Who am I kidding?

Changes

2012-01-25T12:17:00.000-08:00

Am I the only one who is sick of things constantly changing? I can't turn on the computer without demands for upgrading this and getting the new format of that. I have had the same email address since high school, but every time I log in the site looks different. It's not that I don't appreciate advances in technology. I just would like things to calm down a little so I can catch up. Maybe if nobody tinkered with these things for a year or two I would be excited for a change.

House

2012-01-16T12:39:00.000-08:00

The last month and a half have been full. We moved, we drove to Colorado and back, we celebrated Christmas a couple times, and we finally closed on the house.

We love our house. It is not a big house, but we have so much more space than we used to have. We have a little yard to romp around in and a garage to keep our clutter mostly out of the way. We can walk to church again, and we are actually in a neighborhood, instead of living surrounded by university students. There is room to walk all the way around our kitchen table. We are really happy here.

Finally taking down the "Sale Pending" sign. The car in the driveway? It's ours. Dirty dishes in the sink? Also ours. Because we live in our own home now!

Lots of boxes to unpack. We still have a bunch in the garage, but I might just wait until it's not freezing out there before I unpack them. Plenty of space to play in front of our cute fireplace.Fun on the deck. A panorama of our backyard. (The deck's not actually wonky. It's just the way things got spliced together.)

Thank you, Your Highness

2012-01-13T14:21:00.001-08:00

I offered Lizzy two options for lunch today, and she didn't like either of them. She turned away with a toss of her sassy head and said, "I'm not coming. You are dismissed."
Maybe tomorrow I won't give her options.

Good Food

2011-12-02T12:58:00.000-08:00

Barak is a pretty easy-going little guy. He plays on his own, with his siblings or with friends equally well. He likes to play rough and tumble "boy" games, but he is also happy to join his big sister for a tea party, dressed as Cinderella. But - the boy knows his own mind. He surprises me on a daily basis by knowing exactly what it is he wants.
For Thanksgiving we go to my parents house, where we spend the day stuffing ourselves with candy, cookies, fudge, and other snacks. Then we sit down to turkey, and ham, and stuffing, and mashed potatoes, and rolls, and deviled eggs, and fruit salad, and cranberry sauce, and, and, and....
I had the pleasure to sit next to little Barak at dinner, and help him fill his plate. Right away he let me know what he wanted. He was not so interested in potatoes or stuffing or any of that stuff. He pointed to the platter of meat and kept pointing, saying, "I want that! I want that!" Not a piece of turkey. Not a piece of ham. He wanted the drumstick. So we gave it to him.

And he was very happy.

Sebastian

2011-11-11T18:19:00.000-08:00

Sebastian is three months old. He is trying desperately to sit up on his own, to stand, to walk, to run after his older siblings and get in on their wrestling matches. If I happen to catch his eye, he'll probably smile, and when tickled he nearly always laughs. (There is nothing like a baby laugh.) He loves to be cuddled, and he prefers to be rocked to sleep. He is a generous sleeper, and there are nights that he doesn't wake up at all until after his big brother starts yelling that it's morning. He's generally pretty relaxed and happy, but he hates to feel ignored or forgotten. He is completely, one hundred per cent, a lovable, wonderful, incredible little person.

There is an experience I never had the chance to record, and I feel it's an important one, something I don't want to forget. Labor and delivery for Sebastian was nothing out of the ordinary; there were no complications or extra risk factors. Nevertheless, giving birth is absolutely the hardest, most horrible thing I have ever done, and I hope to never be faced with anything more difficult. Sebastian is baby number three for me, but I found myself facing the same (though less intense) fear as with previous births. Right near the end I always find myself wondering if I am going to die. I know that sounds overly dramatic, but that's really what giving birth is like for me. Anyway, just as I came to that part of things, suddenly Sebastian was there. All purple, and gooey, and yelling, and squished looking. As the nurses thrust this mad little lump of a person at me, I had this incredible feeling. That's it? That's all I have to go through to get this tiny, perfect person? A few months of morning sickness and the pain of childbirth were nothing compared to this. Ten fingers, ten toes, and wide, unfocused eyes all cuddled up to my heart.I've never gotten a better deal in my life.

Late as usual

2011-11-08T16:15:00.000-08:00

I have a ton of things I want to post about and lots of pictures to share, but I never seem able to grab a moment. So we'll start with Halloween. We were in a bit of a rush, so I got really bad pictures. Sorry.

This year we decided to make our Jack-o-lantern into a snowman.
As cute as the pumpkinman turned out, this one is much cuter, don't you think?
Super Why is Barak's favorite show on television, so it seemed like a good idea to make that his Halloween costume. He seemed excited about the idea, until the time came to actually put it on. He kept saying, "Later. I'll do it later." And of course Lizzy followed us around saying things like, "Don't worry, Barak. Mom won't stab you with the safety pin. It won't hurt." So helpful.

Lizzy wanted to be Angelina Ballerina. Even though I find that character annoying and bratty, I think Lizzy made a very cute ballerina mouse.

See those buckets they're holding? At the end of the night they were FULL of candy, and all of it was the good kind. We found the best neighborhood to trick-or-treat in. (Since we live on a street made up entirely of huge apartment complexes, I don't feel bad driving to someone else's neighborhood to knock on doors.)

Barak says

2011-11-08T08:20:00.000-08:00

"What's that sticker doing there? I'm gonna bite it off!"

"I need rescued."

"To the power! To the GOAL!"

"You ruined my world."
(This last one was because I threw away his balloon.)

House Hunting

2011-10-26T14:03:00.000-07:00

Today we are going to put in an offer for a house. I am trying not to be too excited. We've already written offers on five other houses. The people from the first house we offered on ignored us, and we let the contract expire in order to pursue a different house that we really wanted. The second house refused our offer and then accepted a lower offer from someone else within a week. (This one still hurts.) The third house rejected our rather low offer. The fourth house rejected our reasonable offer, and this morning the fifth house rejected what I thought was a good offer. Today's offer is going to be a strong one.
At least, I hope that's how the seller sees it.
Because this house has apple trees in the backyard.

Lizzy's prayer at lunch today

2011-10-07T12:26:00.001-07:00

"Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for this day. Thank you for this food. Earlier when we were playing picnic, Bear wanted to say a prayer, so he said a real prayer, but it wasn't real food. We were just playing picnic. I just wanted to tell you that. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen."

A Sunday Tradition

2011-10-05T10:25:00.000-07:00

Lizzy in 2007Barak in 2009

Sebastian in 2011

Summertime

2011-08-27T22:01:00.000-07:00

Our poor third child doesn't get nearly as many pictures taken of him as his siblings did. It certainly is not because we love him less, though! Just check out this baby love:

Barak pretty much thinks it's his job in life to make sure Sebastian never goes more than five minutes without being kissed, and Lizzy loves to hold him. No, the lack of pictures is not due to a lack of love. We've just been busy doing the summer thing. You know, eating Popsicles outside,

going on picnics, and generally having a good time. On one such day of summer fun, we decided to head into Salem, where we rode the carousel. Lizzy wanted to ride the covered wagon, like Ma and Pa. Barak, however, was less impressed. When we tried to get him on the carousel, he made this face:

so we let Lizzy ride it twice, because we had already gotten two tickets. She LOVED it.

And Sebastian just slept through the whole experience.

Hello, Sebastian.

2011-08-05T17:27:00.000-07:00

Sebastian Berk Washburn was born Wednesday, August 3 at 1:45 pm. He weighed 9 lbs 13 oz and is 22 inches long. The nurses were very impressed by his manly little chest and they said he looked like Superman. He sure did love the warming lamp. Never have I seen a newborn quite so relaxed.

Barak and Lizzy were happy that he was born early enough in the day that they could come visit him. They were even able to help Daddy give him his first bath.Both older siblings are very pleased with their new brother. They love him very much and have been so good and helpful. They like to hold him and give him kisses, and they want to be a part of his every action. It's good to be a family of five.

Playing Ma

2011-07-18T19:32:00.000-07:00

I don't feel interesting enough to post. Mostly I wander around the house wondering when I can get my next nap.

Lizzy, on the other hand, is very entertaining. For the past few months we have been reading the series of books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Today we finished The Long Winter. Ever since we started she has been a little bit obsessed with the characters. She constantly wants to play "Laura and Mary," which mostly is just acting out scenes from the book. I'll be honest, I find the game a little dull.

Recently, however, she has invented a new twist. She now likes to play "When Ma meets Lizzy." I get to play the part of Ma, while she is of course Lizzy. I am then instructed to exclaim over all the things I don't understand and ask a lot of questions about how Lizzy lives and what life is like in these times.

Seriously, I think Lizzy is extremely clever. She really enjoys explaining things such as what a car is, how a light switch works, and that there are no blizzards in Oregon. She came up with a great way to compare and contrast our time with the time of the Ingalls family. She's learning, I'm learning, and the game is actually fun.

Memorial Day

2011-06-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

On our honeymoon, Isaac and I drove across the Astoria bridge and all along Highway 101 from Astoria to Newport. Since then, we have made trips along that same highway from Newport to Florence. We thought it would be really fun to drive out to Florence and then follow 101 all the way to the California border, thus being able to claim that we have travelled the entire Oregon coast, stopping at many various beaches along the way. For Memorial Day that's just what we did, but we extended our trip a little farther south, in order to visit the California Redwoods. Despite a little bit of rain, we had a great time.

Before we left, Isaac showed the kids how to make Hobo dinners. (Sorry if that's not a PC term. That's what he calls them, and I am too brain dead at the moment to think of anything else.)

The kids really enjoyed heaping carrots and potatoes on top of little hamburger patties and then wrapping them in foil.

I'll admit that I was a little skeptical about how they would turn out, but I have truly never enjoyed cooked carrots more. The potatoes were also very, very good. My husband can be a very good cook.

That's Barak behind the giant cup of cocoa.

I remember as a kid going to Sunset Bay, down by Bandon. It was always one of my favorite beaches, though we almost never went there. It was just too far away from where I grew up and plenty of lovely beaches were much closer. I was determined to stop there on this trip, but as we got closer, I began to wonder if it was really such a special beach, or if maybe I just had a really good time there once as a kid. None of my pictures do it justice. It really is a small, but amazing beach.

Seriously, how often do you get to just see a seal (or is it a seal lion?) lazing about in the sand?

D is for Daddy.

We stayed the first night at Bullards Beach. Barak really liked sitting by the campfire... as long as there was no actual fire. The smoke was too much in his eyes and made him cry.

Saturday and Sunday night we were in California, checking out enormous trees. Isaac thought there were a couple of places that would be perfect for an Ewok village. We spent Monday driving back. Overall we had a really great time, and I am already looking forward to our next adventure. As a side note, I think next time we go tent camping and I am seven months pregnant, I will give in and get an air mattress.

Camping at Silver Falls

2011-05-26T13:14:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago, most of my family met up at Silver Falls State Park. We rented three cabins and spent the weekend sitting around the campfire, eating good food, and goofing around. We missed the out-of-state members of our family, but we still managed to have a great time.
I started off taking a lot of pictures, but I didn't manage to get a single shot of the waterfalls before my camera batteries died. I guess you'll just have to imagine how beautiful and full they were this time of year.
Isaac and I arrived with the kids first, so right away we put them to work hauling wood.
After that, Isaac hauled the kids around for awhile. Can you see the expression on Barak's face? He loved the ride.The kids had a truly great time, for several reasons. Even though I thought she was too young to sleep up there, Lizzy had a chance to at least check out the view from the top bunk. (She has been asking us to get bunk beds for about a year now.)

Lizzy, Barak, and Aunt Amy

All of the aunties are greatly loved, but Barak has a special place in his heart for my sister Cheryl. He followed her around all weekend, and when she managed to get out of his sight for even a moment, he would demand, "Where Shayzo?"And let's face it, it's hard not to have a good time when you get to poke a stream with a stick. Anne, Barak, and Lizzy all got some good jabs in.Even Helen found a stick she could manage.Clearly, Isaac didn't think a stick would give him enough information about the stream's water quality, so he had to use one of his children. Lizzy didn't mind at all.Barak has not stopped asking for Grandpa since we got home. The two of them bonded over walking sticks.Here's the one my dad gave Barak.Somehow, we took a hike right during lunch / nap time. Bear was mesmerized by South Falls, but also falling asleep on his feet. Anyway, we enjoyed ourselves a lot, and I think this has become a family tradition. Maybe next year we can convince those on the East Coast to come join us. We'll even let you poke the stream.

Just hanging out

2011-05-20T13:36:00.000-07:00

In the Washburn home, there are plenty of tantrums. Some of them are even thrown by the children. I find myself with mountains of laundry, dirty dishes constantly piled in the sink, and an inability to be on time for ANYTHING. On the other hand, there is so much good going on, that all of the above is rather insignificant (most days).

There is a lot of sibling love here. I hope my children are always this close. Sure, one of them tends to be a little bossy and the other one thinks it's funny to knock over block towers, but for the most part, they play together very well. Their affection for one another is obvious.

I also love how much they enjoy reading. One day I noticed how quiet they were being as I cleaned up the breakfast dishes and discovered this:And let's not forget the love we all feel for the daddy of the house. Poor guy can't even take a decent nap on the couch. We live in a great place, too. Sure, we're still living the apartment life, but I like it here. We were sitting outside on our patio one evening, and along came two ducks for a visit. They were pretty sure we had some food for them, so they were not at all shy about walking right up to us. I think that's awesome.I think some of the best moments in life come when we are just hanging out. The kids are always doing things to make Isaac and I laugh. Lately, Barak has developed a wicked little laugh that makes us think of mad scientists and mischief. I tried to get him to do it on camera, and was not successful. Next time, maybe.

And finally, I love the little songs this child continuously makes up. Is there any doubt she's a daddy's-girl?

Easter

2011-05-20T13:24:00.000-07:00

I just uploaded the pictures from my camera, so let's pretend Easter wasn't a month ago. Unfortunately, the kids were in non-stop motion, so most of my pictures turned out blurry. (I'll blame the kids instead of my photography. :))

Aunt Amy helps Barak find some eggs.

Quite a lot of eggs.

Little stinker knew I was trying to get a decent picture.

I love this smile.

Lips

2011-05-09T19:46:00.000-07:00

I think it's amazing how much cuteness comes through in just a nose and a pair of lips. I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of this cute little boy in a few months.

My Turn

2011-04-26T17:35:00.000-07:00

My son just learned how to say, "Bear-bear's turn!" Guess whose turn it always is.

T-shirt

2011-04-08T20:16:00.000-07:00

There are three things I would wear printed on a T-shirt.

Meanest Mom in the World (Seriously. I would wear this with pride.)

I'm not fat, I'm pregnant. (Though, I might be tempted to wear this when I'm NOT pregnant, just to keep people guessing.)

I'm not a mess, I'm a mom. (Although I do see a lot of moms who aren't messes at all. How do they do that?)

2011-04-07T13:11:00.000-07:00

We were almost home, and I told her if she climbed out of the wagon I would not let her back in. The lure of the bright yellow flower proved too much for her, so out she went. I offered to hold her hand as we walked through the parking lot, but she refused, distraught that I was in fact making good on my threat. So she ran along the sidewalk, making her distress known to all and sundry. She stood ten yards from our front door, unwilling to move any farther on her own. I put the wagon away, unlocked the door, and had her brother's coat and hat off, and still she stood there, refusing to move, continuing to cry. Finally she stamped her little foot and yelled, "I forgive you Mommy! Just don't make me walk!" Today I earned my "Meanest Mom in the World" T-shirt. I made her walk.

Lizzy said

2011-03-30T19:50:00.000-07:00

"Do you have to go potty, Lizzy?" "No, I just have excitement bottom."

You're pretty old, so you pop, pop, pop.

You're the meanest mom I ever had!

I don't know what you're saying, but I love you.

(At a restaurant, after observing another table of customers): Those are all girls and just one boy. Silly man, don't you know you're just supposed to have one wife?

Why can't I pick my tongue up?

(When asked why she's not a duck fan - and I promise we did NOT teach her this!): Because Heavenly Father wants me to be a Beaver.

That laughed my toots out!

Being Sneaky

2011-03-16T19:34:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I think I am so clever. I often chuckle to myself about some little scheme or prank that I have come up, but they never pan out. The truth is, I am no good at being sneaky. The look on my face will tell you if I'm up to something, and if I try to tiptoe up behind you, I'm certain to trip over something along the way and dump that cold glass of water over my own head. I can't even play hide and seek. I might have the very best hiding place ever, but without fail I give myself away with a giggle when someone walks right past me.
I have to try extra hard at Christmases and birthdays. In my opinion, gifts at these times should be a surprise, so if you blurt out where you went shopping and exactly where the presents are hidden, you've ruined half the fun. Despite my deeply-held belief that honesty keeps you out of trouble, I have been known to lie right to someone's (mostly Isaac's) face during the holidays, just in an attempt to keep him guessing. I know, I need to repent.
Isaac's birthday is this Saturday, and he is going to be OLD. Because I think turning OLD is kind of a big deal, I accepted his request for a rather expensive birthday present. Unfortunately, this took some planning on both our parts, and left me with no surprise for his birthday. Now comes the scheming. To me, it appeared that the best way to mess with him (I mean surprise him ... sort of) was to make it seem as though I ordered his gift online, and it didn't come on time. Meanwhile, I'd have the present stashed in some clever hiding place, ready to miraculously appear just after he'd given up hope for it.
On Monday, the kids and I climbed into our new minivan and headed to BestBuy. Lizzy knew this was to be a secret trip, and she was not to tell Daddy anything about it. Unlike me, Lizzy's actually pretty good with secrets. We dashed in, made our purchase, and hurried back out with just enough time to beat Isaac home for lunch.
Which we would have done.
If the car had started.
Can I just remind you that we bought this car less than three weeks ago? The wagon was in the back and we were less than two miles from home, so for a moment I considered leaving the stupid thing, but retrieving it would have been too much of a hassle, so I did the only thing I could think of, which was to call Isaac and have him come bail us out. At least then we could keep the car seats with us. So that's where Isaac found us 15 minutes later, right in front of the store where I had bought his birthday present, and no way to hide that fact. So much for being sneaky.

Snow and OMSI

2011-03-02T15:14:00.000-08:00

Lizzy, Barak, and I enjoyed the snow we had recently. It mostly stayed off the roads in town, it was pretty, and it melted that same day. Perfect, if you ask me. Also, I have never in my life encountered better snow for making snowmen.

I like the expression on Barak's face in the first picture. He seems to be saying, "You call this a snowman? I don't want my name associated with this plebeian art!" Or maybe he's thinking, "Mom! Why are you making me sit in the cold, wet grass?!" Here is snowman #2.

And in completely unrelated news, we went to OMSI a week or so ago. We left Isaac at my parents house so he could work on our taxes, and my sisters took the kids and I out to play. (I know. I still owe Isaac for that.) While there, Lizzy got to blast into outer space.

And Barak helped my sister build a pyramid. (They're pulling a big block in this picture.)
And just to keep this blog post completely random, I'd like to mention that we bought a minivan. She is gray, ugly and seats eight. Her name is Bessie the Fat Cow and I love her.

Poor Barak

2011-02-16T14:58:00.000-08:00

My little boy loves to color pictures, play hide-and-seek, and splash in the bathtub. He also loves barbies, dollhouses, and he can't resist a pair of high-heeled shoes. Poor boy gets it from his big sister. Maybe this next baby will be a boy, and Bear will have someone to play basketball with, instead of tea parties.

WE DID IT!

2011-02-02T19:04:00.001-08:00

The Washburn family is proud to present Pluto:

Victory is sweet.

Never been prouder of my child.

2011-01-13T19:38:00.000-08:00

Tonight we ate out. I was chowing down on my bacon cheese burger when I heard Lizzy say, "Mommy! Look!" And so I looked. There, perched on the end of her cute little nose, hung a spoon. Despite her shouting and wiggling around, it stayed attached, and I am not ashamed to say that I have never been prouder of my daughter. This might be better than her first steps, even. She has my nose! My daughter has my nose!

What I found in the kitchen

2010-12-01T18:20:00.000-08:00

The kids were being awfully quiet as I tried to quickly straighten up the living room, so I had to hunt them down and see what was going on. This is what I found:

I know! Best. Kids. Ever.

Cookies

2010-11-30T21:40:00.000-08:00

My mother had a brilliant idea this year and invited her children to participate in a cookie exchange. Three of us took her up on it, so for Thanksgiving we each made two types of cookie dough, formed them into four logs each and froze them. Then we traded. I now have eight different types of cookie dough in my freezer.
It rained today. (I know! Can you believe Western Oregon would be getting rain in November? Shocking.) Born and raised a true Oregonian, I did the sensible thing. I bundled the kids into rain boots and coats, and we did our best to get as muddy and cold as possible. This became the perfect opportunity to slice off a few cookies from a roll or two and bake them. Ten minutes later, the kids had on dry socks and we were dunking warm cookies into hot chocolate.
My mother is a genius.

We went for a long walk.

2010-11-28T16:10:00.000-08:00

When we moved to Eugene we learned about a place where they have a model of the solar system done to scale. (I think it's 1: 1Billion, but I don't know for sure.) My two younger sisters both went to school here, and they said they had seen it, but were never able to find Pluto, even though they had walked all over the city. They didn't seem to believe it could be done. I took this as a challenge and set out to prove them wrong. Of course I needed photographic evidence. One lovely afternoon, after Isaac got off work, we began our quest. The inner planets were easy. Standing at the sun, you can see these first four, so it was just a matter of getting our grumpy kids to stand still long enough to get a picture.

The Sun

Mercury

(I don't think you can even see it in this picture, it's so small compared to the sun.)

Venus

Earth and its moon

Mars

Once we finished the inner planets, it was time to call it a day. We had gotten a late start, the kids were not feeling cooperative, and everybody was hungry. Several weeks later, Isaac suggested we spend Saturday looking for the outer planets and completing our goal. We packed some snacks, grabbed the wagon, and headed out. We parked near Jupiter, which cut off about half a mile from our trek.

Jupiter

Saturn

Uranus

In this picture, Lizzy is wondering why the actual planet is missing from its pedestal and why the information plaque is missing. I don't know. It gave me a bad feeling about finding Pluto, though.

Neptune

Neptune was also missing its planet and information. Now I was really nervous. I really wanted to prove my sisters wrong, but if someone was going around ripping planets off their pedestals, could I really expect Pluto to be safe? It's not even considered a planet anymore!

Well, we walked quite a bit further (a total of about three miles) and we knew we would have to eventually turn around and walk those three miles back to the car, so our resolve was fading a bit. Actually, the children's resolve was fading. Sometimes a mother has to make sacrifices. So when the path suddenly forked and we weren't sure which way to go, we left it entirely and went to McDonald's. After our late lunch, Bear couldn't take it any more, and simply went to sleep.

In order to lay him down in the wagon, Lizzy had to get out, which did not make her happy in the slightest. Lucky for her, she has a nice strong daddy, and she was still riding in style.As we were passing through the park on the way back, we found something very neat. I'm not sure how well you can see it in this picture, but there is a perfect circle of mushrooms around this tree. We were pretty sure it was a fairy circle, so Lizzy and I jumped in it. She says she saw a fairy, too.

So, no. We have not yet found Pluto, but I have not given up. We're pretty sure now, which fork in the path will lead to the last of the planets, and we were ridiculously close when we turned around. We will find it.

Thanksgiving Weekend

2010-11-28T15:46:00.000-08:00

We ate a lot of turkey. The grocery store had a deal that we couldn't pass up, so Isaac insisted on cooking a turkey for our family last Sunday. It was a small one, but we still ate it for a good three days. And then we went to my parents' house for Thanksgiving, where there was more very delicious turkey. The day after Thanksgiving, we skipped the shopping frenzy and went back up to Hillsboro to spend the day with Isaac's cousins. Of course we had Turkey for lunch. I must admit that I am not a big fan of turkey, but every time we ate it I really enjoyed it. Maybe it was the excellent company.
On Saturday we officially put turkey behind us and headed off to get a Christmas tree. It didn't take us very long to find the perfect tree, but it did take a bit of effort to keep it from falling on the kids whenever they walked too close. It turns out we needed a new tree stand AND the tree was crooked. This morning Lizzy came stumbling out of her room and walked around the living room looking a little confused. Then she crouched down and looked under the Christmas tree. She kept her head cocked for a few moments and then came to stand right in front of me. "Mom," she said, "it's morning time."
"Yeah. So?" (Her mom is a bit of a grump in the morning.)
"But - it's Christmas..."
So then I had to explain that it wouldn't be Christmas morning for a few more weeks. I think she was disappointed, but also relieved that we hadn't just forgotten.

Our tree

This is what childhood is all about

2010-11-11T14:54:00.000-08:00

But that's just my opinion.

The world according to Lizzy

2010-11-11T09:23:00.000-08:00

Please enjoy a random assortments of Lizzy quotes.

-He's only a baby, Mom! Leave him alone!

-I like ladybugs and unicorns, but not so much dolphins, because some dolphins are mean. Did you know that, Mom?

-How could you do this to me?

-Hows about you don't ask me again?

(when asked why she had to grow up):
-Because I want to ride the grown-up rides at the fair.

-We wouldn't want to accidentally look ordinary.

-I pulled open my drawer, and I said to myself, 'I am a princess, and princesses need dresses.'

-Does a banana stay on a rooftop? No! (This was a joke she told me while riding in the car.)

(While acting out the story of Cinderella, the wicked step-mother told her to scrub the toilet.)
-But... I really don't want to.

Our Backyard

2010-10-31T15:28:00.001-07:00

I think that one of the hardest things about living in an apartment is not having a backyard. Our apartment is pretty nice, though, and I am grateful for it for a number of reasons, not the least of which is its dishwasher and garbage disposal. In the summer months there is a pool, and there is also a small playground for the kids. As a family, however, we have adopted the basketball half court as our personal backyard. Over the summer, we would occasionally see a group of men playing a very serious looking game, but most of the time the space is empty. It is not far from our front door, so we can walk right over in less than five minutes. But sometimes we run. Or Lizzy rides her tricycle. Or we take the wagon. Always, always, Barak has to bring his ball. It's a great space for the kids to run around in, while Isaac and I kick the soccer ball back and forth. Lizzy is always inventing new games, like ice skating or tea party. No matter what else we are doing, she works hard to convince us that we should play along with her game. She's pretty convincing.

Sometimes, though, she just wants to practice her slam dunk.

Barak is getting so strong.

And finally, here is Barak lining up the winning shot. I can definitely see sports in his future.

** As I wrote this post, Barak sat on my lap and shouted, "Ball! Ball!" whenever he saw the pictures. His basketball is far and away his favorite toy, and all day long I hear, "Ball! Ball!"

I am in Love

2010-10-22T17:20:00.000-07:00

But then, who wouldn't be?

If you choose to visit the Oregon Coast

2010-10-21T17:03:00.000-07:00

Bring a sweatshirt, even if it's August. Bring a swimsuit, even if it's November. Be prepared to dig in the sand, jump over waves, build castles, poke around in tide pools, discover interesting rocks and find fascinating shells. It could be fun. It could be miserable. But whatever else you do . . .

don't drink the water!

Bad Mommy

2010-10-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

Barak knows where we keep the M&Ms, so throughout the day, he will toddle on over, point up to the bag, and say, "Emunem?" I can't refuse!! He's cute enough to cause a goofy smile to appear on my face every time. Lizzy quickly learned that if she wants an M&M, all she has to do is get her brother to say it, because I'm more likely to give in. It's rough on a mom when her sons only two words are "uh-oh" and "M&M."

Summer fun

2010-09-27T14:31:00.000-07:00

Summer is over. I am rejoicing in the clear skies and cooler weather of Fall. I can't wait for hayrides, apple cider, and jumping into enormous piles of leaves. That being said, we did have some rollicking good times this summer. Not everything made it onto the blog, because I am easily distracted. But - I find myself with a free moment, so here goes.

We went to the fair. Twice. We loved it. Our kids loved it. Here are some pictures to prove it.

At the Lane County Fair, there was a play farm for young children. i loved it. I want to make an exact replica for our house. I'm not kidding.Lizzy and Bear loved it, too. They probably would have been happy playing there all day, but we dragged them out to the rides eventually.

Bear, driving tractor:

Lizzy, harvesting a crop of carrots. You can see that she already picked her apples. (They were attached to a big wooden tree with magnets.):Lizzy, picking out her car. She wanted the sparkly pink one, of course:Riding the swings with Daddy:Isaac, my hero. He did the strongman at both fairs, and I have to say, I was very impressed. I tried to take a picture of his high score, but it didn't turn out.
He won a couple of big, squeaky hammers, which have provided an endless source of amusement for us. At the State Fair, we were lucky enough to meet up with my sisters, which was a lot of fun, as you can see. Cheryl and Lizzy battled with the hammers:

Bear loves getting extra attention. His aunties always make him feel special.

Bear and Corie: We saw a lot of animals, too. Bear especially loved the horses. He would pat them and then pull away quickly, as though he thought they would turn and bite him. Which was a real possibility.

Fun, fun, fun. I love the fair. Even if it costs about the same as a month's rent.

I had no idea my butt was so big

2010-09-01T13:19:00.001-07:00

Baltimore

2010-08-27T15:01:00.000-07:00

Isaac's work sent him to Baltimore for a conference where he got to learn all kinds of neat statistic-y things of which I have zero understanding. Awesome for me, though, because my brother and his family live just outside Baltimore, and I hadn't seen them in almost five years! So the kids and I tagged along, if course. Unfortunately, we didn't have a lot of time to plan the trip, and we ended up with only two days on the east coast, which was in every way not enough.
I had a few ideas of things that I wanted to do while I waited for my brother and sister-in-law to finish work for the day, but the first day we ended up just walking around the city. It was HOT and it was HUMID. Otherwise, I really enjoyed it.

I got to see the original Washington Monument:

some gorgeous buildings, a huge library, the harbor, and rows of these lovely houses and businesses:

Here's what the kids thought of our little walking tour of the city:

Yeah, they weren't so impressed. Eventually we were all able to meet up down at the harbor, the cousins got to meet, and we had a great time. That night I asked Lizzy if she had a good time that day and she said, "Well, part of the day was good. I liked the part with Maya." (Justin and Maya are her cousins.) The next day we got to spend more time with them. We went to a children's museum together and had a great time, despite losing track of the kids several times.

The boy cousins playing Lego's together:

Beautiful Maya:
Maya, Lizzy, Aliyah holding Bear, Justin, and Tanya (my gorgeous sister-in-law)

Cousins!

Justin driving.

We had such a good time. It was frustrating to have to leave so soon, but we hope to be able to go again soon. We certainly won't wait five years to see them all again!

Barak

2010-08-25T14:20:00.000-07:00

On the 8th, Barak turned one. It is unbelievable how fast this year has gone. He has been the most wonderful baby, and I am not ready to let his baby days be over. On the other hand, I am so proud of my little boy. He is so handsome and so friendly. I love to watch him run around exploring things and making new friends. He makes friends with everybody. And that smile of his! I'm pretty sure he gets it from his Daddy; it makes me smile back every time.

We celebrated his birthday at my parents house where they thoroughly spoiled him. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring the camera, so I don't have any pictures. He had a great time, though, playing in the backyard and eating barbecued chicken, which just might be his favorite.

I've been planning for months to get this wagon for him for his birthday. He has really seemed to enjoy it, and we've taken it out on many occasions.

But of course, the box was almost as exciting.

He also enjoyed his birthday cake, inside and out. I love this little boy.

July

2010-08-24T13:48:00.000-07:00

We have been doing some fun things this summer, and I have neglected to post about it all. I've been kind of busy. In July we went out to Utah, for a family reunion on Isaac's side. His little sister was also getting married, and we were thrilled to be at her wedding, too.

Hanging out outside the Salt Lake Temple, waiting for Miriam and Dan

My children are blessed with wonderful cousins on both sides of the family, whom they love. Unfortunately, none of them live at all close by, so we have to take every opportunity to play with them that we can get. Lizzy and Lydia got along great. They were extremely cute together, as you can see.

One of the days for the reunion, we were at a park, and someone had set up this pool. Lizzy and Bear played in it all day long, as did most of the children. It was a genius idea.

Bear and Eve There were a lot of activities going on, but our family mostly hung around and relaxed. It was really wonderful. Isaac showed the boys how to play ladder golf. I think they beat him every time.

Bear liked playing ladder golf, too. Mostly he just ran off with the balls, though. We really had a great time. It made me wish that we lived closer to Isaac's family, so that we could spend more time together. Actually, I wish they lived closer to us. Anytime ya'll want to move out to Oregon, let us know. We'd be happy to help you unpack!

Lizzy Tells Daddy

2010-08-23T13:32:00.000-07:00

"What do you want to be when you grow up, Daddy?"

"Independently wealthy."

"No, you have to be either a parader or a tree."

He chose to be a parader.

Lunchtime lessons

2010-07-22T22:06:00.000-07:00

Lizzy was munching some peanut butter crackers today, while I attempted to get Bear to eat some of his apple. Suddenly she tilted her little head to the side and said, "I wonder if we'll have beds then, Mommy." I asked her what she was talking about and she said, "After we get old and die, will we have beds?" I told her I have also wondered the same thing and then she asked if we would eat after we die. I don't know where her questions about death are coming from, but I tried to answer as matter-of-factly as she asked. I told her about the stories of Jesus in the Bible, and how he ate after he was resurrected. I'm pretty sure we'll eat, too. Then she asked what resurrected means. While balancing a cup of watered-down juice for the baby to experiment with, I did the best I could to explain the Atonement to my almost-three-year-old. She nodded, took another bite of cracker and went on to talk about princesses or ponies, or something pink and frilly. And I realized again how grateful I am for the opportunity that I have to be at home full time with my children. I don't have to miss these little occasions for teaching my children the gospel or bearing my testimony. I'll admit that I have moments when I feel like maybe being a stay-at-home mom is just me being lazy. I wonder if I ought to be pursuing some sort of Ambition, but it's just easier to spend my day making play dough doggies, and reading Fancy Nancy for the fortieth time. (I still love that book. It totally holds up to repeated readings.) Really, though, I've never wanted anything more than I want to be a good mom. I want to be the one they call to when the wake up from naps, knowing I will be there. I want to be the one to insist that yes, they really do need to go use the potty RIGHT NOW. I want to open the box of crayons for them so they can create their first masterpiece. I want to be there to discuss their lunchtime questions.

Somersaults

2010-07-22T21:44:00.000-07:00

I know it's not the greatest video, but I think it's really cute how Barak wants to do everything his big sister does. I love his adaptation of the somersault, too. What amazing children I have!

A few funny things Lizzy has said in the last month or two

2010-07-15T14:49:00.001-07:00

"Someday, we should all be pink bunnies."

"When we were in Eugene, I saw a lamp with no hippopotamus."

"I can smell your beans."

"It's soda, Daddy. If you call it 'pop', it won't answer."

Seriously, this kid cracks me up.

A post completely by Lizzy

2010-07-02T11:05:00.000-07:00

We are playing in the apartment. I love you. This picture we're gonna put on our blog. We are living in this apartment. I love Daddy, and Lizzy, and Bear. That's all I wanted to say.

Love,

Lizzy

This morning,

2010-06-15T14:19:00.000-07:00

Barak stood up in the tub and peed. Lizzy thought that was hilarious, so she started giggling, and her giggles made Barak giggle. I love that even though he didn't know what was funny, he still enjoyed the joke just as much as his sister.

Not so sad

2010-06-09T10:32:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'll admit it. Having a washing machine in my apartment is AWESOME. I think I had done laundry for the 24 hours straight. I don't even care what kind of machine it is anymore. Also, I've been struggling to get Bear to sleep in his own bed and take scheduled naps. The goal for this week is to put him in his bed at 10 am and have him fall asleep without needing me to rock/ nurse him. There has been a lot of screaming. But do you know what? It's really quiet right now. Today (Day 3) it only took about 15 minutes, which is such an improvement! Next week's goal might be bedtime! Hurray!

Saddest Day Ever

2010-06-03T20:04:00.000-07:00

The apartment we moved into has washer/dryer hookups. This was number one on my wish list when we started the apartment hunt, and it certainly didn't make things easy. I know that you can get reasonably inexpensive machines on Craigslist, and that was my initial idea. And then . . . I decided to dream big. I set my sights on glorious, brand-spanking new front loaders that I could cherish for decades. (At least one.) Talking Isaac into my way of thinking proved easy, and boy were we excited when we walked into Sears on Monday. We picked out a nice pair, and I looked forward to the "disinfect" cycle, which promised to kill allergens, and the 4 cubic feet of highly-efficient dirt zapping power. Today, they arrived. I already had piles of laundry waiting. The delivery guys came in, looked at our laundry closet and said, "Sorry, guys. This closet isn't deep enough. There's no way you're getting a front loader in there."

!?!

So we had to go back to Sears and get a regular old top loading washing machine. I can't help but feel that if I had just been satisfied with having a washer in my own home, I wouldn't be feeling so crushed right now. Not lugging laundry to a communal room where I have to pay extra should be so exciting. But instead I'm kinda bummed. (a lot.)

Pet Day

2010-05-15T20:14:00.001-07:00

We went to Pet Day at OSU a couple of weeks ago. We got to pet llamas, goats, chicks, turtles, snakes, ponies, sheep . . . We also saw dogs, ferrets, lizards, rabbits. . . . it was great. This is why I love living in a university town.
Petting goats:

We took the opportunity to let Lizzy ride a pony. She wasn't scared at all. In fact, I think she loved it.

We also got to take a ride in a wagon pulled by a goat. That's right, a goat. It was seriously the biggest goat I ever saw, too. Awesome.

Lizzy won a fly swatter at one of the booths, and it is now Barak's favorite toy. He had a great time watching the animals and swatting at things. I wonder if there is a Pet Day equivalent in Eugene.

Random pictures

2010-05-15T20:05:00.000-07:00

These two play together pretty well most of the time. Lizzy likes to teach Bear funny things to do, and Bear likes to follow her around, copying her every move. Here they are "eating ice cream."

To encourage Lizzy to go to sleep without us in the room, I often give her a couple of books to read. Usually she reads quietly and then tosses the books on the floor before going to sleep. Sometimes she doesn't quite finish her book, however.
Sleeping and reading. That's my girl.

Growing up

2010-04-13T09:40:00.000-07:00

About three weeks ago, we were all sitting around watching television, when Bear crawled over and did this:I guess he wanted to see the TV better. Doesn't he look proud of himself? He is crawling so much earlier than Lizzy did. He also pulls himself up to stand every chance he gets. Although he can keep himself up for long periods of time, he has not yet figured out how to get down. Usually his little feet start to slide apart until he is practically doing the splits. And then he starts to whimper. Bear also loves the bath. Anytime he hears someone going into the bathroom, he crawls just as fast as he can, hoping it is time to get in the tub. He splashes, crawls around, and has a wonderful time. He doesn't even mind (much) when I get water in his eyes.

It's great having a big sister. Bear gets to play dolls (he LOVES this dollhouse!),

and the kitchen, too! I hope he's cooking up something yummy for me. A couple of weeks ago we went to the beach with my sisters. The kids had a great time. Bear got to explore the sand, which he enjoyed. He played with it for a long time before he tried to put any of it into his mouth. Then he was in heaven. Apparently, the boy likes sand.

I can't believe how fast my little man is growing up. I sometimes wish time would just stand still and we could stay in this moment forever. He and Lizzy are so much fun! They are such sweet, happy children, and I love them so much!

Upstairs

2010-04-05T14:10:00.000-07:00

When we moved into this apartment, our upstairs neighbors had two-year-old and three-month-old boys. Sometimes it got a little noisy. They moved out after we had been here about six months and we had blissful silence above us for several weeks. The next family to move in had a two-year-old boy and they were pregnant with a little girl. They were LOUD. We liked them a lot, but sometimes I was certain that little Benjamin was going to come crashing through the ceiling, dragging an elephant or two with him. Pretty much everyone who visited us would look up at some point with shocked eyes and ask if it was always that noisy. Yes. Yes, it was. They lived above us for two years, and after awhile we mostly were used to it, but when we learned they we moving, Isaac and I couldn't help but be excited for a little bit of quiet. They moved out last week, and I was anticipating uninterrupted nap times. I did not anticipate the workmen that came in today to get ready for the next occupants. Or that they would have to apparently tear out the carpets. And all the appliances. And the counter tops. From the sound of things, I'll be surprised if there are any walls left when they are done up there.

Going for walks

2010-03-21T20:32:00.000-07:00

Lizzy, Barak, and I go for a walk just about every day. There is a road close by our home that has very few cars and is perfect for letting little ones run, while passing fields of sheep, cows, and alpacas. Every time we walk it, I am reminded how lucky we are to live in beautiful Oregon. (Especially on sunny days.)Midway through the walk is this lovely old covered bridge. The kids love playing on it.We almost always go with our friends Jason and Angie. The kids entertain each other, leaving the moms some time to chat. Lizzy has recently developed an interest in taking pictures. She took the rest if these photos (with a little help from me). I think she's pretty good. Here's Jason: I wish the picture showed off this kid's eyelashes. They're gorgeous.

And Angie (seriously, one of the prettiest women I've ever met):

Barak was there, too, of course.

And me, too. Lizzy had to get a picture of us all.

Boy with the super-long tongue

2010-03-05T13:07:00.000-08:00

2010-03-05T12:53:00.000-08:00

I wanna post something, I really do, but I can't think of anything interesting to write. Life is good, but normal. Barak cut his first tooth and is trying so hard to crawl. Lizzy keeps trying to tell me she's Mommy and I'm Lizzy. That kind of thing. I don't think I've taken any good pictures recently, either.

The Beach

2010-02-09T20:23:00.000-08:00

I am ashamed of how rarely my children have been to the beach, for all that we live only an hour away. I don't believe Barak had ever been at all. On Saturday we decided to risk the weather and go for it. Lizzy's little friend came with us (we gave her mom the day off), and we were set to spend a couple of hours poking at things in tide pools, digging in the sand, picking up seashells, etc. It rained just a bit when we first arrived, but not enough to make anyone miserable. We were having a great time. The girls were in their rubber boots, running daringly close to the waves, shrieking in mock-terror, and scurrying away. Isaac kept hollering at them to stay away from the water, but in my opinion rubber boots are made to get wet. I had just reached to get the video camera out, when I looked over my shoulder and saw the girls standing in water up to their ankles, and the wave was on its way IN. Pretty soon, the water had swamped their boots, and Lizzy instinctively turned toward land. Such an abrupt pivot with feet weighed down by salt water and sand caused her to tip over pretty spectacularly. Flat on her back in six inches of water. Her friend, in a move of pure solidarity, immediately joined her, laughing all the way. Now I am an experienced beach walker, so I had a complete change of clothes for each of them, but I didn't have extra shoes, or dry coats, so we went home. In total, I think we were there 45 minutes. At least Barak has seen the ocean now. My biggest regret is that I didn't get the camera out in time.

Hair

2010-01-25T14:36:00.000-08:00

Barak loves nothing better than to grab handfuls of my hair, yank really hard, and then stuff it in his mouth. Then he winds it all around his fingers and toes. It was driving me crazy, so I went and hacked all my hair off. He still manages to pull it on a regular basis, but now I have the added benefit of looking like a shaggy dog. (I really shouldn't do layers. Oops.)

Isaac

2010-01-21T22:38:00.000-08:00

I love this man.

Barak

2010-01-20T22:24:00.000-08:00

Lizzy took this picture all by herself. I think she did a pretty good job.

Recently, Barak started solid food. So far, he's only tried rice cereal. He doesn't like it much. I didn't know a baby's tongue could be that long. We tried, but I don't think we've gotten a picture to do it justice. Despite his lack of love for rice cereal, he wants to eat everything else. I feel guilty every time I eat around him, because he stares so hard. He watches with pure longing in his eyes, and he often licks his lips. While we were in Colorado for Christmas, Barak had his baby blessing. We wanted Isaac's father and brothers to be there, which made the experience that much more special. Unfortunately, we somehow didn't manage to get any pictures, so I took a bunch a couple of days ago. Better late than never, right? My mom made his blessing gown (thanks Mom!), and the buttons are the same ones she used to bustle my wedding gown. I know. My baby is beautiful. About to get up and crawl away . . . he must be done taking pictures. He has the happiest personality I have ever met. And who can resist a naked baby?

Lizzy

2010-01-18T10:23:00.000-08:00

This is my Lizzy. She loves to dance. She sings all the time, too. I never know what kind of silly song she's going to make up. She loves playing outside, especially on the swings, and she never seems to mind if it's cold or wet. A true Oregonian.

Lizzy has a best friend. The two are extremely cute together. They love each other very much and rarely fight. Unfortunately, the two of them are always getting into trouble. A couple of days ago I found them playing in the toilet. They were filling a play pot for the kitchen. (So, so gross.)

Lizzy loves her daddy. I love to watch them play together. She has such a big imagination and constantly makes us laugh with the things she says and the games she invents. I think Lizzy is the smartest, prettiest, most fun two-year-old in the world! We are so lucky to have her.

Long overdue . . .

2010-01-17T20:41:00.000-08:00

So, Christmas was good. We went to Isaac's family out in Colorado, where we spent two wonderful weeks. If you want to see pictures of the whole Washburn gang (minus Ammon, who's serving a mission in Virginia right now) you should check out Tiffany's blog (Wicked Washburns). There was plenty of snow for sledding, lots of treats, movies to watch, family to visit with, cousins to chase . . .We really had a great time. Lizzy was able to meet her cousins, and she loved having so many people to play with.

Barak liked hanging out with his cousins, too. They were really good to him. Swimsuits and snow boots. I love it.

Connor strikes a pose . . .

The community center where we live had a Christmas party before we went to Colorado, and Santa showed up. Barak loved him.

In which I whine

2010-01-13T21:44:00.000-08:00

There was a big wet spot on my knee today. I chose to think it was Barak's drool. It could have been Lizzy's pee (actually it PROBABLY was), but I was trying to be optimistic. I'm trying to keep a sense of humour during potty training, but it's been hard. I really don't like this parenting duty. It makes me want to hire a nanny for a month and just come back when the deed is done. I really don't mind changing diapers. They stink up the house a bit, but thanks to Bear, that's not going away anyway. I feel obligated to potty train Lizzy, though. I know she's ready. She went all of Monday without any accidents, and most of Tuesday. Today she was completely uninterested, though. The little booger. I think she went though four pairs of underwear before noon. After her second accident I said, "Did you pee your pants again?!" (It had only been about 10 minutes.) She very calmly replied, "No. I just peed my underwear." She had me there, since by that point she wasn't wearing pants at all. Later, she snuck into her little play tent where I noticed how still she was standing. "Are you peeing in there?" I asked her. "No," she answered. "I'm all done now." She's driving me crazy, mostly because I know she can do it, but she won't, and I don't know why.

More like Mom

2009-12-07T18:59:00.000-08:00

I think I might be a little uptight. A neighbor kid came over this evening for a couple hours so that his mom could take a test. I thought it would be fun to make cut out Christmas cookies, and in my head I was the coolest neighbor-lady ever. But here's how it really happened. I rolled out the dough (which I had made ahead of time so that it could harden in the fridge). Then I laid out the cookie cutters and then told them exactly where to put them on the dough. After they cut the cookie, I moved it to the pan. I even set the timer myself. I guess it was okay, but it seemed like I didn't really let them do anything. Because I wanted them to turn out right, obviously. I remember my mom being so good at letting us really make the Christmas cookies. The woman has untold levels of patience.

Pride

2009-12-06T21:56:00.001-08:00

I can't help but feel a little prideful. This little boy is just too cute for me. I find myself wanting to take him out and show him off. I don't think I've ever met a happier, friendlier baby. Of course he gets fussy and grumpy, and he doesn't always sleep when I want him to, but every time I see him, I am blown away by how absolutely good he is. Babies have a pureness to them that you can't find anywhere else, but this little guy. . . I am anxious to watch him grow. I can already see that he is a better person than I am, and I know he will be a good example to me his whole life.
Love, love, love him!

Oh, just a bunch of random pictures

2009-12-03T15:12:00.000-08:00

I really feel dumb about this one. We went to a Christmas tree farm to get our tree last Saturday and . . . well, somehow or other we wound up buying pictures, too. And since I can't read, we paid about twice what I thought we were going to. Possibly it was a reasonable price for professional photography, but that's not why I went to the tree farm, and I just think that if you're going to pay someone to take your picture, you should probably comb your hair first. Maybe I'll send out Christmas cards with the other picture we got, but at least I can post this one. Gotta get as much use as I can for my money.
Lizzy likes to help with whatever I am doing. This is her helping with the laundry. Doesn't she make the cutest ballerina? And if you look in the background, you can see the microwave that (sadly) no longer works. I can't melt butter with the touch of a button anymore. :( Our new one is prettier, but a lot less cool.

At the beginning of November, Isaac went to an academic conference in San Fransisco. Lizzy was pretty sure she should be allowed to come, too. She was kinda mad when we made her get out so he could pack. (But then she did a great job helping throw things in the suitcase.)

Victory! Barak has been doing a lot better with hand-eye coordination. Sometimes he can reach out and grab what he's after. You can really see him concentrate as he works at it, which i find vastly entertaining.

In our neighborhood, when you don't want a toy, you write "community property" on it and put it outside on the playground. Classy. And since I'm a classy mom, I let my daughter play with these little gems, like the dirty old dollhouse she became obsessed with. Seriously, she begged to go play outside for a week, and would make a beeline for the dollhouse every time. And those leaves you see in the house? They aren't there just because it's autumn. Those were her "dolls." That's beyond ghetto. That's just sad.

I love the fall. Lizzy, Barak, and I had a great time playing in the leaves. I didn't really get any good pictures, but we had so much fun making a leaf pile and then jumping in it. We worked hard, for about an hour, scraping together the best pile we could without the benefit of a rake. Then we went inside and got Isaac and he and Lizzy decimated that pile in minutes.

There would be more pictures of Barak, but whenever we're outside, he's strapped to me, which makes it pretty hard to get a decent camera angle.

Excuses

2009-12-03T15:02:00.000-08:00

The baby is asleep on my lap, and I know if I move he will get very sad, and THAT is why I am sitting here wasting time instead of doing the week's worth of dishes piled in the sink. (Or vacuuming, or scrubbing the ring out of the tub/ toilet/ bathroom sink. . . . I am a good housekeeper.)

Little lady

2009-11-27T17:06:00.000-08:00

This morning, Lizzy wanted Barak to lie down next to her in her brand new big girl bed. They were pretending to take a nap. Well, Lizzy was pretending. Barak was just hanging out. As I looked down at the two of them lying there, they just looked so beautiful, I couldn't resist telling them so, and also telling them how much I love them. Lizzy face flushed a little and she gave me a funny look. I wondered a bit at the emotion she seemed to be showing. Then she said, "I'm trying to fart." We are raising such a lady.

Halloween

2009-11-06T14:23:00.000-08:00

First, I have to apologize. I took terrible pictures of the Halloween season, and this is late anyway. Oh well. This is for you, Anne. For Halloween this year, we went as Peter Pan, Wendy, Tinkerbell, and one of the lost boys (dressed up as a bear).
Such a cute Tinkerbell! Half the time she decided she wanted to be Thumbelina instead.

At the pumpkin patch.

Again at the pumpkin patch.

But no pictures of the actual pumpkins. (Would you tar and feather me if you knew we never carved them? I know, I'm a terrible person.) And now I must go. The baby needs to be tickled.

Cookies

2009-10-30T13:05:00.000-07:00

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 pkg chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts
Cream the butter until very creamy. Add the sugar and eggs and beat very well. Add vanilla and dry ingredients. Add nuts and chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

It's probably a pretty standard recipe, but it actually worked, so for me it's magic. I think the secret is the oven temperature. I must have been baking cookies too hot before. Enjoy!

Two

2009-10-29T10:35:00.000-07:00

My least favorite part of two is that I am never right. It doesn't matter what the issue is, big or small, I am wrong. If I'm invited to her tea party, I invariably sit in the wrong seat. When it's time to put pajamas on, I choose the pair that are currently out of favor (even if she did insist on wearing them last night). Whichever cookie I offer MUST be the one with fewer chocolate chips, because obviously I can't count as well as she can. I am an evil, horrible tyrant when I insist that yes, it IS nap time. When I put her into her car seat, she wants to get in by herself. If I decide I can be patient and wait the ten minutes it takes her to get in all by herself, she whines and demands that I help her. Every sentence I utter is contradicted. I respect her independence. I think it's great that she can assert herself now, and I want her to be able to do things for herself and make decisions about her world. I'm just a little tired of always, always being wrong.

(Incidently, there are many things I love about two, including her spunkiness, that she obviously wants me to be happy, that she often tells me she loves me with no promptings, and she is absolutely the best at playing pretend.)

I did it!

2009-10-27T14:34:00.000-07:00

My entire adult life I have been unsuccessful at baking chocolate chip cookies. They never, never, never turn out. Sometimes I cry. Usually I vow I will never make them again. Yesterday it was make cookies or spend another hour playing barbies. (Honestly, why does my two-year-old play with barbies?!) She vetoed the nobakes that I wanted to make. I can get those to work, most of the time. I accidentally mentioned chocolate chip and her mind was made up. It had "chocolate" in the title. OF COURSE she wanted to make them! So I gave in. And they turned out great! It was a miracle, I tell ya. A miracle. So thank you to Caroline, who gave me the recipe months ago. It's a keeper.

Chocolate love

2009-10-22T21:54:00.000-07:00

The other day I was telling Isaac about a dream I had. I'd met a woman in an underground parking lot who was illegally selling German chocolate. (I'm not sure what was illegal about it.) In the middle of the story, Lizzy grabbed my chin and pulled me to look eye to eye with her. She said, "Where is that chocolate, Mommy!" She thought I was holding out on her. Poor girl has never had German chocolate.

Daddy's Girl

2009-10-12T09:20:00.000-07:00

Lizzy is definitely a Daddy's girl. She always has been. Nothing makes her happier than playing with Isaac. Sometimes it's so extreme that she becomes anti-Mommy. Yesterday I finished nursing Barak and went to find the other half of my family. When I walked into the room, she started screaming, "No! Go away. Don't play with us, Mommy!" Isaac asked why I couldn't play, too, and she said, "Because I don't love Mommy."
Whenever I try to get her out of the crib in the morning she screams for her dad. As much as she doesn't want to be asleep anymore, she wants me even less. I know she's only two. I know there's a (relatively) new baby in the house. That doesn't make it any better being the less preferred parent.
Meanwhile, my infant has decided that he can only sleep if he's being walked around. Any time I wanted to sit down last night he wailed.

Baby Faces

2009-10-10T21:46:00.000-07:00

I love this little guy whether he's happy:

Or sad:

He makes the best faces. I love it when he shows off his double chins.

Barak and his Ladies

2009-10-09T21:43:00.000-07:00

Lizzy insisted that Barak wanted to hold her dolls.

They got the blues

2009-10-06T13:19:00.000-07:00

I'm babysitting another two-year-old. It's nap time. This should be my hour to relax a little, maybe get some housework done (ha ha), but the girls are not happy. Coming from my bedroom I can hear the intense ululations of an almost-three-year-old. My very articulate little girl, meanwhile, is screaming, "I want to make a deal! I want to make a deal! Do you hear me? I want to make a deal!" Apparently, if you try to bargain with your toddler too often it will come back to haunt you. At least the baby is happy, but then again, I'm not asking him to take a nap. He's happily chewing his shirt. Never mind the poop stain blossoming on the back of it. His other clothes are all in one of the napping rooms.

Mommy Moments

2009-10-05T12:35:00.000-07:00

There are certain moments throughout my day that remind me how wonderful it is to be a mother. When two-year-old Lizzy runs into the room as fast as her little legs can go and throws herself into my arms with a look of gleeful terror on her face, I can't help but feel special. She's only fleeing from her growling, roaring, playing father, but even in play I represent safety to her. I hope she always feels safe running to me, whatever her problems.
When I find myself quietly doing dishes all by myself (no toddler insistently splashing at my elbow), I have to check on her, just to see what she's up to. I never know what I will find. Once I found her reading a book to herself on her little princess couch. It was dark in her room so I turned on her light. She looked at me with a very grumpy expression and said, "Hey, my wood chip is sleeping!" Sure enough, a piece of bark from the playground was nestled on the pillow of her crib where she had carefully placed it. Obviously she was sitting in the dim lighting, reading until it fell asleep, just like Mommy and Daddy do for her. I turned the light back off and went back to my dishes.
I love my cuddly baby boy, too. Though it makes sleeping somewhat difficult for me, I love the snuffling, grunting snorts that he makes in his little bassinet next to my bed. I can't wait until he sleeps through the night so that I can too, but for now I enjoy snuggling with him frequently, at all hours.
Today we covered empty oatmeal containers with crayoned paper and called them drums. We marched around the house (with a somewhat bewildered Barak slung under one arm) and had our own little parade. One of the best and worst phrases I hear is, "Let's do it again!" Best, because I know I've just done something fun. That always makes me feel kind of like a rockstar. Worst, because there is no telling how many times I'm going to have to do it.
Yesterday, Lizzy told me she was going to marry me. I wouldn't trade being a mother for anything.

"Look what I can do!"

2009-09-19T14:10:00.001-07:00

And he was less than six weeks old at the time this video was taken!

Too tired for text

2009-08-29T10:53:00.001-07:00

My modern girl, listening to her MP3 player. So little and already so strong.

Riding the train with Aunt Amy at Enchanted Forest. She wanted to ride it again and again.

Isn't he handsome? I think he gets this look from his daddy.

Brother and sister.

My handsome husband.

My cute little boy looks like an old man.

Two Weeks

2009-08-22T10:20:00.000-07:00

Barak Reuben Washburn

Barak Reuben Washburn was born August 8, 2009 at 6:19 pm. He was 9 lbs 5oz and 22 inches long. It has been two weeks and we are doing great, apart from not getting more than two or at very best three hours of sleep at a time. He is s sweet little boy, and he really only cries when he's hungry. He is hungry ALL THE TIME. Thus the lack of sleep. Lizzy seems to like her little brother just fine. More than anything, she likes helping. She helps change diapers, give him baths, and she is the keeper of the pacifier. I've really been impressed by how little jealousy she has shown. And now some pictures:

Lizzy was very excited to come to the hospital and sing Happy Birthday to her little brother. Grandma and Grandpa Jensen came to visit.

Our good friend Loradona also came to visit. Lizzy and Barak.I've been trying to make sure Lizzy stays entertained so she knows she's still important. We went to the park, but it was hot and kind of miserable. She was a good sport about it, though. Mostly. Lizzy and her dollhouse/castle. She is definitely all girl.

Oh, and just to clarify, his name is said BEAR-ik, not ba-ROCK.

Summertime!

2009-07-23T16:12:00.001-07:00

Here are some things we've been doing this summer.

On Memorial Day (I know that was a long time ago, but I still have Easter pictures that I never posted) we invited the neighbor kids to help us bash in a pinata. I made this one. It's a pig. Isaac made one that looks like Mickey Mouse, but we haven't smashed it yet.

Here's Tommy taking a swing at it.

The kids scoop up the goodies. Even though Lizzy looks like she's right in the thick of things, she ended up with one lollipop, and that's about it. Perfect, if you ask me.

Barbecue with our fabulous neighbors, who were kind enough to invite us. The food was excellent.

Lizzy hitching a ride. Thanks Tommy!

My little Coppertone Baby

This was our pool at the beginning of the summer. Nice and roomy. (Sorry I'm too computer dumb to figure out how to put it right side up.)

Isaac finally couldn't stand it anymore, so we got a little pool that we could fill up on the grass outside our apartment. Lizzy absolutely LOVES it. She talks about her little pool all the time.

The little garden we planted outside our apartment is going crazy. For some reason we planted a ton of sunflowers. This variety was only supposed to grow 18 inches tall, but I guess this is what happens when you use organic fertilizer. We've also gotten radishes, lettuce, and strawberries. We're still waiting on our tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers, but they should be done any day now.

Stay tuned for pictures from our trip to Colorado last month. I'm sure I'll get around to posting them soon...

I Wish

2009-07-17T16:54:00.000-07:00

I wish my clothes fit.

Fat Belly

2009-06-09T09:35:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago a four-year-old came up to me and said, "Excuse me, why is your tummy SO FAT?" I told him it's because I'm going to have a baby and he went, "WHAT?!" When he asked me how it got in there I told him to go ask his mommy. I love kids.

Silver Falls Weekend

2009-05-23T13:22:00.000-07:00

We spent last weekend with my family at Silver Falls. It was too much fun. I didn't want to go home, and neither did Lizzy! She loved staying in the little "house" (cabin) and couldn't get enough of all her aunties.

South Falls

Hiking with Daddy (She was a little out of it.)

Best friends!

Helping Amy pack up the car:

Rainy Day!

2009-05-22T12:57:00.000-07:00

The weather has been gorgeous this week, but a couple of weeks ago we had a lot of rain. We decided to take advantage of that and went on a family puddle jumping walk. We got Lizzy all decked out in her rain gear, complete with galoshes, and let her splash away. She was a little uncertain at first, but warmed up to the idea quickly. We all had such a blast.

Because of all the floating wood chips, you can't really tell, but this water was surprisingly deep.

We all ended up soaked. It was so worth it! Best Family Home Evening ever!

All tuckered out after a good play:

2009-05-22T12:37:00.000-07:00

Somebody asked me recently what it means to have a "broken heart and a contrite spirit." I didn't have a great answer. I sort of get it, but not really.
I've been really grumpy recently, feeling impatient and snappish. I was especially grumpy this morning, because I had put off doing the dishes for awhile, and had managed to accumulate a huge mess in the kitchen. Lizzy had not slept as long as I thought she needed to, and was consequently a little whiny. I was starting to find her irritating. As I was trying to sort things out in the kitchen she pushed a chair up behind me, climbed up onto it, and reached for a pair of scissors that were on the counter. Annoyed as much as I was concerned, I snatched them from her, and in the process I managed to smack her in the head with my elbow. She rubbed her now sore eye and clung to me and said in a small voice, "I help Mommy." My heart broke, and I realized I had not even been trying to be kind to my little girl. All she wanted was to spend time with me and help me, and I was acting like she was in my way. So we pulled her chair up to the sink and I gave her a sponge. She had a great time helping me wash dishes, and I did not mind how much water she splashed on the floor (it needed mopped anyway). I realized that it's actually not hard to be kind to someone you love so much if you remember to do it. My mood also improved a ton, and now I would say I'm having a great day. Lizzy is such a fun person and taking the time to listen and pay attention to her brings me a lot of happiness. She constantly makes me laugh. I'm grateful for life lessons taught by a 20-month-old.

Angry

2009-04-22T19:18:00.001-07:00

I am more than a little annoyed. We just got a notice that they are raising our rent. Again. They raised it last year, and this year it's going up another 6.5%. As the cost of living here begins to creep toward other, much nicer apartments in town, I begin to wonder why we're living here. We're close to campus, sure, but I think I might trade that in for square footage, a dishwasher, and counter space. Isaac could handle a longer bike ride. And anyway, where is the extra money going? I doubt I'll see any real improvements. I want to file a complaint.

Sign of the Times?

2009-04-08T15:17:00.000-07:00

Tuesday night the weather was fabulous, so I was making dinner with the kitchen window open. As I chopped my vegetables, I could hear the kids outside playing. One exuberant eight-year-old boy said to his friends, "Let's pretend we're homeless people!" They then decided to have a mountain lion cooking contest. I love living in student housing.

Kids are Funny

2009-04-05T20:11:00.000-07:00

A three year old recited this nursery rhyme to me the other day:
"Little Miss Muppet sat on her muffin, eating her curry away. Along came a spider and took off his diaper and scared Miss Muppet away." After I laughed, she refused to repeat it.

Lizzy's best friend is named Daddy. Usually she wakes up in the morning crying, "Daddy! I want Daddy!" More than once when I have gone to get her, she has sent me back to bed. A tantrum at six o'clock in the morning because she'd rather have Daddy? Fine with me. I'm going back to bed.

She's also gotten very independent. She wants to put on and take off her clothes all by herself, buckle herself into her chair, and brush her own hair. When she got the sniffles, I caught her doing this:

Today we were reading a story with Lizzy and on one page she suddenly leaned in and gave the picture a series of kisses. Thinking she was giving the fish a kiss (she loves animals), we asked, "What are you kissing, Lizzy?" "Boys!" she immediately responded. We'll have to keep our eyes on this one.

Guess What

2009-03-30T14:17:00.001-07:00

This is me:

This is my belly:

This is what's inside my belly:

It's a boy. You can tell he's going to be a tough guy, right? But friendly, too! He's already waving hello!

We are all very excited. :)

Little friends

2009-03-17T10:35:00.000-07:00

Nothing makes Lizzy happier than spending time with her friends. Most mornings she wakes up asking for them. We are lucky enough to have them over regularly, since I do a little baby-sitting. Besides that, there are several kids near her age where we live, so we have play groups, and she finds friends on the playground daily. I hope she's as good with her little brother/sister as she is with her pals.

I left the kitchen for a moment, and when I came back this is what I found.

Lizzy feeding Gabe:

And Gabe feeding Lizzy:

These two kids were born about three weeks apart and are so cute together. We think they have a real solid future together. ;)

Newer Pictures

2009-03-17T09:41:00.001-07:00

She loves books, but it's really all about the pictures right now.

Being cute:

She really cracks me up a lot. Last night, Isaac and I were sitting on the couch and she kept crawling back and forth between us, meowing. Once or twice she got to Isaac and he didn't pay attention to her right away, so she said, "Hello! Hello!" until he petted her head. Then she would crawl away again and say, "Nice kitty." Like most kids, she loves to dance. We were walking through the mall, and she ran into a store, because she liked the music they were playing. She stood just inside the entrance, getting her groove on. Life is good.

Some old pictures

2009-02-28T12:59:00.000-08:00

I have not had the energy or the motivation to post pictures in awhile, but I feel like I can't post anything else until I do. So I finally got batteries to put in the camera, and I can download the pictures we've been taking since December. There are a lot. I'll try to only put up interesting ones. (You know you just want to see Lizzy.)

In December we had snow. Lizzy didn't really like it very much, but that might have been because she could barely move in her pink and purple Oompa Loompa suit.

My sister Amy took us to the Children's Museum in January, and we had a blast! My favorite was the bubble room and the room that was like a kaleidoscope.

This is the saddest flower I've ever seen. (It was well past nap time.)
Because sometimes, you can't wear just ONE flower in your hair. You have to wear them ALL. She insisted.

My Fifth Sense

2009-02-08T18:28:00.000-08:00

I feel like that kid in The Sixth Sense, except that I don't see dead people. Instead, I walk around the apartment whispering, "I smell things." And none of them are good. It's driving me nuts. I can't even walk into the kitchen, anymore. Even my sweet, pretty little girl is no exception. I find myself cuddling her, knowing she has on a fresh diaper, and yet I have to hold my breath, cuz she smells funky. Isaac thinks I'm crazy, but I blame our apartment. I'm pretty sure that all the nasty smells in town originate in our little space. Anyone want to borrow my nose for a few months? I really don't want it.

A Golden Opportunity?

2009-02-08T18:13:00.000-08:00

I think I might be about to pass up a golden opportunity. Lizzy' s newest word is "potty." I don't know where she picked it up, but she knows what it means. Every so often she'll tell me "Potty, potty, potty," and run to the bathroom door. Sometimes she'll even pat her diaper. Initially, I was like, no way. I'm not ready for potty training, even if you are. I don't even know that she is ready. (I think she really just likes it when I let her wash her hands in the sink, and she somehow picked up on that being the conclusion to the act.) I tried to ignore it. Do you know how hard it is to quickly take off a disposable diaper, onesie, pants, etc? And anyway, she only wants to sit down for a second, and then she says, "down" and jumps off. But - I wouldn't mind having a potty-trained 18-month-old. And if she is ready, wouldn't I be a dumb (not to mention ungrateful) mom to ignore it? Ugh.

I am too lazy to take pictures these days. Sorry.

2009-01-26T20:44:00.000-08:00

Lizzy is a sweet girl. She is usually pretty easy-going and happy. She like to smile and giggle. As she begins to assert her independence, however, she has her moments of rage. These usually occur when I don't give into her every whim. We have explained many times (and invoked the power of the time-out a time or two) that she is not allowed to hit Mommy and Daddy (or anyone else, for that matter), so she has to find a different outlet for her aggressive feelings. Usually it's the coffee table that receives to abuse, but sometimes it's a random toy. She beats it repeatedly with her little hand, all the while staring into my eyes and her expression as she pummels away clearly says, "This is your face, mom. YOUR FACE."

2009-01-15T17:42:00.000-08:00

Hey check this out. My friend (who unfortunately lives waaaay down in southern California) is an amazing photographer, and she's doing a great give away. So check it out, 'cuz she's really good. (And I should know. She did my wedding pictures, after all.)
Here's her blog:

http://www.ludikus.blogspot.com/

Enjoy!

Watch out, she bites

2009-01-09T11:06:00.000-08:00