Great Wolf Lodge Vacation!

We're home and it was fantastic! A couple months ago Mike was given an award at work called the "Above and Beyond Service Award." I was so proud of him! Besides the recognition, he won a family trip to the Great Wolf Lodge which we redeemed this week. I can't tell you how much fun it was! They have the most amazing water park. What was especially fun was that all the kids were both big enough and brave enough to go on every ride, so everyone always had at least one buddy. My favorite ride was this one called the Howling Tornado. (I got these two pictures from the GWL website.)

You climb 5 stories (I think? Anyway, an INSANE amount of stairs. I got a serious workout.) to reach a landing where you get in a raft with up to three other people. Then you're pushed down into a pitch black tunnel where you go along in a semi-freaked out state until you suddenly drop almost straight down and end up in a huge funnel. Once in the funnel you fly up the walls from one side to the other. It's unbelievable. Besides that ride, though, there's a wave pool, a regular pool, several other raft slides, and two sit down slides. Plus there's just water squirting and pouring everywhere. You feel like you spend all day soaking wet.

After the Lodge we took the scenic route home. We went out to Ocean Shores and saw the Pacific Ocean, then we drove home via Forks, WA. Yes, home of the Twilight vampires!!! I have to say, though, that somehow I expected more. It was sort of...anticlimactic. Where were the vampies? I didn't see a single sparkly person in the whole town. In fact, the people in the gas station looked downright boring. Oh well. It was fun to make a pilgrimage since we were in the area anyway.

Here's some pictures from our vacation. (Yes, Forks is in there.)

Sue

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Perfect Moment in Time

"Hey..."

"Yeah?"

"Would you do me a favor?"

"Yeah."

"Would you stay seven forever?"

"I'll try."

What Happens When Two Inattentive People Marry

Mike and I have had a gift certificate to a fancy seafood restaurant called Anthony's since Christmas. Today he called me from work and asked if I'd like to go on a date, using that gift certificate, while the kids were at Awana. Of course I was all for it, so he made a reservation for 7:00 and the plan was set.

We got to Anthony's at a couple minutes after 7, went in, and told hostess of our reservation. She was very polite, of course, as she let us know it would only be a short wait, and sure enough we sat for maybe ten minutes before we were ushered back to a cozy table for two overlooking the waterfront. I should mention, too, that we went ahead of several poor saps who didn't have the foresight to make a reservation like we did. So there we were in a beautiful place, on a date with no kids, and we had a fairly substantial gift certificate. What could be better? Then I looked at the menu. "Umm. Honey?"

"Yes?"

"This isn't Anthony's."

"What?"

"This restaurant isn't Anthony's. The menu says it's called Arnie's."

We were at the wrong restaurant! We somehow totally missed all the signs and logos on our way in, clearly stating that we were NOT at Anthony's. It immediately dawned on us that we did not, after all, have a gift certificate. (Neither did we have a reservation for that matter. How mortifying to walk into a place claiming to have one when you really don't!) I was all for bailing immediately, but Mike wouldn't hear of it. His reasoning? He had already ordered a beer. In the end we spent unplanned money in a restaurant we walked into by complete accident and were too embarrassed to leave.

Who does that???!!!


Sue

She Can be a Bossy Stinker!

Today was "kid exchange" day and I had the little girls this time. Grace and Baylee have become wonderful friends through these Wednesday play dates and through their time together in the Children's Choir. It's so funny to watch them play together. They talk nonstop and their imaginations are great. Here they are playing Cinderella, with Grace playing the part of Cinderella and Baylee playing the wicked stepmother. I had to laugh at how good Baylee was at it.

Sue

PS: They had no idea I was standing behind them.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

A Simple Woman's Daybook

I haven't done one of these in ages...since this summer, I think! I got sort of bored with it, but now I find myself in the mood again.

For Today...February 17, 2009

Outside my window...it's a beautiful, sunny, 50 degree day today and there's no snow in sight.

I am thinking...about how nice it is to be done with my work and sitting here with a hot cup of coffee.

I am thankful for...a really great Weight Watchers leader.

From the learning rooms...today came a cool conversation between Zach and me about the literary term "tragedy" and what that has meant down through the ages. For instance, Dante defined a tragedy very simply as a story that starts happily and ends in sadness. Aristotle, on the other hand, said a story can't be a true tragedy unless the hero brings the trouble on himself.

From the kitchen...Baylee's looking in the fridge for a too-close-to-supper snack. She found pudding and I'm too tired to make her put it back.

I am wearing...my favorite Eddie Bauer jeans. I love Eddie Bauer because it's the only brand I know where the "tall" is actually tall. The bottoms of my pant legs are getting a little tattered in the back because I sometimes step on them with my heels. You don't know how unusual that is for someone who's 5'11".

I am creating...a home with curtains! It only took living here for 2 years. Here's the curtains I hung in the kitchen this week. Cute, huh?

I am going...to exercise in a little while. I've been working out about 5 nights a week and I'm pretty proud of myself.

I am reading...Dark Gold, by Christine Feehan.

I am hoping...to lose at least 2 pounds this week.

I am hearing...the kids play with a neighbor friend on the other side of the house. This one's a really nice 7yo named Joshua who happens to have both ears pierced. Am I the only mom who thinks that's slightly weird?

Around the house...it's clean and calm before the craziness that comes before and after supper.

One of my favorite things...is our space heater.

A few plans for the rest of the week...include a "kid exchange" tomorrow. Another homeschool mom and I take turns hosting either the boys or the girls every Wednesday afternoon. Also tomorrow there's youth group and Awana in the evening. Thursday is Bible study night. Friday Drew leaves to spend the weekend with his grandma and the rest of us are going to a fun dinner at church. Hmm...I think that about covers it!

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

My Valentine rose, 3 days later.

To read the Daybooks of others, join Peggy at her website The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Sue

Okay, Maybe There's Such a Thing as Too Friendly

So I was at the grocery store tonight doing the weekly shopping, when suddenly and without warning...

Actually, before I go any further I need to fill you in on another cultural difference between Michigan and Washington, which is that the cashiers here are significantly friendlier. Whereas a cashier in Michigan really doesn't go very far to hide the fact that she hates her job and you by extension, a cashier in Washington is generally helpful and chatty. I don't know if it's that they're unionized and therefore better paid, or if it's just that this state is more temperate and so people are less grouchy in general, but for whatever reason cashiers are nicer.

So anyway, like I said I was at the grocery store tonight and was trying to check out, when my cashier shared this unsolicited piece of information with me:

"Sorry I'm a little slow. I got my monthly visit from my friend today."


Sue

That Smell

Last night Mike shucked fresh Puget Sound oysters in our kitchen, and while I love seafood I have to tell you that the aroma was not pleasant. I made one little comment to the affect of hoping they tasted better than they smelled, and like the true Pacific Northwesterner that he is, he got all up in arms. "What do you mean? These smell great! Why do you think they smell bad?!"

"Because they smell like low tide."

"Low tide smells great! It smells like Washington!"

"Honey, we have that smell in Michigan, too. It's called dead fish."

Sue

PS: In all fairness, though, after they were cooked the oysters smelled and tasted amazing. I'm so glad to be married to a man who can cook!

Haha...Wait What?

Yesterday I told Baylee this joke:

If you're an American when you walk into the bathroom and you're an American when you walk back out, what are you while you're in there? European!

She laughed and laughed, then insisted I write it down so she could tell it to her brothers. She went around the rest of the evening reading the joke to anyone who would listen and laughing all over again like it was the funniest thing ever. Later...much later...I overheard her say to herself, "Oh. European. Oh!!!"

Sue

Pensive

He's Growing Up

This guy used to be little.

He used to have preschool at a plastic picnic table.

And pout with little lips and big blue eyes.

Sometimes he would help his daddy mow the lawn with a toy lawnmower.

Now look. He's big and handsome.

He's growing up every day.

Soon he won't be a boy anymore at all.

But not yet. Now he's still just barely young enough to write notes to the tooth fairy.

Just to be sure.

Sue

Wow. Neptune is way out there!

Drew finished a little science project today where he had to make a scale model of the solar system. He had a 13 foot strip of paper with the sun at one end, and he carefully measured how far away each planet is. Did you know Pluto (even though it's not actually considered a planet these days) is 12 feet, 1/2 inch away from the Sun? Earth is only 3 1/16 inches. It was a cool visual!

Sue

Little Sisters and Other Wacky Things

The poor neighbor boy. All he wanted to do was come over and play testosterone-filled video games, but what he got to play instead was beauty salon. He was a good sport, though.

School has been going so well lately. I'm proud of us for just "keeping on keeping on." All the kids are doing wonderfully. Here's Baylee finishing a math assignment. You know you're a homeschooler when your idea of a desk is a bay window and the arm of a couch.

Drew's only 3 lessons away from finishing the typing program we're using. I'm proud of him...even if he is looking at his hands in this picture.

Zach is my most diligent worker this year. He gets up, eats breakfast, gets dressed and cleaned up, and starts school. He works almost solidly until he gets every subject done. He's really come a long way in the self-motivation department. Here he is doing a lesson in math, which he always does first thing in the morning because it's his least favorite and he wants to get it out of the way.

I'm reading Heidi to Drew and Baylee right now and just between you and me, ugh!!! I'm about ready to push Heidi over a cliff. But Drew and Baylee both love it, so I pretend I'm enjoying it, too. As you can see, Baylee brought her purse to class that day.

I bet this never happened to the Von Trapps!

Sue

This Pretty Much Made My Week

Semi-Random

I've been awful with this blog lately, but we just can't quite seem to shake the whole sick thing, which makes me feel uninspired. Yesterday on the way home from the clinic Zach yelled, "Pull over, Mom!" I've known him long enough to know he never makes empty vomit threats, so I pulled over. He opened his door, leaned out, and puked all over the gutter. I know I should only have been thinking about my poor, sick son...and I tried! But really all I could think was, "How many people in that apartment complex are watching this right now?" Anyway, Zach spent the rest of yesterday really ill, but he seems okay today.

In other news, I've lost 12 pounds so far and my first goal, "Look good in the clothes I have now," has been met. It makes me wonder how bad I must've looked before if it took 12 pounds to just get where I feel good in jeans I've owned for 6 months. Hmm. Sounds like one of those things best left alone.

And last, I started using a system of organizing housework about a month ago or so, and I love it! It's called Motivated Moms. For $8 you can buy a calendar which plans out your chores for you each day. Some of you who know me might think it's weird that I felt I needed it, but I have to tell you it's been wonderful, because it's made me realize a couple things about myself. One, I was doing some jobs too much. Two, I was doing other jobs almost never. This system balances it all out and I'm finding I spend much less time cleaning everyday. Go check it out for yourself!

Sue