Berry picking

Well we were able to load some pictures from our broken camera - they are a couple weeks old, from when we went raspberry picking.



Jakob showing Sarah which ones to pick.

Jakob inspecting his pick - he was so good about picking only the ripe ones - Sarah on the other hand, picked and ate most anything!


Berries, what berries?

Jakob took this picture of the sunflower - eye level.

Update

Well, our camera is broken, have to get a new one - so no new pics of anything that has gone on in the past week or so. Our computer hard drive is full, waiting to install another. Therefore, we can't even load the pics from our broken camera onto the computer! AAH!
Besides that, we are keeping busy. Poor Mark is working from home as his office space closed down at the beginning of summer, and has been enduring the kids and I. I try to get them out of the house as much as possible, but it's hard. Hoping he will find a miracle and get a new office out of the house - that will help in the Winter months also.
Tried to go berry picking over the weekend - raspberries - not a good crop at the farm we went to - Sarah managed to get her face covered in the MANY that she did eat!! We will attempt to get some raspberries at another farm, maybe this weekend. Until then we are enjoying our smoothies with our frozen blueberries!

Yesterday we had a play date or a play day really with Jakob's buddy Ian. I took the two of them to the Oaks Bottom Amusement Park for Preschool rides - two hours for 6 bucks, all the little rides a kid could want. They rode all of the rides except for 2 because I couldn't take the spinning and they weren't tall enough to ride by themselves - yes the Mom had to bow out on a preschool ride! They loved the rides, even the roller coaster, rode the super slide at least 10 times! We came home for rest time and then off to the Beaverton Park with water fountains to play in, that was a hit for about 10 minutes - Jakob got side swiped by a huge kid and fell smack on the concrete on his side, he was done after that. Ian went back in for awhile then it was off to the play structure and then to the farmers market for Popsicles, kettle corn and berries. Oh, and some tomatoes that Jakob proceeded to eat like an apple - he's a boy after my own heart! The boys were fantastic and both went to bed very easily or so Julie told me about Ian!!

Jakob started his Wood Shop class at the Multnomah Arts Center - and he LOVED it! It's a class for 4-6 year olds, he is the youngest of the 3 in his class. Talk about lots of one on one attention. He learned how to use a vice, saw wood, hammer nails and drill with a manual drill. He says he is building a "Pirate Ship", we'll see! This class is a 1 hour class on Thursdays, parents are not to attend - so 1 hour to myself - in the building - maybe to read?! Amazing. So, of course I signed him up for the Monday class as well! Sarah is not at daycare on Monday though, so she and I will play at the park, while Jakob builds.
Jakob also starts swim lessons next week - it's going to be a busy end of July beginning of August! Summer is flying by. I will be getting foot surgery August 11th (bunion), my Mom will be here for that, then back to work on August 24th, I can't believe it's just a month away - summer always goes by so fast!
Oh, and Sarah is 18 months, has her check up next week - she is so big. She came home today from daycare with pigtails - oh my God - she looked so big!! Killed me!! She also said "Mo Mik Pees" (More Milk Please) - that's a real sentence - unbelievable!

Blueberries

I don't have any pictures as I didn't have the camera today (Mark took it to work with him in Tacoma), but Jakob and I were out picking blueberries at 9 am this morning. In 1 hour we came home with 6 pounds of blueberries ($9 - can't beat that price)!!
We are serious picking machines. Jakob LOVED it. We will be heading back to pick more this weekend, if I can find room in our freezer! Needless to say, we consumed a lot of blueberries today, in fact I had to ask Jakob to stop eating so many while we were picking, since they would most definetly cause some kind of stomach upset. As I reminded him, he looked right at me and said "I'm not eating them," while at the same time putting one in his mouth - unconciously eating them!! When I pointed that out to him, he laughed so hard! Anyhow, I'm proud of my kiddo, he was a great, meticulous picker - only the "big blue ones Mommy!" He even came out of his shell today and made friends with another boy who was picking, they could be overheard discussing which bush had better blueberries and what bugs ladybugs eat. Too cute!!

Random

Thanks Carla for this, I also like blogging about nothing, it makes me appreciate what is going on in our lives right now!

Outside my window...I hear nothing, a breeze blowing the leaves maybe, mostly I hear our fan going as it is 90 degrees and we don't have AC! It's actually very quiet in our new little neighborhood. Earlier I enjoyed the sounds of Jakob laughing with his friends he made - they are visiting their Grandma who lives a couple doors down.

I am thinking...that I am glad we got a new stroller tonight - LOVE Craigslist!! A jogger with a swivel wheel for super cheap. Hopefully we really like it!

I am thankful...for nights that my family has low expectations for dinner - thank you Carla for this - I just copied it from her!

From the kitchen...Jakob's request, fish sticks, sweet potatoes and salad. We ate outside on our patio, in the shade - so nice!

I am wearing...my plaid'ish skirt from Target and a 2 year blueish top that matches.

I am creating...photo albums, trying desperately to put pictures away from months and months ago. Also, trying to create in my head, pictures of the farmers market, produce etc, that could hang on our kitchen wall? We'll see.

I am going...berry picking with Jakob in the morning, hoping to get to the blueberries before the heat sets in!

I am reading...a bunch of different magazines from the library!

I am hoping...that Jakob won't wake up with a nightmare tonight - we've had a 2 week stretch of this!

I am hearing...Jakob tossing around, turning pages in his books, when he should be sleeping! Sarah snoring.

Around the house...things are looking a bit organized, as I vacuumed tonight and had to put away the toys!

One of my favorite things...the vodka/grapefruit juice "Greyhound" that I am drinking to hopefully put me to sleep tonight. I fell asleep with Jakob today on accident and took a long nap- also a favorite thing -I needed it, but I know I'll be up late!

A few plans for the rest of the week...berry picking, tennis w/Jakob, gardening with the kids at Amber's, sand castle festivel in Pioneer Square, more berry picking with Amber - Mark is gone rafting for a bachelor party on Saturday, so will be out with the kids on Saturday!

Baseball

Jakob is home with me this summer (Sarah is going to daycare 3 days a week, to keep her spot), which works out kind of nice, although Jakob is really missing his friends - had a breakdown today about that. I explained that I am off in the summer and would be bored without him, then went over all the activites we will be doing this summer, and he was ok with it - we'll see how long that lasts! Poor guy, he went from pre school, to vacation with tons of people and fun to coming home to be with only me!! We are trying to keep busy with activities, one being Baseball Class thru the community center. It's a week long class, the last one being tomorrow with a grand finale game against the parents! He really likes baseball for the hitting, but is a good thrower and a great sprinter. He has a hard time with waiting, he kicks dirt or picks weeds - I can't blame him, it's pretty boring just standing around! Next week he is taking tennis - his choice!

Some more photos from our trip to CA

Had to post more photos from our trip to California - these are some of my favorites!

Who knew a blow up pool and ice cold, hose water was so fun!
Nana and her little water helper, Sarah loved to help water the plants - to the point that they were getting over watered!

Jakob and Aidan, digging for sand crabs - never thought I'd see Jakob do that - he hates to get his hands dirty, but anything involving creatures, he's up for. Go figure!
My family running down a hill at Arroyo Verde - pretty cheesy - but I think it's cute. Just a second after this was taken, Sarah did a face plant!
Mr. Oliver Rust - he is soooooooo adorable. We hadn't met him yet, and he'll be a year this month!!
A picture from our awesome parent/adult night out and sleep over ( Evan, Mark, Carmen, Me, Seth and Micheal)!! A lot of good food, A LOT of drinks at that island in the kitchen, A LOT of laughs and even some drumming - I will spare you the video of the drunken drum circle, just a picture (notice the child sized instruments that are being used - as parents we can never get away from the kids I guess). We had such a good time - thanks Connelly's for having us over and staying awake until the wee hours of the morning - the hangover was totally worth it!! Just another great memory of this group of friends - I think we have known each other now for 13 years or more - aah - but all our funniest memories are from this group of friends and/or one of these people!! We love you guys.

Oh and thanks to Nana and Papa for watching our crazy kids all night long - you're the best!

We had a big get together in the park, about 20 people and kids there - fantastic - here is a picture of Uncle Jeff pitching to Jakob, followed by my Aunt Christina pitching!! I just love that Jakob knows them and will remember them now. Oh and I love that they were helping to take care of my children for me at the park, while I socialized. I think at one point, Christina was chasing Sarah and Jeff had 4 kids to look after at the play structure!! Thanks!!


Sarah and her Second Cousin, Isliana (1 year), this was the first time they met. They show the extremes of the growth curve, but are so adorable, I'm sure anyone would agree!!
GG Willy and both the kids, this is my first picture of her with both our kids, and I think it turned out spectacular!
Nana and Papa at the park, down and dirty with the kids!
Ben (4), Jakob (4 1/2) and Sam (to be 7 years on the 22nd of this month), jumping in the waves.
Gramma Kathy and Sarah in the water. What a trooper Gramma was, Sarah wanted her to hold her, but IN the water "Mo watur, mo watur", how could Gramma deny that!
This is our only family pic from Disneyland, on our first ride together - the Pirates of the Caribbean - look at our kids faces - they had no idea what they were in for! Jakob loved it, Sarah was totally traumatized by the dark and immediate drop at the beginning of the ride - I didn't really think about that! Mom of the Year award goes to me!
Jakob and Mickey! All the other pics we have of him with Mickey, he is showing him his light saber that he fought Darth Vader with.
Sarah taking Disneyland in, a bit overwhelming for her, I'm sure!
The Jungle Boat Cruise - serious business to these boys!
Taking a break with my boy, on Tom Sawyer's Island
Mark and Sarah on the Dumbo ride
Jakob and his precious "Blaster" that he bought at Disneyland with his $20 that Papa gave him for helping clean up the leaves! Thanks Papa, for the noisy gun we now have in our house!

A few pics from CA!

Here are some of my favorite pictures so far from Newport Beach and from Disneyland.

Jakob getting ready to body board for the first time!

Daddy helping Jakob catch a wave.
Meanwhile, Sarah is busy digging in the sand!
Mark, catching a wave of his own!
Jakob fighting Darth Vader, with a little help from Jedi Knight, "Mace Windu".
Sarah and Mommy going thru the castle at Disneyland!
Crazy cousins with their mouse ears, kind of on !