...uh, I doubt any of you follow the sad excuse for a photography blog that I've sorta abandoned, sorta brought back to life...but I just changed the blog address for it...should you care. :)
it's now: dcpoulsenphotography{dot}blogspot{dot}com
the main reason??? The red chair is dying...and I can't figure out a small enough logo for those rare occasions of using one. LOL! (plus, if you google red chair photography, there's some iffy sites that register. yikes!)
Super professional, huh. :) Good thing I am not making any money at it. LOL!
Sometime in the next few weeks I might make a new header...and revamp some stuff...but for now...I'm tired.
Ahhhhhh...time for bed. Later.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Family Fun Run
Tanner is a member of the Idaho Falls Swim Team (IFST), the Piranha's. He loves it and is learning so much!!! As a 'team mom', I'm also learning a lot...like how to be a mom, and not a coach, and how to be supportive without nagging, and how to be more involved in the community, instead of just watching things happen around me. He has the most amazing coach, Coach Denise, who was also my coach when I went to Western Zones in Hawaii, nearly 10 years ago! We have missed her dearly since she's been away helping her son who was in a horrible motorcycle accident, and can't wait for her to get back in the water with Tanner!
Saturday was a Family Fun Run put on by the Eastern Idaho Public Health Department, promoting Miss Idaho Falls's platform of eating healthy and being fit. It was a great opportunity for the Swim Team to get out and get some publicity, hence the video link below:
Family Fun Run In Idaho Falls - Local News Story - KIFI Idaho Falls
Some of the mom's also got some cute pictures of the little kids that were there before it started, and snapped this awesome shot...
You can see me in the background, helping Taylor with his 5-sizes-too-big-tee-shirt. :)
We were excited to see our friends, the Waite Family, and they even won two raffle items!!!
Tanner was pretty crushed he didn't win a thing...he had his heart set on the pink girl's bike for my little sister (she's much too tall for the small bike, but it was pink, and he wanted her to have it!), or more importantly, the TRAMPOLINE!!!!! His fellow 4-year-old swim buddy, on the far left in the picture, actually won the trampoline...which brought a thirty-minute bout of tears...
Regardless of the tears, we had some good fun at the Family Fun Run!
What is YOUR FAMILY doing for fun this summer to stay healthy and keep fit???
Saturday was a Family Fun Run put on by the Eastern Idaho Public Health Department, promoting Miss Idaho Falls's platform of eating healthy and being fit. It was a great opportunity for the Swim Team to get out and get some publicity, hence the video link below:
Family Fun Run In Idaho Falls - Local News Story - KIFI Idaho Falls
Some of the mom's also got some cute pictures of the little kids that were there before it started, and snapped this awesome shot...
You can see me in the background, helping Taylor with his 5-sizes-too-big-tee-shirt. :)
We were excited to see our friends, the Waite Family, and they even won two raffle items!!!
Tanner was pretty crushed he didn't win a thing...he had his heart set on the pink girl's bike for my little sister (she's much too tall for the small bike, but it was pink, and he wanted her to have it!), or more importantly, the TRAMPOLINE!!!!! His fellow 4-year-old swim buddy, on the far left in the picture, actually won the trampoline...which brought a thirty-minute bout of tears...
Regardless of the tears, we had some good fun at the Family Fun Run!
What is YOUR FAMILY doing for fun this summer to stay healthy and keep fit???
Thursday, May 19, 2011
{10 Months}
I can't believe this little boy of ours is growing so quickly!!! I have been soaking up all his fun antics, as I sorta missed out on Tanner's and Taylor's at this age because I started student teaching or working.
He still isn't crawling, but he sure does know how to get around FAST! He has also figured out how to push open the screen door if I leave the front or back doors open for a breeze...and follows his brothers around like a little puppy dog.
He has three teeth with a fourth coming in on top. It will likely be a beaver tooth like the other top one (like his mother's) and is probably the reason for everyone's lack of sleep lately. Poor baby! I've slept on the couch the last two nights, because he just wants to be held. I think I need to visit the chiropractor. LOL! My back is killing me!
He loves to eat, not only baby food, but macaroni and cheese, cut green beans, and cheerios. He's also gotten a fairly good sampling of chocolate chips, ice cream, and goldfish; not to mention every little crumb or scrap of paper or book that gets left on the floor.
Since we're down to just two nursings a day (morning wakeup and at bedtime) my life has become a little easier...and more comfortable. :) Kortlen refuses a bottle, but loves his sippy cup; he mostly uses it to sip from and throw. Still working on getting him to drink more from it!
Kortlen loves playing with books and anything he shouldn't have, like marbles, Legos, the black fuzzies from daddy's socks, and dryer sheets. He especially loves throwing and chasing ANY ball! Back to the 'little puppy' antics.
We love our baby Kort'w'en so much! He is a darling, and still pretty easy-going. Though at church on Sunday I didn't think I'd be able to hold him down, he was such a wiggle worm! I think once he figures out the crawling thing, he'll hit the ground running, and I'll REALLY have my hands full!
Little quirks
He still isn't crawling, but he sure does know how to get around FAST! He has also figured out how to push open the screen door if I leave the front or back doors open for a breeze...and follows his brothers around like a little puppy dog.
He has three teeth with a fourth coming in on top. It will likely be a beaver tooth like the other top one (like his mother's) and is probably the reason for everyone's lack of sleep lately. Poor baby! I've slept on the couch the last two nights, because he just wants to be held. I think I need to visit the chiropractor. LOL! My back is killing me!
He loves to eat, not only baby food, but macaroni and cheese, cut green beans, and cheerios. He's also gotten a fairly good sampling of chocolate chips, ice cream, and goldfish; not to mention every little crumb or scrap of paper or book that gets left on the floor.
Since we're down to just two nursings a day (morning wakeup and at bedtime) my life has become a little easier...and more comfortable. :) Kortlen refuses a bottle, but loves his sippy cup; he mostly uses it to sip from and throw. Still working on getting him to drink more from it!
Kortlen loves playing with books and anything he shouldn't have, like marbles, Legos, the black fuzzies from daddy's socks, and dryer sheets. He especially loves throwing and chasing ANY ball! Back to the 'little puppy' antics.
We love our baby Kort'w'en so much! He is a darling, and still pretty easy-going. Though at church on Sunday I didn't think I'd be able to hold him down, he was such a wiggle worm! I think once he figures out the crawling thing, he'll hit the ground running, and I'll REALLY have my hands full!
Little quirks
- loves to wave if waved to
- when eating, he is so excited that he frantically waves his arms...but when we say "put your arms down" he does...then opens wide for the next bite
- when playing, he enjoys laying on his back, with his feet propped up on me, the piano, the wall, the couch, the rocking chair...anything!
- The binky is a must...because I.am.not.a.pacifier.
- picks up cheerios or any small item with either hand, concentrating to pinch it with his pointer and thumb, the throws it in his mouth...makes us laugh every time!
- would rather have my food than baby food
- loves singing, and talking, and is finally saying ma-ma-ma-ma
- favorite time of the day is bath-time...you should see his arms flail!!! I am usually soaked after bathing him...then soaked all over again when big brothers join the fun
- loves to blow raspberries with his lower lip jutted out....something that Tanner and Taylor taught him. He really like to do it right after I put a spoonful of food in his mouth
- when set down on the floor so I can attend to 'something else', he throws a royal fit, usually throwing his whole body backwards. I have the feeling he's a mama's boy.
Ooooooooooh, boy!
I have JOY!!!
Today was my last day teaching Tanner's Joy School Pre-school class. Oh, boy. is right!!!
I have VERY mixed feelings about Joy School. I had mixed feelings when I started and those feelings have kindof swam around in my brain as I've tried to decide what I love and what I don't love about Joy School...
LOVE the rotation of teaching...I don't mind teaching or even preparing, so the fact that I only had to do it maybe once a month is a plus. Taylor loved participating when it was at our house.
LOVE the laid-back-ness...If something doesn't fit in or there are kids throwing a tantrum, it's not hard to change it up a bit and do something else. I had to do this nearly every lesson, and for the most part, it all worked out.
LOVE that all the lessons were on-line for me to print...if I needed a copy, I didn't have to run any where, just printed the exact page I needed. Even though I ended up printing EVERY lesson so I have a hard copy (school supply nerd!) I still used the online just as much though.
LOVED what Tanner learned. I feel like he has really blossomed...would he have without Joy School? I don't know; but I really like the values and principles that were taught and have seen some of what he's 'learned' come out in every-day play and every-day conversations.
MEHHHHH about the lesson plans. I liked the overall 'themes' that the Eyers started with, but lets be honest...I didn't follow every lesson plan to a "T"...some of those stories and activities were just boring...but then back to the flexibility....then back to the age-group (3-5 yr olds) and then back and forth and back and forth.
MEHHHHH about the lack of updatedness (is that even a word? LOL!)...I'm pretty sure that if they're charging what they're charging for a membership and fees that it's affordable to update the handwritten music and scratchy recordings, old school images, and whatnot. Just my personal opinion.
In fact, all of those are my opinions. So whatever. I tried to overlook the downsides because they were things I could change if I wanted. :) I just have so much joy that we (Tanner and I) made it through the year. It was a good enough experience that I'm considering doing it again with Taylor...we'll just have to see.
We are not going to be around when the Joy School does the Graduation Party, but I still offered to help in any way I could...So I made mortarboards and tassels for Tanner and his friends.
They turned out WAY better than I had thought they could.
One mom was saying she 'normally' sews them, and I probably would have, but cardboard is just so much easier...and after thinking about the time and money I could spend and how long they were going to last, I just decided to go the $4 all together route and do poster board. For reals...Super Easy!
We plan to do a little Graduation Party of our own at my parents' house with my sister who is also graduating...from HIGH SCHOOL! Ack! I'm getting old.
Here's our graduate:
Today was my last day teaching Tanner's Joy School Pre-school class. Oh, boy. is right!!!
I have VERY mixed feelings about Joy School. I had mixed feelings when I started and those feelings have kindof swam around in my brain as I've tried to decide what I love and what I don't love about Joy School...
LOVE the rotation of teaching...I don't mind teaching or even preparing, so the fact that I only had to do it maybe once a month is a plus. Taylor loved participating when it was at our house.
LOVE the laid-back-ness...If something doesn't fit in or there are kids throwing a tantrum, it's not hard to change it up a bit and do something else. I had to do this nearly every lesson, and for the most part, it all worked out.
LOVE that all the lessons were on-line for me to print...if I needed a copy, I didn't have to run any where, just printed the exact page I needed. Even though I ended up printing EVERY lesson so I have a hard copy (school supply nerd!) I still used the online just as much though.
LOVED what Tanner learned. I feel like he has really blossomed...would he have without Joy School? I don't know; but I really like the values and principles that were taught and have seen some of what he's 'learned' come out in every-day play and every-day conversations.
MEHHHHH about the lesson plans. I liked the overall 'themes' that the Eyers started with, but lets be honest...I didn't follow every lesson plan to a "T"...some of those stories and activities were just boring...but then back to the flexibility....then back to the age-group (3-5 yr olds) and then back and forth and back and forth.
MEHHHHH about the lack of updatedness (is that even a word? LOL!)...I'm pretty sure that if they're charging what they're charging for a membership and fees that it's affordable to update the handwritten music and scratchy recordings, old school images, and whatnot. Just my personal opinion.
In fact, all of those are my opinions. So whatever. I tried to overlook the downsides because they were things I could change if I wanted. :) I just have so much joy that we (Tanner and I) made it through the year. It was a good enough experience that I'm considering doing it again with Taylor...we'll just have to see.
We are not going to be around when the Joy School does the Graduation Party, but I still offered to help in any way I could...So I made mortarboards and tassels for Tanner and his friends.
They turned out WAY better than I had thought they could.
One mom was saying she 'normally' sews them, and I probably would have, but cardboard is just so much easier...and after thinking about the time and money I could spend and how long they were going to last, I just decided to go the $4 all together route and do poster board. For reals...Super Easy!
We plan to do a little Graduation Party of our own at my parents' house with my sister who is also graduating...from HIGH SCHOOL! Ack! I'm getting old.
Here's our graduate:
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
We rocked it!
We went on a very refreshing and very exhausting bike ride this afternoon. We started out with one thing on the agenda...
A decent picture for the boys' room (Not sure we were successful, but whatev...maybe I'll just do small prints. LOL!).
Then fed the ducks, er, I mean geese:
While Kortlen got a better view in the big boys' seat.
And then threw rocks in the river a few miles down:
While baby brother slept:
We I decided to take the long way home so we could go vote and so I could put on a few more miles for this week. Our quick trip quickly turned into a FIFTEEN MILER... Over rocks and gravel and off-roading through a sandbar, not to mention carrying bikes and trailers over a cement barrier on the dead-end we thought was a shortcut. *breathe!* And because I am so awesome, I'm going to toot my own horn and let you all know that I had all three kids behind me. One in a seat and two in the trailer.
And WE ROCKED IT!!! Totally rocked it.
A decent picture for the boys' room (Not sure we were successful, but whatev...maybe I'll just do small prints. LOL!).
Then fed the ducks, er, I mean geese:
While Kortlen got a better view in the big boys' seat.
And then threw rocks in the river a few miles down:
While baby brother slept:
And WE ROCKED IT!!! Totally rocked it.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
{I am a Child of God}
***pause the music on the sidebar...you'll thank me later***
Saw this uplifting video this morning as I was preparing for Singing Time. I get to substitute as the Primary chorister today and am super excited! We're learning Hymn 27, Praise to the Man. Such a powerful and mighty song. We're going to sing with gusto and reverence and love every minute of it!
Plus I just painted my fingernails a bright red and fit into a skirt I haven't worn for 3 years!!!
It's a good day.
I'm so grateful for the knowledge that I have of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that I am a Child of God and that he loves me. My heart is full of gratitude to Him for blessing me with such a wonderful and beautiful little family. How wonderful it is, that if I do my part, I can live with them for Eternity! I know that we are His children, and that He knows us and loves us and wants us to return to live with Him.
I am a Child of God. And so are you. I hope you enjoyed this little video.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Spring Sweetness
Yesterday I had a post brewing in my head titled "that *damn* bird" but then never got around to writing it...
Needless to say, she/he came back, again, and pecked themselves right through the trusty old screen I put up! BLAST! Literally...If I was a good shot, I would have blast the darn thing to high heaven...I was SO tired of having to empty their nest just to dry my clothes! Talk about persistence.
Kortlen has three teeth. Three months BEFORE Tanner and Taylor got teeth! Poor kid. It's been rough on us all. Last night I pretty much just walked with him around the apartment from 10:30 - the alarm went off this morning at 6:30. We had a 'date' with some friends to go to the temple, and despite the havoc those teeth are creating on our sleep, we went and had a very nice morning.
We also went on a fabulous bike ride and picnic today with some very awesome friends. Besides the fact that Ryan and I had a few hiccups getting to our meeting point (there are instructions manuals for putting things together for a reason...), we had a really good time. For the first half, which is all up-hill, I pulled the trailer AND had a kid in the seat behind me...I got so plum tuckered out that I made Ryan hook the trailer up to his bike. My fatigue probably had something to do with the fact that I couldn't wait to get to the awesome new park so I 'power rode' for as long as I could. LOL! Next time I'll chill a bit more and just enjoy the ride...and try harder to avoid pedestrians with my long load. :)
I think I've mentioned it before, but this bike riding will be GREAT exercise this summer!!! I can't hardly wait till Monday rolls around so we can go for another ride. :) A girl has got to rest on the day of rest...and give the tush some time to recuperate...or get a softer bike seat. Wowie!
Anyway, the baby boy is growing like a weed...learning so much, and thinks he can eat anything and everything I have in front of me. Right now he has chocolate drool all over him...and me. Little stinker!
I also have a little Hiawatha running around. For some reason, Taylor thinks that it's too hot to wear a shirt, and he now runs around with a tan little back and loin cloth. What's he gunna do when July and August roll around? He's going to melt. That's what.
Tanner has been learning his phone number...and it's still a bit shaky...so if you see my lost child anywhere, please just call me...I am not real confident his his number/memory skills today. But we're working on learning some of those essentials before the summer is over. Remember the "Safety Kids" and their "I know my number" song? Yeah. We've been singing that for two days straight, but we just can't seem to get all the sixes and twos in the right order.
Ryan had a job interview on Thursday, and they liked him so much they called for a second interview for Friday! Problem is, he's too smart, has too much education, and is too hot to work for them (seriously). We have yet to hear back from them (they were supposed to call yesterday) so I think we're staying where we're at for a while. Darn. I was looking forward to a $2 raise.
I took some REALLY FUN engagement pictures yesterday...Can't wait to get them posted! Super fun and I tried some 'new to me' locations. :) Stay tuned to see a very happy couple and a very happy little boy!
Needless to say, she/he came back, again, and pecked themselves right through the trusty old screen I put up! BLAST! Literally...If I was a good shot, I would have blast the darn thing to high heaven...I was SO tired of having to empty their nest just to dry my clothes! Talk about persistence.
Kortlen has three teeth. Three months BEFORE Tanner and Taylor got teeth! Poor kid. It's been rough on us all. Last night I pretty much just walked with him around the apartment from 10:30 - the alarm went off this morning at 6:30. We had a 'date' with some friends to go to the temple, and despite the havoc those teeth are creating on our sleep, we went and had a very nice morning.
We also went on a fabulous bike ride and picnic today with some very awesome friends. Besides the fact that Ryan and I had a few hiccups getting to our meeting point (there are instructions manuals for putting things together for a reason...), we had a really good time. For the first half, which is all up-hill, I pulled the trailer AND had a kid in the seat behind me...I got so plum tuckered out that I made Ryan hook the trailer up to his bike. My fatigue probably had something to do with the fact that I couldn't wait to get to the awesome new park so I 'power rode' for as long as I could. LOL! Next time I'll chill a bit more and just enjoy the ride...and try harder to avoid pedestrians with my long load. :)
I think I've mentioned it before, but this bike riding will be GREAT exercise this summer!!! I can't hardly wait till Monday rolls around so we can go for another ride. :) A girl has got to rest on the day of rest...and give the tush some time to recuperate...or get a softer bike seat. Wowie!
Anyway, the baby boy is growing like a weed...learning so much, and thinks he can eat anything and everything I have in front of me. Right now he has chocolate drool all over him...and me. Little stinker!
I also have a little Hiawatha running around. For some reason, Taylor thinks that it's too hot to wear a shirt, and he now runs around with a tan little back and loin cloth. What's he gunna do when July and August roll around? He's going to melt. That's what.
Tanner has been learning his phone number...and it's still a bit shaky...so if you see my lost child anywhere, please just call me...I am not real confident his his number/memory skills today. But we're working on learning some of those essentials before the summer is over. Remember the "Safety Kids" and their "I know my number" song? Yeah. We've been singing that for two days straight, but we just can't seem to get all the sixes and twos in the right order.
Ryan had a job interview on Thursday, and they liked him so much they called for a second interview for Friday! Problem is, he's too smart, has too much education, and is too hot to work for them (seriously). We have yet to hear back from them (they were supposed to call yesterday) so I think we're staying where we're at for a while. Darn. I was looking forward to a $2 raise.
I took some REALLY FUN engagement pictures yesterday...Can't wait to get them posted! Super fun and I tried some 'new to me' locations. :) Stay tuned to see a very happy couple and a very happy little boy!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Beautiful Day=Buttery Goodness
The title of this post might speak for itself, but I need to create a little picture for you...since I didn't take any until the END of the day. :)
Today was a beautiful day. Sunny, Bright, Fresh, and Beautiful. Even peaceful at times.
Kortlen spent two hours from 3-5 am trying to get me to play with him. If I wasn't so exhausted, I probably would have...he's so cute...but not at 3am. Despite that hiccup, I got to sleep in till 7:35am!!! Which is precisely the time Tanner can enter the water at the pool...So we were a few minutes late, but my short curly hair held up in the mayhem of a teething child and restless sleep, so we were good there...no wasted time getting ready (come to think of it, I don't think I got a shower today...darn).
With the brisk cool morning, I was all for a BIG bowl of brown-sugar-cream of wheat when we got back from the pool...but we all settled on a bowl of cold cereal, since there was milk in the fridge, but nowhere to set a pan to cook mush...(don't worry, my kitchen is clean now, and all the dishes are put away! Why do I struggle with that? LOL! My mother taught me way better than that!)
Ryan got home early from work, so I cut everybody's hair, including Kort'w'en's and we all got ourselves ready as fast as possible while dragging our feet and left to run errands - including: "GOJO Orange" for Ryan's hands...they're still BLACK from fixing the cars. That man quite possibly has the deepest grooves for oil and dirt to settle that it doesn't matter how long he soaks them - they look awful (and he has a job interview tomorrow!!!)...And finding a reasonably priced bike seat for one child to sit in behind me. The first one was missing a part, so we bought the same model, before realizing it's not going to work...won't attach to my bike, and won't support my heavy 3 yr old...or my baby's head if he uses it...so it's back to the drawing board. (sorry for the run-on sentences. I need to take an English class again.)
We have this sweet $25 phone plan through OfficeMax, that has internet...with no additional charges. I used it five times today WHILE running errands. FIVE TIMES! It was awesome. It saved us a good two hours in running errands when I could call up the store and find out they didn't have what we needed BEFORE driving all around town.
The most beautiful part of my day, was getting nap. Well, actually, passing another series of "Angry Birds" and then crashing on the couch. It was a race to see if I could finish the levels and get a nap in before everybody else woke up...and I was successful! Ryan even got a nap...and we all needed it.
Afterward we went for a walk around the neighborhood and lined up yet another dress 'fixing'...it will be the second dress this week, and I have another one coming tomorrow...but it should be fast and easy, should my children go to bed so I can work on it.
Ryan went to work and I did ALL the dishes...I'm not just talking about the ones in the sink (actually, there were none in the sink...I had them all stacked and ready to go on the counter), I'm talking about EVERY DISH WE HAD USED last night and today was out...every dish in the cupboard had been used and was out for me to wash! Good thing I've got it down to a science and it only took fifteen minutes...I really want a dishwasher...but I'm really grateful I have hot water and soap, so I'll take it.
Finished that ugly chore and decided on Roller-Uppers for dinner. Fast, minimal dishes, and such a comfort food for me. Basically thin pancakes or clog-cakes smothered in butter and sugar, rolled up like a burrito...mmmmmmm!
I made sure to do THOSE dishes and clean up before we headed out on THE BEST PART of my day.
A fun-filled and happy bike ride!!
It started out just going to Tautphus Park, which is about 8 blocks away, but takes Tanner a good 20 minutes to pedal to. I really think if I could get him to ride WITHOUT the training wheels he could go faster, but he will have none of that. Anyway, so we get to Tautphus, and it's packed. I had a brilliant idea to bike to Community Park, a good mile away, because they have swings that Kortlen would enjoy.
I explained to Tanner what I wanted to do, and how long it would take and that it was kinda far away, but he said he'd do it...and do it he did!!! We made it clear over to Community Park, played, successfully got two boys to use the potty while there without major mishap (it's obviously been a problem in the past!) and we. had. a blast!!!
Tanner did WAY better than I thought he would, and didn't really have any trouble until we were coming home and kept hitting the curb just right, bucking him off his bike. I'm tellin' ya...those training wheels get in the way of so much fun! And just so you can be impressed, I Google Mapped our route...3.7 miles on a bike with training wheels and on a bike going super slow with a trailer. :) I'm so proud of my boys! I totally forgot water, so this was quite the feat!
So after a two hour bike ride, I was really excited to know that it's quite possible that we won't be limited by the dumb gas prices this summer...at least while going around town!
We ended the night with "The Incredibles" movie and a big bowl of popcorn.
Nothing like ending a fabulously beautiful day with buttery and salty goodness. Mmmmmmm!
A squirrel decided on a midnight snack of plastic on electrical wires about 10:30 which resulted in an hour power outage...so the boys went right to sleep...I didn't eve have to turn off the tv...poor little squirrel made that easy!
Today was a beautiful day. Sunny, Bright, Fresh, and Beautiful. Even peaceful at times.
Kortlen spent two hours from 3-5 am trying to get me to play with him. If I wasn't so exhausted, I probably would have...he's so cute...but not at 3am. Despite that hiccup, I got to sleep in till 7:35am!!! Which is precisely the time Tanner can enter the water at the pool...So we were a few minutes late, but my short curly hair held up in the mayhem of a teething child and restless sleep, so we were good there...no wasted time getting ready (come to think of it, I don't think I got a shower today...darn).
With the brisk cool morning, I was all for a BIG bowl of brown-sugar-cream of wheat when we got back from the pool...but we all settled on a bowl of cold cereal, since there was milk in the fridge, but nowhere to set a pan to cook mush...(don't worry, my kitchen is clean now, and all the dishes are put away! Why do I struggle with that? LOL! My mother taught me way better than that!)
Ryan got home early from work, so I cut everybody's hair, including Kort'w'en's and we all got ourselves ready as fast as possible while dragging our feet and left to run errands - including: "GOJO Orange" for Ryan's hands...they're still BLACK from fixing the cars. That man quite possibly has the deepest grooves for oil and dirt to settle that it doesn't matter how long he soaks them - they look awful (and he has a job interview tomorrow!!!)...And finding a reasonably priced bike seat for one child to sit in behind me. The first one was missing a part, so we bought the same model, before realizing it's not going to work...won't attach to my bike, and won't support my heavy 3 yr old...or my baby's head if he uses it...so it's back to the drawing board. (sorry for the run-on sentences. I need to take an English class again.)
We have this sweet $25 phone plan through OfficeMax, that has internet...with no additional charges. I used it five times today WHILE running errands. FIVE TIMES! It was awesome. It saved us a good two hours in running errands when I could call up the store and find out they didn't have what we needed BEFORE driving all around town.
The most beautiful part of my day, was getting nap. Well, actually, passing another series of "Angry Birds" and then crashing on the couch. It was a race to see if I could finish the levels and get a nap in before everybody else woke up...and I was successful! Ryan even got a nap...and we all needed it.
Afterward we went for a walk around the neighborhood and lined up yet another dress 'fixing'...it will be the second dress this week, and I have another one coming tomorrow...but it should be fast and easy, should my children go to bed so I can work on it.
Ryan went to work and I did ALL the dishes...I'm not just talking about the ones in the sink (actually, there were none in the sink...I had them all stacked and ready to go on the counter), I'm talking about EVERY DISH WE HAD USED last night and today was out...every dish in the cupboard had been used and was out for me to wash! Good thing I've got it down to a science and it only took fifteen minutes...I really want a dishwasher...but I'm really grateful I have hot water and soap, so I'll take it.
Finished that ugly chore and decided on Roller-Uppers for dinner. Fast, minimal dishes, and such a comfort food for me. Basically thin pancakes or clog-cakes smothered in butter and sugar, rolled up like a burrito...mmmmmmm!
I made sure to do THOSE dishes and clean up before we headed out on THE BEST PART of my day.
A fun-filled and happy bike ride!!
It started out just going to Tautphus Park, which is about 8 blocks away, but takes Tanner a good 20 minutes to pedal to. I really think if I could get him to ride WITHOUT the training wheels he could go faster, but he will have none of that. Anyway, so we get to Tautphus, and it's packed. I had a brilliant idea to bike to Community Park, a good mile away, because they have swings that Kortlen would enjoy.
I explained to Tanner what I wanted to do, and how long it would take and that it was kinda far away, but he said he'd do it...and do it he did!!! We made it clear over to Community Park, played, successfully got two boys to use the potty while there without major mishap (it's obviously been a problem in the past!) and we. had. a blast!!!
Tanner did WAY better than I thought he would, and didn't really have any trouble until we were coming home and kept hitting the curb just right, bucking him off his bike. I'm tellin' ya...those training wheels get in the way of so much fun! And just so you can be impressed, I Google Mapped our route...3.7 miles on a bike with training wheels and on a bike going super slow with a trailer. :) I'm so proud of my boys! I totally forgot water, so this was quite the feat!
So after a two hour bike ride, I was really excited to know that it's quite possible that we won't be limited by the dumb gas prices this summer...at least while going around town!
We ended the night with "The Incredibles" movie and a big bowl of popcorn.
Nothing like ending a fabulously beautiful day with buttery and salty goodness. Mmmmmmm!
A squirrel decided on a midnight snack of plastic on electrical wires about 10:30 which resulted in an hour power outage...so the boys went right to sleep...I didn't eve have to turn off the tv...poor little squirrel made that easy!
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