The Bluest Skies - Out with Kari and the Boys

Kari and Riley Coming Around the Turn

The promise of Spring is everywhere today making us happily knowing that it is not far away in our futures. I have some bulbs beginning to come up, the days are getting longer, and we are having days like we had today... Sunny and bright. My mom tells that it is cold in California and that it has been raining. They must have got our rain or something... it has been sunny and warmer here than it has been and we are all glad for it!

Kari and Riley Leaving the Gate!

Kari, the boys, and I set out today to go to the mall near us. We were sort of being serendipitous and we stopped at Bullwinkle's, a family fun center. Kari took Riley on the bumper cars and then took Brady on the bumper boats just for the fun of it. Here are pictures of her and the boys having fun... and I was only with my phone camera so I took pictures as best as I could. Aren't they having fun? We use to go to family fun centers a lot in California and I would play minature golf when I was young and a teen. I hadn't been to a place like that for a long time.

Kari and Brady in the Bumper Boat!

The Bluest Skies are In Seattle!

(Please Don't Tell Anyone)

HUGS!

My Brother Jon

My Brother Jon

Today I woke up later, showered, got dress and went out the door to work. I didn't have the boys last night, Kari did. It is really strange to me not to have the responsibility of getting them up, dressed, and take them to daycare. But, now that do have days that I don't, I find myself taking advantage of it. Plus, my darling husband has been gone and I find myself staying up later, reading, shopping with Kari, and watching all the movies that I want to watch. I would say that I am making the most of his being on a business trip. I do miss him but I might as well make it a "ME fest" while he is gone to make the time go by quickly. It really has been a long time that I have had time just to myself.

I was on my way to pick up the boys this evening and I got a call from Eva (my stepmom that lives in Costa Mesa, CA). Jon, my brother, was there and so she put him on the phone to talk to me. It was good to hear his voice. There were many times we have wondered where he was and if he was alive. We talked for quite a while and he was very talkative for which I was glad. I would say that it has been 6 or more years since I have actually talked to him or seen him. It shouldn't be that way. He has had trouble in the past but I always hope and pray that he is doing well. It really made my day to have talked to him. We exchanged email addresses and my hope is that we can remain in contact. I don't have a picture of Jon but he likes eagles from what I remember. So in his honor, I put up a picture of an eagle.

So with that news I will get off for tonight. Have a great evening and weekend. We all deserve it!

Just the Boys and Me

Or Grandmother... in this case.

Last night I entertained Riley and Brady with the Internet. I pulled up Thomas the Train Engine, Disneyland, and the Pirates of the Caribean game on the Disney website. I also went on You Tube and pulled up the Mom's Song that I think is so great. If you want to laugh you can find it HERE. Riley thought it was me singing the song. She looks a bit like me with brown hair as long as mine, I joke around a lot and I am outgoing, and I wear glasses some of the time... so it wasn't hard to envison me being the one up there singing that song. I am sure all the things he's heard mentioned in that song that has come out of my mouth in the grandmother version. It was funny so I played along and said it was me. He was really impressed and then he decided that he too wanted to be on stage and sing. (He takes after sooo many in my outgoing family. His mom was always where a microphone could be found. How many events such as weddings etc have I been to that Kari got on stage to sing? I'd be talking to someone only to hear her voice coming over the speakers. At least she can carry a tune.)

We had a juniors from a high school on campus today taking the Compass Assessment that each student must take in order for us to place them into classes. This high school just takes them on a field trip and they get it all done for everyone at the same time. Part of the day is taking a tour around the campus. That is where I came in... so I took my group. I asked Lindsey how much time did I have to tour the campus and she said over an hour. I gave her a "look" meaning... "how am I going to do that?" OK, so with the challenge before me we set out. First we went to the Student Center where I showed them Registration, Financial Aid Office, where students play video games and shoot pool, and then took them into the radio station. I was soooo glad that the radio station co director was willing to show them around the station. Then we went to the Trades area because two of the students expressed interest in Welding and Automotive. I showed them the welding shop... and then in Automotive the instructor gave them some information about Automotive and what kind of money technicians get these days for income. (I am in the wrong business) Then we went to the student apartments we have on campus. Our college is one of few community colleges that have student housing. Well, by that time, it was time for lunch... I hadn't even showed them the library or the Science Center... but they were hungry and we headed back to where they had begun and where the food was.

Tonight Kari and I went shopping. She is decorating their room with Spiderman. They got a few more Spiderman items for their room at Target and at Wal Mart. One place has one thing and the other has the other things. We are going to get red blankets and do some creative things for the windows.

Tonight is AI and I am not sure I am really all that interested. Well, it is on and I haven't even bothered turning on the TV.

Dave called from NC already tonight. He is doing well there but is running out of things to do. He sounds like he is a little homesick and ready to come home. He mentioned that they asked him to come back again in the next few weeks. He might... It seems like they may not need him and plus his office is moving to our city. Yeah, he will have less of a commute than I do. A total of 2.5 miles. The car won't have even warmed up before he gets to work. Plus, it is all down hill (going to work, that is)

Well, enough rambling on... I will say goodnight now. Have a good day... Hugs

Running All the Time!

I am a little frustrated because I am forever busy and never getting done what I want or intend to get done. I went to work, then after an hour I hit the road to get to a high school for a lunch visit with 4 other college representatives. Since we are friends we had a quick lunch and then it was back to the college again. I was there for another hour and then I was off to an appointment. Whew...

I have the boys tonight so that Kari can concentrate on her homework tonight. The seem happy to see me after not being around me for a couple of days. I plan to get them ready for bed and then we will watch AI. Bed time for them is 7:30 but it usually doesn't happen until 8 pm because of "Can I have water?" etc tactics that Riley plays on me. Brady always seems as though going to sleep isn't too bad of an idea. He may say "I don't want to..." but then he does within minutes.

So it will be an early night for us. I probably will fall asleep with the TV on. Hugs

The Luck of the Irish

I wish that I had the whole week off but I don't... many of the high schools are off this week. I use to work in a high school and for years I had it off too. The weather has been really nice with the promise of spring around the corner these last few days but I heard on the news that we will start to have rain again tonight (what's new in Seattle?).

Kari went to meet her friend Tina (the one that got married a few weeks ago) at lunch today. They were somewhere near one of the tribe's casinos. She told Tina that she was feeling lucky and that she would win money today. So, Kari went into the casino, changed her $10 into a card to play the slots (when I was younger you would put in actual coins/money), she put the card in the machine, pushed the button, and won $160 within 5 minutes of being there. Ten minutes later she walked out of the place with the money in her hand. She never does THAT. That is why this is a really wierd or fun story to tell all of you.

I personally can't top that story. (I never have won that much money at one time or if you put it all together.) But I got Riley's picture figured out... I hope.

Today is the WA Primaries. I can't makeup my mind between the two Democratic candidates. I picked one but if the other got it I would be ok with that too. Actually, after typing that, I don't feel so confused. I wonder what the rest of the state has to say. My guess will be that Obama will come out on top. Let's see.

All I did was go to work today. Dave's still in NC for the next few days. I have the place all to myself tonight. Now, you all know how much I love my family... how much I love my little boys... but one thing that I haven't had much of since I have been helping Kari with the boys is ME time. In the past, I would have thought (because I had a lot of it) that ME wasn't that important. But when you don't have it, it starts to show. It is important. To think, or read, or pray, or just do something that isn't on a "to do list" is very important. So tonight it is just ME.

Have a Great Evening... Hugs

President's Day

President's Day

Today being a national holiday, I am off from work. When I was a young person, we use to get Lincoln's birthday off on February 12th AND Washington's birthday off on February 22nd. Then they decided to combine the two and gave us only one day off. Sad but true. The school districts here give the students the whole week off at this time. It is called Mid Winter break. In Cali we didn't have this winter break. We only had a Spring Break (they get that week off here too) besides the Christmas break. So, since most of the high schools are off, there aren't many schools to recruit to this next week. I will go to Bethel High School on Wednesday but that will be all in regards to high schools other than getting everything ready for Spring Tour (March 21st) and the Educator's Breakfast (February 29th) which are being held on our campus by our office. I will go into more details about each in future posts.

Today I will have the kids while Kari works but tonight they will be going over to her place to stay the night. Brady is getting better each day so he will be able to return to daycare tomorrow. I decided to work on some of my projects tonight without the kids interupting me. I didn't sleep too well either without Dave being here. I am not nervous with him gone... it is just different. I don't think Riley slept as well either for the same reason. Aaron came in at 12:30am last night from being at a birthday party and I woke up easily (which means I was hardly asleep). I text Dave in NC that Aaron got home safe... and he texted me back right away. I figured that he might be wondering and not sleeping either... and I was right, I guess. It would have been 3:30am there. Guess he will be going to sleep early tonight.

I was playing with our new scanner. (Key word is new.) Remember when I got the boys pictures taken in November? Here is one of the pictures of Riley. Yuen Lui did a great job. As you can see, I am still learning how to resize etc. I am surprise that I got it copied. Anyway, I couldn't wait to show all of you what I am playing with and his picture. I don't mind admitting to all of you that I am a learner. I'll keep trying to work on this... any help is appreciated. Aaron installed it and I can't find the manual... the manual would be very helpful. :-) (Aaron is asleep still... he is the only one that seems to be getting any sleep, so I'll wait to ask.)

By the way, HERE is the link to where I was married two years ago. Cindy has been planning her wedding and so it gave me the idea to share this website.

Well, I will get off of here for now. Have a great day... Hugs to all.

Dave Is Off to NC

This morning we were able to get up and go out for breakfast. We all took different cars because Aaron was leaving from there to go to one church... Dave was going to his mom's house near the airport to drop off his car so he can have it for his return... and I was heading for another church. Dave was at his mom's at 10:30 am, then to the airport to leave around noon. I went to the church I went to last week.

Kari and the boys joined me at church. After church, they were hungry (not me) so we went out to lunch. I had a small salad which was good for me. Susie also joined us. After that Susie and I went on to the movies to see "Definately, Maybe" which is the answer I would give to any of you if you asked me if you should go see the movie. Again, not a big WOW... but cute for a chick flick. The guys would have hated it we decided. Below is Ryan Reynolds who is the dad in the film.

I went to the grocery store for the week's groceries and Kari came by to drop off Riley. He told Dave that he would take care of me while Dave was gone. Last night Riley patted my arm in a caring manner... which was his way of "caring" for me. How cute is THAT!?! Riley has such a good heart.

Well better get to bed. I'll post in the AM tomorrow since I am off. Hooray!!! Hugs.