Brother and sister

I posted this to facebook when I took it but it warrants a post.  We go out for tacos at least once a week at the famed 'Papa's and Beer.' You can imagine the approving looks we get when Deven tells strangers that his mama and daddo take him there.  No worries though, it's just a restraunt with a terrible name...a.k.a lake Stevens.  I digress.  Any how Dev wanted me to take a picture of him to send to Aunt Jessica who's currently in South Africa saving the world. :). So I gladly did and Tova of course got in on the action.  Cutness.

Silvertips

Tova and I didn't get to many games due to bedtime but we made a few thanks to my boss being busy.  We bought a couple extra tickets at one of the final games of the season and made it a family thing.  We met up with the Silvertips' biggest fan too.

Open results

Link fail in previous post.  Here they are.

The Open

So, I'm not huge on "me" blogs but I'm super proud if things I've been up to lately so you'll see a couple here this summer.  Here's the first one.

For all of March I signed up for this "thing" called the Open.  The way I explain it is It's like when you sign up for a run BUT the run happens every weekend for five weeks and you never know when you're going to run until Friday of each week. 

In this case though its not running, it's weight lifting.  Lifting weights, lifting your body, lifting a 14lb ball a.million times, listing your super heavy.feet fast enough to accomplish double unders.  If I hadn't been doing stuff like this for the previous 9 months I would have said it was the hardest thing I've ever done beside carry deven around for 9 months and not sleep with Tova for 11 months.  Ok, nevermind, it was the hardest thing except for those two other things. :).

I think the best thing that came out of it was some confidence.  I had no freaking idea I could do a chest to bar pull up.  It wasnt pretty but I did a few...or maybe 14...but who's counting?  Oh ya, the judges that were standing right next to me the whole time...counting. 

Here is a sample of pictures from the 4th and 5th week. 

And here are my official results page.  I ended up around the high end of average for NW region which I was again super surprised about.  I can honestly say I'm already better than this and can't wait to see where I land next year.

P.S., I left Deven at class the other day whilst showing his buddy how to do push ups and burpees.  Fitness example, done!

Ground hogs day á la Jump Rattle and Roll

How can a parent deny their kiddo the chance to catapult themselves down a huge inflatable slide?  I havn't come up with a logic explanation for Deven and thus we go EVERY time we are invited out to the Monroe bouncy house Mecca.  Almost if not all parties have been here this year.  Thankfully Deven has not mentioned it for his and I will not bring it up.  Here is a sample of the fun.  Straight up though if you find yourself in Monroe, Jump Rattle and Roll...It's pretty dang cool.  I've been known to catapult myself down the slide a time or two.

Time to catch up

So its been almost two months since I jumped on here and let [you] in on our goings on.  Stay tuned for end of March, April and begining of May updates.  Handy dandy new app for blogger will hopefully make updates much more frequent. 

Meet ya there...

We have a very consistent bed time routine.  While the health and well being of the children is at the top of the list of reasons why we try really hard to have the same bed time and bed time routine every night, I think Nick will agree, that perhaps a close second is purely for our sanity.  Not that we are generally doing anything other than making lunches and watching the latest rerun of Criminal Minds but at least it is just us grown ups...you know?  Today was sooooo one of 'those' days...the ones that if you here the word mama again you may just ________*fill in the blank*.

Though of course the moment I start wondering why Nick and I made the seemingly outrageous decision of bringing two children into our once peaceful world they remind me.

Our current routine with Tova is:

• brush teeth singing the abc's so that she will keep her mouth open - keeping her mouth open is a huge step given the streaming tears and uncontrollable sobbing about 3 months ago
• Naked time...this is one of the few phrases she knows.  Don't judge parents also need humor for sanity too.
• Potty practice.  We're getting closer and closer to the elusive no diapers ever again period of life.
• Bath.  She LOVES bath time.  Nick and I adore that she absolutely does not mind water in her eyes (unlike her big bro).
• PJs.  This consists of Tova running bare butt into her room grabbing a diaper ("I godddit mama") then running bare butt into Deven's room and throws herself on the floor sufficient for me to re-diaper and dress her.
• Hugs (on each shoulder) and kisses for "the boys."
• Reading, snuggles and milk.  At least one blanket and one stuffed animal - usually two of each - must accompany said activities.
• If she doesn't fall asleep in my arms (which for many many reasons is the absolute best thing in the world) we have a kiss and hug routine that goes like this (a diagram would have been useful but I didn't want to get too...detailed):
• Kiss on the walk to the bed at which time she also confirms that we will be performing her kiss routine by saying, "kiss bars?" (translation Pleeeeeease give me at least 15 kisses through and above the crib rails, P.S., this may or may not include daddo's participation if he becomes available),
• Kisses through the left, middle and right foot of the bed railings,
• Kiss above the foot of the bed railings,
• Hugs above the foot of the bed railings (on each shoulder),
• Kiss through the top and middle of the side bed railings,
• Kiss above the bottom corner of the side railings,
• Kiss above the top corner of the side railings,
• Hugs above the bottom corner of the side railings (on each shoulder),
• She tries for more but this is where I say "all done" and that I have to leave so she better lay down so I can cover her up,
• She lays down, I cover her up,
• I say LOOOOOVVVEEE YOOOOOUUU BABE and shut the door.

While I realize as I type that this seems extremely OCD I pretty much love it and wouldn't trade it for anything.  My 22lbs little lady is set to brake some serious hearts when she's older...and she knows it.

Our current routine for Deven is:

• brush teeth - we double check the accuracy...we will not be leaving the "no cavity club" on Nick and my watch,
• Naked time.  Yes, this is a running joke,
• Argue about whether or not he needs to use the bathroom - he ALWAYS does,
• Bath.  He never has and never will allow a complaint free hair washing,
• PJs.  Takes the boy at least 15 minutes to get his naked butt to his room and dressed for the night as story telling, concert giving, book choosing, and question and answer sessions compete for his attention,
• Gives Tova a kiss and hug (on each shoulder) goodnight...momentarily freeing his thumb from his mouth as by this time he has found White Blanket,
• Daddo begins the next chapter of the 5th How to Train Your Dragon book,
• Kiss and hug daddo (on each shoulder),
• Climb into his sleeping bag...yes he has slept in his sleeping bag ever since Nick and he went camping last year...or was it the year before???
• Blow daddo a kiss at the door for a last good night...to Daddo,
• When I finish with Tova a go in to his room and lately he and I have been devising where we will meet...in our dreams (which for many many reasons is the absolute best thing in the world) we have a list of places we have met which include but are not limited to:
• Le Panier down town for a hot cocoa and a palmier
• "Sounders Stadium" where we will have some sausages and hot cocoa (theme??)
• Ride in a hot air balloon
• Meet at the Zoo on the orangutan bridge
• the beach
• Disney land
• the forest to camp (I only camp outside a hotel in dreams).
• Then we have hugs (on each shoulder) and kisses usually three one on each cheek and on the smackers,
• I usually help him get back in the sleeping bag because the excitement of choosing a place to meet has just been too much,
• One more kiss
• Then I turn of the lights, I MUST remember to say, "Meet ya there,"
• I blow a kiss and shut the door.

Again a bit OCD but dang, it works, and who wouldn't want to meet up with Dev in their dreams for epic adventures?

So yes, I'm extremely glad my children are currently asleep but apparently I miss them when they finally are asleep because I spend the rest of my "free" time writing about when they were awake.