Brian went down to Cal Poly first. Way back in the fall of 1996. I went three years later, in the fall of 1999. I really wanted to go to UC Santa Barbara but as a transfer—to any UC—I needed 70 units. To transfer to a CSU, I needed 66 units. I had 68 units, go figure. I only applied to Cal Poly, never expecting to get accepted. If I didn’t, I’d get those extra units to apply to UC Santa Barbara mid-year. That was the plan, until I was accepted to Cal Poly. I was not expecting to get in—Cal Poly was hard to get in back then, and even harder now from what I hear. My dad called me at work to let me know. Not sure why he opened my mail but I suppose he was excited. I remember I was working an office job at a law firm at the time, using law firm loosely… it was a company that had a lawyer come in once a week to sign the legal paperwork for evictions. And the owner, an older white dude who was creative, named the company Andrews, Goldstein, and Wong, to cover the white, Jewish, and Asian markets. The owner would listen in on employee phone calls. I learned this the hard way. I’d have school in the morning and work in the afternoons, and I’d always call Brian when I got to the office. I had a cell phone—one of those gray bricks—but this was back in the pay for roaming days. Instead, I’d call 1-800-Collect, Brian would decline the call, and then call me back on my office phone. One afternoon, as soon Brian called me back, the owner was standing in my office doorway. He gave me a look. Never said anything but we both knew.
Brian and I didn’t live together at first. Not because we didn’t want to. Parental reasons. We both rented studio apartments at Mustang Village, which I would often call Mustang Ranch. Haha. His studio was across the hall from mine on the diagonal, and used for storage. We lived in my studio. My rent was $270 for the summer months and like $460 for the school year. Looking now, the same studio is $1,348. Crazy. After that one year of not living together but living together, the following year we rented an apartment together at Palm View apartments in downtown San Luis Obispo. We wanted a place that allowed animals, because we had been sneaking my cat into Mustang Village and we knew we wanted a wiener dog. Palm View was the best location. One block down from the Mission and within walking distance of all things downtown—we loved living there. We moved into unit five at first, lived there for two years, and then moved into the end unit next door, unit six, with a deck our third year there. It had new carpet, bonus. Another cat and two dogs later, graduation and marriage happened, and we moved back to Sacramento. Looking back, I have no idea why. Brian was already working for a start up in town, and I was starting the post-graduation job search.
Back in Sacramento, Brian continued working remotely for the start up in San Luis Obispo, and I started a job at the weekly free paper in Sacramento; I was in charge of the classified section. Including all the ads for massage therapists. There was one mom and daughter team who did massages together. I remember meeting them once, both sad and impressive at the same time. That place was fun to work. My first week, they had a special toy party. The second week, we had a trade from these tiny little Asian women who did massages with their feet. Massage tables were set up in the conference room, with these circus-like apparatuses above the massage tables for the women to use so they could walk on our bodies for the massage. There was always something going on there. It was a great place, super liberal and full of eccentric people (except for me). And the building was an old mortuary located in downtown Sacramento. Brian would come meet me for lunch often. I suppose we’ve always had an unhealthy attachment, haha.
After living back in Sacramento for a little over a year, I was ready to move back to San Luis Obispo. I didn’t like Sacramento or the area, and I didn’t want to settle down there. I started applying for jobs in San Luis Obispo and not long after, I had a few interviews set up. One was at an architectural firm that I really wanted. I didn’t get the job a I applied for, but my would-be boss liked me and offered me a different job—they had found someone else more qualified for the role.
Not even a month later, we were settled into a new apartment in San Luis Obispo. It wasn’t downtown like Palm View, but it was brand new and nobody had ever lived in the place before. Which was a bonus for me. And Brian didn’t have to change out toilet seats like I had him do for all the rentals before. Brian was back in his office, and I started my new job which was literally across the main drag from Brian’s office. And I was the fastest ever promoted employee, haha. The woman they hired for the role I had originally applied for decided she didn’t like the job. By lunchtime on my first day, I was now in that role. They kept her on also, and created a specific role for her that was tailored to her skills. Score for everyone.
The first week we lived back in San Luis Obispo, after being gone for well over a year, Brian would drive to Palm View. Where we hadn’t lived in over 16 months. Brian does this kind of thing often enough. He gets caught up in his head and forgets where he’s going. Even here, we’ve lived here almost eight years and he will sometimes miss the turn off to Tolt from the 202. Just this last week, he commented to me something along the lines of you don’t even know how many wrong turns and exits I take, missing where I’m going completely. And when Laine is with him whenever he misses turns, according to her, she’ll sing Turn Around from Total Eclipse of the Heart.
Which now brings me to the whole point of all that rambling. That lyric in there, in Total Eclipse of the Heart:
Every now and then I get a little bit nervous that the best of all the years have gone by.
That’s my current mood. These past months. This past year. YEARS. I know we’re in the thick of life. And it feels like time goes by so fast and we’re missing life—were missing the best of all the years. Hell, it’s already May. 2023. It feels like Christmas was yesterday. And Maive was just born. But yet, it’s months—years later and here we are. Next week will be 2040 and all the kids will be out of the house, and Brian and I will be old and wrinkly. And I’ll wonder where all the time went. That damn quote everyone likes to tell you as a new parent, the days are long but the years are short. That one, spot on as annoying it is to hear repeatedly.
In keeping with the time flies nonsense, it’s been months since I’ve updated anything on here. My goal of updating monthly hasn’t worked out. Summer was my last monthly update, and even then I lumped three months together. Time hasn’t been on my side. Who would have thought having five kiddos, homeschooling, having each kiddo having an activity or two, maintaining a relationship, running a household for seven, and trying to keep some sort of life for yourself outside of all that would be time consuming?! Things have to get cut, and keeping up on this sucker has been one of them. Until now! Although, to be realistic, it’ll be a few weeks before I hit the publish button. It’s May 5 today. Let’s see what the post date will be…
Going back to the BER months.
September 2022
September is our busiest month. It’s the kick off to all things schooling and activities, two kiddo birthdays, our anniversary, and like any month, things always pop up. To keep it short and simple, who started what:
Blaise, Laine, Saige, and Baby all started up again at the part-time public school. They also all started at Wilderness Awareness one day each week. Blaise, Laine, and Saige started at Frog Hollow one day a week. And little miss Maive started outdoor preschool twice a week. She was technically too young; kids need to be three by August 31. Thankfully the preschool owner has known our family since Blaise was one and let Maive slip into the class starting two months shy of three. She did great and loves school!
Activity-wise, Laine continued with gymnastics. Blaise, Saige, and Baby started a weekly rock climbing class. Saige and Maive started a weekly dance class—Saige taking hip hop and Maive taking a combination tap and ballet class.
Most of all that has changed since. More on that later.
Blaise turned 12 and Saige turned eight. Both had parties and celebrations at home. More on Blaise here and Saige here.
On a September Saturday, I took four of the kiddos to Chinook Bend to meet up with friends. Brian and Laine went to an RV show that was a bust. Blaise was excited to show us this sandy area along the river where we ended up hanging out for a few hours. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday.
This was a Thursday. Saige was in an all-day class, leaving me with the other four kiddos. We hit the trail with a stop at the skate park, before heading home to grab Saige when she finished class. Bonus of no crowds anywhere. I love weekday outings.
Each year I register for the Beat the Blerch but it never seems to work out for me. I sent Brian in my place, and Blaise and Laine joined. I think they liked the cake rest stops the best.
Brian needed surgery in September. Nasal surgery. Poor guy is allergic to the PNW and everything else, like cats and dogs. Hay from the guinea pigs. He had to have all the blockage cleared, which was apparently one of the worst cases the surgeon had seen. The surgery was successful and it’s likely he’ll get 20 years out of the surgery. But if he needs it again in 5-10 years, then we may have to reevaluate living in the PNW. But I’m not going to think about this now; I don’t have the mental capacity to worry about potentially moving.
His surgery was in the morning and he was sent home by noon. I don’t understand the healthcare in this country. And we have amazing health care, 100% covered by Brian’s job. Sure we have a deductible but his job funds our HSA. So really, we pay nothing. I remember before the Affordable Care Act, we were in California visiting family. I needed eye drops and my parents’ neighbor was our eye doctor. He wrote me a prescription. I went to the pharmacy to pick it up and the pharmacist didn’t believe the system when it rang up my eye drops as $0. He rang it up a few times before calling the insurance company. I was like, it’s right. He didn’t believe me. Which is why when the ACA was enacted, it took away the Caddilac health plans and now we have deductibles. I’m not complaining, I’m totally cool with this if it means more people have access to healthcare. But nothing is “free” for us anymore. Blaise and Laine were “free.” I had to pay a deductible for my epidural for the other three. Which I don’t get how Viagra is covered but epidurals aren’t. But that’s a whole other rant about our patriarchal society. I digress.
Poor guy was drugged the hell up post-surgery and they were going over his care with him before kicking him out, not even an hour after surgery. I don’t even think he remembers me driving him home. How TF would he remember all the after-care instructions? And this was a top-notch doctor and surgery center. It’s just the nature of American for-profit healthcare. Ugh. So annoying.
Brian recovered well and he’s been maintaining all of what he needs to do in hops of prolonging needing another surgery before the 20-year mark.
When he was in surgery, I hit the trail and finally did the stairs my friend does all the time. It felt good on the legs!
Around the house in September. Maive LOVES Zingo. She’s calmed down her love quite a bit but there were days where the minute she’d wake up, she was setting up Zingo to play with whomever entered the room first. She also had quite the bandage obsession. Every time we’d go to Target, we could NOT leave unless we had a package of bandages. Baby got in on the action a bit also. Fun stuff. And some rock shopping—baggies are also a bit of a toddler obsession. And Baby in a previous Halloween costume. She still hopes to be a wolf when she grows up.
Yet another trail picture from one of my many outings. I love living so close to the SVT. I don’t think I could move anywhere that doesn’t have a trail within walking distance. The pretend lizard! This sucker was sitting on our back patio. I was sitting at our kitchen table when I saw a hawk fly down and try to grab the sucker. I think the hawk was disappointed when it realized the thing was fake. This is probably the same hawk whom I have words with often. I protect our backyard squirrels. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen the hawk in a while.
October 2022
October wrapped up birthday season. We celebrated Baby and Maive, before jumping right into holiday season with Halloween the day after Maive’s birthday. We also spent a weekend at Grayland Beach State Park with some friends. Yurting. I love the bike picture; I think it’s my favorite vacation picture ever. Something about the kids having being able to roam about the park with buddies, it’s screams the freedom of childhood to me. And those weren’t even all the bikes, again what’s great about the picture—the freedom to be wherever.
This was a day. I hit the trail early, 6am-ish. That’s the one thing about living in a place that’s changing identities (that’s a nice way to say mid-gentrification). The country folk around here love off-leach dogs and dogs who roam free around town. The gentrification folks like leashes and dogs confined to their property. It’s no surprise which camp I’m aligned with. I was walking on the trail nearing Entwistle when I saw a dog round the corner to the trail. I figured it was an off-leash pup with its human not far behind. Nope. It was alone. When I realized this, I turned around to go a different route. This dog saw Mel and me, and ran to us. Lovely. I had no idea what kind of pup this would be. I’m not scared of dogs but I’m scared of potential aggressive behavior in dogs I don’t know. This pup ran up to us and Mel was not pleased. He’s protective of me, harmless but vocal. Thank-freaking-goodness this dog was friendly. He decided he’d walk with us; he didn’t have any tags.
At this point, I turned back around and continued on the way I was originally going. This guy walked along with us. Another dog walker was on the trail—clearly a gentrifier—giving me the off-leash dog glare. They thought this was my dog, off-leash. I spoke up and asked if they knew this dog, that it wasn’t mine but was following me. I was going to snap a picture to post online but the other gentrifier’s pup scared the pup and he ran away. Without me knowing where he was going, I decided I’d continue on. If I saw him on my way back, then I’d take him home and deal with finding his home. My guess is the pup knew where he lived and went back home. Country dog living, roaming free. I’ve learned living here that you can’t do anything right—if you bring the dog home and try to find its home, you’re a horrible person. If you leave the dog to roam, you’re a horrible person. The older I get, the less I want to deal with other people. In no way would I have left the situation had I been worried about the dogs well-being.
Maive has preschool two days each week. After one of the days, I signed her up for an art class. The thing with having five kids is that with each kid, I become less and less hands on. With Blaise and Laine, we did art all.the.time. With Saige and Baby, we did art here and there. With Maive, she does art on her own or with siblings. I figured an art class would be the way to go. We went twice before I got tired of killing an hour after preschool ended until when the art class started. Maive loved the class but I pulled the parent card and we stopped going.
Bellingham birthday! One of Maive’s buddies, and Saige’s buddy’s little brother, turned four in early October. Before arranging his party two hours north, his mom ran it past all of us attending if we’d be cool with the drive. It’s the closest place that allows under-fives ride in go-karts. We made the trek up to Bellingham early Saturday morning for a day at Station 49. Technically it’s in Blaine looking at the website. Wherever it is, it’s a fun place. The kids all had a great time celebrating Zander.
The kids go-karted quite a bit before calling it a day. Even Brian and I got in on the action, since Saige, Baby, and Maive weren’t old enough to drive on their own. The picture of Blaise, Laine, and Maive in the swinging bench, can I just point out how wonderful of a big brother Blaise is, look at his hand casually resting on Maive’s leg! I don’t even think he realized he had his hand on her, perhaps a subconscious protective thing?! Either way, all these kids love Maive so much. Any of the big kids sitting next to her would have done the same thing.
All these kids are so outdoorsy. The part-time public school the kids attend switched up the second graders’ schedule last minute, causing Saige to have to pull out from the weekly Wilderness Awareness class. Because she couldn’t go weekly, we put her in the monthly program. Saige two buddies were also enrolled, one had the same schedule change also. And one of Baby’s buddies was enrolled also so we added her to the class also. The all had their first Saturday class in early October. Blaise’s Wilderness class offered the option to spend the night on the land after class one day. He was all about this. Thankfully REI is close because we needed all the things for an overnight. He had a blast.
Maive continued to love outdoor preschool in October; Baby has always thrived in the outdoors; and Maive making silly faces after school one day.
Another kid, another peanut allergy. Awesome. When we discovered Blaise’s peanut allergy, the allergist told us it’s an 80% chance that siblings will have the allergy. But with all the girls, we had them tested and nobody has a peanut allergy. It’s always only been Blaise. Even Maive, we had her tested at one year, and she was negative. I never worried about her. None of the kids really eat peanuts, maybe a candy here or there from their Halloween stash. But we mostly run a peanut-free shop for the kiddos (I eat peanut butter almost daily). The doctor says it’s fine for the girls to have peanuts and for me to eat peanuts around Blaise. Just to wash my hands and surfaces after, which we all do.
Back to Maive, we were at her buddy’s house. They had those peanut butter-filled pretzel snacks. Maive had one. An hour or so later, she was inside telling me she didn’t feel well. Her eye was swollen. She had been outside, I figured it was probably a bug bite or she somehow bumped her eye. And then I remembered she had the pretzel, but she was negative for a peanut allergy. But it was the same reaction Blaise had when we realized he had an allergy. I immediately gave her a Benadryl. Within 20 minutes, the swelling went down. It had to be the peanut butter.
It was. I took Maive to the allergist and sure enough, she reacted to the peanut test. Lovely. I think this is funny but the allergist did not, not at all… Maive, being a toddler, still speaks toddler-ish. She kept asking, “I have a peanut allergy?” But her toddler-speak made it sound like, “I have a penis allergy?” Haha. She was in good spirits though and did an amazing job during the test. This kid has no idea she’s only three.
Brian took the kiddos to meet their friends at a corn maze in the dark. I was at an event in Seattle, celebrating a friend’s daughter who is in remission from leukemia. The young gal was in a fashion show for Cancer awareness. She looked amazing! I’m so happy she’s healthy and thriving now.
Blaise and I helped release the Kraken. Haha. Our wonderful neighbor has season tickets and offered them to us one night since he couldn’t make the game. We said yes and I was all about sending Brian and Blaise, but I forgot Brian was on-call the night of the game, he had to be home (or at work). I ended up taking Blaise, and it was so much fun. We went into Seattle early in the afternoon, walking around Seattle Center and meeting up with Karann for an early dinner and exploring before the game. Karann took us to the Up Garden, which is so cool and so Seattle.
After parting ways with Karann, Blaise and I went to Climate Pledge Arena. I had no idea what to expect seeing a hockey game. I’ve been to all the other sports games, well an NFL, MLB, and NBA game. Maybe not all the sports. But the major ones. I’m not a sports person; I couldn’t care less about any of the sports. I actually enjoyed the hockey game. The best part, it’s pretty much non-stop. I don’t like football to begin with, but the constant whistle blowing… it feels like they only play for seconds at a time. Not with hockey! They keep on going. It doesn’t seem like there are out-of-bounds? Maybe there are but I swear the puck was all over the ice without any issue. It was a great game. And Blaise loved it all. Our neighbor ended up giving us another round of tickets, and we bought our own tickets for Brian to take Blaise and Laine with Bob and Tara when they visited in December. And another round from our neighbor allowed Baby to check out a game. Saige has zero interest. But she’ll get to go because we decided to buy half-season tickets for next season. That’s a whole other story that happened last month (remember, it’s May now).
Homeschool field trip to the fish hatchery. With Saige only in school two days each week, after the second grade schedule change, my goal was to do more outings. The goal started strong but has slowed. This was back in October, a trip to the fish hatchery in Issaquah. I set up a tour. We had done the tour before, back when Saige and Baby were toddlers; I don’t think Saige remembered. It was a decent tour and I actually learned—and retained—some salmon knowledge. Knowledge I’ll never need but hey, I know all the types of salmon now.
Halloween was on a Monday last year. Which is all good but it’s one more thing to deal with during our already busy weeks. Blaise’s buddy spent the night before and then came back to trick-or-treat with us. And another family our kids are all great friends with joined us. Poor Blaise, he ended up getting sick mid-trick-or-treating. He hadn’t been feeling well but we chalked it up to the fact that he and his buddy stayed up late the night before, and figured he was just tired and worn down. Nope! He ended up with a fever and all that fun stick stuff Halloween night. This was the start of all the germs. All the kids, and Brian and I even, got hit with what felt like never-ending bugs from October until last month, April.
October around the house, not many pictures. Maive was ALL about Single Ladies. She watched the video multiple times daily and would dance, with the requirement that she pull her shirt down so her shoulder was out like Beyonce in the video. She would have an audience every time she danced. And Maive baking cinnamon rolls. Well, a big kids made them and Maive frosted them. I think she likes that arrangement.
And October around town. The kiddos part-time public school holds a costume parade every year on the Friday before Halloween. Usually Brian takes the kids but this was my year. I don’t typically do the involved parent thing, but that’s changed (not necessarily by choice). Baby at Vertex, hanging around. Vertex had a Groupon that I think everyone around here bought. Bummer they aren’t open during the day, only after school and on weekends. Which is why we don’t go unless there is a Groupon. Baby and a friend’s party; it was cat-themed. Maive at a park that I have no idea where this was?! And Saige with a caramel cream crunch Frappuccino?! I have no idea anything Starbucks. Not my thing. She scored a crunch one as a special treat before getting her braces on the next day.
November 2022
Not many pictures from November, phew. Two outings worth noting: a day trip to Camano Island State Park and a yoga retreat.
Let’s see:
- Silly Maive. She’s in the silly face phase.
- Saige got braces.
- Brian was on duty with a few kids and took them for ice cream. He’s the fun dad.
- Saige took a cooking class and made an apple crumble pie.
- Melvin relaxing on the new couch. We bought a massive, almost-too-big-for-the-room-couch (we knew this when we bought the sucker). It fits all of us and then some. And it’s grown on us to look not too big for the room.
- Blaise made a homemade pie.
- The pantry was finally painted. My plan when I bought all the storage last summer.
- Gingerbread house making, an annual tradition.
- Lyle Lyle Crocodile movie with a few of the kiddos and their buddies.
- Snow!
December 2022
More pictures in December. The month kicked off with Bob and Tara’s annual visit the first weekend after Thanksgiving. We always get our Christmas tree with them, cutting it down at the tree farm in town. This year we had snow already! I think this the first time there was snow on the ground while getting our tree.
Another hockey game happened. We bought tickets to a Kraken game while Bob and Tara were visiting. Courtney was set to come with but got sick, freeing up an extra ticket for Blaise and Laine’s buddy to join. Saige had zero interest and Baby wasn’t feeling the best. And the game started past Maive’s bedtime.
Laine’s team had pictures the Sunday after the hockey game. Bob and Tara were off to the airport, and Laine and I were off to her gym for team pictures. Weekends always end up jam packed around here.
Even MORE Kraken. Our neighbor offered us his tickets again, and Brian and I decided we should buy two extra tickets for Blaise and Laine to join. We scored two seats in front of our neighbor’s tickets. Funny thing, we bought three half-season tickets for next season, and they’re in the row right behind our neighbor’s seats. Not planned at all, we just had limited options for three seats next to each other. We realized they are one row and one seat over from our neighbor after we bought them. Small world!
Brian said Baby was all about the game. Loud (no surprise) and the camera guy kept coming to her to put her on the jumbotron. Brian also said Baby would get the crowd going with a loud ‘let’s go Kraken’ chant. Baby is our wild, enthusiastic (loud!) kid. And of course she got a jersey and kraken arm. The arm is totally Baby.
Saige really wanted to go shopping at a mall. She’s really into watching all the teeny-bopper-type shows. Her buddy, her buddy’s mom, and I went shopping on a Friday night in December. We hit up Bellevue Square but I think they weren’t as excited about mall shopping once we were there. We left for Claire’s and then Target. That was more their vibe.
Meet season kicked off. Laine missed the one meet that happened before this one, thanks to being sick. Which became a theme for the meet season. Brian took Laine and had Maive tag along, giving me a Sunday toddler-free.
The Kraken must have subconsciously inspired us to go ice skating. That or because my friend suggested we meet up at the ice rink in Snoqualmie. I didn’t even realize there is a rink there. I think I knew but never retained that information; it wasn’t relevant to me. Turns out, 20 minutes away, there is a nice ice rink that has open skating. Even better, open skating during the weekday. No crowds. The first time I took the kiddos, I didn’t realize helmets were a great idea. We learned for next time. Brian ended up taking the kiddos fairly often, and he and Blaise ended up taking weekly skating lessons over winter.
End of year stuff happens in December. The kiddos’ weekly writing class does a poetry reading at the end of each quarter, that I finally was able to attend without interruption. I’ve always had kids with me for the readings, and end up having to leave because toddlers. Not this time! I was there alone, and it was so nice to see the kids do their readings. This was the last class Blaise and Laine attended. We decided to pull them before the next quarter. It had been four years and they felt they were growing out of the class, I agreed and so did their teacher. Two kids scored coveted spots! The waitlist is longer than there are kids in the class. It’s a smoking hot homeschooling class. Because it is SUCH a great program.
And the girls’ dance recital. Saige and Maive. Saige started the year taking only hip hop but ended up loving dance so much that she added tap and jazz after this recital. Saige wad great in her hip hop dance, and Maive did an amazing job for a newly three-year-old. Four girls from her dance class did the recital and Maive actually did the dance! One of her fellow dancers stood there crying, poor gal. Next weekend is their spring recital. I imagine it’ll go well also.
December brought the cold. We had days of below freezing temperatures. Ice everywhere. Our car was layered in a sheet of ice! I have never been in temperatures that cold. The week before Christmas was mostly spent at home because the roads were awful. Several holiday events cancelled. It was kind of depressing to be honest. I liked the experience but I could have done without feeling trapped at home. Snow came after the ice, and it was beautiful. Still cold but we were able to leave home without fear of falling or crashing.
Christmas came and went. I’m starting to get worn down on the holidays. I still love them and Christmas is my favorite time of the year, but the materialistic aspect is getting on my nerves. And I fully admit that I’m part of the problem. We always say we’re going small and then always go big, every freaking year. But I think this was my last year going big. I wasn’t into it when we were going big. It just feels like we do all the stuff and then a few weeks later, the kids are already over all the things. And I get that, I was a kid and remember the excitment wearing off. I think I want to transition to more experiences than things. Still thinking it all through; I have a while before Christmas. Even though it’ll be here tomorrow.
It was an early morning for me. I hit the trail before everyone was awake. Attempted to take photos of the town in the calm of the morning. Back home, the kiddos were up and ready for the annual stair photo. Christmas day was quiet and spent at home, mostly in pajamas. The best kind of Christmas. Brian made his annual prime rib dinner, that broke my vegetarianism. It smelled so damn good I couldn’t resist. I go through vegetarian phases, and I think this one was my longest at almost six years. I’m still eating mostly fake meat, with a few exceptions here and there. I’ll be a vegetarian again eventually. I always go back.
Any musical, I’ll see. And with the kids getting older, I take them so I’ll have other lifelong musical theater fans to go with. I want to be 90 and have my kids pick me up and take me to see musicals. I’m planning for the longterm here, haha. Moulin Rouge! was on tour and I bought tickets for Laine and me. I asked her friend’s mom if they wanted to join us, and they did. We had tickets to a weekday matinee and had lunch at the Cheesecake Factory around the corner beforehand. It was a great show. I liked how they incorporated all the songs into the show. I read a review that complained about this but I quite enjoyed the variety. I swear the most random of things always happens to me. This show, the were in mid-song and the show stopped. A voice came over the speaker that there was a medical emergency backstage and they needed to pause the show until further notice. The theatre lights were turned on and everyone started chatting like before the show started. Eventually we could all see paramedics down below the stage, lifting someone on a stretcher. The crowd cheered and clapped as the paramedics carried the stretcher away. The pause lasted maybe a half-hour before they started back up. It’s always something!
After the musical, we nosed around the depressing downtown Seattle. It’s so quiet. I remember when I worked downtown how busy and thriving it was, it’s just not the same. Almost all the stores are gone. It’s a ghost town. It’s not a war zone like right wingers like to paint Seattle (and Portland), it’s just desolate. Depressing.
Random December pictures. Let’s break them down (in columns):
- Maive at preschool pickup. The dirtier she is, the better!
- A pre-freezing ice cold trail outing. Same picture as usual. At least I’m consistent.
- Baby bought a blanket with her Christmas money from Papa and Wawa. It’s super soft and she HAD to have the thing.
- My new yoga mat. Cowboy cats. It’s the same art on the kiddos’ shower curtain. Again, I’m consistent.
- Christmas cookie making.
- Brian took Blaise and Laine to see Avatar.
- Critter bed wars. Snugs sits in Mel’s bed, forcing him to squeeze into hers. They’re funny.
- Dentist kiddos! All five went. We’re still cavity-free!
- Baby in her wolf jams. A Christmas present.
Okay, that’s about all I have energy to deal with. And since this sucker is looooong, I’ll cap it at the BER months. Another long post to catch up until now coming soon. Or in six months. Eventually.
Jumping Raccoons 