Pears, Huh?

I've been trying to figure out what kind of weird apple tree is on our new property...It finally came to me at the fruit stand up the street yesterday- those aren't apples. I sure have a lot to learn- like now what to do with the bags and bags full of these things.

Brotherly Breakfast

Sissy was gone all weekend camping and so these two bonded. Sometimes a change in family dynamic brings out the best. Or maybe it's just the big finger.

Fall Fog

Fall brings such gorgeous color in this part of the world and also many foggy mornings. The way the trees can barely be seen for the first few hours of the morning is one of my favorite things.

"I'm NOT Joining Band"

And then the trumpet came home. I'm not sure what changed her very firm opinion about learning an instrument but when asked, "Why trumpet?" her answer...
"Mom, my favorite book".

Le renard et l'enfant

What a pleasant surprise in our red Netflix envelope...The Fox and Child was by far one of the most beautiful films I've seen. The scenery, the story (or lack of- it's more of a documentary film) and one of the cutest little girls ever. Go get it.

Sloughy Morning

It was simply too beautiful to go home this morning after the school drop so my little cranky companion and I grabbed coffee shop gear and headed to the Mercer Slough. I thought some nature would help lift his funk.

Although we didn't get far on our trail, we did breathe deeply, stop to look at many wonders and pretend some silly stuff. Less grumpy? Yep. And not only did we accomplish lifting spirits (nature/exercise will always do that) but I found some plans for my dream home. All of the buildings in the education center are sustainable and green and beautifully designed. Now I just need to find a piece of land, teach one bazillion cycling classes and buy some land so that I, too, can grow plants on my roof!

One Week Down

Back to school has been busy. Real busy. And for the most part, it's been great. There is one particular second grader who just didn't "feel" like going this morning and one fifth grader who does not care for homework but I think they will get get with the program soon. I remember as a teacher that it takes a good few weeks to feel like it all flows right. Plus these little people are tired. Totally normal.

And so the question of the day is...why is my house not clean and why are there still mountains of laundry? I thought kids in school meant mom could be wonder woman?? Enough clicking here- today the house will be clean!

Scholarly Gifts

A very wise lady taught me this summer how to make spritzers using essential oils. I am in love! A lovely little gift to someone else or even to yourself can be put together inexpensively and quickly.

I'm so very excited that the big kids are going back to school for the first time in two years TOMORROW! It's not that I'm excited they're leaving. I am thrilled that they are going into such a great environment. So the teacher in me got busy putting together a little sumpin for a first day gift.

Pep Talk Spritzers- when you need a little pick me up.
*Essential oils
*Witch Hazel
*Filtered Water
*Small bottles- I used 4ozs


I bought this Pep Talk blend premade at the health food store, but you could make your own using peppermint and orange essential oils. In a 4oz bottle found at many craft or health food stores for about $2.50, mix 2 tbsp. witch hazel with 10 tbsp. filtered water. Add 5-6 drops of oil. And here's where you can get crafty- make it with lavender and chamomile for bedtime. Combine rosewood, nutmeg, lavender, and sweet orange to relieve tension. Stop a headache with basil exotic, clary sage, lavender extra, and peppermint. You could make a bunch of spritzers for a healthy way to freshen the house, the car and you!

The boxes were from Michael's and were two for a dollar. We also forced ourselves into the chocolate shop for some treats to add- certainly not for us! ;)

Many, Many Thanks

Lourdes and Lisa knew I was having a very rough August. Of course they knew that, I called them crying my eyes out. And what did they do? What any great friend does, they sent me a classic St. Rita- my "go to" saint. Saint of the impossible. Thank you, ladies, I sure do love you!

Playdates Skype-Style

Technology at it's finest. A playdate yesterday afternoon with some Las Vegas friends- can you even imagine what their children will be doing?

Onward

Our college friends paid us a quick visit this weekend (sans Jill who got to go play in Chicago) so we took an impromptu hike at Cougar Mountain (yes, there are cougar and bear and who knows what else). Six little ones trailblazing is an awesome site. That is until you get about two miles in- downhill, and realize that you need to go back out-uphill. And can you even believe that after all that they were still running wild through the house?

Setting out- I love that two year olds hike with accessories.

Josh and Rob. I told Rob to leave that shirt at my house...I can't find it.

Dang that this picture is blurry. The two littlest ones went on a shirtless strike. There were some tired papas.

Last Week Fun

I've been sitting in such disorganization it's killing me. Boxes still all over. Piles and piles accumulating. Moving really takes a toll on a person who requires a sense of flow and a place for everything. Especially renting a house on the market, but that's a whole other story.

So with less than a week to go before school starts, I decided to look away from the mess and take the kids on an outing. We hit the Seattle Science Center to watch the Under the Sea in 3D but minutes after grabbing our glasses, seats and popcorn- the movie broke. Bummer. Instead we ran around the museum and since the rainy morning turned into a beautiful afternoon- we played outside at the fountain. I'm glad we hit the road because there were lots of smiles and laughing, maybe even some learning (but don't tell them that).

Can't Like It

For years we grown ups in my family have quoted my niece in saying, "I can't like it" whenever the mood of discord strikes. I am on on day ten (that's more than a week, people) of no dishwasher. This thingymabobby broke and the part was ordered but hasn't arrived yet.

To my husband, this is no biggie. He never had one growing up. But to me- washing up after all the continuous mess...I for sure can't like it.

Summer Faves

Besides all the berries, summer veggies rock in my world, too. One of my all time favorite messy summer treats are veggie chips. Our previous landlord loaded us up with zucchini and beets so a little slicing some olive oil and sea salt and we're good to go. (How I would have loved to throw some jicama in...)

In our new house, we have a garbage bin for food waste like the contents of my blue bowl. Anyone know where I can get a little counter top storage bin for food so I'm not constantly trekking the bowl outside??

Jetty Jaunt

We got invited to spend our day with friends yesterday on Jetty Island, about forty minutes north from us. Although we have had sunshiney warm weather all week, yesterday was not an island day. But we made the best of it and enjoyed the sucking of the earth as as we walked out far on the low tide as well as playing in the sand and building a wood home. The man made island has absolutely nothing on it, even the bathroom is a floating thingy near the dock (not even running water!)

Tri-ing It Out

Races in hindsight are always a blast for me. But the yesterday's Danskin Tri was more than fun in hindsight- I enjoyed every single minute of it. The weather couldn't have been more perfect- did you hear me yell "I LOVE SEATTLE!" on the floating bridge coming back from Mercer Island? Did you see the smile pasted all over my face as I came through the crowds? Did you happen to notice I got too caught up in the hoopla that I missed my wave? Oops. So my time was turtle-esque but a girl has gotta start somewhere.

And of course, I can't wait to do it again! Thank you to my family for enduring a very long weekend of tri stuff with me. ;)

Lake Joy

This weekend my relay team met up to celebrate. Days leading up to this event were hot as blazes but come party day...brrr. Still we had lots of fun. Most of us got in the water- some of us after 9pm and in rare form! Yep, we had a good time.

Outdoor Arroz

Before the rains started in Sunday night we headed outside for a little arroz con pollo. Not the best batch (Lourdes, Josh said you would be ashamed) but the atmosphere helped. I am going to miss summer nights for sure. The sun is already going down much earlier than just a month ago. Some leaves are falling on the deck, too. We better take advantage of the outdoor meals while we can, right?

New Digs

It feels like years since I blogged last. Moving takes a physical and emotional toll on me. My blogging life began when we moved to Washington, to the farm as we called it. My life changed dramatically from the Las Vegas desert to wet country. We began homeschooling on the farm. We set out on a new era together, as a family- no friends, no familiarity, no connections. Nearly two years later and it was time to say goodbye to that special place we adored so. There were many tears and a few doubts as if we'd done the right thing.

But a week into our new place, it feels like it's gonna be okay. Our life will change again. The kids will begin Catholic school next month, I'm picking up part time work instructing at the gym, and we are accessible to so much that was always a trek before. There is the charm of small town life missing as we're all still working on hearing airplanes and noises of life outside that we're just not used to. There are all those boxes to still open. There is still furniture to put back together. But these digs will suit our family just fine. Here's to a happy home for home is what we make it.

The Countdown

My last Monday morning out the kitchen window. I'm gonna miss this place.

Cooling Off

Temps hit the 90's yesterday and we Washingtonians have no A/C. A house, while packing it all up, gets very uncomfortable in the late afternoon so we hit the river. Isn't it ironic we've been here 22 months and have yet to jump in the river right outside our house until it's time to leave?

Ragnar; A Smashing Good Time

Wow, what a weekend. I like to keep busy but this is kind of busy has no adjective. Friday was a beautiful (and HOT) day to start the relay up at the border.Me and Janet waiting for our runner to come by -very spirited at Birch Bay, maybe annoyingly so.

The race got off to a good start- we were all running well even in the high temps, our pace was fast, we were having fun. We even got to go out for burgers after the first leg and relax.
Me and Janet at about 9pm thinking we might get some rest. Do we look like we're ready to sleep? We were worse than ten year olds at a sleepover.

The second leg was a bit more turbulent. My portion of the leg began about midnight and very shortly there after- it came to a crashing demise.

I was nervously cracking jokes about my van not leaving me alone too long with all the pervs out and all (really, there were none but when I get nervous, I kid). Vans can leap frog a night runner but they can't stay next to them for safety reasons. I headed out the street and under a viaduct- it was pitch black so I adjusted my headlamp only to find that I lost all perception of the road and CRASH- down I went. Down, off the road, into some gravel. I can't tell you how startled I was to have hit so hard. I jumped up and not knowing what to do, began to limp ahead. When my van caught up to me I gave them the report, "I'm hurt, I'm bloody and my ankle is bad". And just because I don't quit, I continued the rest of the four miles completely aware that I'd done something quite stupid.One of the many boo boos.

The remainder of the night I iced and popped ibuprofen until we arrived at the stop jut past the Deception Pass bridge on Whidbey Island. About 3am we pulled out our sleeping bags and joined hundreds of bodies in the state park surrounded by the trees. We had a full two hours to get some sleep and it felt so good to lie down and stretch. Literally seconds later a very bright flash went off followed by a boom and all you could hear was a sea of groans as tired runners schlepped back to their vans with their bags. A nice storm followed that kept us all stuck in the very odoriferous van.
The view at 5am at the Deception Pass State Park-storm had passed and the sun was just ready to get up.

About 5am I realized I couldn't run my last leg that morning. Heck, I could hardly get to the honeybucket. I have awesome teammates and one amazing one, in particular, ran for me. (Thank you, Andy!)
Andy, sleeping with his beer. A quick nap is much deserved for him!

So we finished, I saw the medic, determined the ankle was sprained, the hip bruised and got the gravel out of my elbow, got a shower and headed to the party at the end. I'm bummed that I'm injured because this is a very busy week for us and I still need to be training for the next races coming up. Hurt or not, I still had a blast and of course, I'll be back next year. (Perhaps with a few more lights!)

Ragnar Time

I'm leaving here shortly to embark on this insanity again. Last year I was so full of anxiety to leave with a group of strangers. No so much the case this year, I know a few people in my van, I know sorta what to expect, and my mind is oh so preoccupied with moving next week that I can't focus on nerves.

I am looking forward to different scenery this year- I'm in Van 1 which means I start at the beginning in Blaine, WA (at the border of Canada). Which means I need to get an earlier start to meet my van for the drive up there. Which means I gotta go! See you all Sunday, bleary eyed and slap happy.

A Little Red in the Face

Yesterday was one of those epic long summer days. Too much in and out of the house with mud tracks to follow. Too many minor disasters (using mommy's rosary to "unlock" the bathroom door and incidentally scratching the tar out of the paint one week prior to moving out is NOT okay). Blackberry juice on the floor, on the clothes, on the walls...yep, one of those days.

You have to know that I am trying to finish packing and at the same time trying to clean out our rental so having kids in the mix goes against all my efforts. That being said, I escaped the house with the children plus a friend after dinner to head to the library. Finally out of the house, no more damage could happen, right?

Uh uh. Walking through the parking lot into the library, I heard a watermelon smash against the concrete. Silence behind me. In slow motion I turned to see my little guy on the ground, head against the curb. Then screaming. Oh no.

I did what any mom would do- the scoop, the hug, rearranged his long locks to find the big bump. Then I ran back to the car with the screamer in my arms and called Josh who was working at the firehouse.

"Joey hit his head across the street, can you run me over an ice pack?"

Less than one minute later the truck and aid car pull in with the entire department on duty. Do you know what color I turned? Fire engine red, indeed.

"I thought I just asked for an ice pack?" I squeaked.

Small town living, even if it's only for 6 more days, is very comforting. And for Joey? He's okay. One more lump to chalk up in his three year old life and one more story for his mama.

Campy

Our entire house smells like a campfire. Six loads into the wash, I still have several to go. But it's worth it. The smells, the dirt, the sand. Even the aggravation of being about an hour or so into our trip and getting called by the dog boarder telling us to come back and pick up our dog (which we DID NOT) was worth it.

For three nights we slept by the ocean which means we got to listen to crashing waves all night long. It's the most beautiful sound... next to your children (on a good day, I mean). And the sand, so soft and warm- felt fantastic for a few daily runs. However, the runs itself were great but the being sweaty with no shower and not being able to warm up afterward was the pits. I spent hours with numb and tingly fingers at the fireside, what is it with this running addiction?

I went to the ocean in expectation to fully relax and rejuvenate, so why do I feel even more tired than before I left?? Oh yeah, it's worth that, too.

Natural Remedies

There is almost too much going on in life right now. Camping this weekend, a twenty-four hour relay next week and then moving to a new house. Between packing and cleaning baseboards and cabinets, there is triathlon training, marathon training and teaching cycling classes. Oh yes, then there is regular, everyday stuff with children, a husband, a dog that runs away every time the door is left open and groceries to be bought. So what I'm saying is that last night's outing was much needed to forget about the looming list.

Throwing together some chicken salad and heading to a nearby lake is just the way I needed to spend the end of a long day.