For Those of You Who Are Interested...

I'm posting more house pics on flickr.

On the Way to Anchorage

These pictures do NOT do it justice.  It was gorgeous out.  One of the benefits of sub-zero temps.  I just happened to have my camera in the car, grabbed it and took about 30 random pics out my window while I was driving.  I hate stopping almost as much as I hate backtracking.

Oh, and for those of you who have spent only some or no time in Alaska, this was taken a little after 12 pm, so that's as high as the sun gets these days.  We have lots of "twilight" time up here.  

Thanksgiving Leftovers

Emma wearing her pilgrim hat she made for her feast at school.

Jack very happily feeding Gramma.

Okay, so I know that posting Thanksgiving pictures the week before Christmas may be a little...lazy? tacky? something else??

I just didn't get around to it.  I'm sure there were a few more cute shots but these two are my favs.  They show a little kid personality.

I'll upload more house pics tonight or tomorrow.  

Promise.

Actually, Mike promises (even though he has NO idea how to use this computer) he took the pics and wants them up yesterday...

Where's Jack??

Jack is at that really cute age where he's super excited when he gets something right.  

Example:

Mom (Gramma) and I were sitting at the table the other day.

Gramma - "Jack!  Where's your mom?"

Jack - seriously thinking, then points to me

Gramma and I - "YEAH!!!  JACK!!!"

Jack - claps, laughs and smiles in delight

Gramma - "Jack!  Where's Gramma?"

Jack - (thinks again and points to Gramma)

Gramma and I - YEAH!!!  JACK!!!!

Jack-claps, laughs and smiles in delight

Gramma - "Where's Jack?"

Jack - thinks and then covers his eyes.

Because when we ask "where's Jack?" it means that we can't see him and for us to not be able to see him he must cover his eyes.  This way he disappears.  Now, he gets to "reappear" by uncovering his eyes so we can play...

Gramma and I - "peek a boo!"   burst into laughter.

Jack- claps, laughs and smiles in delight.

Seemingly meaningless crap

Okay, so this will probably be a little boring for a lot of you out there.  

The other day I started making cookies except there was all this mess on the counter and it was kinda funny how much messes like this say about us.  First of all you can know we're living with my parents because the speakers for my ipod are not of the Bose variety.  We do however, make use of Gramma's speakers every chance we get.  My poor nano looks a little weinie in there.  There are cords everywhere - my small fridge, my mixer, my cell phone charger and maybe some of my parents things as well.  My mom loves Kenny Chesney, so there's that.  My favorite hand cream is there.  The movie Mike picked up (super fun one) is on top of the pizza box which held the pizza we consumed yesterday.  You can't get anything done without crayons nearby (I think most of the notes/messages I take are done in crayon).  The recipe box back there is one my Granddad made for my mom.  That brown bowl has been around for...well, as long as I can remember.  It's what we've mixed pancakes and cookies in, I sometimes wonder how many batches of cookies have been made in there.  Actually, it's probably best I didn't know that.  After all those studies came out about the link between plastics and breast cancer (NEVER heat anything in plastic) we replaced our beloved Nalgene bottles with Klean Kanteen, even for the kids.  Their shipping prices are outrageous.  They work with Avent bottle and sippy cup tops so they're great for kids.  OH, and lastly in the picture is the kids plastic cup that holds toothbrushes.  You can see here we're down to our last brush, the rest must be in the dishwasher and various places on the floor where they're waiting to be stepped on, or licked by the dog and then picked up and used by Jack.

Happiness is...

In existence

I love that for a two year old, if they can see something, it exists, if they can't, it doesn't.  If they're interested, it's great, if they're not, it doesn't exist.

Mom and I were baking with the kids the other day.  Emma opens the carton of eggs, takes one out, cracks it, and nicely dumps it in the bowl. 

 (You can totally see where this is going)  

Jack picks up an egg, looks it over, turns it around, is now bored and casually throws it over his shoulder onto the tile floor.  As I'm cleaning up the first egg, he picks up another one, looks it over, "nope, no different, not interesting" and casually throws it over his shoulder where it also lands on the floor.  

I do, at this point, put away the eggs.

But what's funny is that as soon as he let go of the egg, it no longer existed in Jack's world.  He didn't look behind him to see where it landed.  He didn't seem curious about the crack/splat sound it made on the floor or even look behind him to see what mom was cursing about.  Just, "oh, not that interesting, I think I'll move on to the next one..."

I guess that's what makes it funny.  If he had thrown it down and laughed at the splat and started to do it again... well, we'll probably be on to that next year.  When he's three.  

A Quick Catch-Up

Emma is that cute little blur you see running into the school.  This is how dark it is here at about 3 minutes to 9am.  You know, 3 minutes before she should be seated in her classroom.

I was a little worried about sending her to Kindergarten, she's the youngest one, being born only a few days before the cutoff.  But let me tell you, I am amazed every time I help out in her classroom at how far "behind" some of the kids are.  I'm also amazed and happy about how independent she is, she does NOT like to be taken to class, she wants to be dropped off like the "big kids"  because she IS totally a "big kid."

Here's Emma in her ballet class with a friend.  It's the only picture I have of her actually in class and I think we're hanging up our ballet shoes for a while.  Long story on that one.

Emma and Jack have taken to "snuggling" with each other before bed.  I love it.  She's tried to give him his night milk snack but he's not into that...yet.

I have to say that there's nothing sweeter than seeing siblings enjoy each other.  It's something that's slowly being discovered.  Unfortunately, with the knowledge of being nice also comes the knowledge of how to be not so nice.  We'll work through it.  Best kids show for siblings EVER is Charlie and Lola.  Emma now speaks in a british accent, she's not half bad but it certainly doesn't help me understand her any better, which we still struggle with at times.

Here's my dad and I in the "playroom" that lovely high table, with the way cool light and orange wall?  Totally part of my ultimate sewing/scrapbooking/crafting/internet station which will be that whole corner.  You can see my playroom sink and cabinets behind dad and on the other side of the orange wall will be the laundry/utility room.  It's all coming together!  I'll post pics on flickr, just use the link to the right that says something like "Our Pictures!!!"

Here's why I love winter.  Lovely, lovely snow.  It's a bummer that I have no time to go riding (snowmachines) at least not until the house is done.  Soon, so soon...

What You Can Expect in Your Christmas Cards

IF we get any out.  And don't hold your breath for presents this year...all my extra pennies are sitting on my cabinets because as big as the kitchen looks in these pics, the people at Hard Rock Designs will tell you it's even bigger.

Wanna Know What Heaven Looks Like?

I'm pretty sure it's something like this, only more done and with less paint on the light bulbs.  Our painter is pretty unprofessional, and sloppy.  But Mike's married to her so she comes with the job.

I'm hoping our sink is big enough.

Oh good, it is.

Just a close up on the granite and what the seams look like.

Ya know, if you had told me when I was eighteen that I would be this excited about countertops, I would have laughed.  A lot.  Now, I'm weeping ecstatic tears of joy...

A Little Less Conversation...

We were trying to have a nice after dinner conversation the other night when my aunt Lynda was in town.  This is Jack screeching to get my attention.

Still screeching.  Oh, and wearing a towel because he just got out of the shower.  Unlike most little boys he wants his diaper on so if I'm going to air him out, I need to do it like this.

So, I finally pay attention to him and he does this.

He really is the snuggliest kid.  I love it.

You'll have to excuse my hair.  It's my "i've been working on my house all day" hair.  I also have realized that I really can't afford my hair upkeep.  I have these great blond panels, part on one side, lots of blond, part on the other, almost none at all.  I love it.  BUT, on top of my other color (which I will maintain in order to make sure that IF/when I start getting grey hairs I will be oblivious) and the blond, it's a little spendy.  

I really, really, hate budgeting.  Really.

Seriously, if it wasn't so cold out I'd live in a VW van, I could park next to my brother. Apparently his friend has a really flat driveway.  VW heaven.  In Oregon.  Where it's warmer.  And the gas is probably cheaper.  AND you totally don't have to pump it yourself.

Total blog ramble.  Sorry.  Have a good one everyone!

The Smelly Kid

So we have this constant problem with Emma wearing pants.  The first few weeks of school and all summer long she wore nothing but dresses.  I forced her into one of two pairs of pants she will wear only a few times over the summer but even on some pretty cold days she would wear knee socks and rubber boots.

Well, it is now winter.  She has to have snowpants on to go outside for recess.  Snowpants do not work with dresses.  I finally (after many pairs of purchased pants that didn't work) found some GAP foldover yoga pants that she will wear.

Okay, now that we've all gone through that, I'll tell you why my kid is the smelly kid.

When she has cuts, scrapes, bruises (this is often) she WILL NOT get in the tub.  She's sensory sensitive (technically sensory integration disorder) and we struggle with it at times.  So, she has two pretty good cuts, one on her arm, one on her leg.  She has not showered or taken a bath in a week?  Maybe a little more?

To make things worse, she's getting pickier about her pants.  So, she found a great little outfit on Thursday for herself with a pair of pink pants and a strawberry shortcake top (I have NO idea where it came from).  She put it on and happily wore it to school.  At the end of the day she took it off and I threw it in the general direction of the laundry bin.

Friday morning comes and I pull out her blue pants (for a while the ONLY ones she would wear).  She put on the strawberry shortcake top again but covered it with a sweater. 

Whatever. 

So then, when I was upstairs making her lunch with Jack's help she found the very dirty, sticky in places pink pants and put them on instead of the clean blue ones.

I didn't realize this until we got to school.  

After a week? of no bathing, her hair does not look brushed for longer than about 5 minutes.  She got into her lunch on the way to school while I was trying to appease the brother without driving off the road and she had some crumbs on her face.  She used her sweater to wipe it off and then HAD to remove the sweater before she went to school.  Because the sweater was dirty. Irony anyone?

So, today, friday, I sent my unbathed for a week? daughter to school in the same outfit she wore yesterday except today it's dirtier AND she didn't brush her teeth.

Yep, that's me.  Supermom.

I sometimes wonder what the teachers there think.

Some words of wisdom from a former elementary school teacher, "I will believe half of what I hear happens in your home if you believe half of what your child says happens here at school"

Random Pics From Halloween

Just because it's a holiday, it doesn't mean things will go your way.

The above isn't a great picture of any of us but you can see how enormous this barely two year old is.

Gramma with the kids just outside of her dad's new apartment.  That would be her dad, my granddad, and the kids' great-granddad.

Pretty fun.

Jack spent much of the evening trying to figure out why his banana wouldn't come out of his pocket.  He'd spin circles with his head looking that way and pulling as hard as he could.  Hysterical for the rest of us...

Here's Emma with one of her best friends Charlee.  Emma wore bits of her Halloween costume and bits of other "pretty" things she had.  You know, I really tried hard to foster independence and I have to say it totally worked.  My friend was smarter, she bought her daughter a warm costume and put her in it.  Emma froze.  It was about 10 degrees outside.

House Update

So, we're painting, and putting in cabinets and Mike is doing the finish electrical so things are moving along.  I could LIVE in my kitchen, I get giddy (does anyone even use that word anymore?) everytime I walk by my newly installed cabinets.  I'll be out of control when the countertops arrive...

Check out the pics at flickr!  I put explanations on everything, maybe.  I haven't done it yet and I'm watching my friends' son for our weekly kid swap so we can help in classrooms.  If Wubbzy continues to be fascinating, all the pics will have descriptions.  If not...

The Only Thing I Like About Daylight Savings

We can see in the mornings again.  Now, this will only last three weeks, maybe, so I tried to really take it all in.  In the spring, it's already so light that you really don't see a difference. Both of these were taken this morning.  Cute little yearling moose, they're on the street ALL THE TIME.  I never get tired of it.  And the view?  Who wouldn't want that as their backdrop everyday?

So, ya know, I complain about the cold (and sometimes the dark) but I really do love living up here.

There's A New Man in Town

He drives a hot car.

He wears custom tailored pants.
He's an adventurer, seen here in Hatcher's Pass

AND, most importantly, he puts down his book to read to his Great, Great Grandkids.

Welcome Home Granddad!  I can't tell you how ecstatic we are that you're here!

Only A True Alaskan

The "real" photographer

My mom took this a few weeks ago.  I love it.  She doesn't take as many photos as she normally does.  It may have something to do with her being so busy with my kids while I build my house.  My pics lately have been documentation only so this is a refreshing change.

How to Make a Great Pumpkin by Jack

Hey there, I'm Jack!  In the below post I will be telling you how to make The Great Pumpkin"

Pay attention.

I don't know exactly what that means, but my mom says it a lot.

The Great Pumpkin

"So, first you have to cut off the top and put it on the table like this."

"Then you take out a bunch of gooey stuff so you can scream into the top and hope for an echo, I tried this lots."

"It doesn't work great."

"But try it anyways."

"There now, isn't he cool?"

(this is Jack's favorite word, he says it about everything, if Jack were on his dad's favorite show Chuck he would be Captain Cool)

"Now you kiss the pumpkin over and over.  You have to do it quick, otherwise Gramma will get a picture of your lips ON the pumpkin and even though it's cute now, it may not be cute later."

"Now you put the lid back on."

"I said put the LID BACK ON!"

"SOMEBODYPUTTHELIDBACKON!!!  BACK ON!! THISISTERRIBLE!""

"HEEEEPPPPPPP!" ( Jack doesn't use L's for help)

"SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH"

"Stop taking picture and HHHEEEEEEEEEEPP"

The Painting Begins

You can see below that I let Emma go to town on this wall while I worked on the rest of the downstairs.  

I think it'll take 1 more or maybe SEVEN coats to get the blue on the way I want it.  There will be a hood and a fridge and some fabulous stainless shelves that I saved three months of - giving guitar lessons money - on the wall as well.

Below:

From the front of my living room toward the back of the house/kitchen.  

The ceilings are white and Ralph Lauren has come out with some great colors which are on my walls.  This grey is a little darker than I originally thought but I love it.  I'll just have to change some of my fabric colors a bit.
I called my poor mom who was chasing Jack around a bookstore to bring out my camera so that she could chase him around a house with newly painted walls.

They didn't stay long.

A Friday Tradition

So, on fridays, after we pick Emma up from school, we go to the "candy store."  It's actually the local corner gas station (which I don't like to go to at night) and they have all sorts of crazy candy there.  The kids NEVER eat it all which is fine with me.  When we pulled up to my parents' house and went inside, Jack had his sucker.  When I finished getting his pre-nap milk ready, he didn't have his sucker.  As I was putting him to sleep I had visions of the sucker being stuck to one of my mother's beautiful leather sofas or mushed into her carpet.  I looked and looked but didn't find it until I was cooking dinner.  At least he didn't leave his sucker in trade for something else in the drawer AND I was so busy taking a picture of it that I forgot to remove it until the next day when again I was cooking dinner.

School Plays

This was a really cool idea.  The music teacher made an original song for the kids to sing that's also part of a book.  The art teacher helped kids create the artwork to go with the song and the book.  If you have kids, you probably know what book it is by the pics.  If you don't, it's "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?"

They sang a little song and did the art and it was all very cute until my kid wasn't onstage anymore.  Well, you know, cuz our kid is always the cutest one.

And she totally is.

I Think Winter Might be Here??

Just for you Rory.

Emma and her dad in the playroom.  Think we'll be able to fit all our stuff in here??

It's actually similar in square feet to many of our apartments.  VERY exciting.

The sheetrock, mud/tape/texture should be done by this weekend.  Then I'll be able to show you fun pics of cabinets and flooring...

This was taken in the dining, looking toward the front door where Jack is really trying to ride Emma's 4-wheeler.

My new fence!!!

And windows that still need trim!!!