Oregon City Night Out

The kids had so much fun! This was our third year going! And we will be going again next year. So many people from Oregon City and business' show up to participate in all of the festivities. Grace won the kids raffle! Her prize was a book bag full of school supplies. Will didn't exactly win but when our adult raffle number was called we let him go up and collect the prize. We didn't want him to feel left out. "He" won a gift certificate for 18 holes of golf! Oregon City Night Out is always an event we enjoy going to.

~ Em

The kids even celebrated our anniversary

July 24th was our 7 year wedding anniversary. My sister helped the kids make us a present. They made us a family memory box. They filled it with pictures they drew of what they love doing together as a family. And I love mom and dad notes in Grace's writing. It was completely unexpected and so heartfelt. We had a lot to celebrate on our anniversary, and everyday we are given together in the future.

~ Em

How well do Will and Grace know me?

I found this little questionarre on Pinterest and found it is interesting. I love asking the kids questions and seeing what their responses are. You never know how random or completely accurate they will be. I was asking both of them but Will just started copying everything Grace said and then he got bored with it and couldn't keep focused. Mostly the answers are from Grace, and literally her first response is what I wrote. I have to put my response to Grace's response down because some of them just require an explanation.

1. What is something Mommy always says to you?
G-I love you, stop sticking your tongue out
Me- Those are both accurate for each child
2. What makes Mommy happy?
G- Being good for mommy, being good for Dad
Me- yes, I must tell them that
3. What makes mommy sad?
G-Being sick and you can't hang out with us, crying
Me- of course being sick makes me sad, but more when the kids don't want to be around me.
4. What does mommy do to make you laugh?
G-Making silly faces
Me- I'm surprised they didn't say tickle them, that is usually how I get them to laugh.
5. What was mom like when she was a kid?
G-You were like me.
Me- I was like Grace is some ways, but from what I have been told I was a lot like Will too.
6. How old is mommy?
G-24, 7
Me- Well Grace did pretty good, and Will, well wow 7 isn't quite old enough to be your mommy.
7. How tall is mom?
G-As big as the fridge
Me- thanks a lot kids! That's not really how you get on moms good side!
8. What's moms favorite thing to do?
G-Hang out with Will and me, and dad and our family.
Me- this is my favorite thing to do, as long as everyone is getting long and not yelling Mom, Mom, Mom every two seconds.
9. What does mom do when you aren't around?
G-You watch tv, go to see your friends
Me- pretty accurate. How does she know that?
10. If mom is going to be famous, what is she going to be famous for?
G- A fashion show
Me- wow! Do I have one sweet girl or what?!
11. What is Mom really good at?
G-Saying thank you
Me- I do want them to know everyone uses their manners, even parents.
12. What is mom not really good at?
G-Nope, that's not a good question, i am not answering that.
Me- and my girl too sweet to her momma!
13. What does mom do for a job?
G-Uh, you work at a bank?
Me- I can not believe this was her response. I don't know where she got that idea.
14. What's moms favorite food?
G-Salad
Me- I do like me some salad.
15. If mom was a cartoon character who would she be?
G-Ruby, from Max and Ruby
Me- I really do not like Ruby, not sure why she chose her.
16. What makes you proud of mommy?
G- Im proud of you for reading books
Me- I kinda wish it was for something else, but she has started reading a little so its good she is learning.
17. What do you and mommy do together?
G-Go to Claire's
Me- yeah I need to curb her shopping addiction.
18. How are you and mommy the same?
G-We both have brown hair
Me- glad she knows what it means to be the same.
19. How are you and mommy different?
G-We don't have the same color eyes
Me- thank you for stating the obvious.
20. How do you know mommy loves you?
G-Because I'm so beautiful
Me- So much for being modest. And, my love for her goes a little deeper than that.
21. Where's mommy's favorite place to go?
G-Library
Me- why she said this, I am still scratching my head.

Ask your kids these questions. And I want to see the responses.

~ Em

Quotes by Will and Grace

I think everyone knows that kids say the darndest things, and usually at the darndest times. Well I try to make sure and write down the comical little things they say. I am so glad I do because in the moment it seems so hilarious and I don't know how I could not remember it, but without fail I find myself sitting there a day or so later trying to remember what they said. 

So what I figure I will do is every couple of posts update you with Quotes by Will and Grace. They will need to have a little story with them so you can get some understanding, if you will, about why they said what they said. If they don't at least make you smile then something is wrong with you.

Okay, here goes.... A couple of days ago Grace had a little belly ache, and was rubbing her belly. Then she decided to puff her belly out and proceed to tell us that she had FOUR babies in her belly.( I hope that never happens!) Will had to copy her like any little brother does, and told us he had two babies in his belly. I asked how the babies got there and even though Will's response was second I can't remember Graces. When I asked him, he said, "Hmm, umm Target.' Nice! Apparently if anyone is in need of a baby, or two, or four, just go down to your local Target. 

Next recent quote comes to us, courtesy of my little lady Grace. She came up to me the other day and asked me if she looked beautiful. I told her yes, but she always looks beautiful. And I told her that being beautiful on the inside is what is important, and her heart is beautiful. I asked her if she knew that, and her response to me was "Yeah Mom, cuz my hear has sparkles on it." Not quite sure how she came up with that but it would be quite fitting if her heart has sparkles on it, since everything else she seems to surround herself with does. 

I have left you smiling right? 

~ Em

The Sea Witch is interrupting our sleep

I have to start this by saying that I have always felt extremely fortunate that I have two children that have slept through the night very early on. They must have just known that their Momma likes her sleep and does not do well without it. So you would think with my children being 5 and 3 that worrying about sleeping through the night would be a thing of the past. However, I am here to tell you, that the "Sea Witch" has made that a current reality.
A little over a month ago William starting waking up in the middle of night, just crying hysterically. At first I just chalked it up to one bad dream. When I went into his room and loved on him he would go right back to sleep. Well then it started happening every night. And then a couple of times a night. Finally, when he was crying, he told me that he wanted the "Sea Witch" to go away. I wasn't quite sure what he meant since I had never heard it talk about it before. So the next morning I started questioning him about this "Sea Witch" and trying to understand why she was upsetting him. He said that she was mean and trying to hurt him.
Turns out, he is talking about the "Sea Witch" from The Little Mermaid. The kids have seen it before but not anytime recently (our VHS player is broken right now). So I don't know what prompted him to all of the sudden dream about her.
We have had many conversations about the "Sea Witch" and how she is not mean, she will not hurt Will, and she is his "friend". I don't want to bring it up too much so that is all he is thinking about, but I also don't want him to think about her in his dreams. She is a little freaky in the movie, but of all things he has seen, I am just surprised that she is the thing he is having nightmares about.
Every night, he wakes up either once or twice. He is either crying or just waking up and crawling into our bed. I really hope that the "Sea Witch" will leave his dreams, and just go back to the sea. I guess only time will tell.
Hopefully next time I blog I can happily tell everyone that the "Sea Witch" has retreated back to the place she came from.

~ Em

Being a parent

Perfect interpretation

~ Em

Summer

To start summer out the kids are going to a new at home daycare. Two people from different aspects of life referred me to her. After meeting her and visiting her home Chris and I were relieved to feel so comfortable with the situation. Grace already knew a little girl that was her classmate at preschool, and they knew another little boy that goes there too. And after the first day I knew we made the right decision because when I came to pick up the kids they told me they wanted me to come back later because they weren't ready to leave there. I knew after hearing that, our decision was the right one.
Outside of daycare, we are staying busy too. Grace went to her first tea party. She was invited to a birthday tea party and it was right up her alley. She got all dressed up, and was on her best behavior. We will be going back maybe for a mom and daughter tea party! Also, we made s'mores in our backyard chimney fire pit. It always seems like a great idea until it is time to put the s'more together and the kids don't even want it, they just wanted to roast the marshmallow. Oh well, good family time.
We went with my sisters to a rock climbing place in Portland that has climbing for all age groups. Chris and I were a little nervous at first to have the kids just scale the wall free hand with no protection, but turns out we were nervous about nothing. The kids took right too it and shocked even themselves. I can't believe we have never been to this place before. It is a great place to take kids if you want to run them out of energy. So, perfect for my children.
I know we will have a lot of adventures this summer and I plan on taking lots of pictures to document them all.
P.S. I found Will's missing Thomas the Train rain boot tonight! It was behind my night stand, with about four other things I was missing, imagine that. And, just in time for summer! LOL

~ Em