Days with the Daytons

The New Christmas Grandparents

2011-12-24T11:26:00.000-08:00

Guest Post By Christopher Dayton's Mother.....
Here we are at the Dayton house for another wonderful Christmas with our grandchildren and son and daughter-in-law. Now we may not be the most typical grandparents. We live in a 36 foot fifth wheel downsized from a 3000 sq. ft. house. Our backyard is 26 acres of forested property 2000 feet above sea level right outside of Mt. Rainier National Park in Washington state. We've traveled extensively (40+ countries) and are now retired. Our four Dayton grandchildren (ages 15, 11, 7, 5) are the light of our lives.

I was thinking how different our trips to our family are from typical Christmas journeys of the past. Yes, we come bearing a car load of gifts as well as enough luggage for a week long stay. Yes, we bring (or buy) food for Christmas dinner, breakfast, etc.
BUT, Grandma (that's me) now comes with a laptop that has a 17" screen, a Galaxy Tab (7") Android based device, cell phones, chargers and other electronics. And NOW the youngest grandchild, after giving me a big hello kiss, asks "Grandma, can I play Angry Birds?". The next youngest chimes in with "When can I have a turn?" A few minutes later, after setting up my laptop in the room my oldest grandson has cheerfully vacated for the duration of our stay, the two oldest politely ask if they can use my computer to check their e-mails, Facebook pages, Skype with their cousin in Florida, etc. Not that they don't have their own computers, but mine is newer and bigger, Of course. After all, I truly am Techno Grandma!

Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year
Jofannie Karla

2011-11-04T15:44:00.001-07:00

Thoroughly Enjoyable

2011-11-03T21:12:00.000-07:00

Claire did a production of Thoroughly Modern Millie this summer with her theater group and it was BY FAR the best production I have ever seen. Granted, I am not a cultured theater go-er who sees the most current and clever shows. However, I do know a good thing when I see it!! Those friends who saw it would agree with me, and the multiple standing ovations prove it so.
The main characters were all high school and entering college students, yet I felt like I was watching trained thespians on Broadway. They were perfectly cast...every one of them. Claire was part of a special ensemble group called "the newsies", who were young paperboys. This group was the first one to be seen at the opening of the show, and they would make adorable appearances throughout the show and between acts. This was one show I am most glad to see Claire record on her resume!!

The Newsies

The Cast

These girls were cute as buttons on stage!

...and how do you feel about that?

2011-10-28T11:08:00.000-07:00

Ethan was sick for an entire week with a fever and could not go to school. The first two days he just laid on the couch nursing a homemade "soda", not caring about much but the TV. The following days he would wake up and eagerly ask, "Am I better yet, Mom??" After taking his temperature we would find that, alas, his fever had not broken. TV had lost its allure and playing with the neighbor boy wasn't an option.

Cabin fever set in.

I tried to distract him with games, puzzles, and coloring. We tried to bake together but he sneezed on the banana bread batter multiple times (I figured the germs would get baked out). He was begging to go to kindergarten, whereas before, he didn't care much about going to school. Going to school was like... well... going to the grocery store. Just something he had to do.

On Friday, he was finally well enough to go back to school. Hooray! After he left that day I had a chance to straighten up and these are Ethan's coloring pages I found:

Think he was a little stir crazy??

2011-10-26T16:52:00.000-07:00

The Jedis

2011-10-26T16:45:00.000-07:00

Game #1: Ethan needed to be ~~carried~~ coaxed out of the car. He was assigned a defender position on the field, but ran off crying when the start whistle blew. Ethan was subbed out the entire game.

Game #2: Ethan gets out of the car willingly, but requests to not play in the soccer game. In fact, he asks why I signed him up for soccer in the first place.

Game #3: The coach asks Ethan if he will try playing one quarter and "help out the team". Ethan agrees, and is posted as a midfielder. The coach shows Ethan where this general area is on the field and when the start whistle blows, he will not move from this area. He remains like a reed that won't break against the tide of boys that whoosh back and forth past him.

Game #4: Ethan decides that soccer isn't so bad after all, and asks to be in the game. As a midfielder, he actually runs around the entire field with the swell of kids. Ethan avoids touching the ball, and actually moves aside when it whizzes past him. I begin to ask myself why I signed him up for soccer in the first place.

Game #5: Position assigned. Attitude good. Whistle blows. Ethan runs! Ethan kicks the ball! Ethan is proud and looks at me, giving a thumbs up. Off he goes running again. * We are moving in the right direction with a little perseverance, and a very tolerant coach.

*I have since offered Ethan $1.00 for every goal he can score

Quest

2011-10-26T16:02:00.000-07:00

Claire, now being in 6th grade, was able to attend her first youth retreat with our church. She was COMPLETELY excited to go and I admired her confidence. She has never been away at such an event, and there was only kids she is acquainted with (not bff's).
Claire started doing sleepovers around first grade without any homesickness or fears, so I wasn't too worried. She has been on a week-long cruise with her grandparents and loved the adventure. It is a blessing to have a confident and risk-taking child! Especially one that has so many God-given gifts and isn't afraid to use them.
At the end of the weekend, Claire made friends and memories. Another cool thing was to see Julian and Claire talking about all the cool things at Quest, since he had gone three times during his middle school years. Loved to see that bond happen.

Camping at Alder Lake near Mt. Rainier

2011-09-20T07:11:00.000-07:00

She Just Keeps Growing Up!

2011-08-26T08:41:00.000-07:00

I downloaded this from Picasa after creating a rough movie of the pictures...it seems that you need to click on the little icon right there to view the movie.

Ethan's 5th Birthday

2011-07-30T10:13:00.000-07:00

The Bday Crew: Audrey, Molly, Lily, Samuel, Ethan, Daniel, and Griffin

This year was a much more successful party for Ethan. For his 4th birthday he really wanted a party so I planned an extremely informal ~~party~~ gathering for 2 of his ~~only~~ closest friends. I had a few simple games ready, yet the kids basically sat around and ate from the large bowl of Goldfish crackers I had set out. Not one of them was interested in games. Gift-opening lasted all of 5 minutes since their was only two kids and Ethan shredded the wrapping and tossed them aside so quickly...maybe it was only 3 minutes? I mentally cancelled his next year's party.
What a difference a year makes--both for Ethan and Mom. I said yes to a party, and was brave enough to call it a party. Still keeping it low key, I set out squirt guns and had some backyard games planned. The pinata was to be the highlight of the whole thing, barring any injuries. (Isn't their always one kid who excitedly steps into the swinging area accidentally and gets clocked?)

I had painted and hung up targets for the kids to squirt but they squirted almost everything BUT the targets!! Nothing was safe from their sprays!

We came, we saw, we squirted

Red light, Green light was a great game even though everyone cheated

and they would arbitrarily change the rules.

Ok, everybody wins.

Claire and Timmy surveying the games and observing that the rules were not being followed. (They also supervised the snack area well, I see.)

Learning from my mistakes, I set the snacks out after the games were finished

and before the pinata candy was snatched up.

Isn't it always funny when the child wildly swings in the wrong direction of the pinata? I laughed every time one of the kids swiped the empty air with gusto, thinking they were going to collapse the pinata from their crushing blow.

The Drum Cake

Happy Birthday Ethan!!

Ethan outside the next morning
playing with his new shooter

Ladies' Spring Friendship Brunch

2011-07-30T09:25:00.000-07:00

I decided to hostess a table for our church's annual spring brunch, much to my initial reluctance. I was getting back from a week in California the day I was to decorate my table and I felt overwhelmed at the task. Often I have a vision, or a feeling, in mind and I want to create that exact thing on the outside. Whether it is rearranging a room, setting a table, or gardening, I want to create what's in my mind's eye. It is a process that requires LOTS of practice because I am nowhere near what I want!
My table at the brunch looked pretty and spring-y, and it was filled with sweet women who were appreciative at the details that went into putting the setting together. Secretly inside I had hoped to win the "Best Looking Table" award, but alas I did not. Someone who had recreated an entire beachscape on their table won the top votes. **sigh** A lesson in humility!

These are 4 posters one of the women designed for the brunch, as the theme was about the seasons of our lives as women.

2011-07-30T08:52:00.001-07:00

(Did they both have food in their teeth or what?)

Ethan has learned to pump himself on the swings!
That is a childhood milestone...

Always the comedian

Fishes in the Sea

2011-07-28T09:16:00.000-07:00

I came to terms with the fact that my two older kids were excellent and confident swimmers, while my younger two were squeamish and uncomfortable with swimming. The former, born and raised for several years in warm climates, the latter, born and raised in Washington. Ah, that explains it all.

After listening to some other mothers, I realized that I would have to work harder at this than I had before. We feel that knowing how to swim and riding a bicycle are Two Things Every Kid Should Know. So, that means signing up and driving to lessons at the heated pool. This wasn't going to come naturally since the climate wasn't agreeable to lots of outdoor recreational swimming.

This year Audrey took to the water like, well, a fish. She put her face in the water while swimming, relaxed into the back float, and would bob ten times under the water. She would proudly come up over the side with her toothless, "Look at me, Ma!" grin.

Ethan, not so much. He obediently got into the water but clung to the side until the teacher peeled him off for his turn to swim. He nervously laughed as she floated him farther away from the side and always made sure he kept sight of the wall he longed to be returned to. However, Ethan is an agreeable child and he always would do what was asked of him. This gave me hope that he would eventually relax and see that it wasn't so bad after all. He did, and actually got excited to go the lessons (by the last one).

Apparantly I didn't take any pictures of Ethan at his lessons (?!). Perhaps he didn't look so happy and I didn't document it? I know that I was always sitting nearby, smiling at him and telling him with my eyes that I loved him and he would be okay.

My Trip to California to See My Dad...

2011-06-12T23:07:00.000-07:00

After 2 years, I was finally able to arrange a trip to see my Dad and Maida in California. My Dad is sliding into the beginning of the middle phase of Alzheimer's and it is important for me to see him while he is still aware.

It was tough to see a man who loved vocabulary struggle to find words. Someone who loved to calculate percentages and probabilities now just saying "I don't know". Someone who determined to always know the way now not knowing which way to turn.

The father who has a great sense of humor, likes to whistle while he works, and eats with gusto is still there though. That gave me solace and during my stay we often made our best memories, eating and laughing.

self-portrait

This dog makes me love the breed. She's got a lot of personality for someone so short.

These are some vintage wooden puzzles that I put together. They had pieces that fit together to make their own shapes (see bicycle):

This embroidery in the guest room reminded me of the beautiful poems Claire writes

Jim and Jill

Shadow would cleverly hide here before hunting down any yard insects that were threatening the safety of the lawn

Dad in his Joe Cool shades

Dad would often stand up on the patio, semi-reading the daily news

Ellen came up to visit while I was in California. It is always a kick to see my parents together again.

Sonoma Town Square. It has some funky, cool stores and food hangouts...as well as the overpriced tourist-trap stores. Best part was the big park in the center.

I shrieked when I saw these 2 piggy banks on my Dad's dresser!! These are as old as my first memories and I know they have traveled a long road. I used to pilfer quarters out of them (Dad never put any other coins in as he thought anything less than that was useless change) and buy candy. Back then, a few quarters would satisfy a week's worth of a sweet tooth.

I was sure to tell Maida that I MOST DEFINITELY wanted these banks and they should never go in the Goodwill box! (Hey if I'm lucky they will be loaded with quarters still!)

R i 3

2011-06-12T22:18:00.000-07:00

Christopher's band, R i 3, played a set at the local Roller Derby event. Hey, if you are a musician you know that a gig is a gig! Never bite the hand that [might] feed you [someday].

This is one of my very favorite pictures of my adorable and talented husband!!

I don't envy the packing up process. Could a band possibly have as much confusing equipment as an operating room?

Here's a sample of the other performers

that came on AFTER R i 3. We decided to leave

this wholesome family show and tailgate

with the band...

Mayhem Mollie rams into Betty Betchacantboop

2011-06-12T21:43:00.000-07:00

Can you practically feel the excitement? Isn't Audrey almost contagious?

This is a picture of her FIRST LOST TOOTH and she couldn't have been more proud!

Claire's Cupcake Wars

2011-06-12T21:38:00.000-07:00

~A Sugary Good Party Where the Girls Bring Their Bake On~

The teams carefully select and plan their Master Cupcake Designs.

The categories were:

Most Creative

Best Tasting

Best Looking

Ethan and Audrey were their own One-Man Teams. What gooey masterpieces!!

...just a few of the ingredients to choose from...

And the winners are...

THE AFTERMATH

Happy 11th Birthday Claire!!

May all your hopes and dreams come true!

**You are OUR sweet cupcake Claire**

2011-06-02T15:30:00.000-07:00

A picture of my mom, Ellen (right), in 1958 in Detroit.

DIY

2011-05-27T18:57:00.000-07:00

Julian just spent last week at his grandparents, helping Mark build a deck on their property. With the beautiful weather **coming soon** I am glad Julian was able to get it up and running.
Next DIY project? Maybe throwing down some cool tiki torches and a fire pit?

(I decided to post all the pictures instead of doing a movie--that is a whole other project that would delay these pictures ever getting posted!!)

2011-04-13T10:11:00.001-07:00

"In the concert of life, you are not given a program."

2011-04-12T18:46:00.000-07:00

Christopher's band, Ri3, got a chance to practice their stuff at a venue. Let's just say it was the "preshow" for the local women's rollerderby league. We left before the rollerderby started *ahem*.

I LOVE this picture of my husband!!

...and now to break it all down

California #2

2011-04-12T18:31:00.000-07:00

Shadow, in hunting mode

My favorite tree in their yard

A Meyer lemon tree overburdened with giant lemons. I must help it and take lemons home.

California #1

2011-04-12T18:27:00.000-07:00

Dad just lounging on the patio in the California sun...

The most adorable small dog I have ever met, Shadow

Moi...

Dad called himself "Joe Cool" when he donned the sunglasses. Maybe someone out there remember the Snoopy character? Dad LOVED Peanuts cartoons.

Can you believe I am posting TWO pictures of a small dog?? She really is quite a honey.I

Mount Squishmore

2011-03-14T16:10:00.000-07:00

While doing a brief tour of the European countries in history, Audrey was impressed with the amount of old and stately castles that were still standing. I challenged her to make her own out of wood blocks, and it was quite expansive!

This was a tribute to Big Ben.

I noticed there was an efficient rocket-launching area at this castle, looks a little northeast of the moat. You never know when a princess will need a quick getaway.

Having studied some important places in the U.S., we fashioned our own Mt. Rushmore out of playdough.

2011-02-14T20:56:00.000-08:00

I was looking in the Google Search History for a website that I had visited earlier in the week, and stumbled upon these attempted searches:

**Can dogs eat one cup of olive oil?
**Dogs: how much should my dog eat/cottage cheese daily rations?
**Can dogs eat tomato sauce with green peppers?
**Are green chilies ok for dogs?
**Which foods are toxic for dogs and cats?

and lastly,

**Alternative medicines for dogs

These are the kinds of "trails" the web researchers and advertisers probably look at to determine how to get hits on their websites. I just chuckled as I read down the list of things ****someone**** had entered in the search bar, and not shortly thereafter did I keep the dog outside for the rest of the day. I did NOT want to revisit any of those foods Charm had possibly ingested.

The sun has set, the dog's stomach seems settled, but the questions still remain:

Was someone holding a cooking class with the dog as the only student?
What would possess someone to feed a dog a cup of olive oil anyway?
Did this person think that a cottage cheese chaser would help keep the oil from leaking out the other end?
Did Charm enjoy the green chilies?

High School Musical

2011-01-30T21:06:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe I haven't done a follow-up story on Claire's performance in High School Musical! As you can imagine, the role of a "mini-Sharpay" fit Claire like a [Gucci] glove. The 3 actresses nicknamed themselves Sharpay, Sharpette, and Sharpetite--which was Claire. (Ok, that was kind of an inside/backstage joke and not-so-funny in print.) Claire was so fantastic to watch, prancing and preening around the stage. She always had these over-the-top sequined and pink outfits, replete with purse and matching cell phone. Claire did not speak one line in this entire play, but her actions and attitude said it all!

Claire's Grandma Ellen had the treat of being in town for the last performance. We proudly escorted Miss Claire to the cast party :o)

This faboo cake was designed by one of the parents. Apparantly, she does something cool and different for each show.

The party was at a piano bar down the street that let the cast of kids request any songs and the guy would play them. I was amazed at how many of them knew all the Journey tunes!!

It's All About Your Perspective...I Guess...

2011-01-30T14:17:00.000-08:00

Claire (drawing a cartoon picture of Julian): Hey Julian this is gonna be a picture of you when you're 20!

Julian (eating, as usual): Oh ok. Cool.

Claire: I'm going to make you have a tattoo!

Julian: Oh ok. Make it be two swords crossed.

Claire (stated in her famous multi-questioned way): Hmmm. I don't know how to draw swords. How do you draw swords? What do swords look like?

Audrey (peering over Claire's shoulder): I know how to draw swords. Just draw a banana with a handle on the end.

Audience laughs.

End scene.

Seattel

2011-01-18T20:50:00.000-08:00

We took a Sunday off and went to Seattle to make a memory. First we hit an awesome breakfast dive called Beth's on Greenlake. (A person could actually order a 12-egg omelet or scale it down to a 6-egger. Holy Cholesterol Batman!!) It was filled with been-out-all-night characters and weekend suburbanites like ourselves. Hand drawn pictures from the patrons adorned the walls...most likely to cover holes and grease spots. The drawings ranged from toddler art to tattoo art, the latter being VERY strange.
After a filling repast, we drove the few blocks to the lake (what--did you think we would walk there? After all we were pretty full from breakfast.). Found a parking spot and headed toward the walking path, but...behold! A chocolate shop! The Blubberton Oath says that we musn't pass up an opportunity to snack on something new. Several truffles later, we continued to the lake.
We made certain to stay on the "Walkers" side of the path and not obstruct the path of the cool Seattle people, rollerblading astride their Kelty strollers, holding Camelbak steel water bottles, and wearing Northface clothing. Our big Walmart butts knew our rightful places....yeeeeeepppppp.
Our brisk jaunt took us to the playground, to the shore of the lake where Claire found a button in the icy water (this is a memorable detail), and to a tree with knitted mini-mittens hanging upon its branches.
Within the next few days, I found that Audrey had drawn a picture labelled "Seattel". I see the little brown-haired girl in the picture is smiling. Looks like a good memory.

As promised...

2011-01-18T20:30:00.000-08:00

As promised in an earlier post, here is Ethan's train picture!

Ethan said this was himself on the porch and the other people were Audrey's friends :o)

Audrey worked hard on this drawing. She really spent time trying to figure out how to draw the arms and legs of the animals. I also love the windy day effect!!

Still Life

2011-01-18T20:26:00.000-08:00

Audrey: watercolor fruit bowl

Claire: watercolor fruit bowl

Audrey's rainbow always have pots of gold under them. Such is Audrey's view of the world!

Claire's rainbow...beautiful colors.

Snow 2011 (...to be continued? It's only January, after all)

2011-01-18T19:31:00.000-08:00

(This is one of my more ho-hum videos, due to major computer snafus during the creation process.)

Fourteen

2011-01-01T09:11:00.000-08:00

This little boy... we remember him so well.

He's just had his fourteenth birthday. With lumps in our throats, Dad and I sang the Birthday Song.

I had to laugh when I noticed the similarities in the shirts in the two pictures; I guess some things never change!

Taking Form

2010-12-14T15:39:00.000-08:00

Claire Bear with no hair up there

"A guy who is so mad his eyes turned all red"
(Even though it was drawn in all green marker...)

Ethan and friends on a sunny day

Add caption

Ethan's drawings have started taking shape. They have gone from swirls and scribbles, to actual people and places. I think this is my favorite "season" of drawing the kids go through! It is so fantastic to see his little wheels turning, chubby fingers clutching a marker while a thought develops on paper. Not to mention the fact of graduating from crayons to markers.

When I find the one of the bus driver in the bus with a rainbow overhead, I'll be sure to post it :o)

A Daring Dayton Defies Dynamics

2010-12-01T09:44:00.000-08:00

Sparklicious!

2010-12-01T09:31:00.000-08:00

If shoes could speak, they would sing Audrey's song!

Is October Over Already?

2010-11-28T20:12:00.000-08:00

Hit the Pumpkin Patch in October. Went to one and it was jam packed like a Disneyland parking lot...isn't that crazy for a pumpkin patch?? Maybe it was the "Field of Screams Haunted Corn Maze" that was a big draw. I heard a guy in a scarecrow costume jumps out at you in the maze, laughing maniacally and holding a chain saw.
No I am serious.
And doesn't that sound like good fun? NOT.
Got back in the car and headed down and around the road to a different patch that was crowded, but family-friendly. I can handle that.
It was a gorgeous, fall day and strolling around was very pleasant. We waited for a while to get on the tractor-pulled hay ride, but it was worth the memory.

See the happy faces? That makes the half-hour wait worth it!! I remember this part well because we were getting pretty hungry at this point and the folks in line in front of us had bags of popcorn they were crunching on. We were totally salivating and had to divert ourselves by watching the Pumpkin Hurling Game going on behind us.

This was a great day with the Daytons. You shoulda been there...

2010-11-19T21:52:00.000-08:00

It was a cold, crisp fall evening at the Dayton Household....

We hosted our very own Harvest Party. Adults: 2, Kids: 4 , Candy: 1 million pieces

The pumpkin that had sat alone on the porch, attempting to look harvesty, was about to be carved. I think it was glad since it didn't have any mini-haystacks or crafty scarecrows to keep it company out there. It stared all day at some shriveled up pansies in a pot.

Julian and Mother did most of the slimey work. Claire offered to help, but using an ice cream scooper so as not to touch the stinky slime. (Apologies to the Pumpkin) Father thriftily recommended roasting the seeds for a snack later. Mother, of course, had a recipe.

Audrey insisted on a quick photo with Pumpkin, apparantly relating to his demise.

Things turned out quite well for Pumpkin, I'd say. He looks brilliant!

Leaving the savory behind and moving onto the sweet....
caramel dipped candy-coated apples.

Each child waited patiently for their turn dipping and dripping the caramel. Mouths watered and fingers twitched to pilfer candy bits.

One wanted a Nerd coating, another Reeses Pieces would be his fancy.

And then there is the child who wants it all....

At the close of the day, the Daytons had had a spot-on good time. Oversugared, but together.

And the pumpkin seeds were roasted to perfection to boot.

Your Face is My Canvas (...that sounds so artsy, doesn't it?)

2010-11-19T20:46:00.000-08:00

I never need a reason to paint the kids' faces. Yes, I really love to do it. To begin with, they have simple tastes like puppy, butterfly, or lion. Next, they see what I have created as a work of art. This is quite an ego boost when your kids throw themselves on you and dramatically proclaim your creative genius. I could have painted the most lopsided lion, that really looks like a stepped-on dandelion, and they will think it is completely wonderful.

Not that I have ever made any bombs, mind you. Just sayin.

The Pensive Pooch

A Bored Butterfly

Baby Batman

Ah that's more like it!

Yes!

Workin' at the Dog Wash yeah...

2010-11-09T22:56:00.000-08:00

We took Charm to the Self-Serve Dog Wash and it was quite a good time. Charm LOVED it; it was like one big Petting Fest for her. She stayed completely still and never shook one time.

Ethan lost interest quickly in our big old dog and really took to this pipsqueak of a creature. I do not care for rodents with long hair that people call dogs.

Claire and Audrey drying Charm off, which she thought was the massage portion of her doggie spa day.

At home smelling as fresh as a daisy...

2010-11-09T22:16:00.000-08:00

Dad, Maida, and Julie in Hawaii on a horseback ride

Playbarn

2010-11-09T22:14:00.000-08:00

My sister is building a barn on her property. They are doing all the work themselves, with a little help from a forklift/backhoe thingie. But peeling the bark off all the logs entirely? Incredible. Yes, I understand they don't use a potato peeler to do it, but still incredible nonetheless. I am a Project Shortcutter and would probably leave the bark on; I would then pretend I was going for a more rustic look. Well there's your difference between the Country Sister and the City Sister.

Anyway, as I first looked at this picture what popped into my head was what Audrey would see, which was a GIANT PLAYSTRUCTURE. Note the beams that would later hold monkey bars, the ladder that would later have a slide, the ropes for swinging...
Oh...is that a chainsaw on the ground? Hmmm I don't know what Audrey would think of THAT in her park!

2010-10-10T22:07:00.000-07:00

2010-10-10T22:04:00.000-07:00

The Many Faces (and hats) of Claire

2010-09-22T22:21:00.000-07:00

Mt. Rainier

2010-09-15T22:59:00.000-07:00

We ~~went~~ sort of went camping in July to Mt.Rainier. One of these summers we will get it right, I just know it. It started out as an incredibly gorgeous 80 degree day when we set up the tent and into the balmy evening where we toasted marshmallows.
In the middle of the night we woke up at different intervals, absolutely freezing. An unexpected cold front had blown in, dropping the temperature to the upper 40s. That was a 40 degree difference from the daytime. We were not at all prepared for that, since the weather was supposed to be in the 80s the entire time.
Huddling under every blanket and layering our clothes on top of our pajamas, we stayed around the fire ...hoping the clouds would blow away as quickly as they had come in. Midday we decided to call it quits and pack it up. The ranger station reported that the weather was going to hold until the next day (when we had to leave). We did not want to "suffer" through the cod, yet no one wanted to leave either. Sadly, we packed up.
The slide show of pictures is not in any particular order; it just reflects the time we had for those short 12 hours :o(

2010-09-11T21:55:00.000-07:00

Did someone call for me? Was it my agent?

2010-09-11T21:53:00.000-07:00

Could this little girl be any cuter?? Any sweeter??
YES.
Every year that has passed has made our daughter more delightful, more beautiful, and more engaging.
It's been six years this picture was taken of Claire.
We love her 6x as much...but probably more.

Fractured Elbow

2010-09-11T21:27:00.000-07:00

Although most of our friends and family know, Ethan fractured his arm. This post is just for posterity and to record the memory.
Ethan wasn't doing anything spectacular like bungee jumping off the dining room table or sock surfing on the hardwood. He was simply kneeling on the couch talking "dog" to his other "dog friends". One wrong move and he took a tumble off the couch. I heard the cries, was brought over by another child, and inspected the injury. My assessment was that he just landed on it wrong or popped it out of its socket and back again. Those do hurt awfully bad but no sense in overreacting. So out came the ice packs and I swaddled them around elbow area.

All afternoon long.

As the day wore on toward evening, my keen mother-sense told me that the ice wasn't helping. Perhaps it was the sharp cries when I went near his arm or the fact that he wouldn't move it in the slightest. I came out of denial and took him to the doctor. One look and yep, it was broken alright. (oops)

Ethan had to wait a few days for the swelling to go down before he got his cast on. He wore a little, tiny sling that was just so...tiny.... He was a good sport about the whole process right from the start. Extremely brave and adjusted well to using his left hand for things.

The cast was put on (see above pictures) and he chose green. When offered all the colors originally, he said in a rather sulky voice that he wanted a black cast. I think he was having a bad day, I mean he did break his arm and everything.

Four weeks later he was able to get the cast off and he was nervously excited about it. He naturally asked how they would get this rock hard tube off and I was trying to NOT use the word "SAW" in my response. Can you imagine??

"Oh they are going to saw it off honey..." The terror!

So I might have said something about little scissors or snippers that help loosen the cast. (I thought "snippers" sounded like a cute and friendly word and "loosen" was a safe term) Who said we can never lie to our kids? What, you never did??


The SAW, which seems to be not that scary

Healed!

High School Musical

2010-08-15T14:33:00.000-07:00


Claire all ready to go for opening night

I have been remiss in reporting the latest star sighting here in Everett: our Very Own Claire Dayton!! A few months ago she auditioned for a part in the summer production of "High School Musical". She was certain that she would get an ensemble part because, well, after all it is HighSchool Musical and not Elementary School Musical. Amidst a sea of tall people, Claire bravely waited for her turn to audition. She had mastered one of the popular songs to showcase and a short monologue to impress them with. Claire felt confident going in and satisfied coming out of the audition; she had learned so much in doing the Seussical Jr. musical and definitely used it.

On the drive home, Claire was ready to receive the callback for an ensemble part with a contented and happy heart. She held the attitude that "There is no small parts" close to her heart and I was very proud of that.

A few days later, we got the call. The woman said that they were so impressed by Claire's audition and her overall personality that they had created a special role just for her. She said that they wanted Claire to be more than just a background character, that she really had a special joie-de-vivre about her. WOW!! They made her a "shadow" of the main character, Sharpay, and affectionately call Claire a "Sharpette".

Sharpay is one of the popular girls at school, always dressed to kill and has an attitude to match. Claire follows Sharpay around, mimicking her movements, snapping her fingers in the Z formation, and talking on her cell phone in the same manner. Claire dresses in these over-the-top fashionable clothes and wears sparkly makeup...it is fantastically hilarious!

Our family saw the first of 7 shows, and I am going on closing night with Grandma Ellen. I can't wait to post more pictures from the cast party!

2010-08-10T21:31:00.000-07:00

S. I. C. (Seattle is Cool)

2010-08-04T22:44:00.000-07:00

~Rendition of Girl With a Pearl Earring~


~Woman in downtown Seattle doing chalk art~

Waiting...and waiting...and...

2010-08-04T22:39:00.000-07:00

Who pick? U pick!

2010-08-04T22:33:00.000-07:00

Another "Why-haven't-we-done-this-before??" adventure... We went blueberry picking for the first time in our lives as Washington residents. We've been here 7 years (which is a Dayton family record) and never picked a one.

When we first walked up they offer tin pails just like in the book, Blueberries for Sal. I squealed with excitement at the prospect of hanging this metal bucket off my belt loop like a pro. More squeals ensued when I actually dropped the first few berries in and it made the sounds, "Plink plank plunk," just like the book. Audrey and Ethan caught onto my excitement and began to fill their own containers, in somewhat of a race to the top. The only problem they were having was eating more than they could save. It was as if each berry were a new invention from the Willy Wonka factory; they would draw my attention to each one they were going to eat, saying, "Look at this one, Mom!!"

The trees were LOADED with fat, juicy berries. We started discussing all the things we could make with our harvest: pancakes, smoothies, pie, and someone with their mouth full might have said hot dogs. I couldn't quite understand.

The harvest was plentiful, and the tummies were satisfied. It was #67 on the list of Things We Should Do that I could now cross off. In blueberry juice.

I need to do this every day...but will I fit on the counter??

2010-08-04T08:48:00.000-07:00

Tree Tag

2010-08-03T20:44:00.000-07:00

We stopped by the park this morning for some good, simple fun. When we pulled up the kids piled out and started running toward the various play structures. Nobody seemed to notice that Dad and I were still in the car (for a while at least) so we slumped down in our seats (about dashboard level) and enjoyed the moments of silence. I think Christopher even said, "Ahhhhhh...." but I'm not sure.
Once we were realized, we ambled out and ~~joined~~ watched the kids in their frenzied play. I started hearing someone talking excitedly about playing "Tree Tag" in the forest behind the park and then felt my mouth moving. It was ME! Suggesting a running game! I eyed everyone's flip-flops, noted the tree roots bulging as if to catch our feet, and fought the urge to cancel the game due to envisioned injuries. I was quite proud of myself for throwing caution to the wind.
It ended up being a Memory Maker. Ethan darted in and out of trees like a squirrel; Audrey insisted on being on Dad's team--on his shoulders; Julian being the stellar athlete he is, never got tagged; Claire coolly walked from one tree to the next very-close-tree, not needing to ever break a sweat. Me? Well I ran around in my flip-flops, stumbling over roots, getting tree sap on my hands, all the while shrieking like a little girl.
Good times.

The Last Day of Being a Kindergartener

2010-07-08T20:22:00.000-07:00

Audrey finished her kindergarten year out well. As I mentioned in an earlier post, she had some good days and some bad days. But no matter what, she thought Mr. Stevenson was the greatest teacher. And he was. He had that laissez-faire attitude about most things and a "just-shake-it-off" approach to the kids' boo-boos, spilled paint, and the wigglygiggly kids. I think it was good for Audrey to have a teacher like that, for some reason I can't explain.

I believe Audrey will have fond memories of the storytime rug, weather chart, birthday appreciation days, her older grade study buddy, Zoe, Lily, and the guy she weekly wanted to marry, Jonah.

There was a Field Day we attended which had carnival games, sport games, and competitive games. Audrey and her 2 gal pals were allowed to wander around the entire field and playground area without direct supervision. This was a thrilling prospect for them, but when they walked into the venue, they were somewhat overwhelmed and shied away from the crowds. They stayed a long time on the "older kids" play structure, only venturing into the crowd for popcorn and face painting.

However, the girls noticed one station that looked pretty fun: catapult a soaked water ball to try to hit a live-teacher-target. The line for this one was loooooong and I was impressed as I watched the girls wait....and wait....and wait.

It was finally Audrey's turn. She carefully soaked the ball. She waited for the helper to set the rig. She ready....aims...and FIRES!!!!

The catapult springs forward, and smacks Audrey's chin with great force. I unintentionally captured the incident and didn't realize until editing pictures later. Audrey's lip started to bleed, and as any mother knows, lips bleed PROFUSELY. The helpers and teachers were murmuring "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh" as they were bumping around trying to find some ice for it. It looked worse than it was, but Audrey was definately done with games after that.
As we walked away, I could hear the adults saying, "Man that is SO wierd. We haven't had one injury all day. "
And, "That was our first mishap we have ever had with this machine in all the years I've done this..."

I had to laugh and shake my head because that can just be the way things are sometimes.

2010-07-08T19:40:00.001-07:00

It Actually Was June

2010-07-07T22:13:00.000-07:00

Last month I had promised the kids a trip to the beach. After all, it was June and it sounded reasonable. Well days and then weeks passed, without the chilly temperatures and drizzly rain halting. I finally settled on a "non-rainy" day trip to the beach. A mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do.
Here are some of the pictures from the day:

(this one is my favorite....our Florida boy)

We had a sweet time. Even found a whole (dead) crab which we brought home to show Dad. Instead of frolicking in bathing suits in the balmy water, we skipped stones and had a contest to see who could throw their rock the farthest. Instead of building a sandcastle, we peeked under rocks to see what tide pool creatures we could discover. It was a perfect summer day in Washington.

The first set of summer pictures!

2010-07-07T16:06:00.000-07:00

Lily

2010-07-07T15:44:00.000-07:00

Audrey and Lily

It has been so refreshing to move back into our new (old) house. (Aside: that's what Audrey always calls it, "Our new old house.") The cul de sac is full of kids to play with, of various ages. There's enough to go around for each of our kids. While we were blessed to have a beautiful home in Mill Creek, there was a shortage of children it seemed. Perhaps there were kids, but they were always inside reading Bill Gates' book, Child Entrepreneurs. Or studying for their next Japanese business course at the local elementary school. Or vacationing at their ~~second~~ third home in Hawaii. I don't know...they just weren't around. The school bus would empty, and they would scurry home like mice.

So here we are, back home, with many young companions to play with. Our TV and Wii have never been so lonely...

2010-06-22T22:33:00.000-07:00

On a School Bus Far, Far Away...

2010-06-17T22:41:00.000-07:00

As the school year descends to a close, I found myself reminiscing about Audrey's first year in Kindergarten. I can't comprehend that this little girl will be in first grade next year. Well, I think to myself, at least I still have my little Ethan.
I remember those first weeks where Audrey was quite unsure whether or not she liked this going-to-school-business. The separation at the entrance gate was always tentative: Would she get emotional and not want to go? Would she skip off with a backward wave? Each day beheld a different action from her, though she liked her classmates and teachers once inside.
In typical Audrey fashion, on the weekends she would whine that there was no school and wish she was going that day. On schooldays, she would cling to me in the car not wanting to part. I was as unsure as she was, I think.
I have set my mind on homeschooling her with the other kids next year. I know I need to give it a try and see how we do before simply sending her to school every year. Audrey may just thrive in this environment, with more free time to express her very expressive self. She will have time for piano and gymastics, which she dearly wants to do.
I will look forward to The Adventures of a First Grader, starring our very own Audrey.

SuperClaire!!

2010-06-02T13:46:00.000-07:00

Double click on the image to see the details...

[Bleep!]

2010-05-29T15:00:00.000-07:00

Audrey, Ethan, and I were playing an innocent game of Hi-Ho Cherry-O when Audrey leaned over and asked, "Mom, do you know what the s-word is?"

Her sober face told me I was in for a weighty conversation.

"What do you mean by the s-word?" I quizzed her as I mentally began to fill out the paperwork required to withdraw her from public school.

"You know.... the s-h-word..."

She whispered since Ethan was sitting right there.

Now I was feeling a controlled upsetness. "Well, do you know what it is honey?" Did I really want to know the answer to that??

"Yeah, s-h-u-t-u-p," she cautiously spelled. "And it's really bad to say, huh Mom?"

Relieved, I said, "Yeah, that's really a bad word."

"Oh and how about the d-word? That's bad too." I could tell she liked stealing this small moment where she was "allowed" to say these things.

"And what word is that?" I asked, feeling enormously safer asking her this time.

"D-u-m-m-y."

And back we went to our innocent game of Hi-Ho Cherry-O...

"But wait, if you order NOW...."

2010-05-29T07:26:00.000-07:00

I don't remember how we jumped onto the topic, but it was mentioned that Claire is a VERY excellent bed-maker. We all chimed in that her covers were military-style straight, and the pillows were always fluffed and propped like a bed and breakfast.

Offhandedly, I said that she could make some money with an enterprise like that.

The next morning I found this in the printer:

Claire's Cleaning Club

If it's not the best bed making you've ever seen, IT'S ON US!

Bed making is the lowest price you will ever see! Only fifty cents! PLUS,

not only do you get that, but if you subscribe in the next 15 minutes, you will get FREE

pillow fluffing!

Unexpected Gift

2010-05-26T12:47:00.000-07:00

What a surprise. What an unexpected kindness.
A pot of lilies given to me by a sweet neighbor friend.
A wish that I had been so thoughtful and given it to her.
Knowing I don't need to reciprocate.
Knowing it was done with love and given freely.
Thank you Angi :o)

2010-05-24T17:00:00.000-07:00

2010-05-21T17:07:00.000-07:00

Ethan made his own "-ism"

2010-05-21T15:14:00.000-07:00

Ethan was looking all over for something. Truly searching high and low.

Exasperated (which happens frequently), he finally asked Christopher and I, "WHERE IS THE BEE RACKET??"

WHAT??

We of course had no idea what he was talking about. He kept repeating "The bee racket, the bee racket!!"

Since we didn't even know where to start helping him look, he set upon the task himself. At last, he returned with ....

a fly swatter.

A Bathroom Story

2010-05-21T11:29:00.000-07:00

While I was washing my face this morning, soap in my eyes, I heard Ethan's little voice saying, "Mommy can I have a cotton candy?"

"Um, hang on sweetie....what??" Quickly splashing off the suds. "...cotton candy?!"

"Yeah, one of 'doz wittle marshmallows?" I love his words so much.

After drying my face off I searched around trying to find what kind of food item he could want that we stored in the bathroom. Now, I've been known to stash away chocolate on occasion but most certainly not in the **ahem** restroom. And definitely not cotton candy or marshmallows (too messy to hide).

"DEES Mommy!" he emphatically pointed at my jar of cotton balls. Geez, the way he said it was like I was completely dense or something.

Buy Me Some Peanuts and Cracker Jacks....or a little fried chicken?

2010-05-08T07:12:00.000-07:00

Julian is doing very well for his first
season playing baseball. He isn't that crazy about it, but he is faithful in finishing out the season. I guess when you only play 2 out of 7 innings (in left field) and maybe bat twice a game, what's to love about the American pastime? The team is too large so 4 kids are always benched. The batting rotation takes SO long that if you are at the bottom of the list, you might not bat until the 3rd inning. Talk about boring! The benched kids just sit and consume massive amounts of sunflower seeds. One kid started eating fried chicken and pop, probably
figuring he'd never get any action so might as well grab lunch.
I am proud of Julian for his character around this issue. He doesn't complain but always asks the coach to play every inning. He cheers the other kids on from the bench. He suits up for every game, knowing he won't play very much.
In the end, I know that this is just one experience to learn from and that it is building character.

Do these kids know how to tailgate or what?! Cheezits and fluffy pillows in the back of the van. That's what I'm talkin' about.

2010-05-08T07:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Christopher surprised me with an incredible Mothers Day gift: an afternoon at the spa!! It's been a while since I had any kind of pampering treatment like that, unless taking a shower without interruption counts.
The package included a facial, body massage, manicure, and pedicure. The place was quiet. It smelled like lavender everywhere. The lights were low and they played this ambient Japanese nature music that was very soothing.
Truth be known, I spent the last half mentally composing a letter to the family, trying to figure out how to break the news that I would be staying there and could they just forward my mail?

I just love this dog.

2010-05-04T19:15:00.000-07:00

Audrey-ism #77

2010-04-30T21:27:00.000-07:00

Audrey: Mommy, what kind of dog is Charm?

Mom: She's an English lab.

Audrey: [emphatically] Oh GOOD.

Mom: Why is that good, honey?

Audrey: Because she understands English when we talk to her!!

Audrey-ism #78

2010-04-30T21:21:00.000-07:00

Audrey: Mommy, can you ever hear God?

Mom: [revels for a moment in the sweetness of a child's spirituality] People don't actually hear God talking out loud anymore, honey. Sometimes, in a way though, you can hear him talking to you in your heart.

Audrey: Well, I bet you could hear God laughing after He's had a beer!

2010-04-30T20:57:00.000-07:00

Ethan got a little trim the other day...just cleaned up the back and sides, really. But he requested that his hair be styled "just like Julian's...in a faux-hawk" before he exited the chair. When she spiked it that way I thought for sure he would freak out and press it down wildly with his hands, lip stuck out in a pout. (For those of you who know Ethan, you can picture him doing this.) Instead, he thought he looked SO COOL and proudly showed his 'do to Dad. He was also worried about going to sleep that night because it might mess up his hair!

All I can say is, I'm glad it wasn't cut in that style. The next day's bath brought our little boy back.

Here's 2 of those weird pictures people take of themselves from too close up:

2010-04-08T20:57:00.000-07:00

But the kids look adorable and that's really all that matters, right?

Our Beautiful Boys

2010-04-08T20:56:00.000-07:00

2010-04-08T20:48:00.000-07:00

I was trying to get a cute picture of Christopher and I, but someone wasn't cooperating.

2010-04-08T20:43:00.000-07:00

This is
Is this me?
me.
Me this is.

2010-04-06T20:47:00.000-07:00

My mother-in-law, Jofannie
A beautiful and dear friend

2010-04-06T20:43:00.000-07:00

Quite Charming

2010-04-06T20:19:00.000-07:00

After having given away the last dog, McKinley, we promised Claire that in the future we would get a dog again (and learn from our mistakes in getting a puppy). We didn't know when we would get a dog but knew it would be after we moved into our new/old house since it was fenced, covered deck, we own the place, etc.
God delivered the dog we always wanted.
Again, a customer at the coffee stand needed to help her daughter find a home for her older dog. Once we heard more about this dog, we knew we HAD to have her!! She is a 6 or 7 yr old English lab who was formerly a show dog. For her first set of years she was a show dog and then was bred. She had many litters and it took it's toll on her so she is quite mellow. Charm (the name she came with) is the most well-trained dog I have met in a long time. She's the dog I always wanted but never wanted to put the energy into training.
She won't grab food out of the short people's hands.
She won't lick incessantly.
She doesn't jump on you or bark at imaginary noises.
She is completely house-trained.
She doesn't chew things.
She loves to fetch balls and will release on command.
She won't "bolt" when the door opens, the leash is removed, or the gate is ajar.

You see what I'm saying?? She's a dream-dog. We don't care much for the name, but it's always been hers and we feel weird about changing it. Like if you adopted a 3 year old kid named Michael then renamed him "Allen".

Don't Ask

2010-04-06T13:17:00.000-07:00

" Will you be my friend???? "

"Am I not ''Turtelly'' enough for the Turtle Club?"

"I lost a lot of weight on this new diet called, Nothing. It works great!"

"I tried so hard not to eat those easter Jelly Beans but I couldn't help myself."

"I swear, I don't have food allergies!!!!"

"Boy, do feel like Chinese food right now..."

"Hey buddy, you wanna buy a watch?"

"Ethan, eat the fish in bites, not all at once!!"

Ethan "Jake" Dayton

2010-04-02T13:33:00.000-07:00

...after

2010-04-02T11:03:00.000-07:00

Is anyone watching Jaime Oliver's Food Revolution show?

I applaud him for trying to plant a seed of change. That's what he said. He's not trying to judge and condemn people, just think and be willing to change.

He has a good heart and I hope a garden of goodness will grow from his efforts.

One that doesn't include french fries and nuggets....

Who is that??

2010-04-02T10:55:00.000-07:00

This is the mural that is/was in Ethan's room when we moved back in. People and the kids' friends that have come over seem to always seem to say, "Who's that??" when they see the mural.

No, we aren't adopting.

No, it's not Ethan's middle name.

As I write the mural is being painted over to reflect the current resident's name. A gal from church is an artist and doing a great job of fixing it. The "after" picture will be posted later...

The funny thing is that Ethan is now saying he likes the name Jake better. When we showed him how the lady was fixing his wall with his own name on it with great excitement, he was less than thrilled. He keeps saying he wants the name Jake up there. It is so predictable how children this age do not like change, even with something like that.

Good Ol' Fashioned Fun

2010-04-02T10:41:00.001-07:00

We had a good time on April Fools Day. The kids are getting pretty good at this tricking stuff...

1. Julian put green food coloring in my half n half. As I was pouring it into my brand-new steaming hot cup of coffee I recoiled in horror thinking that it was rotten and had now just ruined a perfectly good cup of coffee!! I didn't even consider it was a prank because, well, I hadn't even had my first cup of coffee yet.

2. Claire called up Christopher with blustery excitement and said that Jeff Bridges was coming that evening to her theater program as a guest speaker to talk to the kids about acting and how he got his start in the business. Christopher is flabbergasted and fooled so much that while on the phone with Claire he starts to go on the website for the place to get more details. Claire April Fooled him good on that one.

3. Julian glued a bunch of quarters to the sidewalk in front of our house and watched as all the neighborhood kids, on different occasions, tried to pry them off. He even fooled me when I walked by I asked whose money it was and to not take it until one of the kids came back for it. Gotcha.

4. Christopher forwarded a bogus email to Julian about how Christopher's band was going to get to open for some famous bands in a concert. Julian completely believed it and was such a good sport when we April Fooled him.

Winter Piano Recital

2010-03-08T08:44:00.000-08:00

Claire's latest piano recital. We can see a lot more confidence and maturity in her playing over the past few months. She was excited to start using the foot pedal :o)

Church Talent Show and Chili Cook-Off

2010-03-08T08:35:00.000-08:00

Claire was first billing in the church talent show this weekend. She was really nervous to be up first, but as you can hear from her voice (and the swell of applause) she had NOTHING to be nervous about!!

We were so incredibly proud of her confidence, beauty, and giftedness. I was fighting back tears the entire time yet screamed like a soccer mom at the end!

At the end of April, Claire will be in her first stage production. It is Seussical, Jr and she plays two different jungle creatures--a frog and fish. She is part of the ensemble but also was chosen to be in some special numbers with less people on stage. It is a large cast, so it was quite an honor for Claire to be chosen.

Still...

2010-01-16T09:04:00.000-08:00

Still amazed: that my kids still love me even though I make lots of mistakes with them.
Still getting used to: being 40.
Still loving: cooking great meals.
Still proud of: how hard Christopher works to make a good, comfortable life for his family.
Still not proud of: my procrastination sometimes.
Still hoping: certain people will mind their OWN BUSINESS.
Still worried: that I don't spend enough "fun" time with the kids.
Still never going to: smoke cigarettes or get a tattoo.
Still pretending: that I am a grown-up!
Still reading: cookbooks.
Still wanting to read: novels, nonfiction and fiction...someday.
Still interested in: taking dance lessons.
Still not interested in: governmental affairs (shame on me).
Still looking forward to: Ethan being fully potty trained.
Still not looking forward to: the times when Ethan doesn't quite make it to the potty...
Still failing: at not losing my temper.
Still grateful for: my 4 blessings and dedicated husband.
Still praying: for a faith that overflows into every corner of my life.
Still not believing in: diets of any kind.
Still believing in: the possibility that our coffee stand will make it.

Tour de Tree

2010-01-01T16:53:00.000-08:00

2010-01-01T16:20:00.000-08:00

Claire's Winter Piano Recital

2010-01-01T15:46:00.000-08:00

Claire played a few short songs and did very well. My camera battery died on the last half of her last song ~AARGH~
She continues to love piano and practices often without my reminding her. I just love how creative and talented Claire is....

Over the River and Through the Woods...

2010-01-01T15:37:00.000-08:00

A walk on Christmas day...

Crimson

2010-01-01T15:21:00.000-08:00

An older saleslady at the store noticed Julian waiting for me to finish my purchase and said to him, "Well it looks like you are the older brother! How old are you?"

Politely, Julian smiled and said, "13." (I marveled at how he is so good with strange grown-ups, always answering clearly and looking them in the eye. Very impressive.)

Saleslady then notices cute little Ethan bouncing around near Julian's legs. As she bent over with her hands on her knees, she says to Ethan, "...and YOU must be the little brother! How old are you little guy?"

Instead of hiding in my knees as he usually might do with strangers, he boldly spoke to her and exclaimed, "I go BIG poop logs in the toilet!!"

Oh my.

Julian's face turned crimson as he sloooooooowly turned away and tried to move away just in case Ethan decided to reveal anymore **ahem** personal facts.
It didn't happen because I swooped in and interrupted the conversation saying, "Oh he's three...heh...heh..and I guess that's the number one topic around the house for him these days....heh....heh...."

I trailed off, turning crimson myself. I didn't dare look around to see what other people might have heard the "P" word as we quickly exited the store.

Audrey-ism #341

2009-12-31T13:13:00.000-08:00

We were reading a nonfiction book about airplanes today at lunch.

When we got to this page Audrey said, "Is he holding corndogs??"

Let the Underwear Bomber try to get past THAT man! Huh!

Christmas Pictures

2009-12-31T09:06:00.000-08:00

Here is a link to view some of our Christmas pictures:

http://picasaweb.google.com/Jofannie/ChristmasDay?feat=email#

Just not feelin' it yet....

2009-12-20T20:24:00.000-08:00

Things to do to combat holiday blahs:

1. Eat more candy canes.

2. Do something to serve someone each day.

3. Drink spiked egg nog.

4. Return any gifts that are unnecessary to give.

5. Read Christmas books to the little ones.

6. Sing my favorite carols

7. Thank God.

Julian's Party

2009-12-19T15:51:00.000-08:00

For Julian's birthday, he invited a few of his favorite friends over and Christopher took them to a hockey game. Gone are the days of themed parties and planned games!! (Actually I know there are a lot of cool ideas for older kids) The kids didn't know each other, but all got along swimmingly. It's neat to see the kids Julian has chosen as friends...and we think he's done well for himself with a great bunch of guys.

They came home completely hyper and hungry (what else do 12 and 13 yr olds do but eat??) So we gave them snacks and they settled in for a movie. Julian chose to watch an old, classic movie instead of a new shoot-em-up modern flick. Again, very impressed and interested in his choice. Who knows what time they went to bed...but they were up bright and early playing a Wii football game. I think they could've stayed up all night playing if it weren't for us making them go to bed :o)

Days with the Daytons

The New Christmas Grandparents

Thoroughly Enjoyable

...and how do you feel about that?

The Jedis

Quest

Camping at Alder Lake near Mt. Rainier

She Just Keeps Growing Up!

Ethan's 5th Birthday

Ladies' Spring Friendship Brunch

Fishes in the Sea

My Trip to California to See My Dad...

R i 3

Claire's Cupcake Wars

DIY

California #2

California #1

Mount Squishmore

High School Musical

It's All About Your Perspective...I Guess...

Seattel

As promised...

Still Life

Snow 2011 (...to be continued? It's only January, after all)

Fourteen

Taking Form

A Daring Dayton Defies Dynamics

Sparklicious!

Is October Over Already?

Your Face is My Canvas (...that sounds so artsy, doesn't it?)

Workin' at the Dog Wash yeah...

Playbarn

The Many Faces (and hats) of Claire

Mt. Rainier

Fractured Elbow

High School Musical

S. I. C. (Seattle is Cool)

Waiting...and waiting...and...

Who pick? U pick!

I need to do this every day...but will I fit on the counter??

Tree Tag

The Last Day of Being a Kindergartener

It Actually Was June

The first set of summer pictures!

Lily

On a School Bus Far, Far Away...

SuperClaire!!

[Bleep!]

"But wait, if you order NOW...."

Unexpected Gift

Ethan made his own "-ism"

A Bathroom Story

Buy Me Some Peanuts and Cracker Jacks....or a little fried chicken?

I just love this dog.

Audrey-ism #77

Audrey-ism #78

Here's 2 of those weird pictures people take of themselves from too close up:

Our Beautiful Boys

**Quite Charming**

Don't Ask

Ethan "Jake" Dayton

Who is that??

Good Ol' Fashioned Fun

Winter Piano Recital

Church Talent Show and Chili Cook-Off

Still...

Tour de Tree

Claire's Winter Piano Recital

Over the River and Through the Woods...

Crimson

Audrey-ism #341

Christmas Pictures

Just not feelin' it yet....

Julian's Party

Quite Charming