First Backpacking Trip

It was amazing. 2.2 miles to beautiful Barclay Lake. Amara did amazing. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...

Click here and go to a slide show

Uh wha?

Do your momma proud honey!!!

Count Down to Buble'

37 hours........... only 37 hours until Amara and I are downtown Seattle seeing Mr. Michael Buble'!

We purchased the tickets a few months ago and it felt as if the day would never come. But here we are only a day way and I am so excited I can barely stand it! Amara is funny, she is not so sure what to expect. She is gonna have a ball. We'll post tomorrow with pictures.

1 Month

Alright so here's the situation, I have not lost 1 pound since my 6 week postpartum appointment after having Finn. For you who don't know Finn just turned 1.  What the H? This has never happened to me before. With the other two kids I was down to my pre-pregnancy weight within 6- months. Maybe it's because I'm getting older, I don't know.

So I've decided it's time to make a change. I really suck at this though so I'm not real sure how it's gonna go. Come September 1st I am going to start trying to lose weight and exercise.  I am going to do it for exactly 1 month and see what I accomplish. If I am successful with less calories and more exercise I'll do it for another month, if not TrimSpa here I come. I just want to feel good about myself, get in better shape, and not throw up in my mouth when I see myself naked.

So say a little prayer for me and maybe I'll post some pictures when I'm looking hot.

Tagalicious

I just read our friends the Gunnell's blog and we have been tagged to share a few things. I don't normally do these but what heck.

4 Things you might not know about me:

(This is a tough one for me because I pretty much just let it all hang out, so to speak)

1.  I make snap judgments about a people I meet and they prove correct 95% of the time.

2.  I took a tap dancing class in college

3.  I am relentlessly persistent and a procrastinator (you figure it out)

4.  I'm very strategic.  I min/max everything: determine the worst possible(minimum)/best possible(maximum) outcome.  It helps me figure out the most likely realistic outcome.  My friend Dan calls this risk/reward.  Whatever it's called, I do it all the time.

4 Things I value the most:

1. Family

2. Close friendship

3. Loyalty

4. People who are there when you need them

4 jobs I've had:

1. Shearing sheep

2. Subway sandwich artist

3. Shari's host and waiter

4. Chemistry tutor  (at community college)

Some websites I check regularly:

1. Every news site you can think of

2. Then I check them again

3. PVP

4. Many different cartoons/cartoonists

5. You Tube

6. Craigslist

Nicknames:

1. Twitch

2. Meathead (two uncles in Oklahoma)

3. Dev, Devy, Big D, E-Dev, Dev-Dogg, Heavy D, Dev-ilweed

4. BadAngryBarney (I use that one for online games)

Places I've lived:

1. Pennsylvania

2. Waldorf, Maryland

3. Owasso, Oklahoma

4. Dallas, Oregon

5. Corvallis, Oregon

6. Bothell/Kenmore, Washington

Important life lessons:

1.  If you need or want some thing ask for it.  No one owes you anything.

2.  If you need something done, do it.

3.  Swallow your pride, it will slowly drag you face down along the rough gravel road to your destruction.

4.  Failure is just another path to success if you learn from it.

5.  Don't wait to be happy.

6.  And do not take Cayenne capsules for stomach problems (thanks Brandi!)

Remembering Walt

My step-grandfather Walt past away this last week. He'd been sick for awhile so it was expected but it's always sad to lose someone. They had his funeral today which we were not able to attend, but my thoughts have been there with my family today.

Walt married my grandma after my grandpa passed away 10-11 years ago. He was a good man who loved my grandma and all of her family, which is not a small task. He was always happy and fun to be around. He was the only great-grandpa my kids new on that side of the family and he was always very loving to them. He was able to give my grandma companionship, travel, and love. For that I am very grateful. He will be missed!

Sweet Lovin'

I love me some video games. Come on guys, who likes the video games?

Clay Aiken is a SUPER "Special" STAR!!!

Muuwhoowhaahahaha! Heheheheeeeee!! Haaaaaa HAaaa!!

Our Day at the Beach

We had some beautiful days last week, and so my friend and I decided to venture out with our kids to a local beach. We had a blast! There are some days it really pays to be a stay at home mom.

As soon as we got there we suncreened the kids and they were gone, right to the water. Amara and her friend Jon decided to dig in the sand and see what they could find. They had great success. They found some kind of shrimp and some clams. You would have thought the discovered a new land they were so excited! Sully just wanted to be in the water. Water brings such joy to Sully. He kept go out further and further which made me crazy but he always made his way back in safely. Finn was not so sure at first. He really enjoyed the water, I just sat him down and let the waves come to him and he really loved that til he got cold. The sand was interesting for all of them. Finn ate a little, and Amara and Sully could not figure out how to get it off there hands so they could eat snacks.
It truly was one of the funnest beach experiences that I've ever had!

Bunk Beds........Finally!

We finally did it! We went Saturday to IKEA and bought bunk beds for the kids. This has been a dream of mine since Sully moved into a big kid bed 2 years ago. The kids were really excited. Eric and Amara did most of the assembling and worked very well together.


They are having a really great time playing on them and it just makes their room more spacious.

They also got some new matching bedding and a new toy storage shelf. Now all we need to do is paint their walls and we have a completed room, any volunteers?

This Time Last Year

We had no idea what a joy Finnigan Jack would be to have in our home this year! I can't believe he is 1! Happy Birthday little man!

Puddle Jumping in July

It's been one of those weeks in Seattle. Rain everyday............. but it's the middle of July. What the h is going on? The kids decided that it would be fun to puddle jump one day when they were bored out of their minds. So the fabulous mom that I am (no laughing) agreed. They spent about an hour and a half just jumping, running through, and sitting in the puddles. Oh to be a kid again!



The reality of the good time hit when they wanted to come in and get cleaned up. I looked at them and thought what was I thinking. But after a quick shower the second outfit of the day for each and a load of laundry, Amara looked at me and said "This is the funnest day of my life!" It all became worth it! The next time your kids ask to do something crazy ( not harmful) just let them, maybe you'll make it the funnest day of their lives.

Our 4th

Our 4th was a blast this year. Our friends Shauna and A.J. and their girls came from Georgia to visit for 10 days. Their family owns a beautiful place right on the Hood Canal. We headed over on the afternoon of the 4th and met them there. We had a quick lunch, the kids got their suits on, the Dad's headed off to a sweaty game of paintball, the other Mom's went canoeing and I hung out in the sunshine watching the kids. Finn loved the pool! Every time I tried to take him away he'd crawl right back over. After everyone was done with their activities we had a BBQ and prepared for the fireworks show.





After it finally got dark at about 9:30 pm, the fire works started. They were beautiful and big and alot of them. Everyone enjoyed them but Sully. He hates the loud noise they make so he excused himself to the house and promptly went to sleep.
We then camped in the front yard in our new tent which went remarkably well. The kids didn't even get up until 8:30 am the next morning. We had a big breakfast and broke down camp and went home. All in all it was a success.

Crazy Summer Days

My good friend Lisa and her kids came to play the other day and while they were here the kids decided it would be really fun to get the "Washable" markers and decorate themselves. Lisa being the super fun mom that she is thought it was cute that they were being creative. I wish I could be more like Lisa! This is what they looked like..........


They both still have some drawing on their bellies but everything else has come off.

By the way.......Happy Father's Day

For Father's Day weekend we found a yummy cafe to take Eric to breakfast Saturday morning. It is not far from home and very tasty! We then took Amara to a party for a school friend at Chuck E. Cheese. Eric played with Sully and Finn and I roamed around checking on everyone. We then made our way back but not before stopping by the hobby shop to have the new R.C. cars' motor rebuilt. This is the newest hobby in the house these days.

Eric got an R.C. car when he was 13 or so and through all the years of marriage and moving and dejunking we've been able to hold on to it. A month or so ago he decided it would be fun to get it out and show the kids. They fell in love! They've named it Bingo and they love to go outside and have Eric chase them around with it. We've just recently aquired a second one. It's name keeps changing so I'm not sure what to call it. Needless to say it's been nothing but R.C. fun for weeks and we're hoping it lasts all summer.

Sunday we made Eric chocolate chip pancakes and brought it to him in bed. Then he taught his primary class at church. We came home and BBQ'd some seriously tasty steaks for dinner. Then for dessert we had Eric's favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies ( my Aunt Cari's recipe) and ice cream. Our good friends came over and desserted with us. All in all it was a great weekend.

To all the Father's I know, I just wanted to say Thanks. Thanks for loving your wives and children. Thanks for being a great example to those around you of what a Dad should be. I love you all!

Shut it

We went to Costco this last Friday and I am standing with Finn and the cart between the check out and the food area trying to keep my eye on Sully while Brandi orders food. Just then I catch some crusty old lady standing in front of my basket giving me the stink eye. I'm not in a great mood and I think to my self, whatever, just ignore her. About a minute goes by and she is still giving me the stink eye as I keep my eyes trained on Sulivan because that kid can disappear in a crowd like Houdini. Ignore her, I think again. Finally she goes by huffing and sighing as loud as she can and says something about me being in the middle of the way. That's when I did some thing I never do, I said something.

I turned looked her in the eye and said each syllable, "Whatever, lady."

Then she stops and looks at me and sighs loudly again, and starts to protest, "Whatever? You are in the..." I cut her off this time.

"Keep walking crusty." I say.

She tries again. "Wha..."

"Yeah...you heard me, whatever, that's right. KEEP walkin'." I actually pointed this time.

It was over after that. She mumbled and went on her way.

I feel somehow more free, more loose now. For a long time I've gotten to say what I want in my art but I never say anything in person. I don't like personal confrontation. Was this crusty old bat help me have a break through? Did this one seemingly inconsequental moment change me forever? Was she the final ounce of water that broke a leaky dam? I must say, I'm fed up, filled up I guess and my normal passive aggressive reflexes are giving way to the spillway. The BS tank is full and the emergency release valve is primed. There is no telling what could happen now. Stay tuned.

A new Blog

There is a really cool new blog I want you all to check out. It's super duper fantastic delicious...

"Here it is."

Last Days of Kindergarten

Amara's school had a end of the year BBQ on friday and the Kindergarten classes had a little choir concert. It was really fun to go and watch them perform. Amara was so busy disciplining the boys next to her that she only sang half the songs.




We were able to get her teacher to pose for a picture with her. She has really enjoyed Ms. Jones this year. She also thinks it's cool that they look alike.



All in all it has been a great first year of school for Amara. She has learned to count by 5's and 10's and to count past 100. She is beginning to read and knows all her letters and their sounds. She loves to write and draw, but most of all she has loved making new friends! We are very proud of our almost 1st grader!

My First Quilt

My good friend April made Finn a beautiful quilt before he was born. When I found out Eric's sister Tonya and my sister Tara were both pregnant I asked her if I could comission her to make them each one. She lovingly told me it was easy and she'd teach me to do it instead. I took that as a challenge. So when Tonya found out she was having a girl Eric and I went shopping for fabric. Oh what a date night that was! So after only about 8 hrs of work this is the finished product.






I am really pleased at how it turned out and it really wasn't as hard as I feared it would be. I learned alot and gained a closer relationship with my friend. I look forward on working on my next, as soon as Tara finds out what she's having.

OMG funny!!!