Christmas Tree hunt

We went out the day after Thanksgiving to get our tree, and it only took about 3 minutes before we found it! Here is also a picture of Grace wearing my dress from my childhood. She loves it and I think it's slightly out of style, but she can probably get away with it being her Christmas dress this year.

Hawaii

The kids and I left poor Clint behind as we set out for a Hawaiian adventure. Actually, the adventure was more during the airports, layovers and long flights to get there. Somehow we made it and had a wonderful week with grandma, great-grandparents, my aunt, 2 uncles and 2 little cousins. The kids fell in love with Hawaii and did not want to come back home. Can you blame them? Matthew learned to swim on his own and Grace thought she was a real-life Hula Princess. They experienced shave ice for the first time which was a big hit with everyone. Also, Matthew and I had a few "smoothie" dates down at the Kona Inn while my mom drove Grace around for a nap in the air-conditioned car. Me with a lava flow, Matt with a strawberry-banana something. Mmmmmm!!! We can't wait to go back and bring Clint next time!

Mr. Potato Head Pumpkins

This year, we tried something new and easy. Mr. Potato Pumpkins!! What a concept. It took about 10 minutes and the kids loved it. Super easy, no mess and it gives the pumpkins quite a personality. Matthew made a pirate and Grace made a princess. I think we'll save carving until they get a little older!

Happy Halloween!

We had a great Halloween starting out with a party at Matthew's preschool where Grace could come to and participate. Did she ever like that! The two of them shaved pumpkins, got their noses painted, fished for candy and did many rounds on the cakewalk. Matthew finally won a plate of cookies. Later in the day, we headed to another party for more games, more candy, more pizza and tons of fun!! It was a great day for the Dragosaurus and Piglet.

4 things

I've been tagged by my friend, Sarah, so here goes:

4 things I was doing 10 years ago:

1. Sophomore year at SPU, Jen and I had moved across the hall from 666 to 665. Good times.

2. Switched my major from pre-physical therapy to nutrition, after finding out that there was in fact a major that included cooking food, eating food and talking about food.

3. Leading Young Life Open Door, a ministry for teens with disabilities.

4. Ordering Pizza Hut, putting it straight in our mini-fridge at lunch so we could eat it cold at dinner while watching Growing Pains on the futon.

4 things on my to-do list for today:

1. It's now 11:10 pm, so let's go with tomorrow's list......sleep in past 7 am on a saturday.

2. See a new client and get her to make a 2nd appointment with me.

3. Clean the house, does it ever end?

4. Have tons of fun with the Iyer's who are coming down for dinner!

4 random things I love about my husband:

1. He makes me a piping hot white chocolate mocha every morning. Best barista in town!

2. He won't buy anthying without a coupon or if it isn't found on Ebay. The bargain thing gets annoying at times, but has saved us oodles.

3. He's the hardest worker I know. He has a side job where he is paid hourly and let me tell you those people are getting their money's worth for an hour of Clint's work.

4. The kids adore him.

4 jobs I have had:

1. The REX center at SPU. Basically paid to do homework and rotate CD's.

2. Hostess at Anthony's restaurant after college graduation. A little embarassing, but I was biding my time before moving to Hawaii.

3. Public Health Nutritionist II, whatever that means. Traveled to WIC clinics on Oahu to provide nutrition ed to pregnant mammas.

4. Registered Dietitian, now in private practice, it's the best!

4 movies I have watched more than once:

1. Ferris Bueller's Day Off

2. While you were sleeping

3. You've got mail

4. The Secret Garden

4 places I have lived:

1. Gig Harbor

2. Seattle

3. Pearl Harbor

4. Fox Island

4 places I have been:

1. Desolation Sound and Gulf Islands, beautiful scenery and fresh air!

2. Kona on the Big Island, 7 going on 8 times

3. Laguna Beach

4. Newport Rhode Island, 6 weeks in the Navy Lodge in the dead of winter

4 TV shows I watch:

1. The Office

2. Sportscenter

3. Curious George

4. Super Why (great, now the song is stuck in my head!! a-a-a, wonderific, you're terrific, a-a-a, aaaahhhhhh!!! Get out of my head now!)

4 things you may not know about me:

1. I remember everything. Don't think I'm stalking you, I just remember, ok?

2. I lit my first and only match at age 19 under extreme peer pressure on Vashon Island. I now use only the long handled thingys for lighting candles.

3. I've completed 2 half marathons, 1 triathlon, and 1 marathon in my day.

4. The sound of finger nails clicking together drives my ears nuts!!! Actually, lots of things like that drive my ears nuts, so try not to do it around me. JK.

4 people I tag:

1. Meg-0

2. Allison

3. L Sax or L Pep, you know who you are!

4. Andrea Moran - you're married now, time to start a blog!!

Happy Birthday Clint!

Clint celebrated the big 3-0 yesterday, and we had a mexican fiesta with family and friends the night before. It was a fun evening and as you can see, the kids got a little crazy as the night went on....Hmmmm, where do they get their craziness from?? I just don't know!

Pumpkin Patch

While I was busy being a bridesmaid a few weekends ago, Clint took the kids to the pumpkin patch. They had a fun time hauling pumpkins to the car in a wagon and feeding the goats.

God's Power

While driving home from preschool today, Matthew was wondering whether the giant pumpkins that sit outside of the grocery store along our drive would be on "his side". I said, no, they were on your side on the way to school, so they will be on Gracie's side on the way home. He thought for a minute, then announced, "I want God to switch the pumpkins to my side, because he has big muscles, right?" Pretty good perspective from a preschooler!

Squishy Tummy

So, for a few months now, Matthew has been in the habit of hitting my stomach and saying in a low voice, "you have a squishy tummy!" Yeah, yeah, I haven't been exercising as much these days and I suppose it is a little "squishier" than it used to be, but still? This morning I actually went out for a run around our neighborhood for a total of a little over 2 miles. Matthew met me at the door as I came inside and said, "where did your tummy go? Let me see it." (I have told him before that I need to run to get rid of the so-called squishy tummy) I lifted up my shirt and sucked in my stomach as far as I could as he hit it hard with his hand. "See, it's still squishy, you have to run for a couple whiles."

He makes me laugh and makes me realize how much I do need to exercise!

Preschool

Well, Matthew had his first day of preschool this week and he is loving it. Grace has the hardest time when we drop him off. When we get back in the car, she cries her head off and points to his car seat, "brudder! brudder!" I'm trying to make the most of our girl time and hopefully she will come to look forward to those days, but for now, she misses her brudder.

Summer at Seaside

We spent a week at Seaside and Cannon Beach to end the summer and had a wonderful time with friends, playing at the beach, the pool, riding bikes (Matt's getting pretty good with the training wheels), the merry-go-round, flying a kite and just relaxing together. Grace ran straight into the ocean the first time we hit the beach and she realized how freezing it was. Later that day we got our suits on and headed for the pool. After sitting in the 87 degree kiddie pool for a few seconds, Grace looked at me and said, "better." I knew exactly what she meant!

Day Out with Thomas

Well, we recently experienced the culmination of our son's train obesession. Yes, the famous Day Out with Thomas. He actually got to ride on the real deal and meet Sir Topham Hatt, or as Matthew pronounces it, "Top-a-hat". Grandma and Grandpa got in on the action too. What a day it was, and here are the pictures he has been pouring over ever since we got home!

More Thomas

Funny Kids

Our neighbors gave us this basketball hoop and this was what the kids did with it! It was too funny, we put it back up but they keep pulling it down to climb on it and through the net.

More Summer

We are loving the summertime and we celebrated Grace's half-birthday last week, as you can see in the pictures. She devoured her brownie delight and still has a ton of energy to keep up with her brother. Auntie Brynn has been over to play a few times lately too. Her dog, Famous, has been a big hit at our house!

Happy Father's Day

This was Matthew's Father's Day present to Clint. His teacher at school asked him about his daddy and this is what Matthew came up with. Not sure it's exactly accurate, but not bad and great to get Matt's perspective.

The Gig Maritime Parade

Last Saturday, we spent the day at the downtown parade. What fun it was! The kids couldn't get enough of the floats, marching bands with music and bubbles, and everything being thrown to them like candy, balls, candy, rubber duckys, and did I mention candy? These pictures show us with our friends, Meg, Mesh and their kids Nate and Riley. Super fun day!!!