Memorial Day weekend, 2009

The only thing that can make a long weekend even better is getting an early start!

On Friday night Intel sponsored a family friendly movie and we got the tickets to attend a 7pm show. Even though we have already seen the movie, we had a great time. Free drinks, snacks and comfortable seats only made "Night at the Museum" better. (No pictures though)

Saturday was my training ride. Once again, I met up with the group of Tour de Cure riders at the park close to my house (so I didn't even have to drive there) and we hit the road. All 23 miles of it... It was fun, I only wish there were more riders, so I could have a company on this unknown route, and that there were more bike lanes. It isn't always fun sharing a road with the big trucks.

This was also my first time using a car lane to cross an intersection. I usually default on a pedestrian crosswalk... (I also learned my hand signals). Weather was perfect and I was done in roughly two hours. To finish a perfect day, we all went out for a sushi meal :-) Yummy!

On Sunday Tim took a 25 mile ride too, and when he got back kids played outside and rode their bikes. Jon gave us all puppy eyes, and we did bike tricks for him:

Larissa started off with feet off the pedals.

Gabe met the challenge with a seat stand

Jon was very impressed!

Monday was another easy going sunny day. We took a walk to the playground at the Shute Park. Kids run around and used the swings.

What a life!

May 16th weekend (and my 100th post!)

It turned out to be an absolutely gorgeous weekend. Sunny and hot.

On Friday Larissa got a package in the mail from Chris Dudley Foundation. We submitted an "Active, Type 1 Diabetes" video for a competition, didn't win, but got to the top four. As a consolation prize she got a tee shirt, a lanyard and a photo, personally addressed and signed by Chris Dudley himself (New York Knicks). Larissa was pretty happy with all that. Who needs a Wii anyway?

Early Saturday Larissa and I tried to sneak out of the house at about 7am and have a quick one on one time, but that didn't happen. Boys are very light sleepers when we try to do something without them. If only they would wake up this easy on a school morning. Ha, ha!

We included Jon to our little outing. Gabe decided to stay home and use that quiet time to play on a computer). After all, we had a swimming lesson coming up in a little while.

First stop was McDonald's. We all got something to eat and headed out to the Hillsboro Saturday Farmers Market. This is their second weekend of 2009 season, but still too early for the fruits and vegetables. We discovered that right now it's mostly plants and food, that's about all you find in May. Kids and I got some cookies and miniature cupcakes. They look just like a regular size cupcake, for a doll...

Another quick stop by a friend's Garage Sale where we bought some stuff we don't really "need"... One good find though was a $2 black metal frame. Pretty much exactly what I had in mind to frame Larissa's picture/certificate:

On Sunday I took kids to a playground at the Shute Park, they quickly made some new friends, and everyone had a blast playing "hide and seek tag" (that's kids multitasking for you...).

Gabe likes to jump off the swings

Jon likes to swing by himself now, but "ot too high".

Here is a face of a child who has $1 and desperately wants to buy an ice cream of an ice cream truck, but Mom tells her "no"... (Later Mom gave in and let her get it, and about 10 seconds later it fell on the ground... I guess Moms have sixth sense after all...)

The rest of the weekend went by before we knew it. That's what happens when it is so Summery out.

Mothers Day 2009

My Mothers Day started on Friday. With a Mommy and Me lunch at Jon's school and a parade. Jon's class was "frogs" and Jon thoroughly enjoyed it! It is also the last week he will be in teacher Becky's class. Next Monday he is off to a higher grade...

Being a typical Jon, he couldn't resisit being a little silly!

Mothers Day:

On this day, every year, every Dad in America has an opportunity for a redemption. A "get out of jail free" card, if you will. They can neglect showing appreciation for their wives (Mothers) all year long, as long as they do something special to show they DO care and love their mate.

I noticed an abundance of advertisement on TV and in papers, flower stands on the side of the road, special TV shows, and so on. Everyone wants to cash in on this holiday.

My husband though takes another approach... If you pretend it's not there, then it doesn't exist...

My kids, on the other hand, really took their time picking out the present. Larissa made me a special "tulip" picture at school, Jon made a me a coupon book.

Ok, side note... As I was sitting in Jon's class, listening to the other Moms read out their child's chore coupons, I was looking forward to finding out what I will be using first... Then I opened Jon's... This coupon is good for: "Set a movie", "a music trap" (LEGO Star Wars game reference), and "a new car"! I think I am all set now!

On Saturday I took kids to JCPenney and told them they can pick any bracelet or a ring they liked (or anything else, really) for my present (from a particular display and a price range), as long as it was not metal, not a cross, and had no date :-) Kids couldn't agree and ended up getting a bracelet AND a ring! I couldn't see it till Sunday. Larissa took care of (an extravagant) wrapping job. Well... it was no cross, but there IS a reference to God... Nothing against God, I just feel hypocritical as a person who doesn't even go to church... Kids... They are so pure!

"God made you my MOTHER. Love made you my friend"

Oh, sadly, my ring was all bent. Very apparent, someone tried to pull it off a packaging peice. The way I looked at it was "it must be pretty desireable for someone to try stealing it, so my kids have a good taste!"

On Sunday I fixed Larissa's hair, she put on a new dress... and we didn't have a place to go. So, we went to a grocery store, shopping. Like a couple of total dorks.

Oh, Larissa wasn't happy about it, so there is no "good" picture of a front view...

May 2nd weekend

This weekend Larissa got invited to two birthday parties. There was some confusion about the dates, locations and times, but we figured it all out.

On Friday it was her friend's Joy 8th birthday. Celebration was at their house with the Mad Science guest appearance. Kids had fun watching chemical reactions, destroying Styrofoam, and making some goo to go. I brought Jon along and he quickly made a friend with Larissa's classmate who taught him a silly Hula dance.

Jon has been asking me for a while if we could have a Mommy & me day again. Things have been hectic at home lately, so we settled on a Mommy & me Breakfast. Jon waned to go to McDonald's and I had to explain that they don't serve chicken nuggets and fries in the morning, but IHOP might be a better choice.
Early Saturday morning we snuck out of the house and had great one on one time. Food is nothing to rave about, but great company more than makes up for it.Jon colored his place mat page while waiting for his food. He insisted on a chocolate pancake and, once again, I have another kid who doesn't like it... He barely took a couple of bites and insisted he was all done. Who can blame him? It was bigger than his head, all covered with a whipped cream.
After we got back to the house, we had to quickly get ready for the swim lessons, which went till noon. Just enough time to get back, change again and head out to another birthday party. This time is was Larissa's friend Alexis' 9th birthday. I let Larissa pick out her clothes and Jon insisted he must wear a tie to such important event. I felt something was not quite right, then I looked at Larissa's feet and had to laugh. Creepy!

I like Jonas Brothers, but not that much!

On Sunday we went out to GoGo Mongolian Grill. It is so nice to be able to choose exactly what you want on your plate! Kids had a pro-rated menu price and their meals came with an ice cream cup (although, it looked "funny". Like it froze and melted a few times.).

Gabe took a picture of me and Jon, then I took one of him and Dad (Gabe is mocking Dad):
Larissa thought food was great and we looked funny taking pictures of each other.