This is us at the BigSoftwareCompany Picnic today. That is a mountain behind us (Mount Si)

It was fun. We were there for a long time - 11am-4:15pm. Lots of good food but the line ups for all of the free food and rides were so bloody long. The last ride the kids went on - bumper boats - took us 1 hour and 20 minutes to go through. I was ready to give up but Dex really, really, really wanted to go on so we persevered.

We were smart this time and brought bathing suits for the kids so they could run through the "Kid Wash" and they did not get their clothes wet on the bumper boats. My garage sale purchase last year of a double jogger worked out well for us. It pushed smoothly over the farmers field where the picnic was held and easily transported Cars, the diaper bag, towels, swimsuits, hats, sandals (while the kids were in the "Kid Wash") as well as several cups of water in the side pockets. I think Ash was a little sore that she sold it to me when she could clearly have made good use of it still this year at the picnic (teeheehee).

Bugger

The van is at the dealership. It will require several hours worth of work. Good thing it is covered under the warranty (or at least it had better be!). It is a transmission problem which means we have a piece of junk from here on out. Aaargh!

Tomorrow morning we will have to drive into Seattle to pick it up then turn around and drive back home before driving to the Microsoft Company picnic. That will put the kids in a pissy mood - all that driving around in the car.

I coloured my hair last night and missed a lot of spots so I still have grey roots here and there. Now that my hair is a little longer (it is longer on top but by no means long) I don't think one box of hair colour will do. Later this afternooon I am getting my hair cut. I wonder if the lady will mention my patchy colour job.

We finally caught up with the ice cream truck (a beat-up red pickup with a freezer strapped to the back). Yesterday, we chased it around the neighbourhood and missed it at each bend. The kids bought a snowcone with bubble gum in it. Of course their first, second and third choices all had peanuts in them. Anyway, they had a grand time and I think they will remember it for a long time (especially since we won't be buying from the truck again anytime soon!)

Mervyn's One Day sale took a big bite out of my wallet. Two pairs of pants for Jax, one sweater, one long-sleeved t, a pair of pants for Dex, a long sleeved t, a pair of shoes (on clearance!), a windsuit for Cars and a pair of shoes = $100. Not too bad I guess.

Shopping was an ordeal because we went with Ash and her kids. Gav encouraged Dex to run around the store. Jax ran in the opposite direction, trying to get the other two to follow. Cars cannot sit down in their little stroller carts - all shopping carts really need to have 5-pt harnesses.

Then we decided to head to the park. Of course it was at that moment that the CHECK ENGINE light in my car went on. F*ck. I called Stephen to call the dealership (since we were at the park) to see if it were 1) ok to drive and 2) if we could take the car in tomorrow. Apparently the car is ok to drive as long as the CHECK ENGINE light is not flashing (FLASHING = VERY VERY BAD) and they do not have any openings until Friday morning. So he makes an appt for 8am on Friday. So now I have to get my kids up at the crack of dawn and shuttle them 22 miles, across the floating bridge, into Seattle. Curses! At least the car is still under warranty.

I called today to change Dex from T/TH/F P.M. preschool to MWF P.M. preschool. I didn't think about the fact that all of his friends from last year would be free on T/TH to play but he would be in school those days. But with the change, they are all going the same days and he can invite some over from time-to-time to play.

Gladys Kravtiz Watch
The little doorbell-ringing girl came over today to see if Jax could play. Fortunately Ash answered the door (I was frantically looking for my AMEX card which had disappeared). She would not leave after Ash said that Jax could not come out because we were going out momentarily. She kept asking where and why and could she come too. Finally she left after about 5 mins of questions. (I found the AMEX card btw!). When we got home from shopping and the park I saw that she was playing at the nextdoor neighbour's house. :D

Things are back to normal. Garage sale is over. Heat wave is over. Now time to enjoy summer again.

Nothing new to report.

This week's theme is SCIENCE so I did float/sink experiments. FYI, play-doh gets really slimy and gross when wet. Thursday I need to come up with a new batch of experiments that will be interesting and portable (to the beach). I found a cool one on the Magic School Bus website but it isn't that portable.

Jax keeps telling me that he has a black heart whenever he gets into trouble. I got another "I heet my mom" notes today too.

Well, I am off to take the kids around the block for a walk. We have gotten into a nasty habit of watching TV when we are at home and I've got to break it.

Enough said?



That was INSIDE. Who knows what the actual temperature was outside. The "official" one taken about 25 miles from here was 95F I believe. I am sure it was 100F here though. I am such a hot weather wimp!

Garage sale went well although it was a lot of work. We packed it up early today (at noon) because there weren't that many people today, we didn't have a lot left and it was just too hot. Overall we made over $500. Not too bad. Now I have to inventory and pack up what is left then take it all over to Goodwill.

It is going to be a very long time before I have another garage sale and NEVER AGAIN in July!

One hundred degrees. One hundred degrees was the temperature yesterday. One hundred degrees was the temperature on the day we had a garage sale. Today is due to be the same. I am closing by noon. I most likely will need to anyway because I am almost out of stuff (compared to what we had).

Terry and I did well yesterday. The big ticket items did not sell. Hopefully they will today.

We went out for dinner last night then for a drive just so we could be in some air conditioning. We'll probably do the same today. Tomorrow should be cooler.

Ok, this garage sale thing is out of control. My garage is full of junk and there is no room to move about to organize it. I am panicking about getting it all organized and so panicked that I cannot do anything. Stephen *knew* I would get like this. So did I actually. WTF was I thinking? BREATHE! BREATHE!

Ok, the only think keeping me from going off the deep end is the entertainment in a forum I go to. Well, perhaps entertainment is the wrong word. Someone called someone else a "completely dumb bitch" then she said it was ok because she was not saying it due to a disagreement the other one but because her feelings were hurt. Oh my! And all of this in a Fahrenheit 9/11 thread. lol

Well, back to the garage and the heaps of junk!

Whew - getting ready for a garage sale is exhausting. I forgot how much so. I spent Sunday going through more closets, the garage, the toys, etc and I think I have a lot of junk to sell. No really big items, other than a stroller and an Evenflo Megasaucer. But lots of good stuff priced really well.

We have a major yellow jacket problem in our yard. Stephen thinks he can solve it himself. He has already been stung once. I think I am going to have to call an exterminator. Good-bye garage sale profit$.

Stephen took Cars for a haircut this evening. I asked him to just have them cut around the ears and neck. Off Stephen went with my baby and he came back with a little boy! Oh I cried! The little curly wisps are gone. He does not look like a baby. Oh I am tearing up again!

Not a happy boy.


All done! Handsome boy!
.

Taking a break from clearing out junk out of my house! Getting ready for the garage sale and I finally tackled the closet under the stairs. I put all of the kids crafts stuff in a huge plastic bin - much better than that stuff being scattered in several different plastic bags.

While cleaning out that closet, I found out the following:
1) I will never ever ever ever need to buy white glue again in my lifetime
2) ditto on crayons
3) ditto on gift bags
4) The closet is not a good place to store wrapping paper if I think it will not get crumpled

This closet is used to store office supplies, craft supplies, art supplies, wrapping paper and ribbon, fabric ribbon, sewing machine, sewing basket, brooms, all cleaning supplies as well as crystal glasses and china tea cups because I have no room in the kitchen cupboards and no buffet in the dining room (which is now a craft room/lego room anyway). Anyway, whenever I bought some art or craft stuff, or school supplies when they were on sale super-cheap, I would toss (literally!) the bag into the closet. I didn't realize until I pulled it all out and looked at it together that I had 9-4oz, 1-7.6oz (nearly empty though), 4-2 oz bottles of white glue! Who needs that much glue???? Now I am going to have to think of crafts to use it all up.

So the closet is organized (for now) but still very full. It does not even have my bead stuff, my acrylics or any of my scrapbooking stuff in it.

I NEED MORE STORAGE SPACE!

Ok, I also tidied up the "game" closet which holds our board games and puzzles. I had no less than 4 Trivial Pursuits games. Two are slotted for the garage sale although I must say it goes give me great pains to do that. I also put out my original Scrabble game that Stephen and I played from the time we started dating, oh so many years ago (18). We used to have great Scrabble matches. However, he started losing to me all.the.time. Badly. And now he will not play at all. So that game is going into the garage sale (not to worry though - I do have my Deluxe Edition that he bought me about 8 years ago. I cannot wait until Jax can spell a little better so I can teach him to play.

Stephen took the kids out to mini-putt while I finish up the closet and get the stuff I am selling out to the garage. Then the fun begins...cleaning everything in order to sell it so I get top dollar for everything. I hate-hate-hate going to garage sales when things are over-priced and not even CLEAN. Ick!

Enough rambling from me...back to work!

Date Night?

Stephen asked me to find a baby sitter and we are going OUT tonight.  I am so excited.  We are going to a movie - probably to see Anchorman. Katie will babysit. I am a little anxious because she has not babysat for us since Cars was born. Well she actually has, I guess, but she only watched Jax and Dex. Good thing her parents will be home right across the street!

Took Jax back to the doctor today. He was lethargic and just lay on the couch all morning. He also has a fever of 101.7*. His throat is bright red but he tested negative for strep. His ear infections are nearly cleared up so it is just some crummy virus. I am sick of my kids being sick. It is wearing on all of us!

So, the kids are having movie night tonight while Stephen and I go out. They rented Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - The Original Movie. Jax wanted to rent Lord of the Rings but I think we'll save that for a time when I will be home to watch it with them (besides, I want to see it too!).

Nanny came today for the first time in three weeks. I stayed home most of the time, taking a bunch of junk out of the closets upstairs out to the garage. Garage Sale next weekend!

Cars is climbing up on everything! Two days ago I found him like this
So I moved the chairs away from the table but he has figured out how to push them around the kitchen. Today:


He will then cry when he wants to get down because he has not figured out how to GET down without falling.

Ok, time to put that pizza in the background of the last photo into the oven.

Crazy on You

Ok, Blogger changed their dashboard again...

We went to the Locks today in Seattle. It was so cool. I hadn't been there before although I had been to the locks in the upper Mississippi across from our apt in Minneapolis (here if you are interested:
St. Anthony Falls Locks. Other than a major meltdown by Dex and the neverending traffic back-ups (Seattle traffic SUCKS!) it was a great day.

After dinner while Stephen gave the kids baths, I headed out to Costco for a few things ($180 later - how does that happen??). They had a few aisles blocked off because Nancy and Ann Wilson of Heart were there signing copies of their newest album. I was sad for them because there were not big crowds but then I realized the had been there for hours and the lineup for autographs was CLOSED. So I didn't buy their CD - lol

Ok, so back to the $180 I spent at Costco. Shit! I really didn't buy anything extravagant or what we didn't need. Here's the list:

Venus Razors (16 count) $24.99 (ouch!)
Tampax Tampons(100)$10.99
RainCoat for Dex $11.99**
Infant Tylenol (ioz) $6.19
Children's Kirkland Brand Ibuprofin $6.89
Chicken Breasts $18.45
Pork Chops $17.05
SugarSnapPeas $5.49
Skintimate Shave Gel $6.99
Rainier Cherries $6.99 (2lbs)
Goldfish Crackers (58oz) $5.99
Ritz Crackers $4.99
Eggos $6.89
Carrots $3.49
English Cukes $2.99
Pears (6lbs) $4.99
Comet (6 cans) $4.79
Choc Milk $10.99 ***
Yellow 5x8 paper Pads $4.99

**(will take it back because Stephen says it is girly)
*** ok,this was a convenience splurge Horizon Organic Chocolate Milk 10-8 oz individual boxes

And that comes to $179.95! I cannot believe I spent that much there. I think I need to stop going there alone!

Mean Mom

It was one of those days when I could just not make any right decisions/moves/etc for the kids.

Mean Mom was on duty. Jax said wrote a note to tell me that "I hat my mom". Mean Mom laughed and thanked him for hatting her. He then snatched the note from Mean Mom and changed it. Next, he heeted Mean Mom. Mean Mom had a good laugh at that too.

Mean Mom then made Jax go outside without tying his shoes because he spent the time when he should have been getting them on writing that lovely note and Mean Mom no longer had time to tie them (a sleeping Cars was in her arms). So of course he walks outside and trips on his shoe laces and it was Mean Mom's fault again. Now Mean Mom is "ruining everything!". Oh the tragedy!

So, Mean Mom took the kids out to run errands instead of meeting friends at the beach. The errands were to buy school supplies which are on sale this week so that perked Jax and Dex up a little. They were very well-behaved and loved picking out school supplies. Nice Mom is back. Nice Mom decides then that maybe a stop at the beach is in order after all (Nice Mom packed bathing suits and towels anyway even though she had no plans to go). It was too late to meet friends though.

The friggin park was packed (well duh! It is 2pm and HOT). Mean Mom is back. Mean Mom drove around for 10 minutes ("Why are we just staying in the car?") then was able to get the parking spot that Ash vacated as they were leaving as we arrived. The kids change into their swimsuits in the car. Nice Mom reminds them to bring their towels which they of course forget. Get to the beach and they want Mean Mom to march back to the car (1/4 mile) to get them. Mean Mom thinks not. Mean Mom tells them to stand in the sun to warm up and dry off then wipe their feet off with Cars' blanket.

Anyway, home again, home again, jiggity-jig. Of course this is the day that Stephen is golfing. So...tick tock tick tock the day drags on and on and once again Mean Mom and Nice Mom alternate, based on how often Jax and Dex fight with each other and how often they are sent out of the room for timeouts.

Mean Mom then makes everyone go for a walk. Meaner Mom won't let them take their bikes. Meanest Mom shows up when we take a walk around the BIG block. By the time we got home, Nice Mom had helped pick out some great rocks for their collection and lets them ride their bikes back and forth in front of the house for a while.

Nice Mom was who put a bandaid on Dex's scraped knee and let Jax stay up a moment longer to show off the school supplies when Daddy finally arrived home. Nicest Mom put let them read for 5 extra minutes before lights out.

I hope Nicest Mom comes back tomorrow.

Ok, I do have some good news to share.

I ~think~ I am over my ppd. I was thinking the other day that I can see clearly now. No more fog. No more anxiety (other than the standard mom-type stuff). No more panic. No more thinking about how I will get through each day. I can almost say I am happy. I still have a hang-up about admitting I am happy (admit and the shoe will drop - dumb superstitions). I have learned a lot of tools to handle things. I have changed my way of thinking that has allowed me to let go and I am much better for it.

I go to counseling once every two weeks now and I think after September, I may drop it once/month until after Christmas then say good-bye to my therapist all together.

Life is good.

(that, in spite of the double ear infections that Jax and Cars have, and the single ear infection that Dex has).

Oh so tired

Another nearly sleepless night. Cars is so sick. At least this morning he is not crying and needing to be held as he did all day yesterday. Jax is feeling better today too (not all better but no more complaints of a sore ear). Dex said his ears hurt yesterday too but this morning he seems fine.

So yesterday was a complete write-off. I spent most of the day holding Cars. He wanted nothing to do with Stephen. My arms are sore. My back is sore. I need some sleep.

Ok, end of the bitching and moaning. I'll write more when I have something interesting to say.

Ta-Da!

Here it is. The new blagh template. Still a work in progress as you can see.

Not much going on today. Stephen is still nursing his noochies. Cars, Dex and Jax all have mild colds (although Cars is perhaps a little sicker than the rest).

(edited to say spoke too soon. Cars and Jax are up now with fevers and crying. This is gonna be a long night)

Gladys Kravitz Watch
New next-door neighbour wanted to know if I wanted to have a garage sale with her. They went from a much bigger house in Oregon to this one and need to get rid of stuff. I too have stuff to dispose of so I think we will do it. Now we just need to plan a weekend...

Template Blues

I thought I was in love with my new blagh template. I mean it was BLUE (fav colour...well purple is my ACTUAL fav colour but purple and blue are virtually the same - at least purple is made from blue). But the more I look at it the more boring I think it really is. I think I chose it because I loved the number guessing game.

So I am on a quest to find the perfect blaghskin for my blagh. Be prepared (hear that Nymphe?).

Took Stephen in for the old snip and tuck. He is lying upstairs in bed where he will no doubt remain for a couple of days.

JP and Marilyn are not coming down (Marilyn put her back out) so no Smarties for another few weeks. How will I survive??

I am addicted

Jean-Paul sent me this link CLICK HERE that will go on Livejournal.com and grab the last 30 images that have been posted on public journal entries in users journals and community journals. It is fascination and disgusting and intriguing and very humourous.

I Don't Want to Live on the Moon

I Don't Want to Live on the Moon

Written by Jeff Moss
1978 Festival Attractions, Inc. (ASCAP)
Sung by Ernie (Jim Henson)

Well, I'd like to visit the moon
On a rocket ship high in the air
Yes, I'd like to visit the moon
But I don't think I'd like to live there
Though I'd like to look down at the earth from above
I would miss all the places and people I love
So although I might like it for one afternoon
I don't want to live on the moon

I'd like to travel under the sea
I could meet all the fish everywhere
Yes, I'd travel under the sea
But I don't think I'd like to live there
I might stay for a day there if I had my wish
But there's not much to do when your friends are all fish
And an oyster and clam aren't real family
So I don't want to live in the sea

I'd like to visit the jungle, hear the lions roar
Go back in time and meet a dinosaur
There's so many strange places I'd like to be
But none of them permanently

So if I should visit the moon
Well, I'll dance on a moonbeam and then
I will make a wish on a star
And I'll wish I was home once again
Though I'd like to look down at the earth from above
I would miss all the places and people I love
So although I may go I'll be coming home soon
'Cause I don't want to live on the moon
No, I don't want to live on the moon

Warning Label!

Edited out because my blahg was too wide.

On the Road Again

Took a road-trip to the State Capitol today to visit an online friend. We had a lovely visit (at least I think we did!) lol Jax complained about the long drive (1.5 hours) and all three kids slept on the way home.

Stephen is working late this evening so it is take it easy night right now. Flylady would be disappointed.

OH! Cars just took 10 steps across the room. What a big boy!

Rain Rain Go Away!

Ok, buh-bye rain. You've been here long enough today. Non-stop pissing rain. My Gladys Kravitz Perch will be handy as an Ark in another couple of hours.

JP and Marilyn are coming to town with my, I mean "the boys'" smartie stash. Also, JP of course has some ebay packages to pick up. They are also bringing down a jar or two of Pea Butter, which looks and kind-of-but-no-really tastes like peanut butter. Both Jax and Dex love the stuff, Dex especially on waffles. I can stomach it over soy butter but I do prefer almond butter but much of it is made on the same lines as peanut butter so it is not safe.

Speaking of not being safe, after we shot off all of our fireworks we all got a traveler or road pop and headed up the cul-de-sac to see Nosey Neighbour who was quite tipsy. The neighbours had a nice set up with chairs and tables out in the middle of the road. One of the snacks on the table was a bag of peanuts. So tipsy Nosey Neighbour is munching away on the peanuts, throwing the shells on the ground. My anxiety is going up with each shell as I was thinking "Shit! What if Jax falls on the ground RIGHT HERE next time he rides his bike". Then she started pawing Cars who was wrapped in a blanket. Everytime Jax came near I walked away from her so he could talk to me. We left a short time later and I immediately threw all of Cars' clothes in the washing machine (yes, at nearly midnight!). One good thing about all this rain is that hopefully every speck of peanut residue has washed away and it will be safe for Jax to ride up there again.

Well, I must get my beauty rest...

Brrrrr!

Where did summer go? It is cool and rainy today. It is supposed to be like this all week. How depressing!

The 4th of July was fun. The sun came out after a mostly overcast day. We had three other families here for a bbq then we started lighting off fireworks about 8pm. We had some big ones (read ILLEGAL in our city) and it was great fun watching them go. My favourites where the ones that would shoot parachutes into the air and smoke on the way down. They were good to set off while it was still light. We had two small grass fires (oops - gotta water the lawn) from sparklers.

Tomorrow we are off to Olympia to visit one silly and evil Sage. I am looking forward to seeing her.

Thursday is Stephen's stress test at the cardiologist. Then Friday is the big snip-snip for him. I need to find someone to watch the kids for a couple of hours in the morning because of course Nanny isn't coming yet again. I am going to get rid of her at the end of the summer since I don't think I really need that time to myself anymore (it is nice but not necessary) and it is getting to be very spotty when she can actually come.

Ok, hacking up a lung here so off to take my meds.


Boys on the Fourth of July

Hack-hack-hack

Cough is back with a vengence. I didn't take any allergy meds yesterday and I think that was a big mistake. Let's hope this will clear up now that I have used the inhaler and Safeway-brand Claritin.

We have an arsenal of fireworks for tomorrow night. We'll probably light them off before it gets really dark. Stephen bought them outside of the city limits so we have some real aerials. Then the teenager across the street gave him some real firecrackers that he bought at the Indian reservation. I wonder how severely Stephen will burn himself tomorrow.

I made some sugar cookies for tomorrow. Man I love that gel food colouring. The icing on them looks great! Bright Blue. Bright Red. They look good enough to eat! :)

I talked to Jen for a long time tonight. The girls are both doing well. Both are in NICU and were transfered to St. Mike's. They are both back up to their birth weights. They are working now on getting them to learn to swallow so they can take a bottle or nurse.

Jen is feeling so out of sorts. She gave birth and then goes home without the babies. It feels so wrong, she thinks. Jen also still has PUPPPS that has not gone away (it usually goes away post-partum). She and Greg are pretty sure she will never get pregnant again.

Well, off to bed to get my beauty rest.

IKEA

I went to IKEA today (are you jealous, Sarag?). We met up with Heidi and kids and had a good time. Geez, her kids are soooo adorable. I spent over $60 on nothing. Ok, I did buy two reading lamps for Jax and Dex - but that was only $20. Hmmm...

Spent too much money at Costco last night too. And Fred Meyer. Can you see a pattern here? Retail therapy.

Cars does not scream when he is shown his shoes anymore.

Ah, the sun has finally poked through the clouds today. It is chilly! It should never be less than 70F on July 2nd!

Gladys Kravitz Watch
The neighbours up the cul-de-sac behind us are planning a big bash for the 4th. Nosey Neighbour invited me up but we are having our own barbeque. Perhaps we'll head up there with our MHL after our guests leave. :)

Again, nothing to see here. Come back another time.