Uncovering Treasures

If you’ve been following our blog or my Facebook page, you know that “move” has been our middle name for the past year. 3 moves in less than 12 months is a lot but I’ve actually done it before; albeit as a child when the packing and annoyance was left to my parents. If my count is right, we moved 8 times before I turned 9 and that doesn’t include the time I lived on the bus (can you really count driving from one state to the next as a move?) I remember moving into a house in Wrightstown, just outside of Green Bay, and less than 2 months later, we moved across the street because there was some major structural problems with the place. I didn’t see the structural problems but I remember that the water tasted like iron. My brother was probably Grey’s age, Jenny was maybe 5 and I was about to start the 2nd grade. By the time I started 3rd, we had moved again…and then once again the summer before 4th grade. (We stayed put after that)


Moving isn’t fun but one thing I’ve gotten a kick out of is uncovering little odds and ends that I haven’t seen in a while. When we initially moved to Seattle last summer, Allegis Group did everything. They packed every single thing we owned, loaded it onto a semi (including our cars) and drove it out here. Then they unpacked. When people you do not know unpack your things and attempt to “put them away”, you can be sure that you will be finding things you forgot you owned in the most unusual places.

Grandpa Art's birdhouse

Our 2 latest moves were packed and unpacked by us and our movers were only responsible for loading and unloading the truck. It is through this process that I’ve had fun uncovering, sometimes re-packing, giving away, throwing away and/or re-labeling so that we can find some semblance of organization. We found a box of antique tools from Mike’s grandpa Art and a box of antique silver from my grandma Lois. I now have a beautiful crystal sugar bowl in my kitchen that I’d forgotten had been given to me and Mike hung a beautiful birdhouse from the farm outside of our kitchen window. Last week, I opened a wooden box engraved with Mike’s initials and found our high school class rings, his diamond stud from the days he wore an earring and the first piece of jewelry he ever gave me; a sapphire and gold ring. It may not be fashionable and I may not wear it but there’s not a chance it’s going anywhere. Greyson contributed to our “finds” as well. As I set up the baby’s room, I’m unpacking baby seats and blankets, onsies and bibs and discovered that the Diaper Champ has been MIA for quite some time. We checked our storage unit, unpacked boxes that we thought might be mis-labeled and had all but given up when Greyson asked what was in the refrigerator in the garage. This fridge is from the rec room of our 1st house and hasn’t been used in a year so I said “nothing”. To prove it, I opened it and, of course, what did I find? The Diaper Champ! Thanks to Grey we’re saving a good $50 on a new one.

My antique sugar bowl

On the onsie note, I just had to share this photo with you. Greyson was 5lbs at birth and didn’t come close to fitting into newborn clothes so Mike scrambled to find preemie-sized things that he wore for about a month. This is a photo of one of Greyson’s preemie onsies. Our unborn child is measuring large (90th percentile right now) so there’s a good chance it won’t fit him but I’m going to hang onto it, just in case!


I can’t believe Greyson is starting pre-school in a month. He received a welcome letter from his teacher Mrs. Debbie and has his first homework assignment which is to fill out a form about his favorite things (with our help, of course). I’m trying not to get all emotional over it, but my hormones are raging and I just can’t believe he’s 3 ½ years old. Where has the time gone?

Summertime 8-9-09

3rd time's a charm!

You've asked for pictures so here they are. We're happy to be moved and aside from some garage organization and a few pictures to hang, we're relatively settled in. Greyson is enjoying the space. He has a private backyard (it's gated for containment) and a great bedroom and playroom to keep him occupied. Mike and I like the neighborhood and location and are happy that Greyson is still close to the playdate friends he meets up with regularly.

7811 126th Ave NE Kirkland, WA 98033

Formal living/dining from the staircase

Master Bedroom

Greyson's bedroom

Nursery

Kid's Playroom

Kitchen

Living Room/Kitchen

Greyson just finished soccer camp, the heat wave has broken, I celebrated my 35th birthday on Monday (thanks for the bday wishes!) and we're looking forward to a visit from the Johnson family in a few weeks. We're going to try and enjoy what's left of a beautiful Northwest summer. The pics below are from soccer camp. Greyson was a huge fan of "Coach Ryan" who did a tremendous job corralling a handful of 3 year olds. He played a game called "Travel" where the kids got to pick a place to travel to, the coach threw the ball and then the child had to retrieve it. Every single child chose Disneyland as their "destination" except for Greyson. His choice? The pickle store. What???

"Dribble" practice

Simon says "hands in the air"

I finished soccer camp and all I got was this crummy T-shirt

Bits & Pieces

Monk in Starbucks

In February, I got Lasik surgery at Sound Eye & Laser in Seattle and as a part of my post-op, I get to drive into the city every few months which brings with it a sure stop at Belle Epicurean where I get the best chocolate croissant...perfect temperature, flaky, melt in your mouth goodness. Anyway, I digress. Last Thursday, I was about 30 minutes early so I stopped at Starbucks to grab a latte before my appointment and as I'm waiting for my drink, watched a monk (bald, garbed fully in his brown tunic) putting cream into his Grande Americano. A monk in Starbucks. For some reason I was amused.

On the Starbucks note, I regretfully admit that I'm hooked. Though it originated in Seattle, the locals don't care for it. I think it's something to do with the corporate-ness of it all and general opinion is that the coffee is bitter. Regardless, I've turned into a regular and this brings me to my next point which has nothing to do with coffee and everything to do with either 'placenta brain' or my 'advancing age'. Yesterday, I went through the drive-through for a latte, pumpkin bread and yogurt. It took a while to get through the line and when I drove up to the window the guy handed me my coffee and told me I was getting my drink for free due to the wait (how nice is that?). So, I handed him a $10 bill, he handed me my food and I drove away without getting my change. I guess I really wanted to pay for my free drink. Today, I stopped by my 'regular' store for a latte and a breakfast sandwich. I got my drink and walked out of the store not realizing that I left my sandwich on the counter. I wanted the sandwich badly enough that halfway to my office, I went back and got it. My dad used to say "you'd lose your head if it wasn't attached". Apparently it's possible to lose even when it is!

July Heat

Seattle is experiencing a heat wave that rivals anything we've experienced back home. We're on Day 5 of 100 degrees and humid. Humidity is not the norm in Seattle and a majority of the homes out here aren't equipped with air conditioning (this includes our soon-to-be ex-house with whom we're breaking up this Thursday). The temp of the house hit the mid-80s last weekend and the heat is supposed to stick around until the weekend. We're very thankful for the fact that we began moving boxes and essentials into our new digs last weekend and though our furniture has not been moved yet, we've slept there for the past 3 nights. A cool-night's sleep is well worth Mike sleeping on a blow-up mattress and Grey and I in the guest bed. The blessing in disguise is that we're getting a majority of our things transported and unpacked so by the time the movers complete the job, we might be close to settled in (yeah, right). Greyson is in soccer camp this week. That sounds miserable to me but he's on cloud 9 with his new soccer ball and Spiderman water bottle. If only adults were that easy to please!

Robin a.k.a. Greyson

On the Move Again

Our new address is 7811 126th Ave NE in Kirkland, WA 98033. We're a stone's throw from our aforementioned ex-house but feel eons away in terms of comfort (see 'air conditioning') and friendliness. We've met a handful of friendly neighbors including a family w/ 2 young boys. Once we're moved, I will take and post some pictures. Here's to hoping the 3rd time's a charm!

We hope you're all enjoying the summer, the sun and time with your families. I can't believe it's nearly August! I turn 35 on Monday (gasp), Greyson starts pre-school in September and before we know it, the baby will be here. The baby pool has started. What's your guess?

He's very proud of his new school backpack, courtesy of my mom (thanks Nana!)

Missing Wisconsin

Happy Summer Holiday!

Our families are such a blessing. We had a great time back home and are slowly getting back into the swing of things on the West coast. The time change is a nuisance but Greyson is his usual resilient self and adjusting just fine. We'll share some pictures and stories but want to bullet the list of things we miss the most about Wisconsin.

• Fried cheese curds should be a food group
• Fields and lawns and land!
• Indoor waterparks are great entertainment
• Nothing compares to a sunny day on the Minocqua chain
• Culver's custard should be a food group
• Our families! We got to see our parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews. We just wish we had more time.
• Soft pretzels and cheese should be a food group
• Beer Can Island (need we say more?)

The work of Brian Letarski and crew- casa de la Guenther

Mike & Grey on a jet ski ride

Bria and Grey were inseparable

Sunset on the 4th of July

A bagpipe band at the Yacht Club?

Greyson kept our families entertained and didn't disappoint. He strummed his air guitar, sang original songs ("It's time to take a nap") and suckered his cousins into playing a game he calls "Wolf Cub" (he's the wolf, you're the cub). I can't believe the 4th has come and gone. The week went by way too fast! The rest of the summer will fly by as we prepare to move in a month (we did find a house just 2 blocks from our current location), anticipate a visit from the Johnsons in late August and then the birth of baby boy Guenther in November. We miss all of you very much!

What do we Do?

Greyson is now at the age where he frequently asks us a) "are you going to work?" and b) "do you have to go to work?". I remember my neighbor, Dawn, telling me that time would come and she was right...it's not easy when your child asks you not to go.

What we've explained to Grey is that we work so that he can eat his favorite foods, sleep in a warm bed and get an occasional Matchbox car from Target. Internally, Mike is thinking about childcare, sports equipment, tuition, and any other investment that might reap benefits for us sometime down the road. Anyway, it's a conversation that any family with one or more working parents has to have with their children at some point. What I can tell you is that we're working to do all of the above but also because we get some satisfaction (most of the time) out of it as well. Many of you have asked what exactly it is that we do so this post is a high-level attempt to explain it.

Mike works for Salient Surgical Technologies, a medical device company based in New Hampshire that manufactures the Aquamantys, a device that controls blood loss during hip, knee, spine and organ surgeries. The other question he frequently gets is "how did you get into med device?", which can be difficult if you don't have a background in biology and/or an ancillary industry. When Mike graduated from Ripon, he was hired by Sysco Foods. In a nutshell, he sold food to restaurants and he did pretty well at it and in his 2nd year, won a trip to St. Lucia. On that trip, we met John Lauer and his girlfriend Maria. John was a Regional Manager for Stryker Medical. We made fast friends with them and when we got home, John called Mike and asked if he'd be interested in interviewing for a position with Stryker, selling capital equipment to hospitals. It goes to show you that the old adage is true, "it's who you know". 8 or so years later, John left Stryker and then called Mike and asked him to come and work for him again, at Salient. So, Mike sells the Aquamantys to orthopedic surgeons. He's often in scrubs, in the OR, observing and assisting with his device (yes, sales guys really do assist). He's usually out of the house really early in the morning and back in his home office in the afternoon. When we transferred to Seattle, Salient had a position for him too. I'm thankful for his schedule because it allows him to relieve our nanny and spend some time with Greyson before I get home.

So, what do I do? And why the heck did we move to Seattle for it? Most of you know that I've worked for the same company, Allegis Group, since I graduated. I started out as a Technical Recruiter for Aerotek, the Engineering division. I've held a number of different roles with Aerotek- recruiting, sales, training and management and in 2004, was asked to transition to Allegis Group Services (AGS), a new division at the time, to manage a new client. AGS has grown into an entity that is much larger than when I transitioned so I won't bore you with the specifics but our core business is workforce management which basically means that Fortune 1000+ companies that spend a lot of money on contingent labor will outsource the end-to-end functions to us. We manage everything from the suppliers who do the recruiting to the process of getting them paid. AGS was awarded the Microsoft account in early 2008 and I was offered the opportunity to run the program. I manage a large team, most of them as fresh-faced as I was when I first came out of college. I spend most of the week in my office with the team but when I'm not there, I'm at Microsoft which is what you might picture- HUGE, very environmentally friendly, very casual and pretty cool. The main campus has 12 restaurants, a state-of-the-art soccer field, an art gallery and retail stores. It literally looks like a mall.

So, that's what we do when we're not at home laughing at Greyson who puts a baseball shaped Easter basket on his head and calls it a Babushka. Last night at bedtime, he had a 30 minute conversation with an imaginary friend named "Tyson". Who needs to watch TV when you can turn on the baby monitor and listen to the comedy channel?

Happy 4th of July to all of our friends and family. We're on a plane bright and early tomorrow morning with no responsibility to surgeons or Microsoft for a week. Before I sign off, I just wanted to share a pic of Mike & Grey from this past weekend. Grey is wearing a Green Bay Packer sweatshirt that was Mike's when we was a boy. I love that Mike's mom saved it. The sleeves are a little long but it's adorable on him. Enjoy!

Northwoods Here We Come!

We love Minocqua!

The pics above are from July 4th 2008 on lakes Tomahawk and Mincoqua. On behalf of Mike and Greyson, I just want to say that we can't wait to get on a plane next Wednesday for our first return to Wisconsin since the holidays. Grandma Janet and Papa Lee pull out all the stops for the 4th of July week every year including pontoon boat rides, tubing (Big Mable, anyone?), jet skis, roasted marshmallows and to-die-for meals that you can't get at the best restaurants. We're also really looking forward to seeing the "new" house; a full scale Extreme Home Makeover, from what I hear (I think we should call it a retreat). Greyson has been talking about the fireworks- some days he can't wait, others he insists he doesn't want them- we'll see how it goes. We're going to spend a day with my family as well so there's no doubt it will be a busy week. We're looking forward to posting pictures of our trip and sharing some fun stories. Uncle Brian, if we pack a Superman cape, will you...?

Dear God, if you're reading this, please make the sun shine and keep the rain away. We know it's been hot and humid back home and although we aren't missing the humidity, we are selfishly hoping it sticks around until July 6th. Amen.

We're coming off of a very enjoyable Father's Day weekend. Happy Father's Day to our awesome dads! Grey & I sent Mike to the spa for a much needed massage, we did a little more house hunting (we may have found something) and watched the US Open. Somehow it captures Greyson's attention (those of you who know him well know that very little keeps his attention!) When I was a kid, I would literally cry when my dad and Grandpa turned golf on. I'm an addict now.

Guenthers, Letarskis, Koflers and Archbolds...get ready. The Greyson-invasion is coming to a theater near you! See you soon!

Thrilling Changes!

It's a Boy!

Our growing addition says hello! (How cute is this hand?)

I'll be honest...I was shocked. For years, I've pictured myself as the mom of 2 boys but for some reason, after getting pregnant, I was convinced we were having a girl. I mean, really convinced. So, when the tech told us (showed us, more like it!) we were having a boy, I didn't know what to say; and even if I had, I would have been drowned out by Mike's excitement literally reverbrating off the walls. To say he's ecstatic is an understatement. Now that my head has wrapped around it, I'm joining in the excitement and especially enjoying Greyson's anticipation.

A 3rd house in less than a year...are you kidding me?

On another less exciting note, the Guenther family is moving once again! (Sigh) I'm actually quite calm about the whole thing and will spare you every last detail but the gist of it is that the guy who owns the house we're renting (see former posts for references and photos of the house) is defaulting on his loan. Seems the stimulus package hasn't trickled down to his bank so he's been unable to convert his construction loan into a traditional mortgage. We offered to put a short-sale offer in to prevent him from foreclosing but it turns out that he'd prefer to let the bank take it so he can gut it first (I'm told this is illegal, and therefore plan to document our move out with video so there's no mistaking who took the built in espresso machine, custom light fixtures and commercial refrigerator). We are not ready to buy out here just yet but are keeping our eye out for a deal. We're hoping to find something in the next few weeks and then move in early-mid August. Stay tuned for an updated address.

Here's a couple of photos from last week. A little bit of trouble and a little bit of fun. Enjoy.

Greyson "buttering" the toaster

On the shores of Lake Washington with his friend, Ryder

Ryder and his daddy with Mike & Grey before dinner - Houghton Beach, Kirkland WA

A Little Bit of This...

Our closest friends and family know Proud to Introduce Photography very well. Some of them even know the mastermind behind it, Allie Gadziemski. Allie is a light that came into our lives right after Greyson was born when I went on a mission to find an out-of-the-box photographer to capture our family. Little did I know she would become a big part of our lives and be counted among one of the people I miss the most. Little did I know she would become friends with my friends, take wonderful photographs of many of them, and make an impact in much the same way she impacted us. Allie is the eye behind every holiday card you've received and piece of photography/art you've seen in our home(s). She's photographed our family a dozen times and is the catalyst of hands down my most embarrassing moment. If you don't know the story, I give you permission to ask the next time you see me (note: see, not talk to). Allie recently gave birth to her third son, Desmond, and her blog was an inspiration to start mine so I just wanted to say thanks to her and one way or another, we will figure out a way to get in front of her camera for maternity/newborn this year.

Greyson's Uncle Nate (my 30 year old brother, currently living in Boston) lived in Chicago after college and aside from a short stint in Washington DC and his current digs in Boston, considers himself a Chicago guy and will be back again in the fall. Thankfully his taste in the NFL hasn't gone "the way of the Bears" but he is a Cubs fan, thus the photo below. It is in Nate's honor that I'm blogging tonight as he recently told me that they make his day. I just can't promise this frequency on a regular basis!

At the beginning of the year, I listed a few things I wanted to get accomplished- find an OBGYN and pediatrician, among other things. What I didn't list, but should have, was to find a local kid's barber ("hair cut store" in Grey-speak) since his haircuts were being done by yours truly since the move. Fortunately, we found a place called Brat Pack that has enough distraction to keep kids from going too crazy with sitting still in a chair for 15 minutes. Unfortunately, we didn't find it until this past weekend so Grey has been getting the aforementioned home-grown haircut for close to a year. It's not like he gets a buzz cut. Mike's only request is "keep it long" so I'm challenged with keeping him still on the bathroom sink while I use my shears (Target's finest) to look and act like I know what I'm doing. Having said shears also means that Greyson knows they exist and this is why I walked into his room a week ago to a clump of his hair on the floor. He cheerfully pointed out that he had returned the shears to their rightful place. How nice of him.

Note the missing chunk of bangs

Thankfully Brat Pack did a nice job of blending it in and I can happily hang up my barber hat...for now.

We had another really nice weekend. The weather was perfect and we had no obligations so we rolled out the Diego slip n slide, did some yard work and fired up the grill. It was the epitome of relaxation. A couple of weeks ago, Mike ordered Greyson a set of starter golf clubs- he's been swinging clubs and baseball bats lefty since he was 1 (Mike is very proud) so it required a custom order. He debuted the clubs tonight and is already showing both talent and frustration; a combination that I would like to save him from if I had my choice. He seems to be instinctively hard on himself. As parents, don't we just want our kids to be good but humble, hard-working but realistic? If you have the recipe for this, please, share it!

Milestones & Memories

Milestones

I've been blogging quite a bit lately about Greyson's growth and this post isn't much different since he's surpassed another and kept us laughing the whole time. For the past 6 months or so, we've been talking about getting rid of his pacifier for good (affectionately referred to as his 'nuk'). He's depended on it for naps and nighttime along with his monkey blanket, which is a Kushie Kritter he's had since before he was born compliments of the Johnson family. If the aforementioned monkey blanket ever goes missing, we're in for some trouble. I lament the fact that I didn't purchase a 2nd one right away as doing so now would do nothing but build distrust since he'd know it was an imposter immediately.

Back to the nuk. His dentist recommended that we wait until he potty trains and then throw him a Build a Bear party where the nuk gets sewn up into the bear of his choice (hmm). We skipped that suggestion since we'd already been plugging the fact that there are needy babies in Africa without nuks. At his request we put his nuks in an envelope, addressed to the needy babies, of course, and put it in the mailbox. Unfortunately, one of the nuks was damaged during the trip so the needy babies sent it back (the end was missing rendering it useless though it did provide some comfort for the first 2 nights- picture a distraught 3-year old clutching it in his hand trying to understand where the important piece might have landed. He thinks it's in the Pacific ocean). His reward for going nuk-less was a new bike that seems to scare the crap out of him. He'll sit on it, but that's about it.

Memories

Thank you to our grandfathers, uncles and friends on this Memorial Day. We celebrated by spending the weekend in Vancover, BC; a glorious 3 hour drive North (less if border patrol weren't so congested). The weather in the Northwest was as beautiful as the locals can remember it being and as a result, we enjoyed the most panoramic vistas we've seen aside from the tropics. There's something about snow capped mountains on a warm sunny day...we stare at the view as if we're looking at it for the first time. It's truly breathtaking. We stayed at the Marriott in downtown Vancover and walked for miles, visiting the amazing Stanley Park, the Vancouver aquarium and Granville island. Greyson made quick friends with the bellmen, charmed the waitstaff who in return gave him a free build your own sundae and had the best time watching the sea planes take off and land below our balcony every morning. If we're out here next year, we'll definitely be returning!

Lookout Point @ Stanley Park

Stanley Park

Coal Harbor from our balcony

Greyson & daddy on a hike

Greyson is growing up!

Big Boy Bed

Well, the transition is complete and I'm elated to report that it's been a big success. Last week Wednesday marked Greyson's first night in his new bed and I don't think I need to tell you that it was met with some trepidation from us. Mike set the line at 2 for the number of times Grey would get out of bed (and Mike took the over). Total number? Zero! He woke up at 7am, walked out of his own room for the first time and gave me the biggest smile and best 'good morning'. It made my day. Since his first night, he's been napping as usual and sleeping great at night. I wonder what we were worried about?

Greyson & his new bed

View from his closet

The whole transition was a really great experience for us. It reminds me that, as usual, I need to relax and give Grey the credit he deserves for being able to handle change. Lest I forget that he moved with us to a new state, with a new nanny and 2 new houses in 6 months. He's also nearly done potty training. Sara's potty chart was a huge success. The small incentives did the trick (we watched his final incentive tonight- the movie Bolt). We'll be ready for overnights in a week or two.

Greyson & his potty chart before he fully completed itHappy Mother's day to our moms (we love you very, very much) and to our sisters, cousins, aunts, grandmothers and friends. We hope you all got to celebrate in your own special way. For me, it was a relaxing day; sunny and warm. Mike & Grey let me sleep in, made me chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast and helped get the baby's room organized. It was a great day.

Getting ready to go to the park on Mother's day
One of his park favorites
It's a rare occasion for me to get 2 posts in 2 weeks; if I get 2 in a month I'm happy. I just couldn't wait to share Greyson's latest milestone with you. We're so proud of him. Now if I could just get him to come up with a different baby name- he's still really stuck on 'Jesus'.