Freak Out

So the Amazing Race premiered on Sunday the 28th. Remember I was so thrilled that the CBS web site promised full episodes available on-line, thus making the decision to forego cable much easier. So all day Monday (b/c it ususally takes a day to get the episodes up) I'm pumped, can't wait to get my jammies on, curl up in bed with Travis, and then have sweaty pits and palms watching Amazing Race!
You know how you aniticpate something all day, like a date with your husband and one of your kids gets sick, or the babysitter can't make it, and you're just crushed. Or you're totally ready for an amazing piece of wedding cake after waiting hours at a reception only to have it taste like poop or you don't even get one at all b/c the reception is like six hours and your babysitter was only hired for three.
Anyhoo, last night jammies are on, curled up in bed, and all CBS has to offer me are a few video clips of the show!!! I can't even really describe the disappointment/rage/this can't be happening to me feeling I had. I may sound over dramatic, but it was that serious of an incident to me. It's the morning after, and I still can't get over it. It's like a shadow looming over me wherever I go.
I wrote a strongly worded message on the CBS message board about what up with the no full episodes deal. Of course I made it witty, light. I want them to give me what I want, you have to play it cool.
We'll see what happens. In the meantime, I might just have to send my mom some cash for postage and DVD's so she can record it and mail it to me each week! You would do that for me right mom?

Birthday Season

Our three kids' birthdays are within two weeks of each other. Davey is September 26, Payton the 27th, and Jonah is October 8. It's a crazy time, I sometimes fantasize about what it'd be like to have birthdays more spread out so each one could have lots of attention. We developed a tradition where each child gets a party every other year and on the off years they get a special family day together. It's Payton and Jonah's off year and Davey's year for a bash. His birthday party is on Monday night, but Payton's we did celebrate yesterday.

She requested a pirate themed day and wanted a treasure hunt to go on. So I bought the "treasure" and Trav planned an elaborate set of clues that they had to follow one to the next to find the buried treasure.
What's a treasure hunt without a real pirate to send you off? I LOVE my husband. I love that he raided my closet for jacket, wore it bare chested, and presented the treasure hunt complete with a thick pirate accent and swagger. I love that he also walked up down the street wearing this watching the kids on their quest. I love that the kids were completely delighted by their father's bizarre antics.

And another pic for good measure.

There was a lot of excited screams, squabbling over who got to read clues, and Davey trying to keep up the best he could in his cowboy boots.

It was so fun to see the excitement grow as they got closer and closer. I don't know who had more fun, the kids, or us watching them.

Finding the booty!

Incase you can't tell, Payton's cake is a pirate's "treasure chest". It was a true labor of love, somewhat funky looking, but Payton was still impressed. Yay for her great imagination!

One birthday down, two more to go!!

The Woes of Farting Knees

I volunteer on Wednesdays in Jonah and Payton's classrooms. Today Jonah did not want to do any of his work that I was helping oversee. He kept saying he was too tired, he just didn't want to do it, and then he kept tearing up and rubbing his eyes. I kept feeling his forehead thinking he was sick, but he wasn't and by the end of the hour my t-shirt was soaked with his tears and he was very distraught with a pile of unfinished work building up beside him.
It's not always easy to figure out what's going on in Jonah's head. He didn't want to talk about what was bothering him. I was at a loss what to do! I didn't find out till the end of the hour that earlier this morning Jonah got a "card change" from green to yellow, and he was mortified. As crazy as he can get at home he works hard to be spot on for his teacher whom he loves and he was so embarrassed to get a reprimand. It turns out he got it for making the backs of his knees "fart" with his hands:), a new trick he only recently mastered. He did it a few times in class, got a warning, did it again, and then got the card change.
His teacher chatted with him and encouraged him and he rallied and finished his work. It was so sad to watch him hurt and struggle, but so sweet that it was b/c he wanted to do the right thing so bad! I love his teacher and I'm so grateful God gave her to Jonah for his kindergarten year. She's tender and meets him where he's at, but also firm. I wish I had totally just described myself as his mother just now! Jonah and I are constantly evolving in our relationship, he is my greatest teacher. I love my boy.

Me and Starbucks

I've probably drank Starbucks more these last five weeks than I ever have. What on earth? Before moving to Redding I maybe got Starbucks 2x a week at most. It's expensive, it's more like a treat than an essential. But I find myself at Starbucks almost every single day and yes, sometimes twice a day, with the whole "treat receipt" deal they got going. I just realized I've been four days in a row today with plans for meeting a friend there on Friday.
I was pondering on this transition of Starbucks from once in a while treat to my daily must have. What happened? My guess is that in a time of transition where everything about my life has changed except for having the same husband and three kids, Starbucks is my one consistent. No matter what kind of day I'm having or state of mind I'm in, holding a cup of Starbucks has always made me feel better. I think subconsciously I've sought out Starbucks so much b/c it's comforting and familiar when everything else is different. I guess it's cheap therapy, or maybe not. Such a bummer that my need for Starbucks has increased now that Trav doesn't work there anymore and we don't get any more fun discounts.

Payton's Live Dress Up Doll

Davey wears whatever Payton puts him in, but he's happiest in a skirt.

Thanks Lynn!

I eagerly await the opening of our Redding Trader Joe's with my new fun cook book in hand! February can't come soon enough...

Down Time

Last weekened was our first one off together in the last three weeks and it was AMAZING! So fun to just hang out and have nothing on the agenda. We marveled that for the first time in our 12 year marriage we will have regular weekends off together as a family, a whole two days in a row! It felt like a vacation.
We kicked if off with a bike ride along the river trail. Davey ate it face first in a pile of soft dirt. There's nothing dirtier than a kid that's rolled in soft dirt. I remember Hannah Boone and soft dirt one summer at high school camp...

We celebrated our ride with a litte jamba juice. Has anyone tried the matcha shots? Yum!

We've hit Weinerschnitzel for dinner two of the three Saturdays we've been here in town, and I think it might become a weekend tradition with us. To have one meal a week where no one's complaining is priceless. The kids dig the ice cream guaranteed after.

We headed to Whiskeytown Sunday morning. It was perfect, hardly anyone there, the kids were happy, it was peaceful. The big focus for the kids is to swim out to this raft. Trav was a champ and and took the kids out four times. I tried once. I got in up to my knees and wimped out in the cold water. Trav's a better person than I am.

Davey and I got some cuddle time on the beach.

I love this picture b/c there was a time when Jonah would never have let Davey sit on him like this. More and more Jonah lets Davey snuggle and wrestle with him. It is SO gratifying to watch after years of Jonah trying to avoid Davey at all costs. They're getting to be buddys now. Maybe it's b/c they're roommates and there's "no girls allowed" anymore.

Good times. You feel more ready for a busy week after a bit of rest and hanging together!