Here is a note that Gavin wrote...
We don't have a yo-yo, but it is apparently from Gavin.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Gavin's New Friends
My boys have become completely enamored with letters and numbers. Both Gavin and Graeme will play with letter flashcards and/or magnet letters for extended amounts of time... like enough time for me to take a shower and get ready... and they'll still be swimming in a sea of letters. They like to snuggle the letters and carry them around. Gavin will roll some up in his shirt "to take care of them" because they are his favorite friends. (Not that he doesn't enjoy his friends that are actually people!)
Graeme's New Pout
Caught on camera this morning when Gavin wouldn't let him play with a rubber band... which was then taken away because Gavin shouldn't have had it either.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Bring on the Sun!
This weekend we got a little taste of Spring with some sunny weather and (slightly) warmer temperatures. In the previous week, Gavin, Graeme, and I had been talking about planting seeds and planning the garden. So, we bought seeds together and I wrote out a plan on Friday. There is always so much potential when planning - a little glimpse of excitement of what is to come in the next few months. Veggies, flowers, farmer's markets. I can't wait!
It was great to be outside in the garden again. The vegetable beds got turned and weeded - moss had taken over, so it got ousted too. Some seeds got planted and put indoors. There were a bunch of seeds left over from last year, so I'm curious to see if they sprout. I also had Gavin help me plant more seeds. (Though I love the boys to help, I find I need to do some things myself... so they turn out how I want.) Gavin got some mini pots of his own. He filled the pots, labeled the sticks, and poked the seeds in to the soil. He's getting better at listening and 'helping' step by step... improvement from last year when he just dumped all the seeds into one spot.
The other venture, which I tackled myself, was opening up the compost bin to see what was inside. Would it be compost? Or mush? Or who knows what?? My first attempts at composting were relatively successful. What I found was very compacted, but usable compost. I had turned it so much during the year (we started them last March) that the stuff at the bottom didn't have much circulation for air. Couple that with being to wet at first, and it made for a great upper body exercise to dig it out of the bin.
I still need to dig out more. As much as I did, there was enough to cover over the base of the raspberries and put two wheelbarrow loads worth into one vegetable bed. Hopefully, I'll get enough for the other beds as well.
Mild success, and lessons learned as I go forward this year in trying to find the right balance for turning and layering everything for compost.
It was great to be outside in the garden again. The vegetable beds got turned and weeded - moss had taken over, so it got ousted too. Some seeds got planted and put indoors. There were a bunch of seeds left over from last year, so I'm curious to see if they sprout. I also had Gavin help me plant more seeds. (Though I love the boys to help, I find I need to do some things myself... so they turn out how I want.) Gavin got some mini pots of his own. He filled the pots, labeled the sticks, and poked the seeds in to the soil. He's getting better at listening and 'helping' step by step... improvement from last year when he just dumped all the seeds into one spot.
The other venture, which I tackled myself, was opening up the compost bin to see what was inside. Would it be compost? Or mush? Or who knows what?? My first attempts at composting were relatively successful. What I found was very compacted, but usable compost. I had turned it so much during the year (we started them last March) that the stuff at the bottom didn't have much circulation for air. Couple that with being to wet at first, and it made for a great upper body exercise to dig it out of the bin.
I still need to dig out more. As much as I did, there was enough to cover over the base of the raspberries and put two wheelbarrow loads worth into one vegetable bed. Hopefully, I'll get enough for the other beds as well.
Mild success, and lessons learned as I go forward this year in trying to find the right balance for turning and layering everything for compost.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Just a few pictures from Mexico... finally!
My goodness, this seems so long ago now.
Good thing "soon" is a relative term - as in, "I'll post some pictures soon..."
Graeme following the tracks... and looking for shells and rocks.
Boys building sand castles... some were still up apparently for days after we left!
(Those were ones that looked quite a bit more castle-shaped that the mound here.)
This was the first day on the beach. We got the hang of it eventually.
Out to dinner! Yum!
And the sunset from the deck!
Or no, wait, that's just the view from our house in Bothell... ha!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Doctor Visit Introductions
Since we've been back from Mexico, I've been a little behind in everything that needs to get done. (Read: I'll be posting some pictures soon.) But, this was too funny. At least to me.
Yesterday, we took an unexpected trip to the doctor for Graeme (diagnosis: eye infection). That's not the funny part. We were in the waiting room and the boys were looking at the fish tank. Another family came in and their two boys saddled up to the fish tank as well. Dialog went as follows:
Gavin: Hi, what's your name?
Other boy: Gavin
Gavin: No, what's YOUR name?
Other boy: G-A-V-I-N
At this point the other mom and I figure out what's going on and explain that they have the same name. Something my Gavin, I'm sure, had never considered.
Yesterday, we took an unexpected trip to the doctor for Graeme (diagnosis: eye infection). That's not the funny part. We were in the waiting room and the boys were looking at the fish tank. Another family came in and their two boys saddled up to the fish tank as well. Dialog went as follows:
Gavin: Hi, what's your name?
Other boy: Gavin
Gavin: No, what's YOUR name?
Other boy: G-A-V-I-N
At this point the other mom and I figure out what's going on and explain that they have the same name. Something my Gavin, I'm sure, had never considered.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Crazy Salad Recipe
Last night, we tried a new recipe that turned out to be a hit... with Craig at least. I was looking for something to use up some leftover beef from a slow cooker roast we had the day before. I searched "mango and cabbage" as I had a mango that needed to be eaten and I was trying to find an interesting way to use cabbage. (Not normally something I buy, but thought I'd give it a try.)
This is the recipe I found:
http://homecooking.about.com/od/saladrecipes/r/blsalad62.htm
Quite good if you're looking for something a little different. I added the following:
Shredded beef (laced with brown sugar and red wine vinegar)
Carrots
Cucumbers
Sesame seeds
Salt flakes and Parmesan on top
This is the recipe I found:
http://homecooking.about.com/od/saladrecipes/r/blsalad62.htm
Quite good if you're looking for something a little different. I added the following:
Shredded beef (laced with brown sugar and red wine vinegar)
Carrots
Cucumbers
Sesame seeds
Salt flakes and Parmesan on top
New Hair, Part II
I know, I didn't really write about my New Hair, Part I. Here's the short version:
Off to the salon, I asked the girl (new to me) to layer the front of my hair to try out bangs, and trim everything a little and create some layers all around, but to keep most of the length. She did the opposite. The result? A long bob with no bangs whatsoever. It looked alright when she straightened it... but that was it. Once home, my hair just looked like a fuzzy triangle. (Hey, maybe I'll wear my hair in a pony tail today. )
Hating my hair got me thinking about when it was short. So, I decided to chop it all off and start over.
I went to my aunt's stylist in Seattle, and she took the boys while I had the appointment. (They get spoiled, and I get spoiled just the same. Thank you, Carol!) I brought pictures... and we chopped it. When I saw the boys after the appointment, I asked (loaded question): "Gavin, do you like Mummy's new hair?" And, with the full pout, he responded with a very slow, "Nooooo." Tears welling up in his eyes.
I hadn't thought about the effect chopping my hair would have on the boys. I reassured him that it would grow. And it doesn't seem to phase him now.
At the same, I asked Graeme if he liked my hair and he said: "My like it!" But, I had to clarify: "You like mummy's hair or the water you're drinking..." Response: "No, my like my water!"
I'll post a picture of it this weekend. I'm still getting used to it. I think I'll like it more when it grows out just a pinch. Craig, very wisely, says he likes it.
Off to the salon, I asked the girl (new to me) to layer the front of my hair to try out bangs, and trim everything a little and create some layers all around, but to keep most of the length. She did the opposite. The result? A long bob with no bangs whatsoever. It looked alright when she straightened it... but that was it. Once home, my hair just looked like a fuzzy triangle. (Hey, maybe I'll wear my hair in a pony tail today. )
Hating my hair got me thinking about when it was short. So, I decided to chop it all off and start over.
I went to my aunt's stylist in Seattle, and she took the boys while I had the appointment. (They get spoiled, and I get spoiled just the same. Thank you, Carol!) I brought pictures... and we chopped it. When I saw the boys after the appointment, I asked (loaded question): "Gavin, do you like Mummy's new hair?" And, with the full pout, he responded with a very slow, "Nooooo." Tears welling up in his eyes.
I hadn't thought about the effect chopping my hair would have on the boys. I reassured him that it would grow. And it doesn't seem to phase him now.
At the same, I asked Graeme if he liked my hair and he said: "My like it!" But, I had to clarify: "You like mummy's hair or the water you're drinking..." Response: "No, my like my water!"
I'll post a picture of it this weekend. I'm still getting used to it. I think I'll like it more when it grows out just a pinch. Craig, very wisely, says he likes it.
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