Creativity Bust

This isn’t a blog, but a log.

1. We had a low key and relaxing weekend that included haircuts for the boys, Graham’s first by a professional, and dinner at a friend’s house where we had lamb burgers on the BIG GREEN EGG. (see #5)

Graham at “the haircut store”

2. Graham is severely allergic to peanuts. My unfortunate mom & sister were the ones to discover it after a knife that once had peanut butter on it was used to cut his fruit.  A day/night in the ER and a large stash of EpiPens later and he’s OK. I’m praying he outgrows it.

3. Last week Greyson and Graham got sick at the same time for the first time.  Fevers, ear infections, cough and cold (and pink eye for Greyson, in both eyes). Then Sara got it.  Then Mike. So far, I’ve been spared.

4.  My 4th trip to Ireland just wrapped up. I’m in over my head on the business side, mostly thankful for my Ripon College education, but failing to put it to use as I attempt to clone myself.

Michelin Star restaurant in Dublin…YUM

5. Mike and I dined at Woodfire Grill in Atlanta, as I mentioned in my most recent (yes, I know, not all that recent) post.  It exceeded our expectations and now we need to find an excuse to fly back to Atlanta to eat.  Seriously amazing.

5. Mike had the distinct pleasure of celebrating his birthday in Cancun (little bit of sarcasm there). My colleagues made sure he was full of tequila and I made sure to let him know that his gift, the BIG GREEN EGG, was ordered and would be ready to fire up upon his return.  His Egg envy is gone; now he’s just overwhelmed with ideas, blogs, recipes and demonstrations.

6. My all girl’s golf team, Chicks with Sticks, took the $400 prize in Cancun.  We did it under the influence of copious amounts of tequila, a coordinated effort by the men in the tournament to sabotage our efforts.  But alas, their efforts were in vain and we look forward to defending our title next year.  All in all, it was a great trip aside from a monsoon on our last day that holed us up in the hotel lobby where adults aged 35-50 played the college card game Asshole. I had to look up the rules on the internet further demonstrating how many years have passed since we graduated from the aforementioned accredited College.

Chicks w/ Sticks and the sabotaging 4some in front of us

7.  Congrats to the pregnant Goehlers who are having a boy this summer, to the Shahs who are having a girl and to the Becks who are having a baby.  I’m sure I left someone out and I’m sorry.  We do try to keep up with all of you and miss you terribly, even if we don’t tell you to your face.

8.  Greyson turns 5 next month.  His teacher has asked us to consider holding him from Kindergarten until he turns 6.  This would make him what likely would be the oldest 6 year old in his class.  She made sure to let me know that it has zero to do with his intelligence and everything to do with his emotional-readiness.  I’m not emotionally stable enough to make this decision and I started Kindergarten a month after I turned 5. He can pronounce the word ‘unbelievable’ and use it appropriately in context. So he cries a lot.  Maybe I should stop sending him to bed without dinner if he forgets the i before e.

The boys of winter

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On a plane again…have I used this title before?

Cue Willie Nelson…and a country twang.  “On the road again” (or plane, as it were)

This post is going to bore you and I’m sorry.  Or, maybe they all bore you, but you keep coming back!  Between the NFC Championship win, 10 days on the road, jet-lag, shopping with Greyson, smothering Graham and the Super Bowl climax (YES!!!), I don’t have a lot left in me to creatively share all of the in between. 

My trip to Asia was amazing. The people in both India and China were so accommodating and friendly.  The service was top-notch, the food was exotic and (mostly) delicious.  Our hosts in both countries made sure that we got a chance to try the local flavors- traditional Peking Duck is worth the great time and effort that goes into preparing it.  We took a trip to the Great Wall.  Amazing.  I would like to go back to India; preferably next year at the same time. The weather was perfect.

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Greyson had all sorts of good things to say when I got home. I brought him a Chinese kite and woke him up from his nap.  We laid in his bed for an hour, me dozing and him talking a mile a minute.  His best line, “I thought you were never going to come back!”  Ouch.

After 5 jet-lagged and kid-filled days back at home, Mike and I are, for the first time in a long time, on a plane side by side en route to Cancun with an overnight stop in Atlanta where we’re going to eat at the Woodfire Grill, one of our favorite Top Chef’s restaurants.  The boys are safely and happily in the hands of my mom, sister and Alayna so no worries there.  We’re like kids in a candy store right now, having a cocktail on the plane and watching movies.  I feel guilty…sort of…well, not really. 

Hasta luego!

This is my Hyderabad hotel, not Cancun ;-)    

PS. I fell in love with my toilet in Beijing.  That is, the toilet in my hotel room at the Fairmont.  It had a heated seat, it opened automatically when I stepped in front of it and, in turn, closed when I walked away.  An electronic panel mounted on the wall to my right gave me all sorts of options for ‘extras’.  I Skyped with Mike and the kids and it’s the first thing I showed them.  My Fairmont toilet is not to be confused with the one below which was 1 of 2 options in the women’s bathroom on our way to the Great Wall.  I’m not averse to trying new things but take note of the garbage can and imagine the stench.  My guess is the last cleaning occurred somewhere between 2004 and 2007.

The 2nd toilet option in this bathroom was not photographed, unfortunately. Although it looked like the Western toilets we all know and love, the seat was covered with a worn terry-cloth material that was padded and printed with pink and purple hearts.  I chose door # 2 and hovered.  TMI, I know.

Travel Edition, Volume 1

Update re: The Barber Shop Duo. I mentioned that the kids' hair was wet during the hair cutting episode? We found out last week, that the product used to wet it was…Windex. OMG.

On an unrelated note, the "note" below is from Greyson to Sara.  His words and letters may not be in order but gratitude is there. Can you figure out the puzzle?  First person to solve it gets a prize!

I titled this post the travel edition because Mike and I have a fair amount coming up and for all of the craziness that comes with it, we're looking forward to some fun in there too.  I’m leaving for Beijing on Sunday where I’ll spend 5 days before flying onto Hyderabad for a few days. Let me say it again, “leaving…on Sunday. At 1:00pm. DURING THE NFC CHAMPIONSHIP. Shoot me now. I can’t believe I’m missing Packers/Bears. UGH.

Beijing is going to be a great experience. I’ll be there just prior to Chinese New Year which I understand is a very big deal. We have time set aside to see The Great Wall so pictures will be posted at some point. From Beijing I fly to India for a few days. Hyderabad. I don’t know what’s there but it’s 85 and sunny and I’m Vitamin D deprived.

GREY*isms*

• G: “I wanna go to China with you!”
• Me: “You do? Why"?”
• G: “Because there’s Chinese food there”

Mike and I leave for my company’s annual Cancun trip on February 8th. My mom, sister and Alayna are flying in to watch the boys. I know they’re all giddy with excitement and I’m looking forward to spending a day with them before we go. It’s Jen and Alayna’s first visit to Seattle so there will be no shortage of sight seeing and fun while we’re away. 
The week after that, I’m back to Ireland for a few days of meetings. We both have some short trips in March and April and then in May we’re heading to Cabo with the Mullens from our old neighborhood.  In July we’ll be home sweet home for the 4th.

GREY*isms*

• G: “Mom, you should go to Argentina”
• G: “Mom, if we were going to drive to Wisconsin, that would take hours”
• Me: “Grey, how about we go to Italy together?”  
• G: “ Is there toys there?”

Graham, with his bottom teeth and 2 eye teeth, could have joined a coven of vampires for the past 2 months but his 5th tooth, front left, finally popped out a couple of weeks ago. I regret that I didn't get a picture of my little blood sucker. It was funny (and a little creepy).  He's attempting to run these days and as you can see in the video, working hard to keep up with his brother.

And, finally, just a few fun pics from our pre-dinner hour tonight.  I usually take pictures of the boys before I go on a trip so I can show my colleagues the latest and greatest.  It will give me something to talk about with my Chinese and Indian counterparts.  Loving your children is a universal language that everyone understands.

GO PACK!

Barber Shop Duo

In 2009, I blogged about a time that Greyson cut his hair. It was fairly insignificant; a little chop to the bangs and some kudos to him for putting the scissors back where he found them.

On Sunday, after a very fun but long Saturday night hosting my office holiday party, we found the boys on the floor in our bathroom.  Graham’s hair was wet and cut at the crown of his head. Insignificant for the most part; it almost looked like Grey knew what he was doing.  Grey’s hair, also wet, was a ridiculous mess of chops on the top, sides and back of his head.  Random snips, some of them large, like he was attempting to sculpt something.

Now I know almost every parent goes through the “rite of passage” of a child cutting their hair, or their sibling’s hair, or a Barbie doll. But when your husband thinks you’re upstairs with the kids and you think your husband is upstairs with the kids and then you realize that in fact, you’re both downstairs watching the Packer game oblivious to the whereabouts of the kids…well, a momentary panic sets in given how quiet it was.

This is what we walked into…

And this is what “that” looks like…

The pictures unfortunately do not capture what can only be described as “clumps” missing from the very top and back of his head.  He’s worried about how long it’s going to take to grow back.  He should be more worried about whether we let him leave the house again.  Thankfully Graham walked away unscathed.  Did I reprimand myself for leaving the scissors on the counter in the bathroom well within reach of a 4 year old?  Why would I do that?

On a positive note, Greyson drew the following portraits of us using a fun template that my mom got him for Christmas.  He drew Graham as well but for some reason we can’t find it. Maybe Graham threw it away since the hair wasn’t quite right.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

‘Twas the first day of the new year and all through our house, toys were scattered on every floor; enough to hide a large mouse, or a family of rats, or shit, a full-grown Bengal tiger and her cubs.

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We woke up in our own home on Christmas morning for the first time since 1996 (and it wasn’t “our” home then, it was our respective parent’s homes well before we were married).  We enjoyed the pace, the chaos of wrapping paper and musical toys, ball pits and forts, the fresh baked croissants from Williams Sonoma (wow). But we sincerely missed the familiarity of Christmas Eve at my parent’s house and Christmas Day at Mike’s. Every meal fit for a king.  The bonds between the cousins.  Snow.  The jury is out on next year. We’ll see.

I bought a sucker for Greyson’s stocking from my new favorite store, Metropolitan Market (Met Market to the locals)…

Later that day…no wonder the thing cost $4.99!

We celebrated New Year’s Eve at Suncadia in Cle-Elum, WA; the heart of the Cascade Mountains, with our friends, the Herrera’s and their 2 boys.  Hot chocolate, wine and plenty of food.  Lots and lots of snow and sunshine.  It was gorgeous and relaxing and we will definitely go back.  Mike surprised me with a massage and facial at the spa. It was an amazing treat.

Greyson had the best *isms over our holiday break but I was too busy playing to write them down.  I’m sorry about that, because they were really good and my memory is worse than Graham’s poopy diapers.

Graham, BTW, is a full-fledged walking toddler. He prefers to walk and he’s good at it and he’s RIDICULOUSLY cute.  I have videos, lots of ‘em, and I plan to post at some point.  But it takes a long time and I’m watching a movie with Mike.  G’night.  And Happy 2011.  Blessings on us all.

I bring you good tidings of great joy

Clarence: Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?

I was feeling sorry for myself this morning thinking about my family who celebrated Christmas with my cousins, aunts and uncles… without me.  Feeling sorry for myself because Greyson couldn’t manage another morning without whining and complaining for no good reason.  Feeling sorry for myself because Mike’s new job takes him to Portland until Thursday.  Feeling sorry that I’m not flying home for the holidays, that there won’t be a white Christmas in Seattle, that my butt’s too big for my skinny jeans.

The good news is that I am capable of taking my head out of my big butt before I get so far up in there that I need anti-depressants or copious amounts of wine to get out.  My White Christmas quote at the top reminded me that there are families in this world, families that I know personally who would give anything to struggle with my daily trials and tribulations if it meant their loved ones could be here struggling with them instead of guiding them from above.

I’m still feeling sorry, but a little less so.

We sent Christmas cards to over 100 friends and family; just like we do every year.  This year, we received dozens and dozens back due to insufficient postage.  We re-stamped and resent but I fear some of them got lost in the abyss.  So, here’s the card.  We added a ribbon to make it look like an ornament. 

I’m excited that Christmas is only 6 days away.  I’m looking forward to the Christmas Eve service at church and I’ll work on my butt after I’ve had my fill of Christmas cookies, chocolate croissants and daily lattes.  Not yet.  Not yet. 

Everything Happens For a Reason

Everything happens for a reason.  Cliche, I know, but in my experience it’s pretty accurate.  I’m supposed to be in India right now (well, really, am I supposed to be since I’m not?)

I was en route to Baltimore earlier this week when I got the notice that our meetings in Bangalore had cancelled.  So, I changed my flight home and got back 4 1/2 days sooner than expected.  Talk about a gift!  I feel like I was given 5 extra days for Christmas; the most perfect gift at the most perfect time.

God had a plan; this I know for sure. On Saturday, a day I would have been at a party in Bangalore, Mike walked into the ER with stomach pains and I brought him home 10 hours later after an emergency appendectomy.  Talk about a whirlwind.  I’m just so thankful I was here.  Sometimes the best times come out of unexpected circumstances.  Sara picked the boys up for lunch on Sunday so that I could help Mike and he could get some much needed rest.  While he dozed, I made Christmas cutouts and when Greyson came home we decorated them during Graham’s nap.  It was peaceful and fun and this dialogue was my favorite:

• Me: “I’m having so much fun with you right now!”
• G: “Do you want to keep me forever?”
• Me: “I sure do”
• G: “Well, I live with you!”

I won’t lie; I was excited about India and I hope to make it there early next year. This might be the point where you ask if I’m crazy (I’m not) or wonder if my priorities are in order (they are) or question how I do it, why I do it and if I’m ever going to stop (I question too).

A professional working mom I know once said “Just remember, a happy mom means a happy family.  Whatever formula it takes to get you there”.

I’m a happy mom because I work. I’m a better mom because I work. Not all mothers feel this way and I respect them, I appreciate them and sometimes I envy them but I am not them. I am me. So I ask you to respect me. Appreciate me. Ask me for a play-date even if it’s in the middle of the week.  If I can, I will.  I have a great job with a great company and until I’m ready to throw in the towel, you needn’t do it on my behalf.  I’m a great mom; this I know for sure. Everything else I figure it out as I go.

So, what’s new?  Mike is recovering well.  It’s been all of 24 hours and although there’s some pain and discomfort and periodic sleep, he’s slowly starting to feel better.  Greyson’s on school vacation until January 3rd.  There was to be some skiing in his future but we might have to put a little hold on that; at least until Mike is up and around.  Graham is walking. He can stand from a sitting position without help and although he still prefers to crawl, he chooses to walk more often and he’s visibly proud when he’s doing it.  He’s also quite demanding, needy and thankfully very, very cute.  His #1 book right now is Goodnight Moon and #2 Brown Bear.  His favorite (and only) phrase is “all done”. 

I’m in bed with an under-the-weather Greyson right now so I’m going to sign off and enjoy the sound of his breathing snoring. Before his fever spiked, he drew this, his biggest obsession of the moment. I tried to get him to name the extra reindeer (I HAVE heard that reindeer reproduce quite well), but he started to tire. I’d be tired too after drawing 143 reindeer.

And a few more tidbits, just for fun…

 

GREY*isms*

1. “Oh my gosh. I don’t have powers to fly there.  I need to get powers to fly to heaven”
2. “I’m putting on a concert…(20 seconds later)…nevermind. It’s cancelled”

GRAHAM*isms*

1. “Ahh Dun”

We got our snow and we loved it!

You may recall I was jonesing for snow a couple of weeks ago.  The good news is, we got it.  The bad news is, it’s gone.  3 blissful days of snowy skies, snowy roads and snowy fun.  25 degrees and sunny.  Thanksgiving morning brought fat white flakes while we prepared the meal and watched Mike’s parents play with our boys.  The next day, it warmed up to 45 and has stayed there ever since.  My Christmas wish this year is for the snow to return on or after December 16th and I’d like it to stick around until after the New Year.  Then it can leave and we’ll start mowing our lawn in February and bragging about it on the blog.  Sorry Wisconsin.

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Happy Anniversary -11 blissful, argument-free years (ahem)- to my one and only.  I’ll refer you to last year’s 10-year anniversary blog for old pictures and sentimentality.  Mike got me an iPad but he’s terrible at waiting to give gifts so I’ve had it for a few weeks.  He picked out a pair of shoes for himself. They haven’t arrived yet. I think I got the better end of the deal, but he’s pretty excited about his shoes. 

What I love right now:

• Balsam-fir scented candles
• Christmas music (particularly Josh Groban’s rendition of Little Drummer Boy)
• My living room, at night, after dinner but before the boy’s bedtimes
• Mike’s bond with Greyson
• Graham’s belly laughs
• Christmas cards from family and friends

GREY*isms*

1. (to Mike) “I’ll tickle you until you pee in your pants”
2. After being asked to eat a few more bites of brussels sprouts, he shook his head and said “put it in my journal”.
3. After being asked, once again, to eat a few more bites of brussels sprouts, he said “that’s not appropriate”.

Thanks, Thank You, Thankful!

It’s Thanksgiving Eve. The boys are sleeping, Mike’s parents are visiting and we’re catching up on TIVO while we lay side by side in our big comfy bed. I am thankful even though I sometimes forget.

Greyson's school celebrated the holiday throughout the past few weeks by making a list of things the kids are thankful for, creating collages of their families and participating in a sharing feast.  We donated food for families and talked a lot about the spirit of thankfulness and giving.  This is the family collage.  I thought he did a fabulous job of picking out likenesses! :-)

Greyson is thankful for:

1. My costumes
2. My mom and dad
3. The Spiderman theme song
4. Food (specifically? “treats”)
5. My Christmas tree
6. My cat Lexi
7. My baseball bed

We decided to make a list too:

1. We are thankful for each other. 17 years ago we met and we’re about to celebrate 11 years of marriage. I’m thankful that Mike proposed to me on a quiet Tuesday night at home and that we’ve survived a 50% divorce rate because our focus was never the engagement and wedding but always the marriage.
2. We’re thankful for our children. For their good health, their constant smiles and unconditional love. We loved our lives before our kids but their lives will carry us on far after we’re gone.
3. We’re thankful for our families. Our parents, brother, sisters, nieces and nephew. Mike’s parents celebrate 40 years of marriage next week (Happy Anniversary!), my parents are just a year behind. What an example they have set for all of us.
4. Our nanny Sara. She allows us to work outside of parenthood and has found a way to be an extended part of an already close-knit family. We know it’s a luxury that not all parents can afford and we never take that for granted.
5. Our neighbors, Marilyn and Doug who are retired grandparents who regularly invite Greyson into their home to play with their grandchildren. They treat him like one of their own and make living so far from our ‘real’ home a little easier.
6. We are thankful for the Seattle experience. It challenges us regularly and we are richer for it.
7. Greyson’s school. They take such great care and he's learning. learning, learning.
8. Movie and popcorn nights.
9. And so, so, so much more

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us.

GREY*isms*

(while laying on the couch eating popcorn)

• G: “Dad, eat your bowl”
• M: “I did” (showing him an empty bowl)
• G: “No eat the bowl” (giggling) “Eat the bowl and I’ll give you 50 bucks”

Friday Follies

GREY*isms*
Mike: “Capice?”
G: “CaNOpice”

Greyson has been on a roll this week. Funny, witty, ridiculously cute. We were playing catch tonight in the living room and Greyson threw the ball and said “I’ll show YOU a bad dog!”.

Falling in love with his teacher has fired up a love for learning. He counts everything, asks to practice writing his letters and sounds out the words of every object he sees. Here’s his first official attempt at writing all 26 letters of the alphabet. Look closely; they’re all there…



Graham can walk but he doesn’t want to. He’ll take 4 steps and then sit down and crawl. He’s a speed demon on hands and knees. And he’s crazy about his brother.

Mike's parents are coming to visit next week and for the first time this month, I'm putting some thought into the menu. I'm looking forward to a little downtime before a trip East (WAY East).  I asked Greyson to name some things he's thankful for.  I'm going to save it for next week's blog.  Maybe I'll combine it with his Christmas list.  It's worth waiting for.



October 2010 - School Picture - 4 years old



Wearing mom's new wellies





















Word on the street is Seattle's going to get some snow on Sunday.  Cross your fingers.  I'm jonesing for it.