The Solomon Spot

December...in a Single Post

2012-01-08T00:17:00.000-08:00

It's so late to be posting this. I told myself to just forget it and move on to 2012...but I can't. December was crazy. It was fast. But it was fun. And I don't want to forget all the fun things we did. Here are some highlights:

I created an activity advent for the boys this year. And one of our first activities was to write letters to Santa.

Then there was the decorating. We almost didn't put up the Christmas tree since we were leaving for the holidays. But I'm so glad we did. I wish we had Christmas lights up all year long. They're so magical.

We also decorated a gingerbread house...made of real homemade gingerbread! This was so much fun that I think we'll make a haunted one for Halloween as well.

On the last day of school Owen had a Polar Express Party. We watched the class sing and dance and share their highlights of 2011. Owen's favorites were his "best friend Luke" and his "crazy brother Gavin". The whole party was so much fun.

Owen's teacher is seriously amazing. She had read the Polar Express book to the class earlier in December, and they knew the story well. They all wore their pajamas and had hot chocolate with marshmallows. But the best part of all was watching the kids get a special delivery from the North Pole. They were SO excited to receive their very own Polar Express ticket. They were to place the ticket under their pillow on Christmas Eve and if the train came to their house that night, they would use their ticket to ride. So fun! This picture almost captures the joyous moment perfectly.

And the fun continued as we traveled to Utah to spend the holiday with family. We took the boys to see the lights on Temple Square and made it extra fun by riding the light rail there and back. Truly a highlight for the boys, who kept asking if we could ride it again.

Then on Christmas Eve we had a special family dinner. Mark's mom prepared a wonderful Christmas message using lights to tell the story of Christ. And we ended it by lighting Sky Lanterns and sending them off into the night sky. I think we should do this every year!

Owen made the final Christmas Eve preparations and then we were off to bed.

Here are the boys on Christmas day...in their Sunday best.

We had such a good time staying at Grandma's and Grandpa's house and visiting with our cousins. We also squeezed in a visit with our good friends...and made our kids take a picture together. Because, after all, they will be lifelong friends too.

There were a lot of highlights in December. But my very favorite happened one Sunday afternoon, a couple weeks before Christmas. Owen was in the next room looking through a holiday book about the nativity story. On the last page you press a button to turn on bright lights around the baby Jesus and play the tune Silent Night. After looking through this book Owen came into the room crying. Mark asked him what was wrong. And he replied that the book made him cry. He said he just had a good feeling while reading it, and they were happy tears.

I know he felt the Christmas Spirit--the true meaning of Christmas. I hope he always remembers that feeling. And I hope I can too as I step into 2012.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-27T22:06:00.000-08:00

Mark's parents were kind enough to fly out and join us for our turkey feast. Yes, I prepared a turkey! Although it was only the turkey breast (I don't do bones or dark meat), it was slow-cooked and really delicious! Everything was delicious. We were happy to have the company to share it.

The boys dressed the part in their indian attire. Owen in his pow wow shirt and headband, complete with drum and beads...courtesy of his kindergarten pow wow held at school last week. He even had a Native American name--woodpecker.

And Gavin sported this awesome jacket that Mark used to wear as a child. True vintage embroidery and fringe. It's probably more "cowboys and indians", but it worked for him quite nicely all Thanksgiving day.

We had beautiful weather throughout the weekend. We managed to visit a local park and zoo. And we spent a day at the beach. Yes, the beach! The weather couldn't have been better with sunshine and 70s.

We went to see the monarch butterflies that migrate here and rest in a grove of eucalyptus trees on the coast. They were amazing. Some clung to the trees in clusters and while others fluttered freely through the air. It reminded me of THIS group of monarchs:

Owen's kindergarten class studied the life cycle of the butterfly about a month ago and then held a butterly parade at school where they released their monarchs into the wild. So it was fitting that we pay the butterflies a visit and see them in their natural environment.

Back at the beach, we played near the water's edge. We drew with sticks in the sand and built castles and motes. The water was at low tide, even lower tide than normal because of the season or moon or whatever combination. So we were able to enjoy the exposed rocky cliffs and extra seaweed.

We had to take full advantage of our beach day because the weather was just so pleasant. So we also visited a small marine discovery center on the UC Santa Cruz campus. The boys got to touch sharks and sea stars, compare furcoats of seals and otters, and watch all sorts of sea life swim through their tanks.

The entire weekend was really great. And I feel especially thankful to live in such a great place and to have wonderful family with which to share it.

Fall Soccer

2011-11-16T23:02:00.000-08:00

There's something about fall soccer. It feels familiar. Like running into an old friend. A turning of events from the ease of summer to the routine of fall. We began the season back in August, showing up to practices and games in our shorts and flip flops; guzzling down lots of water to keep cool. And week by week, the season progressed just as summer turned to fall. Slowly but surely, as the days grew cooler and the leaves changed color, we began layering up for practices and games. Until finally at our end-of-season tournament we watched from the sidelines in our jackets and warm boots. Cheering on our team, The Little Rascals.

Owen had a wonderful experience with soccer this time around. He showed so much improvement from last year. I think it was a combination of great coaching and being more grown up. He was so excited to go to practices and games. His teammates and his coaches really boosted his confidence. He went in not knowing a single kid on the team, and he walked away with a new batch of friends and a desire to play with the same coaches in the spring.

I didn't get many photos of the games this year because I was too busy watching and enjoying them. But here are a few shots I took for the grandparents.

Owen's team did really well. They took first place in the tournament and got an additional trophy to show for it. Two trophies and one happy soccer player. What more could you ask for?

A Happy Halloween

2011-11-01T23:33:00.000-07:00

The boys went for a reptilian theme this year. They chose to be a turtle and a dragon for Halloween. The turtle was easy because Owen wore the same costume when he was younger. And though Mark would rather he went as something "cooler", Gavin insisted on being a turtle. And a very cute turtle he was.

O's costume was a little harder. I looked around for dragon costumes, but I didn't like anything I saw. They all looked cheesy, or toddler-ish, or too much like a dinosaur. I wanted him to have a more grownup dragon look...without being gross. I think we achieved it. Sure the costume could have been more comprehensive, but the overall look was great.

You can catch a glimpse of our pumpkin carving in the photos above. But you can't see all the work that went into Owen's pumpkin. He first drew out a plan on paper, then he drew it on the pumpkin. And he carved it mostly by himself. I thought the finished project looked amazingly like his plan...and amazingly good. But he didn't think it was as creepy as Gavin's (Mark's) jack-o-lantern face. So he had Mark help him carve a creepier one on the back. Double the face, double the creepy I guess.

And I'll leave you with this photo we call "Halloween turtle of joy". Hope you had a Happy Halloween!

A Picking We Will Go

2011-10-23T21:42:00.000-07:00

I took the boys to a favorite pumpkin patch last week afterschool where we picked out pumpkins for carving. Nothing says fall like a hot day at the patch (around 86 degrees), followed by a cool dip in the pool (around 68 degrees).

We rode the train, fed the farm animals, ran around the hay bales, sweated through our clothes, and grabbed a milkshake for the ride home.

With pumpkins ready for carving and costumes set to go, the countdown is on for Halloween!

It's Electric

2011-10-12T22:11:00.000-07:00

Owen's school picture came home in his book bag today. I took one look at the photo and laughed out loud.

Seriously? That hair is shocking.

Generally we don't even spike it. But for the occasional photo we try to dress it up a bit. And on this particular picture day I had Mark do Owen's hair.

You see, Mark and I disagree on how to "do" Owen's hair. He thinks that I make it look too nerdy; too done. He prefers a messy look and likes to rough it up a bit. So Owen's hair either doesn't get styled at all, or we take turns styling it. Silly, I know. But those are the kinds of compromises you have to make in a marriage.

And, believe it or not, Owen seems to be just as particular about how his hair should look. On picture morning he insisted on having it stick up in the front. And this photo reflects the sort of decisions that occur in the early morning when you're just trying to get your kid out the door for school.

Really it's not that bad. Pretty cute in fact. But on first glance it just struck me as funny. It's like his finger was just pulled out of a socket...and click.

Rainy Day Fun

2011-10-02T23:58:00.000-07:00

I looked at the weather forecast for the week and noticed tomorrow is the first day of predicted rain since...well, since the beginning of summer.
We did encounter cloudy drops once during the summer while visiting Grandma and Grandpa's a couple months ago. It was a warm downpour with weighty drops and high humidity. I love those kind of rainstorms!

Here's to warmer weather and fun at Grandma's house:

First Day of Kindergarten

2011-08-24T22:04:00.000-07:00

It was a success!

He was happy. He was brave. He was normal.
I was glad. I was floored. I was relieved.

The real story begins on the morning of day two. He woke up mad and I could tell it was not going to be good. He refused to get dressed. He refused to eat breakfast. He came up with several excuses to NOT go to school. But somehow I got both boys out the door (dragging and pleading). We arrived at school just in time, but Owen wouldn't go in the classroom. We had a student teacher helping...but not really helping...convince Owen to go in.

Finally we managed to get him to go in the door. And she promptly closed it so he couldn't run back out. I stood on the outside with Gavin, holding back my own tears, listening to him yell on the other side of the door, "I NEED TO SAY GOODBYE TO MY MOM!" There was some kicking or knocking things down. And then silence.

I think Owen decided to wait until Mark left town to pull out the performance. Needless to say, it was still better than last year's first day of preschool. Speaking of which, here's a side-by-side photo of the milestones.

Day three was better than two, but not as good as one. What will day four bring? We'll see.

Here's one last pic of Owen getting a haircut last weekend. He looks so grown-up to me! He wouldn't let me spike his hair for school this week, but it's cute don't you think?

Owen is 5!

2011-08-18T00:56:00.000-07:00

So what does that mean?

He is 44 inches tall and weighs 44 lbs...a perfect square!

He is the leader, manager, and safety patrol of Gavin.

He is showing signs of entrepreneurship with inventions such as "Speed Fork".

He continues to entertain us with his gimmicks. The kid has layers.

He has his own personal style.

He is intense and playful, sourpuss and sillypants.

He is more than he was last year.
More intelligent, more attitude, more comfortable, more kid.

Swim Lessons - Take Two

2011-08-01T22:54:00.000-07:00

Last year we enrolled Owen in swim lessons. And he refused to get in the pool about five out of the nine lesson days. Sound familiar? Not what I'd call a success. But a year passed, and he had become much more confident in our pool. So we decided to sign him up for swim lessons again this summer. He was so excited to get in the pool and show off his new skills. He talked about it and looked forward to it for weeks.

When the first day of class arrived, all that excitement and confidence went out the door. And the lesson went a bit like this.

By day three we had graduated to this:

And day four found us talking with the instructor and swim manager about how to get him in the pool. Should I get in with him? Should we re-enroll for a different session? Did I want a refund? I didn't know what to say. And when I told them that we actually had a pool at our house; that he is completely comfortable in the water. Well, they had nothing else to say.

Then...amazingly...with five minutes of class left...Owen decided he was ready to get in the pool. And days five through eight he swam like a champ. Wouldn't stay on the wall. Swam and swam. Didn't want to get out.

On the last day of class his swim instructor couldn't be there, so there was a substitute. And wouldn't you know. Owen refused to get in the pool.

In the end, with a 44 percent participation rate, he completed all the requirements to move up to the next level. A success? I say yes.
In true Owen style.

I Do Love Flowers

2011-08-01T21:53:00.000-07:00

Fresh flowers in my house just make me happy. I couldn't help but share these two because they are so amazing. First the peonies. I picked them up at Trader Joes awhile back and could not believe how they blossomed. When I got them they were the size of a small fist. And within a week they had opened to the size of my hand. Unbelievable. And just beautiful!

And this orchid has a great story. Two Julys ago it was given to me by my dear friend Kim. She gave it to me after I had Gavin and it blossomed beautifully throughout the month of July. Eventually the fun fuschia petals fell off. But sure enough, each July they come back and remind me of the time I had my second baby.

Yep, I do love flowers.

Gav's Bday

2011-07-17T22:48:00.000-07:00

It just so happened that Gavin's birthday fell on a very busy week for us. My parents were here visiting (fun!) and we were plowing through a bunch of home improvement projects (not fun). But we managed to celebrate the day with a couple giant balloons, a fancy hot dog dinner, and a favorite--chocolate ice cream cones. This face says it all.

Gav got a lot of great gifts on his big day, but I thought I'd highlight the one Owen gave him. I'm really happy with how it turned out.

It's a book about feelings. Owen and I made it during Gavin's nap one afternoon. We had a lot of fun practicing all sorts of facial expressions, and Gavin loves to see pictures of his big brother in a book. Here are some of the pages:

A very fun gift to make and give. Now that I've made this one, my mind has been busy thinking up lots of other books that would be fun to make.

Gav 2.0

2011-07-16T23:20:00.000-07:00

He stands 35.5 inches tall. He weighs 32.5 pounds. He's all boy. And he just turned 2.

He's my sweet little heavyweight. And I can hardly contain myself when he wears his European swim trunks. I just want to squeeze him.

What a difference a year has made. He is so much more independent; less baby. This summer's beach trips have proven it. He can go nearly all day at the beach and busy himself with jumping waves, digging holes, eating snacks and wandering around. It's like he's a kid or something!

He LOVES his daddy. Actually he is fairly obsessed with keeping tabs on Owen and me too. But if ever Mark is at work or traveling or at a church meeting, Gavin is constantly inquiring about him. Con. stant. ly. And if he gets to go somewhere with dad it's the best day ever.

The kid has no fear. He does a lot of things that probably shouldn't be done. I often say he's "an accident waiting to happen" because even if his tubby body can't keep up, he is willing to try it. Second children. They're amazingly grown up.

He's a funny one. He does things that make us all laugh. And if he knows we'll react to something, he'll take it up a notch or do some more. He insisted on wearing this little number to pick up Owen one day from preschool. Would NOT let me take it off. I don't think he thought he looked cool. I'm pretty sure he was going for a reaction. And someday I'll have to share a video of the infamous "bum jump" where he drops from a standing position to an immediate sit position on any surface. On the carpet, the kitchen floor, the bath tub. We've tried to discourage it for fear of long-term damage. But seriously, it's hilarious.

Boy, does he love Owen. They've got a serious brotherly relationship forming. I've seen them act so sweetly toward one another, sharing snacks and helping each other out. They play really well together most of the time and make each other laugh. Yet there's the screaming and the wrestling matches and the teasing and bickering. True siblings.

All in all, I can't believe how he has grown. He's practically a kid. If it weren't for the recent onset of terrible twos, I'd say this child was practically perfect in every way. And we love him.

Spring Baseball

2011-07-09T10:06:00.000-07:00

I guess since t-ball ended a month ago, it's time I blogged about it.
I had such a great time watching O play t-ball. And I think that was mostly because HE had such a great time playing.

Our experience was very different from that of last fall's soccer. He actually participated from the get go, without prodding or pushing. And there was a lot less frustration with this sport. He also had a wonderful couple of coaches that always brought excitement to the game. I was amazed by how much his swing improved over the season. And can I just tell you how cute it is to watch a team of little boys in their clean white uniforms with matching shirts and ball caps?!. Loved it.

One of my favorite shots from the season. This man sat on the bench watching his grandson at a practice one day. Gavin decided to join him on the bench. And there the two of them sat.

The squint.

The stance.

The swing...and strike.

The slide.

The spirit

See you next spring!

Fourth of July Fun

2011-07-05T23:02:00.000-07:00

Among our usual Fourth of July festivities was a soak in the sprinklers.

May Catch Up

2011-06-05T23:18:00.000-07:00

I feel like I need to bridge the gap in between posts. But there always seems to be something else to do that is higher on the priority list, and posting gets pushed aside. Also, I tend to sabotage myself by feeling like my posts have to be finished products. Something I will continue to work on...

So here's to rough drafts and posting more regularly!

My month of May in a nutshell:
1. A toothache turned out to be a cracked molar...the molar needed a crown...the crown upset my tooth's nerves...the nerves called for a root canal (through the new crown)...and four dental visits later I now have a happy, fake molar with a filling.

2. My iphone is hanging on by a thread...it fell out of my pocket and dropped on concrete, cracking the face pretty badly. It still operates, but is hard to read. The apple store took a look at it and informed me it also has water damage (oopsy-maybe it was that time it fell in the toilet?) So it was recommended I pay for a replacement or wait until December to upgrade. What to do?

3. I made a new batch of pendant necklaces to sell at a local spring boutique. I wish I'd taken a picture of the finished products all cutely packaged up, but here are a few I worked on.

4. I put on another ladies' activity night at church. We had dinner and some classes. I made the flyers (below) and managed to take home some extra flowers we used as centerpieces. Believe it or not these beauties all came from people's own backyards. The vibrant spring colors were amazing. I felt happy every time I walked by them.

5. And finally, I was busy helping plan a wedding reception. This was the first (and maybe last) time I've ever been asked to help with an event outside our activity meetings at church. A wedding reception is a much bigger affair. And I was slightly intimidated. But they assured me they only needed some ideas to get started. And really it was just the decorating aspect. Food and activities were already being handled. Thank goodness. I would have no idea how to feed that many people! Anyway, these are some inspiration boards I gave the couple to get started:

Black-Eyed G

2011-06-05T00:36:00.000-07:00

It's a sad story really, so I'll spare you the details. Let's just say it involved the regular mischief and a fall. In fact there's been a lot of that lately. Mischief.

Gav is TROUBLE. And he thinks it's all fun and games. His latest antics include filling his mouth with drinks (any drink-water, milk, juice) and spitting it out everywhere. The thing is, there's no telling when he's going to do it. Just whenever.

He also likes to destroy things. He will break Owen's creations, scatter neatly-folded laundry, push buttons that shouldn't be pushed, climb things that shouldn't be climbed, and basically take apart the house tornado-style.

And worst of all, the scribbling. He's written on tables, walls, windows, himself. Just this week while I was changing a load of laundry he wrote with an inkpen on four separate cushions of our couch. I spent a good part of the morning cleaning it up. Luckily it all came out, but I fear for our furniture.

It's exhausting trying to keep up with him. And so far the time-outs don't seem to phase him much. When I give him the "no-no" talk, he smiles and replies, "OK Mama." He even looks remorseful. Then he proceeds to wreak havoc on something else in a happy-go-lucky way.

Wondering if the black eye incident will slow him down. Doubtful.

Why Don't I Have More Photos?

2011-05-13T23:09:00.000-07:00

After sweet talking, then begging, then bribing, I was able to convince my boys to take some photos on Easter Sunday. I quickly grabbed the camera for a three-minute photo session, wherein I got the following photos.

"Ok guys, can you please stand together?"

"Gavin, get up.
Owen, can you help?"

"Just give me a quick smile please!"

"Owen, can you sit by Gavin or put your arm around him?
Gavin, stop making your pirate face."

"Aaaaand, we're done."

Hey Batter Batter

2011-04-13T21:28:00.000-07:00

We decided to try out spring baseball since fall soccer went so well (not really). And Owen has really enjoyed it so far. He willingly goes to practice and actually participates without prodding and tears. We actually signed him up for coach pitch t-ball, which means a tee is used only after three missed swings. Here's Owen up to bat at his very first game.

What I did NOT capture on my iPhone was the last hit of the game. The other team was up and their star player was at bat. She was dang good. On the second pitch she swung and whacked that ball directly between second and third base....right where Owen was standing. It smacked him right in the head (or rather the bill of his cap). Immediately the coaches ran over to see if he was alright. No reaction. He just stood there. Silent. I think the coaches and other parents were freaked out because he didn't react AT ALL. No crying, no words, no response.

I knew, however, that Owen absolutely hates any kind of attention when he gets hurt. He usually runs away. But in this case he just stood there. Eventually he walked off the field and he was totally fine. But he has an amazing coach who felt so bad about the whole ordeal that he gave Owen a special game ball.

On it he wrote:
Owen
Cubs vs. A's
4/9/11

Inside, Outside

2011-04-08T23:18:00.000-07:00

Is it just us, or are you having wishy-washy weather too? Some days we spend entirely outside in our short sleeves and sandals. Then it rains and we pull out sweaters and turn on the heat again. Here are a few ways we've been spending our spring days.

INSIDE. We've been crafting with beans, marshmallows, toothpicks, leaves, and other household supplies. Owen spent a good afternoon decorating this bean monster.

OUTSIDE. We've been breaking out the sunscreen and shades. Gotta love kids in glasses.

INSIDE. Renaissance of the toys. We have brought out a whole slew of toys that were forgotten. This racetrack was up for a week straight. Owen drew up a plan, we built it, and the boys took turns sending car after car down the raceway.

OUTSIDE. Day trips to our nearby Happy Hollow are always a hit. Carousel rides, animal sightings, and lots of space to run and play.

INSIDE. There have been plenty of Easter preparations. We've made bunny hats, grown flowers, and had lots of living room egg hunts.

OUTSIDE. It's all about the park. Last week we hit four different ones. Basic need of boys = getting energy out!

INSIDE. Movie after movie after movie. Sick days called for TV. Rainy days called for TV. I'm kind of done with TV.

Still waiting for that week of outside, outside, outside.

When it Rains

2011-03-25T21:19:00.000-07:00

...make a pinecone bird feeder.

March has been a wet and sick month. I feel like it's been raining forever! Sure we get one good month of rain per year in this area, while many other parts of the country get much soggier. But it still seems like it's never going to end.

And with the bad weather came the under the weather. Seriously, someone in this household has been sick for the past 25 days. We've all taken turns, multiple turns. It feels like it's never going to end.

So during this season of hibernation, we have tried to keep ourselves busy with inside activities. Low key, keep-from-going-crazy activities.

One such activity is looking out the window. We spend a lot of time parked in front of a pane, watching things happen. Mostly we see garbage trucks and mailmen coming and going. Yard maintenance and repairmen making their stops. Even the occasional neighbor braving the rain to walk their dog.

And then there's the pinecone bird feeder. Owen found an awesome pinecone which we slathered with peanut butter and rolled in bird seed. Initially we put it close to the ground and sat back to watch. No birds all day. But the next day it was cleaned off. Not a speck of butter or seed. Must be the rain, we thought. So we made another and hung it from a small branch. Next day it looked touched but still no sight of any birds. Then a few days later there was a break in the rain and we caught this on camera:

We watched proudly as our bird feeder was doing its job.

Then the next thing we knew the bird had flown off only to be replaced with this:

That daredevil squirrel was hanging by his toes to reach the snack! Hungry? Yes. Impressive? Double yes.

In the days since then we've seen the occasional bird stop by, but mostly it's that gutty squirrel who's has been licking the pinecone clean.

Como Se Dice "Chubby"

2011-03-21T23:39:00.000-07:00

I was doing some grocery shopping in Trader Joes a few days ago with Gavin. While in the dairy section I stopped to inspect some eggs and noticed two older Hispanic ladies looking at Gavin and smiling. One mumbled to the other in Spanish and they both giggled. Then she pointed toward Gavin and said, "gordito". The other nodded and agreed, "Ah, gordito." Then they smiled and spoke a few more words (in Spanish) before giving him a wink and heading down the next aisle.

I could tell they were enamored by him, so I was amused. I just wasn't sure what it was about him that made them stop and take special notice. In my mind he's not the chubby baby he used to be. Maybe it was the bag of snacks in his lap I had given him to keep him happy. Or maybe it was his round cheeks, chomping on the bits of snacks. Or perhaps it was the cart buckle that I strapped tightly around his middle (causing his belly to hang out). Come to think of it, he did look a little bit like a toad sitting there in the cart.

No matter. I like gorditos.

*By the way, I was in Joes again this evening with both Owen and Gavin. Have you noticed evening shoppers are not nearly as pleasant as morning shoppers? Sure I would be a little put off by a couple of boys that are bouncing around the aisles. But sheesh, I was the one who had to do the shopping with them.

Four Eyes No More

2011-03-09T21:17:00.000-08:00

Gone are the days of waking up and reaching for my glasses in the morning. I still do it sometimes out of habit, but these old lenses are now obsolete. They will be making their way to Thailand (by way of an Eagle Scout project) for others to use.

My contact lenses and solution no longer take up space in my bathroom drawer. They were nice while they lasted. But come allergy season, they were sandpaper on my eyeballs. Pure torture.

I finally bit the bullet and had LASIK done about a month ago. It was the best surgery I've ever had...hands-down. And I couldn't be happier with the results. In fact, I went to a followup appointment and learned that my vision is even better than 20/20. Amazing. Life-changing.

Farewell to you, eyewear.

Laundry

2011-02-09T21:12:00.000-08:00

Doing my husband's laundry is so enthralling.

Gav Look-Alikes

2011-01-20T22:40:00.001-08:00

When I'm out and about with Gavin I get comments about his round cheeks or his bruiser physique. He's been called cute and handsome a time or two. But I also get told fairly often that he looks like someone famous. He's a bit of a look-alike I guess. I've done a quick comparison to show just who he's been compared to.

William Moseley. You may recognize him as "Peter" from the Narnia movies. I guess I can see it.

Prince Harry. I'm thinking the hair color and the teeth are the comparisons. I wouldn't mind if Gavin grew up to look like Harry. Very handsome.

Barney Rubble. Now this one came as a surprise. A cartoon with beady eyes? Kind of a stretch. But it could be worse I guess.

Matt Damon (in The Informant). I have to give Mark credit for this comparison. When we dressed Gavin up as Nacho for Halloween he strangely resembled the heavier version of Matt Damon. Just picture some glasses with that mustache on Gavin and I'd say the look-alike is pretty true. In fact Mark now nicknames Gavin "Fat Damon". So endearing, don't you think?

I guess I should also add the most recent comment - a comparison of Gav to the late Chris Farley (from the back side). Again, maybe it's his hair? His curves? Either way it's safe to say Gavin looks like a little man. Part handsome, somewhat quirky, and a bit round.

Gav 1.5

2011-01-10T22:07:00.000-08:00

Gavin is eighteen months old. And that feels just about right. As much as time flies, it seems like Gavin has been part of our family forever. He is such a lovable little boy. His personality is fun and cheerful. His body is round and cuddly. His cheeks are rosy. His hair is swirly and awesome. And that little gap between his teeth is no longer there. In fact, he's almost got a mouth full of teeth. It seems each time he opens his mouth I see a couple more coming through.

He now weighs 29 lbs and is 33 inches tall. He is getting pickier with foods, but still manages to pack on the pounds. He regularly goes to the fridge and helps himself to his cup of milk or any other item on the lower shelf. And he's learned to pull a chair up to access the pantry or countertop. Scary!

He likes to help around the house and gets excited at the sight of a vacuum or broom. He loves to throw things in the garbage (Owen's clothes and random toys included). And he follows me everywhere. Eve-ry-where. My little shadow.

He is learning to mimic everything. If he hears Owen making vroom sounds with cars, he makes the same sounds. If he sees us laughing, he automatically begins to laugh. And he's acquiring more words in his vocabulary. He's mastered mom, dad, and Owen. Then there's the classic hi and bye (he LOVES those). And he's got animal sounds down. Plus he knows grandma, grandpa, ball, bath, backpack, wow, uh-oh, and a new favorite - dogpile.

He's pretty attached to his blanket. He loves to be naked (what little boy doesn't?) He is always up for bike rides, playing at the park, chasing or being chased, and snacking on crackers. He's starting to scribble (on and off paper), do puzzles, kick, throw, and roll a ball, stack and destroy...typical toddler tasks.

The kid is healthy, happy and loved.

A Christmas to Remember

2010-12-21T20:24:00.000-08:00

There's been a lot of holiday action going on around here. And by action I don't mean baking and shopping and caroling. Action of a very different sort. I'm talking hospital visits. This Christmas season has already proven to be one I won't soon forget.

SATURDAY
You see, we're spending the holiday in Utah with Mark's family. And on Saturday night Mark's pregnant sister (who has been in the hospital on bed rest for several weeks now) went into labor. The problem is she is only 26 weeks along in her pregnancy. We waited and wondered and hoped things would stabilize. And they did.

SUNDAY
So on Sunday morning we decided we should go to church. It was the Christmas program afterall. Yet not more than 30 minutes into the meeting we found ourselves abruptly leaving and heading to the hospital. But not for Mark's sister this time.

Gavin had gotten wiggly and Mark took him out to the hallway to wander a bit. Gavin busied himself with opening and closing a classroom door, and in the process caught his middle finger in the door. This heavy wooden door didn't just pinch his skin. It nearly severed the tip of this finger. So off to the ER we went. Not long after that we found ourselves at Primary Children's Hospital getting an x-ray of the finger for bone damage. Luckily the laceration did not fracture the bone, but they needed to stitch the finger back together. So they decided to put our little Gavin under for the surgery.

Mark and I sat in the room while the doctors gave him oxygen and worked to repair the damaged finger. It was all so surreal. I'll never forget seeing his little body on that large hospital bed. Limp and hurt. And then sitting by his bed after surgery and waiting for him to wake. He looked like a little doll.

We spent nearly half the day in the ER. But we had a remarkably good experience there. The staff quickly brought activities to entertain Owen during the ordeal. We were served food and drinks. And the doctors and nurses were so sweet with Gavin. We felt very well cared for.

MONDAY
However the action was not over yet. Early Monday morning we got word that Mark's sister was delivering her baby, ready or not. Pins and needles! She delivered a 1 lb 15 oz baby boy. T-I-N-Y but breathing on his own.

TUESDAY
Today we headed back to Primary Children's Hospital for our first follow-up on Gavin's finger. Everything looks really good and the finger is healing well. Then this afternoon we headed to the hospital again to meet our newest nephew, lying in an incubator in the NICU. He is the tiniest human being I've ever seen. He is beautiful and precious. And I love him.

All these holiday happenings have kept us busy and left us a bit tired. But I can't think of a more perfect way to remember this season than seeing my happy boy with a healing finger and a newborn baby boy making his way into the world.

(Gavin's hospital souvenirs: a soft reindeer blanket, a plush dog, wristband and medical supplies)

(Owen's souvenirs: Hospital Buddies he decorated and cared for during our stay)

Handmade Gifts

2010-12-20T09:16:00.000-08:00

It is a tradition in my family to do a gift giving swap each Christmas where we draw names and give to three different people. This year we incorporated a new rule that one of the items must be handmade. And I happened to draw my sister's husband for that one. So...what, what, what to do? I think it'd be a whole lot easier to make something for my sister or sisters-in-law. But no. I had to get creative. Since my brother-in-law is in a band, I decided to make him a guitar strap cover. And because he isn't a reader of this blog I won't spoil anything by sharing the finished product:

I also spent some time creating a few handmade crafts to sell at a holiday boutique my friend hosts in the area. These are the countdown blocks I made:

And while looking around the boutique I met a grandmother who hand knits these lovely little baby sweaters. They were so cute! I just couldn't resist. I had to buy this adorably festive one (for only $8 I might add). It is just tiny and sparkly and I love it.

One other thing I should share is a fun kit we put together this year for our neighbors. We gave them an assortment of goodies to make gingerbread houses. I like the idea of giving them something they can do together as a family. And who doesn't love to eat the leftover sweets!

'Tis the Season

2010-12-01T22:25:00.001-08:00

It's gift giving season already! I can hardly believe it! And as part of our annual church craft fair I put together a table of gift ideas. Simple ones to give to friends and neighbors. I found a lot of cute ideas online so I thought I'd share.

1. Candy Cane Mint Milanos - Milano cookies are great as is, but this idea makes them even more festive and delicious.

2.S'mores Kit - I love this idea for a cozy winter evening!

3. Produce from Santa's Orchard - What a lovely little way to give fresh fruit!

4. Reindeer and Snowman Pops - I took this idea and altered it to be even easier. I dipped Oreos in chocolate and made both reindeer and snowmen.

5.Caramel Apples and Granola - A perfect holiday snack. I used a can of sweetened condensed milk as the caramel (turns to caramel when microwaved)

6.Donut Snowmen - This couldn't be simpler...or more tempting.

7. Hot Chocolate on a Stick - A tad tedious, but it turns out absolutely delicious!

8. Drink Toppers - Break out the bubbly! Dress it up and drink it down.

See? Cute AND easy. Now go get your giving on!

Soccer...

2010-11-20T21:22:00.000-08:00

...or "How we've spent our Saturdays for the last three months"

We just finished up our first season of soccer with Owen. And I count it as a success. Not because of our winning record, I might add. (We lost every single game.) But because we started the season like this:

And ended like this:

Our little #6 once again approached things on his own terms. He refused to play for the first month of practices and games. It was pure torture. Mark would coax and lead, beg and plead. But to no avail. Then slowly Owen warmed up to his coaches and teammates and at least stayed on the field for the whole game. By season's end, he was kicking the ball right along with the rest of them...and enjoying it.

Last week we celebrated the season with a team party. Pizza was eaten, trophies were handed out, and we got a piece of this amazing cake:

Now that soccer's through I wonder if we should attempt baseball in the spring...

Evolution of a Costume

2010-10-31T23:38:00.000-07:00

I bought the most adorable costume after Halloween last year. And I fully intended for Gavin to wear it this year. It was going to be the perfect size, the perfect cuteness. A little lion. I even made him try it on weeks ago just to see how it would look.

Then one day he had a nasty encounter with the corner of a wall. And I thought maybe a Frankenstein costume would suit him better. Poor baby. It was bad.

But it healed. And I realized he could be neither lion nor Frankenstein. With his age and girth he needed to be something more...religious. It was settled. He would be Nacho Libre for Halloween.

Nachooooooooo!

Halloween Extravaganza

2010-10-31T21:33:00.000-07:00

Picking out pumpkins:

Stopping to pat the bunnies:

Carving (perhaps my best year yet):

Parading at preschool:

Trick-or-treating as gorilla and Nacho Libre:

If Nautical Nonsense Be Something You Wish

2010-10-20T22:36:00.000-07:00

About 33 years ago my mom made the most adorable sailor suit for my older brother. He had his picture taken in it, as did my other three younger brothers. It was one of those keepsake outfits that got passed around, with hints of maritime and nostalgia.

Then when my older brother had a son, the sailor suit reemerged and took its place in another seafaring photo. In fact, all the nephews have had their picture taken in the outfit. So when my two boys came along I knew I had to keep up the tradition.

Here is Owen in the suit:

And I almost forgot to get Gavin's pictures taken. My mom remembered the suit and sent it to me just in the knick of time. It barely fit. Here's Gavin sporting the stripes:

Now both times I've pulled out the sailor suit to get the boys photographed, Mark has put up a fit. He says, "Please Bridge. Don't make them wear that." He is not a fan of anything nautical, it's safe to say. But I wasn't going to let that take the wind out of my sails. That outfit is adorable!

And I'll have you know every woman in the mall would agree. After getting Gavin's pictures taken I ran into a couple more stores to do some shopping. You would not believe how many "ohhhhs" and "how cutes" I got. Little boys just don't dress like they used to.

The sailor suit lives on.

Cookie Class

2010-10-15T23:35:00.000-07:00

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the most wonderful cookie decorating class with my friend Kim. It was held at a Parisian-inspired pastry shop called Miette and taught by a true cookie artist. Wearing crisp white aprons, we worked in the confectionary kitchen and used all the bake shop tools. It was so, so exciting!

We learned how to make a great sugar cookie. The base of the sweet treat is very important, you know. But most of the time was spent learning how to perfect the art of royal icing (mixing it, thinning it, coloring it). We then practiced different techniques in decorating. My goodness, I could have stayed there all day. There is something so comforting about working with fresh-baked goods. Being in the kitchen with good company, creating something delectable!

I think I would really like to work in a pastry shop someday. I have so much more to learn, but I loved getting just a taste of it. I'm sure the only drawback of decorating cookies with royal icing is they are too cute to eat.

That Doggie in the Window

2010-10-13T21:24:00.000-07:00

Owen's wanting a dog has been a reoccurring theme for awhile now. For as long as I can remember, he's been fascinated with dogs. He loves everything about them. He is convinced he needs one. Remember this? And Gavin is right alongside him. He takes notice of every dog everywhere we go. Even the faintest bark sets him in search of a hound.

There's just one problem. I am NOT a dog person. Well...I do like them at a distance. I think it would be great for the boys to have a dog. I had a dog for a short time growing up and I loved it. But the thought of taking care of it, cleaning up after it, getting attached to it. I feel like I'd be taking on another half child. Not sure I'm up for that.

Yet Owen is relentless. Everyday he talks about getting a dog. I feel myself slowly wearing down. About a week ago on our trip to the library I suggested we check out some books on dogs. That way we could learn more about different kinds and how much work it is to take care of a pet. In a way I was hoping it would distract him from the daily debate. Instead, I found this hanging above his bed the next day:

He had looked through that piddly library book like it was a catalogue. And he ordered up the one he wanted. Total backfire. After a frank reminder about how to treat library books I asked him why he hung the page up. And his response was, "When Santa comes to my house he'll think this boy wants a pug for Christmas."

The question of whether or not we're getting a dog remains to be seen. But what's certain is we'll be checking out this event again this year. It's too cute (weird) to be missed.

First Day of Preschool

2010-09-27T22:47:00.000-07:00

So I know this post is a tad tardy. Owen actually began preschool three weeks ago. But I haven't dared write about it until now. I wasn't altogether sure preschool would happen this year. You see, the picture above tells a very different story than what happened on the first day of school. Let me fill you in.

The morning began normally. We had spent the previous days and weeks prepping Owen for his first day of preschool. He had visited his classroom, even met his teachers. He expressed excitement about all of it. To an outsider, it would seem Owen was well-prepared for this new experience. But as his parents, we knew Owen had a track record of not welcoming change. Transition, he does not. Yet with all the cheering and prepping, he seemed to be handling everything really well. We took a picture of our proud preschooler just before heading out the door to drop him off.

It was a big day, so we all piled in the car to give Owen the big send off. Gavin and I were still in our pj's so Mark walked Owen in to school, hand in hand. Things were looking good.

45 minutes later....

Gavin and I were still sitting in the car outside of preschool, waiting for Mark to return. Things were looking a little grim now.

When Mark finally returned to the car he confirmed my suspicions. Owen refused to stay at school. As you can imagine, there was a lot of talking, arguing, reassuring, threatening, pleading and the like going on. But Owen would not let Mark leave the classroom without him. He kept following him out, disregarding his teachers and fellow classmates. Now I'm not sure how it all went down. But Mark was late for work and just needed to leave. So the way Mark explained it to me was something like:

The teacher grabbed hold of Owen and held him down while I ran out of there. All the while Owen was screaming, "Let go of me PLEASE!"

Upon hearing this story, I felt awful. I felt a whole range of emotions.
I knew we shouldn't have done this.
What a terrible and traumatic first day.
He'll never want to go back.
Poor Owen.
Poor teachers.
What could we have done differently?
What's wrong with my kid?
I'm a terrible mother!

The rest of the day was pretty awful. And the next few days of school were also kind of awful. (AND, this was all happening during my "be a carrot, not an egg" phase). It was a mess. I was a mess.

And that brings us to today. Owen got up for school. We cheerfully loaded the car. He said, "I'll wave to you Mom!" We waved goodbye and I dropped him off like nothing had ever happened. I think I'll pretend like today was the REAL first day of school.

Be a Carrot, Not an Egg

2010-09-20T23:28:00.000-07:00

I've been going through something lately. A rough patch. A hard time. It's a natural cycle I suppose; a period of stretching and growth. But man, it's taken a toll on me.

The last few weeks have been just plain hard. It's one of those times when the balls are flying and I can't seem to keep control of them. (And yes, I have control issues). Mark is super busy with work and outside-of-work work. He has responsibilities that occupy his weeknights and weekends. And it will be this way for awhile. So I'm willing myself to get used to it. Owen is going through what I'll call "the terrible fours". We experienced the terrible twos and threes, so why not keep it going? Only difference is, he is pushing and resisting on a whole new 4-yr-old level. I guess I should be prepared for this by now, but I'm not. He breaks me down. And Gavin. Sweet Gavin. He is my shadow. I cannot make a move around here without Gavin attached to me. And while it's nice to be loved, I find it quite suffocating lately. Plus, he's decided it's time to assert himself and make his wants known. So his newest tricks involve high-pitched screams, dropping to the floor in agony, and banging his head on the closest object in sight (a trick Owen used to do) when he doesn't get what he wants.

So it's a culmination of things really. The aforementioned factors mixed with the daily duties of trying to keep the house in order, fulfill other responsibilities, and have some time (ANY time) for myself has just been exhausting.

I was recently reminded of a phrase. "The same boiling water that softens the carrot also hardens the egg." In other words, I can choose to react positively or negatively to these circumstances. And while I think I've reacted rather negatively thus far (read: wicked witch of the west), I am making a renewed effort to see the positive. I plan to slow down and enjoy this stage as much as possible. I plan to have renewed patience. I plan to not give up. And for goodness sake, I plan to be a carrot.

Finally Four!

2010-08-19T21:42:00.000-07:00

It seems as though Owen has been four for quite some time. He is at the tail end of his group of friends, watching their birthdays come and go. Always asking, "When will I be four?" "Am I four yet?"

Well it finally happened. He turned four a couple weeks ago as we boarded an airplane bound for Utah to spend time with family. The birthday boy got the royal treatment on the plane. A visit with the pilot, who showed him around the cockpit. A special birthday wish over the intercom. Extra refreshments from the flight attendants. And a dollar bill gifted from a random stranger.

The celebrating just goes on and on. In all he has partied with family, with cousins and grandparents, at preschool and in primary. And he's about to have one last round of gifts from a second set of grandparents who are coming to visit. Four, indeed!

For some reason four seems so much older than three. It's like a whole new bracket. In clothing, in amusement park admissions, in so many ways. It's so grownup. And so is my Owen.

He is quite the chatterbox. He loves to tell people things. A lot of things. Sometimes too many things. At a restaurant last week, he insisted on using the bathroom by himself. I reluctantly walked him to the door of the men's room and waited outside. He seemed to be taking awhile, when finally a man walked out and said, "Is that your talker in there?" Apparently he had been chatting it up the entire time he was taking care of business. Most of the time people think it's cute at first...but when he won't stop talking, they start to kindly excuse themselves from the conversation.

He does things on his own time or in his own way. Getting ready to go can be tricky. He will not be hurried. Participating in activities like school, swim lessons, and sports can be dicey. He will not be forced. Eating can be pure torture. He will not be pushed. To keep my sanity I have learned to pick my battles. If he's wearing his swim trunks and rashguard to school in late winter I say, "At least he's dressed." If he's refusing to participate in activities I say, "It's because he can't stand to be away from his mother!." If he's insisting on sucking the juice from the grapes rather than eating them whole I say, "It's fruit intake, right?'"

He is rather inquisitive. We go through the string of why? why? why? many times a day. He is curious about most everything. And his questions are getting more advanced. Lately he is fascinated with life and death. He had a whole discussion with me the other day about what I should do when he dies. He wanted to make sure I knew to sit by his side until Heavenly Father came to pick him up. And make sure Heavenly Father knew that Owen was my son. He wants to know, very specifically, how things work and why they are the way they are.

He is developing more of an interest in drawing. I've tried forever to get him to do coloring or other artsy things, but he'd always rather be active. Now I'll go into his room and discover he's drawn a family picture (don't you LOVE the detail on the knees!) Or he's drawn a replica of a story figure we discussed (The Good Samaritan). I love kid's artwork. I'm going to have to restrain myself from keeping all his little drawings.

Mostly, I love how his little mind works. I love that he wakes up in the morning and tells me he had a dirty dream. And he means he literally had a dream where he got really dirty. Or he wants to eat things that have vitamin C because he thinks he needs to see better. I love that he wishes he could go down the drain in the bathtub or have a garage sale where they sell parents. He never fails to surprise me with his comments and thoughts.

Love that Owen. Cheers to being four!

Event Planning

2010-07-26T23:23:00.000-07:00

After posting my pics of Gavin's birthday celebration, I was asked for some party ideas for my friend's little girl. I have lots of ideas floating around in my head when it comes to parties. There is inspiration everywhere. And planning a party for a girl is a treat. So I put together a few inspiration boards to help with the planning.
Like any of these, Stella?

Pinwheels: starting with the invitation, and decorations, even an outfit for the birthday girl to wear.

ABCs/Colors: paralleling the theme I used for Gavin's bday, it would be great to incorporate a touch of alphabet. Of note? The rainbow knit hat is on sale for $6 on Etsy. So darling! And the hanging colored pieces are just strands of paint chips.

Forest Friends: Love this one! Got the invitation, decorations, cupcakes, even a couple gift ideas; a delightful board book and a perfect plush bunny (also on Etsy).

These were so fun to create, I just might do another round.

Things I Have Found in the Toilet:

2010-07-26T23:20:00.000-07:00

receipt, bracelet, hairdryer.

Gavin has been busy. New household rule...keep the bathroom doors closed!

This Little Piggy

2010-07-18T20:47:00.000-07:00

This little piggy won't park it.

On the go. Playing keep up with Owen. He loves to push and pull things, stack and destroy things, carry and drop things.

This little piggy has grown.

30 inches tall and over 23 pounds. He's traded in baby fat and fuzzy hair for a little guy frame and boyish locks. His appetite rivals mine. And he's not picky. He'll eat just about anything at anytime.

This little piggy has six teeth.

And in case you hadn't noticed, there's a wee gap in the front two. It gives him a nerdy edge and I like that.

This little piggy is one!

He's come so far in a year. I love that he laughs with Owen, sees Mark and is ready to play. He points, knows his name, plays chase, loves dogs, won't sit down in the bathtub, falls to the floor when he wants something. He's figuring out the world around him.

This little piggy cries waa, waa, waa when I'm not home.

He is a true momma's boy right now. Maybe for good? Who knows. But I'll take what I can get.

(Note: I checked the camera and my phone for pics of Gav. This random batch was about all I had...along with a bunch of blurry ones. Lesson learned? He doesn't stay still for very long AND I need to take more pictures!)

Birthday No.1

2010-07-15T21:24:00.000-07:00

Gavin recently turned one. And I almost didn't do anything to celebrate it. Poor, poor second child that he is. But we had family in town and I figured it would be fun to have a little party. So I used this rainbow stacker I bought for him as inspiration...and away we went.

My nephew and I got together and learned how to make balloon animals to decorate the table. We spent an entire afternoon twisting and turning these creatures. Now I have mad balloon-making skillz. Book me for your next party.

I also grabbed an assortment of soda pop in colorful hues to go with dinner. We decided to pour and pass, so we could try several different flavors. The crowd favorite? High Mountain Huckleberry--out of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. A surprising runnerup? Dr. Brown's Celery Soda. Interestingly good.

And the cake? A six-layer stack of colors sandwiched between whipped vanilla frosting. It was super easy to make and just the right touch for the colorful occasion.

It was a good day. Sadly Gavin spent the celebration in a bit of a daze because he had received two vaccines earlier in the day and was feeling sluggish. But he managed to down a slice of cake in honor of himself.

Stay tuned for more updates and pictures of the birthday boy.

He's a Walker

2010-06-27T21:22:00.000-07:00

Captured on the Flip earlier today, Gavin is officially off the floor!

Also captured on the Flip (by Owen I presume), was this:

And this:

One Dirty Summer

2010-06-14T22:02:00.000-07:00

Summer has begun. And it looks like we're in for a dirty one.

First trip to the strawberry farm:

First trip to the beach:

It's gonna be awesome.

Preschool Grad

2010-06-08T22:14:00.000-07:00

It's official. Owen successfully completed his first year of formal (but really, informal) schooling. I wasn't so sure it would happen at the beginning of the year. Take a look at the first day of school:

Notice I'm also pictured bending down next to Owen. I'm kindly asking (firmly ordering) him to join his classmates and smile (get in the picture or else!)

And here he is on the last day of school:

Truly happy! Letters and numbers aside, he was sitting willingly in this photo. I'd say that's measurable growth. He had a great year with a wonderful teacher and super cute friends.

*All in all, he made it into about half the photos throughout the year. Not bad considering, well....considering he's Owen.

Separate Lives

2010-05-24T22:47:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been thinking a lot about how drastically different my life is compared to that of my husband. He works late and is gone a lot. Which means I work late and single-parent a lot. Our work involves very separate things. And though we live under the same roof, we spend very little time together under that roof.

Mark's job involves the next big thing in the tech industry.
My job involves the next big thing in Gavin's diaper.

Mark accumulates sky miles.
I accumulate high piles...of laundry.

A couple weeks ago Mark had a chance encounter with Snoop Dogg.
A couple weeks ago I checked out the children's book Stray Dog.

For Mark, there is always another meeting, presentation, or conference call.
For me, there is always another feeding, play date, or trip to the mall.

Mark gets to buy the iPad, Kindle or other techy things for "research purposes".
I get to buy diapers, groceries or cleaning supplies for "household purposes".

Mark is always connected to his computer or phone.
I am mostly disconnected while I stay at home.

You get the picture. I guess I am just surprised by what little interaction (especially one-on-one) we have at this stage in our lives. I once heard a woman--mother of four whose husband traveled a lot--say that she made lists throughout the day of things she wanted to discuss with her husband. When he'd call to check in or return home from a business trip she'd go down the list and talk with him. At the time I thought, "How sad that she and her husband can't have a regular conversation without pulling out her paper and pen."

Then the other day I was going through stacks of papers, organizing things, and trying to make plans. And I realized there were a lot of things I needed to discuss with Mark. Calendar items...long-term goals...just plain "guess what the kids did today" talk. And the thought occurred to me to make a list. Yikes! Has it really come to this? Yes. Yes it has.

But if it's any consolation...at least we're both focused on the future. We're working hard to create successful products/children someday.

Dinner is Served

2010-05-20T20:33:00.000-07:00

Apparently I've been all kinds of productive lately. First crafting, now cooking. It's really quite miraculous, the feat you are about to witness. I have been reading and thinking a lot about healthy eating lately. And all that thinking motivated me to try out some new recipes--all healthy ones.

Now to any other joe this might seem like the norm. Prepare a well-balanced meal for your family every night? Of course! But things have gotten very laxed around this house. Generally I don't feed my family garbage, but I'm not the type to "watch what I eat" either. Most nights I consider it a success just to get food on the table, no matter if it's grilled cheese sandwiches or cold cereal. But for the past week or so I made a concerted effort to prepare only healthy dishes for my boys. And here is some evidence of those efforts.

Grilled Chicken Tacos with Mango Slaw and Avocado Lime Dressing
(Yes, even the dressing was healthy)

Dijon Crusted Pork Tenderloin With Artichokes and Fresh Fruit

Gourmet Rotisserie Chicken and Potatoes, Roasted Corn and Fresh Cherries
(This dinner was compliments of our weekly farmer's market. I love the chicken and that corn is to die for!)

Grilled Steak with Quinoa Salad

Italian Chicken Vegetable Soup

Kashi Roasted Vegetable and Margharita Pizza with Fresh Fruit
(This one was a shortcut meal from the freezer, but it was delicious!)

Yes, preparing a good healthy meal each night is work. Especially when you've got a 10-month old suction-cupped to your leg at all times and a restless toddler in the background. But I think my efforts were fruitful. It felt good to be eating right. As in...it felt good to know I was feeding my family a well-balanced meal AND it felt good to eat well. I highly recommend it.

But tomorrow night I think it's cocoa puffs for dinner. You're welcome Owen.

Refashioned

2010-05-17T20:49:00.000-07:00

We recently held a weeknight church meeting on the topic of Provident Living. We focused on topics ranging from gardening and budgeting to storing food in our pantry. Going along with the theme, I decided to create a display table showcasing some ways to repurpose or refashion clothing. It's something I've seen a lot on the web lately and I thought it would be fun to share some ideas to reuse clothing, which seems so disposable sometimes.

There are some great ideas out there, but I didn't have a lot of time to sit and do projects. So I chose some simple ones that took anywhere from 10 minutes to a single afternoon to complete.

This one was the easiest by far. Seriously, it took just a few minutes to turn this t-shirt into a fun summer tote.

Another simple idea is to turn a cardigan into a pillow cover. So easy and so cute. No messing with a zipper or other closure. The cardigan does it for you!

I love this idea of turning a man's sweater into a boy's sweater vest. My friend Marissa shared this one with me and I couldn't wait to get my hand's on one of Mark's old sweaters to try it out. Unfortunately Mark isn't really a sweater guy. He had nothing for me to work with so I ran to the thrift store and picked this one up. Not too bad for a couple dollars.

And my favorite refashion has to be this one. Using a man's dress shirt to make a girl's shirt dress. This particular dress shirt was a favorite of Mark's. It used to be his dad's and was passed on to Mark, who wore it out almost completely. There was a hole near the collar and the underarms were faded. But he just couldn't get rid of it. Sentimental shirt turned shirt dress.

Now we don't have a little girl....but if we ever do I think she might just look adorable if we paired that shirt dress with one of these sweaters. They were purchased awhile back at Anthropologie just in case we ever had a girl. Too cute!

There are so many possibilities out there for reusing clothing and other items. I was pretty inspired by these little projects and hope I can find time to do more.

No Training Wheels

2010-05-11T21:35:00.000-07:00

I think I was six or seven before I learned to ride a bike without training wheels. So I was pretty impressed tonight when I saw this!

Just three years old! No running alongside his bike, helping him balance, then letting go while he wobbles around a bit. Smooth sailing from the get go! But how did he do it?

Well I suppose it started about a year ago when we got him a Skuut balance bike. He rode that thing around until he was able to cruise at top speeds with his feet off the ground. Then we bought him a regular pedal bike. He didn't take to the pedals very easily at first. He got frustrated because he couldn't go as fast as he could on the Skuut. So we decided to put training wheels on while he got the hang of it.

Then tonight the training wheels came off for the first time. And just like that, he rode like a pro.

Gotta Love Gav

2010-04-21T11:10:00.000-07:00

At nine months old, here's what I love.

His nicknames. I never thought he'd have one when we named him. Sure we call Owen just plain "O". But we call Gavin anything from "Gav-man, Gavzilla, Gav-monster, Gavies, Gavers" to just plain "Gav".

His chub. I can already tell he's starting to lose his rolls of baby fat now that he's on the go. But it hasn't left his cheeks, his thighs, his wrists and ankles. He weighs a sturdy 22 lbs. And he is comfortably fitting in clothing that's one size up.

His eating habits. Piggy likes his food. And though he only has two teeth with a third on the way, he'll eat just about anything; especially if we're eating it. A little-known fact? He grunts whenever he wants something. And if he goes unnoticed for long, he adds a terribly high-pitched screech that is almost unbearable (think ringwraiths from Lord of the Rings).

His dramatics. I don't know if it's having an older brother around, but he has quickly learned how to get noticed. When he wants your attention he will pull himself up onto something, let go, and just drop backwards onto the floor. This purposeful routine usually leads to a cry of pain...and of course, attention. If ever he wants something Owen has or gets something taken away by Owen, he'll look up at me with a grunt or shriek that means, "You're going to do something about that, right?"

His keeping up. If I put him down and turn my back for even a minute, he's gone. He doesn't stay in one place for long. He is either crawling, cruising along, or climbing up anything in sight (namely our stairs). Always trying to keep up with us, he is on the go.

His hair. It's always been somewhat of a mixture of things. Short and long. Calic here, calic there. Blonde, sandy, reddish. But it's finally filling in nicely. And I quite like the color. We've given him a couple haircuts already, but I'm still not quite sure what his "look" should be. It grows in a forward pattern, making it difficult to keep out of his eyes. I can't work up the courage to buzz it super short or anything. Guess I'll just let it do its thing.

His smile. He is seriously happy a lot. He has his normal smile, and then there's his total mouth-gaping-open smile like he just can't contain himself. Even his eyebrows seem to smile, adding an all-around effect. He lights up when he sees me, Mark, or Owen especially. He loves to be chased and tickled. We have even got him to clap and wave to us. All the while smiling.

With looks and charm like his, there's sure a lot to love.

"Owen is me and Gavin is you"

2010-03-28T20:00:00.001-07:00

Those were the words spoken by Mark on Sunday night. And they pretty much sum up my thoughts too. Why do I feel the need to pick apart my children's traits and put them in a category of "yours" and "mine"? Is that natural? Because I find myself doing it all the time.

Gavin has my hair texture because it is so fine. Owen's hair is more thick and coarse like Mark's.

Owen is a heavy sleeper (like Mark). He can pretty much sleep through anything. Gavin, on the other hand, is a light sleeper (like me) who wakes at the drop of a hat.

Gavin seems to have my temperament as a child--calm and easy-going. Whereas Owen seems to have Mark's childhood disposition--emotional and strong-willed.

And really, how could you NOT compare their looks?

At one month:

At four months:

At eight months:

I could go on but I know that our children cannot be labeled in every category. They each have their very own personality with unique traits that neither Mark nor I possess. And as they grow up they'll become more and less like us. But for the time being, I'm sticking with Mark--Gavin is me and Owen is he.

One of Those Nights

2010-03-25T13:14:00.000-07:00

8:30pm
Both boys were in bed. I did the dishes, tidied up the last of the toys, folded two loads of laundry, and read a couple chapters in my book.

10:20pm
Tucked myself in and went to sleep.

Just before midnight
Mark returned from a business trip. I noticed him, then promptly dozed off.

Just after midnight
Gavin awoke with a mild cry. We listened to see if he would go back to sleep. No luck. Since he'd been teething I knew what he wanted, so I decided to nurse him and put him back to bed.

Sometime between 1am and 3am
Owen showed up by my side and announced that he wet his bed. I followed him back to his room where we changed his pjs and his sheets.

3:45am
Woke up to Owen yelling "Mooooommmmmy". Stumbled to his room to find him covered in puke. He was shivering and soiled and required a bath.

4:00am
Filled the tub and soaped the kid up. Threw his soiled clothes and sheets in the growing pile of laundry to do in the morning. Put him back in bed.

4:45am
Gavin awoke with a tiny wimper. I decided to let him cry it out.

5:45am
Still crying it out. Then came another cry from Owen's room. He had puked again, this time in the kitchen pot I had provided after the last incident. We cleaned up his face and mouth in the bathroom and rinsed out the pot. Meanwhile Gavin was still crying in his room.

6am
Mark finally awoke for the first time since his midnight arrival. He tried to coaxe Gavin back to sleep while I tucked Owen back in. Gavin wasn't having it. Mark, in an effort to help, decided to prepare a small bottle of stored milk from the fridge so I could get some sleep.

6:15am
Mark brings Gavin to me and reports that he spilled the milk while warming it and there would be no bottle. I proceeded to nurse Gavin back to sleep.

6:25am
Finally back in my bed to sleep for the night.

7:00am
Owen puked for the third time and decided to be up for the day. I turn on some morning cartoons for him and headed back to bed.

8:00am
Gavin woke up for the day.

8:15am
Mark showered and left town on another business trip.

I don't know who to feel more sorry for....Owen (who has now thrown up about 8 times), myself (exhausted and sleep-deprived), or Mark (who spent 8 hours at home between travels enjoying a night of "pure bliss".)

See what you're missing out on when you're gone, honey?

The Runaway

2010-03-05T19:48:00.000-08:00

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Most days Owen gives me a run for my money. Which is fine. But when he gives other adults this same challenge...in public...it's no good. For instance, he has been known to run out of the nursery at church when he doesn't want to stay. He is very sly. He waits until the moment when he doesn't think anyone is watching, and he darts for a slight opening in the door. This first happened almost a year ago and caused quite a stir with the adults who were helping out in nursery. He was halfway across the church building before they could catch up to him and "help him find his mommy". I was a little surprised at his craftiness and very embarrassed.

It happened during the first few days of preschool. I dropped him off. There was hesitation, but I knew it wouldn't help for me to linger. So I squeezed him goodbye and said I'd pick him up in a couple hours. I made it all the way to my car and began backing out. Sure enough, Owen showed up just as I was leaving. His preschool teacher was distraught at seeing one of her students dash out the door to make a getaway. I felt so bad.

In January he moved from the nursery to a primary class. A new environment? An unsuspecting teacher? Of course he was off and running in no time. A flustered primary teacher and one other parent chased him through the building until he found me and suctioned himself to my leg. They were very apologetic, explaining that he took off without warning and they were sure he was headed out the door and into the street. I was not surprised a bit. But I was embarrassed.

And just last week it happened again. He was being picked up by a friend for a playdate. He insisted that I stand outside and wave goodbye to him as he rode to his friend's house. It was stormy that day and I was eager to head back inside to get out of the rain. I failed to wave to him long enough. He wasn't satisfied. So unbeknownst to me, he waited until the car got out of the driveway and to the end of our culdesac. Then he unbuckled his seatbelt, opened his door, and took off running toward home. WHILE THE CAR WAS MOVING! The mother of his little friend just about had a heart attack as she put the car in park and leaped out her door to chase him down. He reached our house first. But she was not far behind, rattling off a frantic explanation of what had just happened.

So...any bets on when he'll try to run away from home? I'm just waiting.

On My Phone

2010-02-23T21:41:00.000-08:00

I can't manage to get my act together enough to write up an actual post. So I'll let my last five iphone photos tell the story. (Not too impressed with the quality of my phone camera, but whatever.}

Dinner time is tricky these days. Most nights Owen is talking my ear off and begging me to chase him while Gavin is stuck like glue to my ankles. But on this particular night Owen took charge of entertaining Gavin. I thought his attention to style was a nice touch.

California in late winter. Gotta love it. Here's Mark, Owen, and our little buddy Wyatt hanging out at the park.

We have an "in" at the fire station. We got a personal tour of the newly-built station where our brother-in-law works in Utah. I even took my turn sliding down the fire pole. Sorry, no picture.

One of Owen's favorite parts of traveling...the taxi ride to and from the airport. He usually talks the ear off of the poor driver. This time he settled in and enjoyed the ride. I guess he had used up his dialogue on the plane ride. Grandma Solomon had given him a small notebook and some stickers. And he spent a good hour on the plane "writing" in his notebook. All the while he would say out loud what he was writing. It went something like this:
Dear Dad, please be nice to me.
(next line)
Dear Mom, you need to be nice to me.
(next line)
Dear Grandma, be nice to me.
(next line)
Dear Gavin, stop pulling people's hair.
Well if that isn't a good glimpse into Owen's life, I don't know what is. Such a sad childhood he has. Maybe I should be nicer to him.

And the new Gavin face. This little guy got his first two teeth in the space of a week. We left town to find the first one poking through the gums. And we returned just as the second was coming in. Now he makes all sorts of cute faces as he checks out his new teeth with his lips and tongue.

The Difference a Week Makes

2010-01-28T21:01:00.000-08:00

So all that stuff I said about my baby sleeping through the night...lies. All lies. Within a matter of a week we are basically back to business as usual.

I blame it on sickness. We have been sick for the umpteenth time this winter. And the sickness seemed to unravel all the beautiful progress we made. Inconsistent, non-existent sleep. Poor Gavin. He has cried more in the last 5 days than he has in his whole lifetime. I HATE IT.

With his health on the mend, his sleep has yet to catch up. He cried for almost an hour and a half tonight before nodding off. All this (lack of) sleep has sent me back to the books to see if there's something more I can be doing. And interestingly, the books are lame. They have nothing to offer me that I hadn't previously thought or tried. In fact they vary in theory; even directly contradicting one another.

One book says to let your child cry it out (no matter how long) so they can teach themselves how to fall asleep. If you interfere with this practice process, you are not allowing your child to become independent.

Another book says crying it out makes your child feel that they have been abandoned when they need you most. An infant's wants are the same as their needs until they are about one year of age. So if they want to be comforted to go to sleep (ie. whatever that may entail), then comfort them.

Sickness aside, Gavin has never been much of a sleepaholic. So it all comes down to this. You read about sleep practices, consider your own intuition, and make the best decision for your own child. Easy, right?

Maybe I'll just invent a special potion that will cure his sleep ills.

The Difference a Month Makes

2010-01-20T20:56:00.000-08:00

One month ago we were getting ready for (in need of) a nice long holiday break.

Watching our baby roll over.
Waiting for him to sleep through the night.
Wondering if we should start him on solid foods.

Watching our toddler fight us tooth and nail.
Waiting for him to snap out of it.
Wondering how often he would be in "time out" during the trip.

And now? Well. Our wonder (verb) has changed to wonder (noun).

At six months old, Gavin weighs a whopping 20 lbs. He is happy as ever. He has readily taken to spoon feeding, though milk is still his food of choice. He thinks sitting up is old news and has moved on to crawling. He also tries to pull himself up on everything in sight. This little one is ON THE GO! I don't know where he gets the energy. He refuses to sleep most of the time. [Enter the "cry it out" phase.] He's far from consistent, but he's finally slept through the night--a record 10-hour stretch last week.

It seems Owen has turned a corner too. Even entered a new stage. He was very hard to deal with before the holidays. Let's be honest, he has been a struggle off and on since he was maybe 18 months old. He has a strong mind and a stronger will. Yet, he was remarkably good during our holiday travels. And he's continued the pattern since then. I'm not saying we're in the clear. But I am stunned by how much he has conformed. Mark and I have had a number of conversations about how different things are. He is so pleasant to be around!

One thing is for sure. Gavin LOVES Owen. And Owen LOVES Gavin. I can't believe how much I love the two of them together. What a great combination. I get all excited thinking of them growing up together, sharing life experiences. Anyway, I marvel at my boys and the difference one month has made.

(Photo was taken on one of my favorite days last year-Thanksgiving Day at the San Francisco Zoo. Me and my boys. Beautiful weather. Perfect day.)

Home Again

2010-01-11T22:20:00.000-08:00

Our holiday travels proved successful. We had a fantastic time catching up with family and old friends. And a highlight of the trip was the return of my two youngest brothers from Chile (where they were serving church missions for the past two years). It was so great to see them again and hear about their experiences abroad. And as is customary each year, we took a family photo to send out with the annual Christmas card. It was awesome to have all six siblings in the picture together with their respective families. I am amazed by how much we've grown over the years. We started sending out the annual card when I was just ten years old. Our family was young and cute then. I suppose some of us are still cute and relatively young, but we have more than doubled in number. Amazing.

Notice we are all wearing Chilean scarves. A piece of Chile brought back by my brothers. Also of interest...Owen could not get Bryant and Brad straight for some reason. So he resorted to calling them the "white-faced one" and the "dark-faced one". Weird? Yes. Which is which? You tell me.

Santa

2009-12-22T21:09:00.000-08:00

Today I found this paper sitting on a table by the couch. Quite the list, I must say. It was written by my 9-yr old niece, Olivia. I think numbers 23 and 26 need special mention. I mean who DOESN'T want a a big fluffy eskimo jacket and fancy stuff?

And this photo is our first bona fide "Santa" picture. I don't know why we haven't done it with Owen before now. I guess we're not really into meeting Santa at the mall. But our friends were going and we thought it would be fun. I'm so glad we did it. Everytime I look at the picture it makes me happy.

Hopefully Santa is good to you this year. Have a Merry Christmas!

Dear Grandmas

2009-12-18T22:20:00.000-08:00

We have been counting down the days until our Christmas adventure begins. We are so excited to see you both this year (and Grandpas too, of course).

Here are some things you have to look forward to during our visit:

Running your fingers through this. I call it an awkward hair phase. We've got the fuzzy duck look going on. But you'll also get to see the classic after-bath comb over. And don't forget the always-attractive bald spot in back.

Rolls. Lots of them. Especially around the inner thighs, elbows, wrists and ankles. You'll have plenty of chances to squeeze, pinch, and jiggle the chubbs.

Feeding "doggy" Owen. His diet requires special attention. You must set out a handful of Scooby snacks and a bowl of water each day.

Action. And more action! This one jumps off everything. I guess the broken arm incident failed to take the daredevil out of him.

Conversations like this:
Owen: Ethan called me a booty-face. And I told him not to call me that.
Me: You're right, Owen. That's not very nice. We don't call people booty-face.
Owen: Yeah, because we have white faces.

Oh, you're in for a treat. We can't wait to see you!

Grin and Bear It

2009-12-03T21:11:00.000-08:00

After the month of November I have developed a whole new appreciation for single parents. Mark had to travel to Taiwain for exactly half the month. Which meant I was on my own for 15 days. Now back in the day when Mark and I were childless and he had to travel for work, it was no big deal. I would say "see ya later" and settle in for some takeout dinner and a movie. Then when we had Owen, if Mark had to travel I would say "I wish you didn't have to go". Then Owen and I would visit family or just pal around to pass the time. And now with two kids, when Mark has to travel, I look at him very seriously and beg, "Please don't leave me!" But of course he has to go. And I try to grin and bear it.

I got by fairly well the first week he was gone. We had our routines. We got invited to dinner with friends. A nice lady from church offered to watch the boys one day so I could get out for a couple hours. I managed to schedule events everyday that would help the week go by quickly. And it was hard. And I was very tired. But it was doable. And then the second week I got even braver. I decided to travel to Boston with the boys to visit my dear friend, Marissa. It would be good for us to leave and have some fun in a new city, I thought. So we took a red-eye flight, nearly missed a whole night's sleep, and began our adventure. Not long after we arrived my friend and her husband and their cutie pie one-year-old all got sick. Nasty cold virus, said the doctor. And things were beginning to look dicey. Then Gavin decided to take his sleep routine and throw it out the window. And things were looking more uncertain. And finally, Owen decided to turn into a problem child (that's saying it nicely) for the remainder of the week. And things looked to be a total bust.

Luckily my friend and I had been through a lot together and we were not ready to give up. She powered through her sickness. We got Gavin mostly on track with sleep. And Owen, well it was a lost cause really. But we went on some amazing outings each day. We got to enjoy the crisp autumn air in Boston. We got to catch up on each others' lives and create new memories. And we almost avoided getting sick ourselves. That pesky virus followed us back home. So we spent the next week fighting off illness. But I didn't care because at that point Mark returned from his travels and took care of us all.

Blessed be my husband. I have a whole new appreciation for him! I finally feel like I have recovered from single-parenthood. Just in the nick of time it seems. Mark has to travel again next week.

Hordes of Gourds

2009-11-02T21:36:00.000-08:00

We are all pumpkined out around here. During the month of October we made three trips to local pumpkin patches, bought pumpkins, ate pumpkins, decorated pumpkins, and carved pumpkins. Here's a little glimpse of our punkins among the pumpkins.

I had to include this picture because it captures the boys perfectly. We could not get Owen to pose and smile for a single picture that day. On the other hand, Gavin was all smiles.

Blue-eyed and bundled up, our little chubs.

Domo Arigato, Mr. Owen. We took a preschool fieldtrip to the patch in our costumes.

Gav was a monkey for his first Halloween.

And here are our gourds all aglow on Halloween night.

Gavzilla and the Falsetto Child

2009-10-26T22:28:00.000-07:00

It's been way too long between posts again. I think motherhood has gotten the best of me lately. My most recent motto? Maintain. I refer to vacuuming as "cleaning the house", milk and toast as "dinner", mascara as "wearing makeup, a phone call from Mark as "quality time". You get the picture. Anyway, these two boys are certainly the center of my world.

You wouldn't believe how fast Gavin is growing. In fact he has been dubbed "Gavzilla" by Mark. No doubt because of his size and NOT his disposition. The kid loves to eat and he's filling out his clothes like nobody's business.

He's a beast, that kid. This morning I placed him on the floor to bat at his toys a bit while I got a bowl of cereal.

After awhile I noticed it was very quiet in the next room, so I wandered in to check on him. This is what I found:
He had turned over! So I made him do it again...and again. In fact, almost everytime I lay him on his back now he will turn over to his tummy. I'm not ready for it. I just want him to sit like a blob on my lap a little longer.

And as for Owen, well he's continually on the go. Owen's energy matches Gavin's size. He is always running or jumping or riding or wrestling.
His latest thing is talking in this super high-pitched voice. It kind of reminds me of the kid in the movie Overboard; the one who talked in the Pee-Wee Herman voice. He began using it whenever he would pretend to be a dog or other character. And somehow it became his everyday voice. I have to remind him multiple times a day to speak in a normal voice. Weird.

And somehow these two boys, who are so very different, seem to balance me out. Well, break me down THEN balance me out. But that's motherhood, right?

Top 10 Reasons to Visit Seattle

2009-10-01T22:55:00.000-07:00

10. This view from my parents backyard window. Can't you just smell the fresh air by looking at it?

9. Watching morning cartoons in style.

8. Falling water and King of the Mountain.

7. Catching frogs with the professionals, Jack and Piper.

6. Birthday celebration with the cousins. Mmmm, we like our cupcakes.

5. Picking fresh vegetables from the garden...even if they weren't quite ready to be picked.

4. Getting to sit on Grandpa's lap.

3. Playing on the latest and greatest equipment at the park.

2. Checking out the salmon at the Issaquah fish hatchery.

1. A deer in the backyard! We saw this mother and her two babies more than once during our stay.

(All pictures via my iphone)

Baby Blessing

2009-09-13T21:52:00.000-07:00

My baby is two months old! And we had the wonderful opportunity to give him a baby blessing (as is customary in our church) this past Sunday. My parents, my brother Brett, and nephew Will came to celebrate the occasion with us. The weekend went by much too quickly, as it usually does with family. But we were happy to be together and give our Gavin lots of attention.

As for some interesting stats, he is 14 lbs already. I thought Owen was a chunky little guy, but Gavin may have him beat. I love all the chubbiness. Cheeks and thighs especially! He is also getting so strong--holding his head up and using his legs to stand in place. He loves to smile...a lot. He is so cheery and will coo to anyone who looks at him. He just discovered how to blow bubbles in the past couple days too. And he loves, loves bathtime. As soon as the evening hour hits he is ready to splash. He's a good little guy. We feel so lucky to have him.

Utah

2009-09-08T23:08:00.000-07:00

Some highlights from our last trip for the summer:

It was the first time we had been together with Mark's parents and all his sisters in several years. So family pictures were in order.

It was our first time visiting Cherry Hill. We met up with our California-turned-Utah friends and hung out a bit. Owen loves his buddy Trenton.

It was NOT our first time at the zoo...but this was one of many things Owen got to do with his cousins.

It was the first time the boys took a bath together...per Owen's request.

It was my first time flying with both the boys alone...and not my last.

Triple Threat

2009-08-19T22:48:00.000-07:00

Last week I was packing for a little family trip to Utah. Gavin was taking a snooze and Owen was keeping me company by talking my ear off and simultaneously jumping off his bed...as usual. It wasn't long before one particular jump ended in a crash landing and a hurt arm. We treated it like any other injury by checking it out, putting the trusty ice pack on it, and soothing the tears away. Owen went to bed shortly after and woke up to more pain the next morning.

Now Owen is no stranger to scrapes and bruises. He's definitely not a wimp. But he complained of pain and refused to use his arm. So (with no swelling and no bruising) we figured a trip to the doctor couldn't hurt just to be sure. The doctor requested we get an x-ray since we'd be leaving town shortly. And after a trip to radiology and a referral to an orthopedic surgeon, we walked away with a bright blue cast. Owen had broken his arm in two places!

But here's the clincher. Two of the cousins we came out to visit in Utah happened to have casts too. Jasper, age 7, injured his arm in a trampoline accident. And Cameron, age 11, fell while climbing a tree. All three boys had casts! On their right arms! At the same time! What are the odds?

Super Hero Birthday

2009-08-13T16:07:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Owen's 3rd birthday last week with a superhero party. It was a team effort to make the whole thing happen...what with a newborn around and all.

First, Mark and I put together some activities for our little heroes in training. They decorated super hero masks and completed an obstacle course testing their agility, courage, and speed.

Then they practiced their super powers by shooting balls and rockets into floating hoops in the pool.

When all activities were completed, each guest was presented with an authentic, handmade, his or hers, super-duper cape. Lest you get too impressed with my ability to make homemade invitations AND capes, you must know that my mom sewed every single cape while she was here helping out with the baby.

The capes were amazing! Even on the littlest of heroes.

And we ended the celebration by serving lunch and super hero cupcakes. It all came together quite nicely (with even more help from friends who prepared food and took turns holding Gavin during the party).
And a special thanks to our photographer, Caleb, for supplying us with all these photos. It allowed us to enjoy the party even more!

1 and 3 and 9

2009-07-30T00:10:00.000-07:00

This past week marked several milestones for us. Gavin is 1 month old! Time has flown by since he was born. I feel like it is still the beginning of July, and here we are in August. But Gavin is truly a good baby. He is giving me a reasonable amount of sleep at night so I can function during the day. That's all I can ask at this point, really. And he adds an incredible dynamic to our family. He is sweet and calming and so very handsome.
Owen is 3 years old! Yes, my little Owen had his birthday this past week. And the big brother in him is coming out full force. Aside from his usual help with diaper changing and burping and the like, I have noticed an interesting phenomenon. He likes to hold Gavin...a lot. If I happen to leave the two alone for a moment, I come back to find Gavin in a new place. Hmmm. I wonder how that happened?
We have been married for 9 years! Mark and I just celebrated our ninth wedding anniversary. And he gave me the best anniversary present ever. He let me sleep in first of all. And when I awoke he told me he'd be taking the day off work. That may not seem like much, but tears came to my eyes when I heard it. I NEEDED the break. We spent the day getting some important errands done and eating lunch out as a family. It was low-key, relaxing, and simply wonderful. Eating good food and tackling my "to-do" list...the day was just right.

An Adjustment

2009-07-27T22:56:00.000-07:00

I had a short list of things I wanted to accomplish today:
1. Do the laundry
2. Go grocery shopping
3. Make banana bread

Here's what I accomplished:
1. Took clothes out of dryer and folded just four items
2. Wrote out a partial grocery list
2. Opened my recipe book

I think I'll readjust tomorrow's goals to look something like this:
1. Feed Gavin all day
2. Keep Owen busy while feeding Gavin all day

Eeny-Meeny-Miney-Solomon

2009-07-23T00:34:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be a fun comparison to show a baby pic of the boys. I'm sure you can tell the middle picture is Mark. (His mom hinted to me that he was not the cutest baby, but I just love that photo. His little features and head of hair are ridiculous!) Mark was a small baby at birth, weighing in under six pounds. And the photo doesn't show it, but he had distinct red hair.

Owen is the baby on the right. He weighed 8 lbs 4 oz at birth and was 21.5 inches long. He was also 9 days overdue! His hair does not show well in this picture, but he had a substantial amount of medium blonde.

Gavin is on the left. Of course he weighed 8 lbs 8 oz and was 19 inches long. He was also born a day BEFORE his due date. It was a good thing my doctor suggested inducing me early. I can't imagine how much longer he would have hung out in there and how much more he would have weighed! He has more hair than Owen did and it is a slight red/brown color.

When I first saw Gavin it felt a little like deja vu. I couldn't stop thinking about how much he looked like Owen at birth. And although there is a clear resemblance, they each have their own distinct look. I can't wait to see how their personalities compare!

Introducing...

2009-07-14T22:38:00.000-07:00

Gavin Mark Solomon
Okay, okay. If you've been anywhere near Facebook or Twitter you know he arrived a week ago. But his name hadn't been established until just yesterday.

Yes, we left the hospital without choosing one. And no, we did not get harrassed by the nurses for doing so. We pretty much waited until the last possible minute to put it in writing. That's just our style this time around.

But he's here and we are overjoyed! He weighed in at 8lbs 8oz and was 19.5in long. The labor and delivery were just short of amazing. I had a wonderful experience (much improved over O's delivery) and actually felt good afterwards.

We're all so excited to have baby Gavin around, no one more so than Owen. His new favorite activity is trying to wake baby up every time he is sleeping (which is most of the time). He also happens to be an expert on what baby wants. A true bother...I mean brother.

I'll post more pics and info in the coming days. For now we are simply adjusting to life as a little family of four. It's truly amazing. We love our little Gav.

Can You Guess...

2009-06-28T23:14:00.000-07:00

Which belly is which?

One is my pregnant Owen belly and the other is my current pregnant belly just a week before my respective due dates. Interesting comparison, no?

Bending it Like Beckham

2009-06-11T20:37:00.000-07:00

Would you believe this child is just two years old? I don't know if it's because I've got baby on the brain or if I'm just realizing my little guy is not so little anymore--either way, I swear he looks at least four.

Lately Mark and Owen have been kicking the ball around together at the park and in our culdesac. And I love watching them play. Mark must be in heaven to finally have a little soccer player in training.

Mark has played on a soccer team ever since I've known him. When we were dating I used to watch him play indoor soccer in Salt Lake. Then when we got married and moved to Houston he played on both an indoor team and an outdoor coed team. Once I even attempted to play on the coed team with him. Seriously. I look much better from the sidelines than I do on the field in shin guards and cleats. (Short-lived was my soccer career.) And then we moved to Oregon, and Mark continued to play the sport he grew up playing. Whether it was on his lunch break or at a late night game, he managed to make time for soccer. But ever since we came to California Mark has been off the field. With a kiddo in the mix and a demanding job, life just got busy. And I didn't realize how much I missed watching soccer until I saw these pictures of Owen.

I have a feeling the sport may be making a comeback in the next few years. My little O is growing up. And with another boy on the way, I think "Soccer Mom" is in my future.

Operation Baby Brother

2009-05-29T23:38:00.000-07:00

We're counting down the days until baby arrives. Up to this point, I have to admit I have just sailed through the pregnancy without much thought of the after-birth. It has not consumed my every conversation, thought, action...like it did the first time around. Quite the opposite, in fact. I have to keep reminding myself we ARE having another baby. We are, we are, we are. And so with the due date only a few short weeks away, I feel a need to set the tone. Make preparations! It is time to get serious! This week our days are being filled with things like:

1. Reading "big brother" books we checked out at the library
2. Making the switch to a big boy bed
3. Pulling out and organizing baby clothes and toys
4. Taking a tour of the hospital
5. Talking to baby in my belly; giving him high-fives and kisses
6. Picking out a name...or at least establishing a solid list of choices

Oh brother, I'm totally not ready for this.

Getting All Crafty

2009-05-15T22:13:00.000-07:00

As if we didn't have enough going on with all our travels and renovations this past month, I managed to squeeze in a little craftiness on the side. The first couple weeks in May found me participating in a local craft boutique and organizing another Enrichment Night for church. While I normally enjoy doing both, it was a bit stressful to get it all together this time around. Thankfully it is over with and I can start relaxing for the next 7 or 8 weeks until baby comes. Wait, I only have 7 or 8 weeks? Maybe relaxing isn't quite the right word.

Anyhow, here's a little peek at what I made and sold at the boutique.

I sold sets of decorative wooden blocks, magnetic message boards, and scrabble tile pendant necklaces.

The necklaces turned out so cute. They deserve a close up.

And my mom convinced me to sell some last-minute baked goods as well. She really did all the work...and I took all the credit. We prepared two kinds of cookies--sugar cookies decorated with summer flip-flops and painted toenails AND monster cookies handsomely packaged in CD envelopes. The cookies were both adorable and delicious!

And finally our May Enrichment Night. The theme of the evening was "Simple Abundance". The tables were decorated with pots of wheat grass that I grew from seed and took care of for the past few weeks. I also made butterflies out of coordinating napkins to hang on the walls; and used the same patterned napkins to create signs for our display tables. The decorations were simple and cheery. Paired with our uplifting message and informative displays, I'd say it all came together quite nicely.

One Busy Month

2009-05-14T21:48:00.000-07:00

April, where did you go? You were just here a second ago. It's hard to believe you were around for a whole 30 days. We were so busy visiting and being visited that we hardly noticed you. One busy month, that's for sure.
Part 1: The beginning of the month brought a visit from my dear friend Marissa and baby J. It is always good to see her. But it was especially fun to spend time with her little one as well. We had been waiting to meet him for months. And he was just as cute as promised. Plus he offered good practice for Owen's coursework on "how to be a big brother". Oh how I wish they lived closer!

Here are the little buddies after a dip in the pool. Baby Wy at 5 months, Owen at 2 years and 9 months, and baby J at 8 months. [Photo via Kim's blog]

Part 2: Not even a day after Marissa's visit, Owen and I headed out to Utah to visit family. We had a great time staying with the grandparents. Again, I wish we lived closer so we could hang out more often. I have no good pictures of our trip because I did not take the camera. So instead, I will entice you with a list of Owen's highlights.
1. Spending time with older cousins - watching their lacrosse games, visiting them at school, unleashing some wildness, idolizing everything they do
2. Taking a personal tour of the fire station with uncle Dan (it's great to have a firefighter in the family)
3. Dropping by the local library storytime about dinosaurs (quite possibly the coolest storytime we've ever been to)
4. Visiting the zoo with Grandma and the pet store with Grandpa (yielding two small goldfish)
5. Getting to play with Trenton (a favorite San Jose buddy who now lives in Utah)
Here are O and T hanging with T's twin sisters. It was just so fun to see them and catch up for an afternoon. [Photo via Jami's blog]

Part 3: Not even a day after returning home from Utah, we found ourselves hosting another set of visitors. My parents flew down to visit [work for] us. My dad spent the week renovating our master bathroom with Mark. And my mom spent the week helping me craft and prepare for the new baby. Owen spent the week hunting pirates with grandma and fixing things with grandpa. We owe them BIG TIME! (Pictures of the renovation are in the works).

San Diego

2009-04-03T17:11:00.000-07:00

We recently returned from southern California where we spent a week in the sunshine with our Oregon friends. It was so nice to get away and enjoy the beautiful spring weather. We drove down and rented a beach house in the Carlsbad area where we soaked up the sights. Despite two urgent care visits (one for Owen and one for Kim) during the week, we fully enjoyed ourselves and began planning our next vacation together before this one even ended.

The first highlight of our trip was Legoland. I have to admit I have always heard great things about it but never really understood what could be so cool. And now I know! So maybe it's geared a bit more toward boys, but I think I enjoyed our day there just as much as Owen and Mark. So many fun things to do, see, ride, build...

One day during the vacation, Mark had to drive up to LA for work. So Owen and I went with our green-thumbed friend, Abby, to the Carlsbad Flower Fields. They were gorgeous and springy and so very perfect. Rows and rows of ranunculas as far as the eye could see. The greatest part was watching the field workers collect small bouquets of the delicate flowers and load them onto trucks. They looked like they were ready to be delivered to my local grocery store...but I got to see them being picked fresh from the fields!

Our second family outing was SeaWorld. I don't have any amazing pictures of it because we took more video than anything. But Owen's mouth was half-open in awe the entire day. In fact, we're still hearing him talk about "Shamu" the "BIG whale" and "San Diego". We had a great time seeing all the sealife and watching the amazing shows. And we were true theme park goers (to Both SeaWorld and Legoland). We arrived when it opened and stayed until it closed.

And our last big stop was the San Diego Temple. We couldn't leave the area without seeing such an exquisite building. We enjoyed a peaceful family walk along paths of perfectly manicured foliage. Then Owen released some wild and crazy...so we left.

A trip to southern California? I would highly recommend it to anyone. Especially those of you who live in states that are still getting snow. C'mon, it's April already!

A Walk in the Park

2009-03-31T23:07:00.000-07:00

There is a lovely little park a block away from our house. We go there A LOT. And Owen looks forward to the park for two reasons. First, of course, is the play equipment full of friends. And second is the variety of dogs he encounters along the way. Owen's routine is to greet the dog (every single one), pet the dog, and get the dog to lick his hand.
Well a few days ago Owen wanted to go to the park just before dinner. This time he informed me he'd be walking his dog. Alright, I said. I grabbed our shoes and jackets. Owen grabbed his dog (a.k.a. vintage-style pull toy given to Owen by my parents when he first started walking).
We walked to the park with the loud clickety-clack, clickety-clack of the dog's wheels all along the way. When we reached the play equipment I figured our "doggy" would soon be forgotten. But I was very wrong. Owen went about introducing his pet to all the other dogs and their owners. He showed the dog to all his playground friends. And he made sure I took good care of the dog while he went down the slides and crossed the bridges.
We got all kinds of looks from people; friendly smiles, pity, genuine confusion. I just sat back and let Owen do the talking. Then with a clickety-clack, clickety-clack all along the way, we walked our dog back home again. And I couldn't help but think to myself that maybe it's time to get a real dog. If only it were as easy to take care of as our pull toy variety.

Spring Project: New Carpet

2009-03-16T22:48:00.000-07:00

We have never been very attached to the carpet in our place. It is old and worn, holds the smells of renters past, has no padding, and is off-white. Off-white! Kids and light carpet do not a happy combination make. After shopping around a bit, we found a great deal and snagged it. The new carpet was installed a few weeks ago. And it is heavenly!
Somehow, with new-carpet stars in my eyes, I overlooked the fact that we would have to move all our belongings out of the house for this little renovation. It was a painful couple of days. I did what little I could and left the heavy-lifting to Mark (and a few good friends).
In the end? Totally worth it! Not only do we have the new carpet, but I was also able to sneak in a deep spring cleaning of the entire house. We decluttered and donated, spaced out and spruced up. Though my nesting instincts tell me there is more to do, I am feeling pretty satisfied with the changes.
We forgot to take a good "before" pic, so you have a "during" pic instead. It doesn't give a true picture of the improvement. But trust me, it's oh so much better.

Spring Enrichment Night

2009-03-16T22:02:00.000-07:00

Whenever there is a serious lack of blogging going on, you can be sure we are busy living our lives. And now that spring has sprung, we are tackling one project after another. The first one I'll post about is our church Enrichment Night Birthday Dinner that took place last week. I only snapped a few photos before the evening got underway, but our theme was "Hats Off to Relief Society".

As you can imagine the decor featured a lot of hats. I tried to stick to a spring color scheme of pinks, yellows, and oranges. Everything looked fresh and springy. On each of the dinner tables sat a white hat. We overturned the hats and used them as vases to hold arrangements of bright flowers. We also hung pink, yellow, and orange rice paper daisy decorations on the walls behind the serving tables. We created a display board that showcased each of the General Relief Society presidents over the past 167 years too. But my favorite feature of the evening had to be a grouping of old-fashioned hats borrowed from Mark's grandma. The hats had been stored away in the most delicate hat box and each was so special. I felt privileged to borrow them for the evening. We served a delicious dinner and held a fashion show of hats. Everything turned out really well. Now I can take a few breaths before I have to start planning the next Enrichment Night!

#2

2009-02-18T22:18:00.000-08:00

Our 20-week ultrasound proved successful. The baby looks healthy and as the doctor put it "everything looks grossly normal". That's good, right? Anyway, our little one was not shy about revealing his parts to us. So, it looks like we'll be adding another boy to Team Solomon.

Mark is super excited because he never had a brother growing up. And he didn't want Owen to have to go through all the pain and suffering that comes with only having sisters. Owen is excited...he just doesn't know it yet. And I'm excited too, with a few reservations about the amount of energy it will take to raise two wild things. However, it looks like I'll have to wait to use these (and some other) cute pieces I was setting aside...just in case.
(Our poor second child. This is the big post where he gets announced to the blogger world and I just referred to him as "#2" while posting pictures of girl clothes. Sorry little guy.)

It Sucks!

2009-02-11T10:13:00.000-08:00

My new vacuum, that is.

I have had the same vacuum for the past 8 years. It was given to us as a wedding gift. And that little Dirt Devil has done its job well, or so I thought. Over the past few months when I would take it out to clean I would notice the faint smell of burning rubber. And there’s nothing I like better than a clean house smelling like mechanical malfunctions. I had also noticed that the poor Devil was not picking up all the little fuzzies and crumbs off the carpet. No matter how many back and forths I gave it, there was still a smathering of specks left behind. And when the hose attachment gave out it was the last straw. This was unacceptable, I said. So I began the search for a new vacuum.

After much research and shopping, I finally found a keeper. Last weekend we brought it home and tried it out. You would not believe the excitement that welled up inside me as we unpackaged the box and assembled the new sucker. It was like the best birthday ever…and it wasn’t even my birthday. (Side note: I have a friend whose husband…with the best of intentions…surprised her with a new vacuum on her birthday. She was so devastated by it that she was in tears when I dropped by her house to give her a little gift. At the time I thought he screwed up big time). Turns out I would have been overjoyed to receive such a gift. There is something about cleaning supplies that warms my heart. I could write a whole post about my favorites (later, maybe). I am seriously so excited to pull out my new vacuum and clean the floors. In fact, just to prove how pleased I am with the new product you must see this:

The photo was taken on Mark's iPhone just after we assembled the vacuum and used it on the living room and dining room carpets. That is just two room's worth! What was my old vacuum picking up? Apparently nothing.

So I welcome you, vacuum. Thank you for sucking.

Wicked

2009-02-04T10:54:00.000-08:00

This past week we joined the ranks of thousands of others in seeing the ever-popular Wicked. And I have to say it was every bit as good as everyone claimed. It was such a treat to dress in something other than jeans and a hoodie, drive up to San Francisco and have quality conversation with Mark, and attend a musical performance at a theater in the big city. You see, we don't get out much.

We had great seats and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves (thanks Kim and Caleb). I was so happy to just be there that it didn't even phase me when the girl next to me mentioned it was her fourth time seeing the show. She had already seen it in London, Australia, and New York. Yeah, didn't even phase me.

These Boots Were Made For Walking...

2009-01-24T23:09:00.000-08:00

And jumping and climbing and riding and lounging and just plain looking cool.
For the past year of Owen's life a certain fondness for these galoshes developed. He insisted on wearing them everywhere, refusing the lesser options in his closet. No matter the weather, no matter the activity, he slipped on those duds and wore them with pride.

But this week we decided it was high time to retire the beloved boots. Now don't get me wrong, I liked them too. Afterall, I bought them in the first place. And they offered an easy solution for getting shoes on and off in a pinch. But I absolutely had to call it quits when the stink took over. Picture sockless feet...in the heat...almost year round. And the poor plastic outers were cracked and scratched and looking pretty tired.

The replacements arrived recently in the mail and so far they are not a favorite. But I think Owen will accept them in time. Plus, they came with patented antimicrobial technology. No stink? I love them already.

Abundance

2009-01-19T23:35:00.000-08:00

I felt it over the holidays when I spent a month of Sundays with family and friends. Feeling festive.

I felt it when I bundled up and let loose in the beautiful white Seattle snow with my husband and son. Feeling nostalgic.

I felt it when I returned home to find 74 degree sunshine and these yellow gems on my beloved fruit tree. Feeling renewed.

I feel it when I look at my expanding figure and think of the new life inside of me. Feeling expectant.

I feel it as the new year brings hope and desire, opportunities and possibilities. Feeling it.

On a First-Name Basis

2008-12-30T14:40:00.000-08:00

It's the strangest thing when your child starts calling you by your first name.

Owen has recently traded in "Mommy" and "Daddy" for the occasional "Bridgette" and "Mark". I think it's due to the fact that he's been hanging around older cousins who call us by first name, and it works for them. Why not do the same?

Still, it creeps me out when he walks into the room and exclaims, "Hi, Bridgette!"

Expecting

2008-12-22T16:09:00.001-08:00

So here's a little piece of information you might be interested in.

And it may also explain my lack of posts lately. I've been super sick this time around. It's all I can do to keep up with the basics in my life such as taking care of my firstborn. Luckily I think I'm turning a corner just in time for Christmas. I have felt pretty good all week and have just reached the beginning of my second trimester. If all goes according to plan, we will have a new addition by 07-08-09.

Mark your calendars, people!

M.I.A.

2008-12-10T12:27:00.000-08:00

It's embarrassing really. My poor little blog hasn't had a post in over a month. I'm still here...just barely. The entire month of November was spent crafting. I created over 30 craft projects to sell at a holiday boutique. And by the end of this week the holiday boutique will be over so I can move on with my life. I wish I could say I made some cute projects for family and friends as well, but I've got nothing. I've barely begun Christmas shopping at all. And on top of that, I planned another church Enrichment Night which took place last night. I forget how much work it takes each time I coordinate an event. But the evening was lovely and I can now check it off my list.

Other items on my list of things-to-do:
1. Clean my house!
2. Attend a bazillion holiday parties (well, three this weekend alone)
3. Host a family of five who are in the midst of moving back to Utah...we are so sad!
4. Find time to Christmas shop
5. Paint our living room
6. Paint my toenails (they are in need of some serious polish)
7. Attempt to put together a family Christmas card (may not happen this year)
8. Eat my weight in holiday goodies

Halloween

2008-11-01T21:50:00.000-07:00

Maybe it's his age. Maybe it's his personality. Either way, Owen was firmly against wearing any sort of costume this year. And no amount of coercion or bribery could convince him otherwise. Trick-or-treating went a little like this.

First house...lose the feet
Second house...remove the headpiece
Third house...shed the outfit altogether
Fourth house...relegate the treat tote to Mom

And so it was that he trick-or-treated with no costume and no treat bag. He just couldn't be bothered with anything.

Yet he very much enjoyed trick-or-treating. He paraded around the neighborhood with his best buddy, Trenton (who kept his cowboy costume on the whole time, by the way). He greeted each and every dog or child we came across. He ran. Full on ran, from house to house.

In the end, we stuffed him into his suit just long enough to snap a few photos.

Real Roadtrip

2008-10-28T22:34:00.000-07:00

Last week we took our first real roadtrip with Owen. I guess any extended amount of time in the car could qualify as a roadtrip, but in my mind it has to be at least 6 hours. And in this case it was 13. 13 long hours.

The purpose of our trip was two-fold. Work and family. Mark had to travel to Seattle for work, and that just happens to be near my family. So I decided to tag along.

We were skeptical about the long journey considering Owen's opposition to his carseat. He has been known to escape even the tightest of buckles when he wants out. Once he even opened the car door while I was driving. (But that's another blog altogether.) We decided now was as good a time as any for introducing him to the roadtrip.

Amazingly, he did not try to escape once. He was a very good little passenger, except for that one time he puked all over. Then there was the time he puked again. Oh, and after a change of clothes and a wipedown of the seat he puked a third time. So if you discount the faint smell of vomit for the remainder of the trip, it was really not so bad.

The good news? We survived our first family road trip.

The bad news? Every time we get in the car Owen thinks he needs his blanket, pillow, milk, snacks, a fistful of toys, and a show to watch.

Costa Rica

2008-10-16T14:49:00.000-07:00

THIS is where we decided to go. And it was amazing!

Before I get begin I must admit I nearly sabotaged our trip by forgetting my passport at home. We made it as far as SLC before we even noticed. There was no way we could leave the country without it. So with the help of Kim and Caleb breaking into our house, retrieving the passport, and shipping it to us, we were saved. Two days late and two hundred dollars later, we were on our merry way to Costa Rica. Honestly, I remembered everything down to the very last detail...except for that teensy weensy blue booklet!

Now for the trip! We traveled with our Oregon friends, Heather and Brad, who created a lovely itinerary for us. You'll find that I don't include them in many of the pictures I'm posting, and that's solely because they are tan and we are not. They make us look bad. And as for the dog Heather is holding...I'll get to him later.

The first part included a stay in the jungle near an active volcano. Literally this is what we saw when we gazed out our cabin window in the morning. We loved watching the lava ooze down the slopes and the steam drift from the summit. Once in awhile the volcano would spew hot steam. Scary? Yes! It felt like we were in Jurassic Park with roaring dinosaurs in our midst.

And the waterfalls, oh, the waterfalls. This was the first of many on the trip. I can't say I did more than dip my feet in. But they were beautiful nonetheless.

This waterfall was the grandest, and the guys couldn't resist climbing around it (even though the posted signs clearly stated "No Pase").

All geared up for a zip line adventure through the jungle. A-MAZ-ING! This was the best day ever.

Can you spot me on the course? We were high, seriously high. And the zip lines were long, the longest stretching a half mile. I was freaking out at the beginning, having flashbacks of my tramatic sixth grade ropes course that triggered an unusual case of shingles. But by the third platform I was sold. One of the best things I've ever done!

Relaxing at a hot springs resort wasn't all that bad either. This place was a garden of Eden. Breathtaking. The water was naturally heated by the magma from the volcano. Does it get any cooler (I mean hotter) than that?

And then there was the beach. Our final destination. The water was warm, but the beaches weren't as pristine as imagined with it being rainy season and all.

Pura Vida, baby! This was at our resort by the beach. It doesn't get much better than chicken nachos and tropical drinks while lounging at the pool bar. Swim a little, eat a little, swim a little...

This is Freddy Acuna. We discovered him on the roadside near the town of La Fortuna selling his wood carvings. He was so nice and kept telling us (in broken English) to check him out on YouTube. "My history," he said, "My history." You're curious aren't you? Check him out here.

We bought this super cool wood carving from Freddy Acuna to bring home to Owen. It is a coati; an animal we saw a lot in Costa Rica and part of the raccoon family.

We also picked up some Costa Rican hot chocolate. Britt is actually well-known for their coffees, but since we don't drink the stuff we were delighted to settle on chocolate instead.

Even though we brought home some pretty sweet stuff from the trip, I think Brad and Heather's souvenir trumps ours. Meet Tico. Heather found him at the beginning of their stay and instantly fell in love. Nevermind that he was dirty, malnourished, full of ticks, and missing teeth. He was a homeless dog like dozens of others we saw throughout the country, and he needed help. She saw to it that he was fed, cleaned up, and tick-free in no time. Now I'm no dog lover, but he is seriously cute and very well-behaved. You'll be happy to know that he now resides in a loving home in Oregon. That's one less homeless dog in Costa Rica.

Just for the Record

2008-10-12T20:46:00.000-07:00

Number of days Mark has been OUT of town so far this year: 70
Number of days I have been OUT of town (without Owen) this year: 5
Number of days we have been IN town hosting visitors: 30
Number of days Mark and I have had "quality time together" this year: virtually nil

Are you getting the picture?

Mark and I have spent roughly one quarter of the year apart, have hosted visitors another 10% of the time (no offense to our visitors-we love you!), and have never left little O alone. So we decided it was high time to get away.

Where did we go?

Check back and see.

Night Walk

2008-09-18T20:59:00.000-07:00

It was the perfect evening for a night walk. So Owen and I put on our jackets and made our way outside.

First we had to gather the necessary supplies for the excursion.
Flashlight...check. Cup of milk...check. Mini pancake...check.

On the lookout for lizards. None tonight.

A trail of ants? You bet.

Mail from the postman? Not at this hour.

A fortuitous airplane sighting. Does it get any better?

Anything lurking in the pool? Not unless you count that drowned bee.

Was our night walk a success? Oh yes.

Enrichment Night

2008-09-14T19:29:00.000-07:00

So I know I have been slacking on posts lately, but there is a very good reason. I have been up to my eyebrows in crafting and decorating for the past few weeks. Serving as the Enrichment Leader at church, I was in charge of putting together the annual craft night. Now that it is said and done, I think the evening turned out pretty well. Aside from the organizing of classes and gathering of supplies, I prepared a demo on "setting a holiday table" (as if I'm an expert on the subject...please!). Anyway I showed how to create six different holiday tables using one set of dishes. I really wish I had pictures of the finished products, place settings and all. But I only managed to take a few pics during the planning process. Mark is SO glad the planning process is over, by the way. Now we can use our dining room table again and he doesn't have to watch Owen every night while I make a trip to the store to buy "just one more thing, honey!"

These paper lanterns were used as the centerpieces on the dinner tables. They rested on a pretty piece of autumn paper layered with burlap.

For this Thanksgiving centerpiece I used metallic paints to give the gourds a lustrous look.

I love the pop of colors in this centerpiece. Fall fruits and vegetables sound so yummy right now.

This is for a kids' table. I just love the tiny pilgrim hats on candy sticks (thanks, Kim, for helping to glue all those little pieces together!)

Peppermints! It would be fun to incorporate other classic Christmas treats with this.

I used my cupcake stand as a holiday tree by placing shiny ornaments on it. Super easy!

Guess you know what I'll be using on my Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner tables.

Brett

2008-09-10T23:55:00.000-07:00

My brother graced us with his presence a couple weekends ago. So I will grace you with some pictures of his presence.

We spent a day up in San Francisco seeing the sights. What's not to love about the Golden Gate?

I have never been to the bridge on a more beautiful day. Perfectly visible. Perfectly warm.

We also visited the Oakland Temple grounds where Owen found a friend.

And a girlfriend.

And a pet.

And we made a trip to the beach where the boys skimboarded their little hearts out.

Happy Birthday to Me

2008-08-21T22:40:00.000-07:00

And what a birthday it was! It is refreshing to know birthdays can still be exciting post adolescence. The festivities included a half day at the beach, a long Owen nap in the afternoon (freetime for me), a lovely dinner out, and decadent chocolate cake...not to mention a showering of well wishes (thanks to Facebook alone). I have such great family and friends!

Hotel Solomon

2008-08-14T21:52:00.000-07:00

Coming to the Bay Area? Need a place to stay? We offer very affordable rates. We also provide free cable/internet access and a continental breakfast (cereal, mostly). Our luxurious (kind of) pool and hot tub add to the amenities.

Seriously, we love having visitors! And August has already brought two sets of visiting friends and family. Take a look!

Mark's parents and nephew (Chase) came to visit just in time for Owen's birthday. And we made our first trip down to Monterey while they were here.

Our day was mostly spent at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. A very cool aquarium! And although Owen liked every little thing we saw, my highlight was the jellyfish exhibit. I have been fascinated with jellyfish ever since I wrote a research report on them in elementary school. They are amazing creatures!

Then came our Connecticut friends, Justin and Randi. We spent a beautiful day in San Francisco seeing the sights. And believe it or not, we spent the majority of our day at a rooftop park. Coolest slides I've seen in a long time. Owen was LOVING it! We also managed to see the MOMA, Golden Gate Bridge, and Wharf.

As always, the beach came into play. It involved burying Owen in the sand, relaxing in the sun, and hanging out on the boardwalk.

Tempted yet? Call me.

Birthday Boy

2008-08-02T23:42:00.000-07:00

Guess who turned two this past week?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY O!

Flower Class

2008-07-16T10:49:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I took a floral class offered by a very talented girl up in San Francisco (psst...she's done flowers for Martha Stewart Weddings magazine). She taught us the techniques of working with more modern flower arranging. The class was amazing. I can't wait to start playing around with some beautiful buds!

Here's a sampling of what we made:

Want to see the class in action? Go here.

The Hulk

2008-06-30T23:41:00.000-07:00

I think it's time to let you in on a little secret. (whispered) Owen has a FIERCE case of the Hulk. This may not be news to some of you. I've mentioned before that he was a struggle in Italy, but there were other circumstances that brought out that beast. And then yesterday. Yesterday he made me cry.

It began a couple months ago. At least that's when I started to notice that my sweet little one wasn't as sweet as I once believed. First came the frustration. Then an escalated pattern of grunting, crying, and the like. Soon Mark and I said to ourselves, "Oh, it looks like our little guy is having a hard time expressing himself. How cute. But he'll talk soon enough." Then came the incessant head banging. Anger, and a quick search for the nearest hard place to bang his head. Not enough to really hurt, mind you, but just enough to cause a minor bruise. We tried our best to ignore the dramatics and pay attention to the cues so a tantrum wouldn't dare show its ugly little head. And that's when he kicked it up a notch. High-pitched shrilling screams were followed by thrown objects. So Mark and I said to ourselves, "This is more serious. Perhaps our little guy needs time out from the situation to calm down. Yes, time out," we both agreed. Thus began the hitting, headbutting, and hair pulling. If we tried to pick him up, we'd make sure to grab hold of his arms to avoid a hit, headbutt, or pull of the hair (usually reserved just for me).

And then yesterday. After a couple of particularly hard days I was tired of dealing with the twos. My spirits were already low. And a tantrum began. Only this time he managed to add something more. After a particularly hard hair pull, he just sat there and laughed. Laughed at my futile efforts. Laughed at my weakness. Laughed at me. So I cried.

And wouldn't you know, today he has been just shy of angelic. He's probably harnessing his special powers for the upcoming weekend when we are with large crowds of family. Then, and especially then, he will unleash the beast.