Boys

Spaceships zoom all around these days:

Conceptual

I asked Andrew if we should back out of the lease so we can live out of one of these:



His answer: No!

Plumber

I will start off this post with some funny toilet paper rolls:



I will now set the scene...
It was a Tuesday morning and we were all upstairs, Andrew was at work. I was packing a large box of duvets, covers, and sheets. I thought all was well.

How the scene played out...
I walked by the upstairs bathroom and saw my oldest child being a "Super Duper Pooper" and beside him was my smallest child. I stopped, gasped, and ran to assess the damages. Blake was silently giggling while Reade took bits of toilet paper and shoved it into the toilet behind him. Half of the roll was in that toilet. I finally figured out the perfect gift to give to new moms of boys. A gift certificate to a local plumbing company. Why is it that children can get so silent when they are being so naughty?

This might happen to every mom, but this happened only days after Blake dropped a full roll of toilet paper into the toilet by accident. I am sick of fishing things out of the toilet.

Within

We are still having fun in life even though all of our belongings are packed away in a sea of brown boxes. I wish I could throw out all the boxes and survive with the necessities. I would miss my sewing machine and huge box of yarn though.

Our great friends had us over for a BBQ. The dessert was chocolate zucchini bread with homemade coconut ice cream. I give them 5 stars!:


Another friend took me on a wonderful trail ride. I had forgotten just how hard western saddles are. I haven't ridden western for a long time now and looked like a fool trying to manage my reins. If you find yourself in Portola Valley then head on over to Webb Ranch for some berry picking or horsing around:


The kids are still doing kid things even though 90% of their toys are packed away. Here is Blake learning to ride his bike without his training wheels:

Funny

I love these moments. I love these moments even more when they aren't happening to me:

En Route

There will be stress associated with this move, but we are in a fortunate spot so I am trying to keep my wits about me. Life must go on.

Swim lessons started. They will take up all of our afternoons for two weeks. Blake enjoys the pool and is happy his friend Emily is by his side. This picture was taken by Emily's mom seconds before being scolded. We forgot that cameras are not allowed past the locker rooms. I am sad to say there will be no video footage of Blake swimming this year. No big deal!:



From the mother's list this morning:

What time do you wake up and sleep?
7/19/2011 12:27 pm

So, I'm struggling to figure out what time to wake up and sleep so I don't feel so rushed in the mornings. I love it when I do wake up early to get things done and hoping I can start so I can workout in the mornings. So, far I havne't been so successfuly! I'm curious how you early you guys get up and how early you sleep :)

The Palo Alto/Menlo Park demographic statistics highlight that this woman probably has a higher education than myself. That being said, maybe it was my two years at Junior College that taught me life skills like when to sleep and when to eat. Is this woman's dilemma a result of not sleeping or eating during med school? I guess one can get used to that?

Sometimes I do make bad decisions like packing up the kitchen instead of sleeping:


Blake took this picture of Reade today with the Xoom tablet. I wanted to log it because it cracks me up how quickly Blake can master a piece of technology:

SF

Fridays are meant for research. I strapped Reade on my back and put Blake in the umbrella stroller so we could hit up a bunch of mid-century modern shops and a few thrift stores in San Francisco. The streets of SF entertained Blake with all the weirdos doing three year old behavior. It was like they were speaking his language. I was disappointed with the lack of inventory, but I did get some good ideas.

Thank goodness for parking meters that take debit cards:


I had to bribe the kids with something. Too bad they were the worst donuts I have ever had. Half of the donuts ended up in the garbage. That is unheard of in my life:


Doesn't everyone want cute, mushroom lights. They are only $1500 for the pair from Monument:

Thrifting

I was lucky enough to hit a few antique stores just hours before boarding our return flight from Iowa. I had the Eichler on my mind and got excited when I found this peacock wall art for $2.00. This will be the first time my husband sees this thing because I wrapped it in a bag and quickly packed it in my luggage. I don't think men understand the potential wall art has!

Strut your stuff peacock and I can't wait to find you some wall space:


I also bought this vintage seed sack from Iowa for $10. I washed it and am going to open it up and turn it into a quilt. The fabric gets so soft after laundering and I loved reading about how the women used to make their clothing and sheets out of flour and seed sacks. It took three sacks to make one bed sheet back then. Imagine faded, blue and white striped fabric around it for a farm/nautical theme.

I too will find you some couch space in our new home:

Chosen

After beating back some competitors with big sticks, the landlords of the Palo Alto Eichler chose us to be the next tenants. He told me to bring my "A" game when we showed up for the open house. We did just that and had to go through a few days of negotiations, but in the end we got it. I have never seen Andrew this excited about a rental before so I feel like we are doing the right thing. It is 3 bedrooms with 2 baths and has a wonderful, remodeled kitchen. My head is on overdrive trying to figure out how to mesh mid-century modern decorating with a remodeled Eichler. Move in date is August 1st so that leaves us with a few weeks of packing madness. I only wish I could bottle my energy now and save it for the end of the move.

I am enjoying Eichler research:

Steak

We took Andrew's parents out to Alexander's Steakhouse in San Jose for a belated birthday celebration (Happy 70th David). The company was great and the conversation was wild. Definitely a foodie's heaven, for everything is exceptionally great.

The steaks present themselves right when you walk in the door:


Himachi shots ( It’s a shot glass filled with hamachi, red chili, frizzled ginger, avocado, and truffled ponzu, and you simply stir it up a bit and then shoot it.):


I love it when they pair heavy with light on one dessert platter:


I requested a peach bellini because my friend ordered one the other night and they are now my new, favorite drink of choice (move over butterscotch schnapps). They didn't have the peach schnapps so they made me a drink consisting of passion fruit and champagne. Didn't do it for me. I wonder when I will get another one of these yummy things?

Yum:


Thanks Andrew for a great date night/birthday celebration.

Eichler

Okay, I have been bitten by the Eichler bug. Joseph Eichler was a developer (not an architect) who built over 11,000 homes in California between 1950 and 1974. I only like the houses that have the front courtyard behind the not-so-warm front fences.

I checked out this Sunnyvale Eichler yesterday. It is 4bd/2bath and completely original. Die hard Eichler fans love this stuff, but some of the remodels really bring modern conveniences in where they are needed:

This Eichler shows how the front and backyards mesh with the house:


Original kitchen style with a new coat of paint:


Number 8 winner for an Eichler kitchen remodel contest:


Who knew South Land Park in Sacramento has Eichlers:



We are putting in an "offer" tomorrow for an Eichler rental down the street. It will be quite the bidding war and I expect not to get it. You can't say we didn't try.

Meaning

What Iowa now means to me:

Great family:


Memories of fried dough balls rolled in sugar (only $0.25 a piece):


Americana:


What the kids will remember (not really!):

4th of July parades:


Riding on rocket ships:


Tractors:


I will never forget seeing fireflies for the first time, miles of corn fields, and fireworks set off by brave cousins:

Happy Birthday Andrew

Happy Birthday Andrew. We love you. The world is better because of you.



Baby Andrew:


Chubby Andrew:

I O W A

We have traveled by plane and by car.  We have consumed mid-westernly volumes of calories.  We have seen lightening bugs.