October 12th.

Our house is suppose to go on the market today. (still has work to do on it. walls to wash, window sills to scour, base molding to replace, window to case, threshold thingy to put in, some molding painting, door painting to finish.) SOOO much to do, yet the house is suppose to go on the market. I've been praying for God to cultivate special grace-filled, with all the work still to be done, we'll need this quality, buyers for this house. And of course a decent to high selling price.

As for the "new" tree house, the most we know is that the sellers have signed the offer we made. They actually had to bring it back to us for slight changes (not to the deal but to who the escrow/title company would be), I actually saw their signatures on our offer! Now it goes to the bank for consideration because it is a short sale. The bank can think about it for an indetermined amount of time... two days, 6 months. They try to see if other offers will come in higher. From what I understand, any other offers would first have to go to the listing agent & sellers for signature before it would go to the bank, and they can choose to or not to sign.... whatever that means. But generally only one offer (best, not always/just the highest) is brought to the bank by the sellers/listing agent, and I think we are it right now. So it appears that we have slipped into first position and beat out the other offer for the sellers signature and submission to the bank. That's step one in this God work.

Bottom line now: Wait for the bank to give us an answer. In the mean time try to keep the house clean enough to get a screaming high offer in on this house. (and try not to sell this before we know we have the other... I don't want to be homeless... and the sad fact is that we could not afford to buy back our own house!)

This whole process is going to shape the boys. Each night we have to go through each room in the house and stand and look around for toys, shoes, shirts, dishes, etc and pick up. Each night, Each room. (sounds familiar... like from my childhood, hmmm.) I've realized my limits, and we are making one bathroom off limits for use to cut down on what I have to clean. Also the living room/ dining room is off limits. (I wasn't allowed to play in the living room dining room under normal circumstances in my childhood home either. So that feels normal to me.) I think they will appreciate the amount of work it takes to keep a house clean. Hopefully they will grow up being more participatory in the housework. It will make them better husbands I think. And I want them to feel a part of the process. This is for their life too. One of the biggest motivators for the "tree house" is the joy they have just playing in the backyard at that new house while we tromp around inside making a list of all the items that need to be done/repaired/replaced. The backyard is like being in a woods surrounded campground. (even has a former rock lined firepit).

In other notes:
Caleb is doing well in school, although not liking it in general, thinks that it's mostly a waste of time. Recess is the only worthwhile thing. He is doing great in his work though. He had got a couple dozen sight words down, and sounding out other things. His teacher visited the house, saw the rabbits/dogs/his room/ Jockey's room and they set goals for the year.

Jockey is having some squirrely issues. Each day (from any event, sunday school, awana, school) if he was bad that day he says: "It was the worst day ever. I was bad and disobeyed my teacher".... although he can't say why he did. Last week, he actually was breaking pencils on purpose. So he is going to have to replace those today. He's not looking forward to it, which means its a good thing for him to do. He is "coping a 'tude" lately on everything. I think he is just stretching his wings of independence and growing but not knowing how.

Well, there's more, but I have to get everyone ready for the day. Jockey has picture day, Caleb doesn't have school. But we are headed to a play date after school to keep the kids out of the house and not get it messy!
TTFN

It's October, and I think we've all settled into the season and the routines now.

Caleb gets dropped off a little early for school so he can burn energy and socialize before he's expected to buckle down and learn. Mrs. Adams, his teacher, is visiting the house tonight and give Caleb a chance to show her around and tell her about his interests. The house is in psuedo disaster mode due to "remodeling"/finishing but she gets what she gets. The only really bad rooms are the family/laundry room and the garage. Caleb's not sure really why she's coming. I think it's a boy thing, why does she need to know me? Well, he'll figure it out when she's here.
He actually ask, "why does she get to tell me what to do at home, I thought she only got to be the boss of me at school?"
Awana was better for Caleb last week. I'm glad he was good, because if he is leading people, he might as well lead them in a good direction not into bad actions. He really doesn't want to be responsible for others, but I'm sure he'll be ok with it as he gets older. Because that's just what he's got.

Jockey is loving school. He calls all his classmates friends, but on the other hand if he doesn't feel he plays with them enough he says they aren't his friends. So it goes both ways. He wishes that he could play longer with his friends after class, and I wish I could let him, but we always have to rush to get Caleb that he doesn't get that chance. Maybe next year when Caleb is in first grade and he is in pre-k and we don't have to rush for the brother pick up.
Awana for Jockey last week... let's just say "caught red handed" was an understatement. The teacher said he was the only one who tried to take the red stamp pad out of it's box! We washed his hands 3 times with soap, tried rubbing alcohol, and then spray and wash! And they were still pink, the funny thing was though, the teacher had stopped him by saying "oh, oh, no no no Josh" and he said "what?" as put both hands on his face (like in Home Alone). So he also had pink on his face and neck. FUN. I almost took a picture. I almost had to send him to bed with gloves on to keep everything from getting pink on it.

This last weekend. We just puttered around the house trying to get various projects done. And we attended church. Still many more projects to do. Soon we should be listing the house for sale. I did find out if the paper work closes after 10/31, then we don't have to come up with so much for taxes reserve, which is great news. Maybe by that time they'll calculate using the 2010 rates and it will be even lower! We'll see, it seems so far off and very well might be.

ok, time to start the week/day.

The boys are being real troopers with all the changes that are taking place, and the new rules that are subsequent to the changes. Basically they aren't allowed in the living room/dining room anymore. They must eat in the kitchen or downstairs with us if supervised. NO toys anywhere but in their bedroom or directly in their hands. All their legos/knex/magnets toys (small easy to scatter) have been packed up. They are having to pick up every room before bed, keep their own rooms cleaner, the backyard has been cut down to just a few outside toys.
They are focused on helping us. Jockey has decided that he is a good worker and he loves to put the "mud" wall patch on the walls. I was surprised at how much he understood and what he was capable of. I did have to go around an scrap a little of the excess off, but his comprehension was great. Jockey does seem to stand a little too close to wet paint...habitually. Caleb wants to be involved, but doesn't always stop to listen for directions. He is helpful in getting the tools or items from the house that we need to complete a project. And he is a strong and helpful lifter.
The family room has been painted and just needs crown molding. The bathroom is ready for paint and then base/case molding, vanity/sink and toilet. This is the room furthest from finished. And then we have the odds and ends and the regular cleaning. AND THE GARAGE to clean out. whew!!!! THEN we will be able to put our house up for sale.
We still don't know if our offer was signed by the owner and taken to the bank for consideration. For that matter, we don't know if the offer was driven to the agent yet. So still waiting on that account.
Caleb is doing way better in reading.
Jockey is doing better in his pen holding, and calmness at school.
Awana has started and Jockey is doing very well. He's calmed down quite a bit. Caleb, actually I got spoken to about him last time. So we had a long talk about leadership qualities and the responsibity of leading people only into good actions. He doesn't like the idea of a mantle of leadership/responsibility... well, you get what you get, that's the way God made you.
Jockey asked today how God made him...successfully dodged that with "God grew you in my tummy" to which he responded "That's so cool".

Well, it's off to painting the bathroom.

The boys are trying to be good helpers in getting work done on the house. I hope that out of this comes a skill set they can use later, or at least feel comfortable with the idea to learn more later. And I hope that they finally grasp the idea of what clean is and keeping something that way. And working for a goal because you want it bad enough. (In this case, the tree house is a BIG motivator for Caleb for the house we have in mind. Although, I thought riding the bus would be a big plus too, evidently not because they say "keep moving back" over and over again.)

I've also had to tell them that the magic tu-tu cleaning fairy has left the building and they now have to pick up after themselves to include putting away their own laundry (after I've cleaned, dried, sorted and handed it to them- still a little of the tu-tu fairy remains).

Contrary to all of my wishes and guidelines for my kids, Jockey has a tv in his room and Caleb has the computer. I never wanted these things in the children's bedrooms, but I keep telling myself that it is only temporary. I don't want the kids to isolate themselves in their rooms, and especially, I don't want it to become a habit/lifestyle. And our eat-in kitchen only sits a very tight 3 persons, and I refuse to have the boys sit in the dining room with their food, MESSY! and over carpet, I don't think so. It's bad enough that they are eating over a tablecloth! (to hide the hideousness of the craft table come eat-in table).

We are working feverishly to get it done. SOOO much to do still. The boys are fortunately gracious to allow us to work for their "tree house". We might as well call the next house the "tree house" since that's how the boys refer to it.

It is such a blessing to have beautiful days like this so late into the summer, the sheet rock would be pretty wet when we cut it outside if it wasn't so beautiful.

The boys are settling down to school. I have so many things to remeber it is ridiculous. Tomorrow is picture day, I work, we meet with the agent and actually compose the offer and have him look at our house (EEK), we are casing and basing. We have Awana on Thursday, I work that day and also at Awana that night, our anniversary is this weekend (no plans, just house). We'll have to put a toilet and vanity in the downstairs, and finish the floor, sheetrock, tape, mud, texture and paint, and moldings. All of the work I've done, and none of it is cleaning.... so vacumming, dusting, mopping, bathrooms, desperately need attention! sigh, lots to do. I better get to...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNWg5DlWVa8

Well, we've decided to skydive.... in a manner of speaking.

We have decided to put an offer in on a home WITH OUT a contingent on Moday. It needs ALOT (did I mention the holes in the family room ceiling and the missing cabinets in the kitchen and the rampant stains making the carpet untouchable, and no fence?). But it has Sqft, location, schools, and a price that is great (even if it is a stretch still.) The sweat equity will be amazing.

So now we are free falling. (And with SOOOOOO much work to do here too!)

Prayers please. The nice thing is that Caleb likes the tree house in the back.

I'll be gone until tomorrow night on a MOPS retreat.

Have a great weekend yourselves.

Our first brush with poisonous plants....

I foolishly thought that we were safe from our children consuming poisonous plants. Nothing after six years.... Nope.
Yesterday we had to do a plant search on the web, and the a quick call to poison control to find out exactly what the effect would be of a single unchewed but swallowed berry of the newly discovered Climbing/Woody/Bittersweet NIGHTSHADE!!! Hello, nightshade. Why don't they call it death berry vine. Well, Jockey my mouthy son now has his name logged into the poison control system as one who tries imfamous red berries. Fortunately, he suffered no effects, but still.... We can apparently make it out of the woods alive and not eating anything wrong, but our own backyard has berries too tempting not to try to eat. Of course we didn't know this weed of a vine imported itself from somewhere. Jockey is safe and fine now though. PTL.

Jockey is obsessed with little stuffed animals. Some Beany Babies, but he really isn't particular. He loves them all. Even the ridiculous ball of "fur" called a guinea pig from McDonald's. His latest is that he found a "cage" for them and now he cages his animals to transport them because occassionally they bite and defecate in the house (so I've been told).

Also, both boys are in love with the Angel Wars cartoon. We saw the Messengers show on TV and they are hooked. I'm happy to have them introduced to a deep concept in such a way. I'll have to source the other episodes because it's worth building their understanding.

Ok, back to work.

Saturday. Garage sale day.

Doesn't it always happen that the moment you put toys out to sell, suddenly it's the most fun, most interesting, must keep toy in the world?! Well, Joshy re-fell in love with a Spiderman (missing his shooting webs). And I said, ok, yes I broke down and said he could keep it. I told him to put it in the house, came up with a good way to play with it in the back yard, etc. Well, he didn't do it, and 20 minutes later it was laying among the other toys and someone wanted/bought it. Joshy saw that and burst into tears and ran in the house. He cried and poked his head out again "I don't want to be your boy any more", the next time he poked out "you're the worst mommy in the world" and then "now we have to buy another". Well, I don't know about the last comment. But the others... I knew I'd hear them in life. And to show him that his comments were not affecting me... I laughed. If I had not expected it, it would have hurt. But I almost feel as if we've gone through a rite of passage. Of course this effected him greatly, so I made it into a lesson that if he had obeyed the toy would have been in the house, but disobedience meant that the toy got sold. I hope he learns his lesson with this small thing.
Anyway, I've been picking up toys all morning.... on my front lawn. Everytime I get them grouped together as the set they are, the boys undo all my efforts.
Caleb has been both helpful and embarrassing. He says things to people that I just want to hide under a rock when he says them. He makes comments to people about the things that they pick up and touch. "hmm, I think that you like that, maybe you should buy it." I guess he's a used car salesman in the making. Of course, when he is not doing that, he's climbing the tree above all the toys and littering leaves (and rotten plums) on everything. Thanks.
On the bright side of things, it is bright and sunny out, just perfect for having stuff all over the front yard. There is a campfire smell in the yard that smells delicious. I've unloaded a bunch of stuff. (Alot of it the bulky stuff, SOOO happy not to have to put it all back into the garage.) SOO much more to go though. I've made a decent amount. And a highlight was meeting a lady and telling her about MOPS and finding out she'd love to go, has a son to attends Jockey's school on T/Th, likes to scrapbook, etc. We exchanged #'s. Sound great. Our chatting covered a lot of topics and flowed well, I hope we have a friend in the making for both Jockey and I.
After the garage sale, we will get in touch with Grandpa and Grammy Dahl who are watching Tessa. The boys will have fun with her I think.
Mike is till away, safe and dry the last time I talked to him.
That's our weekend. Hope yours is going well.

The boys have made it through their orientation days and their first days of school.

Caleb remembers little of what he did each day... singing and recess, nothing else. I really have to ask and ask to get information. I did find out that he saw several of this buddies at recess... which is good because I was afraid that keeping him in Kindergarten when they moved to 1st would cause a divide. It is now just like they are in different classes not different grades. GREAT, and probably the best because he doesn't have in-class distractions of his friends. Caleb knows the routine this year and I have every hope and expectation that he will do fantastic. And he knows several sight words in his reading and oral math skills.

Jockey: He plunged right in. He remembered that during circle time he gets a "listening" chair. Which turned into every other kid got his own chair. With a class size of 5, the teacher was ok with it because they all paid attention for the story. His class is bonding well already. His teacher said that she could tell that he has calmed a bit, matured over last year. And I think it will get even better when the summer wiggles are worked out and his routine is found. But he trotted off with enthusiam and that was great to see.

I've worked the last two days. I've cleaned out the garage and tomorrow is the garage sale. I have to promise myself that the unsold items will NOT go back into the garage!
Mike had ridden off on the motorcycle for a camping weekend with Grandpa Bill. He comes back Sunday.

So that's the update.

Pictures finally...

Camping/crabbing at Kayak State Park mid-august with Dahls Sr. and Surfaces.

HOT day at the lake with buddies

An evening at the Children's museum... Jockey discovered he liked Rapelling down the rock wall.

Caleb attends a go-cart Birthday party.

Emily stays over night and plays with boys.

Jockey's Pool 4th Party with his great painting rocks idea

The fair, this time most of us were big enough to go on most of the rides. And painting stuff too.

My scrapbook pages, one of which won. (The one that won is the one that I was told last year that no one would want to see...)

Lastly, ROSIE the RABBIT!!!!!!!!

She looks like she's praying.... hopefully she's praying blessings on us all...

Ok, we've done it.

We have Rabbit #2 and a new-to-us (craigslist) hutch.
A female, Rex, roan colored, soft like a chinchilla rabbit.

It took longer than it should to name her, but it is finally decided to be "Rosie" (like Caillou's little sister). It's suppose to be Jockey's rabbit, and he does love Caillou (a tv show for all of you not up on your children's cartoons.) Rosie was a better name than.... "Tony Stark's (Ironman) butt crack". Which was also the boy's idea. Her rich fawn/reddish so the name fits with that too, although I wanted to call her Bambi. (Mike wanted Trixie, so we were both out voted by the boys).
As a rex breed, she'll be just like Shooter although not a mini just a standard size. She is just as soft, and will be a little bit bigger. She is coming up on 3 months old and already the same size and edging up close on being bigger than Shooter. She is getting use to being handled and the noisy-ness of our house. Once she is in our arms she immediately calms down and holds still for long term petting (until she gets a bit to warm, then she stirs.) She seems to be loving her hutch which is twice the size of Shooters and has a built in nest box. It was a great find on craigslist and was able to be pressure washed to perfection. Jockey, the less suave handler, can reach over and pick her up too. Which is really nice since we are trying to use this experience as a tool for responsibility.
WHY? I know that's the big question. Off the top of my head, here's why:
*VERY LOW cost. The whole year will be under a generous estimate of $75 for the entire year.
*LOW, LOW maintenance, especially for this breed. A quick rub backwards with a wet hand and the occasional toe nail trim. That's it.
*their cage's large volume feeders and water bottles allow us to leave for the weekends without trouble (even less problems than the dogs really).
*their droppings is sooooo few, and all in one place, and technically perfect for gardens... less troublesome/burdensome than the dogs.
*no problems meeting other dogs/people like dogs do out on a leash.
*they are available for love, and then easily put away.
*we've placed them near our back door and they can see us and actually part of our lives.

So that's it.
I'll get pictures up soon.
Yesterday, I took the boys to the skate park to use their rollerblades and scooter; Caleb had a buddy over last night, and I cleaned up the back yard a bunch.
I have to go help Auntie Brittany move into her house now.
Tomorrow is blackberry picking (again, yeah, I know.) and an ice cream social with last years school buddies.
Thursday, I work.
Nothing until Sunday, another great day at the fair.
TTFN.

Jockey's birthday was a big success. Pictures to follow. He loved having the pool party and jumpy house up. His buddy Josh (from preschool) showed up. And Cousin Tessa, and the Grammy's and Papa's too. He got his vanilla cake with vanilla frosting and sprinkles and GUM for his "second treat". The morning of his party, he decided that he wanted everyone to paint rocks. So it was a rush around to get paint brushes, and a trip to the river front to get a bucket of rocks. It worked out great and the boys actually really liked it. I was surprised that something so simple was so entertaining. (Thank you Grandpa Dahl for not getting riled about the glitter we used in your party room.) The best ideas are sometimes from kids themselves.

On Jockey's actual birthday we went to Chuck E Cheese for a bit of fun and then portraits on JC Penny. Hopefully we got some good shots.

Wednesday we visited Caleb's new classroom and teacher for an Ice Cream social. He's met a couple kids from his class, specifically a Taylor. Sometimes knowing someone is a great way to feel comfortable the first day of school. Glad we got this opportunity.

I worked on Thursday and visited my Dr. Alls well in her area, but that just takes me back to my Urologist.

Friday we spent over 10 hours at the fair. We walked and walked and rode the rides to our hearts content and more than broke even on the purchase of the ride wristbands. I was shocked at how many "adult" rides Caleb (and Jockey too for that matter) was able to go with me on. And of course they were able to go on all the kids ones. The highlights were: Jockey tasted Alligator, Mike at Frog Legs, Caleb ran into his buddy Collin and then spent an hour on rides with his family, and I found out the results of my fair entries. For the Charcol drawing, a 2nd place stickered ribbon (generic grading, maybe a 2-3$, which they don't even cut checks for). The scrapbooking however did slightly better. For the first page, I got a generic 1st sticker. But for the other page: I received 2 large real ribbons! One was the Excellence Award (noted for specific creative/unique qualities) and the Class Winner Award (best in subject noted for high quality, etc). Kind of affirming and allays self-doubt of whether this is a worthwhile enterprise/hobby of mine. So while I mulled that over and looked the the competition, the boys got to paint their own ceramic horse (Jockey) and frog (Caleb).
For the rest of the day it was eating, riding, and mulling over the possiblity (the rationality vs insanity vs feasibility) of getting a second rabbit. Once a hutch, feeder, and waterer is procured, our current rabbit has cost us $32 for the last year... plus the occassional "rabbit candy" of $25 (total for the year) for a special treat. Very reasonable. It comes down to the maintence, time, space, breeder, price and what is even available. OF COURSE, the BOYS are all on board and want just anything. I guess I'm the loches/filtration on this decision with a bit more limiting criteria. I'm still thinking/working it through.

We attended the parade this morning and were fortunate to have Daddy along, every other year he's worked. And we didn't get caught in a traffic jam getting home! And it didn't rain!

Well, that's the big update.
More later, and hopefully with pictures.

Another busy day in Dahl-world.

The boys and I picked out stuff at the $ store for Jockey's birthday. It's a ballon theme, because it was available, cheap and stocked at the store. Jockey elected for all Sprite for the party. Jockey requested that I MAKE a cake, and he wanted Vanilla Cake, with Vanilla Frosting, with Vanilla Ice Cream. Does this kid like vanilla or what?! For the cake's decoration, he finally decided on "happy birthday Jockey Peter". What ever makes him happy. And he wanted gum for the "second treat". So those are the favors that will leave with everyone. Other than that we will just have fun playing in the pool. (maybe the bouncy house?!) But I have a few hours still to prepare.

Caleb attended a birthday party yesterday held at TRAXX in Mukilteo. He had a good time. It was the "best birthday party ever". He did start out a little slow and intimidated by the while place and experience, but by his second time on the track (after a little coaching) he was off. I was surprised to see that he wasn't a little speed-freak... again, this was his first time and so lead-foot-ness could still happen. And then it wouldn't surprise me at all because he never does things half way, except cleaning.

We arrived home and I watched Emily for a while. I made Jockey's cake, prepared favors, cleaned up the kitchen and house, ate dinner at 11:00pm, and Auntie Brittany ended up staying the night because it was just too difficult to move Emily after settling her in for the night only to go home to a disassembled house that is not baby-safe to sleep on the floor. I'm glad it worked out.

So today is the party, I have to leave out here by 12:30. I still have to get to staples for ink, and close up the favor bags, load everything into the car, pack up swim suits and towels, load up the car with the cake, maybe pack up the bouncy house. LOTS TO DO, and a headache and major back ache to deal... Well, life goes on. Jockey was already thrilled that there were pancakes and hot cocoa ready for him this morning when he woke up. I'm glad it has started out good.

TTFN

Friday was a full day...

Time at the park. Garage saleing to find shoes for Caleb. Cleaning the house. A playdate with Caleb's friend over to the house. The Imagine Children's museum in the evening. We squeezed meals in somewhere, but just barely. The kids had ALOT of fun playing for most of the day (and they like garage saleing too.) They especially liked the museum, which was good to hear because I really felt like I was dragging to force myself to drive to Everett for their fun at 6:30 in the evening. So their gratitude made the trip worth while. And after cleaning for 3 hours, the house didn't get bombed right after!

We did well at the garage sales! Our treasures include:
Learning "buzz lightyear" CD-rom, .50 cents
Nice shoes that met his "velcro" criteria $1
Very Nice Winter Jacket (Caleb) $5
Brand New Crayola Color wonder art set, $5 (Happy birthday Jockey.)
Brand New in the Package Transformers $3 (Happy Birthday Jockey)
Brand New in the Package Speed Racer car set $2 (Happy Birthday Jockey.)

Jockey did well for this trip, and I was really worried about making Jockey's birthday "affordable". I still have Cake, Ice cream, drinks, cups, and plates... but it's a start. I'll hit the $ store in a bit.

Now we are off to drop Jockey off with Daddy. Caleb and I will race our to TraXX race track for a buddies' birthday. Then we help Auntie Brittany and Uncle Brian move this evening. Another full day!

More Later or tomorrow.

CT results, in case you're waiting...

The short version

1- No stones in Ureters (my theory, by the time they got around to doing the CT they had passed, but of course, I can't prove it.) However, that means they don't know why I'm hurting and having blood in my "output".
2- 2 NEW stones "on deck" sitting in the kidney just waiting to move, fabulous!
3- Due to a strong genetic background, they won't be trying to find out WHY I get these at this point, but rather will do a 24hr collection w/ lab work to try to find a way to slow things down. This will take upwards towards a month to get results back.
4- Once the results are back in a month, I will go in for a cystol*** (a bladder peek-a-boo look) and check for abnormalities/growths/scar tissue etc that might be causing discomfort/blood.

So that's the up shot.

Back to life.

MOPS in the park tomorrow. Moving Auntie Brittany's house this weekend. Jockey's Party. A Birthday party for Caleb to attend. Ya-da ya-da ya-da. Sun Sun. Hot Hot, have fun.

It's 95 today in Monroe. HOT HOT HOT.

We spent 5 HOURS at the lake today. We might resemble mini-lobsters today, but the boys had huge amounts of fun with the buddies they saw there.

We all have a little post-heat attitude though. "I'm hot, I need space".

Work for me tomorrow, MOPS at the park Friday morning, possible help Auntie Brittany move on Friday night.... or the Children's museum. Saturday, Caleb's school buddy has a birthday party. Sunday is Jockey's birthday party. Busy, busy, busy.

TTFN. Stay cool.

Back from camping...

We had a great weekend at Kayak Point camping park. We dropped a crab pot off the pier and the boys would have checked it every 5 minutes if we let them. As it was we checked it about every 30 minutes. We didn't get "keepers" just lots of small ones. Which while doesn't leave me full in the stomach of crab, it leaves me full of hope for future years. Mike got closer to "keeper" status with the crab he and the kids brought up in the crab pots in the boat, but still not legal. That was the only thing that hiccupped the weekend. (Oh, did I mention that after having fixed the boat, Friday morning Caleb and Mike went out when it was calm seas off of Everett and recovered our crab pots?!, Yup, and it was Caleb that even spotted the second that Mike could located; he is extraordinarily proud of that fact.) The rest of the weekend was wonderfully climated, calm conversation on the beach listening to the waves, watching others play, and picking through the shore for shells. No mosquitoes in sight, which makes a good trip always. The boys loved playing with Tessa, they wanted to do everything with her. She shared a butterfly with Jockey, climbed around on the playground with Caleb, and was gleeful in the boat with Uncle Mike and the boys. So a good weekend. It ended for us unloading our trailer and taking it to the club, picking MORE black berries to be preserved for the coming year, and a swim with Grammy, Grandpa and Tessa. A full day.

Today, the boys and I grocery shopped then visited the library and the park. On our way home we picked up some rocks from the river bed. We'll paint a couple and for the other two I intend to allow the boys to glue down some of the treasures we brought back from the Kayak Point shore. I think Jockey will particularly love this. He and I talked about his artistic talents this last week. He has determined that he wants to be an artist... So we prayed that he would be useful to God in his art and that his gift would be all God wants it to be. (And if he doesn't have to be a "starving" artist, Lord, that would be nice too. Wink).

Right now, the boys and Mike are working on cleaning up the backyard enought to set up the bouncy house. It's been a long time coming, but they are excited. It is so nice out and yet not scorching, it's the right time. I might have to invite some buddies over for a good time.

Well, time to work on the house and start thinking about dinner.

TTFN.

So the boys are back in town...

and yet I'm packing for us all to head out of town again. We are going to Kayak to camp with the family. We are trying to arrange to get the boat fixed (popped a rivet and sprung a leak) and get crab pots (lost ours in 4'+ seas and a storm while dealing with leaking/sinking boat. Mike says he was lucky to get into shore alive; he also rescued boaters and their capsized boat while out there. ) Anyway, I have high hopes of crab. The boys like the crab adventure too.

The boys are already asking to watch a show (Grammy and papa don't have TV) and Jockey is begging to paint a rock. I guess I know what they will do as I pack all of our clothes up. They've had their personalized choice of dinners.

They had a good time at all week with the grandparents. They swan and visited daycare. They ate cheeseburgers, they got little toy stuffed animals. They came home tired! Good work Grammy! I bet Grammy is tired too!

Well, tomorrow somehow and sometime we will all get up north.
First I have a CAT scan and have to drop some items off for the fair competition. Then it will be off to campfires, campfire smells, pines, and the envitable bug spray.
Have a great weekend.

The boys are with Grammy and Papa this week again. Jockey is a swimming machine! He is bold and getting to be very adventursome. Gotta keep an eye out for that guy. He won't drown because he can't make it to the edge, rather because he leapt off the edge parallel-wise into the pool while trying to reach something and dive to the bottom all at the same time. He's so bold it's scary. Caleb is working hard. The lesson he's in keeps him lapping and lapping more strokes all the time. He really puts a work out in and gets worn out. He's loving all the older boys around too. Of course, for both of them, Day Care is a fun haven of social excitement. Good.
When dealing with some physical issues, it has been very very nice not to have to leap up every 2 minutes and see who is hitting who, which child is NOW making WHICH mess. So this has been very timely in the scheme of all things. Thanks Grammy and Papa Dahl.

So this week is doctors for me, scrapbook and photography entry prep and turn in for me, weekend at Kayak Point prep for me and work at my out-of the house job, and my in-house job.

Big adventure. I picked and canned black berries yesterday. My first try at jam, and although I haven't eaten any (not feeling great/not having appetite), it set up well which is the biggest challenge. I tried to talk to the boys about why I am picking blackberries, I tried to get their help. I'm not sure if the "help" was worth the laundry, but it was a life experience. They will relish organic home-canned jam in January. And not having to buy it then too will be good for us.
Ok. That's All I've got for now.

The boys have completed their first week of swim lessons.
They stated with Papa and Grammy Dahl. They had a great time. I heard stories: Papa asks Caleb why Foster (their dog) sits, stays and comes when told, but not the boys... Caleb says he (Foster) might be smarter than them (the boys). Caleb says he likes being Grammy and Papa because their nice even when he does bad things... I told him that was their job, but my job is different and I still loved him all the time. The boys love going to the club's daycare. There is toys and kids to play with most of the time. And it's a good resource because then Grammy gets a breather too.
Next week they are suppose to have another set of swim lessons. Although with an unrelated (to the boys) complication in life, I don't know if they will stay down with Grammy and Papa. Regardless, I am determined to get to the club for more blackberries. I'm intent on having enough for crepes all year, jam and a cobbler or two. The boys don't exactly help, so I have just two rules: 1-don't run where I can't see you and 2-don't take the berries I have picked, pick your own. And fortunately it has cooled off and I don't have to be there at the crack of dawn to beat the heat.
Jockey is begging to paint more rocks. My front yard already looks like it has a hippy rainbow for a flower bed border.... but he would still like to add to it.
Today we went to the park and braved the "chill" and gray to play for a while. We saw a few MOPS moms and their kids, but not a huge turn out.
I'm hoping for some nice weather (any weather that doesn't threaten sprinkles) and setting up the jumpy house in the near future. Then well invite a few friends over.
We don't have set plans for this weekend. I'm hoping for some quiet and uneventful... not likely with two crazies, but I can hope.
Time to start planning for the fair, Jockey's birthday, parade etc. I'm thinking pool gathering on the afternoon of the 23rd. Maybe on the 25th I'll take him to "rat pizza" (Chuck E. Cheese) for him to play. We'll see, because he really wants to go.

I feel like I'm rambling fragments, so this is where I'll end.

I tell you the ocean/coast is the way to go.
Another great weekend in Anacortes. And the temperatures were about 20 degress cooler and still beautiful sunshine. So we left sunny and 70 and returned home to about 90 and sunny. Keep the sunny hold the extra 20 degrees please! It was a great weekend. And the next time over 100 is forecasted, I might twist Mike's arm to pull the trailer up to the coast so that we can hid out for the most of the heat wave.

The boys had a blast this weekend. Grandpa Dahl bought a boat trailer, added his aluminum boat to it and towed it up to Anacortes. The boys were treated to waves, surf, sun and CRAB. That truly was the purpose (and a general good time, I'm told) to the boating adventure. The boys suited up in life jackets and their training began on proper boat behavior. The sea trial was Friday and then Saturday they got to see what a crab trap can bring up. They were a little intimidated by the pincher claws on the crab, but all in all they liked the whole experience. Caleb got so worn out that he actually fell asleep in the boat. Jockey was a little unnerved by the jostling around, not that he said anything... but when I looked over and he had taken all 3 bungie cords and hooked them to his life jacket and then to the boat... I knew. We ended up with a crab feed of 7 crabs for 6 people. All fresh and delicious. The boys liked trying to steer, of course Caleb liked driving in circles. I went out too, but I admit to feeling like a cat in a thimble in an enormous salt water bathtub. But did I mention we got CRAB!
We plan to try again for crab in two weeks when we camp at Kayak Point.

This week the boys will be spending time with Grammy and Papa Dahl while I work on things here at the house. Specifically a charcoal drawing of the boys for the ESF. Then I work and have house cleaning to do to. Even while the mice are away the cat is busy. But they will have fun swimming and everything else. Tomorrow we will start with berry picking and playing at the day care facility. Then they are off and running.

Stay cool and have a great week.