November 2009

Fall is in full swing here. The colors are amazing this year and we are trying to slow down long enough to enjoy them!

Maggie is on the home stretch for soccer and improving every week. She had her first report from the teacher and she is doing very well in school. One of the comments that made us most proud was when he said she was very respectful and he loved having her in class. They don't always show that side at home so it's nice to hear! As if she didn't have enough to do, she joined choir this month and started a book club with her friend Alex.

Gary had a birthday this month...turning, well 30-something! We had a great weekend together celebrating the event and doing all the things Dad loves...eating barbecue, going to a movie and of course, soccer! Later in the month, Gary and I got away for a night alone! We hadn't had one in longer than I can remember and it was great to have some time to ourselves. We stayed at a cabin at the base of Mt. Rainier and when we awoke, there was snow falling outside our window. It was beautiful! I think we will make getting away a regular occurrence!

We returned to Camas for Thanksgiving with our wonderful friends the Bakers. We had planned a quiet weekend but when a dog fell through the ice on the pond, we ended up with a little excitement! The men went in after the dog (to varying degrees) and all came back VERY cold. In the end, the dog and the men were all fine and it made for a great story. We played games, visited Leavenworth where we picked up our annual ornament and napped! There was no snow but it was a great time anyway!

There was so much to be thankful for this year!

Happy Birthday Molly!

From day 1 Molly has had a mind of her own and hasn't been afraid to use it. As she gets older, that hasn't changed. At 3 she is a determined, spirited little girl. She will tell you that she is not a baby...she's a kid. And she thinks there is nothing she can't do! She says what is on her mind and usually, it cracks us up! As ornery as she may be, she is also very loving. She, like her dad and sis, makes friends easily and is very social. She loves to dance and sing...especially when she is topless (hope that is not a sign of things to come!). She loves to be outside and doesn't care how cold or dark it is, she wants to play. She is her big sister's shadow and wants to do everything she does. She loves movies and cartoons - especially Bolt and Phineas and Ferb. She can even sing you a tune from Phineas if you give her the chance. She is a lot of fun and we are enjoying every minute with her!

October 2009

October? Wait...what happened to September? It can't already be the end of October...can it? Well, I guess when you live from soccer practice to soccer game to school activity to seasonal event time can really fly!

Maggie started orchestra this month and made the decision to switch from cello to violin. Mom was a little sad at that decision but it has definitely got Maggie excited. Her orchestra is small but mighty and it gives her lots of time with her teacher. She is really enjoying it! Soccer has been interesting. Some games, Maggie looks like a pro and others, well it's like we are speaking a different language. Her dad got tagged to help the defense and is having some challenges with the player he thought would be a cinch...Maggie! She's got the skill and understands the game but we think she is falling back onto old habits of working only as hard as she has to. But I'm sure coach Dad can break her of that!

Molly had a big month this time, turning 3 years old! Mimi and Bawmpy came out to visit and we visited the pumpkin patch while they were here. Oddly, my now 3-year-old has also reverted back to old habits, throwing tantrums! She is confirming our theory that the terrible 2's are really the two years from 18 months to 3 1/2 and not only while they are 2! But for every tantrum, she does 10 things to make us smile!

Gary's high school teams are having more success this year than any before. It's really exciting and a testament to the hard work he and the other coach do! My job is still very busy and it looks like it will stay that way for a little longer. Our organization, like so many others, is making budget cuts and we are doing such a good job covering the open VP position that they are not planning to fill it in 2010. It's nice to know we are doing well but it will make for a long year. Hopefully, I can keep my head above water!

We wrapped up the month with a TV-inspired Halloween. Maggie went as Lola - Hannah Montana's quirky and colorful best friend while Molly dressed up as Annie from her favorite show, the Little Einsteins.

September 2009

September is the start of the second shift of our year. Summer is SUPPOSED TO give us a nice break before our hectic fall but it was all hectic this year.

Maggie started fifth grade and was dancing in the driveway when she found out she'd been assigned the teacher she wanted. When we went to open house, her best friend Alex was not in the same class but she had plenty of other good friends who were. This was also one of the first years she was not in the same class as Jacob. She was disappointed but getting her favorite teacher helped her deal with it! She also started her fall soccer season. She's playing defense and a little intimidated by the fact that the opponents are all bigger than her. She's used to being the tall one but playing a year up has forced her to accept that won't always be the case. We had hoped playing up would be a challenge for her and it is proving to be just that.

Gary started his games and well, we rarely see him. It's hard on everyone but luckily it is only for a few weeks. He also tried to squeeze in some hunting this month, but with no success bringing home the big one.

Molly and I just hold on for the ride this time of year! Molly is quickly learning how to be a loud and supportive soccer fan and has plans of her own to play! In the meantime, we'll just sit on the sidelines and cheer on our teams!

August 2009

I was really struggling to start this post because I can't believe August is actually over!! It went by a lot faster than I was ready for it to. You see, once August is over, the serious chaos begins. Apparently, it came a little early this year!

August was a big month for Maggie. She started soccer with a new team - the Huskies (and doesn't her Cougar-loving father just love that). She is playing a year up, with a new team and in a new league. She burst into tears when we got to the first practice and I practically had to drag her from the van (okay, so I had to threaten it anyway). She stood on the field and just looked at the other girls then one finally came over to get her. Of course, by the end of practice she had 10 new friends and all was well! She also went to camp for the very first time. A week without her was not something Mom was looking forward to. Even before we left, Maggie had decided that she was not going back next year. But in classic Maggie style, we had to pry her from her counselor to get her to actually come back home. She talked non-stop about camp for weeks and can't wait until next year. She rode horses and played night games and learned some new songs. She has decided she's going back every year until she can't and then she is becoming a counselor.

August was potty-training boot camp for Molly. She was doing great at home but when she went to daycare...well, things changed. Then one day, she flipped the switch and was pottying like a pro! This month she also got to be the flower girl in her cousin's wedding. We were a bit worried that she might pull the dress up over her head and run down the aisle but luckily, she behaved. She did do her flower girl duties her way though...she took each petal individually and blew them out of her fingers. It was too stinkin' cute! After fulfilling her duties, she changed out of her "princess dress" and danced the night away. We were rolling on the floor when she not only started busting a move to "Boom Boom Pow" by the Black-Eyed Peas but also sang along. Watch out Fergie!

Gary started his sixth year of coaching high school girls soccer. Since two high school teams weren't enough to satisfy his love of soccer, he also signed on to help his buddy coach a U11 boys select team. They are really good and love the game...which makes it a lot of fun for Gary! He also started his sixth year of work at the high school, taking on a new site (temporarily). Should make things interesting.

July 2009

This month was all about work! After two weeks of vacation, we came home and went right to work. Gary laid 2,000 square feet of flooring at his aunt and uncle's house in Idaho and then came home to start our siding project. We have been delaying the project for years and now I know why... it is a lot of work! Gary's been slaving away all summer but it looks amazing!

I went back to work after vacation with one less person in our department and no plans to rehire until 2010. That opened some doors for me to take on more responsibilities but it also means I have a lot of work!! Oddly enough, the changes have made my job easier in some respects and I really love going to work each day!!

We had a visit from Mimi and Bawmpy this month and spent some time at the beach to escape the heat. It was a lot of fun having them here. We painted birdhouses and made stepping stones and went shopping too. It was also VBS which we always love. This time we went to Jerusalem. The big kids built and raised crosses and Molly was the lone girl in a group of boys, but held her own!

It was a big month for the girls. Maggie turned 10 in July...no more single digits!! And oddly enough, just prior to her birthday she started looking older. It's totally killing me. We did a quiet celebration this month, with plans for a bigger party before school starts. We made all her favorites - like ribs and chocolate cake - and she got a pool for her birthday...just in time for the heat wave (new high temperature of 103, highest on the record books). We all spent a lot of time in the pool!! She also learned a valuable lesson on the 4th of July when she stood too close to one of the fireworks and got burned. Luckily it wasn't serious and she played fire marshall the rest of the night.

Molly started the month off saying good-bye to the binky. Someone recommended I cut the tips off of all her pacifiers, because they don't work with the hole in them. So I did. The first night she tried every one and then said "Hey! Daddy broke my Boo!" She held one when she went to bed that night and didn't make much of a fuss. On night #2, she asked for it again and when I gave her the dud, she threw it down and said "I don't want that!" She never asked for the Boo again. She also started potty training this month which has been the source of a lot of comic relief. She insists that the toilet swallows and has even pleaded with the toilet while perched upon the thrown "Don't swallow me, okay toilet, don't."

Happy Birthday Maggie!

It's very hard for me to believe Maggie is 10 years old. She is growing up faster than I'd like and even acts older than 10 sometimes. She is an active, spirited, dramatic little girl and she keeps us hopping. She rekindled her love for reading this summer, diving into the Harry Potter series. She has also become quite independent. She doesn't want my help picking out clothes or doing her hair anymore and she's very opinionated about her style! She loves to play outside, dance, sing, swim and laugh. She makes friends easily and is very social. Her dad would describe her as sassy but what he doesn't realize is she is a lot like him. She loves barbecue and watching movies and she has a great sense of humor. She would eat dessert after every meal if we let her and she loves to help in the kitchen. She is a very special girl and we are blessed to have her!

June 2009

June was one crazy month…so crazy, it has taken me until mid July to get caught up. The first half of the month was spent wrapping up school and preparing for our vacation while the second half was spent on vacation!

Maggie successfully completed the fourth grade this year and will head into FIFTH grade this fall. Saying it almost makes me sick to my stomach. She’s grown up so fast. Gary also finished up his fifth year with the district and will be back again this fall. Good news in a year where all the school districts are making cuts. He had the added burden of packing up his office this month, preparing for the school’s move to a temporary home while their building is renovated. Fun!

As soon as school was done, we packed up and headed west! We lengthened our drive to Colorado this year so we could take in a few stops along the way, including Yellowstone. We spent a day in Coeur d’Alene, ID, taking in a water park/fun zone on Day 1. Then we stopped in Gardiner, MT and headed to the Mammoth Hot Springs at Yellowstone on Day 2. They were amazing! The 1 mile hike around the lower terrace was a doozy but luckily there was a breeze and a boardwalk to help. Maggie reminded me that she was born a sea level when she started whining during the hike about not being able to breathe… the altitude was kicking her booty!! And the sulfur smell didn’t help either. But we made it and it was worth every step. There were also elk everywhere. Gary didn’t think we’d see any but they were happy to show themselves. One was even eating just a few feet away from a couple at a picnic table.

We spent a little over a week in Colorado and had a lot of fun…relaxing. We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows with the family and played cards, we met friends for dinner (Do Drop Inn Pizza…YUM) and visited our favorite places (Hobby Lobby, Sonic and the Mandarin) and got some of our favorite things (long johns and Rainbo Bread). We celebrated Father’s Day and our 13th wedding anniversary while we were there and the girls got to spend some quality time with their cousins. We also hit the antique stores (and Mimi’s closet) and got all the things I was looking for, fished for walleye and spent a whole day scrapbooking!! And to top it off, the weather was in the 90’s the whole week. It was great.

On the way back we headed up the “scenic route” through Wyoming to Yellowstone. Some spots were scenic…others, well, not so much. This was one of our longest travel days and when we entertained the idea of driving another hour and a half to Yellowstone Lake, no one was anxious to do it. So we stuck around the cabin where we stayed and took in the beautiful sights it had to offer. Along our drive there were several signs warning of Grizzly bears so we were a little timid but never saw any. On Day 2, it was back to Coeur D’Alene where we stayed in another cabin and spent the day at the lake. We played at the huge playground – Ft. Sherman – and stuck our feet in the lake at the beach. After eating dinner at the Coeur D’Alene Brewery, where we discovered Huckleberry Ale, we headed out for a paddle boat ride around Wolf Lodge Bay. It was peaceful and the sun was shining…and then, a Moose came out to eat nearby while a bald eagle sat perched in the tree next to us. It was amazing. We sat there and just watched in awe. The girls loved the boat ride and the trip overall.

May 2009

WHEW! May was a fun but busy month in our house. As preparation for summer, we started padding our schedule with outings but forgot that we still had end of the school year obligations too. Gary and I saw Larry the Cable Guy (Git R Done!) and chaperoned the prom. Gary wrapped up his high school boys season and added another team to the coaching to-do list. Maggie had an Orchestra Festival and a second concert. Molly forced everyone to play outside as often as possible and the whole family made a trip to Idaho for Memorial Day weekend.

Orchestra has been an interesting ride for Maggie. So it was fitting that the grand finale in her first Orchestra Festival was a song by Ozzy Osbourne. Wait…What? Yep, you read correctly. At the district orchestra festival Maggie and 200 other orchestra students performed Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne. It was totally awesome! Maggie has been conflicted about playing the cello this year. She loves to play but struggles with her own confidence in reading the music. Despite the challenges, she did really well and I can’t wait to see what the next year holds.

Molly has decided that she wants to be outside…all the time. She wakes up in the morning and asks to go outside. We get home from school/work/daycare and she wants to stay outside. While we were in Idaho, we went to a park in Sandpoint right on Lake Pend Oreille and she literally got to play outside the whole day…and she still threw a fit when it was time to leave! She has also realized the power of the Frisbee when she is outside. All she has to do is pick it up and she has the dogs’ full attention. Power is a dangerous thing…especially when you are a budding evil genius, like Molly!

April 2009

April kept us very busy this year. Gary was right in the middle of soccer season, Nicole had a big event at work, Maggie had soccer camp and Molly was moving at high speed as usual. Throw in Easter and a trip to the Spring Fair and we were a very busy bunch.

Easter in the Pacific Northwest was typical...rainy. I bought the girls beautiful spring dresses only to have to add long sleeve shirts and sweaters to the outfits. We held our egg hunt inside and colored eggs on a dreary afternoon. But it was a lot more fun than it sounds. Daddy helped color eggs and the girls hid the eggs for the hunt over and over again. They both got movies in their Easter baskets so we had something to do on the rainy weekend! We had Easter brunch with friends from church and it was a really nice day.

The weather actually held out for the Spring Fair...we even had to wear sunscreen! Molly took it all in while Maggie made the jump from kiddie rides to the big kid rides. She went on the Spider with her Dad - who spun it as much as he could. I always knew when they were coming around because I could hear her screaming! Molly tested a few rides, including the canoes. Her sister volunteered to go with her and even though it is not obvious in this photo, the end Maggie was sitting in was sinking pretty low!! We ate greasy, expensive fair food and had a lot of fun.

March 2009

March was sick. And I don’t mean S-I-C…as in cool. I mean sick…as in runny noses and coughs and fevers and strep. Right around Valentine ’s Day, I made the mistake of saying “Wow. We’ve almost made it all the way through cold season without being sick.” Of course, the next week, we were sick. And we’ve been sick ever since. One cold after another. But the beautiful thing about spending time at home with sick kids is you get to spend time with your kids. Most of the time they were too sick to go to school or daycare (coughing or snotty) but felt mostly good. So they were up playing and doing all the silly things my little girls do. That is one thing I learned during our time together… My girls are silly. See for yourself...

Maggie likes to sing in the shower. One night she was making up her own song. It went like this...


Nice knowing you
There's the door
I have to go make pie

She wants to have twin girls named Aqua and Violet.

And the best one...we are big American Idol fans and this season Maggie has a favorite - Adam Lambert. From the moment she saw him, she was mesmorized. And since Adam has black fingernail polish, MANscara and the whole emo look, her Dad is thrilled! Well, one night this month, Adam came out dressed in a suit (no tie), his hair slicked back and no fingernail polish. When Maggie saw him she said "Catch me." When I turned to ask her "what?", she fell into my arms...too weak to stand when she saw him. Silly girl.

Molly is just as silly, even at 2! Her Daddy told her she was goofy because she was acting silly and she told him, "No I'm not. I'm Mickey".


She has names for her babies...two are baby Reece (after our friend's daughter), one is baby Callie (another friend's baby) and the last one is Fred...after Fred on Scooby Doo.

Molly also likes to sing in the shower and "play piano". She clears all the shampoos off the bottom shelf in our shower and pretends it is a piano. She does this while standing in her baby doll's bathtub and swinging her hips wildly from side to side. What does she sing? you ask. You know that sound when you stick your tongue in and out of your mouth...bleder bleder bleder...that's it.

She saves her best performances for the public. Maggie had a choir performance last month and the older kids sang Beatles songs. A week or so later we were at Costco and Molly threw her arms out and at the top of her lungs screamed "Here comes the sun...do do do do". And it's very fitting since she has proclaimed a number of times that she is the next American Idol. Silly I tell you.

I even got them on video... http://www.flickr.com/photos/mom2magnmo/

February 2009

The month of love. This month Maggie got a makeover...a new short do. And she loves it. We celebrated Valentine's day and Mommy's birthday. Both occasions meant we had an excuse to eat chocolate...and we love chocolate. The weather showed us some love with a handful of warm days for us to enjoy. And we got to spend lots of time with family and friends this month...nothing we love more than that!!

On one of those nice days, Maggie had her 4th grade field trip to the state capitol in Olympia. We had a great guide who LOVED all the marble in the building and shared that love with us. She also loved the work that goes on there and really made the trip fun. The kids got to meet a couple of our local representatives and when they visited the judicial building they tried their very own case. The court was not in session so we got to pick judges and attorneys to argue an actual case that had come before the court. We voted on the outcome and came to the same conclusion as the court. It was actually a lot of fun.


On one of our sunny days, we got to play outside. Gary and Maggie went for a bike ride around the neighborhood and Molly "rode" her bike too. She never actually pushed the pedals or moved anywhere but she was on the bike and to her, that qualified as riding it. But that is Molly for you. She is convinced she's 3, not 2 and she will argue with you until you give in. She insists on playing with not one, not two but ALL the washclothes...and she doesn't even have to be in the bathtub. And when she wants to put on her jammies... whether it is nighttime or noon, on they go. I'm going to keep telling myself that this strong will will make her a very successful person someday!!

January 2009

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! As much as I love the holidays, I'm always glad when they are done! January means a nice quiet month at our house. We ease back into school and work and are always motivated to work on those "resolutions". We have been focusing on health in our house for a while and the new year brings more of the same for us. We are trying to eat healthier and be more active as a family. Our goals for 2009 are to trade TV and computer time for excercise and activity and work on making good choices for snacks and treats. My new favorite health item is flax seed. It is an Omega 3 (good for heart health, lowering cholesterol, fighting some cancers and depression) and just a teaspoon a day can make a difference! I'm all about good things that are easy!! I've started making cookies with flax seed thrown in...it doesn't change the taste and my family thinks they are getting a treat!!

The weather here has been crazy during the last month...snow, rain, flooding, day after day of thick fog and cold! The girls have loved the snow. On this day, we tried to make a snowman but the white stuff wouldn't stick together. So we improvised (actually we copied the idea of a friend) and made our snowman on the ground. It was still just as much fun!! Maggie just loves being outside!!

When the wet and cold came, we went back to finding fun inside to keep us busy. Molly broke out the dress up clothes here and fancied herself an interesting outfit!! Molly is such a busy body and, just like her sister, I think she could play with anything you put in front of her. She's quite the dancer and singer as well...another thing she learned from her big sis. She is singing everything she hears - from her ABCs and the Wiggles to Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers (thanks to Maggie).

We finished off the month with Playhouse Disney LIVE in Seattle. Mimi and Bawmpy got us tickets for Christmas and the girls loved it! Molly sang and danced throughout the event. It was light enough that even us big kids had fun (Gary really did enjoy even though his face doesn't show it here!). Molly spent the next two days telling everyone she met about Little Einsteins, Mickey Mouse, Pooh and Handy Manny. And we've been doing the Hot Dog dance ever since!!