October 2, 2014

The Benefits of Oldness (Or, Daniel is 40)


I'm married to a 40-year-old, guys.  

Which really, in my book, doesn't qualify as "old," but who am I to argue with his creaking bones, and those grimaces of pain as he shuffles across the room, hand planted firmly on lower back, muttering under his breath all the hardships of these four decades of life?  

I mean, I'm just too young to understand all that, ya' know? I know someday I'll bear such wisdom; for now, I sit here in my corner of ignorance, giggling very quietly.

I guess there are upsides to falling apart: you get to visit the chiropractor twice a week for a month; you get to catch up on your "reading" because you have to lie in bed for hours as you cycle through heating and icing your back; and you get to bask in the glow of the concerned looks of strangers as you hobble back through the Fred Meyer parking lot because your wife sent you out grocery shopping anyway, despite the theatrics you've put on especially for her benefit. And so on.

But, at least you get a warm dinner out of it, surrounded by some pretty funny people, who happen to think you're remarkably awesome (even if you did need help getting up and down the restaurant stairs).  I'm kidding; you managed those stairs like a pro.  
 

Happy 40th to my dear husband. 
I love you more than you know, and am more thankful than I show.
(I'll try to work on that.)

September 25, 2014

Question of the Day

Malia: "Hey, Mom?  Um, I was just wondering...what would happen if you ate oil-free makeup remover?"

Mom: "Uh....I'm not sure?....(pause) But I'm guessing now that that's something you could probably tell me about?"

Malia: "I'm just wondering what actually happens!"

Mom: "But why?"

 Mikela: "Malia!!! Did you eat oil-free makeup remover?!?!"

Malia: "Well--um....I'm not sure!  I might've?....."



{So far, so good. :-9}

September 19, 2014

Sing

It's been a busy few months, folks, and I can't complain....(but I could use a nap).  In the meantime, listen to these girls sing, and I'll be back with more later:



Some of you have seen this before, if you're Facebook friends with my hubby (the one who's turning 40 years old on Tuesday.  Whoa.).  Anyway, I thought you might like hearing it again.  It's certainly more enjoyable than what happens when I try belting out the hits:


(As you can imagine, my touring schedule is booked solid this year.)

Wait--let me give you one more;
check out these cuties, singing for their cuppycakes at the mall:



:D
{All for now}

May 20, 2014

Tiptoe-ing my way back into BlogVille

Let's just dive right in now, shall we?



  
Hello, friends.  Just stopping in to change up the view on this here blog. Life is full, and busy, and lovely (most of the time).  I'm sorry to bore you, but no clever words this evening; I hope these pictures will make up for it.  We meandered into the city a few Thursdays ago for an IMAX movie and some playtime at the Pacific Science Center and The Children's Museum; apparently, we quit going to the Children's Museum before Youngest Daughter was born, so I felt like she needed at least one spin through to file in her "Happy Childhood Memories" bank.

The token "Space Needle" picture. 


Waiting for the movie to start; jus' keepin' it real and chill, dawg.
Swag.

Miki, taking charge in the kid-sized kitchen.  Or, as
it's known around here, "the Mom-sized kitchen."
(Don't think I haven't considered just loading these
DoRe'-sized cabinets into my car and
replacing my current ones with them, 'cause I have.)

Holding court in the Three Bears' living room.

Lol--Youngest Daughter's revenge.

Getting the message across--how Oldest Daughter
lets us know it's time to go.
Drama Queen    Party pooper   Teenagers.
Well, another busy day tomorrow; girls have testing, and we are working like little ants to get our school work done and out of the way, so we can welcome summer with open arms and lots of beach time, fingers crossed.

{Until next time}

March 4, 2014

Tsk, tsk...

Ack--I've failed; so much for posting weekly in 2014.  
(But, hey--I called it first.) 

You know who didn't fail?  These guys:


 Super Bowl Champs, baby.
 
(Who am I kidding?  I don't talk like that.)
 

 
 
Confession: I am a fan by proxy.*  The only real authority I have to talk football these days is via my husband, who is the real and lifelong Seahawks fan.  If not for this particular grown man jumping up and down in various living rooms across Washington state on Sunday afternoons, shouting pointless directives at other grown men he has never met, and, three hours later, initiating celebratory hug-fests with whomever will join him in his victory dances, then I would have no business doing the same.  But we do. 
 
Oh, yes, we do. :)
 
Okay, so we're not dancing here. 
But I think making pic collages on
your iPhone is pretty much the same.
(Thanks, Kiana.)
 *I must give a nod to my family of origin, all of whom are faithful football fans in a state which lacks its own pro-football team. I suspect living in paradise makes up for it. :-9
 
So how weird is it that he didn't make it to the Welcome Home parade?  Pretty weird.  But, his wife and daughters did. And his brothers-in-law.  And some of his friends.  And a few of his co-workers.  Pooooooor Dan....
 
Sad Face
 
 
Happy Faces on the ferry.
My lovelies.

Braddahs.

Roo's mom and dad. :)
 
 
The parade ended right there in the parking lot
in front of us.
 
I thought I got some great shots of the players as they went by, but I just checked again, and sure enough, they weren't nearly as good as they seemed when we were still riding high on the excitement of it all.  Actually, a lot of it is video of the head of the guy in front of me, or the coat of the little girl he kept placing on his shoulders so she could see.  (Being 4'6" is so totally awesome.)  No complaints, though; it was so much fun just to be in the city, and see the team.
 
What else?  We saw a little bit of snow last month, which lasted all of about 17 minutes:
 


 
 
Took a quick jaunt to the Great Wolf Lodge last week:




 
(My children found certain humor in looking up from unloading the car and having this view greet them; I found more than one shot of what appears to be an animal's backside on my phone.  Turns out, it's the chest of a howling wolf.  You see what you want to see, I guess. :-p)
 
 
Well, that's it, guys--I've run out of steam.
 
Welllllll.....maybe I've got enough for one more:
 
 
 

 
Teehee. :)
 
This was a cute routine the junior cheerleaders performed at Kiana's basketball game last week; I thought memorizing it so as to be able to reduce my children to shrieks and giggles later would be a worthy endeavour. 
I stand by my decision.
 
Happy Tuesday! 

January 19, 2014

Game Day

Today's post is brought to you by the letter S:


And the numbers 81,

29,

and 3.

Oh--and let's not forget the number 24 
and all {his} friends, eh?

Or this guy:

We're a little excited around here.
(Just a teeny, tiny little bit.)

And also a little envious: 
Oldest Younger and Baby Brothers will be 
At.The.Game.Yo. 
SO excited for them!!!

Here we go!!!


Go Hawks!!!

January 11, 2014

One of my New Year's resolutions for 2014? To update my blog weekly.

Yep.
It's pretty exciting stuff.


Admission #1: I didn't make this resolution on January 1st, exactly.

Admission #2:  Like many resolution failures-in-the-making, I didn't draw up a specific plan for meeting the goal, exactly.

So what do I have for you on this, the close of the second week of 2014?  Not much, my friends. I've kind of been beating myself up for missing the first week, but I just realized I didn't! (2014's first post was created pre-resolution, so I forgot to give myself credit for it.)

Anyway, nothing major this week, just a statement of intention, and hope for a higher-quality post next week.

Well, that, and-----> how 'bout 'dem Seahawks? :D


{All for now.}