A plea to toy makers:

PLEASE start making toys that don't frustrate my kids to the point of insanity.  Or me, for that matter.

For example, if a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle is supposed to be a skateboarding reptile, PLEASE make sure the skateboard can stay on the ninja's feet for at least 30 seconds at a time.  PLEASE?!?!?

If I hear "MOOOOOOMMM, the skaaaateboard won't stay oooonnnn!!!!" one more time today...

Edited to add: So I just googled it and apparently a turtle is a reptile?  Who knew?  Huh.  I always thought they were amphibians.

A sad election time reminder.

So this isn't going to be funny, or very entertaining.  But something is weighing on my mind, and I'm going to let it out.

Yesterday I was at a local elementary school, in the office.  I witnessed something really sad.  A little girl and little boy were sitting in the office, waiting to be picked up.  The little girl was crying and saying she wanted to go to school.  The secretary was on the phone saying "Well, you need to prove you are in the country legally" and "they must have complete immunization records" and "you'll need to come get them".  She got off the phone and told the kids that their mommy would be there soon.  The little girl just had a breakdown.  She wanted so bad to be there.  My heart hurt for her.

Every message board I read is full of politics.  Unfortunately, most of the "politics" on these boards are full of mudslinging.  Not all, but too many for my taste.  So, this is my call to whoever cares to read my blog:

We aren't going through this election just to give us a reason to bash one another.  This is not just a chance to call people names for believing differently.  We are in the midst of election season for that little girl.  And all of the other children we cross every day, some whom we know and love, some we will never meet but could grow up to do incredible things.  They need us to help determine the course of their future.

I don't care how you intend to vote, that is up to you.  I'm proud of you for voting.  Sure, I'd love for you to vote for MY candidate, MY beliefs-  but that isn't what a democracy is about.  The problems our country faces are complex, and the answers are not just easy to come by.  It is confusing, and I'm sure that there will never be solutions that are perfectly fair to every person in the country.  And that is why we live in a democracy.  So that we ALL have the opportunity to look at all the issues we face, look deep inside ourselves to discover what the right answers are, and vote accordingly.

My heart broke for that little girl yesterday.  She may be here legally, she may not.  She may have access to immunizations, she may not.  While not everyone agrees on how to deal with those issues, I'm sure we can all agree on one thing- that 6 year old could not understand why she couldn't go to school.  And THAT in itself is sad.  Right, wrong, indifferent- it was sad.

And then I come online to read about a VP candidate possibly getting knocked up before marriage and how a candidate for the presidency may have been raised with religious teachings other than that of mainstream America.  Does that put all this mudslinging in to perspective for anyone else, or I am just overly emotional lately (admittedly that wouldn't be too far a stretch)?

I am tired of debating about things that won't help my children.  I am tired of hearing about "issues" that will not matter 40, 50, 100 years down the road.  So I am asking- regardless of which political theory you subscribe to- that we keep in mind a few important things: WHO and WHAT we are wanting to fix/protect/etc. and HOW we feel that can be done.  I want to look at my kids 30 years down the road and tell them that I have done everything I can to make their world better, regardless of my personal political philosophy.  I think we all want that.  So lets not talk about issues that should be left only to tabloids and entertainment news shows...lets talk about how to fix the challenges that we face as a nation.

Thanks for reading!

And, August goes out with a bang (or should we say CRUNCH?)!

You know, there are times in my life when I start thinking that this domestic stuff seems boring.  Each day seems to be the same, the kids don't seem to care wether it is Monday, Thursday or Sunday, and I just start itching to get out of the house.  On those days, if Ashley is in town, she comes to my rescue.  

Today I woke up late (thanks, Dusty, for giving me that extra sleep) to find that Alex had broken a snow globe on the tile.  And decided that his underwear were, in fact, an acceptable toilet.  Twice.  After gulping down my coffee quickly and dodging the Nerf baseball bat flying constantly through the air in connection with the Wii, I was telling Ashley that the day is shaping up to be like just about any other day: noisy, clumsy, and full of mess making fun (for the kids).  

Ashley and I were talking about how amazing it would be to do some leisurely window shopping.  Since I didn't have a sitter, Ash came up with a brilliant idea.  Let IKEA babysit the kids!  Sure, it means we have to shop...Ok, twist my arm!  I'm in!

On the way to IKEA, Sky's illusive loose tooth finally lost the battle for the buck.  Sky was quiet for quite a long time, then suddenly "I got it, Mom!  My tooth came out!".  Sure enough, that little sucker that caused both of us so much grief when he was a cranky, teething baby, was right there in his hand.  

So we get to IKEA as Sky is dreaming up 101 ways to spend his cash if the tooth fairy keeps her promise.  Shopping was fairy uneventful.  Sky showed every kid in the play area his toothless grin, and Alex (who was about 1 inch too short for the play area, even WITH his hair) spent his time in Auntie Ashley heaven.  Well, Auntie Ashley and the-bathrooms-have-automatic-paper-towel-dispensers heaven.

So finally we pick out a bed for Alex, who has been sleeping on a foam mat for months (long story, not that exciting).  Yay!  So much for window shopping...

Now comes the good part.  Ashley and Sky go to get the CR-V and pull it in to the loading dock so that we can try to figure out how on earth to fit a twin bed & mattress in a compact SUV.  As she is waiting to pull in to a parking spot (you know, people in front of you stop, you really can't go anywhere!), a rented moving van decides to back in to a spot, too.  Unfortunately, Ashley being where she was didn't fit in to his plans.  So as Alex and I watched from the sidewalk and Ashley felt helpless in the driver's seat, the bumper of my car met a very big moving van.  Poor Ashley!  I think she deserves the Crazy Weekend award!  Oh, and a ton of thanks for moving the car the minute she did in order to avoid any injuries or further damage.

So, a few hours later I'm home with 2 cranky kids.  By the way, you CAN fit a twin bed and mattress in a CR-V.  It involves removing everything but the driver, who has to drive with her nose touching the steering wheel, but it CAN be done.  At this point I'm thinking that for all the hassle, Alex is going to sleep in this bed tonight.  As it turns out, assembling a bed, then rearranging the room to fit the bed, then throwing out all the packaging while two cranky kids "help" can not possibly done "just real quick".  Just an FYI.

So now, the kids are asleep.  Sky has $2 under his pillow, and Alex is happily dreaming on his new jumping platform/big boy bed.  And I have a glass of red wine.  I will NOT be complaining tomorrow morning that life is monotonous! 

Sky has loose teeth & Alex is potty trained!

Wow, these kids are growing up fast!

Skyler starts school in two weeks and Alex is totally potty trained.  Yay!

Skyler's two front teeth are loose, and he is anxiously awaiting the opportunity to milk the tooth fairy for a few bucks.  He's no so certain on the specifics of the whole tooth fairy thing though (Is she invisible?  How does she get in to his house?  Does she sell the teeth on the black market?).

Alex is talking like crazy and is obsessed with Wii baseball.  He loves "BASE-ball".  Seems to be following  in big bro's footsteps!  He is going to be in a begginer pre-school program this year!  The other day, Dusty and I couldn't believe it- he sang the ABC's!  Alex is also big doing "I do it!".  Fun for Al, S L O W moving for me!

Skyler begins allergy shots this week.  He is a little nervous, but he knows it'll help him in the long run.  Hard to be a baseball player and golfer when you're allergic to grass, trees and weeds.  He'll be great at dealing with this, I'm sure!  Sky is a tough little guy.

Both boys are missing Pappi and Grandma Marcia like crazy.  We had  a great time hanging out with them this summer!

Here are some more recent pics!  These are from a backyard waterfight involving the boys, Auntie Ashley and Uncle Brian.

Hello all!!! Dusty here. I know, I know... not very typical :P Anyhoo... Bri and I had such a WONDERFUL time, I thought I'd share some more pics just for fun... Here they are :D 

More vacay pics...

Ok, here are a few more!  We went hiking on the way home, it was great!

Oh, and if you're ever in Hood River- you HAVE to check out Naked Winery!  

Ah...relaxation!

Dusty and I had the amazing opportunity to have a little getaway.  It was fantastic!  We spent the whole time feeling like we were honeymooning.  

Thanks, mom, for watching the kids!

Hope you all love these pictures.  This whole vacation was refreshing for us as a couple, as parents, and as Oregonians.  Sometimes the Pacific NW's beauty is easy to take for granted- having the chance to rediscover it is a blessing!