Childhood

“Childhood is a strange country. It’s a place you come from or go to – at least in your mind. For me it has an endless, spellbound something in it that feels remote. It’s like a little sealed-vault country of cake breath and grass stains where what you do instead of work is spin until you’re dizzy.”

~Lyall Bush
Executive director of Richard Hugo House, a center for writers & readers.

If you haven't started reading your coffee cups, you need to start.

OK, so I read this on the back of a Starbucks cup. Yes, that I purchased. Yes, most of them are dumb and/or cheesy and printed by a multi-gazillion dollar company, but this one stuck with me. And I liked it.

Pumpkin Patch

The Boys

What a gorgeous day we had at the local pumpkin farm this past weekend! It was sunny and blue and even a little warm.

I love Fall. It's my favorite time of year, so much so that I sometimes end up wishing summer away too soon. What's not to love: the boots, the sweaters, the trees and all of their beautiful colors. The crispness in the air. "Momma, you can smell winter!", Cole says, excitedly. I know!

Cole & his friend, Brandon

These two have become like two peas in a pod - 'brothers', you could call them. With a love/hate relationship to go along with it. But the fun they have together is helarious to watch. I can see them turning into Soup & Me (if you've read the books) when they're just a bit older. What one doesn't think of, the other one will. Scary.

Cole, Anna & their projects...


Anna's

Cole & mom's

And onto my *favorite* part - roasted pumpkin seeds. Yum!!

The Scent of Memories

I was getting ready for work this morning and was running late. I shaved, which took extra time. (damn, being a girl!) So I decided to wear my hair a bit curly again. (yep, I got that naturally after Cole was born) Aaaaaanyway... back to my story. I reach into the cabinet under the sink for product and remember that I bought some mousse about 6 months ago. Yes, I said Mousse. So I sqirt some into my palm and start to fluff into my hair. I am instantly drawn back into Junior High.

This was the mid-1980's for me with the perms and the bangs (oh, God, the bangs....) and the colored mascara, pink and purple eyeshsadow, flipped-up collars, acid wash jeans, leggings, Generra, Code Bleu, Guess Jeans, Keds, matching socks - sometimes layered..... and on and on and on.

What a great scent reminder! It made me nostalgic for all the girls, too: Cami, Jackie, Julie L., Julie B., Jennie, Dannielle, Tracey, Sara, Janelle, Heather, Jaylene, Hillary, Kim & Cathy and even Natasha (for the countless others, my deepest apologies)

Do you remember Janelle's cool & funky nail polish designs? And Jackie's obsession with George Michael (well, all of ours, to be exact)? Spending ALL SUMMER at Wild Waves?? Cruising the Sea-Tac Mall before we had cars? Eating at El Torito's? Miss Ellis and the whole cheerleading fiasco? Mr. Ingram (?) and our counseling? Brandon and Pat?

OK, so this will mainly partain to just a select few of you. But I hope all who reads this gets the chance for a 'Smell Spell' every once in awhile. It's amazing and special and even a little bit sad, but Awesome!

Stand By Me. Dirty Dancing.

'nuff said.

Ahhhh..... New Car Smell

We have joined the Nissan Clan. And I *LOVE* it!!

Shawn got an offer from a guy at work that he couldn't refuse, so the decision for a new ride was simple. So now the truck is gone :( but we still have Little Red as the commuter car - for now.

I just had to share what we've been up to :)

Fort Lewis

Shawn's former Military buddy, Danny, came to stay with us for the weekend from Michigan. Since he is still active military and he and Shawn were stationed at Fort Lewis together, we decided to take a trip to visit the old stompin' grounds. So surreal that this massive Army base is right in our backyard.
Cole in front of a "tank" - shows you the enormity of these machines.

This partial hand and sword was the most impressive. A unit from Fort Lewis was responsible for the collapse of the statue and bringing the piece 'home'.

Talking 'Army' - as Cole would say.

We were lucky enough to get Anna for a few hours also. I think she enjoyed most of it, eventhough the teenager part of her didn't want to. And she didn't have her ipod either - most impressive! (I remember and can relate to that age: how boring adults are and all you want to do is listen to your music....)

She's so great with Cole, too. Looks out for him without asking, tells jokes with him, teases him, etc.

Future 'Army Guy' ??

Deception Pass

I don't know if I really need to post anything about this entry. I should just let the photos speak for themselves. We took a day trip to Deception Pass. The end.

PS: It was G O R G E O U S !!!!!!!!

Breathtakingly beautiful.....

First Day of School !!

F I R S T G R A D E

How & when did I get a 6 YEAR OLD in First Grade??

All of the preparation and shopping is done and Cole is off to school again. This time all day. He was super excited and luckily I got him to sleep at a decent time and he was zonked out shortly after. Getting him up in the morning is usually a different story, but today it was a breeze! You remember that feeling - waking up, practically jumping out of bed and even putting your clothes on without being asked. Yep, that was Cole. I know it may not last long, but I love to see him so excited for school!

I took him to school and as we walked into the playground, he spotted his friend Brandon instantly. They ran around like banshees for awhile until I finally got them to hold still for a photo. And seriously this was not planned, no joint shopping trips together, but they had the same backpack! Of course they did, they're like two peas in a pod.

Cole must have asked me a dozen times about what line he would be in. "How am I gonna know what line I'm in, Mama?" "We're going to have to find the principal to find out what line I'm in" "Where is my line going to be?" Etc., etc., etc.

The school, of course, is always one step ahead of everything and had the teachers names clearly listed on signs in the grass.

Phew! Meltdown averted.

Here's the 'army' guy in his line~

(Six, yes SIX already...... ugh)

Ferry Rides, Trucks and Fishing

Labor Day weekend and we had no big plans to do anything - just see what the weekend brought us. It turned out awesome! Beautiful weather, spectacular sights and the most wonderful people.

We headed to Seattle and decided to hop on the Ferry to Bremerton and eventually drive over the new Narrows Bridge! Cole has been itching to go over the new bridge.

Like I said, it was a magnificent day for a Ferry ride. Sunny, mostly clear, bright and just that slight hint of Fall that we get this time of year.

I love this city. Loooove it! I spent a lot of my late teens/early twenties exploring this city. When 'grunge' (how I loathe that word) had just hit, and came mainly from Seattle. Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, just to name a few. I remember 'clubbing' at The Underground and that other place over by the McDonalds at Seattle Center....... dang! what was the name of that club??

Anyway, beautiful city with magical memories. I got a little nostalgic there for a moment.

Needless to say, Cole takes after Mama with his fear of heights. He loved the thought of a big boat, but getting him out on the deck was almost impossible. He did venture out once or twice to see the Seagulls drifting on the wind and to try and spot any jellyfish, like Shawn did. But his death-grip on my hand was brutal! So he spent most of the ride looking out thru the windows.


Mt. Rainier off in the distance is such a gorgeous sight! The camera tends to not like the mountain for some reason - in every photo it was washed out. Hmmm

The next day we stopped at Shawn's work so he could tie up loose ends. Cole loves the trips to Shawn's work - the huge boxes, the forklifts, the big rigs. What wouldn't a little boy love? He was even more in Heaven when Shawn brought him out to the rigs to hop inside!

It was his first time in a Semi, so you can tell by his smile that he is just elated!

(nothing like the little things in life to make a kid smile)

Heading South back home, Shawn had a special surprise for Cole - Fishing!

We stopped at this quaint little fishing pond in Kent where they raise the fish and let them go for people (mainly kids) to catch. It was the cutest thing! Little girls and boys all sitting out there with their dads, hoping to get a big one. And they had the most awesome tree house!! Made right into a HUGE cedar tree that you climb up into the hollowed-out trunk and up into the tree house itself. When I asked Cole if it was cool, he just said, "It's a little creepy". Okaaayyy..

That was our weekend, in a nutshell. We did buy a croquet set and played a game, but it was a very cheap set so it went back. Anyone have a good, old set that we can buy??

Cheers!

Kanaskat-Palmer day hike

Cool root of a tree over the river

Cole *in* the cool tree root

The Green River

Anna & Cole trying not to get wet


Cole says - "ROCK ON!!"

No, I'm not a climber

I meant to post this over a week ago and just got busy with the whole Sun Lakes extravaganza.... (more on that to come)


The four of us headed out of the SMALL bungalow to do a day hike. Nothing big, Anna & I both had flip-flops on so we knew it wouldn't be anything major. We just needed to get out!!


So that's it. The kids had a GREAT time in the water, as kids usually do. We skipped rocks on the water (and impressed the hell out of Cole!!) and threw big stones in the river to hear the kewl "SPLUNK" that they make in the water.


I forget how close all this great nature really is to us. Rivers, hiking, trails & parks right in our own back yard.

My Nephew is here !!

Welcome nephew!

Kathy, Emily & Sawyer :)

Sawyer Charles

born: July 22 at 4:40 am

7 pounds 20-1/2 inches

He's here!! I'm an auntie!! And he's healthy :)

I won't go into details about how he was concieved, it's not my place to tell (plus I didn't *ask* first). But I'm positive my sister would graciously enlighten you about the miracle that took place.

The handsome Sawyer arrived early, but with a very lenghthy entrnace. Born to my sister Kathy and her girlfriend Emily, he certainly took his time.

My sister was in labor for 4 days of active labor, dialating and then retreating, she was severely frustrated. It was almost a C-section, but her doula convinced everyone otherwise.

I talked to her on the phone, still in the hospital recovering, on Tuesday. She really sounded in great spirits and I could hear little Sawyer in the background crying. "Did you have a baby pig??", I asked her jokingly. (His little baby cries sounded like baby pig sqeals!) "No, but he is a sqealer, isn't he?", she said, laughing.

We compared war wounds and similarities, but his birth was much more intense than Cole's was. I can't even imagine - I thought I had it bad with 22 hours of active labor, but 4 days?!?

They're all home now and were even able to forward some photos. He's darling, isn't he?? I mean, really, he's my nephew and all, but he's just precious! I can't wait to meet him in person. Minnesota is too far away.......

~Congratulations to Kathy & Emily~

Welcome baby Sawyer

BIG Love to you all

All Moved In

W h e w.

No. More. Boxes.

It's done. Well, almost. We moved the majority of my stuff out and brought some of Shawn's stuff in and we're done. Good Lord, I had a lot of crap. OK, not so much crap, but stuff that I didn't need, didn't use, didn't know was still there, etc., etc.

We took 3 truckloads (out of my house alone) to Goodwill and I have to say...... it felt gooooooood! I empty my closets every now and then but never had to deep clean like this before. And it's different than just doing it yourself. With someone there helping you, you're more accountable for what you hold onto. "Do I really need this?" "Am I really going to use this?" I got rid of a ton of stuff that was still useable and decent, but didn't really know *why* I had it.

Moving Day itself went surprisingly well, other than the muggy heat. But with half our belongings out on the lawn, it beats the rain. And by the time we all settled at 9 or 10 pm, we couldn't get those fans going fast enough.

We're still going thru things in the house still. I think once you get in the 'purging' mode, you just want to keep going! Even Cole got in on it - we promised him the old TV for video games and he was all gung-ho about giving toys away! (of course there was Mom, right behind him, "You can't get rid of that!" - oh well)

Now starts the organizing and adjusting. Wish us luck.

(and hey, I was automatically upgraded to a 52" Flat Screen - not too shabby ;)

Lucky

(McGyver Cole)

I'm extremely lucky. Fortunate. Blessed.

This I know all too well. Sometimes it's the damn media that has to (graciously) remind me.

Watching 'The Office' last night and to hear, "Breaking news in Tacoma: the body of 12 year old Zina Lennik was found this evening around 6pm"....... I just crumbled. Cole was already asleep, but I went in to his room, crying and kissed him.

Zina lived just 5 blocks away from Shawn.

I drove by her house numerous times and didn't know this beautiful young girl or what her future would hold. I'm so saddened for her family and their unspeakable loss.

How ironic that I just finished reading The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. The fictional story of a young girl who is murdered. Told in first person, she talks about her family, her killer and her Heaven. Highly recommended.

Then checking email at work today and I read a small blurb on AOL about a 4 year old who drowned in the wave pool at Great America. Four. I assume he was like Cole at 4 - lively and fun and full of life. His parent(s) take him to the water park for a day of fun in the sun and things take a drastic turn.

I am extremely grateful for the 6+ years I have had with Cole, I only pray to have a lifetime. Our incident at Target a few months ago was enough for me. Losing him for 2 minutes was longer than I ever want to experience again. I know most people might not think as morbidly as I do, but being a parent, it's on my mind more than I'd like to think. I don't let it consume me but the "what ifs" are always there.

I'm thankful.

As I heard my friend Dannie once say, "go and hug your babies"

The bungalow will soon have THREE occupants

Yay!

More good news..... Great news..... FANTASTIC news!!

Shawn will be moving in this month!!

He had some minor drama go down at his place and decided it was time to leave. He talked about staying with a friend (closer to work) for awhile before we made the big move in together. But we got to talking one night and decided we could save a helluva lot more money this way. (plus, we would get to see each other more often :)

For those of you who have seen my "bungalow", the cute term I like to use for 'super-small', you know that it's only about 900 square feet - max! And full of 10 years of stuff. Ken and I moved into this place 2 months before we got married, so it's collected its share of memorabelia and I have been purging like crazy!! I'm a self-admitted pack-rat, but you'd be proud at the stuff I've let go...... too many memories.

I'm super excited for this new step in our lives. And with his schedule being more 'normal' it's a double YAY!! Let's just hope we can all survive in the small quarters - thank God it's SUMMERTIME!!


PS: Yay!!

Good News

Good news, great news, excellent news!!

Shawn called me yesterday from work, "Well, you got your wish", he said. He went on to explain that he's:

being promoted to DAY SHIFT!!!!

I'm ecstatic, elated, spinning with joy!! He's worked nights or swing since before we met and he doesn't mind it - he's kind of a night-owl. But it's worn on me the past few months. We talked about him working nights and he explained that his schedule could be manipulated to a point and that it wasn't permanent. I was OK with that as long as we could spend quality time together once in awhile.

But now that he'll be switching to DAYS, I'm just beside myself!! Sitting at my desk, smiling as we speak. :) Yay us!

Cole's 6th Birthday !!

"Birthday Extravaganza!" is what I should say. Or maybe "The Never Ending Birthday" is more like it - the kid had *3 days* of Birthday!!

We started out with the traditional "candle in the granola bar" for breakfast on Friday, his actual birthday. Then he brought cupcakes to school to celebrate with his friends. Friday night, Shawn took us all to dinner at Red Robin (thanks hun!) and Cole loved the people singing to him, he even shared his sundae with Anna. Awwwww......

We were up bright and early for the 'friend' birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. (believe me, I used to groan also, but there's no clean up!) He had all of his friends from school there to celebrate with him, or should I say run around like banshees and ask me, "Have you seen Cole?" Cole's mom even got in trouble for bringing in her own cups in case the kids got thirsty. Sheesh! (hehe!!)

And then on Fathers Day my poor dad had to share his special day with the Cole-man for the 'family' celebration. (I told you, this kid has it made!) Cole made out like a bandit - as usual. And now I really have to crack down and load up the car with old toys, clothes, etc to bring to the shelter and such. He's got waaaaaay too much stuff!

Six years old........ He's turning into such a little man. The "grouchies" have lessened - with much help from Shawn. And his independence continues to grow. He still makes me laugh daily - I *love* that little man!