Trader Joes

Can I just say that in the first four days of being in Seattle, I've been to Trader Joes twice. Happy Happy!

Hello Seattle!

Summer in Seattle... it's pretty spectacular. My brother always says there is no place more beautiful than a summer day in Seattle. Pete you are so right! We've been here four days now and I'm still amazed at the views that just pop up at you around a bend in the road. It's been in the low 70s and breezy, and not a drop of rain. This, you must celebrate in Seattle since it won't last long. Especially when you know if you were home you'd be sweating it out in 90 degree heat and crazy humidity.

We arrived on Saturday to a beautiful house in Ballard that I found on Craigslist. It's perfect for our stay... Three levels with a playroom for the girls, a great deck and small backyard. Next Tuesday evening there is a neighborhood block party. My kind of neighborhood! We went down to the local piazza place and Delancey did not disappoint. And Joan, look what they serve with their pizza. Dean is now a convert to your salt revolution.

Sunday we woke up to sunshine and headed down to the Sunday Fremont Market. We walked around and enjoyed the street musicians and ate some delicious Indian food...even the girls liked it. Score!! I will make these girls ethnic food lovers if it's the last thing I do, one bite at a time. :)


After a beer for Dean and some Sangria for me, we were ready for our next stop: Volunteer Park. A beautiful park nestled in the hills of Seattle, it's one quirk was the graveyard located adjacent to the kids playground. Didn't bother the kids one bit, but one can't help but reflect on the energy of young life when looking at the visual reminder of lives past. 

We found some renaissance guys in full regalia sword fighting for beer . Or something like that. It was pretty hilarious.

The park was pretty, but nothing spectacular. Fun to let the girls run off some energy and to be surrounded by an urban forest. I will never tire of the beautiful greenery of Seattle.

Goodbye SB

Just a quick shout out to our awesome friends in SB, Amy and Andrew for letting us crash at your place less than two weeks before you move. You guys rock! So great to see you guys and so awesome to see our kids having so much fun together. Miss you already and can't wait to see you in SD next summer!

Santa Barbara Fun

Nothing like coming back to a place you used to live to realize how much you miss it. Santa Barbara is gorgeous... There is simply nothing comparable to the beauty of the mountains rolling into the sea. That, combined with the positive energy of people here makes it a truly special place.

We've been spending lots of time catching up with old friends, eating our way through town, hiking, and hitting the beach. I even managed to sneak in a beach run and I have to say it a the best run I've had since leaving CA. The weather here is my perfect running companion.

Rankin Ranch

Rankin Ranch... truly one of my favorite places on earth. If you haven't been here, it's hard to explain how being a guest at a working catttle ranch can truly revive your spirit. It's all about family here... yours and the Rankins. The Rankin family is hard working, yet always have the time to make you feel at home. When you are here, you become one of the family. My parents have been coming here for 34 years. Yes, they love it THAT much. So do I!

 There are no tvs here, no phones, no easy internet access... You become totally unconnected from the outside world. And that in itself makes the ranch remarkable. Dean had a moment of panic when he realized he wouldn't be instantly able to check in with work. But after a few days, he fully relaxed and when we were leaving said he could really use a few more days being off the grid.

 A typical day at the ranch starts off with a huge cowboy breakfast... Eggs, bacon or sausage, hash browns and toast. Unless its pancake day (the BEST I've ever had). It is virtually impossible to be hungry here. Then you go on a morning horseback trail ride. One for the kids and one for the adults. The kids then go with the kids club and do cowboy art projects, nature hikes, swimming and taking care of the animals on the ranch. Which means lots of time for the adults to relax!

 After lunch on the terrace, it's more horseback riding and swimming. Maybe some ping pong or shooting pool. Then while the adults enjoy happy hour, the kids play games in the lodge with the counselors. Everyone meets up for another huge cowboy dinner in the dining room (Mexican night is my fav). Unless its hayride night... Then we take a hayride out to the huge BBQ area for tritip and a horseshoe competition. After dinner you can go feed the ranch animals and then there is always a family activity in the lodge. Then you wake up and do it all over again!

Rankin Ranch, here we come!

We are off to Rankin Ranch today... and I cannot wait! There are no tv's, computers or any electronics there, you are free to totally relax. Something I highly value these days. We'll be playing in the pool tournament, relaxing by the pool and enjoying hayrides. Yeehaw!! Stay tuned for pix of Natalie horseback riding.

Yesterday we got to see my Aunt Joanie and Uncle Denny. So great to see them... they always seem so happy and relaxed. My aunt especially enjoyed seeing the girls. And of course they loved having a captive audience. A fun afternoon indeed!

Later, while I drank a beer with my dad, Dean ran on the treadmill and Katherine decided to get in on the action too.

Dixon Summer Extravaganza - Day 3

Did some swimming today and general relaxing. Ahh... This was required due to the fact that it was 108 degrees today. I'm not kidding!

Drove out to Rosedale to go to my cousin Gary's Sequoia Sandwich shop. Some of the best sandwiches in town. And if you've not tried it, you simply must have Gary's Chocolate Cake. Sinfully good. Luckily, being in the know, my Aunt told my mom the secret ingredient so Janet, if you are reading this, my fellow chocoholic, you will be receiving your own birthday version of Gary's Chocolate Cake this October! Yes, it's good to have family in high places.

Enjoyed some bbq'd burgers with a bottle of our friend Craig Stoller's wine... Sextant Winery Night Watch. If you've not tried it, go get yourself a bottle immediately. It will not disapoint. mmm... vacation is good.

Dean and the girls enjoying some pool time.

Dixon Summer Extravaganza - Day 2

To the bug museum with grandpa!

We drove to Shafter today to check out Insect Lore, a cool bug museum and the girls loved it. The guy who worked there took out some of the insects for the kids to see, including a hissing cockroach, it was pretty cool, ick factor and all! I'd never actually heard one hiss, not nearly as menacing as I'd imagined from the B movie scenes playing in my head. More like a quiet snake hiss. The girls were mesmerized. Nothing like watching your two cute girls get into bugs. Grandpa rocks!

Dixon Summer Extravagaza - Day 1

We have arrived in California! So happy to be back...

And of course, we began our journey with an adventurous, but not so fun morning. Apparently my skill set at setting the alarm clock has plummeted. Instead of waking to the alarm at 4:15, I woke up to glance at the clock at 4:48, yelled to Dean the time and we raced out of bed. Flying out of Orlando, we weren't sure exactly if we would make it, which meant a super stressful drive, followed by a super stressful car check in, where we couldn't risk stopping for gas. Which meant our $60 car rental, was topped by an $88 gas fee. Ouch. Needless to say, I was saying my mea culpa's to Dean all morning.

After a lovely 4 hour delay in Houston (yeah, THAT was fun) our delayed flight has us arriving just in time to hit rush hour traffic on the 405. Joy! A 2 hour drive was ahead of us and then we finally arrived my parents house.

And after a very long day of travel, there is nothing like arriving to the warm hugs and smiles of your parents. And seeing how excited they are to see the grandkids. Made the long day just fade away... and helped all the more by a delicious shared bottle of Silver Oak. Ah... so good to come home again. I'm glad our vacation is here, and glad the 1st leg of travel is behind us. On to the good times!

Tooth Fairy Time

Guess who's going to be paying a visit to our house tonight? For the first time!

Healthy Cooking

One thing I have found as a mom as my kids are starting to get just a little bit older, is how challenging it can be to find things they like to eat, that are nutritious and healthy. I've really gotten into cooking over the past several years... love to try new recipes and modify them to make them more healthy. Getting older means more health concerns, and while I am know for my indulgences (wine and chocolate anyone?) I try to moderate my behavior too. After all, I do have an example to set. And a waistline to manage!

I love getting the girls into the kitchen... they love it too and I'm hoping to expand their horizons by getting them cooking. I figure if they help make it, they'll be more likely to try it.

Today we made Breakfast Cookies! So much healthier than the boxed version... ours had oatmeal, whole wheat flour, cranberries (my mom can attest I just don't do raisins in baked goods) and even some shredded carrots. They were a hit and both girls loved them. A new winner in the breakfast circuit. If I can get a whisper of a veggie in them before they are even off to school, that is a huge win on my part.

Thank You!

A big thank you to Crazy Uncle Pete, Auntie Kathy, Jordan and Megan (esp. Megan for passing down the great books!). The girls loved their surprise as you can see.

Tis the Season

Here is how you decorate your home when you volunteer to be the "cookie mom" for your daughters Girl Scout troop.

So True...

I want to start living by this quote:

“If you cram your life with the things you love, there’s no time for the things you don’t love. They have to fall away.”

Charlotte's Web

Natalie and I have been reading Charlotte's web to each other during our bedtime reading for the past few weeks. We picked it up at the library. I told her it was one of my favorite stories and that I wanted us to read the whole book together. Now that she is such a voracious reader, we haven't read an entire book together for awhile. It's usually a chapter here or there at bedtime, but then she reads the rest on her own.

It was a great experience and she loved the story. We dug out Wilbur, whom my mom had given her a year ago and now he is more beloved than ever, taking the prized sleeping place by her side (along with Cow, who never gets fully bumped). We finished the book a few days ago. So I got the movie and we watched it together today with Katherine.

There is nothing like looking over and seeing your daughters eyes filled with laughter and joy during the movie, then tears when Charlotte dies. I was a little worried how that would go over, she wasn't too affected by the event in the book, but in a movie, right in your face, it's hard to miss the meaning. She cried and snuggled up close and sad it was so sad. And at that moment, I felt her truly as part of me, and my mom... emotional through and through. I have vivid memories of my mom sobbing at movies in the theater when I was a girl, back then I used to get a little embarrassed, but I am the same way and now look back so fondly of those memories. And to witness Natalie, my little emotional, beautiful girl with the same traits, makes me happy in a way I cannot describe.

Fairy Princess Room.... Complete!

Three and a half years later, with a strong color preference, Katherine finally gets a room fit for a princess.

The before, very cool, but not very girly. An older photo obviously! But that was the previous wall color and border.

She is a purple girl, through and through, and when we found this border while flipping through a wallpaper book, game over. Everything else was designed around it. And... we both love it! It was very cute to see her get so excited when I put it up. Mind you, the border was the final stage. So the first weekend spent painting her room and she saw this...

She was minimally excited about the purple walls. Not the reaction I was hoping for after a full weekend of painting. Three year olds can be PITAs to say the least! :) Now of course, I did this the weekend before Christmas, cause you know, I didn't really have anything else going on, so why not? Needless to say, the next phase was a few weeks later.

The next phase was wall paper. While I knew this would be more difficult, I really didn't count on how hard it would be to hang multiple sheets on 10 feet high ceilings. And try to line up the seams. The frickin' seams! How I hate thee. No matter what I did, they started with the pattern perfectly aligned on top, and a full inch off at the bottom, with seams in full view. Grr.... but she was excited when she saw this, so I let the details go. Mom, I have a whole new appreciation for that cool flowered wallpaper I had when I was Natalie's age. Thank you, for now I know what you must have gone through!

And finally, the peice de resistance, the fairies. At the sight of the final show stopper, Katherine got really excited. And that made it all worth it.

So now of course, Natalie wants a pink room. Is six too young for child labor?

Camping in Florida

Just back from our first family camping trip. And it was... awesome! We went with our neighbors and several some of their friends to this amazing campground that had a playground, a pavillion with basketball courts and pavement for the kids to ride scooters on, and a river to hunt for shark teeth.

I used to camp at least 2-3 times a year when I lived in CA, and before I had kids. I love to camp and spend an entire weekend outside running around. But since having kids, then moving to FL, Dean and I haven't camped. First it was getting used to FL and the bugs. The bugs are both plentiful and ever-present here. Then it was Katherine being an infant and I wasn't up for camping with diapers.

But now... K is three and N is six and I was ready to give it a go. And... they LOVED it. I was worried about night time, and frankly, we didn't sleep alot the first night... but strong coffee and fresh air helped with the 5:20, pre-dawn wake-up call that K insisted upon. And of course, we picked the perfect time in FL to camp... The weather actually hit below freezing, a rarity here. But we survived and even Dean had a great time. Dean is a reluctant camper. Once engrossed, he really does enjoy it, but the sleeping in the tent part, eh, he could do without. But he loves me and knows I love it and takes one for the team. Man, I love that guy.

So smore's, a leaky canoe and much hearty meat later, we will be camping again soon. Next up, camping by the beach in non-freezing weather, stay tuned!

Early Christmas Gift

I received the best Christmas gift I can recall of my life this week. And it's still more than two weeks until the big day!

A little background... one of my all time favorite Christmas traditions is completely engrossing myself in Christmas music for the entire month of December. If I'm home, it's on. I just love the way it lifts up my mood and makes me feel warm and loving inside. Around here, my girls have started to love the tradition as well. So earlier this week, we are cozying up on the couch after I've picked up Natalie from school. We are all reading various things, listening to Christmas tunes and Natalie looks up at me and says:

"Mom, you know what's better than Christmas"

Being in a good mood, I start joking: "homework?"

"No!"

"Cleaning your room?"

"No!" she laughs. Then looks me in the eye and says

"you."

Wow. It took my breath away and then I cried. And hugged her. And that... is the meaning of Christmas. Spreading pure joy.

Respect

I just got home from Natale's school where she received an award for showing Respect. This is the second year in a row Natalie has received this award and I am so proud of her! The school has a Character program where each month the kids learn about a different character (respect, gratitude, compassion, etc.). Every month, the teachers pick a student from their class who has best show the character trait for that month. So proud and happy for Natalie!

   

Enjoying the post ceremony treats. 

So Proud.

Tomorrow is Natalie's last day of Kindergarten. This first official year of school went by so fast. She seemed so young and innocent back in September... I can't believe how much she has grown and matured this year. Her teacher, who was just awesome, made a memory book for each child, which has samples of their writing and drawing and photos from the beginning of the year until now. It is priceless. A clear picture of exactly how much learning has gone on this year.

And... we are so proud, Natalie got the award for most improved reading! I don't know what her level was at the beginning of the year, but she ended Kindergarten reading at the end of 1st grade level. Looks like she's going to be a bookworm just like her mom and grandma!