The New Jeffrey John John

One of the projects Jeff has had to keep him busy and in an effort to keep Kaden in our backyard more.

A Costco Teeter-Totter Helicopter. What's funner than that?

So the bottom line is Jeff no longer has a job. As of around June 1st he was done and has been a stay-at-home dad ever since. (I hate those terms, "stay-at-home" mom/dad. What does that mean anyway? We might not earn money for the work that we do but in a sense we all are stay-at-home parents. Anyway, just a personal annoying politically correct term that would have never been used in Laura Ingalls time. She would have said, "you're a what?")

ANYWAY... Jeff not having a job is a good thing for those of you who are having a panic attack on our behalf. Breath. He is happy. It's a relief. He is out of his stressful, toxic box. His bosses Eli and Rebecca who I call Lehi and Sariah (but for real are the farthest thing from any righteous Book of Mormon character, but they're Jewish so I guess they're similar in that way) they were not allowing Jeff to do the work he was hired to do and it slowly became a bad/sad place for Jeff to be. He is home now. I was a bit worried because usually Jeff is very ready to go back to work come Sunday night. He enjoys work. He needs to be needed and kept busy. He likes to be in charge. But the best news of it all is that after the 1st weird day of having him home and having him pace around nervously wondering what to do with himself, he has now jumped right in with both feet and embraced this time. He and Kaden are the "dynamo duo." They go on walks, to the park and do lots of projects together. They've been working in the yard and most importantly Jeff is able to just relax in his lawn-chair and watch Kaden play. Finally Kaden is being 100% monitored. Jeff is thrilled to be the one to do it. It's been so nice to have another adult around the house. I've been freed up to do errands ALONE or just stay a little more on top of the laundry etc. I've already told Jeff that I could really get used to having a 2nd adult around to be my "helper" and maybe when he does go back to work I might need to hire a nanny to take his place because I'll have learned to function so nicely with one. Yesterday he volunteered at Adyson's class party. He went there and the teacher looked at him with his shorts, facial hair, sunglasses and baseball hat and asked him who he was. When he said that he was Ady's dad she was so embarrassed. Jeff came back before it started to get a folding table and some other things. He was so proud as he was gathering things saying, "I am a room mom." He also went on a fun field trip with Adyson's class a few weeks ago to Alki beach. They went wading through the tide pools there. It's been so great for him to branch out and really get involved with his children. He's been very happy and the kids have been enjoying having him around too.

Do you like Kaden's outfit? Jammie top and undies... it's the latest craze in these parts.

Emmy and her friends having their version of a lemonade stand. Do ya think we need to work on her money-making skills?

Ya, and check out Jeff lounging while he's managing the water stand. It's a good day for Jeff.

We're not sure what the next step is for Jeff job-wise but we do know that we are going to be having THE BEST summer ever. We've never had a FULL family vacation longer than a week with Jeff. Either he has had to come late or leave early. So, we are going on a 1 month long vacation... we're doing the ultimate travel across America. We'll be flying out to New York this Thursday, June 18th (at 6:45 am no less) and we'll stay with Jeff's family in Buffalo and Rochester for a week. We'll then drive to NYC, and then Washington DC. In DC we'll pick up an RV from a family who lives here and drive the RV home for them to WA by way of Gettysburg, PA; Kirkland,OH; Sandusky, OH; Shipshewana, IN; Chicago, IL; Nauvoo, IL; Hannibal, MO; St. Louis, MO; Independence, MO; Omaha, NE; Scottsbluff, NE; Rapid City, SD, Cody, WY and end up at Yellowstone National Park. The only problem is we wish we had a week longer with Jeff's family and we wish we had a week longer to travel the country. Because of needing to get the RV back we have a time crunch and will only be able to have it for 3 weeks... but we'll be gone for 1 month total, maybe we'll be ready for our own beds by that time anyway. BUT, we are jittery with excitement. We can't wait to be together as a family and make great memories. If you don't see any new blogs from us until the middle of July let me assure you that we are fine. We'll have some great stories to share that will fill up many blog posts. Hopefully you'll be seeing some world class photography from us that will make you feel like you were along for the ride. Sit tight and brace yourself for our return.

After our trip Jeff will dive into finding a new job a little more seriously. But, in the mean time we are going to milk this opportunity for all it's worth and look at it as a blessing.

Jeff's first day home the kids were enjoying eating breakfast with him and talking about what his next job should be. They came up with many good ideas. Here they are plus some other family members:

Emmy--He should be an ice cream man. All the kids would love him and our family would get ice cream for FREE. or have a lemonade stand... sell 2 cups for 5 dollars.

Adyson-- An exercise trainer. He will go to people's houses and ask them if they want to go on a long walk with him. He gives them snacks and helps them do sit-ups and push-ups. He charges $20.00 a day.

Maryn-- A construction worker who builds houses... because he looks like a construction worker.

Marcia--Own a car wash. It has good hours and it's closed when it's raining... so around here that would be a lot.

Jeff-- a landscaper.

Marianne (sister-in-law)-- A Little Caesar's dance/sign holder. He'll lose weight, dance everyday AND earn money all at the same time.

Lorey (sister)--A Walmart greeter.

I think anyone of those ideas are great. They all would free him up to be home more and they would get him out in the community while still using his many skills.

Stay tuned in to our blog so you can keep up with our wild life and fun summer!!!

us and our surroundings

We have this little friendly woodpecker that wakes us up nearly every morning. To have an incessant pecking sound rattle your brain when you still have an hour to sleep is a bit annoying. It eats off this tree in the "greenbelt" in our backyard. It sure is a pretty bird though. We are very grateful to be living in such a beautiful place on earth. So much wildlife around us and so much green. We would appreciate if the wildlife could keep their noises down until the humans are awake. We need to work out some arrangements that are good for all of us if we're going to be living so close together.

Adyson is just scrumptious. She's wanting to grow her bangs out during the summer.... such a long process. What is your opinion on the matter? She's wearing Kaden's shirt and sweats here. Ady's taking after her mom in many ways that I think are wonderful. I've started to notice something else she's doing that is just like me... she needs a little treat in the late afternoon. She comes to me and asks, "Mom, do you have a little treat that I could have?" or "Mom, I'm needing a little piece of chocolate or something." So cute. I just wish I could stay as skinny as Ady when I have my little treats.
Kaden loves to be a boy. Instead of putting his "awesome" spider man stickers on the hardwood floor I told him to find somewhere else to put them. He picked his tummy!
One night I was doing my routine check on all the kids before going to bed. I could not find Maryn anywhere. I around for her then decided to finish checking on the others before I got mad at Maryn for hiding and watching t.v. or something. (Why would I assume that she would do a thing like that?) When I went to check on Kaden this is what I found... my big 12 year old girl sleeping in her brother's crib with him. (sssshhhh... don't tell Kaden it's not cool to be 3 1/2 and still be sleeping in a crib.) I don't know why Maryn thought it would be fun to be all squished up like that.

Emmy woke up one day and couldn't ride a bike and went to bed that night riding like a pro. I took the kids to the church parking lot a few months back and she caught on quick. Now she rides up and down the street like the neighborhood cheerleader. Also, her bottom 2 teeth got lose finally. She didn't want to twist those teeth out so Maryn layed her down on the couch, got dental floss and pulled Emmy's teeth out. Personally, I think that's disgusting, but I was glad that Maryn did it so I didn't have to. Anyway, when Emmy got her money the next day she was so thrilled thinking that her dollar and lose change were a lot of money. She asked Jeff, "Dad, is that how you got all of your money for this house is because you lost ALL of your teeth?" A child's way of thinking is so innocent.

Memorial Day 2009

On Memorial Day we went 1 1/2 hours from here to Northwest Trek, an animal preserve place. It's at the base of Mt. Rainier so very beautiful. It was a step above going to the zoo in feeling like we were actually seeing the animals in the wild. Northwest Trek has 5 miles of walking trails where we observed animals from upper and lower observation decks. We felt like we were very very close to all the animals... we were. Our protection were the streams and deep ravines and electric fences separating us and the animals. We saw many more animals than just the pictures I have posted... I don't want to do a wild animal report here, but the bottom line is that we were amazed. It was great and majestic to see these creatures roaming and be reminded WHO created them and us all. It always fascinates me to be see the many many different and unique kinds of creatures that share this earth with us.

This first one was by the wolves. It was dead of course, enclosed in a case and had some significance like it was the first wolf found on Mt. Rainer or it guided the Indians somewhere or it lived at the old Trapper's cabin on location. I can't remember what was so neat about this wolf but it was something.

We're watching out for the Cougar here somewhere... never did see it.

This grizzly, with it's lady friend were minding their old business, playing and pacing back and forth until this woman came up beside us chomping her warm bag of popcorn. It was like this bear had that yummy popcorn scent in it's nostrils like we all get when we smell popcorn. It stopped playing and showed it's tongue and teeth, smacking it's lips. It startled us because I bet if it was really motivated it could hurtle the electric fence and stream and ravine to get that popcorn. We learned that bears smelling scent is 70 times stronger than a dog. It can smell a dead animal over 30 miles away. Yikes. It wanted that popcorn! By the way, the camera isn't on zoom or anything. You're looking at the bear actually how close it really was to us.

Here's a nice, cute black bear like those that live around us. They are strictly plant eating bears, not mean and ferocious like the mostly meat-eating grizzlies you hear scary stories of.

This was the cutest owl ever. Look at those furry feat.

Here's some strange looking animals we saw sitting around on a stump begging for food.

We took a 1 hour tram ride and saw lots of animals in the fields, hills, wetlands etc.

Look at that Bison's tongue. There were so many of these. One Bison along the ride got in the road and would not budge. We had to just sit and wait a few minutes for it to move.

Lots of baby Bison around too.

The antlers are furry because they are growing in. They all lose their antlers in the fall and the fur protects them until they are all the way grown in again in the Spring. We noticed that some of the antlers weren't growing even on both sides. The tour guide told us that the girl Elk/moose/deer don't like it when the antlers aren't matching on both sides. It's not manly. The poor fellas have to wait until next year to grow a handsome set of antlers to attract a lady.

Bald Eagles.

Great day. Fun day. Nice to be with the family but especially nice because it was a deliciously warm and sunny day. We treasure the sun around here. Too bad we can't save it in a bottle to bring it out when we need a little cheer. We are kind of used to partial sun/mostly cloudy here, but the Spring time we do get antsy for warmness. It was beautiful.