Just in time

I have been working on this project (off and on) for a few weeks. I followed the directions, as far as I can tell, but mine turned out smaller. Eh, I like it anyway. It helps that it is for a 1yo. It was certainly a test of my patience. I am not the most patient when it comes to projects. It came together pretty slowly, but definitely worth it. Now, I just have to fill it with treats and mail it to Baby Kate.

Redwood Rabbit

At Easter-time, the local newspaper hides four eggs, each filled with $1000 worth of local gift certificates, in different areas on the northcoast. As far as I know they have done this for quite a few years, but I have never participated. This year, though, I have caught the fever. Based on the daily clues, we narrowed it down to the paved dog trail at Sequoia Park. So, this morning we packed up a backpack full of snacks, water and the ergo (just in case Walter got tired) and headed out on our hunt.

We even packed the kids' headlamps so they could look in all the crevices. They had a blast! We were out there for almost 2 hours.

Refueling. Look at how dirty they got!

Walter was climbing up a stump to check for the egg.

In searching for the egg, Olivia started stepping on all the clovers. I told her to stop because that is where the Leprechauns live. From then on we started hunting Leprechauns, too. This is a picture of Olivia checking out a hole in a stump to see if it was the entrance to the underground Leprechaun village.

So, no luck today. But, maybe tomorrow's clue will help. We are heading out again in the morning.

Connections

I am just asking for a little one.

Walter can tell me where he is supposed to go "tinkle" and "poop". We talk about it all the time. He can tell me what reward he gets for doing it, a sticker and a stamp on his hand. He can even tell me all about the agreement that we made that he is going to give his diapers to the Easter Bunny and, in turn, the Easter Bunny is going to bring him more cars and "man pants". (I know it sounds silly, but it totally worked with Olivia and Santa Claus.)

What we are missing is the connection. The one that connects all this talk to the actual act of using the potty without me forcing him to try every half-hour. The one that allows him to say YES when I ask him if he needs to go potty. The one that helps him to not tinkle in his pants and then, only after I have already changed his clothes, poop in them as well. The one that keeps him from going all morning (while we are away from the house) without an accident only to have one on the way to the bathroom when we return home.

I remember this same frustration with Olivia. I remember thinking that there was no way she was ever going to learn to use the bathroom. I remember having visions of driving to Kindergarten to change her diaper or bring a change of clothes daily. She was so stubborn. But then on Christmas she was done. She just decided to do it.

That is what I need now from Walter.

T minus 12 days

I know Easter is 12 days away, but that is not what I am talking about here.

I have decided that Walter is ready to be potty trained. He will be two-and-a-half on April 1st so as of Easter Sunday he is not going to be in diapers anymore. So says I.

We have tried this before...a trial run we'll call it. It was marginally successful, except for the fact that we need to do it again. So, starting today we are spending time diaperless and having regular, enforced potty-time. I hesitate to reward him with anything more than a high-five at this point. I know he would do anything for candy so I hope I don't get desperate.

He has always been a big nighttime wetter, so I am not sure how we are going to deal with that. I don't want to have to deal with bed changes (and the laundry that goes along with that) daily.

One day at a time, I guess.

Busy Monday

Made Grandma buns (delicious!)

Planted the strawberries and the last of the raspberries

Went to the park but I forgot the camera. We played for a while and then went on a nice hike to the duck pond and some trickling waterfalls.

I was too exhausted by the end of the day to make more tortillas. Maybe today...

Family Day

Just some playing around outside on the first day of Spring (and the beautiful day before)!

I tried to teach Olivia to ride without training wheels, but she is still too short to touch the ground while sitting on the seat. Maybe when she is 5...

She loves that she has figured out how to dig and I love that she likes to help.

Walter was being a little whiny, but still managed to look cute.

Working on "fish-face".

Olivia knows how to pump the swing now! Yay!

We spent $5.85 at the garage sales this morning. Score!

Company

Nothing like an impending visit from a friend to really get your butt in gear in the morning. I have mentioned that I am trying to get my house back in order and routines reinstated. As much progress as I have made, my house was not in presentable condition this morning. I am relieved to know that I was only one hour of cleaning away from comfortably welcoming guests, though. Most of my effort went into picking up stray toys all over the floor.

**Mental Note: I must get the kids to clean up after themselves consistently.**

I also have to clean up after myself consistently!

After vacuuming, sweeping and mopping the floors the house looks much better.

Now onto something fun...like making tortillas! Mmmmm!

Green Day

...at least that is what Olivia calls it.

The kids ate too many Skittles while they worked on this project.

She was so proud of the design and so full of hope that there would be a little leprechaun waiting for her in the morning. BUT....

He(?) escaped. A weakness in the design that we overlooked. Those little guys are strong!

Our little fashionista!

Getting this kid to wear anything but orange is always a fight.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The Berry Patch

Let's start this with a confession...
I am not a gardener. I don't find joy in planting, pulling weeds or watering. I have never kept a plant alive for longer than 3 months. Luckily, my kids can tell me when they are hungry or thirsty!

But, my kids love berries and I hate how expensive they are. So I wanted to set up an area in the yard to grow them. This year, the stars alligned and I found myself out in the back yard working my butt off to make it happen. I didn't take a true before picture, but you can get the idea of what I was starting with from this picture.

I had to cut down 5 volunteer apple trees...with a saw(!)...on my own! After the trees were gone I was left with a rolling patch of weeds. That is not grass in the picture and the only reason it is green is because it has been raining a lot lately (we are too cheap to worry about having a luscious green lawn).

This is the start of my row of raspberries -- more on why it isn't complete in a minute. My in-laws are awesome. They supplied me with the starts and reminded me that I need to be patient and cut them back this year. By keeping them from producing this year, their roots will grow stronger and they will produce better next year. So, this is an investment that will mature Summer 2011. Maybe by then I will have forgotten the muscle pains that I endured by turning all that soil by hand.

These are our three new blueberry bushes. We have three others in an awkward area of the yard that I hope to move over here next year. My son wasn't patient last year and ate them all while they were green. Hopefully, I can distract him long enough to let them ripen this year.

My next BIG hurdle:

Believe it or not, this pile has been the reason for more arguments than I would like to admit. Apparently, a wood pile is as importnat to my husband as a fabric stash is to me. I have come to accept it, but I would like to move it! He is ok with ME moving it. Once I have moved it, I can continue my row of raspberries and plant my strawberries. More pictures to come...

Commence life

Winter was particular dark this year. I didn't realize it until lately. My house is a mess and I have lost track of most routines that I used to hold sacred. Most of my energy has been put into merely surviving the seemingly daily onslaught of new illnesses and hurdles. It recently occurred to me that it has been almost six months since Mavis died and I haven't written about that experience at all. Yeah...maybe later. But with that "anniversary" comes the realization that my life has been slowly spiralling downward and inward for SIX MONTHS!! I have been less social and involved with my normal circle of friends and we haven't participated in as many activities as we normally do. Obviously, that has a lot to do with isolating the kids since they have been battling pink eye, h1n1, fevers, sore throats, ear infections, coughs and runny noses. Gee, am I forgetting anything? But, I have been WAY to comfortable with the isolation. It seems that whenever I do take the kids out to an activity I am confronted with awkward interactions from unsuspecting people with genuinely good intentions.

No more!

With Spring so close, I am committed to getting back out there. Today we are heading out to the park, fish hatchery and a picnic...with friends! I will get this house (and myself!) whipped back into shape. (Maybe with pictures to prove it?)