Following in mommies foot steps....
New Blog by the boys

Harry loves seeing all the stories I blog of him and Thomas. When I tell him that I write down all the stories of the many adventures we have together or the stories he brings home from school, he gets very excited and loves it when I read them to him.

He asked me if he could have a blog too and how it works. So we came up with the idea of having a blog that Thomas and Harry write (with my help). This new blog will contain only stuff that they want to share with everyone. This will be from their own words and perspective.

We called it Tom and Harry's Playlist. I don't intend to do much writing on this blog, unless they ask me too write their stories. It is mainly going to consist of video's, songs, links to things the boys likes (and dis-likes) Photo's and anything else they want on it! Its a total experiment and could be quite interesting or just completely full of power ranger stuff...lol!

Harry and Thomas have both blogged their first blog. To check it out visit.....

http://tomandharrysplaylist.blogspot.com/

Enjoy =)

One day to go....

I am so excited, Dave is coming home tomorrow, I have butterflies in my tummy!
During the first few years of our marriage, when Dave would return home from work in the evenings, I would hear his car pull into the garage, I would get so excited and that is exactly how I am feeling now! I have missed him so much, (ok, so this is totally clique) but absence does make the heart grow fonder! Its a good feeling, knowing that after 10yrs of being together you can still feel the same way you did when you first met.
I can't wait to hear the sound of a Taxi pull into the drive tomorrow night...the anticipation is killing me!

Some randomness about today....

Harry laughed so hard that it gave him the hiccups
Thomas ate 4 packs of peanut butter ritz bitz and left all the crackers, must have been some good peanut butter in those things
Harry had an x-ray of his shoulder today and is now convinced he is a skeleton in disguise
Thomas not liking something Harry did and tells Harry "Time out Harry!"
Harry is really into making books at the moment, you guessed it, Power Ranger books
Thomas loves singing the theme to Speed Racer...Go Go Go, Go Go Speed Racer!

I am sitting at home still without a voice, its slowly coming back. Funny how it goes again after the kids get home from school!

2 more sleeps until Dave gets home.....can not wait!

Photo's with Little Monkey Photography....

I think it has been at least 2 yrs, maybe longer since we have had a family photo taken.
In saying that the only professional ones we have ever had are either with Santa or dressed in western gear for a cheesy period photo. So when this opportunity came along I just knew we had to take it!

Leya, friend and owner of Little Monkey Photography (also the best photographer I know). Planned a unique Holiday photo shoot. For one whole day, I think starting around 8am and going through till 5ish, we could book a 30min shoot with her, just enough to get a shot to use on a holiday card and finally get that elusive family portrait that has us all in it (minus Santa). This was just the perfect length for my boys, really any longer and I think they would have been more trouble than what they already were....Harry insisting on posing like a Power Ranger and Thomas running off every chance he got.
Thank god for the plastic chicken, that really got their attention and made them laugh.

I will post the shots when we get them, can't wait to see how they turn out! Thanks again Leya

Pumpkin Time....
Our annual Fall outing to a local pumpkin patch!

Rain boots, snugly warm coats and sunglasses were needed for today's adventure!
One of my favorite things to do as a family is our traditional pumpkin patch day! The weekend before Halloween (or when Dave is in town)
Together we go sloshing through mud puddles, down bumpy paths with the wheelbarrow which either contains kids or pumpkins to reach the field of pumpkins. We have so much fun running around trying to find the perfect little family of pumpkins to greet trick or treater's at our front door.

I have so many favorite pics from the day, but this one really captures the sweetness of family together....Harry was asking Dave about pumpkins and why some are big and some are small!

We each pick out a pumpkin, this year it was hard as there were so many wonderful pumpkins to choose from, thousands and thousands!!! Harry had his heart set on a green pumpkin, which was a little trickier to find, he was very excited when he finally found it. He's so funny, he didn't want one with mud on it...good luck finding that in a muddy field!
Thomas was more interested in playing in the dirt, well there's a surprise! Thomas had brought some cars with him and was totally content just sitting in the dirt playing, while the rest of us ran around obsessing over pumpkins.
We took the camera and as always had a bit of amateurish photographer fun.

Another weekend another Adventure....
Jungle exploration - Seattle Arboretum

When we woke up this morning Harry was shocked to see the sun....Mommy its summer! Oh only if that were true. But today we had the next best thing, a beautiful clear, sunny Fall day. A freezing 36 deg when we woke up at 8am, but yay a sleep in!

During breakfast I asked the boys what they wanted to do today, not much response. OK boys what adventure should we have today? Wow the excitement that filled the room. Harry shouts out "An adventure, cool!" Harry as you know is obsessed with Power Rangers - Jungle Fury, so what else do you do when you are blue power ranger but want to go to the jungle.
All I could think about was the Seattle Arboretum, perfect! I get to look at plants and enjoy the beautiful surrounds while the boys get to feel like they are exploring and having a fun jungle adventure.

I have to say I really love these special times with the boys, where we are not rushed to be somewhere, or have any type of agenda. Its just about us having some fun and enjoying each others company and surrounds. Really helps you stop and look at the little things about my boys, when they laugh and giggle and get excited about finding acorns on the ground or red leaves on a tree that looks like a monster.

Some of our favorite things from today's jungle exploration.
Walking the many winding trails that took us through a huge redwood grove, an enchanted forest with moss hanging from the monster trees and walking a trail that took us down a huge set of steps to a trolls bridge.
Chasing squirrels up the trees and laughing when the squirrel dropped an acorn on my head.
Stomping in the mud and on the many mole hills.
Collecting pretty leaves and rocks from the ground.
Taking it in turns to choose the direction in which to go and what path to take.
Talking about everything the boys see.

What a wonderful day!

Its slowly coming together....

Finishing my dining/lounge room

I have finalised the fabrics for my dining room chairs and cushions. I am going for a Whimsical French theme that mixes old world formal with contemporary transitional pieces.

The colors in the right photo are the more accurate colors. Reds, yellows and chartreuse.

I can't wait to see how it looks when finished, will post some photo's next week, fingers crossed!

We're going on a leaf hunt.....what a beautiful day!

We can't go over it, we can't go under it, we have to go through it....MUD, squishy mud! And that is just what Thomas did, repeatedly...lol! Not to mention sit in it. Thank god for rain boots and play clothes.

One of our favorite books is "We're going on a bear hunt!" and that kept coming to mind yesterday as we explored a nature path with our friends. What fun!

We had planned this trip weeks ago and it was going to take place rain or shine. We'll luckily we had the shine....whoo hooo! It was the most perfect, crisp, sunny Fall day. Blue sky and the chill in the air that says "wake up!" so refreshing.

Thomas and his buddy Derick in the woods playing chasing's

Our goal was to let the kids explore the beautiful Fall nature, collect leaves and branches etc to make an art work. It was a lot of fun, but like always Thomas was more interested in the dirt and running with his friends...such a boy!

Opps he forgot to keep his boots on, he now has wet, muddy socs....icky!

I LOVE Homework!

Harry had his first homework this week, he was so excited! It was so cute, only if he knew what his future held....years of saying "I don't want to do homework!" well that is if he takes after his mommy.

I felt like capturing the moment, something he can look back on in years to come! Yes Harrison you said it "I love homework!" Anyway, here is his work. The care and time taken was just amazing, I am so proud of him and his work, he really is doing his best...and Loving it!

When the family is together.....
Make the most of it!

Dave was finally home, the count down on Friday was killing me as I could not stop looking at my watch. Knowing that in so many hours I would be swallowed up in his arms.
6pm whoo hoo, time for Dave's plane to arrive. Come on boys lets jump in the car, Daddy has landed in Seattle! (Does it really take only 7mins to get to the airport? Opps....)

It was a love hate moment, the love of seeing my man, but yet the hate of hearing that they want him to go back. I could not bare the thought, so I quickly changed the topic.
The boys were beside themselves at seeing Daddy, big hugs all around, plus the catch up of weeks worth of missed high fives and knuckles from Harry. The battle for Daddy's attention on the way home was hilarious, I had never seen the boys, especially Thomas, want to talk so much. And of cause Harry did the latest Power Ranger updates.

Back home we decided that as we only had a few days before Dave would be off again, that we were not going to waste our time being domestic....ha!

We ate out for every meal, we went on fun day trips and spent special family time together. First off it was Maltby for breakfast at the famous Maltby Cafe, where the tables are barely large enough for the plates...my god they serve huge meals! Then it was off to Snohomish for some antiquing...too fun! Sunday it was to Issaquah for our traditional IHOP breakfast and then off to the Annual festival "Salmon Days" where we got to see the wild Salmon swimming up stream, quite a sight.
All up it was a wonderful family weekend, time spent together creating sweet memories. I tried to push aside the thought of Dave leaving again, and tried to just enjoy the then and there!

I have some photos to come from our weekend adventures, they are on Dave's phone, so honey feel free to post them here if you want (or have the time?)

What a Big Kindergartner!

Harry's 2008 school pic