I am feeling a lot like this again. I have a ton of stuff going on, but most of it isn't stuff I post about. I am still trying to find the right outlet for it.

Lets see, the blogable highlights:
I am taking the kids to my Dad's house this weekend. It should be a fun time.

My sisters are bothering (I know its in love) me about the kids' birthday parties. I guess I should get on the ball about that. Especially since Miss I's is less than 3 weeks away. I cannot believe she is almost three! She was acting every day of it today! Everything was a battle. "No Mama!" was her answer to just about everything. I am exhausted and its only 1:00. I think she isn't feeling well since she is actually sleeping right now.

We are doing our pumpkin carving tonight. Just in time to throw it away :) Isn't that naughty of me? Halloween is one of those holidays that I just don't get into. I could, but I really don't. I put out some decorations, get a pumpkin, but as for dressing up, well, not so much.

I have been helping in Bubbas class at school. I sure hope I can continue to do that kind of thing for both kids as they progress through school. It has been very interesting. I have a heart for the little boys. There are a couple girls in the class who have glommed on to me, but its the boys that need me. Thankfully there is enough of me to go around, since there are only 7 or 8 of them.

I have helped one little guy, E, for the past three weeks. I think at first he was a little afraid of me but we are getting to know each other a lot better. He is very black and white. If you tell him that a capital letter goes at the beginning of a line, he will put a capital letter at the beginning of the line, even if its in the middle of a sentence.

A light really went on for me working with him yesterday, so I hope we have some success this year. There is another one, L, that is kind of a live-wire, class clown kind of kid. He did so great yesterday sitting reading to himself that I forgot he was in the class. When I checked in with him, he was doing good and I asked if he would read to me. I totally expected him not to read well (I know, how bad is that?) turns out he reads a little better than Bubba! Thats what I get for judging a book by its cover!

And then there's work ... not much to say on that front.

And thats about it. The car needs a cleaning before we leave town on Friday, and this afternoon is probably my last chance. I better go get it done.

Reptiles

Some kind of Python
The Crocodile

The Reptile Man was a hit! He showed off several snakes, a turtle, lizards and a crocodile! Miss I, Bubba and I all petted the croc. He was only about 3 feet long. The kids reactions were so great, from squeals to laughter, and some were just kind of in shock. Very cute. Miss I really enjoyed it "Daddy I go tee a take!" (Some day she will say all her letters right.)

The rest of the week is kind of busy, picture day and karate tomorrow, I have a Big Event at work on Thursday, snack day on Friday and its my work weekend.

Halloween is fast approaching and I think I have it figured out for the kids. Miss I inherited some pretty dresses from Auntie Shel. Bubba wants to be a black spider. What if they are Little Miss Muffet and the Spider Who Sat Down Beside Her? Cute?

I am probably going to take them to My Dads for trick or treating. They have an event each year in their neighborhood where the cars line up and they decorate them. I wonder how to tie the car theme in with the kids? Maybe a spider web? How would you make a "tuffet"? Anyway.

I also broke down and signed up on Facebook. Honestly, I have no idea what to do over there! Why you ask? Well, it all has to do with a 20 year class reunion. And that's all I am gonna say!

Change

The morning sun was shining through a crack in the curtains illuminating a vase of sunflowers I had on the kitchen table on Sunday morning.

More change is in the air. Miss I has all but stopped taking naps. Its the dread of every parent when the kids cease to nap. I screws up the schedule. Thankfully she will still rest in her room for an hour or so, but she's done with sleeping. Now I have to find stuff to fill the time.... Today we are going to go to the school for their assembly with the Lizard Guy - or what ever he is called. Reptile Man, that's it. More on that later.

Am I crazy?

One of the things I wanted to find on my trip was a new purse. I had success, but at a high price.

There is an outlet mall here in Lincoln City. One of the stores is "Coach." As we walked by I said "There is no way I would spend $200 on a purse." But there was something that drew us into the store. I think it was the crowd. Seriously, there had to be at least 150 people in this store. For why we wondered, so we checked it out.

Have you ever been into a Coach store when they are having a sale? Well its like Nordstrom's half yearly sale. There was this electric buzz, women and men in a line that snaked 3/4 of the way around the perimeter of the store, not to mention the zig-zag at the check out.

EVERYTHING was at least 30% off PLUS, if you bought a $1 coupon (that went to breast cancer research) you got an EXTRA 25% off. NO KIDDING. Me, I like the close out section myself, and I found a cute little purse and started to stand in line. And we stood there and inched our way up to the register ... 45 minutes later. (Un)fortunately I found a little black number like the closeout one and a matching wallet and something for My Honey. Over $200 later, but not for just ONE purse, I finally got out of there. Crazy I tell you. Simply crazy.
Cute aren't they?

For a girl who never carried a purse regularly until maybe 10 years ago that's quite a purchase. I better take good care of them!

South on The 101

Boiler Bay
Yaquinta Lighthouse
Near a pottery shop in Lincoln City

If I had only known

THAT is dinner. All homemade. Even the rolls! What you can't see is the pork roast that had to be "braised" what ever the hell that is!

I am being spoiled like you wouldn't believe here! I don't know how I will go back to macaroni & cheese, hot dogs and chicken nuggets. Oh wait, yes I do, I will be the one cooking, so its out of the box, easy stuff on my menu!

These women are amazing. Pies! I only have pie at holidays and that is because someone else made it. Home made rolls, same thing. My mother-in-law makes rolls for holidays and I scarf them down like candy! "Braised" pork roast ... riiiiiiight. Not in my house. If it has some kind of marinade its the one that came on it in the package. Sad, I know.
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I headed south toward Newport today. I had to stop at the Rogue Brewery for more Dead Guy Ale. Guess what happened there? They were having a Columbus Day sale. I bought a different variety, Dads Little Helper, instead of Dead Guy Ale this time (since it was 1/3 the price). And I found one more reason to love the Rogue Brewery, they thought I was 27! HA! I haven't been 27 in over 10 years. I love those guys. The guy serving beer samples studied me hard, asked me if I was 21 and then guessed me at 27. Yeah, I love those guys!
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AND, Oregon. I don't know what to do when they pump my gas. Do you tip the guy, do you wash your own windshield? What do you do? I hate feeling helpless and that's how the gas attendants make me feel. I am used to pumping my own stinking gas and I don't know what to do when someone else does.... Its just so weird.
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Ahhhhhhhh

THAT, my friends is my path to the beach! Actually its a spit, but same difference, right? Its just a few yards away from our deck!

I made it, even though my internal compass is screwed up. Thank goodness for the one in my rear view mirror! Seriously, south feels east to me and west feels north, I am totally unreliable to get myself someplace!

There is a hot tub, there is quietness, there is a TV, if I so desire (which I don't) and books. Chairs by the windows looking over the spit to read the books in, and a second house where there is a lot more activity going on if I want a break from the quiet. There are also several outdoor fire pits. I am pretty sure we're gonna have a fire one of these nights, just gotta get us some dry wood and pray for a clear night. Last night would have been perfect but we weren't prepared. Oh yeah, and internet access.

Preparation

Camera - check
iPod - check
Batteries - check
Wine & beer - check
Cash - check
Phone - check (in fact its brand spanking new!)
Books - check
Books on tape/cd - check

What have I got left to do?
Pack- still waiting on laundry to be done
House cleaned up - not gonna happen :) Well, some of it will, but I am not going to do a huge cleaning, the kids and My Honey are staying home.
Clean out the car, pack the car
Haircut, that happens at 2, but I think that's it. Oregon Coast, here I come.

Happy Fall

Sunnybank Farms, Lake Chelan, WA
Sunnybank Farms, Lake Chelan, WA

Nefarious Cellars, Lake Chelan, WA


What a great weekend!

My sister arrived safe and sound on Friday evening. We had dinner, got my kids to bed and then went to get our cousin from my Mom's house.

The three of us went to my favorite wine bar and had some wine and great conversation! It was amazing how much the three of us have in common. I learned some fun stuff about my sister, and lots of things about my cousin.

She lives in southern Oregon and we don't get to see each other much. When we were kids we saw each other a few times a year, then her family moved to Minnesota. We kept in touch by mail off and on through school. It was a treat to spend a lot of time with her this weekend.

Saturday, my sister and I picked up the rest of the girls (Cousin, Sister and Auntie) and we all went to Lake Chelan for wine. Lots of wine. I was actually wined-out by dinner if you can imagine.

We visited six wineries and then came back to town. It was a lot of fun. There are some beautiful wineries, some po-dunk wineries and some average wineries. I only bought a bottle at one of them. I REALLY wanted to like with wine at Vin du Lac, because their labels are so cute, but it really wasn't that great to me. It was "earthy" and we had a few more descriptive words, but I don't want to dis them too bad, someone out there likes them!

All in all, it was a great start to my vacation! My cousin reminded me at the first winery that I was on vacation, I am still having trouble remembering. Come Tuesday, when I start to pack I should be pretty well there!

Ahhhh

My work day usually ends at 3 provided someone isn't out sick or on vacation.

Today I had a meeting at 1, so I was scheduled off the floor. The meeting was canceled, which was fine, but I just kept thinking of all the things I could do with 2 hours ... Grocery shopping being number 1. It's not that big of a deal, I really should have done it yesterday, but just didn't get it done and it was stressing me out, "When am I going to get it done? Tonight is Karate, tomorrow I will have to take both kids to Safeway AND Costco. UGH." So now its done. I made a menu at work for the next two weeks, planning easy stuff for the days I am out of town and even remembered to plan for this weekend while LK is here! Took the time off, hit Safeway and Costco (alone) got it all put away and had time to spare before Bubba was out of school! I may even walk down and pick him up instead of drive ... I know, "what a stud!" :)

Two more work days! Yay