Kids Games and fuzzy pictures

My camera has these phases it goes through, one of them being it only takes really fuzzy pictures for awhile. Apparently that is the phase we are in now. Sorry. I know its hard on the eyes.
This was a drama class Kateri was teaching. She is such the drama queen, although I suppose most 4 year old girls are.
Arms and legs flailing she'd whimper " No Papa, don't leave" whimper ,whimper, sob.
then she'd look at Pippin.

Cyprian would dutifully copy her arms and legs moving in lame puppy dog mode while he'd emit a muffled "Haaaa Papa, waah, mmmmmm."
Then he'd look to Kateri for approval, she'd offer pointers and he'd try again. I thought 'at least they are working together'. The other day I discovered another new game of theirs. I was so pleased because they were all four playing nicely in the other room. Cyril came into the kitchen and started rooting around the drawers pulling out cooking tools. I thought I should peek on them so I went out to check. They had made a wall of pillows on the couch behind which lay Kateri looking sad and wounded. I asked what they were playing. Audrey answered
"We're playing retarded cow. Kateri is the cow and we have to give her shots"
I thought wow, that is so not P.C. Then I explained they might get better results in curing a sick cow instead. Audrey said" Ok lets play sick cow. Cyril, hand me the spatula."

I suppose they could do mad cow. But I'm afraid they'd try to put her down.

Shane and I commuted out Valentine's Day to the 13th because he was going to be leaving for Montana the next day. He brought me a huge bouquet of lilies- pink and white ones- and we went to Girardi's for dinner while the kids stayed home with Grandma and Grandpa. It was nice and the restaurant was not crowded- though Patrick told me they were completely booked the next night. And now I can enjoy watching the lilies open over the next week too.

He ended up not leaving until 4am this morning anyway but I'm glad we went out when we did. He called to ask me to check the weather and wind forcast out there near Anaconda. I e-mailed him the bleak news that the best wind was not until tomorrow at 10:00pm and it was only 9mph. He said yes, all the kiters there for the rodeo were just sitting around the frozen lake....waiting. And freezing. Then he told me there are some not so forzen areas some people had found with markers. I asked if they were markers or memorials. But he assured me it is much more solid out in the middle.There are some slopes nearby if they get too bored. Shane rented a cabin and they had built a nice big fire and had some movies and he's there with Cameron and Ron and Cameron's roommate so maybe it can be cozy guy time. but maybe he'll decide to come home early instead. That would be fun. I'll suggest it next time he can get a cel phone signal and calls again.
Audrey and Cyril had dentist appointments last week. Audrey needed some work and they were able to take care of some of it right away, which was really nice. She was pretty numb on her left side. I took a picture of her smiling. It was a pretty rough introductionto our new dentist. That and the itty bitty parking lot. all the stalls were made for mini european cars with a max width of 2 feet. I was so suprised when I had to turn around - can you say 50 point turn- and successfully backed into a spot. I thought I'd just stay but on either side of me there was literally 6 inces of clearance. No one would be able to open a door. I very gingerly pulled out and found a spot elsewhere. I couldn't beleive I didn't hit anything. I was pretty prepared to leave my name and number on somebody's windshield.

Message for GG

Sorry its a day late. The kids wanted to send you a personalized birthday "card" so here it is.

...dishes...everyday

I walked into the kitchen the other day and found Kateri doing dishes. There had been a pile stacked on the counter and when she saw them she knew exactly what to do. She loaded them like this

closed the door adnd turned it on. I was impressed with her work. The only problem was they had been clean dishes stacked waiting for me to dty them and by turning on the dishwashe they got sprayed with the dirty water that will not drain and hasn't for several days. So I had to clean them again. It was very thoughtful of her though.

I discovered the issue on Friday when after running a load it did not drain. I tried the override stop and drain sequence but no potato. Just soapy water. So I called up the friendly people at Bosch to see what they would suggest I do. Apparently the parts are still covered under warranty- its only 1 1/2 years old- so they said they could send someone out. I asked how much the labor part of the bill would be and he. "You know what, I'll just make a note here and we'll cover that too." I was really impressed. I am seriously thinking of trashing my stinky GE wash machine which only produces stinky laundry and getting a Bosch instead. And telling them why. The service center called to schedule an appointment and unfortunately can't come until next Thursday. So we'll be Little House on the Prarie-ing it until them. My hands get really dry and burned a lot. But I did discover a use for the washer in the mean time. It makes a handy drying rack if I leave the door open and the racks pulled out. And there is heater vent in front of the sink so it gets warm air throughout the day.

So my lovely front loading GE washing machine-After only a couple months the laundry started to smell foul and the laundry room like dry rot. After numerous service visits- at least we were still under the service warranty period- the best I got was- use hot water, every once in awhile run a hot water cycle ( no clothes) and add vinegar and bleach and baking soda and add the extra rinse option to every load and only use 1 tablespoon of detergent. And to leave the door open after every load and to change it right away. I was already doing the last two suggestions.

I had a really hard time feeling like my washer was energy efficient and a water saver. Or a time saver. And still after doing all that the t-shirts come out smelling awful. The laundry room did get better though. I was getting Pippin dressed for bed the other night and as I was putting on his shirt he sniffed and made a funny face. Already knowing what was wrong I asked him,

"What is it Pippin?'

"What's that smell?" he asked scrunching up his nose.

"What does it smell like?"

"Poop" he said.

I changed his PJ's but I waited until he spilled milk on them. The first set is usually not the ones he ends up wearing to bed.

I think I'll include that in my break up letter to GE, maybe along with a sample. Its not like I want to keep the clothes. And no, bleach doesn't work in small enough amounts to not dis-color the clothes. And besides I don't want a high maintenance washer. I have four kids.

This was a funny Cyril line.

Audrey read the joke on her cheese stick wrapper out loud. It said,

"What bird cries the most?"

"the female" Cyril answerered.

I'm not sure where he got that. I don't cry and amongst the four kids I think Cyril is a pretty good contender. I thought it was funny though.

The Bluebird was the real answer. I guessed it.

Mend on Friday....

The last couple days, my cousin Ambry has been over to work on the baptismal dress for their baby.( Which is turning out very cute despite my erronious pinning) The kids got all excited about sewing so today we got out some felt and they each did a little project. Kateri made a little purse. She was very patient and excited as she stitched the sides with my oversight.

Audrey made a little purse all by herself with a flap and a button.

Cyril made a scabbard. then decided, because he couldn't find a sword ,it was a quiver. He says he loves sewing. He was actually the one agitating this morning for a sewing project which got them all started.

Pippinof course wanted to join in. so I gave him a box of colorful pins and George to use a a in cushion. I have a feeling somewhere in the jungles of Africa there is a monkey in a lot of pain.

Kateri and Pippin wanted to dance and since Kateri put on a dress, Pippin had to as well.

A little up-date on our Salish get-away: After we got home I wrote an e-mail to the General Manager thanking him for the lovely parts of our stay but that we felt a little short changed when it came to the rest and relaxation part and would he mind giving us another go at it, which I was actually surprised they had not offered.

He wrote back a very nice letter saying a good nights sleep should be a part of any hotel's offering. He was sorry about our experience but we should get over it and move on. Just kidding about the last part. He is sending a certificate for a night's stay. And I am really excited to have another get away to look forward to. And aside from the getting sleep, I think it will be better as we know we like eating in the Bistro better than the Dining room and will probably skip the fire part if it is windy. WE haven't picked a time yet.

I was really pleased with his response and feel that I can in very good conscience recommend the Lodge. Although you may have to ask for it.

Shane's PIctures

I didn't have any great pictures to put up so I stole some of Shane's.

This was a fun game they would pay. Jump off the front of the boat while it is sailing, let it go over you- you're in between the pontoons- and then grab a rope hanging off the end and pull yourself to the stairs. Sounds like fun. Jodi told Shane to look like he'd been pushed so this is what he did.
Here is another Nico spread. As was everything else, Shane said it was fabulous. I've never made sushi myself. Shane likes it.
And here is the famous mashed potatoes with carmelized onions, beef tenderloin, asparagus, and a mushroom sauce. And of course home made bread.
Shane chilling on an island. They set up a hammock, or someone else had, and sat and drank beer to rest after a day of snorkeling and whatever else. I think his goggles add a particular something.
Ron lost the evening card game and got the job of scrubbing the dinghy. Shane lost once and had to do three shots of whatever the winner chose. I was glad he did not get the one where the loser had to take a shot of tequila first thing in the morning and then swim to a nearby island. Boys are silly. But cute.

Our new routine is going pretty well. I am very sore, pretty much everywhere. Shane is a great trainer. He walks up to me and pokes me in sore muscle- I think we'd done chest and back,

"OW"

'Did that hurt?'

"YES"

"Good. That means you're doing it right."

He also offered to help me work on my side crunches, which went just as badly as I remembered.

Why do I do these things...

I have come to realization that blogging is dangerous. At least for me. It seems without fail, I emerge from the library after finishing a post only to discover a new disaster that needs media attention. I've also found a lot of these events have a common theme- butter knives. They have come to be Kateri and Pippin's calling card. If you find one, you know who was there.

This time they opened two pakcages of macaroni and cheese and sprinkled them all over the coffee table. They are never this quiet. They didn't fight or make any noise. Not so unusual for partners in crime I guess. So for lunch they had just noodles with butter. In th midst of boiling them Kateri came walking into the kitchen carrying Pippin's diaper- which had been on his bottom- explaining it needed to be changed. It most certainly did so I had to quickly chase him down, clean him up, dispose of the diaper and its contents and by the time I finished the pasta was a little overcooked. But they ate it anyway.

So, why am I here again? Because days like this are more manageable if you are not alone. Or at least feel like you are not alone. And typing it all down makes it seem like you've shared the "load" and can now move on. Its very theraputic. And because I already talked to Tirzah today and Shane is not home. But he is on his way so I'd better pick up a little and make sure I got all the lovely cheesy sauce out of the cracks in the table. Audrey was complaining about the odd smell. Not sure how she could pick it out .It kind of fits in .

I was admiring Pippin's hair at lunch. Something about it seemed familiar. Then I realized it reminded me of Sinead O'Connor. Shane's been listening to her Theology album so I had seen her recently. She has a similar widow's peak. I wonder if she uses the 3/4" attachment too.

Some snow , a date, and a haircut

We had a very pretty snow fall last night. It came down like west coast blizzard. Which just means it actually snowed. It was very prett to watch and we figured it would melt by morning as is our custom so we were very pleasantly surprised this morning to see it still here and the roads covered. Shane stayed home long enough for it to get slushy and will come home before it gets cold again, which they say it will and we will get more snow tonight. The kids were pretty excited. Kateri got dressed and went out and came back with her boot- it had fallen off-filled with snow. She set it on the table, got two spoons, and called to Pippin to come share the feast. I guess he has a thing for snow. The first thing he said when he saw it this morning was "I can eat it." I was too lazy to put on shoes so here is a picture out the front door. We got at close to 3", which was more than they predicted. It was so funny to watch the news this morning. The reporter standing at a street corner reporting on Winter storm watch 2008,

"As you can see behind me it is endeed snowing. "-Camera zooms over her shoulder to show snow because you couldn't see it before-" It seems to pretty much be falling everywhere. You can see here the roofs and trees are definitely white. There is snow on the roads and drivers are being cautious"- it pans to the traffic on the road where cars are driving uphill with no slipping and going the almost speed limit-"Some people are taking extreme measures" video of a man walking his bicycle . "And with more snow on the way, tomorrow we can expect to see people in hats and gloves" and with any luck slipping on the ice. That would be news worth watching.

I cut shane's hair this morning and then Pippin insisted I cut his too. I can't use scissors on him so I just buzz his while head. It might not have been the best timing as he'll want to go outside and probably loose his hat but carpe diem. It was looking pretty shaggy.

Trudy and Ron volunteered to watch the kids over night again. We finally said ok. This time we decided to stay home and get some sleep. But we actually only came home to sleep. I had decided we'd not eat at home so it would feel like we were out. First we stopped at Arista's to pick up teh wine I ordered and a few extras Shane found. Then we went to Girardi's and had a leisurely dinner, a bottle of wine, coffee and dessert. Then we went to the movies and saw "I am Legend". Then we walked over to Starbucks and got coffee and to Godiva and got some treats. And then because we were not thrilled with the first movie and because we could, we saw Rambo. It felt like such a date. We could go wherever we wanted and stay out as late we wanted. But it was better because there was no curfew and nobody had to go home at night and we could appreciate the freedom more because it was so rare. Like sleep. You never appreciate it as much as you do after having kids. Or going to the bathroom alone, or eating a meal sitting down with two hands. It was really nice.

In the morning we got dressed and went down to the cafe at the bottom of our hill for breakfast and then to Trader Joe's. It is so hard to shop there with the kids. The aisles are so small and hardly big enough for one cart and no matter how you position your cart the little ones can always reach something. So it was a treat to go by ourselves. I haven't taken Shane to the Central Market in Mill Creek yet but that is fun too. And a lot roomier. Tirzah was telling me they have lots of little carts ,so the kids wouldn't have to fight over one. I could just picture all four of ours with carts. They probably would not let us come back.

This morning Shane and I started our new routine. Actually we started it last night by being in bed at 10:00. The kids liked the idea of mom and dad having a bedtime too. But it is necessary for the morning routine. Shane had the brilliant idea of us getting up early and working out together before he goes to work. A friend at work and his wife are doing it and Shane thought it sounded fun. Some friend. Actually, I have been in serious need of some form of exercise. And for the the first time in years I can plan on getting out of bed to do something, knowing Pippin will stay alseep. He doesn't wake up at night anymore but he is still in our bed. This morning Kateri crawled in before I got out which is good because then he has a warm body to snuggle and will sleep better. It worked out and we worked out and hopefully I'll be sore tomorrow. So we can do it again. Today was chest and back. I think tomorrow is plyometrics. Last time I think I fell over. Or that might have been yoga. But it was fun and it is nicer to work out together.

It is snowing again. Very small slakes but lots. Shane says he'll be heading home soon. And also that we are supposed to do 25 min of ab work out tonight. Side crunches are my specialty. Because I can't figure out how to do them and usually just succeed in making violent spastic twitching movements- like a slug being tasered. Can't wait.