WARNING! Sunshine = Naked Kids

Sarah's Thoughts: The amount of sunshine streaming through my window prompts me to dress in short sleeves today. Might be a bit optimistic, yesterday was in the low 50's, but glorious spring sunshine makes us Alaskans act seasonably pre-mature. As I was driving home yesterday, someone was walking their dog in a tank top. I would give my blessings to flip flops, but its not time for sleevelessness just yet although that day may be close at hand. I did kill two mosquitos over the weekend.

Luke Update: With the completion of his Math class, Luke is diving head first into spring and summer. After much pricing, shopping, and debating, he purchased a crab and shrimp pot puller for our boat. This is something we've dreamed about for the past 7 years, so we are excited. He had big plans getting off work (at 3:30) and heading out on the boat for the late afternoon/early evening hours. This week, however, he was unexpectedly transfered to a new electrical shop and is now working 10 hour days, so we'll see what that means for extra-curricular activities. He did squeeze in a fishing trip to Yakutat last week. Despite torrential rain, he caught the biggest steelhead of his life. If you know about fly fishing, that's kind of a big deal.

Owen Update: In Owen's mind, sun = squirt gun and swimming pool. Even on the frigid yet sunny winter days, he was begging to play with his beloved water toys. Somehow, the presence of snow didn't clue him in that swimming might not be the most appropriate choice of activities. As May approaches, the water play might not be too far off. On Sunday, Owen's beloved Gabie came over and they played in the water in our neighbor's muddy ditch, Easter clothes and all. That's about as close to paradise as it gets for an almost-4-year-old! I just might condone some squirt gun action this afternoon... I am wearing short sleeves, after all!

Annabelle Update: Little Annabelle is a rolley-polley giggling bundle of smile and drool. She's trying so hard to be mobile. She strains and grunts to grab objects out of reach. Frustrated, she tries to scoot forward and ends up moving backwards. She's just starting to push up onto all fours for brief periods, so I think crawling is still a little ways off. Poor girl has a lot of heft to support! Although we haven't seen any new teeth, I wouldn't be surprised if she sprouts a whole mouth full at any moment. Her newest accomplishment has been waving. Not sure when or how she learned this skill, but every now and then, she'll just bust out a Miss America wave. Our own Little Miss Sunshine.

And now get ready for 3 weeks worth of pictures:

foreshadowing of things to come?

Owen and Mathias eating lunch in the tent.

Annabelle's first experience in a swing. "Hi Mom!"

Last glimpse of Owen before he disappeared into the tunnel slide at Project Playground. Last year, he refused to try these slides! What a difference a year makes!

Sleepy head

Even though its last year's dead grass, Owen discovered

how fun rolling down grassy hills can be, all on his own!

The pack horse on Luke's recent fishing trip. Notice the Pony Keg in the boat.

Those boys had a good time!

the fisherman and the fish

Big Owen and Little Owen

At least she has her sun hat and socks!

Happy Keester!

(Poor Annabelle is going to hate me in 15 years, but just look at those thighs!)

First backyard weenie roast of 2011

Keeping a look out for hummingbirds...

Not sure why being naked helps with that process...

HEEELLLLLPPPP!!! The Giant Octopus has me!

Crime Scene

Big boy bunny and...

...baby bunny

April showers

Sarah’s Thoughts: As I started this entry, I began rambling about making plans for summer days and then realized that I always want to talk about time or weather or seasons here. I wonder why that is. Because they are topics I think about when I feel reflective or because they are light and apply to everyone? Maybe its because thinking about the summer sun seems pretty exciting compared with changing diapers and picking up after kids. There are other topics I could tackle, like the obnoxious amount of cheese we consume or my super human tolerance for listening to the same CD in the car for months on end. But see, maybe you really would rather hear about the weather...

Luke Update: 95% Baby! No more math! I am so proud of my hard-working, husband who faithfully did nothing but work, eat, and math for the past 3 1/2 months. He took his test this weekend and passed with flying colors. As soon as he finished, he pulled out his fly tying bench and started working on some steelhead flies. He’s headed out of town next week for a trip with his buddy, Adam, so finished that math just in time! I feel like I have to work pretty much non-stop to keep up on things around the house so without Luke, I can’t manage much besides the bare essentials. However, now that he’s a free man again, maybe we can tackle some of those projects that have been pushed aside... Or maybe we’ll just go out on the boat instead!

Owen Update: My little guy is really amazing. His memory, his creativity, observing to his little brain at work. I’m sure most people with kids this age feel the same way. He is definitely the biggest talker in our house and can hardly manage much else. Eating, for example, can be really difficult since it requires putting food in your mouth. Most every second of every day involves some sort of pretending game. Lately, he’s been role-playing members of the cat family- Simba and Nala, lions, tigers, cougars... I was brushing his teeth tonight and he was being the “Tawny Scrawny Lion”. As I’m brushing he sputters with foamy mouth, “Mom, you’re uppose to say, ‘Wow Tawny Scrawny! You have sharp teeth!’ I obey.

Annabelle Update: The most rapidly changing member of our family has been pretty mellow for the last few weeks. Although she won't be crawling for awhile yet, our little Annabellie is scooting an awful lot. This afternoon I sat her on the floor in the kitchen, facing the refrigerator. When I looked down at her again a few minutes later, she’d scooted her body 180 degrees, still in the sitting position. Not sure how she managed that! She does the same scooting thing while laying on her tummy, mostly moving backwards and in circles. She gets pretty frustrated, since forward is the only direction that she really wants to head. Keep at it, little girl!

sumo baby

snow free porch!

boy & dog

new hat

sharing a little lunchy

dreaming of dino oatmeal

ewwww!

When the sun is bright and the air is warm, then it will be spring

Sarah’s Thoughts:

The previous owners of our house built a sun room off of the kitchen. The reliator referred to it as the “tomato room” because apparently at some point, someone grew a ridiculous amount of tomatoes in it. We still call it the “tomato room” even though my one attempt at growing tomatoes resulted in a utter failure Anyway, this room is built on top of the porch and has no insulation, so in the winter time, (especially during the holiday season) it’s a perfect extra refrigerator. In the summer, it heats up like crazy. We use to have some extra candles out there until they melted. On sunny days, we can open the french doors that lead out to the tomato room and heat the whole house. All of this to say, another marker of spring is the day we can open the tomato room doors for a few hours. That day happened last week. 80 degrees. It’s coming, baby!

Luke Update:

Motivated by the recent spring-like weather, Luke is powering through his math with only two chapters to go! He has a big steelhead trip planned for the last week in April. Luke is already dreaming of chromers and would much rather be tying flies and practicing his cast in the front yard if it weren’t for the nagging guilt of math. Ugh! The one thing impeeding his progress in the homework department is the fact that he’s had to work the past two weekends. My tireless husband put in 11.5 hours on Saturday and another 8 today. The good part is that every hour worked equals money in the bank, and puts him one hour closer to his Journeyman’s license.

Owen Update:

My busy boy has been learning all kinds of things. While cleaning out the laundry room closet, I discovered a spanish version of “Bing” called “Loteria”. I realized that this was the perfect game to play with my three year old. Owen handily beat me three games in a row the first night we played. Proudly he ate his prize of Girl Scout cookies. The following night when I was the champion, I thoughtlessly threw my arms in the air and shouted, “I won!”. Owen immediately collasped into a hot, convulsing puddle of tears. Since then, we’ve been talking about being a “Good Sport” and how to say, “Good Job. Want to play again?” when someone else wins.

Last Monday, Owen got to go ice skating for the first time (video below). Our ice rink has a “Tot Skate” twice a week where they only allow 3-5 year olds (and their parents) on the ice. They pull out these plastic walker-like supports for kids to skate with and let them go nuts. Watching Owen on skates for the first time brought back memories of when he was learning how to walk. So fun!

Annabelle Update:

This week my sweet girl proved to the world and to Luke that I wasn’t going crazy. Her bottom front teeth have started to work their way out. She’s in a constant state of drool, shoving everything she can get her hands on in her little mouth. Her hair is growing more and more each day and I think we’re going to have another blondey on our hands. It’s so crazy to think how much different she’ll look with teeth and hair. I can’t wait! I’ve been trying to introduce different foods, and so far her favorites are bananas and Kix Cereal. Six months old on Friday! I can hardly believe it!

BINGO!

all I want for christmas...

Pile up on Uncle Christian!

ice skating fool

flower child

Owen's first attempt at Ice Skating

Check out pictures from last week that weren't posted until today...

Out like a lamb

The week in pictures:

too much fun

camping baby

pretty in pink

blue-eyed bunch

beach boys

little cub

Annabelle loves her lamby

fishing dog

on an adventure

afternoon wagon walk

Annabelle rolls over, Owen plays "Cat" and other adventures...

Sarah's Thoughts:

I love camping. Its one of those things I look forward to all winter long. Being outside, sleeping in my sleeping bag, camp fires, the whole scene gives me perma-grin. Despite my love for sleeping outside, it feels so amazing and relieving in a way to get home, take a shower, put on clean clothes. All this to say, our washing machine broke, so we were without one for 3 weeks. Kind of felt like camping, except for the part where I love it and have perma-grin. Obviously, we had reserve clean clothes, but towards the end, I was wearing pants that were mostly clean, except for the sort-of inconspicuous yogurt spill. We finally got a new washer on Saturday and 8 loads of laundry later, I finally feel clean and a bit like a new woman. Its the little things, I tell you!

Luke Update:

My hard working husband had been going non-stop. When he's not at work, he's studying math and when he's not doing that, he's changing poopy pants or chasing down a 3 year old. I guess this is the time of year when being stuck inside hurts the least. However a few weeks ago, he heard one of the big-time sounds of spring, the call of the varied thrush. Despite last night's snow, spring is coming! Time to get that nose in the books, slam down the 5-hour power and get 'er done! He has bears to stalk and chromers to catch and a wife that wants to go camping!

Owen Update:

Owen continues to roll-play. Yesterday, he was "Cat". Ringing our doorbell, Cat explained that he was an orphan and he wanted to come inside for lunch. While eating his PB&J, Cat spied Owen's cuddle sleeve, and was immediately fixated on it, wanting to hold it and stroke it and rub his little cat face on it. I told Cat that the cuddle sleeve belonged to my son, Owen and it was very special to him. It was the kind of thing that Owen didn't share, not even with his sister and so I was sorry, but I couldn't let Cat have it. After unsuccessfully trying to negotiate terms for cuddle sleeve possession, I was surprised, how quickly Owen returned home. I hope Cat found someplace to eat supper...

Annabelle Update:

Rollin', rollin' rollin'.... Officially weighing in at 19 lbs, 3 oz, Ms. Annabelle Lee can roll over, sit up, wear 12 month clothes, and is starting to eat solid foods. Her hair is starting to grow in and she's even bouncing in jumper a little bit. There were a few nights last week when she slept like a 12 month-old, 13 hours in a row! Foolishly, I thought this trend was here to stay. My little bubble of ignorance was burst at 2:30 in the morning. Ah, well, at least she's super cute and smiley.

My boy loves being naked and wearing things on his head.

Not sure why, exactly, but we love him!

Here comes the dolly!

Yum! Frozen bread sticks!

Sitting Up

Rolling Over

Summer on my mind.

Sarah’s Thoughts:

My house is in a constant state of clutter. I’ve been making an effort to have Owen pick up after himself, but it seems like that barely makes a dent. Although it seems like I’m always straightening up, there are toys and diapers and clothes and food and cups strewn all over the house. Last night, the living room was in its usual state of disarray, a mound of dirty dishes sat in the kitchen, unmade bed in our room and I wanted to cry. My sweet husband hugged me and told me to close my eyes. Then he took me on a virtual vacation where I dug my toes in the hot sand, swam in the ocean, road a moped in my sarong and flip flops and read books while sun bathing. It was lovely. When I opened my eyes, I felt a little more relaxed and I think maybe even a little bit tanner.

Luke Update:

Luke has been at his electrical apprenticeship for 2 1/2 months and the vocabulary at our house has changed. Now we talk about “J boxes”, “conduit”, “strut straps” and “hot wires”. I use to pride myself in being able to carry on a pretty decent conversation about hunting or fishing. Because of Luke I know about Boon and Crockett and nicknames for steelhead. I wonder if, in the next few years, I’ll find myself casually chatting about wire nuts and breaker boxes?

Owen Update:

Our boy has endless energy, a limitless imagination, and expectations for everyone around him to operate on the same level of intensity. He’s still in love with his baby sister and as she grows and does new things, he is wanting to re-live his baby days. Because of her early bedtime, I often give Annabelle baths in the kitchen sink, so yesterday, Owen also had a bath in the kitchen sink. Sometimes I create a little play pen for Annie in laundry baskets. Thus, Owen also wants a little play center in neighboring laundry basket. Maybe this demand for constant ever-changing entertainment is part of the reason I cannot keep my house clean. At three and a half, can you still tell yourself, “This is a phase and it too will pass”?

Annabelle Update:

Its been a busy week. Annabelle had her very first experience in the swimming pool, and did quite well. She has started rolling over from her back to her tummy. She’s scooting herself around a little during tummy time. She’s not sitting up yet, but that too is not far off. Luke likes to tease me because I always say things like, “I think she might be teething,” but I really think her first tooth isn’t far away. Our baby is going to be crawling before we know it and then 13 is right around the corner!

we've got Annie!

sledding fun!

sink bath

mama's little tin man

laundry basket play pen buddies

getting snowy

family

cold proo

f

boy and his dog