Monday, August 20, 2007

And We're BACK!

I can't believe how long it has been since my last post. So sorry. Everyone is all better now, too. After Stella got over her sickness we had just one week before Shawn came home. We got out and did a couple things during that time, too. I will put some pictures on our Flickr page. So Shawn got back on a Saturday, his family came on the next Tuesday, then my family came on the next Saturday. We had been planning a big Alaska fishing trip for us all and so that is what we have been up to the past couple of weeks. We drove out to Soldotna, AK on a Sunday and stayed at an awesome lodge. It was right on the Kenai River so we fished for reds (red salmon) right out back in the evenings. I caught this one!

The days were filled with guided fishing tours. It was such a great experience overall. And we are all talking about doing it again in the future. The downside of the trip is that the kids couldn't stay at the lodge. So Shawn's mom stayed back at our house and watched the kids. She had a blast, too.


The first day was fly-in fishing on the Kustatan River (only accessible by floatplane/boat). We fished for Silver Salmon and we all limited out (limit there is 3 ea per day).






The next day was silvers on the Kenai River. Um, no pictures, because no fish. Let's not talk any more about that. We didn't have a bad time...the fish were there and our guide tried his hardest, but the fish just weren't biting. Oh, I did catch a trout and put it right back.

Day 3 was trout fishing- catch and release. (Catch and what?!) So my mom and I drove back to our house.

Day 4 the men returned and we had a fish feast for dinner.

I will post more awesome pictures from our trip on our flickr page. Just give me a day or two...

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Make that a DOUBLE!


We have Double Pneumonia! Not double, meaning in each lung- in each kid! Stella went to the ER on Saturday for some wheezing and after her chest xray, they came back with her meds for her pneumonia.
So that is...
Double coughs,
Double snot,
Double Amoxicillan,
Double humidifiers,
Double the crankiness,
...and Double espresso for me!

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Sick day


Just check back with us in about a week. Nicholas has pneumonia. Poor guy.

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

No, I want the digger book!!!

These two were SO cute yesterday...

Nick: "You can read my dumptruck book and I will read the digger book."

Nick: "OK?"

Nick: "Hi Mommy. I am sharing my books with Stella."
Stella: "No, I don't want the dumptruck book. I want the digger book."

Stella: "NO! I said, I WANT THE DIGGER BOOK!"

Stella: "Oh. Hi Mommy. We are just playing."

Stella: "Finally. Yum!"

Sunday, July 8, 2007

Where did the week go?

I mean it! Where did the week go? All of a sudden it is now Sunday and I have no new pictures to post. Here are some great views from where we live. (click to make big) A couple weeks ago, we drove up to a high spot to get a glimpse of the views. There aren't many houses up there. But those people who do live there have an amazing view, huh!




Well, now I am flying solo here. Shawn is going to be gone for a month. That is a long time for a novice mother of two like me. I have a very hectic week though, so hopefully the time flies by. I am trying to plan lots for us to do and enjoy. Shawn will miss what is left of our summer so I need to get the kids out and enjoy it without him. We have had the worst weather- rain, cold, huge clouds down here in our valley. Nicholas was confused yesterday. He said the sun was out. But what he was seeing, was a light gray sky instead of the dark gray one we have been looking at for the past week. Right now, I look outside and it seems that the weather might be turning around. I do see sun. The real sun- and a patch of blue sky. Cross your fingers!

I SO wish I had a camera last night. We went out for sushi. It was Shawn's last night and we were racing around the house trying to get everything caught up, and even ahead, before he left. He spent all day painting our front deck, too. So anyway, I had no idea that Nicholas could eat edamame (soybeans) or that he would like it! He was a pro. Shawn showed him how to bite the beans out of the pod and then Nicholas was eating them by himself. The things your kids can do...when you let them! : ) The server also gave him kids chopsticks- the ones that have a rubberband at the top to help them more or less pinch the food. He ALWAYS asks for them when we eat Asian food (but of course I never let him). Usually he calls them "popsticks." (so cute) He was a pro at the chopsticks, too. I don't even think we showed him how to use them. He just knew. He even ate rice with them! Like I said, I SO wish I had the camera.

And little Miss Stella, is rolling over. I thought I would have pictures (or even video) to post by now, but nope. I will work on that. So she was 2 days before 4 months when she rolled over. She can sit up in her boppy pillow by herself, too. She is quite strong. And she has become quite vocal lately. Giggles and squeals. Sooo little girl! She loves to "talk" to her big brother, too. Probably her favorite thing is watching Nicholas in the bathtub. He makes "milkshakes" with the water and bubbles. Each time he pops up and pours water into his cup she goes crazy! One night she even reached out for the cup and spilled over his milkshake. Won't be the last time she does something like that! So Stella squeals and Nicholas growled. Really. It so much fun.

Sunday, July 1, 2007

Bless our child

Congratulations to the newest Catholic...Stella!!!!


We overcame a few minor obstacles this morning and had a great private baptism for Stella. She didn't cry until the deacon got some water in her eyes, and then she stopped just as soon as I wiped them dry. She looked so cute in her little dress, too. Nicholas did well considering we had to go to the later mass, the mass ran quite long, and then he had to stay longer for the baptism. I did manage to get him a donut after mass to hold him over until lunch. He was still as rambunctious as ever. You can see he didn't make any of our pictures. I don't really know where he was. He loved the Baptismal Font, though. He was hanging over the marble sides dragging his arms in the holy water!!! Did that about 5 or 6 times...that I saw.

After the deacon made the sign of the cross on her head, he poured some of the Chrism on her head and then rubbed it in. Shawn and I are just about frozen because we can't believe how much he poured on her head. It was a LOT! A whole lot. Poor thing. She smells great, but her hair is so greasy : ) (If you don't know, Chrism is a heavily scented olive oil used to anoint people. Most people LOVE the smell of it. We do.)

Saturday, June 30, 2007

Sandwich Stealer

Stella the Sandwich Stealer.
(click to see it bigger)