I'm baaaaaaack!!

Ok, ok. I have been terrible about updating this blog. Facebook is where all the action is at now! But blogging is nice since I can go into more depth than I can with my FB updates.

I'll not try to catch up, but just get started again. First thing is first: Lasik. Didn't do it. In the end I couldn't justify spending $4k on my eyes when contacts work nicely. I still want to do it, so maybe sometime in the future.

Second: I am going back to school. Well, hopefully. I haven't finished my application, but I am working on it. Classes start July 6th. It is a distance learning Masters Health and Nutrition Education program. I am VERY excited! With my new macbook in hand, all should go swimmingly... (note: head in clouds, ignoring until necessary how difficult it will be to study and be a full-time mom). I will keep you all posted as it progresses.

Third: Macbook. YES!! Finally! Our home PC crashed and this time I said we are getting a mac. I have been wanting one FOREVER and am totally in love with this machine. Is it wrong to love a machine? I don't know. I don't care. I do love it. The kids are not allowed to touch it. Andy barely even gets to use it. He is so jealous.. ;)

Fourth: The kids. Riley has her last day of preschool for the year on Thursday, and Liam is finishing up Kindergarten in June. This year has flown! Sort of...actually it's been pretty difficult with the preschool schedule, parent teaching, kindy schedule and volunteering. I will be very happy next year when Liam is in school all day and Riley has preschool 3 mornings a week. Charlie is growing so fast. He is walking everywhere and working hard to communicate. When he wants to eat he says "Yummy?" "yu-mee!" So darn cute! I am going to try and get a video of him saying it. He also days "dit-ty" which means kitty, doggy, monkey, etc. Basically anything that he thinks needs the two syllables.

Fifth: Summer. Andy and I are going to Bend for a few days at the end of June. Sans kids. Wow! Lynda and Larry have graciously offered to come down and watch the kids while we are away and playing. The kids are looking forward to a long visit from Grandma Lynda and Grandpa Larry - I hope they (the kids) go easy on grandma and grandpa. They can certainly be a handful.

LASIK - I'm doing it!

Well, I finally decided it was time to ditch the contacts and get LASIK. I scheduled my appt. for Friday, Feb. 13th. I have to wear my glasses round the clock starting Feb. 5th. (yuck!)

I am mostly excited - I really can't imagine waking up in the morning (or in the middle of the night for that matter) and having things be clear. I can't imagine not having to worry about packing my contacts, contact solution - but mostly it's just the seeing part. Those of you who know me well know that I have terrible vision. 20/-6.5 to be exact. My glasses prescription is worse, 20/-7.25. I have met a few people with worse vision than me. A very few. I am completely dependant on my glasses/contacts to see, which oddly enough is what has made me hesitant to have the surgery. Right now, my vision is correctable. I don't take clear vision lightly, and I thought that if anything were to go wrong, I might not be able to see at all. Scary thought! But, it seems that the technology they have now is extremely safe. The dr. yesterday said that there was not 1 recorded case of someone going blind from LASIK. Seems safer than the 3 epidurals I had during childbirth! I vaguely remember signing something while in labor to the effect of the possibility of paralysis from the epidural...

So that's it. I found a place, the 20/20 Institute. They are having a "sale" right now. I know, I shouldn't go cheap on my eyes. Well, this ain't cheap. But I feel like it's worth it. I have already been wearing glasses or contacts for 26 years now, it would be nice to have a few years of non dependance before I go the other way and need reading glasses. (Oh the irony!!) This place guarantees 20/20 vision or the procedure is free.

So, please be thinking of me on Feb. 13th (and yes, it's a FRIDAY.) Oh, and if you have any sucess stories to share, that would be great to boost my confidence. Thanks!

more recent photos

Snowed in, day ???

Today is Monday, what should be the first day of winter break. But thanks to the weather, school was cancelled all last week. To be fair, I think there were at least two, probably 3 days that I thought we could have easily gone to school, but it was not to be. There is so much snow outside, some drifts are probably easily two feet deep. It's not terribly cold - probably somewhere in the 20's, but it still snowing. Washington Co. has now required chains or traction tires for all 2 wheel drive vehicles, and even 4 wheel drive vehicles much have traction tires and carry chains. WA Co. has exactly six full-sized sanding trucks, four of which have snow plows. Local residential neighborhood streets are not plowed or sanded.
I know, I know, those of you reading this who live where it REALLY snows, are thinking we are a bunch of pansys. But, we have to remember that we live in a place where it doesn't usually snow, and therefore we are not at all prepared! We don't have chains (yes, some people do but WE don't). Riley doesn't have snowpants, Liam doesn't have boots. We don't have a snowshovel, so even though we have snow that is "shoveleable" (I just learned that word from Laura!) we can't shovel it. Where would we go anyway? We don't even have a sled. Luckily we live close to a grocery store, which I am pretty sure is open - I am sure they have at least a few people with the proper vehicles to get to work. I just got some awesome toasty warm boots that have been serving me very well in this weather. And, it really is beautiful. I love the snow! I love the silence of it. I love the white, covering everything. I love playing in it, building snowmen, sledding, skiing, etc. (disclaimer: not sure if I would love it so much if I had to live in it all winter long) Being in the snow brings back many good memories of growing up in AK and playing in the snow all winter long. The snow forts we would carve out of the snow that the plows pushed into a circle in our cul-de-sac. The time spent at my grandmas house, riding snowmachines, sledding, ice fishing. Walking to school in my moon boots and winter gear, getting there and having my hair be totally staticky (is that a word?) from my winter hat. Making snow angels, lying on my back, looking up at the sky, listening to the silence. I feel a little bit sorry for my kids, that they wont grow up with those kinds of memories, cause snow is FUN for kids! :-)

If this snow keeps up my kids are going to miss seeing santa. We already had to cancel our Santa breakfast plans with Lynda and Larry because I-84 was totally closed yesterday. My neighbor doesn't have any presents for her 4 kids yet, and while luckily I had done some shopping early, there are a few things that I ordered that I am not sure will get here in time.

I am going to just try and enjoy this unusual, beautiful weather while it lasts. Soon this will all be a distant memory, and we will have to go to the mountains to see the white stuff. Here are a few photos from our week:

20% off your first Barefoot Books order

Hello friends,
I am excited to offer 20% off your first order of Barefoot Books. Just click on the link to the left and it will take you straight to my webpage where you can browse and order. Barefoot Books partners with companies such as Putumayo World Music, Mudpuppy Press, and Folkmanis Puppets to offer music CD's, puzzles, games, and puppets. These items are wonderfully paired with Barefoot's selection of books, but can also stand on their own.

Please feel free to send this to friends and family, or anyone who might be interested in this great offer and these incredible books. Enjoy!

Barefoot Books

I first discovered Barefoot Books with Bear on a Bike when Liam was about 1. It was his favorite book, and I lost count of how many times a day we read it. Riley too loved that book, and now I am starting to read it to Charlie. The copy is tattered now, but it holds so many memories of special reading times with my kids.

Loving the books so much, I became aware of their Stallholder program. After much thought (MUCH though, considering I have been thinking about it since Liam was 1!) I decided to take the plunge and sell these beautiful books. They are wonderful, beautifully illustrated, books that celebrate friendship, family, and culture. Please check out my website for more information or to order some incredible books for the children in your life. I know you will enjoy them as much as we have!

Liam the rockstar

Here is a video of Liam playing the guitar and singing a song. He got the guitar from Grandpa Gary last Christmas, but we hadn't gotten it out until last night. Needless to say, I think he is in love. :-)

Liam said...

So the other day we were talking about the election. Liam said he wanted to be president.
Me: Well, you have to get people to vote for you.
Liam: Everyone would vote for me!
Me: Why do you think that?
Liam: 'Cause everyone loves my red hair!

I love it! :-)