Patience

We went berry picking today. Blackberries grow wild all around here and this is the time of year for them. During our walk yesterday we saw people picking them on the side of the road and Bear asked what they were doing. So we walked over and I introduced him the blackberries. So this afternoon after nap we walked down the elementary school with our buckets.
Bear got two in his bucket before he decided that he was done gathering and his berries started going from bush to mouth. Every fifth one or so he would pick one for Bug who sat patiently in her stroller the entire time. After a while he realized that I had a bucket full and he made a suggestion.
"How about we just sit down here and eat your berries too mommy."
"We are going to take these home so that we can have some there."
"I don't like that idea mommy. I think we should just eat them here."

So I came to the realization that I should probably not take the kids to one of those u-pick fields. If I did I would have to weigh my kids before and after and then just pay according to the weight difference.

A new phase.

So Bug has discovered that putting underwear on her head is fun. Then Bear realized that he must be missing out on some fun so he stuck some on his head. I love the simple things that entertain kids.

**The underwear used in this photo shoot were clean.**

Can I get some cheese?

Ever since we got back from California, there has been a monster in Bears room. At first I tried talking him out of it. "There is no monster." We prayed about it. Then I thought maybe if we make it into something fun, he wouldn't be afraid at night. So I made him tell me what it looks like. It is blonde with a mustache. He plays with it during the day. Tells me what it says to him. Can even point it out when it is in the room. He has showed me where he sleeps back in the corner of the closet. He laughs with it during the day. But as soon as bed time comes, he freaks out. I mean throw a fit scream to high heaven upset. It takes me two hours to get him calmed down and in bed. I have tried everything.
Nightlights, music, taking the slide off the bed so the monster cannot get up, covered the ladder for the same reason, put a GI Joe at the ladder to protect him, I went into the closet with a fake gun and shot the monster(Bear informed me that I missed and the monster could not be shot and was laughing at me) I gave him a picture of me to sleep with. I usually have to stay in his room with him until he passes out from exhaustion.
He finally gets to sleep and then usually wakes up a few hours later screaming bloody murder with leg/foot cramps. I think he is on a growth spurt again and has to be rubbed down and stretched out.
By the time I get him settled down and I get my mind turned off, she is waking up for her early morning breakfast. I can usually get her back to sleep thank goodness.
I do not know what I was thinking going back to school. Bug has decided yesterday that she has become an avid reader. So she brings me book after book and wants to sit in my lap. I am so excited that she is finally taking a love for books, but it is kind of bad timing. I don't know if she is teething, I do not see anything, but she just wants to be on me. And has stood there and screamed at me nonstop everytime I picked up a school book to read today.
I don't know when I am going to do this school work. Right now, all I want to do is sit in a corner and cry right along with Bug.

My name is Larissa....and I am fat.

So I started Weight Watchers yesterday. I just cannot seem to lose this baby weight on my own (of course I am sure that the slurpees and cookies don't really help) so I decided to get proactive.

I have only been on the plan for about 26 hours now, but I have some ideas I would like to present to the president of Weight Watchers on some things they could change.

1. The "bonus" 35 points I get a week to spend, and the points that I don't use during the day, really should roll over for at least a month. I mean the major cell phone companies have seen how this "roll over" allowance has boosted cell contract cells. And really in this newer greener age, why should we be so wasteful as to throw away points like that?

2. Slurpees really should not count toward my points. Within 3 hours of joining up, I had figured out how many points a slurpee are. 4 or 5 for a 16 oz. Now I like to get the 28oz ones. Even though I get an extra five points for breastfeeding, I am still not happy about this. So since slurpees are practically ice anyways, they should count towards my 6 glasses of water during the day.

It has only been a day, but I am sure that I will come up with more good ideas.

So I start school on Monday. I do not know why, but I am a little nervous. So excited but nervous. I am going for a BA in Business. I just haven't figured out if I want to put computers in there or not. It would probably be wise, but I am just not sure if that is my cup of tea.

So anyways, I push on towards bettering myself through a higher education. Or something like that.

Oh yeah, I am also starting an Etsy business. Making little girl hair clips, tutus, animal towels, and pillowcase dresses. I am pretty excited about that. So one more thing on my plate. But in a good way.

The cousins

Craigslist

In my free time (HA!) I like to window shop on Craigslist. It keeps me entertained for a few minutes anyways. Besides looking at the singles ads (male and female) I like to look through the furniture. Because lets face it, you never know when you will need a microwave that looks like it could of been on the Brady Bunch?
My favorite is the people that think they can sell the furniture they bought in 1975. And for an insane amount of money to boot! You know the kind, the bright huge floral print sofa. The kind on your grandmas den? And they use the expanation, "We paid $1500 when it was brand new!" Uh yeah, but that was 33 years ago...
Here are some key words to look out for, "Comfy, well loved, retro, perfect for a kid couch, nice."
If you are ever bored, I encourage you to check it out. It really can be fun.

Lucky Ducky

On Saturday I was starting to cook the kids breakfast when my mom walked in the door all flushed. I asked her what was happening and she said that my brother had called and invited her to go see the blue angels on a yacht! Wow. She has always wanted to see their show, let alone enjoy it from a yacht. He then asked me if I wanted to go but they had to leave right then. I ran my tongue along my fuzzy teeth and looked down at my pajamas. I then looked over at my pajama clad children waiting patiently for me to put food in their hungry tummies. He said I had ten minutes. Count me in! I kicked it into Navy bootcamp mode and got my butt in gear. I am proud to say that I got myself and my children dressed and out the door in time. They ate in the car ride there.

We drove to Bellevue and walked down the pier passing these beautiful boats. We got up to the one we were to board and Bear flipped out. He was not happy about being on a boat. (I had taken him down to the beach the night before and we walked out on the floating docks there, which he really did not like.) We all got on board and settled in. It took a while for the kids to get their sea legs, and I must say it took me a little bit to get used to it again. It has been almost 3 years since I have been on the water like that. But I soon recalled why I loved being a sailor. I belong on the water. Yeah, that was only Lake Washington, but I love it. I will have a sailboat someday and I will do lots of traveling on it.

We spent most of the day out there, we got to see the Blue Angels like I have never seen them before. I had goose bumps almost the entire time. The show was right at nap time, so the kids both passed out about halfway through. But what they did see they loved. Bear is still talking about it.

We had so much fun and got home after seven that night. Everyone slept really well that night.

Giving her body images issues already

So last night Bear was trying to pick Bug up into a chair. He was grabbing her around the waist and grunting and groaning trying to get her further than four inches off the ground. He finally admitted defeat and put her down.
"You are going to have to lose a little weight if you want me to pick you up. You are just too heavy."