Zoo Day

I took the boys to the Oregon Zoo this morning!

 

This might come as a surprise to those who know me,  as it is a not-very-well-kept-secret that I loathe the Oregon Zoo.

Well, not the zoo itself per se (I’m not a MONSTER), but the fact that it is so spaced out, and almost always crowded, and so big that you have to spend the entire day there, or else have your child wail about not getting to see something while you drag them to the exit. (true story from a previous visit)  And oh!  The exit!  It is a million miles away from EVERYTHING, and it is uphill the entire way.  I know that sounds impossible, but it is truuuuuuue!

Anyhow, the good news is that this ended up being the least painful Oregon Zoo trip EVER!  Hooray!!

(for the record, having kids say “Zoo!” doesn’t make for the best picture.  See above.)

Seeing Samuel’s face when he saw the monkeys for the first time (and his excited “ooh-ooh-aaah-ahh!” shriek!) made all the walking worth it.

There was one moment at the end when I was going up the million-mile-hill to the exit, and I was sweating profusely and thinking that I might die.  Then, Joseph-chatty-pants asked me, “Mama?  Are skunks good at math?” and I was ABOUT to tell him to please not talk to mommy because she currently has no oxygen to talk back, when he replied, “Nope.  Because they STINK AT EVERYTHING.”  And we laughed up the last hill together.

Now I’m hoping that I will feel less guilty when I ignore them all afternoon to pack up boxes!

(12 more days)

Scenes from my day

 

A rare moment with everyone playing quietly.  After the flash went off they all looked up and ran after me talking and asking to do things.  Seriously.

Life is just a bowl full of cherries…

…and pizza that I bought for lunch (Momma’s sick and the drive-thru Papa Murphy’s is too tempting)

Joseph’s plant from school. 

We are facing a dilemma because if we plant it here, he is going to be sad if we move without it.  If we wait to plant it until the move, it will die in that cup!

A little “don’t come out of that room until EVERY SINGLE LEGO is off the carpet!!!”

I’ve been sorting, sorting, sorting!  Next up- packing, packing, packing!!

Every time I leave the room he bellows my name- “MAAAAAMAAAA!”

and then smiles like this when he sees me.

A few after-nap selfies with my littlest.

Besides the crusty nose- isn’t he adorable?

Also this naughty face is adorable too- when its not doing naughty things!  (shhhh!  Even when it is!)

Not pictured:

- A million cups of tea, Vitamin C, and Elderberry capsules (come on immune system!)

- Proud boys after soccer camp.  Also a 16 piece band that was randomly playing next to the park fountain.  Dressed as cowboys.  (Awesomely strange!)

- Me saying a bad word to Brian when describing my experience with all 3 boys and the library.  (a really bad word.)

 

 

Happy Wednesday, readers!

 

PS

Did I mention it was Brian’s bday this past weekend?  I brought him breakfast in bed…

PPS My ear is killing me! No wonder babies cry!   Who wants to rock me all night?

First Day of Summer Break

Its cloudy and cool, and I woke up with a headache, so we aren’t doing much of anything today.

Grocery store, chiropractor, and also to pick up some free boxes from a friend that I haven’t seen since high school (hooray for facebook!)

 

Would you judge me if I told you that the cloudy-coolness, after several weeks of sun, has put me in the mood and I burned a fall candle this morning?  On the first day of summer vacation?!  Maybe it should stay my little secret.

Big News!

 

We signed on a house yesterday!

Assuming that nothing falls apart during the inspection/loan process, we will be embarking on MOVE #7 in about 30 days!

Still in Oregon, by the way, but in a little town about 30 minutes from where we are now.  With terrific schools, and a farm store that is advertising fresh dairy and pies?  So I think I am set!

 

I am overwhelmed, grateful, slightly nauseous (big decisions!), relieved, and happy for the chance to own a home again after 4.5 years of renting.

Now to pack up everything with 3 small children…

Schools out for summer…

(you’d better believe I played that song for Joseph over and over this afternoon!)

 

First Day:

Last Day:

Today was Joseph’s kindergarten graduation!

Silly Caitlin, I had a lump in my throat almost the whole time!!

My baby!

But, no audible sobs, so I guess that’s something?

They announced what everyone wanted to be when they grew up…

Joseph wants to be a “Scientist Police Officer”

Right after this picture, Joseph told me loudly that my “breath smelled like wine”

Which it DIDN’T by the way, since I don’t actually like wine.

Speaking of whine (wine…get it??), I am ever so slightly nervous about having all the boys home every day this summer. 

The first “tattle” of the summer occurred a few seconds after we arrived home and it was “Maaaaaamaaaa!  I’m trying to play and Isaac isn’t being fun enough!”   (next time my breath really might smell like wine!)

(thanks for coming to watch, Mom!)       

We had a wonderful experience with Joseph’s school and teacher this year, and I am sad to see it end.

(“Why are you sitting down there, Joseph?  Can you at least pretend that you know me?”) 

(he gets his social skills from his Daddy)

(BURN!) 

Joseph was also sad, and a tear or two may have been shed (don’t tell him I told!) with his momma holding him in the rocking chair.

…which ended when he licked my shoulder and started laughing as I ran away.

 

I am 89% thrilled that summer vacation has officially arrived!!

PS:  I don’t want to tell Joseph that he has peaked already- but don’t you all kind of think Kindergarten was your most fun year of school?

Photos by Isaac

 

Well, another day another $50 (…spent at Target…) here in Caitlin-land!

It is quite rest time at our house, which means that I am eating Lucky Charms, and the boys ask me what I’m eating and I say “nothing” or “salad” (same thing). 

And it means that they have to stay in their room and read quietly for TWENTY MINUTES PEOPLE!!, but really it is them talking and me shushing, and then coming out to pee/poop/tell me something, and me shushing again, and me adding on 5 minutes every time they come out to check if its over (we are at 10 extra today!  More Lucky Charms for meeeee!), and Isaac lying to Joseph- telling him that he hears me calling- so that Joseph will come out and then get in trouble.   So it is super restful.

Anywhoooo, I was thinking about you guys because I made BLTs for lunch (although Joseph passed, and Isaac just had mayo and bacon on his toast.  Tasty!) and- did you guys know that you can BAKE BACON?! I just learned this recently! Seriously, folks, foil lined pan, 400 degree oven until done.  THAT’S IT!  NO FLIPPING! 

And you might say that they are not quite as good as pan-cooked bacon, but who has time for pan cooked bacon?  Especially with a baby on your hip? Right now it is either oven-baked bacon, or NO bacon, and I think we can allllll agree that anything is better than no bacon.

Did everyone already know about this baking bacon thing?  Am I just behind?  Is it like when I discovered disposable toilet brushes (thanks Carrie!), and then I told everyone I know about how awesome they are (I am a super interesting person!) and it turns out that EVERYONE I KNOW WAS ALREADY USING THEM?!  That is was just little old Caitlin and her nasty-stanky-nondisposable-toilet brush?

Are there other homemakery-delights like this that I am just unaware of?  Please advise.