These are the ingredients to my Friday night, which is shaping up to be a winner:
(1) Sylvia is in bed at least a half hour before her normal bed time. Actually, she's putting herself to sleep while sucking on a bottle of formula. There are about 3 things in that sentence that are considered very wrong by the powers that be in the baby world.
(2) Andy and I are sitting in the living room. He is watching Land Before Time: Stone of Cold Fire on the portable DVD player with headphones, sitting in the Laz-Y-Boy. I am sitting a few feet away, watching Entourage, not edited for child viewing of course. Andy better keep his headphones on.
(3) I am multitasking. In addition to Entourage, I have a novel, People and Us magazines, and of course the computer in front of me.
(4) I am sneaking Extreme Sour Patch candies from behind the computer screen so that Andy doesn't see.
(5) Obviously, there's a glass of wine on the shelf behind me.
Don't you wish you were me???
Friday, August 22, 2008
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Happy Birthday Macy!
Last Sunday, we celebrated Macy's 1st birthday! It's so hard to believe it's been a year already. Where did the months go? Melissa and Tod threw such a fun party - a bouncy house, pulled pork barbeque, and banana splits! It was all a huge hit (and not just with the kids!).
The bigger kids all looked on with hungry eyes. Their big treat - the banana splits - were just around the corner!
The kids were told not to touch the ice cream and toppings while the other split ingredients were being prepared. They complied very well, considering the temptations in front of them!
I love that video. It seems to me we're watching the male/female roles unfurl in front of us. The girls instructing and claiming superior knowledge (well hey, you have a good claim to superiority if you're both more experienced AND female!) and the boys trying to assert themselves and appearing a little frustrated to be overwhelmed by the girls' chatter (well, Andy at least - Hayden handled it well). Pretty much hits it right on, I'd say!
Carsyn's split:
Bryn's split:
Andy's split:
(Somehow I missed Hayden's split - he must have made his and gotten right down to eating it!)
Macy making a birthday mess!
Sylvia liked the little yapper dog, one of Macy's presents.
The bouncy house - fun for all ages!!!
This is what a bouncy house is all about - you go Tod!
The bigger kids all looked on with hungry eyes. Their big treat - the banana splits - were just around the corner!
The kids were told not to touch the ice cream and toppings while the other split ingredients were being prepared. They complied very well, considering the temptations in front of them!
I love that video. It seems to me we're watching the male/female roles unfurl in front of us. The girls instructing and claiming superior knowledge (well hey, you have a good claim to superiority if you're both more experienced AND female!) and the boys trying to assert themselves and appearing a little frustrated to be overwhelmed by the girls' chatter (well, Andy at least - Hayden handled it well). Pretty much hits it right on, I'd say!
Carsyn's split:
Bryn's split:
Andy's split:
(Somehow I missed Hayden's split - he must have made his and gotten right down to eating it!)Macy making a birthday mess!
Sylvia liked the little yapper dog, one of Macy's presents.
The bouncy house - fun for all ages!!!
This is what a bouncy house is all about - you go Tod!Happy Birthday Macy!
Rainbow
After celebrating my birthday at my favorite asian noodle restaurant (well, it's close, child-friendly, serves wine, and has one yummy salad I like, which are pretty much the requirements to become my "favorite" restaurant), we came outside to find a surprisingly bright, full rainbow over our heads. 
During the rainbow-spectacular, which admittedly involved far too much gawking and picture-taking, Sylvia waited patiently in the car.
During the rainbow-spectacular, which admittedly involved far too much gawking and picture-taking, Sylvia waited patiently in the car.
Bottles and Bumpers
My birthday this year (37, arggg) landed on a Friday, which I have off work. Mom and Tom took me and the kids on the boat to Salti's in West Seattle. Mom has photos of lunch (http://neusnewsblog.blogspot.com/2008/08/8-8-08-lucky-birthday-for-cherise.html). I just got shots of the kids having fun on the boat ride!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Post-Wedding Fun
After brunch, we spent the day after the wedding at the beach on Lake Michigan.
Chris helped Andy and Theo build a sand ... mound. 
Road trip back to Northville!
But wait! First, a stop at the famous sand dunes.
A view from the top.
At first, Andy was a little freaked out by the dunes. Hot sand, lots of strangers, etc. But once we started running and having some fun, he wanted to just keep going up and up and up (the dunes go on forever!). I finally had to draw the line - a woman can only climb sand in 90 degree weather for so long. And then we ran all the way down!
Chris helped Andy and Theo build a sand ... mound. 
Road trip back to Northville!
But wait! First, a stop at the famous sand dunes.
A view from the top.
At first, Andy was a little freaked out by the dunes. Hot sand, lots of strangers, etc. But once we started running and having some fun, he wanted to just keep going up and up and up (the dunes go on forever!). I finally had to draw the line - a woman can only climb sand in 90 degree weather for so long. And then we ran all the way down!
That's Andy and me running hand-in-hand in the middle of the photo.
After our workout at the dunes, we all needed to cool off before the long drive to Northville, so we found the nearest beach access (the sign said "Private Beach (no really)") and took a quick dip! 
Thank goodness Kirsten was able to join us for the trip! What an amazing young woman.
We were so fortunate that Sirpa was able to take the week off and road trip with us! The kids loved spending time with their Grandma Sirpa.
After our workout at the dunes, we all needed to cool off before the long drive to Northville, so we found the nearest beach access (the sign said "Private Beach (no really)") and took a quick dip! 
Thank goodness Kirsten was able to join us for the trip! What an amazing young woman.
We were so fortunate that Sirpa was able to take the week off and road trip with us! The kids loved spending time with their Grandma Sirpa. Thanks also to Great Grandma Helvi for the jerry-rigged fishing nets, fridge full of kid-friendly foods, and early morning baby assistance!
And that's a wrap!
And that's a wrap!The Wedding
Chris and Gretchen's wedding was in the most beautiful setting - on top of a hill (they call them mountains in the mid-West) overlooking lake Michigan. It was supposed to storm, and it was cloudy right up to the time the guests were being shuttled by golf cart or chair lift to the wedding site, but then the sun came through and lasted all through the ceremony and well into cocktail hour. 
Andy was thrilled to hang out with Theo, Gretchen's nephew, who recently moved to Seattle. They spent the lead up to the wedding watching guest after guest disembark the chair lift.
Hey, does anyone else wonder how it's possible that this woman is a grandmother? She looks all of about 25.
Todd with Sylvia.
Melissa, Jim, Brandon and Melissa.
Chris, ready to tie the knot!
Gretchen and her dad arrived by chair lift.
See, what did I tell you - gorgeous!
Any time we're all dressed up we try to get a family photo snuck in.
Gretchen and Chris at dinner.
There's a little gap in the photos. This next movie is significantly later in the evening ... er, drinking. I think you would have concluded that on your own... This is Jim and Tod doing the lawnmower and the sprinkler, respectively.
There are lots of other videos, but I think this one sums it up just right. You can't really see anything, but you don't really need to.
Andy was thrilled to hang out with Theo, Gretchen's nephew, who recently moved to Seattle. They spent the lead up to the wedding watching guest after guest disembark the chair lift.Hey, does anyone else wonder how it's possible that this woman is a grandmother? She looks all of about 25.
Todd with Sylvia.
Melissa, Jim, Brandon and Melissa.
Chris, ready to tie the knot!
Gretchen and her dad arrived by chair lift.
See, what did I tell you - gorgeous!Any time we're all dressed up we try to get a family photo snuck in.Gretchen and Chris at dinner. There's a little gap in the photos. This next movie is significantly later in the evening ... er, drinking. I think you would have concluded that on your own... This is Jim and Tod doing the lawnmower and the sprinkler, respectively.
There are lots of other videos, but I think this one sums it up just right. You can't really see anything, but you don't really need to.Congratulations Chris and Gretchen!!!
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