The First Day of Winter

Now, technically speaking, the first day of winter is December 21st, however I'd like to call it January 28th. Yesterday morning we woke up to this...

The first actual snow of the winter! It was beautiful! When you stepped outside it was so quiet and bright! But the best part was NO SCHOOL! You see, Port Angeles isn't equipped for mass snow removal, so when it does snow the whole city just kinda closes down. I did, however have to go into work at 11 am, but I still got to enjoy the morning off with the snow.

Later than evening, Julian wanted to play in the snow again. We bundled him up again and in about an hour he managed to make 15 snowballs in the front yard. He lined them up nice and neat and then proceeded to throw snowballs at the house till we noticed what he had done. He was so proud of his work! It was quite a feat you know... snow is heavy and cold!

This morning, sadly there was no new snow. School and work started on time, *tear*, but we did get to enjoy one snow day this year.

Once a year.

This is a special day for me. One that will never go unnoticed or unannounced because it is just too precious. Today is Marty's birthday.

We celebrated his birthday on Sunday with homemade enchilada's and his famous cake, made especially for him by his Mom. "It's not my birthday if I don't get MY cake."

Happy Birthday Marty, from all of us. We love you and can't wait to celebrate the rest of the special "once a year" days in your life.

Home made delight.

I can remember the smell like yesterday... it would waft through the house, tumble down the stairs and spill in to the basement where my room was. It would hit me like a ton of bricks, but the good kind of bricks, made from foam, and as I would inhale the smell would carry me up stairs to the kitchen. Fresh baked bread.

My Mom had a bread machine and for so many years as a child I ate homemade bread. And it was delicious. Yesterday afternoon as I was making an attempt to re-organize the back pantry for the one millionth time I came across a box with my Grandmother's cook books in it. There it was... speaking to me. "Don't worry about the pantry, open me and be allured by my goodies." I fought the urge. I really did. But I caved. I tore the box open and there it was, a bread machine cook book, chock full of recipes that were making my mouth water.

I admit in that moment, I got very nostalgic of living at home and remembering that smell. I wanted Marty and the boys to know it and come to love it the way I did. I snapped out of my little "moment" and remembered a few months back Carol told me she had a bread machine she didn't use anymore and if I wanted to use it I could. A light came on, a meant to be light. Marty just happened to be at his Mom's at that moment, so I whipped my phone out and sent a text asking him to inquire if the offer still stood.

Waiting, waiting, waiting for a reply. YES! He would bring it home! Yippppppeeee! I was filled with childish joy! I added the necessary ingredients to my grocery list as Marty walked in with the machine in hand.

Several hours later, the let down. I followed the directions and set the machine. It was late, so I tried the rapid rise function. My mistake. I also didn't have my water warm enough because my little loaf that I was craving to be light and flaky was dense and hard. *big sigh*

So tonight, redemption. I am going to try again and again if I have to for that bread I remember, that light as air, delicious, flaky, perfect loaf.

On a side note, even though it didn't rise as it should of, the house smelled AMAZING.

the shape of punk to come

2008 is here, crazy huh? We rang in the new year in Sequim at the Boys & Girls Club with music, games, and Mountain Dew that the boys drank (our mistake) to sugar them up throughout the night.

The thing that made this night so important was #1. Reuben's Pomp and #2. witnessing my boys see their first hardcore show. I think all the boys have taken more of a liking to music this last year or so, and especially now that Solly has his first bass guitar and Julian his first keyboard.

I don't normally make a new year's resolution, but in a way this year I am. more than anything I desire to teach my boys the value of music and what music is to be valued... -marty



It's cold outside and my hands are dry Skin is cracked and I realize That I hate the sound of guitars A thousand grudging young millionaires Forcing silence sucking sound Forced into this conversation So i say shine let their planets collide This is the darkening down of my mind We could be making it oiling like crime We could be making it staking last dimes If you want to sieze the sound you don't need a reservation The torch is pased it's yours to return Lay at their feet now use it to burn For marketing the use of the word generation A false alliance of money persuading Forcing silence sound sucking Forced into this conversation Now if you want to sieze the sound you don't need a reservation So open so young so target I can smell your heart you're a target



-fugazi

Going to School

I have had a dream for some time, well for a long time you could say. I have always wanted to open a little coffee shop cafe thingy. (Yes, I said thingy) My first job was in a coffee stand. I was 14 and I LOVED it. I would get up early on my weekends to open up shop, make lattes and mochas all day and come home smelling like freshly roasted coffee beans. Somehow this has always stayed with me, my love for coffee and making people happy. I mean really what makes you more happy than a delicious latte?!

This dream of mine has been in the back of my heart for some time now and I gave myself a goal. I want this to happen. Marty, knowing this signed us up for a small business class at the college. That's right! We're going back to school. Over the next 10 weeks we will be writing a business plan that will be the next step in making my dream a reality.

So if I seem pre-occupied it's probably because I have homework I should be doing.

The season was good to us

As Marty and I headed to bed on Christmas Eve we took one last look at the tree and knew Santa was good to us this year. As I turned out the lights I knew the next day would be a whirlwind of excitement and torn up wrapping paper. The boys were reluctant to go to bed... one, because they wanted to stay up play guitar hero III... their gift from Santa earlier in the evening, and two, well, because it was Christmas eve and Santa was coming... but we knew they needed to lay their sweet heads down and begin their visions of sugar plum fairies.

Morning came quickly, 5 a.m. to be exact, we could hear them rush down the stairs and scurry around the tree to spy which gifts Santa had left them. They woke us up, or I should say got us out of bed at 7:30 with anticipation busting at the seams.

After a delicious breakfast and at least one cup of coffee for Marty and I the festivities began. We enjoyed the day, the smiles and the excitement of Christmas with each other.

A Special Visitor

Santa made a special stop on Christmas Eve... He dropped by to give a few packages to the boys and read them a story. It was such a treat for them and us... who enjoyed watching their faces as he came through the door! P.S. that is a REAL beard. And that is Santa Clause!

Cat Clause

What...? He wanted to get into the Christmas spirit. Later he told me he wanted to dye his beard white. I swear!

CAUTION: A tree

We picked up our tree this weekend...

Let me begin from the BEGINNING. Last year when it came time to select the perfect tree it seems all the trees were snagged up. You know the only ones left are lop sided, or missing a bunch of branches at the top. We did end up with a pretty good tree last year that had to be positioned just right so you couldn't see the bald spot on one side.

So this year we got smart. We went to the tree farm early and tagged our tree! This way we didn't have to pick it up too early and we still got a perfect looking tree. (and I say looking, because a PERFECT tree would be one that didn't come home with spiders. AHHH! ewwwwwwwwww) Now, the gentleman whom I spoke with on the phone said you could bring your own tagging material and the better you tagged your tree the greater chance you had of it still being there. So having said that, we tagged our tree REALLY well.

Saturday afternoon we packed up the crumbs and headed to the tree farm. Let's just say after 99 atempts to take a photo of the kids all smiling at the same time, Marty and I were both ready to pull our hair out. So we found our tree (which wasn't hard, it stuck out like a sore thumb) and joyfully, while whistling the song O' Christmas tree, sawed it down.

I must tell you after getting the lights on it, a task which is never fun, it looked perfect! Nice and full... and the smell was AMAZING.

ribbet... ribbet!

What do you get when you cross an arrowhead plant leaf, Syngonium podophyllum, with some glue, a pair of googly eyes, and some construction paper?

An art project. Well done Reuben, well done!

It's never too late...

Okay, I know what you are thinking, Uh Thanksgiving was last week. Well, you see, it's taken me this long to recover from the food induced coma I slipped into on Thursday. We had a glorious feast... We packed up and headed over to Marty's mom's for all the turkey goodness. It was a spread of biblical proportions.... and we ate in much merriment.

The boys slipped into a coma as well and I swear were quieter than I have heard them in a long time... we ate pie afterwards. I seriously don't know how, but we did and enjoyed good fellowship with family.

Later that evening, at home, I thought about what I am thankful for and realized I don't say thank you nearly enough to those who do so much for me. Marty, for his constant love. The boys, for being such good, wonderful, amazing kids. My friends, for always being there for me. My Mom, for remembering the important things. And lastly, for coffee, I don't know how I'd make it through the day without my all important cup of coffee!

So, what I am really getting around to saying is Happy belated Thanksgiving to you all! I hope you all enjoyed food, fellowship, and the opportunity to reflect on what you are thankful for.

The way to a girls heart....

I have to hand it to Marty. He knows me, really well. And he knows my weaknesses... the biggest one in fact. Shoes. It's true. If I had my way I'd have new shoes everyday. There is nothing like the "new shoe" feeling. Slipping them on, checking them out, and suddenly feeling like a million bucks.

Tonight, for no real significant reason, other than he is the most amazing man ever, he gave me a new pair of shoes....

"Thanksgiving shoes" he said with a twinkle of satisfaction in his eyes.

And as I slipped them on, I felt so thankful for him and that he knows the way to a girls heart.