birthday fun

Last year I almost forgot about my birthday, but this year I was reminded often by coworkers, friends, and family.

Last Wednesday I arrived at work to find my desk covered in streamers, balloons, and presents.

My new coworkers weren't too sure what I would like for my birthday, but they did a great job with cute frames, reed scent diffusers, and comfortable PJ bottoms.  

Then on Sunday Michael made a yummy breakfast, I got a big chocolate bar at church (since it was mothers day as well), and then we went to my sister Sarah's house for dinner and cake.  She made me Shepherd's Pie just like mom used to make.  Then a delicious carrot cake for dessert.  

She also gave me Twighlight the movie, and a cool book of patterns for little crochet patterns.

It was really nice to have everything drawn out over the week.   

Now I'm going to get a haircut with birthday money.  Hopefully my stylist and I can figure out a good really short style to try.   A coworker is taking a head shot of everyone on Monday for the website, if that picture turns out I'll post a link.

I had lots of fun at work today!

We have weekly chores that rotate, and this week mine was washing the windows.  I decided to be brave and washed the outside windows too since my boss bought that windex outdoor scrubber.  (It's awesome by the way if anyone has big windows)  I did a good job I think even though I almost fell down on top of a car, and was chased around by a bee.   Then later we had the door open since it's so nice today and a yellow jacket snuck in.  I tried to be the brave one, and since it landed by one of the lights on the ceiling I tried to catch it.  It fell in the cup that I was using, that I then dropped because it startled me.    We closed all of the blinds so he couldn't see the windows, and turned off the lights and he went outside.   

A very eventful day since I'm allergic to bees.

Warm days

Here in Washington we've had a very slow starting Spring.  Every week we'll have one or two decent days, then back to cold and rainy.   Two weekends ago I took Dade to the Beach, which turned into less relaxing and more wrestling him away from other peoples things.  First it was a shovel (even though I brought one with us), then a ball, then another ball, then a stroller.   He also at one point wanted to run into the water.    Next time we'll go on a less crowded day.   But that does explain why the only pictures I really got were when we first got there and he was content to sit and dig with his own shovel. 



The next weekend Michael went with us to a park where Dade loves to swing, and again play in the sand. I really don't understand why playground sand seems so much dirtier than beach sand.

The weather is very tricky.  Right now it's looks really nice outside, but it's still jacket weather with the cold wind.   We might go out to play later.

a good mother

"Everybody know that a good mother gives her children a feeling of trust and stability.  She is their earth.  She is the one they can count on for the things that matter most of all.  She is their food and their bed and the extra blanket when it grows cold in the night; she is their warmth and their health and their shelter, she is the one they want to be near when they cry.  She is the only person n the whole world or in a whole lifetime who can be these things to her children.  There is no substitute for her.  Somehow even her clothes feel different to her children's hands from anybody else's clothes.  Only to touch her skirt or her collar or her sleeve makes a troubled child feel better.  And often when a child wants her this is all a mother has time to give.  She is always moving.  She has so many things to do.  She can't sit down in a chair and talk nonsense right in the middle of a busy day.  Sometimes a child has a great urge to talk what its mother calls nonsense.  Sometimes even a child's worry about death and about the beginning and the end of the universe seems like nonsense to the busy mother when she knows by taking one quick animal sniff of him that there is nothing wrong with him."

The above is a quote from The Little Locksmith by Katharine Butler Hathaway.    If you ever get the chance I would suggest picking up this book.  It's an autobiography of a very insightful woman.   

the benefits of blog surfing

(you can click on the article to make it bigger)

I was following random links from my friend's blog the other day and found a really cool post that I wanted to share.   I thought it was really cool and wanted to share it.  Sometimes I can't figure out why I'm so tired at the end of the day,  when I can look around and not see anything tangible accomplished.   This is why.

happenings

We received our tax refund last week and were really excited to not only pay all of our bills at once, but to look for a new couch.   Unfortunately all of the couches that would be worth it to get are $500, which is just too much to spend on one thing right now.  So instead we got a new computer chair from Target.   I didn't take any pictures of the old chair for comparison, but believe me when I say that it was dead.   Dade has found a new favorite place to play, and a new game involving being disobedient.   He will stand on the arms of the chair and when you walk towards him to get him off, he will laugh hilariously.  

In other news last Wednesday we had Dade evaluated for speech delay, and then today I took him to the Children's Hospital for a hearing test.   He can hear just fine, but he does qualify for help with his speech.   A therapist will come here once a week and "play" with Dade.  They'll also help Michael and I learn how to help Dade more.   I'm sure that he is just fine, but I really would like to be able to communicate with him better.  And by better I mean Dade having more words than "Uh-oh", and "this".

Two weeks till Spring and this is what we had to deal with Sunday morning ~10:30

The snow flakes were huge and really wet.  I found out the next day that there was a Saint Patty's day run - in the snow.
This next picture is the same day at around 4:30.Who knows what the weather will do next.

I got a job!  yea!   I am working in an off site medical billing office.   I like my work for the most part.   With any job there are always a couple of things that are necessary, but not fun.   I also really like my boss, and most of my coworkers.   And the last plus and the biggest is that as of March 20th I will only have to walk 1/2 mile to work.   Michael is still working two jobs, and is staying up late every night to work on his side projects.  Right now Michael and his business partner are trying to impress a band by mixing one of their songs so that they can get paid to mix the whole album.    The good news is that Michael is being considered for a management position at Guitar Center -then he could quit Aaron Brothers.    Life would be less stressful, and we would see him more.  plus plus.   

All in all life is going well right now.   Busy, but I have been happier these past few weeks.   

My next plan is to start working out 3 mornings a week.  Nothing big, just 30 min on the elliptical before work.   We'll see how I do.

I'll leave you with a video of Dade rocking his way.   He loves to do things his own way.

SNOW!

As I was walking out to my car to go to work this morning it started snowing.   Apparently it is supposed to be Spring in just two weeks, but I don't buy it.   It wasn't snowing at work, but around 10 AM it really started coming down.   Up North in Lake Stevens (North of where we live) they actually had to close some roads down.   By the time I left work at 4:30 it was sunny with no snow anywhere.    It was really funny driving home to see cars coming from the North covered in snow, and all the cars from the South free and clear.    There was about an inch on the ground in Lynnwood, but I'm sure it will be gone tomorrow.    I don't think I could want a warm day anymore than I do now.

More on my job and other recent happenings later on this week.