Margot Athena

Lilacs and Museums

2010-05-03T19:26:00.001-07:00

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

2010-04-05T10:37:00.000-07:00

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

2009-12-23T16:40:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-20T23:52:00.000-08:00

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

2009-08-06T09:16:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-10T09:37:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-21T10:32:00.000-07:00

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.

Monsters and Idols

2009-04-02T18:52:00.000-07:00

Ben has been creating all of these really cool felt "monsters" for Margot to play with. He bought a bit of felt (made from recycled plastic bottles, none the less) and embroidery thread and set out to design a few scary monster. People, these things are AWESOME:

He even took care of the details on the back:

The monsters are great friends who love to hang out with Margot.

I haven't quite decided if it's really cute or really pathetic that after Margot is in bed, Ben and I settle down on the couch for a little crafting before bedtime. I have to admit though, I love knitting quietly and chatting about our days while we both ooh and ahh over each other's new projects.

In even more awesome news, I went to a book reading on Monday. The author was charming, funny, and exactly what I imagined she would be like:

For me, getting to meet Heather Armstrong was kind of like meeting my "internet idol". Dooce was the first blog I ever read - back when I didn't even know what the hell a blog was. Her candid, heartfelt posts are more than just entertaining, and I can't even imagine the lives she has touched by writing about her struggles with parenting. Ben and I enjoyed the reading and I am so glad I waited in line to meet her - she was genuinely kind and absolutely beautiful.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Bathtime is the new naptime

2009-03-05T14:48:00.000-08:00

I've finally given up on the nap. It happened a few months ago, and I've come to accept that no nap is part of our lives now. There are some days that I hope Margot falls asleep in the car, and those are usually the days she does. But most of the time, I just have a pot of coffee in lieu of a complete rest.

However, late last year Margot started wanting to wear her bathing suit all the time and ask to go swimming. She does enjoy swimming, but for the three of us to go swimming it's not cheap, certainly out of our price range to go often. So I thought that maybe instead of going to the actual swimming pool, she could take longer baths.

So Margot now takes long baths. She spends a long time playing the bath every day. Not hours, but this isn't your quick wash before bedtime. Usually it happens around her former nap time. While I can't nap during this time, it often gives me some time to unwind a little bit, or at least change the sheets without her jumping on the bed and it taking 20 minutes.

Now that a new pool has opened at her preschool, we'll probably start going swimming a little more often. But she'll still want to have tea with her Hello Kitty and Willis and Ducky in the bath. And some days, that takes a wonderfully long time.

Maybe time for some privacy.....

2009-03-02T11:46:00.000-08:00

Scene : Margot watching me get out of the shower on Sunday.

Margot: "Mommy, your boobs are really long!"

Ben: Laughs HYSTERICALLY.

Me, indignant: "Well, they weren't that way until I met you, Margot!!"

Ben: Face is turning purple from lack of oxygen. Still laughing.

Love/Hate

2009-02-15T12:00:00.000-08:00

My sister in law made up a new game and tagged me, and then my other sister in law tagged me on her blog, so I had to participate in this new meme. (And of course anyone who reads this blog knows I love these time waster lists). So here is my top ten:

Here are the rules:

1. List 5 things you do NOT love about yourself.
2. Then list 5 things you DO love about yourself.
3. Tag 5 other people.
4. Check back with the 5 people you tagged. You may be surprised to find out how many things you have in common.

LOVE:

I really love my teeth and smile. Wearing braces was a bitch and totally expensive, but so very worth it.

I really love my laugh. I think it is a good one.

I really love my height. Being tall is a good thing!

I really love my eye color. I like having blue eyes and think they are a good shade of blue. Not too grey, not too icy - just right.

I really love that I can make friends easily. I can talk to just about anyone about just about anything. I learned this from my Dad - he is the exact same way.

HATE:

I hate my feet. They are huge, wide and ugly. HATE!

I tend to value money and material things too much. This is not an endearing trait, but I am working on it!

I am not very empathetic. Particularly related to my job, I tend to think the worst of people in certain situations. Sometimes a mistake really is just a mistake.

I don't like my acne. I have the worst skin!! It has been horrible since I was like eight years old.

I am often careless with my things and don't take care of them like I should. I don't know if I am just lazy or what, but I really need to take better care of my belongings.

I should have done the hate list first because now I am kind of depressed! Ok, so i am going to tag five people, and take my advice and do the love list last!!

Deb
Trisha
Carrie
Genevieve
Sara and/or Jonas

Have fun!

Holy Crap Internet... I knitted a hat!

2009-02-11T10:02:00.000-08:00

I have recently learned to knit, and I am in love with it! I have been having so much fun picking out patterns and learning new stitches. I made this hat for myself, and chose the yarn and buttons from Fabric Depot. The yarn is 100% baby llama, and super soft. I think I did a pretty good job! Here is a close up of the sparkly buttons I chose to decorate the hat. I think they look like ice cubes:

I am now going to work on a few projects for Ben and Margot, and make myself a scarf. Yay!!

Margot, Queen of Tights

2009-02-10T14:18:00.000-08:00

Things have been marching right along in the Jarrell house lately. We have busy weeks full of preschool, gym class, knitting class and trying to fit a conversation in edge wise. Margot is doing great, getting taller (and sassier!) by the minute. We are buying all of her clothes in the 4T size, and some of her pants are already too short for her long legs. I guess I shouldn't worry though, since this last month she has pretty much refused to wear pants. She wants to wear skirts and dresses ONLY, and every morning before she comes out of her room she takes off her pj's and puts on whatever skirt and shirt combo she can reach in the closet. Some mornings she pops in our room looking reasonable, and some mornings I look over to what I momentarily assume is a psychotic bag lady. I know she has to be freezing 98% of the time as she doesn't like wearing her coat or long sleeves, but I think we have finally gotten through to her that she HAS to wear tights on her legs when it is snowing outside. This last weekend we took advantage of the clearance rack and bought four new pairs on tights to match her skirts and dresses.

Any of you parents out there sharing the same affliction, may we recommend Target for tights?

2008 Wrap Up - Only a few weeks behind

2009-01-05T11:15:00.000-08:00

One of my very favorite bloggers does this end of the year quiz and asks others to join in, so here goes:

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?

Learned to knit. I am surprised by how much I love it.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I don't make resolutions. I can't stand the New Year's holiday, so ignoring resolutions is my little "screw you" to the day.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

My Grandma. Although she and I were not particularly close, seeing my Mom lose her Mom was absolute torture.

5. What countries did you visit?

Crazy land - also known as our home, most days of the week.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?

More patience as a parent. Oh, and more money. Always more money.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

Gosh, I am not sure. We had a few big days this year, but nothing exceptional comes to mind. I am sure I am forgetting something though.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Working on my marriage. It sounds hokey, but we had a pretty fairy-tale marriage until this last year. It was the first time we really had to work on staying happy with each other, and we did it. That makes me feel very lucky that I am married to someone who is as committed as I am to being genuinely happy together, not just existing together.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Oh, I screwed up a job interview or three. Live and learn.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Just car accident related pain. Hopefully this trend has left the building.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

An IPod touch for Ben. He so totally deserves it, and he is so much fun to buy for.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Almost everyone I love did something truly extraordinary this year that blew me away and left my heart bursting with pride that I know them.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

My own. I am often careless with my personal things, and this year I really fucked up and lost my wedding ring. It makes me sick just thinking about it.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Bills, bills and more bills. And the grocery store. And gas. Really fun stuff!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

The election was pretty exciting!

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?

Hmmm, I don't know. They all kind of run together.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: 

a) happier or sadder? About a wash.
b) thinner or fatter? A bit thinner.
c) richer or poorer? Again, about a wash.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Listen. Especially to Margot.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Eat. And maybe spend a little less money, although I don't know where the hell we could have cut costs.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

It felt like all we did was travel, but we did see family. Which was awesome.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?

Sure!

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Dexter.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

No people, but man I hate my car. Waaaay more than I hated it last year.

24. What was the best book you read?

Three cups of Tea. Amazing.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Missy Higgins.

26. What did you want and get?

A knitting needle organizer! Seriously, I really wanted one. And I got a FABULOUS one. I think this question is supposed to be a bit deeper, like "Oh, I found the meaning of life!" or something, but the needle organizer is really cool, you guys. Srsly.

27. What did you want and not get?

A better job to support my family with.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

I really liked Dark Knight. We didn't get out to the movies much though. I am sure I am forgetting something.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

31, and I didn't do much. Just went to work.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Keeping off all the weight I lost. I have gained a bit back. It sucks.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?

Super tight to super baggy to somewhat tight again. See above.

32. What kept you sane?

Drugs. Ha! Just kidding.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Michelle Obama. She is awesome.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

The fact that you can get cash back off an Oregon Trail card. Unreal.

35. Who did you miss?

I miss all of my friends and family who are not close to Portland, but in particular I really miss Deb! I feel like my sister has moved out and gone away to college or something.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

I met Kerry Tomlinson, who is a reporter and does the "Dirty Dining" series on Fox. I got the scoop on all the Portland restaurants!

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.

Hang in there - Tomorrow will be better.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

"Tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme... beauty and the beast." I think that CD needs to join the witness protection program. It is all Margot wants to hear in the car.

A Weekend Out

2008-12-19T11:30:00.000-08:00

As I speak, Ben is driving to Grandma's house to drop Margot off for the night. We have not had a date night since our anniversary, and it is soooo time to get out! Dinner? Check. Movie? Check. Christmas shopping!? Check.

I am so excited! I hope everyone had a great weekend and enjoy the snow!

Catch-Up Time

2008-11-28T15:13:00.000-08:00

We have actually had a bit of drama around the house lately, so I am woefully behind in my posting. First of all, we haven't updated our pictures in weeks now, courtesy of the broken power cord that belongs to our external hard drive. It took a dive about two weeks ago, so everything on there is trapped for the time being. One of these days we will get a new cord and then I will crash Flickr with a huge uber-upload. Promise.

In other news, Margot seems to have a bully at pre-school. This simultaneously breaks my heart and pisses me off. The girl is named is Carly and she has hit Margot, pushed her down, and told her "YOU ARE NOT PRETTY!" Um, ok. I have a few thoughts about this, obviously. When Margot told me about the hitting and pushing, I asked Ben to talk to the teacher and find out what the hell was going on. The teacher reassured Ben that Carly is just "a rough player" and that she has a few "issues" they are working on. Ok, I can buy that. She is a year older than Margot and has multiple brothers, so I can envision rough play. I still think hitting a classmate and then pushing her down and hitting her again crosses the "rough play" line, but whatever. It seemed to be handled. A few days later, Margot told me that Carly got mad at her and told her she was not pretty. What? I think playing rough and pushing a kid down in the process is quite different that purposely trying to hurt them with ugly words, don't you think? At first I was angry and felt like punching this kid out myself - but then Ben brought up a very good point. He said that it was heart breaking to him, because it speaks volumes about the way this child is treated at home if she knows at four years old how to hurt and belittle another with words. Wow. Sometimes Ben really takes my breath away with his intelligence, kindness and empathy. I am amazed that after ten years together, he is still teaching me how to be a better person. The good news about all of this is that Margot doesn't seem to be affected at all. She isn't afraid of this girl, states very matter-of-factly "I am pretty and smart and a good girl" and hasn't been hitting anyone herself, so I guess I just need to simmer down and roll with it. I knew the day was coming when other kids would be mean, but I was envisioning third grade or something, not pre-school. Gah.

Thanksgiving was a great day. It was very low key - just us and Grandma, then Uncle Mike and Aunt Jan. The food was awesome. Grandma made a killer huge turkey and stuffing, plus scalloped potatoes and pumpkin pie. I made mashed sweet potatoes, spanish green beans, chocolate mousse and a cheese ball. Ben made some thyme and beer hockey pucks - er, I mean biscuits. They were not good. We will just leave it at that. Not his fault, mind you, but kind of a weird recipe and maybe a little overcooked. We only had one little mishap, when I decided for no good reason to dump the entire skillet of tomatoey-green beans on the floor. Ben came to the rescue and we ate them anyway, but it did shoot tomato napalm all over my shoes, the wall, cabinets, etc. Oh well. It was good for a laugh! We played some Wii, fell into a food coma and had a nice day.

For some odd reason I am feeling unbelievably Christmas-like this year, and I am even ready to get a tree! This never happens - I am usually the one who is like "one more week, maybe next weekend, maybe tomorrow... Oh wait, it's December 20th!" We have about negative five dollars to spend on Christmas presents, so I have been knitting, crafting, scrap booking and doing all kinds of crazy stuff at home to get ready. Maybe this is why I am so excited - I don't feel daunted about shopping, but really feel as though I have put a bit of thought into my loved ones gifts this year. I am also ready to drag out the cookie supplies and get baking! I think Margot will have fun again this year decorating, and she may even get a few decorated instead of just eating. I am cautiously optimistic.

I hope you all have a great weekend!

Rocko Bama*

2008-11-05T21:12:00.000-08:00

I voted for Barack Obama because I believe he will bring the change we need now. And I believe he has the temperament and outlook to do it right.

But beyond that, I'm happy that I can finally tell Margot with a straight face that she can be President. It's no longer theoretical. Truly, anyone born in American can grow up to be President, not just the white men.

We've finally proven years later that America is more than just a pipe dream. It is a promise to the world that has finally been kept.

*This is Margot's name for the President-elect.

Free Public Service Announcement

2008-11-05T19:27:00.001-08:00

For those of you out there wondering.... Yes, it is possible to burn a bag of frozen peas in the microwave.

I have had my ass handed to me today from the get-go. Real posting is coming, I promise.

Election Day

2008-11-04T16:30:00.000-08:00

I have written a letter to Margot about this historic election day and what it means to me to vote, but I am going to save it for tomorrow or the the next day, as I can hardly concentrate right now with the impending election results.

Yikes.

Resorting to video on day three (Pathetic!)

2008-11-03T17:31:00.000-08:00

I know, I know - only day 3 of NaBloPoMo and I am posting a video. But this is funny, I promise. This HUGE spider showed up on our garage about a month ago and the three of us almost had the big one trying to murder it. Yikes!

By the way, I have a good excuse for resorting to video. Today I spent all day trudging around in the mud and rain at a huge training scenario where I got to watch the OSP SWAT team and Bomb squad blow the door of a house and kick some people's ass. Not only did I meet a ton of new OSP coworkers, but I got to process a "body" and accompany it with the "Medical Examiner".

Yes, it was a cool as it sounds.

Five Things I HATE about DST

2008-11-02T15:10:00.000-08:00

Oh Daylight savings time how do I hate thee...

1. Having a child who barely sleeps until 6:30 on a really GOOD day means I now have a child who can barely stay in bed past 5am for a week until things get settled.

2. It is pitch black outside when I get off work at 5pm. I feel so trapped by my job in these long months.

3. My car has the most difficult clock in the history of clocks to set. It took me almost a year and a call to the Honda dealership to figure it out.

4. Along the same lines as number 3 - we have a lot of clocks in our house, and none of them change themselves. I hate having to take everything off the wall, move it an hour and then try and get it re-centered on the wall.

5. See number 1.

Anything to add, loyal readers?? Am I the only one who things daylight savings time should just die already?

Like, Happy Halloween Man, Like, Totally

2008-11-01T11:55:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah baby, that's right...... November 1st today. And guess what that means? NaBloPoMo is upon us, and I have to think up a post every day this month to write about! Last year I made it with only a few bs entries, and this year I am committed to try and write about something people will care about (or at least I will care about) every day. Let's start with a bang, shall we?

So last night we took Margot trick or treating for the first time. Her costume was lovingly hand made by Grandma:

Any guesses??

Margot was a great hippie, with the long flat hair down to her waist and peace sign permanently posed on her little fingers

Unfortunately, the weather was kind of crappy yesterday and I had almost zero light to take these photos, so they kind of suck but you guys can get the idea

My favorite part was the belt, which she was loving and kept sticking her hip out at people to show them the belt. It was very sparkly and really made the costume. We went into Bales for a few treats before heading back to Grandma's house, and Margot said "Trick or Treat!" to the checker, who gave her a chocolate bat. She promptly held up her peace sign and said "Peace out, Man!" and we all just about fell over laughing! She had a great time, was very polite and got a large haul of candy. After Daddy and I went through and checked the candy for "poison" (I found an Almond Joy that was suspicious.... Ben used his keen skills to identify a potentially dangerous Kit Kat) we pretty much let her unleash on the candy. She had about five pieces and was in heaven. We stayed up late with Grandma, Nick, Kayla, Mike and Jan and had a great night.

I hope everyone had a safe, happy Halloween and Happy November!!!

Learn about Margot!

2008-10-06T08:51:00.000-07:00

Our dear friends daughter Elise was "tagged" and we are passing it along to Margot! I thought this was a cute idea and will be fun to read (or humiliate with) later in life.

Name and meaning: Margot Athena Jarrell

We chose Margot out of a book. There you go kid - the truth comes out. I wanted to name you Denver and your father put up the biggest revolt I have ever seen from his mild mannered personality. He thought everyone would call you "Hashbrowns" or "Omelet face" and refused to consider it. For the record, that wasn't a crazy pregnant moment. I still like the name Denver and if we ever have triplets, Ben has agreed to let me name one Denver. Which of course will not matter, because I will be dead. Triplets? Us? No way. The real reason I love Margot so much is because it is a nice name, easy to spell and pronounce, but not very common. We have yet to meet another Margot your age and I love that.

We chose Athena because we both love the name and it is my sweet, sleepy hometown where your Nana and Papa and cousins still live. I have very fond memories of growing up there, so that is the meaning behind Athena.

Age: 3 years, 4 months.

Nicknames: Mags, Magpie, Margot P. Coltrane, Angel Pie, and your Daddy calls you Plum. It melts my heart every time.

Favorite Activities: You really like to be on the move! Swimming, the park (Swings and slides!) and artwork are the most requested. You especially love painting and drawing with markers on your easel.

Favorite Food: Cheese. You are obsessed and ask for it every meal. You are usually denied.

Least favorite food: Salad. Every time I say the word salad you crinkle up your nose, say "EWWWW" and pronounce you don't LIKE salad. I don't know why you hate it so much, we have never made you eat salad and you like all the veggies separately, but the second it is called salad you have something to say about it! We are very lucky though, you are not a picky eater!

Favorite Music: Barenaked Ladies, Jason Mraz, Pink Martini, They Might be Giants and of course, Raffi. Oh, the Raffi.

Favorite Toy: Hmmm, probably Kitty Meow Meow. He is your all time favorite security, and a sweet little stuffed kitty. You also adore your books, and can usually be found holding one at all times. You are very into make-believe and pretending right now, and you are very good at it!

Favorite item of clothing: Anything your Grandma made for Aunt Emily. You often look like a little prairie girl, sporting dresses from the early 80's, but you love them so much! You also adore the robe your Grandma sewed for you, even though it barely covers your little buns anymore!

What makes you happy: I'd like to think us! You are happy about 98% of the time, but animals and people tend to make the biggest smiles on your sweet face.

What makes you sad: Seeing others hurt or crying, and of course the word "No". You really need to work on that one, babe.

Your father and I comment on a daily basis how lucky we are to have you as our daughter. You are bright, thoughtful and so beautiful, Margot. We love you so much!

Herard around the house, Part 9

2008-10-02T14:01:00.000-07:00

Margot: "Mommy, I love costumes! I love them!"

Me: No answer, as I have a mouthful of dinner.

Margot: "Mommy, I LOVE costumes!" (Followed by a light slap on my arm)

Me: "Margot, did you just hit me?"

Margot: "No Mom."

Me: "Are you lying to me now? Why did you hit me?"

Margot: "I didn't hit you, I slapped you!"

Ben: "She's got you there, Lauren."

Me: No answer. Back to dinner as I am obviously being ganged up on.

Preschooling

2008-09-30T16:10:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, September 15th, to be exact, Margot started preschool. I hear stories parents who cried their eyes out when their kids start school, but I think that's usually kindergarten. The only tears that first day were from the kids.

Margot talked a lot about looking forward to school, and after the orientation on the 8th, she really seemed into it. We spent a lot of time over the week playing school, with the teacher (Margot) standing at the front of the class while the students (me and stuffed animals) sat and listened. The most useful thing I learned is that ice cream is yummy. Who knew?

When the first actual day of preschool came, Margot seemed excited.

We got dressed and arrived way early for school, just like all the other kids. But when the time came to go inside the classroom and find her name on the board, she got very nervous. I carried her into class and found her name for her, and then we played with a puzzle for quite some time before I finally left. Thankfully, a lot of the other parents were lingering as well, which made me feel better.

We both went in to pick Margot up two hours later. She was happy then, completely over her nervousness. She had the art she made that day (stamps) and told us that she forgot everything they did that day, except for stamps.

She's continued to be nervous every day before class, though it's getting better. She goes to the kids room happily at the gym and Ikea, but for some reason there's a problem with preschool. I think maybe it's because it's school, which is such a major thing in a kid's life. I've asked her, but she dodges the question, which she's very good at. A certain vice-presidential candidate could learn a thing or two from her.

But I think the weirdest thing about preschool is that for about an hour and half, I have nothing to do. It's a little too long to sit in the lobby of the the community center with the dozing seniors but too short to go home and take a nap. So I've been doing stuff like going home and baking something or going to the doctor. I'm sure I get a routine down soon.

So that's pretty much preschool. The only unknown left there what to take when it's our day for snacks. It has to be prepackaged, which is kind of lame. But there are no allergies in the class, which is handy. Any suggestions?

Coming Soon...

2008-09-30T15:43:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a while since our last Margot update, I know. There's been some happenings lately that deserve mention. So for the next three days, we'll explore them. Stay tuned!

Here's a preview of what's to come:

And yes, those are 3T clothes. Margot can now fit into some extra small girls clothes. So yeah, she's huge.

Tagged!!

2008-09-10T15:53:00.000-07:00

Well, pretty much everyone knows my penchant for time wasting, so I am going to participate!

4 random things about my husband:

*Ben's hair grows faster than any hair I've ever met. It's like his hair visited Chernoybl when he was a kid.
*Ben is the kindest person I know and never makes fun of strangers. I can't say the same for myself.
*I have his entire face memorized, down to every line, crease and mark and I pray the time never comes when I can't remember those details.
*Ben bites his nails, even though I rag on him about it constantly.

4 movies that I would/could watch more than once:
*Big Lebowski
*Miss Congeniality
*Jackie Brown
*Legally Blonde

4 tv shows I watch: (I LOVE television, but lately I don't have much time to indulge and it makes me sad)
*Oprah
*Dexter
*How it's Made
*30 Rock

4 places that I have been:
*Mexico
*Spain
*Canada
*Costco

4 people who email me regularly:
*Spammers
*My boss
*Online bill pay
*This is sounding pretty pathetic, huh?

4 favorite foods:
*Mexican
*Burgers
*Italian
*Pretty much anything else with sugar

4 places I would like to visit:
*Germany
*Las Vegas
*The lotto office (winner's entrance)
*Somewhere alone with my Husband

4 things I am looking forward to in the coming year:
*Hopefully making more money
*Watching Margot grow and learn
*Having fun!
*Getting a bicycle

4 people I have tagged:
*Genevieve
*Kalurah
*Emily
*Deb

Go forth and waste time!

She's going crazy and taking us with her

2008-08-24T14:54:00.001-07:00

Margot had her 3 year doctor's appointment last week. I know it's a little late, but there were no shots this year, so it's not that big of an issue. As usual, Margot's in the 90th percentile in height and weight and doing great on everything else. Not much else report on that front. She's just awesome.

That said, she's also three. The nap issue is not resolved yet, and most days the only thing that gets her to sleep is a ride in the car. Since we neither have the gas money to do that, nor want her to get used to it, she often goes napless. But yesterday, since she had an interrupted night on Friday, we decided that it would be a good idea if she went with Mommy to drop Missy off and perhaps fell asleep on the way home. Meanwhile, I would sneak a nap.

As it has often been said more eloquently, it didn't work out. When she got home, instead of moving sleepily from the car to the couch for a nap, she took the opportunity on the car ride home to practice being cranky so she could scream and cry when she got home. By the time Lauren put her in her room for "quiet" time, she was hysterical.

Wailing, sobbing, weeping: any term for crying you could think of, she was doing it. For a while, any thing I would suggest would bring on the crying. Trying to move her a little and she would bawl. She was so tired, but it seemed like nothing would ever calm her down.

I had been suggesting books (always to a fresh round of screaming tears), but I finally just started reading. It took a few books, but finally she calmed down and was soon smiling and playing. Then I left her to her quiet time to get a little quiet time of my own. Unfortunately, it was by then about half an hour after her quiet time usually ended, we didn't have much time.

Today we had some minor hysteria again, but at least she's finally napping now. Avoiding the hysteria at quiet time is obvious: don't let her get so tired.

On days when she's appropriately tired, her "quiet" time is usually playing loudly with toys. I can't think of any way to get her to play quietly unless I sit in there with her and tell her to play quieter. How do I get quiet time be quiet?

As if the binkie wasn't enough

2008-08-12T12:14:00.000-07:00

Well, it seems to finally have happened. We bit the bullets, steeled ourselves to the inevitable chaos, and battened down the hatches. It was time to throw away the diapers at night and go all potty all the time. There's still Pull-ups at night, just in case, but those do little more than contain the worst of it.

But here's the thing: it worked. It's only been two nights, but so far so good. Margot didn't wake up until almost 7 on Monday. Today it was five, but that will help us remember that liquids stop at dinner time.

And that how the last vestiges of infancy left our little baby. It sounds kind of sad to say that, but really, I don't miss changing diapers and the binkie thing has been bugging me for about two years.

Unfortunately, we still have a no-nap situation since the binkie left. I know some people will say that a lit of three year olds don't need naps, but they've never seen Margot after two weeks of not napping. She's touchy after 11, constantly has dark circles under her eyes, and falls asleep in the car at the drop of a hat. Basically, she's overtired.

So, two steps forward and one back. Any suggestions on how to get a three yoar old to take a nap. Especially since Daddy needs a nap too?

Bye bye Binkie

2008-08-01T10:12:00.000-07:00

We took Margot's binkie away this week. With this whole new "no sleeping" pattern, the only thing we could figure out was that she was losing her bink in the middle of the night and then getting up and turning the light on to find it. She has had a long relationship with her binks, and really had come to rely on them to soothe herself. Neither one of us likes to see 3 or 4 year old children running around with a pacifier, so we decided it was time. We explained to Margot that she was a big girl and didn't need a bink anymore. She seemed to understand, and gleefully pronounced "I'm a big girl! I don't need a potty seat and I don't need a crib and I don't need a binkie!" Sweet! This is going to be easy!

Um, yeah. Fast forward to bedtime where she cried and pleaded for her binkie and looked so scared I was ready to drive to Target and buy every single pacifier in the store. Ben laid with her until she fell asleep and assured her she was OK, and she did get to sleep. It wasn't a great night and she was up early again rummaging around to try and find a bink, but we made it a night.

The next day, she did not nap. She basically was telling us "Ok you jerks, you want to play hardball? I'll see your binkie and raise you no NAP. HAVE FUN WITH THAT!" I actually think I saw her look at Ben and do a "boo-ya" type dance at him. Again, I was fully prepared to make a trip to Target.

However, over the next few days, Margot seemed to accept that she was not using a bink anymore. She quit talking about it, quit asking for it and looked a bit less nervous at bed time. This morning, she woke up at 6:30 am looking totally refreshed and happy. I don't think I need to tell you how pleased I was to sleep until 6:30!

Hopefully today she will take a nap and then sleep well again tonight. I can forsee a very good weekend coming!

It's 5 am... do you know where your child is?

2008-07-25T09:03:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, this morning my child was standing about a centimeter away from my face smiling and asking for "dinner".

Initial reactions from Mommy:

1. This.Is.Not.Happening.
2. Maybe if I act like I am still sleeping, she will go back to bed.
3. This.Is.Not.Happening.
4. What are you, stupid? It's called breakfast!
5. Did I really just think that about my kid? Oh wait, THIS.IS.NOT.HAPPENING!

For the love of pete, Margot has been getting up at o'dark thirty the last month. Ben and I have just about had it, frankly. We have tried everything - black out shades, later bed time, earlier bed time, running her extensively before bed.... we are drawing a blank. I am getting this horrible feeling that she is going to be a super duper morning person like my Mom, who thinks it is "fun" to get up at 5am. I know I don't have much room to bitch here since Margot has always been a good sleeper, but I am so tired today my eyes are crossed. Any ideas for us?

We FINALLY got a new computer! Oh, yeah, and Margot turned 3!

2008-07-23T18:53:00.000-07:00

It has been over a month since my last post, and I am the first to admit I have done a crappy job posting lately. I know I vowed to do better after the great blog hiatus of 2007, but we have had extenuating circumstances (read: no home computer) for the last several weeks. Finally, we are back in business and I am ready to start posting like a crazy mo-fo!

June was a busy month this year. I traveled to California with my Mom and Aunt to attend the memorial service of my Grandmother. It was not necessarily a fun trip (and I am not a big fan of California or 100 degree weather) but I am very glad that I went. I had great fun connecting with my cousins and we did a lot of swimming, shopping and eating. How bad can that be? The worst thing about the trip is it fell on both Ben and Margot's birthdays. Just for future reference, if you want to feel like mother of the year, plan to be thousands of miles away on your child's birthday and then forget to buy them a special toy from your trip. You will feel AWESOME.

We did end up having a small, impromptu celebration for Margot, albeit a few weeks late. Daddy baked a chocolate cake and I cooked up a few burgers for family. It was a sweet little party, and Margot thouroghly enjoyed the attention:

Blowing out her candles:

Enjoying that first bite:

Catching a ride with a chocolate covered face:

I have to say, Ben hit a home run with that cake. He made this recipe, and I kid you not it was the best chocolate cake any of us has ever had. Try it sometime. You will not be disappointed! Just make sure you call us to come over first.

Margot has changed and grown so much in the last few months it just blows my mind. She is now 38 inches tall and weighs 33 pounds. The size 8 shoes I bought for her in May are now in the ever growing pile of "too small" clothes we carefully box away for the next baby. She has learned to recognize her name on paper, write most of the letters and repeat her full name and where she lives. She is becoming more independent every single day, which is both heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. She truly is a joy to parent and we still look at each other almost every day and wonder how we got so lucky to have this tiny human being in our lives.

Happy Belated Birthday, Margot!

Happy Father's Day, Ben!

2008-06-15T19:12:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day, Ben! This year marks your 4th anniversary of being a father! This means you now well versed in dealing with diapers, tantrums, messes of WMD proportions and keeping me off the deep end. Congratulations! None of those are easy tasks, yet you breeze through them everyday with a smile and a laugh.

I realized this year while Margot and I were trying to pick out a card for you that you are not part of Hallmark's "Father mold". You don't grill, you don't golf and you don't spend hours mowing the lawn or watching sports. You are just as happy to sit and have tea with Margot as you are teaching her to ride a scooter. This is what makes you such a great Dad, and I thank God every day that our daughter is growing up with a man like you. A man that not only is teaching her to be strong and to be brave, but a man who teaches her how to love and that it is OK to show it.

We didn't have the best day today, as Margot was feeling a bit under the weather and was a bit crabbier than normal. But I enjoyed the day just as well, as we were together as a family and I got to see her laugh in your arms. This is the best part of my day EVERY day, and something I know I can count on.

I love you more now than I did ten years ago when we first began this amazing journey together, and I know it is because I have watched you grow as a person and seen first hand what your soul is made of. Every time I look at our daughter, I am reminded of it:

Happy Father's Day. You are the best.

Love,
Lauren

PS (From Ben)- Here's a little videoish thing from our morning. Enjoy!

Bed Time

2008-05-30T15:51:00.000-07:00

Whew! We've had quite the busy time lately. Between a graduation, wedding, and, well, life in general, there hasn't been much time for newsworthy developments. Until now.

A friend's post reminded me that we've been having our own sleep issues this week. Well, month, actually. A couple of weekends ago there was flurry of activity that resulted in tons of new pictures, a bunch of legal paperwork (figuratively and literally) and a general loss of sleep for one almost-three-year-old in particular. We've spent the intervening weeks slowly catching up on sleep just in time for a super late bedtime or a day too busy for a nap. Or, starting this week, new bedtime excitement.

Yes, Margot is now sleeping in a big-girl bed. She slept so well in a big girl bed in the hotel that we thought it was time for her own. So we attended a Memorial Day sale at our local mattress store and semi-accidentally got a killer deal on a bed. Then we picked up sheets and waterproofing supplies only to realize that we had no way to get the mattress home and the delivery fee would double the price.

But we eventually did get them home, set them up, and now Margot barely sleeps at all, thanks to the excitement of the big girl bed. Between very short naps and extremely early mornings, Margot's been a royal, well, pain. She's been switching between defiant, angry, devastated, ecstatic, and defiant for the past couple of days. But with the dark circles under her eyes, it's obviously because she's deliriously tired. Today she finally took a good nap, going down an hour earlier than normal.

Every time there's a change, it's easy to get excited. When we moved to our current place, it was exciting and worth staying awake. When she moved to her new circle room, she would wake up early and talk about the circles. The only difference this time is that she can come into mommy and daddy's room and throw stuff at us before dawn. Do they make cribs that fit twin size mattresses?

A Story about Pee

2008-04-21T16:59:00.000-07:00

Alright, all you Mommy pros out there. I have a thoughtful question about little ones who are recently potty trained (specifically girls). Let's say you are out and about, and said little girl needs to potty. When you take them in, do you have to choke back the gagging as you see their lightning fast hands touch the floor, the toilet seat, the inside of the toilet seat, the maxi pad garbage, the floor, MY GOD THE TOILET AGAIN and what ever else is festering with ick inside public bathrooms?? Am I the only one?

Give and take, right? No more changing diapers - this is a good thing. No more diaper rash - a good thing. Watching your child wipe the scum of 80,973 people's toilet habits on their clothing, your face, etc. while trying to go potty - BAD THING.

That is parenting in a nutshell, people. Give and take.

Um, yeah...

2008-04-14T15:37:00.001-07:00

It is hailing the size of peas outside right now. 80 degrees to falling ICE. The hell?

80 Degrees of Bliss

2008-04-13T19:47:00.000-07:00

Ahhh....after months and months of cold, rainy blah we finally saw a day of warm weather here in Portland. One of the things I love about this city is watching everyone crawl out from under their prospective rock the second the downpour stops and a tiny ray of sun peeks through the clouds. With all of this sun, we decided to head down to Broughton beach on the Columbia for a little kite flying and fun.

Nothing but blue sky and Hello Kitty

Margot was very excited about the kite and couldn't wait to try it out, but quickly lost interest when she figured out throwing handfuls of sand and rock in the water was more fun.

All in all, we had a great day and enjoyed the warmth. Tonight it is back to crap, threatening rain and COLD. The glimpse of warmth is only a memory now, but a nice one that makes us ready for more. I think it is going to be a good summer.

Anyone have big plans for this summer?

A New Vision

2008-04-07T13:02:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed that I changed Margot's blog around a bit, editing a few colors here and there. I have been ASHAMED at the job I have done updating my daughter's life for the past few months, and have decided right now to try and do a better job. Sometimes I lose track of why I really love this blog, and then I kick myself and read through a few archive posts. I can't wait for the day that Margot herself can read through these scattered notes about her life and hopefully enjoy her Mother's freaky sense of humor (or lack of humor, depending on the day).

Big changes around la Casa de Jarrell the last few weeks. Most importantly, Margot is potty trained!! I didn't want to jump the gun and post some little snippet right away that I would have to mournfully retract a few days later, but we are into week three and charging right along. It literally took me 20 minutes to potty train that kid - and I am feeling pretty darn super-powerish about that, thank you very much. I would like to say that she is some sort of genius and I am the world's best potty trainer, but I did have a little help in the form of M&M's. Or a lot of help, really. That girl is just like her father - any and all types of SUGAR will turn her into a putty ready for the molding. We keep her on a pretty tight sugar leash, since she turns into a hyperactive 3 foot tornado with even a little of the white gold, so the promise of M&M's for a potty were too much for her. She has been poopin' and peein' on the potty consistently for weeks now, and only wears a diaper at night. It did take us a few days to figure out what the hell we were supposed to do out in public, but a brilliant idea from Ben (buy an extra potty seat insert to carry in diaper bag) solved that. It has been really fun watching her get dressed and put on her little panties. Not much on earth is cuter than little tiny toddler buns in undies.

Let's see, what else.... Oh, my car is in the shop. I know *GASP*... can you believe we have car trouble?? The car died while Ben was driving, and apparently has some sort of "electrical problem". Um, yeah. That sounds "expensive". And "inconvienient". Ugh.

We are dying to get better weather around here. Our tennis matches have been seriously restricted with all of the rain, and it has been so cold for the last few weeks. I have managed to get a few super shots of our little one though, as hours on end milling around the house seem to put her in supermodel mood.

I hope you guys are all well. Check back often and get to buggin' me if I fall behind again!

HUH?!?!?!

2008-03-12T19:06:00.000-07:00

I remember when we were concerned about Margot not talking. Lots of people told us that once she started talking we wished she'd never learned, but still, whenever I hear her talk in her sweet little voice, I fill with what could best be described as "warm fuzzies."

Unfortunately, she's not using her sweet little voice much right now. She shouts everything. All the time. Unless she's screaming it. But mostly, it's shouting. Often it's "COLOR WITH MEEEEE!" and sometimes it "NOW!" (followed by a reprimand from Mommy or Daddy about being bossy), but mostly she shouts: "HUH?!?!"

I get it. She's thirty-two months old. She doesn't pay attention very well. Sometimes we're talking when we're facing away from her and we're almost always talking a few feet above her. But I kind of think that maybe if she wasn't yelling everything all the time, maybe she could hear us a little better.

So we repeat ourselves a few time, try to get her to say, "Excuse me?" or at least, "What?" and ask her to not yell. But I assume this yelling thing is just going to have to yell itself out. Whoopee.

The one consolation in the cacophony is that it seems she's gotten Lauren's voice. My voice gets drowned out in an empty room, but when Lauren wants to get heard, she's heard. It's something I can only dream of, and I'm glad Margot will have that.

And I'm glad that someday, we'll hear her sweet little voice on a regular basis again.

Big Ben, Kids.... Parliament!

2008-02-14T19:37:00.000-08:00

Today for Valentine's day, we spent the entire time together as a family. I took the day off, and we shared homemade cards and a few sweet treats. It was a great day and we decided at the last minute to go to dinner together.

The place we chose was at Jantzen beach, which isn't necessarily far away from here, but kind of tricky to get to. You have to go up into Washington and then come down the I5 bridge back to Oregon. Ben was driving and I had jotted down a few notes on directions, and we made it to the bridge without incident and began cruising toward Jantzen Beach Blvd. The merging gets a bit tricky at this intersection, and if you don't know what you are doing (like us) or aren't paying attention (like us) you will just circle around and get right back on I5.

So that's what we did, got right back on the bridge and crossed back into Washington. After a bit of circling around, we found our way back to the bridge and crossed AGAIN and tried to find our turn. As we were looking for the sign, it reminded me of the National Lampoon's movie and Chevy Chase yelling out "Look kids! Ben Ben, Parliament" over and over as they were trapped in the roundabout trying to get to a museum. I started laughing and got Margot to repeat "Ben Ben Mommy, Parliament" and we were laughing so hard we almost ended up crossing the bridge a third time in ten minutes.

We had a great dinner and a nice evening together. I hope you guys all had a good day with your most loved ones and remember to tell each other how important and valued they are.

On a little side note, not that I want any more competition, but my super generous and talented sister in law is holding a little contest on her blog to celebrate her Etsy shop and blog milestones. The winner will get a FIFTY dollar gift card for Amazon.com. Head on over and take a shot!!

Pass the barf bag and neck brace, please

2008-02-07T16:21:00.000-08:00

This has not been such a fun week.

I threw my neck out on Sunday evening, and took Monday-Wed off of work, sitting at home wishing for a quick death. Thanks to the modern inventions of Chiropracters and auto insurance, I am back to(almost)new and feeling much better. I am still struggling with healing from my second car accident, so it has been frustrating to face these setbacks. I am hoping this will be the last time I have anything major go on strike.

Yesterday, Margot didn't have such a good day either; she harfed all over Ben at K-Mart. I thought he did a good job though, because he managed to scream out "Blue light special on aisle 5!" as he ran out the door. I am not sure I would have had the wits to look for an employee before bolting out of the store. She ran a fever all day, and ended up throwing up a few more times before settling down to sleep. Lucky for us, she is all better today, and feeling up to a visit from Nana and Papa this weekend.

I have to mention this though, about Margot feeling under the weather yesterday. I was home with her, and she spent the entire time snuggled on my chest and wrapping her tiny arms around my neck. She would snooze a bit on my lap, then snuggle up and get her head right under my neck so I could rub her back and kiss her forehead. She spent every waking minute clamped on to me, and it was heaven. Although I HATE when she is sick, it is a rare minute to catch a 2 year old sitting in one place, let alone snuggled with their Mama. I could smell her hair, feel her breathe and just hold her. It really brought back some wonderful memories of her tiny, just the two of us sitting together with nothing else in the world to do.

Although there was a yucky feeling kiddo in the house, the best part of yesterday was Margot looking at me kind of sadly, asking for Daddy's lap, and then promptly barfing on him and leaping back to me. *Snicker*

Let's just say Daddy did a bit of laundry yesterday.

Gon Dato and the bridge of Avignon

2008-02-05T19:21:00.000-08:00

Margot has been a music lover since day one, and I can honestly say that she would even rock out in utero when I would listen to certain music. We have always fostered this love of music, both with radio and instruments. She loves to play with Ben on the piano, shake her maracas and beat on the drums she inherited from her buddy Clayton.

Lately, she has really began singing along with her favorite songs. It has been a real hoot listening to her interpret the words, and she kind of just mumbles (like her Mom) when she doesn't know the words. She is particular to Raffi, Pink Martini, The Bottle let me Down and Feist. Picture something along the lines of this:

"on the bridge Avignon, da da da da Avignon" to the tune of On the bridge by Raffi.
"Senor Gon Dato was a cat, el senor GON TACO!!" to the tune of Don Gato.
"1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10" to the tune of 1,2,3,4 by Feist.

Ben got a digital recorder for Christmas and I have been trying to get her recorded on some of this stuff, but she has terminator radar and immediately ceases singing when I find that thing, or she will only belt out her tunes in the car when I am driving. One of these days I am going to get it and post it here for posterity!

Are your guys little ones singers? Any favorites?

Daily Life Update

2008-02-02T12:41:00.000-08:00

1. Baba
2. Margle
3. Onsh
4. Kisskiss
5. Kacky

I'm still waiting to get tired of Margot talking like most people said we would. Though sometimes there's a good amount of screaming I could do without. I love it when she counts and says herABCs and puts Kitty Meow Meow to bed. And when she asks how we slept and how work was and everything.

Once again, naps have become something of an issue. It started in December and has been kind of trying since then. Until November she would go take a nap at 12:30 for threeish hours. Then that stopped. After weeks of trial and error we've settled on a 2 pm nap time. It can sometimes be hard to figure out what to do, since if we're out after 1 she's so worked up that she won't sleep. It's pretty special. But when she doesn't nap, it's a 6:30 bedtime, so that's not so bad.

Last month, discipline became a little more tricky. Margot would do something naughty and then ask for a timeout. Then she would happily sit through her timeout and leap up gleefully when it was over. So timeouts are a thing of the past and we've started taking things away when she's naughty. No songs, no coloring, things like that. It seems to work fairly well, when we can think of something to take away. Luckily, there's usually something.

Despite these small issues, things are really fun right now. She's learning so much. Every time I think she's so grown up now, she surprises me with something even more grown up. And she's always pretending. One of her favorites nowadays as pretending her water is coffee or Diet Coke. Or pretending to cook or clean. And even when she's exhausted and incorrigible like she is as I'm writing this, she's funny and delightful.

If you hadn't guessed, the list of words at the top of the post is a quiz. These are all words Margot says that mean something else. Can you guess what they are? The answers are after the picture:

ɹǝʞɔɐɹɔ ˙5 sɐɯʇsıɹɥɔ ˙4 ǝƃuɐɹo ˙3 ʇoƃɹɐɯ ˙2 ɹǝʇɐʍ ˙1

As Promised.... The complete new room!

2008-01-31T08:37:00.000-08:00

Here are a few shots of Margot's new room, all put together. We really didn't spend that much to get her squared away - the paint was by far the most expensive thing.

We bought the toy bin organizer thingie from Target, where it was on clearance for $29.99. I was inspired by my dear friend Deb, because her delightful son has one similar to this in his room. Margot loves it because she can reach and find all of her toys, but it is easy to pick up at night before bedtime. Here is a close up of the fun:

By far, my favorite new thing in her room is this light we found at Ikea. Again, on clearance, we forked out a whopping $9 for the light. I can remember when I was younger, these fiber optic lights were like $100 or something ridiculous. Now, thanks to a bunch of freaky Swedes, everyone can have one:

Reason 8,256,346 I neglected this blog last month

2008-01-29T10:41:00.000-08:00

We decided that it was time to move Margot from her tiny nursery room to a big girl room across the hall. We chose the smaller room at first because it shared a wall with our room and we needed to hear her, and wanted her to be close. Now that she thinks it is funny to kick the wall and knock and sing out "HI MOMMY" first thing in the morning, it was high time to put her across the house :)

I can remember always wanting a fun, brightly painted room when I was little, and I never got it. Between having to share with a brother and a Dad who only saw the color white, I never got my pink and purple unicorn room. Ben and I both decided that we would give our kids what ever color room they wanted - but since Margot is still a little young to have a preference, we sorta went a little nutso for her.

Ben chose a very bright, sunny sky blue and a bright white for the pallet. He painted one wall and the closet white, then the other three walls blue. All around the room in circles is the opposite color, making a whimsical pattern of meshed sky and clouds:

This was all Ben's vision, and I think he did an amazing job. It was kind of a long paint job and he did it all by hand, but it is so worth it. Here is another view of the walls:

I will take a few more pictures tonight, because we bought a few new cool accessories for her room and a new toy storage system. She has so much more room to play, and her face lights up every time she goes in the room. She loves to touch the walls, and exclaim "Daddy did circles, Mommy!! Ciiiiiirrrrcles! I wuv it so much!"

How can you not feel good about that??

Did you miss us?

2008-01-25T15:14:00.000-08:00

I KNOW!!

I can't believe it has been so very long since I posted. To be fair, I did mention that I would be taking a bit of a break. Before I knew it, one week turned into one month, and then more life happened and I was months behind! So much happened over the holidays, I hardly know where to start. I will begin with a few of my favorite pictures from the weeks leading up to Christmas. We were very fortunate to see so many wonderful friends and family this year, and Margot was just a blast.

The Grotto, Mid December: Very chilly, but so pretty!

Margot on Christmas morning: Her face pretty much sums it up!

Pretty much every single day from December 10 to December 25:

The reason I am still finding flour residue in the kitchen:

As a (mostly) former selfish person, I could never have guessed that I would not care what was under the Christmas tree if I was allowed to watch my own child opening her gifts. It really was a joy watching her little face light up and hearing her sing out "I WUV IT!!" every time a package was placed in front of her.

For New Years, we took a trip to the beach with Ben's Dad and several family members. The weather was amazing, and we had such a good time.

Ben and his Dad with Mags:

Ben and I:

The Salishan sunset:

Getting back to normal life after all of the excitement was a challenge. Margot has been trying really hard to drop her nap, but so far we are still narrowly winning the battle. We have recently been painting and redecorating our guest room so Margot can move to a bigger room with more area to play. Ben has done an amazingly cool paint job that I will be posting pictures of soon.

I hope everyone is well and I have missed hearing from everyone. I promise to get back to regular posting and sharing all of Margot's milestones.

NaBlo Success!

2007-11-30T11:10:00.000-08:00

Well, I did it! I "won" NaBloPoMo; I was able to post something ridiculous, arbitrary and useless for each day this month! Let the prizes roll in!

Ben also finished NoNoWriMo, which is quite a feat with a toddler underfoot. We are going to celebrate our victories by not touching the computer for a few days.

I will get pack to posting again (about Margot!) after a while. I think I am going to take a small break and get good fodder before hitting the blog again.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

A Visit from Nana and Papa

2007-11-29T20:04:00.000-08:00

My Mom and Dad arrived today for a visit. We have all sorts of things planned for the weekend, and I am hoping to get us around to see all of the fun Christmas displays in town. Margot is obsessed with lights and trees right now, so she is going to have so much fun seeing all these new things.

Here in Portland, they do a light display at the International Raceway, where you can actually drive your car on the track. I have never been, but we are going to try and get over there tomorrow night. I will be attempting to take tons of photos, so I will get them posted over the weekend.

In the mean time, I think we will be spending a lot of time watching Margot show off for Nana and Papa.

Where's your coat?

2007-11-28T21:13:00.000-08:00

It has been freezing cold here the last few days with lots of rain and wind. Margot will stand at the door, say "cold, Mommy! Cold!" but she pretty much refuses to put a coat on. When we can wrestle a coat on her, it makes it to the car, where she will demand that it be removed before getting strapped in her car seat.

I heard the advice "pick your battles" more than once, so many days we walk around without a coat on. I kinda feel like a bad mom watching my tiny daughter walking around in the freezing cold with no coat on, but she seems to be fine.

At least she has shoes on, right?

3 Days to go!

2007-11-27T16:21:00.000-08:00

Our dear friend Missy (who many of you know!)is toiling away right now in Germany, working as a teacher and all-around superstar. I have been telling her forever that she needs to start a blog, so I can live vicariously through her exciting overseas life. I think she is finally ready to take the plunge, but I want to help her get the blog set up. What do you guys think would be a good title for such a blog? I was thinking something clever, maybe a little word play. So far, I am stuck on "Missy's Musings" and one other that I won't write out in public. So, I thought maybe my creative readers can think up something fun for Missy's Germany Blog. All thoughts are appreciated!

In the mean time, November is wrapping up here shortly, which means NaBloPoMo is just about finished! I have managed to make it so far, and I don't plan on screwing up now! It is actually kinda challenging to blog every single day. Even though Margot is constantly amazing us and life gives plenty of fodder, some days it has been a real stretch to write anything other that "I POSTED TODAY". Yay! Thanks for hangin' in there and reading every day!

Five Things I love about Margot and Ben

2007-11-26T17:57:00.000-08:00

1. They both have this quiet calmness about them. I am often the one who flies off the handle at nothing, but the both of them are just so very zen compared to me.

2. They both love to play hard. I am not really the throw-the-baby roughhouse type, but the both of them can't get enough. I am so happy that Margot likes that kind of entertainment and that Ben is willing to oblige.

3. They both tell me how much they love me every day :)

4. They both like to eat my cooking. This makes me feel like a very accomplished mother and wife.

5. Those eyes -

I am so lucky to have the two of them to share my life with everyday!

Heard around the House, Part 10

2007-11-25T18:13:00.000-08:00

Scene: In car, on the way home

Margot: "Podcast! Podcast! More Podcast!"

Ben: "No podcast right now, Margot. Mommy and Daddy are talking."

Margot: "Podcast! Monnnnkey!"

Lauren: "Is this like the pinnacle of parenting for you Ben? A toddler asking to listen to your tech podcast instead of Raffi?"

Ben: (Smiles) "It's pretty good, yeah."

Thanksgiving Recap

2007-11-24T15:24:00.000-08:00

I have had fun the last few days seeing what others ate for Thanksgiving this year. Our dinner was a bit of a team effort, but we did have lots of great food. On our table, we had:

One AMAZING turkey, brined and roasted breast down
Spanish green beans
Grandma's mashed potatoes
Grandma's Stuffing
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Green Salad
Rolls
Fresh Cranberry sauce, the canned jelly and stuffed cranberry sauce
Olives, Chips and Dips, Assorted Nuts
Pumpkin Pie
Chocolate Cream Pie

Soooo, what kinds of yummyness did you guys have on the table? I am looking forward to getting inspired for next year! (Or next weekend!)

Workin'

2007-11-23T13:50:00.000-08:00

Today, I am working a full day and trying to get a few things done. I don't feel like working and I want to be home with my family. They are all snuggled together, laughing and enjoying leftovers. Some days being an adult really sucks.

Yesterday was a great day. The food was amazing (Seriously - we all kicked it into high gear and produced major yum in the kitchen!) and Margot was such a good girl. She hugged her Great Grandma Illig, played with her Aunt Jan and Aunt Emily. We were very lucky to get to spend the day with family.

I hope everyone had a good day yesterday and if you braved the shopping this morning, I hope you came away unscathed and with everything you were looking for!

A Very Thankful Day

2007-11-22T13:20:00.000-08:00

There are so many things in life that I am thankful for, I will not attempt to make a feeble list here on this post. I just wanted to say that I am the most thankful for all of the amazing people that have touched my life over the last 30 years. I don't know what I would do without the advice, love and support of all of you.

You mean more to me than anyone could ever know.

Happy Thanksgiving to all our friends and family.

Love,
Lauren, Ben and Margot

Turkey Talk

2007-11-21T16:18:00.000-08:00

Just out of curiosity, how many of you guys are cooking a turkey this year? Of those who answer yes, are you grossed out by touching said turkey? I'm just askin'.

One Banana

2007-11-20T18:43:00.000-08:00

Almost every morning, I am the one to get Margot up. We have a good routine down that begins with Kitty meow meow coaxing her out of bed and ends up with breakfast. I actually really enjoy my time with her in the morning, even though she can be a bit precocious. She has always been content to let Ben and I do most everything for her in terms of everyday living, but as she is growing and learning she is very much wanting to do things herself.

For the last four or five mornings, Margot has been insistent on peeling her own banana. When I give her a choice between and apple and a banana, it is always a resounding "PANANA! I DO IT!" Every morning, she has peeled the first three strips of yellow off and then the soft banana will crack and fall to the floor as she peels the last section. The first morning, I explained how she had to hold the banana with her other hand while peeling. The next day, I kind of just chuckled and again explained how to keep it from taking a dive. We would wash the banana off and I would wipe up the floor while she tried to figure out what had just happened.

This morning, I was tired. My toe was hurting, my alarm had given me a headache and I didn't shower. Margot was particularly obstinate about getting out of bed, and I was in no mood to clean up a big mess of banana smear on the floor. When she chose to eat a banana, I carefully tried to hide it so I could peel it for her. She quietly asked "Mommy, I do it. I peel." I reluctantly gave her the banana, and turned to get a rag for the clean up. When I turned around, instead of seeing a banana on the floor, she was ever so carefully holding (smooshing) the banana with her other hand and gently peeling off the yellow. She had did it; she had successfully peeled a banana.

Sometimes it is easy to get in a hurry, get caught up with taking care of everything in your own way because it is "easier". I know sometimes when I feel totally exasperated, I have to stop and remind myself that she is really still just a baby, and learning every single thing for the first time that I take for granted. Watching her this morning and seeing how proud of herself she was, my heart softened and I took a moment to tell her that I love her and give her a big kiss. She kind of snuggled against me, patted my arm and said "I love you too, Mommy. I peel panana today, ok?"

Ok indeed.

Klutzoid

2007-11-19T14:50:00.000-08:00

I am not really that clumsy. I am certainly not the most graceful person who ever lived, but I am not a klutz. So, last night, just walking along in my front room, when I hit my foot on the wooden leg of our couch and broke my toe, I was a bit shocked.

Yep, broke my toe. And it hurts, let me assure you.

I now have a puffy black thing where my next to last toe used to live. WTF? Has anyone else ever broken a toe? Please come commiserate with me!

(Just an interesting side note, every person at work I told today that I broke my toe launched into a story about how they broke their toe/foot/feet at some point in their life. Is this really that common? Ugh, my toe is throbbing!)

WARNING! NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART!

I'm not sure what is grosser.... my toe or my pedicure. OMG!

Heard around the House, Part 9

2007-11-18T09:16:00.000-08:00

Me: "Margot, do you want to help Mommy?"

Margot: "YES! I SWEEP, MOMMY! SWEEEEEP!"

(Margot runs to garage, gets broom)
(I look at her with pride, my sweet little helper)

Me: "Margot, there is a crayon and a piece of bread on the floor by the stove."

Margot: "Ok Mommy."

(Margot takes broom, pushes crap under stove)

Margot: "All done, Mommy!"

Hmmmm.... I wonder where she learned that. (Looks at her sheepishly, shrugs shoulders)

Hey, nobody is perfect, right?

Playgroup the First

2007-11-17T14:28:00.000-08:00

Today, Margot and I made it to playgroup! There were three other women there, and their very sweet sons. Margot seemed a bit timid at first, and was looking at me like I was throwing her to the wolves, but she had a great time. The other Mamas all work and live in different parts of the city, so we had quite a bit to talk about. They seemed very interested in my job, and they thought Margot was a doll.

I was a little nervous at first because they all have known each other for quite some time, but we quickly found common ground and I had fun. I am still going to be looking for a group that is closer to NE, but I think I will continue to meet up with this group.

The bad news is (big surprise) Margot has refused to nap today and is acting like a deranged wino. Early bedtime tonight, I am thinking!

TGIF

2007-11-16T19:56:00.000-08:00

I am so exhausted right now; I just spent the last four hours standing in a stranger's home, watching fifteen detectives turn it upside down.

Lessons learned today:

If you have a filthy house, you are nasty.
If you are hiding evidence of your crimes in your children's bedrooms and piggy banks, you are nasty.
If you don't do your laundry at least once a month, you are nasty.
If your mattress looks like it has been through Chernobyl, it is times to replace it.

Ugh. I hope everyone had a better Friday than I did.

Toddler Beds?

2007-11-15T16:13:00.001-08:00

Margot fell out of her crib the other day. We were waiting for the time when she would try and crawl out on her own, and the time has officially come. She has been very content to remain in her crib prior to this, and has never even hinted at wanting to crawl out.

We are now in the process of getting her new room ready. We have decided to give her the guest room and convert her current room to the extra bed. The guest room has much more space, and we have big plans for making it a little toddler oasis. I am excited to get it done!

My question is this - should we spend the money and get her a toddler bed, or should we just go straight to a twin or full bed? And how do you keep the little ones in their bed for sleeping once they figure out the bars are gone?

Any experience out there?

A few things I need

2007-11-14T13:49:00.000-08:00

I love the internet and can't image what my life would be like without it, but sometimes I get sucked into the void and have a hard time clawing my way back out. A bit dramatic, I know, but really?? Can you think of any aspect of your life that hasn't been changed by the "series of tubes?" I was planning to search around a bit for gift ideas, and ended up finding about ten thousand cool sites I have to share with you guys. So, go check out these sites ASAP and drool at all the cool things inside for a few hours. You will feel better! And I will feel better, because others will be sucked into the void!

1. WantNot

This is a site where some lovely soul spends their entire day scouring the net for deals, coupons and freebies. They have codes about free shipping, price matching deals, and even give away deals. I have only recently found this, but I.am.in.love.

2. Mighty Junior

Super cool kiddo site. They list fun toys, clothes, and other items that are kiddo related and where to find them. It is kind of like a shopping blog meets Oprah. The site was started by two well known bloggers, and they do an awesome job of updating. Super fun!

3. Etsy

This is a site where you can peddle your homemade wares. Tons of people have shops and sell all kinds of things from jewelry, baby gifts, clothes.... the list goes on. One of my favorite things on Etsy right now is this, and I also am in love with these. Seriously, this site can kill an entire day! So many pretty things to look at.

4. SkullCat

These people are Portlanders, and began selling at Saturday Market. I need this bag so bad I can taste it. Super fun, hip and creative. Love it.

5. DB Clay

Again, a little Portland love. Everything they make is from DUCT TAPE. How cool is this? Really interesting stuff, and Ben has a wallet. I have a business card holder. Buy from these people now, I'm telling you guys..... Pretty soon Hollywood is going to pick up on them and they will be out of my price range. I love them all.

Well, I hope I have inspired a little shopping joy in everyone. Have fun scouring for your own fun deals and report back!

One step forward equals many steps back

2007-11-13T18:33:00.000-08:00

Margot and Ben stayed in today all day, mostly to concentrate efforts on the potty. It was not a good day. Margot peed on my gym bag, the floor, her panties, and just about anything else that would stand still long enough. After having a promising week not long ago, this was sort of a bummer. We know that this is a tough process for lots of kiddos and can be full of good and bad days, but today was a bit frustrating for Ben.

It seems that Margot doesn't want to pee in the potty right now. She will hold it for as long as possible, and then ask for a diaper or pee (on my gym bag, the floor, her panties, etc). I am not sure what has changed, but we will keep trudging along and keep in mind that nobody graduates from high school wearing a diaper.

She had a long weekend with no naps, late nights and lots to do. Maybe she was just too tired today; I know Mommy and Daddy sure are tired right now!

For Papa

2007-11-12T08:57:00.001-08:00

If this doesn't make your heart swell with pride, I don't know what will:

There is hope for this city girl, huh?

We love you!

Lil' Miss noNap

2007-11-11T15:23:00.000-08:00

Margot refused to take a nap today. She sat in her bed for over an hour, holding stuffed animal court and laughing to herself. It seems many weekends now when we are both around all day, she has been refusing to take a nap. I don't know if she thinks she is "missing out" or what, but it seems very difficult for her to fall asleep with the prospect of Mommy and Daddy downstairs.

Thankfully, she still naps regularly during the week and gives Ben his much needed sanity break. She has always been an amazing sleeper, but those days when she misses a nap we both feel it. For a two year old, she can be pretty exhausting.

When I creep upstairs to get her, I open the door and she is sitting on her knees, just like Ben does. She is holding her kitty Meow Meow stuffed animal and telling him she loves him. She pats his head, says "I wuv wu honey" and gives him a kiss. Then she lays him down, says "nigh nigh" before realizing I am there. She looks at me, holds up the cat and says "Kee no nap!"

I guess nobody in this house gets a nap today.

A Little Update

2007-11-10T18:36:00.000-08:00

So many of you sweethearts have called or emailed encouragement about the playgroup! Unfortunately for us, we were not able to attend today; I was called out to work all day at a crime scene. So hopefully they will forgive us and allow us to try again next week. I will keep you guys posted!

As for Dude, still no sign. I will be marching my ass over there tomorrow and checking things out.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Give Him Back!

2007-11-09T11:25:00.000-08:00

An open letter to the neighbor across the street:

Dear Cat Lady,

We have lived here over a year as a family of four. We have taken care of ourselves just fine, and made sure that everyone was loved, comfortable and fed. We take responsibility for all members of our family, no matter what the consequences.

We ignored you when we would see Dude in your arms. We ignored the signs you left on our door and the knocking at naptime to "bring him back", faux-upset that he was on your property. We even ignored the wet food you would set out for him to lure him over. But it has now been over four days since we have seen Dude, and we know that you have him. I don't know if you are keeping him in your house, or caged up somehow, but we want our cat back. All of these ridiculous games you have been playing with our pet are not "cute" or "funny" anymore. Theft of a domestic animal is a crime. More than that, stealing someones pet is just downright cruel.

We miss Dude. He was the very first purchase Ben and I made when we bought our first home together. He was our first "baby" together. Yes, I hate the fur he leaves on the couch. And I hate that sometimes when Margot gets too rough he will swipe at her. But he belongs to us- to this family. And we want him back.

Bring our cat back. Get your own cat. You have now angered me, because my husband is sad. My daughter is looking for her kitty. Bring our cat back.

One more thing, Cat Lady - don't think I am not going to come looking for our pet, because I am. You have poked the Mama Cat; and I have my claws out.

Playdate Anxiety

2007-11-08T10:09:00.000-08:00

I have found a playgroup for Margot and I to try out. It is sort of a playgroup/mom club, which isn't exactly what I was in the market for, but I am willing to try it out. I don't really like the term "Mommy group" or anything else that excludes the other parent. Since Ben stays at home with Margot, we have had a tough time finding any type of group that will accept a Dad. I was hoping to find a group that is for all parents and all kids, but they all seem to be broken into rules and age groups that you have to try and fit yourself in. Anyway, I am going to try this Saturday and see what happens.

I am nervous as hell.

I am not nervous about meeting other women, but I am nervous about my expectations. Will the Moms be nice to us? Will they like us? Will they spank and yell and feed their kids candy bars? Margot does not have much experience playing with other kids (our fault) and isn't the best at sharing right now. I don't know how she is going to react with all new strange people and no Daddy around.

Most of all I desperately want to become friends with these women. It is no secret since we moved from Medford I have been severely lacking in the friend category. I am nervous that I am using my kid to find myself new friends; this seems unbelievably crazy and pushy to me. But since Margot and family is my life, this seems like the only option. I don't go to school anymore, and my job is not really conducive to building relationships. But I miss the closeness I have with my dear friends, and I HATE not being able to see them everyday. Especially now that so many of us have kids and are similarly focused in life, I feel that we are missing out on so much of each others lives.

So this is my decision. I am going to try and make new friendships, new closeness and new memories. I will try this Mommy group and really make an effort to be open to new ways of life.

I just hope it works.

Gross

2007-11-07T16:02:00.000-08:00

Today at work when I picked up my keyboard, there was a dead fly under it.

I am totally sicked out. I have NO IDEA how long it has been there.

Thought I'd share.

Best.Product.Ever

2007-11-06T19:38:00.000-08:00

This year for our wedding anniversary, Ben and I had a pretty lean budget. I usually like to get Ben a big ticket item for an anniversary gift; something electronic or techno. This year, I was surfing around on a few of Ben's favorite tech sites and came across this:

No, it is not some creepy ritual robe. It is the Slanket - AKA the best blanket ever invented. It is a super soft polar fleece blanket with ARMS. Is this blowing your mind as well?? When I saw this, I had to buy it for Ben. We both always hate getting snuggled under a blanket and then having to reach an arm out to use the remote or bring our hands out to use the laptop. (That sentence made us sound like the laziest, wussiest people on earth, but it's true. And it is helping me illustrate my point. And I know you all feel the same way.) The blanket is extra long, and has a large piece of fleece that you can cozy up around your neck as well. The blanket is really large, which is nice because it will wrap all the way around if you want. Let's just say that Ben loved the gift, and probably wishes that I would have bought two because I love to use it also.

I highly recommend you get your hands on one of these if you are a lazy wuss like me. Or if you live with someone who thinks it is perfectly OK to set the thermostat at 65 in the winter. Or if you like to snuggle. You won't be disappointed!

Ow!

2007-11-05T16:32:00.000-08:00

So, I have been trying to get a walk in everyday for the last few weeks. I like casually walking with Margot because that means we can go slow, but for these particular walks I have been trying to exercise a little. And I mean a LITTLE; let's not go overboard here, folks. We are talking one or two miles, at a moderate pace, and usually a little rest between. I am trying to get back to a point where I don't consider exercise to be a dirty word, but that is another story. Maybe later in the month when I run out of things to talk about (yeah, right!) we'll launch into that.

Anyways, since the dreaded daylight savings, I have decided that I am going to take my walk during lunch. This is HUGE for me, because I have major issues about sweating at work (or smelling like I have been sweating.) There really just isn't any other way for me to do this, since it is dark when I get home from work, dark when I get up, and I don't have a deathwish. So that pretty much leaves lunchtime. I have just decided to get over it, invest in an extra deodorant stick and keep an extra ponytail holder around to smooth out the crazy hair.

Today was the first day I ventured out, and I felt good about it from the get-go. I had my route mapped around the office, and it was amazing out. I started out quickly, smiling at how wonderful I was, and got about .20 of a mile when *BOOM*! I fell. And I fell hard. We are not talking about a graceful little trip, but a arms-flailing-can't-catch-self-cussing-outloud kind of fall. The frickin' sidewalk had a little lip on it, and I was trying to walk in my mules instead of tennis shoes, and I was paying no attention to where I was going. This resulted in a bruised knee, scraped palms and a serious ego blow. Ugh.

I don't know how many people got to witness my tumble, but three things are going to happen ASAP.

1. Stop acting like a jackass and watch where I am going when walking.
2. Write strongly worded letter to the City of Portland about sidewalks.
3. Pick pride up off floor and brush off.

Hope everyone else had a good Monday! And feel free to share embarrassing stories in the comments!

Daylight Savings - So far

2007-11-04T08:08:00.000-08:00

As do many other parents with small children, we were seriously dreading the daylight savings crap this year. The idea of "falling back" and getting an extra hour of sleep may sound like a dream, but when you have a small kiddo it means you get to wake up at 0'dark thirty and try and figure out what the hell you are going to do at 5am. Not fun.

This year, through some very last minute planning, we ended up with all the cousins over the night before time change. Since Margot ran around like a crazy person for four hours straight, she was able to sleep from 8pm to 7:30 the next morning!!! Yes!

I think we should visit the Grandparents every year for time change. Or at the very least sign Margot up for a marathon the day before.

Heard Around the House, Part 8

2007-11-03T08:46:00.001-07:00

Me: "Margot, let's put the crayons away."

Margot: "Ok, Mommy!"

Me: (Waits patiently)

Margot: (Dumps entire bowl out on table)

Margot: "Yah Mommy! Did it!"

Me: *Sigh*

Nana: *Snickers*

Nana & Papa's House

2007-11-02T17:38:00.000-07:00

After the craptastical week we had at home, I was really feeling the need to recharge my batteries and get back on track. Thursday afternoon, I asked Ben if he would mind going to Athena this weekend. I had this overwhelming need to see my family - to get hugged by the people who love me no matter what and are always willing to take care of me. Even though a visit to my parents can be exhausting with Margot in tow, it always makes me feel better to see the house I grew up in, and see Margot hangin' out with her Nana and Papa. They do all the cooking, all the cleaning, are very generous to us and genuinely love having us visit. We are truly blessed to be part of family like this.

I am looking forward to a good visit and lots of new fun pictures!

NaBloPoMo

2007-11-01T19:46:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed to the right on my side bar that I have entered the NaBloPoMo contest this year. Basically, a group of bloggers had a "novel" idea and joined in to encourage everyone to post once a day (every day!) for the month of November. If you post every day, you win; and really, who doesn't like to win?

I can remember when Ben and I were first married, the month of November meant many things besides turkey and holidays. He has participated in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) every year, and he writes an ENTIRE novel in 30 days. He gets a t-shirt, a headache, and a stress induced panic attack every year for his effort. Since I already have a t-shirt, a headache and a stress related panic attack under my belt, I thought it would be a cinch to participate in National Blog Posting Month.

As the Dread Pirate Roberts once said: In the end, "We'll see who is right - and who is dead."

Wish me luck!

The Doctor is In

2007-10-31T18:55:00.000-07:00

Man, I love Halloween. I don't necessarily love the idea of adults dressing up and getting drunk ass crazy, but I adore little cherubic faces dressed up as their favorite thing. Ben and I have had so much fun choosing Margot's costume the last three years, and I think this year we did well.

Introducing Dr. Margot Jarrell, MD.

You may notice that not only is she wearing scrubs, but she has an embroidered jacket that ties the whole look together. Amazing stitchery courtesy of Grandma:

You may also notice she has an angry red welt on her forehead. This is courtesy of attempting to climb out of her crib and taking a header on the carpet. I guess we will be doing a bit of bed shopping soon, hmm??

I hope everyone had a fun, safe Halloween and I'll leave you with my favorite shot from the day. Such drama in that face!

10 Things

2007-10-27T14:09:00.000-07:00

I have been tagged by Kalurah to list ten weird, random things about myself. Since I love wasting time, I figure this is a perfect activity for me!

1. I have really weird thumbs. They are short, wide and have a windshield shaped nail. The rest of my fingers and toes are normal, so it's a guess how I ended up with these freaky thumbs. I have only met one other person who has the same thumbs, and she is also wonderful, so I am going to assume that these thumbs are a sign of unbelievable greatness.

2. My favorite sound in the world is metal measuring spoons clinking together. (Go buy some and try it; you won't think I'm so crazy)

3. I am one of those annoying people who is genuinely happy. Not that I am constantly beaming sunshine, but I am a "glass half full" person to the core. I think this comes from my Mom, who has never said a bad word about anyone or anything in her whole life.

4. I love to cook but do not like to bake. This is grounds for insanity in many circles, since baking is typically a bit easier than cooking. I will take on beef wellington before taking on peanut butter cookies any day.

5. I am ashamed of the fact that I sometimes sit on my ass and let my kid watch TV. Since I am around her such limited time during the week, I should be playing with her every chance I get.

6. I keep my fingernails extremely short. I am very bothered by my own nails once they get any grow out, especially if they get dirty. I also keep a nail brush handy and scrub my nails every day. Yuck. Dirty nails are icky.

7. I have ginourmous feet. Think along the lines of size 12, and wide. I have never really had any cute shoes, and I can't wear high heels. I chalk this up to the fact that I am very tall, and I would fall over if I had small feet, right? Right?

8. I have struggled with anxiety since having a child. I used to never think or care about dying, but now it can really be consuming to me. The thought of dying young and leaving my baby girl without a Mama is almost more than I can bear. Does anyone else ever feel this way?

9. I had an imaginary friend when I was little. Her name was Mackeytrolley. The hell? I am not sure how I will react if Margot takes on an imaginary friend. I know they are normal, but they still kind of freak me out.

10. I like the color pink more than any other rational human should. I would drive a pink car and live in a pink house if I could. When we win the lotto and Ben builds his lair, I am going to build a separate pink house just for me, complete with pink nail brushes, pink metal measuring spoons, a pink bed and a pink stove.

Alright - crazy has been aired! Now, to tag a few others I think should share their crazies:

Let's start with Deb, Gen, Carrie, Trisha, and Jason. Go forth and make me look sane!

A Random Friday

2007-10-19T13:15:00.000-07:00

In honor of the best day of the week, I thought I would lay down a few random musings that have been rolling around in my drug hazed head this week. We have had a few good things, a few great things and a few really craptastic things happen this week. In no particular order, here are the highlights:

Margot is going pee in the potty and made it several hours with dry panties on. This is HUGE, of course. It has been a long time coming, as she loves the act of sitting on the potty, but she couldn't connect the function to the act. We are now in business, folks. Phase one of potty training down! Now begins the real work!

McMennamin's has returned with sweet potato fries and Chipotle ketchup. If you do not know what category this fits in, we are no longer friends.

I totaled my car on Tuesday, thanks to some random jackass who doesn't think stop signs apply to him. For those keeping count, that is the second car in 5 months I have totaled. Both are not my fault, but nobody seems to care about that. Now, I am probably on some sort of international bad driver list. Gah. Seatbelt mixed with front impact equals aforementioned drug haze. I am fine, but very sore. I am not very happy with Portland drivers at the moment.

The Sopranos final DVD is out and on it's way to us from Netflix. (Insert Jersey accent here) Ohh! Fuhggetaboutit!

I did not have the strength or will to clean up after dinner last night, so Margot began her morning with a big swig of milk that had been sitting out all night.

The weather here has been super stormy, with plenty of wind and rain. The sky has been so amazing at dusk, and I have tried to capture it almost everyday. Last night was particularly amazing.

I am really looking forward to this weekend. I am going to the ballet on Saturday with my Mother and Sister in law, and then Sunday we are taking Margot to the pumpkin patch. I have also acquired a copy of Photoshop, and I am really looking forward to taking tons of pictures.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Heard around the house, Part 7

2007-10-15T16:55:00.000-07:00

Margot: "Daddy home. Mommy go to work!"

Me: "Yes, honey, Mommy goes to work now."

Margot: "Mommy, no go to work! Stay!"

Me: No words...... just audible heartbreak.

Six Years

2007-10-13T11:13:00.000-07:00

Six years ago today, almost to the hour, Ben and I were married. It was a simple wedding in a simple place, but nothing about the way I feel about Ben is simple. He is the kindest person I know, and he loves me with his entire being. Even on the days when I am acting like anything but lovable, he is there. Steady. Reasonable. Charming. I love that he can make me laugh when all I want to do is cry. I love that he can bake and is not afraid to admit he likes it. But most of all, I love that he is mine.

Happy Anniversary, Ben. To many more!

Love,
Lauren

Shameless Plug (For Personal Gain)

2007-10-11T09:11:00.000-07:00

For the last week you have seen me gush and slobber on about my new camera, right? Anyone ever wonder how I got hooked??

Well.... introducing my sister in law, Kalurah.

Here is a photo of their little kiddos, affectionately named "The Z Team" by Uncle Ben:

I took this photo last weekend; one of the very first with my new camera. She and my brother bought their camera last year, and I have been amazed at the quality of her photos. Saying that she is a "natural" is kind of hokey, but for lack of a better term.... she is a natural!

Kalurah has recently started a new photography blog called "An Open-Shutter Case". Not only do I love the clever wordplay, but the blog has LESSONS. For clueless people like ME. For FREE. Does anyone out there have a better deal??

So, head on over to her new blog and leave a comment. And get entered for a PRIZE! We love prizes, right? I know I do; hence the Shameless Plug (For Personal Gain). Enjoy exploring some really great photos!

Oh, and by the way - the lessons work. Case in point - this photo I took last night. I think it kinda rocks:

Go now and enter!

First Pictures

2007-10-10T09:46:00.000-07:00

I didn't really know where to start with my new camera. I really wanted to study the manual, do a bit of research and try to secure a copy of photoshop before I started clicking. I kind of felt like I wasn't going to be able to capture any good shots without a little practice, but I think I am just going to jump in with both feet and learn on the way. Here are the first few I took of Margot at the park, untouched:

A little smile;

A little silly;

And just gorgeous;

I did change the color on this one just for fun, but I haven't decided if I like it better in the sepia tone. I have posted the majority on Flickr, so you guys can check them out and let me know what you like the best!

Every picture I take of Ben and Margot I feel like it is documenting love; I think that is why I like taking these photos so much. What is your favorite part of taking pictures?

Hello Beautiful

2007-10-05T18:13:00.000-07:00

Let's do the bad news first:

This is the last picture you will ever see posted on this blog taken with our Canon powershot camera:

The fantastic news is I am now the proud owner of this little beauty! I can't wait to learn all about it and start taking pictures!

Yay!

Little SiCKO

2007-09-25T10:57:00.000-07:00

Margot is sick today. She started yesterday with a watery eye, and a mild fever. By last night, she was running at103 and threw up. She seems to be better today, and has stayed cool for eight hours, but she is still fighting. She hasn't eaten, and doesn't really feel like doing much except getting cozy on the couch. I hate when she is sick, because she looks at me like "Why can't you fix this?" and it breaks my heart. I am thankful she is a healthy kid and doesn't often turn up sick, but even just these little fever episodes make my heart sink into my stomach.

Two weeks later

2007-09-21T09:19:00.000-07:00

We have been very busy the last few weeks, and I have not felt much like blogging. However, Margot has started saying so many new things in the past few days, I thought it needed to be documented for posterity.

"Mouse, Coogie!" This means read me "If you give a Mouse a Cookie" right now!
"Mu-se, Mubbin!" This means read me "If you give a Moose a Muffin" right now!
"Hag, Hag!" This means give me a hug! However, it did take me a second to regain composure when my toddler was running at me screaming "HAG, HAG MOMMY!"
"Boo, Boo fuck!" Um, yeah. This means blue fork, so we need to work on that. ASAP. Again, taken aback a bit when this was first muttered.

Last night we went out to dinner, and at the table Margot thought it would be funny to yell out the words "money" and "boobs" for some reason. I think the neighboring table thought we were dining with Hugh Hefner or something.

Margot can recognize her colors and say them all now, even though a few are still pretty heavy on the baby talk. She can also count to five with her fingers, and loves to draw. We have been practicing with a few Ed Emberly books, and once I can find the camera, I will post a few of our masterpieces. In the mean time, here is my sweet sweet girl, looking so very grown up in the picture. I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Who needs entertainment when a toddler is underfoot?

More Food Talk!

2007-09-07T15:26:00.000-07:00

Ok, this is quickly turning into a food and hiking blog, with a smattering of kiddo every now and then! As that is not my intention, I decided to keep posting our weekly eats, but I am also going to mention how Margot "helped" make the dinner! I can remember putting around in the kitchen with my Mom from the time I was little, and I still love sharing a kitchen with her. It is a good time to chat, steal a snack and just have fun together. So now, I am going to start making those memories with my own daughter, and hopefully teach her to love her kitchen, to be confident in her skills and enjoy cooking!

Monday: Labor Day! Since I was home all day, we made a large pot of pinto beans with Cornbread. The recipe can be found here. It was delicious, except for one tiny little thing....

*When shaking the Tabasco bottle, make sure the little plastic piece that controls flow is in place.

I accidentally added about a half CUP of Tabasco, instead of 6 or 7 shakes. Let's just say that Margot cried when she tried a bite, I almost cried, and Ben loved it. Great. But Margot did help me cook! She helped pour the beans in a bowl, filled up the bowl with water and helped me pick out the bad ones. She then helped measure out the cornmeal and salt. We will definitely make this again, as it was delicious; Just a little too hot for my taste!

Tuesday: Pork carnitas Quesadillas with mexican rice. Yum. For those of you who live near a Trader Joe's, the pork carnitas they sell are amazing. Put them in a tortilla with cheese and blister on the stove. You will not be sorry! For the mexican rice, I use this recipe, and it is always delicious. Margot helped by pushing the pulse button on the Cuisinart, and grated cheese. She did however try to eat all of the cheese, but it was still helpful.

Wednesday: Sweet Potato Curry with Rice. Margot helped pour the chutney, grabbed handfuls of raisins from the big bag and measured the rice. She is actually pretty good at measuring, and loves to pour! Here is the recipe for the Curry:

In large skillet, heat about 3T veg oil. Put in two peeled, chopped sweet potatoes. Cook for a few minutes, then add 3T curry powder and 1/2t Paprika. Saute until a good color develops on the potato and the curry gets fragrant.

Empty out the taters onto a plate and throw in an onion. Saute until soft, then add 1T flour. Cook for a few minutes, then add 2 1/2 cups of chicken stock. Kind of whisk a bit, until the sauce begins to thicken. Then, add about 1/2 cup of milk or cream. I used half n half, and it turned out fine.

Once your sauce is going, add 1/4 cup of Mango chutney, and 1t salt. Throw the taters back in, along with a handful of raisins and half a bag of frozen peas. Simmer until the taters are tender, and turn off heat. Then garnish with chopped cilantro, and serve with rice.

Thursday: Leftovers. No help needed here!

Friday: Ritzy Chicken nuggets. This is a Nigella recipe, and the first time we made it, kind of blah. But after I figured out that I left about half of the ingredients out, we are willing to try again. They are baked chicken breast that has been marinated in buttermilk and rolled in crushed Ritz with a few other things. Margot will pound out the Ritz with the rolling pin, and help stir up the veggies we will serve with it.

Ok guys, hope everyone had a great week and is ready for the weekend! I will post a few pics after this weekend!

Ridgefield Wildlife Hike

2007-09-02T12:40:00.000-07:00

To continue or weekly summer hiking, we chose the Ridgefield Wildlife Park in Ridgefield, Washington. Bonus points to any of you out there who know where Ridgefield is.....

The trailhead is located about 14 miles north of the Oregon border on I-5, just past Vancouver. The small town of Ridgefield is west of the freeway, and it took us about 20 minutes to drive there. An auto tour loop winds the entire way around the refuge, and you travel in about two miles to the trailhead. The "hike" is 1.5 miles long, in loop form, with no elevation gain. This translates to EASY, even for me, and is really more like a nature walk than a hike. There are tons of birds, snakes, frogs, turtles and blackberries that are fun to eat.

Since toddlers are not the most quiet traveling companions, we didn't really see much more than a few ducks and a Great Blue Heron. Margot seemed to like the cattails, but then we got a little paranoid and decided she shouldn't be carrying around a potentially protected plant in a wildlife refuge. (Insert sheepish shoulder shrug here. Sorry! It was already picked, we promise!!)

I would say if you like looking at birds and have a set of binoculars, then maybe you could consider going here. For us, it was kind of a wash. There were several landmines to avoid, in the forms of owl pellets, coyote poo and goose poo, so that was a little gross. There isn't much shade, so we got a little hot near the end. It was quiet, and deserted. Margot did like climbing around on the fences and bridges, but other than that she whined a LOT and seemed a bit bored.

Well, they can't all be winners.....

At least we did get the opportunity to add another adorable family self portrait to the mix. I hope everyone had a great weekend and had fun!

Hike Stats:

Difficulty (scale of 1-10): 0
Seriously, I didn't even sweat. And I carried Margot part of the way.
Toddler Friendly: 7
Beauty: 2
Fun: 1 (and that is generous)

Weekly Recipe Roundup

2007-08-31T21:19:00.000-07:00

I couldn't find the camera on Monday, so rather than documenting the food in photo, I thought I would share what we chowed this week via the written word:

Monday: Ginger Almond Chicken over Rice w/a green salad.
Tuesday: Curry Chicken Salad Wraps
Wednesday: New Orleans dirty rice w/German Sausages and Sweet/Sour Red Cabbage.
Thursday: Broiled Parmesan Tilapia w/Lemon broccoli and mashed potatoes.
Friday: Lazy bones Papa Murphy's pizza. (hey, I needed a break!)

The Ginger Almond Chicken was great, and I would make it again. The Curry was weird - dry and too much onion, and we didn't really like it. The dirty rice and Cabbage is a standby favorite, and I promise even if you don't like cabbage, you should try the recipe. It is so GOOD!

I hope everyone has a great long weekend, and we'll be hiking again on Sunday. Happy September!

Sunday Dinner

2007-08-26T20:00:00.000-07:00

Tonight for dinner, I made this:

It is Stuffed Zucchini, and we all loved it. I found the recipe here, but did not follow it to the letter. We don't drink white wine, so I substituted white wine vinegar and a few tablespoons of woster sauce for that. I also thought a few tablespoons of tomato paste would be more flavorful than regular chopped tomatoes. Overall, the recipe is easy and very good. It is low carb, and could easily be made vegetarian by substituting brown rice or tofu for the turkey. We will be making it again since Zucchini are in season around here.

The only part of the recipe that was tricky was hollowing out the raw Zucchini. I tried a few things before I settled on this:

It is a strawberry huller that my Mom bought from Pampered Chef. It worked like a champ! We rounded out dinner with a green salad and fresh apricots for dessert. Hope everyone else had a wonderful weekend!

A Hike around Lost Lake

2007-08-25T19:25:00.001-07:00

If you live anywhere near Hood River, you need to go here now:

This is Lost Lake, which is about 20 miles outside of Hood River. It is the kind of place you would never find unless you knew where you were going, and it truly is a gorgeous place. The view of Mt. Hood is pretty much unparalleled, and the water is clear and cool. The entire lake is surrounded by true old growth forest, full of Cedar and Hemlock. The smell of cedar is slight and musky, and if you close your eyes you can hear only birds, wind and bugs. Pretty amazing for being less than 80 miles from downtown Portland.

There is no motorized watercraft allowed on the tiny lake, so it makes a nice place to swim or paddleboat. The shore is also pretty flat and the water is shallow for five feet out, so you can splash around and walk in the cold water without worry.

There are a few trails in the area. We chose the Lost Lake trail that goes around the lake. It is a 3.2 mile loop, and only gains 100 feet in elevation the entire way. It is well marked, generally flat and there are huckleberry bushes and mushrooms galore to check out.

I can't tell you how much fun we had here. We took a picnic, ate right on the lake and splashed away in the water. We went on a Friday, and the weather and crowds were perfect. I can imagine this place is super busy on nice weekends, so I am glad we chose a week day. My lousy photo skills do not do the lake and mountain view justice, and I can only imagine what amazing shots Kalurah could have taken. But I will post one more of my favorites, so you can enjoy the scenery.

Hike Stats:

Difficulty (scale of 1-10): 1
Watch out from old roots and limbs sticking out of the ground that will trip toddlers
Toddler Friendly: 8
Beauty: 10
Fun: 10

Yum Dizzle

2007-08-24T18:33:00.000-07:00

My very first installment of "I can cook!" is ready! Here is the menu from our Lost Lake Picnic and hike (Amazing photos and story to come). Since I packed this as a picnic, everything was eaten at room temperature. Or Rubbermaid cooler temperature I guess. But it was good, no matter the temperature!

First up - Orzo Pasta Salad

I have made the same sort of salad many times for parties, but as a Barefoot Contessa recipe. That particular one is much more expensive, because it has roasted prawns and premium cheeses. This is my version that I kind of made on a whim one day and loved.

1/2 lb Orzo Pasta
About a cup of chopped cucumber (I like the hothouse)
About a cup of grape tomatoes
One bunch scallions, chopped up (white and green parts)
Half a red pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese
Salt & Pepper

Cook the orzo according to package and drain. Throw in the rest of the above ingredients, and then dress with this vinaigrette: (Or, if you are lazy like I am sometimes, you can pour a bottle of Italian dressing or whatever you like over it. But try it once with the homemade dressing - it is really worth it!)

2/3 cup olive oil
Juice and zest from one lemon
Juice and zest from one lime
A pinch of salt & pepper

If you dress the salad hot, it kind of flavors the orzo. Then, chill the salad and eat it.*

I also made Hummus and cheese sandwiches with rolls from Safeway. The Hummus you can buy, or make. It is surprisingly simple!

1 can Garbanzo beans
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp Tahini
1 tsp salt
A little H20

Put this in here and blitz like crazy. Before we had a Cuisinart, I only would buy it. For the cheese, we like Laughing Cow, Provolone, Brie - whatever is handy. I rounded out the picnic with Hermiston Watermelon my Mom brought last week. It was a hit!

*Don't let Ben get ahold of it if you want any. Standard rule applying to most all food.

A Visit from Nana

2007-08-24T15:26:00.000-07:00

My Mom stopped by on Monday to pick up a few things needed for work back home, and we had a great visit. She spent the night, and then the next day we took MAX to the Zoo. Margot was very excited to visit the Zoo with Nana!

Besides getting very tired and trying to see all the animals, we did find a few minutes to be silly.

Though it was a short visit, we had a great time and fun visiting. We are so lucky that both of Margot's Grandma's live close and love spending time with her.

Come back again soon, Nana!

Is it Friday yet?

2007-08-22T20:26:00.000-07:00

Ugh.

I kind of feel like crap tonight, and Margot has a runny nose. I think she may have picked up a little cold over the weekend, and has been congested all day. I have a ton of stuff to do tomorrow and I took Friday off in anticipation of a great weekend, but it might not turn out so great if everyone is sick.

On another note, I have been thinking about starting a foodie blog for a while now. I am certainly not going to start some crazy, in depth cooking blog, but I would like to post what we are eating for dinner, a few favorite recipes and see what others are doing around the kitchen. Several of my favorite blogs have this kind of feature, and I love to read them.

I may post here on Margot's blog to start, and see what kind of feedback we get. If nothing else, it might force me to cook instead on those nights when I eat chips and salsa, half a gardenburger patty and a string cheese. (Yes, that was tonight. I told you I don't feel that great!)

Celebrating Everyday Heroes (And a hike!)

2007-08-19T19:23:00.000-07:00

This weekend, we had the honor of attending the Oregon State Police Superintendent's Salute, which is an event held every two years to honor the men and women of the organization. The coolest thing about this salute is that your ENTIRE family is invited to join. To me, this meant Ben and Margot could come along for the ride. To everyone else, this meant bring your Mom, Uncle, Cousin twice removed, and anyone else you know who likes free food. A note to self was made for next time, and we headed out to Newport to join the 1,600 other people and the party.

OSP had a huge tent set up with crafts, snacks, and a vehicle display that was open all afternoon. Margot took her chances with a new Dodge Charger patrol car, Ben took about six chances with the ice cream cart and I made a frame to display a photo from the weekend. We all had fun!

The salute was held at the Oregon Coast Aquarium, and we all had free admission. Margot did like the undersea passage, but seemed a bit more interested in going back to the cop cars and food. (That's my girl!) We spent about an hour looking at the fish and sea lions, and then headed over for dinner. We were all served great food and drink. My LT had nominated me for employee of the year for Patrol division, so we hung around for the awards ceremony. It was a really fun night. Margot was an angel the whole time.

The next morning, we got up early and trudged out across the Yaquina bay for our weekly hike:

Getting to the beach from the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse is a series of steep, switchback stairs followed by a bit of light hiking through 1/4 mile of dunes. (Yes, I was puffing when we got there). However, it was worth the hike, because we were the only ones on the ocean shore, and set up a huge play area.

This was Margot's first time in the sand, and she loved it. She ran around, chased the water and destroyed the castles we built. It was so fun to watch her play in the sand!

After a poopy diaper that we were not prepared for and an emergency sand removal procedure from Mom's shirt (don't ask) we headed back up to the car. This is where the requisite cussing about hiking and "why is this fun?" came in. But we made it, got back to the hotel and cleaned up in time for lunch at Mo's.

It was a good weekend indeed.

Hike Stats:

Difficulty (scale of 1-10): 3
Wet sand most of the way, which is easier to walk on.
Toddler Friendly: 6
Beauty: 8
Fun: 10

Was this blog made in China?

2007-08-16T12:38:00.000-07:00

Shameless, shameless plug here for the chance to win a prize:

www.notchinamade.net

There is a new website floating around that is following the Chinese toy recall and many other issues concerning Chinese manufactured goods. This website is a great resource for those who are trying to follow the recalls as well, since other sites can be confusing to follow. They are also sponsoring a contest, where you can win a $50 gift card to American Apparel. Since this happens to be Ben's favorite clothing store, I thought I'd give it a spin! If you are not familiar with American Apparel, you should be. Read about them here!

I often don't think about who is making that 2 dollar tshirt that Margot is wearing, but reading this blog reminded me that it is often a child, not too much older than my sweet baby who is working in sweatshops half way around the world to bring it here.

Thanks to one of my favorite reads, Mama C-ta for the contest tip, inspiration and continuing laughs.

If you would like to enter the contest, you can find the rules here: Knowledge is Power!

Take a Hike, Margot!

2007-08-12T20:36:00.000-07:00

We have been talking for a long time about going hiking and getting Margot out in nature. Ben grew up in a family that hiked, camped and spent hours outdoors. I can count on one hand the number of times I have been camping, and hiking has never really seemed like much fun. However, we are going to start a new feature here at la casa de Jarrell and start taking a new hike each week. I will give a verdict after each hike and post plenty of pictures, and maybe inspire a few of our friends and family to follow in our footsteps! Let's begin, shall we?

Today we traveled to Ponytail Falls. We live in an amazing city that offers plenty of urban hikes, but since we are so close to this we decided to start here:

Pretty nice, huh?

Ponytail Falls is part of a series of waterfalls near Multnomah Falls. We were able to drive there in about 20 minutes by following the Historic Columbia River Highway. Just past Multnomah Falls and Wahkeena Falls is the trail head. The hike is advertised as "Easy", but my sweaty forehead and red face said "Moderate". The trail is mostly packed dirt and a bit rocky, and the trail raises about 300 feet. (Read: a bit steep for toddlers and out of shape Mamas.) The hike into Ponytail falls is 1 mile, and Margot walked the entire way up -

Along the way is a great viewpoint, which is were we took the river shot posted above. We took plenty of breaks and photos along the way:

Once we arrived at the Falls, we took a few minutes to have a snack and rest. The descent to the Falls is pretty steep and rocky, so we did carry Margot for this part. There is a bridge that serves as a great viewpoint and you can see the falls crash below on the rocks and logs. Pretty cool stuff! There were several other families who were hiking with their little ones, and that was nice to see. Many people carried their kiddos in backpacks, but Margot did very well walking. She loves to be outside and does well holding our hands. Here are the falls:

On the way out, Margot's legs were done and she caught a ride.

The Verdict:

Difficulty (scale of 1-10): 5
Shaded the whole way, so no direct sun beating down on you
Toddler Friendly: 4
Beauty: 7
Fun: 8

Tough Guy

2007-08-12T20:30:00.000-07:00

Who says parenting is easy??

Ouch!

It is not recommended to lean over a crouching toddler who has a penchant for jumping.

Let's Talk!

2007-08-09T14:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Margot's speech therapy appointment. The session went very well, and both Ben and I were very impressed with her Speech Language Pathologist (SLP). The lady was very nice, unassuming and non-threatening. Margot did not seem anxious or afraid, which I was worried about.

Her appointment was basically free play time, while the SLP asked us questions about Margot and her current speech. She was able to identify a few issues right away; Margot is not able to hide her tongue behind her teeth, which restricts her use of "T", "W", and "R". We had always just thought it was funny the way she would raspberry at the bubble wand instead of actually blowing, but the SLP was able to watch her and identify that issue. Margot has also been slowed by her signing, and though this was difficult to hear, I do not regret our choice to teach her ASL. Her signing ability has allowed us to communicate with in a very special way since she was very small. I think this is also something she will carry with her forever, and some day she may even choose to explore the language more. It is a lovely language and we have all enjoyed as a family learning together.

Now, the work begins. We will be following the SLP's direction and suggestions, and working a few exercises with Margot. I was so glad to see that we have chosen someone who is proactive and feels the same way about her speech delay that we do. I expect in the next few months that we may have an explosion of words at la casa de Jarrell and I can't wait to hear that sweet, sweet voice tell me a story.

Thank you so much for all of the kind encouragement and advice!

Slight Irritation

2007-08-08T14:12:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, about 2pm:

Telephone rings:

Voice: "Hello, may I speak to Margaret?"

Me: "I'm sorry, who?" "Are you trying to reach MARGOT?"

Voice: "Oh, yes, um, can I talk to Margot?"

Me: "No, she is only 2 years old. This is her mother, who never in a million years thought anyone with two brain cells would mispronounce the name Margot."