Who said watching paint dry was boring?

All I can say is WOW. I blinked, and it's almost February. My blog still has Christmas background, and I feel like I can't possibly go back and re-cap the last two months. Over the last several weeks, I've dusted off my tenny-runners, hauled out my boxes and boxes and BOXES of Nike gear and have been visiting the gym in the evenings after work, after dinner, and after getting the kids in their PJ's. With that added time suck, something has had to give, and that something is this here blog.


But I thought I'd check in. Update a bit, if you want to catch up on pics you can see those here. It's been a CRAZY last two months. Sean has been working a LOT, but is really loving his new job. In the 'I'm really busy, the day flies by and I feel like I'm doing something productive' kind of way. The downfall is I watch The bachelor and other (smut TV shows) alone and to the sound of his pitter pattering on the computer. The kids had a lovely Christmas, we tried our best to give them some great experiences. We baked cookies, and we made a gingerbread house. We visited Zoo lights, Portland International Raceway's light show, and despite the frigid temperatures, we stomped across icy terrain and cut down our own tree. Alex and I along with my mom, sisters, nephew and gramma went to the Nutracker which was a really fun experience for everyone.



We even ventured up to Mt. Hood with my sisters and kids and stayed two nights in a quaint and rustic (including a flat screen, hot tub, and the best damn beds I've even slept in) cabin. We spent two days sledding, hot tubbing and over-exerting our weak muscles with some intense Wii'ing. It was lovely. Below is one picture I will add of us up at the mountain. Alex is not looking good. It was FREEZING and it reminds of of Christmas Vacation. 'She'll see it later, her eyes are frozen'.





New Years was spent out with some of our best friends. We went to Paragon downtown and spoiled ourselves with a lavish dinner, and rung in the new year with our friends at the amazing Hotel Monaco. Was truly a fun evening with good people, and lots of laughs, and well...some extremely entertaining voice memo recordings. Thanks iPhone.



The kids are doing GREAT. Alex is still in gymnastics and is now taking piano lessons at school. She is learning to read! She loves to ask questions and really listens to the answers. Last week she asked what happens when we die. These questions are getting easier to answer for me as I've learned that simple answers that make sense to a 4 year old are all she needs. With each passing year these answers may change. I told her that when our bodies don't work anymore, whether we get old or hurt or really sick, our hearts and souls go to live with God. She found comfort in that as she's always asking about God, where is he, etc. She then very concerned 'confirmed', 'Mom, we still have lots of life in us right?'. She is such a thinker and a worrier. She asks consistently about my grandfather who passed last year, and feels sincere empathy for my grandma who now lives alone. She has such a sweet and warm heart.



She is still begging for ballet lessons, but I can't find the time to take her that fits with my work schedule. I've written and deleted several letters to some of these places on behalf of working moms as the only classes seem to be offered Tues-Friday between 10 am and 3. L-A-M-E.



Ian is also doing well. He is, how do I say it? Working through his emotions right now. You may call him a 'drama king'. You tell him 'No', he drops to the floor in a heap and sobs. I can't help but smile with his little lips all turned upside down. He really works it. If you ask him to do something his initial response, 'MY LEG, or MY KNEE.' Last week it was 'MY CHEEK HURTS', I can't help pick up the toys!!!!! Oh jeez. NO IDEA where it got it. Ahem, let's move on.



Our third child (CHIP) is also thriving :). Aside from this last weekend where a trip to the dog park caused a tail sprain that apparently is extremely painful. He spent the majority of the weekend on his bed, or walking to his food bowl with his rear all tucked and his tail stuck in one position. Poor guy. Sunday, Sean was at a sports bar with friends I ended up taking him to the Vet ER as he was shaking and not eating. I felt kind of dumb taking the dog I KNOW to be a neurotic pound puppy to the ER when all the other dogs had gaping wounds and 'obvious issues' going on. But peace of mind and $70 dollars out the window...



The only other news is we had a MAJOR CATASTROPHE on Sunday. Okay, I had a major catastrophe. Sean was at the sports bar, I had just returned home from the vet and decided HEY, I'm going to go around and touch up some wall scuffs caused most likely from Ian's flying light saber. I got out the can of white paint, opened it up and set it on the dryer. I wandered off to do something else as I can't stay on task and came back to the project at hand. I thought "Hey, I should shake this up, it's been months since I've used it", forgetting I had already opened the lid. I then proceeded to shake a half gallon of eggshell/latex paint onto myself, my new jeans, a new pullover, my laundry room floor, rug and ALL. OVER. MY. DRYER. It was pouring over all sides.

It was one of those messes where you don't know where to begin.

So I started with my clothes and as I was kneading them in the laundry sink softly whispering all the profanities I could think of Alex shows up at the laundry room door. 'Hey Mom', she says. 'YES HONEY?' I sort of kind of sternly reply.

'Can I have a piece of chocolate?'

It was as if she had NO idea what was going on. The laundry room looked like frosty the snow man had blown up in it.

I very calmly replied, 'Alex, do you not see here that I'm dealing with a total crisis? Can you go get me two large garbage sacks and all the paper towel that you can find?'

She says, 'Sure Mom, Why? And, can I have a piece of chocolate now?'

UM. I told her she could do whatever she wanted for the next half hour just don't make a mess PLEASE.

God help me, my dryer buttons are still jammed with paint, and the front of my very recently new front loader has PAINT dried all over it because of course, the dryer was running and warm and the paint hardened instantly. WOOP WOOP. Talk about a perfectionists worst nightmare. All I was trying to do was touch up a 1/2 inch black scuff on the door TO THE GARAGE. Time well spent. And this all AFTER I died my hair brown. Moral of the story, you can take the blonde out of the hair...but you can't take it out of the girl.