Simply Cherish

Come Join Us At Our New Blog!!!

2010-08-16T14:19:00.000-07:00

We are starting fresh at a new location...

COME ON OVER!!!

Click the button...

See Ya There!!

Dilemma

2010-08-12T09:13:00.000-07:00

So, it seems I've met my quota for free photo uploads on blogger!!

I can't put up anymore pics on my blog, unless I pay for more storage space, delete photos-which deletes them from my blog forever, or I start a new blog!!

I've had this blog since 2007 and I kind of thought it would last forever...I guess not :(

Help! What do I do????

Anyone run into this problem before??

Do I start all over on a new blog????

Thesis Writing, Blogs, Women, Almost Done with School!!!

2010-08-11T08:07:00.000-07:00

I just finished my last literature class that I will EVER have to take!!

It feels so GOOD!!!

I also just finished the research seminar class for my thesis!!

I have been in the MA English program at CBU off and on since 2004. Sheesh!!

You'd think I'd be done with my MA by now, but No, I decided to take my own route.

In the middle of trying to do school, I had 3 boys and moved out of state (to Bend, Oregon) and back (to So Cal) and out again (to Seattle). So, I've been doing this program off and on for awhile!

Lucky for me, my professors agreed to let me finish my thesis and my last required lit class from Seattle.

Anyways, my thesis proposal is done and ready to be presented and defended August 26th at CBU!!

I plan on passing too!!!

I just hope I don't get super nervous and my mind goes blank and I sound like a rambling idiot in front of a room full of professors and graduate students...eeeeekkkkk!!

I am so ready to get this over with!! I can see the light now at the end of the tunnel!!

I am actually going to finish my MA!! AAAHHHHH!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!

Seriously, I didn't know if I ever would! I wanted to, but my priority has been my family and I wasn't sure if I could do it and be the wife and mom I needed to be!

Thankfully, I have an amazing husband who has supported me the whole way!

I would never have gotten this far without Willy!! Thank You!!

I am also very happy that at least I will have something to show for all my school loans now! Next spring (when I hope to have my thesis written to graduate), I can hang my diploma in a fancy frame on the wall and know I got my $@#,&!% worth!! HAH!

Writing my Thesis always intimidated me since I first started the program.

What was I going to write on???

It had to be something not overdone, something worthy of study and my hours of writing, and something interesting to me and others. Luckily, with the help of my amazing professor, I formed a pretty good topic that I am actually interested in writing about +/- 80 pages or so on...HAHAHAHA!!

If you are at all interested in my topic, which deals with current women's autobiographical writing on blogs and in books, here is a little blurb from my thesis proposal...

(If you are bored already, you don't have to read! I'll never know!!)

My Working Thesis:

In their personal blogs and corresponding printed memoirs, Julie Powell, Molly Wizenberg, and Shauna Ahern display the power of autobiographical writing as it reveals their personal transformations through writing in which they examine past relationships, cook and engage with gourmet foods, and explore critical life choices, creating community, dialogic discourses, and a voice for themselves in society and for women alike.

Primary Texts:
·       Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Kitchen Apartment, by Julie Powell
·       A Homemade Life, by Molly Wizenberg
·       Gluten-free girl: How I found the Food That Loves Me Back & How You Can Too, by Shauna Ahern

A Few Other Blurbs...

Unveiling their lives on electronic texts and then onto the pages of a book, they immediately establish a sense of community among women. With skillful storytelling, the women each communicate a story of transformation and discovered identity. The power and lure of food for each woman also is vital to perceiving their personal transformations and to recognizing why their writings are so popular in today’s culture.

Women see themselves in and through a collective identity, not just through their own individual journeys. As readers, women often relate personally to autobiographical texts, identifying with the feelings and situation of the writer. So, memoirs are significant for both women authors and readers alike. They build community, create a journey toward self-discovery, and articulate the place and experience of women in society.

Blogs empower ordinary people to write about their thoughts, beliefs, and experiences. As women bloggers lay bare their thoughts, feelings, problems, and experiences, they become a public voice for many other women in society. Their autobiographical writings take them out of isolation and create a community of women who can declare, “I’ve been there,” finding freedom through interaction with the text. Vast communities of women exist today due to blogs connecting women through common interests and life experiences. The popularity of these blogs and communities has created a large amount of attention, resulting in book deals for well-liked bloggers. As a result, blogs are creating new writers and revealing the modern day experience of today’s American women through printed texts as well.

If you actually read all that, then I am super impressed!

Thanks!

I thought, maybe, it would be a little interesting to put on my blog since my thesis deals with women's writing and blogs!

I would love to hear your feedback if you have any!!

My Boy is Swimming!!

2010-08-10T14:11:00.000-07:00

Boston loves to swim! He has been doing awesome in his swim lessons! He is eager to learn and so happy in the water! I took pics and a video of him on my phone, so they aren't the best quality. But, I still have to post them; I am just so proud of him!!

Here he is, jumping into the pool and showing the class his shark moves:

Floating on his back with his teacher...

Jumping up and down in excitement...

He jumped, splashed, blew bubbles, and went underwater the whole time!
He will be swimming around like a pro in no time!

Take Me Out To The Ball Game...

2010-08-09T10:16:00.000-07:00

Thursday night we went on a double date with Katy & Jeff to a Mariners game! We got free tickets from some friends who couldn't make the game...wooohooo!! They played the Texas Rangers that night and got their butts kicked, but it was still so much fun to go to!!!

Safeco Field is the best baseball stadium I've been to! It is beautiful and there really isn't a bad seat in the place! We were up top and we still had an awesome view...

The last time I went to a Mariners game with Willy was when we were first married!

It brought back so many memories to be back again. Back in the day, the Mariners were a pretty good team! Now...they need some serious help! But, we still love them and baseball games, so it was fun!!

Katy and Jeff are celebrating their 2nd anniversary this weekend and the game was a kick off for them of weekend fun! They loved going to their first Mariners game and Katy got down to all the music playing, too bad they didn't put her on the fan cam!!

She also chowed down on some dogs like no other!!

Hahahahaha, I love this girl!!

Some lady behind me started yelling sit down to a little kid in front of me who stood up to take pictures. He was blocking my view, but I really didn't care. I turned to look at her and then she yelled at me to tell the kid to sit down. Hah! I told her no, she could do it herself and he was just a little kid wanting a picture. Plus, I'm not his mom!! She kept quiet after that and the kid stood up for awhile. I thought, keep standing kid...hahahaha! Lately, I have no problem telling mean old ladies to be quiet! I just don't like it when they yell at people they don't even know! It was pretty funny! I think I am getting old, because it really doesn't bother me to speak up to rude people anymore. Or, they just shouldn't mess with me when I'm pregnant with a broken elbow and tired! hahahaha!!

Willy and I popped out of our seats to watch the sunset for a bit. This stadium has some amazing views!!

All in all, the night was a blast and another one for the memory books!!

Morning Stroll

2010-08-05T13:58:00.000-07:00

For the past few weeks, I've been a sick bum at home. After breaking my elbow and then finding out I'm pregnant, I really haven't gone outside too much. Luckily, my elbow is feeling so much better this week! So, I am ready to get back to my old self as much as I can and start getting these boys out of the house again!! So, we started the morning with a fun stroll around the campus.

Boston is my big helper now. He loves being a big brother and always wants to help me out!

Josiah is in love with his frisbee! Luckily, no one was harmed in the taking of this picture...

So far, this pregnancy is feeling different. I am starting to feel slightly nauseous almost all the time! It's not bad enough to make me really sick and put out, but it is yucky to deal with. I'm also not as tired as I was with my other pregnancies. So, we'll see how this one goes. I am only 6 weeks, so I still have time for other early pregnancy symptoms to rear their head. I've never had really hard pregnancies, so luckily this one sticks to routine!!

Boston is so smart and so big. He is ready to learn anything and everything! I can't wait to start homeschooling with him. We are both eager to get officially started!

Josiah is my independent, fearless, strong-willed boy. Lately, he is really trying to see what he can get away with. It's been hard for me to deal with while being sick, but I really need to have more patience and love with him. He is an amazing boy and so full of life. I know he is going to do extraordinary things when he is older. I just need to keep praying for his little heart to start to soften. I also need to pray for myself when I talk to him and discipline him. I am definitely learning so much about parenting right now. Having young boys who start to push buttons and test you is so much harder to deal with than a crying baby! I just hope and pray our parenting points them to Jesus!

I also hope and pray our parenting encourages them to be creative little warriors, like they already are!

Elliot just turned 11 months! He adds so much joy to our family! He LOVES his big brothers. He instantly smiles every time he sees them! They all laugh together too!

Boston and Josiah are great with Elliot too! They look after him and share with him too!

He is learning so much from watching them all the time. The boys are his constant entertainment!!

Pretty soon, he will be joining in on all the action!

It felt good to get outside with my boys this morning. These boys need the outdoors to imagine and adventure in. They go crazy when they are cooped up and so do I! After our stroll, I even took them to Top Pot donuts for a treat and then to the library. Boston picked out a GIANT chocolate donut and had a chocolate mustache afterwards. Josiah picked out his usual pink sprinkled donut, but he only eats the frosting off the top! I shared little nibbles with Elliot and he danced with every bite! Then, we read books all morning at home!!

I love these days!

Taking out My Boston

2010-07-31T14:04:00.000-07:00

Friday, Willy was going to the zoo with his work, so he decided to take Josiah along. So, I had the whole day with just Boston and Elliot. Boston wanted to feel special too, so he kept asking me what we were going to do! Luckily, I found out that morning that we could get into the Seattle Children's Museum FOR FREE!!! It is only about a mile from us and is loads of fun!

He painted 3 different portraits...

He adventured in the mountains...

He climbed out the belly of a whale...

He played with balls and air and water...

Elliot even got in on the action...

He sailed the open sea...

took a roadtrip...

played the drums in Africa with Elliot...

Drove a scooter and a bus in Japan...

Elliot tried to eat the sushi in Japan too...

did a light puzzle...

Explored the storybook room...

Peek-A-BOO!!

Sat in the 3 Bears house...

Drove the Bus...

Then, he did our grocery shopping!!

He was non-stop the entire time!!

We had so much fun together!

When we got home, he even asked to take a "rest" in his bed! HAH!

Can you believe he is almost 5????

Gooey Duck Hunting

2010-07-30T16:13:00.000-07:00

The day before my bike crash, we went Gooey Duck Hunting with our friend Brett and Justin & Elisha. We had such a blast; it was an amazing adventure to say the least. I would have posted a few weeks ago, but my crash put it off. I don't want to forget this day though!!!

Have you ever heard of Gooey Ducks?

Well, we hadn't, but Brett is the gooey duck expert and asked us to go on the adventure with him.

So, I guess the Gooey Ducks live on the beach at Discovery Park in Magnolia.

You have to hunt for them during low tide too, so you can actually dig for them.

When you gotta go, you gotta go...

We hiked our way through Discovery Park to the beach! It is such a beautiful place!!

The boys loved the walk and Elliot hung out in the stroller...

Then, we learned the stroller wasn't a great idea...

We finally made it to the secluded beach...

Then the hunt began...

Boston bravely picked up everything around him!

He is just so cute!!

Digging for Gooeys...

Jo was pretty much into throwing rocks...

Elliot enjoyed the entertainment...

And he hated his hat!

Justin found the first Gooey Duck and it squirted water at him...

He kept digging though for that sucker...

VICTORY!!

YAYAYAYAYA!!!!

So, a Gooey Duck is a GIANT clam!!

Willy kept digging for his...

He got it!!

Boston doing a happy dance!

Willy instantly dissected his...

BLECH!

HAHAHAHA...

Josiah uses his hand just like daddy...

And even walks just like daddy...

Still hunting...

My cuties...

HI!!

Jo also loved poking all the sea anemones...

After we caught a few Gooey Ducks, we dissected them of course!

They had little crabs in their tummies!!

SICK!!!

Then Justin climbed a tree...

But, it was full of termites...oops!

Jo was pooped after the hunt!

Gooey Duck Hunting is AWESOME!!!

Blackberry Hunting

2010-07-29T08:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, the boys and I went blackberry hunting while Elliot took his afternoon nap.

No, we didn't leave him home alone! We just so happen to have a giant blackberry bush on the side of our house!! It is huge and overtakes the entire "jungle" like a giant blackberry monster. Blackberries are blooming everywhere and just begging to be eaten!!

A lot of the berries are still green, but we found enough black ones to make a good afternoon treat!

Josiah is the best blackberry hunter! He spots them everywhere and is fearless in snatching them up. It doesn't matter where they are growing, if he can get to them, he will eat them!!

Luckily for Boston, Josiah is pretty good at sharing his booty!!

Boston is a little more timid when it comes to blackberry hunting. He likes to eat the ones easily within his grasp. He imagines monsters or scary animals live in the big bush, so he won't go into any spot to pick them! It probably didn't help that I asked him what kind of animals he thought lived in it!

Blackberries grow like crazy weeds here in Seattle!!

I am amazed by this and dreaming of all sorts of goodies to bake with them!!!

Canalin'

2010-07-28T07:26:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, we spent almost everyday chilling at the canal.

It is right down the street from our house and a beautiful place to just relax.

Willy and Jeff swam across the canal and found fun places to jump in.

They even started jumping of this huge ship thing anchored right across the canal.

Here's a little phone video of Willy jumping off.

It is hard to see him, but you will see his splash!

It definitely looks way bigger in person than in this video :)

Boston and Josiah loved sitting on the dock to watch the guys swim.

Boston even got in with Jeff and Willy a few times.

Josiah, however, would NOT go in the water!

After swimming, we all lounged in the grass and had a picnic.

It was the perfect afternoon!

The next day, Willy and I went back with the boys for more swimming and lounging.

Willy jumped in a few times and swam around.

The boys watched and cheered!

Then we walked to PCC, the local market, for dinner fixings.

Willy made the best salad ever that night!

It was another perfect day!

cuddling up

2010-07-27T15:55:00.000-07:00

I love snuggling my babies!

These are some of the best moments in life!!

Two Wheeling...

2010-07-26T21:53:00.000-07:00

Boston just learned to ride without training wheels this weekend. Willy took care of his bike, getting it all ready to ride. Boston was brave and so excited to take on the challenge!

We walked him to the big Loop grassy area at Spu, pretty much our backyard.

We were really excited to get riding!!

Willy was a great teacher. Boston listened and bravely followed instructions.

ready...set...

Go.....

Here are some short clips of Boston riding...

He eats it in this one, but is totally fine and doesn't even cry!

I am way loud and annoying...sorry :)!! I was getting excited for my boy!

And of course Josiah wanted a video too...

I am so proud of Boston!

He rode like a champ!!

Elliot cheered from the sidelines...

Josiah played in his "bush house"...

He also played with the air pump, making fart noises...

Then, Elliot got to try the helmet on when he got home!

He is absolutely adorable!!

aaahhhhhh!!

Later, we watched our 3 boys play together in the grass...

Elliot wanted their toys pretty bad...

The boys let him have a little touch...

They are usually really good at sharing with Elliot and really sweet to him...

It is so rewarding to watch these boys interact together.

Having a family is the best thing in life!!

Surprise, Surprise...

2010-07-24T14:22:00.000-07:00

Baby #4 is in the oven!

We are surprised and excited to say the least. We love our family and believe children are a blessing. We've always wanted a big family and I can't believe #4 is here already!!

I am especially surprised to find myself pregnant right after my crazy bike crash too. I thought I was just feeling a bit nauseous and tired from the pain meds I've been on for my broken elbow, but I guess not! I was a bit worried when I first found out, thinking of all the drugs I took at the hospital when I broke my elbow and the pain meds I was sent home with. I also thought of the x-rays I was given on my elbow and knee at the hospital. I did do some internet searching on the drugs and xrays during early pregnancy. Thankfully, a lot of the stuff I read eased my mind and I'm not as worried. Plus, I believe God is in control of all of us. He knit this baby together, is breathing life in it, and even protected its very first days of life during my random and insane bike crash. So, I am trusting Him with this baby's life and health. I am also thanking Him for blessing us with another beautiful baby.

I know not everyone likes to announce pregnancies right away. But, Willy and I see no point in hiding this wonderful blessing. Whether 4 weeks in the womb or 4 years old, this life is a gift from God and a reason to celebrate!

So, we are announcing our wonderful news to invite you to celebrate with us.

We also want to ask you to pray for this baby as it has already undergone some craziness with pain meds in my system and an xray.

Yeah for Baby Bravenec #4!!!!

p.s...I did a due date calculator and it said March 29th...
we'll see what a doc says, but so far that is the first prediction of baby's arrival!

JEN

2010-07-21T11:38:00.000-07:00

Jen came to visit last weekend.

It was wonderful to see her and spend lots of time with her.

Bummer that I broke my arm while she was here, but oh well!

The boys were overjoyed to play with her! They seriously love Jen!

Elliot is trying to stand all the time. Pretty soon, he will be walking...crazy!

Jen also brought sparklers for some post 4th fun! They were a hit!

Jen...we miss you already! Come back soon!!

Bedtime Bonding

2010-07-21T00:18:00.000-07:00

These are some of the best moments in life!

I love my family!!

Before & After the Incident...

2010-07-19T17:41:00.000-07:00

Yes, I did snap some photos of the crazy bike crash.

Of course, I have to post them!!

So, here we are: me (behind camera), Jen (out visiting from CA), Jeff, and Katy, making our way to the Seafood Fest in Ballard along the bike path.

We were having a blast riding around, talking and laughing. We were excited to show Jen how fun it is to ride around Seattle on bikes. Willy let her take his bike out for a ride and he graciously walked the boys behind in the jog stroller, so I could enjoy a ride too!

Katy and Jeff were booking it up front. Katy has some powerful legs and always bikes way ahead of me! Jen rode next to me and we chatted about how fun it is to ride bikes.

Next thing I knew...

BAM!!! I was flying through the air and tumbling in the dirt.

I sat up in a daze, laughed and tried to pull myself together.

I was in shock and didn't feel pain yet, but I knew I fell hard and wanted to catch my breathe.

Slowly, the pain started to set in and I felt like puking. I didn't want to be moved, so Willy called 911 when he caught up to us. The firefighters were very nice and the ambulance took me away. I asked for an epidural, but they weren't having it.

After enduring a very painful hospital visit, I was sent home with a broken radius in my elbow and a sprained, swollen knee. My clothes were all ripped up, but I did get some fancy new gear.

Right when I got home, I plopped down in a drugged up daze. I didn't want to move for fear of pain, but I had some great helpers all around me, cleaning, playing with my kids, and making me dinner.

Here I am all zoned out on drugs and in need of a serious shower...

Don't Judge!!

So what have I been doing for entertainment????

Playing with my new iphone of course!

It provides endless laughs!!!

Josiah...

Boston...

Me...

Willy...

my new maid...

HAHAHAHAHAHA

Katy...

Jeff...

My Mom...

Elisha...

Justin...

And I've been blogging it up!!

Now, I need to catch up on homework...ugh...

Time with my mom

2010-07-19T13:57:00.000-07:00

We all survived last week, because of my mom's help. She flew out Monday, the day after my bike accident, and took on all household/nurse duties. For me, last week is a blur and I think my mind finally got a bit clearer by Thursday. I am a gimp and pain meds make me crazy, so I really needed the help!

The boys loved time with their mema, so it made up for my groggy condition.

She took care of all my cleaning, shopping, and feedings. She drove me to the ER again to get my splint fixed and took me shopping for clothes I could get on easily with one arm. Buttoning and zipping is almost impossible with one hand!! So now, I have some new skirts and easy tanks. The boys said I look like a princess...hahaha, they usually never see me in a skirt!!

She spoiled us all like crazy!!

A few hours before she left on Saturday, I decided she needed something fun to do before leaving Seattle. So, we drove to Pike Place Market for an hour of tourism. I didn't want her first trip to see us to be only filled with household & nursing duties.

She Loved the Market and it was a great way to send her off. She is a busy working woman, so who knows when she will make it out again!!

I also showed her the best view of the city in Queen Anne one day while she drove me around on errands.

Mt. Rainier was so clear in the background and the view was absolutely beautiful!

She also bought Elliot a crib. His broke when we moved to Seattle and he's been in a pack'n'play for awhile. Elliot loves it and snuggles right up in it!

Willy driving us to the airport...

amazing pics of the city while driving...

Thanks Mom for EVERYTHING!!!!

the best laugh ever!!

2010-07-18T01:16:00.000-07:00

babies are the BEST entertainment!!!

bonding with dada

2010-07-17T21:31:00.000-07:00

Now that my child tending abilities are limited, Elliot gets even more time and interaction with his daddy. Willy gets up with him in the wee hours of the morning and snuggles him. He is doing pretty much everything right now. It's cool to see Elliot bonding even more with his daddy. He has even called Willy mama a few times when Willy comforts him, melting my heart cause it's so sweet!

This is how daddy does bath time and Elliot loooves it...

He even gets cool hair...

These two have a very sweet relationship!

Daddy is the best!!

Blurry Week in photos

2010-07-17T12:42:00.000-07:00

This week flew by for me, especially since I am a gimp on pain killers and pretty out of it. My mom has helped so much and taken care of everything for me while Willy was at work. She cleaned over and over, fed everyone, bathed everyone (including me, but not Willy haha), woke up with boys, changed every diaper...you name it, she did it. We are so thankful for her help. Willy needed to work and he was able to do so without feeling worried about me. So, thank so much Mom for all you did!!! I am feeling a bit more together finally, but am still a gimp on pain killers.

I also got a new phone, since mine died on Sunday. Mama got an iphone and I LOVE it!!!
Here are some pics I snagged this week:

Yesterday, I took my splint of to air out my arm and it felt so good! Those things are hot and itchy!!

We went on a couple errands and grabbed lunch together at Anthony's on the water. It was yummy and we had the best view! It felt good to get out of the house for a bit too!

One week down as a gimp...phew...
now on to next week and figuring out how to do things with one hand...

2010-07-16T09:44:00.001-07:00

How do I get pics to work from phone? Any tips?

2010-07-16T09:43:00.001-07:00

Trying to blog from my phone but not quite working yet!

I ate @#$% on The Missing Link

2010-07-12T20:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I was riding down the Burke-Gilman bike trail in Ballard with Jen, Katy, and Jeff.

Willy wasn't too far behind, pushing the boys in the jog stroller. Well, I bit the dust pretty hard!

In this exact spot on the trail, you ride over these train tracks. They are almost level with the ground, but they have gaping holes around them. I've ridden over them plenty of times and always try to go over them carefully so I don't crash. This spot is actually called "The Missing Link" because it is pretty deadly. Bikers crash here constantly and the city isn't fixing it!!!

But, in this exact spot yesterday, the tracks got me! My front tire got stuck in the track and the bike bucked me off like a horse. I flew and tumbled. It happened so fast too, I couldn't believe what had happened. I just knew I couldn't move too well!

An ambulance took me to the ER and my pain grew intolerable. I cried and screamed as they stripped me and poked me. After 4 IV attempts, they finally got me drugged up and relaxed a little. After painful x-rays, I found out the damage. I broke my radius in my left elbow and it hurts worse than childbirth!!

I also hurt my right knee, but need an MRI still from an ortho to find out if there is damage or if it's just a sprain. Pretty much, I am immobile and a gimp. I am now typing with my right hand and my arm is already sore from this blog. My right arm is tore up with road rash, but not my left...go figure!

I am now dealing with hoops to jump through and rude secretaries to see an ortho since i have government health insurance...great! I can't hold Elliot either and that makes us both sad and life hard. Willy has kicked it into high gear, doing everything around here like a champ, but he has to work too. Luckily, my mom flew out tonight to help for a week. Thank God!! We'll see what happens after that.

Oh yeah, I am also in school...pppppssssshhhh.....sheesh!!!

Boston

2010-07-11T09:04:00.001-07:00

handsome.brave.creative.friendly.athletic.funny.imaginative

Family Fun

2010-07-10T20:28:00.000-07:00

Willy's Aunt Diane came over Thursday for a visit. She was in the area for a family reunion and came to see us. It was a delight to have her over! We all loved catching up with her! Thanks Diane for paying us a special visit. The boys loved seeing their Aunt!

The past few days have been "hot" for Seattle. Our house is older with no AC, so it gets pretty stuffy and hot inside when it's warm. So, we actually spend more time outside, because it's cooler, which is totally the opposite of Lake Elsinore. Temperatures soar up to right about 90' here and everyone calls it a heat wave. Fans are selling out of stores and people are stripping at the canal and jumping in! I love it! HAHAHAHAHA, really, they ain't seen nothing!!

Since we were all sweating it up in my house when Aunt Diane came over, we went outside to chill and play in the grass. The breeze felt so much better than our stuffy house and the boys loved playing with the goodies she brought.

Elliot is now 10 months and just getting so big! He wants to stand all the time and crawls like a champ. He is also now getting into everything and I have to watch him carefully!

Boston and Josiah love playing outside any chance they get. They ride bikes, swing on the rope swing, play with balls, and run around with their neighbor friends Gaby and Isaac.

wanting to play with the big kids...

Gaby is always looking for the boys outside. When she sees them, she comes running out to play. They get along great and I am so glad they have a little friend to play with!

Elliot really just wanted to eat the chalk and he found out that it does not taste good!

I still think, wow these are all my boys! They are so awesome!

cutie...

I love his neck rolls...

Elliot is very observant. He learns way more than I think he does just by watching the boys, kinda scary!

Boston loved the airplanes Aunt Diane brought.

He is pretty good at flying them too!

just relaxing and talking and laughing...

talking seriously about the chalk drawing...

trying to climb over the chair...

then eating the chair...3rd babies get to do stuff like that...

this is how we spend the days in the neighborhood...

just a big group of kids and adults lounging it up, playing and laughing...

Then, Gaby's mom broke out the doggy bubble machine...

I love seeing their sweet smiles and hearing their happy laughs...

The sun in Seattle is fun, but I am ready for my clouds again! I think I've just had enough sun for awhile in my lifetime and I am loving the gray! Clouds, come back to me!!!

Anniversary Trip to La Push

2010-07-07T14:01:00.000-07:00

After our fun bike ride Wednesday night, the anniversary adventure continued the next day as we went to La Push for a little spontaneous overnight getaway. Willy has been dying to surf for a very long time. He hasn't surfed since we moved 7 months ago, and he is starting to dry up. I looked up La Push, an Indian reservation and one of his dream surf spots, to see if they had any good places to stay out there. Luckily, the Indian reservation has an oceanside resort they open to the public for camping, cabin rentals, and such. It really isn't very expensive at all either. We finally decided to just go for it since we haven't gotten away together in a long time! Justin & Elisha also agreed to watch Boston and Josiah for us, making it an easy decision. I am so glad we went for it, because the place was absolutely gorgeous and amazing. I already can't wait to go back!!!

We rode the Edmonds ferry across the water to Kingston to start our journey...

It was windy and pretty...

Elliot loved the ferry ride and so did I...

we hid behind the glass to keep out of the wind and Elliot found his daddy...

such cuties...

it was fun to take the little guy out all by himself...

then we began the 3 hour drive across the Olympic Penninsula...

it was nice to kick back and enjoy the beauty...

Crater Lake...

We made it to La Push and were in awe of our Luxury Cabin on the beach...

They weren't kidding when they said Ocean view...

We even had a jacuzzi tub that looked right at the beach...

the werefolf love bed...no Jacob spottings though :)

We also had a sweet fireplace that I ran constantly just because I could...

sweet patio lounging...

We were feet from the beach and in Heaven...

view of the cabins...

Willy instantly ran to check out the surf...

He had the ocean to himself and the waves looked good...

He couldn't wait to jump in...

Elliot loved being out of the car and wanted to crawl everywhere...

I enjoyed all of the scenery!

Does it mean you're getting old when you start to take a lot of landscape pictures????

lone surfer...

This was Elliot's first real time at the beach...

He felt the sand for a little bit...

making up his mind...

He decided he LOVED the beach...

I think all Bravenec boys are just born with a love for the beach...

so daddy surfed and baby played and mommy enjoyed the scenery...

pudgy, sandy fingers and toes...

Of course, he had to eat the sand too...

After I put Elliot to bed in the bathroom :) in his pack'n'play,

we enjoyed some time together sitting on the beach and talking about life...

We slept with all the windows open, listening to the ocean, and woke up to a beautiful sunny, clear morning. Willy took Elliot on a walk around the beach, while I got ready for the day...

We put Elliot down for his morning nap and strolled around the beach...

We were in awe of this giant tree that washed up on the shore...

Check out its size in comparison to Willy...

crazy roots too...

(ok, I am old!!! I am all into this tree!! hahahaha I love it!)

Got to snap a photo of me too...

I spotted this crazy giant bird just chilling. It had to be looking for something to swoop down and eat. It probably could carry Elliot away if it wanted to, good thing he was napping!

checking out another little cove area...

I almost stepped on this little crabby...

Willy went out for one last surf session before we had to check out...

Again, he had the water all to himself...

He was so happy to get some fun waves.
My surfer is quite handsome...

More of my scenery pics...

I am still in awe of all the green around here in the summer!

Heading in to pack our stuff up...

A happy man...

I think this may have been our best anniversary yet!

My little tree elf, right Jen?!

Kissing our new favorite spot goodbye...

the one little store in town...

After checking out, we decided to head further north to Cape Flattery, the very northwest tip of WA.

the sky was amazing...

The trail to the beach...

Unfortunately, it was about a 30 min hike downhill. Plus, we found out we needed a Maka Indian Recreation Pass to park there...poop...

but, Elliot was tired anyways, so we headed back to the car...

But, we did get to see the view from up high in the car...

We'll save Cape Flattery for our next trip!

Then, we headed home on the ferry again!

Caveman Baby...

The trip was a total success and we are already trying to plan a family trip out there!
La Push is AMAZING!!!

Now, on to our 10th year of marriage...crazy...

Ditching My Mom Jeans!!!

2010-07-05T22:23:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I have to confess and tell on myself for my own good...

I haven't lost any weight since Elliot was born! In fact, I think I gained a pound or two back!!!! Yikes!

I really haven't wanted to admit that to anyone, even myself! 6 weeks after Elliot was born, I was so motivated to lose weight! But, the holidays came and I lost focus. Then we moved and I lost focus. Then, I just felt really defeated and busy, and I lost focus again.

But, now I am finally just sick of myself. I hate the way my clothes feel and I hate that I want to just hide in a sweatshirt all the time.

I want to BURN my mom jeans and I want to wear my favorite pair of 7 jeans just waiting for me in my closet!!!!!

A week and a half ago, Katy told me about the biggest loser weight loss competition she joined with the ladies at her work. I begged to join! Thankfully, they let me in!!! So, I graciously turned in my $20 and am now getting busy to lose this lingering baby weight I already worked so hard to shed after Josiah!!! Plus, the pot of cash from this competition is waiting for me on Sep. 1st after the final weigh in when I take all these ladies down!!! Mama's gonna buy herself a nice new dress from Anthropologie with the winnings!! MUUUAAAAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Here's my progress after 9 days...

Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Weight Loss Tools

I'm putting this tracker on the bottom of my blog if you want to keep up with my journey too!! If I reach my goal of 140, I will actually weigh 10 lbs less than when I got pregnant with Elliot. In fact, I don't remember the last time I weighed 140. Doing a BMI calculator, it said that 140 should be my max weight, so why the heck not?

I can't afford Weight Watchers this time, but I think making my progress public will help whip my butt into shape!! Plus, if anyone wants to join me...wink wink...the myfitnesspal.com website is awesome and so helpful and we can be weight loss buddies!!!

So, here's to a hotter and healthier looking me!!!

Anniversary Bike Date

2010-07-04T08:57:00.000-07:00

For our anniversary on June 30th, Willy and I went out for quite the adventurous bike date. It was so much fun and a great way to spend time together. While riding, I realized that I am so glad this is our idea of a great anniversary date. Instead of getting all dressed up and going to a fancy restaurant, we prefer to ride our bike all over town to a beautiful park for a simple picnic.

I mapped it out and we actually rode 20 miles that night all over town. The best part was riding up to the top of Discovery Park in Magnolia for our picnic on top of a cliff looking out over the water and at the city. I had to walk my bike up the big hills and Willy rode circles around me. We even rode through grass higher than my head when we took one of Willy's shortcuts. It was a wild and fun ride.

After a long ride and a little walking, we finally made it to our picnic spot!

And this was the view from the picnic table...

Another part of the view...

In this shot, Mt. Rainier is in the left corner, but my camera didn't capture it with the bright lighting. It was so beautiful to see though...

Blackberries are almost ready for eating all over Seattle. I love that they grow like weeds out here!

Enjoying the view and quiet...

Another great spot to sit...

I love this man.

9 years later, we still have amazing adventures together!

After our picnic, we went to the Locks.

We just happened to get there at the same time as this pirate ship! Ya!

It was so fun to watch it go through the Locks. I wish the boys could have seen it!

We learned that these two ships are actually WA states ambassador Tall Ships or something like that. I like that everyone on the ships was pretty much grungy, bearded, and tatted. They should have had swords and eye patches too!

Afterwards, we rode to coffee. This is when my legs started to stiffen up and get really jelly like. So, we went home before I couldn't make it back.

The adventure didn't end here either...

2 to 5 in 9

2010-06-28T15:12:00.000-07:00

Sunday, we explored beautiful Magnuson Park in Seattle with our friend Christie. We hiked through beautiful wild flowers, blackberry bushes, and tall grass until we found the water's edge. The view was beautiful to say the least. I'll definitely be posting more picks of this adventure later.

For now, I just had to put up these cute family pictures Christie snapped on my little camera. We really don't get to take pics of all of us very often. Looking at them, I just thought, "Wow, our family is big!"

Willy and I celebrate 9 years of marriage on June 30th!!!

I feel like I just time warped from our first year of marriage with just the two of us to our ninth year of marriage with the five of us!

I also can't believe how far the two of us have come together! I met Willy in 9th grade, 1995, when he was shorter than me and not a Christian yet. We started dating in 2000 and got married shortly after in 2001 at just 20 years old. We sure didn't waste time to tie the knot. We were so in love and so sure of our life together! I thank God that we are still very in love and very sure of our life together!

9 years later, we have 3 beautiful boys together! I am so grateful for my marriage and wonderful family. I never would have imagined this for myself and now it is all I would ever dream for myself!!

Technically, our anniversary is Wednesday, but I'm celebrating early!

I LOVE my man. He is still the hottest man alive and the funniest man by far. He truly is my best friend and other half. He can read my mind and often understands me better than I do or would like him to.

Marriage with him just keeps getting better in every way!!

I am such an incredibly blessed woman!!

MESSY...

2010-06-25T13:39:00.000-07:00

this is exactly how my little man eats...

I love it!

One of Willy's friends took this picture for his final project entitled Messy for their Image Capture class.

He captured messy Elliot perfectly. Yes, he really does look like this after every meal!

Father's Day Festivities

2010-06-21T20:14:00.000-07:00

We dedicated this weekend to Willy and celebrating the wonderful father that he is! I put my homework to the side and we relaxed and enjoyed each other as a family all weekend. It was so nice and now I am having a really hard time getting back into the rhythm of homework because of it!

Saturday, after enjoying time outside and taking really great naps, we went down to the Fisherman's terminal for dinner with Justin & Elisha and Jeff & Katy. This is one of Willy's favorite places in Seattle. His grandma took him here all the time as a kid and now he loves coming with his kids. We all really love looking at all the giant, sea worn fishing boats.

I found Jo's boat...

This boat, THOR, was HUGE and awesome!

Then, we all ate dinner at Chinooks. They have the best clam chowder...yum!

Sunday, we let Willy sleep in and relaxed around the house together. Later, we went out to Top Pot donuts for a little treat...mmmm mmmm! We then went to church at the 5 pm service. I LOVE the later service. It is so less stressful to get to church with 3 kids when it is later in the day! After church, I put Elliot to bed and Justin & Elisha hung at the house with him, while Boston, Josiah, and I took Willy to see Toy Story 3 in 3D at the Imax. It was soooooooo sooooo FUN!!

waiting in line...

The boys were so cute and so excited in their giant glasses!

My BOYS!!!

The movie was a SMASH HIT! We all LOVED it and laughed and laughed! Boston was so into it! The 3D really pulled him into the movie! At different times, he was clapping happily, laughing hysterically, yelling at the characters, and even scared to death hiding in Willy's chest. He was a riot to watch! Josiah was really into it too. At intense moments, I would feel him trembling in my lap, because he was so caught up in the movie. When the screen would go black for a second, he instantly pulled off his glasses and said, "wwwhhhhhhaaaattt????" It was hilarious!

After the movie, we were all starving! So, we went to the 5 Spot, a little diner on Queen Anne, for some late night dinner. They have a great late night $5 menu!

We were all pooped afterwards and the boys even asked to go to bed! HAHA! We never have nights like that! It was so much fun and really great bonding time for us too. The boys even slept in a bit this morning. Overall, it was such a fantastic Father's Day weekend!

We Love you Willy!

Thanks for being our Daddy!!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Happy Father's Day to our Daddy!!

2010-06-20T09:08:00.000-07:00

We are so blessed to have you as our daddy!

From our first boy...

to our second boy...

to our third boy...

You have continually sacrificed and loved selflessly.

You put your boys first and love them more than life itself.

Thank you for doing such an amazing job as a DAD!

Our boys are already incredible because they have such a great father!

I am so excited to see them as dads one day because they have such a great role model!

We LOVE you so so so so much!

HAPPY HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Summer Days...

2010-06-15T15:30:00.000-07:00

equal lots of good times outside!!

Friday was the perfect summer day! Willy was free from school and work, so we went for a stroll along the canal to Fremont with the boys and Justin and Elisha...

These two boys sit perfect together...

We LOVE our Neighbors!!!

Later that night, my friend Christie watched the boys so we could get out on a much needed date! After finals and craziness, we needed to breathe some fresh air and just have fun together! Justin and Elisha came along too, making it a spectacular double date!

And of course, we rode our bikes...

I seriously LOVE LOVE LOVE riding my bike all over Seattle!!!

It makes me feel like a little kid again and I just can't not smile when I'm riding. But, I do need to close my mouth more, because I did eat a few bugs...protein!

Justin and Elisha were stinking cute too! These two love birds have so much fun together. They are a blast to go out with and it was awesome to show them fun places to go in Seattle...

Seattle bike trails are the best!

Willy is my Spartan man! He flies on his bike and puts us all to shame!

He looks pretty hot too!

yep...good looking!!!

We rode to dinner...

and caught our breathe...except for Willy...

We ate at El Matador. I wanted to try something new and not kid friendly since we don't go out alone too often. Well, this place was absolutely delicious and I devoured my fajitas!!

xoxoxoxo

It's really been so fun to have Justin and Elisha as our new neighbors.

I am beyond thankful that God brought them here too!

After dinner, we went to one of our favorite coffee houses...Cafe Fiore...

Perfection is really the only word for this...

They were in latte heaven...

mmmmmmmm mmmmmmmmm...

yep, it's the best coffee around...Seattle delivers!!

His "this coffee is sooo good" face...

Then, we rode out to Golden Gardens to catch the sunset at 9:30 pm!!

Wait...not done yet...We went to Gas Works Park on the way home to gaze at the twinkling city scape...

I fall in love with this city over and over again everyday!!

psssttt...Molly, how do you like my 1st try at the poladroid? I finally got picture savy and I love it! Watch out!

Playing Outside with the Neighbors

2010-06-09T09:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we hung out with our new neighbors as they unpacked. I love calling Justin and Elisha our neighbors, so cool!! The boys wanted to play in their yard all day and Justin even made them a fun tunnel out of boxes. We even ate lunch outside and enjoyed the awesome weather. We are so thankful to have them next door!

the cool box tunnel...

The boys snagged up the lawn chairs and loved sitting in them. They even took turns playing with Justin's binoculars. They pretended to be little explorers.

Sickness has plagued our house for the past week, starting with Josiah then to Boston and now to Elliot. This boy was not a happy camper yesterday. He is also teething. So, I held him all day and he was content.

He quietly watched everything around him without making a peep.

I did get some smiles out of him from time to time though!

Then, the boys and I walked Elisha around the campus to show her the ropes. While she was in the financial aid office, we played in the grass.

The boys look pretty bumpkin, but they were sick. They were in serious need of fresh air though, so I let them out to breathe and play even though they were a mess.

They even climbed this giant tree together with a little help from me.

I also let them snap some pictures with my camera. They took some pretty good ones too!

Pics from the boys:

After our adventure, they were pooped and so we went in for some more quarantine. Hopefully, the plague leaves us soon!

New Beginnings and Finals...

2010-06-06T10:47:00.000-07:00

Justin and Elisha made it in last night after a long drive from So Cal.

This is their new home in beautiful Seattle, which is also right next door to us!!!!

We are thrilled to have them here, especially as neighbors!!!!

Katy made this beautiful welcome banner and the boys drew some welcome signs posted on the door:

WELCOME TO YOUR NEW HOME!!!!

Willy is in the midst of Finals already! He is working so hard and I am so proud of him!

Here's just a few bit of his final project for his Image Capture class:

He took these pictures around the city and then did his magic to make them appear like toys!

He amazes me with his creativity and skills!

Go to his BLOG if you want to see more! They are awesome!!

In other news, Josiah is sick with a pretty good chest cold.

I think I have a spider bite and a stiff neck to go with it...yuck!

I also am still buried in homework!!

Elliot had his 9 month check up and is doing great.

He didn't gain any weight, still 18 lbs, but he did get a little bit longer!

Boston is finishing up some swim lessons and growing up before my eyes!

crazy news bits

2010-06-04T21:45:00.000-07:00

Seems like I have seen the craziest things this week in the news!

I mean have you seen this stuff?

Is this War of the Worlds or Transformers??

Or what about this????

Are you kidding me??

I'm sure some people in our postmodern world would love to argue that it's a cultural thing, but NO WAY! No Child should EVER be smoking!!! What 2 year old suddenly has a cigarette in his mouth out of the blue and smokes 4 packs a day??? My jaw is still on the floor when I watch this!

But, then there's always the American version of what we do to our children...

Chocolate Flavored Baby Formula!

Really????

Ya, I said it!!

Really????

But on a lighter note, there's always this fun little diddy that NEVER gets old

and I'm sure you've seen it cause I have a bunch too...

But, I just LOVE it!
And, now I can watch it all the time since it's now on my blog too!!

Minivans are so cool!!

Boone Boone Boone

2010-06-02T09:04:00.000-07:00

Mr. Elliot Boone is now 9 months old!

What? Where is the time going?

He is just about the messiest eater I have ever known! He really gets into his food, grunting and enjoying every bite! He is now eating soft foods and loves real food. I think he feels like a big boy eating like his brothers. Whenever he sees them eating, he immediately starts smacking his lips and clicking his tongue. We went out for ice cream over the weekend and he literally screamed for licks! It was hilarious!

He is constantly smiling and laughing too. I love to tickle his squishy thighs, because he lets out the loudest squeal! He laughs so hard and loud that we all just die laughing!

He is crawling now and even does big bear crawls around the house. But, he really isn't as interested in moving around as Boston and Josiah were. He is content to just sit, wiggle, and watch everything going on around him. Boston was walking at 10 months and Josiah was walking at 11 months. I have a feeling Elliot will be walking a bit later. He can move around, but just isn't as concerned about being active. Maybe since there is always so much going on around him, he just isn't concerned about moving to find some entertainment? I am quite happy with this though, because I am still chasing Boston and Josiah around. So, Elliot is like my little sidekick as I wrangle the older boys.

He is still 100% mama's boy, preferring me to anyone! Just recently, he has allowed a few people to hold him for a short time. Elliot is my most attached baby yet. We have a special bond and I wouldn't trade it in for all the alone time in the world! He does take two naps a day and sleeps through the night in his own room now, so I am getting time to myself. He does love his daddy a lot as well, but he has always been more attached to me since I have been his sole food source.

Elliot likes to talk a lot and joins in on all the noise in the house. He hears his brothers talking and starts talking back with his, "aaahhhss" and "baaaagaaadaaaas!" He also loves to join in on the wrestling. He likes to pull hair and squeals as he smacks their heads. Boston and Josiah die laughing when he does this too. Yes, pretty soon I will have 3 boys going wild in my house together!

Smiles from this guy are one of the greatest treasures I have!

He just melts my heart!

goooo...

My Plate is Full

2010-05-28T14:40:00.000-07:00

I have so much going on right now with balancing my roles as wife, mommy, and student. Some days, I feel like I am just barely treading water to keep from drowning. Those are the days I want to shut the blinds, hang in my jammies, turn on a movie for the boys, and have a good cry.

Wednesday was one of those days. Willy and I both had homework deadlines to meet and we have 3 boys to take care of. (Plus, I want to make my boys the first priority and not feel like I totally put them to the side to meet my own needs.) Of course, everything got taken care of and we met our deadlines.

Willy created this little gem for instance!

But in the midst of the tension, I get really stressed. Luckily, Willy is done with school for the summer in about two weeks!!! Maintaining the quality of family life we want with both of us in school full-time is just completely INSANE! There is no way I can work on my MA thesis research with 3 boys needing my attention, so I have to do school while they are asleep. After a long day, you can guess how well that goes and how bad I just want to zone out and go to sleep! Yes, I am totally crazy sometimes and my plate is too full, but I HAVE to finish my MA and move on!!

So, I may be stuck in my homework pit for awhile and we'll see how much blogging goes on. Not that I really have all these readers to please or anything. I mean, my kids are the cutest in the world, no apologies, but who else is really that into my blog? My blog is mostly just my own way to record memories and family life. But, I still like to keep up with it for myself at least.

Anyways, I have been super encouraged lately by some mommy bloggers and want to share in case one of my few visitors needs some encouragement too...

Messy Canvas is a blog by an awesome writer and mommy! Her posts are so encouraging about motherhood! Check it out!!

If you haven't heard of Soule Mama, you need to browse it! This woman amazes me with all she does and her homemade craftiness. She definitely encourages you to enjoy life!

Check out Evie S., another inspiring mommy blogger!

On another note, I'm reading some great food memoirs as a part of my thesis work. They are inspiring me to eat, cook, and write. If you are interested in some good reading about life and food, check out their blogs too...

Orangette by Molly Wizenberg...she wrote A Homemade Life

Molly was also kind enough to meet me at the yummiest cupcake shop for an interview about her writing for my thesis. I felt like such a dork interviewer as I am not a professional. Plus, I barely made it there in time after running out the door barely put together with the kids and house in a mess. Molly is truly a delight and such an amazing woman! She is so down to earth, friendly, and fun to listen to. Molly doesn't read my blog, but a HUGE Thanks to her anyways! She didn't have to meet with me, but she totally did! So, please, READ her blog and her book...you won't regret it!!!

Gluten-free girl and the Chef...by Shauna James Ahern...she wrote gluten-free girl
*you do not have to be gluten intolerant to enjoy this book!

Shauna is next on my hit list for an interview...hahahahaha...we'll see! my fingers are crossed are I'm sure she is super busy. But, she does live in Seattle too!!! I am sure she would be a delight to meet and talk with too!

Basically, Molly and Shauna are great writers. They encourage me to cook good, homemade, healthy, tasty meals for my family. They also encourage me to enjoy life and savor every moment! I am so glad that this is my thesis work, or else I might just really drown in a puddle of boringness! HAH!

The academic world will not know what hit them when I amaze them with these new women writers! The blog world is definitely changing the world of writing! We'll see how open the scholarly world is to this new movement!

Anyways, the stress is going to be worth it in the long run. I keep telling myself that! Willy and I will both be done with school one day. Then, the day will come when we are actually on a real vacation in Costa Rica sipping Margaritas and sleeping on the beach! Yes Willy...that day will come!!!

crazy, sexy, beautiful portraits

2010-05-24T08:15:00.000-07:00

My husband is so incredibly creative, talented, and daring!

Yes, he is actually standing in the freezing cold water of the Puget Sound and he did dunk himself!

these are just a few of his self-portraits and my personal favorites...

The photo above always makes me smile and laugh. It has character and makes you think, "what is going on?" It has a backstory just waiting to be told!

The photo below is just very sexy in my opinion!!

Willy really puts all of his efforts into his classes. He is taking a class called Image Capture and they have weekly photo assignments. He really could have done a self-portrait that was less work, but not my man! He goes for the gusto!

Friday night, we had a friend watch the boys for a couple hours and we went out to Golden Gardens for a photo session. I really had no idea what we were in for. Pretty much, I stood with an umbrella (yes, it was raining) over the camera on a ladder, because we don't have a tripod, while he did his thing. After awhile, I was even up to my ankles in the water, focusing the camera and following his instructions. It was a crazy hour or so! We did fight a bit as it was stressful in the rain and cold, and I think Willy almost suffered hypothermia. But, it was well worth these babies! I know that I am personally going to keep these photos forever! They are AWESOME! What great pics for the boys to have of their dad too!

If you want to check out the rest, go to his blog!

Oh and before the lines start buzzing with gossip...No, Willy is not a smoker!! It was just a prop to go with the look of the photo!

He also took some great portraits of our boys!

These pictures capture a part of their personality perfectly!

Willy is right where he should be! He is so good at what he does! I love watching him grow and rise to every challenge! He blows me away with how much effort he puts into his assignments! I can't wait to see what he does next!!

bike dates

2010-05-21T15:21:00.000-07:00

When the hubby and I go on dates, we LOVE to take our bikes! We can cruise all around the city without worrying about parking and road rage! Plus, we get to talk, laugh, feel the fresh air, stop wherever and whenever we want, take bike only shortcuts, be active, and be simple. Bike dates make for some great memories and fun together!

I love this man so so much and I love that our simple life is always such an adventure! We are going on 9 years in June; I can't believe it! Plus, we are living back in the town where we had our first anniversary, pretty nostalgic and dreamy for me!

On this date, we didn't really feel like going anywhere to spend money and be busy; we just wanted some quiet together! Yes, I think we are getting old hahaha!! We got a few drinks and goodies from the market and found a bench to sit on with a beautiful view under the Fremont bridge!

Aaaaahhhh, moments like these are good for the soul!

We also rode to a place that brings back soooo many memories. Our first studio apartment in Seattle in 2002. Actually, I think it was our first official apartment together. Right after we got married, we moved to married housing at Moody. After that, we lived in Willy's grandma's basement until we found our own place. We both loved this place so much; it was even painted the coolest orange color inside!

Across the street, we got deli sandwiches from this place. We also always loaded up on snacks here, especially when we rented the seasons of the Sopranos. We were addicted back then to gangster flicks.

It felt good to see the old gem with the hubby!

We have so many great memories together and so many more to come!!

Soccer Time

2010-05-17T13:36:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday, the boys went to their first morning of Soccer for 3-4 year olds. I am glad they are so close in age, because they can do a lot of these activities together. They love playing together and really encourage each other quite a bit. Anyways, they were thrilled to play soccer and I loved watching them play. The coach was very friendly and a great teacher. She did her best to teach them how to properly stop a soccer ball and how to keep the ball close to you while kicking it around. Boston and Josiah paid really close attention and did everything she said to the best of their ability. I was so impressed with their listening skills.

Elliot sat on the sidelines, watching intently and laughing at them. He really is so observant. I think he is quite the people watcher already and such a smart baby!

Boston and Josiah were very friendly with the other kids and even waited their turns. It was one of those mornings where they were making me look pretty good! :)

They ran and ran...

and they practiced their new skills...

I got some sweet action shots too...

For some reason, this is one of my favorite pictures of the day. It makes me laugh! Josiah was trying so hard and really giving it his all. I think the blurry shots just totally reveals his hard efforts to give the ball a giant kick!

Afterwards, they were rewarded with a soccer stamp. They wore it proudly!

Elliot also had a lot of fun watching the action with me. I think he can't wait to run around with his big brothers!

I take them to the Green Lake Community Center to play. It really is a beautiful place! After soccer, we sat on this nice bench and ate some sandwiches crackers.

I am so happy I signed them up and they are so happy to be playing a sport! I can't wait to take them again tomorrow!!

Mother's Day Loving

2010-05-15T10:59:00.000-07:00

My Mother's Day was amazing, peaceful, and perfect! My family loved me and served me all day long!

We started out the morning by dedicating Josiah and Elliot at church. Boston was dedicated when he was a year old, but we never had a chance to dedicate Josiah due to moving around a lot in the last couple years. I am so glad the chance finally arose again to dedicate Josiah along with Elliot. I really value the opportunity to make a public statement and covenant before God that we will raise our boys with the love and truth of Jesus Christ. Dedicating my boys was a very special thing to do on Mother's Day! I want them to know that from the beginning we have promised to point them to Jesus and living a godly life!

Afterwards, Elliot and I hung out in our usual spot, the Nursing Mother's Room. He is getting so big and active. He is crawling around, trying to talk, and even eating Cheerios now! I love this little guy! I think his looks are changing a bit too; in this picture, he looks so much more like Josiah now, especially with his strawberry blonde hair.

After church, we had a yummy picnic and relaxed in the warm sun in the grass in front of our house. After naps, we went on a walk to Fremont to check out the Sunday Farmer's Market.

Elliot took a stroll on daddy's shoulders too...

He looks so big now riding on Willy!! My baby is getting bigger!!

Then, we headed back over the Fremont bridge to hang out at the canal for awhile, one of our favorite spots.

We now roll 3 deep in our double stroller too. Who says you can't fit 3 boys in a big double jogger?

I love this view on the Fremont bridge!

Willy pushed the stroller everywhere...

and I enjoyed my DRY Soda, lavender flavor! Yum Yum, an SPU alumni even created this soda line and designed it. It's pretty legit!

Alright, here's a picture of me finally with my Mother's Day smile...

Boston collected a new quiver of sticks...

Josiah ran around beating everything in sight with his stick...

Willy chowed down on a free peach from PCC market. They give kids a free piece of fruit with every visit, love it!!

All my boys enjoying the water and watching boats...

My husband served me all day long. He did the dishes all day and we don't have a dishwasher, so that's about four loads a day! He made all the meals, picked up the house, and ran around as lead server for the kids! I felt pampered and relaxed all day!

I even got to take some cute pics of my boys...

My family is my most valued possession. Just enjoying them all day was the best; I couldn't ask for more!

Doing the Laundry...

2010-05-12T12:55:00.000-07:00

is quite the weekly event around here. It started out as the chore I dreaded doing. The one downside to our new home in SPU's family housing is that our place does not have a washer and dryer. So, I have to use the dirty dungeon family housing laundry mat two blocks away. All week long I gradually fill a giant tub with all of our dirty clothes; two toddlers and one messy baby definitely create a lot of laundry in one week! When we first moved here, Willy tried to do the laundry by himself in between classes or late at night. At the time, I wasn't sure how to take care of the laundry with all three boys. But, that was just too much to add on to Willy's plate and I had to wait for laundry to get done when he had the time. Finally, I came up with a much better routine that fits all of us!

Now, I drop the gigantic tub off in the dark, spider filled cave at the laundry facility in the morning before Willy leaves for classes or work. I have to take it in the car, because it is really heavy and huge! If I tried to walk it there, I would probably leave dirty underwear strewn all over the beautiful SPU campus, a recipe for total humiliation! After I drop it in the abandoned, rotting crypt and get my quarters from the bank on campus, I head back quickly to the house, so Willy can get going. Then, the real fun begins as the boys and I get to walk back and forth all day to switch the laundry back and forth from tub to washer to dryer to tub.

The first time we did the laundry this way, I wasn't sure how smoothly it would go, but I really needed some clean clothes. Thankfully, it ended up being a great way to spend time outside, walking around with the boys. We all enjoy being outside and the SPU campus is absolutely beautiful. It is pretty much our backyard and we love enjoying it!

As we walk back and forth from our home to the gloomy vault laundry room, the boys climb trees, play with sticks, and pick flowers for me! We take in the beauty and breathe the wonderful fresh air!

The door to the dungeon laundry mat is an old sticky one. It likes to play tricks on me, making me think my key no longer works to open it. But with a few beating from my mommy hips, it always regrets pretending to be stuck and reluctantly opens for us. The boys help me push the door open and we make our way into the cave room.

We are greeted with a long, empty gross hallway just dying to be painted and beautified!

Then we find the three quarter hungry washers. They are messy with splatters of detergent and are a bit hormonal, not always wanting to work, but I stuff them with our grimy clothes and persuade them to do my bidding! I try to do as few loads as possible since each load is a whopping dollar, but so far, five loads is the minimum! Then, we head back to the house for lunch and/or naps while the washers do their thing.

Awhile later, once everyone has eaten, gone potty, and put shoes back on for the next round, we head out again for another journey to the musty vault laundry room. The boys run around, loudly banging the metal trash cans with their sticks and singing random songs at the top of their lungs, occasionally helping me transfer the wet clothes to the three dryers. Sometimes I try to stuff the three wash loads into just two dryers to save a few quarters for the next week, but I've found the clothes just don't dry well enough in 51 minutes and then I end up spending more money to dry them again; otherwise, they end up really damp and wrinkly, and I don't iron!! So, once we are locked and loaded in the dryers and I've reloaded the washers with the remaining stinky clothes, we head out of the muggy chamber basement to enjoy the outdoors again!

Sometimes, Willy finds us out and about in the afternoon when he is done with classes! We are always excited when he finds us and joins in on the adventure!

Willy is working so incredibly hard, putting all his effort into school. I am so proud of him. It is amazing to watch him rise to the challenge and create such amazing projects. Our family is in the perfect place right now and the laundry is a minimal inconvenience I am happy to deal with to be here!

The boys love being here too! They actually get excited now when I say, "It's laundry day!" They know that means lots of time outside and clean Spiderman pajamas to wear that night to bed!

I am also starting to really enjoy laundry days, instead of feeling burdened by it. It is a chance to walk around the campus, enjoy being outside, and soak up the little moments with my boys.

I also am really appreciating the beauty around me on our walks back and forth. Everything is just bursting with color right now and I never want to take it for granted!!

I am so thankful my boys get to grow up in such a beautiful place where it is wonderful to be outside! They thrive off of the outdoors! An adventure is always waiting for them!

After a long day of laundry, we are all usually pretty tired and ready to kick back. But, the end of the day feels rewarding as there is plenty of clean underwear to be found and we all have breathed in plenty of incredibly clean, fresh air!

Elliot even really enjoys our walks back and forth! He usually sits just like this, chilling and smiling.

You know, I think I actually look forward to laundry days now! This definitely sounds corny, but it's nice how making lemonade out of lemons all makes the sour things sweet!