M+B=E2O2

What Happens in Vegas

Gets blogged.

We returned late Friday night from  our Vegas Vacation.  Well, most of us did.  Emma stayed behind for an extra visit with Gramma and Poppa, they'll all be here on Thursday.

So before I forget here are some of the highlights of the last week. 

Saturday night we hired our first paid non family babysitter.  H watches the little ones while Emma & Owen have piano lessons, but this was the first time we left all four behind.  We left them at around 2:30 and went down to the club.  We were participating in our first Dinghy Party.  Ben & I inherited a nice raft (dinghy) form my parents and our good friends (G&C) had a brand new 2 horse power outboard, so we combined efforts and had a great time.

 

We started out at the yacht club then headed over to the first house on the party tour.  The house was decked out for the 60's, there was  beer and wine for all plus some chips & dip and what 60's party would be complete with out brownies!! (Costco makes them straight though- bummer-just kidding- LOL!)

After chillin for a while there the party moved on to the next house-  this one set in the Renaissance.  There was mulled wine and dark ale, meatballs, chicken wings and cheese & crackers.  Here I caught up with on old family friend who once promised me a Porsche when I turned 16.  I gave him what for for neging on that one! LOL!  Our last stop before dinner was at a gorgeous home set in the roaring 20's.  Catered with delicate seafood and veggies and well stocked with vodka and gin martinis this house was hard to leave!  There was also a piano player setting the mood.

 

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Once back at the club we dined on great food circa 1950.  It was a really good time- blissfully child-free and a great chance for Ben and I to talk with grown ups uninterrupted!  We are developing a fantastic friendship with G& C, if feels as though we've know them for ever.  Well, actually I sort of grew up around G, he's a long time sailor in the area and just 2 years older than me-  so we crossed paths off and on as kids. His sailing skills were far superior t mine though-  still are!  C and I went to high school together and swam on the swim team together.   Her best friend and I swam together in college (as did Ben).  Even with out these connections though-  our friendship has a deep lasting feel to it- KWIM? 

When we got home later- around 8:45 the kids were happy and all in one piece.  Olivia did take a spill at one point- tripped on our step and we found out Sunday morning at the ER, she re broke her leg.  Looks like a fracture in the same spot as the first go round.  So she had 5 days with out a cast.  She is still in a splint courtesy of the ER, we see the orthopod tomorrow morning. *sigh*

After all that excitement, we packed up and left for Vegas at o'dark thirty Monday morning.   We stopped somewhere in BFE around 8 am for breakfast and arrived at my parents house around 11:30 am.  Tired, but in great spirits.

We took the kids for a swim at the community pool,  and just hung out at the house for the evening.  My sister and cousin came over and we all just ate, drank and hung out.  Actually my sister had recently bought Speed Stacking cups so I got to try my hands at that.  I got pretty darn focused!  I can't wait to buy a set for us- Owen was getting the stacking patterns down too by the end of the week.  I warn you though- it is very addicting. 

Tuesday we took a morning trip out to Hoover Dam.  That was pretty cool.

Emma near gave me a heart attack when she tried to climb up the wall to look over the side. 

You know right where it says . 

Course she couldn't see that since it was on TOP of the wall out of her site.   We made it out of there safely though and went on our merry way back home for lunch.  Next stop was to my sisters school to meet her class.  We got there for the last 5 minutes of class.  I have to say I don't miss the formal class room a bit-  her kids seemed sweet-  they are 5th graders,  it's the beginning of the school year and they mostly seemed eager- though maybe that's because it was time to go home!  Naw,  most of them have a rough home life, school is their safe haven, it is sad.  My sister does a great job with them-  and she has fun doing it.   My kids liked walking around a "real" school, though like all kids their favorite part was the playground. 

Wednesday marked 9 years of marriage for us.  It has been an amazing journey and it is so exciting that we are really just at the very beginning.  We all took a drive down to the strip.  We took the kids to look at Treasure Island and to have lunch.

  After that we parted ways- my folks took our car and all the kids and we checked into the Venetian. Next we went to the Fashion Mall,  I got my movie star shades to help keep  the paparazzi off my back and Ben got some shoes and shorts. Oh and I got a new purse too-  a big black bag, it is way cool.

If I were on top of things I'd have tried on the dress I had back at the hotel before heading  to the mall-  it didn't fit right so I ended up shopping in the Venetian grand canal shops for something to wear that night to Mamma Mia.   Fortunately I found a great denim skirt at Banana Republic on sale- super on sale and I had a cute tank to go with it so I was set for a few dollars. Unfortunately I spent far too long looking for a shirt to wear instead of just going and getting a pedicure and wearing the tank.  It was nice to go shop though- in and out and in and out of stores- with no children in tow!

We didn't look at the tickets- we thought our show started at 8pm.  We got ready and went out to the car to get our tickets and head to the taxi stand so we would be there early- 7:30.  Once we got the tickets (and noticed we had a flat tire- good thing we planned on taking a taxi anyway!) we took a look and saw that in fact the show started at 7:30.  Crap.  It was 7:05 when we learned this.  We ran down to the taxi stand, grabbed a cab and got to the Mandalay at 7:22.  By 7:25 we were breathing heavily in our seats-  no not  snogging- just thankful that we (barely) made it!!

I LOVED the show-  LOVED it!  Ben also enjoyed it, probably not as much as me- but he did like it and obliged in getting me the soundtrack and a t-shirt!  We went back to the Venetian and spent a few hours losing money in the casino, then watched TV in bed since we could (we don't have TV in our room at home). 

After a little bit of a sleep in- we called up the grandparents and they came down to change the tire on the car and we all -minus my dad- went to Circus Circus.  OMG.  Yes we are in fact crazy.  We spent a good 6 hours there.  The last 1/2 was spent just trying to find our way out of the dang place.  The maps in there are USELESS- there is no "You Are Here"  dot.  So how the heck you are supposed to know were you are to find out where to go is beyond me.  The kids were whiny (I don't know why) I was whiny (again, I don't know why) and we were all tired.  We passed a bar as we were hunting for our exit and I told Ben to go get me a big margarita- holding my hands about a foot and a half apart.  He just heard the big part.  He came back with a YARD of strawberry margarita!!!!!!

Holy cow was that a lot  of drink!  It was left to my mom and me to suck it down on the way to the parking garage and then sitting in the parking garage at Circus Circus.

   I know I know - the "c" in Meesh stands for class.  *sigh*  we did get most all of the drink taken down. We filled two empty water bottles with the last bits and took them home.  The remainder of the evening was uneventful and peaceful. 

Friday was our last day-  and for the life of me I can not recall what we did in the morning.  OH wait we went to my sister's house to see the progress made to it since our last visit and what will be done to it soon.  She has a 1941 house and is renovating it with the help of my parents. 

Later we took Emma, Owen and Evan back to the pool for one last swim.   After a bit of dinner we packed up the beast and got on the road.  Unfortunately my dad and I didn't think through the first bit of our drive. It took us 45 min to get past the strip  (duh it was a Friday night!) to the freeway we needed.  once on that we got to watch spectacular lightning storms.  We pulled off at a gas station and took off our luggage rack just before it began to downpour.  I forgot that with Emma staying behind we could fit the 3 kids in the second row seat and put all our stuff in the third row.  Did I mention we took our two big dogs?  They slept the whole way in the very back.

Later we got lost trying to find our way to Pearblossom Highway.  That was somewhat brief though.  Around Midnight everyone woke up and had to hit the head (bathroom) so we pulled off.  By this time we were again in a downpour.  By 1:30 a.m. we were snug in our beds. 

A few of our lessons learned:

1. Never try to get to your destination via the Strip in Las Vegas on a Friday night. 
2. Always look at your tickets at least 2 hours before your show- no matter how sure you are of the time it starts.
3. Pay close attention when you park at Circus Circus.  The place is a frickin maze!
4. Be sure to specify what you mean by a "big margarita".  The refill on that yard is only $10 - but who the hell gets a refill!!!
5. If you don't have GPS- don't try to take Pearblossom Highway
6. Check the weather both in Vegas and at home before you leave- it's no fun driving in the wind and rain in the dark.
7. Go see Mamma Mia- it is the BOMB!

Instead of spending Saturday and Sunday quietly at home recuperating - we went back to the yacht club.  it was a biggish race weekend (back in the old days when I used to sail  a lot this particular event was the premier event of the year. There are just not as many boats out there as there used to be. )(yikes did I just say back in the old days!!!!?????)

G & C both raced so we went down to drink with them support them.  I got to see lots of friends from yesteryear so that was cool.  Sadly C took a mis step on Sunday and likely tore up some ligaments in her foot- we'll give her a call tonight to check in on her Monday morning urgent care visit.  The good news is that our club ended up winning the Cup- yahoo! 

I got up way too early this morning and walked 30 minutes.  The Biggest Loser is back and I'm pretty motivated.  Does anyone else love that show???

Oh yeah and the OJ tour was all booked when we got to Vegas so no- I didn't get to hang with the Juice. 

Reason 3,572,439

I read the newspaper just about every day.  In yesterdays paper there was a small article about a whale that had washed a shore on a nearby beach.  I didn't think much of it, I assumed it was a California Grey whale, one that is commonly found off the coast since they migrate 2x a year.  I figured I'd rather take the kids to see a live one than a dead one. 

We head out to gymnastics, have a great time there, and head back home for lunch. As the kids are eating I came up to read my email and someone in our local group posted that the whale was a 70 Blue Whale.  Well now that changes things a bit.  I have never seen one, though not for lack of trying.  (Tried for several days when I went to NZ). I still hope to see one live, since they too are spotted off our coast. I told the kids about it and asked if they'd want to take a drive up to see it.  They enthusiastically cheered YES! I explain about the whole deadness of it and warned them that it would likely be stinky (an understatement to say the least!). 

We finished up lunch packed back up into the car and took the  drive up the coast.  There were a number of people there.   

Once we parked the car, we all got out and began the short walk on PCH  to the whale.  It was HUGE.  I mean really HUGE.  The paper stated that it was 70 feet.  Such a site.  I've seen many California Grey's,  I was alway in awe of how graceful they are despite their massive size.  This was just amazing.  Sadly the belly was bloating so it was a bit strange looking.  The size was just so impressive though. 

The stink was even more impressive.  OMG it was awful !  Really bad.   If you've ever smelled rotten dead fish,  times that by 70ft. BLECH.  The kids were funny, plugging their noses and making comments.  But they were pretty impressed. I really didn't want to leave, there is something so sad and majestic about such a massive creature.  As I stood there Evan says to me " Mom, can we go to the pier without the dead whale?" LOL He must have said at least 5 times on the way back home "Mom, I really liked seeing the dead stinky whale" and I suspect I will hear from him over the next lifetime "Mom, remeber when we saw the dead stinky whale?"

I tried to really impress upon them just how amazing and special this was.  How lucky they were to see God's largest mammal in person, even though it was dead.  I told them that most people will go their entire life never seeing what they saw.  It was just amazing. 

So reason 3,572,439 why we love to homeschool.... we get to go on impromptu field trips to see rare sites! 

Here's my video.

Here is a video shot from someone when the tide was much lower and people could go right up to it. Really gives you perspective of the size.

Cast off

Well, Olivia is a cast free little girl again.  She got her cast off on Tuesday-  they even gave it to us to take home.  It went in to the trash by nightfall.  She is doing great, he said that she'd still walk funny for a while and would be a little stiff.  The only trouble she has is with the stairs, she can go up with out a problem but can only manage to come down about half way. 

Yesterday we went to Park day for the first time in WEEKS.  We couldn't go while Livi had her cast on- sand and wood chips and all- so it was great to add that back into our week.  Our group moves it's park day from one park (at the beach) to another (in the foothills)  we do the beach one in summer and the foothills the rest of the year.  We are now in the foothills.  As soon as we get there the kids disappear into the trees, climbing the hills in search of rattlesnakes.  Yes there are really rattlesnakes in the area, however The trails are used often and well- 10 screaming kids should keep them in hiding right?  At one point we heard every kid screaming, then looked up to see all of them materialize from the trees, running, screaming down the hill.  They were just certain that they had heard a rattle.  On of the moms who was up on the trail with them said that what they were really hearing was the grasshoppers jumping and the trees and twigs rustling in the wind.  Anyhow, they spent a good hour climbing up and down the hills, then came and played on the playground for and hour then back to the hills for the last bit.  It was a good return to park day I'd say.  Our group is slowing growing-  it was a really nice group of moms there-  several new faces (for me) and everyone was  very friendly.  This should be a great year. 

Well, the kids all just woke up and I am on their computer.... guess I'll cut this short and hope to add a little more of what I wanted to say later. 

If you have 4 minutes

This is a cute song....

My Garden +

We are winding down our garden.  The green beans have all been picked, we let the rest go to seed and have 3 bags of pods for next year.  We ate a handful of smallish corn- it was tasty but I really should have alloted more space for the corn, I knew better, so I'm ok with our meager return.  Our cucumber was fantastic, plenty to enjoy.  We have 8 largish pumpkins sitting on our front porch.  There are 3 small green ones left in the garden, that I am just waiting for them to start to turn orange so I can pick them then clear out our space.  For the fall/winter we are going to plant onions, carrots, and broccoli   and cauliflower.  We live in an area that farms year round so I figure I may as well give it a try. Oh and I forgot to mention that we have millions of tomatoes.  At least. 

Jenny-(Two posts in two days?  Is everyone ok?  ;))  Can you believe it!!  I seriously intended this to be a 3 for 3 post- but never made up actually do it!  I love Muir Woods- we camped there when we only had the first two.  Emma was in a wedding in Chico and we have a friend who lived in Sausilito (sp???), so we did Chico then went to SF then to Muir Woods.  Beautiful!!!

Laurie- I would love to see your street- but you know I don't envy the raking thing!  Never had to worry about that part of the tree thing!!

Timmy- Had no idea you worried about us!  You know Bungee would have torn apart any bad guys! Thanks for tipping him off!

Trees

I never saw a discontented tree.  They grip the ground as though they liked it, and though fast rooted they travel about as far as we do. They go wandering forth in all directions with every wind, going and coming like ourselves, traveling with us around the sun two million miles a day, and through space heaven knows how fast and far!  ~John Muir

When I was in my first year of college at the local community college, I remember having a conversation with a friend who was home for I think it was spring break.  She was telling me how much she loved being at the school she was at.  I remember asking her where she went- I was at a point where I knew I should at least start entertaining the idea of where I'd complete my B.A.  When she told me "Chico State", my first thought was- "what a weird name".  Then I asked her why she loved it so much.  "The trees, there are so many trees there and it is just so beautiful." 

Later that year I happened upon an opportunity to go to Chico with a friend.  I think it was that first trip that sealed the deal for me.   After an hour long flight and another hour and a half of driving we exited the freeway and drove down the prettiest street I had ever seen.  In the years that followed, no matter what part of Chico I lived in, no matter what exit made logical sense in order to get home, I always, always got off that same exit as my first trip. 

In so many ways college is a new world and those trees, those trees made my new world such a great place to be.  I don't think I ever knew how much I loved trees until university.  I understood my friend completely when she had answered my question of Why Chico?  Those beautiful trees. 

When I eventually graduated and had to leave my new world behind, the first thing I did was a take trip to New Zealand. One of my favorite experiences there was visiting a Kauri forest.  It was there that I actually hugged my first tree.  Don't laugh if you've never done it.  Trees do have a power to them, and those Kauri tress are amazingly powerful. 

Once back home, I took a trip out to Philadelphia to visit Ben in medical school.  One proposal and several months later I was living there.  Our apartment was just next to Pennypack Park.  It was not so  much a park as a trail along side a river, lined with trees.  I walked, ran and explored that park often.  I loved taking the dogs down for a walk. I loved knowing I was in this huge, historic city, yet I was surrounded my huge trees and all the wildlife that lives in their midst. I also loved autumn there.  Going to my Aunt's house in North Eastern PA was such a beautiful drive any time of the year.  In the fall though, holy cow.  There is one section where you drive through a tunnel, and as you exit that tunnel all you can see in front of you is hills and hills filled with tress.  The beautiful shades of reds, yellows and oranges takes your breath away. 

Tonight, as I waited for one of the dogs to finish up her meal in the garage I went out in the backyard.  The house was dark and quiet, kids and husband asleep.  I looked out at the hazy palm trees on the next block.  The sky  overcast and starless.  As I breathed in the fresh, salty, cool air I could hear the ocean breeze begin to tickle the towering eucalyptus trees in my neighbors yard.  It sounded like rain drops hitting the pavement.  As the sound slowly intensified, the wind chime hanging next to me gently made its song.  My arms, chilled though they felt, tingled with the feeling of being alive. 

Summer Fun

We had a great summer!  I'm sad that the official summer season is just about over.  We came to a close in a fun and fantastic way though.  The yacht club we joined this past summer had a Labor Day Luau and it was so much fun!  We've made some really nice friends and really, every new person we've met has just been so kind.   Anyhow, the highlight of the night, (ok second highlight, the first being great Friends and food!!!)was the entertainment.  They had an "island" band, hula dancers, a poi ball dancer and a dude who juggled and twirled fire.  The boys were most impressed with "the guy who put fire on his feet".  Emma loved the dancers.

In other news, we have been doing math- nearly every day, from a curriculum.  Ok, Jenny, Maria, pick your jaws up off the ground and read on!

We bought the Right Start math program from the Family Expo vendor hall.  We have several friends who plan on using it- pretty much every homeschooling friend that we hang out with on a regular basis is trying it out this year actually.  One of the ideas is that we'll get together and have the kids play the games that the program uses to help reinforce the lessons being taught at home.  I like it quite a bit- Emma has already shown improvement in her understanding at a very basic level.  It is very easy for Owen right now- he is one of those people that just "gets" numbers.  Like they are friendly or something.  Even though it is quite simple for him now, he is still really loving it- probably because of the whole numbers are my friend thing.  Even Evan and Olivia have been hanging out with us as we've worked our way through the first 6 or so lessons.  They both (the little e & o) walk around the house singing the song we learned in lesson one:

Yellow is the sun, 6 is 5 and 1
Why is the sky so blue? 7 is 5 and 2
Salty is the sea, 8 is 5 and 3
Hear the thunder roar, 9 is 5 and 4. 
Ducks will swim and dive, 10 is 5 & 5.

Of course, Olivia just hums and sings out "Blue hmmmm hmmmm two hmmmm hmmm" but Evan has almost got the song down right.  Emma sings it often and uses the proper hands to indicate the numbers- so it is great for her.  Anything in a song format wins in her book.

I'd still say we pretty much unschool- math is the only thing that we do on any sort of regular basis, though I did buy a set a of BOB books from Costco- Owen is reading through them here and there. anyhow... I've been interrupted multiple times and now the day is about over (started this post before 9 am, it is now 5pm)