Ode to a Target sundress

*I'm having a giveaway over here, come enter!*

Blogger is being bad...I'm sure a lot of you are having the same problem.  I usually don't mind and count it as a day off, but when you have a whole post together and then it won't save...I get pissed.

Anyhoo, the other day I hit Target for a strapless bra and a few candles and found a cute sundress...or two.  This one reminded me of one I'd seen on Emersonmade awhile back.  Of course I can't find it now so I must have imagined it.

Everything in my world is a little more wrinkly.  I'm sure I"ll hear about it from my Mom later.

This was the best my impatient Husband could do...

He hates "hey take a picture of me real quick"

I photographed the details myself...

That's his uncle's belt.  Not sure why I have it.

Let's take some in the backyard he says...

Then it becomes less about my dress

And more about his lawn...

The wedding date

*I'm having a giveaway over here*

Last weekend I went away with Danielle and Dori to Lake Chelan.  Lucky me her Husband was busy so I got to be her date to a wedding.  I took 363 photos, narrowed it down to 164 in my files and am sharing a large smattering of mostly adorable baby photos with you.  I really want a blonde baby after this weekend, sadly I don't think I'll ever get one. 

We drove over Friday night and woke up to this.  I won't tell you about our night.  Dori is a light sleeper ;)

Sun bathing on the deck

So happy to be playing with cousin Archie

Now you want a blonde baby too huh?

Poor Danielle woke up with an awful reaction to something around her eyes.  I said conjunctivitus. 

The ER doctor said food allergies...from 3 weeks ago.  Poor Danielle.

We spent the day in the ER waiting room, which is actually a great place to catch up without interruptions!

Then we had a mini picnic in the Safeway parking lot, next to a porta-potty with that view while we waited for a perscription.

A few sunny minutes on the deck, then off to the wedding!

Dori and Grandpa watching the bride walk down the aisle

Kate Middleton, I mean Danielle...happy to have drugs and me as a date ;)

Archie got to know my camera pretty well that weekend

The happy bride and groom

Wedding guests warming up in the sun.  It was windy!

The little girls had Archie eating out of their hands

This little one was a show stopper.  So many people take her picture, not just me.

Momma and baby

Dori was the blanket bandit all weekend.  Poor Archie.

Dancing with cousin Hayden and Grandma

Leading Archie onto the dance floor.  She was hilarious!

Dancing with baby

Caged dancers

Sunday we woke up to this...

We went out on the boat for a little tubing

Somehow Danielle switched my camera to monochromatic, but I like it!

Me on the tube.  I didn't fall off...until we stopped moving.

Dori, Danielle and Teresa

Danielle on the tube.  Who also fell off while it was not moving ;)

Wind blown baby!

Baby boater or senior citizen?

Checking out the lake

And the pool

And why not a little photo shoot before we head out because this outfit is just too cute!

Thanks Danielle and family for a wonderful weekend and for letting me blind your children with my camera!

Young at heart

Do you know what a I love about kids?  They don't sugar coat anything. Sometimes they even pay you a compliment without even realizing it.  In fact I'm pretty sure they don't realize it.

Friday I walked my dogs with the neighbor kids.  I was wearing a pair of converse:

Annabelle:  You're wearing teenager shoes

Me:  I'm a teenager times two

Annabelle:  So you're 24?

Me:  Aww thanks honey, that makes me feel good. I'm almost 30.

Annabelle:  But you don't have wrinkles.

Me:  Yes I do, see around my mouth?

Annabelle:  Those are dimples.


A few days later out on a boat with my a few of my friend's younger cousins, we'll call her Kate because I don't know her name:

Kate:  Are you a teenager?

Me:  Ha!  No, I'm almost 30.

Kate:  So you're 29?

Me:  Almost.

Kate:  We have a boat, it's yellow. I'm not bragging.


They sure know how to make a girl feel good!

Bat shit crazy

Awww...he's kinda cute

Last week we had an interesting little episode with a bat.  Bryan woke me up to tell me there was a bat at our front door.  I told him to leave it alone and come to work but he said it was on the ground and hissing at him.  Apparently he had accidently put his lunch sack on top of it while he was putting on his shoes and couldn't figure out where the hissing noise was coming from.  I went to take a look and it was on the ground trying to crawl under Bryan's shoes.  I hoped it wasn't injured and went back to bed.

When I left to go to work it was half under a pair of Bryan's shoes so I nudged the shoe with my foot and the bat reared his head and hissed at me.  I made an "eeeeeeeeee" sound causing the dogs to go nuts.  I tried to lock the back door to leave for work and it hissed and bared its teeth the whole time.  Scared the crap out of me.

One pissed off bat

When Bryan came home it was still there and he found the # of a bat woman (where's Batman when you need him?).  She lived pretty far North and wanted me to put it in my car and drive it to her.  I told her I wasn't comfortable with that.  I told Bryan we may have to shoot it and put it out of its misery because I figured it was hurt if it wasn't flying away.  Instead I decided to go meet our new neighbors that just moved in.  Turns out she works at a vet so I thought I'd ask her to come take a look.  On the way over the other neighbors told me one of their chicken's got caught in a rat trap and was fading.  I told them I'd ask the vet about that too.  Welcome to the sticks...

The new neighbors were super sweet but she said she didn't know anything about bats or chickens, but she would come take a look anyway.  On the trek to our house she decided we should kill the bat because it could have rabies and it was scared and could bite whatever would try to eat it.  She put on some heavy duty gloves and picked it up.  No injuries, a baby, we couldn't kill it.  She took it home and put it in a tree and I haven't heard what happened to it.  Unfortunately the chicken had to be put down.  All the men pulled a "not it" and the new neighbor was nice enough to shoot it with a pellet gun.  Welcome to the neighborhood!

Freakin scary!

summer stripes and frozen delights

I'm longing for summer days full of popsicles and striped jumpers.  The kind 9-5's don't allow.  Do you think you can ever get those days back?  Even when you have your own children?  I suppose then you're creating those memories of hot pavement, dripping popsicles and ants crawling into the sidewalk crack for them to keep.

I've said it before and I'll say it again

"peep toe jellies are the bomb!"

On July 5th (that's when Seattle's summer starts), I'm going to make these fruit and greek yogurt ice pops I saw on Cup of Jo.  I may even try the avocado ones.  Right now I'm enjoying these Trader Joe's Peach Pops.  They're like Otter Pops but all peach and no added sugar.  So good!

 {photos by Sophie Mathewson via Cup of Jo}



Baby Ava

Are you tired of family photos yet?  I loved taking pictures of Ava in the bright beach light.  I also loved seeing her more than 2 hour increments where the only time she has her eyes open is to nurse.  She was such a trooper getting kissed by the dogs and sleeping through all the noise.

She doesn't really like my camera...

This one is my favorite from the weekend.

She reminded me of Maggie from the Simpson's with her nook.  Just sucking and taking it all in.

No shower is safe...

At the beach Jared bought Jackson a little boat from the corner store.  He carried it around everywhere and wanted to take a bath, however he had already taken one so everyone told him no.

The next morning while I was in the shower I heard the door open.  Since there is only one bathroom I figured someone just had to use the toilet.  Instead, Jackson opened the shower curtain and asked to come in.  I said okay and he closed the curtain.  While he was getting out of his pj's he said "I love you Mama".  I waited for a second and said, Jackson you know it's Auntie in here...not Mama.  He opened the curtain again and looked at me, then got in anyway.  Then he insisted on standing in the spray making it impossible to finish my shower.  He played with his toys and then said "I want to take a bath".  So I caved.  Turns out he had locked the bathroom door so no one came in looking for him.  Of course we couldn't figure out how to lock the bathroom door after that.  3 year olds are too smart.

Later he kept asking "are you Mama or Auntie?" 

Ma famille à la plage

Last weekend we headed to Oregon for a little family beach time.  It was so much fun, especially now that Jackson enjoys just about everything, and Ava sleeps through everything.  I can't resist sleeping babies.

*photo heavy post*

Friday we had a gorgeous day, it was perfect.

Jackson and Mommy search for seashells

Ava hitches a ride with Daddy



We have to climb everything.  Issy too...



Checking out the tide pools at Haystack Rock

More climbing

Uncle Bryan, be a horsey!

Charlie found lots of sand dollars ;)

Then we hit the deck to bask in the sun

It is Oregon, we still wore coats

Ava soaking up the vitamin D, briefly.

Great Grammy Grace getting some love

Snacks/lunch in the sun!

Did I mention there was sun??

No wind for a kite, Jackson was disappointed

But got over it and crashed at nap time

Dinner on the deck

And dessert from Bruce's Candy Kitchen

Gorgeous sunset and a dog walk for good measure

Then s'mores!

And some strange exposure photos...

Uh, do you see the people behind them??

Saturday was rainy so Bryan rocked Ava in her seat

Little monkey

I made breakfast

Then we hit the beach anyway for the 2011 Sandcastle Contest

Angry birds, angry Husband.  Just kidding, he's a trooper. 

Even wanted to walk instead of drive.

Rain?  What rain?

Back in time for hot cocoa and lunch with Katia's homemade GF bread.  YUM!

A little afternoon wine tasting

Free at the corner store every Saturday! 

This weekend's wine was by Hip CHICKS do WINE from Portland

Then back home for a beautiful paella by my Dad (not Father's Day yet ;)

And lemon curd shots by me...and Cafe Zupa's

(I mixed the cream and curd, and served over strawberries)

Then it was Father's Day!  Happy Father's Day Dad!

I made eggs benedict

(NEVER AGAIN! Okay, yes I will)

Cuddled the babes for a few more hours

Then packed the tired pups in the car for the ride home

Thank you family for putting up with each other for a whole weekend! 

It makes me happy ;)