Just want to blog a little from the Can. Last night Maggie and I hit Europa- sweet pepper tortelini is MONEY! Then we cruised the streets around 10 pm. Hoopfest started this morning so last night Spokane was all abuzz. I took some photos that I will *maybe* post when I return home. Maybe because they were taken at night, something I haven't been able to experiment with much with the Rebel and my current mom-of-toddler lifestyle. I did take a picture of the Sawtooth sign and the Rocky Rococco sign for Ellen, who thinks I am making up the names of these eateries. I also took a picture of the new Weldon Barber that is downtown...Spokane is a happening place, people, I'm telling ya!

Oops I think Frank needs to use the outhouse, so I will sign off for now.

random update

After I laid Bradie down for the night, I needed a cup of hot cocoa. Since there was none in the house I made some from scratch like this:

2 TBSP of cocoa powder
2 TBSP of Sugar
A dash of salt
1 cup of milk nuked until hot (maybe 1 and 1/4 cup for chocolate wussies)
stir in gradually to the mixed dry ingredients
1/4 tsp of vanilla stirred in

DELICIOUS! It was very rich and chocolatey, so much so that I had to "chase" it with a little glass of plain milk for fear it might put hair on my chest. So much better than the stuff out of the can that always tastes kinda plastic-y to me.

Guess where I found it? On the cocoa box. Sometimes little gems are waiting there for a million years, for you to slow down and do something different...right in front of your eyes the whole time, is, I believe, how the cliche ends.

Ah lets see...what else... if you are not my mom you can quit reading now if you want. :) I am going to Spokane tomorrow, I bought two pairs of real cute shorts at Tarjmehal:) And I also bought a new bathing suit at Macy's. My first "real" suit since before my wedding, which is nearing its 5th anniversary. It's pretty and simple and covers enough, which is actually HARD to find these days. Its either grandma suits (no offense to my elder readers!) or triangle-topped bikinis. I admit I tried on one of those magic jobs, the kind that boasts that you lose ten pounds in ten seconds. It was fairly cute so I thought WTH and tried it on. I was literally SWEATING! It was liking trying to cram myself into a garden hose. Reminiscent for sure of Ross trying to get his leather pants back on in the bathroom (one of my all-time fave TV moments, next Niles Crane ironing his pants-you know, Mom!) And, like all things control top, it pushed whatever wouldn't fit in the suit, out all the other openings. I was making muffin top look downright sexy. Magic my foot!

Phew! Not sure where that tirade came from, but there you go.

Brad Van Dyne is good people. He took our little dogshow to Spokane as a favor to me. Not only was he instrumental in encouraging my relationship with Marcus in its embryonic stages, but he's shown many other kindnesses to me and mine. We love Brad. Especially Marcus, who says he's an excellent cuddler.


And here's our divine Ms. B... because there's no shame in being a proud mama!

*I did it Marcus! I did it! I posted a pic without my training wheels that was Picasa! It sucks trying to navigate the window, maybe you can help me see it with applefetisheyes when you get back! Miss you like Ed :)

Same Kind of Different as Me

This is the book I just finished. Its INCREDIBLE! I highly highly recommend this book if you are a human being.

I am exhausted and my toast is finished, so I must venture to bed. I will blog soon with some updated pictures and things!

ETA (Edited to Add....surpised you didn't know that!) That this book is also a true story. So be a good human and read it.

Bradie is now the proud owner of a little stuffed cat, a Cinderella carriage that contains pink, light blue and sparkly mega blocks, and her very first Mr. Potato head. I almost got the Little People bus too, but I found some self control, which I am sure was heaven-sent as Toys r Us is not designed with controlling self in mind. I felt a little bashful of my purchases, but I have long been lamenting to anyone who would listen that my emergent little person needs a toy makeover. I have been eyeing craigslist and had big plans to hit some consignment shops... but they all went to pot as I rounded the corner and saw the wall of stuffed animals! Bradie exclaimed, "Tiggy! Kiddy!" as I selected the perfect gray furball from the chaos.

My shameful feelings for the 30 bucks I dropped all but disappeared the next day as I watched her play INTENSELY with her Mega Block carriage for what seemed forever. Okay, it was only 15 minutes, but that is still great.

Blessing doesn't begin to describe the feeling I get while watching her play, when she is really engrossed and mommy's arms are the furthest thing from her mind. Watching those wheels turn is satisfying and exciting, but it brings into view the precipice that will haunt me over these coming years. Growth. Change. I know they are still far off, but it cannot be all a myth, that these precious years are gone in truly a blink of an eye, as my wiser peers tell me. This attitude will probably serve me well during the monotonous, trying times I am sure.

Now if only Bradie could grasp this bittersweetness that will turn to nostalgia in only a breath... it might keep her hiney still enough for a proper diaper change once in a while. Turkey.

Local Dwellings?

I would like to move. I would like a coat closet and a place where my neighbors don't walk over my head. I would also like some sunshine to filter in any window at some point during the day..."I want to sleep on the hard ground, in the comfort of your arms, on a pillow of blue bonnets and a blanket made of stars". Cowboy and apartment? I will rather keep my hot teacher dude, but the apartment is a must so if you know of any great places around here (the hood), please let me know.

That is all.

Happy Inland Eating

So I am going to punk out on South Snoho and go with some good Spokane eateries (since Deena stole Tub's and all):

Clinkerdagger: yummo for steaks and seafood and much more. Pricey but worth it.

Sawtooth Grill: juicy messy burgers in a field and stream atmosphere. No scary birds staring you down here. I hear, they have some good seafood items here too...I think many places in Spokane try too hard to compensate for their inlandness.

The Staggering Ox: this little Veradale gem serves sandwiches in round, hollowed-out tubes of bread. The bottom is closed to secure all of their tasty dressings for a sumptuous last bite.

Europa: I confess I have never been there, but my friend Maggie swears by it. And I sorta swear by Maggie. I think we talked about her favorite tortelini dish for like a half an hour. I WILL go to Europa someday! This restaurant also is connected with the Hotel Lusso which Lori tells me is a fun romantic place.

Rocky Rococo's: You don't really know Marcus if you haven't heard about Rocky's. They serve a nice deep dish pizza. Best after an afternoon of sweaty bodies at Hoopfest. (no I do not work for the Spokane Chamber of Commerce)

There are others! What a hard tag! Thanks Deena for tagging me. Oh and I must mention Zips: best freaking tartar sauce ever!

*also for the soon to be T-towners... you must check out Harbor Lights on Ruston. My cousin is a chef there! Watch out for the cocktails, though, apparently one jigger equals two. Also avoid The RAM and The Swiss lest you want to attend my high school reunion LOL for you TJ*

**I tried so hard to get pictures...I am special and am not able to yet **

blog premier de la mini

Yes, I am blogging from an Apple. A macintosh if you will. And yes, I do feel very hip and with it. Are these words oozing cool or what?

nope just same old me. It is nice to be on a real keyboard again, although my thumb is behaving like ones foot pushing an imaginary clutch on an automatic. Another metaphor would be that it is rooting for the touch pad like a newborn for a breast.

Speaking of newborns, I had the privilege yesterday of holding my friend Amber's three day old son, Charlie. Charlie clucked and burped and stretched and passed out in my arms. What a neat feeling it is! I was thinking to myself : "I still got it!" It was encouraging to me after the past few days of tears and misunderstanding between Bradie and I.

She is struggling right now...her words are coming along like gangbusters, but that little mind and its big wants are still several paces ahead. Add a cold and some supsicious hand-in-mouth activity and you have the perfect store. Yesterday I put on the Veggie Tales for her and when I checked on her she had her index finger and thumb in a whistle-like postion. Except they were resting on what appeared to be the last spaces behind her molars...her two year molars! I don't feel anything yet, but I can't help but thinking those suckers are just moving around and getting set to rear their purely white heads.

So its gotta be the teeth right? What am I going to do in 10 years when she's all funky and hormonal? Teething's been my go-to excuse for her whole life so far. I will surely be at a loss then.

One hour left of round two (round one for Marcus!) of the BBC Pride and Prejudice. He is enjoying it so far. Its been fun to have someone enjoy/cringe with me at the antics of Mr. Collins. He's like Michael Scott during the summer hiatus :) Seriously though, I am inspired to write an essay or poem about how they have Mr. Darcy always getting wet somehow in the film. On the second viewing, I found his bath, his face washing and his full on swim in the pond highly symbolic...I will extrapolate no further on the subject and will leave those who care to expound to their own designs. May the thought of a soaking Mr. Darcy vex you in the kindest way.

Only one more hour and I promise I will move on with my life. Thanks for reading this randomly long and pictureless blog. I will post some pics when Marcus gets all the specs realigned on the rotary gerter.

Hallelujah...

for my hour long walk ALONE!
(with the iheartjesus playlist on the Nano)

for a two hour nap for the B-dogg

for fruit punch Gatorade and Brita water

for CHURCH (been three weeks! shew)

for the grace given me by my husband
whom I was less than kind to this morn

for Jane Austen writing Pride and Prejudice (on page 209)

for sunshine and breeziness

for I am loved more wholly and without reservation
by my Creator than I can fathom

"so..yeah...it's a good day" -Pam Beesley

Pride and Prejudice 2005 and Soup

What can I say? I am addicted to this story. My sweet sister-in-law sent a copy of the book home with Marcus- THANK YOU CAREN! I've already started reading it. LOVE it!

Marcus is such a stud. He actually watched this with me last night.* While I did enjoy it, I am very glad I watched the BBC version first. Keira Knightly's performance IS great from an acting standpoint, but I don't think she captured all the loveliness and confidence that is Austen's Lizzie... maybe I should stop the comparisons now so I don't find myself in a pointless hole. They are different films.

However, Marcus, as a fairly unattached male, was left a little wanting at the end of the film. It leaves out quite a bit and doesn't seem to draw enough drama from the rectifying actions of Mr. Darcy, which to me makes this story so full of beauty and grace.

Deena said that if you really love the first Elizabeth it might be hard to transition to loving the character Knightly so deftly portrayed. For me, this was definitely true.

Have I mentioned that I love my husband? Not only did he sit through this with me, he's even willing to watch the original! I guess I'll watch it with him. It will be a sacrifice, but I'm all about taking one for the team ;)

On that note, it is good to be a family again. Bradie said "Dada" and gave Marcus a hug at the airport. I made lentil soup tonight, which turned out great and paired beautifully with the Buzzsaw Brown, courtesy of the craftsmen at the Deschutes Brewery. While I washed the dishes, Bradie nestled in daddy's lap looking at some pictures that we transferred to our new computer. Ahh, normalcy. Thank you to all who have prayed for us during these trying times. Continue to keep Marcus in your prayers as he comes to terms with all that has occurred and will occur in the adjustment back to regular routine.

Heather's Garden Part Deux

Woot! That was easy. Adds some economy to my page. A few notes: that is my mother in the blue hat. The blue hat is Bradie's...she gets her little peanut head from Grandma Sally ;) The little boy by the "dinosaur" plant is my nephew Erik. He is four years old and pretty tall for his age...so yeah, big ace plant.

Heather's Garden

Here's some pics I snapped in my lovely sister's lovely garden :) Of course the pictures cannot portray the ambiance and serenity that she has created, but I sure did try. My sister is not one to blog, much less look at blogs, but I hope she'll sit her fanny down for a minute to look at her hard work displayed for all to see! Oh yeah and Jeff too. Best BIL ever that one! ;)

I will post some more since Picasa only allows for four photos??? A collage perhaps.

Oh and t-minus 36 hours until I get to give Marcus a hug and kiss.

Please take a minute and read Marcus' Weblog. Its beautiful.

Peace and Love,

sara