Shrek is cozy

For a long time now, every time we go to Build-a-Bear workshop, the girls want me to buy them sleeping bags for their animals. I usually say no and tell them "I can sew that!"

Well today I did just that. A few months back I picked up some orange fleece and about 5 yards of this super cool flowered cotton fabric at the thrift store. So that is what I decided to use. It was a little hard to sew in the fleece for the lining, because the fleece is very stretchy, but I think it turned out quite cute. Shrek is sleeping very well tonite in his new sleeping bag!

Lazy Sunday

Mark and I started out the weekend with a group of friends down in Seattle. I may have shocked him by saying I wanted to take the motorcyle, and I am so glad we did. It was fun. We really don't do it often enough...you know life gets in the way. Peso's was a good little restaraunt and it was fun to celebrate Becky's birthday.

Saturday, Mark worked and the girls had a slumber party. The Wilson girls are so easy to have over, but I am still exhausted today. Mark and I took them all to the Edmonds beach today to play out in the sun. The tide was out so the girls got to see a lot of sea anemones, starfish and this other creepy crazy sea creature ( the orange wormy looking thing).

We came home and took a nap...my favorite thing to do! When we got up, Mark decided he would take his new bicycle and ride it over to Lowe's so he could see how much time it would take him. He wants to start riding his bike to work when the weather is nice. He got less than a mile from home and the chain broke. Of course now Joe's is going out of business so I bet they are going to be a pain in the you-know-what about putting on a new one. What a joke, brand new and the chain is already broke. He walked it back home and now is at the park with the kids. I expect them home any minute.

I've got the ipod on and I have a project cut out for sewing on Weds with Theresa. She is among the many people we know who have been laid off...so send good vibes this way for her and Mark because Mark just got laid off again from the Railroad...AGAIN! Can we say it enough that this economy sucks?

yesterday and tommorow

It has been too many days since I have blogged. But since yesterdays visit with my cousin, Naoto, (who has lived in San Francisco for a few years now) I've decided I better keep up regularly. I can't believe it has been over 10 years since the last time I saw him. He is super funny, and personable and so...GROWN UP! Mark and I can't wait to go to San Fran to spend a weekend or so with him. We talked about his next visit here too...with a trip to the Experience Music Project our first stop in a long list of things to do in Seattle. He used to live here but was 2 years old or something when my uncle packed up the family and moved to Tokyo. It will be such a treat to have him visit again and he will always have a place to stay when he is here. So Naoto if you are reading this...take the hint ha ha.
Hmmm...what else have we been up to.
1. Mark was gone to Portland for work and saw "Grand Turino" at the $3 movie house. He gave it two thumbs up.
2. The girls have met 2 new childrens authors in the past week. The first was was Trudi Trueit and the other Peter Brown, author of a few books....but widely known as the author of Chowder. Lots of fun to meet them both. They have inspired the girls to write and draw.
3. Dan and Linda are gone to Hawaaii, so I am in charge of Spooky while they are gone. She better not have left me any presents, if you know what I mean.
4. Reading...finished the book "Wolf at the table" and "Beautiful Boy" both of which were really good. Sad, but good. I am now reading an old book "Peyton Place". I am not sure if I like it yet, I need to give it a few more pages.
5. Teacher appreciation week is coming up and we are planning for that. We love our teachers, so we hope to do lots of fun things for them.
6. WASL is in full swing. I won't tell you what I think of that but may quote an old friend..."waste a lot of school learning". Enough said.
7. Beautiful weather. Love it, love it, love it. I think it is going away tommorow so for that I may shed a tear.
8. Ebay. Can you believe what people will pay for stuff sometimes? I wish I had the patience to do it full time. All I am selling so far is the clothes the girls have outgrown and a couple of odds and ends. It's crazy.
9. Work, work, work. We are getting a garden spot ready and I think my mom may have planted the strawberries today.
10. Royal Princess Bunco last friday. It was a ton of fun. We dressed up. I wore glitter in my hair, my curly hair piece, pink tutu, pink boa and felt very girly. Theresa and Becky joined and it turns out that Theresa and H.J. used to work together. H.J. has a son at my girls school and is my hair stylist. It is a small world and I say that more and more these days.
OK, I am exhausted. I stayed up way too late last night watching Paranormal State (did anyone see the one with the wife beater, miner, great grandfather ghost? Freaked me out!!!) and literally slept with the kitchen light on. I thought that Mark coming home at some god-awful hour in the night might make me jump right out of my skin.

sun, glorious sun

I used to think that only "old" people talked about the weather. It seemed to be all they talked about. How cold it is, how hot it is...how they have to water the plants, mow the grass, etc. etc.
Now I am officially putting myself into that category. I am super sick of cold weather, wet mushy roads and kids being cooped up. This weekend we got the best weather here in the Puget Sound and we surely took advantage of it!
Yesterday Mark and I took the girls up to the beach in Everett. It is easy to get to and the trail is paved, but every time we go we maybe run into a handful of people and sometimes none at all. When the tide is out the beach is excellent there. Plus Hayley can bring her bike if she wants to and ride with ease. We love it there and it will be a great place to hang out when the weather is nice this summer.
Today, we opened the windows and the slider and let the fresh air sweep through our home. I love those first days of nice weather when you can have the windows open. It makes everything in your bones feel like summer is on it's way! The girls and I took a walk and enjoyed the people driving by with their music blasting. We sat outside at Dairy Queen and ate Blizzards in the warm air. Then we walked back home and Hayley baked and decorated a cake all on her own. She is really getting quite handy in the kitchen and will make a wonderful chef some day!
Now the kids are in bed and Mark is on his way home from Wenatchee. I'd love to steal away with him tommorow for a motorcycle ride because the weather is supposed to be gorgeous again and the kids will be back in school. Hmmmm...we'll see (smile).

Chester French - She Loves Everybody

I can't get this song out of my head! The video is a bit crazy, but still like the song.

things that occupy my time

Really we are all still alive here. That is the beauty of blogging. You can do it whenever you want...but then if you take too long in between people start asking where you are (even if you write about nothing exciting!).

We have really been busy again. Spring break is in full swing...not weather-wise, but the kids have been out all week. The sun peeked out here for about 20 minutes, but alas it is raining again.

This week brought us some very good news...Mark is back to work for BNSF! We can now breathe a collective sigh of relief. At least for this week! We did learn that we can cut back, waaaaay back, and still survive. It is stressful, but Mark and I are a great team! Having said that, I enjoy having money way more than not ha ha.

I have also decided to take the plunge back into ebay again. I used to do it, and made a few extra dollars, but the key for me is to keep it simple so I don't get overwhelmed and fall behind.
So if you are an ebay person here is how to find me....littlebirdtoldme1997. I had to set up a new account because I can't figure out how to get into the old one and it was a million years ago and 3 email addresses ago so for me it was much easier to start with a clean slate! I am also cooking up some stuff for Etsy. My mom and I have found some really cool vintage stuff to list on there. That will probably happen next week though because right now I am planning a trip to Portland next Tuesday. Veerada is here from Alaska and I can't wait to see her! Two other dear friends live there (Sheila and Duncan) so I am happy to say that I will be spending time with them too! That is, if everything works out. Luckily, Veerada made it out between Mt. Redoubt spewing ash. It was looking a little "iffy" for a while for her!

It may be another long break, but we are still alive and plugging along. Oh, and we don't have to move after all! We got a really good deal to stay, so I have to finish getting everything unpacked again. OH THE INSANITY!