The May Run Down

Well, with tomorrow as the first day of June, thought it would be a good time to wrap up the month of May.


My Mother's Day was wonderful. I received a lovely bouquet of roses, and a watch. What I wanted the most was a few hours alone to clean up the house... and I got it. It was a great weekend. Naturally, on a day created to honor Mother's, I found myself analyzing myself as a Mother... and again, naturally, it is hard not to think of the challenges I have within this difficult role. But then... I thought about it again. Mother's Day is not at all a day to relfect on one's own mothering skills, but instead to see myself in my child's eyes. At his tender young age, he still see's me without those flaws that feel so huge to me. I hope as he grows older, that I can continue to be the mother he deserves and the mother he see's in me.

We made a trip to visit Grandpa Gary. It was a nice warm day, and we had a good visit. The next day we went to ride the train in Snoqualmie... always a BIG hit.

Memorial Day weekend was beautiful... a rarity here in Washington. We have been enjoying warm, sunny days most of the month and it has been wonderful! We spent some time BBQ'ing with friends... and I was quite amused to look over and see them all sporting their North Face jackets. So Pacific Northwest. It was photo-worthy.

We spent Memorial Day at the Froelich Farm. And no trip to the farm is complete until you have had a ride on a horse, and a ride on the tractor. Both were accomplished!




This weekend, was a trip to the Flaming Geyser. Not really the most impressive flame ever seen. But another gorgeous weekend, so you can't complain.

(Looking for the flame....)

My Big Boy!

*** Future Blackmail photos on this post****

Quincy is growing in leaps and bounds! I know he is no longer my baby when he tells me "Mommy! The music is too loud" in the car. Sorry Quin... mommy likes the music LOUD.

Also, at daycare, one of the other litte kids is currently going through potty training, so guess who else is suddenly interested? Yup. Mr. Man, Quin. It is pretty fun, and certainly just in the beginning stages, but still pretty darned exciting. We bought him some very special underwear ( I let him pick them out... he selected "doggies" ) and we sit on the potty. He has gone potty several times, and yesterday while helping me in the garden he told me "mommy, I need to go potty". AMAZING! It was first for us, he actually pro-actively asked to go potty. He sat down and went and got two jelly beans (which actually were his gummy bear vitamins! LOL) but then... 20 minutes later, he went again. Uh oh... we had to buy jelly beans since he can't take 15 vitamins a day! hee hee I am thinking that by the summer he may actually be out of diapers? Maybe it is wishful thinking...

Anyhow, here are those blackmail pics I promised!

Busy, Busy weekend!

Warning: This post may be boring to some. But the results are HEAVEN.

Last weekend Dan and I had quite a goal. To completely re-organize the mess of a garage we had accumulated. We dropped Quincy off at Aunt Jerrie's farm (THANK YOU A MILLION TIME OVER!) early Saturday morning... and didn't pick him up until Sunday afternoon! We spent all weekend cleaning, re-organizing, purchasing shelves and Tupperware boxes at Lowe's, and putting it all back together again. We did treat ourselves to a nice dinner however, since we were baby-free after all! It was SO exhausting, but in a great get-stuff-done kind of way! I can so easily find anything and everything we need. I also took the opportunity to clean out and re-organize our kitchen pantry as well. Oh how I love organizing. It is a strange love, I know. Speaking of strange loves.... I LOVE my label maker. How did I exist before? It a person could marry an inanimate object, I would marry my label maker. It took a lot for me not to label the obvious; i.e. freezer, dryer, washing machine, door. So, now I present a photographic journal of the process:

Before: Messy, oh so messy (sorry for the blue hue of the picture, I am not the professional photographer that Dan is) Work in Progress: Its gotta get worse, before it gets better.

Triumph! We have conquered!Right side
Left side
... and everything clearly labeled!

A Belated Update: Easter

For Easter, we changed things up just a little bit. We went to San Juan Island to Dan's sister's in-laws house. It was a full house; Jerrie and Karl and the girls, Pat and Alan Froelich (of course... it's their house after all!) Sarah and the kids, and out special guest, Nancy. Nancy was an exchange student from Belgium that spent last year with Jerri and Karl. We were so glad to see her again!

We woke up early Saturday (no joke - 5:30am) in order to make it Anacortes to catch the ferry to Friday Harbor. It is always fun on the ferry (not however usually fun waiting for the ferry). Having Jerrie and Karl there helped to keep Quincy well entertained. Note to self: always take Jerrie and Karl with us when ferry travel is involved. During the weekend we decorated easter eggs, decorated the traditional Paar family "Easter Cake", ate well, played games, watched the deer trapse through the yard, played ball outside, explored the island and generally had a swell time.

Here are some photographs of the afore mentioned activites:

Easter Cake = Lots of Jelly beans, strategically placed (or not)

Audrey takes this job quite seriously.

Cousin Audrey and Qnicy check out "Mr. Heron" outside Pat and Alan's house

A scerene hike, and a little "rock climbing". Not so easy with a 2 year old.

Annie poses for the camera. Karli and Quincy toss the ball around. Now Quincy teaches Nancy. Good thing cousins are around when your legs can't go any further. Thanks Karli! Cailee and Quincy checking things out. On a hike to the beach, a little rain won't stop us!

The kids in their Easter best: (L to R) Quincy, Cailee, Audrey, Karli and BadenCheck out that Easter basket!! I see a basketball!!Decorating the Easter Eggs. What fun!Karli and Audrey say "Hello"Future models in the making.