Pine Cones?

We took the kids out for a walk today to our favorite little town along the river (not the snake path!!!). As we were walking along the boys were picking up and tossing rocks into the water. I saw Busy Guy throw something brown into the water....hmmm...."What was that you just threw?"....I shouted to him..."A pine cone"....he replied...as I walked closer I could see that the pine cone was actually doggy poop!!!! Ummmm....nummy:)

Hike

My Mom took the boys on a hike at her house last Sunday. They loved it. This is the "rainbow" tree they found. They also saw cougar poop! So exciting:) Busy Guy saw a wizard too...that's a lizard for those who don't have a 3 year old.
I think they'll grow up to be Mountaineers just like Nana and Grandpa Bill. I stayed by the fire with the babes....I'm just a little snake shy now!!!

Question for Bloggers: I want to print or publish my blog into a book so I can save it for my kids. I don't want to print it on my printer...too long and too expensive. I've seen there are some companies that will do it for you. Has anyone done this...who did you use...did you like it...how much did it cost?

Sunday Day

We spent a lovely day at my Mom and Grandpa Bill's house yesterday. Cam worked and I went to church with my Mom and then over to her house for a bonfire and BBQ (whole organic chicken stuffed with lemons and onions and rubbed with coarse salt...slow cooked on the Webber....mmmmmm good). Baby George was introduced to corn on the cob. WOW! He loved it...and was quietly enthralled eating it for about an hour! Too cute.

Pounds Lost

Picture from 3 years ago....this is the fit and fab I'm heading back to!!!!

Okay...it's going well. I've lost 9 lbs.! That is great. My pants are loose. My former clothing is almost fitting:) I have about 16 more lbs. to go but it's on a roll now and I'll continue until I'm back at my "fighting" weight. That's pre-pregnancy weight...pre-diabetes weight...pre-I think I need to eat everything in sight weight.


What's working for me...is being honest. I follow the WW plan. I write down everything I eat....even if it's not pretty:) I weigh in at the meetings...nothing keeps me honest like having someone else write down my loss for the week.


I figure if I can't be honest about my weight I'm not fooling anyone but myself. I don't want to be in denial.


So...for the whole world to know...I weigh 146 lbs. That's in the buff...in the morning...after a cup of tea...after a visit to the ladies room. Yes, I am THAT anal:) I have to do it the same every time or it gets me all wiggy...that means nutty. I also wear the same clothes/shoes to WW...so that it's also the same. I want to know PRECISELY how much weight I've lost! My size 6/8 clothes are looking really cute sitting in my closet but will look a whole lot cuter on me. Right now I'm in size 10/12....so....I'll keep on keepin' on.

Make A Wish!!!!!

We have exciting news!!!!! NO, it's not another baby...even though I would be happy...Yes, I'm serious...babies are always good news.
Anyway, the point of this post is really about Tuba. He is being granted a wish through the Make A Wish Foundation!!!!!!!! We are over the moon excited. We will meet with the MAW volunteers in the next couple of weeks and determine what his wish will be. We are hoping for something Disney!!! There is NO happier place on Earth and it is Tuba's favorite place. The only thing he would like better would be a giant trampoline with a fire-pit and swimming pool built into it;)
Disclaimer: In case you think MAW is only for terminal cases...that isn't true. I already gave one person a scare when I told them our news and they thought it meant Tuba was terminal. Not the case. MAW has a medical guideline they use but it does not have to be a terminal disease.

Finally....Sunday Celebration

And...we finished up Holy Week with Sunday's celebration....feast and kid's fair.

Here's what I look like when I've had NO sleep and didn't wash my makeup off before going to bed....oh, SCARY!!! Good thing that only happens once a year.

Pascha Baskets for the kiddos...beanie babies and candy and treats.

But, I do clean up well;) It's amazing what a shower, makeup, and caffeine can do!

Sis in her pretty Pascha dress from Aunt Jayme.

The boys all ready to play.

Bubbles....BLECH!!! You know how I feel about bubbles....EWWWW!

Face painting with our dear Godsister.

Bouncy House....Tuba jumped for 3 hours straight...boy did he sleep well that night!

The children presenting a gift to our Bishop.

Beers too!

Sharing the special day with my newly illumined mom! Cheers!

More Holy Saturday

After t-ball we headed home to eat, rest and re-group before going to Nana's baptism and crismation into the Orthodox Church.

The iconstasis.

The boys eagerly awaiting the start of the service.

Princess Pickle and Grandpa Bill.

My sis holding Baby George and my Mom in her "baptismal water clothes". No...only babies are baptized in the buff;)

Look at these handsome boys! I'm so lucky!

Another handsome fella!

My Mom and another woman were baptized the same day. These are their baptismal robes and candles.

My Mom's Patron Saint....Monica, her cross which will be blessed and dipped into the baptismal water and a cross her sponsor painted for her.

The baptismal tub.

The priest putting holy oil on for the crismation.

Washing the oil off with Holy Water.

Beautiful...I love this photo. The Handmaiden of God Monica.

And....here is Sis who spent a good portion of the service running back and forth on the porch!!! Serious energy:)

The service was beautiful and we were all full of tears of joy. My sister and nephews came from OR to attend the special occasion. After the service we all went to have a meal at a Thai restaurant near the church. It was the perfect place to go...such lovely ladies working. When I told them I needed a table for 12...and that 7 of them are kids...they didn't even bat an eye. They were so gracious and friendly. We'll go back there again. For once we didn't feel like "restaurant lepers"!

Then...off to home again to prepare for our Holy Pascha service which starts at 10:00 pm. The kids changed into pj's and we packed the car with blankets, portable cribs, a fan, diaper bag, and most importantly our Pascha basket (full of the foods we fast from during Lent). We arrive early and set up the babies beds in an empty Sunday School room. Cam and I take turns in the Nave with the big boys while the other stays downstairs with sleeping babes. It is actually lovely and quiet downstairs and you can hear the service going on overhead. The service concludes about 1:00 am. Mr. P and Busy Guy curled up at my feet with their blankets and fell asleep about 11:30 pm. Tuba of course was wide awake and engaged the whole service. Truly his favorite day of the year!

Then everyone comes downstairs to celebrate and partake of our baskets. Christ Is Risen! Indeed He Is Risen. We had some wine, cheese, salami and chocolate. We pulled in at home at 3:15. Of course Baby George who had been sleeping all this time now wanted to be AWAKE! I finally got to sleep at 4:30 am. YIKES...I'm too old and too busy for that! I have the best hubby in the world...who got up with the kids at 7:30 am! Busy Guy was of course up at 6:30....AHHHHH....he was sent downstairs to watch cartoons:)