Pak Adventures

11 years...

2009-10-23T11:21:00.000-07:00

i've been married 11 years...

we went back to the place we got married... orcas island, WA
we got married at this very spot...

it was like nothing had changed...
and i was reminded just how lucky i am to have super hubby in my life...

wordless wednesday...

2009-10-21T08:27:00.000-07:00

overcoming my fears...

2009-09-28T14:56:00.000-07:00

we had our national sales meeting this past week...
Stone Mountain, Georgia...
and like any good sales meeting there was a team building exercise...

i'm terrified of heights... and not so found of climbing walls with people below me looking at my ass...

but i did it... and would even do it again...

so many fun facts that i thought my brain would burst....

2009-09-16T08:07:00.001-07:00

perfect baby gift

2009-09-15T09:03:00.000-07:00

i don't have too many people in my life still having babies... but i'm still always on the look out for the perfect baby gift that isn't a blanket, clothes or plastic toy....

and when i saw this today i had to share...

Zoolio Rainforest Activity Book by Manhattan Toy Six panels in assorted fabrics build motor skills by combining a cute animal with an action (a red frog with a zipper mouth, a toucan with a snap-on beak). Slip the panels in the carrying case and it can go from the car to the park with ease. (Ages 18 months to 3 years)

$24 - click here to find it online...

i caught a humpy....

2009-09-14T06:28:00.000-07:00

B and super hubby went out salmon fishing today with some friends...

and all B can talk about is the humpy he caught... something not right about naming a fish humpy...

sort of like the cheerleaders that are down the road having a fundraiser with hot dogs... forget the car wash with bikini clad teens we've moved on to standing on street corners doing high kicks asking people to buy hot dogs...

where did the name come from???

2009-09-10T10:53:00.000-07:00

ja-min... it's a long story... sort of...

one that will cause me to reveal B's name... it's benjamin... and when he was born my mom told me this story that one of her friends had shared with her...

"my grandson ben had done something he wasn't supposed to and when his mom asked him if he'd done it he said... no jamin did" from that day forward any time Ben did something naughty he blamed it on his alter ego "jamin"

when my B was born he was a collic ridden cranky baby... when super hubby or my mom would ask me how he was i said he was either great or he was a jamin... that became our new trade name for trouble...

so when we decided to buy this boat a few months later... i said that it was trouble... and therefore we would have to name it "jamin"... he tried to rename it PB&J... but it just didn't stick...

ja-min gets a face lift

2009-09-09T10:43:00.000-07:00

so we have this boat... a ranger 20 something or other...

she's great fun for an afternoon sail... but she has never been very pretty...

in fact... she was down right ugly... this was taken after the black splotchy bottom paint was removed... she was even uglier then...

she's been living in our driveway for over 2 months now... and i was getting bitter... it was bad enough i couldn't park in my garage... but now i couldn't even park in the drive way...

it started out as a "i'm going to repaint the bottom"... then i went and opened my mouth...
"why don't you repaint the topside while it's here" in the end it was worth it...

isn't she purdy....

staycation...

2009-09-07T18:34:00.000-07:00

we've been talking about doing one of these for a few years now...

B kept asking... and when super hubby planned a trip to the san juans for some kayaking with his side kick i decided it was the perfect time...

my friend hooked us up with an incredible room... it was really the view that made it!!!

we had a great first day...
Monorail
Science Center
fountain time
space needle
hotel pool
dinner

then day two started with crazy sibling fighting... that forced me to make the hard decision to head home... which totally pissed me off, then turned out to be a blessing in disguise as i got the stomach flu and proceeded to barf for 24 hours...

we'll do it again... especially since we didn't finish our planned activities... but next time i'm going with super hubby....

cheating again...

2009-09-07T18:33:00.000-07:00

frankly... facebook is just easier to do... but just like last May... i'm missing my musings...

Bristol Warren Rap Son

2009-08-22T11:40:00.001-07:00

a side of my parents town i have never seen...

game time...

2009-08-21T10:48:00.001-07:00

random picture day...

2009-08-20T10:59:00.000-07:00

i will get back to regular story telling soon... promise...

i'm on a bit of a blog vacation right now...

but....

when i came across this one i had to share... just like my senior photo... classic!!!

sad thing is i only know one other person in this photo... anyone look familar to you??? i'm second in from left top on diving board...

purging...

2009-08-09T15:39:00.000-07:00

i've been in a crazy purging mode the last few weeks... something about coming home to my modest house after a 2 week vacation made me realize i have way too much stuff that i will NEVER need again...

I've made pretty good progress... B's room is finally under control and has been for almost a week now...

and my office... holy scary land... i've been crazy busy coming and going and when most things don't have a place to live well... it gets VERY out of hand...

naturally the best part for me of these projects are the gems i find along the way...

like this...

my senior portrait...
class of 1988...
noblesville high school...
i was a lady miller...and i wore too much makeup!!!

i found 30 wallet size copies of this and a few 5x7...

why on earth did i keep them? no idea, but they have left for a landfill somewhere in WA... and i got a good laugh...

pizza night...

2009-08-07T05:33:00.000-07:00

i think chuckles would have burst at the seems if he did not get to see his friends on Friday for pizza night... he talked about them to anyone who would listen when were were on vacation...

i love that we have neighbors who are like family... that our kids can't wait to see when they get back from vacation... and that they make it so easy to just be...

make way for the paklets...

2009-08-05T05:06:00.000-07:00

when i was a kid we read make way for ducklings... a real classic even today... loved this book so much that i bought it before i even had kids...

B could have cared less about it... he went to the public garden to see them when he was only 6 months old... at that point he couldn't sit thru the whole book... and he preferred duck is dirty... another family fav... and has about 25 total words in it...

but chuckleberry loves this book... it's one of the two I read to him all the time... perhaps your remember the post about my grandma passing... when i mentioned she helped me find the lost book... anyway...

i was determined that i was taking C to see the ducklings before we headed home... so on our way to take me to the airport we stopped in the public garden for a picnic, a ride on the swan boat and a photo op... it was so awesome to see his face light up when we walked in to the park and he was putting it all together... just AWESOME... i even got a little tear in my eye i was so happy...

he's sitting on the duckling "pack" in this one :)

add heat.... and things grow

2009-08-04T04:51:00.000-07:00

so both B and C grew 1/2 inch while we were on vacation... i know it seems like nothing but that's in 2 weeks! all that photosynthesizing during the summer really showed on these two..

even more amazing was color explosion that happened in my garden while we were gone and the sun was shinning... it was like a color explosion... too bad i don't have before shots to really drive home how different it looks from when we left... picture this but all green...

magic moments...

2009-08-03T16:39:00.000-07:00

back from vacation and having a hard time getting back in the bloggie saddle.

doesn't help that it has been a million degrees...
when i landed in seattle last week it was 87 degrees @ 1 in the morning... NOT NORMAL~

i had to work from Starbucks all day tuesday because it was too damn hot in my office... and by hot i mean 92 inside by 10 am... not working out for me... thanks to my good buddy megan for suggesting the starbucks office... VERY smart!!! and strangely i was the only one there...

super hubby and the kids came home 2 days after i did so thankfully i didn't have to rush out and stock the fridge and pantry the first day...

and that turned out to be my lucky day because when i went to costco on wednesday i scored a window ac unit... it was sheer luck and timing... and i believe a whole lot of magic...

you couldn't even buy a fan anywhere in Washington let alone an ac unit... i still can't believe i am now the proud owner of one of these...

it has made all the difference in the world and worth every single penny...

a thousand word thursday

2009-07-23T17:44:00.000-07:00

the boys may not like to eat lobster but they sure had a great time wearing them out...

more ATWT over @ Jen's place

boogie boarding mama

2009-07-21T08:16:00.001-07:00

beach day in newport... and the boys got me out on the boogie board...

2009-07-21T08:03:00.000-07:00

i've decided that i really need to add the tour de france to my list of things to do...

another reason i love my summer vacation is because i get to watch the tour... i watch in amazement as these people beat themselves up and sit on the edge of my seat waiting to see what will happen... it really is exciting if you have the patience to watch...

i guess the same can be said about any sport...

see this post to see the rest...

summer bike shakedown...

2009-07-20T16:10:00.000-07:00

nonna took B out to find a summer bike (bike to use while @ nonni's) at the salvation army... and we found this sweet number... yes it is pink and purple... and only $15!!!

thankfully B saw the potential so with a whole lot more work than he thought...

and a photo shot he insisted on for the "blog"

and we ended up with this... pretty great huh????

arnie the doughnut...

2009-07-17T08:03:00.000-07:00

in our house arnie the doughnut is a favorite book... Laurie Keller writes all kinds of awesome books and we are fans of them all...

Chuckles is especially fond of arnie...

we come from starbucks land.... i don't think we even have a dunkin' dounuts... so when we are here we always eat doughnuts... the boys love the idea of an entire place dedicated to doughnuts...

thousand word thursday

2009-07-16T08:15:00.000-07:00

this view is peace to me... the view from my parents house...

check out more over @ the mom jen...

race day...commando...

2009-07-15T07:33:00.000-07:00

wednesday is race day for my parents and when we are in town super hubby races with my dad instead of my mom...

it's serious business for my father... they are contenders... first place over all last year and i think they are headed that way again this year...

getting ready to leave the mooring... by dad fell in the drink (harbor)... and he hadn't brought a spare set of clothes... so what is a sailor to do... strip down to nothing and put your clothes on the line to dry hopefully before the race begins...

i don't know how super hubby did it... sailing along with my dad going commando... now that is a son in law... one who can hang with his totally naked FIL... like there is nothing abnormal about it...

first day...

2009-07-14T15:57:00.000-07:00

we made it to RI in one piece...

Chuckles decided he didn't really need to sleep on the red eye so it has been a long 30+ hours... and B announced on his 36th hour of being awake that he just wanted to go home or at least back to the airport because it was way more fun.... was he kidding...

worth every minute... because now i can just enjoy life for the next few weeks and not have to worry about the promotional challenges of the northwest...

the first day @ Nonni's always involves the capturing of the crabs...

b

slip n skim...

2009-07-13T01:03:00.000-07:00

the key is flat surface, lots of water, and patience...

thousand word thursday...

2009-07-09T06:15:00.000-07:00

summer vacation is just around the corner... and in honor of that i found a classic photo from my own childhood summer vacation... me and my super cool cat suit... circa 1977...

check out more at Cheaper than Therapy

thank you notes

2009-07-08T06:42:00.000-07:00

last week we had a bday party for BIG B...
with that comes the task of getting him to right his thank you notes...
it is painful to get him to sit down and just do it...
lots of threats to take away toys etc...

then he writes notes like these and my heart swells with pride...
i don't get notes with this much thought from grown ups...

welcome race fans...

2009-07-07T06:45:00.000-07:00

super hubby and i went to our own birthday party recently...

we wanted to have B's party there but he wasn't big enough yet...
so instead we went with the neighbors to celebrate his birthday...

enter TRAXX racing...

we had a blast... and i had completely forgotten just how much work it was to drive those little suckers... my arms hurt for 2 days...

super hubby checking out the safety video...

he was sporting his own racing shoes :)...

super hubby and super neighbor posing cheese style with their hair socks...

topsy turvy week 6...

2009-07-06T03:18:00.000-07:00

so much progress...
in case you missed week one...
or week two...

we even have fruit on them now...

thousand word thursday

2009-07-02T21:27:00.000-07:00

i love taking photos in the side mirrors... and no... i wasn't moving...

check out other great shots over at Cheaper than Therapy...

bed time

2009-07-01T07:57:00.001-07:00

"Anyone who thinks the art of conversation is dead ought to tell a child to go to bed."

—Robert Gallagher

views from the road...

2009-06-29T22:44:00.001-07:00

Back on the road... But this week the views are spectacular... Even in the side view mirror...

happy birthday Big B...

2009-06-27T06:39:00.000-07:00

interview with an 8 year old...

favorite color... orange
favorite toy... legos and my DS
best friends... Nate, Jaden, Jared, Max, Tyler, Colin& Ethan
favorite place to go... camping
favorite movie... the incredibles
favorite book... wimpy kid series
favorite subject in school... science and math... P.E.
favorite animal... poison dart frog
favorite video game... Super Mario Brothers
favorite food... snacks... any and all
favorite TV Show... Destroy Bill Destroy...

go here for pictures of the first 7 years...

what michael jackson song are you...

2009-06-26T16:15:00.001-07:00

over on facebook i took a little quiz in honor of the pop king... what michael jackson song are you

You are "Thriller" - Michael Jackson's great song. You like to have fun, but at the same time you enjoy excitement and....well... thrill. There is a lot of energy in you which you don't show to others. But sometimes when people don't see you, you become unpredictable. You can transform into something else - a monster: a werewolf, vampire or a zombie. But a friendly monster. If an old lady needed some help while crossing a street, you would generously help her even as a monster. And of course you would dance the famous "Thriller" dance in the middle of the street with her!

favorite things about summer...

2009-06-26T06:43:00.000-07:00

2 weeks with my family in Rhode Island
cocktails on the deck at the end of the day with super hubby
sleeping with the windows open
all the photo ops
my garden... i love how my garden looks in the summer
corn on the cob
cherries... cherries... cherries...
the smell of fresh rain

and for me... this picture sums up summer with the paklets

a thousand word thursday

2009-06-25T08:11:00.000-07:00

my brother lives in Madison... WI... land of cheese...

these popped up on my screen this week and i instantly thought they'd be perfect for ATWT...

yes that is me being malled by the dog... Truman... he always thought i was my mom when we came to visit so he insisted on sitting on me... if you look real close i think he has his tongue in my mouth...

cousins circa 2003...

i think this was easily one of the best trips we ever took with B when he was little...

stop on by Cheaper than Therapy to see some more ATWT

bee restaurant...

2009-06-24T06:11:00.000-07:00

the other day charlie asked me why the bees kept going in to this flower...

i said it was their restaurant... you know where that leads with a 3 year old...

is this a bee restaurant...

is this a bee restaurant...

clever mommy is not so clever all the time... but clever 3 year old sure knows how to make me laugh... and laugh often!

duck day...

2009-06-23T06:59:00.000-07:00

for father's day we were heading to the locks in seattle and at the last minute decided to ride the duck which we have never done...

it was so much more fun than i expected... and even learned some interesting facts about my city...

most random one that i didn't know... the pink elephant car was was automatic car wash in the country...

enjoy some random photographs taken along the way of the seattle sites!!!

a brand new world of receipts

2009-06-22T06:27:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend i had a date with B... it was awesome...

we stopped at the end of the day at red mango...

i've never been before... it was awesome...

and then i looked at the receipt.

it has calorie stats on it which i think is quite ingenious... i like the little blurb about the strawberries at the bottom which i had on my yogurt...

also helped explain why it was so expensive...

wonder where else i'll see a nutricate???

happy fathers day...

2009-06-21T11:54:00.001-07:00

My father didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.

―Clarence B. Kelland

super hubby got a hair cut...

2009-06-19T07:15:00.000-07:00

Before...

and after...

yes... this was taken in the morning... but the truth is... it really had gotten this big...

the bitter look??? because he knew this was blog material ...

a thousand word thursday...

2009-06-18T06:08:00.000-07:00

a follow up to what i do... this isn't me... it's my one of my co-workers whose been "BIC'd" as we call it... notice the "BIC boy" on everything... even the water...

what is it i do all day...

2009-06-17T06:19:00.000-07:00

i've never really talked about what it is a i do...

you've gathered by now that i travel a bit... from travel stories... people watching... and just random photos i've posted... i have one widget that says i've traveled 57k miles in the last 12 months... that just plain scares me...

me with the BIC boy...taken Jan-07

so officially i'm a senior account manager for BIC Graphic USA... yes the same BIC that makes pens and razors... lighters and markers...wind surfers and kayaks... and once upon a time we made perfume... imagine...

my territory is Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska...

i work for the promotional division that customizes products for company promotion... when people ask what i do all day my standard answer is... "i'm solving the worlds promotional needs one pen at a time..." you can pretty much put your company name on anything... it's a $18 billion industry...

i've been with BIC 11 years now... and i must say a lot has changed in the last decade... and no two days are the same...

fun facts to wow your friends with...

BIC sold it's 100 billionth pen in september 2005... enough pens to go from the earth to the moon end to end 40 times...
BIC pens have 1.2 miles of uninterrupted writing... that is 10 times the height of the Eiffel Tower...
a BIC pen changes hands on average 8-10 times in it's life time...

Have you ever wondered how the pocket protector got its start? It was a promotional product designed to sell slip-on vinyl covers that protected loose-leaf binders.

it's official...

2009-06-17T05:26:00.000-07:00

it's true... i have finally made it and become and EventChaser...

they are sending soccer tickets...and i'm taking B to see the Sounders FC on June 28th...

i know be and i will have a blast... not to mention all the great blogging material that will come from it...

the other great thing that has come out out this is now i know the best one stop shop to find tickets to just about anything... RAZORGATOR...

they've got it all from hard to find tickets to concerts, sports events... to plays and fan packages...

you can even sell and exchange tickets on RAZORGATOR...

want your own sounders tickets... go here

awards...

2009-06-16T12:20:00.000-07:00

i must admit that i do like some of these awards that float around blog land... not that any award isn't totally awesome and tubular...

i like this one just because i think it really does represent me and the pakletadventures... i don't know what it was intended to represent but to me it's... no BS... no agenda.. just good fun...

i got this one from sweet sarendipity... discovered i got it from google alerts... which i love...

Here's the deal:

post about it and who gave it to you...

Choose a minimum of 7 blogs that you find brilliant in content or design.
Or improvise by including bloggers who have no idea who you are... i think this is how i got this award...

Show the 7 random victims’ names and links and leave a harassing comment informing them they rock... or leave it up for surprise which i'm doing...

List at least ten honest things about yourself. Then, pass it on!

My 10 things:

i have little self control
i think i would make a better grandmother than a mother
i'm over the top fascinated with social media
i have a terrible potty mouth
i chewed tobacco in high school
i should spend more time with my kids than i do
i'm now at that age where people think my mother is my sister... i like to think that is because she has aged so well :) not because i haven't
i don't show my brothers that i respect them enough
random trivia inspires me
i love to be nice to people who don't expect it

Because I'd love to know these bloggy friends better, I choose to pass this on to:

blok thoughts... http://blokthoughtsnmore.blogspot.com/
mamarrazi... http://www.ourdandelionwishes.com/
annie... http://cookieconversations.blogspot.com/
dawn...http://embracingtheordinarylife.blogspot.com/
goodncrazy mom...http://goodandcrazypeople.blogspot.com/
leslie...http://eddienalexa.blogspot.com/
jenni...http://www.jiggetyjigg.com/
midwest mommy...http://www.mommyfromthemidwest.com/

i think my boys do this too...

2009-06-16T06:33:00.000-07:00

another good laugh... i got this as an example of what woman do from birth... but frankly i'm certain boys do it as wel...

random travel rumblings....

2009-06-15T06:07:00.000-07:00

why is it that...

you sometimes get the middle seat in the last row when... EVERY other middle seat is empty as well as many isles and windows...
so many people drink tomato juice** on planes... do they drink tomato juice @ home??? i've decided that it must be some sort of special treat to fly so they drink a special treat....
when are all my travel karma gifts to other travelers are going to pay back???

** i'm not a tomato juice drinker... think it's gross!

sunday stealing...

2009-06-14T00:27:00.000-07:00

Cheers to all us thieves!

1. What thing is nearest to you ? my family

2. What is your ringtone ? who knows

3. What was the last message in your inbox ? email from a long lost friend from HS

4. Who is your best friend ? my husband

5. What is the brand of your TV ? don't remember

6. What schools did you attend? roger williams

7. Do you own a MP4 ? no

8. What song are you listening to now ? frogs in my back yard

9. Did you kiss anybody in the past 2 days ? my husband and my kids

10. Have you ever kissed someone you met in the blogosphere? no... random!

11. What would you want to call if you weren't your current name? like my name

12. Would you be happy if you had everything? no way of knowing

13. Are you always thinking of someone special? yes

14. Tell us of your most desperate dream? hunted by storm troopers

15. When did you last laugh till you cried? last night

16. If you had a crush, would you tell them you love him/her now ? yes

17. If you could be anywhere in the world now, where would you want to be ? vacation

18. When was your heart last broken? 15 years ago

19. Whose birthday(s) is/are coming up? super hubby

20. How many email accounts do you have? 3

Saturday 9: Games People Play

2009-06-13T10:23:00.000-07:00

join in the fun by clicking here....

1. What was your favorite active game as a child?... kick the can

2. What was your favorite board game as a child?... monopoly

3. Tell us about a friend you played these games with in your youth... i played kick the can with the entire neighborhood... by Robbie and Jennifer's house was the best place to play...

4. What is your favorite card game? rummy

5. What board games do you enjoy now? any cranium game!!! love those games

6. Do you play video games? yes Which ones? wii sports, brainage

7. Tell us about the friends you play games with now... my kids, they keep me young

8. Do you play any sports now? nope

9. What’s your favorite sport to watch? football

chuckles loves orange

2009-06-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

when i was growing up the orange popsicles were always the ones left over... in fact they were so disliked it seemed like no matter how bad you wanted a popsicle you would NOT stoop to eat the orange one...

well in this house... orange is the first to go...

chuckles loves everything orange... from his crocs to his cup, fork, spoon and even my car...

frankly we might need to go in to a 12 step program soon...

what color popsicle is left in your house???

thousand word thursday...

2009-06-11T14:46:00.000-07:00

want to see more... click here...

topsy turvy week 2

2009-06-10T06:09:00.000-07:00

in case you missed the first installment...

two weeks later i'd say they are doing way better than i expected... although they have not showed fruit... (yes i realize it is way to early for this...) there are flowers and i'm hopeful...

this is a double planting of cherry tomatoes

this is a single beef steak tomato

it also helps that for the first time in as along as i've lived here our late May and June have been warm and filled with sun!!!

Tuesday Tribute...

2009-06-09T11:59:00.000-07:00

What is it?
Well, we'll tell you what it is NOT... It's Not About YOU. It's about SOMEONE ELSE. It's our chance, each of us, to shine our light on someone else.
Huh? Whaddya mean?
We each spend a lot of time talking about ourselves and our lives, but we are also fairly GIVING people too...Tuesday's Tribute is a chance to talk about OTHER people, OTHER blogs, OTHER lives.

want to see more click on the button...

super nanny we love you...
no i'm not talking about jo super nanny...
i'm talking the original super nanny...
you keep the kids happy...
you keep the chaos under control...
and my kids are better because of the love you give them...

thanks nancy...
for making it easier for me to head out the door every day to show my wears and know my kids are loved and safe...

you are my greatest stroke of luck ever!!!

late night findings...

2009-06-09T06:16:00.000-07:00

i found this on a late night google reader crawl...
first it took me here...
which took me here...
where i found this....

Instead of setting up an elaborate sundae bar outside for a party (where the ice cream will probably melt before people decide which toppings they want to load on top of their dessert) you can use this idea from Country Living and add the toppings to the cone before the party:

Just dip the cones in melted white or milk chocolate and roll in toppings. Marshmallows, coconut flakes, chopped nuts, crushed cookies, candy chips, or sprinkles and let the guests scoop up their ice cream of choice.

the things he does...

2009-06-08T06:25:00.000-07:00

so you've heard me talk about what an amazing man super hubby is...

he's also VERY handy... and when the cover for this....

needed replacing this summer... he decided to sew a new one... why the sourcing wizard didn't find one on line i'm not quite sure... because he could have gone here for half the price and about 15 minutes of work :)

instead he did this... i think he liked the challenge...

first he took the old one apart to make a pattern...

Then he carefully sewed together all 18 or so panels...

Then he got out the ladder to put it on...

and has been enjoying it ever since...

and yes it's perfect!!!

sunday stealing...

2009-06-07T06:15:00.000-07:00

this was supposed to be the most hated... but i really don't like that word... i just can't deal with too much negative right now... i listen to complaining all day...

so... i'm taking a blog liberty and changing to loved...

1. Most loved food: Mexican

2. Most loved person: super hubby

3. Most loved job: ... this one was hard... polishing silver

4. Most loved city: boston

5. Most loved band: no question... the Police

6. Most loved (non-blog) website: google

7. Most loved TV program: Friday Night Lights

8. Most loved politician: Claiborne Pell

9. Most loved artist: none

10. Most loved book: time travelers wife

11. Most loved shop or store: target

12. Most loved organization: ???

13. Most loved historical event: this last presidential election

14. Most loved sport: to watch... football

15. Most loved technology: my kindle

16. Most loved annual event: 2 week family vacation @ my parents

17. Most loved daily task: going to bed

18. Most loved comedian: ellen

19. Most loved blog: Cheaper than Therapy

20. Most loved song: every little thing she does

Saturday 9: It's My Party

2009-06-06T09:41:00.000-07:00

join the rest of the party here...

1. Do you prefer to host or be a guest at a party? host
2. Would you rather go to a large party or a small dinner party? small dinner party
3. What is you worst flaw? perfectionist
4. What is you best character trait? adaptability
5. What habit in others annoys you? sniffling
6. What qualities in others do you admire? patience
7. If you could change something about yourself, what would it be? my patience
8. Do you tend to be shy with strangers? no
9. Do you prefer to lead or follow in a group of people? lead

heard on the way to school...

2009-06-05T07:31:00.000-07:00

C and i went to pick up big brother from school...

C is a chatter box... he has theories about everything at the ripe age of 3...

today we discussed worms and slugs...

we live in slug country so in some ways they are almost like pets to our boys...

when B was this age i took this photo... you can tell from his expression just how much he loved them... we had just gotten back from our trip east and it was waiting at the front door... you would have thought it was the ice cream truck...

he asked to have me take his picture with it :)

what does this have to do with my walk you ask...

just that when i asked C what slugs do
he said "they drink mom"
me "what?"
him "rain water from the clouds mom... that is why they are everywhere here...it rains a lot"

2009-06-04T06:09:00.000-07:00

discussions with an almost 8 year old...

pick him up from school -

me - hope you had a good day

b - fine

me - we have to go get a CAT scan today

b- what is that... do they put a bunch of cats all over you?

me - almost pee my pants right there in the school parking lot except now all the other moms are looking at me...

side note - what is the deal with the elementary school parking lot? it's like the cool kids (aka moms in the know) rule the lot... just like going back to jr. high as i've said many times before...

remember i'm that un-cool mom who works outside the home so not everyone is embracing me... i pull it together and smile knowing that i still laugh every day with my kids...

we are waiting for CT scan...

b - it was so hot today

me - sure was

b - i'd hate to be a robber on a hot day like today

me - why?

b - because they wear all that black - cap, face mask, long sleeved black shirt, black pants... they must be cooking...

me - smiling at how simple life can be and realizing even at almost 8 you are still a little boy...

a thousand word thursday...

2009-06-03T20:21:00.001-07:00

The frogs are back!!!

Check all the the others @....

sad and crappy day for paklet #1...

2009-06-02T17:39:00.000-07:00

taken when he was deciding if Toby was the one to take home (9/05)...

today we lost one of our cats suddenly in an accident... it was horrible and sad... and my heart breaks for B since it was one of his... and his favorite of the two...

good thoughts for my little guy are appreciated!

we then went back for the brother so we had a matching set...

Bring it...

2009-06-02T06:58:00.000-07:00

Got this email from a friend and had to share… she did recognized that super hubby would sweep the competition but then I wondered if anyone else out there was quite as lucky as me???

Super hubby is ready to go for this game… anyone think they can take him on?

how could a boy who grew up wearing red clogs not become a super hubby right?

Six married men will be dropped on an island with one car and 3 kids each for six weeks.
Each kid will play two sports and either take music or dance classes.
There is no fast food.
Each man must take care of his 3 kids; keep his assigned house clean , correct all homework, and complete science projects, cook, do laundry, and pay a list of 'pretend' bills with not enough money.
In addition, each man will have to budget in money for groceries each week.
Each man must remember the birthdays of all their friends and relatives, and send cards out on time--no emailing.
Each man must also take each child to a doctor's appointment, a dentist appointment and a haircut appointment.
He must make one unscheduled and inconvenient visit per child to the Urgent Care.
He must also make cookies or cupcakes for a social function.
Each man will be responsible for decorating his own assigned house, planting flowers outside and keeping it presentable at all times.
The men will only have access to television when the kids are asleep and all chores are done..
They must attend weekly school meetings, church, and find time at least once to spend the afternoon at the park or a similar setting.
They will need to read a book to the kids each night and in the morning, feed them, dress them, brush their teeth and comb their hair by 7:00 am.
A test will be given at the end of the six weeks, and each father will be required to know all of the following information: each child's birthday, height, weight, shoe size, clothes size and doctor's name.
Also the child's weight at birth, length, time of birth, and length of labor, each child's favorite color, middle name, favorite snack, favorite song, favorite drink, favorite toy, biggest fear and what they want to be when they grow up.
The kids vote them off the island based on performance.
The last man wins only if...he still has enough energy to be intimate with his spouse at a moment's notice.
If the last man does win, he can play the game over and over and over again for the next 18-25 years eventually earning the right to be called Mother!

i heart faces contest week 21

2009-06-01T19:25:00.000-07:00

my little chuckleberry loves his cupcakes!!!

To join this week's theme head over the i heart faces blog!

never enough space...

2009-06-01T07:41:00.000-07:00

my boys rooms are a mess... and the kind people at all children's furniture had some ideas for me that were definitely worth sharing...

Between all of the gear and accessories needed for after school sports and extracurricular activities your children are involved in on a regular basis, it’s easy for them to come home to a cluttered room. Since bedrooms typically include a collection of kids furniture for sleeping, school, and playtime, it’s important to keep the space as organized as possible to keep children on task.

Encourage your children to maintain a clean environment by implementing storage bins for books and toys, a compartmentalized student desk for school supplies, and bookshelves for holding textbooks or decorative items to help add style and charm to the room... i'm working on this.. but 2 boys don't care so much about charm :)...

Foldable canvas storage containers can serve as a free-for-all organization unit for the assortment of toys, accessories, clothing, and other items your family uses on a daily basis.
Color-coded bins can be placed off to the side and not only help maintain a clean area but also add a splash of color to the room’s overall design.

In your children’s bedroom, it’s always a good idea to... establish creative and quiet spaces that promote arts and crafts activities for one part of the day and study sessions or reading for another... Consider designating a quiet corner in the kid’s bedroom for a desk or study table that will provide them with the room they need to complete school projects and homework...i'm all over this one... we did this for B and he's definitely keeping the "stuff" in his room more... you know those piles of paper they come home with every day from school...BONUS!

Another affordable and convenient option for storing extra gear is with an accent toy chest that can be placed in front of the bed or in the playroom section of the room. Be sure to include an open bin construction for younger children as a safety precaution so that they don’t risk falling inside or catch their fingers on the hinge. Once you have established a clutter-free zone for your children’s rooms, it will be even easier for everyone to find exactly what they are looking for at any given moment and stay on task every day.... imagine how quickly you could get out for your day of adventure in the morning...

J&K+8 = funny

2009-05-31T17:43:00.000-07:00

this was too damn funny not to share...
you only need a sort of working knowledge of this show to start laughing...

PS - i found it at mama's loosing it...

sunday stealing...

2009-05-31T10:18:00.001-07:00

Cheers to the thieves!

Sunday Stealing: The Monkey's Meme

1. Name one person who made you smile today:
my 3 year old

2. What were you doing at 8am this morning?
still sleeping thanks to super hubby

3. What were you doing 45 minutes ago?
checking email

4. What is your favorite candy bar?
peanut butter cups... no contest!

5. Have you ever been to a strip club?
nope

6. What was the last thing you had to drink?
H2O

7. What was the last thing you ate?
peanut butter on a spoon

8. The last sporting event you watched?
no idea...

9. Do you go to church every Sunday?
sometimes

10. Do you prefer Chinese food over pizza?
no WAY...

11. What are you doing tomorrow?
working...

12. What do you think of when you hear Australia?
great barrier reef...

13. Biggest annoyance right now?
my aching back...

14. Last song listened to?
grease lightening...

15. Do you have a maid service clean your house?
sadly... yes...

16. Are you jealous of anyone?
would like to say no.. but know the answer is sadly yes...

17. Is anyone jealous of you?
no idea...

18. What do you usually do during the day?
sell promotional solutions...

19. Do you hate anyone that you know right now?
nope... like everyone else believe in the almighty Karma

20. Are you thinking about someone right now?
my mom

Life is Good...

2009-05-29T06:22:00.000-07:00

i have a new boss... and i'm loving it...

he's positive and does a pretty good job of making you feel like he's on your side... i'm sure he isn't perfect but i know that there is so much i can learn from him... and right now that is exactly what i need...

so we had a meeting last week to "get to know each other"...

not that we haven't been working together for 11 years already, but he was managing a different region and my only interactions with him were when i was at a sales meetings or trade shows...

during this meeting he brought presents... life is good t-shirts... and told us to remember that life is good... and indeed it is...

i've often looked at this brand and thought about how clever it was... and when i read that it has an emphasis on simplicity, humor and humility i knew why i was drawn to jake...

and now with a little help from a new leader i'm taking a new look at life... because life is good...

The SIMPLER and FUNNIER the better...

a thousand word thursdays...

2009-05-28T06:39:00.000-07:00

as soon as this flashed up on my screen thru screen saver i knew it was the ATWT choice... it is all ATWT is to me... this was before we were a family of 4... when super hubby could meet me wherever i was with B and we could play...

embracing furlough....

2009-05-27T06:15:00.000-07:00

like many people out there the struggling economy has shown up @ my job... not so much the work load... just the sales....

(i've just now realized i've never done a post about my job.... or should i say what it is i do... i'll work on that)

so a few weeks back they announced a pay cut with some furlough... and even though the pay cut was not at the top of my list of favorite things to have happened this year... the furlough i'm embracing... especially when i learned it is a word sometimes used in reference to a prison term :)

so today on my furlough day...

i'm not working...
not looking at anything to do with a pen :)...
not thinking about where i'm going next...
i think i'll go get a massage...

and continuing to remember every day that Life is Good...

summer haircuts.... (mobile)

2009-05-26T16:34:00.000-07:00

we are officially ready for summer with two handsome new boy haircuts...

brothers...

2009-05-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

one of the best part about being home is watching the boys play together in the back yard... i think they really are becoming friends...

topsy turvy...

2009-05-25T07:18:00.000-07:00

first things first... i did not get these for free... nor did i get paid for this:)

B has been wanting these since last year... but he's a bit skeptical of the infomercial after santa brought him the floam he so desperately wanted 5 years ago for christmas... according to him it was a "bad piece of crap"

but the topsy turvy was showing up in magazines.... and logically it made sense that it should work... so what if i don't like tomatoes... my kids don't either for that matter... super hubby does and it will be fun to watch them grow...

i bought them from their website... only to find them the very next week at Target in the "made for TV section" for half the price and no shipping...

what better place to chronicle their growth then here...

Month one... planted May 1 2009 from 2" starts and under pillow case covers most of the month because of the cold and rain...

i have high hopes...

great day... (mobile)

2009-05-24T17:07:00.000-07:00

great day at jetty island... it was crazy getting here and back with 3 three year olds 1 eight year old, 1 six years old and 4 parents... but we had an awesome day...

happy birthday little bros...

2009-05-24T08:17:00.000-07:00

Happy BIRTHDAY Giggi and Big J...

xoxox

random picture challenge...

2009-05-23T15:12:00.001-07:00

16th picture folder
28th picture
or
for me... 16th folder = Cancun vacation 2005
28th picture

i love the random picture challenge... every time it brings me a gem... this is my good buddy TJ... we both won the sales incentive trip to Mexico and this is a photo from that trip... too bad it was blurry...

executive seating... (mobile)

2009-05-22T20:14:00.000-07:00

thousand word thursday...

2009-05-21T07:01:00.000-07:00

spreading the weed love around the world....

people watching....

2009-05-20T20:25:00.000-07:00

on my way to stop #2.... wondering why body builders wear tank tops as travel wear.... I couldn't pass up the photo op.... and so wish this photo showed his wife.... she could kick some ass!!!!

maybe i've been cheating...

2009-05-20T07:39:00.000-07:00

i think somehow facebook has taken the place of my blog in the last few months...

status update is way faster than whole posts... i know i can mobile blog... but it really isn't as easy... as FB status update... i'll try to be better about the mobile blog this week on the road...

after all somewhere between Seattle, Los Angeles, Boise, Spokane and back home there is bound to be something great to share...

a SMALL sampling of my updates in the last few months...

can't hear my own thoughts after McTeacher night... May 13 at 8:36pm
so happy to be home... after a side trip with the orange flavored lemon to the saturn dealership.... windshield wipers broke on my rainy ride home.... back in another rental... May 13 at 5:21pm
Enjoying all that is eugene!!! Especially this restaurant yum cafe May 11 at 12:38pm
wishes she could stop making sales calls in the rain... May 7 at 8:26am
listening to classic violent femmes and amazed that i know EVERY word... and that i LOVE every song... May 5 at 7:30pm
Wishes they had noodles in washington April 21 at 6:36pm
Is watching her original plane leave while I continue to sit on the "earlier" flight waiting for maintenance...April 7 at 2:37pm ·
thinking i have 5th disease... the boys have it, and my joints are ACHING!!! the last thing i need is that slap rash.... April 3 at 12:14pm
would like to know why there is white stuff falling outside her window.... argh! April 1 at 8:21am
final has saturn back in her orbit! March 23 at 7:07pm
Off to the beauty parlor... March 19 at 3:34pm

... and so it goes...

traveling fool....

2009-05-19T07:57:00.000-07:00

so where exactly have i been if i haven't been in blog land??? I've spent 36 nights in hotels in 2009... flown just under 15k miles and been to 7 states....

thankfully i got one great personal weekend in Savannah... a close friend from high school lives in jacksonville and drove up to meet me... we had an amazing time... walked around savannah one day and walked along Tybee island the next...

highlights include dinner at Paula Dean's restaurant... her son Jaime was in the store keepin' things in order and i could not get over all the people who had come to eat dinner... we got the last reservation of the day for 9:30 and must say that although the food was just O.K. the experience was well worth it... who knew collard greens were made with a cup of salt :) who knew that Lady & Son's went thru 75 lbs (that's right pounds!!!) of sugar a day making sweat tea and lemonade...

naturally we couldn't pass up a photo op with Paula in the lobby :)

i have a favorite new summer cocktail after this trip too... sweet tea infused vodka with limeade... i thought there was no way i'd find the vodka in these parts... but they had two brands to choose from... i'm not sure it's as good as the original firefly... but i'm hooked... tastes like an arnold palmer yummmmm...

and PS... i was not diggin on the whole sweet tea thing before meeting the firefly...

we hit the Bonaventure Cemetery as well where i picked me up some spanish moss... figured in my moist climate it would grow well and as you can see there was plenty to go around...

baby steps...

2009-05-18T07:42:00.000-07:00

looks like i fell off the wagon in December... tried to get back on in January and February and then thru my hands in the air and did the random things...

then over the weekend i was out at Jetty Island enjoying the first taste of what i thought was summer and realized i hadn't been to blogger land in forever... i used to sit here at my desk and read and comment all night long... not to mention had so many things to get of my chest and share... what happened???

so i took this photo and instantly thought of the pakletadventures...

only here can you capture the beach and the mountains like this...

too bad i was zoomed in from all the way back here on my orange chair...

so i'm going to do what i haven't done before... do a few posts now and change the posts dates for the week... i'm thinking with the week i have planned that is the only way i can get back in the swing of things... that and i have a lot to say :)

i miss my blog...

2009-05-17T17:10:00.001-07:00

it's been a long time... too long...

i can feel the stress in my shoulders...

i can see the thousands of pictures not shared...

i must find the time to get back to my blog...

you know you are gone too much when...

2009-04-20T17:14:00.000-07:00

your kids send you virtual flowers....

where am I

2009-04-17T13:29:00.000-07:00

spring break dinner

2009-03-31T16:50:00.000-07:00

super nanny was looking for something she could make with the kids and we came across this yummy recipe @ real simple

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 package refrigerated pizza dough (about 1 pound)
flour for the work surface
1 16-ounce can refried beans
1 1-pint container fresh salsa
1 8-ounce package shredded Cheddar
sour cream (optional)

we also added some taco seasoned ground beef

Directions:

1Heat oven to 400° F. Spread 1 teaspoon of the oil on a baking sheet. Divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Roll each into an 8-inch round on a lightly floured surface. 2On half of each round, spread some of the beans, then top with 1½ tablespoons of the salsa and 2 tablespoons of the cheese. Fold over the other half of each round, covering the filling, and press the curved edge with your thumb to seal. Lightly brush the tops of the empanadas with the remaining oil, then transfer to the baking sheet. 3Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, if desired. (Perfect complement: the salad of avocado, red onion, cilantro, and lime juice pictured here.)

I love my super nanny...

2009-03-26T14:34:00.000-07:00

thoughts...

2009-03-20T08:14:00.000-07:00

Moderation is a virtue only in those who are thought to have an alternative.
―Henry Kissinger

going back to high school....

2009-03-18T17:17:00.000-07:00

i've gone to high school twice this week... and not in that nightmare dream where you realize you didn't go to class all year and now have to take the final...

in washington state you have to pass a project they call the culminating exhibit to graduate... community members sit on panels to help evaluate the presentations... i love it... so fascinating to watch these 17-18 year old kids reflect on their lives... and some times heart breaking to hear their stories and watch them struggle with public speaking...

this is my 3rd year in a row doing this and every time i pull in the parking lot i feel like i'm 16 all over again...

what i'm sure is adding to my anxiety is that the fashions right now are the same as they were 20+ years ago...

the people in this picture (the middle person's wedding circa 1993) were my world in the high school...

this picture has been on my fridge since it was sent to me that same year... when things get bad i look at that picture and remember something from that time that will make me laugh from my belly and relieve all that stress... i like to remember how lucky i was to have found these friends...

i wouldn't want to go back... but after this week i am more grateful than ever to still have them in my life...even if only thru email/facebook/ and the VERY occasional visit...

when mom's away...

2009-03-17T04:02:00.000-07:00

i've been gone so much lately... seems like i'm in town just long enough to unpack and pack up again...

thankfully super hubby takes photos to show me what they are up to...

lego bread line

2009-03-16T03:43:00.000-07:00

it started out with parents hanging out on a quiet saturday morning with their 7 year old... turned in to a gross display of how many lego dudes he had... and later he referred to it as the lego great depression bread line

my desk....

2009-03-13T10:54:00.000-07:00

I really need to stop traveling so much because my desk needs some attention...

back when life was simple...

2009-03-12T15:47:00.000-07:00

when i was in jr high my best friend and i used to take photos of our fingers and feet and sometimes we'd go crazy and stick things between our toes and take photos...

i completely forgot about this until i came across this... i love how simple life was in jr. high...

looking for a moose....

2009-03-05T12:02:00.000-08:00

in my 10 years of traveling up to Alaska i have only seen moose once and it was when i was out of the city...

i hear the traffic reports that say watch out for the moose at such and such an intersection... but i never manage to see them... this morning i drove to wasilla there was one in midtown anchorage.... but i was headed in the wrong direction naturally...

this picture is one of my favorite signs in AK... i was driving by and shot it with my phone... a miracle it is even this clear... it is a sign that shows the number of moose killed on this particular stretch of road on AK1 from Anchorage to Willa....

i had time before my flight so i headed out on a moose hunt... the locals told me where to go... no moose to be seen... just a whole lot of snow and horrible road conditions... maybe next year...

tonights hotel lobby animals

2009-03-04T23:49:00.000-08:00

mountain goat and a salmon meet for a drink...

I love alaska hotels...

2009-03-02T18:39:00.000-08:00

there are animals in the lobby

to the last frontier

2009-03-02T13:56:00.000-08:00

to alaska this week.... on a brand new plane... this was it's first trip... shiny new planes are nice... and yes they have a new smell

captain chip head

2009-02-28T13:29:00.000-08:00

hiking with three 3 year olds... one 6 year old and one 7 year old... pee breaks are interesting... snacking even more.... hope no one has to go #2.... spoke too soon off to dig a hole...

first trip to dentist for chuckleberry...

2009-02-27T09:20:00.000-08:00

i was scared... i didn't know what would happen...but he went back all by himself... he even let them take x-rays ...

he was a champ...

both got the thumbs up... no cavities no problems... pour B had to listen to everyone gush about his little brother and how cute he was... i filled him in when we got to the car on the secret... they do that for all the first time patients... and they did it for him...

hope our next trip in 6 months is as positive :)

Pak Adventures

11 years...

wordless wednesday...

overcoming my fears...

so many fun facts that i thought my brain would burst....

perfect baby gift

i caught a humpy....

where did the name come from???

ja-min gets a face lift

staycation...

cheating again...

Bristol Warren Rap Son

game time...

random picture day...

purging...

pizza night...

make way for the paklets...

add heat.... and things grow

magic moments...

a thousand word thursday

boogie boarding mama

summer bike shakedown...

arnie the doughnut...

thousand word thursday

race day...commando...

first day...

slip n skim...

thousand word thursday...

thank you notes

welcome race fans...

topsy turvy week 6...

thousand word thursday

bed time

views from the road...

happy birthday Big B...

what michael jackson song are you...

favorite things about summer...

a thousand word thursday

bee restaurant...

duck day...

a brand new world of receipts

happy fathers day...

My father didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.

―Clarence B. Kelland

super hubby got a hair cut...

a thousand word thursday...

what is it i do all day...

it's official...

awards...

i think my boys do this too...

random travel rumblings....

sunday stealing...

Saturday 9: Games People Play

chuckles loves orange

thousand word thursday...

topsy turvy week 2

Tuesday Tribute...

late night findings...

the things he does...

sunday stealing...

Saturday 9: It's My Party

heard on the way to school...

a thousand word thursday...

sad and crappy day for paklet #1...

Bring it...

i *heart* faces contest week 21

never enough space...

J&K+8 = funny

sunday stealing...

Life is Good...

a thousand word thursdays...

embracing furlough....

summer haircuts.... (mobile)

brothers...

topsy turvy...

great day... (mobile)

happy birthday little bros...

random picture challenge...

executive seating... (mobile)

thousand word thursday...

i heart faces contest week 21