meeting the cousins

Some, if not all, of my readers know that my sister Alison and her two kids recently moved to McMinnville (and more specifically, to a room in our house) for a few weeks/months while they get settled in Oregon and find their own apartment.

We've had four kids under five years old in the house! Hence the silence on the blog. ;)

Here's a quick video from the very first day when everyone was meeting each other. I figured I'd get the blogging-ball rolling again with this, and see if I can't get more posted tomorrow!

homeowners!

At 1:59 p.m. today, with my lovely baby girl snoring quietly on me in the rocking chair and my lovely young son snoring loudly on the couch, I got the call that all the paperwork is done and filed, and we are officially homeowners!

WOoooOOOOoooooOOOOO!!!!! :)

Due to the aforementioned napping offsprings, that will have to suffice for cheering at the moment. :D

17/365: Pooka

We haven't mentioned here that we got a new kitty! He showed up in the bushes outside Alex's work. Since he was all black and very loving, we pretty much had to bring him home with us.

A few weeks/months (who's counting?) and a vet trip later, he is a lot bigger than he was in these pictures, but just as much of a troublemaker.

Did I mention this kitty is very good at finding places to snuggle?

It took him about two weeks to realize that the food and water bowls weren't going anywhere. In the meantime we got this balloon kitty, whose belly was always bigger than his head!

Bo gave him a tentative approval to live with us.... but he's NOT going to be friends. We were worried about Bo being mean to him, but it turns out that Pooka is the bully.

Here is Pooka "to scale" next to some of Jack's toys. He really was a tiny kitty when he came to us!

His favorite part about being domesticated? This particular spot on the couch, which he naps in at least twice daily. :)

365

A few nights ago, it was almost time for Jack to go to bed. Of course, he didn't want to, and he chose a very sweet way to express that. He climbed up onto the couch with me and snuggled at my side, insisting we read a stream of books, tickle, snuggle, and so on.

Jack and I ended up being very silly and playing while Alex was a good Daddy and made bedtime happen despite our best efforts. (And without tears, I might add!)

After Jack was finally asleep, I realized again how totally sweet he is, and how much I love spending time with him. And that I'm not going to have much more time where it's just the two of us playing all day!

In other (obvious) news, I've had trouble updating the blog regularly, and I have probably lost my mind, but I think the answer to this problem, and a way to appreciate and share my time with Jack even with a new baby coming to add mayhem and distraction, might be to commit to a project where I post something every day for a year. Crazy, right? But it just might work!

So, that's the plan. 1 post per day, preferably with photos, every day for 365 days. When the baby arrives, she'll be tucked into the project too. :) And yes, I will admit I'm stealing inspiration for this from my friend Chris's blog, www.oregonnaturalfoods.com!

the un-American family

The other day, some woman was lecturing me in the grocery store. (This must happen to all young moms, but that doesn't make it any less ridiculous!) I couldn't escape, either; she was my cashier!

The short version is that she noticed that my face was slightly sunburned and decided I must need to be taught about the dangers of skin cancer, and that she needed to solve my "problem" that Jack could get sunburned on his scalp.

The conversation really wasn't that interesting. What was interesting was when she decided that because he had a hammer on his shirt, Jack's "favorite thing" must be Bob the Builder, and that the perfect way to get him to wear a hat was to slap Bob the Builder on it.

"He will LOVE it," she assured me.

With most American children, she probably would have been right. But Jack has NO idea who Dora the Explorer, Sponge Bob, and all those idiots are. The only item we own with a pop-culture character on it (aside from books) is a classic Winnie the Pooh umbrella stroller.

This got me thinking about what weirdos we are. In our house, a popsicle is homemade ice cream, made from berries we picked ourselves, and frozen in a mold in the freezer. Soda is flavored seltzer water mixed with weak juice. Jack eats "peanut butter and jelly" which is actually pure ground almond butter and homemade jam. It's not all food-oriented (we don't have cable TV, for instance), but that's probably the most visible difference.

I was feeling distinctly like an expat in my own country until I realized that my food choices are quite American after all -- just from the wrong decade. Before fast food hit and mamas, for the most part, left the home, my homemade jam and ice creams would have fit right in!

life does change, doesn't it?

I looked at the blog today and realized I haven't posted anything for a month! Well, February was a busy one....

What happened was that I agreed to help a friend of mine with her maternity leave (she works at Delphi). She was due at the end of February, but the baby decided he was ready at the beginning of the month! I've been (hectically, but happily) running ever since!

I don't think it's worth trying to write a lengthy summary of what we've been up to the past month. Suffice it to say, I have been checking students' literature papers again (so enjoyable!) while Jack has been having tons of fun at "school" -- a co-op nursery for kids whose parents work at the school. They practice the alphabet, counting, colors, and so on.... He is eating it up!

I'm not sure if it's because of school or just because of Jack's age, but the watchword for our interactions has really been "adaptability". He is always surprising me with something new! I thought I'd share two funny things that happened today:

Exhibit A:

At tonight's bedtime, Jack was intermittently asking for "blanket, blanket!" (Which can mean he's asking for a physical blanket, or to be tucked in.) Well, he had two blankets in his bed and when I first tried to tuck him in he wouldn't lay down. Therefore, no tucking-in blanket! And the rule is that once he's in his room for bedtime, that's it. We will come help him if he's hungry or thirsty, but no more.

Well, this time he was being pretty darn civilized in his request, and he kept asking when I told him his blankets were in his bed. He was coming to the door and politely trying again at about five-minute intervals, but starting to get upset that I wasn't responding. After a while I thought, This doesn't have the normal bedtime avoidance flavor. Hmmm.... so I came over to his door and said, "blanket, huh?"

To which he nodded and let out a watery, relieved giggle. "Blanket!"

"It's really that important?"

Vigorous nodding and a wobbly "Yeah!"

Well, shoot. If he's going to say "yeah," for the first time.... I couldn't resist, even if he was conning me! So I tucked him in nice and snug. He was happy as can be, and out within two minutes!

Well. Apparently he is REALLY doing big-boy bedtime now!

Exhibit B:

We went to Lowes with Alex while he picked up some stuff for work. Jack and I wandered over to the gardening section while Alex was looking at plumbing fixtures and boring stuff like that. First thing I know when we reach the gardening section, Jack pulls a watering can off the shelf and tells me "spout" -- while pointing to the right bit.

"Wow!" I say, "that's right!"

All business, he points to the handle. "Ahn-doo," he says. Pretty good for someone who hasn't mastered "h" or "l" yet!

I am grinning like an idiot at this point. "Like a teapot!" I exclaim, figuring it out. (They sing "I'm a little teapot" at school sometimes.)

He grins at me and tips the watering can over.

We sat there and sang "I'm a little teapot" four times before he allowed that we could move on, and he was SO happy.

What I've really concluded from these events (and many others) is that the biggest thing you can do for your kids is to understand that they are growing up quickly, and to expect these ridiculously grown-up, surprising or "advanced" things to appear all the time - because for every time he throws a toy with an angry yell, chews on something he shouldn't, or takes a swing at someone (something picked up from school, which he is testing) there is also a time when he offers to shake hands when he meets someone, helps to do the laundry, or reveals that he knows a good dozen letters in the alphabet!

How much nicer for both of us to focus on the grown-up parts. I'm sure it invites more of them; he looks so proud when we notice he did something well and praise him for it. :)

Skype!

I just had a half-hour video conversation with my niece and nephew -- 3,000 miles away. How cool is that? :)

stockings!

I made us some Christmas stockings this year. Jack helped to pick out the colors and I have been working on them off and on for weeks during his nap times and stuff. Now they are finally done, and just in time for Christmas Eve!

Where have those Bowlings gotten to, anyway?

Well, November was a busy, busy month. Alex has been hard at work, of course, and I wrote two books!

I was hired to write a non-fiction book, which I completed. I also did NaNoWriMo and won! However, that just means I wrote 50,000 words on the project. It still has a ways to go before it is done though -- maybe 75,000 more words for the first draft to be complete!

As soon as November and the books were over, I started madly trying to catch up with everything I had been ignoring for the month. Laundry, vacuuming, dishes, scrubbing everything that I'd been ignoring all month.... We also took a trip down to Tennessee for Alex's grandpa Jack's funeral. (More on that later, in a separate post.) And then it was time to start in on the parade of Christmas cookies and shopping for presents.

Sheesh! It's a wonder I'm here only 2 1/2 weeks into December! Anyway, I have a ton of pictures that I was at least able to take during November, so I will be trying to get them all posted and caught up by January.

For now, it is time to put Jack to bed. But I'll be back!

Neskowin Beach

Neskowin Beach is one of my favorite places in all of Oregon. We got Jack's new car seat yesterday (his Big Boy car seat!!) so we set out for the coast immediately. Well, as soon as nap time hit. It IS a 90 minute drive!Once we got there it was time for Cheetos. :)

Here's the path down to the beach. It's pretty already!

Look, a giant tree stump! Jack was only too happy to climb on it.

I adore this kind of picture of my guys, especially when Jack is looking so grown up. I just can't get enough of them. :)

Here's his first sand investigation:

Proposal Rock is the big feature of this beach. It's kind of an island, except when the tide goes out. We've never been there at the right time, but we finally were today!

Also there were trees strewn about all over the dang place.

Hey, a stick!

This should definitely come with us!

Razzing some seagulls:

I thought this was really pretty. I love the line of birds. :)

Of course, we had to go over and investigate the Rock more thoroughly, since we finally had the chance to.

I like this tree:

Rock throwing is a Serious Business.

Jedi baby!

He kept trying to pick up clumps of sand and getting confused when they crumbled. I guess it was a learning experience....

Jack ultimately reminded us that we were supposed to be going over to kick the Rock and find out about it.

So we did! What's all this white stuff, anyway?

I love the dubious look as he applauds them.

Probably six years after I first came to this beach, I finally got to climb the Rock!

Jack found the coolest thing on the beach....

a dog!!

Here's another great shot of my guys. And a bonus: two birds flying past!

Don't they look all rugged and independent? :)

Jack would hold Daddy's hand, but only if they walked the way Jack wanted to:

Some nice guy offered to take pictures for us. This was the best one, even though Jack was distracted by a dog. :)

Hey, speaking of that dog, we got to pet it!

The doggy decided Jack could use a kiss.

...and Jack was in love. :)

Well, this must be MY dog, so I can boss it around, right?

I love how happy he is to spend time with his Daddy. There are very few things that can make a Mommy happier than seeing such a happy child!

Here he is kind of tired and snuggling down against the wind:

And lovin' his Daddy some more. Daddy is just so fun!

This is a great little cafe right next to the beach. We like to stop in there, but we didn't this time because we brought a picnic lunch! We had beef stew and sourdough bread, and were far too busy enjoying it to take any pictures. :)

We dropped in on a yard sale that had another dog!

Okay, here is an after-lunch picture. He just got this cup and loves it because he's very good at using straws. It is Hard Work. You can tell by looking at his eyebrows. :)

Taking a little walk after lunch:

This is clearly the best way to travel!

That whole trip actually only took about three hours. But wouldn't you know it, we wore the little guy out! This was the view on the way home:

welcome to Oregon!

Alex has at least made a couple of posts in the last month, but I've been pretty much totally absent from the blog. Why, you ask? We MOVED!!

Jack and I arrived in McMinnville (to be known as Mac from now on) 9 days ago, with my mom. She and I had a grand old time prowling around and getting furniture, food supplies, etc. We now have a couch, a rocker, an ottoman, a bookshelf, two dining chairs, a stool, a fan, a really nice dining room table that Alex found at goodwill, a small desk for me.... and that's just what I can see from the couch. :) I will be posting pictures soon, I'm sure, but I thought I'd better post an update while I had a second, and pictures be damned!

Alex, Jack and I went to the library and got our library cards this weekend. I was very surprised to find we can check out fifty books at once! WOW! Of course, they didn't have the author I was looking for. Better luck next time!

A big perk of moving here is that we have a whole flock of kids now available to play with. On Saturday night Jack and I went to an Iron Chef night (which will be explained in a later post, because I don't feel like it right now) and Jack got to play with Molly, Daphne, Cyprus, Audrey, Copper, Rowan, Quinn, and Oliver! He mostly just sat there happily gawking at the fact that there were so many kids doing Grown Up Things. Later on he decided he could chase a ball with Molly, who is just about his age. :)

It turns out that the library has a 3-and-under play time every Wednesday morning. It is also right next door to the swimming pool! Jack isn't hugely fond of water, but the pool has family swim Mon-Sat from 12-1, so I think we're going to have to get him used to it. It's an indoor pool, so this has great potential as a winter activity!

Chris Anderson is one of my totally best friends since high school, and lucky for me, she lives 10 minutes away! We have already gone and played with her several times, and while my mom was still here we picked 16 lbs of blueberries together. Those are all in the freezer now. Yum, yum! :) She and I are going to do pick-your-own tomatoes later on and can a whole bunch of them.

In summary, since I can't think of anything else to post just now, we are here and planted firmly in the middle of farm country, with lots of babies to play with and lots and lots of fruits and veggies to stock up on before winter hits. Hooray! :)

awesome barbecue day!

Today we went for an afternoon barbecue at my aunt Cyndi's house. It was wonderful! We swam, played with her five dogs, and had very yummy food. Alex stepped up as grill-master at the last minute, so spent his day cooking over a hot grill with only a six-pack of Sam Adams to comfort him! :P He had a lot of fun doing that. I think it's his favorite place to be. :)

There were a million little highlights but the main excitements were 1) a pool! and 2) horses!






That's right, Jack rode a horse. :D Don't believe me?



More on this tomorrow. I wanted to get the evidence posted right away!