Slug Bug

Nate and I were talking about the new Volkswagen commercial the other day and Saedi overheard. She asked what “slug bug” meant so we explained it to her. Yesterday morning she asked if we could play “slug bug” on the way to and from school. Sure, why not; we ended up playing it all day. We only play “slug bug” with –

these:                                   and these:

and we still found seventeen yesterday!

Just to see if we could find more, we played again today. If you played slug bug all day one day, how many do you think you would find?

Today we found FORTY-ONE!

Categories: playing, Saedi | Leave a comment

Gebäck und Kekse

A few weeks ago, someone from Nate’s work recommended a German bakery/deli to us that is very near our new house. We went today to find it so I could have some pastries for breakfast. It’s a fun little shop but I feel like a bit of an idiot going to because I don’t speak German – maybe one day.

The pastries were definitely worth seeking out, and we will be going back. I also got some cookies for the kids (since they had already eaten breakfast). Delicious!

Categories: cookies, Gavin, Nels, Solvei | Leave a comment

Entertainment in the Car

These days, because Saedi is staying in her old school until the end of the school year, we spend an average of 3 hours in the car on week days. It gets really boring. The kids have come up with some games that they play to keep themselves entertained. The other day Gavin found the safety manual for his car seat, pretended that it was a story book and was reading (making up) stories that were in it. All the kids took turns telling a story, even Solvei and Nels (as best they could). The stories from Saedi and Gavin were all pretty similar, there was a princess/queen named Saedi, and knight named Gavin, and princess named Solvei, and a prince named Nels.  A few of the stories also included a MEAN, but kind-of-good Witch. If the kids said that Daddy was not in the stories because he was not in the car, what character does that make me?

I haven’t decided if I should be proud (of the creativity), or offended.

Categories: Gavin, Saedi | Leave a comment

Officially a Washing-tardian

I got my new driver’s license today….finally. It’s quite the process to get a driver’s license in another state, especially when you accidentally let your previous out-of-state license expire before trying to get a new one.

After five attempts over about a month at trying to get into the office, prove I am me, that I really do live here, and pass the written exam I was told it would be another 2-3 weeks before I could take the driving test! Today was my appointment. When I got there I didn’t even get to take it at the appointed time because the third brake light (the one that most cars don’t even have) wasn’t working. I would have to fix the light and go on standby to hopefully (no guarantees) take the test today or make another appointment!?!

For just a moment, let’s step away from my anxiety and imagine you are watching this predicament happen to someone in front of you. Would you, seeing this happen to a complete stranger that does not have a valid driver’s license due to reasons unknown, speak up and volunteer your own car for this person to drive to take their driver’s test? Would anyone you know do that? I would have to say that I most likely would not……but I would feel bad about that after today.

While the examiner was explaining about the stand by list, before I even had a chance to worry about what I was going to do next, some woman came over and asked if I could take the test in her car after her friend came back from taking his test. I didn’t know what to say! Sure, I guess. I went and got put on the stand-by list right away and this very kind woman hung around at the DMV with her friend for an HOUR after his test so that I could use her car!

That is why, thanks to the kindness of strangers with a Buick Regal, I am now an official Washing-tardian with a valid drivers license.

Categories: Sheri | Leave a comment

It was not cloudy today

When we dropped Saedi off at school this morning it was not cloudy. From the school’s field you can just see the top of Mt Rainier (the part that is most often covered in clouds) and it was visible today. So instead of going home we stopped and picked up my camera and went back to the beach.

You can see the whole mountain today, it’s just really hazy. I’m still not completely satisfied, but it will do for now.

It was fun for Gavin to go to the beach again today because there was a super low tide, so there was twice as much beach as usual and lots more to find. There was a kid wading out in the water that found a starfish and he brought it over and let Gavin touch it. Solvei and Nels were also a lot more sure footed this time and were running all over. We didn’t stay long today because the UV index was a lot higher and I still haven’t unpacked the sunscreen.

On the way home I stopped at a place I found to take a picture of the Narrows bridge.

Can you imagine waking up with a view of this from your back porch everyday? Beautiful!

Categories: beach, Gavin, Mt Rainier | Leave a comment

Mother’s Day & Mountain Hunting part 2

First thing the kids told me this morning was “Happy Mother’s Day!” as they each gave me the silly band they had picked out for me to wear today.

Nate was working so I thought we’d go back to the beach to try and find that mountain since it was another nice day. Before we left I even checked the webcams I could find with Rainier in them to see if it was still hiding – from the Seattle webcam it looked clear and the Rainier Park webcams showed blue skies.

When we got to the beach:

You can see it better today but the top is still covered! The Seattle webcam was still clear, it was just where we were. Grrrrr!

But the kids were still glad to be there. It was A LOT more crowded today! Not very surprising though because it was a nice holiday in a place that is often wet, so ALL the people in the area tend to come to the water when it’s warm.

After we came home the kids wanted me to open my Mother’s Day gifts.

Saedi made hers at school. It came wrapped in tissue paper with a tag that said “do not open until mother’s day”

She made a card:

and a picture frame:

There was also an extra picture her teacher sent home with it.

Gavin made me a book:

Cover with a picture of me and him
{3 little “pictures”} MOM IS =) {a “leaf clover”} MOM I LOV U
I LOV U MOM {a sun}
Lft Pg: MOM I LOV U I LOV U,  Rght Pg: I ZOOPR (super) LOOV U I LOV U I LOV U I LOV U

Not bad for trying to spell everything himself.

Both Saedi and Gavin picked me flowers while we were at the beach too, so I pressed them and will put them into a frame.

I love my kids! And I know they love me.

Categories: beach, Gavin, Mother's Day, Mt Rainier, Nels, Saedi, Solvei | Leave a comment

We’re Going on a Hunt, We’re Going on a Hunt…

We’re Looking for a Mountain, We’re Going on a Hunt!

I got the idea of getting pictures of Mt Rainier from a few different places, so it’s the same mountain that doesn’t really look the same, and putting them in a collage frame to show-off/remember the views from living here. Today was supposed to be completely clear skies, so this morning we went mountain hunting.

One place I want a picture from is Pt Defiance Beach, so I loaded the kids, and the jogging stroller, into the car and headed to the beach. The skies were beautifully blue, water nice, not too many people…..a great day for going to the beach.

This beach is not really sand (parts of it are) but mostly small rocks which makes it my favorite kind of beach because you don’t end up with sand in everything when climbing back into the car.

(I love finding lady bugs at the beach!)

The kids really like this kind of beach too because they can throw rocks into the water.

I LOVE this one!
When we first got there Solvei and Nels were afraid to take any steps because the ground was so uneven and “mushy” so they just stood still unless I would hold their hand while they walked. Solvei stopped right at the tide line (where the sand/rock kind of steps down) and tried to take steps by herself. She fell forehead first into the sand and couldn’t get up! I jumped over and picked her up and she had a mouth full of sand, blech! She tried to wipe it out but her hands were also covered in sand. I had to wipe out her mouth and try and get her to spit (which didn’t really do anything), I’m sure she swallowed some. She was so sad and hilarious at the same time, I couldn’t help but laugh. She didn’t mind pretty quickly though.
It was a very nice day and the kids had a really good time.
Oh, and that mountain? We found it…….hiding behind clouds.
We made the most of the afternoon and I showed the kids some of my other favorite places in that part of town. We had lunch at the Antique Sandwich Company. I have been wanting to go there since we moved back here, but it’s never been a good time to go with Nate and I was not about to take the kids there by myself when Solvei and Nels were smaller. Lunch was just as good as I wanted it to be so I’m glad we went today.
The kids were being very good while we waited for food.
You can kind of see Solvei’s  sand scraped face in this one.
After lunch we drove the “5-Mile Drive” at Pt Defiance (which was beautiful) before we went home.
Even without the mountain, the trip was worth it!
Categories: beach, Gavin, Mt Rainier, Nels, playing, Saedi, Solvei | Leave a comment

Shirt as a Hat

Solvei discovered today that she can pull her shirt over her head. I had to fix her shirt at least six times in the time it took to make dinner. She was so proud of herself she couldn’t stop giggling.
Categories: Belly, playing, Solvei | Leave a comment

Toddlers not Babies

They are not babies anymore, they are toddlers because they are in toddler beds.

When we moved we decided that we wouldn’t set up the cribs at the new house. They are big enough for toddler beds so we would just move them into the new bed. We went and got toddler beds the same day we moved all the rest of the beds from the old house. We set them up that night, but I haven’t had a chance to take pictures until now. They LOVE their new beds.

*Since these pictures were taken I have had a chance to put on the stickers that came with them. Solvei’s is a Tinkerbell bed and Nels’ is a Cars bed.

Categories: firsts, Nels, sleeping, Solvei | Leave a comment

Family Photo

As part of a project my Dad is working on, he has requested a family photo. I found a place in the house where I could set one up and have the camera self timer. I don’t have a tripod so the camera is sitting on the dining room table pointed at the play room. This is the best we ended up with, but I love it.

Categories: family pics | Leave a comment

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