Memorial Weekend Madness

May 31, 2011 by Adam in Family

Memorial Day weekend has come and gone.  It was fun, busy, productive, relaxing, and occasionally stressful.

We had both kids Friday night, as Emma wanted to hang out after her birthday festivities.  We had cupcakes and presents for the eight year-old girl, along with her take out choice of Tasty Thai.  Emma particularly liked her art kit and fancy dress, which she plans to wear to the wedding.

Emma left on Saturday for Bend, returning Sunday.  Sam managed to weasel his way out of the trip, spending big chunks of his weekend playing online games with his new buddy Matt, who happens to be his second cousin.  Joanna and I took Berry and Duncan to Jerry's to pick up garden supplies.  We put up trellises and weeded, had a play date with Rob and Nick, and did a bit of homework with Sam.

Emma returned Sunday, going to the library with me.  I took everyone for a long walk in the rain, went food shopping, and wrapped up the day with pizza and Mythbusters.  Next was dessert at my mom's, where Emma was treated to Metropol lemon cake to much enjoyment.

I realized this weekend that I'd been making mochas out of decaf, so I switched over and made a real mocha for a change.  Somehow that gave me the strength of a dozen men, so I had three cubic yards of mulch delivered and I wheel barrowed half of it up the hill and spread it around.  Joanna and I are both scratched and bruised, but our front yard looks much nicer.

In the afternoon, Emma wanted to fly kites, so we hauled the two Sam and Emma made last year along with some pinwheels and ran around cheese park until the rain drove us home. 

There were some bumpy parts this weekend.  Joanna and Emma were sick.  Berry was up in the middle of the night.  There were occasional break downs and one toe biting that caused a lengthy time out.  Still, we muddled through and were generally fairly happy.

8 Year-Old Mocha Friday

May 27, 2011 by Adam in Family

Emma's birthday is today.  She's officially eight years old, though I've been feeling she's that age for quite some time.  Tonight we have a dinner of Tasty Thai and dessert of cupcakes planned for her, exactly what she wished for.  Tonight she and Sam go to Jamie's, who is taking them to Bend for Finn's first birthday party.  I'll see them again on Sunday, which will make for a quiet household.

Last night was Sam's half birthday as well.  We got him pizza and caramel ice cream, along with a little present.  I bought him an Aperature Science hoodie and Portal 2 mouse pad from the Valve store, and he was remarkably excited about them.  The hoodie is now a permanent part of his wardrobe, and the mouse pad is constantly used.  I think I got an "Epic!" out of Sam for the latter.

All the kids are doing much better, though Joanna is now feeling sniffly.  I've somehow managed to dodge this one so far, at least for the most part.  It felt good to get Sam off to school again, and generally caught up with his missing assignments.

I took Emma to Adam's Elementary last night for an ice cream social.  It was a bit of a mad house with kids running around everywhere.  I think Emma's still having problems with the transition, and one of her best friends is going to Edgewood instead of Adam's.  Because of that, she seems to be waffling a bit as to where she wants to go, though it's one of those things that we'll have to figure out this summer.  Last I checked with Jamie, we were settling on Adams as most of the people and teachers she knows will be there.

The rest of the household is doing well.  Duncan was excited about the Minecraft update last night, and he wants to make his own Minecraft videos.  Sam was calling him a genius last night, as he's able to read, type, and do all manner of complicated technical things.  That being said, he's still just five.  When we changed the broken toilet seat with a new one, he broke down and cried for five minutes.  I guess he really missed it.

Eugenian to the End

May 25, 2011 by Adam in Family

A few tidbits of news this beautiful, sunny Tuesday.

The biggie is that my job isn't going anywhere.  The powers that be switched to an attrition model, so as people quit, they'll be hired into Vancouver.  Since I love my job and my team, Needless to say, it's a huge relief.

Sam, Emma, and Berry continue to be sick, though all seem to be on the mend.  I drove Sam to his school today to pick up his bike and collect his missing assignments that were causing his one C on his midterms.  At the moment he's at the kitchen table reading about Greece.

Joanna's promotion continues to be more official.  She doesn't have magical manager status in various computer systems, but I think it's on the way.

Three Sick Kids

May 23, 2011 by Adam in Family

I'm working from home today, thankful I can pull it off so well with my current job.  Last night I awoke after midnight to Sam coming up the stairs to announce he'd thrown up.  I spent the next 45 minutes or so cleaning the carpets, sink, and doing laundry.  Eventually Sam crashed on the couch and I went upstairs to try and sleep.  Then Emma woke up with a 103 fever, so I stayed with her until she got back to sleep.  This morning Berry seemed sick as well, so I have all three at home at the moment.  The girls are watching shows on the netbooks, and Sam is still fast asleep at 10:45 a.m.

The weekend was generally pretty good, though Emma and Berry seemed mildly sick off and on.  Friday night our babysitter was busy, so we hung out and took it easy.  Saturday had Sam returning early, and we all played a bit too much Terraria with Josh's cousin Matt.  Some homework was accomplished, and we played in the garden a fair amount.  Pizza and Rough Science were eaten and watched.  Joanna, Sam, and I watched the latest Harry Potter movie, which was great if very bleak.

Sunday was equally low key.  Sam was being a little too sedentary, so I took him for a walk to the store, chatting about video games all the way.  We went shopping for garden supplies, and did some planting and compost sifting, letting the chickens roam around.  Joanna took B&D to a birthday party.  Sam, Emma, and I had a fun game of Munchkin, a silly card game that everyone enjoys.  Emma and I got the chickens back into their coop, but couldn't find Melody.  Fortunately she wandered back on her own and we lured her in with cracked corn.

It's a busy week, with Sam's half-birthday Thursday and Emma's birthday Friday.  They're both going to Bend with their mom, returning Sunday at noon.  I plan on doing house projects so I don't miss them quite so much.

Pre-Rapture Mocha Friday

May 20, 2011 by Adam in Family

My morning mocha is long gone, but I'm still feeling the enthusiastic optimism my espresso brings.

It's been a pleasant week.  On Wednesday Joanna and I went swing dancing.  For whatever reason, few people were there, but we had a great time and actually remembered most of the moves from our last class.  Afterward we walked to Prince Pucklers and I reminisced about walking there as a kid when it was Gancy's ice cream.

Thursday I fetched Emma after her Coyote Kids' class.  She had a bit of a sun burn and tummy ache.  It was "breakfast for dinner", as Joanna had to work late.  She did a great job helping with the pancakes, cheerfully mixing and flipping like a pro.  Emma had trouble sleeping and got up in the middle of the night.  I think her stomach is bothering her, just like Sam's a few weeks ago.  Poor girl.

Sam's off to Jamie's tonight, returning in the morning.  He's also missing school and taking his field trip to Newport today.  I packed a bag full of food and comic books, so I think he'll have a decent drive.  We're having fun playing our new game, Terraria, and I hope he, Emma, and I can continue this weekend.  With luck, the weather will be good and we can get outside too.

Sam got his grades, all A's and B's except for one class where he had some missing assignments.  I've arranged a meetup between he and his teacher, so hopefully that'll get resolved soon.

Duncan and Berry are doing well.  Berry had pajama day at school today.  Duncan's planning on starting a band with his classmates.  They know the Minecraft song about finding diamonds quite well.

All-in-all, life's pretty good.

Mid-Week Update

May 18, 2011 by Adam in Family

It's Wednesday already, with the week merrily going along.  Nothing particularly exciting has been happening.  Sam's registering for next year's classes.  Tonight Joanna and I are going swing dancing for the first time in awhile.  Sam and I have been frantically playing Terraria and Witcher 2, both fine games.

I signed Emma up for ballet this summer.  Sam's getting ready for a field trip to Newport this Friday, spending some time on a research ship for his biology class.  Emma's birthday is coming up real soon.

Life's good.

Parks, Pickle Eyes, and Chocolate Chip Cookies

May 16, 2011 by Adam in Family

It was a very pleasant, low-key weekend, a zesty blend of accomplishments and relaxation.

Friday night Joanna and I went off to Laughing Planet and listened to bluegrass next door at the Supreme Bean.  We shuffled kids off to bed and watched Glee, wrapping up the evening nicely.

Saturday began with a hearty breakfast, Emma homework while people were off at ballet.  Next was an expedition to Hendrick's park to frolic among the blooming rhododendrons, then home for lunch and gardening.  Joanna took Duncan to a birthday party, leaving me with the girls.  Emma really wanted to create a zucchini and honey mix to turn into facials.  Berry thought it was great, especially the "pickle eyes" at the end.  Later we made cookies, though Emma's stomach continued to hurt and she only ate a couple over the weekend.

Sam returned for dinner and I managed to feed everyone.  We chatted and got kids to bed, followed by Doctor Who and the last Community.

Sunday was relatively lazy.  I did haul everyone outside to mow lawns and swing on swings, not to mention a library trip. Otherwise, we took it easy, doing art projects and playing on the computer.  Sam, Emma, and I all loaded up Dungeons and Dragons Online and enjoyed playing for a bit.  Duncan continued his endless Minecraft playing.  We had pizza and Mythbusters.  Sam finished up his homework.  Life moves onward.

Springtime Mocha Friday

May 13, 2011 by Adam in Family

I'm still enjoying my mocha on this beautiful spring morning.  I'm actually quite eager to dig into work, and have been having fun doing cool things with code.

Joanna is off at Duncan's jog-a-thon.  I told him on his way out not to run too much, as I had to pay him $2 per lap.  Berry's cold is improving, as is her mood.  Unfortunately the sweet girl facade fades pretty fast when she's under the weather.  Emma's been sick as well, with stomach aches reminiscent of Sam's illness.  She did go off to school today, which I think she's been wanting to do.  Emma and her friend Morgan chatted for a long while on the phone yesterday, and Emma misses her buddies.

Sam doesn't have school today, which makes him immensely happy.  He was busy playing Gothic 2, an old game I got for free when I bought Witcher 2.  School is going well with him, and he enjoys playing Magic with his friends.  I think I'm going to get some work out of him this weekend, as he wants $4 for a new game coming out this Monday.

As for Joanna and I, all is well.  We went out Wednesday on a hot date to the grocery store.  Perhaps tonight we can visit a more romantic setting.

Back to Work

May 09, 2011 by Adam in Family

It was a low-key and pleasant weekend.  Mother's Day was the big event, and I think I generally managed to hit all the flower, card, and present necessities of such an event.

Friday Joanna and I went out to Tasty Thai, returning with leftovers which Emma quickly gobbled up.  Saturday morning we hung out at home, working on homework, playing, and staying in from the rain.  Emma got picked up by Jamie for a lunch thing at her house, returning with both kids for grocery shopping, pizza, and Mythbusters.  The evening wrapped up with Doctor Who, which was a fine pirate-related episode.

Sunday was Mother's Day, and I made crepes with strawberries and whip cream for all.  After the bacon was gobbled up and the mocha was drunk, we cleaned up and got ready for the day.  Joanna, Berry, and Duncan went to church.  I took Emma shopping for Mother's Day and Perry's birthday.  Joanna returned with a migraine, but soldiered through opening presents and lunch.  Emma had a good time at the birthday party, and I spent a long while playing computer games with Sam, Josh, and Josh's cousin Matt.

Collette, Bob, and my mom arrived for a low-key spaghetti dinner.  I did my fourth load of dishes for the day, got Emma to bed, and collapsed for the evening.  I had been up since 4:30 with a sick Berry, so I was barely conscious as we watched Community and The Office.

With Joanna's coordination, we now have a child care person for the summer.  Her name is Jessica, a former Head Start teacher, and very organized and enthusiastic.  Emma seemed to really like her, and gave Jessica a hug when she left.

Today I'm perky and cheerfuly, doing meetings and trying to get things done.

Freebie Mocha Friday

May 06, 2011 by Adam in Family

My mocha was free today, making it extra tasty.  I finished it long ago, but have been dealing with assorted crises and issues at work.  We have auditors making things exciting, and I've had to issue calming words to a couple different folks.

I picked Emma up from Kate's house yesterday and she was her usual cheerful self.  For some reason she had trouble getting to sleep, though, and she stayed up reading until I got her to sleep close to ten.  This morning she made yakisoba noodles for breakfast, which is more common than you'd think.

Joanna's jury duty continues, hopefully finishing up today.  I know very little about the case, but I'm hoping I can grill her tonight over dinner when she's done.  Evidently there's a lot of waiting in the jury room, with no knitting needles allowed.

Sam and I had a "scurry around frantically" moment this morning when we thought his Newport trip was this morning.  Fortunately Jamie was there and read it, and it's actually on the 20th.  Today he has to turn in his permission slip and check.  He gets to go out on the ocean and do some marine biology, which I don't think was as exciting for him as skipping a day of school.

This weekend should be low-key and pleasant.  Jamie's taking Sam and Emma to a family lunch thing tomorrow, and we'll do pizza and Mythbusters in the evening.  I'll take Berry and Duncan to the library.  Sunday we're planning a Mother's Day dinner, and I have some present things to organize. 

Life's good.

Mid-Week Madness

May 05, 2011 by Adam in Family

It's been a busy week.

Sam was sick Monday.  I came home with a headache and stayed home Tuesday, along with Berry who had tummy troubles.  Sam went to school and was generally fine.  Yesterday Sam called work reporting a headache, so I picked him up, fed him some pain killers, and he was fine for the rest of the day.

Joanna was called to jury duty and has to serve today and perhaps tomorrow as well.  It's not a great time, work-wise, but it does sound like the whole process is fascinating.  I look forward to hearing about it when it's over.

Emma arrives today, which should be fun.  Duncan has declared Thursdays "Emma Day," and cheerfully announces it in the morning.

Back to Work

May 02, 2011 by Adam in Family

I'm back at work, feeling tired.  I'm also fretting about Sam.  He was great all weekend, and then started to get stomach pain again Sunday night.  He was up at 4:30 this morning and didn't make it to school again.  It was so weird, as he was his usual cheerful self Saturday and Sunday.  It might have been the soda at my mom's house, as he's not supposed to have caffeine.  If he's not better by Wednesday, it's back to the doctor.

On Friday night Joanna and I went to Adam's Sustainable Table.  I had tofu crock pie, which was a tasty reminder of chicken pot pie from my childhood.

Saturday was pancakes, then working on Emma's Dolley Madison speech while Berry and Duncan went to ballet.  Sam arrived, feeling perky, and I hauled kids to the library.  The afternoon was relatively pleasant and low-key.  I took Sam for a hair cut.  Emma and I went grocery shopping, returning with pizza for a fine Mythbusters, followed by Doctor Who after smaller kids went to bed.

Sunday was another pancake breakfast, with french toast for me.  Sam finished up his homework in the morning, and we packed a picnic lunch and headed out to Target.  Sam got pants that fit and shoes without holes, completing his "refreshing" process.  We ate by the river at the hospital, returning home for a sunny afternoon playing around the house.  Emma, Duncan, and Berry went over to play at Todd and Victoria's house, then returned to break out the slip-and-slide.  We cleaned everyone up and went to my mom's for Easter dinner.

Other than Sam being sick again, life's doing good.  Joanna helped Emma with a couple sewing projects, making a tiny pillow for Berry's doll and a big sack for catching dragons.  Joanna got a promotion, which is slowly getting official.  I think it's more likely my job is sticking around, which would be a great stress relief if official.