Fall Family and Friend Fun

I do an event every year where the Tumwater Community comes to paint luscious pumpkins. And of course I had to have Jadyn there, but for an added treat my friend Jill was visiting WA from NYC and stopped by the event for a visit. I know she took a picture, but I didn't. Maybe she will share. It was so absolutely fantastic to see her. It had been too long. Sometimes I feel like a terrible friend. The reality is I probably am, but I love when you see people that you haven't seen in awhile and you can just pick up from where you left off...you don't have to try to brag or fill the time with little things, you just hang out and enjoy each other. I knew she was coming, but when she walked up behind me and I saw her...me the big baby started bawling! Well I wasn't really bawling, mostly a dainty tear or two was shed, but it had been too long. I think I will take a trip to the Northeast this spring.

My visits from far-a-way friends didn't stop there, my friend Mirza was in town visiting from Miami and was able to come down and visit me too. We had a great time and great talks. It was so good to see these friends after literally years of not seeing them. Anyone else up for a visit to the Northwest?! I am not sure there is much to recommend this area in the winter, scratch that there is me, I am up here...GET UP HERE!!!! Let me stop pontificating...here is a couple of shots of Jadyn at the most fabulous event...Pumpkin Painting!

We went over to my parents house on Saturday to take my dad a talk that I'd burned for him for his lesson on Sunday. We arrived and Michelle was out front raking leaves. Jadyn decided to stay and help and here is an action shot of the beginning of her hard work. She also managed to earn $2. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa, she had a great time. I wish I could make housework this exciting, not to motivate her, but to motivate me. Mom and Dad, can we start allowance up again? No? OK....

And here is a Sunday Dinner shot! I guess I should add some of the pictures that Jadyn took. One was of the dining room light, one was the blinds...she liked the juxtaposition of the black outside and the tan blinds...or the extreme closeups of Aaron and Adelyn, and of course the side shots of Jadyn's face because she 'just really likes her eyes'...but how about I just post one I took of Aaron, Adelyn and Jadyn...too cute.

It is so great to have family dinner. I love my family extremely, and it is kind of silly, but I like that we live so close (probably about 5 minutes from Mom and Dad, Jenn and Rebecca. - and yes they all live in different edifices.) Elizabeth needs to get back down here from Bellingham, and Ben complete his mission - then it would be perfect...I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful family. I am thankful everyday. We had some challenges getting along there growing up, but it looks like we made it...I guess all that fighting made us that much closer.

Trick or Treat

So...Halloween or Trick or Treat as Jadyn calls it...yep it's getting more and more exciting in our household. This year - a Ballerina Kitty Cat, a look insired by the great composer Mozart. No small order, Jenn did the fabulous hair and make-up. Jadyn and I created the look and my mom helped in the construction. She actually did more than help, but I did manage to cut it out and sew two seams! I am so out of practice. And, drum roll please...here she is...

Of course we had to get the nieces together for a photo shoot! I love how Jadyn is eating a lolipop and Adelyn wants to try it. I think Becca got a picture of Adelyn putting the non-candy end of the lolipop in her mouth for a taste. She discovered that is not the tasty part!!!

Kindergarten revisited...

Jadyn is now well into her Kindergarten experience. She has already gotten 4 yellow frogs. These frogs tell me that Jadyn is quite the talker in class. Which truth be told, I am not surprised by at all. I finally unloaded the pictures from my camera and have a couple more from her first week of Kindergarten. This is the first day I took her to school. How hard is Kindergarten, I mean seriously. Two and a half hours? She is off every other Wednesday, and next week doesn't have class from Wednesday on. The school district makes life so easy for working parents. Thank goodness for Rebecca and Michelle. She loves hanging out with them. Rebecca tells me some really great stories, things that you never hear about your child from a day care or even school. I am really enjoying these. I get some good ones too though...for example.

I have the radio on in the mornings during our drive to Rebecca's. Most often it is on Sports Talk Radio...but Jadyn typically does not like the radio on...grrr...but sometimes she will want the music on. Her request is usually something she can groove to or classical those are her two favorites. If classical is playing she is like momma can you turn it up please? Well the big thing on her mind these past few weeks is Halloween, more specifically her costume. So we are travelling, listening to Mozart, volume way up, when she says to me: Momma, this music just gave me the best idea. Oh really Jadyn, what? Momma, instead of a cat for Trick or Treat (what she calls Halloween) I could be a ballerina. Oh Jadyn, I said, that is a great idea, you will be a beautiful ballerina. She is quiet for a few more minutes. Momma, this music made me think of an even better idea, for Trick or Treat I could be a ballerina kitty cat! Isn't that a great idea. Why yes Jadyn, that is simply fantastic. That will be the perfect costume. A few minutes later we arrive at Rebecca's, and she has realized that she has forgotten her movie at home and wants to turn around and get it. Needless to say that answer is no...well she didn't handle that very gracefully and had a hard time making the decision to go inside. I said to her, Jadyn why are you acting like this? You were having such a great morning. You came up with that great idea for your costume...She stopped me right there...Momma, I didn't think of that idea, the music did! Well they say listening to Mozart can make you smarter and according to Jadyn it definitely does, at least when it comes to getting her creative juices flowing! You should see the pictures she draws that the music tells her to draw. they are quite beautiful.

I had to share this picture, because this outfit is all her...I was taking her to the doctor to get her last immunization before school started and she saw this area of foliage and wanted to take some pictures. Where does she come up with these poses? Today was picture day at school and she told me she practiced her smile and when I picked her up she gave me the different looks she had given the photographer. But I should note, that today, even with all the smile practice, was a yellow frog day... :-P

My Brother & Jadyn

My brother Benjamin recently left for a mission (in July to MTC). Before he left Jadyn and he had a photo shoot. These pictures are from his last day in Washington. That was July and yes, I am just now posting them. Elder Baria is now serving in Tijuana, Mexico. I should insert link to his mission blog here...but I will have to get the link and update later. I know he has one...

And It Begins

Jadyn started Kindergarten on September 9, 2009...9/9/9. (I hope that is a good sign.) I was in a training that Wednesday and Thursday so Becca was meeting me at school for Jadyn's first day. I barely made it on time, but I did get to see the moment it all began. Becca took a few shots of the magic moments and uploaded the pictures. I am sharing - of course. I have a couple on my camera, but I can't get the computer to recognize the SD card is in the slot, so I will have to find the cord...it's around here somewhere...grrr...

She is in afternoon Kindergarten. And as far as I can tell she is loving it. I think she loves hanging out a Becca everyday more though...They have flower trimming, frog chasing, princess blanket, lava monster games...school...not quite so exciting. I really appreciate The Andersons help with watching her. She loves spending time with you guys...now if I can only find away to get her to be more gentle with Adelyn.

She rode the bus for the first time last week too, and man she loves it. Michelle watches her aftershool, and takes great care of her...but when she saw Michelle afterschool the day she rode the bus she freaked out...she wanted to ride the bus again...Am I crazy or do I remember detesting the bus??? Or was that only as I became older and more jaded?

Giddy Up!

What would you say to a camel? Jadyn went with Becca, Aaron and Adelyn to the Pt. Defiance Zoo. And for the bargain price of $5 she got to ride a camel...how fun. Who knew it would be her "most favorite day ever"?! Becca uploaded the pictures, so I am sharing. She talked and talked and talked about it...Thank you guys for taking her! She is very comfortable up there. Why is she scared to ride a horse? Camels are gobs bigger. I think Becca is right...she just had to walk out onto the camel not stand next to it, and with horseback riding you have to heave yourself up there! She had a blast! I love her smile in the last picture.

The Obsession is Justified

About a million posts ago (OK slight exaggeration I think I have only 32 total posts) I mentioned by new favorite TV show. I had picked my song of the day, Metro Station's - Shake It, I wrote at the time that the song reminded me of the show BONES (I had seen a youtube video highlighting the show)...well now, finally I am going to talk about it - it being my favorite TV show - BONES.

I am not sure how many people understand the exciting life of a single mother. I wish I could say that I spent my evenings after Jadyn was in bed improving myself or cleaning like a maniac, but when you work 40 hours a week and work as a mom and dad, it is hard to come home and well - work. At least for me it is. (Don't worry - I do make time for the housework! Maybe I should use some of that time to update my blog...hehe) I am not a big TV watcher, mostly Football or movies or reading, but one night I tuned in to BONES, and the rest as they say is history. It was the end of season three and I had to watch every single episode, in like a week. I love it and now I follow blogs and twitters and youtube fan videos, I have even read a few fan fics (but I haven't written any)...I am obsessed. I know it. The first step in addiction is admitting you have a problem...well I admit I am a fan(atic), but I am not sure I would call it a problem...

I have tried to think about what is it in this show that I like so much? Yes, the whole will they won't they aspect of the show is there. Booth and Brennen need to get together already. But if they did would I lose interest? I have to think that I wouldn't. I am interested and invested (clearly) enough in these characters, that I want to see more of their life than just the dancing around each other. I want to see them dancing with each other, and I know I could stick around for that.

So what is it about this show? I have never seen one episode of Buffy (still haven't ) or Angel (ok, so maybe since BONES I now own all 5 seasons) so I wasn't following David Boreanez. Is it the writing? The chemistry? The angst? The great acting? The forensics? The mystery? I like to think it is a little of everything. You want a show to be smart - frankly because you are smart. You want to show to have connections between the characters - because frankly you have connections with the people in your life, including co-workers (I mean heck we are with them more that we are at home, right?) You want a show that isn't just dramatic, or funny, or romantic, or just one thing...because life isn't just one thing. I think we can see ourselves in similar settings, okay - I can't find killers based on people's bones, but what exists in this show is something we can relate to. We can find something to connect to, and I love making those connections.

The other thing that I think really draws me to the show is the arguments. I know that might sound kinda silly. But usually in life there are different ways of looking at things. To me BONES does a good job a presenting two sides of an argument. There are some instances where clearly we know what the writers want us to think, like dog fighting is wrong, and other times they are just saying...here look at both sides and talk amongst yourselves...I like a show that makes me think with out feeling like I am being reprimanded for the way I think.

I could go on. I could probably write a paragraph or two about why the character Booth is so appealing to women (at least me)...but I will stop there. Just buy the DVD's, rent from netflix, watch hulu and tune in Thursday nights at 8pm/7central on FOX.

Plus, you can check out the website: http://www.fox.com/bones

The reason for this wonderful post's title...last week on the BONES website, there was a contest...a contest to name what was on the USB drive in the briefcase. (Watch Season 5 episode 2 'The Bond in the Boot.') Well I submitted two entries and was lucky enough to be one of the winners. I am not sure which entry is a winner - I will find out tomorrow. They will post the winners on the website, so check it out! They asked for our picture so if there is voting...VOTE! I will update tomorrow with any link. And I can't wait to see what I get in the mail...

I will pick the song of the day Oingo Boingo "Dead Man's Party." It was the BONES promo song...thought I would pay a little homage (as if the entire post wasn't one already!)