Triple digits

This week is a week of heat records in Oregon. If I hadn't watched the news I would have missed the excitement. I have the world's strongest air conditioning and I often turn it down. So, when I went to water part of the brown area outside of my house, which used to be called a yard and flowers but can no longer be recognized by such terminology, imagine my displeasure at being knocked over, (also, there was a two-year-old that I didn't see) by the 105 degree heat. Ick. Happily, Annika wanted to go outside yesterday at 7:30 am and we played with the hose and the bubbles and sidewalk chalk. Today, at 9 am we played outside with water balloons. Annika preferred the balloons hadn't been tied yet. I would give her one, pinching the top, and she would joyfully point it at my legs and let loose. Over and over again. And again. We found that it was also a fun way to water the "flowers." Again, the brown stuff that lies on the outside of my house.

Let me insert this complaint on a completely unrelated subject. My iPod is currently playing Hot Summer Nights by Miami Sound Machine from the Top Gun sound track. I love John, very much. Very much. BUT... Miami Sound Machine? I don't like Tom Cruise, Goose dies, Val Kilmer was only good in Willow, and, this song relies heavily on the tortuous sounds of the saxophone. John knows how I feel about the saxophone. (See my entry on the worst things ever so that you, too, can know of my feelings for the saxophone. They are not favorable.) So, let me reiterate: I love my husband and with this one, current, exception count myself lucky to be his wife. But, seriously, Miami Sound Machine?

Now, to my summary of our triumphant trip to NY. My parents live app. 40 miles north of Manhattan. I grew up living on a dead end street that ended in a state park. You could hike for miles without seeing anybody or any asphalt, so no, I didn't grow up in a city. Well, technically it was a city, but smaller than the Portland suburb I live in now. There are trees, trees and more trees. And lakes. And the Hudson River. And trees. The trees contribute greatly to the humidity factor. Which is high. You could probably measure the humidity levels by the relative frizz of my hair at any given moment. So, its lots of fun to visit, but it doesn't resemble a major metropolitan area. We went to the lake and had lots of fun with the canoe, the water, the food and the nice friends of my parents who took John and me for a ride behind their motor boat. I haven't been for a long time and I'm hoping that John's inaugural ride was enough to convince him that life isn't worth living without a boat. It hasn't worked yet.
We went to a working farm called Phillipsburg Manor which was established in 1685 and has a reconstructed mill, the original house, animals, and costumed guides. I love the costumed guides, they always know more than regular guides. There were sheep and oxen, cows and chickens. And... a dead, bloated unidentified (because I wouldn't look) animal in the dammed part of the small river. They said that it happens occasionally because stuff comes down river and gets stuck. That was not my favorite part of the tour.
The Phillips, of the said manor, were from Holland and eventually bought up 50,000 acres of land in the area and were, for a time, the richest family in New Holland. (New York.) It was pretty fun and Annika liked the butter churn quite a bit.
We saw Harry Potter, we had yummy pizza (though a tiny bit soggy), chinese food, the best pecan danishes ever from Panera, and played and played and played. But not sleep. Much. We shared a room with Annika and Jacob, neither of whom were very interested in sleep in their own beds. John slept on Annika's small mattress until she fell asleep most nights.
Annika and Jacob were very good on both flights, even on the return trip that was 3 hours late in leaving. 3. Hours. Late. When we finally got on the plane after 2 hours, we were all excited to get going when the pilot sheepishly announced that we were - wait for it - 45th in line for takeoff. 45th. 45th. Meaning that there were 44 massive airplanes in a line in front of us. And maybe some behind us. Where do you put that many airplanes? How is it that JFK International Airport has room for 45 or more airplanes to parade around outside, but not for a bathroom closer than 1/2 mile from our terminal? 45!!! Anyway, A and J were perfect and we were glad for our answered prayers. About the kids, not the 3 hour addition to our 6 hour flight.
(The above was written several days ago.)
We went to the Oregon coast this weekend and stayed at a friend's parent's beach house. A really nice beach house. REALLY nice. We were right at the start of the little path down to the beach and it was one of the nicest beaches I've ever been to. Except the cold water. Eastern beaches are better for frolicking. It was fun to escape the heat, the highest it got was mid-70s. Annika and all the other kids had fun playing in the sand and chasing the waves and running away when the waves chased back. Annika had many baths, both intentional and not.
It was nice to get away, even briefly. Most of our adventures are planned by someone else and we're glad when we get to tag along!

Oops.

So, I guess I already posted most of those pictures. They're still cute though.

Cute kids

Annika's most used expressions:

"Oh, maaaann."
"OK, mama!"
"C'meeeer."
"How doin Jacob?" "How doin Mama?" "How doin ___?" (to any given stranger, especially kids on the playground who are ingnoring her. She leans in close bending forward a little to say this, probably to imitate me, asking Jacob the same.

Chasing butterflies

We chased butterflies at the park today. A beautiful park with winding paths and big, old trees and butterflies.

Days like this make everything else okay.

Avoidance

I have MASSIVE amounts of cleaning to do, so...

Just like my entry on my classy food preferences, now let me praise my favorite stupid movies.

1. Zoolander: Being brain-washed to kill the Malaysian Prime Minister, Mugato, played by Will Farrell: "Hey there Derek. My name is Little Cletus. I'm just a regular kid who wants you to know the real truth about child labor laws. They're silly and outdated." "and iron smelts! Yippee! Hooray!" "Obey my dog!"

2. Nacho Libre: Upon being seen in his quarters at the monastery as he dresses for his secret life as a luchador (wrestler). "Chancho. When you are a man... sometimes... you wear stretchy pants ... in your room... is for fun."

In response to Nacho's accusation that they never win because his wrestling partner only believes in science, (instead of God) "We never win because you are fat."

Trying to impress the new, piously beautiful nun: "They think I don't know a buttload of crap about the Gospel but I dooo."



3. What's Up Doc: Way too many to pick the funniest, but here goes:
"Don't shoot me, I'm part Italian!"
"Don't you dare strike that brave, unbalanced woman!"
"Well, there's not much to see. We're inside a Chinese dragon."
Judge and Bailiff
"Order in the court!"
"Order in the court!"
"Quiet!"
"Quiet!"
"You too!"
"Me too!"

Yes, I like Jane Austen movies and Life is Beautiful and other good and intelligent shows. But, I really like Nacho Libre, too.

P.S.

Go to Eliza B's blog and look for the most recent picture of Annika. Its pretty funny.

More pictures, with more to come

Sorry I've been delinquent. I can only blame the new baby thing, the houseguests thing and the travel thing.
We had John's cousin Elizabeth and her husband Dave here for Easter and really enjoyed our weekend with them. They were both great with the kids and the kids LOVED them. Thanks for coming guys!
We blessed Jacob on the 26th of April and were blessed with a deluge of visitors. John's dad Greg and brother Peter flew up from Utah, my dad flew in from New York and my sister Michelle and her gang came down from Seattle. Annika was in HEAVEN with all the attention and gave one long performance for her adoring fans. (She, however, wasn't always heaven.)
This week I went up to Seattle with the kids and had a great time watching Annika "jump like Tigger? Jump like Tigger? Jump like TIgger!" She NEVER tired of the trampoline and to my dismay, woke up from her nap asking for the trampoline. Well, we don't have one so I tried jumping around the house with her but she wasn't fooled.
We've actually been researching trampolines and are planning to buy one in the near future.
Jacob is growing fast and already weighs 14lbs. He really is a beautiful child and he smiles and laughs happily. Except if he's hungry or in need of a new diaper.
Life is good and we love all of you! Here are some pictures that are a little old and I'll get the newer one posted soon.