Still sick. I don't mean to complain but I don't do sick very well. It seems like such a waste of time. And while it is nice that Rebekah passed out for 3 hours late this afternoon, it's now 10:00 at night, I'm sick, and she's wide awake.

This is the new bulletin board display I did for the library, I think it looks very springy! Rebekah is still feverish and Grant and I are starting to cough and feel punky. Better days ahead...

Another sick day for the bean, temp of 100.7. The good news is she happily eating and feels "lucky" to have herself a netflix marathon. She's perkier and more wiggly today, so I have a feeling she's on the upswing. If it wasn't for the fever, I wouldn't believe she was sick at all (which is a good thing!). Ashley is still hacking her brains out after about a week on this round, but she doesn't stop going out so I guess that's to be expected.

Sick day

Since Bekah is having a sick day, I had a lot of time to spend snuggling her on the couch. I found this pattern in a new book from the library....

So, I worked on a couple today and I think they are super cute. Maybe with little tags that say "gingerbread man" and "sugar cookie" (on the cream colored ones). A basket full for the WN Christmas show, what do you think, Mom? Can I get $7.95 for them?

On a side note, I discovered I don't own any black or white embroidery floss, also no tan sewing machine thread. Oh well, an exercise in making-do!

SNOW at the beach :)

Bekah gets mail from Grandma

Bekah loves getting good mail (guess it's in her genes) and I wanted Grandma to see what happens on this end...

And look how well I can read now...

Video of Rebekah Wii bowling, she's not half bad and look, sometimes she beats both of us..

The ginormous pile-o-crap from Rebekah's room. I spent 3 hours cleaning. Not all of this is going away, but a good lot of it will. I really really want to instill in this child to take care of what she has. The rule is if she can't take care of it she can't have it. So her room is clean now, and has been for 3 days. Amazingly she spends more time in there now too, without being asked!

The car ride back from Astoria, Rebekah fell asleep...

She asked me before she fell asleep to take a picture of her sleeping, but I think the flash annoyed her because the next time I looked in the back seat this is what I saw...

Today was the service for little Hannah Elizabeth Lindquist. It was a beautiful service and I felt honored to be there to share it with her family. I know they miss her beyond words but their strength inspires me. They are totally and completely devoted to God and believe in his plan for their lives. Rather than being angry with God for taking Hannah home, they THANK him for giving her to them in the first place. Amazing people, and an example to us all.

After the service we had a nice meal with the attendees, we sat with our Pastor and his wife, and Ed and Betty (the native Minnesotians that we played Wii with last week). There was a lot of good fellowship yesterday.

It was a beautiful clear day and we got done with the service about 2:00. We decided to go for a drive and pointed the car towards Astoria. We've been wanting to see the bridge and river on a clear day. We might have ended up at Costco. We might have ended up with a TV. We probably ended up caving to pop culture and getting a Wii.

Grant and I were up until 1:00 AM and my arm is sore today this morning. Ha! Video to follow.

My afternoon date; Rebekah, tea, and Monopoly Jr.

We went over to my friend, Crystal's house today and tried out her Wii. After having played the Wii bowling at another friends house last week, I am a decided fan. I usually dislike video game stuff, but the Wii has some serious redeeming qualities. I really like that it levels the playing field. I mean, last week I bowled with a woman in a wheelchair, how cool is that? And Rebekah gets scores right up there with the rest of us. 

Oh well, back to the low tech games. I bought this Monopoly Jr at the thrift store for $1 the other day, along with the game Headache (which actually proved to give me a headache when I tried to teach it to Rebekah) and also the game Guess Who. Each for $1!!!

Grandma will be happy to know that the tea Rebekah has here is the blueberry tea she got for Christmas and she loves it!

I love it!

Field trip!

 Last week we had a home school field trip to the local fire and police stations.

 Of course, Sparky was there to greet the kids which was fun for the younger participants!

 Always the ham, seeking the camera!

 Rebekah gets her chance inside of a fire truck, and tries on the ear muffs w/speaker system (Travis the firefighter is talking to her through that little microphone).

 They moved the big ladder truck outside and each child got to step up into the bucket (no they did not go up)

 Listening and watching with her friend, Alex.

We spent an hour and a half at the fire station, and 10 minutes at the police station. 

Guess which one was more fun :)

Valentines Day 2011

I had no plans for today. That being said, Valentines is really an easy holiday to pull together with nothing :)

Both girls were here for breakfast, as Ashley started a new nanny job today! So I made toast w/strawberry jam and heart shaped sprinkles on it, and sausage patties cut with a cookie cutter into heart shapes. Also, pink lemonade in a wine glass...whalaah Valentines breakfast for my girls.

Lunch. Chicken breast, red peppers (RED),yogurt w/heart sprinkles and heart shaped cheese. More pink lemonade in wine glasses (this time tied with red curly ribbon) and hearts on the table for decoration.

Grant brought home mocha's for our romantic treat :)

Dinner was homemade nachos. Then we settled in to watch "How to Train Your Dragon", had popcorn and sodas and snuggled on the couch. Rebekah got to stay up until 9:30!

We are a wild and crazy lot around here :) Hope you had a happy Valentines day too!

Busy week comes to a close

Last night we had a spaghetti supper at church and Ashley went to wrestling regionals with Kevin's family and did not get back before I fell asleep.

This morning we got up and were at church by 9:15. My friend, Melissa was baptized during first service which was really beautiful.

After church we dropped Ashley off at Kevin's as is our usual Sunday routine (she then joins his family for their weekly Sunday brunch made by his Grandpa).

Then Grant came home to check on his computer project briefly.

Then off to friend Diane's house because she was having a gathering to celebrate Melissa's baptism. We could only stay about 45 minutes because we were to meet other friends from church at 12:30 for lunch.

After lunch we went to their house where they introduced us (including Rebekah) to Wii bowling, that was fun! Then we played dominoes (Mexican train).

Left their house, came home, got Rebekah some supper and a shower and she had 30 minutes to play before bed. I'm tired. It feels like the whole week was like that, and it was ALL wonderful, but I don't think I can book my social calendar quite so full all of the time!

So far this next week is looking quieter and I'm looking forward to catching up on some house chores...oh tomorrow is Valentines Day isn't it. I should probably do something for that. LOL

I'm sure most of you saw the picture of Ashley and Kevin on facebook.

But this is the one where little sister insists on being in the date picture.

           2 things...

1. I had nothing to do with Ashley's dress purchase, which seems like a first. She found it (for a deal!) and bought it on her own and I think she did a smashing job!
2. Rebekah doesn't have very far to grow before she's up to Ashley's shoulders...yikes!

Valentines day craft

I'm not a big fan of knick knacks and sitty around stuff, so my holiday decor isn't of epic proportions.

But a few weeks ago someone gave me a ton (only a slight exaggeration) of scrapbooking paper. I wanted to start using it in creative ways with Rebekah.

So yesterday we cut out a variety of hearts. I got to teach her the old fold the paper in half trick, like every 6 year old should know :)

Then we randomly stuck them through the sewing machine to make long strings of hearts.

Whalah, we have Valentines decor!!! I absolutely love how it turned out, I can see us doing more of these for other holidays and seasons in the future!

Ashley's birthday cont.

Ashley's one request for guests was her youth pastor and his family. Which works out really nicely because we love all of them! :)

 Ashley requested cake balls for her cake...

She's such a good big sister she conspired with Rebekah to blow the candle out "together"....

This beauty is Aliya, she's Dennis and Amanda's niece and one of Rebekah's best friends (I told you it worked out well!)

Everybody nomming on cake balls! After this Amanda and I walked the kids down to the park, Ashley and Kevin went to deliver cake balls to a friend, and Grant and Dennis talked about airplanes, helicopters, and other guy stuff that I failed to ask about :)

Good times, good friends, and a beautiful birthday girl. Life is good.

Ashley's birthday!

I have an adult child. Wow.

I have so much to write on that subject, but I have to save it for another time. I spent most of the day trying to function through a migraine. We had company coming at 3:00, cake balls and layered taco dip had to be made, veggies chopped, and house picked up.

So, I would have liked to been a little more prepared but I wasn't. Thankfully my grown up daughter was thankful for what I was able to muster :) Love you, kid.

These pictures are for Grandma and Grandpa, of Ashley opening her present from them!

First open the box...

Then read the note on the tool box(es)

Open all the goodies inside!!
No crying yet!

Until she opens the VERY LAST ONE...yes, she cried when she got to the little bank. You just never know :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ASHLEY, I LOVE YOU!
more pictures to come....

I am not sick! And the fact that I am taking Nyquil tonight proves nothing!

Monday

Oh Monday, you started out with such promise, up until noon we were right on schedule!

The child got her school work done, I had served both breakfast (yes, that was left over pizza, whatever!) and lunch, done 2 loads of laundry, the pile of dishes from the day before, and picked up several misc piles of "stuff" that seems to accumulate over the weekend.

But then 1:00 came and the 2.5 hour Library Board meeting, the gymnastics practice, and then Daddy offered to buy Subway for supper...so that was the end of the day. When we got home it was time to get the kiddo into jammies and read stories, say prayers!

Good news is there were no supper dishes :)

I'm missing Saturday, which I'll have to find something for...later. I'm too tired to worry about it now.

I should have brought the camera yesterday because:
Ashley and I went to help some people from church move at 9:45 AM: We thought we were going to be moving a household, but instead we were moving some really heavy furniture from one 3 story beach house to another 3 story beach house. Today, my legs HATE me.

At 11:30 I dropped Ashley at home, changed clothes and slammed lunch to be at the library to work (for free...ha) from noon to 4.

Grant was already at the library with Rebekah and her friend Aliya who were attending story time until 12:15, at which time he then brought them to Robin's house to work on Valentine cards (and basically play with Robins dog and eat her snacks!)

He goes home to pick up Ashley and eat lunch. Drops Ashley off at the library so that I can take her to work at 3:30 while he goes on to pick up Rebekah and Aliya and bring them back to our house until 5:00 when Aliya's aunt picks her up.

I got home at 4:15 and felt like a total wimp! :) Supper was left overs!

This morning was church at 9:30. We were presented as new members today, which was pretty cool! My plan was to relax this afternoon which didn't really happen. But dishes didn't get done so I must have skipped out on some of my duties, eh? Stinkin' dishes always giving away my secrets!

Spring Thaw

Sending Ashley here for a weekend. Even though she isn't technically interested in any of these colleges, I think it'll be a good experience in broadening her horizons. We all need broader horizons... if I could figure out how to broaden my horizons for $50 for an entire weekend, I'd be in! :)

I almost took a picture of the sink tonight before I did dishes.

I was down with a headache for most of the day, and Grant was working at the library all day, so things piled up pretty good. I just didn't have the heart to document it. Where do dishes come from when one is not cooking?

Feeling better now though and managed to make big salads for supper, get the dishes done, make up 4 quarts of soy milk for the next few days, got the kid through the tub, made before bed smoothies and read her stories. Now all is quiet and soon the day ends. I hope tomorrow is more productive! It's a good reminder to appreciate the productive days and not take health for granted.

Grant's baptism

Today, February 2nd 2011, Grant was baptized at Faith Community Church in Ocean Shores, WA

Before we left the house for the baptism

At the church before baptism, waiting for the elders to arrive.

Ashley and Pastor Jim discussing church membership before the baptism.

Rebekah checking out the water. (It's warm!)

Pastor Jim reading scripture, with Grant and Arby looking on.

Before

Going down...

Coming up from the water.

It was such a nice morning. Special friends showed up and this church family is so supportive. I'm feeling very blessed that I have a husband who is working on his relationship with Christ in his humble quiet way.

In which Rebekah reads her own bedtime story

 We LOVE Mo Willems, he is one of those authors that parents can enjoy just as much as children. Rebekah checks out his books over and over again from the library. I think I read this book one time to her a few months ago, but she checked it out last week and has been reading it to everyone that will listen. Tonight she wanted to read it to me as one of her bedtime stories, and you know what? It STILL amuses me :)

Sorry, I forget that the camera should be held NOT on it's side, I wish there was a way to adjust the frame.