Weekend Lemonade

This weekend was perfect. Garage-saling yesterday with our family of four and a bbq play date with friends in the evening. A long run early this morning, a date with my hubby (thank you, Grandma Sue!), and family time for the rest of the day, including dinner on the patio. The sun was shining and blue sky was accented with just the right amount of fluffy, white clouds. Bliss.

More perfection: Austen is potty training herself. Like, she has been wearing big-girl underwear for three days and hasn't had one accident. She's even taking herself upstairs for number 2. Rather than wonder how this is actually happening, Jeff and I are basking in the easiness of it all (everybody knock on some wood...quick!) I'm not gloating; this literally has nothing to do with us. She wants to wear underwear like her big sister and doggonit, she's gonna wear underwear. Diapers and pull-ups are so 42 seconds ago.

Kaitlyn was not easy to potty train, so we know what that's like and don't take this for granted. We tried and failed more than once, and it wasn't without frustration and tears -- on Kaitlyn's and Mommy's part -- no matter how patient (Jeff all of the time and me, well, most of the time) and positive we were. Oh, and we tried every single bribe in the book (a pony would have been kinda fun, no?). She was a little over three years old when it finally clicked, and it turned out that she just needed to do it on her own. Proof that all kids are different.

This is all to say that we deserve for this one to be easy. We earned it. So thank you, potty gods.

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It was either this -- porta potty seat in the back of the Pilot -- or bring 50 extra outfits:

Kaitlyn was so excited about her garage sale purchases that she didn't want to put them down. In fact, all she wanted to do was sit in the car for the rest of the morning to read her new books:

Sometimes, life gives you the lemonade; sweetened and mixed to perfection. Then sometimes, it gives you the lemons and you have to sweeten it yourself. I'm still working on adding the good stuff when it's not handed to me just so. But this weekend we got the lemonade, and slurped every last delicious drop. Cheesy, but true ;)

Quotables

This post is a whole-lotta nonsense, and you've been warned.

I don't keep a record of the funny/cute things the girls say just like I don't keep baby books. This blog hereby becomes the dumping grounds for any and all kid stuff that I know I'll eventually forget. In fact, I'm going to try to make a weekly "Quotables" post. This is as catchy as I get, folks. Anyone reading this may or may not find these cute or funny. Remember that this space serves many purposes, including memory books.

Oh, and I'm also going to post cell phone pictures. Lots of them. Not because I think they are good or interesting, but because I know I'll want to look back at them someday and they are currently collecting dust in the "Lisa's iPhone Pics" folder on the hard drive. And, The Books, of course.

Some quotes, etc.:

Kaitlyn is quite the little love bug, and will come up us and say, "I just love you so much, Mama/Daddy," and give a kiss on the leg, shoulder, or whatever is in kissing range. While everyone was singing Happy Birthday to Austen at her party, Kaitlyn snuck in to give her a kiss before ducking back out to sing.

I was tired after a long day at work (weird), and dozing off on the couch. Kaitlyn got real close and whispered, "Goodnight, sweet Mama, I love you." Love.Bug.

Austen was crying in her crib, and Kaitlyn got to her before I did. Over the monitor I hear, "I'm here, Austen. What's the matter?" in her best little mommy voice.

Austen is saying longer and more clear sentences than Kaitlyn was at this age. I think it's the influence of a big sister who talks all the time. For example, Austen came downstairs and was talking to Jeff as she closed the gate: "I'll be back just a minute, Daddy. I'm gonna shut the gate. You comin'?" Clear as day. Sometimes it takes the Mama and Daddy (or big sister when we can't figure it out) power to figure things out, but the girl can talk.

The girls were painting at the kitchen table while I was cooking dinner (I make it sound like me cooking dinner is a normal, everyday thing...it's not. Add it to the list of things I need to step up) and I hear, "You are so good at painting, Austen. You are doing such a good job. I love you, Austen."


Our very favorite Austen-ism right now is hard to describe, but we'll be able to picture it 20 years from now for sure. She crouches down with her hands on her knees and cocks her head to the side to ask something. And she has the.cutest. little high-pitched voice that I wish I could bottle up and save forever. We were feeding the ducks (shhh...) and she would do this and say, "You want more bread, ducky? Yeah? More bread? Yeah?" And to Kaitlyn, "Ohhhh Kay Kay...you okay? Yeah?"


Kaitlyn's made-up words, meaning anything from tonight, tomorrow, next time, yesterday, or last night: Nextersmorning, yestersmorning, nexterday, nexteryear, and nextertime.
Giraffe = Kajraffe
Another = a-done-one, which sounds like "darn." When she first started saying it we thought she was saying things like, "I can't find my darn sock!" or "I'd like a darn cracker!"


Jeff and Austen have a silly little game they play. Jeff says "Nooo" in a small little voice, and Austen answers with her eyebrows all scrunched up and says "yeeeeeah" in her little voice. It's okay to raise your eyebrows at this one...it doesn't have to make sense. :)

K: "Mama, can I please have a brother?"
Me: "But you already have such a wonderful sister!"
K: "But I'd like a brother, please."
Two of her friends (Kendall and Paige) are having little brothers, so this comes up quite a bit these days.

And, the grand finale, which I've debated making public because it's more than slightly mortifying:

We were sitting at dinner, and Kaitlyn looks up and says, "Where's the duck?" And farts.

I'll leave it at that.

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Jeff has made up "The Flying Game." One of the girls tells him what they want to be (a princess, a dragon, a Supercritter) and they have to make the appropriate sound while he throws them face-first onto the bed. They absolutely cannot get enough of it:

And the completely random, all sorts of directions phone pics. You can see how long these have been sitting:

Clearly this mass of pictures is going to need to happen in phases. This post is a mess; sideways pictures and rambling (the latter being nothing new, obviously).

Instead of attempting to make anything make sense, I'm going to bask in getting some of these memories documented and call it a night.

Half Marathon: Check! Home Marathon: Check.

Not only did I (finally)run my first half marathon yesterday, but I felt great doing it! I couldn't have asked for a better experience. I always said, "I want to run a half marathon, and I don't want it to be torture." Done!

Leave it to me to get the flu the week before the big race. I was a tiny bit devastated last Tuesday when I started feeling sick. I was at work, and tried to convince myself that I was fine and just needed more sleep. No way were those crack-of-dawn long runs going to waste (or our money...these races are expensive!). But, sure enough, by that evening I was an achy, whiney mess, begging for Jeff to get me Ibuprofen and the electric blanket because I was shivering so hard my teeth hurt.

Anyway, long story short, I was "don't touch me, I can't even move" sick from Tuesday evening to Friday afternoon or so. I did go into work on Thursday morning because my 3rd graders had their first MSP (state) test, and I just couldn't abandon them when I knew some were already nervous. So, I dragged my achy bod to class, gave the test, and was back in bed by noon.

I finally felt almost normal by Saturday, and by Sunday morning - race day - I was flu-free with just a hint of a headache. Nothing a few more Ibuprofen couldn't cure. I think not doing anything for four days straight actually was a blessing because my muscles felt completely fresh, and I ran faster miles than I had planned. I had a goal of 2 hours and 10 minutes, which would mean averaging 10 minute miles. My official race time was 2 hours and 21 seconds. Go me! Yes, I'm tooting my own horn, and yes, I know that this isn't a record breaking time. There will always be longer races and faster times, but I set a goal and beat it so in my little Lisa vs. Lisa world (read: I'm competetive with myself), I felt pretty bad***. ;)


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Speaking of marathons...

Austen learned how to crawl out of her crib yesterday. She's fast, and she's determined. I think she's trying to PR like Mama.

And Kaitlyn is in a defiant bedtime stage. You never know what you are going to get. Tonight was not a fun one. Like, if I didn't need to go to bed for work tomorrow I'd be having a glass of wine or four.

Weekday evenings at our house often resemble marathons. Luckily, Jeff and I are in it together. I would surely be in the looney bin if not.

But how could you stay mad at these two??

Little stinkers.

Oh, and I signed up for half marathon number 2 in June. Rock and Roll!

Thank you, Seattle

We have been blessed with some beautiful April days here in Seattle, and if you live in a place that sees gray most of the year you don't take these days for granted. You soak them up for everything they are worth, and use those memories to stay warm when waking up to a downpour the next morning.

I try very hard to not complain about the weather here. I do find myself wishing for more sunny days, and Jeff and I toy with the idea of moving every once in a while, but there is no use complaining. Complaining breeds negativity and doesn't fix anything.

I know that rain has its good points, but I'd love to get outside with my kids more (if you have ever been couped up for days on end with two young kids, you know that this is kind of a big deal). I'll go outside in rain, but freezing cold + rain is not worth it to me; I'm a wimp. Kudos to those who don't let it stop them!

I also despise the treadmill, which means that I either brave the elements or take too much time off from running. I used to use the gym in the winter, but since having kids this isn't an option in my mind, as it takes too much time away with the commute. This is one of the first years when, after a brief pep talk with myself about sucking it up, I've run almost year round: Rain, shine, snow, or freezing. That's all well and good (actually, it's not - I'll do it, but I don't have to like it), but please cross your fingers for no downpours during my 13.1 miles next Sunday. :)

So anyway...thank you, Seattle, for delivering some beautiful play-outside weather this month. We have dulled our sidewalk chalk, put miles on trikes and running shoes, broken in the neighborhood parks, and drained bubble containers.

I was trying to get Austen to smile, and this little face shows up right in front of my lens. "I'll smile for you, Mama!"

I'll post any picture with me in it, since there are so few. The neighbor took this, and both the girls are obviously skeptical!

Kaitlyn was teaching Austen how to blow bubbles. We went through two containers this day:

Different week, same sunshine and chalk. My dad came over to help Jeff fix our wall. Remember the leaky pipe incident? It's all fixed now. :)

She likes to "check the mail"

Yesterday also turned into garage spring cleaning. A long time coming!

Adventure girl...

Kaitlyn was really into her fishing pole yesterday. Practicing her casting and patiently sitting to work on her pole.

Grammie came by at the end of the boys' work for a bit

Thanks, Seattle. :)

Sidenote: I was quite happy with Blogger's last update. This latest one? Not so much. They sucked the user-friendly right out of it. Sigh...