A Scene From the Lives of Overtired Kids (Vancouver Trip, Day 3)

Cascadia Hotel, room #807, 5:36 PM:

Mia is holed up in a corner of the hotel room, snarling like a wild animal at anyone who comes near her, talks to her, looks at her, or even thinks about coming near her, talking to her, or looking her.

Sam is on the other side of the room humping a towel.

Nate is a human barnacle.

I think it's about time to go home.

Due Date

No, I don't have an announcement.

I was just remembering that Nate's due date was 1 year ago today. And if you remember (what, you don't?), I was sitting around not going into labor at all. He was born a week later, which means that he turns 1 next Friday. I figure I should do a preemptive birthday post, as I can almost guarantee I won't ever get around to it if I wait until his actual birthday. Don't believe me? Well, seeing as how I have yet to post about our recent white water rafting trip, Mother's Day, our 11th anniversary, and traffic tickets #3 and 4 (yes that's right: Mark felt a little left out), it's really quite likely that the kid will be 5 before I even upload the pictures from our camera (assuming I actually take any). Of course by then, cameras will be obsolete and we'll just take pictures from the microchips embedded in our foreheads. Can't wait for that.

Anyway, what a difference a year makes. I swear he isn't really any longer, just wider.

This kid stops little old ladies in their tracks at the grocery store. It makes for very long shopping trips. And he pretty much has everyone in this family wrapped around his little finger. Mia and Sam can be smack in the middle of trying to tear each other apart, but if Nate crawls by they'll immediately stop and rush over to shower him in hugs and kisses. He is my little peacemaker. There may only be 10 pictures of him since he was born, and most days he's lucky if anyone remembers to feed him, but really we love this kid. Happy 1st Birthday Nate-- we'll be sure to give you some cake and wrap up one of the other kid's old toys or something. And I'll try to remember to take a picture.

And while I'm ahead, we're going to Vancouver, BC this weekend, and we had a great time.

In other news, we had a death in the family this week. Mia's captured pet caterpillar, Mr. Fuzzy, sadly didn't make it through 3 days of being left alone in a cage with some dried leaves and a rock. Looks like it will be a while until we're ready for a puppy.

Oh yeah:

Whitewater: So fun. And very very wet. Thankfully, there are no pictures of us in wetsuits.

Mother's Day: We forgot to call both our mothers. Is that even forgivable?

11th Anniversary: Yep, still married.

Traffic tickets: Let's just say we're seriously considering selling both our cars.

Mother's Day 2009

There you go, all caught up and more.
Hope you have a great weekend Memorializing.

Lately

• I've been having recurring dreams about being on the The Amazing Race.
• I've been getting a kick out of Sam saying "what the heck?"
• I've been thinking about my side bar.
  
• I would love to know if you read my blog.
  
• I find crafting so compelling and so problematic.
• I've been compiling a list of all my past and current running partners (Carol, Michelle, Cary, Heather, Kris, Amy, Jen, Courtney, Patti, Ruth Ann, Julia, Brooke, Jeni, Lisa, Karla, Sara, Diana, Michal, Marie M, Marie B, and Kathy-- did I forget anyone?) All of you are superwomen in my book.
  
• I Vote or Die.
• I haven't watched Wife Swap at all.
• I've been reading a book called Living Simply with Children, and boy is it making me laugh, though I don't think it was meant to be funny.
  
• I've mistaken myself for a master gardener, which is why I haven't gotten around to posting these pictures from April:

Proof that we let our kids take candy from strangers.

If you're related to me you might recognize these people. We're looking forward to having them live closer to us (hopefully soon by the way).

From a trip to a local farm. Probably the happiest moment of Sam's life. Seriously.

"You find me irresistible don't you?"

Our vegetable garden, ready for planting (for the first time since we've lived here).

And here are the seed packets that I was going to plant in said garden, that is until Sam spread them all around the backyard flower beds. 1500 carrot seeds, 100 cucumbers, 225 peas, and I don't know how many watermelons and beans. Thanks Sam! That was sooooo helpful.

That does it for April. What have you been up to lately?

See Mark Jump

Mark had a birthday back in April. It was during our unemployed phase, so the theme was "Low Budget, but Not Low on Fun."And to prove that I love him, I made him make this video so I could post it on our blog and show everyone what a fabulous birthday I put together for him. (Because let's face it, this blog is about ME, not him right?). Some friends of ours graciously allowed to go over to their house while they weren't home and jump on their trampoline. Mark loves trampolines almost more than he loves me, so he didn't even notice that I didn't get him a present!

The first slide show is just for fun. In the second video you will see why I married this man: for his crazy trampoline skills.

Oh, and in case you were wondering: thirty-five!

Walk-a-Thon

From the Press Conference:

Reporter: Sam, you just walked around the playground for 15 minutes! How did you find the strength to get to the finish line?
Sam: More juice, please.

Reporter: Sam, will you be competing in the National Preschool Championships?
Sam: I haffa go potty.

Reporter: Mia, you've obviously been Sam's biggest supporter. What's it been like for you?
Mia: Awwww, these medals aren't even real gold!

Reporter: Sam's Mom, tell us about when you knew your son was destined for walk-a-thon greatness?
Sam's Mom: Well, he started walking when he was about 13 months old, and it was obvious right away. He's pretty much been walking ever since.

*Sam would like to thank all the big people, the color red, and goldfish crackers.

Editor's Note: I have no idea why Sam and Mia were holding hands the whole time, and no, they do not do that at home.

Back to Normal (100th Post)

Thank goodness that Mark is working again, and I can go back to whining and complaining about regular things. Like this week for example. First week by myself with the kids in 6 weeks. You would never know I'd been doing this for 6 years. Before the week was over, I'd eaten half a tub of chocolate frosting and cried to myself in a park.

It was a little rough.

The crying thing is interesting because I never once broke down while Mark was unemployed. Well, at least not about the unemployment. (I probably teared up over touching cell phone commercials and that ugly lady on Britain's Got Talent-- I don't really remember.) But leave me alone with my kids for days on end and I end up blubbering at the park while all the other parents pretend not to notice the hysterical mom on the bench. OK, it wasn't really that bad, but I know I made at least one park dad pretty uncomfortable.

What is it about staying home with kids that is so hard sometimes? Kids can be so sweet, and bubbly, and wonderfully innocent, with their big Bambi eyes and pudgy toes, and their cute little noses that haven't morphed into some unflattering shape yet. But they also never. let. up. They whine (oh, can they whine), and fight. They pee on the floor, and demand to be held at just the wrong times, and need and need and need and need, and when you have nothing left to give they need some more. And it just can bring out the worst in you.

That's when you have a good cry in public and break out the frosting. (Betty Crocker, you are such sweet, sweet therapy.) And you make it through another little rough patch.

So we've got the first week behind us: a little breaking-in period, a readjustment, a few extra pounds gained. Next week will be better. Or not, but tomorrow is another day, some famous fake person once said. Parenting can be hard, so hard sometimes. But millions of much less emotionally stable people have done it and survived right?

And just so I don't get accused of glass-half-empty kind of stuff-- on the bright side, none of us died from Swine flu this week.

So that's a plus.

Mostly a plus, I think.

The Search is Over

That's right, Mark starts a new job on Monday. He is so excited to be the new Crossing Guard at Mia's elementary school. It's not exactly full-time, and it's kind of a volunteer thing, but in these tough economic times, it's a start right?



OK, really.

We (meaning Mark) have a honest-to-goodness, actual-pay-check-earning, 40 hours a week (hopefully not more), slaving away at a desk under florescent lighting, in a cubicle with no windows, JOB. (Wait, we're supposed to be excited about this right?). No we are, we're thrilled. Ecstatic. I mean, forced family togetherness all day, every day, was super fun because we all totally love each other and, being the big happy family that we are, we just love being together ALL THE TIME and just can't stop singing and holding hands in a circle while roller skating like the creepy intro to Big Love, but without all the extra wives. Really, that's been great. But I for one can't wait for next week when Mark is gone and I can go back to sticking the kids in front of the TV all day so I can play Sudoku online. And I think that Mark will tell you that living off the government is fun and all, but eventually you just feel this need to go out into wild corporate America and sell your soul to the Man, whoever he is.

Here are the details:

It's a Canadian company. Based in Vancouver (BC, not Washington). Owned by an American company. Opening an office in Seattle. Doing some big projects for Starbucks. Confused? Me too, but go think about it over a frappuccino at Starbucks. Seriously. Let's keep us employed now right?

So what did I do to celebrate? What every other suburban, middle class, Caucasian, 30- something, Mormon housewife would do, of course. I went to Target!

Yeah for jobs!


ps- In all seriousness, thanks for every one's love, prayers, and support. We're hoping that is one life phase that we only have to go through once. :)