Crazy Hair Day

Much improved departure time

Things are definitely looking up.

So nice to come home to

For a while I was thinking we needed a dog, but the cats do come running to the window when we pull into the driveway...

Long day at work

It has lately been taking 2 or 3 days for photos to arrive from my stupid Cingular phone (this one arrived two days after it was sent!) . Which is going to make it easier to bear the fact that stupid Blogger doesn't support photos being sent from Unicel, my new cell provider. Still, it's sad because that's why I signed up for the unlimited photo package!

Meanwhile, since we're between providers for a couple of days, there are 5 working cell phones in this house. Obscene, isn't it? Just think of the children somewhere in the world without even ONE cell phone! A mere three years ago I was vowing never to have one.

Now, I think I'm going to conference call myself from a few of my cell phones or something. Because I can. Also because I am too wound up to sleep.

Lousy picture, great tail sculpture

Simple backyard makeovers

Somehow we got a whim to go to the home show tonight (driving two hours to spend about 90 minutes there...), and this was probably Ethan's favorite exhibit. Dream on, kid.

I've missed a few days with the photos. Work, getting new cell phones, making plans, etc. March is going to be a crazy busy month.

So many thank-you notes

Ethan and I kept busy this evening choosing photos and writing messages to send to his party friends. I know, we're a little late, but at least it is getting done. I found this cool site that lets you create a custom postcard and mail it online. The 4 x 6 postcards we're making are only 84 cents, which includes printing the photo and postage. I may never buy a card again.

Navajo kitty

Cliff's dad did the weaving. Pretty cool, huh?

P.S. Lateness of posts not exactly our fault...Monday's and Tuesday's messages didn't transmit.

He calls this working

I'd rather be reading Jane Austen too.

Bonus photo: Ella!

For obvious reasons, her shelter name was "Got milk." But that was too cute for us. Not that it matters; it isn't like she answers to it or anything.

It's not just for wheelchairs!

Ice cream, blue sky

Life is good.

Casual-challenged Friday

My popular parents

This is just a little of their Valentine loot--a bouquet of 18 balloons from the ALS fundraiser at Principal Financial. Cool, huh?

I'm way 264 my Valentine socks!

Loads of homework

Poor kid...he's only 8. But things get backed up when you are the Daydreaming Boy with the ADD Mom. Sigh.

And yes, tomorrow we will make him wear a different shirt.

The Orca Party

The Neverending Birthday

Grandparents party last weekend, parents Thursday night, cousins this weekend, church today, friends tomorrow, grandparents next weekend...when will it all end?? Fortunately, he agreed to ask his friends to bring books to donate to Children's Home Society instead of presents. I highly recommend this! Last year, we had the kids bring cans for the food bank. We don't have as many toys to store in our not-that-big house, and taking in all the cans to be weighed was a blast.

Three kids and a cat

A cousins sleepover! The talking went well into the night, but it doesn't seem to have damaged them.

Oliver Garden

He doesn't call it that any more, but when we told him he could go anywhere for birthday dinner, this was his choice. It was a great evening except for hitting a large bird (hawk? owl?) on the highway, which scared us to death and tore off a windshield wiper. We didn't even have time to slow down.

Happy birthday, Sweetie!

Last night's photo

The camera-tossing photos on Photojojo looked a lot cooler than mine.

Lion, King

Ethan's class put on a play for church, and well, he stole the show. (This is my completely unbiased review of the production.) His buddy Adam was a lion.

Extracise

Ethan has become obsessed with racking up steps on this thing, and tonight I made him promise that he would force me to join him. When he does 100 steps, he has to make me do 100.

264

Sometimes Ethan finds Samantha's pop music a little puzzling. She has this funny song, he told us, with a guy who sings, I'm 264 my shirt, and I'm 264 my car, and I'm 264 your party.... "What's 264?" he wants to know. At least she mostly listens to old enough stuff that we can figure out the lyrics.

One of 16 origami killer whales

For the orca party. In case anyone wonders how I keep busy in the evenings.

Do you know why I'm doing this?

Here's a Jan. 31 make-up photo...

Child skates slowly up to Becky holding this pose. She takes his picture, assuming that is the idea.
"Do you know why I'm doing this? I wasn't just posing for a picture. I really am that good."

Broke the streak

It's true. Jan. 31 was a bust.

My bodyguard

It's nice to have a bunkbed-climbing cat when you're 7 and your room is full of weird shadows.

Recital tonight?

Tonight's recital was a complete surprise to me, but we made it, and the Scoot did well. Whew. Wonder what other important events I'll forget this week?

Mommy's kitty napkin holder

The picture is too dark, but how could I resist Ethan's wanting to take care of today's blog all by himself? He took the picture and even entered the subject line with the little number buttons. And he was feeling especially sentimental about Grandpa after this weekend, which is why he picked as the subject the napkin holder they made together last summer.

A little break from the hospital

Grandpa ready for surgery

Happy Birthday, Linda!

The Whitman

Socked in

So you've been thinking of moving to Walla Walla because of all those great articles about the wine industry and how we're "Napa North" (no matter that all this enthusiasm is driving up housing costs roughly, oh, 3 million percent). Well, it's only fair to warn you that we have FOG. Lots of fog. All winter. No sun. No light (except for the one you order from a medical supply store to help fight off utter despair).

You've been warned. But don't listen to me. I love it here. Really.

When I grow up...

I want to drive the Zamboni.
P.S. Happy birthday, Mom!

Feeling lazy (quesadillas for dinner)

This is even worse than usual for the Motorola cameraphone. But Ethan had a wonderful time taking pictures of all the "pretty bottles" and marveling that the grownups in the bar were throwing their peanut shells right on the floor.

Origami boxes

I took a teensy tiny box to Sarah (penny-sized), and pretty soon she was making her own like a pro. We got a little carried away. Making tiny boxes, by the way, is way more fun than spending Sunday cleaning out closets and folding laundry.

Plans for today: A memorial service

Googsie and Ellabella love

[Ethan is dictating today's entry and obviously feeling affectionate. Friday nights and warm fires have this effect on him.]

Here's a picture of two little cute cats. Or if you're an ancient Egyptian, you might consider them gods. Googsie and Ellabella would love to say "hello, meow meow" to you. These are our two cats. We found them at petfinder.com, and we adopted them at PetSmart. We got Googsie because Grendel died and we missed him, and we got Ellabella because we missed Penelope. (Their real names are Google and Ella.)

Too cold for jogging...

...so I guess I'll stay in and work on my scrapbook. Pictures from 1985. Yes, it's embarrassing.

Well-dressed co-workers

This guy works in my office something like 12 hours a week, and he wears a jacket and tie every day! Really, it just makes the rest of us look bad. I have tried to exercise some slovenly influence (loosen up, man), but it isn't working.

Update (1/19): Even on casual Friday...no tie, but still dress pants and a jacket. Please, everyone, you have to stop raising the bar--I can't even see it from down here.

Might never leave the office today so...