Tillamook or bust!

Last week we decided to take advantage of one of the last few days of summer and we headed out to Tillamook Cheese factory. I highly recommend this place if you love cheese, ice cream or pancakes. Or all of the above. We made it in time for breakfast (I'll skip the story of 3 days prior when we packed up and started the drive only to U-turn once we discovered they stopped serving breakfast at 11. They must wake up early on the farm.) This time we made it plenty early and indulged ourselves with pancakes, egg sandwiches, hash browns, and various other varieties of Tillamook eggs, cheese, butter and milk. Yum. We then headed up for the self tour of the cheese factory. Highly recommend this. I could have stood there for hours. I wanted to pick up an application, but Andy reminded me of the commute. Here is Andy and the kids watching the cheese go round and round. Andy was very excited!

And who wouldn't be at the sight of all this cheese!!! Winco seriously needs to start selling this 20lb block.


Charlie even knew how amazing this would be:



After a trip through the cheese sampling line and the ice cream counter, we were back on the road. We decided to stop at the beach since we were so close anyway, and I'm glad we did. The weather was nice and the girls really enjoyed the ocean. Here are a few pictures that Andy took:






Charlie did not appreciate the cold water as much as the girls did:

fun with chai

The girls really do love being big sisters. Ashley is mostly very gentle and motherly with him. Abby on the other hand likes to snuggle with him or squeeze him very tightly. Depending on her mood. Regardless, his face lights up whenever they come in the room. The girls had a little fun "playing" with him the other day. He seems to not mind - for now. A few years from now though when he sees this picture, he may think otherwise.



Here is Abby snuggling with "her favorite brother":


and then later teasing him:

All in a day's work!

dancing girls

When Ashley and her friend Caity get together, they always seem to think of something new they can sell. I really don't think it's a money thing. They both are the creative type, and they like things that involve massive setting up, creating and being in charge. They have had a very successful lemonade stand (in 105 degree weather) and some sort of kid craft/fun fair where you paid a dollar to play a game, make a craft, get stickers and seashells. I was their only customer, but I'm sure with a little tweaking that could be a success too. Well, last visit, I said that they couldn't drag a bunch of stuff into the front yard (partly because we only had about an hour to play, and partly because last time it was a little weird to have our play room dumped into our front yard and to be sitting out there playing candy land and doing crafts while cars were driving by staring. So, they decided to do a dancing performance where people would pay to see them dance and sing. Seemed harmless enough. I was pleased that the only "props" they took were 2 pieces of cardboard to put on the lawn to dance on. They then made a sign to alert people to this exciting opportunity, and after I told them they couldn't take the table out there to tape the sign to , they improvised:

They taped the sign to Abby and her job was to stand there and be quiet. The sign says "Dance and singing performance. Free snack and drinks. 10 cents per person."

Unfortunately, this got cut short as well since Caity's dad showed up to the tune of "aww, dad!" The cardboard stage and 3 year old billboard will just have to wait until next time.

glasses

Ash got new glasses! We (Andy and I) were eagerly anticipating this day to update her style. Enough said. Since Ashley got her decision making skills from me (basically non-existent), Andy took her to pick out her new glasses and then I went back with her to get them. (my gift is pulling the trigger/dealing with insurance. They say half the battle is complementing each other - right?) Well, the fine print threw a wrench in our idea, so Ash and I were left to pick out 2 totally different pairs of glasses on our own. I'll spare the details, but basically it involved Ashley laboring over each and every pair, only to pick out 2 pairs that were exactly like the ones she had. I would get her to compromise on one of the pairs, only to decide I didn't really like them and then have to talk her out of them again. I could tell that she had been in there with Andy because she kept saying things like "no, those are too star treky" and "no, those make me look like a bug." This did not help the process. Abby spent most of the time laying on the floor in the middle of the store. Although customers were giving me looks because they were having to step over her, she was being quiet and fairly non-destructive, so I let her be. Not the best way to spend 2 hours, but we did walk out with 2 pair of glasses paid for, that would be ready "in about an hour." And here they are!


The other pair looks very similar to her first pink ones. I tried to tell Andy they were a more "updated" style, but I don't think he bought it.

"in the attic"

So, when we moved (1 1/2 years ago), the standard line for when we couldn't find something was "it's probably in a box in the garage." This also worked to stall little girls asking for "precious" items that may have been purged in the move. Anyway, this excuse faded after all of the boxes were clearly unpacked (and whatever item it was that they couldn't live without seemed to be forgotten). Well, today Ashley said "didn't we used to have more movies?" I said, "I don't think so." Then she started naming off several very annoying, high-pitched, repeating videos that sounded vaguely familiar. I was stalling for an answer when she said, "they're probably in the attic." Ahhh, yes! The attic! I didn't even know we had an attic, but if it can be a possible harboring place for long ago purged items, I'll believe it.

Post for the Mays

This is a post especially for the Mays (in Kenya), but others feel free to look on as well. Anne, here are more pictures of Charlie (and the girls) as requested. Yes, Chai is getting up on all 4's and trying to crawl, and we are doing our best at keeping him "contained". (interpret that as you will)

He's not even sitting up yet! Andy tried him in the booster seat and all I can say is thank goodness for the straps. (and no, he isn't eating baby food yet either)

We miss you guys!

Denial

I will admit that there are a *few* things in life that I am slow to accept. Like when my mom took me shopping for essentials before sending me off to college and I kept picking out trial sizes of everything. She was like - you are going away to college for 4 YEARS (or 5 1/2). Not a weekend!! Another area is my babies growing up. My first baby will be taking the BUS to first grade in 1 month!! But let's not talk about that yet. Charlie is now 8 months old (how?) and I still swaddle him and put him down to sleep in a sleep positioner. Nevermind that he's been turning over for the last 4 months and laughing at me when I wrap him up knowing that he will be out of it before I leave the room.

Exhibit A: blanket clearly not swaddling and sleep positioner being used as a pillow. Pure defiance.


The 100+ degree heat caused a temporary lapse in the swaddling, but lest he think I'd admitted defeat, tonight is supposed to get down to the 80's, so swaddling again we go.