New Pics

So this boy LOVES the jump up. He will literally come out of the seat a little when he is jumping he is so enthusiastic about it. He especially loves it when everyone is looking right at him- a Leo for sure.







Abs and Wes on our Christmas tree cutting







I love this pic- wonder what he is thinking - "really, those are mine? look how they move. the next pic taken which isn't on here is him trying to eat those toes. :)










Hard to believe it is time for him to be sitting up by himself- he is still pretty tippy but likes it.


Tres Bebes - Wes, James Van and Mathilda Roo.


How sweet are they?

Abs and Wes in their Norwegian sweaters from their Grandpa Peep.





















Abs and Wes Christmas morning in their new pajamas!





























Christmas morning breaking ice on the horse water in jammies.















The morning opening




















Not a white Christmas but close- pretty frosty.

Getting closer to being ready.....
Tonight the Grinch and how Christmas still came dispite the lack of stuff, nice reminder to chill out!!
What exactly to put in a almost 5 month old's stocking hmmmm.......

Winter Solstice

To celebrate the return of the Sun.

To acknowledge the best and worst of the past year

and give voice to our hopes for the next.

Happy winter solstice and "Here Comes the Sun...."

At the breakfast table

Abby mutters sort of under her breath....." Someone has to know if Santa is real, I just have to know..."
This momma takes a deep breath and states, "Ok Abby, are you ready?"
Abs: Yep.
me: I talk about how it started that yes he WAS a real guy, how he did it and that there was definately magic involved but that that person died. Talked about traditions and how things evolved (simple version for sure) and about the spirit of christmas how fun it is to give gifts to people that we love.
Abs: Ok mama. That sounds ok to me.
Then she smiles and says "I definately know elves are real I just wasn't sure about Santa."
Such a sweetie girl.

Orlando-ness

One happy going to Disney World girl!
















Anth and Liam doing piggy backs

The speedway at disney

On the train to Toontown

Abs and Joe going off the little water slide together

Wes's first swim with his Papa

Sutherland, birthday, Leaving and Travel

Sutherland- Our annual trip with the work crew to the lake was sooo nice and full of adventure. No power when we arrived, luckily Cindy had been there so the basement was all warm with the wood stove, candles dispersed throughout the whole house. We all snugged up, ate food, laughed and laughed. Thanks girls, you are so awesome. Wes got to come and be the only boy- he was fantastic and hasn't told a word about it!! :) ha-ha.

33 years- i got home from the lake to a table full of flowers and some sweet presents from Abs and Joe.

Leaving- Our good friends Tess and Dave left for New Zealand. We've been up at the house as much as we could before doing whatever we could to help or just be there. The last party in the barn and a fire true Kirner style, very big. We will miss all the kids running around the house, doing acrobatics on the chin up bar, using the big blue coccoon, and of course all the great food and company. We will miss you like crazy...... hopefully we'll see you in the airport in Aukland!!! sometime in the next 5 years.

Travel- After a semi-scary drive to seattle that involved a lot of rain and hydroplaning we made it to the hotel and the airport in the morning on our way to Orlando, Florida for a week of sun, swimming, family and fun.

Tub in the sink time!!















We won't talk about why he was holding his head up so well... (Kung Fu Panda)

Halloween 09

Abby and her friend Rae- downtown trick or treating. She is a hornet- last minute change from a cheerleader (her idea Not mine.)








Getting out the guts!!

Wes and his first pumpkin

Our home grown pumpkins all carved and lit up.

These Days

I'm feeling the lack of light these days, somehow its hard to get warm.
We bought a "happy light" yesterday, wonder if that will help.
I'm feeling a lack of exercise, somehow i haven't figured out how to fit it in.
Most of all I think the lack of sleep does things to your head.
Had pizza last night which i know gives Wes a belly ache but hadn't had it for awhile so thought i'd try to see if it was better.
NOPE- every hour. It especially sucks to not sleep when you know its your fault!
Today- i am going outside.....

Katie Herzig "forevermore"

Hey any girls that look at this blog listen to this song, give it a little bit and see if you recognize the chorus. :) Do you remember?

Seattle

It feels like there is too much to say about how nice Seattle was this last weekend.
What it feels like to have that much alone time with Joe without interruptions and little people needing you.
What it feels like to see familiar Seattle from the ferry.
What it feels like to stay in a nice hotel with a pillow menu and recycling in the rooms.
What it feels like to go out to a nice dinner, eat good food and drink lemon drops.
What it feels like to hear someone sing live that you really like, to have the concert be better than you thought it could be, to feel so ''full" and happy after.
What it feels like to go to sleep and sleep for 5 hrs in one stretch!!! ya-hoo.
What it feels like to lay in bed and read in the morning without feeling guilty that you aren't taking care of someone or something. That only in Seattle is the in-room coffee actually good.
What it feels like to be in Elliot Bay Book store without kids.
The ferry home all relaxed and soooo missing our kids.
What it feels like to come home, hug a happy Abby playing Go Fish with her Grandma and wake Wes up because i just couldn't stand not to hold him when we got there.
Less than 24hrs away but i feel recharged and like me again.

NoiseTrade Widget

Tonight

A night in Seattle to see Brandi Carlisle, dinner out, maybe sleep all night (OMG...), Elliot Bay Book Store and Pike's Place, ahhhh. Happy 9th Anniversary!!!!

Tonight the exhaustion is simply mind-numbing.
Should be asleep as he'll be waking up in an hour or two
a few moments of quiet... and a book..ahhh.

Weekend

Weather changing so quickly- pouring rain, sun to fog....
Leaves everywhere both on the trees and off.
Dinner at the kirners- sad that our dinner nights are numbered as they are getting ready to leave for New Zealand. Watching Mia, Jobe, and Abby play. Seeing Mia be all sweet with Wes.
Fire in the woodstove and a super cozy house.
A 6yr old who was totally self entertained- this weekend it was playing school, with me interjecting now and then for her to change activities.
Eating in the camper for dinner and listening to Abby try and make Wes laugh
The power out and having the camper propane stove to make good coffee.
Breakfast at my parents talking boats and playing Go Fish.
Talking to a friend on the phone that i haven't talked to in awhile, feeling loved.

So this is it- the 1976 camper we just bought complete with yellow shag!!





This was the sunset at Crescent Beach when we arrived, seriously we get to live here??



Abby sitting at the table with the yellow shag in the background!!

Sunshine on the beach in the morning.



No waves but they got in the water anyway.

Happy October !

Water

I think I have a thing for Indian movies, I love them so much. I love the music, the color, the dancing, and the humanity of it. We are so lucky here, that we have so much freedom to be who we are, we have no idea..... This movie will make you smile, cry, and your heart ache.

Lucky

It was close to this time with Abby that I had to go back to work. I remember not believing the time had gone so fast, thinking about other countries and how much paid time off they got to be with their kids, wondering what we were doing to our kids by leaving so early. I was lucky however, that i wasn't returning full time but three days a week and double lucky that Abby would be with my mom, not in daycare. Still i remember thinking how absurd it was that I was working helping other moms and their babies while I was away from mine. This time around I work for the hospital as a per diem employee so I don't have to return in the required 6-8 weeks as I did before. Everyday I feel like something is different with Wes, it is subtle but there is THAT much change. I feel so lucky to be able to stay home with him, that Joe has a good job and works so hard for us to make that possible. I feel lucky that i have the freedom to take Abs to school or pick her up if she wants me to, to go to Sunny Farms in the morning when no one is there instead of the jam packed afternoon. I feel lucky that, like today, I can just hold him because he wouldn't stay asleep in his bed- only on me. Some days feel pretty crazy and hard but I feel so lucky to be their mom.

Twilight

So I finished the Twilight series yesterday in a rush of reading forgoing responsibilities like taking out the recycling- now it will pile up for 2 MORE weeks, and letting poor Ruby out of the Kali's house, not intentional of course I just was that absorbed. We go out to La Push a lot, one of our favorite places to escape, so we have been watching the Twilight tour bus (WTH) come down and all these teenagers pile off and take pictures, Edward's name written in charcoal on driftwood, etc. We have been making fun of it to say the least and crap now that i've read them.. maybe i have to stop? Maybe not that drastic, just tone it down a little. :) I probably like the books for other reasons, not as much for the love story part but the Magic in it. Just like I loved Harry Potter. Its fun to think that another reality is happening at the same time and we aren't aware of it, that things can be just because its magic without any science. Anyway, just a plug for the books, that if you haven't read them you may want to check them out. I'm always a little bummed after I finish books that i'm excited to read...let me know if you've read any good ones lately.

Catch Up

Kali took this- trying to get the sun shining through those long lashes. Wes- 6weeks

First day of school after she got home-

"Mom, the bus is so fun I wish i could just ride it around all day"

Abby sitting at her new desk.

Wesley's first taste of a Harley with Jeff. I wonder if he'll imprint and love them always. Maybe all boys do?

Update

Well.... seems we are settling in to a new routine of school and our new sweet boy. Abby is doing great in school, she really likes her new school, riding the bus, her teacher, and her new friends. We're also doing soccer right now so it is busy to say the least. Spending a quiet night at home, much needed after the first full week. Baby Wes is so sweet and doing good, seems to be getting his belly/gas figured out a little or i'm getting better at knowing what is going on, not sure which. We're pretty tired but otherwise doing ok. He is smiling so much now and cooing. Abs loves to talk to him and gets so excited when she hears him talking. His hair is growing, a birth mark appeared on his forehead and he has his papa's widow's peak. I feel lucky to have such healthy kids. The weather has been the typical lovely september, walks at the river and down the road each night with Wes in the Mai Tai (front pack). The evening walking is maybe my favorite time, its so quiet, all the birds on the water, Mt. Baker was all pink tonight-- so beautiful.

T'was the Night Before....

T'was the night before school starts,
and this mama is freaking out...
From private to public,
I sure hope she doesn't shout...
More rules and structure isn't such a bad thing,
but yellow buses with big kids makes my head ring...
A library, a cafeteria, such big kid stuff,
where did the time go and why does this feel so tough...
My girl says she ready and excited to go,
her teacher is nice and all rarin' to show....
the world to my girl who once was so small,
now sassy, funny, toothless and so tall.
She told her brother how she would be gone for awhile,
but not to worry because she would be back with a smile.
I'm proud of you Abs stay strong and don't lose...
where you come from, who you are, and how to walk in those shoes.

Love you Abs- hope you have a fantastic day tomorrow.
1st grade Mrs. McDougal-Danielson

Us 4 out at Joe's dad's farm by the river.
Had hot dogs, a fire and a fresh caught fish from the pond.







Mr. Wes at 4 weeks. :)









Abby pretty proud of her fly fishing!


















She caught 4 fish- one didn't make it in the release program so we cooked it- yummm.

Things that I Love

Joe, Abby and baby Wes...
Red Rose tea with milk and honey in it...
The sound of the sprinklers outside and how green the pasture is now!
The sideways light in the evening, the porch all lit up pink...
Chocolate mint ice cream.... (have been eating a lot of this lately)
The smell of coffee and matte'....
Nag Champa today, a quiet house and a nap....
When people look at you and really SEE you, that they take the time and invest themselves even though it isn't always easy....
How fast Abby talked about all her adventures of the county fair today and that she wants to show cows like her big cousin Jake....
Smoothies for dinner......

New Pics

Finally asleep today- he has been a little fussier last few days, Am trying to decide if its omething i'm eating or just the 3 week growth spurt thing.
Last time we weighed him he was almost 10 lbs. with his clothes and diaper- he is growing fast.

His first real bath. Abby thought it was great having him in there and he didn't mind it at all.