Palouse...again.

Man oh man do I love it there!  My kids love it, the dog loves it.  It's so quiet and calm, the kids are happy happy happy and so am I, we missed Daddy but we had fun.  I sat outside with an ice tea and a book most of the time while the kids ran all over the yard.  I was able to read two books while there, which was just so fantastic.  There is no TV, sporatic cell and internet service and oddly or not so oddly life has never felt better.  We eat organic, sleep and relax the whole time.  My dad does amazing things with the kids.

 built a bird house

walked to the barn to feed horses

we rope swing

me too!

10 years since I saw this adorable momma!



played with her kids



ran in the hobbit trails

climbed the treehouse

chopped my hair...again






































My baby is off on an 8 day business trip and honestly throughout our 10 years of marriage and 12 years of togetherness we have only been apart a handful of times.  It's going to be a rough week, it really is.  I know I am going to cry when I say goodbye, I can't help it, I just love him so. 

waiting

I don't know about you but here in the Seattle area we are still waiting for summer to show up, it's July 21st and yet as I look outside I see grey clouds and fine mist coming down onto our wet grass.  Depressing?  I should think so but when life gives you grey raining skies in the middle of July there is only one thing to do...  take four kids and one grandma to see the movie Cars 2, smuggle in some popcorn and hang tight for most of the afternoon and pray that when we emerge from the dark movie theatre there will be light. There was indeed light and it was almost warm enough to put on swimsuits, almost!  The movie was very exciting, quite the cartoon spy thriller, definitely not as good as the first but fun nonetheless.  Theo was on the edge of his seat and Carter mentioned that she felt like she needed a seat belt on since it was so exciting and we didn't even see it in 3D. My fingers are crossed that summer will find it's way to Palouse so that the kids and I can see some sunshine in July, ride some horses and see some friends.  Thanks for all your prayers that the sun come out for Theo's party. At exactly 3:15pm (party started at 4) the clouds parted and we got sun all afternoon and we had a fantastic party, I am truly blessed with the amazing people we have in our lives that love my kiddo's and helped make Theo's 4th birthday so fantastic, Thank you!

a little peek at the movie : )

Theo turns 4!

Spiderman bike from Grandma and Grandpa!



one of my dearest Jo and her son Henry (who happens to be my very cute godson!)



4!

My boy turns 4 tomorrow, so I have been twirling in the kitchen the last few hours making this cake and cleaning the house just in case it rains (please say a little prayer for sunshine tomorrow at 4pm!) We are having a great big BBQ with lots of family and friends, my godson Henry and one of my dearest buddies will be here from Florida, we are EXCITED!  I am knee deep in potato peels for potato salad, basil for pesto pasta, and chocolate is wafting all throughout my house.  I love birthdays and I am so blessed that I have 2 beautiful kids that I get to throw fun parties for every year, how great is that?  I am sure I will posting lots of pictures of Theo's Spiderman 4th birthday BBQ but until then, look at this sweet baby, born 3 weeks early, 6 pounds 11 ounces at 3:27pm on July 16th 2007, 3rd best day of my life!

Pork Katsu

This is such an easy and yummy dinner!

you will need:
thin sliced pork cutlets
Yoshida's Marinade and cooking sauce (Costco)
vegetable oil
Panko
2 eggs
mustard (optional)
milk
garlic
rice (we like brown)

let oil heat in a large pan while you get the pork cutlets ready. In a bowl mix 2 eggs with a splash of milk and a squirt of mustard, add a bunch of chopped garlic (I like a lot of garlic) mix well then dredge pork cutlets in egg mixture, then in panko, coat both sides of the pork in the panko and add to heated oil, cook 5 minutes on each side or until done.  Don't forget to start your rice too!  After all the cutlets are made and cooled slightly, cut them into long slices, put over top of the rice, microwave some Yoshida's and pour over top.  So easy and so delicious!  I serve it with a side salad, it's big hit with everyone.

Pretty much loving the song Lazy Eye by Silversun Pickups, so fantastic, I can't stop listening to it!

Guess who gets to go to the best and most glorious place on earth? Nope, it's not me!  Jeremy gets to go to NYC  home on business for 8 days, I am so excited for him!  He will be gone the last week of July and since I can't bare to be without him, I am spending the week in Palouse.  Who wants to play?

Is this not one of the most beautiful things you have seen? AMAZING!

What's not to love?  Seriously, this picture actually excites me,  I miss crowds and crazy traffic!

Theo spent all day Saturday with my mom and her husband at the aviation air show, so Carter got to do some Theo birthday shopping, new car searching and an hour and half bike ride with Jeremy and I.  Okay, I actually skipped the bike ride and laid some bark instead but I know that Carter enjoyed her alone time with us and we enjoyed spending some quality time with her too!

denial

Theo turns 4 on Saturday (July 16th), we did some birthday shopping yesterday and I bought this,

looks like I am having a hard time accepting that my baby will be 4 years old.

oh sun, how I love thee!

The last few days have been glorious here, so very lovely!  Yesterday, the kids and I made up for months of rain by spending 3 hours at the whale water park with some fantastic friends.  It's so great to have kids old enough to just run around and then I get to chill with my mommy friends on a blanket.  We all keep tabs on each other's kiddos and 3 hours somehow flies by so quickly.  I did however get a little too distracted and only put sunscreen on my shoulders but missed my poor legs, they are bright red and super painful today, ouch!  Then today, one of the same mommy friends invited us to enjoy her pool, ahh yes it was divine!  Hello summer, I love you, red sunburn and all!

4th of July!

Unfortunately, the kid's were being super naughty yesterday so they lost the privilege to see fireworks live, but they did have fun anyways!  Carter made everyone flags and decorated the house and we watch the Macy's fireworks in NY on TV, which ended up being really fun, especially since I was able to enjoy them in sweat pants.

last week, in pictures!

Theo at the eye doctor.

The kids met a baby wallaby at a rummage sale, very strange!



My brother  Justin was in town for one night on business, we love seeing him!



Spiderman pops up often during the week!



Sleepy kids in the car after church.



Well, this is certainly easier said (or read) than done!  I recently (finally) lost about 6 pounds and you know what?  I don't look any different, nobody noticed, sure my jeans fit a little better but other than that nothing really changed and despite the fact that I am happy to have lost a little, I still have a major poochy tummy.  I have this assumption that if I could just get to my perfect weight (pre-Theo weight) life will be perfect and clothes will look great on me and I would look like other people who have had more children than me and are certainly skinnier than me, but I am beginning to think that not much at all would change, life would, indeed still be imperfect. One of my favorite quotes is comparison is a thief of joy and it's so very true, I live everyday consumed with my weight, with what I eat, if I am exercising enough or even at all and quite frankly it's exhausting.  I want to come to terms that this may be my new weight and I may always have a jiggly after baby belly, I might never get to wear a cute t-shirt or a tighter tank top, but how do I accept it and just move on?  I want to enjoy life and food without being plagued with guilt for days.  I read the article and it made sense but there was no tried and true formula for "loving yourself just the way you are" and sucking my tummy in ALL the time is getting tiresome!