February Recap

We spent half of Feb in California and came back to longer days in Hawaii (not a bad month if you ask me). We didn't celebrate Valentines Day or our 12-year anniversary (first date) but we did note their passing. We are super romantic and sentimental if you haven't noticed. So what did happen...

Ben -

Avery -

I'm coming up with nothin for these two. February goes by too fast, even when it is a leap year, and I'm writing this in mid-March so yeah, nothing.

Miles - Learned how to jump. This was monumental and took months of practice.

Me - I have encountered a blogging problem. I can't stop reading others posts when I get a moment and thus my own suffers. You may have noticed that I won't post for a week or so and then a flurry of new posts appear. I have even been known to have backdated posts over a week old that appear out of nowhere and often amongst previously published posts which might lead some of you to question how you missed that, or more likely they go unnoticed (but because blogging is primarily therapy for me that's of minor concern). For instance, this post is being completed on March 10 (happy 30th Amy T) but because I started it on Feb 29 that's where it appears.

So once again I find myself blogging against the clock...or battery life. I am hoping that I can check friends blogs (and friends of friends blogs) leave a few comments and still remember the pressing tidbits and/or drama that led me to the computer in the first place before the last bit of juice is gone, forcing me to give in to sleep like it does my laptop (getting up to plug it in is not an option). Anyhow, perhaps March and/or April will bring increased efficiency instead of the other option which would be less friends who blog.

Allright. This recap is over.
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Oh wait. I forgot I had a slideshow. This may salvage this disaster of a post after all. We went to Legoland for Avery's last bday celebration. It was fun.

This is why I don't bake*

I keep slicing off thin layer after thin layer until the entire pan is gone. I hadn't made brownies in over a year and was just craving some. They used to be known as my favorite food. This batch was particularly decadent, like Martha herself. The recipe will be posted here. Ben always says I should have just made them (cake, brownies, etc.) from a box and it would be better. Au contraire mon frere. You just have unrefined taste buds.

*I also hate the precise science of baking (i.e.-measuring things).

All banged up.

Three weeks ago I went to Chelsey for a trim and came away with a whole new look. Well, not radically different but about four inches off the back, less layers and a shorter fringe. This picture was taken 3 weeks after the haircut so they have grown out a bit and the humidity of the islands coupled with lack of styling prowess (not to mention my cowlick) doesn't allow them to lay as well as they did in California.

This style update gave me just enough confidence to make me think that I might actually be able to traipse into Anthropologie and pull off one of their sassy looks. Unfortunately, looking like you have a stylist and affording to look like you have one are two different things indeed. But I still tried a few things on :)

I'm not sure if Ben is a fan of the bang or not, since after a month of being gone he said I could have come home bald and he would think I looked good. I did have the fear once when he called to say we were going over to a friend of his for a BBQ that he might add "and leave the bangs at home" but that's my own neuroses and inexperience managing the new 'do. I feel like it's a very fine line between looking like Heidi Klum and .... well ... this

Car Talk - Drivers Wanted.

These are my keys. Yes, they are taped. These keys start the car that I love to drive. But, we have come to a juncture. A crossroad, a crux, a turning point. Should I stay or should I go? I need advice. You need some history.

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We bought our 2000 Passat Wagon used in January 2005 from a gem of a seller. The car was garage-kept, dealer maintained with service at recommended intervals. A car-owner after my own heart. We have record of every major and minor detail from this car's birth. Exquisitely maintained and carefully driven, we bought this car when circumstances and concern for safety required that we have a second and more robust vehicle to tote around our bundle of joy. We focused our search on the old reliables - Honda and Toyota. But what we found was that for the same price we could get a newer model VW with less miles and more features thanks to significant and rapid depreciation for these cars. A loss for the owner who had bought it new, a gain for us.

After driving a few we found "the one" and thus began a beautiful relationship. So here's where it gets ugly. The car costs a lot to maintain. Timing belt - $950. Rear Brake Pads - $500. Synthetic Oil Changes - $65 (although only every 6 mo.) Anti-Lock Brake System - $700 (that's coming up this next week, the brakes work fine, just not the ABS) and so on. I don't mind making repairs on an older car. It's the trade-off and to be expected when you don't have a car payment. In fact, I've always found it a pleasure to pay for preventative maintenance, even the big ones. It's like tithing to me, it feels good and I'm grateful to have a car to repair. But I'm starting to mind this one. Mostly I'm scared. Scared to roll the dice. This car has been treated well and we've enjoyed it. But this particular generation of VDub's is known to have some fatal flaws. Repairs that make the amounts above look like chump change. Or, the car could give us another 70,000 miles of driving excitement, free of major coinage.

So do we hang up her license plates, cut our losses and sell her while we can get most of our investment back? If that happens we will need to get a replacement*, which will probably also be used, but one that is cheaper to repair. But I will miss the interior space (a person can still fit in the backseat next to two car seats and not be squished and the driver and front passenger are like a mile apart), the heaviness of the doors, the sound system, sunroof, roof rack, Tiptronic transmission (okay I never actually use it but it looks cool), the quietness inside, an awesome A/C, an engine with a lot of get-up and overall great German handling**. I do not care for driving and I like to drive this car. Buying a newer one or one whose maintenance history we can't verify is out. Selling a car while we have the integrity and peace of mind (and records to back it up) that the car is in great shape is a must to me as well. What should we do?

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*Cars I like but cannot afford as a replacement yet - GMC Arcadia, Saturn Vue, Honda CRV, Acura MDX, Kia Sportage, Hyundai Santa Fe. If gas consumption weren't an issue - Nissan Armada. And my "dream car", the very exciting Volvo XC90.

**We also get superb gas mileage for a car of it's size and heft - 29-30 MPG for a automatic transmission - priceless!

Ask (wish) and you shall recieve.

"I wish that God would give me rainbow hair" - As heard while blowing out candles on 4th Birthday (A. Westbrook)

Thank you Aunt Sara for your photoshop wizardry. After all "God helps those who help themselves" (Benjamin Franklin - Poor Richards Almanac 1736)

Mama's got a new camera.

So I have been unmotivated to blog since I nearly destroyed my camera in our New Years fête. It's no fun to have have your batteries fall out right when you are about to capture the perfect shot. I have confirmation that I did in fact destroy the xD card so why not just get a new camera instead. It's the American way, non? Well, we'd been tossing around the idea of getting an underwater kine camera anyway but thought that since we wouldn't be here that much longer that it wouldn't be prudent. However, after three days of above-ground submersion in WA, the answer was clear. Get the stinkin camera that can be dropped (from 5 ft), frozen, dunked (in any liquid) and that is sandproof, sweatproof and probably even kid-proof. And after an unexpected, but useful donation to the cause by a grandfather who was suffering from photographus withdrawalitis (either that or he was really hoping he could see something besides mississippi cat and suavemente reruns) the purchase was made.

So it has arrived. The Olympus790SW (I'm a big Olympus fan and already have my sights set on the 10MP Evolt - I can't help it - I'm that American). I got it in lime green. I'm not sure why, It just spoke to me. It comes in a variety of colors including standard black or silver but I think I needed a color that would reassure me that it could in fact go underwater. So now I have to figure out how to maximize it's capabilities (which will contribute to another blogging sabbatical I'm sure) and where to put all the junk that comes with a tiny piece of technology. Expect a full report at a later date.

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Here are a few of the first snapshots right out of the box.

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All-Star Weekend Trivia

Question: Why does Jason Kidd's eight-year old son have a mustache?

I can only find this picture from when T.J. was four, but he had a 'stache then too. I blame the hormones in our food.

No Jason, it can't be wiped off.

Special thanks to Tarah for this bonus trivia: Where's TJ??

Too Late to Apologize?

I'm sorry Hawaii. I take it back, I am not "so over" you. You're beautiful. As Ben said today regarding the scenery "the kind of beautiful that causes emotions" It's true.

Take your daughter to work day.

This morning I was woken up at 3:30 by a hungry boy who had fallen asleep the night before prior to dinner (I told you they were on another time zone). While trying to find something to appease him, I hear A. intermittently squealing and moaning in her room. We have not been feeling extremely well since we got back from our trip and probably picked up some more junk on the plane ride home but Avery's symptoms had to started to be concerning. I ask her what is wrong and she is complaining of neck/backpain and legpain, which triggers the fear of...I'm sure you're thinking it too...meningitis. Ben does an exam of sorts and determines that we should probably take her in. The last and only time we have been to the ER was with Avery three years ago and after getting the new parent, first time your child has a high fever trip to the ER out of the way, I was determined never to waste their time again, not to mention the tests that must be run.

Seeing Miles' awakening as some sort of sign and not wanting Avery's prediction the day before to come true ("Maybe I am starting to die", whilst sitting on the coffee table pondering her malaise), we headed out into the dark of morning. Growing less worried as we were on our way, doubt turned into embarrassment when we finally got seen and during the exam (by not one, but two of ben's colleagues) as Avery is asked where it hurts she says' "nowhere", followed by more palpations and questions about how she feels sick to which she replies "I'm not sick". Man Motrin works fast! Luckily for our dignity (but not our daughter's comfort) she registered a fever over 103F when we arrived which proved we were not crazy but did encourage a range of blood tests and and IV. The tech was smart to introduce the IV needle as a little straw through which she would be getting a drink and A. was triumphant that she didn't have to get a "shot" during the visit. What she did get was 300ml of intravenous fluids, two seperate blood draws and a catheter to collect a urine sample since we couldn't get anything to come out to do a "clean catch" (and less invasive) method of collection. Oh, and a popsicle.

The attending doctor apologized for our wait, which I hadn't thought was too bad (until I realized we had been there seven hours) and explained that a dotors kid gets priority in the ER, which I initally thought sounded a bit unfair, but I guess considering that a trained physician would know what signs required urgent attention and would have done a preliminary exam prior to bring a child in, I can see how that would be the case. Plus, they probably prefer that Ben be back at work and not sitting with his family waiting for test results to come back. The results were inconclusive by the way, excpet that for certain we can eliminate a UTI and that the cause was most likely something viral (Ben thinks Parvo (yes humans can get a form of it) and I have a different diagnosis which is most likely correct but it sounds bad so I won't disclose it here).

Avery is better now, the rest of us were spared and I now have an appreciation of just how tired B. must feel when he's put in a nearly 8 hour day before noon.

Good Morning Sun

So my kids are still on PST and have been waking up before sunrise. Remember when I said I was more of a sunset person, well that may be about to change. Being that we will be moving back West (technically East) I think I will stay on this new schedule and maybe I'll accomplish more before noon (I may actually get dressed). Since I've made pancakes, caught up with the news, my house is in perfect order (down to the perfectly situated Coastal Living magazine on the bedside table thanks to a surprise house showing yesterday - nothing like a little incentive to unpack) and the kids are already back down for a morning nap, what do I do today?

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I wish I had taken this picture.

Back.

It's strange to be coming home to Hawaii and it's still just as gorgeous as ever but I am so over it. The waterfalls, the sunshine, longer days and aloha spirit. Whatever. It actually is awfully hot and I saw a couple of mosquitoes scoping out my ankles, oh and it rained for three minutes. I can't wait to get out of here. The new picture above was supposed to be more of a hello I'm back sort of gesture but it looks more like the goodbye variety of Aloha. The beginning of a long, sad farewell to one of the best years of our life...

Washington

Thanks to some encouragement and round-the-clock babysitting services offered by my mom, I made a three-day trip to what is to be our new home in a few months. I really didn't want to go but it did seem to be a good idea and maybe a chance to see a side of Washington that I hadn't before. Well, I did and it was the rainy side. We were there for a few weeks one summer and although the weather was per-fect, we didn't love it so I certainly didn't expect to love the winter. And I didn't. But I did get a chance to visit with old friends that'll become new again and that prospect excites me and I can see the possibility of us enjoying our time there. However, I reserve the right (and intend to exercise it), to complain, make faces and generally hate the idea of moving there - for the next four months. After that I love Washington and will wonder (possibly even aloud), why we didn't move here sooner.

Quick plug for Alaskan Airlines - Thoroughly enjoyed their courteous service, they even welcomed me aboard by name, as if I were a first class passenger...then again, I was travelling without children.

January Recap

January was split in half between home (HI) and home (CA). Unfortunately it was also split by health and illness. Because I firmly believe that one does not and cannot get sick in Hawaii we got every single illness that one would get over the course of a year in two weeks shortly after we touched down on the mainland. This even after diligent hand-washing (and face and noses) in every public place we visited. I, of course, demanded that Ben tell me why we got sick despite my efforts and he said sometimes it's just not enough and then he prescribed us ibuprofen (that's a little inside joke that you would know had you ever called him (or any dr. I'm finding out) for medical advice, it's best to come to me if you want compassion and a real remedy). Now for the usual breakdown:

Ben - Not sure exactly what he did since except work nights and sleep except that I know that it at leats a portion of his time was spent baking, as evidenced by the utensils in the dishwasher. Either that or he didn't know where the dishes were and had to eat his cereal in a measuring cup with a spatula. His report on working the night-shift was favorable as it allowed him to see daylight and enjoy the commute that he loves so much (seriously, it's the most beautiful drive), he also enjoyed being the primary surgeon during those hours.

Miles - Thinking, thinking... Besides starting the chain of vomiting that has, at current count, claimed 8 victims, I'm at a loss. If anyone else recalls anything of note please let me know.

Avery - Turned four, about a million times (I finally had to inform her that her bday was in fact over on Feb 9, when she had her last cake and her last wish of this year). Her birthday wishes, which I realize are supposed to be secret but I had to ask on her first one and from then on she quieted the room and would announce her hearts desires to a then captive audience. They ranged from the first and my favorite "that I would never fear" to the least likely "that God would give me rainbow hair". I must admit that the thought of her getting older and more intelligent is extremely frightening to me, so I think I'm going to have to copy her never fear* wish on my bday. As she told me with her eyes on her first day of life outside the womb, she is smarter than me.

Me - Well, what January didn't bring me was the intense workout plan I had intended to engage in, however, the stomach flu we got did result in a few lost pounds. Unfortunately, they found me again...hahaha.

I also launched the kids modeling career this month with a photo-shoot that deserves a post all it's own, once I overcome the embarrassment of the fact that I actually launched my kids modeling career.


*not to be confused with "no fear", I don't need any t-shirts coming my way.