ABH vs. AGW

For the past nine years Birch and his brothers have escaped to the mountains for a weekend of brotherly bonding and the smell of the fresh outdoors. For months the boys eat, sleep, and dream of the annual ABH (all-brother's hike) adventure while us mommies dread it's arrival ("dread" might be a bit of a harsh word since it has gotten easier for me with ABH taking place when school is in session and the kids getting older). Anyway, this year us girls decided that it was our turn to have an AGW (all-girl's weekend).

This years' ABH hike took place at Mount Stuwart and AGW took place in Spokane, WA. The boys were missing two brothers this year.

So here we go with ABH vs. AGW:

We ate nothing but the best...

Gotta love that Mountain House food!

A friend came over and taught us all how to make homemade pasta, focaccia bread, and molten lava cakes. Check out our new Domestic Ditto Divas blog for some tasty recipes.

We drank only out of logo adorned water bottles...

Kelly enjoying a swig from his pumped mountain fresh water.
Blayre showing off her new AGW water bottle.

We pampered each other...

Birch taping Brent's heel up after a painful day of hiking.

Julia gave pedicures to most of the sisters.

At the end of a long day hiking/shopping we treated ourselves to a nice dinner...

The boys culminated their hike by a juicy burger and greasy fries.

The girls enjoyed a tasty dinner at Laguna Cafe after a long afternoon of shopping.

We stayed up late...

The nights were extra toasty for the boys since Logan surprised each of them with stocking caps in their alumni college color.

I was just plum tuckered out from all that chatting, shopping, and crafting that I couldn't even make it through our movie-a-thon.

We treated ourselves to an afternoon of relaxation...

Nothing like relaxing in a lake of freezing water!

Saturday afternoon we went to Highland Spa for two hours of heaven. The spa has a spa school in the basement and offers some great deals on discount spa parties. Our afternoon included a foot bath and massage, table massage, hair mud mask, face mud mask, and plenty of time to eat treats and visit with each other. I'm counting down until my next visit.

We were silly...

We were quite crafty...

Brent threw the Frisbee in the water and so Birch and Brent were "crafty" with their method of retrieval---a hiking stick.

The nights were busy with us girls making flower and ribbon hair clips and earrings.

We worked really hard...

Kelly making it through the rough terrain.

Deena breaking out a sweat after purchasing this great rug at TJ MAX.

We thought of others...

Well, I'm sure the boys most of been thinking of others at some point during their weekend away.

Sunday morning Debbie (Birch's mom) organized a great little service project sewing together School Bags for worldwide humanitarian service. We were busy beavers but still have some more work to do to finish our goal.

We took pictures of ourselves...

I call this "ABH Boyz 2 Men" pose.

I just love all these ladies!!!

So there you have it!!! I'm sure both of us would openly say that our weekends weren't quite long enough but that we relished each minute we were together. What a great tradition...one that I am going to keep looking forward to!!

Better Late Than Never

Many moons ago when life was a bit calmer, Alysee celebrated her seventh birthday. I feel bad that a month later it is just getting posted. Our home is slowly all starting to come together since the water incident...but that is another post itself.

Back to Alysee...
Alysee's birthday was a bit unique this year. She was able to celebrate it in Spokane with her cousins. Her aunts and Grannie put together a great party including a cute pink cake. I don't think Alysee even noticed that her family wasn't there singing along to "Happy Birthday."
This birthday was even extra special because Ami and Poppi and Birch and I gave Alysee a week of Ballerina camp lessons this summer. Oh my, she looked forward to it each day. The last day she preformed her little three minute number for all the parents to watch. I'm not sure I have ever seen her so excited.




Another fun gift that we did while Alysee was gone was redecorate her room. Alysee has begged for a pink room for years...well, it still isn't pink but it sure turned out cute! I wish I had a wide angle lens so you could get the real effect instead you will get bits and pieces.

Light fixture from IKEA
My sister-in-law Annie made all these cute vinyl ladybugs to go all around her room. The saying "Butterfly Kisses and Ladybug Hugs" fits just perfect too.
I can't remember where I got Alysee's bedding but I love it!
Ladybug crib bedding from Target
Curtains from IKEA

I had this idea while Alysee was gone at her cousins to put together these cute digital scrapbooky framed pictures. I LOVE them!!! They are all framed in black and line the back of her wall.

Chloe - 11 mos
Sisters

When Alysee came home we had our own little family party. She was in birthday heaven!

What can I say about this pint-size girl? She started out as just a little thing seven years ago. Our smallest baby at 5 lb 5 oz and 18" long. For the first month or two she wore doll clothes and people were scared to hold her in fear she might break. She hasn't gotten much bigger in size but boy is she full of personality. WOW!! As she has gotten older her bi-polarness seems to have tamed itself. Alysee is a great sister to Chloe and loves to haul her around. She still loves to pretend play school, church, family, etc... She loves to read, draw, write stories, and is always creating new little habitats for her stuffed animals. Oh yea, she loves to collect little things. In fact don't tell her this but while she was gone to her cousins I took the liberty to sort through some of her treasures and weed out the garbage. I was lucky because she was so excited about her new girly room that she hasn't even missed the disappearing treasures. Alysee is a great student and especially loves the social aspect of school.

Sure do love this girl!

Blessed by the best...pass it on

Mid August our family was treated to a few days with Birch's mom's side of the family--the Harvey's in Newport, WA (right on the Pend Oreille river). The reunion was held at Bear Paw Camp. The location was AWESOME and the facilities were perfect for our large group of 64.
The reunion's theme was "Blessed by the best...pass it on" -- it was a tribute to two wonderful grandparents that now have a posterity of 102. It had been years since our family had attended a reunion so many faces were new to us.

Coop enjoying his licorice/fruit loop bracelet that he made.

I think the kids consumed more candy of the four days that we were all together then they do on Halloween. One of the highlights was Tulua's Store. The kids each were given a chain bracelet and then given the challenge to do good deeds for others. When they did something they were rewarded with a bead to add to their chain. Then a couple of times a day Tulua's store would open and the kids could "buy" things with their accumulated beads. The kids stocked up with candy and all sorts of Dollar Store type toys. They were in heaven.
When I think of the Harvey family a few things come to mind...VERY competitive Rook tournaments, ping pong, and lots talent. I think Grandma Harvey might have played Forrest Gump back when...Birch and his uncle played a tough game against Grandma Harvey and Blayre. As you can see from the picture Birch is dying at Grandma and Blayre's little victory dance they did each time they made a point.

Tyler loved playing tennis with the other cousins.

One night we all got to participate in the family talent show. We were hard up for an idea until the afternoon before we left for the reunion the kids all started coming upstairs in their superhero customs. Within a few minutes I found a cute and cheesy song called "Superhero Medley" and so we all ended up lip syncing to it.
We had two spidermans (Tyler and Alex), Alysee as Wonderwoman, Nate as Superman, Coop as Bateman, and Chloe was Robin. Birch and I were the singer people.

Alysee and cousin Lucy had a fabulous time in the outdoor swimming pool.

All the boys got to make marshmallow guns while the girls made cute little paper bag scrapbooks.

One evening we brought out our water balloon launcher and instead of launching water balloons, all the leftover candy was launched. Aunti Tami did a great job flinging that candy.

As you can imagine the kids went crazy...kind of like a pinata on steroids.

Chloe flirted with everyone but made sure that they kept their distance from touching her. She has such an infectious smile.

Nate and cousin Addision enjoying their dinner--these boys LOVE being with each other.

The meals were all super yummy and very well divided. One of the aunts put together a schedule so each meal had a chairman and then a committee of helpers. It was a great way to get to know other relatives. There was even a commercial dishwasher so clean up wasn't even too painful.

Aunti Blayre is well-loved by ALL the cousins. These girls couldn't get enough of her.

Lastly, Birch and Chloe showing off their reunion t-shirts. I especially love the apron that I came home with that also sports of the reunion logo.

We had such a great time and we're looking forward to 2011!

Freeway update...

It's been a looong and HOT day!!! Tonight the house temperature hung out around 88 degrees. What was I thinking...my home is Hawaii!!

We have had a productive day with the water disaster team ripping out the laundry room and cabinetry. I didn't even know I was itchin' to give that room a good cleaning. They had to take out the cabinet and sink because after cutting a hole in the toe kick board under the cabinet they put a water probe back through the sub floor and found that water had made its way back there.

Also, the basement shop was cleared out on one side where they cut away about a foot of dry wall to help air out the wall.

The insurance adjuster guy came and was again he was really great to work with. BLESSINGS!!! I walked him through the damage and then he talked with the water guy and then spent about two hours mapping out the house and figuring out what he feels needs to be replaced. He then went to his car (probably because it was cool and quiet) and came up with a proposed claim payment. He brought me an itemized "work needed" list and a check for the full amount (minus our $1000 deductible). If we choose to sub contract the work out ourselves (which we will most likely do) or do the work ourselves then we can potentially not really have to pay our deductible because we would be saving money.

The wood floor is yet to be assessed. We need probably one or two more days to get a better idea if it is drying all the way and if the sub floor is totally drying out. From there we will decide whether refinishing the floors will solve the problem or if the wood floor needs to be totally replaced.

We got the A-OKAY from the furnace people that the actually furnace unit is okay.

Tomorrow is supposed to be a roaster of a day! I'm so thankful for two special friends that washed my loads of towels and bath mats today; with the laundry room torn up I am out a washer for a while.

I'm off to bed! Thanks for all the thoughtful notes and phone calls today. Life does go on...I'll take a house remodel any day over A LOT worse things.

Living on a freeway

Have you ever wondered what it would sound like if you decided to camp out on the middle of the freeway? I think we are getting a good feel right now at our house.

Yesterday started out as a big day...and finished as even a bigger day. The kids all had their first day of school.

Alex headed off to middle school--YIKES!!!

Tyler off to third grade, Alysee to second grade, and little Nate had his first day of full-day kindergarten.

It was a marathon of a day. After all the off to school preparation was done I put Chloe down for her morning nap and then Coop and I preceded to mow the lawn, clean up breakfast, prepare two and half dinners, do four loads of laundry, clean up the house, work on cub scout stuff, eat lunch, read a story, put Coop down for his afternoon nap, and then at last I decided to reward myself with a little break and chat with my sister online and plan my weekly trip to Hawaii (that I've been planning for two years). Chloe and I were in the office with the door shut enjoying ourselves. I found this great deal to Honolulu and I was mapping out what days would be best to travel and mentally thinking of all the fun Birch and I were going to have. At about 2:30 pm I heard a little pop sound but didn't think much of it...after all Hawaii was on my mind. About a half an hour later Chloe started to fuss so I got up to put her down for her nap. I opened the office door...

to see 1/2 inch of water down our maple hardwood floor, laundry room, newly tiled bathroom, and Alysee's carpeted bedroom. I stood there for a minute in shock and then noticed through the hallway that water was squirting fearlessly out of the wall behind the washing machine. I put Chloe down (she preceded to enjoy herself splashing in all the water with her poopy diaper) while I figured out how to turn the water off. The water had been squirting all over the wallpapered laundry room wall so the wall paper boarder was coming off.

I didn't even know where to begin. Pulling out all the towels seemed pointless with the amount of water that was swimming around upstairs. I called our friends that live close by and own a carpet cleaning business and she came over with her teenage son immediately with a load of towels. Reluctantly I called Birch and he didn't really have much insight other than to get out the water as fast as possible. So the three of us (my friend, her son, and me) quickly started soaking up the water off of the hardwood floor first and then spinning the towels in the washer (my friend is so smart) and then we went from room to room doing our best to soak up the 1/2 inch of water. Meanwhile another friend from church came over that also runs a carpet cleaning business and he started in on the carpet floors.

The culprit of the disaster...this little tiny tear in the cold water hose.

Next thing I know the kids all start coming home from school and sadly I couldn't really even pay any attention to them. Coop then wakes up from his nap to inform me that he wet the bed. Nice! I remembered about at that time that I should check the basement.

Yep, as I went down into the basement hallway into the shop I saw bubbles coming out from the shop door. I opened the door to see a rainfall coming down from the ceiling and again a 1/2 inch of water covering the concert basement floor. The water was bubbling because I had a huge cardboard Costco detergent box sitting next to my washing machine that was soaping up the water as it would make it's way down to the basement. The shop ceiling (including light fixtures) was particularly bad because the water upstairs was running down all the upstairs venting (let me remind you that two years ago we put in a new heat pump and furnace) making its way to the basement shop. I went into the large game room and second kitchen to find that the water was coming from the wall ceiling and was creeping its way through that carpeted floor. I spent the next hour sweeping the water with a push broom out the door.

By this time, I decided that I did need Birch home and that maybe we needed to call the insurance company. I've always been told to never declare water damage because no one will insure your house if you want to move. We called anyways.

I didn't even think of taking pictures when all the water was every where. Currently the hardwood floor is warped and buckling a bit...hopefully this can be fixed by having them refinished.

Showing the basement ceiling light fixture full of water and the ceiling with water damage.

This is the water that remained after I swept it out for an hour with a push broom.

After several calls to the claims department we had chosen a water disaster team to come in and assess the damage and help dry us out. That company arrived around 7:00 pm just as our carpet cleaner friend was cleaning up his stuff from working on the initial water removal from the carpet and ripping out carpet padding. For the next four hours the company mapped out the pathway of the water, set up these massive and NOISY (thus the freeway sound) drying machines, took off doors, and started ripping up some floors to allow water to circulate. These machines should be on for the next three or four days.

Today the insurance adjuster comes to further assess the damage and tell us our next step after we get the house all dried up. The water disaster team had this cool tool that could sense the water in the floors, walls, cabinetry, etc... The humidity level in the basement last night read at 64% which apparently is quite bad (I think for mold growth) and the upstairs was at 46% which is also high for a main level of a house. We are not allowed to have the air conditioning on because the house needs to stay extra warm.

Special dryer system working on sucking the water out of the hardwood sub floor.
Laundry room damage...the vinyl flooring was pulled up in some areas to expose the sub floor.
The shop is full of huge fans working on drying out the dry wall and flooring.

So Birch and I finish folding the four loads of laundry that I had done and cleaned up the kitchen. It was 11:30 pm as we readied ourselves for bed. Birch went to get a drink from the kitchen and noticed that his little toesies were wet. YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!!! After emptying out everything underneath the sink Birch found that a plastic pipe going into the garbage disposal had cracked and was leaking water all over. Who has an extra plastic pipe thing in their shop?? I couldn't believe it...Birch went downstairs and and brought up just the right piece. I guess he had bought two the last time we had had a problem.

As we dropped our tired bodies in bed at midnight Birch reminded me that it's not a problem if money can fix it! I've been kicking myself for not checking out the sound that I heard. By now I think we've paid for our trip to Hawaii in insurance deductibles (did I mention that I backed into our babysitter's car a couple of months ago...causing us to get a new bumper and our babysitter to get a new car door?).

Today I am thankful for a husband that loves me, a couple of dinners that I already prepared, kids that hopefully will go with the flow (as they were getting emotional last night about the "house being ruined" we reminded them that we still have half a house that is perfect), and an insurance company that so far seems to be fairly easy to work with! I have much more exciting things to post...but for now this is on my mind. Wish me luck keeping Chloe out of all the fans, electrical plugs, and that we don't go deaf in the next four days!

Double the Pleasure

This week is a party week at our house. Birch celebrated his 36th birthday on Monday and I celebrated my 34th birthday yesterday.
I'm sad to say, Monday was pretty low-key. I was all worn out from our recent entertaining so my preparation for the day was minimal. Next year will be better Birch! We did enjoy a tasty dinner (complements of Schwanns) of stuffed chicken breast, watermelon, corn on the cob, and a tomato basil salad. Dessert was a yummy brownie turtle sundae. Alex did an awesome job at making the brownies all by himself.

Yesterday we had an intense quick rainstorm. The rain drops were HUGE. Coop, Alysee, and Nate ran outside to ride bikes in the rain. I thought they looked pretty cute in their raincoats.

My birthday was celebrated in kind of a usual stay-at-home mom day. The exception to that was the fun and tasty breakfast in the bed that Alex, Tyler, and Nate made for me. They made me muffins (from a box), toasted English muffin, and juice. When they came into my room they were prancing around IN COSTUME like nerds and hobos singing "Happy Birthday." We went to story time, met Birch for lunch, and then went to the US Air force band concert at the park for dinner. The band was awesome!

Alysee decided that she wants to be a band conductor.
Nate wants to be a dancing band conductor.
Chloe was in heaven eating pizza, licorice, and nectarines all while dancing to the great music.

So another year older and MUCH wiser for the two of us! I'm feeling a bit older as I decided to go with a new hair cut style for my birthday makeover and I even have noticed that I need to wear deodorant a bit more than in the past. Maybe I'll advance from my training bra next year...