High: 72 Degrees

We woke up and decided to head to Farmers Market downtown. First: fueling up at Sbux. Note the sweatshirts - the weather is PERFECT. 

Our friend Steve popped in and joined us:

While browsing the booths, we bumped into one of B's teammates, who was coached by Hubby. It was so fun to catch up with C.

Went to WinCo, enjoyed lunch at home with the kiddos, turned on a movie and got to work putting up our new-to-us drapes! Thanks, Sandy!

Some lazy time, then we made dinner and ate, and then took pictures at the Fort.

 I find it fascinating that even today, metal detecting is prohibited at Fort Vancouver because archeologists are still uncovering stuff. It makes you wonder what (who?) you may be walking over. Hmmm.

After visiting the Fort: DQ Blizzards.

House and Garden Day

Normally this would be Walkabout Friday, but I decided instead to stay home and tend to household matters. Here's a list of what I did today.

- Got breakfast at Sbux and took Hubby to work

- Drove home, ate breakfast, watched a few minutes of Desperately Seeking Susan

- Folded blankets, put them in the couch cubby; found two throw pillows I've been meaning to give to Goodwill; they were filthy so I put them in the tub to soak

- Snuggled babies. Miss C has a fever 

- Put together my new wind spinner, a Mother's Day gift from M and the babies

- Installed the wind spinner outside B's window

- Watered the shrubs and trees in front with M and the babies; vinegared a few sidewalk weeds

- Spoke to our favorite neighbor, Bill, who lives across the street

- Cleaned up garbage and moved just about everything from the south side yard to the backyard. Used my recently-fixed wheelbarrow to move some heavy stuff. Decided to name it Cisco after Kevin Costner's horse

- Rested. Whew.

- Blogged. Heyyyyy 

- Did some pruning...

- Some watering...

- Some nice loud cleaning of the very dirty hammock

- Sat outside in the shade with this guy

....all while either making lots of noise or eavesdropping on the neighbors 😁

(cuz I'm 12)

Sitting out here, I realized what a sweet little shady spot is right here under the apple tree. Maybe we need to lay down some outdoor tiles and create a living space 

- Ate lunch late, unbagged my latest Goodwill yarn bundle, turned on The Truman Show

- Picked up Hubby from work; rested

- More pruning

- Installed my Mother's Day gift from B, this cute hanging birdbath

- Listened to Hubby mow the front lawn

Feeling a lot better about things tonight. Work and productivity always help me. Remind me of that next time, won't you?

Teeth and Trixie

I so rarely post pictures that when I do, the posts are loooooong and possibly less-than-enthralling. But they're pictures.

pssshhhhhhh

Brennan went snow-caving with the ward Young Men, and like any good camper, took along his air mattress. Before he packed the air mattress pump, he decided to give himself a little refill.

Cute little teefies

My darling four-year-old. Look at that face. Would you look at that face? Is that a face you could die for?

OUCH

Not for the recently-ate-something: Brennan had EMERGENCY tooth surgery last month. It was LIFE or DEATH! Those teeth had to come out IMMEDIATELY! They wheeled him into the TOOTH O.R. on a TOOTH GURNEY! OK, not really, but the orthodontist was pretty adamant that these two baby teeth come out, and come out that day. Brennan was less than happy with my taking this picture but I figured it needed to be documented for future errant-baby-tooth-sufferers.

Speaking of Brennan being less than happy, the orthodontist tells us Brennan needs braces. We were all, "Huh? That kid's teeth are straight as an arrow," but we are assured that Brennan's permanent canine tooth never made its appearance because it's stuck somewhere in his skull, possibly near his optic nerve or next to his medulla oblongata, or maybe back in Detroit. The doc wants to put braces on his teeth, complete with a cute little tiny chain that attaches from one tooth, to the canine tooth up in his nasal cavity, back down to the next tooth, so it can be pulled down like a stump with huge roots stuck in eight feet of asphalt. Does this sound fun? Oh no. It does not.

Yo Trixie!!

In other, less-gorier news, Carrot Jello's dear sister, Trixie, came to visit me last Friday. Actually she was on her way to Costa Rica, every Mormon mom's vacation hot spot. Do I hear you scoffing? Well, scoff you should. So far it sounds like Costa Rica reaaaaaally needs to work on its hotel hospitality skills. Trixie spent Friday night with me, and I took her to the airport Saturday morning. Friday afternoon was spent enjoying her mad balloon-twisting skills.

The chick is amazing

Look at her go! Just so you know, the balloon-twisting thing is so easy. Good grief, I am a complete and total craft klutz and even *I* made awesome balloon stuff. Brennan and Carter, the two art-o's of the family, ate this stuff up. Pretty soon our house looked like a twisted balloon explosion.

Ten seconds later...

Trixie is a great teacher, very calm and supportive and motivating and funny. Brennan had a great time learning from her.

Happy Miss Goose

Just a few of Trixie's offerings: Flower, butterfly wand, bug crown with antennae... they go perfectly with a big blue boofy Cinderella dress and a huge happy grin.

Swords and helmets, hooray!!

Harrison and Carter, eating up everything Miss Awesome Balloon Lady made. Helmets, swords, bows and arrows... they had no idea this lady coming to stay with us would be so darn cool. They were so happy when they came home from school and found all this neat stuff.

Crowned!

Brennan really got into it. Before too long he had finished this braided crown for Roz, who of course hated it. Not.

Um

I bet YOUR arrows don't stick to the wall.