Our Latest and Greatest

Here are Jooge and Avery about a year ago. I'm relying on old photographs because our camera is away at the shop hopefully being restored to working order.

My parents popped up yesterday for some time with us. My husband and I took a much-needed "date afternoon" which we filled with a tasty lunch (oh my gosh we had the BEST salad with strawberries and spinich and candied walnuts!!!) and some browsing at a book store. We are getting a new computer and I am beyond pumped. My husband made Mole for us all for dinner with this radish/onion/lime juice side salad. Oh my gosh, so tasty. We also booked my parents for a weekend away for the two of us in March. Lucky us. It's so important to do and the last overnight getaway we took together was probably when we went and stayed at a cabin on Mount Hood when I was pregnant with Avery.

Last night we also watched Little Miss Sunshine, which I've been wanting to see forever. I thought it was brilliant. I was laughing/crying at the very end. I'm always surprised by that kind of reaction, the pure intensity of being moved to laugh and cry all at once. I have only ever done it one other time when watching a movie. But we really enjoyed it. And the soundtrack was really good. I especially loved the song at the very end by Sufjan Stevens. I love that band.

Julia's cheek is healing fine. Both kids are doing some really amusing things these days. Like Jooge when she watches something will get such a bang out of it she will just burst out in a huge laugh. I love hearing her do that. I love that she's establishing a sense of humor. She is always hearty about expressing any emotion but the humor is the best. Lately there's been lots of tandem trips to the potty. I will hear,"I have to go potty, Bub, come on!" and feel a mixture of "No prob" and "Hmm...will there be funny business?" Avery is now also saying, "I have to go potty" and she actually goes. When I read them a book and say the author, Jooge will say, "Is she a girl or a boy?"(This happens every time without fail). Now Avery is also doing it too, right after her sister: " Ishegiraboy?" Funny. They've both got coughs and diarrhea, never a welcome guest. Avery is Miss Independent, which makes my job a challenge when it's time to put her in the carseat or help her get dressed.

We sent our mini-swap off last week. It was a lot of fun, combining my creative impulse to make stuff and my love of putting together stuff for someone else. Melissa was kind and took a photo of our stuff when it came. The dino was a project I also made for Jooge for Christmas. It's pretty rich when it's done but the stuffing part is laborious. (Is that a word?) We are eagerly awaiting our package from she and Sam. You can see a picture of what they are sending us here. It looks sooo good! We can't wait. I am excited about everything (check out that butterfly bag! Jooge is going to flip!) but especially can't wait to see the book Snowy and Chinook. It looks ADORABLE and I've never seen it before.

We've been trying to get outside daily for sanity checks now that winter is in full swing. I read an article in Wondertime magazine by Richard Louv and then my Sun came and there was another article that was even longer and better about Louv, focusing on the importance of time in nature for kids. He has written a book about how our kids are nature deficient. I know that being out in nature makes everything better for us.

My aunt Mary reminded me that Ikea's walls have been erected in Portland. Pretty pleased with that possibility. Though my husband "hates Ikea" we are not out of cheap furniture mode around here.

So that's our latest and greatest for now. Happy Monday!