10-31-09

Trick or treat!

Tonight the kids went to a youth group event while I passed out 147 costumed rubber ducks to our trick or treaters. So glad it didn't pour down rain, after the hideous weather we had during the soccer game.

I have to say that I miss the sacks of candy that I got to pick through from years past. But I guess my thighs are thinner for it.

Anastasia: polar princess
Bruce: M&M for the fifteenth or so year
Xander: banana

10-30-09

We've been dealing with Boo-grams in our house for a week.

First Bruce assembled bags and bags of them at home. Then he spent hours at school selling them to the kids for $0.50 each. Then my kids bring them home- from friends, from teachers, from their youth leader, and from Dad. Xander even sent himself one, silly boy.

"If you look around the table and you can't tell who the sucker is, it's you." - Paul Scofield

10-29-09

Tonight's plans include getting ready for Halloween.

Put Anastasia's hair up in rollers. Cut a hole in the derby hat to complete the cool banana look. Sew the petticoat to the polar princess costume.

The kids get to wear their costumes to school tomorrow, it's the last day to send Boo-grams to friends, and there is a dance after school. Le the festivities and candy overload begin!

"Eat, drink and be scary." ~Author Unknown

10-28-09

Look who made the Monticello basketball team!

Today was day 3 of try outs. She’s tall, but is in the mid range of height for her team. Attitude and effort got her here.

Switching from soccer to b-ball, with afternoon games from Nov 12 to Dec 17.

There are really only two plays: Romeo and Juliet, and put the darn ball in the basket. ~Abe Lemons

10-27-09

In an effort to not be slave to my to do list this weekend, I mapped out a few things to do each week night.


Tonight’s list was not overly taxing: VOTE. I also went to Wal-mart, excercised, harvested at FarmTown, and continue to fight a pounding headache.


"Each morning see some task begin,/Each evening sees it close;/Something attempted, something done,/Has earned a night’s repose." – Longfellow

10-26-09

Ah, life with teens and tweens.

When I got home from work, Xander was in a very sour mood. I wanted to send him to bed right then and there.

Then Anastasia got a phone call during dinner and didn’t have the courtesy to keep the conversation short. Dad’s been missing calls due to her tying up the phone line.

After dinner I was trying to concentrate and the blaring TV and loud computer games about sent me through the roof.

And now there’s lots of stomping coming from upstairs. The screaming and slamming may start soon.
How many more years?!?

“Mother Nature is providential. She gives us twelve years to develop a love for our children before turning them into teenagers.” ~William Galvin

10-25-09

Tonight we attended a pumpkin carving party. With a campfire, tables for pumpkin guts, hot apple cider, carving tools, s’mores, and lots of friends.

It was fun hanging out with friends, and especially fun to see all the different styles of jack-o-laterns.

Didn’t get to the pumpkin patch this year, but carving is a check off the to do list. Now bring on the treats!

"The rule in carving holds goodas to criticism; never cut with a knifewhat you can cut with a spoon." – Charles Buxton

10-24-09

A soccer photo for Saturday, there’s a big surprise! After the game I seem to have put my camera away for the day. Missed taxiing kids to friends, shopping, scrapbooking, and date night with Bruce.

The weather was still this murky for our 11am game. The grass and ball were both wet and slippery.

Xander seems to be the official goalie now. Second half he saw very little action; the purple Pumas dominated today. This is a photo of one of his many blocked shots.

“Anyone who will tear down sports will tear down America. Sports and religion have made America what it is today”. -Woody Hayes

10-23-09

Xander got a little close, but I like it.

25 words to describe Bruce:
Accepting
Available
Calm
Cheerful
Curious
Discerning
Enthusiastic
Flexible
Giving
Helpful
Honest
Industrious
Ingenious
Insightful
Persistent
Playful
Principled
Sensible
Sociable
Straightforward
Supportive
Truthful
Unselfish
Willing
Wise

Love YOU.

“If you describe things as better than they are, you are considered to be a romantic; if you describe things as worse than they are, you will be called a realist; and if you describe things exactly as they are, you will be thought of as a satirist.” -Quentin Crisp

10-22-09

After two days of running all over southwest Washington for work, I got to stay in the office today.

The running started after work instead.

Dinner of Beef & Winter Veggies, which only I seem to love (or even like).
Xander to soccer practice, moved to 5:30 to catch the light.
Head to school for Anastasia’s seventh grade band concert.
Family dessert at DQ to celebrate another job well done.
Scurrying to get stuff done to go watch Survivor.

“Always gotta keep busy or the voices start telling me to do wild things.” -Steve Brown

10-21-09

I’ve been accused of being too quiet lately. Maybe it is being reflective. Maybe it is being focused. And maybe it’s just plumb worn out!

It’s only Wednesday, but I’m feeling at peace tonight, because I am done with my travels for work. Still have an early morning and a marathon meetings tomorrow, but at least in my building all day.

I walked around the church tonight before Simple Supper and took some photos in the quiet places.

“The poor long for riches, the rich long for heaven, but the wise long for a state of tranquility.” - Swami Rama

10-20-09

We’ll keep up our evening walks as long as the weather holds up, I guess.

Tonight we followed the road rather than the lake for half of our walk, and two different cars honked and waved at us. It is fun living in a town small enough to continually run into friends and acquaintances. I’m sure Bruce’s fedoras make us easy to spot too.

“Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.” ~Stanley Horowitz

10-19-09

An evening with no plans. No kids to transport, no meetings, nothing. Wow. We don't even know what to do with ourselves!

We took a little walk after dinner. I’ve been soaking in these gorgeous fall colors.

“Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.” - Franz Kafka

10-18-09

Here’s Sarah, Anastasia, Xander, Emily, Collin, Caleb, and Kaylina with their balloon hats.

We spent the afternoon in Portland at the Apple Tasting event, for the second year. Apple was a major theme- a big apple balloon flying overhead, face painted apple cheeks, a long table of apples to compare, and bulk apples and pears for $0.89/pound.

“If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.” - George Bernard Shaw

10-17-09

Happy birthday to you…
Happy birthday to you…
Happy birthday dear Bif, Nathaniel, Anastasia and Grandma,
Happy birthday to you!

As lives get more hectic it gets harder to get together for every family birthday. So tonight we celebrated the September and October birthdays with appetizers, dinner, and 3 cakes (plus pumpkin crisp!). Orange cake for Anastasia, almond cake for Bif, and carrot cake Nathaniel.

“All the world is birthday cake, so take a piece, but not too much.” -George Harrison

10-16-09

We had the prettiest sunrise today! It was warm (compared to lately, at least), the sky was bright, and the colors were deep.

I went to Vancouver to day for work, and the trees along I-5 are such deep yellows, oranges, and reds. I would adore fall if it wasn’t for the constant reminders that even colder weather is ahead. As it is I am already freezing all day long.

“Nature always wears the colors of the spirit.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

10-15-09

Baking pumpkin crisp for my sweetie.

The house has had lots of smells tonight. When I got home the smell was dinner, Sesame Beef Stir Fry. Then I put cranberries and apples on the stove to add to butternut squash for my future lunches. Then I started the pumpkin crisp while Xander kept me company doing dishes (his chore).

I predict Bruce eats himself sick on Saturday. He’s disappointed I plan to share it with the rest of his extended family.

“Everyone is kneaded out of the same dough but not baked in the same oven” - Yiddish Proverb

10-14-09

Look who is back to the land of the living! Xander went back to school today and to youth group tonight. He’s still got his nasty cough that comes with any of his illnesses, but it isn’t as constant anymore.

Think I’m winning the battle on germs in my own system. Hope so!

Public service announcement: your regular flu vaccine and the H1N1 vaccine need to be separated by at least 30 days. I had no idea, and am guessing I'll have swine flu before I can get the vaccine!

10-13-09

Tonight I harvested my crops at FarmTown and poured over our October Money file. Fun way to spend an evening after spending a dreary day driving to Aberdeen for work.

I was shocked to see that we spent almost $100 in our Coffee category last month. So what did we do? Head to Starbucks! Truly…

Focus for the rest of the year: reduce spending in our Food category. Better receipt tracking, less trips to the grocery store, and less coffee... starting soon!

"Money is the root of all evil, and yet it is such a useful root that we cannot get on without it any more than we can without potatoes." - Louisa May Alcott

10-12-09

“You have the best skin for reading results, I love your skin!” – Clinic worker

Today I had to endure yet another new allergist. Not sure why they can’t keep people in Longview. Which means I have to tell my story all over again. And they don’t believe it until they see the proof in the skin test.

My bottles were due to be renewed, and they decided I had to retest. Even though I plan to take a break from shots after this set of bottles is gone. I don’t like to retest. Not because it hurts (it has come a long way, and doesn’t hurt), but because I never get good results.

First hurdle was passing my breathing test so that they would be willing to inject me with things I’m allergic too. Took two tries. Did I mention that everyone around me is sick?!?

As I predicted, no improvement. I’m still off the chart allergic to dust mites, am allergic to everything they test for except 3 varieties of trees, and will still be getting three shots per visit until I decide to stop.

“You’ve been on shots for 16 years and still have allergies this bad?!?” – Shelley, my newest allergist

10-11-09

Happy 40th Bruce!

“Aging seems to be the only available way to live a long life.” ~ Daniel Francois Esprit Auber

We had 50 church friends at the Kelso Taco Time to dine with us and wish Bruce a special day. I had to drive to get him there, and he had some clues that something was up, and we had Crustos instead of birthday cake; but it was fun.

“We grow neither better or worse as we get old, but more like ourselves.” ~ May L. Becker

10-10-09

Our action packed day quickly fizzled.

At 9am we were the first participants at the Weyerhaeuser wellness walk on the lake.
Then Bruce headed off to the church golf tournament.
He’s been taking lessons and has his own clubs now.

I took the kids to Xander’s soccer game and lunch.
We had planned to head south for the rest of the day, but Bruce decided he’d rather bum around home.

Good thing, because by 7pm both kids were pretty sick. And I’m ready to head to bed early once again…

“Golf is so popular simply because it is the best game in the world at which to be bad.” ~A.A. Milne

10-09-09

“Dad got new socks today. He got ones with the holes already there.” – Xander

Before we headed to a date at Starbucks, we asked Xander to take some photos of us. He’s not overly fond of photographing us (especially when it interrupts video game playing), and he really doesn’t like it when we kiss.

Bruce has had a lot on his mind lately. Hopefully he’ll have a nice relaxing birthday weekend!

“A kiss is just a pleasant reminder that two heads are better than one.” ~Author Unknown

10-08-09

Father & Son

Similarities:
- Both are easy going and like to entertain others
- Both have pretty limited wardrobes, with comfort ranked way higher than fashion
- Both think we should have sauerkraut for dinner next week.

Differences:
- One cares about his hairstyle, one walks into the barber and shrugs his shoulders.
- One thinks vegetarian enchiladas are scrumptious, one dislikes everything about them.
- One loves the book Wrinkle in Time, while the other isn’t getting through it very fast.

“He followed in his father's footsteps, but his gait was somewhat erratic.” ~Nicolas Bentley

10-07-09

Tonight started up Wednesday nights at church again.

Simple Supper, youth group, Bible studies.

The middle schoolers held an auction this evening, and several of the items were these masks, for an upcoming New Years costume party. Anastasia was thrilled with her purchase.

“We wear the mask that grins and lies, It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes.”
-Dunbar, Paul Laurence

10-06-09

“Don’t we have enough photos like this?” – Bruce

Maybe I have enough Starbucks photos for a coffee album! It is Bruce’s birthday month, so I’m going to try to feature him more. And he is responsible for me drinking a mocha so early in the week. The drink is more calories than my lunch! But yummier.

So can you tell by the cup what his drink of choice is? Grande Pumpkin Spice Latte, Nonfat, with whip. He loves the pumpkin; that is why we go so often this time of year. Me, I’m waiting for peppermint at the holidays!

10-05-09

“I like the red and black, at least.” – Bruce

After playing with Uppercase Living product last night, I got inspired to apply the newest expression I recently ordered. Our door is so shiny that it is always a challenge to photograph.

I like the simple elegance. And this one was much easier to apply than our fireplace centerpiece!

“Why’d you pick red, Mom? It is SOOO ugly!” - Xander

10-04-09

Look, empty cubbies in my Ikea bookcase!

Operation “Eliminate Half the Stuff” is well under way. One foot at a time, my scrapbook room is being transformed. I expect my space to bring more joy and productivity soon.

“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” ~Hans Hofmann

10-03-09

Any guess on where the tallest year-round waterfall in the U.S. is?

Yosemite National Park.

Today we went to the second tallest year-round waterfall in the U.S., Multnomah Falls. I was hoping for a long hike, but we had to prod Xander the entire 2 ½ miles we did go. If he had known we were going to the top of the 620 foot falls I think he would have planted himself like an ornery donkey. He doesn’t like heights and stayed as close to the land side of the trail as possible.

I got a lot of photos of Anastasia as we waited for Alexander to collect himself along the way.

“A strong man and a waterfall always channel their own path.” - Unknown

10-02-09

Happy Friday!

Tonight we hosted Family Movie Night and Sardines at church.

Here is Anastasia with her boyfriend (this week anyway) Hunter.

“A good film is when the price of the dinner, the theatre admission and the babysitter were worth it.” -Alfred Hitchcock

Price of the dinner: $5/family
Theatre admission: FREE
Babysitter: enduring a G rated movie

WORTH IT!

10-01-09

What does the end of a quarter mean to you? For me it brings extra quarter end tasks at work. It also means not being allowed to trade company stock for a few weeks. And it is when I take stock of the books I’ve read or listened to in the past 3 months.

Best summer beach read: The Undomestic Godess by Sophie Kinsella
Best Smut: Temptation & Surrender by Stephanie Laurens
Most Unexpected: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safron Foer
Favorite: Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Rigler
Most Disappointing: Moving On by Sarah Ban Breathnach

But this quarter was a great mix of books, and fun memories of where and when I read them. Or listened to them in the garden.

Happy reading!

“A wonderful thing about a book, in contrast to a computer screen, is that you can take it to bed with you.” – Daniel J. Boorstein