Aunt Corey Rules!

Sorry to the other Aunts out there. We love you all, but you cannot compete with Corey and her horses. This girl loves her Aunt Corey and now loves horses.
Corey and her mom took some time out of a busy Saturday to entertain all the nieces and nephews with rides with Ellie. We got to feed her carrots and say hello to Diesel. Even James got to sit up there with Aunt Corey (sadly, my camera was on the fritz, so I'll have to get that photo from Rebecca).

Picture This Tag

You want the truth? I didn't get tagged. I'm starting this one because I saw it and thought it was really fun. You have to find pictures of all this stuff!

Where I was born:

Flagstaff, Arizona

My guilty pleasure:

Fabric, fabric, and more fabric

My favorite movie(s):
Becoming Jane and

Pride and Prejudice
My favorite restaurant, of late:

Columbia City Bakery in Seattle - the best bread, pain au chocolat, everything!

My favorite color:

Lemon Yellow

My favorite place to shop:

Sur la Table

My favorite vacation:

Paris, France (hasn't happened yet)

My favorite car:

Has always been, and will always be, a Beemer

My favorite flower:

Tulips

My dream career:

Pastry chef of my own bakery

My hobby:

Sewing

I tag, if they so choose, Jennifer Mc, Emily K, Rebecca P, and Aunt Annette!

Something more interesting than me and my complaints

I thought I should blog about something more interesting than me and my peeves. So here is an update on my little family.

Laurel is awesome. She is my little artist and is so loving my new organization - we can actually find lots of markers, stickers, stamps, paints, paper, glue, scissors - everything for her to be creative on a daily basis. And she is. She even, unbeknownst to me, found some first aid tape and was using it to tape her artwork up in her bedroom.

My poor Will. We wore him out this morning going to his speech therapy. Not so bad - just had to get on one bus. He does really well and is making improvements. I like his speech therapist a lot and she has given me lots of things to do at home to help him. Which makes sense, since 1/2 hour a week isn't going to do as much for him as constant stuff at home. Not that we have "formal" therapy at home. But activities like blowing bubbles and the like to get him to form his mouth into an "O" will help. Who'd have thunk? Last week, she tried so hard to get him to say "open" and he just wouldn't say it. Well, not even 45 minutes after we left, he was asking me to open something for him. Turkey!

Mr. James is a busy little guy this days - and a BITER! He loves to bite shoulders, arms, fingers, legs - whatever he can get in his mouth and he prefers human flesh. Maybe he's a little vampire in the making? He chomps down hard. I was sitting on the floor with him today and he'll crawl over, stand up and start chewing away on my shoulder. It's not so bad when all he gets is t-shirt. But he keeps searching for more. He's also started clapping his hands with me. So fun to watch these little ones grow and develop.

Manners Manners Manners

I think riding the bus has cranked up my observational skills. That, or my pet peeves are amplified.
A list, especially for mothers with sons:

1. Always let ladies on first. Offer to help with big bulky strollers. Yes, I bought the stroller and I'm struggling with it and all. But still. It shows you have class. Never jump in front of the door so you can get on first and not have to wait. I don't take that long to get on.
2. Always offer your seat so she can sit near her children. Don't just sit there while an elderly lady gives up her seat and moves to the back of the bus because she obviously has manners. Arghh! This happened today. Three teenage boys sat and watched while this very kind, spry lady gave up her seat so I could avoid standing (while holding James) near Laurel and Will. I really wanted to smack the silly smirks off their faces.

That's it, for today. Opening doors for ladies is a must. Giving up your seat is also a must. Not small little boys, but if they are big enough to ride the bus on their own, they are big enough to switch seats as a courtesy.

I have had some very kind people help me out and it's much appreciated.

Project Organization

I just read two really great books: Project Organization by Marie Ricks and HouseWorks by Cynthia Townley Ewer. I have been inspired.

My biggest flaw, in my opinion, is my clutteriness. I don't like the mess. I want it to go away. So we are getting ORGANIZED! I got bins with lids to put things in. This has been the biggest problem for me - things don't have a designated place so they pile up. Well, now they have homes. I started with the kids art stuff and our bathroom first aid stuff and medicine. Things already look better and I can find what I'm looking for when I need it.

I know it's a bit nutso to start this now, but I figured it would be easier to move organized than move and then get organized in all that mess. We'll see if I'm right.

Happy Birthday Week!

It's the end of birthday week in my family.

Robby, on the 19th

Ehren on the 21st
Corey, the 24th
And Geoff, today, the 25th

Happy birthday my brothers - and my new sister!

And Happy Birthday to my niece Miranda - are you really 12 years old? Where has the time gone?

Where's Will?

We were all in our bedroom last Sunday morning. Will wandered off. Aaron and I kept talking. I then noticed that it was kind of quiet out there. Not good. So I went in search of my William. Here he sits:

Yeah, ha ha funny. Except my clean whites were on the floor in front of the dryer because of course he had to empty the dryer before he got in. Strange, that I'm trying to educate my son on putting the clothes in the basket before he gets into the dryer to play.

I'm Moving to Bedrock

Isn't that where the Flinstones lived? Because I am moving into an apartment that is without a dishwasher. Again. What is it with Seattle and it's lack of dishwashers? When I lived with Alisha, we had to move it over to the sink and hook it up. At our place in Beacon Hill, no dishwasher and just a single sink. Now this.
So I'm downsizing, big time. Getting rid of all my glassware, dishes, bowls, etc. Everyone gets one bowl, one cup, one plate, one mug (we like our cocoa). You use it, you wash it. I'll just move a chair over for Laurel and Will to wash their dish after each meal. I'm so not going to be standing at the sink washing dishes all day long.
Grrrr. But, yet again, it will probably be good for us. And think of all the cupboard space I'll have. I'll need just one small shelf instead of three!
Don't worry. I'm going to have special "company" plasticware for when y'all come to visit. I'm gonna bust out the nice stuff! It might even match . . .
Hey. Dessert tastes the same on plastic or Chinette or china. Trust me. This I know.

Caring is Sharing

Warning - a bit of a rant. I have a pet peeve. When I take my children somewhere - a park, the pool, etc. and we take toys to play with, I get a bit bothered by other children taking them and playing with them. Please, do not misunderstand. If my children volunteer to share, I have no objections. It's the "well, it's here and they are not playing with it" mentality that bothers me. This happens at our pool a lot. I have a bag of beach-type toys (buckets, squirt guns, balls) that I take for Will, mostly, to play with. Other kids just walk up and pick up whatever it is they want to play with and walk off. This BOTHERS me. They do not ask anyone's permission. I'm not talking about kids that are there with my kids (guests) or friends in the apartment complex who are there at the same time. Total strangers.

So I'm instituting a new rule. I'm going to start taking the toys back. I know it sounds selfish. But if their parents aren't going to teach them manners, I'm at least going to teach them that it's not an okay thing to do. I'll be nice, but they don't get to just take something without asking permission first. And even then, I'm allowed to say no. I brought those things for my kids to play with. If some other child is playing with them, my kids get bored and want to go home.

This would happen at the mall with their balloons too. I would leave the balloons attached to our stroller while the kids played. I had several kids just walk up at try to take the balloon, simply because they wanted one. This is a bad precendent to set - just take what you want, when you want it if it's there and no one is looking. Unfortunately for them, I was looking!

Happy Anniversary to Us!

Seven years ago, I married my best friend in Portland, Oregon. It's been a crazy seven years, and I couldn't be happier. In case you're wondering, here's why I love my Aaron:

• He is kind to me
• He believes in me
• He loves our children
• He forgives me (many times over)
• He watches "Pride and Prejudice" - many different versions - over and over with me and claims he likes them
• He tolerates my cooking (so he can have dessert, I think!)
• He works hard at whatever he does, whether it's school, work, being a husband or father
• He's handsome
• He makes me laugh, a lot
• He can fix just about anything
• He listens to me when I'm crazy-cooped-up-mommy and lets me blow off steam
• He has been such a support in all my hardest moments, whether it's trouble at a job or childbirth - he supports my decisions and doesn't let anyone bully me around
• He's gained more and more control over his temper, and I know he's done it for me

So happy anniversary sweetie! I love you. You are wonderful. By the way, the traditional gifts for seventh anniversaries are either copper or wool. I can think of copper and wool things I like, but I'm coming up short on things that you would like to have. Do they make copper motorcylce things?

Tired Will

It got quiet this morning and I got worried. Laurel was still asleep. James was with me. When it's quiet and Will is awake, I usually expect disaster. I went looking for him. In his bedroom, Laurel's bedroom, all the closets and bathrooms. No sign of him. I'm beginning to panic. Then I spot him. He'd spread my clean laundry out (yes, I know it should be folded and put away, but there you have it - it's not) and made himself comfortable and went to sleep. At 9:00 a.m.

Will didn't sleep well last night - didn't take a nap, which for him is trouble. He fell asleep on the way home from Mom and Dad's, but woke up an hour later. Then he was up until 11:00 p.m. He woke up several times during the night and then was up for good at 5:30. Can you tell I'm tired too?
Let's hope this little snooze is a good, long one!

Chickens and Eggs

On Saturday, we were at a church BBQ. I was visiting with someone who lives in the same apartment complex as we do. Not someone I know very well, but she's nice and our husbands are pretty friendly. I was telling her that Laurel really wants a horse and just wants to stick it in the backyard area off our patio. We were laughing about that. Then I told her that I'd rather just have some chickens so we could have fresh eggs. She said she grew up on a farm and missed the fresh eggs. I said that I didn't want a rooster, just the chickens.

"You can't get eggs without a rooster."

That's what the farm girl told me.

Well slap my face and call me stupid. That is the FIRST time I've ever heard that.

Be amazed. I didn't argue with her. I let her believe that. See, I just read a book on Southern manners, etc. I wouldn't dare correct someone I barely know, especially someone who lived on a farm and must know a thing or two about chickens and their eggs.

All I have to say is that those big egg farms have some pretty darn busy roosters!

My Funny Kids

My cousin Erika inspired me to write down some of the funny things my kids do and say.

I wasn't present, but my mom gave me this one: Laurel was saying the blessing on the food. She went on and on with her "please blesses" - missionaries, prophet, soldiers, friends, etc. Then she said, "And when you're done with all that, you can do whatever you want." Well, Amen sister! I'm sure Heavenly Father appreciates the go-ahead from my Laurel-bee.

When we were coming back from the camping trip a few weeks ago, we stopped at Fred Meyer in Yakima for a break. Aaron bought two of those mini Oreo tubs - one for him and one for the kids. I gave it to Will with the understanding that he would share. He really is good about sharing with Laurel. Laurel kept fussing, telling him "No, I don't want that one!" I couldn't figure out what was wrong. When we got home to Richland I found out. He'd been eating the white part out of the middle and passing her the plain chocolate cookies. Which of course was not acceptable.

Papa to the Rescue!

The problem: my Will is terrified of the swimming pool. Won't go near it. Won't get in it, even if he is roasting away. Just runs around and throws toys into it. When he gets hot, he sucks the pool water out of some of the squishy toys. Gross! I've tried to coax him over, just to put his feet in the pool on the step and splash them - he certainly likes splashing at home. And this is a toddler pool - only 15 inches deep. But he just won't do it and screams if you try to gently force him near it.
Personally, I think last summer traumatized him a bit. He would get in last year and then fall forward. Since he wasn't as tall as he is now, he couldn't get his feet back under him and he'd flail a bit (until I got there!).

The solution: Papa! Aaron came home from Seattle yesterday evening with swimming trunks in hand. We all headed down to the pool. I spent my time with Laurel and James in the big pool (Laurel's favorite place to be). Aaron just played with Will for a while at the water's edge. I then went over to the little pool and sat on the opposite edge to watch. Aaron was holding Will and started walking towards me through the pool. Will was just fine. I started playing a game with James where I'd stand him in the water and then rocket him up out of it high over my head - holding him the whole time. James was laughing and Will was laughing at him. Aaron started to inch Will lower and lower towards the water every time I would lower James down. Will resisted a bit, curling his legs up under him. Finally, Aaron held on tight and stood Will up in the water. The look on Will's face was priceless. The fact that the water didn't even come up to his waist was a total revelation. He kept looking down. And then he was fine. Aaron stood and played catch with him. Will trucked around that pool like nothing else. He LOVED it. He was so happy and having so much fun, he didn't want to go home! He's usually waiting by the gate, ready to go home after we'd been there for 15 minutes. Now I don't have to worry about him getting too hot. What a relief.

I am just so grateful for Aaron's patience with this little guy. I knew throwing him in the water or aggressively forcing him in would only make things worse. It was just awesome. My kids are so lucky to have such a great Papa. He really would do anything for them.

Horse Crazy

Laurel has officially caught the little girl horse-bug. Having a rodeo queen for an aunt has not helped this! Once she found out that queens and princesses could ride their own horses, and fast at that, she's ditched the dainty princess routine in favor of wanting to be just like Aunt Corey. Works for me.

Seriously, can I just say I love it, in spite of the fact that she really does want a live horse (can you see me asking family housing at UW about that one?). No worries about Bratz dolls (yuck) or growing up too fast with all the junk there is out there. Christmas and birthday presents for her just got really easy.

The Whole Crazy Crew

Here we are, on a stump! Can I just say I love camping - we all slept pretty well. I forgot mattresses for us to sleep on, but that is our next investment. Well, after we get a tent we can stand up in and not be so crowded. But luckily the kids are still small so we fit in the one Dad gave us a few years ago.
We're planning a September trip over to the Olympic rain forest - we're going to the beach over there. And in October we're headed to Camp Zarahemla with friends and family. But that's a cabin stay.

More Camping Photos

Laurel and her whistle - she's just practicing for when she runs into a bear.
Roasting a mallow. She doesn't eat them, she just roasts them.
James, enjoying his monkey bread for breakfast.
Doing what he does best - throwing rocks. Our stupid camera was just terrible on this trip - we've since replaced it because it was blurry in almost all the photos.
Running round the big ol' tree. Will, Laurel and I playing chase - although who is chasing who we don't know.

Happy Campers

We went to Mt. Rainier for the 4th of July. Had a great campsite near what was a little stream two years ago - it was moving a bit swifter this year. We spent many hours throwing things into this stream, sometimes with both Laurel and Will (and nursing James at the same time) and sometimes just with Will alone.

Here's Laurel and Will together on the morning of the 4th.

Laurel collected several pieces of bark to launch as boats in the river. What made me laugh is that she kept calling them "barf" boats. It was fun to watch them float down.
We had some crazy chipmunks running through our campsite - one crawled down this little hole not too far from our table. Will and Laurel first tried to tempt him out with fishy crackers. When he wouldn't come out, Will started dropping all sorts of things down there - pinecones, sticks, moss.
Crossing over the river - it was running really high this year. The spot we normally stop at to throw rocks was a few feet underwater.
James sure did like his vantage point. And yes, he's wearing a WSU sweatshirt. We needed something warm for him to wear and it was amongst his things. Don't worry, we'll purge ourselves of it before we go to Seattle.

Things I'm Excited About Today

After some crazy walking around lately with William in a single stroller and James in the Bjorn, I tried to just put James in the stroller and let Will walk. BIG mistake. So I made a command decision and ordered myself a set of hot wheels. This monster will be fun to push - actually, it's much lighter than all the others - only 26 pounds! I saw some monsters (which were cheaper!) that weighed as much as 45 pounds. Thank you, no. I'll already be pushing 40-lb. Will and 20-lb. James. I don't need extra weight on the stroller.

So it ships soon and I should have it next week. Yippee! Will make our walks and bus trips that much easier for all of us. And now I can get rid of the other strollers in my closet.

Another thing I'm excited about is that we get to see Aaron tomorrow! Yay! We're meeting him at Ohanapecosh (sp?) for our camping trip up at Mt. Rainier. We've got the best campsite - I remember admiring it the last time we were there and made sure I reserved it WAY in advance. We'll throw rocks in the little stream and the big river. We'll collect "nature" and go on a couple of hikes with the kids. Best of all, we'll eat foil dinners - I have perfected these - and have marshmallows and cocoa.

Yet another thing I'm excited about is I'm going to lose this mop o' hair of mine next week for a cute new 'do. And I'm scheduled to get contacts. Maybe then I'll let Aaron take pictures of me!