I reckon you don't know the Sheriff of Cute. Beware folks he's not a crooked cop but he does have his price... bananas, yogurt and your cell phone might save your life should you dare to cross him. Here's a rare shot of him in his birthday uni. After the bottom photo was captured he actually said to me:

"Lady, you take one more shot of me and I will unload on this couch that is a promise!"

It is serious, Chuck Norris-grade cuteness.

***

There are so many things lately that have crossed my life and mind that I found myself saying to, uh, myself pay attention this is excellent blogfodder. All sorts of quips and nuggets... maybe I do need an iPod touch to record these wims... just kidding, Marcus!

First an update: Thanks to my dear husband and Maggie's frequently flying aunt, I was able to go to Spokane by myself a couple of weeks ago. There I met and snuggled the sweet Lucy baby. SO precious! But even more important I got spend many uninterrupted hours conversing with my dear Maggie. I always walk away from time with her enlightened and blessed- she has a great deal of wisdom and wonderful stories that she never seems too busy to share with me. I could go on and on about Maggie, but I might start to get a little sad that we are so far apart and flood the keyboard!

So what about today? The men folk in our small group decided to play some hoops and take the kids with them! A couple of the corresponding ladies and myself dined at a quaint restaurant in Snohomish and did some meandering. I didn't have to help either one of them finish their breakfasts nor watch them like hawks while in the antique stores- I can't tell you what I treat that is!

Then Marcus replaced one of our back gutters. This is huge. The old gutter produced a drip that sounded like a Barbie was outside hanging pictures in her dream house ALL NIGHT LONG! He had invaluable help from one of the men folk, Troy and I was able to make a dairy free Boston Cream Pie which is actually quite tasty. In case you are curious (Deena!) soy milk custard sets up quite nicely, although soy milked cakes STILL taste dry to me. Whatever. That chocolate top makes up for it. Marcus also found a screen door that fits our back slider and I will most likely have to give up my summer sport of fly swatting to actually scrap book or use my sewing machine.

Oh and Happy Mother's day to all the moms out there! I guess this made up holiday's not SO bad.

:)

zoo? why for?

baby birds nesting in the laundry basket.

Okay, simmer down, baby birds!

Do NOT feed the wild animals. It will cause them to become aggressive and assumptive.

just an update

Well we've been home from Spring Break for officially 8 days and I am now just writing this. Spokane was a great time, low key with lots of time spent with loved ones, mainly Grandma and Grandpa Martin and our dear Lynch "family".

And wouldn't you know that rascal Maggie "decided" to have her baby Wednesday April 1st about 12 hours AFTER we left Spokane! The nerve right?! No I am excited for Lucy Lauren is a breathing citizen now and decided to leave the womb a whole week before her due date. She must really love her mommy!

Maggie and I got some good quality time in before this of course, which included giant onion rings from none other than The Onion. We also had play time with the kiddos, where our daughter's became fast friends. Good stuff.

It was also special to see Bradie and Beau interact with Grandma Mary and Grandpa Stan, especially Bradie who didn't speak for about two hours after we arrived. Don't worry she busted out the charm soon after and enjoyed her week, which included a date with Daddy to her first movie on the big screen. Candy and soda completed the experience. Beau did well there also, walking better than he did the morning we left! Its like a little switch went off in his brain. He still cannot stand on his own without something vertical to help him, but I expect this switch will flip soon. He is also now totally weaned, which is a bittersweet relief.

We then journeyed to Grandma Janie and Papa Dave in Tumwater to say hello and pick up the dog which they generously baby sat for the duration of the Spokane trip...

And now we're back! For Easter and to see Auntie Caren who is visiting from Virginia. The only shadow is Grandma Janie is resting in a hospital bed after unexpectedly needing a few feet of small intestine removed! Crazy! If you are inclined to make any Petitions for a speedy recovery on her behalf, please do so.

Tomorrow we will ride back up to Gig Harbor to sup with my family and watch the kiddos hunt for eggs.

Let's see... I am finding some joy in gardening these days. We planted a window box and I have seeds sown...so fingers crossed! Beau loves to be outside and will beeline for any open door. He and Bradie have been known to hold hands in the car. They did so all the way to church last week. I took very few photos in Spokane but I will post those soon.

Last night Bradie and I are saying good night in her room. its dark and low key. Suddenly she says,

"Elmo doesn't have a real butt. It's not real. There's a hand."

So I say "yes, Elmo is a puppet. There's a man who makes Elmo sing and dance."

"He doesn't have a line like this", she says as she rolls over and points between her little cheeks.

Wow.

I love giving Bradie the camera once and awhile. I just need to check and make sure its off manual so the camera can select a different depth of field on its own.
Apparently they use helicopters to add new phone lines. It was bizarre. All day long, intermittently, it felt like we were on MASH. I kept thinking about that Chris O'Donnell/Mt Everest movie where you see the helicopters struggling in the thin air... obviously not thin down here, but watching the precision hovering made me nervous. Oh well. The kids liked it. Bradie also says "helleecopter" and sounds very British, which makes me smile.

I'm off to by some pseudoephedrine as I could not procure any last night at 2 am when we REALLY needed it :( Beau is a snotty, nonsleeper right now. I'm assured he will not use any to help produce methamphetamines... although granite falls is just down the road.

Beau's one year visit was today! I am just beside myself at how fast his first year came and went! I had to post a one year pic of Bradie just because I love how different they look yet you can still see the relation and I MUST remind myself that Bradie was once a baby too...although this is beginning to fade into memory :(

Beau's stats as follows:

20 pounds 5 ounces 14%

29 1/2 inches 40%

46 cm head circumference 38%

Little man! Okay so I pulled up Bradie's one year stats today and they measured the EXACT same in length and Bradie was 3 ounces heavier at one year!

What tickles me the most is that their laughs are on their way to being identical :)

Gotta go hit record.... its Office time!

Check out my little weaner! :) On Thursday I replaced Beau's rather pathetic afternoon nursing with a cup of milk. Took like a charm. This has been the fastest year of my life, yesterday being a whirlwind. Grandpa Dave and Grandma Janie came to visit and got Bradie a new car seat so we could upgrade little mister to her FORWARD facing seat! He looks so tiny in it!

And later that afternoon Beau stood and clapped his hands THEN took three steps to Grandma Janie!

Big day.