Fem-bot

Yesterday as I was waiting at the bus stop with Bryce and Parker, Parker started doing robot kung fu. Robot kung fu looks like the robot (dance) with kung fu moves ~ Parker made it up. So he kung fu'd my both of my hands off. I told him I could still kung fu with my elbows, so he swiftly sliced those off too (not really, just pretend). Then I told him I still had my head and could kung fu him with that, so he sliced my head off, too. He stepped back and took a second to look me over. He said "now all you have left to fight with is your boobs". I looked around to see if any of the other mothers had heard him ~ they did. The bus couldn't get there fast enough and two minutes later it did. So I guess my son sees me as a fem~ bot, as well as the other bus stop moms.

Walk for the Women

Today my husband and I walked with our kids (all of them) in a two mile walk to benefit the Hospitality House. We serve on their board of directors and raised money to donate to this very worthy cause. When we registered they gave us a raffle ticket for registering. We didn't think much of it, but after the walk they called my name as a winner. I was able to pick from the available prizes including a two hour limo ride, a night at the Radissen Hoel, a high-end haircut ~ but with my husband's encouragement we walked away with dental work valued at $500. Really??? Dental work?

I'm grateful for anything we received and I the more I think about it, I feel like it was a blessing that he guided me that way. Maybe we're both growing up (especially me).

New Blog

My competition blog was so popular, that I decided to do one with a similar theme, only healthier and more manageable. monicasweighdown.blogspot.com/

I'll still keep updating this one with our family goings-on, but the other one is my exciting new baby.

Ya Ya, I feel real crappy (from sandlot)

We have had the flu since last Friday. It has circulated through everyone except Bryce ~ Parker and I have had his extra dose of sickness. I'm on round two today. We thought we were over it, so Ryan and I did an 8 mile training run yesterday. I pushed the stroller with Halea in it. It seemed a lot harder than it normally does, but I thought it was because I was pushing the stroller. No, it's because I'm still sick. I'm excited to heal up from this and move on.

She's Gone

She is my sister, Andrea (Pinks). She surprised me on Tuesday afternoon by calling and asking if I could pick her up from the airport. Of course I was thrilled and rushed through the five minute drive to the airport. Originally she was going to go home Thursday, but thanks to United's flight loads, I was able to swindle two extra days with her. We went out to lunch, shopping, made a slurpee run ~ all the essentials to sisters. But I think my favorite part was doing her hair and makeup. She doesn't make herself a priority with getting dolled up, so it was nice to be able to do that for her. We also went out to lunch with our mom and that was a major highlight, too. We were just missing our baby sister to make a complete set.

Two of my little ones threw up last night and I haven't felt good all day. Once I dropped her and her littles off at the airport, I came home laid down. I have been laying around ALL DAY. I hate those days. I'm sad that she's gone and my body aches. But mostly sad.

Awesome Day

Me and Apollo's conversation as we waited for his bus this morning.

Mom (me): "Apollo, how are you feeling today"?

Apollo: "What"? (his first response always)

Mom: "Are you feeling good today"?

Apollo: "No, I feeling awesome".

I hope we can all feel awesome every day.

*this is a picture of him making a sand angel in Cannon Beach last week

Moody Trudy

Halea Butterfly (yes, that's her real, legal name) has turned in to quite the Moody Trudy. She cries over ANYTHING and is the first to whine over not getting her way. The boys whine too, but not to the level that she does. She comes to tell on her brothers and demands that I spank them (sometimes I'll do it softly just to appease her and the boys think it's funny). Maybe it's just that she's a girl or that she's 2 or a combo of a lot of factors.

This picture was taken right after she fell in a deep tide pool ~ so that kind of crying is totally acceptable.

Cannon Beach 2011

We had the BEST weekend in Cannon Beach, OR. It's a special place for us because it was one of the only things Ryan and I had in common when we met. During our first conversation we talked about our favorite things in Cannon Beach and I was left wondering what it would be like to go there with him...Now I know it's awesome!

We took a tour of the Tillamook cheese factory (free cheese), played on the beach a lot, did Seaside (gross little town) where I tried my first and last deep fried candybar, played at a park, and pet every dog we came across.

On our last day, Halea and I left the boys at an arcade and went out to lunch. We had a wonderful lunch just us girls. She kept me entertained with games of peek a boo, and "where did Halea go" (under the table).

It was a nice getaway, but not very relaxing. It's nice to be home to our own beds and getting back into the routine of the school year.