Forest Park

The sun was shining all afternoon.

The glorious sun!

It even got to the point where I desperately searched around in my car

 to find my sunglasses which had disappeared from lack of use.

As we walked out of the grocery store today,

 I told Eric the sun is much brighter here in Washington than it ever was in Arizona.

He just said it's only because we aren't used to seeing the sun anymore.

We took full advantage of the beautiful weather and spent an afternoon running through the forest and playing at the park (the park surrounded by forest).

If I can't have Thanksgiving Point Gardens nearby,

then I will happily take Forest Park

 (though that name is just not fitting, much too plain. hmmm . . .)

Here we are:

Are You Smarter Than a 6-Year Old?

How about a 5 year-old?

Let's play a game.

Because if you know our family we play A LOT of games--which sometimes might shock our friends when they see our game closet or frighten them when we make them play hide-and-seek in the dark and stick their feet in a circle and recite "My dog died last night, what color was his blood?" to decide who has to be IT first. (um, Dear Stock's, I apologize for the scariness. Love, Laura).

My game today: Read the question and decide if the answer the boy gives is correct or not. You can agree or disagree with his answer. If you correctly do so, give yourself a point. If you disagree and say the correct answer of your own accord, give yorself another point.
Clear as mud?

Let's play. 

1. What's our family theme this year?

Kacin: Love should be our walk and our talk

2. What does daddy do at work?
Kacin: Just play on his computer. He works for Flutey head.
Kyler: He doesn't fight like Anakin. He works at the computer and plays a kid's game and matches up numbers.

3. What was Kacin's Monday night FHE lesson on?

Kyler: Love yourself.

4. When is your bedtime?

Kyler: 1:00 in the night

5. How long do you sleep at night?

Kyler: 5 hours

Kacin: 80 hours

6. What did we have for dinner last night?

Kacin: lasagna and carrots and celery and broccoli

7. What do mom and dad do after you go to sleep?

Kyler: watch movies, like Harry Potter

Kacin: play games, take pictures

8. What do we do every day after lunch?

Kyler: do my homework, take a nap, then play whatever we want

9. What's the "happiest place on earth"?
Kacin: This town that we're in.
Kyler: Dairy Queen

10. What was dad so excited to buy from costco?

Kyler: a tv

11. What was mom so excited to buy from costco?

Kyler: a tv

12. What does mom do while you are at school?

Kacin: work, go to the bank and get cheesesticks

13. What is mom's favorite holiday?
Kacin: Christmas

14. Why does it rain so much in Washington?

Kyler: it's so cold

Kacin: The plants here need the water so Jesus sends it.

15. What kind of car do we drive?

Kyler: Toyota highlander

16. What kind of car does Aunt Jacqui drive?

Kacin: a silver car

17. What are mom and dad's new callings at church?

Kyler: Mom is the bumblebee teacher.

Kacin: Dad is teaching in the class next to me. (primary)

18. Who is the US President?

Kyler: Rock-a-Bama. He smokes.

Answers:

1. Agree

2. Agree, sort of. Like Kyler mentioned, I don't think that he whips out his light saber on a daily basis, I do think he solves a lot of problems, counts a bunch of parts, works a lot at the computer and with numbers, and comes home really tired.

3. Agree. 

4. Nice try Kyler. Though he claims he never falls asleep until really late at night, he is slumbering soundly by 8 (or 7:30 or 7, depending on his and mommy's mood).

5. Disagree. Somewhere in between. How about 10-12 hours.

6. Agree.

7. Agree. And clean up and read, too.

8. Partially Disagree. Kyler never naps. Nor Kacin anymore. They read.

9. Though, of course you think Disneyland, I can't write disagree because their answers are fitting. I love that Kacin didn't even heistate. He is so happy here. And of course ice cream man Kyler didn't hesitate either.

10. Agree.

11. Strongly Disagree. I was more excited about the apples and the pistachios we bought.

12. Agree, I guess. It really depends on the day and since I have done that before, ok. but I am also frequently volunteering in the boys classrooms, exercising, and just getting random things done that need to be done.

13. Disagree! I love Valentine's Day the best. In 10 days, Kacin will learn this . . .

14. How can you disagree with Kacin's answer? The real answer has something to do with mountains and the ocean and the wind blowing or something like that. Don't quote me.

15. Agree.

16. Agree. Funny that he points the same car out on the road all the time. Too bad I don't know the name either.

17. I am now a Beehive Advisor (12-13 year old girls) and Eric is a youth sunday school teacher.

18. Agree.

See, aren't games so much fun?

Thanks for playing!

Living Apart

I got to thinking and did a little math.

Out of the 6 years and 3 months that we have been married,

Eric and I have lived in seperate states for approximately 8 of those months.

For the most part, we were lucky enough to see each other on the weekends

(and have free mobile-to-mobile, thank goodness),

but holy, moly that's a lot.

10.6% of our marriage spent living apart.

He doesn't even have a "typical" traveling job.

He's a buyer for a manufacturing company for goodness sakes!

However, I will take what I'm given,

complain a little,

and then think about what I learned from all of this time apart.

1. My deepest respect and empathy goes to all single mothers, widows, wives of men in the airforce (go Stefanie!), etc.

2. We are stronger than we think we are.

3. Cell phones are a blessed invention.

4. I shouldn't take having the greatest husband for granted so much. Appreciate and love him a little more.

5. It's time to cash in on those frequent flyer miles and hotel rewards (together).

Glad that tonight you will be home and living with us again, E!

Our welcome home gift to you:
A week long project--
11 completed puzzles adorning the table (the big one's on the floor).

A Funny Thing Happened at the Kitchen Sink

I noticed it starting to happen a few days ago.

And today there was no denying it.

Those dishes in the kitchen sink took on a whole new meaning.

No more dread or disgust.

It's just satisfying, relaxing to scrub them clean.

Odd.

Why am I so content to do the dishes?

Am a full-fledged stay-at-home mom now?

Is this what happens?

I was happy to do them because I was happy that I actually cooked (and have been cooking) a full meal, using different recipes, and trying new things and that my children are actually entertaining themselves for (sometimes) longer than 15 minutes at a time, and that everyone is happy (for the moment), and that even though Eric is gone so much right now I can be a strong person and take care of all the unpacking and settling and day-to-day living and we can have this adventure in Washington because that's where we are supposed to be right now and everything is working out fine.

Just content

to do the dishes.

It's a funny thing.

100%

100% unpacked. Those last few boxes lingered in my hallway about a week too long, but I can now say goodbye to all of those millions of boxes.

100% ready for Eric to be done traveling, yet only 75% of the traveling has been done. :(

100% enjoyed using our imaginations at the Children's Museum we ventured to yesterday with our friends. It was way cool.

Wii Are Writing

About a year and a half ago, wii used to play office or school nearly everyday.

The boys would pull out their notebooks, pens, and hoards of paper

and wii would play and wii would "write".

Now wii don't play that as much. Wii have changed our game a bit.

The games wii play are usually Star Wars or ambulance/robber.

Apparently, wii play something else as well.

Kyler wrote a story at school today.

His teacher and I chuckled at his spelling.

It read "Wii went to Fed Miyr. Then wii went to are frends."

Yes, we play the Wii, too.

By the way, at the start of Kindergarten I know he knew how to read and spell "we".

The Rain and Frogs

We hear frogs croaking all the time.
Our neighbor says you can find them all over in the backyard.

Until we do,
this frog works for me.