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It's the last day of July, the Summer slowly ...
July 31, 2008 by Adam in Family
It's the last day of July, the Summer slowly coming to a close. I've been at home alone all week, mostly staying out of trouble. Monday I ran errands, getting my hair cut and shopping for the week. I'm almost out of fruit for the perpetual smoothies I make myself each day.
Tuesday after work I went to Home Depot and didn't emerge for two hours. While everyone was out, I wanted to replace the wood on our old bench and repaint the metal. I managed to get the store to cut the wood to size. Last night I finally ripped apart the old bench and power washed the metal. This morning before 7 o'clock, I was spraying primer in my shorts. Hopefully tonight I can finish with the painting and perhaps drill and stain the wood.
Of course, I've got to pack for Bend as well. Dave's picking me up Friday night and I get to see my family again. It's been a weird week, so I'm pretty excited to run around with everyone.
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The weekend has come and gone
July 28, 2008 by Adam in Family
 The weekend has come and gone. I'm back at work and Jamie's busy getting the kids ready to go to Bend for the week. I left them a little note on the table and gave Emma a sleepy kiss before I headed out the door.
We had a fun weekend all around, though I was strangely stressed and grumpy for part of it. Fortunately Jamie was in good spirits, and I'm hoping my apologies made up for things. Saturday was theoretically the day I made a huge seven course meal, but it didn't quite work out as I'd planned. Jamie came back late from her walk with Pat, so I rushed about trying to get things ready. The kids weren't really into some of the dishes, though towards the evening everyone liked the mini-pizzas. Jamie and Sam watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail, while Emma watched her show.
I was in a much better mood on Sunday. Jamie made Dutch babies for breakfast while I put on a treasure hunt for the kids (the final clue led to the breakfast table). Sam and I went to see the Dark Knight, which was great. Afterwards, I tried to take the kids swimming, but it was closed. We then went to Toys-R-Us to get squirt guns, but they were out. We finally found some at Fred Meyers, and then spent the afternoon having shootouts in the back yard. I finally excused myself while the kids continued to have at it. Emma eventually got cold and blue, so they finished up with Nerf guns in the basement.
Jamie returned from work and made dinner for us all. I read Girl Genius to Emma in the bath and watched Sam battle zombies in his game. After bed, Jamie and I stayed up really late watching the season premier of Mad Men. My favorite part is talking about it with her afterwards, which we did for another half hour until we went to bed exhausted.
As for me, I have shopping, hair cuts, and assorted house maintenance planned. Let's see how much I really accomplish while everyone's away.
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It's yet another Mocha Friday
July 25, 2008 by Adam in Family
 It's yet another Mocha Friday. Sam was up early this morning, wearing this same shirt and necklace as he was wearing last night. Dave returned from Hawaii and showered the kids with goodies. Both got t-shirts and necklaces. Emma wanted to keep playing a game last night where her necklace was magical and I was the evil villain trying to steal it away. It's funny how much joy such a small thing can create.
Yesterday Jamie took the kids to the Harrisburg museum. I think it really made an impression as both kids brought up things they had seen. Sam was amazed by the ancient car. Emma was excited about ringing the church bell. There were also these huge tables and benches made from a single massive tree, that impressed even Jamie.
Sam continues to be a reading maniac. He finished up a long four-book fantasy series that he said was as good as Harry Potter. I forget the name of the series, but the first book is called The Door in the Woods. When I asked him what he'll read next, he sighed a little and said he should probably read one of the Greek books my mom had given him. What a responsible kid.
Jamie and the kids decided that I should do one of my seven-course meals and a movie tomorrow. That's short notice, but I have a tentative menu I penciled out yesterday. I have no idea what the movie will be, but it looks like the meal's general theme is hors d'ouvres and matching beverage (e.g. croissants and tea, or pizza and root beer). We'll see if I can pull it off.
After this weekend, Jamie and the kids go off to Bend. It looks like both mom and dad are off as well, leaving me to fend for myself on a diet of bagel sandwitches and smoothies. Hopefully I'll manage.
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The weekend has come to a close and it's earl...
July 21, 2008 by Adam in Family
 The weekend has come to a close and it's early Monday morning. I have my tea and oatmeal, and my brain is slowly gaining the ability to reason coherently.
The weekend was great, starting with my birthday on Saturday. Jamie made her usual tasty breakfast, I hit the library, and took the kids swimming for a good long while. Later in the afternoon Sam and I went to Hellboy 2, which was another of the many great comic movies coming out these days. In the evening we had a small birthday party and Jamie served some of the best chocolate cake ever. Yummy.
Sunday was very lazy, with lots of time hanging out with the kids. We rearranged our bedroom so that our bed faced the one great view in the house. The kids played superhero play pretend, only occasionally trying to kill each other. Eventually we headed out to Hendrick's park to chase butterflies and wild turkeys. Emma pointed out puff balls, which we dissected to find wasp pupae inside. Eventually we wandered home for a lazy afternoon of movies, projects, and playing games. Good times.
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It's a wonderful Mocha Friday, that delicious...
July 18, 2008 by Adam in Family
 It's a wonderful Mocha Friday, that delicious beverage still half full by my side.
Jamie and the kids arrived home yesterday, not quite being able to finish out the week at the beach. The children were like happy puppies, leaping into my arms when I arrived home. Sam in particular seemed to miss me a lot, and was even willing to go food shopping with me so we could chat by ourselves for awhile. It felt great having everyone home, though I definately saw my free time vanish in an instant. Fortunately I'm spending my time the way I wanted, including staying up late to read to Emma and eventually getting her to sleep.
Tomorrow is my birthday, which I'm vaguely excited for. I'm turning 39, which means I only have another year before having a midlife crisis. It's hard to decide how exactly I should attempt to recapture my fading youth. Perhaps skateboarding or salsa dancing.
Yayoe dropped off orchids, one of which I've taken to work to add to my plan collection. I think there will be a very small, low-key celebration of sorts, hopefully with Seraph's potato-chocolate cake. I'd like to take the kids swimming and maybe go see Hellboy 2 with Sam. I've got library books overdue as well. We'll see what I can manage to fit in.
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The week is moving along, and it's very quiet...
July 16, 2008 by Adam in Family
The week is moving along, and it's very quiet at home. Fortunately Jamie and the kids have been calling regularly, though it's still weird wandering around in a big, empty house. I talked with Sam yesterday, who reported he found a snake on the beach. They also went to the aquarium and enjoyed the exhibit on strange fish. I may join them this upcoming weekend, depending on how they're doing. I'll probably call tomorrow and see if they're ready to come home.
As for me, I haven't been doing much with my free time. I went shopping Monday. Last night I did laundry and worked on my Steampunk projects. It's surprising how quickly that extra time vanishes.
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It's Monday and the weekend has come and gone
July 14, 2008 by Adam in Family
 It's Monday and the weekend has come and gone. It was very much a Sadie-filled two days, which I enjoyed very much.
Friday night I was exhausted after running six miles at lunch, but I hunkered down and took Sam to see Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark at our local park after sundown. I almost fell asleep, but Sam seemed to enjoy it and it was a neat community experience with all the people there.
Jamie went off to the antique show with Pat and his family, returning with a pair of pilot's headphones from WWII in excellent condition. That made my day, though I still need to verify it works and hook it up to the computer.
Later Sadie called, inviting me to a brunch she was throwing for her friends. The kids played together exceedingly well, exploring the recesses of mom's house. We went out to swimming afterwards, having a great time and exhausting the kids.
In the afternoon, Sadie and Anna came over. Emma demanded they reinact Kung Fu Panda scenes. Later we made voodoo dolls out of Sculpey. Good times.
 Jamie came back and fixed up a tasty breakfast on Sunday. The kids seemed worn out, so we mostly hung out at home all day. I got an R4 adapter for the Nintendo DS, so I put all sorts of homebrew games and home movies on it. Sam really got into playing Pocket Physics. There was lots of Lego playing, which Emma has started to enjoy. Her character is Lady Woodhouse and she has a trusted martian servant named something or another the third. Somewhere along the way was a nerf shootout as well.
My mom invited us over for dinner Sunday afternoon. Emma and Isabell had a great time chatting. Sam read comic books. All went well.
Now I'm back at work and everyone but me is going to the beach. I'm trying hard not to miss them too much.
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Happy Mocha Friday all, and my condolences to...
July 11, 2008 by Adam in Family
Happy Mocha Friday all, and my condolences to those of you who are without that delicious nectar of the gods this morning.
It's been a short week, full of hanging out with the kids and trying to stay cool. I'm not sure how to describe it, other than by giving assorted highlights.
Sam returned from my mom's yesterday with his hair in a pony tail. My suspicion is that his messy hair drove her nuts and Sam politely gave in and washed it. It looked great, though I'm not sure we'll see it too often. I asked him why he kept his hair long and he replied that he was afraid he'd change his mind after cutting it. Ah, the power of regret.
Emma has been playing with Sierra during her last few days in town. Yesterday they assembled an elaborate fairy home out of plants, rocks, and liberal use of a hot glue gun. I did my fatherly duty and played fairies with Emma in her new fairy abode.
After work yesterday, the kids and I spent a long period of time just being silly. We had a contest trying to get the other person to laugh by making funny faces. I broke out the tickle claw and chased Emma about. They were indeed, good times.
Jamie and the kids are leaving for the beach next week, so I'm going to get my family time in while I can. I suppose after that it's strip clubs and drunken revelry. Or maybe I'll just stay home and work on house projects. I haven't decided yet.
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I'm back at work after our lovely vacation
July 09, 2008 by Adam in Family
I'm back at work after our lovely vacation. Work's insane, as expected, but I'm sneaking a few minutes to post and drink my tea. Yesterday was our official anniversary, and I had a great day, though strangely spent a lot of time away from Jamie. The day before we were mostly at home, though the drive down seemed a little long.
On Monday Sam and I rode our bikes to Valley River to watch Wall-E. It was a masterful movie, both visually and thematically. I also loved the short cartoon before the movie, and the animated parts of the credits.
Yesterday morning was much like a weekend. We had a great breakfast with blueberry smoothies and crepes. I went to the library with the kids and Sierra, who kept an eye on Emma while Sam and I walked back home. I think Sam and I managed a shootout in the basement with Nerf guns. All afternoon we worked on projects, including redoing the lights in Emma's bedroom.
In the evening before falling asleep, Jamie and I discussed the characters of Mad Men, eagerly awaiting the return of the series later this month. Good times.
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I'm at the Hotel deLuxe, hiding out in the bu...
July 06, 2008 by Adam in Family
 I'm at the Hotel deLuxe, hiding out in the business center while Jamie sleeps in. We dropped the kids off at Grandma Judy's yesterday. It was nice that they weren't weepy at all, letting us sneak away with minimal guilt.
We started off our Portland adventure with a trip to Powell's. I love being able to browse around without interruption or time limits. I only ended up with one book, but it was fun picking it out. Afterwards we went to our hotel, visited the bar, and watched a little television until it was time to go out to dinner. We went to a place I think was called Wildwood and ate way too much food. It was a nice walk there and back, so I at least got to work off some of my calories.
As for today, we're going to the Portland Art Museum. I'd also like to hit some stores, and perhaps have breakfast at Mother's, which is my favorite breakfast place. It's been very fun and relaxing.
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I'm beat
July 05, 2008 by Adam in Family
 I'm beat.
I ran the 10K Butte to Butte this morning. I woke up early, put on my running outfit, and headed over to my dad's to drop off my car. It took awhile to get my packet, but that got straightened out and I got to the starting line with the thousands of other runners. The race itself went pretty well, with the run up the hill going great. It wasn't until the last mile or so that I really started to feel lousy. Fortunately I made it through the finish line at 51:30, coming in 997th out of 3,090 and 82nd out of 186 in my age group. I was pretty happy with the results.
At the end of the race there was tons of food and sweaty people. I ate a bunch and then walked to where my dad drove me to get my car. I was tired and hungry, but it wasn't until a few hours after the race that I came down with a nasty headache. I spent the afternoon resting as best I can, though I managed to fit in a Nerf gun fight with Sam and some play time with Emma.
I felt lots better after a nap and we had a small family sparkler adventure before bedtime. I'm going to retire soon and then get packed for our Portland trip tomorrow.
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I'd like to think there was a good reason for...
July 03, 2008 by Adam in Family
 I'd like to think there was a good reason for Emma to be dressed like a wild savage, chasing Sam around with the newly painted Nerf gun. I'd like to think my intentions were pure when the entire episode ended with the victorious exclaimation, "I shot him in the butt!" Fortunately the kids both had a great time, so I suppose it all ended well.
Today is my Mocha Thursday, since tomorrow I have to be clean and sober for the big race. Yesterday was fairly routine, with work being busy due to the acquisition of a new clinic in Bellingham. I ran six miles at lunch, making sure to stay well hydrated to avoid another headache. I felt file, though I made a lot of trips to the rest room. After I got home, Emma and I made things out of some leather material I had floating around. She was quite fond of her bracelet, which you can somewhat see in the picture.
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It's Wednesday already, with this week blazin...
July 02, 2008 by Adam in Family
It's Wednesday already, with this week blazing along. It's hard to imagine that this Friday I'll be running in the Butte-to-Butte and Saturday we're heading up to Portland.
Sam went out with my mom to the Olympic trials last night. I asked him how it went and he dryly replied, "I now know the meaning of the phrase 'the crowd went wild'". I guess he watched the three Eugene runners win a race and everyone went crazy. Sam preferred the javelin throw, though, especially as it looked like a judge might be skewered on occasion.
Jamie took the kids to the reservoir with Sharon and her kids yesterday. I asked Emma how it went and she told me "mostly I sat on a foam platform and cried." Later last night, Jamie said there was a floating platform that the other kids were playing on. Emma swam over and they pulled her up, and later she realized she couldn't see the bottom and the lake was likely filled with toe-eating fish. After a half-hour of coaxing, Natalie helped her into Sam's arms, and he carried her back to the shore.
Monday night was really weird for me. I got a horrible headache when I got home and basically slept until 8:30. Jamie scurried about to get babysitters at the last minute before going to the Hult center. I'm still not sure what it was, maybe running outside at lunch and getting overheated. I might try the same thing again today, but this time make sure I'm well-hydrated.
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