Thursday, June 30, 2016

Day 776 | Friends (Again)


Friends are the best, take two. We spent another perfectly social day today with some of our DC favorites.

This whole leaving thing might be harder than I thought...

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Day 775 | Bad Guys

Chase convinced me to watch the movie Fern Gully this afternoon. He's been suggesting that he's "old enough" to watch real Disney-type movies now. I decided to give Fern Gully a go.

How did it work out, you might ask? Not great. We watched about 20 minutes before he willingly agreed to turn it off because he was basically watching from behind me. He didn't cry during the movie itself (which has happened in the past during mild Thomas the Train movies), so that was a step in the right direction.

It went downhill from there, however. About an hour later, he started having a lot of questions about bad guys, both pretend and in real life (there is a black blob of a bad guy in Fern Gully that he was not a fan of). The sniffling and tears started soon after.

We tried several attempts at easing his mind and finally Chris came up with the idea to draw a picture of the bad guy from the movie (he read about it helping with fears) and Chase latched onto the idea whole-heartedly.

First he requested my drawing. I'm the one who watched the movie, after all. Once I finished mine (the top picture above: a pretty good representation of the black blob and the tree it was housed in, in my opinion), he ran it upstairs to have Chris draw the same image (the bottom picture). When Chris finished, Chase came back downstairs to inform me that "Dad's is gooder" than mine. Can you believe that?!? He didn't even know what he was drawing! Chase did clarify shortly after that mine was still "really good", so that was a small consolation.

The drawing strategy worked for a bit and our nightly routine ensued until bedtime (no surprise). He started to get worried about real life bad guys again and after a pretty lengthy Q+A, he fell asleep feeling comforted by the fact that we have a neighbor police officer (true) who is working tonight (maybe true?) and offered to drive by the house as many times as Chase wanted (definitely not-so-true). Chase requested "um, like...900 maybe," so Lieutenant OZ will be driving by 900 times tonight if he asks any of you.

Whatever works.

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Day 774 | Friends

Adorable photo of Chase, Robbe, Robert, and Caroline captured by Susan. Can you believe how good it is?!?
To make up for two weeks without any socializing (thanks, hand, foot and mouth disease), we're making the rounds this week...and we couldn't be happier.

We have the best friends ever. The boys have cried every time we've departed a friends' company this week. I think the departure is actually starting to sink in.

In case you're in the mood for a blast from the past, here are some of the past blog posts featuring Caroline (Chase's twinsie):

Monday, June 27, 2016

Day 773 | Berry Delicious

What do you do with a surplus of berries in your fridge? Find as many delicious ways as possible to enjoy them. After all, what's more motivating to make you try new recipes than buckets of tempting blueberries and black raspberries?
  1. We had a delicious fresh berry yogurt parfait for breakfast.
  2. We enjoyed these yummy popsicles (sans sugar) for snack this afternoon.
  3. And I attempted my first-ever pound cake (this recipe) with berries + whipped cream for dessert tonight. Simply amazing. 

Yeah, it was a good day.

Sunday, June 26, 2016

Day 772 | Berries Galore

It turns out that June 26 is our annual blueberry picking day. Amazing coincidence, right?

Two pounds of blueberries + two pounds of black raspberries + two small children with full bellies = a successful outing. We even had enough time to enjoy the play structures, mini tractors, and giant slides. Thank you, Butlers Orchard. We'll miss our frequent visits.

In case you're curious about what our visit from June 26, 2015 looked like, here you go. And here's the trip from 2014. So cute!

One more check off the list:

DC Bucket List, Deadline: July 13
  • A final stop at the American History Museum
  • Visit Turkey Thicket playground
  • Ride the Wheaton Miniature Train
  • Watch the ball drop at the Discovery Building
  • Eat at our sushi restaurant
  • Wade in Yards Park
  • Ride the Metro
  • Pick berries at Butler's Orchard
  • Fort Steven's Park 
  • Eat at H&Pizza
  • Visit the top of the Washington Monument
  • Watch the airplanes at Gravelly Point
  • Jump at trampoline park

Saturday, June 25, 2016

Day 771 | Making Progress

It finally feels like we're moving. I guess a day of packing will do that to you. This is the pile of boxes in our basement and we have another one about the same size in our bedroom after we cleaned out our attic storage.

I'm not saying we'd be ready to move tomorrow but we're getting there!

Friday, June 24, 2016

Day 770 | A Baby Quilt

It's been six years since I've attempted a quilting project. Now I remember why I needed such a serious hiatus. Quilting is no joke. But it's totally worth it.

This is the final baby quilt I made for my good friend, Mary Catherine. There's nothing more satisfying than completing a project like this. Was it perfect? Far far from it. Was it made with love for an incredibly special baby who I can't wait to meet? More than I can say. 

I hope that sweet little one enjoys her new quilt as much as I'll enjoy it being a part of her nursery.

Oh, and here's the pattern I followed, if you're feeling inspired.

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Day 769 | Trampoline Park

Man, we are rocking this bucket list. Today's adventure? The trampoline park. Again, ages two and four for this outing are much more enjoyable than 8 months and 2.5 years.

Check!

DC Bucket List, Deadline: July 13
  • A final stop at the American History Museum
  • Visit Turkey Thicket playground
  • Ride the Wheaton Miniature Train
  • Watch the ball drop at the Discovery Building
  • Eat at our sushi restaurant
  • Wade in Yards Park
  • Ride the Metro
  • Pick berries at Butler's Orchard
  • Fort Steven's Park 
  • Eat at H&Pizza
  • Visit the top of the Washington Monument
  • Watch the airplanes at Gravelly Point
  • Jump at trampoline park

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Day 768 | Gravelly Point

Another check mark on the bucket list. Today's adventure? Gravelly Point in Virginia. We watched airplanes take off right over our heads. It's been on my personal to-do list since moving to DC. Ten years later: check!

A double-the-time commute and grumpy Robbe couldn't even sour the experience. We'll call it a success.

DC Bucket List, Deadline: July 13
  • A final stop at the American History Museum
  • Visit Turkey Thicket playground
  • Ride the Wheaton Miniature Train
  • Watch the ball drop at the Discovery Building
  • Eat at our sushi restaurant
  • Wade in Yards Park
  • Ride the Metro
  • Pick berries at Butler's Orchard
  • Fort Steven's Park 
  • Eat at H&Pizza
  • Visit the top of the Washington Monument
  • Watch the airplanes at Gravelly Point

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Day 767 | Take a Break Chair

Chase might be the only four year old [ever] to not have to sit in the Take a Break Chair (where you go if you can't calm yourself down) for the entire school year. Yeah, that's a big deal.

As a joke, his teacher sent me this photo of him on the last day with the caption, "He made it all the way to the last day..." She quickly followed up with the smiling photo and said it was a joke. She said Chase was so excited to trick me. Hahahaha. 

They got me good. 

Monday, June 20, 2016

Day 766 | Yards Park

It was the perfect day for an outing to Yards Park: hot and sunny.

We've spent four summers visiting this gem with kids that were not quite the right ages to fully appreciate it. Not this year. Turns out two and four are the ideal ages for two kiddos to play and entertain themselves with very little intervention from me. Woohoo!!

The downside? Chase insists that we need to make the trip down to the Yards Park wading pool one more time before we move. That means I'm not supposed to cross it off our bucket list yet...but I'm going to anyway. Don't tell him!

I'll include the updated bucket list when we cross something off:

DC Bucket List, Deadline: July 13
  • A final stop at the American History Museum
  • Visit Turkey Thicket playground
  • Ride the Wheaton Miniature Train
  • Watch the ball drop at the Discovery Building
  • Eat at our sushi restaurant
  • Wade in Yards Park
  • Ride the Metro
  • Pick berries at Butler's Orchard
  • Fort Steven's Park 
  • Eat at H&Pizza
  • Visit the top of the Washington Monument
  • Watch the airplanes at Gravelly Point

Sunday, June 19, 2016

Day 765 | Celebrating the Dads


Well, the big weekend didn't take the direction we had hoped. Instead, we spent another two days in isolation as Chris fought the latest round of Hand, Foot, and Mouth disease (at least that's what we think he has...rash is yet to be seen). Luckily tomorrow is Monday. A new week for a new outlook on life.

It's weekends like this when Chris is out of commission that make me realize even more how appreciative I am of him. The enthusiasm, energy, love, and patience he brings to every interaction with our boys is beyond impressive, to say the least. He makes this whole parenting-young-children-thing as enjoyable as a mom could ask for. Thank you, Chris, for all you do everyday for our family. My appreciation might go unsaid at times, but it is definitely felt.

And to my first and favorite dad, I'm thrilled that next year I'll get to celebrate this day with you in person. Thank you for always being a role model to me and now to my boys.


Saturday, June 18, 2016

Day 764 | Summertime Bucket List

Things got serious around here today. We made a to-do list for our summer vacation. Two lists, actually. One for DC and one for EC (short for Eau Claire, our new home in Wisconsin).

Here's what's going to keep us busy for the next few months:

DC Bucket List, Deadline: July 13
  • A final stop at the American History Museum
  • Visit Turkey Thicket playground
  • Ride the Wheaton Miniature Train
  • Watch the ball drop at the Discovery Building
  • Eat at our sushi restaurant
  • Wade in Yards Park
  • Ride the Metro
  • Pick berries at Butler's Orchard
  • Fort Steven's Park 
  • Eat at H&Pizza

EC Bucket List, Start Date: July 22
  • Watch cows being milked
  • Discover new playground
  • Walk to the Children's Museum
  • Go to a movie in a move theater
  • Find a new library
  • See trucks
  • Ride ATV with Grandpa
  • Ride in a real tractor
  • Order from Toppers
  • Attend fair/festival

The good news is we've already checked three of our DC items off the list since drafting this yesterday. Take that!

Friday, June 17, 2016

Day 763 | Summer Begins

Today was summer vacation, day 1. All in all, it wasn't too bad. Oh, except Chris is sick...and it's our 10 year anniversary. Not exactly how I thought we'd be celebrating. So, to focus on something else, a new pro and con list for all of you.

Reasons Summer Vacation is Definitely Going to Rock
  1. Low key mornings. I've missed not having to rush rush rush in the mornings. Today I didn't shower until 9am. It was glorious.
  2. Getting out there. It's been harder to get to some of our favorite city sites with Chase in school. Even Robbe and I couldn't squeeze in some of the outings we wanted to because of the time constraints with drop off, lunch, nap, and pick up. Now the city is calling our name and we've got quite a list of places to revisit.
  3. Brotherly bonding. These two have been playing together really well lately. I'm cautiously optimistic that trend will continue with all the extra time together this summer. It's quite lovely to watch.
  4. The move. Oh yeah, that little moving-across-the-country thing that's happening this summer vacation. It can't come soon enough.
  5. Time with family. Not only is Chris taking the month of August off between jobs (woohoo!), but we'll get to spend half the summer learning what living near extended family feels like. I have a hunch it's going to be the best ever.
Reasons Summer Vacation *Might Not* Rock
  1. The meals. Making three meals a day for two kids is exhausting. I'm already over it.
  2. Playing moderator. It's true that our kiddos get along (thank goodness!) a good deal of the time. That doesn't, however, mean I don't spend a fair bit of time playing referee between them. 
  3. The heat. Summer in the District isn't always the most comfortable. A lot of the time, outdoor activities (of which we dedicate most of our time to) are sticky, sweaty, and less-than-enjoyable. So far we've been lucky. I hope that continues.
  4. The move. Right now, I'm feeling ok about everything related to the big move. I do, however, realize that the hundreds of things on my to-do list might catch up with me at some point. 
  5. Leaving the District. It's the only place Chris and I have called our home as a married couple. It's not going to be easy to turn the last page of this chapter in our lives.

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Day 762 | Farewell, Bulldogs

It was a happy and sad day in our house. Happy because summer vacation has officially begun! My little guys, without even knowing what that means really, are super excited about it. I think it's because summer vacation means moving to Wisconsin to them. All the more reason to be pumped!

But it's a sad day, too. I'm sad Chase had to say goodbye to all the buddies he worked so hard to get close to this year. I'm sad because so many of his friends get another amazing year with their two incredible teachers and we don't (Bridges combines pre-k classes with three and four year olds so Chase would have been in the same classroom with the same 4 year olds next year). I'm sad that my quality solo time with Robbe has to come to an end. We're, like, pretty good buddies. I know that won't change with the big brother around, but it's definitely a different dynamic.

It's been a really good year for all of us. And it's a good feeling that it's a happy + sad day. I wouldn't want it any other way.

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Day 761 | One More School Night

Just one last school night for this pre-k3'er. We couldn't be more proud of the friendly four-year-old he's blossomed into this year. He's always been the sweetest, smartest, kindest little guy, but after a year with these two ladies, he's added social butterfly to his list of amazing qualities. It wasn't a problem before, don't get me wrong, but he's always been shy and more comfortable having mom or dad deal with his interactions with other kids. Now he builds spaceships, plays monster (whatever that is), tells jokes, and sticks up for himself with the best of them.

I'm telling you, if you have a child in the District, you want these two women, Liz Koenig and Beatriz Torres Vasquez, to teach them and guide them as long as you can. The love, order, fun, discipline, and compassion that surrounded Chase every day is more than I ever could have asked for. I debated a long time about whether to send our sweet three year old to full time school (he was only three!), but there is not one bit of me that questions our decision now. Thanks to these ladies.

We will miss the Bulldogs, but we will especially miss their fearless leaders, Ms. Liz and Ms. Beatriz.

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Day 760 | Sickness Spreads

What does a two year old do while you're feeling too sick to even get off the couch and can barely keep your eyes open? This two year old played happily by himself ALL MORNING. I went from laying on the couch, to laying on the floor, to sitting in the sunshine on the steps. That's how we made it to a very needed naptime (for both of us).

Luckily, Chris came to the rescue after nap and entertained the boys fully all evening to make up for my neglect. Being sick is the worst.

Monday, June 13, 2016

Day 759 | Whatever It Takes

No luck with the whole "getting back to normal" around here. Robbe was still not acting like himself and we couldn't get him into the doctor early enough, so Chase stayed home from school (again) in case we're all contagious.

Turns out...we are. Both boys were diagnosed with Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease. You can google it. It's as terrible as it sounds. Luckily, Chase is past the contagious stage so he can go back tomorrow and I think Robbe is slowly making steps toward a recovery, too.

So what happens at our house on day four of sickness with a little guy who won't eat anything because his mouth hurts? You give the boy whatever it takes to get him eating again. Today's menu items included donuts (which he had no trouble with), ice cream (which helped him eat a better dinner, if you can believe it), and some very dignified tea drinking (that always helps my throat).

To top it off, now I'm not feeling great. After a long nap this afternoon for me (having two kids that both still nap is the BEST!), and an early bedtime (heading there now), I'm hopeful I'll be feeling better, too. We've got to rally for the big end to the week...the last day of school (Thursday), the first day of summer vacation (Friday), our 10 YEAR! wedding anniversary (also Friday), and Father's Day (Sunday). No time to waste in the recovery process.

Sunday, June 12, 2016

Day 758 | Still Sick

It's been a long, long weekend around here. I'm hopeful that we're over the worst of whatever sickness has taken over our sweet boys, but I thought that yesterday and today wasn't much of an improvement. Think happy thoughts for a good sleep for everyone tonight!

p.s. The photo above was from a super fun stop at Union Station last weekend (nothing really to capture in a photo today). Maybe those smiling faces will make a reappearance tomorrow.

Saturday, June 11, 2016

Day 757 | Getting Ready

Our guest room has turned into the moving box staging area. Maybe this move is actually going to happen afterall. 

Friday, June 10, 2016

Day 756 | Surprise Sick Day

My sweet four year old had to miss his first-ever year-end school carnival because he had a fever last night and this morning. To be honest, I think I took it harder than he did.

As if one sick wee one wasn't enough, after naptime, the two year old woke up with a fever, too. 

And we even managed to end the night with a puker. Too much information? Probably, but that's life and I think you can handle it. 

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Day 755 | Making an Ocean

We had another installment of Science with Uncle Matt today (I should come up with a better name). Today's project? Making an ocean in a bottle. A little water + food coloring topped off with vegetable oil. That's it. And it makes this really cool bubbly, thick, mesmerizing consistency that actually does create waves. 

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Day 754 | Scootin'

The boys got out the door early enough this morning to get a little scootin' time in before heading to school.

Could they be any cuter?

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Day 753 | Uncle Matt Shorts

Our big guy is getting bigger. Chase has grown out of most of his summer clothing and a shorts shopping spree was greatly needed. In addition to a few other pairs, he picked out these (pictured above) and calls them "Uncle Matt shorts" because they're so hip and fashionable. Just like Uncle Matt. But don't tell Chase that Uncle Matt isn't really into wearing shirts with giant roaches on them (or maybe Chase is just ahead of the trend).

Monday, June 6, 2016

Day 752 | Hydrangeas

To me, the sight of a blooming hydrangea bush right in my backyard is one of the best parts of early summer. The big puffs of pastel blue flowers is enough to brighten any dreary day.

I've been bummed that I can't seem to bring that type of joy indoors, though. When I cut them and put them in water, they start out looking all bright and cheery and within hours they're droopy and downers.

The internet to the rescue! I googled the problem and came across this website explaining why this happens and what to do about it. The short answer? Immediately after cutting, put the stems in boiling water for 30 seconds. This technique even brought mine back to life!

The internet is the best, isn't it?

Sunday, June 5, 2016

Day 751 | Good Times with Good Friends

Last night was amazing.

My sweet friend, Dawn (far right) organized a night out for me and some of my closest DC friends. I think it might have been one of the very few times I've seen these ladies without kiddos in tow. 

We did some free-style painting (I chose to paint birds, of course), we ate some yummy Mediterranean tapas, we chatted, we laughed. Glorious, just glorious.

Thanks ladies for carving out the time to make last night happen. To say I will miss you all is an incredible understatement.

Friday, June 3, 2016

Day 750 | Impressive Field Trip

The Bulldogs (Chase's class, made up of 3, 4, and 5 year olds) took an impressive field trip to Nationals Park today. Kudos to his teachers for having the motivation and energy to tackle this type of undertaking.

What are the logistics of this little outing, you might ask? Well, we left the school at 9am to walk to the metro (yep, all these kids loaded a metro train at 9:20am). They all waited patiently through nine stops where we all exited in an orderly fashion to make the short walk to the stadium.

A kind and patient tour guide led these youngsters all over for an entire hour which included the following highlights:
  • the press box
  • the visiting team's locker room
  • the Nationals' dugout
  • the Delta Club seats right behind home plate
  • walking on the field (but not the grass...and everyone, including Robbe, complied)
  • taking in views of the Washington Monument and the Capitol
Following the tour, we stopped for a quick snack break before walking back to the Metro, took a train back the nine stops, and walked back to the school, arriving around 12:15pm, just in time for lunch. All said, those kiddos walked about 2.5 miles from start to finish (I was wearing my Fitbit to track it). And, aside from pretty constant requests for snacks, the kids didn't complain one bit. 

Those Bulldogs, they're tough cookies.

Thursday, June 2, 2016

Day 749 | Fire Safety Presentation

The DC Fire + EMS team made an appearance at Chase's school today for a fire safety presentation. Depending on who you are, there were two different perspectives on how the morning went:

1. As a pre-k or kindergarten student:
  • Yay! We got to stop, drop, and roll during school!
  • Yay! We got to watch a movie with a cartoon dog!
  • Yay! Fun coloring sheets with fire fighters on them!
  • Yay! A real fire truck!
  • Yay! A fireman in his full uniform!

2. As the organizer of said event (me):
  • Ahh! Why doesn't anyone know what's going on?
  • Ahh! Why do people keep parking in the coned-off area where the firetruck is supposed to park?
  • Ahh! Is the firetruck ever going to arrive?
  • Ahh! Why did the firetruck show up 1.5 hours late?
  • Ahh! Why is this pre-school presentation so dull?

At the end of the day, there was a firetruck. The kids did learn about dialing 911, how to stop, drop, and roll, and the importance of having a meeting place for your family. I guess we'll call it a success but why, oh why, was this event the most complicated endeavor I've faced to date? 

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Day 748 | Excited for Wisconsin

The excitement is building around here. We're so close to finalizing so many details of the move (inspection of WI house came back great, moving company decision is imminent, DC house appraisal is expected tomorrow, *never-ending* mortgage lender paperwork is almost complete), but we're still so far away from our official move date (mid-July). The boys and I decided to wear some Wisconsin gear today to bring us there in spirit.