Pretty much done blogging.  

in da' hizzy

Here it is.  We're still getting all settled and stuff, so more pics later. But so far we love it.

Our HouSe is a VEry veRY vEry FIne HouSE

K- So most know, I think, that we finally found THE ONE and bought a house - thus committing to the great state of Colorado.  We love it . . . and the whole situation made for one crazy summer (love that movie).  But, instead of posting house pictures yet, cuz it takes me ages to update, I'll just pop up a nice shot of the munchkins from Father's Day.  This was by our rental house this spring and I have zilch in terms of photog skills (shadows on Dane - hello?) so enjoy casually.  I love these little guys - even if their frequent smackdown sessions make me crazy.  

Oh Canada

Off to the Great White North for a fortnight. 

Naked Wood

A month or so ago I picked up an unfinished wood table at a garage sale for $80.  (I love me a good deal! )  Some hours and dirty hands later we had this finished product below. Darren did the final coat of poly and it shines like glass, I tell ya! Well done my love.  Yeah, yeah - I know the chairs don't match, but I don't really like too much matchy matchy stuff.  I'm not sure what to do there . . .   

And here's Davis having some ice cream for lunch.  Just kidding honey!  It's only breakfast.  Sheesh, these pictures look washed out. Too bad, I'm not taking more.

Estes Park

So Colorado is so full of that "purple mountain majesty" that we are all about exploring and staycations.  A couple of weeks ago we rented a cabin up in Estes Park near Rocky Mountain National Park. (like 45 min away to HEAVEN!)  We had fun enjoying the beauty and even a little snow. Yes, I said/wrote SNOW! I tell ya, it was cool - and I mean both kinds.   {Sidenote - I'm not being narcissistic by including so many pics of me, it's just that I realized that like 1 - 2% of my pics have me in them, so it might be nice to have some with the kids. I'm not dying of cancer, but as the official family photographer I have to document myself as well. This self - portrait technique is courtesy of Rachel. Kthnxby.} 

BolderBoulder

So listen, I'm no athlete - but I likey to run.  'Tis my therapy, for real.  And so as a surprise my loverly sister Jenni flew out to run the BOLDERBOULDER 10K road race with me over Memorial Day.  Isn't she nice?  The weather was perfect and the course was fun - complete with people along the way offering beer and bacon (really people? bacon?) and spraying us with hoses and runners taking time out to make a slip-n-slide run.  The 6.2 mile course ends in CU stadium (up a rad {not} hill) where you take a victory lap. So get this, I didn't know it ended with a lap - I thought you hauled it up the raunchy hill and then got spit into the stadium to collapse.  So what did I do? I booked it up that hill beyond top speed (finish strong, eh?) and then went in the stadium and hullo?!? I trotted gingerly 'round the track and finished. It was kinda my cool down 'cuz I was spent. Plus all the other runners were in my way looking for family. (Another point - who is so annoying as to WALK - three people deep - on the inside of a turn?)

Getcha Harry Potter On

Calling all Harry Potter nerds! (myself included) It's officially time to start re-reading #6 to be ready for the movie.  Are you as excited as I am? I'm sure I missed plenty the first two times I read it and so here we go again. And I think I'm finally to the point that I can read the book and see the movie right away with minimal disappointing comparisons. The last few movies have been exponentially better, in my not-so-humble opinion.  But I think Twilight taught us to lower our expectations and just accept the fact that the books are always better. Plus - film is a different medium, right? Content will be tweaked, so that's that.  Bonus - this film is rated PG, so the kiddos can see it!!!

Paper Guns 2

Mr. Picasso Head

The boys love Mr. Potato head, especially Davis. He puts them together with one intent: to fill every hole. No facial structure whatsoever. So the other day we were playing and Dane wanted to pretend we were a family. So his potato was the son and mine was the mom. Davis had a potato as well, but Dane said "Um, can we pretend Davis is the brother - but he's an alien?" Sure. He's got three arms on one side, so it only seems fitting that he's our alien brother.

Paper Guns

Lately Dalton has been making lots of paper guns. Who needs the DANGEROUS BOOK FOR BOYS? He's so cute (no bias here). He asked me to record him making a gun and he wants to put it up on YouTube. There's a niche audience for such things, apparently. It's pretty long, so don't feel obligated . . .

Dr. Renegade

The other day one of Darren's patients, an old lady, thought his name was Dr. Renegade. She was probably having palpitations at the thought of a dentist with that name or that reputation. (like um - Steve Martin, the crazy dentist in Little Shop of Horrors)

He's a renegade dentist - throwing crowns on everything! root canals on a whim!

no topical? no problem. He's Dr. Renegade.

Why does this make me laugh? A dentist run amok, with a leather jacket and rubber gloves, huffing on laughing gas in between exams. Hmmmmmmm . . . I guess that's enough. I will be forever grateful for a new nickname for Darren.

Boycott Best Buy

K - Best Buy sucks. Truly.

The place is full of money-grubbing liars and scoundrels. Workin' their angles. Deceiving the technically impaired and computerally (I know I'm making up words) naive, luring us into their web, gaining our trust and then tricking us into buying their CRAP!

I am not over-reacting. And I take no, I repeat NO - NONE - ZERO, responsibility in the following narrative. Bam.

Once upon a time a nice 2 year old desk top computer stopped working. It's owners were so sad. They took the computer to Best Buy - to the all p0werful Geek Squad, the one place they thought could solve any computery problem. The powers at the techno Mecca told them, after thorough examination, that the computer was gone - beyond salvation, and that they should say their good-byes. Astonished, the owners pressed the geeks - could she really be dead after such a short life? Is there nothing more we can do? Not even a transplant? No hope left, they said. She outlived her life expectancy, they said, and it was over.

Devastated, they consented to a harvesting of viable parts (pictures, music, etc.) and shopped reluctantly for a replacement. After a couple of days, a choice was made - a Macbook purchased. They took the notebook home and began the transition from the HP to the MAC. Bumpy, but worth the effort (we love it, but THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT I'M MAKING HERE). Yet, they still couldn't believe their desktop dead. (And they were really frustrated that the lame-o's at Best Buy only transferred the sample pictures instead of all the jpg and photo format files that they said they would and got paid mucho dinero to do.) So they sought to resurrect their machine by alternative methods, old school style.

A little voo doo? No. A mom and pop computer shop. Genius - they should have gone to the small business first. They showed their deceased comp to the man and a miracle occured. He told them it was only a fan that needed to be replaced. "Best Buy told you that it couldn't be fixed? HMMMMM." That's odd, considering they sell hundreds of NEW computers. NOT!

45 minutes and $36 later she was a-purrin' again. And the moral of the story is:

1. Best Buy sucks. I said it again. The Geek Squad is full of legit geeks, not the kind that are suddenly cool because they possess skills that those of us born before 1980 have to work for.

2. Never have a wagon dealer serve as your wagon repair man. You know what I mean. The agenda is too clear. They got new, so why fix old? Why not tell the lady that it's OVAH for the computey and she needs a brand new one? Dang, Gina - that's smart! I feel dumb.

Busted

This is the price I pay for 15 minutes of hands-free time. (I'd better check and see what they're doing right now. )

The other day I discovered Davis quietly enjoying this hoard of gum - his cheek bulging and his lips dripping - and just shook my head.  Not in surprise, but in the exact opposite sentiment. So typical. These guys really keep me on my toes.

He's like "What? It's just a couple pieces of gum." What an attractive wad he's got tucked into his cheek - he looks like he needs a spittoon. 

THEN . . . 

merely 2 days later I found myself with too little distraction from my entourage  and began looking around for them.  I found them giggling and wet in the bathroom as they (mainly Dane) hurriedly attempted to scour his skin free of the PERMANENT BLACK MARKER!  Davis was merrily splashing in the water, oblivious to the fact that he was all tatted up.  So oblivious, in fact, that he'd crawled up the stairs with the offending marker still in hand - capless, of course - and leaving a trail of black spots on the carpet (on each step)  that would make Hansel and Gretel proud.  Luckily the kitchen floor, the bathroom vanity, the sink and the wall are all mark free now - thanks to every mother's secret weapon (besides dark chocolate) Mr. Clean Magic Eraser!  The carpet came miraculously clean due to Folex, the best cleaner I've discovered for carpet. As for the kiddos, some fading has taken place - but it's slow enough to give us a good laugh. (Not for them to see).  

Okay, I messed up the red-eye reduction and couldn't recover the original, so Dane looks a little funky.  

It's in his hair, his ears, on his neck, his hands - everywhere. 

And he's right, Dane did it.

Growing up

The little man is "growing like a weed", "changing right before my eyes", and whatever other cliche conveys the fact that I am amazed and delighted every time I look at him - finally grasping that desperate plea from seasoned moms: "Appreciate every moment when they're little because it goes by so fast."  

He turned 18 months last month and it's like his social switch was flipped. He is funny and smart and compassionate. K- obviously I've got a serious bias, but isn't that a prerequisite for motherhood?  

Some stuff he's doing - calling daddy "mommy", which I truly enjoy because I was "Daddy" to Dalton for a long time; wearing Mr. Potatohead's glasses and the Build-a-Bear's sunglasses; reading "Goodnight Moon" over and over and over; putting 3 binkies in his mouth at once; and pulling mad tricks on his 4 wheeler. 

What a goof.

Women

My wise, oldest sister Christy sent this poem to me. It's clever . . .

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
enough money within her control to move out and rent a place of her own, even if she never wants to or needs to...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....
something perfect to wear if the employer, or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
a youth she's content to leave behind....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to retelling it in her old age....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .....
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
one friend who always makes her laugh... and one who lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal, that will make her guests feel honored...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
a feeling of control over her destiny...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to fall in love without losing herself..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to quit a job, break up with a lover, and confront a friend without; ruining the friendship...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
when to try harder... and WHEN TO WALK AWAY...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that she can't change the length of her calves, the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that her childhood may not have been perfect...but it's over...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she would and wouldn't do for love or more...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW... how to live alone... even if she doesn't like it...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW.. .
whom she can trust, whom she can't, and why she shouldn't take it personally...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
where to go... be it to her best friend's kitchen table.. or a charming Inn in the woods... when her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
What she can and can't accomplish in a day... a month...and a year...


As I read these things I can't help but think of all the things I've learned in only the last ten years, from age 20 - 30. It's so liberating to mature and grow up. I wonder what I would I would have told my 20 year old self?
What do you think every woman should know?

Yesterday the boys said a couple of things that struck me as funny/interesting. They're always saying zany stuff, but these quips made me laugh a little more than usual, and stop to ponder. Hhmmmmm.


Dane is going through a contrary and independant phase, exploring the boundaries of obedience. He's been experimenting with "I don't want to" and "Why?" in response to my commands, I mean requests. Well yesterday he pulled out the "NO". The flat out refusal to comply obviously wasn't successful, so it quickly turned sour. He threw up his arms and slackened his posture in defeat and looked at me sincerely and said:

"I am so tired of always having to do what you say."

AAAaaaahhhhhh . . . truth. I laughed heartily, then sat back and appreciated his honest self-awareness and articulation. He stripped away any potential screaming and crazy futile frustration (brought on by his lack of control over most of his circumstances) and simply stated the truth, the motivation for his behavior. He wants to make more choices for himself.

He's 5 on Sunday and maybe I need to give him more opportunities to feel some control in his little life. But dang - that was funny.

-----------------------------------

Dalton is a picky eater, no bones about that. Well last night at dinner he told me something that I actually wasn't sure about.

The setting: dinner, where I had prepared spaghetti squash as a side and was attempting to coerce the chillins to partake. I was shameless and Dalton looked at me with a matter-of-fact tone and said:

"You know, Mom, as you get older you lose taste-buds, so you don't mind eating vegetables as much. "

I actually paused and had to think. Is this true? Darren says heck no - you don't lose any, just maybe some sensitivity loss, but I have yet to look it up. I mean I have had my tastes change quite a bit as I've gotten older to include a lot more veggies, legumes, etc. He may be on to something, but I still won't let him off the hook at dinnertime.

It was pretty smooth if it was totally fabricated. Scary. And if not, where did he learn this? He didn't remember.