Bath or Scuba facility...you decide

Tyson loves a bath.  In fact, he asks us almost on an hourly basis if he can take one.  Probably the cleanest kid in the neighborhood.  I understand baths are nice and relaxing and stuff, but what I did not realize was, it's also a place to hone in on your scuba diving skills.  It has become clear to me that Tyon's love of bathtime has absolutely nothing to do with cleanliness, and everything to do with scuba-ing.  He loves to take his "guys" in the bath, throw them in the water and then dive in after 'em.  Next on the 'to get list'...goggles and a snorkel.

Quick trip to Portland

Last Sunday there was a Gear Up for Baseball event at the Nike employee store in Portland.  (Thank you, Janet for continued access...our lives wouldn't be the same without you.) Steve and I decided it was a great reason for us to make a quick trip to Portland before our lives get taken over by baseball.  We left Sunday about 11:30 am, and drove straight to the store. The event itself was pretty cool.  There were a ton of people, it was impossible to push a cart through that place.  While the free popcorn and smoothies held the kids attention, the DJ and raffles held Steve and mine.  (We didn't win anything.) But Steve made a contact with a Nike event planner, so hopefully we will be seeing a Krush hitting booth at the event next year.  We chose to do our shopping the next day.  (That is an entire post of it's own.)

After the shopping was done, we wanted to find something for the kids to do to get their energy out before the car ride home.  We've taken them to the zoo and the children's museum, but had not taken them to the Forestry Discovery museum, so we decided to give it a go.  It turned out to be super fun.  Funny thing is was, we let the kids skip school on Monday, so Steve made the kids read about the exhibits to us, since they weren't in school.  This way they could at least learn, something.  I guarantee if they were given a choice between the two, it would be reading off facts at a museum...every.time. 

So here it is...our weekend, in pictures.

The train outside of the museum.

Tree planting, tree cutting machine simulator thingy, and a smoke jumping simulator...oh, and my smoke jumping boyfriend.

A big machine, some reading, and some rafting.

Exhibits, weirdos, Steve climbing in logs, and Steve climbing in trees.

As these guys are getting older it is getting easier to pick up and go to do things like this.  I look forward to many more adventures, in fact, we might just take off and do it again this weekend...who knows. 

Picture from the car on the way home.  It was 61 degrees when we were leaving Portland, and absolutely gorgeous out.  It was beautiful to get to see the mountains on the way home.  All in all it was a great trip...can't wait to do it again.

Sweet little reminder...

This is what I found on the back of Easton's homework.  Easton had completed his homework, but aparantly had forgotten to write his name on it.  Graycie must have felt some sort of obligation to not only write his name on the front for him, but then give a sweet little reminder on the back.   I can only imagine the kind of reminders yet to come.

Looking forward to....

• Dinner at my Mom's tonight.  (She must have read my mind, I was dreading the thought of making dinner tonight with Steve gone again.  Cue phone call.  My Mom asked if the kids and I wanted to come for dinner.  My exact response, "Yes, Please."
• Sleeping in tomorrow.   Graycie's first soccer practice, in the morning.
• Warm weather.
• Summer.
• Wearing nothing but flip-flops.  (On my feet.)
• Green grass and flowers in my yard.  I am so missing my back patio. When the weather is warm I sit out on the swing on me deck...every day.
• Girl's night out.  (I don't think you have to have one scheduled to look forward to them.)
• Selling this house.  
• Being outside.
• City League volleyball...starting in March.
• Seeing my husband again.  He has been running his baseball camp for the last few days, with the last session tomorrow.  (So very proud of him...just sayin.)
• Menopause.
• Getting my hair cut and colored on the 26th.  (uh, don't know when the last one was...so this is a big deal.)
• Beachcombers Haven!!!  (I don't think this needs explaining.)
• Buying and watching Couples Retreat. 
• Retirement.
• Going to bed tonight.
• Being debt free.  (estimated for summer 2010.)
• The next Rock Band session.
• Traveling.  
• Being done with this post.
• The End.

Item of the day.....

There's an ewok in my shower

it's been there for a while

every time I see it

I can not help but smile.

I think of how it got there

how it's not been put away

because of what it represents

I'm content to let him stay.

It signifies this stage of life

where my kids still play with toys

a wild imagination

from my daughter and three boys.

As the rain comes pouring down

another chapter begins

an exciting watery adventure

for that ewok and his friends.

A world that's still so simple

and worries still care free

I wish for them to remember

this is how it used to be.

I know these moments come and go

too fast it seems unfair

so that ewok in my shower

for now, can still live there.

Coming soon....

There's a batman on my counter

and....

There's some nerf darts on my table

....okay, but not for reals.

The Best Part of....

Television:: Reality TV shows, and almost anything in HD.


Having a small house:: Being able to vacuum the WHOLE thing....from ONE outlet.


Rock Band:: Hanging out with AWESOME people, and being able to play the drums on medium!


A sick kid:: Having a legitimate excuse for letting them watch TV all day.


Making dinner:: Sitting down to eat it together.


Paying taxes:: Getting a tax return.


Tax Return:: One step closer to being debt free, oh, and a big screen TV.


Tri-cities:: Family (everything else about it pretty much sucks.)


My van:: It's paid off (everything else about it pretty much sucks.)


My body:: My butt.


Costco:: Being able to shop easily with four kids, thanks to the samples.


Walmart:: Running into a friend and her husband while holding unmentionables in your hand.


Sisters:: everything.


Driving the kids to school:: Saying a prayer with them every. morning.


School:: Summer vacation.


Summer vacation:: Beach vacation. (Beachcombers Haven BABY!!!)


Beach Vacation:: EVERYTHING.


My day:: This.................................................

2nd pic in Nov...sort of

The photo challenge was the second picture in November...this was mine. The only thing is this was actually taken in December, I don't know why it was stored in November, but I wasn't going to change it on a technicality...it was just too cute not to post.

My sister in laws and I put on a Christmas party for the kids at Rachaels house. We try to do something every year to kick off the festivities. This little tradition has evolved over the years, and this years was the best. There was good food, the kids played games, and the adults visited. The kids played bingo...and won a prize. They played musical "pictures" (all drawn by my wonderfully talented daughter, Graycie)...and won a prize, then Amy read a story for "Pass the Present."

Prior to this party, Amy, Rachael, and myself spent some time shopping for the perfect prizes and the perfect gifts for the games. I think we did an amazing job...except for one gift. The hot cocoa gift set. We all LOVED the gifts and talked about how we hoped each family ended up with a musical snow globe...they were adorable. The mug set, however, we all talked about how we'd be okay if our kid didn't end up with it, to put it politely. I'm laughing now thinking about us talking about this.

So pass the present begins...and ends, with Trenton ending up with the mug set. I was slightly disappointed because I knew he had ended up with it before he even opened it. But then something amazing happened...he opened it. The look on that kids face, pure JOY. He was more excited about HIS gift than any other kid...I'm sure of it. Probably because it was perfectly suited for him, he LOVES hot chocolate. I don't know what I was worried about, but that moment topped the evening for me. And the evening was AMAZING, so that's saying A.LOT.