another holiday

Did any know this was a holiday?

Sept 30 - Ask a Stupid Question Day!

i guess if we can have talk like a pirate day we can have anything!

Indy's Chair

This was originally supposed to be Chris's new playstation chair. It didn't work out that way. He likes to sit in it and watch the telly or the visualization on window's media player!

Flowery

Chris took this picture of Indiana and I at the park last week. With the rain coming down and the world looking a little grey today, I thought the nice sunny, flowery, cheery picture might be a nice pick me up! (I sure am looking forward to joining weight watchers! I look forward to my pictures this time next year being half this size! I have a 65 pound goal. I think that should be attainable.) Oh, and yeah, Indy loves his carrier. You can face him forward of backwards. When he is tired, facing him to my chest while we walk gives him a nice nap. If he is wide awake, facing him out to the world thrills him.

Subway Power!

We went and got Subway Sandwiches for dinner because our entire neighborhood (about a 45 block area) had no power (complete blackout) for almost 5 hours. From 4 pm to 9 pm it was dark. No street lights, no signal lights, no police out directing traffic. It was rather chaotic. The nice thing I can say was that our apartment complex could use a few more black outs. All of the neighbors were out on their porches and in the breezeways. A few of us went around our building and made sure that everyone had candles or flashlights for the duration, even checking on the one neighbor we always call the police on (many of you have see the pictures I posted about their cleanliness, but honestly, in the dark everyone should be accounted for). When the power finally came back on a cheer went up, everyone went back inside, and there are some of these neighbors whom I wont see again until the next blackout. If our power was off for a few hours every month, maybe our neighborhood would be safer, maybe we would all get along better, or maybe I would only recognize my neighbors when the sun went down.

Uncle Nihm's birthday

Happy Birthday!

We all love you Jimmie.

Dakota's dad turned ?? today (i know but i wont tell!)

Couple of Updates

Chris is handling this very well. He has made the arrangements to take the day off work for his tests up at the VA medical center in Portland on October 21. Unfortunately he wont be able to get his tests done until then. Because he was wounded in the army he has Health Insurance thru the veterans administration. They are so overloaded it takes forever to get anything done.

Yesterday I talked to my mom about Chris's heart problem. She was really supportive and it helped me so much to talk to her. I also talked to Melody. Wasn't sure if I should because of her losing her brother to a heart problem back in April. However, I am glad that I did because she called her parents and asked them to put Chris on their prayer chain. I appreciate all the support, Chris does as well.

Jessica is supposed to come over today and we are going to load the strollers up with babies and baby gear and walk up to the State offices in old town. We are going to get Jessica's paperwork turned in so that she can have her daycare provider payed by the state (that's me! Hooray extra money is always good... With our budget the money from us caring for Zac will put us in the black. No more making half payments and overdrawing the bank account!)

Its official. The baby gates have to go up next pay day. I went to the bathroom yesterday and when I came back Indiana was on the other side of the room! He didn't crawl, more like rolled, but that means he can get around, and that means its time to block offthe kitchen! I think that's about all i will do, all the plug ins are either in use, or blocked by furniture. my plants arent poisonous (I dont think) and the furniture is all heavy and he cant pull it onto himself. Oh, and I am going to put one of those door knob thingies on the bathroom door, so he cant get in there.

Zachary

Jessica's little boy is a doll.
I have been babysitting him a week now.
We had to get the Gator picture!

I still say Go DUCKS!

VA Doc

Ever since we were at Chris's annual check up yesterday (at the veterans clinic in Salem)I have been trying to figure out how to post this. Past doctors from the VA clinic have noted abnormally high pulse rates before, but they have always shrugged it off, in the way that the veteran's admin often does. The new doc he saw this year was aghast when she heard that all we have been told to do is track his pulse rate (his blood pressure is suprisingly normal). She wants to put him on a heart monitor because she believes he is regularly experiencing small heart attacks. She can find no cause for his resting pulse rate to be running over 100 consitantly, and then for no discernible reason dipping into the 50s (causing pain to radiate, and sometimes dizziness, fatigue, or momentary weakness) before speeding right back up to 100+. For those of you who may not know, Chris is just 25 years old. We are all pretty nervous now, and if you have ever dealt with the VA medical system you will know that they don't do anything with any speed what so ever! They aren't even doing his blood work until next month! (on the 21st of October). So, now it is a waiting game and we hope he is ok. Chris told me last night that as he told his father on the phone he almost cried as he told Jerry. I am trying desperately not to cry as I write this. Indiana and I need Chris. We love him. So, please, everyone, pray, cross your fingers, telekinesis, whatever you can. I will keep everyone informed as Veteran's slowly works to hopefully fix whatever is wrong.

Indy weighs in!

Indiana weighs in as of 330p yesterday (9-26-05) at:

Eighteen (18) pounds Six (6) ounces!!

Indy's floor

Indiana loves being on the floor and rolling around. He scoots and rolls all around so I hem him in with pillows and the gator. He rolls on the blanket with his toys and chats at them.
Very soon we will have to think about putting up baby gates. I am not sure how much child proofing we will be doing. With Dakota we were minimalist for child proofing, doing only the major "could kill him" dangers. I think I will do the same with Indiana. I am not wrapping my coffee table in bubble wrap. I think people who do are crazy, and should seek help.

Baby Pictures

Dakota at 18 months. Indiana at 4 months.

Visitors

Just fiddlin with an old kick pic!

Dakota and his dad came by, played x box, had fun killing each other!! I love seeing Dakota. His birthday party was today, and tomorrow when Chris gets paid we are going out to buy a few late gifts for him. I feel old, my son is a teenager! How did that happen!?!

Mystery!

Does anyone know what kind of bird this is? The photo is poor, but it has GIANT feet, and its legs have a greenish tint. It lives in Waverly Lake here in Albany, Oregon. It really is kind of homely, living side by side as it does with our big grey geese.

Aflac

This friendly (and I am sure hungry) white duck came up to us and just posed and modeled for us! We took several pictures of the little darling, until he realized we had not brought any bread for him to eat and he wandered away. There is a local bakery store that sells week-old "duck" bread in large grocery bags for a dollar. Many, many locals buy it and feed the ducks and geese as they walk through the park so the majority of the ducks will just come right up (often in a swarm!)and beg for their hand-outs!

Walk About

I heard, sometime back, the term "walk about" (I think it was actually in the movie "crocodile Dundee" ... Sad, huh). Anyways I always liked the sound of it. I like to "walk about" now as a way to lose weight. I have started to leave the digital camera in on of the many handy zipper pockets that are on our stroller. Today we captured some of the beauty of my hometown. This one was taken at the city park that is only 3 blocks from home. It has a nice paved walking trail all the way around it, and a dock that in the summer-time has pedal boats for rent. If you look closely at the picture you may notice a blue heron out on the floating dock. For the end of September the weather is great! Blue Skies, 69 degrees (Fahrenheit), and a nice mild breeze; Perfect for a stroll.

X-Box

We are playstation2 people. I dont know how it happened, but it happened. Our friend is an X-Box person. So, we are borrowing! She has some neat games, and we intend to spend the rest of our day glued to the video games. We earned it, we walked for 2 hours!! (from almost one to a little after 3) I think a call to Dakota is in order, see if he wants to come down and play. I know that playing games with your mom when you are 13 probably isnt the height of cool, nor on the top of his to-do list, but a mother can dream!

I am A Brash American

It has oft been said that Americans are brash and brutish when they are abroad in Europe. I am as proud of being American as I am supposed to be, but I know that when it comes down to it, how many languages do I know!?! How many languages does my son know!?!

http://babelfish.altavista.com

Problem Solved!

You see, there is this great young man in the Netherlands who's blog I have been enjoying. He has some neat photos of the Netherlands, and things that are probably ordinary to him, but are interesting to me. I couldn't read a word of it though! That was a bummer. Until I found the babelfish. Next time you find an interesting website, but find your brash American-ness showing thru, finding yourself with only one language, and it ISN'T the one you need to read the page you want...Try babelfish. Thanks men-a-men, I am enjoying your site much more now with a translator!!

Technical Difficulties, again.

So, this time it isn't a wacky template. This time, for some reason, I am forced into using hello to upload photos. (thus explaining why the two previous entries don't have fun sizes or placement) For some odd reason when I use blogger to upload a photo it doesn't upload. I follow all the steps, browsing thru my camera card until I find what I want, then selecting it and clicking upload. Nothing could be simpler. EXCEPT, when I click upload I receive a white blank window that does nothing no matter how long I let it sit there. I hope the hole thing is broken and not just me. Misery love company you know.

Play Date

Indiana Does Not Play Well With Others
It isn't that Indiana Doesn't play well, its that he is just learning how to play. He seems to think that Zach is yet another toy that really needs its batteries removed!

Indy will grab ahold of one of Zach's hands and show it in his mouth, or he will role over onto Zach, or kick at him (not trying to hit him, they just get too close together and Indy gets excited). So, now that I am Zach's regular babysitter I must keep an even closer eye on my big monster!

MyKia's rampage!

Look out Braille!! I have always said that one day my mom's flame point Siamese was going to get sick of Braille, the blind cat's, crap!! This arrived in my email and it looks so much like my vision that I had to share it, besides, its funny. (Braille will follow MyKia thru the yard and pounce on him, or nip his ear when he is napping... MyKia has been long suffering. So far.

Bathers

Often times when Chris gets home from work (after his shower) he will sit in the tub with Indy. Indiana LOVES the big boy bath tub. We only used the infant tub with him once, and he hated it. In the regular bath tub he gets to kick and play and have a ball. The only thing he doesn't like about the big boy tub is getting out of it!!

Vegetation

Indiana enjoys all manner of Vegetation. Geneva and Duecie were kind enough to give us a few wonderful new plants. I just hope we can keep Indiana from using them as snack food!

Dakota

Today is Dakota's birthday!

Happy 13th.

I will post some embarrassing baby photos of him soon!

We Love you!

Picture of the Day

We love the gator! Indiana took his nap atop it today, and we use it as a "boppy" pillow too. He leans against it to sit up. He has also started to chew on its feet and grab at its tail! Indiana has even added to the collection of drool that Dakota left behind.

Puddin' Pop

Chocolate Pudding should be a food group!
Daddy made chocolate pudding and Indiana got his first several tastes. He seems to approve of his dads culinary skills. Aargh. Don't forget to talk like a pirate! (only one hour left of international talk like a pirate day!)

Johnny jump Up

The nice thing about a Johnny Jump Up is that sometimes we get an Indy all Jumped Out! Indiana had so much fun in his jumper that he just "crashed and burned" hanging in the doorway!! Wore himself out, poor little beggar. A little later in the evening, with the Beatles in the background, he and I laid on the bed together with the alligator (hey Dakota does that gator have a name or is it just gator?). Indy curled up with me and fell asleep. No rocking required. A handful of my shirt, a handful of gator snout and some snores to be proud of. All this sleep usually means a nice growth spurt. He doesn't go back to the doctor again until November, and I refuse to get on a scale, so I don't know how big he is. I guess I can break out the tape measure sometime soon, and get Chris on the scale with him! For now, the house is quiet. Chris and Indy are sitting in the recliner. The television isn't even on.
I think I am going to take advantage of this and find my book. (I am rereading Dean Koontz's "Taken"... It's good, but then, All of his books are good! One day I hope to own all of his books, for now I think I have 15 of them.)

Gator Chomp

Dakota gave up his alligator! Stunning, I know, but he gave it to Indy!! Indiana already likes it, he lays on it, and we use it to prop him up into a sitting position for TV, too!

Otter Pops

Blue Otter Pop popsicles don't come off baby very well, he's going to look like a smurf for a few days! But he LOVED it.

The romance continues

Scary stuff, these two are starting to look like a sweet little family. In reality this is the "third" date, and the first time they held hands! It is going so well. Chris seems to be 1-0 in the Cupid arena! The only catch so far is Indiana is not liking giving up HIS girlfriend!!

Another Day at the Beach!

A shocking picture of momma and Indy on the beach! Shocking because I am not on that side of the camera very often! It was a beautiful day! Mid sixties and sunny, with clear skies and a high tide! We couldn't have had a better outing!! Indiana took of his shoes and dipped his toes in the ocean, then we filmed him walking thru the sand and wiggling his toes in it! He loves the beach!

It's a National Holiday!

Don't forget that tomorrow (Monday the 19th of September) is Geneva's birthday

(that's Dakota's paternal grandmother) !

It is also:

International Talk Like A Pirate Day!

Aquarium

I am off to bed. But wanted to get that final post of the night/early morning put on here. Around 930am we will be heading off to Newport, Oregon. We are going to visit the aquarium, the beach, and I am sure the shops, too! Last time we went over (its about an hour drive... Give or take) Papa Harley was here, and Indiana enjoyed the aquarium so much Chris and I bought a membership. He loved the cool air outside, and the shark tubes enthralled him inside. (in this photo we were inside a shark tunnel and he couldn't take his eyes off the sharks swimming overhead) He also seemed to like the enormous tank of Jellys. This time if it isn't too crowded I think I am going to have him visit the "touch tank". That is a neat exhibit where you can feel the different marine things (such as a star fish or a sea anemone). He is right at the age where he notices different textures and enjoys comparing them. He pets kitties and doggies, and he loves the fluffy pillows in stores.

Slacker

Are you easily distracted? I freely admit that I am one of those people who walks into the kitchen, looks around, and walks back out. Unsure why I went in there to begin with, until I sit down and realize I still don't have that bottle of water I was after. That is my excuse for not show-casing Indiana the last few days. That, and the fact that he looks the same every day. I always take pictures everyday, they aren't always worth sharing though. These two are worth sharing for sure! I cropped them down to just show the sheer joy on his handsome little face.

Baby Ducky

The other day I mentioned getting a baby picture of Dakota into the computer. I gave my mom the album and she cleaned the scratches out of this one. This was always one of my favorites. Looking at my boys with pride, all I can say is "I really do have the handsomest sons!" (and I am not at all humble!) They also seem to look a little bit like each other.

Update on the PIGS

To update the piggie situation. I have again emailed our central office with new pictures. Today I went out the front door to get the mail and discovered a ripped up box and a broken down old plastic laundry basket on my porch. Well, on their porch, but they share with me! (the torn up carpet on the left is their "welcome mat" and I am standing at my front door to take this picture) So , I went out back to check it out, and its only gotten worse. They have been asked to clean up by the tenants, now I just hope the property managers care enough to demand it!

What recourse do I really have?

Have you ever had money STOLEN? Money you NEEDED for other things? Like bills? When you find that someone has stolen your money (taken it without proper authorization) what can you actually do about it?

So here's the story:

Our local paper sucks. I knew that, I should have listened to my husband. (don't tell him I said that!) He used to work there, he KNEW. But I subscribed anyways. I like getting a local paper. So, the paper was due to start on the 13th. The money came out of my account on the 13th. No paper. on the 14th I get a paper. on the 15th I get a paper. ON the 15th they take the money out of my bank. AGAIN. Now, I know that the subscription rate is not that much money, but due to some recent purchases, I need every dime. I budgeted us down to the last $5. So with them stealing my money, I will over draw the bank when the car insurance clears. Instead of five bucks to spare (after all the bills were paid and the groceries bought and the diapers bought and the van gassed up to full) I will be negative 7 which will also cast me a 27 dollar overdraft fee!! 27 dollars is 3 hours of work for my husband!

Should I go down there and start yelling?

Should I call them on the phone and start crying?

Should I tell them THEY SUCK AND I WANT MY MONEY?

what recourse do I really have other than to accept their thievery and pay the fees? Its not like I have the cash to get an attorney over 11 dollars.

Finally!

For some reason, Jessica didnt send me the picture of her Zach sitting on our Indy's lap. So, I went to her website, stole it, fixed the red eye, and TaaDaa here it is!

Something Happy!

So, after two posts of ranting about my awful new neighbors, I wanted to post something Happy. Something Sweet. Something, well, Indiana! (I sent an album of pictures to my mom to have her scan some baby pictures of Dakota's into the computer so I can post some of them... Just more proof on how handsome my babies are!)

Little more whining

RE: the previous post.
To explain this picture: we and any of our guests park at the curb just to the left of the stroller that the neighbors leave half on the sidewalk.
None of this trash was here before they moved in. How embarrassing for us when our guests have to pass this to get to our door (we are to the right, down a passage way so our door cant be seen in this picture).

RANTING

I just have to scream! The worst neighbors EVER moved in next door. In an apartment complex full of lousy neighbors, these girls are the WORST! Sure, one weird neighbor knocked on the door in the middle of the night asking for change. And one neighbor constantly borrows things. And one neighbor sits on his porch and drinks himself stupid nightly. I like those neighbors comparatively. Here's the deal: One girl (aged 19) and her one year old daughter signed a lease on the studio apartment that is directly next to mine. There are 3 girls living there (ages 19, 20 and 21) and 2 children. It's a STUDIO... One room with a kitchenette and a bathroom!! You have to pass my apartment to get to their front door, or I have to pass their apartment to get to my back door. We primarily use the back door for coming and going for ease of parking. (There are 17 units in my building and only 8 parking spaces out front... Thus we use the back) Not only do I have to go over and pound on their door every other day (seriously, sometimes every day and occasionally more than once per day) to ask them to turn down the music that is rattling my walls, my pictures, and waking my baby, but they think that their apartment extends to my front door and my back door. They smoke in front of my door, or sitting in my lawn chair in front of my living room window. They have trash and dirty laundry STREWN all over the outside by their back door. So, when my mom comes today she says "hey did you leave this stuff out here!?!" Of course I didn't. I have to clean up their damn cigarette butts from out front 3 times per week. It is so embarrassing and nasty out there that I am charging the batteries in the camera so I can send pictures to the property managers in Coburg. They constantly leave their 6 year old girl out in the front of the building playing alone with no supervision for HOURS while they sleep or whatever with the doors closed during the day. They do not even have windows facing the area she is playing in. (People wonder how little girls get snatched. That's how!) They leave their crap in front of my front door, so when I go out front to check the mail I have to step over their children's toys to get out my front door! They have parties twice per week, where they get roaring drunk (minors) with the kids there. Another neighbor has called the police on them numerous times. They have lived here one month. Our on site manager seems not to care. He says he wants to leave his position because he doesn't want to baby sit, that we should be able to handle our problems ourselves. Of Course he is the idiot that rented to this bunch in the first place. He seems not to care that she is ruining the environment here for all of us, as well as violating the terms of her lease by having so many people there. I have talked to them and talked to them. I am tired of cleaning up after my neighbors, but I refuse to let their inconsiderate behavior turn my home into a slum.

Rat Pack

Arguably the only thing I like more than a good old beatles tune is a GREAT old Dean Martin one! I LOVE the Rat Pack. A&E is showing a wonderful biography of the Rat Pack, and its pretty interesting. About Sinatra, Martin, Davis, Lawford, & Bishop, as well as Curtis, Marilyn, Reagan, and the Kennedy's. It's Las Vegas, its California & Hollywood. Its Washington. Again I am showing my love of the 50s (oh and the early sixties), but wow. What a crew. LONG LIVE THE RAT PACK!!

He's A Keeper!

Perhaps it is pride.

But i believe it is well founded pride.

I just have handsome babies.

Google Blog Search

Check out www.blogsearch.google.com
finally, a search engine that showcases us bloggers!
Thanks Google!!

More info

I have never posted a picture of Dakota in his Tae Kwon Do stuff before (see post below). That's a BLACK belt he is wearing! He earned it last summer. I am very proud of him for being dedicated enough to achieve it! Anyways, it has Gold embroidery, with his name and then some Korean writing which he says he doesn't know what means. I keep asking. I don't know if its specific to him, or if all black belts say the same thing? (anyone know? ) So, I just had to point out that BLACK belt! If anyone knows what a Tae Kwon Do black belt says on it (if it isn't individual specific... Or if it is tell me it is) I would love to know!

(edit: I tried to make the word black , well, black. It didn't work, so red will have to do!)

Little Bit Early

So, We talked it over, and Dakota got to come down and get the expensive part of his birthday gift today. We were going to give him guild wars, but David gave it to him, so we got him the new PS2 game, Flatout. We had his try it out here, so we could check it out, too! Indiana has a couple of small gifts for Dakota, but those he has to wait until his birthday. Dakota also told us that due to scheduling conflicts his birthday will be on the 25th this year. I think I will still let him have the rest of his gifts on the 21st. After all, that is his real birthday.

That "move it" Disease

I couldn't help it.

I wonder if there is a twelve step program?

I get possessed sometimes.

I have no excuse.

I moved all the furniture around in the nursery. It looked fine before. But I couldn't help myself. Its like obsessive compulsive, I swear. I cant change the living room anymore, all our crap only comfortably fits one way, so when I change it, its a crowded mess, ditto our bedroom. Poor Indy, his room becomes the object of my compulsions. When I was done, I walked in there with him (and mind you I did this at 1030pm); he looked at his bed (in its new spot) and his saucer (which didn't get moved) and just kept looking back and forth. I think he was confused. I am a terrible mother.

umm...

Chris and I went to dinner at Applebees (all you can eat riblets and fries are only $12.99). Donkey kept Indiana and gave Chris and I a chance to be a couple for an hour or so. Sadly, we actually couldn't think of anything to say that wasn't the usual stuff that we say to each other. You know the routine... "How was work?"..."Fine, how was the baby today?"..."Fine, what do you want for dinner?"..."I don't know". That's about it. The most interesting thing going on for us today was that Chris's cartoons weren't on when they were supposed to be, so he didn't get to see Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonball Z. I mean yeah we have the regular problems of a family that is living paycheck to paycheck, but really if the worst thing in a persons day is missing a cartoon program on the telly, then life isn't all that bad.

In Memoriam

It has been four years. We all remember where we were and what we were doing when we heard the news. I remember the phone call, and the disbelief as I sat and watched. My sons will never live in the safe world that I envision for them. I often comment that I wish I had been raised in the fifties. I want that innocence. I want to live in a world where you can leave your doors unlocked, where you can trust your neighbor, and believe in our president! I wish for my children a better world than what they have received from us. We cant hide our heads, we can not live in fear. Where are all the good people in the world, and why aren't they standing together in outrage? We must FIGHT back for our children. Yes, for all children, but for MY children. I guess the real hope now is that our kids do a better job taking care of the world, and each other than we have done.

Surprise Guests

Today we went to see Melody's new house. It's nice!! When we got home there was a knock at the door and three welcome smiling faces. Macy and Kenny brought Dakota by! Dakota and Indiana played together in Indy's room for a while, and Kenny taunted macy with baby throw up. I think this is the first time Indy didn't share his food with her. It was a nice visit. Dakota actually told me how school was going, and what is coming up for him. Getting him to talk can be hard. But, his birthday is in just 10 days, so maybe he is trying to score points. Anyways, Later still we went over to Jessica's to visit. She has tomorrow off work, so will be coming over again. She is looking forward to the weekend when we go to the coast with Daniel.

Six months

Its been six months since we married, and neither of us regret it yet!

Jessica Smooching!

Well, the dinner went well. She likes him, and he must like her a little because he agreed to another outing! This time to the beach with Jessica, Chris, Indy, Zach and I next weekend! Jessica got in some smooching, but it was all with Indiana! Jessica is Indiana's number one girl! I know I had a nice time. Chris's chili was as good as always, and the company was great. Jessica was so quiet, and shy acting, it was so cute. I noticed that they were doing the subtle "looking at each other when they aren't looking" and trying not to get caught at it. He tells Chris he likes her, too. So, we are going to continue to do things together so they can get to know each other, and see what happens! I have my fingers crossed for them.

Dinner companions

Today: Chris works with a fellow named Daniel. He is coming to dinner this evening. (Chris made chili... He started it at 6am) Daniel seems to be a nice guy, has a decent job and is on the above average side of nice looking. So, we invited Jessica to come, too. It sounds like they are both nervous, but I keep saying it isn't a blind date. Its just dinner at our house. Jessica was upset that I had no pictures of Daniel to show her. I guess I will have to take one tonight. hehe better late than never! An update on how Chris's Cupid bit works later tonight.

Comment Spammers SUCK

I apologize to everyone, but I turned on word verification on comments. I know that its an extra step, and kind of a pain in the butt, however about 15 minutes ago I posted a new picture and got two spam comments on it in less than 10 minutes. So, from now on you all will have to take that extra step. Some people just suck.

Smile, or not.

I have heard it said that every crow thinks his own is the blackest. Too true. I think Indiana is just a doll. Both of my sons are exceedingly good looking. (Dakota just doesnt tend to give me pictures of himself to share)