Sounder Fun

This weekend Jon and I got spoiled as far as parenting duties go. And a big thanks to our parents who made our great weekend of multiple date nights possible. Friday Jon and I enjoyed some quality time at a local resturant and then ice cream and catching up on our favorite tv shows a home...not to mention sleeping in. Then Saturday night we were able to go childless to the Sounders FC soccer match in Seattle. This is the sounders inagural season and it is no secret when you are at the stadium who team sponsor is: XBOX 360.




* when I left the stadium I felt as though I needed yet another xbox in my home for some reason.* Since that is Jon's department at Microsoft he was able to score us some tickets from a friend at work. The tickets where great club level seats (always fun when you get to ride a secret elevator) and included "field passes" aka. huge plastic tags hanging from stadium sanctioned lanyards that you must display proudly and occassionaly flash at the lovely security people. You get to the field via a secret hallway. super cool. We enjoyed being on the field. You gain such a better understanding of just how large the field and the facility are.But we were goofy and left the field just prior to the players coming on to warm up...next time we will know better. Oh well, it was back up to our seats for some dinner - love game food- and then the match. It was a great game, the sounders won 2-0 Thanks in part to my favorite player Zakawani (hello, how cool is that last name) and each time a goal was scored the place errupted in noise and confetti poured from the sky. We have now learned that soccer is a confetti sport. It was such a fun night. We are hoping that Jack and Jon will be able to do an afternoon match some time this season, Jack would totally get into it.


a little field level shot.


a winning team departing the coffetti covered field


thanks jumbotron for the headshot of my man Zakawani

More Sun & Earth Day Fun

We continued to be blessed with blue skies and the shining orb on Tuesday. And since sunny days cannot be counted upon in our neck of the woods we said "screw it" to chores and headed outdoors. We met our friends at Home Depot in the early hours to grab what we needed for our Earth Day project * more later* then we went to the park-al-a Grandparents to enjoy the pool,lunch and time with the cousins. We spent so much of the day there that we even decied to BBQ dinner and stay to enjoy it on their back deck. What a lovely way to spend the day.



This is okay- it is mutual "light saber" fun.
Both are willing participants.



Can you tell it was naptime for Max soon after this photo.

Then, in typical Northwest fashion, come Wednesday it was raining, a good 15 degrees cooler and just plain blah outside. But alas Jack and mom had big nap time plans. We decided that this year in honor of Earth Day...but more so in honor of our love for salsa we planted tomatos and cilantro. Nowany and all who know me, know I tend to fail miserably when it comes to gardening...but here's to hoping for a tasty summer.

Sunny Days + Friends = Beach Fun

We awoke this morning to beautiful sun and hot temps. Thus the delemia in ensued: to school or not to school. We opted for half day at school and then hit the road with our friends to lunch and play at one of our favorite spots: ALKI Beach in Seattle. The boys wasted no time getting covered head to toe in sand. Jack was able to bring his friend Jonathan along so they had great fun digging big holes while Max was easily entertained by sand and the sights. Alki has a huge dog population and Max being a dog lover had a grand time pointing out dogs. We were able to share our day with our friends Shannon, Regan and Rowan. In between child wrangling, pulling rocks out of tiny mouths and keeping children from petting random dogs us moms got a chance to chat and sun ourselves. Finally we enjoyed lunch from our favorite spot for fish and chips, SPUDS. Oh so good. A beautiful day, fantastic weather and good friends....how sweet is that.

Mom's Weekend Away. Oh Good Times.

This last weekend I was lucky enough to get away with some girlfriends for some fun. 10 of us from church loaded into vehicles and made our way to Portland,OR. Our purpose was two fold: have fun and attend the Beth Moore event. Oh it was such a great time with friends and such amazing Bible teaching by Beth. We were among the 7,300 woman who filled the rose garden. So Cool. When not in "class" we enjoyed great times at the hotel and finished the weekend with a great lunch downtown. As we all unloaded our van we found ourselves in that beautiful mix of exhausted and refreshed at the same time. Watch out spouses...us girls are plotting already...about the next time.

Opening Day of T-Ball

Once again Jack is playing T-Ball through our local parks and rec. Much to the sadness of Jack and his parents, jon and i are not coaching this year. It would be just to much to try and wrangle 12 3-5 year olds with hard balls and aluminum bats, as well as the fastest almost 2 year old we know. So Saturday, Jon and I gathered with Max and Mormor on the sidlines, in the cold and rainy weather to take in the action. Jack did a great job. Holding and playing his position. While Jack and Dad were out on the field Max kept pointing and wavy and Jack. He was a great spectator. (Maybe being confined to the backpack helped) He was a pro at swinging the bat as well. We look forward to a great season.

Zoo fun in the Sun

The beautiful weather continued and so Monday the boys and I ventured to the Zoo for the first time this season. The sun was out, the air was warm and we all had on our short. According to Jack: it was a good day. This was Max's first trip the zoo. HE LOVED the animals. He especially loved the Meerkats and the Lemurs. Jack once again could not get enough of the outdoor jungle gym. It was a such a fun day in the sun.


Checking out the meerkats. Max loved that they would play with balls.


Jack loved being the real spider man on this gigantic spiderweb.


Max easily spent 10 minutes laying inside this whale while kids climbed all over the top.


Max loved finding the fish. He squealed each time they came by.


Jack and his best superhero serious face. Climbing is serious business.


This is a great little bucket that spins kids around. Max kept asking for more.

Spring Sprung...

..and we took the opportunity to enjoy it. Here in the northwest the last few months have been several shades of gray with more snow then usual. Our house, and especially Jack, have been craving some sun-filled days. Saturday and Sunday were beautiful and we decided to dust off some things that have not seen the light of day in some time and to enjoy the spring days to their fullest.

Jack tried his hand at riding his bike with no training wheels. While we still have a long way to go, it is so much more fun to ride in the warm sun then during overcast intermitten rain showers. I am confident that in no time he will be riding all around the neigborhood.




Max loved being outside, barefoot and throwing around the baseball. Max loves to throw and loves all things ball so he was a very happy camper.



Jon decided it was the time to uncover and scrub down the grill. We enjoyed a delicous dinner of bbq hamburgers, fries and watermelon. Good dinners are just around the corner now that the grill is clean and ready to go.



I was thrilled to throw my superwhite legs into shorts and flip flops. They are my favorite attire and I don't care if the temp doesn't lend itself to shorts...if the sun is out....I want to be in shorts and flipflops.



The boys and I ended our weekend with more watermelon... they love melon, and a great evening fireside at my parents house. When we got back into the car Jack said to me " I am so happy that it is spring...now I can really start having a fun life". Oh, Jack..no matter the whether we have a great life...but I do agree the sun is nice.

Words

Here are couple word tidbits from this week:

Jack was asked to write down his three favorite words and bring them to school. He and his class are learning about "expanding their vocabulary". Being the stellar mom that I am, did this homework assignment with jack in the car prior to school on wednesday (stop the condemning look right now Jonathan...it was a rough morning). Here is how it went:

Mom: Jack what are the three favorite
words that you would like me to write down?

Jack: (slightly annoyed and rolling his eyes)
Mom! that is such an important question, I can't just choose
any three words..give me time to think.

Mom: okay, think for a minute.

(5 minutes pass with all kinds of groans and under the
breath noises happening in the back seat)

Jack: Alright mom, do you have the pen ready.
I have my words.

Mom: Go ahead, I am ready

Jack: Now mom these are big words
so just do your best to spell them. Okay?

Mom: Okay.

Jack: My words are: particular,
ordinary, and investment.

Alright then...

On the Max front: Max is attempting to use new words as well. Right now they are more like tonal noises that really only trained mom ears can decipher but he is trying at least. Added this week to his repartee:

all done, let's go, please, toast, what happen.

Soon he will be talking so all can understand..but for now I am loving his language.

It's Wacky Wednesday

Today at preschool Jack and his friends were invited to put on their wackiest attire in celebration of April Fools and the ready of Wacky Wednesday. Jack worked hard to put together his outfit. Jon and I only had to veto underwear on the head..and so Jack settled for his shorts insead. He had a blast.