Lilacs and Museums

Last weekend, we went to the Duniway Lilac garden here in Portland. It was a beautiful day, and almost every plant there was blooming. The smell was amazing!



Lilacs are some of my absolute favorite flowers, and we had fun smelling each one of the tiny flowers and Ben found a five petal beauty:





We have had the opportunity recently to visit some really cool places in Portland for free. The Portland Art Museum, OMSI, and many other places offer free or majorly discounted nights for families once a month. We decided to take advantage and found out that Margot TOTALLY digs the museum! She has been twice in as many weeks, and really seems to love the oil paintings. I found it funny that she kept commenting on the "cute baby" (Jesus) and all of the "crowns" (halos) everyone was wearing.

It has been rainy, windy and nasty here all day but pretty soon the summer weather (and visitors..... Hi Missy!) will be here and we have so much planned for those months. I am looking forward to more regular posting soon and hopefully a ton of new pictures of how our baby is growing up.

Easter

Hi Everyone.... Remember us?

I am home this morning while Ben is testing for job opening (!) so I thought I would post a few Easter pictures and a general catch-up while I had the time. We had a wonderful time over Easter, as usual. We started the weekend with coloring 120 eggs at the Athena Fire Station. Margot likes to color eggs, but wasn't too thrilled with Papa's hat:



I took a few pictures myself, but then had to jump in and help. I can't resist! I have been coming here for over 20 years now to color eggs:









No pictures this year from the fire truck ride - it was FREEZING and kinda raining, so I couldn't hold on to the camera. The next day, Margot was all dressed up and ready to hunt.







At the Easter egg hunt, they have a gold and silver egg in each age group, and then a dozen or so "ugly" eggs that are worth a quarter each. Margot found an ugly egg right away, but wouldn't pick it up because she didn't think it looked good enough for her basket. Even when Ben told her it was worth money, she just couldn't bring herself to pick up the ugly egg. Crazy kid!

Pre-school has been going well for Margot and she had made some really good friends this year. Spring has been full of play-dates, Zoo outings and lots of laughs. I can't believe she will be starting kindergarten in the fall. Ben and I are terrified.

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

Christmas Meme

Because everyone else is doing it and I think it is fun, I am going to take the Christmas quiz, providing answers for myself and Margot. Let's begin, k?

Eggnog or hot chocolate?

Me: Neither. I think eggnogg is GROSS and I don't drink hot liquids. So there.
Margot: What is eggnogg? I think I would like it!! And I love Hot Chocolate! Especially with marshmallows! And whip cream! Sugar!!


Does Santa wrap the presents or leave them open under the tree?

Me: Santa wraps the presents, using the same wrapping paper every year.
Margot: I love Santa!


Colored lights on a tree or white?
Me: Colored, blinking flashing, white, chasing - I just love lights!
Margot: I like pink lights! I love Christmas trees! Can I have one in my room??


Do you hang mistletoe?
Me: No, but I like to kiss under it!
Margot: What is mistletoe? Does it have sugar in it?


When do you put your decorations up?
Me: Day after Thanksgiving.
Margot: Let's keep them up all year!! All holidays!! I still have a turkey on my wall!


What is your favorite holiday dish?
Me: Scalloped potatoes. And Prime Rib.
Margot: I like sweets!


Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Me: I wish! Ben is like a dictator about opening gifts early!
Margot: I wish! Daddy is like a dictator about opening gifts early!


How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
Me: We have all kinds of cool ornaments we have gathered over the years. My favorite is one that Ben got me with a picture of Margot.
Margot: I made a wreath ornament this year!


Snow: love it or hate it?
Me: Love to look at it.
Margot: LOVE IT!!


Can you ice skate?
Me: Negative.
Margot: Would like to try.


What is your favorite holiday dessert?
Me: Jarrell Family Christmas Cookies!
Margot: Jarrell Family Christmas Cookies!


What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Me: Jarrell Family Christmas Cookies!
Margot: SWEETS!


Candy canes: yum or yuck?
Me: Meh.
Margot: YUM! SUGAR!


Favorite Christmas show?
Me: The Ref
Margot: Charlie Brown Christmas Special!

Merry Christams, everyone!

Things and Stuff

Well, aren't we a bit behind??

So, I just realized that we did not take any pictures of Margot in her Halloween costume, because (wait for it....) I forgot my camera. We did have an nice time that weekend though, spent at Nana and Papa's house. Margot's favorite cousin Zoe came and spent the night on Friday and then we spent an extraordinary amount of time searching for pumpkins to carve and getting all glammed up. I was bucking for a cop this year and Ben was leaning toward ninja, but Margot wanted to be a princess for Halloween (I'll give you a moment to recover from the shock). She looked very pretty and sparkly. She got quite a bit of candy trick or treating, but we asked her if she was willing to trade the candy for a new toy and she was like "um, YEAH!" So she got a new toy and we did not have to deal with a maniacal, sugar loaded 4 year old. Everyone wins.

Since Halloween, we have been working on a few things around the house. Ben has applied for a new job (fingers crossed, k?) and Margot is still going to preschool three times a week. She has been doing a ton of drawing lately, and is getting really good! She likes to use the fancy feather plume pen we got her for her birthday and she draws all kinds of fruit, animals and stick people. This morning she busted into our bedroom and shoved a drawing of a firefly in my face. Although I felt like punching something for being woke up in this manner, I do have to give her props for drawing an awesome firefly.

So, I reached the pinnacle of my parenting career a few weeks ago when my sweet, beautiful child SPIT.IN.MY.FACE because I told her she had to put on a pair of pants. That's right - spit in my face. I don't think I need to point out that I spent the first seven years of my adult working life in a place where you beat the *fuck* out of someone if they spit in your face. I mean, really? Spitting? Hoo boy, was it hard not to slap that sweet little face! After I got over the initial shock, like, "Did I just have a stroke or did my kid SPIT on me?" kind of shock, I yelled at her "we do not spit" and put her in a time out. I proceeded to gather up her dress up shoes, crown, princess wand, necklace, pens, kitty meow meow, and anything else I could get my hands on and head for the trash can. It was ugly. She was howling, crying and begging for forgiveness. I couldn't help myself, I started crying right along with her. After we were both done sobbing, a long discussion ensued about how spitting is worse than hitting, anger management, making your mother go crazy, etc. It seemed to have worked pretty well. She did blow a raspberry at Ben a few days ago, but we are working through it. I gotta admit... I did NOT see this one coming. I had always felt very lucky that Margot never went through the biting stage and she has never been a hitter either, but this was just terrible.

Anyone have any naughty kid stories to share with mother of the year over here? No judging zone, I promise!!

Summer, bullet style

Wow - we have been SO BUSY this summer! Minus the seven days we stayed hunkered indoors with 105 degree temperatures raging outside, we have been on the go. In no particular order:

We have done some hiking



took a six day camping vacation at the coast



Visited Nana & Papa



picked ten pounds of berries



started new craft projects



Threw some craft projects across the room in frustration

(No photo here - but it happened. And it was me. Shocking, I know)

Watched Margot ohh and ahh at amazing fireworks



And we continue to be busy with swimming lessons, ballet class, work and life. I hope everyone else is having a great summer and be sure to check out the huge flickr upload I crashed our computer with last night.

Happy August!!

Our Family

Sometimes in life it can be hard to know if the decisions you are making are the right ones, but in the case of Margot - we are doing something right.



I love you, my sweet little Mags. Thank you for making me a mother.

Happy Mother's Day, everyone!!

The Opposite of Indian Summer

Yesterday was a lovely day in Portland. It got 80 something with a light breeze. As you can imagine we spent most of the day outside (after the dew burned off). After lunch we decided it was time to clean out some of the pots. Our seedlings are coming along nicely, and they'll need to be transplanted soon. Naturally, I'd need Margot's help.



I personally did not wear a crown, but I think it worked for Margot. Once we got a few pots cleaned, Margot's pursuits were more sensory.



All in all, it was a fun day.