Rocks

The girls bring me rocks by the dozen!
They say it, "Makes mommy happy! - especially the big ones!"

Hmmm....I think we need to work on our definition of the word "rock!"

Growing Up is Hard to Do

Both girls were looking a little shaggy and since Grace meets her new teacher next week, I took both girls to the beauty parlor.

(I usually can't see myself in either girl but I can't help but see my adolescent self in this picture.)

It is hard to believe she will be gone for two mornings each week. Out in the world, making friends, learning new things and having her own experiences.

Without me.

I am very excited for her because I know she is ready. I know she will love it.

And I know she needs it. 

I also know this is the first, teensy, tiny step towards becoming an independent adult -

the end goal.

After all, we create these little humans to grow up and become thoughtful, caring big humans 

that don't need us.

Right?

That's why this whole parenting thing is so god d*nm hard.

(That and the lack of sleep and what it does to your body.)

But someday, it all ends.

 And just as with each step they are preparing for the next stage, so are we.

As they waive good bye to us with their oversized backpacks practically bigger than them on the first day of preschool, 

we are somewhere, secretly in the back of our minds

preparing for that one day.

when we waive goodbye.

and we drive home.

without them.

Thank God we have 18 years to pull ourselves together for that day.

For that moment. 

Every veteran parent I talk to says that each stage is the best. 

When they walk, it's better than when they crawl.

When they can talk, it's better than when they coo'd.

When they can wipe their own butts, it's better than...

you get the point.

I see that. I know that.

Nevertheless, I am preparing. 

Sharing the moments with them now.

So that I will be ready for the day when it all ends

knowing I did all I could, gave all I could, sacrificed all that was needed

to prepare them

to not need

me.

The Emerald City {August 2012}

I have been a Washingtonian my entire adult life.

In the summer of 1997 I moved to Seattle from California for college.

In 2005, after completing my law degree (and getting married) I moved to Eastern Washington.

Hard to believe it's been 15 years!

Over the years, my whole family has gotten together in Seattle. And this past weekend we were able to all get away to the Emerald City. It was so fun!

We took a ferry to Bainbridge. Hard to believe in all these 15 years we'd never done this before but we chose a picture perfect day. I, of course, forgot my camera. 

Auntie Molly captured the girls playing with Bun-Bun the Bunny at their new favorite children's clothing store. While the clothes were lacking in cuteness, the bunny made up for the lack of anything to buy.

My dad snapped these on the ferry ride back into Seattle with his iphone.

Oh how I love Seattle!

While I am 100% happy living in the country -ESPECIALLY while raising kids - I do miss having this particular city at my fingertips.

We dragged the girls all over the Seattle. Up and down the hills. Being country kids, they aren't used to being confined to strollers and carpeted spaces. It's like walking a "country" dog on a leash - usually doesn't go so well. Take a look!

   

This is Grace and Charlotte's favorite video on my iPhone at the moment. They have watched it about 10,000 times and laugh hysterically every.single.time.

Overall, they did great. But they had their moments, particularly at dinner.

Luckily, I had reinforcements!

 HUGE thank you to Grandma, Grandpa, Auntie Molly and Uncle Johnny-roo for the walks, diversions and for allowing me a couple of moments to drink a glass of wine (or three).

We were out late each night at long, yummy dinners so you'd think the girls would sleep in to recover.

Not so much.

An early morning self-portrait of Charlotte. 

Court was able to sneak away and join us for dinner one night. The desserts at the restaurant weren't to our likeing so we decided to head home. All needing a little something sweet we racked our brains for somewhere to go or something to get. Just then, a girl walked by carrying a cupcake.

I looked at my watch and it was 8:54pm. The cupcake place, about 5 or 6 blocks away, closed at 9 pm so there was no way we were going to make it.

Without hesitation, Court took off at a dead sprint!

The rest of us continued on at a leisurely pace, trying to figure out how we were going to console him when he came back empty handed. 

Ten minutes later, Court comes running up to us with a DOZEN cupcakes!

He showed up right at closing and they give him everything they had left at the end of the day....for FREE!!

The cupcake Gods were with us!

A wonderful weekend. One of the best ever!

The Worst Best Little Fair (and Rodeo) on Earth

So I've talked about the "little" fair/rodeo that happens in our hometown every August.

Don't remember? Well, you can review here.

If repeating the same crazy thing over and over with no positive results means you are insane than I am insane.

Every year, I go to the fair.

Every year, I say I am never going back.

Come the next year?

I go to the fair.

Was this year any exception?

No.

Of course not.

In fact, it was our "big" night out. 

There was a lot of pressure riding on this fair visit for it to be "fun."

Earlier in the day, I had noticed Grace's toes basically popping out of her favorite pair of shoes.

I figured she had worn them out as they were from Target and she had worn them every single day for about six months straight.

When it came time to put on our shoes to head out for our big night out, I grabbed another pair of Grace's shoes - assumed they fit - and headed out the door.

She squawked and squealed at the new shoes but wanting to make the night "fun,"

I overruled her moans and groans. I assumed they were pleas for her old shoes that were now safely lodged at the bottom of the trash and told her she had to wear the shoes if she wanted to go to the fair.

(In my defense, they were the ONLY other shoes she had. Apparently, her feet decided to grow about three sizes overnight without notice or my permission.)

Cue tears. Whining. Pouting. Under-your-breath cursing...and that was just me trying to get our motley crew out the door to the damn fair to have some fun.

We drive to the fair.

Side bar: Why is it that whatever night you decide to go to the fair it is the HOTTEST night in like five years? 

Upon arrival at approximately 4 pm, it was about 97 in the shade.

Side bar Two: Why is it that fairs are always held on the HOTTEST night in a location with no trees - i.e. NO SHADE?!?!?!

As we approach the ticket window, we all break out in a sweat and Grace turns beet red in 2.2 seconds.

Her fair skin doesn't do so hot at the fair.

When we realize we are going to be in the hot, blazing sun for the next three hours we reach for the sunscreen to coat the kids. And of course, the sunscreen is not in our 3,000 lb diaper bag.

So back in the car we pile. To head home. For sunscreen.

UGH!

That car ride back home was not tense.

Once sunscreen was obtained and applied, we piled back into the GD car to go to the GD fair to have some GD fun!

First stop, the animals! 

Finally some smiles!

Charlotte was a bit shocked at how large the cows were - even the calves. But Grace was in love and if we weren't there she'd have hugged and kissed every single cow in the barn.

A quick stop at the 4H auction where kids were showing off their "work."

I don't know how they run around the barns in jeans, hats, long sleeve shirts...I wouldn't have done well in 4H. For many reasons, but primarily it would've been too hot to participate. 

After a few minutes in the shade, it was off to the goats.

Grace kept asking us to carry her which was annoying weird. I figured she needed to burn off some energy so off to the games area we went. 

And by games, I mean jumpy houses. 

Every kind of jumpy house you can imagine.

The girls chose the princess castle to jump in.

No surprise.

And for $5 each, they got to jump for a whopping five minutes.

The fair is such a rip off. 

But they had fun!

Upon taking Grace's shoes off to jump, we discovered the reason why she was complaining so much. 

She had huge, bloody blisters on the backs of her heels.  Her shoes were obviously too small.

So to help her get over the shock/pain of seeing the blisters, we decided to eat.

We figured dousing them with food and ice cream would satiate them enough that Court and I could throw back a few few beers before hitting the rodeo. 

And the girls would surely love the rodeo, right?

This had to be the recipe for fun!

Charlotte's first bubble gum ice cream experience!

A couple of hot dogs, ice creams, a pop and a burger...cha - ching!

And they each had a total of five bites.

Food didn't help. 

Everyone was in hysterics soon after these pictures were taken. So after being at the fair for not even a solid hour, after spending close to $80 - we left.

Next year has to be better, right?!

Backyard to the Future

This is our back yard. It far from perfect but...

it's perfect for bike riding...

...flower picking...

and maybe a horse or two.

Someday. 

It's the perfect place for kids.

And I can't imagine leaving it. 

The future is a bit uncertain at the moment which keeps me in a constant state of "unsettled."

Constant unsettledness is exhausting.

I'm sure you've been there. Who hasn't? 

And if you haven't, don't worry. You will.

(Apparently, it's also called being an adult.)

What if we did this? What if we did that?

It's pointless to wonder. In the end, it will work out.

It HAS to. There is too much riding on it.

But in the mean time, we will literally be stopping and smelling the flowers until a decision is made.

Probably about three of four times a day in fact!