Happy Father's Day

Papa with the boys...


Dan with his Dad...



My Dad with the grandboys...


Happy Father's Day!

This is a story of a man who asked out a woman [they looked a lot like the people in the picture above but skinnier, girl had shorter hair, and the boy had longer hair] and they dated until they fell in love with one another. The PG rating of the next part of the story is that their love spilled out and made kids.



Thing Two and Thing One

and I now get to celebrate a little holiday today: Mother's Day so Happy Mother's Day to the mother in your life... And a special thanks to my husband and boys for allowing me to be the coolest mom that I am!



In other news: today was my last day at work and I will miss my kiddos there *sniffles* but it will be nice to have Sundays with my family...

May 2nd

On May 2nd was Cyrus's 5th Birthday! Happy Birthday kiddo!

Every birthday boy needs a party hat and a Dr. Seuss fan needs a Cat-in-the-hat Hat.


Finally after a year of him talking about Batman for his birthday- he got it.

420

Today is our 7th Wedding Anniversary!

Us, May 2005

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, -- I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! -- and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Love you Dan...

Happy New Year!

I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read and all the friends I want to see. ~John Burroughs

Cheers and best wishes to you for your resolutions and a wonderful year doing what you would like to do...

That it will never come again
Is what makes life so sweet.
~Emily Dickinson

Farewell 2008...

Happy Birthday to Me!

I celebrated my birthday [December 10th] by going to the Art Museum with the boys followed by dinner at Red Robin [exciting right].
Then we had a family dinner out Friday night at the Berlin Inn Restaurant which was quite tasty german food. The downside is that the Friday night traffic in December made a 15 minute trip [normally] to the restaurant took an hour [not joking at all] but thankfully the boys took a quick nap in the car [about an half hour each].

I had received my birthday present early. Dan and the boys picked out a beautiful camera for me- a Nikon P80!!!!

and he got a deal going shopping on the Saturday after Black Friday. Got me some neat accessories too such as a tripod so we could take our "official Christmas family photo":

and that was the reason why I got it early but what would I have to brag about for my "official" birthday blog post?

Raise your tea cup or whatever you drink while you browse online and *cheers* to my 28th year!

New House

Very exciting news today- our offer was accepted and we have bought [pending paperwork] our first house!

Simple Rules for Christmas

Keeper of the Home is hosting a very special Christmas Edition of her Living Simply Saturday Series...

Years past it was easy to keep it simple around Christmas time because we didn't have very much money to go overboard with. Especially after having kids, I did noticed how stressful the holidays can truly be with many mothers working in overdrive to deliver this "have-to-be-perfect-in-every-way" Christmas and I didn't want to get caught up in all that so we (in)formally came up with some rules to keep it simple...

1: Prioritize what is important to you and make a plan without wearing yourself down, loosing sight of what could be a very joyous holiday.

2: Christmas tree is important to us. We tried a new tradition of going to a tree farm and cutting down our own tree this year and loved it. I like to put up the day after Thanksgiving but since we travelled for Thanksgiving, it didn't get put up until yesterday...

3: Food- Two years ago we got a free tree and spent a little more on the dinner, trying out Prime Ribs which was a hit especially with Dan. So this year, we are trying out the Aged Prime Rib from Gartner's and this seasonal favorite usually sells out, I had Dan call today to reserve it for our dinner. It comes in 12-14lb cuts so we'll have them cut it to a 6lb for our dinner and the rest will be cut up into (yummy) steaks. Now I love to cook so planning the menu, trying out recipes, and all that really excites me and doesn't take away from the joy of Christmas for me. Christmas Eve is Chocolate Waffles for breakfast and a very simple lunch consisting of: Polish and Bratwurst sasuages, potato latakes, applesauce, and German Red Cabbage.

4: Shop online- this is a great time-saving tool and usually a great source of deals. I really recommend checking out Etsy- all handmade items and at great prices.

5: Christmas Events- it can get really busy if you try to do 2-3 Christmasy events each week in the month of December so limit it to one a week. Focus on the family and friends around us with a board games and some hot chocolate or cider.

6: A lot of families bake for the holidays. I don't but this is a tradition that Dan's family participated in and since it rates so high on his Christmas memories- I am actually adding this tradition this year. I'll let you know how it goes.

7: Christmas Cards- never did them before but I found a really simple and beautiful way of doing them so I am almost done with them and soon will be on their way...

8: Decorations- It takes me about an hour to decorate the tree and everywhere else so that is keeping it simple.

9: Stop the obession the consumerism of Christmas by giving. Food Banks need food especially this year, help someone with their decorations [elderly], make and give out Christmas cards [soldiers and nursing homes], and think about giving to charity instead of gifts [Kiva is a very fun way to give].

10: Money causes a lot of stress so think about cutting down on the budget, do a couple of the Free events in your area for the holidays, use supplies you already have to make Christmas decorations, and focus on family time...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing you all a happy and full bellied holiday...

What are you doing for Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is less than a week away, Solomon is done with school for Thanksgiving break, and I am not cooking this year. We'll be travelling Thanksgiving day [with many stops at Starbucks along the way as Starbucks is giving out free Signature Hot Chocolate on Thanksgiving Day!] to the Seattle area to break bread at Dan's friend, C and his wife E's new house. C's birthday is the day before Thanksgiving so Happy Birthday! Dan is working the Wednesday which is why we're travelling on Thanksgiving but we should be there around 2pm- just in time. We'll head back home after, what I am sure to be a wonderful visit, on Saturday. Back to our regular programming.

Veteran's Day

"We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night
to visit violence on those who would do us harm." ~ Orwell

Veterans Day
by Roger W Hancock


We honor you, who fought for us,
for country’s sake of freedom’s plight.
You kept the greatest country great,
by sacrifice of you who served.


Honor to military, soldiers served.
There seems no risk in peace to serve.
When war breaks the silent peace,
no peace when security cease.


Sacrifice of civilian life,
careers succumb to enlist, or draft.
Families wait in fear, in prayer,
for loved ones return alive, not dead.


Returned Heroes and those deceased,
we honor, thank, though insufficient.
Parades, programs, our pride convey,
we honor you on Veterans Day.

© 12-28-2001 Roger W Hancock www.PoetPatriot.com

Respect Owed
by Roger W Hancock

This liberty that I enjoy,
granted not be taken.
The liberty that I enjoy,
I owe to those who paid.

The privilege that I enjoy,
its cost was paid by blood,
Those who fought for free,
now lost, will never see.

Their loss is my gain,
respect is surely owed.
Liberty of rights,
are sealed within their death.

I will not burn the flag,
the veteran I will not spat.
I owe to those who paid the cost,
and respect the waving flag.

I am not a veteran,
I have never served.
I owe to those who gave their lives,
that I be free this day.

(c) copyright April 28, 2005 Roger W Hancock www.PoetPatriot.com

Thank you.

Happy Birthday!

Today is Solomon's 6th Birthday- Happy Birthday!

In turn, Dan and I have been parents for 6 years- I think we're doing pretty good job with the boys.

Happy Independence Day!

We're having fun the old-fashioned American way- a BBQ followed by a baseball game: the Portland Beavers verses the Tacoma Rainiers! Go Beavers! We'll have dessert at the baseball game- the rainbow shaved ice are calling out to the boys and the freeze-dried [or whatever it is] ice cream is calling out to me... After the game they do a fireshow there and I am sure we'll be able to catch some glimpse of the fireshow over the river if the tall buildings aren't too much in our way... I'll have to get a disposal camera to capture this.

Have a merry American Holiday!

Happy Anniversary!

Dan and I are celebrating 6 years of marriage!

Happy Birthday!!!

Tomorrow is April 20th and my dear friend, M- 's birthday.

Happy Birthday!!!

I got your letter and writing one back. I will send out your box Monday!
Love you!
-M

Happy New Year!!!

My "old man" Dan with baby Cyrus [who is one week old here]. I have been looking through all the pictures from when the kids were babies- so cute and I just can't believe the kid size that they are now. I thought the picture would nice for the New Year!

Now for those pesky New Year Resolutions!

1] Join a gym and more importantly use it :) Today is nice enough for a walk- finally no rain!

2] Make menu plans for every 2 weeks

3] Spend intentional quality time with each boy. [Kind of have to follow a schedule here for that to happen, home to stay clean, and all my millions of errands to be done but intentional quality time sounds better than sticking to a schedule].

4] Make a friend who happens to be a Mommy too that I can hang out with and possibly our whole families can hang out together...

5] What New Year Goal you think I should think about?

Pictures from Grandpa Dave's super nice camera

My Birthday

Thank you everyone for your calls and items in the mail- I love them all. I had a very nice birthday! Next week, I will have my sushi dinner [also a date with Dan] and a movie [I Am Legend] so I am looking forward to continuing the good times.

Much Love,

Monica

Some more Thanksgiving pictures

Helping Aunt Liz feed the horses- about 25 horses [including 2 ponies].

We tried to have a family photo taken but everyone couldn't get their act together...