Romance on a Shoestring

I had a book called Romance on a Shoestring when I was younger (hmm ... feelin' old now). It had ideas for dates, specifically in and around Seattle, for those on a tight budget. Things like a walk in the park and a sandwich picnic from a little deli by the water. I liked the ideas it had, but also how it helped one think of other low-cost, romantic dates. It aided Andy and I on our date-night tonight (even though I hardly ever read it and passed it on to the nearest thrift shop long ago).

My parents offered to stay with the kids this evening so Andy and I could go out. Funny I didn't even think of it until my mom said "Ailey, tell your parents Happy Valentine's Day" that this was supposed to be our romantic Valentine night out, Valentine's Day being tomorrow. Aahh, the mind takes a funny turn when you have kids.... Anyway, we went to dinner at the Olive Garden - yum. Then as we were planning to leave I looked at the time and said "It's only 8:30, we can't go home yet 'cause Ailey will still be awake. So now what do we do?" Lame, I know. I admit that I was longingly thinking of the comfy couch at home, my warm, fuzzy socks and quilt, and what might be waiting for us on TiVo. (My evening energy level will rise again sometime, right? Won't it? Alright, just lie to me.)

Neither Andy or I wanted to hit a bar and pay for two $8 drinks just to pass the time. We brainstormed parks we could walk around on a dark, cold night. Uh, no. The mall? Huh uh. Take a ferry ride? Bingo. Andy was joking when he suggested it, but just like he was joking when he said we should move to Norway for six months, I pounced on the idea. $4 each to hop the ferry and take a 20 minute ride across the water. Another half hour's time and we'd be back at our car and on the way home. Not a bad idea, huh? We wandered the ferry both ways, checked out the lights of Mukilteo, Edmonds and Seattle. We talked, walked, and talked. A great date. And half the cost of the drinks at the noisy, distracting bar. Romance on a shoestring.

A Princess and a Police Officer

On the way home from preschool a while back Ailey announced that she knew what she wanted to be when she grew up. That week they had a police officer and a fireman in to talk to the kids. This was the police officer day. She had come bursting out of the classroom with her Officer Ailey shield on, a badge in her hands, and recited the day's lesson: "When you're in trouble you call 9-1-1!" In the car she announced "I know what I want to be when I grow up!" Not having heard these words from her yet in her short life I smiled at the possibility of what was coming. "I'm going to be a police officer." "Oh, really--" "And", she finished, "a princess!"

Aahh, there it was! Just what every parent waits for - the answer to what is going on in that little head! Ailey continued to explain that police officers help people and catch bad guys ... but they don't pick up skunks. Um, ok. I can only imagine the question-and-answer forum that had produced that topic with the visiting officer. And as for the princess part? Well, you know, police officers help people and catch the bad guys, and the princess gets to dance and smile and be nice to everyone. There just couldn't be a better double-career!

A Year of Silje

And here's Silje's year in pictures. Her life started three long (and now seemingly irrelevant) hours after Marin's. She may have had a rough first few days, but she caught up to Marin very quickly. She also lived her first couple months in a whisper, but has made up for it considerably. While Marin has the stronger vocal cords, Silje just works hers harder! Marin is more subtle, Silje much more transparent (read: already well versed in tantrums). And while Marin became a walker in a 15 minute period of time (see post from 1/8/09), Silje has slowly - over about a week - come to walk more than she crawls. There's a fun video of it at the end, though it's a bit outdated now (from Jan. 28th). Enjoy!

Kiss Good-bye...

A Year of Marin

It's amazing just to think that a year has gone by in respect to such an important part of one's life as the birth of a child, but even more so to see it in pictures. As in so much of nature so many changes happen in a relatively short amount of time, making it seem like a lifetime from birth to first birthday. I don't look back on pictures very often, so when I started looking at pictures for this I was in a bit of shock to see the transformation Marin and Silje have made in a year. Here are some highlights from Marin's first year. I don't think they need captions. The transformation speaks for itself! Silje's post will come soon. Enjoy.

36

Happy Birthday, no, Super Bowl, no, Birthday to ME! Yes, I got to turn 36 (otherwise known as entering my upper 30s) right along-side the Super Bowl today. Not my choice for a celebration, but I can't complain too much as I've had two birthday parties already ... intentionally planned for non-football days. Today I had a spread of good food to eat from. There were scrumptious brownies for dessert. Ailey has been yelling "Happy Birthday, Mom!" at me all day - gotta love that! Bruce Springsteen serenaded me for 12 minutes. There was almost constant cheering in the background for a few hours, for me no doubt (I ignored the booing and referee heckling).

Before the football started, Andy had a gift and a mocha waiting for me when Ailey and I got home from church. Does anyone else remember the 1938 Micky Mouse cartoon called "Mickey's Trailer"? I don't know if I saw it just once or a bunch of times, but it stuck in my memory as a good one and I've had a watch out for it for a long time. That's what Andy got me, a set of 27 original Mickey Mouse cartoons - classic Disney. I am going to enjoy watching them many times over.

So it's been a good birthday all around. The football team I was supposed to be rooting for lost - I think they were the ones wearing red? - but that obviously doesn't matter. Here's to another good year of family, friends, fun times ... and the beginning of football next fall leading to yet another Super Bowl, er, birthday next February!