Mid-Winter Break

The kids got out of school for our annual Mid-Winter Break. I know you all in Utah think that's the funniest name. It is what it is...a stupid break in the middle of the year, around no apparent super-holiday and another reason they drag out school until the end of June. I pretty much hate mid-winter break. The idea of it makes me cry myself to sleep at night. I mean, it's just another holiday in which I have to occupy 3 children who are already ticked off that they aren't going to Hawaii, the Bahamas or Disneyland "like all my other friends." Ugh.

I was sick the whole week. Yep, I woke up Sunday morning with the beginnings of a cold and by Monday, the first official day of the break, I was in the throws of an energy-zapping, nausea-inducing, sore throat week of fun! My poor kids were so nice to me and took such great care of me. They cleaned the house every morning and did pretty much whatever I asked them to. Also, thank the kind Lord for X-Box and TV. They mostly just let me read. What great kids!

On Friday afternoon I promised to take Olivia and Isaac to the park because the weather was beautiful and frankly, they tricked me into it. Here are some pictures of Friday. Alex was at a winter camp out thus, his absence.

We also ended up going back to the park on Saturday where Martin and Alex got to get some of their game on and Livi got to swing...some more.

Valentines Day is a Happy Day

I heart Valentine's Day. Martin is a romantic and very sweet, especially on Valentine's Day. He has been so disgustingly busy at work these past months that he was feeling guilty that he didn't have time to do anything "special" for Valentines Day. This, apparently, doesn't count for the fact that he got me roses and chocolates, took me out Friday night to dinner and a movie, and plans to take me out to a comedy club this Wednesday, to make up for his lack of attention this week (whatever). I keep telling him that I am not feeling neglected and that he in no way has to "make up" for anything. I don't know what's wrong with him. I mean, what would he do if he was "paying attention to me?" Parade me around on a white horse with a tiara???? Not my style.

I'm not telling you all this so that you will be jealous of me (sorry ladies, my man can deliver). I just want Martin to read this and know that I'm really okay with all the work he's doing and even though he's feeling like he is ignoring me, I understand that his work schedule is crazy right now. So just work hard, babe, and give it your typical 110%! You're going to blow everyone away this year!

Olivia and Martin went to the annual Father/daughter Valentine's dance. They've gone almost every year since Livi was in first grade and they have some great memories. This is her last year to go. 5th grade is the end of the line. Martin was a little bit nervous because O-Daughter-of-Mine usually drags Martin to the dance, waves to a few friends, sits at a table far from the crowd and stares into the distance and flat out refuses to dance or mingle at all. Although that has it's own appeal, Martin insisted Livi promise she would dance this year. She agreed (albeit not too happily).

In my post-dance interview of the couple, Martin indicated that Olivia was like a "whole new girl" this year. Apparently, there was much talking with friends, dancing, mingling and all out-and-out 11-year old frolicking. I'm glad to report Livi got her dance groove on this year and even slow danced with her father. Martin said that he hung out with the dads and talked until the girls required a partner, in which case, the girls would run back to the table to grab their dads and dance with them until the song ended. Then the girls excused their dads to return their table until they were further needed. Luckily, Martin likes the other fathers and they got along great! Funny! I think they both enjoyed the night!

(Livi's hairstlye. She insisted I post it. It's her official new favorite. She's getting too old! Sad)

Christmas and Infertility

Many of you may know that Martin and I have been trying to have a baby for almost 2 years now. It's weird because the other 4 times I've been pregnant literally took less than 2 months. Well, let's just say it's not cool when you feel like you should be doing something (like having a baby) and the Lord (or your body) keeps you waiting and waiting. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to learn from this. I think it may be patience and empathy. I guess things happen on the Lord's timeline, not mine, something I'm learning as it feels I'm being dragged through the months.

I haven't blogged for a while because I got a new camera for Christmas (it's awesome, people) and all my pictures are on there and I'm entirely too lazy to figure out how all that works. I'd rather sit here and watch Criminal Minds for hours on end while I feel like my ovaries are playing ping-pong with my uterus. Sorry for being so graphic, but the drugs I'm on should qualify for torture.

We had a completely awesome Christmas. It was spent here in Seattle and for the first time not in Utah. It was unexpectedly pleasant. I didn't have to pack all our clothes + presents and that was nice. The kids had a great time and got every little thing their hearts desired, and we have the bank statement to prove it. We thought we'd really go all out this year since we didn't have to limit the size of gifts like we usually do (our car is seriously small in the travel aspect). Here's where I share something with you: my kids are spoiled....in a not "I get everything I want" or "get me this or I'll cry" sort of way, but in a good way--whatever that means.

(How the boys spent the entire week of Christmas....playing Wii and X-box)

Martin surprised us with a little trip to Grand Mound, WA (I know it sounds really exotic), which houses the largest indoor water park in the northwest, the day after Christmas. It's called the Great Wolf Lodge and it's like a kids mecca. Pretty cool water park with the gnarliest water slide I have ever been on called the Tornado. It literally drops you into a 5 story funnel while you're sitting in a tube and you just hope you don't fall out and/or hurl. Believe me, one time on that thing and I thought I was going to meet my maker. It was totally AWESOME. The kids refused to ride it, of course, but we had fun anyway. Isaac loved walking across these little lily pads while hanging on to the rope suspended above him. He could barely do it because he was laughing so hard. Everyone thought he was pretty adorable, and rightly so. Alex spent most of his time playing pool basketball (I know that is a huge departure from his usual MO), and Olivia liked the non-stop cotton candy and pretzels. They also had a fun game you can play in the hotel with "magic wands" that takes hours and wears the kids out nicely with a ton of stair climbing.

Oh, and it snowed in the lobby, no lying.

We missed our families a lot this Christmas. It was somewhat lonely, but we enjoyed each other more I think. We aren't sure where we'll be for Christmas next year, as Alex has informed us that he will be requiring snow, and Livi misses her cousin Val. So we'll see what happens.

As for the infertility treatments...in a word they suck. But I'm hanging in there and learning a lot of things I'm capable of and I like to think I'm getting stronger. Martin says he thinks I am but he's biased.

One more thing of note: We went to this awesome place called Sky High for a family night. It's a big warehouse with trampolines all across the floors and walls. It's like a childhood dream of mine. I was happy to show off to my kiddos as I did back flips and back hand springs for their entertainment and enjoyment. Yes friends, I still got it.

*Admission: I tried to do a double back hand spring (got a little cocky) and landed on my neck which I had to go to the ER for. Don't worry I just strained my trapezius and I'm fine again. Guess I'm not as young (or tiny) as I used to be. But that ain't going to stop me from going again. I have way too much fun.

Sorry for the terrible picture. I have a video of it but I don't know how to post it...soooo.

Elegantly Eleven

Olivia turned 11 on December 11! It was her "golden" birthday, something I've never heard of before, but as I understand from Olivia, is a big deal. However, my friend Jenny says she knows exactly what Livi's talking about, so I must admit ignorance. 11 years ago Olivia came into our world. After a 6 month stint with colic I remember a little girl who was always cheerful...always happy. She was truly our "little sunshine." She added a brightness to our lives unparalleled. She was also the girliest little girl I've ever met. She didn't just walk from place to place, we used to say she "flitted," like a butterfly. She loved all things princess and all things pink. She was rarely upset or sad. She also had an incredible knack to make people smile. Her laugh was something of music. I remember pushing her in a swing at the park when she was about 2 years old and her laugh caused such a commotion that a group of people gathered around us and watched and listened as I swung her back and forth. Random people were taking her picture. She was a beautiful little girl and still is.

When she started school Olivia had found her calling, just like her Dad. She absolutely loves to learn and she loves the social opportunities school affords her. She is a great student and her teachers have never had anything negative or even mediocre to say about her. My Parent-Teacher conferences for Olivia are filled with the teacher telling me how much they love Olivia, how she is a great example to other children etc, etc. It's quite comical actually, and become a bit of a family joke...we always argue about who gets to go listen to the teacher go on about Olivia. She loves to read and has probably read more books than I have in my life (I'm now 35).

This year Olivia read the whole Harry Potter series in approximately 5 months. She also continued to take jazz dance lessons where she is the smallest girl in her class but can dance like nobody's business. She plays the piano as well and is excelling in that. I guess she has the musical talent that runs in the family (but skipped a generation!). She's constantly humming something to herself. Her artistic abilities are also incredible as are her writing abilities. We love to read her newest stories and poems.

Olivia is a great friend and loves to e-mail her friends several times a day to keep them all in the loop of what's going on in her life. She is a big sister and also a little sister. She is Isaac's pseudo-mom when I'm not around and they have a very tight relationship. She is the best big sister of anyone I've ever seen. She enjoys tormenting her older brother and can do it better than anyone on earth, and she seems to be somewhat proud of that. She continues to LOVE babies and can't get enough of her little cousins. She will someday be an amazing mommy.

I cannot imagine life without this little girl, who is not so much a little girl anymore. We have such joy because of her. I'm incredibly proud of the way she is growing up despite all my efforts! I still can't believe she's one short year away from Middle School. I anticipate great things from her...she doesn't do anything half-way. We love her so much!!

Thanksgiving and a Little Christmas

My sister Lesa and her family came all the way from sunny Plain City, Utah to spend Thanksgiving with the coolest people she could think of: namely, us. I know it's hard to believe. I mean it's only been 13 years since she last visited. Of course, 13 year ago we lived at the University of Utah student housing apartments. Alex was 1. Yes, I'm serious. She has NEVER been to Seattle to visit her favorite sister. I'm not mad...really. I'm not. Why should I be?

We had so much fun hosting Thanksgiving this year and, if I do say so myself, it was my best feast ever. It was ta-a-sty! I'm getting used to the whole cooking a turkey/items that go along with the turkey. It's not even stressful any more. However, I'm not suggesting that I'm the best cook. It's just this meal I got down, people. Did I get any pictures of this meal...I mean do I have any proof that it even existed? All I have is word of mouth. Ask Lesa, Jeff or Martin and they'll tell you. It was good...the end. And I haven't cooked since. The way I see it is that I racked up enough points to be good to the end of February (this doesn't include the occasional pan of mac and cheese and fish-sticks).

The only pictures I got of us were on top of the Space Needle. See, the thing about a first-time visitor is that they require the obligatory touristy stuff, but we didn't mind. The Wiser's had only a couple of days with us before they had to head home so we spent the Friday after Thanksgiving 500 feet in the air eating a very expensive, albeit delicious meal. I think Martin and I are still in sticker shock from that one. That's what we get for sitting at a different table from the kids. They ordered whatever they wanted including the $9 scoop of ice cream that comes out in a smoking bowl of dry ice. Wow.

After dinner we did the Aquarium. I was disappointed. I'm sorry to say this, Seattle, but the aquarium did not add up to the hype. It's been years since I was last there and I was hoping it would be better. But we had fun, especially when we, get this: purposefully lost Jeff and Lesa and their kids driving home. There is nothing like a good dose of "lost" to top off a vacation. Am I right, sis.? HA!

Saturday afternoon the Wiser's headed home and we were pretty sad. Carson, Isaac's "favoritest" cousin, who fed Isaac a constant stream of sword fighting and wrestling, was gone and the tears on Isaac's face proved it. So we decided to head to the movies to drown our sorrows in burnt popcorn and bad acting. I promised the kids we'd see "A Christmas Carol." I was very pleasantly surprised. The movie was in a word AWESOME. I was worried because a certain young woman, who will remain nameless, said it was "stupid." Quite the opposite is true. I enjoyed the animation, the 3D, the characters and was happy to see they stuck close to the story. It was the way I pictured the story in my head almost exactly. They didn't make it too goofy or use a lot of stupid cliche' humor. They even stuck to the original old English language. I liked Jim Carey's acting as well. Here's a picture of the kids with their 3D glasses on (check out Livi's wild hair) eating their pizza.

All in all we had a great weekend. We continue to be grateful that Perdi didn't eat Lesa's punk-a** dog, Holly. Thanks for making me laugh the hardest I have in a while, Jeff, and thanks to Jeff, Lesa, Maddi and Carson for coming 12 hours in the car to be with us on Thanksgiving. We all had a super time and we won't soon forget it!

Halloween '09

This Halloween was kind of drag for the kids. It's too bad because they had awesome costumes...all thought of by themselves. Isaac wanted to be Mario, who is his favorite hero of late. He has several DS Mario games. It's funny what I can get him to do by bribing him with a new Mario game. I've gotten him to read hundreds of books to me this way, when before he wasn't motivated at all. All I have to say about that is: God bless Mario! Isaac was sick the day before Halloween and so he wasn't able to go to his class Halloween party. It was so sad, but he was brave. His favorite part of his costume was his "fat."

Unfortunately, Olivia missed her class Halloween party too due to some hi jinx in her classroom that day (none of them her fault). She came home from school so depressed and upset. It made me sad as well because this was her last year to celebrate Halloween at school. I think she made up for it with her buddies trick-or-treating in the neighborhood. It was her first year to go sans parents and I think she enjoyed the company of her friends Zoe, Lexi and Sofi (all those names end with the same sound...). She came up with the idea of dressing like Hermione (her ultimate hero) but with the twist of being Hermione after she drank the poly juice potion. That's so Olivia.

Alex had a great time at a party of friend. (first boy/girl party, I might add). He dressed up like Spock this year (Aunt Jenny and Amy should be so proud). He refused the pointed ears, though. He thinks his ears already stick out enough. He also refused his mother doing anything to his hair. I was lucky to get him to wear the costume. He can't stand me touching his hair and/or body.