hey look! diane's no longer an infant and we have a third kid!
and yes, diane's blanket is pretty much an appendage to her body and/or member of the family now.
Friday, June 8, 2012
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
the post where i use too many parenthetical (except really, can you use too many?)
besides the people (who i miss dearly), there's not a lot that i miss about utah vs. where we live now (although, can this seasoned seattlite admit that she's starting to miss the sun?).
except for winco.
i feel like i have to go to three different stores to get what i want here (not fun with three kids) and it costs way more (especially bulk foods) to buy everything i need.
after a frustrating shopping day last week, i jokingly got onto google to see where the closest winco was (i was thinking maybe somewhere in eastern washington. maybe). it turns out that there are a few in the seattle area, including one in everett, which is about twenty-five minutes away from us. and there is a costco right next to it (google maps estimated 51 secs). so, i decided that even though it is a little ridiculous to drive twenty-five minutes to go to a grocery store, i didn't care. i wanted to go to winco that bad.
and i have to admit, it was as wonderful as i had imagined it would be. i walked in and it was just like the orem, utah winco (except the food storage aisle was a wine aisle instead). one of the things i've been frustrated with is that it takes me twice as long to go grocery shopping because i am constantly backtracking to find things that i missed (not that i wouldn't get to know my local safeway eventually, but in the meantime, it's a pain). and did i mention that everything is so much cheaper there?
to justify the whole thing, i decided to plan out my entire month of meals (which is nice to have done, anyway), make a list of all of the non-perishables, and buy for the entire month so that i'm not driving to winco every week for groceries. there's a great produce stand just a few minutes away from us (think big produce stand, not just a little one. this one has a nursery attached to it as well), so i'll just go there once a week and get my produce and i'll be good for the month. if all goes well, i plan on doing this at the beginning of each month and combining it with my big costco run (this costco is only ten minutes farther away than the one i've been going to), so it's really not that ridiculous to go that far for groceries. right?
on a completely unrelated and random note, i loved the second season of sherlock and am dying for the next episodes. i love masterpiece theatre and wish that i didn't have to wait for new downton abbey episodes either. the british do it well, don't they?
except for winco.
i feel like i have to go to three different stores to get what i want here (not fun with three kids) and it costs way more (especially bulk foods) to buy everything i need.
after a frustrating shopping day last week, i jokingly got onto google to see where the closest winco was (i was thinking maybe somewhere in eastern washington. maybe). it turns out that there are a few in the seattle area, including one in everett, which is about twenty-five minutes away from us. and there is a costco right next to it (google maps estimated 51 secs). so, i decided that even though it is a little ridiculous to drive twenty-five minutes to go to a grocery store, i didn't care. i wanted to go to winco that bad.
and i have to admit, it was as wonderful as i had imagined it would be. i walked in and it was just like the orem, utah winco (except the food storage aisle was a wine aisle instead). one of the things i've been frustrated with is that it takes me twice as long to go grocery shopping because i am constantly backtracking to find things that i missed (not that i wouldn't get to know my local safeway eventually, but in the meantime, it's a pain). and did i mention that everything is so much cheaper there?
to justify the whole thing, i decided to plan out my entire month of meals (which is nice to have done, anyway), make a list of all of the non-perishables, and buy for the entire month so that i'm not driving to winco every week for groceries. there's a great produce stand just a few minutes away from us (think big produce stand, not just a little one. this one has a nursery attached to it as well), so i'll just go there once a week and get my produce and i'll be good for the month. if all goes well, i plan on doing this at the beginning of each month and combining it with my big costco run (this costco is only ten minutes farther away than the one i've been going to), so it's really not that ridiculous to go that far for groceries. right?
on a completely unrelated and random note, i loved the second season of sherlock and am dying for the next episodes. i love masterpiece theatre and wish that i didn't have to wait for new downton abbey episodes either. the british do it well, don't they?
Saturday, June 2, 2012
visitors
randy's parents came to visit us over memorial day weekend. it was so fun to have visitors and spend some time (albeit brief) with them. we spent saturday in downtown seattle, enjoying the waterfront and pike place market.
one of the things that we did was ride the water taxi from pier 50 over to alki. the girls had never been on a ferry before and were really excited to ride the boat. we got there a little early but there wasn't enough time to go explore elsewhere, so we hung out on the dock for a while.
once we did get on the boat, my cautious children weren't exactly sure what to do, so they mostly just sat on the bench next to us, although they did get up to look out at some sea lions at one point.
jonathan slept most of the time.
we had a great weekend with randy's parents and were sad to see them go. we have the guest room all set up now and would love to have more visitors any time. come on up!
growing pains
when randy was looking into housing before we moved here, one of the things that he loved about this particular house was that it was on a cul-de-sac with several other families with small children. the family across the way from us have two boys that are almost exactly our girls' ages, two doors down from us is another four year old girl, and our next door neighbors have an eight year old girl and a five year old boy. as long as the weather is decent, the kids and at least one of their parents almost always come out in the evening and play in the cul-de-sac. soccer and bikes are the main modes of play. pretty awesome, right?
except for one thing. it has pushed us into a new stage of socializing.
until now, i have completely dictated the terms of my children's social lives. if they played with other kids, it was because i arranged the play date. i have always been really close friends with the other children's mom (our kids are friends because of our relationship), and the mom is always present, unless i am babysitting the child. madeleine has only ever had one close friend (from church) that i didn't know from birth, and even though madeleine idolized this girl (both madeleine and diane still refer to her as an imaginary friend in their play), i was too lazy to arrange any kind of play date outside of church for her.
all of you seasoned mothers can roll your eyes at me, but this has been the stage that we've been in and it's what i'm used to. but now, madeleine has been exposed to the world of neighborhood friendship and she can't get enough of it. as soon as she sees any of the neighborhood kids come out (one drawback of having a wall of windows on the front of the house), she instantly begs to go outside and play, too. at first, she started just running out there without telling me, but i quickly threatened her with all sorts of punishment if she started leaving the house without asking first. even when she can't see the other kids, she frequently begs to go play with them and wants me to call them. i tried explaining that i don't have their phone numbers, so her pleas now center around me obtaining their phone numbers.
the thing is, i'm not opposed to her playing with the neighborhood kids. they're nice children, and i like the parents too. we got really lucky there. i played with the neighborhood kids growing up and loved it. i think that the reason i'm having a hard time is that it pushes me outside of my comfort zone. making friends has come naturally to madeleine, but i still feel awkward. will the other parents be bugged that we are coming out and intruding on their play time? are we overeager? should i ask for their phone number or is that stepping over my boundaries? it feels like the awful world of dating all over again.
and how do we start to handle play time that isn't just out in the cul-de-sac (rain, anyone?)? this is the biggest thing for me. up until now, i have had almost complete control of what my children are exposed to, including choosing their friends for them. i've had them under my protective wing and i determine what they watch and eat and can discipline them as soon as they engage in behavior that i disapprove of. as soon as they go over to a friend's house, that stops. right now, one of us is always out with the girls while they're playing with the neighborhood kids and i still don't always like madeleine's behavior after we come back inside. she's a little more disobedient that usual and takes time to wind down. not even because the other kids are rude or anything, it's just a consequence of her playing with the other kids.
i never thought that this would be that big of a deal. i feel like i am a fairly laid back parent, but i'm not ready for this. we're negotiating new terrain and it's scarier for me than i thought. this mama hen is trying to keep everyone under her wing for as long as she can, but the chicks are starting to dart out.
time to start teaching them about foxes and let them strut their stuff in the pen a little more. they don't stay little for long, do they?
except for one thing. it has pushed us into a new stage of socializing.
until now, i have completely dictated the terms of my children's social lives. if they played with other kids, it was because i arranged the play date. i have always been really close friends with the other children's mom (our kids are friends because of our relationship), and the mom is always present, unless i am babysitting the child. madeleine has only ever had one close friend (from church) that i didn't know from birth, and even though madeleine idolized this girl (both madeleine and diane still refer to her as an imaginary friend in their play), i was too lazy to arrange any kind of play date outside of church for her.
all of you seasoned mothers can roll your eyes at me, but this has been the stage that we've been in and it's what i'm used to. but now, madeleine has been exposed to the world of neighborhood friendship and she can't get enough of it. as soon as she sees any of the neighborhood kids come out (one drawback of having a wall of windows on the front of the house), she instantly begs to go outside and play, too. at first, she started just running out there without telling me, but i quickly threatened her with all sorts of punishment if she started leaving the house without asking first. even when she can't see the other kids, she frequently begs to go play with them and wants me to call them. i tried explaining that i don't have their phone numbers, so her pleas now center around me obtaining their phone numbers.
the thing is, i'm not opposed to her playing with the neighborhood kids. they're nice children, and i like the parents too. we got really lucky there. i played with the neighborhood kids growing up and loved it. i think that the reason i'm having a hard time is that it pushes me outside of my comfort zone. making friends has come naturally to madeleine, but i still feel awkward. will the other parents be bugged that we are coming out and intruding on their play time? are we overeager? should i ask for their phone number or is that stepping over my boundaries? it feels like the awful world of dating all over again.
and how do we start to handle play time that isn't just out in the cul-de-sac (rain, anyone?)? this is the biggest thing for me. up until now, i have had almost complete control of what my children are exposed to, including choosing their friends for them. i've had them under my protective wing and i determine what they watch and eat and can discipline them as soon as they engage in behavior that i disapprove of. as soon as they go over to a friend's house, that stops. right now, one of us is always out with the girls while they're playing with the neighborhood kids and i still don't always like madeleine's behavior after we come back inside. she's a little more disobedient that usual and takes time to wind down. not even because the other kids are rude or anything, it's just a consequence of her playing with the other kids.
i never thought that this would be that big of a deal. i feel like i am a fairly laid back parent, but i'm not ready for this. we're negotiating new terrain and it's scarier for me than i thought. this mama hen is trying to keep everyone under her wing for as long as she can, but the chicks are starting to dart out.
time to start teaching them about foxes and let them strut their stuff in the pen a little more. they don't stay little for long, do they?
Friday, May 25, 2012
the kiddos
because they're cute and i have a bunch of random photos...
these girls love their brother.
he's hard to crack, but he has started smiling a little more lately.
standard scene at our house.
so handsome.
not sure what this pose was.
he's my squishy.
burrito baby.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
sisters weekend 2012
every year for the past few years, my mom and sisters and i get together for a weekend and hang out together. only nursing babies are allowed and we get to relax and spend time with each other without chasing our children around.
it is fun every year, but i was especially excited for this year, since i've recently moved and already miss my sisters. we had our annual sisters weekend this last weekend at my mom's house.* jonathan and i flew down thursday night and left at the crack of dawn monday morning. he did great with flying, for which i was grateful.
we always exchange gifts at our sisters weekend. this year, i got trader joe's dish cloths for everyone, since i am now near a trader joe's. audrey got everyone gift wrap supplies, beth made us homemade dove liquid soap, and my mom got us three books (i've been drooling over that pride and prejudice children's counting book for some time now) and made us makeup bags.
the weekend was spent relaxing, eating good food, talking, and working on projects. i tackled the annual family photo album and barely squeaked it out in time. let's just say i had some sleep to catch up on once i got home.
randy was so good to me to take the girls for a long weekend all alone while i was gone. it was good to have a little break and i missed them terribly by the time i had to go home. it was perfect. nothing like some time away from your children to make you miss them.
can't wait for next year!
*utah peeps, don't be mad at me. this was a trip specifically for my sisters weekend and i think my mom and sisters would have killed me if i tried to squeeze in visits with all of my friends as well. next time i'm in utah i will be good about letting people know.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
mother of the year*
i know that i've talked about my mom on my blog before, and i appreciate her every mother's day, but this year is especially poignant for a couple reasons. one is that we just moved away from her and that has been hard. i don't like to think about it, so i won't dwell on it because then i won't be able to type due to blinding tears. the other reason is that my mom has been such an amazing help to our little family for the past month and a half.
my mom is a busy woman. on top of normal day-to-day responsibilities, she is currently the relief society president in her ward, which gives her demanding and time consuming responsibilities for the physical and spiritual well being of the women that attend church with her. she also helps to care for her parents, taking them to several appointments and visiting them often throughout the week. as if she weren't busy enough with these things and her own life, my mom devoted the month of april and the first week of may to me and my family.
i'm not exaggerating. my mom took my girls while i was in the hospital after having jonathan and then as soon as we came home, she came to my house several times a week for the next three weeks and essentially packed my house for me, while simultaneously keeping my household going with cleaning, feeding the kids, etc. i severely overestimated how much i would be able to do on my own with three small children and she kicked right in and picked up the slack without missing a beat. while all of this was going on she also attended all of randy's graduation events (which take up a surprising amount of time). oh, and did i mention that she was deathly ill one weekend and within 24 hours of that was back at my house packing again?
after spending all of april helping us pack, she (and my dad) also devoted the first week of may to help drive us up to seattle and then proceeded to help me unpack all of my boxes and get me settled in so that i wouldn't be overwhelmed and probably still surrounded by boxes.
i can never repay my mom for all that she did for us this past month, but console myself with the thought that with all of the time that she spent helping us, she was also spending time with me. it was a nice way to try and get as much time in with her as i possibly could before we moved. we had many hours of being able to talk and visit while we were working and hopefully that made it worth it for her. it certainly made all of that packing more enjoyable for me.
love you, mom.
*honorable mention for mother of the year goes to my mother-in-law, who came and helped with the kids and packing after jonathan was born and who would have done as much as my mom if she lived by us.
my mom is a busy woman. on top of normal day-to-day responsibilities, she is currently the relief society president in her ward, which gives her demanding and time consuming responsibilities for the physical and spiritual well being of the women that attend church with her. she also helps to care for her parents, taking them to several appointments and visiting them often throughout the week. as if she weren't busy enough with these things and her own life, my mom devoted the month of april and the first week of may to me and my family.
i'm not exaggerating. my mom took my girls while i was in the hospital after having jonathan and then as soon as we came home, she came to my house several times a week for the next three weeks and essentially packed my house for me, while simultaneously keeping my household going with cleaning, feeding the kids, etc. i severely overestimated how much i would be able to do on my own with three small children and she kicked right in and picked up the slack without missing a beat. while all of this was going on she also attended all of randy's graduation events (which take up a surprising amount of time). oh, and did i mention that she was deathly ill one weekend and within 24 hours of that was back at my house packing again?
after spending all of april helping us pack, she (and my dad) also devoted the first week of may to help drive us up to seattle and then proceeded to help me unpack all of my boxes and get me settled in so that i wouldn't be overwhelmed and probably still surrounded by boxes.
i can never repay my mom for all that she did for us this past month, but console myself with the thought that with all of the time that she spent helping us, she was also spending time with me. it was a nice way to try and get as much time in with her as i possibly could before we moved. we had many hours of being able to talk and visit while we were working and hopefully that made it worth it for her. it certainly made all of that packing more enjoyable for me.
love you, mom.
*honorable mention for mother of the year goes to my mother-in-law, who came and helped with the kids and packing after jonathan was born and who would have done as much as my mom if she lived by us.
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