So far, so good, I am loving summer. This summer is shaping up to be much different than summers in our recent past.
First, we have gone out of town right after school gets out for the past few years. Last year it was almost a requirement. The meteorologists called June, Junuary last year because it was so cold. ON June 3rd last year I recall a guy saying, “I’m going to the mountain. There’s 2 feet of fresh.” That just pissed me off. REALLY JUNE? REALLY? None the less, we left town and went to California to chase the sun. Then we were off to Fossil for the Wheeler County Bluegrass Festival and finally Priest Lake. All of the places were sunny while it rained in Portland. We came back on July 10th and the sun came out on July 11th.
This year we stayed in town. The weather has been reasonably nice and I have loved just going with the flow. The kids have been sleeping in, we’ve been out to breakfast a couple times, we’ve been swimming and generally doing the summer thing.
This weekend has been great fun. Last night we hosted a party for a friend of mine’s all women’s choir. They’re called Lyrica. They are in town for the weekend. I have known my friend, Lee Anne, for almost 35 years. WOW, that is a long time. They were such nice people and it was a true pleasure to have them here. Sophia and her buddy Ella were hired to work the party. That was a great deal. They made sure everyone knew where the beverages were, they took dinner orders and then they cleaned up the whole thing. I love having a capable kid. Our neighbor Deb came over at 11:30 and the girls then went to her house and cleaned up her play room. They wanted an even 4 hours. My boys made sure to introduce themselves to many of the ladies and then showed them their loft beds. They’re quite proud of those. I was very proud of my kids and all the ladies enjoyed them.
Today we all slept in (kids went to bed after midnight). At noon, Bob had a baseball game. He’s hooked up with the 35+ set and has played for the past couple of weekends and they’ll continue to get together over the summer. Sophia had a babysitting certification class and our boys went swimming….BY THEMSELVES! It was awesome. I watched the game and checked on the boys periodically. Eventually, I brought them some lunch. After the baseball game Bob went swimming with the boys. They boys ended up being at the pool for 5 hours and most of the time it was just the two of them.
Tomorrow the boys have Ninja camp. Coulter is convinced he will learn how to chop down a tree with his bare hands. They’re quite excited. Sophia and I will have a bit of girl time. I am grateful for the time with her because in July she is going to Minnesota with a friend for 3 weeks! I can’t believe I am letting her go but I am sure it is what I would have wanted to do when I was 11. It’s going to be very hard for me.
From here on out we have a few things planned, camping at mom’s house, summer cousin camp at dad’s house, a couple of camps for the boys and eventually a trip to California in August. We are mostly in town for a change and I am enjoying this pace.
The kids are enjoying freedoms that they couldn’t last year. They have grown up with Grant Park across the street. It started out with them going as a group to the soccer field. Eventually, we let them go to the playground at the school. Sophia can now go to most of the park as long as she is with a friend and lets me know where she is going to be. And today, the boys got to go to the pool alone. It was a big day and a big deal. I am still keeping close tabs on them but a little freedom feels good to us all. I am not the kind of mom that needs to be needed all the time. To the contrary, I love to watch them grow and gain independence. They are amazing little people and when they have freedom, I have freedom.
So our summer is going quite swimmingly thus far. I am loving the pace and hopefully, by the end of the week, Coulter will be chopping down trees with his bare hands. More to come.
Showing posts with label Weekend. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Weekend. Show all posts
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Monday, January 17, 2011
Too Damn Long
Yes, it's been too damn long since I posted. I kind of revolted this past December. I refused to do our annual Christmas Party, I bought fewer gifts for everyone, we didn't entertain much and I generally refused to be over worked. Christmas is for everyone including me. Usually I am running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to make everyone else happy thus stressing myself out totally. Not this year, not this time. I took a year off essentially. There was still a lot to do and a lot to think over. Christmas is busy no matter how you do it.
We did the Polar Express and Hood River on the first weekend of December. That was great fun but I did blog about that.
Sophia had a few performances in December. Her choir performed a few times. Two times at a retirement facility. The retirees have a choir and the kids came in to sing a couple songs with them. It was very cute. Sophia warned me before we went to the retirement home, "Mom, some of the people will be in wheel chairs." Ahh, yeah, I was pretty sure that some would be. She didn't want me to be shocked. Needless to say, I wasn't.
They also sang at the zoo during Zoo Lights. I did not get the following warning, "Mom, there will be some animals at the zoo." I was shocked, there WERE animals. I am pretty sure having the kids sing at the zoo is the zoo's way of getting bodies in the door. It was rainy and cold but we went and had a great time, elephant ears and all.
Next she was in "My Oregon Report" the 4th grade play. She was, wait for it, wait for it......the "Know-It-All." It just comes so naturally. Where ever did she get that? It must skip a generation. Mom and Ed made the trek down for the show. Rex and Tina came too. Greg and Rebecca showed up too. She had quite the fan turn out. The show was adorable. The kids were great and really excited. For the little kids it's like Broadway. For Sophia and her pals it was like being on Broadway. We were thrilled, as always, to have mom and Ed come for the show.
We attended a couple Christmas Parties. The first one was a family party at the Stewarts. They live near Peacock Lane. It's the local row of houses that decorates for the holiday. Cars and people line up to walk or drive the street. Personally, I don't find it that interesting but the kids love it and the longer I have these kids the more it is affirmed and confirmed that it is NOT ABOUT ME. Bob walked the kids down to Peacock Lane, I stayed behind to guard the house with a couple other moms.
The second Christmas Party was at Bob's boss's condo and was all his work friends. A couple days before the party 2 separate people came up to Bob and went through a whole story about how Susan, Bob's boss, wanted him to dress up as an elf. Bob was confused about the whole thing and said, "No, Susan had not mentioned this to him." Well of course we figured out it was a joke but we decided to follow through. I rented a giant elf suit and he showed up in it. Now there is a confident man. It was hilarious. Everyone got their picture with the giant elf. Eventually he changed into his regular clothes but then some late comers showed up so back on went the elf costume.
I attended a brunch at my friend Karmen's house. She is so sweet and had a white elephant gift exchange but she supplied all the gifts. We played a game to get to know everyone. Everyone was apprehensive about the game but of course, it was fun.
School was out for the whole week before Christmas. It was a fairly calm time with the kids. Bob took off work from December 22nd to January 3rd. It’s so nice to have him home when the kids are off. It took a while for him to get in the groove of our daily life but once he did it was all good.
Mom and Ed came back on the 23rd and stayed until the 27th. We had a really nice time. While they were here we went to the Nutcracker with all 3 kids. They boys had never been before. It was the last performance of the Nutcracker for the season so it was at noon on the 24th. I was a little nervous that the boys wouldn’t make it through the whole thing. Instead, they loved it! I think they may have cut it down a bit or at least it seemed shorter. Perhaps it was because it was so entertaining. I have seen the Nutcracker no less then10 times, probably closer to 15. Anyway, it is by far the best production of the Nutcracker I have ever seen. The sets were beautiful and the dancing was amazing. I have NEVER said that about the Nutcracker before. The snow fairies had a snow ball fight that was both funny and beautiful. Hard to describe for sure.
Rex and Tina joined us for Christmas Eve dinner. It’s always fun when we can all get together. Christmas morning was craziness as always. There was a bit less than usual but it was totally fine and the kids didn’t seem to notice. I hope to stay on this same trajectory for the next few years. The kids don’t “need” anything. We had a nice day and then went to dinner at the Wang’s and shared dinner with the Klines as well. It was such a nice dinner and the company was great. I love my friends so much and am continually grateful for my neighborhood, community and my amazing set of friends. That truly is the greatest gift of all.
The next couple days were fairly casual. The last day Ed felt the need to get home. They were out of town for 3 months until the end of November. To be gone for another long stint was just too much. He headed home and Mom stayed behind for the day. It was a drizzly day and the kids were jazzed to go to the zoo. We went a couple years ago when it was cold and rainy out and we loved it. The animals were out and the people were not. Perfect! As before, the animals were out. We had a really nice time and then spent a quiet afternoon at home until I took mom to the train station. It’s really nice to have the train as an option. It’s a nice ride and only about $30. We enjoyed having them here for the holiday.
The 28th and 29th was Horse Camp! Sophia got Horse Camp as one of her big gifts. Coulter and Kees had wanted to go but the camp was fairly full and Kees, he’s just not quite there. Sophia went on her own on the 28th. When I got there they said there was room for Coulter. Well I wasn’t going to go back and get him now but tomorrow? Yes, tomorrow. The following day was his birthday and he got to go to Horse Camp. He loved it! Sophia said he did really well, and she should know, she’s the “expert.”
We picked them up from Horse Camp and immediately headed to Pump It Up for Coulter’s Birthday Party. Coulter had never had a real birthday party before so this was a big deal. We invited a boat load of kids, about 25. I felt like we were doing our part for the community by providing a place for the kids to get their ya yas out during a cold and rainy time of year. The party was a smashing success and I thought it was the best money I have spent in a long time. No mess, no stress, no clean up, no prep no nothing. We brought a cake and they did the rest. I loved it! When our host said, “Would you like me to write down the kid’s names and what their gift is?” I wanted to kiss him. “Yes, yes I would like that.”
Coulter was so happy. It made me really happy. He was grateful, showed his appreciation and just shined.
To make sure our time was full we, of course, had a plan for the following day….BEACH!!!! Our friends Rebecca and Greg have a beautiful house in Manzanita and I kinda asked if we could come along. I did my best impression of puppy dog eyes and made it clear that we didn’t have plans for the New Years. Rebecca caught right on. It was Greg, Rebecca, Clara, her friend Alice and then our crew. It was great. We spent 3 nights and 4 days there. It was COLD! Like 28 degrees cold when we got there. We had to back track on the way there due to an accident on 26 but we got there safe and sound. Our time there was spent eating too much, reading, playing Scrabble and spending time on the beach.
The first full day we went to Cartem. That is always fun. It’s the local dump, recycling center and on-going flea market. If you can’t find it at Cartem you probably don’t need it. Rebecca, Sophia and I walked back to the house from Cartem. It’s about a mile or two. We had the dogs along and they needed some beach time. Now mind you it’s 28 degrees out and a bit breezy…. Sophia, the loon, took off her shoes and socks and ran around the beach bare foot. What is it with these kids? The last time it was that cold at the beach there was snow and all my kids took off their shoes and socks. They are a different breed for sure. After about a half hour she put them back on letting us know that, “The sand is REALLY cold.” Ahhh, yeah, we know that.
NYE was fun. We had a nice dinner, lots of snacky food and at 8:30 some friends came over with instruments in tow. There was a regular ole jam session going on for 2+ hours. I wished I had spoons or something I could use to participate. Maybe next year. Rebecca made home-made ice cream, the jam session was going on, the Leeks were bopping our heads up and down and everyone had a great time.
NYD was a bit slow in the morning. We all slept in until....at 10:40 Sophia realized that there was only 20 minutes until the Polar Plunge! She ran and got Alice and Clara and they all jumped out of bed, put on their swim gear and hopped in the car. It was a balmy 38 degrees out. Better then the day before. When we arrived at the beach the girls ran off toward the crowd. Rebecca and I were in slippers so we abandon those at the edge of the beach and ran after the girls. They got there with moments to spare. There was a big group photo and then they all, about 150 of them, ran into the water! It was hilarious fun. They all survived and said the sand was the worst part. If that was the worst part I should have done it. My feet were frozen. The girls all said that the water was warmer then the air.
Later Bob and I took a long walk on the beach with the dogs. Half way through the kids decided they wanted to join us. Greg brought them to us along with their bikes. It was almost 50 on the beach and there was only a slight breeze. As it turned out, the kids didn’t want to walk, they wanted to play on the beach. That was fine. They played around a creek and in the dunes. Their shoes were either soaked or off and they had on short sleeves. Again, they don’t get cold! Crazy babies. We all hung out for a couple hours. Then back to the cabin for food and later Rebecca and I took a long walk on the beach to see the sunset. It was an amazing first sunset of 2011.
On our way home Bob and I talked. There was little TV while we were at the beach and the kids were great. We decided that there would be no TV for the month of January. There were some tears about that but if the kids were that emotionally attached to the TV we NEED to remove it. So far, so good. The kids have been fighting less, sleeping in more and have been generally more agreeable. I like it.
We made it home on the 2nd and unpacked. It would have been nice to have some more time at home before Bob had to go back to work but the time at the beach was great too. We unpacked, cleaned up, washed all the sand off and tried to go to bed at a decent hour so everyone would be ready to go back to school. Getting up on the 3rd was tough but we made it to school on time.
It was a fairly straight forward week, Meals on Wheels, school, choir for Fia, play dates for the boys, breakfast with a friend, etc. Then on Thursday Dad and Sally came. They were here to celebrate Coulter’s and Rex’s Birthdays. I made a big dinner and we all gathered around the table yet again. Friday was spent with Dad and Sal shopping at Sur La Table, Powell’s, and antique shopping, then having lunch with Kees.
Sophia skipped school to attend the River City Music Festival with Clara. She was very excited. She went to a kids work shop with Chick Rose. He is an institution in the Blue Grass community and the northwest. After a tough go getting started Sophia had a great time jammin’ with the kids and she was the first soloist of the whole festival! Very exciting to say the least.
We realized, after playing all day, that Sophia had out grown her fiddle so the next day we went and got her a bigger one. Problem was, because we’d been around so much music and blue grassers I had an itch. Kees had an itch too. We BOTH got guitars. I have no idea how to play but we’re going to learn.
Sophia and Coulter have started winter basketball and Bob is coaching Sophia’s team. It is so much fun to see them playing, learning and having fun. The coaches are great and the man who runs the program is amazing. The place they play and practice is only blocks from our house.
And finally, last night, we went out for family karaoke. It was great fun and totally hilarious. There were 5 families that we knew and everyone (most everyone) was singing. There were a few really bad singers a few good ones and most of us just in the middle. My pal Sarah did back up dancing while her son sang. We laughed heartily. She even managed a somersault to which she reported, “The floor is really sticky.” I don’t even want to know…… My friends Mary Ann and Elana rocked it with Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody. When the rock part started, Mary Ann was spinning her hair around and shaking her head so hard I thought, “There is no way I would do that.” Today, Mary Ann is saying the same thing. I think she gave herself whiplash. It was worth it though. Again with the laughing…… It was fun. Sophia even got in on the act. Kees and Coulter just hung out on stage watching everyone perform.
So that is my brief of the past month. I have been wanting to blog but got so far behind I couldn’t catch up. I know that was a LONG one but it was all fun stuff. I hope that we have time to breath and that I can write about some other stuff soon. Sophia’s birthday is next week¸ that should be good material.
We did the Polar Express and Hood River on the first weekend of December. That was great fun but I did blog about that.
Sophia had a few performances in December. Her choir performed a few times. Two times at a retirement facility. The retirees have a choir and the kids came in to sing a couple songs with them. It was very cute. Sophia warned me before we went to the retirement home, "Mom, some of the people will be in wheel chairs." Ahh, yeah, I was pretty sure that some would be. She didn't want me to be shocked. Needless to say, I wasn't.
They also sang at the zoo during Zoo Lights. I did not get the following warning, "Mom, there will be some animals at the zoo." I was shocked, there WERE animals. I am pretty sure having the kids sing at the zoo is the zoo's way of getting bodies in the door. It was rainy and cold but we went and had a great time, elephant ears and all.
Next she was in "My Oregon Report" the 4th grade play. She was, wait for it, wait for it......the "Know-It-All." It just comes so naturally. Where ever did she get that? It must skip a generation. Mom and Ed made the trek down for the show. Rex and Tina came too. Greg and Rebecca showed up too. She had quite the fan turn out. The show was adorable. The kids were great and really excited. For the little kids it's like Broadway. For Sophia and her pals it was like being on Broadway. We were thrilled, as always, to have mom and Ed come for the show.
We attended a couple Christmas Parties. The first one was a family party at the Stewarts. They live near Peacock Lane. It's the local row of houses that decorates for the holiday. Cars and people line up to walk or drive the street. Personally, I don't find it that interesting but the kids love it and the longer I have these kids the more it is affirmed and confirmed that it is NOT ABOUT ME. Bob walked the kids down to Peacock Lane, I stayed behind to guard the house with a couple other moms.
The second Christmas Party was at Bob's boss's condo and was all his work friends. A couple days before the party 2 separate people came up to Bob and went through a whole story about how Susan, Bob's boss, wanted him to dress up as an elf. Bob was confused about the whole thing and said, "No, Susan had not mentioned this to him." Well of course we figured out it was a joke but we decided to follow through. I rented a giant elf suit and he showed up in it. Now there is a confident man. It was hilarious. Everyone got their picture with the giant elf. Eventually he changed into his regular clothes but then some late comers showed up so back on went the elf costume.
I attended a brunch at my friend Karmen's house. She is so sweet and had a white elephant gift exchange but she supplied all the gifts. We played a game to get to know everyone. Everyone was apprehensive about the game but of course, it was fun.
School was out for the whole week before Christmas. It was a fairly calm time with the kids. Bob took off work from December 22nd to January 3rd. It’s so nice to have him home when the kids are off. It took a while for him to get in the groove of our daily life but once he did it was all good.
Mom and Ed came back on the 23rd and stayed until the 27th. We had a really nice time. While they were here we went to the Nutcracker with all 3 kids. They boys had never been before. It was the last performance of the Nutcracker for the season so it was at noon on the 24th. I was a little nervous that the boys wouldn’t make it through the whole thing. Instead, they loved it! I think they may have cut it down a bit or at least it seemed shorter. Perhaps it was because it was so entertaining. I have seen the Nutcracker no less then10 times, probably closer to 15. Anyway, it is by far the best production of the Nutcracker I have ever seen. The sets were beautiful and the dancing was amazing. I have NEVER said that about the Nutcracker before. The snow fairies had a snow ball fight that was both funny and beautiful. Hard to describe for sure.
Rex and Tina joined us for Christmas Eve dinner. It’s always fun when we can all get together. Christmas morning was craziness as always. There was a bit less than usual but it was totally fine and the kids didn’t seem to notice. I hope to stay on this same trajectory for the next few years. The kids don’t “need” anything. We had a nice day and then went to dinner at the Wang’s and shared dinner with the Klines as well. It was such a nice dinner and the company was great. I love my friends so much and am continually grateful for my neighborhood, community and my amazing set of friends. That truly is the greatest gift of all.
The next couple days were fairly casual. The last day Ed felt the need to get home. They were out of town for 3 months until the end of November. To be gone for another long stint was just too much. He headed home and Mom stayed behind for the day. It was a drizzly day and the kids were jazzed to go to the zoo. We went a couple years ago when it was cold and rainy out and we loved it. The animals were out and the people were not. Perfect! As before, the animals were out. We had a really nice time and then spent a quiet afternoon at home until I took mom to the train station. It’s really nice to have the train as an option. It’s a nice ride and only about $30. We enjoyed having them here for the holiday.
The 28th and 29th was Horse Camp! Sophia got Horse Camp as one of her big gifts. Coulter and Kees had wanted to go but the camp was fairly full and Kees, he’s just not quite there. Sophia went on her own on the 28th. When I got there they said there was room for Coulter. Well I wasn’t going to go back and get him now but tomorrow? Yes, tomorrow. The following day was his birthday and he got to go to Horse Camp. He loved it! Sophia said he did really well, and she should know, she’s the “expert.”
We picked them up from Horse Camp and immediately headed to Pump It Up for Coulter’s Birthday Party. Coulter had never had a real birthday party before so this was a big deal. We invited a boat load of kids, about 25. I felt like we were doing our part for the community by providing a place for the kids to get their ya yas out during a cold and rainy time of year. The party was a smashing success and I thought it was the best money I have spent in a long time. No mess, no stress, no clean up, no prep no nothing. We brought a cake and they did the rest. I loved it! When our host said, “Would you like me to write down the kid’s names and what their gift is?” I wanted to kiss him. “Yes, yes I would like that.”
Coulter was so happy. It made me really happy. He was grateful, showed his appreciation and just shined.
To make sure our time was full we, of course, had a plan for the following day….BEACH!!!! Our friends Rebecca and Greg have a beautiful house in Manzanita and I kinda asked if we could come along. I did my best impression of puppy dog eyes and made it clear that we didn’t have plans for the New Years. Rebecca caught right on. It was Greg, Rebecca, Clara, her friend Alice and then our crew. It was great. We spent 3 nights and 4 days there. It was COLD! Like 28 degrees cold when we got there. We had to back track on the way there due to an accident on 26 but we got there safe and sound. Our time there was spent eating too much, reading, playing Scrabble and spending time on the beach.
The first full day we went to Cartem. That is always fun. It’s the local dump, recycling center and on-going flea market. If you can’t find it at Cartem you probably don’t need it. Rebecca, Sophia and I walked back to the house from Cartem. It’s about a mile or two. We had the dogs along and they needed some beach time. Now mind you it’s 28 degrees out and a bit breezy…. Sophia, the loon, took off her shoes and socks and ran around the beach bare foot. What is it with these kids? The last time it was that cold at the beach there was snow and all my kids took off their shoes and socks. They are a different breed for sure. After about a half hour she put them back on letting us know that, “The sand is REALLY cold.” Ahhh, yeah, we know that.
NYE was fun. We had a nice dinner, lots of snacky food and at 8:30 some friends came over with instruments in tow. There was a regular ole jam session going on for 2+ hours. I wished I had spoons or something I could use to participate. Maybe next year. Rebecca made home-made ice cream, the jam session was going on, the Leeks were bopping our heads up and down and everyone had a great time.
NYD was a bit slow in the morning. We all slept in until....at 10:40 Sophia realized that there was only 20 minutes until the Polar Plunge! She ran and got Alice and Clara and they all jumped out of bed, put on their swim gear and hopped in the car. It was a balmy 38 degrees out. Better then the day before. When we arrived at the beach the girls ran off toward the crowd. Rebecca and I were in slippers so we abandon those at the edge of the beach and ran after the girls. They got there with moments to spare. There was a big group photo and then they all, about 150 of them, ran into the water! It was hilarious fun. They all survived and said the sand was the worst part. If that was the worst part I should have done it. My feet were frozen. The girls all said that the water was warmer then the air.
Later Bob and I took a long walk on the beach with the dogs. Half way through the kids decided they wanted to join us. Greg brought them to us along with their bikes. It was almost 50 on the beach and there was only a slight breeze. As it turned out, the kids didn’t want to walk, they wanted to play on the beach. That was fine. They played around a creek and in the dunes. Their shoes were either soaked or off and they had on short sleeves. Again, they don’t get cold! Crazy babies. We all hung out for a couple hours. Then back to the cabin for food and later Rebecca and I took a long walk on the beach to see the sunset. It was an amazing first sunset of 2011.
On our way home Bob and I talked. There was little TV while we were at the beach and the kids were great. We decided that there would be no TV for the month of January. There were some tears about that but if the kids were that emotionally attached to the TV we NEED to remove it. So far, so good. The kids have been fighting less, sleeping in more and have been generally more agreeable. I like it.
We made it home on the 2nd and unpacked. It would have been nice to have some more time at home before Bob had to go back to work but the time at the beach was great too. We unpacked, cleaned up, washed all the sand off and tried to go to bed at a decent hour so everyone would be ready to go back to school. Getting up on the 3rd was tough but we made it to school on time.
It was a fairly straight forward week, Meals on Wheels, school, choir for Fia, play dates for the boys, breakfast with a friend, etc. Then on Thursday Dad and Sally came. They were here to celebrate Coulter’s and Rex’s Birthdays. I made a big dinner and we all gathered around the table yet again. Friday was spent with Dad and Sal shopping at Sur La Table, Powell’s, and antique shopping, then having lunch with Kees.
Sophia skipped school to attend the River City Music Festival with Clara. She was very excited. She went to a kids work shop with Chick Rose. He is an institution in the Blue Grass community and the northwest. After a tough go getting started Sophia had a great time jammin’ with the kids and she was the first soloist of the whole festival! Very exciting to say the least.
We realized, after playing all day, that Sophia had out grown her fiddle so the next day we went and got her a bigger one. Problem was, because we’d been around so much music and blue grassers I had an itch. Kees had an itch too. We BOTH got guitars. I have no idea how to play but we’re going to learn.
Sophia and Coulter have started winter basketball and Bob is coaching Sophia’s team. It is so much fun to see them playing, learning and having fun. The coaches are great and the man who runs the program is amazing. The place they play and practice is only blocks from our house.
And finally, last night, we went out for family karaoke. It was great fun and totally hilarious. There were 5 families that we knew and everyone (most everyone) was singing. There were a few really bad singers a few good ones and most of us just in the middle. My pal Sarah did back up dancing while her son sang. We laughed heartily. She even managed a somersault to which she reported, “The floor is really sticky.” I don’t even want to know…… My friends Mary Ann and Elana rocked it with Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody. When the rock part started, Mary Ann was spinning her hair around and shaking her head so hard I thought, “There is no way I would do that.” Today, Mary Ann is saying the same thing. I think she gave herself whiplash. It was worth it though. Again with the laughing…… It was fun. Sophia even got in on the act. Kees and Coulter just hung out on stage watching everyone perform.
So that is my brief of the past month. I have been wanting to blog but got so far behind I couldn’t catch up. I know that was a LONG one but it was all fun stuff. I hope that we have time to breath and that I can write about some other stuff soon. Sophia’s birthday is next week¸ that should be good material.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Quintessential Kick Off
We just got back from a fabulous weekend in Hood River with our friends the Stewarts and the Kaufmans. This is a weekend that has been in the works for a year.
Some of you may recall my letter about the Polar Express from last year. It was a less than satisfying experience to say the least. This year was the polar opposite. We LOVED the Polar express. We made a couple of critical changes to our experience. First we booked it for 2 in the afternoon so the kids could see out the windows. And secondly we booked the viewing car on the top level. We arrived at the station about 15 minutes before departure. Our expectations were not high.
The first thing that I noticed was the boarding call. The guy was into it, looked the part and gave us a hearty welcome. We boarded the train and went upstairs. The music was playing at just the right volume, the staff was friendly and there were mugs set up for our hot chocolate. We were smiling all around. So here's the brief on the rest of it. They cut the trip in half time wise. This is a good thing. It was only 1 hour and 15 minutes. We could see, the story was understandable and read live, the staff gave hot chocolate refills, got us water, SMILED and seemed to be enjoying their job. The Santa village was different but quite acceptable and the Santa was a great, classic looking Santa. On the way home we sang a couple songs and before you knew it we were back to Hood River and on our way. Everyone was happy and smiling. Actually I think all the adults were stunned. We couldn't believe how different it was from the past year. Success!
We went back to the hotel and made dinner, Zuppa Osso Bucco, a family favorite. My friend Annette and her two daughters joined us as well. We all had dinner and then went up to the lobby for festivities. The kids had been going back and forth between our rooms and the lobby all afternoon. There was a train table that they were playing with. When the adults got up there it was a rockin' scene. There was an old timey band playing carols, the kids were decorating the Christmas Tree, Santa was working the crowd, the adults were having a beverage and chatting it up. It was the perfect kick off to the evening and season. I couldn't stop smiling.
Kees was so adorable, I don't think I will ever forget his sincere efforts in decorating the Christmas Tree. Apparently they said that the kids could put on one decoration but Kees REALLY wanted to do more. I told him that if he asked really nicely they'd probably let him do a few more. And so it was. He was thrilled. He smiled, picked out the ornaments and I helped him decide where to put them. I'd move the ladder and then he would diligently work to put the ornament on the tree. His big brown eyes searching, his smile that just melted me, and mostly the sincerity with which he was experiencing this event. It was honest, pure and genuine, just beautiful to watch.
Next we headed out to watch the parade. The weather was mild so I had on light clothing and was wearing my slippers. We didn't need to go more then a block. In the midst of all this Bob called me asking if I had Coulter and Bobby. I didn't. He was a bit freaked out but I, for whatever reason, wasn't. They had the freedom to go between the lobby and our room all day. I was pretty sure that they were somewhere together. It felt so safe there. Later I asked Julie if she was afraid when they went missing and she felt just like I did. The parade was a typical small town parade. There were horses, dogs, kids, a couple of blow up decorations on floats. It was awesome in it's small town-ness.
Immediately following the parade we ran up to the town tree for the tree lighting. We passed a table that had been selling glow in the dark necklaces and bracelets. Kees wanted one but I told him I didn't have any money. They guy, bless his heart, said, "It's Christmas. Go ahead and take one." How cool is that? Kees, again, was glowing.
We arrived at the big tree and Annette introduced me to the mayor, Arthur. I said, "Hello. Nice to meet you. I'm the one that wrote the letter about the Polar Express last year." He said, "I know who you are!" I guess I made an impression. A few minutes later....viola, cheers and a beautiful lit tree. The festivities were complete! We all moseyed back to our rooms for more fun.
We all had a fine time. I hit the wall at about 10:30 and said, "I have to go to bed." I turned, walked to my bed and fell asleep immediately. I got a full 10 hours of sleep. Ahh, good. Bob put the kids to bed but it was pretty late for them.
Saturday was a bit slower....for everyone. A bunch of people slept in. Annette and I took the 3 big girls out to a barn to ride horses. It was COLD, 33 to be exact. The girls shoveled horse poop, groomed the horse and got to ride around the rink a few times. The loved it. The only problem is that it cut into my football watching. The Civil War and the Apple Cup were on. We wrapped it up around the half time of the Civil War. When we got back the kids were all in one room playing and the adults were lined up watching the game. The good life. I joined in. We talked about what we were going to do "tonight." Julie said there was person that was going to play violin and that she hoped it wasn't classical. "That would be a real bummer." I just laughed and said, "Yeah, that would be terrible. If that's the worst thing that happens this weekend I think you'll be alright." We both got a hearty laugh about that.
After the Ducks won a few of us went to the hot tub. I was still freezing and couldn't get my core temp up. Ahh, warmth. Once warmed up and dressed I went back to watch the Apple Cup, alone. No one cared about my poor Huskies. And then it got really bad, the game wasn't on a channel that we got. CRAP! That was a total bummer. I went to take a little nap instead, a poor substitute for sure.
Around dinner time we all went back up to the lobby. I took a poll and then booked 3 nights for next year. That made us all happy. In the lobby there was a singer with a guitar. Feeyoueee, it wasn't classical. We all got beers and sat in front of the big fire place. The singer took our requests and had a lot of fun herself. She even let Sophia sing Roll on Columbia with her. So cute.
Kees kept smiling at her and looking at her with his big browns....she gave him a free CD of her lullabies. Oh he's going to be a lady killer. We all enjoyed our time up there and stayed until the music stopped and then it was movie time!
The kids were all put to bed at 9:30. They were so exhausted. They were crying and didn't know what was going on. It was time.
Most of the adults watched Last Holiday with Queen Latifa. I love that movie. A couple people fell asleep but it was casual and fun. I went to bed at about midnight and there were still a few up... Crazies.
And then this morning we all got up and had to pack. It was a bummer because we were really in the groove of the weekend. It did make us happy to think that next year we'll be able to hang out for one more day. As we were packing it started to snow. It was beautiful and the perfect end to the perfect weekend. The kids were all skidding around in the parking lot behind the hotel. They were smiling, running, had rosy cheeks, all the good winter stuff. We said our goodbyes and were content with the fabulous weekend we all had. The Leeks were headed to get a Christmas Tree to cap off our weekend.
I can hardly wait until next year and until then I will hold this one in my heart.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Bumping Along
Bob and I have been sick. I started it. Actually, the boys started it. I saw runny noses and knew I was in for it. To be honest, I don't even try not to get sick any more. What's the use? Unless I hop into a hermetically sealed bubble there is no way to avoid their germs. They touch everything in my house EVERY THING! They climb into bed with me at night. Sometimes I catch them but usually I just wake up with them clinging to me. And then the usual little boy stuff....dragging their hands on everything as they walk, Coulter sucking on his clothes (Yeah, I know it's gross. I'm working on it.), Kees sneezing on me, on everything, etc., etc., etc.
Usually being sick is just part of the territory. This weekend we were signed up to watch some friend's kids for the weekend. They dropped their kids off at school and then we were to pick up after school and carry on from there until Sunday.
I started feeling a bit "slow" on Thursday night. I attributed it to a bike ride I took. It was a short one but I haven't been riding much. Friday morning I could feel it coming even more....CRAP! I couldn't tell my friend because I know she would have cancelled her trip and it was the first time they have been out of town as a couple in years. Besides, I wasn't feeling that bad....yet.
Friday Bob took the day off. He needed a mental health break. It was great. We ran errands and had a nice lunch together. We really enjoyed each other's company. Kees was at a play date until we picked up the big kids so we had quiet a bit of time.
By Friday afternoon I had rebounded quite well. That is good because we had plans to go out to dinner with the 7 of us, 5 Leeks and my friends 2 kids, and another family of 4 and another friend and 2 more kids. 14 in all.... THEN, we went to the Portland Pilot's Women's Soccer game against the Ducks where we met up with 2 friends of Bob's from work. We were up to 16. It was a beautiful night, it was a great game and I think everyone had fun. I did. The Pilots won 4-1. After the game it was straight home, PJ's and time for the smalls to go to bed. They all did great.
Saturday Bob got up and took care of the preliminary needs of all 5 of the kids. I got up shortly after him and got Sophia ready for soccer. I was moving slowly but I made it. I discovered that I was snack mom for her team. And off I went to the grocery store. I got back shortly after the game started. It was tied at half time. Sophia had been the goalie and did a great job defending the goal. In the second half she was a forward and scored 2 GOALS within 2 minutes of each other. It was awesome!!! The game ran over by a minute and a half and the other team scored in the last second to tie the game. WHAT THE???? We convinced the crying girls that they had really won the game and that the last goal didn't count. They hadn't won a game yet. They seemed better but continued to talk about how it wasn't fair. Man, do they have some "Life Isn't Fair" lessons to learn.
Mean while back at the ranch..... Bob had just made breakfast for the remaining kids at home. Hello, it was 11. My friend's kids are going to think this is child abuse. At our house, it's Saturday.
After brunch I took Coulter to his soccer game. I was still a bit slow but doing pretty well. Who knows who won there. It's like watching a bunch of crazy mice fight over cheese except that some of the mice forget they like cheese half the time. Watching these kids play is hilarious....Chase the ball, lift your shirt over your head, "Hey there's a bird", get hit in the face with the ball "Where'd that come from?" Cry. Run to mom. Pick your nose. Talk to your friend. Hey cheese, I mean the ball. I'm hungry. "Hey there's that cool bird again." You get the idea. Half of them have no idea what is going on. Coulter is in the game about 20% of the time.
Back at the ranch, Bob has been getting the other 4 ready for a swimming adventure. He took them to the East Portland Community Center where they have a lazy river, big, winding slide, a whirl pool, hot tub, and so on. Coulter and I met the group there after soccer. We all had a fine time. I was only there for just over an hour. Bob was there for over 3 hours. I would have been whacked.
By the time we were thinking about dinner, I had almost forgotten about being sick. We set up a movie for the kids in the basement, ordered pizza and left them with a BIG BOWL OF CANDY. There, that ought to do it. They watched in the basement and Bob and I had some quiet time up stairs. Ahhhh, quiet. 5 kids, no prob.
My girlfriend ended up coming home early and picked up their kids after their movie. The kids went to bed. Bob went to bed. And I stayed up. Why? I was feeling better, I am a night guy and I didn't know any better. As it turns out, it's a good thing I did.
Another friend of mine from out of town's son called me at 11:15. "Do you know of a park that we could sleep in downtown that would be safe?" I said, "Don't be ridiculous. Come here and sleep in my basement." I know this kid, he's a good kid and I trust that his friends would be too. They were. Now their judgement on sleeping in a park. Not so good. They are teenagers.
I ended up staying up until 1 in the morning. There is something about a quiet house that just holds me up at night. I love the quiet.
Sunday morning. I was pretty good. Hey maybe I wasn't going to get as sick as I thought. Cool. Bob made a lumberjack breakfast for the big boys. Kees sat right down with them as if he was one of them. Coulter chose to eat in the dinning room, alone, where he would be safe....from them. I sat with him. After breakfast we all watched a movie. That was fun on a Sunday Morning, totally decadent.
The big boys packed up, packed up their sleeping bags. That's about all they had. My friend's son told me about the heart ache that brought him to Portland. Oh, teenage angst. I was sorry for his pain and kept thinking...."I have to go through this 3 times. Yikes." He's a sweet kid. How could that girl do that to him?
Maybe it was the relaxation of the day, or time, or just quiet but by about 3 I was hurting. My body was hurting, I was tired, stuffy, coughing and congested. And it just got worse as time went on. My girlfriend brought me soup at about 7. I had on my PJs and went to bed at 7.
Monday morning Bob was feeling bad too and called in sick. We were quite a pair. He did some work in the morning on the phone. We decided to play hookey. We couldn't do anything anyway. We went to a movie, the Social Network. We liked it, though it did almost make me late to pick up Coulter. It's a strange feeling to go to a movie in the middle of the day.
I was so tired on Monday but we stayed up until 10. I knew if I went to bed early I wouldn't have been able to sleep. As it was ......I still couldn't. I laid in bed until midnight when I decided to just get up. I stayed up until 4 when I thought I should go to bed to get a couple hours of sleep. I tried but I couldn't sleep. Now here's the weird part. I got up at 7 and felt fine, like I had a full night's sleep. I kept expecting the other shoe to drop. Not only did I feel like I had a decent night's sleep, I felt better, way better. Bob was good enough to go to work.
I went on my usual Tuesday morning hill climb / walk. Still fine. Threw the ball for the dog, went shopping, went to Costco, unloaded, picked up the boys...fine, fine, fine. I finally had a time to sit down when the boys wanted to play on the playground. Awesome. Some time for me. We came home after an hour. I made dinner, got Coulter ready for soccer and pressed on.
It's now 9:15 and I am still fine. Go figure. I can't figure out why I feel so good. I still have the runny nose and stuffiness but I am much better. I hope I sleep well and am all better tomorrow. Bob is better too. We are on the mend. I am pretty sure it's just the first of many colds this year.
We're just bumping along. Trying to get better and taking care of our family and any other kids or families we can along the way. Stop by if you need a place to stay or someone to watch your kids.
Usually being sick is just part of the territory. This weekend we were signed up to watch some friend's kids for the weekend. They dropped their kids off at school and then we were to pick up after school and carry on from there until Sunday.
I started feeling a bit "slow" on Thursday night. I attributed it to a bike ride I took. It was a short one but I haven't been riding much. Friday morning I could feel it coming even more....CRAP! I couldn't tell my friend because I know she would have cancelled her trip and it was the first time they have been out of town as a couple in years. Besides, I wasn't feeling that bad....yet.
Friday Bob took the day off. He needed a mental health break. It was great. We ran errands and had a nice lunch together. We really enjoyed each other's company. Kees was at a play date until we picked up the big kids so we had quiet a bit of time.
By Friday afternoon I had rebounded quite well. That is good because we had plans to go out to dinner with the 7 of us, 5 Leeks and my friends 2 kids, and another family of 4 and another friend and 2 more kids. 14 in all.... THEN, we went to the Portland Pilot's Women's Soccer game against the Ducks where we met up with 2 friends of Bob's from work. We were up to 16. It was a beautiful night, it was a great game and I think everyone had fun. I did. The Pilots won 4-1. After the game it was straight home, PJ's and time for the smalls to go to bed. They all did great.
Saturday Bob got up and took care of the preliminary needs of all 5 of the kids. I got up shortly after him and got Sophia ready for soccer. I was moving slowly but I made it. I discovered that I was snack mom for her team. And off I went to the grocery store. I got back shortly after the game started. It was tied at half time. Sophia had been the goalie and did a great job defending the goal. In the second half she was a forward and scored 2 GOALS within 2 minutes of each other. It was awesome!!! The game ran over by a minute and a half and the other team scored in the last second to tie the game. WHAT THE???? We convinced the crying girls that they had really won the game and that the last goal didn't count. They hadn't won a game yet. They seemed better but continued to talk about how it wasn't fair. Man, do they have some "Life Isn't Fair" lessons to learn.
Mean while back at the ranch..... Bob had just made breakfast for the remaining kids at home. Hello, it was 11. My friend's kids are going to think this is child abuse. At our house, it's Saturday.
After brunch I took Coulter to his soccer game. I was still a bit slow but doing pretty well. Who knows who won there. It's like watching a bunch of crazy mice fight over cheese except that some of the mice forget they like cheese half the time. Watching these kids play is hilarious....Chase the ball, lift your shirt over your head, "Hey there's a bird", get hit in the face with the ball "Where'd that come from?" Cry. Run to mom. Pick your nose. Talk to your friend. Hey cheese, I mean the ball. I'm hungry. "Hey there's that cool bird again." You get the idea. Half of them have no idea what is going on. Coulter is in the game about 20% of the time.
Back at the ranch, Bob has been getting the other 4 ready for a swimming adventure. He took them to the East Portland Community Center where they have a lazy river, big, winding slide, a whirl pool, hot tub, and so on. Coulter and I met the group there after soccer. We all had a fine time. I was only there for just over an hour. Bob was there for over 3 hours. I would have been whacked.
By the time we were thinking about dinner, I had almost forgotten about being sick. We set up a movie for the kids in the basement, ordered pizza and left them with a BIG BOWL OF CANDY. There, that ought to do it. They watched in the basement and Bob and I had some quiet time up stairs. Ahhhh, quiet. 5 kids, no prob.
My girlfriend ended up coming home early and picked up their kids after their movie. The kids went to bed. Bob went to bed. And I stayed up. Why? I was feeling better, I am a night guy and I didn't know any better. As it turns out, it's a good thing I did.
Another friend of mine from out of town's son called me at 11:15. "Do you know of a park that we could sleep in downtown that would be safe?" I said, "Don't be ridiculous. Come here and sleep in my basement." I know this kid, he's a good kid and I trust that his friends would be too. They were. Now their judgement on sleeping in a park. Not so good. They are teenagers.
I ended up staying up until 1 in the morning. There is something about a quiet house that just holds me up at night. I love the quiet.
Sunday morning. I was pretty good. Hey maybe I wasn't going to get as sick as I thought. Cool. Bob made a lumberjack breakfast for the big boys. Kees sat right down with them as if he was one of them. Coulter chose to eat in the dinning room, alone, where he would be safe....from them. I sat with him. After breakfast we all watched a movie. That was fun on a Sunday Morning, totally decadent.
The big boys packed up, packed up their sleeping bags. That's about all they had. My friend's son told me about the heart ache that brought him to Portland. Oh, teenage angst. I was sorry for his pain and kept thinking...."I have to go through this 3 times. Yikes." He's a sweet kid. How could that girl do that to him?
Maybe it was the relaxation of the day, or time, or just quiet but by about 3 I was hurting. My body was hurting, I was tired, stuffy, coughing and congested. And it just got worse as time went on. My girlfriend brought me soup at about 7. I had on my PJs and went to bed at 7.
Monday morning Bob was feeling bad too and called in sick. We were quite a pair. He did some work in the morning on the phone. We decided to play hookey. We couldn't do anything anyway. We went to a movie, the Social Network. We liked it, though it did almost make me late to pick up Coulter. It's a strange feeling to go to a movie in the middle of the day.
I was so tired on Monday but we stayed up until 10. I knew if I went to bed early I wouldn't have been able to sleep. As it was ......I still couldn't. I laid in bed until midnight when I decided to just get up. I stayed up until 4 when I thought I should go to bed to get a couple hours of sleep. I tried but I couldn't sleep. Now here's the weird part. I got up at 7 and felt fine, like I had a full night's sleep. I kept expecting the other shoe to drop. Not only did I feel like I had a decent night's sleep, I felt better, way better. Bob was good enough to go to work.
I went on my usual Tuesday morning hill climb / walk. Still fine. Threw the ball for the dog, went shopping, went to Costco, unloaded, picked up the boys...fine, fine, fine. I finally had a time to sit down when the boys wanted to play on the playground. Awesome. Some time for me. We came home after an hour. I made dinner, got Coulter ready for soccer and pressed on.
It's now 9:15 and I am still fine. Go figure. I can't figure out why I feel so good. I still have the runny nose and stuffiness but I am much better. I hope I sleep well and am all better tomorrow. Bob is better too. We are on the mend. I am pretty sure it's just the first of many colds this year.
We're just bumping along. Trying to get better and taking care of our family and any other kids or families we can along the way. Stop by if you need a place to stay or someone to watch your kids.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
What a Weekend
Me and My Big Girl 
Caitlin and ahhh...the other violinist. 
Crazy fire show.... 
Sophia and Caitlin throwing some gang signs or something....LOL 
All the girls 
It's been a good weekend. Friday night we celebrated by spending the evening watching TV and doing pretty much nothing. Saturday Sophia woke up better...way better. Hooray! Not only was she better she had a birthday party to go to and everyone was invited. Bob took the kids to the Academy Theater for the party and then he and I went out and did a bit of shopping. It was nice to have that time together.
Our afternoon was peaceful. Bob worked outside and I was inside. At 5 we went over to the Stewart's. I was going out to the Miz Kitty Vaudeville Show. The Stewart's babysitter was on her way. When she got there Bob asked her if she minded if our kids stayed. Bob scored. She said that was fine. Bob went to a movie. The Kitty Show isn't his thing...I don't know why but it isn't. I, on the other hand, love it.
I handed out programs at the door before the show and laughed a lot during the show. There were a bunch of friends there and we all enjoyed ourselves. If you are around and inclined, you should come some time. It's like nothing you've ever seen before. After the show we all went out and had a drink and a bit of something to eat. I took a cab home. I usually do when I go to the Miz Kitty Show. I ride with someone there and cab it home....
This morning we all got up and went to church. We're trying to be consistent with church. We want the kids to participate in the Christmas Pageant. They have never wanted to before and this year is the year...finally. They practice after church so we really need to be there for that and for, well, CHURCH! For us, it's the right thing to do and I think it's a good community for our children.
When we got home Sophia and I quick, made some cookies. We were going to the Trans Siberian Orchestra where Caitlin Moe was performing as one of their featured violinists. The cookies were for Caitlin and anyone she wanted to share them with. They've been on the road for weeks and it is a crazy schedule that they keep. That and eating on the road can be brutal. They were in town less than 24 hours and did 2 shows. We wanted to host a dinner but they didn't have time. Cookies would have to suffice.
The show was at 3:00 and we were a bit early. We had seats in the 8th row, awesome. The show was really something. Rock and roll Christmas. The lights were going, lots of lasers and pyrotechnics, it was amazing. And Caitlin was great. She spotted us in the audience fairly early and gave us a couple of waves and lots of smiles. Sophia felt like SHE was a star. It was very cute. T
hose musicians are the hardest working group of musicians I have ever seen. They were running and jumping the WHOLE time. AND I know they have done this the past 2 days, twice a day in 2 other cities. Exhausting! They load in the buses after their 7:30 show tonight to head to Salt Lake City. I am too old for that, I can't imagine!
I was smiling the whole show. Partly because it was just good fun. Partly because the guy next to us was singing and playing air guitar A LOT! There was a big fan group near us. They told us that they had been every year for like 10 years. They were all going crazy. It was fun to watch. Everyone was just really enjoying themselves and that is what it's all about.
After the show Caitlin came out to say hello. She had wanted to bring us back stage but because of the tight turn around they weren't letting anyone back there. We chatted and took a couple pictures. We handed over the cookies, Caitlin was grateful. She is such and nice girl. I wish her luck and a good night's sleep.
Bob had dinner all ready for us when we got home. He and the boys just hung out and stayed home. They DID clean the basement. Good job boys!
It was a really nice weekend. Our week will be great too. Monday is a regular Monday but after that, Bob, Sophia and Coulter are off all week. We're doing a family snack day in Kees' class on Wednesday and then we're going to Mom and Ed's for Thanksgiving. It will be a fun and busy week. I hope your weekend was as fun as our's.
Caitlin and ahhh...the other violinist. 
Crazy fire show.... 
Sophia and Caitlin throwing some gang signs or something....LOL 
All the girls 
It's been a good weekend. Friday night we celebrated by spending the evening watching TV and doing pretty much nothing. Saturday Sophia woke up better...way better. Hooray! Not only was she better she had a birthday party to go to and everyone was invited. Bob took the kids to the Academy Theater for the party and then he and I went out and did a bit of shopping. It was nice to have that time together.
Our afternoon was peaceful. Bob worked outside and I was inside. At 5 we went over to the Stewart's. I was going out to the Miz Kitty Vaudeville Show. The Stewart's babysitter was on her way. When she got there Bob asked her if she minded if our kids stayed. Bob scored. She said that was fine. Bob went to a movie. The Kitty Show isn't his thing...I don't know why but it isn't. I, on the other hand, love it.
I handed out programs at the door before the show and laughed a lot during the show. There were a bunch of friends there and we all enjoyed ourselves. If you are around and inclined, you should come some time. It's like nothing you've ever seen before. After the show we all went out and had a drink and a bit of something to eat. I took a cab home. I usually do when I go to the Miz Kitty Show. I ride with someone there and cab it home....
This morning we all got up and went to church. We're trying to be consistent with church. We want the kids to participate in the Christmas Pageant. They have never wanted to before and this year is the year...finally. They practice after church so we really need to be there for that and for, well, CHURCH! For us, it's the right thing to do and I think it's a good community for our children.
When we got home Sophia and I quick, made some cookies. We were going to the Trans Siberian Orchestra where Caitlin Moe was performing as one of their featured violinists. The cookies were for Caitlin and anyone she wanted to share them with. They've been on the road for weeks and it is a crazy schedule that they keep. That and eating on the road can be brutal. They were in town less than 24 hours and did 2 shows. We wanted to host a dinner but they didn't have time. Cookies would have to suffice.
The show was at 3:00 and we were a bit early. We had seats in the 8th row, awesome. The show was really something. Rock and roll Christmas. The lights were going, lots of lasers and pyrotechnics, it was amazing. And Caitlin was great. She spotted us in the audience fairly early and gave us a couple of waves and lots of smiles. Sophia felt like SHE was a star. It was very cute. T
hose musicians are the hardest working group of musicians I have ever seen. They were running and jumping the WHOLE time. AND I know they have done this the past 2 days, twice a day in 2 other cities. Exhausting! They load in the buses after their 7:30 show tonight to head to Salt Lake City. I am too old for that, I can't imagine!
I was smiling the whole show. Partly because it was just good fun. Partly because the guy next to us was singing and playing air guitar A LOT! There was a big fan group near us. They told us that they had been every year for like 10 years. They were all going crazy. It was fun to watch. Everyone was just really enjoying themselves and that is what it's all about.
After the show Caitlin came out to say hello. She had wanted to bring us back stage but because of the tight turn around they weren't letting anyone back there. We chatted and took a couple pictures. We handed over the cookies, Caitlin was grateful. She is such and nice girl. I wish her luck and a good night's sleep.
Bob had dinner all ready for us when we got home. He and the boys just hung out and stayed home. They DID clean the basement. Good job boys!
It was a really nice weekend. Our week will be great too. Monday is a regular Monday but after that, Bob, Sophia and Coulter are off all week. We're doing a family snack day in Kees' class on Wednesday and then we're going to Mom and Ed's for Thanksgiving. It will be a fun and busy week. I hope your weekend was as fun as our's.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Mt. Hood Weekend
The back of Timberline Lodge
Kees in his cave. He was being a Mountain Tiger....hugh?
Sophia after her "summit"
The whole fam damily at 7000+ feet
The 'rents and the boys on the ski lift
Check out the bunny ears on the mirror. So Cute! And the fire log pillows on the bed.
Becky relaxing on the sofa. Great room.....
Gas "wood stove" and bar area.
A WAY better kitchen then I have.
Deer head in the living room. Check out the antler chandelier. Wow is all I can say about the cabin we just stayed at this weekend. The cabin is called the Mule Deer Cabin and is phenomenal. Every detail is beautiful and has been attended to.
The mom's arrived on Thursday. We went to Timberline Lodge for dinner. It was pretty good and we enjoyed it. Then we went back to the cabin and got our party on. I have to say, waking up tired after a party night is MUCH easier when the small people are not around. We had breakfast, went on a little walk and then prepared for the coming onslaught of people.
The troops started arriving about 5 pm. We had a huge dinner with all 15 people. The kids watched a movie, the adults talked and then later watched a movie too. The cabin has a rear projection movie set up. Again, cool.
Saturday was gorgeous! The sun was out and there were only a few clouds in the sky. We all headed up the mountain to the Timberline Lodge. When we arrived we voted to take the chair lift to the top of hill (or the top that we were going to). It takes you up to about 7000 ft. From there we could see forever! We could see the top of the mountain and many other mountains. We felt lucky to be there when the weather was so good.
That evening some of us danced to 80's music (Becky's era) and had a fine time. Again, food, family, wine, movies, fun..... All fun.
The one bit of nastiness.... Saturday night Coulter got sick. He had been complaining that his stomach hurt. Then, about 10 pm Coulter came up whining and just hurled on the floor. He hit a couple pillows and some leather and wood furniture. WHAT he DIDN'T hit was more important. There was a carpet that was not only beautiful but I am sure about half of Bob's salary. Coulter was inches from hitting that. I am still quaking thinking about that. Bob had already laid down with Kees so I was on my own with this one. God bless Becky who jumped up and helped cleaned up Coulter's mess. I was torn between finishing the clean up or cleaning up Coulter. We cleaned up some of the barf but then Coulter was really upset. I got up and stripped Coulter, put him in bed, made sure he had a barf receptacle for the night time with towels underneath. By the time I got back up stairs the mess was totally cleaned up. I couldn't believe it, Becky finished cleaning up that gross mess. Yikes!
Sunday was pack up, clean up and drive down. It all went fairly smoothly and Coulter seemed to feel better. Thank goodness. It was a really fun weekend on all fronts. THANKS BECKY!!!!
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