This boy.....

When I get behind in blogging, I find the thought of trying catch up highly overwhelming.  Especially when getting behind occurs while celebrating a 6th birthday in Disneyland (!) and Thanksgiving, and thus means about a gazillion pictures to choose from.  I work better when I have about 6 from a day to choose from :)  So maybe I'll post about those things.  Maybe I won't.  But I certainly don't want to forget my birthday post for this guy.

Every morning Marshall wakes up sometime in the 5 o'clock hour.  EVERY MORNING.  And we used to have the rule that he needed to stay in his room until 6.  Not necessarily sleeping, but definitely letting the rest of us sleep or start our mornings as the case may be.  But lately, he's gotten in the habit of climbing into bed with me at 5 (and if Will is still in there, he inevitably kicks him out).  He says he needs to snuggle.  And while I know that I should probably stop him, I also know that when he is 13 I will be missing all this snuggling time, so I should probably take it while I can get it.

Marshall works best with a routine.  We know this.  If he can't get a concept, we break it up into steps.  He can follow steps.  He likes to know what comes next.  But he can handle flexibility too.  I mean, it might send him a little crazy silly, but it doesn't break him down.  But what does break him down is chaos.  Too many people, too much stuff, too much anything.  What can I say? I am the same way. We like things simple.

Last week, there were pieces of balled up papers all over our house.  Marshall came home from school and needed, NEEDED to make word balls, like they use on the TV show The Electric Company.  He took a marker, wrote words on scrap paper, balled them up and put them up his sleeves, and then he "shot" them out of his wrist.  Earlier this week, Marshall came home insisting he wanted to eat 50 carrots because he saw a show that called them "sports candy" and he wanted to be super strong.  Then he did indeed eat the carrots (about 4 sticks) and then went around the house picking up "heavy" things to show how strong he was now.  Frequently when I tell Marshall that he can't watch TV, he flips over a box or a basket, makes himself a remote from Legos, and creates his own imaginary TV show. 

From these (and numerous other instances) I have learned several things.  First, Marshall LOVES TV and that's not necessarily a bad thing.  It certainly sparks his imagination and he takes over where the show leaves off.  He is a super creative little boy and television has definitely shown him that your imagination really knows no bounds.  However, the downside of  loving television is that I will continue to monitor what my children watch very carefully.  There is no Sponge Bob in this house because I know that Marshall will not be able to leave it there on the screen.  Or even those silly teeny bopper Disney sitcoms. Because in creating a plot, those shows pick out the worst behavior of kids and televise it.  Popularity contests, teasing, bullying, goofy clique behavior, etc.  And even if the ultimate message is positive, they are still spending time illustrating that those negative types of behavior are "normal" and thus somewhat accepted.  At this point in his life, Marshall doesn't need to get those messages.  For goodness sakes, he thinks State Farm Insurance is some magical company that can fix all his problems.  SERIOUSLY.  There is a State Farm office next to our Blockbuster and every time we get a movie he sings "Like a Good Neighbor, State Farm is There," and pleads desperately to go in.  Someday we will and he will see what the exciting world of selling insurance is all about.

But I digress....

Back to what I want to remember about my six (SIX!?!) year old little boy.

Marshall has a blog, professormarshall.blogspot.com.  Don't try to go view it.  What do you think I am?  Like I would really let it be publicly available.  Someday I'll get to typing in e-mails to allow other people to read it, but right now, it's just for us.  It's for his inventions.  He creates inventions all the time.  My personal favorite was the ice cream sundae machine, which consisted of a box with three hole cut in the top.  Plain ice cream in a bowl went in one side of the box.  The magical machine added chocolate syrup, m&ms, and whipped cream through each hole, and VOILA! an ice cream sundae came out the other side.  He is a scientist at heart and he is going to be devastated to find out that all professors do not simply work in a laboratory all day long creating kooky inventions, because that's his intended line of work.

Marshall and his sister are still best friends, but I must say the sibling rivalry and bickering is coming out more and more.  I knew it would.  But they handle it as well as they can, and for the most part they are still great playmates.  I think Marshall is just getting more upset that Josie actually has a distinct opinion that is different from his and is becoming much more resistant to let her ideas go in favor of his.  Ah, Will does always say that Marshall is his mini-me.

But most of all, I love how this little big guy gets excited about the little things in life.  Yesterday when his class was re-enacting the Polar Express, he told his teacher, "I am so excited! I have never been in a real live book before!"  And when we lead up to his birthday trip by telling him he was getting a big surprise, he said, "Oh, I hope it's the science museum!"  Being around Marshall definitely helps you appreciate the simple things in life just that much more.

I love Marshall because he is who he is, for better or worse.  He is self-confident and happy.  I learn so much from him everyday.  I am so lucky to be his mom.

Olympic National Park

We've known that a move from Seattle was on the horizon for about a year now, but we just weren't quite sure when it was going to happen.  But we did decide that we need to see as much of this area as possible before we go.  We've been dragging our feet a bit, but now we are realizing we better get a move on, so to speak.

Last weekend, we headed out to spend a night at the Kalaloch Lodge on the Pacific Coast in Olympic National Park.  Marshall was pretty excited about the "Lodge".  I think Will promised a log cabin (to be fair, it was pretty darn close).  Marshall came home from school on Friday insisting he needed to pack his bag right away.   Josie takes after her mom a bit more and decided that she would pack in the morning.  (And clearly, by packing, I mean, books, crayons, paper, Leapsters, stuffed animals, etc.  Clothes? Who needs clothes?)

Our first stop was the Hoh Rain Forest.  (Not a monkey and jaguar rain forest, as Josie and Marshall will tell you, but a temperate rain forest.)  Goodness. A perfect hike for these weary travelers and so much to explore!  It was one of those perfect family moments. 

And while we didn't actually see any elk, we did see a lot of these (hoof prints), 

and this.

From there, we headed to Kalaloch on the ocean.  Again, oh my.

We couldn't have asked for better weather.  And we were there right at sunset.  Heaven.  (Especially for Nalu who had been cooped up in the car all day.  I mean, we took my parents Excursion, so it was a very LARGE car, but still......) Marshall ran up and down the beach with Dad while Josie and I "planted" a garden of driftwood plants she had received from a variety of people.  "This one is from Sandy.  Taylor gave me this one."  (Sandy is my teaching partner, who is also an avid gardener, and she says she wants to be a teacher like Sandy.  Hello? Right here? :)  And Taylor is the most popular woman alive at our house, our adorable babysitter.) Marshall gave her one as well since he is Josie's "best friend".  At times I beg to differ, but I do so love the affection between this pair.

But, I digress.

After a night in our "log" cabin (which was fabulous I might add and totally recommend to every family I know), we decided to take the winding road to Neah Bay and Cape Flattery, the most Northwestern point in the continguous United States.  Neah Bay is on the Makah Indian Reservation and Marshall had an assembly on Thursday about Native American, so he regaled us with facts the entire way there.  And on the hike there, he kept saying,"Mom, this trail was made by REAL Native Americans.  I can't wait to get the the end and see the Native Americans," provoking a cringing reaction in me similar to the time we were in the International District eating dim sum surrounded by Asian Americans and Marshall kept declaring loudly, "This Chinese chicken is AWESOME.  This Chinese rice is AWESOME.  I LOVE CHINA TOWN.  CHINA TOWN is SO MUCH FUN! Thank you for taking me to CHINA TOWN."  Fortunately, this time we were alone on the trail, but my efforts to inform Marshall that the people we saw on the street in Neah Bay and the lady we bought the recreational pass from at the mini-mart were actually Native Americans fell on deaf ears.  Sigh.

The trail was goregous, despite the sign warning us that cougars had been spotted on the trail in July and that we should keep small children close to us.  Needless to say, I was quite insistent on the "parent sandwich" while hiking (Adult in front, kids in middle, adult in back) and Will and I silently chose which kid we would pick up if we did actually see the aforementioned cougar. (You are supposed to get as big as you can when encountering a cougar......and pee your pants.)

Oh, but at the end of the trail, we got to this....

  

FYI- What's one way to make Will freak out?  Put his entire family on small platform on the edge of a cliff with a thundering ocean underneath them.  "Hold onto your mother's hand.  I SAID, HOLD ONTO YOUR MOTHER'S HAND. No running.  NO RUNNING!!!!!"

Also, what's the saddest thing you've ever seen?

Fallen Raccoon clinging to ledge of rock for dear life.  I spent a lot of time convincing Josie that he just got stuck out there while he was hunting for stuff at low tide and that come the next low tide, he would just walk right on back to his family.  So much time, that I started to believe it.  When we got back to the car, Will leaned over and said, "You do know that little guy isn't going to make it right? He fell there and very soon will probably fall into the ocean."  To which I replied,"What about low tide?  He'll be fine come low tide."  To which Will replied, "Chrissy, come on.  Where's he going to walk to, Japan?"  Touche.

But if we take out our poor masked friends up there, it was an amazing vacation and it confirmed that we better get moving and see all that we can because we certainly do love this place.

Drumroll please......

Okay, that's it.  I miss blogging, but I simply can't blog and ignore this big HUGE thing that is happening in our lives......or may not happen.  It's mostly official, but not completely stamped and sealed.....but it's mostly there and I can't hold it in any longer......

So the big not-so-secret is.........

We are moving to Norway. 

Most likely......

Now that I have written that, I have totally jinxed it.

But Will verbally has the job and the company had me go out with him in October to visit our potential home to see if I thought it was doable for our family.  And I think that the town is great.  It's a small city, my favorite kind.  And most everyone speaks English so I won't be totally out of it.  And the people we met there were super nice. It's going to be a wonderful adventure.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I am super nervous.  And I so love where we are now.  I mean, really love it.  Our hope is to come back here after our 2-3 year stint in Norway. 

But I also think that our family is about taking risks and seeing the world and most of all, doing it all together.  I think our children are going to grow and learn so much from this experience, as will Will and I.  I am really looking forward to the opportunity to travel and experience new things.  But I am also looking forward to experiencing it together as a family and becoming that much closer because of it.

Happy Halloween!

Oh, we had such a wonderful Halloween.  I am such a dork.  I take a lot of pride in making my kids' costumes.  And at the Edmonds' Halloween celebration, these kids got loads of compliments, which totally made my day.  Local celebrity Rick Steves' wife gave me an exuberant thumbs up and exclaimed,"Thank you for the homemade costume!!!!"  Don't think I didn't lap that up.  Yes, I am a dork.

That's Josie as "Ticklesaurus" and Marshall as a robot.  (And no, I don't know what a Ticklesaurus is but I sure did have a costume for it.  Recognize it? )

For a closer look, here is Josie in her school parade.  (Again, a moment of pride that she was not a princess of some sort.......I love my tomboy! Of course, as I label her that, she totally talked me into buying her pink cowboy boots at Target this week.....oh, excuse me....cowgirl boots, as Josie firmly asserts.)

And here is everyone's favorite robot.  (I requested the volume control buttons.)

I love this crazy family!



Moments from the week

Just two special moments from our week to share.....

Ch ch ch changes

I will admit, I don't even really know that song well, but it seems quite appropriate.  Big things are underway at the Treehouse.  (Aren't I just mysterious and secretive?) However, we aren't quite at the point where we can put them down in writing.  That's a bit too permanent and nothing is definite yet.

So I'll just focus on the other changes going around here lately.

These two are busting out on their own.

Surprisingly, my shy, introverted children LOVE school. :)  At first I think Marshall was a little upset that he actually had to sit and do work occasionally during the day, but he's gotten used to it.  He announces to everyone "I'm in Kindergarten, you know", whether it is pertinent to the conversation or not.  But really, when is that not relevant or important?  And Josie cries everyday, when I come to pick her up. "Mommy! I want to stay and eat lunch!!!!"  Talk about feeling loved.  She does get to stay and eat lunch twice a week when I work in the afternoons, so occasionally, she is satisfied.

What's that?  You didn't know I was working?  Surprise! (To me too.....) The more I thought about it, the more it made sense.  Once I made the decision for the kids to come with me to school, I immediately realized that I had been a fool all last year.  No more worries about Marshall's kindergarten experience.  No scheduling issues.  It's really all so simple.  We've fallen into a wonderful routine.  Josie gets a little all alone mommy time, Mommy get a little all alone mommy time, and Marshall gets to enlighten us daily with all the things he is learning.  (Do you know the sign for "dog"?  I do now.  As well as some other signs that I am not quite sure are official American Sign Language.  I think he's taking a little creative license with the signs they actually are teaching him. :))

Really it does seem all so simple and uncomplicated.....for now. However, Will and I are looking into our toolbox right now for the monkey wrench to throw into the situation.  Never fear.  We can't go very long without a big adventure to embark upon, right?

Summer's End

I know. I know.  I've been on vacation.  Literally and mentally.  I had the best of intentions.  I even brought my mini computer with me to Massachusetts.  (We were there for the ENTIRE month of August.) Alas, I could make loads of excuses, but I won't.  It was simply lovely to live an entire month without the obligations of home.  So I went on hiatus, with everything.

However, it was also simply lovely to return home last week, to all our obligations and schedules.  We have created such a wonderful life here in the land of milk and honey. As much as the everyday can seem tiring and it's wonderful to get a break, it does make one realize how truly great our everyday is.

And so I return to the blog with renewed focus.  Remembering that I want to record our everydays so that I can never forget how wonderful they are.

Josie announced that she wanted to look like Mommy when she got herself dressed the other day.  Apparently I wear lots of jewelry and carry a purse all the time. (We'll ignore the booty shorts.  I'm pretty sure those aren't a reflection of me.)  How on earth is this is the image my daughter perceives of me?  Oh, well.  We'll go with it.  Pretty soon she'll realize that I'm not quite as fancy as she thinks. :)

Marshall's lemonade stand.  He's been wanting to buy a new remote control Hex Bug ever since he saw the ad in his National Geographic Kids magazine.  Foiled by advertising!  And by "wanting" I mean, mentioning it constantly for days.  Since he didn't have enough money in his spend jar, he decided to have a lemonade stand.  (Actually, his first suggestion was that he play games and I give him money when he wins like on the Price is Right.  I nixed that one.)  This boy was so excited.  He know thinks he is the next Donald Trump. (By the way, he did indeed make enough money for the Hex Bug.  But mommy didn't charge him for the capital investment.....this time. :))

Family Portrait, Labor Day 2011.