Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Summer's End
Heeeeeeeeeeeeeey.....
Summer is ending. Michael Jackson is gone, but not forgotten (thanks for the reminder, Ella. Nice gloves AND nice dance moves.)
Colby started back at school today. He hasn't been to Tahoe with us ONCE this summer. So we dragged him up to the lake with us last Friday.
Ella, too busy playing to make eye contact and smile...
Please Note: Colby does NOT like the beach. I love it so so SO much, I can't imagine not having fun. Colby thinks it's boring. There's nothing to do. He doesn't like sitting around. I figure we're just sitting around at home anyway, we might as well do it someplace beautiful and eat good snacks. Colby is barely handling it. He was forced to read textbooks BEFORE SCHOOL STARTED. Sad.
He did manage to drag himself up to kick water onto his baby. (She liked it.)
See? Best buds. We got home and ran to a church activity. Ella may or may not have still had had her swim suit on. I managed to change, but otherwise looked like I'd spent the day at the beach. Everyone told me I looked "tired". Go figure.
So, what are you up to in these last few days of summer?
Summer is ending. Michael Jackson is gone, but not forgotten (thanks for the reminder, Ella. Nice gloves AND nice dance moves.)
Colby started back at school today. He hasn't been to Tahoe with us ONCE this summer. So we dragged him up to the lake with us last Friday.
Ella, too busy playing to make eye contact and smile...
Please Note: Colby does NOT like the beach. I love it so so SO much, I can't imagine not having fun. Colby thinks it's boring. There's nothing to do. He doesn't like sitting around. I figure we're just sitting around at home anyway, we might as well do it someplace beautiful and eat good snacks. Colby is barely handling it. He was forced to read textbooks BEFORE SCHOOL STARTED. Sad.
He did manage to drag himself up to kick water onto his baby. (She liked it.)
See? Best buds. We got home and ran to a church activity. Ella may or may not have still had had her swim suit on. I managed to change, but otherwise looked like I'd spent the day at the beach. Everyone told me I looked "tired". Go figure.
So, what are you up to in these last few days of summer?
Thursday, August 13, 2009
We Heart SoCal!!!
Before we begin, a little bizness to attend.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUNTIE AMBER! We tried to call, really.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDPA! We'll make you a good dinner tonight.
Oh my gosh, you guys. We just had the most fun trip to California EVER. Is it because we just hung out and swam for a week & a half? Is it because Colby & I didn't even get in one fight? Not even one little argument? Is it because we "knew our limits" (financially & emotionally) and didn't attempt Disneyland? Is it because we got to hang out with our awesome family every single day? Answer: Probably.
We went to the beach with my sisters Adrianne, Alisa & the boys. I swam in the waves. It was SO FUN. I haven't done that since before Ella was born. I thought Gretchen would love it too, so we took her out.
La la la, come on Gretchen! Let's go swim!
(Not pictured: Gretchen screaming her head off when she got hit in the face with a rogue wave. Me booking it back to shore and dropping her off with Colby where we wrapped her in a towel & gave her raisins. Order restored.)
Ella decided she didn't want to go to the beach in her bathing suit. (Hey, I just realized this is the same striped dress she wore yesterday, slept in, and is still wearing now at 10am while I sit in front of the computer rather than get her dressed & brush her hair. Weird. I'm going to have to get up in a minute though to get her a pickle. It is, after all, 10:05am and she has not had a pickle for almost 10 days...)
Ella and her cousin J decided they're going to get married. Isn't that a cute couple? Colby tried to talk about the legal issues that might coincide with that decision, but she put him in his place, "I am going to marry who ever I want to marry, Daddy."
SAVE ME FROM THE WAVES!
After some recovery time, Gretchen joined the sand crew.
We went back to Auntie Alisa's house and Gretchen met Baby Teagan for the first time. Gretchen LOVES HER COUSIN.
After Beach Day we went with our friends to the Long Beach Aquarium. Also, about 50 day camps with 20,000 matching-shirt-kids came too. It was awesome (note sarcasm). Look! Rays!
Gretchen loved the seals.
Ella overcame her fear of sharks to both LOOK at sharks in the aquarium and RIDE a fake shark in the play area. I KNOW!
We went to Dana Point and looked at the Tall Ships. Note Ella's posture. Tall Ships bring out the dancer in her.
Gazing at the beautiful ocean...
Right after this Ella fell. Luckily she caught herself with HER HEAD. That's a story for another day. The pain is still to fresh right now. But she's ok.
Ella played around with the camera and took some lovely pictures.
See? Rockin' the head injury.
Over the weekend we went sailing with Poppa Randy. Pictures will be forthcoming, as they are on Colby's computer. Be assured, it was awesome. After that, we (I) decided we were having so much fun, we put off the drive home till Wednesday. TWO MORE DAYS OF FUN!!! So back to the cousins for GIGANTIC INFLATABLE SLIP & SLIDE!!!!
Then back to my brother Aaron's under-construction-but-still-totally-cool new house for dinner and...
SWIMMING! AGAIN! I KNOW!!!
And here we are, buckled in & ready for the looooooooooong drive back home.
YAY! (Not pictured: Gretchen screaming for 7/9.5 hours. We made it back to Reno in record time. Go figure...)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUNTIE AMBER! We tried to call, really.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDPA! We'll make you a good dinner tonight.
Oh my gosh, you guys. We just had the most fun trip to California EVER. Is it because we just hung out and swam for a week & a half? Is it because Colby & I didn't even get in one fight? Not even one little argument? Is it because we "knew our limits" (financially & emotionally) and didn't attempt Disneyland? Is it because we got to hang out with our awesome family every single day? Answer: Probably.
We went to the beach with my sisters Adrianne, Alisa & the boys. I swam in the waves. It was SO FUN. I haven't done that since before Ella was born. I thought Gretchen would love it too, so we took her out.
La la la, come on Gretchen! Let's go swim!
(Not pictured: Gretchen screaming her head off when she got hit in the face with a rogue wave. Me booking it back to shore and dropping her off with Colby where we wrapped her in a towel & gave her raisins. Order restored.)
Ella decided she didn't want to go to the beach in her bathing suit. (Hey, I just realized this is the same striped dress she wore yesterday, slept in, and is still wearing now at 10am while I sit in front of the computer rather than get her dressed & brush her hair. Weird. I'm going to have to get up in a minute though to get her a pickle. It is, after all, 10:05am and she has not had a pickle for almost 10 days...)
Ella and her cousin J decided they're going to get married. Isn't that a cute couple? Colby tried to talk about the legal issues that might coincide with that decision, but she put him in his place, "I am going to marry who ever I want to marry, Daddy."
SAVE ME FROM THE WAVES!
After some recovery time, Gretchen joined the sand crew.
We went back to Auntie Alisa's house and Gretchen met Baby Teagan for the first time. Gretchen LOVES HER COUSIN.
After Beach Day we went with our friends to the Long Beach Aquarium. Also, about 50 day camps with 20,000 matching-shirt-kids came too. It was awesome (note sarcasm). Look! Rays!
Gretchen loved the seals.
Ella overcame her fear of sharks to both LOOK at sharks in the aquarium and RIDE a fake shark in the play area. I KNOW!
We went to Dana Point and looked at the Tall Ships. Note Ella's posture. Tall Ships bring out the dancer in her.
Gazing at the beautiful ocean...
Right after this Ella fell. Luckily she caught herself with HER HEAD. That's a story for another day. The pain is still to fresh right now. But she's ok.
Ella played around with the camera and took some lovely pictures.
See? Rockin' the head injury.
Over the weekend we went sailing with Poppa Randy. Pictures will be forthcoming, as they are on Colby's computer. Be assured, it was awesome. After that, we (I) decided we were having so much fun, we put off the drive home till Wednesday. TWO MORE DAYS OF FUN!!! So back to the cousins for GIGANTIC INFLATABLE SLIP & SLIDE!!!!
Then back to my brother Aaron's under-construction-but-still-totally-cool new house for dinner and...
SWIMMING! AGAIN! I KNOW!!!
And here we are, buckled in & ready for the looooooooooong drive back home.
YAY! (Not pictured: Gretchen screaming for 7/9.5 hours. We made it back to Reno in record time. Go figure...)
Friday, July 31, 2009
Anniversary
Well, we're coming up on two years since we left Seattle. Two years of student-life. Two years of official unemployment. A lot has changed. We now have a Gretchen.
Ella has recently waxed nostalgic about her former life in the Emerald City. I'm surprised how much she remembers, considering she was only two years old (one month shy of 3 when we moved.)
What Ella Remembers
I liked the tree on the wall in my room. There was a sun on the ceiling. We had wooden floor. I had my pink sparkley pony there. I had my toy shopping cart and it broke one time. I want to see Lucy Jane.
I recently had a dream that the new owner of the old house tore it down & all that was left were our beautiful granite tile counter tops. I was so sad. I'm thinking it's time for me to let it go. What do you think? (Ella decorating Colby's birthday cake circa '07 below).
By the time Colby graduates school, Ella will have lived half her life in Nevada. Gretchen has never lived anywhere else but with Grandma & Grandpa. (Ella is already upset that we won't live with grandparents forever. She told Grandma that when she grows up and gets married, she's moving in with them. Ha ha.) And though I'm looking forward to having our own place, not feeling like such a sponge taking advantage of the in-laws hospitality, and Colby getting a REAL JOB (WOO HOO!!!), I'm also already getting sad about leaving Reno. People, what is wrong with me?
One more thing, Colby's taken up the Gentle Art of Ju Jitsu. Ella is SUPER EXCITED for when she's five and can start learning the Gentle Art of Ju Jitsu herself. She asks Colby every time he leaves when she can learn. This week she also asked, "You're going to Ju Jitsu? Are you going to do a lot of tricks there?" I hope he's learning tricks like this:
Ella want's y'all to know her phone #. She typed it just for you:
rrhvbgthghdijoigtghbgtfhknkhbvcfr435699098656544hreuhrgrjfdkjgjddfinbhffjgg,bhmggkmk;
,gjb,bh
Ella has recently waxed nostalgic about her former life in the Emerald City. I'm surprised how much she remembers, considering she was only two years old (one month shy of 3 when we moved.)
What Ella Remembers
I liked the tree on the wall in my room. There was a sun on the ceiling. We had wooden floor. I had my pink sparkley pony there. I had my toy shopping cart and it broke one time. I want to see Lucy Jane.
I recently had a dream that the new owner of the old house tore it down & all that was left were our beautiful granite tile counter tops. I was so sad. I'm thinking it's time for me to let it go. What do you think? (Ella decorating Colby's birthday cake circa '07 below).
By the time Colby graduates school, Ella will have lived half her life in Nevada. Gretchen has never lived anywhere else but with Grandma & Grandpa. (Ella is already upset that we won't live with grandparents forever. She told Grandma that when she grows up and gets married, she's moving in with them. Ha ha.) And though I'm looking forward to having our own place, not feeling like such a sponge taking advantage of the in-laws hospitality, and Colby getting a REAL JOB (WOO HOO!!!), I'm also already getting sad about leaving Reno. People, what is wrong with me?
One more thing, Colby's taken up the Gentle Art of Ju Jitsu. Ella is SUPER EXCITED for when she's five and can start learning the Gentle Art of Ju Jitsu herself. She asks Colby every time he leaves when she can learn. This week she also asked, "You're going to Ju Jitsu? Are you going to do a lot of tricks there?" I hope he's learning tricks like this:
Ella want's y'all to know her phone #. She typed it just for you:
rrhvbgthghdijoigtghbgtfhknkhbvcfr435699098656544hreuhrgrjfdkjgjddfinbhffjgg,bhmggkmk;
,gjb,bh
No longer a Stott... technically
Chris and I got married!!! Finally after 5 1/2 years Chris and I tied the knot on July 22, 2009. I'm now Katrina Ann Green. Here are some pics. Just wanted to give the fam a heads up that there will be a reception September 26th here in Utah. Well be sending invites out at the end of August. Love you all!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Kindergarten!
Have I told you that Ella is starting Kindergarten in about a month? I KNOW. We're playing "school" right now in an effort to prepare her. It's also the only way I can get her to look at the workbooks I bought. Oh, my well-intentioned naivety.
PLAN IN MY HEAD: Can't you just see it? We're sitting in the afternoon sunlight at the table, her hair perfectly braided, me showered and dressed. She practices drawing a "5" and exclaims with joy at her new found skills. We laugh, full of knowledge and the thrill of discovery.
REALITY: Mom, I don't want to do my math book. I want to color in my princess coloring book. Mom, that's not how I want to do it (because I'm obviously coloring the picture in wrong). Mom, can you get Gretchen out of here?
So we play.
Ella - When is snack time at this kindergarten?
Me - Kindergarten is for big kids, and it's not long enough for snack time. We don't have snack time in kindergarten.
Ella - (pause...) Well they should.
Me - Well, are you sick of coloring? Do you want to have recess now?
Ella - Yeah. I'm going to play with Pretend Kyle.
(Five minutes later, when Ella is frustrated and sitting on the floor...)
Me - What's wrong, you want to work together on something?
Ella - No, Fake Kyle doesn't want to play.
Luckily she has a playdate with Real Kyle tomorrow. She's super excited. I'm sure he'll want to play the whole time, and not be all moody and demanding like that annoying Fake Kyle.
PLAN IN MY HEAD: Can't you just see it? We're sitting in the afternoon sunlight at the table, her hair perfectly braided, me showered and dressed. She practices drawing a "5" and exclaims with joy at her new found skills. We laugh, full of knowledge and the thrill of discovery.
REALITY: Mom, I don't want to do my math book. I want to color in my princess coloring book. Mom, that's not how I want to do it (because I'm obviously coloring the picture in wrong). Mom, can you get Gretchen out of here?
So we play.
Ella - When is snack time at this kindergarten?
Me - Kindergarten is for big kids, and it's not long enough for snack time. We don't have snack time in kindergarten.
Ella - (pause...) Well they should.
Me - Well, are you sick of coloring? Do you want to have recess now?
Ella - Yeah. I'm going to play with Pretend Kyle.
(Five minutes later, when Ella is frustrated and sitting on the floor...)
Me - What's wrong, you want to work together on something?
Ella - No, Fake Kyle doesn't want to play.
Luckily she has a playdate with Real Kyle tomorrow. She's super excited. I'm sure he'll want to play the whole time, and not be all moody and demanding like that annoying Fake Kyle.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Strict Standards
Ella is home sick today (not that we had anywhere to go, that's the glory of Summer!!!) She's trying to pick out a movie to watch, but it's hard. There's so many reasons NOT to watch a movie.
Monsters Inc. - The Secretary is mean and slams the thing down on the green guy's hand. That's mean.
Toy Story - The neighbor boy is mean and the weird toys are scary.
The Incredibles - The big ball and the big monster are scary.
Nemo - Cause of the big white shark.
The Polar Express - No Thank you.
Elf - She doesn't like that he eats the gum off the railing. That's gross.
She really really REALLY want's to watch Mary Poppins, but we can't find it. ARGHHHH!
Monsters Inc. - The Secretary is mean and slams the thing down on the green guy's hand. That's mean.
Toy Story - The neighbor boy is mean and the weird toys are scary.
The Incredibles - The big ball and the big monster are scary.
Nemo - Cause of the big white shark.
The Polar Express - No Thank you.
Elf - She doesn't like that he eats the gum off the railing. That's gross.
She really really REALLY want's to watch Mary Poppins, but we can't find it. ARGHHHH!
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