a good life.

1.29.12

2012-01-30T12:08:00.001-08:00

Cutest card from Amelia's classmate.

1.29.12

2012-01-29T20:03:00.001-08:00

Early morning wake up call :)

happy birthday amelia joan

2012-01-29T13:42:00.000-08:00

Amelia turned five yesterday! We spent the day celebrating our girl with out the distraction of a birthday party. We decided to take both kids to the Great Wolf Lodge instead of birthday parties this year. So far I'm really enjoying the idea but I haven't experienced the two days of screaming kids in a water park yet either.
Saturday morning we surprised the birthday girl with an easel and art supplies and some fun family gifts to open. I made (disgusting) birthday cake batter pancakes (which she loved) for breakfast. Aiden had a friend's birthday party to attend so we dropped him off and Amelia got to enjoy the afternoon with her parents. We started with a yummy lunch at Anthony's and then walked over to the Marine Life Center. Then we headed up to the fish store for some birthday fish (3 albino cherry barbs). After we took the fish to their new home (fish tank) we went to Katie's cupcakes for more sugar. A birthday girl can never have too much sugar!

We finished the day with dinner at (chicken) Red Robin and Amelia had her crunchy brown thing on a stick (corn dog). A pretty good day for a five year old.

1.28.12

2012-01-28T11:36:00.001-08:00

Our baby girl is five today!

1.27.12

2012-01-27T12:27:00.000-08:00

Birthday princess at preschool.

1.26.12

2012-01-26T20:07:00.000-08:00

Such a sunny day we could walk to school!

1.25.12

2012-01-25T12:08:00.000-08:00

Wednesday's are for cleaning bathrooms. This cleaner makes it a wee bit more pleasant.

1.24.12

2012-01-25T07:39:00.000-08:00

Sick tulips.

1.23.12

2012-01-23T10:07:00.000-08:00

First run outside in a long time.

sweetest surprise....

2012-01-22T20:25:00.001-08:00

This morning Dale and I got the pleasure of sleeping in until 9:00am. The kids wouldn't let us get out of bed but there was a lot of clanging going on in the kitchen. Finally Amelia appeared in our bedroom with her apron on and announced that breakfast was ready. When we came downstairs both kids had worked together to empty the dishwasher, make us coffee and pour cereal with milk (at least 20 minutes earlier). It was the tastiest lukewarm coffee and soggy cereal I have ever tasted.

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1.22.12

2012-01-22T20:15:00.000-08:00

Breakfast made by the kids for Dale and I.

1.21.12

2012-01-22T09:27:00.001-08:00

Date night.

1.20.12

2012-01-20T11:42:00.000-08:00

Pictures on my nightstand.

1.19.13

2012-01-19T19:50:00.000-08:00

Girls night!

1.18.12

2012-01-18T14:34:00.001-08:00

It is really cold outside!

snow day 2012

2012-01-17T10:55:00.000-08:00

Today was the first official snow day of the year! The kids built snow forts while I shovelled snow. I pulled Amelia through the neighborhood on her sled and called it a day. We came inside to warm up with some peppermint hot chocolate. Yum.

1.16.12

2012-01-16T17:38:00.001-08:00

It was a soup kind of day.

1.15.12

2012-01-15T08:53:00.001-08:00

Sunday morning pancakes.

1.14.12

2012-01-14T21:22:00.000-08:00

Love these people.

1.13.12

2012-01-13T12:52:00.001-08:00

Mmm split pea soup

1.12.12

2012-01-12T11:56:00.000-08:00

Hot tub party!

1.10.12

2012-01-10T11:13:00.000-08:00

Winter pansies.

1.9.12

2012-01-09T08:21:00.000-08:00

Swim lessons start today.

1.8.12

2012-01-08T15:19:00.001-08:00

Sunday dinner.

cabin fever {not really}

2012-01-08T07:45:00.000-08:00

In between Christmas and New Years the kids and I headed up to my parents cabin for some winter time r&r. Dale had to stay home and work. My sister, her husband and their adorable little guy as well as my parents were able to enjoy the beautiful weather and just the right amount of snow.
We snowmobiled a fair bit and the neighbor lent Aiden the perfect sized snowmobile to ride himself. Amelia was my riding partner and she held on tight and kept telling me to go faster!
The second day at the cabin we trekked out to find a Christmas tree we could set up on the deck and decorate. The kids dug a snow tunnel with the help of their uncle and left a surprise note inside for their cousin that was coming to visit this week.

Amelia and I built a miniature snowman because the snow is so dry and frozen up there you can't get the snow to stick together. The temperatures were higher than normal and the top of the frozen lake was a little slushy so we weren't able to try out our new found skating prowess but there's always next year!

1.7.12

2012-01-07T15:57:00.001-08:00

Family game night.

1.6.12

2012-01-06T07:59:00.000-08:00

Rainbow fruit snack for preschool.

full circle

2012-01-05T13:51:00.001-08:00

Amelia and I were talking about her birthday dinner in the car today.

Amelia: I think I want to go to Chicken Red Robin for dinner for my birthday and get that food on a stick.
Me: What food on a stick?
Amelia: You know the crunchy brown hot dog
Me: Corn dog?
Amelia: Yeah! A corn dog, fries and ketchup
Me: No vegetables??
Amelia: Don't worry about me Mom. You can order something healthy for yourself. Don't worry about what other people are doing just worry about your self.
(how many times have I told my kids!!!)

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1.5.12

2012-01-05T08:42:00.001-08:00

Love to put away the Christmas decorations and rearrange the living room every Jamuary!

1.4.12

2012-01-04T12:47:00.001-08:00

Aiden shopping for toilet seats.

1.3.12

2012-01-03T11:37:00.001-08:00

Smoothie time!

1.2.12

2012-01-02T16:35:00.001-08:00

Dale and Amelia playing with her new Barbie playhouse. I think Dale will always have to be Ken!

1.1.12

2012-01-01T23:26:00.001-08:00

Amelia wanted desperately to go to Coconut Kenny's for dinner, dress up fancy and bring her coconut purse from Hawaii. How could we say no to that!

december daily {12.25.11}

2011-12-25T23:02:00.000-08:00

The twenty fifth has arrived! The kids slept until 8:00 and the it was time to check out Santa's loot. Aiden got a Wii (for the second time- long story) and Amelia got a Barbie doll house! Amelia had a plan that we would open stockings, have breakfast and then open gifts. That lasted for about 20 minutes and then the kids were too impatient to wait to eat. We opened gifts and everyone was spoilt... again. Dale took the kids shopping and they each picked out their own gift for me. Aiden chose a very cool turquoise kettle that looks fabulous on the stove top. Amelia chose a bright neon green water bottle (because I like to drink water and my favorite color is green) and a new cutting board (because you're always cutting up my food Mom!). I loved the thinking behind those sweet gifts and then Dale surprised me with a very nice diamond necklace. My sister and her sweet family arrived in the afternoon and everyone had fun fussing over Linden.

december daily {12.24.11}

2011-12-24T22:47:00.000-08:00

The twenty fourth day of December was spent preparing food! The kids opened a surprise gift from the east coast. The Smurf Movie! That helped pass the day away. My parents and grandma arrived and we all went to the candlelight service at church. Afterwards, we came home for appetizer dinner (my favorite kind) and opened gifts from the Aune side of the family. Cookies were set out for Santa and Twas the night before Christmas read. Our favorite version is narrated by Grandma Judy! The kids were asleep by 9:30 and the adults weren't far behind.

december daily {12.22.11}

2011-12-22T22:38:00.000-08:00

The twenty second day of December we had a family dinner and cousin gift exchange. Aiden got a pair of stilts!!!!

december daily {12.21.11}

2011-12-21T22:16:00.000-08:00

The twenty first day of December I found my top secret hiding spot for our Disneyland ornament!

december daily {12.20.11}

2011-12-21T07:36:00.000-08:00

The twentieth day December I'll tell the story of the firetruck Santa. The firetruck Santa has been coming to our neighborhhod since 2004. The firefighters collect food and toys and the kids get their picture with Santa. It used to be Aiden's favorite type of Santa because he arrived in a firetruck with the sirens wailing and lights flashing. This year Aiden was acting like a punk and wanted to stay home while the rest of the family went to greet the firetrucks. He did eventually come around but there was no sitting on Santa's lap. In fact, Amelia could only be talked into a picture if she sat with her friend Paige.

december daily {12.19.11}

2011-12-19T21:57:00.000-08:00

The nineteenth day of December we went skating as a family. Aiden is really starting to get the hang of this skating thing. Amelia really struggled tonight, as long as she could use the little walker she skated great. When she went without it she was slipping and sliding all over the place and getting very mad. A few tears were shed that night but she is determined to become a skater!

december daily {12.18.11}

2011-12-19T06:40:00.001-08:00

The eighteenth day of December we had our book club's cookie exchange. Twelve dozen delicious cookies, yes please!

december daily {12.17.11}

2011-12-18T09:43:00.000-08:00

The seventeenth day of December was Amelia's Christmas dance recital. She was a Townskid and did a wonderful performance on stage. She loves the stage and added a few extra twirls for our benefit!

december daily {12.16.11}

2011-12-18T09:35:00.000-08:00

The sixteenth day of December Amelia had her preschool pageant. Unfortnately, it was at the same time as her dance dress rehersal and Aiden and Dale's basketball game. There was some major juggling, swapping and race car type driving but we made it !Grams and Grandma and Grandpa made it to the pageant and Dale and Aiden joined us for cookies afterwards. The preschool program was adorable! Amelia was the 'lead' angel. When I asked her what the lead angel did she told me "she tells the plain angels what to do!" That girl cracks me up.

december daily {12.15.11}

2011-12-15T21:38:00.001-08:00

The fifteenth day of December brought a huge to do list. Shopping for books and breakfast can be crossed of the list!

december daily {12.14.11}

2011-12-14T19:05:00.001-08:00

The fourteenth day of December we baked cookies for my book club's cookie exchange! The kids helped me unwrap dozens of rolo's and color sort m&m's. While the cookies were cooling on the deck we blew some bubbles.
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december daily {12.13.11}

2011-12-13T12:49:00.000-08:00

The thirteenth day of December Amelia and Amanda decorated her dollhouse for Christmas. I love the adorable miniature paper chain.

december daily {12.12.11}

2011-12-12T12:41:00.000-08:00

The twelfth day of December we put the kids new ornaments on the trees in their rooms. We let the kids each pick an ornament from our Seattle holiday week end. Aiden found one with his name spelled correctly and Amelia chose a figure skater to remember our fun time ice skating as a family.

december daily {12.11.11}

2011-12-11T20:01:00.001-08:00

The eleventh day of December was all about our annual holiday brunch. Close to 50 friends joined us to celebrate the holiday season. I never seem to take any pictures because it's a bit chaotic! The menu has never changed so that's what I'll record for my book:
Cinnamon buns
Yogurt parfait
Cheesy brunch roll ups
French toast casserole
Mini quiches
Fresh fruit
Ham
Hash browns
Champagne and orange juice
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december daily {12.10.11}

2011-12-10T22:31:00.001-08:00

The tenth day of December was the Jingle Bell run! My first 5k and all the girls I've been training with finished under 30 minutes! It was definitely a fun run seeing everyone's costumes and I could always pick out my fellow team mates with our fluffy red tutus. Crossing the finish line and high fiving the total stranger just because we finished the run at the same time was such a cool moment.

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December daily {12.9.11}

2011-12-09T11:27:00.000-08:00

The tenth day of December we went for red mani and pedi's in preparation for tomorrow's run!

december daily {12.8.11}

2011-12-08T12:46:00.000-08:00

The eighth day of December Aiden had his first home basketball game!

december daily {12.7.11}

2011-12-07T20:40:00.000-08:00

The seventh day of December was early release Wednesday from Aiden's school. Grandma and Grandpa were down visiting for the day and we decided to break out the gingerbread house kit. Aiden lost interest fairly quickly but Amelia didn't stop until every piece of candy had been placed. Another gingerbread masterpiece!

december daily {12.6.11}

2011-12-06T06:57:00.000-08:00

On the sixth day of December I still haven't finished addressing and mailing our Christmas cards. Yikes, better start working on it!

december daily {12.5.11}

2011-12-05T11:47:00.000-08:00

On the fifith day of December I will tell the story of Uncle Hal. I was making my homemade gifts in the kitchen this year when....
Amelia: Is Uncle Hal in it?
Me: What are you talking about?
Amelia: Is Uncle Hal in that?
Me:What are you talking about?
Amelia: Does that....(pointing to the bottle of cranberry lime infused vodka I am working on) have Uncle Hal in it?
Me:Alcohol?

Amelia: Yeah, Uncle Hal!

december daily {12.4.11}

2011-12-05T06:46:00.000-08:00

The fourth day of December is Dale's birthday! We celebrated with homemade waffles and omelets before church. After church we headed up to Mt.Baker to try a bit of skiing and snowboarding on the bunny hill (Amelia kept calling it the bunny rabbit hill). It was Amelia's first time on skis and she did great. Aiden practiced his snowboard moves and I tried my 'vintage Kastle" (direct quote from a 'dude') skis. The birthday boy just helped Amelia maneuver the rope tow and slope! It was a pretty fun day that ended with a yummy dinner with friends! Back home it was the traditional rhubarb crsip for Dale's birthday cake.

december daily {12.3.11}

2011-12-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

The third day of December was all about getting the holiday decorating done! Dale and Aiden started with the outdoor lights in the morning. The past few years have been a struggle with these new fangled led lights. We just don't like them the same as the old school incandescent. We also let Amelia choose the multi colored lights instead of our usual plain and classic clear. I though marriage was about compromise but apparently raising children requires even more.
Our holiday decorating was interrupted by Aiden's first basketball game of the season. This is the first year they keep score on the scoreboard and the Blue Lasers (wearing the brown shirts {long story}) and Aiden's team won with a final score 34-4!

The Christmas tree went up the a lot less struggle than last year. The kids did an excellent job putting the ornaments on the tree and I believe it will take less tweaking than years previous to put the finishing touches(arrangements) on the tree.

december daily {12.2.11}

2011-12-03T06:34:00.000-08:00

The second day of December started with a run with a friend after dropping the kids off at school. Afterwards, we chatted and caught up over drinks at Starbucks. After Amelia's Christmas dance rehersal that evening we took Dale out for an early birthday dinner at the Hearthfire Grill. This is the second year in a row we have scored a window table to watch the lighted boat parade cruise by. For us it's the perfect way to watch the parade (toasty warm inside while enjoying good food).

december daily {12.1.11}

2011-12-01T13:38:00.000-08:00

The first day of December I wanted to start a new holiday tradition. I put out our nativity set last night so this morning the kids would see the reason we are celebrating all month. I want this to be the first Christmas decoration that goes up each year so we know the most important and real reason our family celebrates this season. Also I plan as a family to read these scriptures daily to countdown to Christmas.

Seattle holiday week end part two

2011-11-30T13:15:00.000-08:00

Our second day in Seattle we thought we would out smart all the people not staying downtown and hit the Nordstrom Santa right when it opened. We weren't so lucky. While waiting in line we found out you had to make an appointment or it would be a 2 hour wait. We gave them our phone number for an appointment and went to Macy's. No wait, the kids walked right up to Santa, had a quick visit and we were done before 10am! Next was brunch at Etta's and a stroll through Pike Place Market. The kids loved all the cool vendors and got personalized bracelets. We also checked out the super gross gum wall! Aiden and Amelia made their contribution to Seattle history. We made good on our Science Center membership and had our third visit of the year. We all liked Happy Feet 2 on the IMAX screen. We finished off the day watching the Apple Cup at the Fox Sports Grill. Then it was back to the hotel, a quick swim and bedtime!

Seattle holiday week end

2011-11-30T08:49:00.000-08:00

The day after Thanksgiving we woke up the kids bright and early and headed to Seattle for a fun holiday week end. First stop, the Macy's holiday parade! We arrived early enough to secure a front row seat. I'm not a big parade person but I do enjoy a good Christmas parade. The marching bands sounded great and the highlight was a Frango chocolate landing in my lap. After the parade we were starting to feel a little chilly and luckily were able to check into our hotel early. When we had warmed up it was back out to take a ride on the holiday carousel. While waiting in line a very 'thoughtful' man gave Amelia a duck whistle. I think it was the background' soundtrack' of our entire weekend. At Seattle Center we checked out a giant Christmas village train display. Then it was time to try our 'blades of glory' on the ice at Fisher Plaza. Dale knows how to skate, I don't know how to skate, Aiden doesn't know how to skate, and Amelia doesn't know how to skate. It was a lil comical and scary at the beginning but after a couple hours Aiden and I had achieved beginner skater status. Amelia was a speed demon with the walker, of course. That evening, we watched the giant Christmas tree lighting at Westlake Center and the Macy's firework show. It was an entirely exhausting but fun filled day.

Syre museum field trip

2011-11-27T18:53:00.000-08:00

Amelia had a field trip to the Syre Museum last Wednesday. It was a double bonus because both Mom and Dad were able to attend. The kiddos learned about the Native Americans in our region and were able to try out some fun artifacts.

christmas to do list 2011

2011-11-16T11:33:00.000-08:00

a list of things I would love to do between Thanksgiving and New Years this year....

~~see the Macy's holiday parade in Seattle~~
~~take the kids to the Nordstrom Santa{Macy's}~~
take the kids on the Polar Express Train (decided to skip the 3 hour drive)
~~simple holiday decorating that does not take an entire week!~~
listen to lots of Christmas music
take Amelia to see the Nutcracker (Amelia declined while we were in Seattle maybe when she's older)
go sledding
drink a hot toddy
do the Jingle Bell run with my girls
watch Amelia's Christmas dance show
make some yummy treats
make a difference for some one's holiday season
enjoy our annual holiday brunch
~~send out our cards and enjoy the holiday cards we receive~~
drive around and look at Christmas lights with the kids in their jammies
~~'make' our Costco gingerbread house~~
cookie exchange with my book club
holiday port festival (skipped it this year)
Lights of Christmas at Warm Beach
take the kids to a movie during the school break
go to the cabin
~~go skiing/snowboarding as a family!~~

december daily

2011-11-15T06:59:00.000-08:00

I finished up last years's album a few months ago. I am finding the project less daunting each year.
This year I made an even smaller album and am hoping to try one picture a day to capture the season instead of my usual 6-10! I know a few friends that are planning to do this project again and would love to have you join me as well!

tye dye fun

2011-11-03T07:42:00.000-07:00

I found this unpublished post and remembered why it was never posted. The kids made tie dye t shirts this summer that turned out pretty cool. Unfortunately, later that day Amelia came down with that nasty stomach bug that landed her in the hospital overnight. Somehow, I haven't been able to get both kids with their shirts on to pose for the final product. However, I have plans to make shirts again this time with the whole family up at the cabin next May. I plan on making the whole family pose in their cheesy shirts next time!

the pumpkin princess and young jedi....

2011-11-02T07:01:00.000-07:00

Halloween felt different this year. Maybe it was that it was a Monday or maybe the kids are older and wanting to go in different directions. This childhood thing is going warp speed!

wednesday to do

2011-10-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

Today I will:
try to finish two sewing projects while Amelia is at preschool
get a watch battery
face the music at the library re so very late/lost kid library books
transform Amelia into a Pumpkin Princess and take some pics
do laundry
pick up from early release
attempt to go for a run with the kids in tow
clean bathrooms
wash hardwood floors
finish Mom's birthday gift (only 1+ month late)
make chipotle rockfish foil packets for dinner
carve pumpkins and roast pumpkins seeds

a good day

2011-10-24T22:03:00.000-07:00

Sunday was a good day. The sun was shining. I was surrounded by family and love. So thankful for those kind of days.

preschool field trips

2011-10-24T07:34:00.000-07:00

Amelia's school year started off with a few fun field trips. A few weeks ago her lil class went to the Great Harvest Bread Company and was able to tour their bakery, learning how to make yummy bread.

Last week her class went to a little apple farm where there were able to watch and give a hand making fresh apple cider. Their secret ingredient was a few yummy pears thrown in to the mix. Tasty.

pumpkin patch 2011

2011-10-10T11:00:00.000-07:00

We made our annual trek to the pumpkin patch this past weekend. I was informed once again by a certain Grinch that our family days at Stoney Ridge are over. But once I got him there he once again enjoyed himself. We enjoyed the beautiful sunshine and we waived the "you can only get a pumpkin you can carry to the car" rule this year. Aiden's weighed in at 35 pounds and Amelia's was 22 pounds.

*cute,funny, sort of sad story from the pumpkin patch - We were petting a big sweet Angus cow and Dale made a comment about yummy meat. Aiden looked at Dale funny and said you don't have to kill the animal to get the meat do you? I couldn't help but start laughing. I guess Aiden thought you humanely sliced meat off a live animal and it could keep on living.

I do have another child...

2011-10-07T15:53:00.000-07:00

I feel like Aiden doesn't get much airtime these days. Mostly because he is at school all day opposed to the four year old that is joined to me at the hip. When I look back at this blog...four years and counting... I see Aiden's life is recorded but that changes as they grow up and spend more time away from home. That almost sounds like he's already left for college! Truthfully, Aiden does choose to spend a lot of his time not with his family. He is busy with school, soccer and major playtime hours with his friends. It does make me a lil sad but also makes me treasure that time we do have together. He is still such a sweet sensitive boy and I love the time I do get to spend with him.

oven roasted lemon rosemary chicken bake

2011-10-06T11:35:00.000-07:00

I made this last night for dinner it was easy and delicious and only used one pan! I had the sad realization last week that my kids do no like stews, chili, soups or anything that comes out of a crock pot. Darn it.
This meal I could present on their plates separated and they were none the wiser.

8 chicken legs ( I used 2 packages of boneless skinless chicken tenderloins)
1 pounds of potatoes, quartered ( I used red potatoes)
1 lemon cut into eighths
10 garlic cloves, peeled
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
salt and pepper
4 tbsp olive oil
1 glass of dry white wine ( I think you could use chicken broth)

place chicken, lemon, potatoes, garlic cloves, rosemary in roasting pan, pour olive oil over and stir to distribute, sprinkle generously pepper and salt, splash with wine, bake in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour. Serve with a green salad. This is the perfect dish for company because it smells and tastes delicious but takes so little time to make.

first day of pre k

2011-10-03T10:34:00.000-07:00

Today was Amelia's first official day pre school! She was excited and she had a fun surprise once she got to school. Daddy surprised us at school and Amelia was able to show him her classroom!

meal plan monday

2011-10-03T05:23:00.000-07:00

monday: pork roast with rhubarb rosemary jam, roasted butternut squash, mashed potatoes and salad
tuesday: homemade chicken soup and red lobster cheddar biscuits
wednesday: garlic baked shrimp and asian coleslaw
thursday: thai red curry salmon, broccoli, brown rice pilaf
friday: pizza party

my four year old teen ager...

2011-10-01T12:08:00.000-07:00

Amelia: Mom, we need to have a talk about Spongebob Squarepants. Why don't you like him?
Me: Because they use bad language and are mean to each other.
Amelia: Mom, you just have to get used to it.
Me: No Amelia, I don't.
Amelia: So you think it's Mean Rude Squarepants? (dramatic eye rolling) You are soooo silly.

pre-k orientation

2011-09-30T11:43:00.000-07:00

This morning Amelia had her pre-k orientation. She was so very excited to see her lil buddies from last year and meet the new students. I had just adjusted to her and I being home alone with Aiden at school. She will be at school three mornings a week!

ps the scraped nose is from a crazy stunt dive at the pool and she is quite embarrassed about it. I powdered her nose so you can barely see it. Right?

2011-09-28T12:55:00.001-07:00

apple picking family style

2011-09-27T04:19:00.000-07:00

I dragged the family to Sm'apple farm after soccer on Saturday. It felt a bit too warm to be apple picking but the sun was out and it was on my to do list. We picked Jonagold's to make applesauce and some Honeycrisp for eating. The wasps were making me a wee bit uncomfortable so we picked fast and skedaddled.

monday meal plan

2011-09-26T04:16:00.000-07:00

monday: thai pork stew with rice
tuesday: beef strogonoff and salad
wednesday: spaghetti and meat balls, salad and bread, angel food cake with straw berries (Grandma's dessert dinner)
thursday: chicken enchiladas
friday: leftovers

soccer 2011

2011-09-25T04:13:00.000-07:00

Fall soccer has arrived. Aiden is trialing a new patented smile. Isn't it great?

husky run

2011-09-24T16:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Aiden's husky run at school. This is the first time I was able to attend. Amelia and I showed up to count laps and cheer the kids on. Aiden ran 16 laps and Amelia joined him for 6. It was such a hot day all the kids had hot red faces and not a lot of smiles. Reminds me of the Terry Fox run when was I kid. I dreaded it every year.

fall to do list {2011}

2011-09-23T05:51:00.000-07:00

~~go apple picking~~
~~make applesauce~~
~~make pumpkin bread~~, pumpkin scones, and pumpkin waffles
go for a family fall walk
do leaf crafts with the kid
make another gratitude tree
~~go to the pumpkin patch~~
~~sip warm apple cider~~ while reading a good book
~~decorate the house for fall~~
decorate the house for Halloween
make jack o lanterns
roast pumpkin seeds
paint a pumpkin with Amelia
have a photo shoot in a leaf pile
fall yard clean up
dig up dahlias, divide day lilies, ~~plant daffodil~~ ~~and allium bulbs~~
fall picnic

photo book love

2011-09-19T08:55:00.000-07:00

I finally made the leap and started creating photo books. I am loving how easy and relative time saving they are compared to scrapbooking. I made a Disneyland book and one of our family photos this year. Next up San Francisco and a year in review. This could get addicting...

Monday meal plan

2011-09-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

Monday: ravioli with tomato sauce and green beans
Tuesday: spinach bacon tomato quiche with salad
Wednesday: Thai pork stew with rice
Thursday: turkey chili with jalapeño cheddar bread
Friday: leftovers

red curry salmon

2011-09-16T08:58:00.001-07:00

photo from Real Simple

I have found another super quick and easy salmon recipe that the kids like! Thanks to Real Simple.

Ingredients

4 5-ounce pieces salmon fillet
1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
kosher salt and black pepper

Directions

Heat broiler. Place the salmon on a foil-lined broilerproof baking sheet. In a small bowl, mix together the curry paste, oil, sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Dividing evenly, brush the salmon with the curry paste mixture.
Broil until the salmon is opaque throughout, 5 to 7 minutes

lil miss does the swimming thang...

2011-09-13T08:43:00.000-07:00

Amelia started swimming lessons last week. Partially to occupy her time until preschool starts in October and also she loves the water. She has class with one other little boy and she loves it. Yesterday I tried to grab a few pictures (I'm trying to get better about documenting our lives again) before swim lessons but she wouldn't co operate. In the pool is another story. She is a little fish!

easy bake cake

2011-09-12T18:13:00.000-07:00

Amelia got an Easy Bake Oven for Christmas last year. We finally put the light bulb in and she made her first cake. It was the perfect size (2.5 inch diameter) and she was in heaven. She even saved a tiny bite for Daddy after work. Lucky Dad. Nobody else got to taste her masterpiece.

first day of school (third grade edition)

2011-09-12T12:12:00.000-07:00

Aiden had his first day of third grade last Wednesday. I have high hopes for this year. His teacher seems great and well organized as well as a great student teacher this year! It's so hard to get Aiden to smile at the camera. Luckily his buddy popped in for some pictures and I was able to catch his fun smile. We walked home after school and it was a scorcher. Per Aiden's request we had homemade pepperoni pizza and rootbeer floats for back to school dinner.

Meal plan monday

2011-09-12T07:17:00.000-07:00

Monday: spaghetti and meatballs with salad
Tuesday: jambalaya and green beans
Wednesday: greek nachos
Thursday: Hawaiian crockpot chicken and salad
Friday: leftovers

San Francisco day three

2011-09-08T06:55:00.000-07:00

On our third day we did another tour. This time to wine country! We crossed the Golden Gate again and headed out of town. Our first stop was Muir Woods where we were given a few hours to wander the giant redwood forest. It didn't feel too different from our forests in Washington but it smelled of eucalyptus and there was no mud. Then it was noon and time for our first winery, Jacuzzi, from the hot tub fame. There weren't any hot tubs at the winery but it was the same family that had invented the 'Jacuzzi'. We found a few tasty reds we liked but will have to order online because they are a small winery that doesn't distribute. Afterwards, we went to the town of Sonoma for lunch. Dale and I had a great meal at the Sunflower Cafe. Then we drove up to Napa and stopped at Madonna Estates for another tasting. We toured the vineyards and soaked up more sunshine. We decided to be dropped off in Sausalito again that evening and enjoyed a beautiful dinner on the water at Scoma's. It was pretty sunset ferry ride back to the city.

San Fran day two

2011-09-08T06:31:00.000-07:00

Super steep Lombard St. that has eight switchbacks down one city block.

Exactly.

Chinatown

The Painted Ladies from Full House fame!

DeYoung Museum lobby

Palace of Fine Arts

Golden Gate Bridge

Sausalito

Alcatraz

Ferry building

Embarcadero street car.

We started our second day in San Francisco with a city tour. We hit all the famous landmarks and highlights. The tour finished with a drive over the Golden Gate bridge. We ended in Sausalito which was a charming Mediterranean style tourist town with lots of little shops and restaurants. The weather was much warmer over there compared to San Francisco. We had an outdoor picnic and soaked up the California sunshine. On the ferry ride back we cruised by Alcatraz and that was the closest we got. Tickets are sold out at least a month in advance so if you want to see "the Rock" book your tickets early. I still can hear Dale grumbling under his breath! When we arrived back to San Fran we took our first cable car ride. We had great 'seats' which meant we were able to stand. That evening we headed down to Fisherman's Wharf which turned out to be our least favorite part of the city. Maybe it was because we were there in the evening and all the lively fishmongers were packed up for the day. Lots of cheesy souvenir stores and it is freezing by the water at night. We did check out the Bourdin Sourdough museum from the street (San Francisco has a museum for everything) and shared clam chowder in a sourdough bowl.

San Francisco day one

2011-09-06T09:26:00.000-07:00

Dale and I took a quick trip down to San Francisco! We arrived Friday before lunch and had a smooth trip from the Oakland airport to our downtown hotel via the BART. Once we had checked in to our hotel and stashed our bags we decided to head down to the water. Typical Dale and Jen fashion we took the 90 minute round about walking tour instead of the 15 minute direct route (we didn't figure that out for a few days). It was fun to see the architecture of the city and travel through the different neighborhoods. We ended up at Pier 39 which was a fun lively place to walk around and have lunch. We ate at the Crab House and it was delicious and charming. We made it back to the hotel for happy hour on the patio which is when the weather turned 'San Francisco' on us. The wind and fog came in and settled in for the night. We moved inside for a few more glasses of wine. For dinner we found the best burger joint around the corner from the hotel. We had noticed the long line out the door earlier in the day so we went in. It was delicious and we never did try an In and Out burger but for Dale and I, Super Duper was the best burger we've ever had!

the fair 2011

2011-08-22T10:21:00.000-07:00

We ventured out to the fair on Saturday. I think it was the hottest day of the year ( I know there hasn't been many this year). It was slightly miserable to be standing in line in the beating sun but we made the best of it! Right Tracy? Wind in my hair and chocolate dipped strawberries!!!! The absolute highlight of the fair was watching my kids go on rides together. I can't believe how quickly they have grown according to fair standards. Amelia and Aiden were able to go the bumper cars together and had a blast. Fair highlights this year were the 100 foot drop for Dale and Amelia, baby pigs for me and Aiden loved the Gravitron even though it took him about 45 minutes to recover from his vertigo/nausea. Crazy kid. My camera battery died about an hour into the fair so I missed a lot of pictures. C'est la vie.

house rules

2011-08-19T07:49:00.000-07:00

30 bags in 30 days

2011-08-16T08:39:00.000-07:00

I was inspired to declutter and wasn't sure where to start. Looking around the house I made a list of a specific areas that need some attention. The premise is picking a place on the list and grabbing a bag and start cleaning and organizing. Most of the places on my list will take under 30 minutes but a few are monsters and will need a larger chunk of time. Hopefully, baby steps and crossing items off my list will keep me going!
~~Living room hutch~~
~~Magazine bin~~
~~Dining room hutch~~
~~Junk drawer kitchen~~
Filing cabinet
Computer desk
Media cabinet
Powder room medicine cabinet
Entry closet
~~Linen closet~~
~~Utility closet~~
Kids bathroom
~~Aiden's room~~
~~Amelia's room~~
~~Bedside tables~~
Dresser
Master bath vanity and cabinet
Master closet
Laundry room cabinets
Playroom
Craft room
Basement pantry
Basement bathroom
Garage shoe rack
Fridge and freezer
Sports bins
Gardening shelf in garage
Craft closet
Craft desk
Stair basket

this week end was...

2011-08-15T09:22:00.000-07:00

blueberry picking
pizza partying with friends
pickling pickles
neighborhood ice cream social
blueberry jam making
anniversary fondue date on the deck
yard working
book reading

summer kind of week end

sesame lime edamame

2011-08-09T08:12:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite appetizers from Scotty Brown's so I tried to recreate it at home!

1 package of frozen edamame in shell (we buy them at Costco)
1/2 tbsp sesame oil (I like chili sesame oil for spiciness)
juice of 1/2 lime
sesame seeds
kosher salt
Heat frozen edamame in microwave according to package instructions.
Place heated edamame in bowl toss with sesame oil, lime juice, sprinkle with sesame seeds and kosher salt. Yum. This makes enough for 2 people increase as needed.

The pukey princess

2011-08-07T00:35:00.000-07:00

feeling really punky after 48 hours of not keeping anything down

morning after iv fluids, life is good

blowing bubbles in the hospital bed

the royal departure

This is the second and final installment of Amelia's hospital adventures for 2011(I hope!). Wednesday evening Amelia started throwing up, it continued all night (every 20 minutes) and continued into Thursday. She was vomiting less frequently but still wasn't keeping anything down. She slept through the night Thursday but started up with vomiting and diarrhea Friday. I took her into the doctor's and he felt she needed to be admitted overnight for iv fluids. We arrived at the hospital but our direct admit had been cancelled due to a staffing issue. We were directed to the ER where they told me it would be a couple hours before she could be seen. They did give us a Popsicle for her to try. She was able to keep it down. A nurse came in early on the pediatric unit so we were able to go upstairs after a 90 minute wait in the ER waiting room. They gave her another Popsicle while we waited for the doctor to arrive and write orders. They placed an iv,started a fluid bolus and drew blood work around 7pm. The blood work came back that her blood sugar was 67 after 2 Popsicles (normal range is 80-110). Her electrolytes and chemical balance were also wacky. Amelia did throw up once more but settled down once she got her maintenance drip with glucose and potassium in it. Saturday morning she woke up a bit more like herself. She had 2 nursing students fussing over her, everybody telling her how cute she was, an electric bed, remote and television, all the juice or Popsicles she could consume. She was in heaven. She told the doctor that she didn't want to go home. I think the doctor briefly looked us up and down to see what type of parents have a child that wants to stay in the hospital. We assured her our daughter is a diva and she felt she was getting the attention she deserved. She was spoilt with a Tangled doll play set and some fun activity packs and the icing on the cake was the wagon ride for discharge. By tonight she was acting much more like the Amelia we know and love. Hopefully, tomorrow she will eat some food!

branching out...

2011-08-05T09:34:00.000-07:00

I made Amelia a little something different from the usual dress or nightie. I was so proud of this cute two piece number until she tried it on and the top looked like a half top. Amelia thought it looked just like the princess, Jasmine and didn't want me change a thing. Darn Disney princesses trying to corrupt my daughter. I added a ruffle to the front and like how it turned out.

greek nachos

2011-08-04T07:19:00.000-07:00

I saw this recipe on Pinterest (thanks for taking up so much of my time btw). Just looking at the picture I could figure it out and thought it would be popular at our house.

1 package of ground turkey (or lean ground beef)
1/2 white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tsp Greek seasoning or oregano and thyme
brown meat and onion, garlic and seasonings in pan on stove top

tzatziki sauce (we love the brand they are currently selling at Costco)
1 chopped tomato
1/2 chopped cucumber
1 chopped red pepper
chopped red onion
diced black olives
feta cheese
pita chips or pita bread cut into wedges and toasted in oven or if you are completely desperate like I was last night I cut sandwich thin buns into quarters and toasted. They were pretty good!

Place your cooked meat on plate, top with tzatziki and chopped vegetables of our choice, sprinkle with feta cheese. Serve pita wedges on the side and use to dip into the yummy goodness!

papa's peach tree

2011-08-03T08:56:00.000-07:00

My grandpa passed away a month ago today. I felt it was a long anticipated passing and am grateful that his suffering is over. This is a first for me, grieving the loss of a close family member. A few weeks ago I was looking out my kitchen window at our new peach tree. I was reminded of a phone conversation with my Grandpa a few months ago on his eightieth birthday. Dale had called him to wish him happy birthday and asked him if he had any advice on planting a peach tree. My grandpa had always taken forever to tell a story or give advice. Being sick it was no different but he still sounded like himself on the phone. He told us to make sure the tree would get lots of sun. We planted the tree in the sunniest part of the yard. I love that every time I look out the kitchen window I am reminded of my grandpa. He was that special.

things I want to...

2011-08-02T09:03:00.000-07:00

can this year.
-~~strawberry jam~~
-~~pickled beets~~
~~-blueberry jam~~
~~-dill pickles~~
-red pepper jelly
-~~sweet pickles~~
-green beans
-applesauce
-peaches
-chili sauce
-salsa or tomatoes
I love to have a pantry of homemade canned goods! Sometimes, I think it would be fun to have been a pioneer but then I remember how much I enjoy indoor plumbing, washing machines and dishwashers!