Deep Blue Lake

My parents are visiting and we had to take them to Crater Lake. It is our third time there since we moved here but it was our first time where there wasn't any snow! And the lake seemed even more blue this time. I haven't gotten tired of it.

Pretty lookout in the National Park:

No photo shop people...just gorgeous blue:

J showing how big the lake is:

Enjoying the view:

Grandma brought some of my old toys including a little Fischer Price Medical Kit the boys have been loving. J even brought his stethoscope with him while walking around Crater Lake:

W, Papap, and Grandma enjoying the view from the lodge:

Enjoying the fire in the lodge

We also got to drive a little on the rim road which we haven't done before and saw a small waterfall...and got to see the overlook (hasn't been open the last two times because of snow).

1st Day

The boys started preschool today. It is a little preschool with a maximum of 12 kids and two teachers. It is a 4-day preschool but the teacher was kind enough to let us go part-time so the boys are just going for two days.

The boys were excited to go and especially excited to bring their lunch.

J:

W:

They were a little nervous when they arrived but it seems like a really great group of kids so I think they will enjoy it.

When I picked them up and asked about their day here are some of the responses I received:

"Mommy you took too long to pick me up."

"We painted."

"I painted a digger and a dump truck."

"Melody had a whistle. She blew it and said (while yelling) "Park your tricycles!!" Then she made us get in a line."

"I just want to go one day."

Rice Milk, Cow Milk, and Almond Milk

We now have three kinds of milk in our fridge-and there are only four of us! J and W now have to avoid milk!

J and W were re-tested for allergies this morning. It was painful to watch...they were not happy about all those pricks--not to mention the "stinging" they had to experience afterwards. They have all kinds of allergies but the "food" allergies were the most notable. Eggs, soy, and peanuts we knew already--but this time they also had a reaction to tree nuts and MILK. MILK!? Something that they have all the time...so it won't cause an anaphalactic reaction or anything but the doctor told us to eliminate it and we may help alleviate their eczema a little.

But for the most part it was a positive visit. J reacted to egg but not as strongly as W...so the doctor said just to avoid it for another year. He thinks they will grow out of all the allergies with the exception of the tree nut and peanut.

I told the boys we could get ice cream after their appointment. When the doctor told us to avoid milk I said "well, I guess we can go find some rice cream!" Which we did. And we also scanned the refrigerator section and saw a huge variety of coconut milk, goat's milk, and even hemp...at least I saw a couple of flavors of hemp ice cream! I forgot to have them tested for coconut. That would have been a good one to know. There was a large selection on coconut yogurts, milks, ice cream, etc.

On a completely different note...I took a picture of the boys the other day when they were sitting on the floor - so much alike. Look at their feet. The same but opposite.

And since my friend Christina brought me a...

MONSTER zucchini...the boys and I got busy making lots of zucchini bread.

And yet another random note....yesterday morning the fog was amazing....I had to take a few pictures after I returned from a jog. If you look close you can see the very tip of Mt. Shasta (still has snow)...

It looked like our house was just floating in clouds when I woke up. Not as strong here but still neat to look at.

I am Loving Right Now...

1. This recipe for Asian Noodle Lettuce Cups:

http://www.self.com/fooddiet/blogs/eatlikeme/2010/08/light-tasty-asian-noodle-lettu.html#more (I didn't use the noodles bc I didn't find them at the store I was at...but I added a bunch rainbow (or broccoli) slaw...

There is a step-by-step photo slide show on how to make. They were easy, yummy, colorful and definitely had a kick to them (just a note if you don't like spicy food)

2. The song "Airplanes" by B.O.B - I have listened to it several times recently that I even heard W singing "wish right now wish right now wish right now"

3. Catching up on the last "So you Think You Can Dance" episodes on hulu.com I especially loved this performance:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp1odkX7RPE

4. The book "Scream-Free Parenting" is quite enlightening.

5. The fall items exploding on the shelves in the stores. I LOVE fall.

6. ...that I found my car keys (they were missing for a day and half) :)

Starting Over

So a couple of weeks ago we went to the OR coast to celebrate Mark and Jan's 40th anniversary and J and W's 4th birthday. We returned home and I worked dilligently on a post...even though the computer wasn't so enthusiastic with the large amount of pictures I was trying to load, then upload to the blog so it took me at least four frustrating days off and on to get just the pictures to this blog. And finally, on the fifth day, I sat down to finish the blog...I just needed to add some more descriptions and just two more pictures...and when it finished loading my last two pictures...the post only consisted of those last two pictures. WWHHAATTTT?! Where did it go?! Yes, four days of effort down the drain. As you may have noticed...I just had to w-a-l-k-a-w-a-y from the good 'ole blog.

So I may not get to post about the OR coast. I am still pouting. :)

Turning 4...

A little recipe for fun memories and BIG naps:

Mix a little sugar...

A few dozen balloons...

Dart guns...lots of dart guns...

BIG dart guns:

...with some pachinko:

Add a few gallons of water (for the slip 'n slide they received as a gift just before the party!)...

Toss in a bin of balls...

Throw some water balloons at a big person (essential ingredient):

Mingle with lots of little (and big) people friends...

Sprinkle in some itty bitty little people (really, don't these two make being a new-momma-of-THREE-look-easy?

Add a bunch of giggles...

a little fire...

and yield...one BIG nap.

OK, at least half the time! J fell asleep shortly after the party was over...W was too excited about the new birthday gifts.

We had so much fun throwing this birthday party....with a little help from etsy.com with decorating...seriously...how cute is this banner?

Or these treat box labels:

And the boys received some great board games and card games, toys and activities which will be quite useful this winter...how creative is this?

Our friends Julie and Christina created these "not bored anymore" activity boxes FULL of crafts, beads, markers, stickers, etc. LOVE that.

Really really can't believe these little guys are almost four.

About a Boat

Our friends invited us to go on their boat on Sunday. Thanks again K family! We LOVED it.

The boys got to watch a train show on the way to the lake. Here they are in "the position"...when they are sleepy they always put their hands behind their head like this:

Of course the first thing on J and W's mind as soon as we got on the boat: Food. Snacks! "Hungry!" They polished off a box of bunny crackers and craisins (they don't get either very often so they were grabbing fistfuls), they moved on to string cheese. W with Geoff and string cheese:

Getting ready to go tubing:

Christina and 2 of her 3 kiddos:

W, big J and little J hanging out at the front of the boat:

Time for wakeboarding. Joe showing how it is done:

Wakeboarding looks really fun to me...especially seeing Joe and Christina cross the boat and jump. I decided to wait and try next time (not jumping...wakeboarding...probably trying to even get up on a wakeboard)...especially when everyone first started and the water was a little rough from the wind.

Christina making it look easy:

By the end of the day the water had completely calmed down and I was really tempted...but...seeing that I still have to plug my nose when I go underwater...I know I would be focusing on how I could plug my nose before crashing rather than wake boarding...so I was a chicken. Geoff enjoyed the wakeboarding a lot...he even attempted a 360 on the water and he did it.
J on flag detail:

I still can't get over how pretty the lake is. And seeing bald eagles fly over is pretty incredible too. We had a picnic dinner before heading home. The boys both fell asleep on the drive back...they transferred to bed and slept through the night (Hallelujah) in their clothes. And I must say...it was pretty nice to have them already "dressed" when they woke up Monday morning. Bonus!