Random Quiet Days...Don't Know How I Feel About Them

Yesterday I had to drive up to Northgate to take a certification test for work, and rather than driving back home and then turning around and heading to Seattle again for a night out with friends I just stayed in Seattle.  I have to say that it was weird and I didn't quite know what to do with myself because I always have a baby with me or at least the husband...but I had no one, I was all alone in the big city!

After wondering around a bit I decided on lunch and a movie alone.  Wow, what a thrilling time.  I went to Johnny Rockets for lunch which was wonderful as always, and then to the movie theater to watch a movie alone for the first time in over a decade.  Silver Lining Playbook was awesome and would recommend to all.

Then off to hold a table at the Hard Rock...

I dont' know how I feel about quiet mommy days like that...I miss having the babies to make me laugh, the husband to hold my hand, the conversation over lunch about random topics...and honestly people watching in Seattle is more fun when Palmer is there.  I can see a trainwreck of a person coming from a mile away and it only takes a look for Palmer to know what I am thinking and vice versa.

I know that I should cherish the small moments away that I get because they are so few and far between, but even a 1/2 hour away makes me completely crave the family that I have to be around me!

Till Next Time -- XOXO,
Meg

A Cold Morning, My Husband, My Best Friend, Questionable Nicknames, 4 Miles, 3 Breweries & The Luck Of The Irish?

Happy March 18th!  ...hopefully the day before wasn't to hard on everyone -- although it was on a Sunday so those who worked today had the misfortune of not being able to go out till the "wee" hours of the morning drinking the green beer!

I have to say that it would appear that the traditions that have ensued over the past 2 years are hopefully what we will see for many years to come!  Last year Joe D and Jason P decided that since our favorite brewery (Valholl) was going to be apart of a Beer Run, Ryan (the husband) was going to do it with them.  Now let me be extremely clear -- they, and by they I mean all of them, are by no means runners -- they are in it for the beer.  So since St. Patty's Day 2012 we (including myself) have done the beer runs...and brought new peoples along the way.  Well this St. Patty's Day the only peoples who were around for the 1 year anniversary of this were myself, Ryan and Scott...or as Ryan was calling us "The Troublesome Trio".


We had a lot of fun with everything this year because we were able to customize our racing bibs and apparently we have all embraced out nicknames....even though they are never something we would want to explain to others...well, maybe not never.

The morning of beer runs always start out pretty early -- parking is limited, especially in Poulsbo so we tend to head out about 1.5 hours prior to the race.  It seemed that we were the only people who thought to do that so we decided to make a pit stop at Sly's Bakery (I apologize for the spelling) because how can you go to Poulsbo and not get one of the best doughnuts in the world...exactly, YOU CAN'T!

So skipping forward a bit...it is time to take off.  Now, let me say that while I have lost a good amount of weight recently, I am still not one who wants to run around in the cold feeling as though I am going to die -- and I twisted my knee; sooooooo....I am the cheater of the PBR 2013 who drove to each stop.  (For the run on 6/22 I will be running...even if it is on crutches).  I got to the 1st stop significantly fast than Scott and Ryan...so I got a beer waiting for them, bought the breakfast burritos and well can't go to sound brewery with out getting a cookie.  Nom Nom...that and there were only 2 breakfast burritos left when I got there! WTF!

Here is the other thing...I don't like beer!  I do enjoy hanging out with my friends and my hubby and the breweries in general so that is why I go.  And this time was no different...we had a great time.    All the breweries were very welcoming and you can't beat the people you get to see when you do these runs...they are all amazing!



 The beer runs ended as they generally go because after so much beer and walking/running you are ready for lunch and a nap.  Which was had by all!!!  ....well almost all, I had 2 monsters instead of beer at the event and was not a bit tired by the afternoon.  I was doing anything I could think off to keep myself busy so I didn't crash, which didn't happen because I was falling asleep while watching the amazing race!!!  


 I hope everyone had an amazing St. Patty's Day this year!  Here is too the next one!

Till Next Time,
xoxo Meg

Baptism, Blowing, Babies....and Little Blessings

 This past Sunday was an amazing day that left me reflecting on live and all of the blessings that I have in my life.  

Ryan wasn't able to join in on all the fun, but he was able to live through me and partake in some late afternoon bowling shenanigans with...but we will get to that later.

Sunday morning Kouper and I got up early and decided to have a Kouper and Mama morning, which is something  that don't happen enough lately since we have a 2 year old in the family that is slightly attached to my hip.  So this was an amazing extra special treat for us.  We left early for the baptism and went to Starbucks and got Hot Chocolate and Breakfast Sandwhiches., listened to a mix of Slipknot and Toby Keith (he has the strangest likes) and drove the long way to extend our journey. 

I am not a huge church going person, and Ryan and I have generally been working in careers that require us to be at work on sundays, that church wasn't a weekly part of our lives.  We have built a system of faith within our house that works for us and our life...so this was really Kouper's first expouser to church since he was a baby, whcih dones't count. 

We got to the church, found the Hagadorn's and friends...we made our way to our seats.  Everything started off very exciting for Kouper with singing and a band and excitement all around.  Then it was Olivia's turn on stage.  The baptism was beautiful and I think it was one of the few moments in my adult life where two things happened.  One, to be baptised, while I am not a church going person is huge...and to be invited as a person to pledge to do right by this little person that is full of nothing but trust in those big people around them is amazing.  From a person who doesn't let people in to her life all that easily, and to have opened my life and my family to someone I consider my best friend -- brother -- annoying know it all person in my life and for them to realize how much I love him and his family, support them and would do almost anything to help them succeed in life and invite me to something to personal and emotional and spiritual as a baptism means the world to me.  But also, to watch my son expierence this and take everything in about love and support for this tiny baby to heart and promise to love and support her was amazing.  My son, like myself has an amazingly big heart.  He would do anything for those that he loves.  And you can tell how much he cares about people by the way that he acts around them and Olivia (Livi) is no different.  

After the baptism there was a small gathering for pizza at G-Ma and G-Pa H's house.  It was nice to catch up with friends on a lazy afternoon...we don't get enough of those.  However, at this point I think that Ryan was ready for me to be home.  He was at home with Makenzie doing homework for school that was due on Monday and the mama's girl was wanting her mama back.  We said our farewells and headed on home. 

Once home I could see that Ryan needed a little Daddy time so I decided to suprise the kids with BOWLING!  This however seemed to be a better thought than it might have actually been! LOL.  I bowl every monday night on a league.  I love it, can't get enough of it.  However bowling with a 2 year old is a tad different, not to mention the 8 year old that crys when the 2 year old gets in his way.

On a slight side bar -- lets talk children and logic.  IT DOESN'T GO WELL TOGETHER! I have realized a couple of things on this subject.  When you have a two year old, espically my two year old, who gets an idea in her head there is no stopping her.  So, for example, when a two year old think s that it is a good idea to stick her hands in the ball return or in between balls to catch them and her hands get smashed -- she is going to cry.  Not much I can do about it.  I just have to hope that she learns from it when all is said and done.  

Also here is somethign else that I have learned -- and I don't understand with every fiber of by body...why does my 8 year old think that it is a good idea to fight with his 2 year old sister?  He sits there and gets extrememly frustrated because his sister doesn't understand why he is upset with something she is doing, and can't believe that she would do it in the first place when it makes him angry.  I was excited to have children who were 6 years appart from each other because of the opportunity to have expierenced Kouper as a baby to the fullest, and now I can do it again with Makenzie...however, to be honest, I really thought that due to the age difference there would be no fighting between them...BOY WAS I WRONG!

Back to happy, the other part of bowling or any other activity that I enjoy is when we get to do it with the Dugan's.  Fast friends who were introduced by someone else, but I can't imagine 1/2 of the things that we do together with out them.  And bowling, despite having 4 kids under 8 trying to do everything at the same time, is no exception.  Even in the crazy it is still WAY better together than not!  

After a long day with many fun activities I decided to snuggle down on the couch with the family and watch The Amazing Race and The Oscars.  Funny enough, in our house, The Oscars lead to so much debate and arguments that we tend not to watch it...LOL.

Simple blessings and amazing friends are what Sundays are all about. 

xoxo - Meg