Memorial Day Weekend Fun

Today was lovely. Almost enough sunshine to make me forget the past 9 months of rain, almost. Anyway, lots of outdoor fun. Pool, bubbles, new squirt guns, and running around.

And now we are off to eat some hotdogs and watermelon. Hope your day was as wonderful as ours.

I Lost My Car....and my brain

This whole "mommy brain" thing has just gone too far. I have never been good at remembering peoples names or where I park my car, and being able to blame these lapses of memory on an overtired, hormonally charged brain has been nice.

But today I went to the mall for lunch and movies with girlfriends and after 4 hours of being away I pretty much completely forgot where my car was. One friend drove us around from the theater side to the restaurant side where two of us were parked. I got out at the first persons car and believing (correctly) that my car was close by started to wander the parking lot at Alderwood mall. I was pretty sure which direction I parked the car in. But I started to doubt myself (wisely). I pressed the lock button activating the "honk" on my car over and over again, but I didn't hear anything. I walked up and down and across, with no real plan of attack, which did not help as I covered several areas mutiple times and obviously others not at all.

My dear friend called my cell to ask if I had found my car. I had to admit I had not and was not feeling hopeful. Surely it couldnt be me, maybe it was stolen. After circling around to pick me up, just by pure chance where she stopped and the angle I got in the car at I saw my little black honda wink its lights at me. She drove approximately a foot before I said "oh, there it is!"

I am such a dork. And I guess three pregnancies in 3 1/2 years may have fried my already small brain. I guess I better look into that ginko or something.

A Very Cool Testimony

I found this link through the Shepherd Press Blog.

This kid has an amazing testimony.

It made me think about how I fall into bed every night exhausted. But what am I exhausted from? Mostly taking care of my little world. I want to fall into bed at night exhausted from glorifying God and making his kingdom known, from helping people who need help. Not just from maintaining my little chunk of this world that will end.

Anyway, I found it very inspirational.

Claytons Story

Summer Chores

Seeing this puts a smile on my face. There is nothing Aiden loves more than to hang out with his dad and help him with projects. He takes if very seriously, and doesn't finish mowing until dad is finished mowing.

Nolen can hardly wait to get in on the action.

The New Pool Rocks

So, here in Western Washington if it hits 70 degrees and the sun is out we break out the pool. This year we went all out and got a "big" one from Costco. It was an absolute success. Aiden said over and over "I love my new pool". Nolen drank at least half of the water we put in and nearly drowns with every move he makes, all while smiling and laughing. Needless to say, whoever is supervising has to be ready to get wet in case some saving is needed. Sorry to all the grandparents out there that I just worried.

Come swim with us soon!

White Tigers

Today was Aidens first Taekwondo class. I was very skeptical how it would go because of past experience with trying to give him the opportunity to learn something new and have fun. Lets just say soccer didn't go well.

Then we picked up the uniform last week and he was very eager to try it on. I washed it and did my best to shrink it up because it is very very big for him. We got it all on and he proceeded to lay on the floor and cry. I am not shocked by this. It has become typical behavior for him if he suspects I may be on the verge of pride and happiness due to something he has done. Give the guy credit, he doesn't want to set me up for sadness if he doesn't come through. So he is quick to dash my hopes right from the get go.

I tried not to make a big deal out of the whole hating the uniform thing. And I kept my pride in check while getting him ready this morning. We got the outfit on, with minimal whining. Then after a few minutes he turned on the irrational three year old complaining full tilt. He didn't like the "costume" it was too big, it felt funny, etc.. whine whine whine. Then he asked to see some taekwondo on the Internet. I guess to see if this was really what they wore or if it was some scheme by me to make him look silly.

We arrived at said class and things were not looking up. He was his ultra clingy, insecure self, asking to be held, hiding behind my legs, refusing to talk to the instructors. He even started crying at one point.

Ah, at last things turned around with the entrance of his BFF Trey. Thank goodness for Trey. Aiden followed his lead and immediately the class was fun, the teachers were not out to get him and all was well. He punched, and jumped, and yelled, and I feel overall did a wonderful job, and actually had fun.

Go Po Go (this is a reference to the movie Kung Fu Panda, sadly the only Martial Arts I am familiar with)

How Do you Solve a Problem Like Ellie?

Last week I was seriously considering finding a new home for Ellie. I haven't really dared let myself go there before. I always secretly wondered what kind of person could give their dog up, and now I know. One that is on the brink of insanity and is searching for some sort of peace and quiet and clean.

This weekend Ellie's fate was determined by the sentimental movie Marley and Me. I think me reading the book last year got her through my last temptation to be rid of her and all the trouble she brings. So we will see how long this saves her as one of Team Schwark. Anyhow, teary eyed and hopes bolstered I renewed my vow to keep her.

I mean really, how much less color would our lives have with out her? I forgot to mention in my last post while she thwarted the babysitter and was out on the lamb she decide it would be a good idea to also roll in dog poop. So not only did she have to be caught, once home she had to be bathed. This poor woman who is trying to watch my kids now has to deal with scrubbing poop off my dog. This was definitely not in the notes I left.

Then to top off the weekend Ellie decided to get stuck under the house today. Steve and I are painting the boys room upstairs. I have the window open so I can hear Ellie and Aiden playing in the backyard. After a little while of silence I decide to go down and check on them. I peered around the corner of the house to find Aiden standing next to Ellie, saying sweet calming things, "It is okay Ellie, you can get out Ellie, come on Ellie you can do it." Ellie replied with pitiful whimpering and whining, insisting she was indeed stuck. It looked like Lassie reversed. Ellie has never had a clear vision of herself being the hero.

Anyway, I hollered up to Steve who came and assessed the situation, went to get a shovel, and I a camera. He dug her out. At least she is moping around the house looking like she feels stupid.

Seriously, what a dull house without Ellie to constantly wreak havoc, destroy toys, spread dirt, mud, and poop. Don't forget how much I love her when she barks at...nothing, and wakes up sleeping kids.

How do you solve a problem like Ellie? You don't, you just try to survive her.

Going Away

Our view during breakfast

I am beyond excited that the hubby and I get to go away for one night this weekend. I seem to wait until my breaking point from exhaustion and over exposure until I change something. So, this is the first time in 3 1/2 years that Steve and I will be spending the night away from the kids.

Just so you know a little bit more about how neurotic I am, I decided while writing this that I would not post it until we came back in case some stranger (I am sure I have quite an extensive blog reader list, not) decided to take advantage of our parental absence and steal our children or harass our babysitter.

Anyway, back to my point. We are going away, dinner, spas, massages, no one asking to go potty in the middle of the night, no replacing pacifiers in hopes of 30 more minutes of sleep. I may never come back....

Okay, with a little coaxing, and a look at the bill for one night, I decided to return home. It was so AWESOME!

I had absolutely no anxiety leaving the kids. Which I believe is due mostly to the fact I was leaving them in such capable hands. Nolen was napping, and Aiden gave me kiss and told me he would miss me. Off we went, just the hubby and me.

Our arrival was prompt, and valet was a perk. I always feel very fancy when someone else takes my car and parks it. Check in was lovely, we were offered savory candy, and given directions to room 205. The room was lovely. The resort is lovely. Filled with all sorts of beautiful rock and wood work and touches of nature. It is very peaceful.

We hung out in the room for a few minutes, then off we went to take advantage of the tea and cookies in the library. It was very quiet, and the fire was going. I sipped orange tea and ate lemon cookies and Steve and I played tic tac toe. I really started to think I may have slipped into a Jane Austen novel.

Back to the room to change into our spa attire. The first trip up and down the hallway, in the elevator, past several people, up to the spa, seemed a little awkward in a terry cloth robe and flip flops, but that is what the staff encouraged. And of course, when in Rome...

The spa was so relaxing. The sound of cascading water drowned out any conversation. The large hot tubs made of rock, and the lemon water for sipping all helped to ease any tension we had arrived with. Of course, I can not participate in grown up activity with out embarrassing myself at least slightly. Being 35 weeks pregnant I could not soak for long in the hot water and I tried to gracefully sit on the ledge next to the pool, so I could dangle my legs in the water, but not over heat. Well, I am not graceful even when I am not largely pregnant, so when I ever so delicately sat down, some entirely mortifying noise was created by the suction between my butt and the wet stone. Yes, it sounded like the biggest wettest fart you could imagine. Not even the cascading noise of the water fall drowned it out from the couple at the other end of the tub hearing. I couldn't just pretend it didn't happen, so I said, with the color in my face rising, "It wasn't me, it was the stone". By the looks on their faces I am pretty sure I wasn't convincing. But hey, what is a relaxing soak in the spa without a giant fart noise to liven things up.

Anyhow, we left shortly after, nothing to do with wanting never to see those people again, which we did at dinner a mere two hours later.
Dinner was good. Very good. The service was fabulous. I have never had someone switch out napkins so the napkin would match my pants, but they think of everything at this place. Crumbs were promptly scrapped away, drinks were refilled timely. The atmosphere was that of sophistication and elegance. And we were able, hang on to your hats folks, TALK! We had two whole hours of conversation! And we actually talked about things other than poop, and teething, and preschool choices.

Back to the room for an uninterrupted viewing of Marley and Me. How fun is it to watch a whole movie without taking someone to the potty?

A night of quiet, uninterrupted sleep, except of course the many trips to the bathroom one has to make while pregnant.

The next morning the breakfast was, if possible, even better than dinner. A breathtaking view of the falls and mountains, gorgeous blue sky, which no one from western Washington ever takes for granted, and a rainbow to tie it all together. I cant say enough about the food, sure I may be biased due to the fact I would eat a horse if I could fit it in my stomach, but seriously the food, good. And the service, man everyone was so nice, and helpful, and not snooty at all.

Oh, I forgot to mention the magical part of the place. It was the tiny little silverware which made me feel like a giant, and the giant spa chairs that made me feel like a tiny kid. Not too many places make you think you may have dropped into some sort of Alice and Wonderland. Can you tell I don't frequent sophisticated venues all that often? I think I may have given myself away as some sort of hill billy.

Okay, last but not least, the couples fireside massage. Cool, but would have been just as good if I were by myself, no offence husband. It was everything you could want in a massage. Plus, they even had a table with a big belly cut out so I could lay on my stomach. This of course did little to ease my breathing panic issues, but I was able to mostly relax after the first 20 minutes of debating whether or not to jump up and run out.

So, night away without the kids, priceless.

And a big shout out to Deb who watched the kids, and the dog, who incidentally ran away (the dog, not the kids), and had to be chased down by car, and lured home with treats. Ellie, it is a good thing we picked Marley and Me, you have a little extra grace because of a sentimental movie. Dont push your luck though.