So far so good. Last night our friends the Stewarts came over for dinner. The kids played and later watched a movie. All the adults sat on the front deck. It's really nice to be able to sit outside again. I look forward to that all winter .
This morning I slept in and Bob brought me breakfast in bed. Who doesn't like that? Right after that Sophia and I rode our bike (and tag along) over to Laurelhurst to join Julie, Gracie and Bobby for coffee. On our way I noticed that the Hollywood Market was open for the first time this season. Yippee! That is a sure sign of Spring. At coffee Sophia sat on my lap a couple times between playing with her buddies. I looked at her and wondered what happened to my baby. She is getting so beautiful and grown up. I really enjoy spending time with her and am so glad that she'll still sit on my lap. When we had finished our coffee we rode back to the market where we walked through just to get the feeling of it. Sophia was my little motor on the hills. I was calling her "Power Legs." She thought that was funny.
When we got home Coulter was in tears. He wanted to go on a bike ride and have lunch with me. We talked, he calmed down and I agreed to take him out on a ride and to lunch. He was very excited and ran and got his dollar so he could buy me lunch. So dang cute.
We went to Foster and Dobbs for lunch and had a fine time. He made conversation with the woman behind the counter and she helped him decide what kind of sandwich to get. Grilled cheese was the decision. We decided to split the sandwich and we each got a beverage, orange San Pellegrino. Yum. Coulter's friend told him that he should wait to pay until after lunch to make sure he liked it. We sat down and had a really sweet conversation. It's fun to share time like this just one on one. The time when I have nothing but time and open ears is so great. He just talked about his school play and was either telling me about a dream or a story he was making up. I don't know. I wasn't paying too much attention to what he was saying I was just looking into his eyes and and taking him in, all of him. My sweet boy so beautiful and innocent. And on top of all that he was buying me lunch. He was very proud of himself.
When he had enough of his sandwich he decided that it was good and that it was worth paying for. He went up to the counter and talked to his friend. He gave her his dollar for which she thanked him. I then went and paid the balance, trying to keep that from him. I bought some special cheese so I think he thought I was paying for that alone.
Next we went and got some mango sorbet. He said I needed to pay for that since he used all his money on lunch. Alright then. He had his sorbet and again filled the air with his words and I just drank him in. It started to rain but we didn't care, "We can just change clothes at home mom." That's my good northwest boy.
Kees gets time each week when the other two are in school so we have our special time then. It is really special to have time with each of the kids on their own. It's hard to get individual time especially when I have a totally free mind and can give them my full attention. Today it all just worked out.
This weekend hasn't been extraordinary by most people's standards but I have really enjoyed being in the moment with and for my kids. Man I love those babies and I am grateful to feel them so deeply in my soul.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
31 Flavors
Today was $0.31 ice cream day. I have had it on my calendar for about a month now. Apparently I am not the only one.
In anticipation of ice cream with the family tonight I drove by 31 Flavors at 5:05 because the promotion started at 5:00 and I wanted to see how busy it was. There were about 15 people there. I thought to myself, "Good. Not too busy."
We had dinner and all those who ate their dinner were entitled to a scoop of ice cream. Coulter and Kees didn't eat and daddy decided they didn't need to go so he stayed home and Sophia and I went. We got there at about 6:45 and there were about 15 people in line. It was busier than earlier but not too bad. By the time we got back outside (about 10 minutes later) the line was out the door and across the whole parking lot. It's amazing what $0.31 ice cream can bring out in people. I guess we all like a deal. Man, am I glad our timing was good.
So remember in Haiku...................
Go get there early
Ice cream is thirty one cents
Yum, it tastes so good
Famous People
There is a thing going around on Facebook where you say 5 famous people you have met. I put Bob Hope, Shirly Temple Black, Steven Tyler, Aretha Franklin and Roger Staubach. You wouldn't believe how many famous people I have met. I can't believe it sometimes. If I was smart I would have kept a list but I didn't. The following is an email that I sent to one of my buddies because she wanted to know who I met where.
I met all those people working in hotels. I was an operations manager for almost 15 years with Starwood and met hundreds of famous people. Whenever anyone famous came in it was usually my responsibility to find out their needs / wants, then meet them as they arrived or go get them and then escourt them in (with or without security depending on who it was) and make sure that their stay went well.
Bob Hope was one of my favorites. I met him a few years before he died. He must have been 95 or so. He arrived late at night with his wife and was meeting and greeting everyone. He was very gracious. Then he decided he was going to go on a walk in down town Atlanta by himself at midnight. All I could think was, "You aren't getting killed on my watch." Downtown Atlanta at that time was not a very safe place. So I let him go and had security shadow him the whole time. Can you imagine him out there on his own?
Shirley Temple Black - I met her about 25 years ago in Seattle. She was coming into town for an actors convention. She was great and really friendly.
Steven Tyler - Spokane 1997. He was really funny. Tiny guy. Maybe 130 lbs soaking wet. I could totally take him.....;-) He flew commercial, called the hotel for a shuttle with his whole band and then stood in the lobby, signed autographs and had his picture taken until everyone had their fill.
Aretha Franklin was Atlanta 1995. She came in with her whole entourage unannounced. We had to scramble to set up billing and 60 rooms. Then when it didn't turn out exactly right she was pissed. There were about 100 people and maybe 30 different sets of billing instructions. Some had meals, calls and all incidentals expensed. Some only calls and there was everything inbetween. Upon getting the bill she came in and started ripping me. I sat back and took it for a while and then I tried to explain that if we had it in writing and in advance it would have been much easier. She was still mad and yelled. I then said, "You are good at what you do and I am good at what I do. All I am asking for is a little respect." Honestly, that is what I said. I thought it was pretty funny. She didn't. Then she stepped out and her brother and I had a good laugh. He was her traveling secretary.
Roger Staubach was in my bar when I was doing that. It was Houston about 1991. Really nice, very humble and easy going.
I could go on and on.... Tracy Chapman, Bob Costas (Actually really got to know him), Sinbad, Amy Tan, Donny Osmond, Michelle Kwan, Ed Asner, Tommy Lasorta, Harry Caray, Francois Mitterrand (I loved his business card. It said Francois Mitterrand, President of France), Tommy Lasorda (I have some funny stories about him), Marilyn Manson, The Backstreet Boys, too many sports figures to mention, many political figures and media types, blah, blah, blah..... My hotels were always one of the bigest in the areas I lived and therefore we had all the big conferences, teams and media events. Crazy but fun.
I met all those people working in hotels. I was an operations manager for almost 15 years with Starwood and met hundreds of famous people. Whenever anyone famous came in it was usually my responsibility to find out their needs / wants, then meet them as they arrived or go get them and then escourt them in (with or without security depending on who it was) and make sure that their stay went well.
Bob Hope was one of my favorites. I met him a few years before he died. He must have been 95 or so. He arrived late at night with his wife and was meeting and greeting everyone. He was very gracious. Then he decided he was going to go on a walk in down town Atlanta by himself at midnight. All I could think was, "You aren't getting killed on my watch." Downtown Atlanta at that time was not a very safe place. So I let him go and had security shadow him the whole time. Can you imagine him out there on his own?
Shirley Temple Black - I met her about 25 years ago in Seattle. She was coming into town for an actors convention. She was great and really friendly.
Steven Tyler - Spokane 1997. He was really funny. Tiny guy. Maybe 130 lbs soaking wet. I could totally take him.....;-) He flew commercial, called the hotel for a shuttle with his whole band and then stood in the lobby, signed autographs and had his picture taken until everyone had their fill.
Aretha Franklin was Atlanta 1995. She came in with her whole entourage unannounced. We had to scramble to set up billing and 60 rooms. Then when it didn't turn out exactly right she was pissed. There were about 100 people and maybe 30 different sets of billing instructions. Some had meals, calls and all incidentals expensed. Some only calls and there was everything inbetween. Upon getting the bill she came in and started ripping me. I sat back and took it for a while and then I tried to explain that if we had it in writing and in advance it would have been much easier. She was still mad and yelled. I then said, "You are good at what you do and I am good at what I do. All I am asking for is a little respect." Honestly, that is what I said. I thought it was pretty funny. She didn't. Then she stepped out and her brother and I had a good laugh. He was her traveling secretary.
Roger Staubach was in my bar when I was doing that. It was Houston about 1991. Really nice, very humble and easy going.
I could go on and on.... Tracy Chapman, Bob Costas (Actually really got to know him), Sinbad, Amy Tan, Donny Osmond, Michelle Kwan, Ed Asner, Tommy Lasorta, Harry Caray, Francois Mitterrand (I loved his business card. It said Francois Mitterrand, President of France), Tommy Lasorda (I have some funny stories about him), Marilyn Manson, The Backstreet Boys, too many sports figures to mention, many political figures and media types, blah, blah, blah..... My hotels were always one of the bigest in the areas I lived and therefore we had all the big conferences, teams and media events. Crazy but fun.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Pirate Conversation
Today the boys and I were in the van. While driving down the street I saw a pirate flag hanging in front of someone's house.
I said, "Hey boys check it out! We should get one of those."
Coulter informed me that daddy already bought one.
"Alright! We should hang that out right away. Then we can get our pirate on." Oh those boys laughed.
And then I said, "Then we can be pirates."
Coulter said, "I just want to feel like a pirate. I don't want to be one."
I said, "Alright, we don't need to be pirates, we can just feel like pirates."
Coulter, "We will brush our teeth because we don't want our teeth to fall out."
Me, "Yeah, that's a good idea."
Coulter, "Yeah because that would REALLY hurt."
I said, "Hey boys check it out! We should get one of those."
Coulter informed me that daddy already bought one.
"Alright! We should hang that out right away. Then we can get our pirate on." Oh those boys laughed.
And then I said, "Then we can be pirates."
Coulter said, "I just want to feel like a pirate. I don't want to be one."
I said, "Alright, we don't need to be pirates, we can just feel like pirates."
Coulter, "We will brush our teeth because we don't want our teeth to fall out."
Me, "Yeah, that's a good idea."
Coulter, "Yeah because that would REALLY hurt."
A Funny Cat Story
This is a story that my friend Shannon Shannon shared with me. Yes, her name really is Shannon Shannon. SS tells some pretty hilarious stories and many of them include her cat.
I had a cat incident last week though that made me laugh. I arrived home from work to find a group of neighbors in the street in front of my house. By the look in their eyes – I could tell that they had a mission on their minds. I smiled weakly and parked my car and walked to them to see what was going on.
Seems that two of my retired neighbors decided to get their carpets cleaned the same day that my husband decided it was warm enough to leave the cat outside for the day. Guess Sarah did not feel like hanging outside by herself and decided that the open doors (the carpet cleaner had to leave the door cracked open in order to snake the hoses into the house) across the street from our house was an open invitation to her. Of course she had to first roll in the flower bed as it had been a long time since she had seen dirt instead of snow. The cleaner tried to catch her – but she darted by him and proceeded to run across my neighbors white, newly cleaned and still wet carpet. A chase ensued and after many attempts and a lot of dirt – Sarah the Cat decided that she was not welcome in that house and strolled out of the house. My neighbors set up a blockade using treats and milk to entice her to stay outside while the cleaner – re-cleaned their carpets. He then moved on to the next house.
Guess what? Sarah decided that since she was so well rewarded by her first run in with the cleaner (plus she is part dog and LOVES to be chased) that she would check out the next house also. A second chase and many unmentionable words ensued. She was never caught – but did stop and take a break outside when presented with milk and treats again.
I tried really hard to look serious when they relayed their day to me. I am very clear that it was not pleasant and very frustrating. But as they ranted to me about their day – Sarah came and stood in the middle of the group, laid down, stretched out and presented her belly to anyone that wanted to give her a pet. Man was she happy. Full tummy, lots of attention and a very full day for her. I apologized and gave them my cell and offered to come home and lock her up if it ever happened again. Sarah strolled home and turned down dinner (dried cat food) as she had eaten well that day.
I had a cat incident last week though that made me laugh. I arrived home from work to find a group of neighbors in the street in front of my house. By the look in their eyes – I could tell that they had a mission on their minds. I smiled weakly and parked my car and walked to them to see what was going on.
Seems that two of my retired neighbors decided to get their carpets cleaned the same day that my husband decided it was warm enough to leave the cat outside for the day. Guess Sarah did not feel like hanging outside by herself and decided that the open doors (the carpet cleaner had to leave the door cracked open in order to snake the hoses into the house) across the street from our house was an open invitation to her. Of course she had to first roll in the flower bed as it had been a long time since she had seen dirt instead of snow. The cleaner tried to catch her – but she darted by him and proceeded to run across my neighbors white, newly cleaned and still wet carpet. A chase ensued and after many attempts and a lot of dirt – Sarah the Cat decided that she was not welcome in that house and strolled out of the house. My neighbors set up a blockade using treats and milk to entice her to stay outside while the cleaner – re-cleaned their carpets. He then moved on to the next house.
Guess what? Sarah decided that since she was so well rewarded by her first run in with the cleaner (plus she is part dog and LOVES to be chased) that she would check out the next house also. A second chase and many unmentionable words ensued. She was never caught – but did stop and take a break outside when presented with milk and treats again.
I tried really hard to look serious when they relayed their day to me. I am very clear that it was not pleasant and very frustrating. But as they ranted to me about their day – Sarah came and stood in the middle of the group, laid down, stretched out and presented her belly to anyone that wanted to give her a pet. Man was she happy. Full tummy, lots of attention and a very full day for her. I apologized and gave them my cell and offered to come home and lock her up if it ever happened again. Sarah strolled home and turned down dinner (dried cat food) as she had eaten well that day.
Monday, April 27, 2009
What To Do, What To Do?
I love to snuggle with my kids. Some of the finest time is that time early in the morning when my kids come in, I wake up and we all just snuggle and chat. I love it. We have no adgenda just a love fest. That being said....
Our boys climbed in bed with us this morning. When I say this morning I mean some time after mid night. I know when we went to bed around 11:00 there were no kids there. Bob got up at 5:30 to get ready for the day. That was his plan all along. As soon as I heard the shower turn off I went in to start my day. I had been awake since 5:15 why lay there and prolong the agony?
When I went into the bathroom Bob and I chatted. We have tried reasoning with the kids but that has not worked. So we need to come up with better alternatives. Here are a few of the options we came up with to keep the kids out of our bed room.
#1 - Barbed wire. This would definately challenge the kids. If they didn't have good wire cutters I think we would be "safe."
#2 - A mine field. This was Bob's suggestion but I think it's too harsh so that is out! They need to be able to see the danger.
#3 - An invisible fence. This has real promise. I think a couple of good shocks could keep them away with out causing permanenet damage.
But then I laid back down for a moment and felt their warm little bodies, their soft hair and warm sweet breath and thought do I really want them out for good? No. They will stay away soon enough and I know when that happens I will really miss having small people in bed with me. So for the time being I will lose sleep because I am being kicked or just pushed out of bed. I may be tired but I am going to try and savor this time so I can really remember it with my soul.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Sick Mommy
My boys are lucky they are cute because they are the culprits. They got me sick. And why is it when they are sick they can just run around and play. When I am sick I still have to take care of everyone, do some laundry, maybe some cleaning and cook.
I could feel it coming on Friday and was in denial. By Monday it was full fledged. I still managed to have dinner with some friends on Monday but I wasn't much for energy. I went to bed at 7:30 on Tuesday. I can't remember the last time I did that. Today I still have the sinus thing but I am on the mend. I don't hurt all over and I cleaned the basement. Let me tell you that was no small task.
So I haven't been blogging but I have been resting. Bob will have the house to himself this weekend and he's hosting a Poker Party on Saturday Night. The kids and I are going to Steilacoom to spend the weekend with Dad and Sally and will stop by Mom and Ed's on the way home Sunday Morning. If that doesn't give me good blog matterial NOTHING WILL! More soon....
I could feel it coming on Friday and was in denial. By Monday it was full fledged. I still managed to have dinner with some friends on Monday but I wasn't much for energy. I went to bed at 7:30 on Tuesday. I can't remember the last time I did that. Today I still have the sinus thing but I am on the mend. I don't hurt all over and I cleaned the basement. Let me tell you that was no small task.
So I haven't been blogging but I have been resting. Bob will have the house to himself this weekend and he's hosting a Poker Party on Saturday Night. The kids and I are going to Steilacoom to spend the weekend with Dad and Sally and will stop by Mom and Ed's on the way home Sunday Morning. If that doesn't give me good blog matterial NOTHING WILL! More soon....
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