Flu

My body has been taken over by an alien intruder flu virus, these last couple days..

Be back to blog when I am back on my feet and the virus conquered!

The Week In Pictures

Milk Mustaches
Happiness

Content

Scoop

practicing some sewing

A renewed love of Thomas the Train

Changing

Ready for errands

Fridge love

Dairy Rehab is over. So is coffee rehab. It was a pretty mellow week.

Looking forward to the weekend.

I've been having a bit of spring fever. Flipping through gardening books, preserving summer bounty books, messing around with my camera, digging for vegan recipes, trying to learn a little french and starting to organize little projects all over the house. It's either spring fever or a 1/3 midlife crisis.

I'll take spring fever.

Updated Growth Chart

Since we missed the bus, once again this morning, we had some extra time before school drop off. It was a perfect time to measure the kiddos since it hasn't been done for awile.

Our results:

Greta: 4' 2"

yes, you read right! age 5 3/4 years

Fieldin: exactly 3' tall

age 2 years, 4 months

31 lbs.

I think he qualifies for my daily weight bearing exercise...

Dairy Rehab

So there is a reason, I haven't been blogging much. I am in Dairy Rehab.

Five days ago I gave up Dairy. All Dairy. Anything with a trace of dairy.

The withdrawal symptoms have been tough, I must admit, even ugly at times. Without going into gruesome details I am mostly suffering from random headaches(which I never get) some muscle aches, fatigue, a little nausea and more headaches.

I've always had issues with dairy products so this new dairy-free life was brought on mostly to stop what was a potential allergen for me and for better health. My other reasons are more for environmental and social issues( don't worry, I won't get into the details of those either!)

I am not a dairy hater. This was just a choice I made that I am very content with. As for my family, they have decided to go partly dairy free with me. If they decide it's not for them I totally understand.

Before I started, I ordered three dairy-free books for reference, spent a hour at the supermarket reading labels and another half hour going through our pantry.

So far it really hasn't been much of a life change except for withdrawal symptoms(seeing the light at the end of the tunnel!) and tweaking recipes.

I haven't had any dairy cravings. Actually seeing or smelling cheese or milk at this point is kinda gross.

As for now, I am hanging in there, drinking lots of fluids, taking it easy and looking forward to the next few days when I can finally say bye bye to dairy rehab and hello to a new way of eating.

And if you were wondering, I don't have to give up dark chocolate. I found certified dairy free dark chocolate at my local store. Chocolate I am not ever giving up. NEVER!!!!

A Pizza Hut

I've been catching up around the house this week. Luckily, I have a little pizza maker that keeps my energy up. This is his Pizza Hut. He draws circles in his pizza box and hands it to me. "you eat it" he says. "What kind of pizza is it?" "Burnt" he says. For most of the day all his pizzas are burnt. He giggles and laughs when I tell him he makes the most horrible pizza on the planet. With a very serious face, he gives me tiger, mash potato, "from the garbage can", dog bone, and once again "burnt" pizza. "I want my money back" I say. "No, you eat it". says the pizza nazi.

In other news, Fieldin has Greta questioning whether he really is Batman. He dresses like Batman, jumps like Batman, tries to fly like Batman... last night Fieldin said "I am Batman" Greta said she didn't believe him. He said" No way, I am Batman". Greta decided he couldn't be because: Batman doesn't wear Mickey diapers or have chunky cheeks. Plus Fieldin doesn't drive. "I fly airplane and copter" he said. Giggle giggle. While tucking Greta in she told me that Fieldin is not Batman and she isn't Wonder woman. They are not superheroes. "I guessed that" I said. She said "why?" " Because I am" I said....

Happy Friday Everyone!

I'm Baaaaack!

Back to the ol' grind today. Miss my friend Michel and her family! and that sunshine!

Happy to be back in Oregon with Jeff and the kiddos all refreshed!

With a box of fresh lemons from Michel's tree to remind me of California.

Around Here..and Some Exploration

We are over the excitement of the Tooth Fairy visit around here. Greta's 4 shiny quarters were burning a hole in her pocket so she bought herself a coloring book. She has another loose tooth so we may be getting another visit soon.

I will be taking a break from the blog for a few days. I am taking my first solo adventure in over 6 years. I need to remind myself I can still travel alone, which reminds me of my word this year..explore. I am very excited to visit a friend I have not seen in awhile and her adorable little boy. I am also hoping for a little sunshine along the way.

I will miss Jeff and the kids in a way I can't imagine but the break will be good for me.

I will be so lost without their talking and singing, being covered with stickiness, the smell of gross diapers, etc. I am afraid I am going to turn to a plane passenger behind me and ask"do you have everything?? check again!" out of habit. Or that I won't remember how to read a magazine in quietness. If any of you see a crazed woman running through the airport looking for her children..that will probably be me. A brief lapse of memory realizing I don't have children attached to me.

See ya in a few.

Toothless Wonder...

Miss Greta lost her first tooth right before school this morning!!! She was over the moon excited!

She'd been working on it for a long time. She was upset she didn't lose it on New Years, on 1-1-11. She actually did one better by losing it on 1-11-11! She ran to put her tooth away for the tooth fairy tonight and could not wait to get to school to be added to the tooth list and tell her friends! Happy Day Gret!

Only One Visit From A Paramedic...

and I am surprised there wasn't more. We went sledding with some friends Saturday. With 5 kids in the cold, we had our share of crying, melt-downs, crashes, whining and snack attacks, but all and all it was a fun day. Greta was the winner of the biggest crash and a visit to a paramedic on hand at the slope. We knew she was fine but it was more for her peace of mind. We thought she may get a shiner but this morning just a little snow scratch on her cheek.
Watching the tubers.

Daddy and Fieldin taking a run.

Greta and a friend scaling the hill.

snow angels while waiting for a sled.

Me and Greta taking a big wipe out. I love how everyone around is watching in fear...

A more calm run....After the last wipe out she said she would never ride with me again.... She went down the big slope alone. She was determined! It was quite the wipeout....

Hangin' in a snow cave.

scaling the hill. Greta was going to take a ride with Jeff.

Good fun. A good Snow Fix. And no major injuries. A success!!

On The 36th Year Of Your Life

Happy Birthday To You, cha cha cha.

Happy Birthday To You, cha cha cha

Happy Birthday Dear Jeff..daddy

Happy Birthday to you

Cha Cha Cha.

Cha Cha Cha( Extra Cha's from Fieldy)

Happy Birthday to you,

you live in a zoo,

Fieldy smells like a monkey,

and Gret eats like one too.

HA!

Love you. Happy Bowling day.

On The 35th Year Of My Life

I am enjoying my birthday.

I usually don't like my birthday but this year it feels very special and I am very excited to be 35. Which really surprises me...

First off, THANK YOU for all the Birthday texts, postings, calls, cards and rememberances.

I am so lucky to have all of you in my life everyday and love you all. You will never know how much I appreciate you all. I am a lucky gal.

Before I tear up.. onto the post.

The nice thing about an early January bday is that I get an extra fresh start with a birthday/new year combo pack. I have decided my birthday word this year is EXPLORE. Not just in the travel sense but I have lots of exploring to do.

Explore: my cookbooks, my fears, my dreams, my friendships, memories, country roads, language, my hobbies, books, asphalt, Saturday markets, beaches, mountain passes and metro spots. You get the jest. I can't wait. My kids are getting bigger and more independent. I need to explore within and find my self again. I hope this year proves to be a good journey.

I would love to hear if any of you have birthday words this year to share as they come around.

Much love everyone.

Jeff- Only about 8 1/2 more hours til' Birthday pass off.

A Little Effort In 2011

I am not a resolution person.

Nonetheless, I am going to try to do certain things more or less in 2011.

This post will be my reminder.

1. Floss- not because I've given into the nagging, because it is good for me.

2. Stop giving Fieldin yogurt to eat before errands. Finding strawberry yogurt dried in his hair at the grocery store is embarrassing.

3. Stop wearing workout pants when I am not working out.

4. Less mochas and lattes. How many times have you read this one on the blog?.

5. Learn how to cable knit.

6. Stop staying up way too late reading, which will effect #4.

7. Cook more soup.

8. Plant more flowers.

9. Work on my imitations of Batman, barking dogs, sheep, Mickey Mouse and Cinderella.

10. Make it to the bus stop on time. One can dream.....

11. Draw. Paint. Get messy again.

12. Buy myself some new socks. Buy Jeff new socks since I ruined his.

13. Take more responsibility for filling my gas tank.

14. Sweep under the sofa.

15. Actually change the batteries in the kids toys. No matter how annoying they are. The toys I mean, not the kids...ahem.

1-1-11

The Babbitt Ball dropped at precisely 8:30 last night.

(Yes we do have a Babbitt Ball. It lights up but is no where near as impressive as Time Square.)

Jeff has the duty of lowering the ball by it's cord as the kid's count down from 10 and threw streamers. The kids loved it and so it was reenacted many more times.

Horn blowing. These horns were LOUD

Cracking..

Streamer Spectacular dance

Welcome 2011. We've been waiting for you!

When Life Gives You Sand...

You go sledding....

Not far from home we can find some snow to sled in but the kids voted to go to the beach and sand sled. The sand wasn't as wet as we hoped so we didn't speed down the hills like in snow, but we did have fun and I think it was much safer and warmer...

A beautiful day to say goodbye to 2010.

You won't be a forgettable year, that's for sure...

Heading out from visiting the tidepools.
Sleepy pudge.

After a lunch, heading to the dunes.

Our sled hill

daredevil

Heading to the dunes.

Lovey's

Sand angels.