A-ha moment

It's been a trying day with both kids and I get why boarding schools exist.

We survived

Emma and her 15 playmates (plus a surprise sibling) seemed to have a good time, based on the constant shrieking. A few feelings were hurt, a few unkind words were said, and a few complaints occurred over which silly bands they received. But overall, it was a success.

And now I'm going to bed.

I gambled and lost

Last year, in an effort to keep Emma's birthday party small since Hubs was out of town, we just invited seven girls. And three couldn't make it. Four guests is a little too small, and the party was pretty subdued. So, this year, I figured the same RSVP thing would happen, what with soccer games and such on Saturdays. On top of that, we got them sent out way late, only 10 days before the party. So I let Emma invite sixteen girls, thinking we'd have 10ish.

Fifteen girls are coming. Yikes.

So I've been busy cutting and pasting construction paper, figuring this is the last year I can get away with ghetto decorations. The girls will be designing their own treat bags, going on a treasure hunt (where the treasure is such goodies as foam crowns, candy necklaces, princess coloring kits, and princess silly bands), playing "princess princess frog", and "pin the candle on the cake". We'll end the party with frosting cupcakes and gift opening and hoping the parents all show up on time.

At least Hubs will be here this time. He's looking for ways to get out of the estrogen-fest, but I'm not giving in.

Happy Birthday Emma!

She's 6! And what an exciting day Emma had today. Thanks in part to a fabulous Birthday Girl headband I picked up from Target yesterday, there was no shortage of birthday wishes and attention today. At the 1st grade field trip all three classes sang Happy Birthday while Emma was swamped by hugs, she was the belle of the ball while passing out her marshmellows with sprinkles on top, and the school day was topped off with a sparkly pink birthday crown from her teacher. The phone rang all day for Emma, and we celebrated tonight with mac and cheese, pink birthday cake, and special gifts from special people. The topper being the Fancy Nancy skirt, shirt, and hair clip our friend Nicole sewed.

She loves basketball, pink, anything that sparkles, dancing, Tinkerbell, and dresses. And now, she loves being 6!

Montana

We've decided to keep her. So we've changed her name. And, in a much calmer moment, I was even able to get a picture.

Preschool Starts!

Preschool started Monday for Grant, and he loves it! Shocking, right? It's amazing to me how much more information I get from him than I did last year. He's already learned the names of the new kids, he reports details like stories read, infractions done to other kids (like hitting), and the projects they have worked on. Yesterday, he showed me around the room after class and pointed out all the different things he had down through the day. He's even doing the art projects. It's like having a completely different kid!

Canine Companion

Well it looks like we've got a dog. Technically we're trying her out for the week. And while yesterday was a rough day that included her nuzzling the back of Hubs' head all night and putting her head on his pillow while we attempted to sleep, as well as grabbing and chewing most of our water table toys, it looks like we've probably gained a canine companion. Oh, and her name is Emma, which is just as confusing as you may think it would be.



Sorry the picture is blurry, it's the best picture I can get of her right now. Yes, she's busy.

Beautiful bounty

Here's what the kids and I just picked from our garden!

More like Dodgeball

Watching 1st grade girls play tetherball is one of the funniest things I see in the mornings. They spend more time squealing and ducking from the ball than they do actually playing. In fact, it appears they have no idea how to play, and just take joy from throwing it around the pole. And not getting hit in the head. And squealing.

Accepting dowrys now

Today while Emma was at school, Grant vacuumed the hardwood floors in every room but Emma's, helped me wet mop said floors by squirting the bottle of cleaner, and put his laundry away (including folding his shorts before putting them in the closet).

We're accepting dowrys to hold your daughter's place as his future wife. He even knows how to bake banana bread.

From fleeces to flip flops

To say the concert was rad is an understatement. Dave Matthews is always awesome in concert, and the beauty of the Columbia River in the background only added to the experience. The drive from Seattle to George was beautiful also - lush green mountains turned to flat lands and shrubs. On the way back to Seattle on Sunday morning we had the added beauty of a rainbow over the mountain as the fog settled on the mountaintops.

Sunday was See Seattle day. We had lunch at a rooftop Mexican food place with delicious mole sauce. Plans changed after lunch since it was becoming more cloudy and cold then sunny and warm. So we ixnayed the harbor cruise plan and headed to the EMP museum (aka Rock n Roll museum). It was the weekend of a huge Seattle music festival so we had the pleasure of hearing some local bands while we meandered through the museum. The Science Fiction museum was thrown in free with an EMP ticket, so we quickly checked that out because how much time can you spend looking at Star Trek, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Planet of the Apes? But it was free so Scottish me couldn't turn it down.

Then we headed over to the Space Needle, wandering around the observation deck, checking out the city views and the water views. We watched a float plane land on Lake Union, the monorail zip by into the city center, and ferries passing on the Sound. We sipped wine in the cafe while sitting window side, soaking in the beauty. Dinner at a restaurant a friend recommended completed the night.

This morning we flew home early, trading in our fleeces for flip flops. We had lunch in Midtown, one final kid free event before we headed home. The topic of the lunch time conversation was how blessed we are to have local and involved parents. Hubs and I benefit so much from these getaways, and they wouldn't be possible without help from our village.

Kid free

We're in WA for the long weekend, kid free. We flew into Seattle last night, found an awesome Italian restaurant where we dined outside next to a fountain. The waiter had such a thick Italian accent I could hardly understand him as he recommended Sicilian black grape wine and described the deliciousness that was the special I ordered. Creamy mushroom soup so good you didn't want the bowl to be empty, hand crafted tortellini stuffed with spinach and spinach and cheese and topped with a light white wine and sage sauce, fresh Italian bread, and of course, a cappucino to finish. Yum.

This morning, we woke up early and wandered through Pike Place Market. It was an incredible array of colors and sounds and smells and people. We had breakfast in a restaurant with a third floor that looks over the Puget Sound, and even though it was super overcast, it was still beautiful.

Now, we're in George, WA, awaiting the start of the Dave Matthews Band concert at The Gorge Ampitheater. Hubs is beyond excited. Tomorrow we head back to Seattle for one more day of sightseeing.