A Thing About Emergency Brakes...

We had a rough morning today.

First, Lauren accidentally dumped 2 quarts of milk all over the kitchen counter and floor.

Second, Matt forgot to set the emergency brake on his car while he ran back inside to get something...while it was running.

DOH!

We heard the crash from the kitchen and then the blaring horn.

(Why does the horn always sound off after a crash?)

Imagine the car turned around, idling in neutral, and then left alone to do its gravity thing.

Did you know when an air bag deploys it leaves a powdery dust?

WE DO NOW!

 The beast of a TREE got away without even a scratch.

We called our friend who fixed Matt's car after the recent hail storm and he came to look at it.

He said he likes repeat business but not like this.  

For part of the day today I felt sick to my stomach. I felt bad for Matt and for all the inconvenience and extra expense headed our way.

But then, I decided it was stupid to feel this way.

No one was in the car.  Not Matt, Not the kids.  No one was hurt.

I hear of so many accidental tragedies that I'm grateful it was just an empty car and all it's going to cost is time and money to fix it.

But I think we did learn a Thing About Emergency Brakes today.

Like Normal People

I finally got fed up today when Tyler suddenly jumped up out his chair, in the middle of dinner, and ran out of the room

...like he does just about everyday...

I asked him where he was going (as if I didn't know...because he does this every dinner:)

He said "to the bathroom."

I told him that I used to have to say, "May I be excused?" before ever leaving the dinner table when I was a little girl.

(I didn't really but that sounded like something normal people have to do.)

I asked the kids if they thought that should be a new rule for dinner time.

Lauren said, "Yeah, then maybe we can be like normal people.  Normal people pray before they eat dinner like Joshua's family.

Touche young child.

  We are a Christian family, but she's right, we do not say a family prayer every time we eat.

We do however, pray heartfelt individual prayers.

Lauren continued with,

"and normal people have infinity screen time too."

Nice try youngin'

But do normal people serve their family's Coconut Curry Pork Satay dinner on a bed of Bok Choy leaves?

Or do they cut up vegetable scraps...

...for indoor worm farms?

I think we may be trail-blazing (or worm-holing?) the New Normal.

Bedroom Switch-a-Roo

When we moved cross-country from Oregon and into our Georgia home I was 20 weeks pregnant with Tyler.
(cross country move + 20 weeks pregnant = not much fun)

In anticipation of his arrival I chose his bedroom to be right next to mine.  18-month-old Lauren was comfortably set up down the hall.

It was a fantastic set-up while both kids were young.

Now that they are getting older and Lauren is fast approaching the pre-teen and teen-age years I've been thinking about switching their bedrooms.

Tyler's bedroom is closer to the bigger bathroom (2 sinks/lots of storage space) and Lauren's bedroom is next to the guest bedroom/bathroom.  (1 sink and not so much for storage.)

the bigger bathroom

the smaller bathroom

Lauren is beautiful without any make-up and always will be but I imagine there will come a day when she wants to spend way too much time in her bathroom and would appreciate more space.
Tyler, on the other hand, I don't see him caring less.

So... a couple of weeks ago I decided I wanted to switch their bedrooms.
Matt, being the "just tell me what to do and I'll do it" kind of guy didn't protest my (sort of crazy) request but got right to work disassembling beds and reassembling them in their new bedrooms.

Let's check it out!

Tyler's new bedroom in progress

the final product

my little model showing off a view of his closet

the ever changing Hall of Fame Wall

Now a peak into Lauren's new bedroom

(from the bedroom door looking in)

 the closet -  Also Known As -  the American Girl Doll apartment. 

shelves

shelves

I'm still getting adjusted to the childrens' new rooms.  While putting clothes away I constantly walk into the wrong bedroom.  However, I'm pretty sure this Bedroom Switch-a-Roo will turn out for the best.

Happy 7th Birthday Tyler

Last weekend, to celebrate their March birthdays, we took Lauren and Tyler and three of their friends to see the Harlem Globetrotters at Philips Arena.

I had a blast and thought it was hilarious but I think the kids got bored and spent most of their time wondering when they could get more cotton candy.

(However, I have no doubt they'll remember them just like I did from my childhood.)

Daddy, Tyler, Gabe, and Tera

Zoe and Lauren

Back home we continued the celebration with a homemade cookie cake and sleep-over.

It was a memorable joint birthday party.

BUT,

this post is mostly about Tyler's Lucky Number Seven Birthday

so let's get on with it.

Birthday Boy with his Birthday Presents.

He loved everything he got.

From the Worm Farm to the bag of Skittles to the Lego Sets to the Super Mario Dudes and the three different Minecraft characters.

He's one happy SEVEN-year-old.

CREEPER, STEVE, and DIAMOND STEVE, oh my!

the LOOT

(Lauren picked out the Lego Friends set for Tyler (small package in front) CORRECTLY assuming he would reject it and say she could have it.  Smart Girl.)

Tyler spent a good part of the day reorganizing his room to accommodate his new toys. 

(Here he accommodated the packaging to his new toys.  Pretty Creative.)

Super Proud of his Minecraft Creation

and also of his Super Mario bedroom Centerpiece.

Here he proudly models his newly redecorated bedroom.
(Pottery Barn Kids ain't got nothin' on this.)

Did I tell you he and Lauren recently switched rooms?

(no? well they did but that's a blog post for another day)

Moving on...

Tyler's Birthday Dinner

He requested Macaroni and Cheese and Chicken Nuggets

(of the boxed and frozen variety)

What my baby wants, my baby gets...at least once per year.

The night was finished off with a chocolate on top of chocolate on top of chocolate etc. cake.

YUMM!

Tyler is such a thoughtful, caring, intelligent, and determined little boy.  I'm very thankful that I get to watch him on his journey to awesomeness.

Love you sweet boy.
Happy Birthday!

Sushi Success

I'm so excited!

#1  The Ducks made it to the Sweet 16!  oooOOOooo

#2  I made Sushi for the first time and it turned out Pretty Darned Good!

I followed this recipe for the most part.  However, I omitted the avocado and added alfalfa sprouts.

For the kids' rolls I left out the wasabe.

(it didn't matter because T didn't like it and L was still feeling under the weather and didn't eat dinner)

look at those amazing California Veggie Rolls

 I'm pretty proud of myself if you can't tell.

 The rolls were easy to make and I'm already excited to try some new combinations.

(Buffalo Chicken, & Celery Sushi...oh yeah!)

Along with the sushi I whipped up a light yet tasty Scallops with Asparagus & Peppers dish.

Yum!

Although I am excited about the Oregon Ducks and my Sushi Success I'm still bummed out because Lauren is feeling under the weather.

Friday afternoon I received a call from the school nurse saying Lauren was in her office with a low grade fever and complaining of a stomach ache.

I went to pick her up and as an after thought I threw a bucket in the car Just.In.Case.

I'm glad I had my Just.In.Case Bucket because she needed to use it just before we pulled into our driveway.

Poor Girl.

She had a rough and vomity night last night but she seemed better today.

However, she seems to have taken a turn for the worse tonight.

Feel better soon sweet girl.

Hail Storm March 2013

Never Have I Ever...

SEEN HAIL QUITE SO BIG!

While the kids and I were tucked safe and sound into our home we watched QUARTER SIZED hail fall from the angry sky.

We were glued to the back deck door and amazed at the quarter sized rocks of ice pelting the house.  It was so LOUD that I thought a window could be shattered.

Luckily that was not the case.

While the kids and I were huddled inside the house Matt, unfortunately, was driving home during the ferocious storm.

He said the drive home was "madness."
People were stopping all over the interstate and the hail was coming down Hard.

Thank God he made it home safe and sound.

The next morning he thoroughly checked out the hail damage to his car.

He saw over 30 dents!

His car is in the shop and should be good as new in a few days.

It should be in tip top shape just in time for the next big STORM.

(WHERE ARE YOU SPRING?!)

It's TWO-WHEEL Time

Lauren and Tyler do not know how to ride a bike without training wheels.

They are currently 9 and 6 years old.

This is unacceptable.

I have decided it is TIME for them to learn to ride a bike.

Today we bought Tyler a bigger bike (for his birthday next week) and he's been practicing riding it with the training wheels.

They will soon come off.

Lauren has had a bigger bike for years but pitches a fit any time she tries to ride it without training wheels.

"It's terrifying," she says.  

Since Matt is infinitely more patient with L's tantrums, I enlisted him as the two-wheel trainer.

He spent a good 30 minutes off and on (in between pitched fits)

and made some serious progress.

Check her out!