Think Pink!

We've just returned from five days in Bend that were all about the pink! Y'know, pink. In honor of those who've battled cancer, in memory of those who have lost their battle and in support of those who are battling still. The activities of this week, specifically, were to benefit Sara's Project, named for Sara Fisher who was my high school guidance counselor. Sara battled cancer while I was still in school and sadly, lost her battle one year after I graduated. She was a great lady who left an incredible legacy. Our activities started on Wednesday with a jewelry show put on by my friend Hollie, Silpada Rep Extraordinaire, and hosted by yours truly. If you wanted to make it and couldn't, go here to see her catalog online. It's really cool jewelry. Thank you to those of you who came out. Thank you to those of you who ordered online. Thank you to those of you who made a donation instead. I can assure you, this cause is worth your time and money. Today's Heaven Can Wait Walk/Run now has over 4,000 participants annually and has raised over $600,000- for Sara's Project. They're working towards obliterating cancer and supporting women who are fighting for their lives, not to mention their breasts.

Y'know, breasts.

The Girls.

Tah Tahs.

Jugs.

Bosoms.

Mammaries.

Hooters.

Melons.

Knockers.

Boobs, people. Boobs.

Say it with me.

One of my favorite things about these events are that women are talking. To each other. To their daughters. To their sisters. To anyone who'll listen. Awareness is a big priority, and it seems to be making a difference. Here are some pics from our week.

The firefighters who take these trucks all around the country, do so on their own vacation days in the name of breast cancer awareness. On Friday we went out to see the trucks which are covered with the signatures of survivors, like my mom. Go pink!

On a trailer behind one of the fire trucks....

Today's walk to benefit Sara's Project.

Julane's and my shirt....

My mom's shirt....

Here we go....

On the course....

Even the pups wore pink.

Uncle Jim gives Libby a ride.

Peyton has ice cream after the race.

What a cool event....

On Peyton's back....

I'll end with a major victory, not for wiping out breast cancer, but for wiping of an entirely different kind. We're packing the potty everywhere these days because, it seems, Peyton is ready. Today, in front of God and thousands of runners/walkers who were gathered at the finish line, Peyton pooped on her pink potty. I think I haven't changed a diaper in a week. A week, people! Go Peyton! Go pink!

God Bless Those Who Serve

I couldn't come up with words to express what this video made me feel, so on this Memorial Day I'm just posting it instead. God bless the men and women who've served and who serve in the military. And God bless those who love them. Get a tissue. You're going to need it.

I want to send a personal thank you to our dear friends Jodi and Gary Grubb and your three boys. Your family has sacrificed a lot over the years for Gary's service in the military. We love you guys and think of you often.

Girls Gone Wild (a.k.a. A Day at the Cabin)

We spent Saturday of Memorial Weekend up at Kevin and Susan's cabin. We had perfect weather for getting out and burning some energy on bikes. Both girls were exhausted when we got home.

The meadow in front of the cabin has the perfect slope to practice getting gutsy on their bikes.

Knock Knock!

Let's ride.

Grunny gets some love and Peyton gets hysterical.

Peyton checks out the river from the safety of the couch.

The girls....

Libby and Lucy get in a good snuggle with Aunt Susan......

....and with Uncle Kevin.

A little more ridin'.

It's been a good weekend.

Beachy

Big news first.... I have a job! I'm going to be teaching 5th grade here. I'm going back to Howard Elementary and it feels great to be going back to a familiar place. I'll be working with my friend Suzy and that's a huge bonus! Now, if I can figure out how to balance this working mom gig, I'll write the how-to book and make my millions.

My dad and Margie came last weekend and we celebrated my dad's birthday. I intended to make cupcakes, but never got around to it. My dad settled for a candle placed on his half eaten bagel. Cupcakes to come later. Happy Birthday Dad!

Monday we headed to Astoria where sturgeon season is under way. The girls are bunking together now and loving it. The first night I think they were still wrestling around two hours after we put them in bed. Luckily, the novelty seemed to wear off and the next nights weren't quite so rowdy.

Ice cream (after riding the carousel) in Seaside.

Beach time! We played on the beach in Gearhart because you can drive your car right onto the beach. That means when you open the car doors, you're there. That's priceless when you're packing around little people who are not fans of walking while carrying things.

Peyton loved throwing the ball for Grunny, but we need to work a bit on her technique. She totally throws like a girl.

Action shot....

Beautiful Oregon.

Beautiful girl.

When we got home the girls found (and played with) their umbrellas. I jumped up and grabbed my camera to get this shot of Peyton trying to bring hers inside. She was so frustrated.

My little wicked one. She was so sad that Peyton didn't want to dance with her.....

Then, I told her I'd dance with her......

I think I've mentioned that Peyton loves doing everything her sister can do? Well, now Libby can open her car door all by herself. So, naturally Peyton thinks she can too. This morning it took us forever to get out of the driveway. She insisted on opening her own door and wouldn't let me come within ten feet of it for fear that I'd open it for her. If I even thought about making a move in her direction, she'd scream at a volume worthy of calling child protective services. Heck, I almost called them myself. The problem is that she can't do it. So, after letting her struggle with it for awhile, I managed to stand in my open doorway and reach through to open her door from the inside, all the while letting her believe she'd done it herself. It's a win win. Victory for all involved. I'm hoping she'll build some strength though, so we don't have to go on with this little charade for too long. If only I had a minivan, then I could open her door with the push of a button. But the problem with that is, well, I'd be driving a minivan.

Our last stop today was the grocery store. Peyton was tired, unopen to any redirection from me and insisted on standing in the big part of the cart. Every once in a while she'd sit on the edge and balance her little tush on the 1/2" lip. Rather than fight her on it (or take her to the ER), I took both girls out of the cart and let them run like wild boars through the store. Grunting, snorting and squealing. I'd like to think the other shoppers thought it was adorable, and frankly they were. Make no mistake, little girls can get away with things toddler boys cannot. It's true. Unfair, but true. Just as cute as my devilish little Peyton, was her big sister who walked beside her and said, "Excuse us." to the other shoppers. No joke. She's already learned to apologize for her sister.

Peyton walked up to this display of peppers and just before she could pull out the one on the bottom, toppling the entire display, I tackled her to the ground. No, not really. But I do think that happened to some other poor mother of toddlers today, because if you look closely at the green ones, they've been re-stacked. Luckily, mine didn't do it. I should've let you think they did.

Mealtime Monsters

We do our best to try to teach some manners and general social etiquette around meal times, but who are we kidding? Nobody in this house has attended finishing school. Peyton gets more and more active everyday. As I'm sitting here she's using her small chair to climb into the windowsill and then dancing in the middle of their small table. That was tonight's mealtime activity too. Tonight, rather than correct, correct, correct, I decided to sit back and let it happen. Soon enough they'll be teenagers with their own activities that interrupt dinner, but not yet. Here was the conversation at dinner tonight:

Libby Peyton Me

"Peyton, are you a Scottish festival?"

"Yeah."

"Do you have balloons?"

"Yeah."

"Can you share your balloons?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, here's your ticket. (pretends to hand out tickets) J. R. B. S."

(Car honks. Grunden Barks.)

"Mom, who honked?"

"Someone next door."

"I bet they changed. I bet they changed their furniture. Peyton...... are you normal?"

"Yeah."

(Peyton falls out of her chair, cries and climbs onto my lap.)

"Peytie, look at me. Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Are you a boo boo?"

"Yeah."

"Peytie, look."

(Libby opens her mouth to show Peyton her chewed food, then continues to eat)

"Mom, how will I brush my teeth when I'm bigger and I lose my teeth?"

"Um..... you'll brush the ones you still have."

"Peytie, can you share your......"

(Libby doesn't wait for an answer before she begins to eat from Peyton's plate.)

"Yeah. Mommy, mine. Mine, Mommy. Mommy, mine."

"Peyton, are you going pee pee?"

"Hey, no more pee talk at the table, please."

"Pee pee pee pee pee pee pee pee pee pee......."

(Libby bites her napkin and smiles at Peyton who proceeds to rip the napkin out of Libby's teeth tearing it into pieces. They do this a few times. Peyton slaps Libby in the face. Libby seems not to mind and giggles. Libby then spins sideways and turns upside down in her chair with her head under the table, feet waving in the air. Peyton attempts to climb onto Libby, but falls short and lands on the floor. I correct all behavior and tell the little monsters to....)

"Everyone, eat."

"Done."

"Me too. I'm done too, Mom."

Meal over. Mom tired.

Sum, Sum, Summertime

The warm weather not only opens possibilities for ways to spend our day, but it also gives us livable square footage. I likey more square footage. Here Libby serenades the neighborhood at the top of her lungs. She went through every song in her repertoire. I was, at one point, tempted to ask her to turn down the volume, but then I thought better of it. This kid has a need to perform. Check out her socks. Very Wicked Witch of the West. Broadway, look out.

Monkey see. Monkey do.

We've just taken the bouncy house out of storage. Hello, toddler energy zapper. I have missed you....

Monkey see.

Monkey do.

I wonder if it gets old to look at pictures of my kids making bubbles.... I never get tired of it.

I can't remember the reason for that head of hair, but I'm going to assume Peyton had just woken from napping. I mean, wow.

Fetch.

Every year at this time the Lutheran church down the street has a Scottish Festival. I always wonder about it, but we've never gone. This year we did. We paid nine dollars for two hot dogs and sat in the grass to listen to some music. It was great. First, we listened to the Eugene Highlanders play their bag pipes. I couldn't help but think of my Grammy. She absolutely hated the sound of bag pipes. She'd say, "That's the most God awful sound I've ever heard. Why anyone would like listening to bag pipes....." Anyway, I had a little chuckle and thought of her as we sat and enjoyed (a shaved ice and) the bag pipes.
Peyton's working on the potty and sometimes the feeling strikes when we're riding bikes in the driveway. We don't fret it, though. Grunden provides privacy. Sort of.
Hello summer of no pregnancies and no breast fed babies! I'm back! Do you like lemon drops? I make a mean one! The other night I had two. Only two, but I had the headache in the morning to prove it....
The indoor playground where we're members had their summer kickoff party last week. Shane took charge of painting our girls' hands as Libby didn't want her face painted. And Peyton wants whatever Libby wants. Always.
The party did Peyton in. She slept like this for at least an hour and kept sleeping after Shane put her in her bed.

Cinnamon toast. Yum.

This is my child. And this is how she arrived at the dinner table one night last week. Wearing nothing but a swim suit and a pair of boys underwear on her head. To each their own.