Mothers Day

Mothers Day morning I woke up to my guys bringing me breakfast in bed. I guess Jack had got up pretty early so he and Randy could finish their little project they had been working on. Somehow they managed to make the "Biggest Card Ever" with leftover butcher paper for the move. It was really cute, they both wrote some really nice things to me and the front of the card was decorated with flowers and bunnies and pudgy little bumble bees. I teared up a bit, the card was all I needed to know special our little family is.
For breakfast they brought me a cappuccino, my favorite tulips, a chocolate croissant and according to Randy the most expensive orange juice he has ever purchased.

mother's day letter

As I was cleaning out Jack's folder for school this morning, I found a letter that I am sure was supposed to wait for Sunday... here is an excerpt from my favorite part:

"Thank you for makeing me a suday with stroberry souse it was very good. Thank you for the choclot strobery too!"

I am sure more is to come, but this morning as we were quickly trying to get out the door. It stopped me in my tracks and made me remember what an awesome little guy I have and motherhood is the best thing that has ever happened to me.

Spring Break Part 1

Jack's spring break from school is upon us and it couldn't be nicer weather. We spent the weekend out enjoying ourselves in the sun and visiting some of our favorite parks. Jack is a lucky duck and gets 2 whole weeks off this year. See... I messed up the dates of his actual break from school and made travel plans for the week he was supposed to start back. Whoops! Good thing his teacher happened to ask what we were up to for break, otherwise Randy and Jack would have had an interesting start to the morning today. Can you picture the teasing I would have taken if they would have actually went to the bus stop this morning? Ha!

Saturday we spent the morning doing a few things around the house and then headed over to the Grass Lawn Park in Redmond. Man it was crazy. Jack brought along his bike. We caught a little bit of a soccer match, did some biking and he practiced playing well with others.


Jack rock climbing

Sunday we had a later lunch and headed over to Peter Kirk Park in Kirkland. Jack and I spent many days at the park this summer as our temporary housing was right across the street. With the sun and all the families out playing it was almost like we were transported back in time. I sure do love that area - I think we would actually consider buying over there, maybe when the time comes. We also had time to grab coffee at our fave little place, St. James Coffee, still as good as ever.


Randy and I at Peter Kirk Park


Jack and I after a little biking


Jack & Randy


Jack - doing his thing

Today Jack and I officially kicked off our spring break together. This morning we had a few errands to run for our trip on Wednesday, after that we headed back over to the Grass Lawn and wondered around and played for awhile before heading back to our place. I decided to pack a picnic lunch of peanut butter sandwiches and mangoes and we headed out to the park behind the house for lunch and we did some puzzles in the sunshine (I even think I got a sunburn). All this sun has made me anxious for summer and I just can't wait for it now.

Weeknight Date

Jack and I had a Friday night date this week. Randy met some work buddies at a bar for a friend's going away party after work on Friday so Jack and I were on our own for dinner. I decided to turn it into a fun night instead of focusing on Randy not being home. While Jack was at school I picked up a painting project, some cupcakes and a copy of Free Willy to watch.

Jack and I started the afternoon with the painting project, we are working on a gift for someone's birthday that just so happens to be coming up next week. Jack planned out the whole thing (I'll post pictures later as I don't want to spoil any surprises) from the colors to what we should use to decorate it with. Then we sat down to breafast for dinner. Which just so happens to be one of our faves that Randy can't stand, so we took the opportunity and made Banana Peanut Butter Pancakes and coffee for dinner or brinner if you will. I made Jack a cup of coffee too, just like my dear sweet grammy used to make for me when I was little-- with lots of milk and sugar and just enough coffee to turn the milk color a little bit. Jack, was not a fan but he enjoyed the story and thought it was pretty funny that grammy would give me coffee when I was just a kid.





After eating we started Free Willy, it has been years since I have watched it. It was funny seeing all the Portland scenery and I found it fascinating that someone could ride their bike through downtown Portland and end up at the coast. Jack jumped when I did the first time when Willy came up out of the water at Jesse the first time they met. It was a pretty fun night and a good start to the weekend.

Hyenas and Cantinas

Today Jack's class learned a new rhyme:

"Silly Sally went to town backwards and upside down.
On the way she met a _____, a silly _____ and, they ___________."

The lesson was to pick an animal and a place that rhymed, on Jack's turn he picked hyena and cantina and came up with:

"Silly Sally went to town backwards and upside down.
On the way she met a hyena, a silly hyena, and they ate at a cantina."

His teacher and I are still wondering how he knows the word cantina. She asked him if he knew what it was and he told her, "Yeah you go there to eat food and drink stuff." I guess it is better then the little girl who rhymed caterpillar and killer... yeah serious, it happened.

Leprechauns

This week Jack had a little creative writing assignment in class. I thought I would share it because I started laughing out loud when I read it. I happened to be in the classroom helping out when I read it and his teacher looked at me and said, "Yeah I know, it was pretty funny right."

"How to Catch a Leprechaun"
By: Jack C Tidd (he uses his middle initial when he is the "author")
I will climb a tree then I will jump on the leprechaun! Then I will run very fast and hide in a bush. Then I will take his coat off. Then I will eat 100 bowls of Luck Charms cereal. I will eat 10 blue moons to make me invisible. Then I will say, "Gotcha".

This makes me wonder- does he think Leprechauns live in trees and how does he know about Lucky Charms cereal and the magic of the blue moon shaped marshmallows inside?

Suprise!!

Jack and I had the best surprise arrive at our door last Wednesday. My sister flew in from Chicago for an early birthday celebration. For those of you who don't know, my sister and I have shared the same birthday, even though we are 2 years apart. I've always thought it was the most wonderful thing, well maybe after the age of 12 I decided it was pretty cool to have that special day together.

We did so much while she was here and it was so much fun, Jack even had a snow day last Thursday so we got to stay home, play in the snow and hang out with Sarah all day to ourselves. Last weekend we went exploring in Seattle, Monday Sarah and I attacked Ikea and then attacked my apartment, I would not have done it without her pushing me to make better use of the space. Tuesday we bummed around in the Fremont and Ballard areas and decided Fremont is way better in our opinions as far as little shops to explore and bum around in.

Sarah and I had the best time, I really just enjoyed having her here-- I feel like the house is so quiet without her now.

How lucky am I to have a sister who I am so close to? Sometimes I feel like we should have been twins because that would describe our bond better, I feel like she is my other half and I wish there were words that were bigger then love and sister and friend to describe my Sarah... I love you and can't wait for tomorrow. Thank you so much for coming to see me and I can't wait to see you again.