The Parkers Come to Visit!

Easter kinda slipped up on me this year. Don't get me wrong, I did OK at the beginning of Lent but there at the end it kinda got away with me. I was glad it got here because my BFF (one of them) came for a visit from TEXAS!!

Natalie and Wayne Parker with their two kids Kate and Luke. Kate is 10 and Luke is 8. Kate is my God Daughter and both of them are really awesome kids! The Parkers decided to fly into Seattle, stayed the night, saw the sights then hopped the train to Wenatchee. It is Amtrak and it takes about 4 hours but I here the views are killer and Hey, its a train! They arrived Thursday evening and the adventures took out full force.
On Friday- we just kinda hung out and saw the local area. We took the kids up to Mission Ridge Ski Resort. Although it was closed for the season- we introduced them to the snow!! Wouldn't you know, my battery died so I only got this ONE picture! Basically, the kids hiked up the bunny hill and after realizing how hard it qas would rest by making little snow angels. THEN- they body surfed themselves down the mountain!! Oh My Gosh- I soooo wished for my camera! It was the funniest thing! Man- to be a kid again!! Well, after about 45 minutes of the wet and cold and no one feeling anything we stripped them down and took them back home for some serious backyard playing! Don't know if I mentioned how much I love my backyard-- but I LOVE my backyard. It is its own adventure. Later that evening we went for an "adult" only dinner. Lovely.... just lovely.

"God Father" with two of his "God Children".

Saturday turned out to be gorgeous so we went for a hike. The original plan, was for us to have a picnic and the guys would hike the kids up the mountain. Well, I realized I have gear to carry Henry and hiking sticks so why can't I go with them?! I had been told it would be easy and gradual....*^%$*#@!!!
UP, UP, UP I go....breathing like a dying horse every step of the way. Sweating like a cow waiting for slaughter. Weaving back and forth worse than a drunk getting a field test from a cop! The approximate weight was around 30 pounds.

Folks- if you haven't been "training" with a pack on or walking UP steep terrain..... its gonna be ugly! It was narrow, steep and other people were actually on this trail. WHAT are they thinking?????? Didn't they see this snorting pack mule grunting her way up the mountain? They look at me with a " Hey, I need to squeeze by 'ya" and I was looking at them like " You are S.O.L. , buddy!" Some how they would get around me--- but it wasn't me who was gonna move.... to WHERE- off the cliff?????
It was worth every gasping step. The view was EXCELLENT!

Up- Up- Up We Go!

Even Abby the Wonder Dog got to hike!

Proof we MADE IT TO THE TOP!

It made me excited to see what I could do physically and what I need to work on! I really, really enjoyed it- pain and all. It was so fun. It was even better when I handed the pack over to Thomas and said, "You get to carry him down- my knees can't make it!" Going down was JUST as big of an adventure as the first half. My legs were jelly and going down was rough on the Ol' Adcock knees.
*Side note: Adcock knees are a genetic malformation given to me by my Father! You don't know if they will hold you up in certain situations and you sound like sandpaper is living in your knees. We don't even discuss the pain.*
I was the last one down the mountain.

I think everyone else had a good time. During my gasps of breath, Natalie and I would get to catch up. She would tell me about whose, whose and what's what back home. It is my way to stay connected to back home. A lot of "Do you remember when we....." was said followed by lots of laughter. We also tried to take "do it yourself photos". She begged me NOT to put these up... but I must! The lesson? When you reach a certain age ( over 30) you don't always look "cute" when you are taking a self portrait.... Always try to get someone to take it. Sometimes- even that is as good as it gets!

Bad shot #1

Oh Lord-- it can't get any worse!

Natalie- don't pucker like that- we aren't 20-something!

Easter Sunday was followed with another hike after Mass. It was a nice Mass but you could tell the choir, the Deacon and Fr were a little frazzled from Saturday Evening's Marathon Mass. Lots of miscues and blank air!! We invited some of our friends over to the house. Lynn Kelley and her boys joined us for a steak lunch with all the trimmings. She brought desserts..... YUMMY!
Us girls went for a walk to digest and when we returned- Thomas, Mom, Wayne and kids went up Castle Rock for a hike. I stayed behind with the little ones as did Natalie. I just couldn't go 2 days in a row. I don't think the guys realized how hard it would be on them--- they were dragging tongues when they got home!
Monday came and went ... I let the kids skip a half day of school. We made an early dinner and roasted marsh mellows in the fire pit. It was a GREAT ending to a GREAT week. The next day I took them back to Seattle to catch their flight. It was a little sad to see them go. I know it will be a year if not more when I see her next. Thank goodness texting and phone calls are cheap. Remember when they were NOT?!  Big hugs and some tears and they were off. I am sure we wore them out!

This looks a little "uncomfortable". :}

A GREAT way to end a GREAT visit!

The final fabulous thing --- I brought Madelon Rose with me. A TOTAL girl day! We had a great time!! Shopping for shoes, dresses and lip gloss. We went for lunch, picked out gifts for the siblings then headed back home. She was darling!!! She had a dollar in her wallet and every time I would go to pay for something she would get it out and ask if she could pay for it. I almost cried!!

D-I-V-A!!

At the end of the day-- I rode home with her saying this exact exchange:
MR-"Mommy, not all the babies get born do they"?
Me- "No sweet heart".
MR- "Jesus must REALLY love me"
Me- "Yes he does"
MR " No -- Mommy he REALLY, REALLY loves me because he gave me to you and you are the best Mommy in the world! He really loves me Mommy because he chooses carefully"!!
Me- speechless.....
Worth the whole trip.........


*BUT- I was woken at midnight to MR telling me Elizabeth was vomiting.... Sigh! Back to Reality!

Spring Break 2011

It is Spring here in the great NW! I can't remember the last time I had a Spring Break in April but here we are and loving every minute!
So the week started with a visit from my Great Aunt (Memom's sister) and her daughter. They had plans to be in earlier from their flight. That was changed when they had to go over one of the passes in heavy snow. A late arrival and a change of plans to their accommodations ( my mother got the stomach bug) they went straight to bed. They were up and ready the next morning and off they all went "sight seeing". It was total fun having them around and GREAT to see my Grandmother so happy!
The trip was short and they took my Memom back to Texas till mid-May. I am sure they have already gone to most of the flower nurseries in a weeks time. I am sure Memom is enjoying some of the heat!
I already miss her and her laundry folding abilities.....seriously! I HATE folding sheets! :}

Coming home from Seattle... water looks COLD!

We had the opportunity to go to Seattle for one day. The 3 older kids and some friends went to see the Star Wars exhibit. TOTALLY worth the trip. I think I enjoyed it much more than the kids. Yes, I love the "original" Star Wars. It was fun and the kids were pretty good. For some reason, Blaise decided to walk through some plants by the Science Museum. Out of no where a "police officer" on this little scooter thing came chasing after us. Wow- we almost went to Seattle Center jail....kinda like airport jail. I honestly couldn't take the guy serious because he was on one of those vertical scooters that you see people on "sight-seeing".... really? You can't be on foot? You look REAL mean on that scooter!
Anyway- it was all good and the plants are the "no kill'em kind". You can't kill them by walking on them. Yes, he was wrong- but the guy didn't have to snarl!!

The last part of the week we just laid low! Went to a local museum, ate lunch outside and lounged. At the end of the week- I had 2 kids with 102' and bark coughs. OF COURSE, it had to be 2 days before they went back to school. Lucky for me- a virus- but Blaise still sounds like a seal.
Since then we have gotten into a groove. I received this niffty "chore chart" from the recommendation of my super duper organized friend Kathryn! We will start it this week. I am totally excited! I will say, I am keeping up with the laundry pretty good. Every day is 2+ loads but it is done and put up. Now, if I can just keep up with dinner planning!
This week we will be celebrating Blaise's 8th Birthday! He is really blooming and growing like a weed! He is now as tall as Jax. For those of you who remember Blaise-e as a baby- "tall" was not in his vocab! He was more like, round and jolly!! He is such a neat kid. More on that later!

Blaise was a little "Buddha Baby"!

Surfer dude in 2009

Easter we will have my BFF from High School and her family here! Natalie, Wayne and 2 kiddos! I am totally excited. She will probably think it is cold here ( 50-60's) but it is very nice. There will be LOTS of hikes for the boys and us just catching up. It will be bitter sweet I am sure!
Still working with the school. Pray for us-- ! We got a new Bishop in our Diocese! Pray for him.
OOOOHHHH- one last thing, Thomas and I have started getting up at 4:50AM to workout. Will let you know more in the next blog....lets just say this is H-U-G-E for my hubby to make this type of commitment!
More later- promise to be better on keeping up the posts-