Pete Yorn

I usually try not to post twice in one day but today I'm going to.  One of the blogs I like to read wrote today about hearing a Pete Yorn song and it bringing back all these memories of her time traveling alone through Europe.  Every time I hear Pete Yorn I remember this trip I took with my boyfriend at the time from Spokane to Bellingham.  We went through Seattle and it was January.  I don't remember why he rolled done the window on my side but he did.  And then...then it wouldn't go back up.  We had to take his truck because he couldn't drive my car, it was a stick shift.  Then the window wouldn't go up. I rode for at least two hours with the window partly down and the cold January air blowing all over me.  I sort of wore my coat and used it to protect my face from the cold air blowing in.

All I could think was, I cannot believe I am with someone who A. can't drive my car (which is a way nicer car by the way) B. can't fix the window and C. hasn't offered to let me drive and get out of the wind.  During this lovely freezing cold part of the trip we listened to a Pete Yorn CD.

When we stopped about 20 minutes from our destination he and a friend tried to cover the window with a coat or something when the friend realized that if he carefully pushed the window up while someone else rolled the window up they could get it closed.  I cannot tell you how angry this simple fix made me.  But especially how little the boy seemed to care about my discomfort for the past few hours.

While at our destination he left me with his friend's kid for a very long time.  As if I was there to babysit?!  He told me he loved me on this little weekend getaway.  Really?!  He stayed up until the wee hours of the morning drinking way too much with his friends the night before we needed to leave.  I had told him I was happy to drive part of the way as long as it wasn't through Seattle, you know small town girl, not a lot of traffic experience.  Guess what?  I had to drive all the way through Seattle because he had to sleep off his hangover.  Now I was mad because I could be driving my car instead of his stupid truck if he knew how to drive a stick shift.

I was driving when we headed up Snoqualamie pass.  It's a nasty pass mostly because there is so much traffic and a lot of people on it who aren't really used to driving in the snow.  Of course the pass was closed while we were on it and we had to sit and wait for several hours (this sort of thing used to happen to me ALL the time).  Then when we got going again it was so slick and that stupid truck slid all over the place (my car would not have).  We had to stop at the first place we could to get food and use the bathroom and do you know that I got stuck trying to go up the hill into the parking lot and then, THEN I drove that stupid truck into a huge hole in the snow.  And it was REALLY REALLY stuck.  I jumped out of that truck slammed the door and told him I wasn't driving anymore.  Then spent a good 30 minutes waiting in line to use the bathroom.

He got the truck out and I slept most of the drive home.  We broke up shortly after that trip and I vowed to never marry anyone who couldn't drive a stick shift (my mom prefers rules like "never been to jail" but you know, to each their own).  When I met Bryce it was one of the first things I asked him, and he can drive a stick shift.  He can also fix a broken window and would never make me ride in the cold without at the very least feeling really badly about it.

It is amazing the memories that a song can bring back.

Lovely Lenorah

It has finally warmed up around these parts, yay!  Enjoying the sunshine and warm weather.  Lenorah even got to wear short sleeves for the first time!

 Here she is playing on the floor, always with the cars parked next to her.

 Wearing a pretty bow on her towel, what a girl!

Great Weekend

It was Lenorah's big weekend, her baptism!  She also got to meet Uncle Paul for the first time, which was so great.  I wish he could be here all the time :(  We miss him.  And since his visit Dietrich just keeps saying Unc Paul, be back?  Here is a sweet baby sleeping on the couch.

 And a a very upset baby laying on the couch.  But her outfit is so cute! (I especially love that there are cars parked next to her.  I often find them in her blankets and laying on her belly as well.  Something I never thought I would say "you're sister is not a road")

 And now a beautiful baby in her special Christening gown.  My grandma hand sewed it 60 years ago for her first child, and all of her children and grandchildren have worn it.  Lenorah is the first great-grandchild to wear it.  Grammy Laurel made a matching bonnet and shoes to wear with the dress, they are so sweet!

 Four Generations!

 Enjoying some warm weather and sunshine.

It was a great weekend, beautiful weather, time with family, and a special day for Lenorah!

Really Good Advice

Someone once told me never buy a white couch.  I knew I could never have a white couch because I spill things all the time myself, and I like to be able to eat and drink on my couch if I want too.  So several years ago my mom helped me pick out this couch.  I really really wanted the teal colored one because teal was totally in style and it was so cute and my mom talked me out of it.  Which is good now because it would not have gone very well with the hand-me-down green recliner we just got.  And the whole room would somehow need to match it...and I would probably be sick of it by now and there is no way I could afford a new one.  So anyway, boring old goes with everything brown for me!  And microfiber!  Do you know you can get marker, pen, and even an entire coke out of microfiber?  It is the best friend of parents of children everywhere.  No more plastic on the couch Grandma, we have microfiber!

Everything is a mess.  Having two children has not been particularly difficult the way I thought it would be, but I have not yet figured out how to keep up on the house.  And I know a lot of people would just let it go but it seriously makes me twitch to sit there with a mess all around me.  Thankfully Bryce understands this and has been very helpful!  It also helps to have some pre-made meals in the freezer, no dinner clean up!

Yesterday I was finally feeling good about the house, I was getting caught up on things like laundry, vacuuming, dusting, cleaning out the lip inside the dishwasher.  And then we went to Costco, and they have these GIANT things of organic Applejuice made from Apples!  Not concentrate!  And I love it because Dietrich drinks applejuice like it's going out of style.  When we got home I left them on the stairs and we played and such.  So it was just before dinner, just as the kids were waking up from naps, and I was on the phone with Bryce when I decided to bring the juice to the kitchen.

There is a plastic handle that connects the two GALLON jugs to each other.  I usually have to cut the handle off because I cannot pull the juice out of the handle.  Just as I was lifting the juice onto the kitchen table one of the bottles broke loose, hitting the kitchen floor...it BROKE.  The entire GALLON of juice spilled all over the kitchen floor.  I didn't even know where to start cleaning up that massive mess.  All I could think was I was feeling caught up on the house and now this.

Somehow I managed to clean up all the juice with several bath towels, but the floor is still sticky.  There will be a lot of mopping taking place today I guess.  Good thing the floor needed cleaned up anyway.  So the good advice here is?  Never buy a white couch and make sure to buy a good mop.

Beautiful Day

We are having such a wonderful day and I took a bunch of pictures and I'm going to tell you all about it because I just feel so good!  We woke up this morning and had some great playtime, Dietrich with his big semi-"gruck" and Lenorah on the playmat.

 Then we went for a walk in the beautiful sunshine with my new double stroller.  Dietrich loves it and the dogs are so happy to be out and about again.  Lenorah slept the whole time so I'm assuming she likes it too. Then I took a shower, ALL BY MYSELF! and we got ready to go to Costco.  Everyone did great there too.  When we got home we headed straight to the back yard for lunch and more playtime!

 Then Lenorah woke up and told me a really great story!

 And now everyone is fast asleep and I'm going to join them...

Spring Blooms

Our weeping cherry tree is in bloom and it looks so beautiful this year.  Last year we didn't get to see all these pretty flowers, the tree bloomed and the wind blew and all the blooms were gone.  So far we have been enjoying these pretty blooms for a few weeks.  

 Last fall Mom and I planted a billion (or 150) tulip and daffodil bulbs.  They are up and blooming and looking so beautiful!

A few weeks ago Dietrich and I were out for a walk and he made friends with a little boy on a tricycle.  We walked with him and his family until we got back to our house and then they went on and on about what a great job we have been doing and how much better everything looks.  It's always nice to know that someone notices and appreciates your hard work.

Fussy Girl

Today's pictures are "fussy face" pictures.  Although currently she is sleeping away and not fussy at all.  But she tends to fuss a bit when she is awake, I think her tummy might bother her, I've been trying to cut back on my dairy intake to see if that helps.  Poor girl.  I love you Lenorah AND your fussy face!

Just wanted to share a picture of Lenorah wearing a 30 year old outfit, I believe this was one of my mom's favorites for me.  It's pretty faded now and a bit worn in the toes, but it is still nice a cozy.

Coming soon: Lenorah in a 60 year old Christening gown, can't wait to show you it is so beautiful!