Wipe on - Wipe off!

We have officially started the sanding, staining and sealing part of the island install. Very exciting, but quite daunting! It's a big job and one mistake will really show or make us start again.


We are using a softwood called Hemlock, which in it's self is proving to be a little tricky to work with, so bloody sensitive. Yay, one more step to add to the process to make the wood cooperate, conditioning. We need to clean and wet the new wood, sand, condition/wipe-off, stain/wipe-off, sand and then finally seal...yikes!


Crossing my fingers we don't screw it up.


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Bounce time!

Today has been quite an active day for the boys. More so for Harry who had his first therapy session at LSA center this-morning. They have a wonderful set up there, with two huge motor rooms, plenty of room for jumping and swinging, climbing and building! He loved it!!


Next, off for some crazy bouncing for a friends birthday party. It was so much fun! The kids (& big kid) had a blast bouncing!!!


Harry had a blast playing with his girlfriend. They are so adorable together, so in love!!

Hanging out....

One thing I love most about being a mom, is watching the relationship between my boys grow. They are your typical brothers! They make each other cry, they yell at each other, throw things, annoy by just looking, blame mess, on the occasion even hit. But generally they are, loving, caring, compassionate, empathetic, helpful, sweet, loyal, helpful and generally they just love being around each other. They really are best buds and I know if anything happened to one of them, the other would have his back in a second!
Some of their favorite things to do together...

• Play Lego
• Watch Spongebob
• Share the same bedroom
• Play make-believe
• Build forts
• Ride bikes
• Play Star Trek
• Draw together
  
• Latest addiction is video games...oh boy!
  

Here is a sweet random moment I captured today! Gosh I love my boys...

Wordless Wednesdays!

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The year of the House

2008 was the year of DIY house projects! painting walls, installing trim, painting more walls, installing and upgrading seemed to be the theme.
2009 was the year of decorating! resulting in a home but also a house full of clutter and unused chauchkies!
2010 was the year of repairs! Fridge, floors, exterior painting, siding replacement, floors again, kitchen cabinets, exterior lighting, new fence built by grandad, repairs to irrigation system...etc
Well 2011 is going to be the year of purging, organizing and finishing projects! Time to finish up things from years passed.

This month we will be finishing the kitchen. We took the opportunity to reconfigure the layout and add more cabinets while the floors were ripped up last year. This weekend (not to interfere with the Seahawks playoff) we will be sanding, conditioning and staining the new kitchen island and trim. This will be just in time for the new granite to arrive next week...very exciting! After 8mths with no island, it will be so wonderful to have it back!!!
Will post some before and after pics in a few weeks.

Looking forward to a productive year and finishing these nagging projects from around the house!

My Mighty Mustang!

Today Thomas came home beaming from ear to ear! Waving a green piece of paper excitedly in my face!
"Mom, look what I won!!"
Mighty Mustang achievement awarded for Excellent Behavior!! Way to go Thomas! I am so proud of you baby boy for your hard work and great effort at school!





These awards are only given out to a handful of kids every month for the entire school. It is based on overall behavior throughout the month. The awarded kids get a certificate, their name in the newsletter and a special lunch with the principle!

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Steal of the day!

This is a Star Trek communicator or (perfect bribery for 8yr old!)


So the Steal of the day...
Original price $16.99
Sale price $13.57
50%off around $7.00
Rang up at $0.07
50% off $0.03
.....I'll take it! :)

And yes the Fred Meyer sales clerk sold it to me for three cents...woo hoo!

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First day of school for 2011

Harry came home today complaining of boring math work, excited about the star trek drawing he drew and even more excited to be home from a day that was too long! Do I really have to go back mom?



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Bikes, beanies & burgers!

Another perfect northwest, sunny winter day!
Today's adventure took us with a trunk full of bikes to Magnuson park. We love this park, with it's wide paths down by the water, over looking the snow caped mountains. Just perfect for kids who are learning to ride their bikes.
First stop though was a little unplanned. As we took a few wrong turns, we ended up driving right through the university district. Side detour and we decided to drive around the UW campus, showing the boys where the can go one day! Very exciting, especially for Harry who has been asking me lately, how do you become an engineer?


Next stop the park, ready for some ridding!
Harry on his new bike he got for Christmas and Thomas on his big boy bike with trainers.


It was so fun to see them both start out a little insecure and unsure on their wheels, to two little guys full of confidence and independence. It wasn't long until they were both out of there, tearing up the path and having a ball!
Even daddy had a turn of Harrys new bike...lol!
We had built up quite the appetite from all the ridding, throwing rocks in the water, climbing trees and chasing ducks. We decided to stop on the way home for some Burgermaster burgers, yum!








What a wonderful family day!!!
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Farewell Christmas!

I love having the house all chrissy'fied for the holidays! If I could, I would leave it up all year! It looks so joyful and always brings happiness to my heart.
But comes the day when it needs to come down once again...sob sob! Our last night enjoying our living-room lit by a soft warm glow from our red and gold decorated christmas tree. What will I do until next December?




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Happy New Year!! Our first adventure for 2011

Today we took the road less travelled and found a great little spot to go sledding! I think this will become our new annual family tradition. What a fantastic way to bring in the new year together!!

After taking this beautiful and scenic little side road, and after the hundredth pothole we decided to turn around and venture down the freeway a little more, that road was not the one for us!
The snow was starting to get thicker on the side of the freeway so we tried the next exit. What a little goldmine we stumbled across. A side street that was closed due to the season. It had a wonderful hill for sledding, it was still in the warmth of the sunshine, parking and it was free!!!


Some more of my favorite pics from the day....snow angles, snow men & gorgeous boys!


Those gloves just wont stay on...brrr!


Best thing about snow is throwing it at daddy.....


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A good night for tacos!

I think Somebodies hungry.....



After a fun winter-break day, of playing with your best bud. Beyblades, wii and legos!
There is nothing like yummy, cheesy tacos for dinner!


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Home sick and driving each other crazy!!!

Agh! Sick kids, stuck at home on winter break! Makes for one crazy time for all! Especially this mom, I feel more like a referee today than a Susie homemaker!

Here is a pic of today's craft....


Guess which one has a future in interior decorating...lol! I guess the tissue paper colors do scream Ikea. It's not like we go there all the time or anything! But I did think Ikea as I pulled out the colors too, great product branding :)
It kept the kids entertained for a good 30mins too! Now what to do with the rest of the day? They both want my attention and can't stand being in the same room as each other....help!!!


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My little snuggle bug!

At first I wasn't sure if it was just Christmas excitement burn-out or if he was really coming down with something? Well when he woke up thismorning his fever confirmed the later. My poor sick little guy! Thomas was full of love and snuggles today, just wanting some mama comfort.
While it was sad to see him so sick, the snuggles were the sweetest. Just when you think they are growing up and getting too old for hugs (and their mama) you are blessed with a little reminder how much they need you. There is nothing like being a mom and getting a snuggle from your babe!


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Can we build it? Yes we can!

This Christmas Thomas was in Lego heaven!
He had been asking Santa for months for truck Lego, police Lego, firetruck Lego...Lego! Lego! Lego! Anything Lego!
Well this year Santa gave him a skateboard...hahaha! Oops!
Lucky for him, mom and dad were listening too (ok so slight oops with pressie giving, but at the end of the day he didn't care, he got his lego!) oh, and a cool new skateboard too!
Thomas was thrilled to receive a yellow 18wheeler, a police wagon + bank robber and get away motorcycle. Happy! Happy day!



On a side note, I now understand, why as kids, our parents would always tell us to not open our new toys until the all the chrissy wrappings are picked up. Thomas was about to rip open a box only to have little pieces strewn all throughout the Chrissy day mess, never to be seen again!






We got him set up at the dinning room table where he could build away till his little heart was content. Such a happy boy!



To my surprise, he was doing great on his own, following the directions book and only asking for help on some fidgety bits.



Dave and I both took turns building with him. Pure, little boy happiness...gosh I love him!

A new bike for Harry!

This year was a year of a lot of firsts and wonderful accomplishments for Harry. One being the new skill of ridding his bike without the need of training wheels!

For the last few christmas's Harry has been begging us for a new bike. (But not just any bike, a blue bike that goes really fast!) Now that he is ridding without the trainers, not to mention looking pretty big on his little 16in wheels. We decided this was the year to buy him that new bike!



I don't know what is more fun or rewarding for parents... telling their child for months that if they behave Santa may bring them a bike! (Santa, the ultimate child manipulator) Or watching the efforts and helpfulness of a child so desperate for a bike that they come to love unstacking the dishwasher? Either way it was win/win for all!



Harry was beyond excited and grateful for his new bike (as you would've seen from a previous post). Dave decided that rather than purchase a pre-assembled bike. He wanted one that Harry and he would build together as a fun father son thing to do. It turned out to be a great way to teach Harry about the bike and how it works, plus helping him take real pride in his new bike!



Luck was on Harrys side toady as the rain had stopped the night before. I was a little worried that he'd have this great new bike and be stuck in doors, due to this delightful Seattle weather (thank you weather gods!) He was desperate to hit the road and try out his new wheels...so off he went!
(video ridding bike)
It took a few goes to get his confidence up. This bike is much bigger than his last one, it has no back breaks and his on tippy-toes when sitting. After a few little spills and a few tears he was back up and on his way.
"Mom, I want to ride my bike all day!" whoo hoo! Dave and I were so excited he didn't give up or let the insecurities take over. He fell off, got back on and kept going! What a great attitude, way to go Harry!
(pic of harry on bike)
While I am loving his confidence on his new bike, it is still hard for this mom to watch sometimes. Maybe I should've made him a Suit out of bubble-wrap too!


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Its a kangaroo on a stick!

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Wake-up! Wake-up! Wake-up!!!

To my surprise, I was the one wanting to scream this to the boys this year! 8am and I was up and ready for Christmas day. But where were the kids? Where was the usual screaming "wake-up! Wake-up! Wake-up!" from two frantic boys, dying to see what was waiting for them under the tree? Where was the screaming "what did Santa bring me?" I was the one wanting to jump on the bed this year, I was too excited with anticipation. I could not wait to see the boys faces as they opened their presents! But where were they?......Sound asleep!

Finally after what seemed like hours, waiting patently in bed for the boys to come screaming in...it came!!! "Mom, dad, it's Christmas! WAKE-UP!" what happened next really was a blur of running jammies and contagious excitement!! We got down to the tree and it was pressie time! It really is the most magical day of the year!

The first present that was given was from Harry. He had made it at school and had been dying to give it to us for weeks. (I loved that giving was the first thing on his mind, my sweet boy!)


Next, came the frenzy of flying wrappings, squeals of joy and the sound of ripping paper as they discovered their Santa gifts. Beyblades for Harry and a skateboard for Thomas, just what they had asked for, they were so happy and grateful!

They really did have a very lucky Christmas, with many beautiful new things. We bought Harry a new bike (blue of cause) and Thomas scored a bunch of Lego sets....both as happy as piggies in mud!

Christmas this year was priceless, giving spirit and gratitude was definitely in the air and my fav gift of all was watching the boys open their pressies and give to each other....beautiful!



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