Afterward when I let her out, I found this. Natalie felt she would be more comfortable with a blanket, a pillow (her brothers though) and Big Bear. Such a thoughtful little girl.
Ellis decided that cake was best enjoyed as a full body experience. Is his new nickname "Frosting Fanny"?

My dad would be so proud.

The bow really ties the outfit together.

Aunt Tracy and Ellis having a little chat among the monster trucks.

Proud Mama and the Graduate.

A moment to savor and enjoy.

DONE!

A piece by Josh that was proudly displayed in the school. I think he got his mom's artistic sensibilities!

"The Buoy". His teacher found this buoy on the shore while they were on a retreat and wrote Josh a poem called "The Buoy" about being resilient, stable, and strong. What a wonderful gift.

Larry and I couldn't stop giggling. It reads: "Please do not turn the heater up to 80+ It is TOO HOT, so stop it. Yr (you're) being dramatic". Awesome.

Elbow grease

That's what Larry is getting for Father's day. And a pair of Nike sunglasses (which is what he got for Father's day last year too.)
But here is what I wanted to give Larry for Father's day last year, but I just didn't have the time or energy for it. This year I'm going to make it happen. Because I really don't want to drive around in a pink truck either.

How do I quelch the anger?(NEVERMIND)

The proud friends and the graduate (who is really almost as tall as Larry):

I just sat down to upload all the photos that were taken yesterday at Josh's graduation. I had a big idea for one picture in particular. When the camera finished uploading... there were 8 photos. 8! And only 3 were OK.

I know how it happened, but the responsible party left for a bike ride about 5 minutes before I discovered this problem. He's probably lucky he's riding as far away from me as possible right now.

I feel sick to my stomach. I have a real hard time when photos are lost because you can't simply go take more. I am so pissed I can hardly see straight.

***Since I threw my husband under the bus, it's only fair that I throw myself under as well... I got the bright idea to look in the camera bag in case there might be another memory card because my husband can't be that big of a ding-dong, right? Right. There, tucked in the front pocket of the camera bag was our primary memory card. And on it was over 50 more photos! So even though he never knew that fury that I was aiming his direction this morning, I'm sorry Larry!

More photos to come... :)

Bringing up the Rear

I just "ran" my first 5K in the Human Race today. I think I was last (minus the cheaters who cut the course) but it doesn't matter, I did the whole thing without stopping! Hurray for me! I'd post my time, but I'm not sure what it was exactly, but regardless it was over 30 minutes, but less than 45.
Now... I'm off to shower and go watch my favorite senior graduate high school tonight!

Little Babushka

There is a little Russian couple that walks the sidewalks near my moms house. He wears a Fedora and tweed jacket, she wears a house dress and scarf over her hair. I always wish I could sneak up behind them and take their photo.
Today the Babushka was alone. I watched her as I drove by and she literally stopped to smell the roses. It was so cute. She walked halfway up someones driveway, bent over, took in a deep breath, stood up and continued her walk.
I love catching people enjoying their life.

June 10, 2001

I didn't realize what day it was but was aware that I seemed very "unaware" of my life. I showed up late to work and missed a meeting that I was supposed to lead. My daughter was late to camp. I got a jog in this morning, but it seemed really labored.

Then at work it came time that I needed to date something. I was aware that today is the 10 year anniversary of the Pipeline explosion and the death of 3 young people. But it wasn't until I wrote the date down did I realize that it's been 8 years since I lost my dad.

It was the quickest, dirtiest, fight I've ever fought. I truly feel like I lost that battle right along side my dad. It changed who I am, and I had to reacquaint myself with me once I began healing. I think I am a better, stronger, more grateful person because of my dad's fight. But there is also a permanent hole in my soul that is luckily lined with love and memories of him. I had the best relationship with him that I had ever had the last year of his life. I hate you, Cancer.

I also just got my anniversary letter in the mail from the Bone Marrow Program. I had to travel to Everett where they were having a Pow-Wow (Native celebration) to get signed up to be a donor. I took a friend from Costco, a developmentally disabled man by the name of James, I call him Jim. He signed up with me. We are forever bonded in our commitment to help others conquer blood cancer. Jim is a good man.

Who Wants to see my Naked Belly?!

The only reason I'm still conscious right now is because I'm waiting for a load (I am starting to see carpet in my hallway outside the laundry room!) of laundry to come out.

While Larry and I were repairing our screen this afternoon, our cute 3 year-old neighbor boy came up to our front door in his swimsuit, pressing his belly against the grate on our screen door yelling "Who wants to see my naked belly?" Say it in a Scottish accent (he doesn't have one, but he was saying is like Mike Meyers as Fat Bastard in the Austin Powers movie. "Who wants tah see mah nekid bellah?"

The toe and the bubble.

Today Kate and I did our "trial run" to get some serious miles under our belt. Well, we ended up almost walking the entire half-marathon (a half-marathon is 13.1 miles)! We headed out on the Interurban trail and turned around at Larrabee State Park (did you know that it's Washington's first state park? did I already tell you that?). Did I also tell you that my b/f/f Jackie thought Larrabee was a pet name for my husband? It wasn't, but it is now!
That brown strip is the creek where we started from at Arroyo park.
When all was said and done (#steps on top, actual miles on bottom):

What happens when you walk 12.14 miles with hot toes:

When I got home, Larry had "resolved" the REI problem. They screwed him. The wouldn't honor the 20% discount we got when we made the initial purchase because we ended up having to exchange the part for another version since they no longer carry what we wanted and they sold us an incomplete part in the first place. They said they couldn't give him the discount because we weren't "exchanging" it! Bullshit! So I got on the handy-dandy email and sent out a friendly but assertive email calling their b.s. Of course corporate agreed with me (am I ever wrong?) and they will be crediting us back our 20%. Oh, did I also mention that the replacement that we had to purchase also cost $50 more than the first one? Don't get me wrong, I love REI, but sometimes you get a dumbo behind the register, you know? Maybe he was out mushroom hunting before he came into work.

Larry went and put some miles in on his bike and we met up at Boulevard park where, get this, Natalie walked the entire boardwalk to and fro! My lazy girl didn't whine and moan (OK maybe a bit at the end). We had dinner at Dos Padres and capped off the evening with a soak in the Jacuzzi.

A backseat driver is born...

A strange sunset from my driveway.

Brady is thoroughly using the education he is getting. Using it to be a smartypants that is. He is constantly informing me of the speed limit, then if he can't see my speedometer he'll ask me how fast I'm going and if I've deviated from the speed I get a whole new batch of questions, usually in a scolding tone. He also likes to play DJ in the car. He knows what track numbers are his favorite songs on every CD in the car, and so no matter how I try to mix it up, he's always right there "after this song can you go to number 15?"

Tonight he also was desperate to hang out with his buddy Will, who happens to live at the end of our street (but across the main road). Will's parents are good friends with our neighbors, so Brady and Will have impromptu play dates here and there. Tonight Brady kept riding his bike to the end of our street and yelling to Will across the way trying to figure out a way to get together. The yelling must have paid off, because the next thing I know Will is in our driveway and they played until 9:00.

I jogged 3.5 miles this morning. The only other person on the track this morning was a non-descript male. Then he stopped running and started jumping rope at the corner of the track which immediately made me grip my stick because the only reason he's jumping rope is to choke me with it, right? So I ran around that part of the track a little faster, then by the time I came around to him again, he was dressing to leave and put on his Sheriff's flack jacket thing. Oh. Probably not going to choke me, huh? This is what it's like to have an imagination like mine. Are you sure you want to be friends with a nutjob like me?

AFTER THAT, we went to the farmers market where I bought an entire flat of Shumway's strawberries (my house smells delicious), and on to REI to try to exchange an roof rack part (what a friggin nightmare) and got some shorts and a really cute LIG shirt, and then to Freddie's to get some groceries, then home. I just couldn't do the other 3 errands I needed to do. Oh, and I cleaned both of my children's garbage dumps they call bedrooms. Phew!

Lucky Girl!

So this morning I got an email telling me that I won a Domino's American Legends Pizza House Party!

I've sent the invitations out, and can't wait to have a slice and a beer with some friends! I believe the party will be on June 25... still haven't heard from PW about my ice cream party. I've sent her 2 emails, do I shut up and wait? Or bug her incessantly until I get a response? ;)

I'm feeling very blessed these days... I wonder what brought all this good fortune to me? At least the prizes that I've won are prizes to be shared. I'm not really good at winning stuff that is purely for me, me, me. Guilty conscience and all. I'd be a really good Catholic if I was a believer.

Mish-Mash

Nuthin' really happened today, so I thought I'd just fill a post with random photos from the past week (and to get the "fat girl" comment I made about myself off my blog header). I would like to mention that tonight I ran a bit more than a mile... little bit by little bit.

Brady and his buddies having backpack wars after school. Why do boys look forward to whacking each other with a canvas bag full of items? If my girl friends did that to me, it'd be war!
Natalie celebrating the end of our walk. I asked her this week since she's so tall if she was going to be a volleyball player. "No. A cheerleader".
Katie fell asleep with her head in her food bowl... how can we fight her obesity with scenes like this playing out in our house?

Brady looking very preppy in his new clothes that Grandma Honey got for him.

Natalie pondering the meaning of life. Or how she was going to weasel more Doritos out of the picnic basket.

Erin and my entire entourage.

Erin found this great little beach that is very warm and very shallow, the boys had a wonderful time throwing mud balls at that sign.