March Recap

Did March seem long or was it just me. It's probably just that February goes by so quickly...

So lots happened. As you will see from the number of pictures in the slideshow.

MILES - Moved on up in the world and by up, I mean OUT of his parents bedroom. We were sad to see him go but seeing him start to be squished in his travel-sized pack 'n play was sadder. He is now sharing a room with his sister or wherever we put the kid sized Aero-bed for the night. We're not into permanent sleeping arrangements as you can tell.


He also grew a molar, discovered today, that brings the grand total to an unimpressive seven.


In more earth shattering news, M. decided to become a vegetarian (I just had to look up how to spell vegetarian). He refuses to eat meat and downed a veggie burger to show his solidarity to the cause. Or maybe it's because he only has seven teeth. Did he not see my post about our love of bacon? He also refuses to watch television. If he starts wanting to wear cloth diapers he's gonna have to go live with our friends the Thorntons. It's a good thing they are moving to WA too.


Miles also went to nursery for the first time (two weeks early shhhh). It may seem like I am always trying to bend the rules with my kids but I had a good reason - no husband and I was subbing for Primary again. The good news is that this mommas boy loved it! Well he wasn't exactly smiling the times I checked in on him. But he wasn't crying either. He liked the snacks since I rarely remember to bring anything for him to eat during church.


His vocabulary is increasing daily but I won't post any of the words here because they're still only words a mother can decipher. Or a sister. For instance, M. says something like "bebow" and A. excitedly yells "he said fla-mingo!" This goes on many times a day with someone in the family trying to interpret what he is trying to communicate.



AVERY - Wore the same brown dress for about two weeks straight, I didn't realize this until I downloaded pictures from March and it looked like they had all been taken the same day if you judged it by her outfit. That was until I got her a cute white polka-dot dress (Ross $6.99) which she has worn the last four days in a row. The girl loves a long dress what can I say. She reminds me of a pioneer child - catching lizards and playing in the dirt and grass in her one good dress. Except that she has more than a few.


Took up body-surfing and boogie-boarding this month. She's actually really good at reading the waves and knowing when to take off. She says "wait for it, wait for it...GO!" Funny since she couldn't swim when we moved here and only just started going into "the sea".



BEN - Work, work, work. Get nagged at home. Go to a couple nice dinners compliments of drug companies. The usual.

However, I would always know when he was home because he would be singing some hideous song that goes "Apple Bottom jeans, Boots with tha fur...Baggy Sweat Pants and the Reeboks widda strap". I thought it was something he had made up until he downloaded it. Miles is dancing to it in one of the videos on the sidebar. They don't play that song on NPR so I wouldn't know it.

Ben took me out on a date. Or rather, I asked him out and secured childcare, he paid. He got to go to our favorite favorite restaurant Roy's for a pharm. presentation and got to try some dishes we hadn't had before and I salivated in envy while he explained each one. Roy's started in Hawaii and I'd never been to one here, only CA and MD so I was glad when the wait at Yardhouse was over an hour cause we went around the corner and got right in at Roy's. The flavors and presentation were perfection as always, down to the last bite/lick of the Chocolate souffle.


ME - Well to start, we had the Patterson's visit us which was awesome (Ben took a couple of days off when they were here too). Anywhere we've lived I love it when people come to town because then we get to be on vacation too. I'll get up and go if I have a reason to, especially when I get to be in charge of planning the itinerary. I was sad to see them go. And we left the air mattress inflated for two weeks just in case they wanted to come back.

So not much of my month is left to be revealed - whale watching, taxes, Botox, etc. that pretty much that covers it. I did get to ride around the North Shore on a bus all day (9am-5pm) with the kids while the car was in the shop (preventative maintenance), that was fun. I still have sea urchin in my toe too which is cool. What else... even in paradise we have endless loads of laundry and OH I KNOW - PLUMBING DISASTERS. Like when Avery told me Miles put an apple in the potty. I checked it out and flushed it, looked like it worked fine to me, fast forward to two days later when the toilet is inconveniently backed up with you know what and of course I knew what was blocking it's descent - A beautiful half-eaten organic apple lovingly grown in the pacific northwest. No further details. A few days later the garbage disposal is backed up but humming so after a day of administering DIY treatments (plunging, baking soda and vinegar, digging around with a wooden spoon) I realize that it is a small disposal sized glass resting in the drain. I feel dumb because this happened to me a few months ago, so I should have remembered, but last time I just put my hand down in it immediately and discovered the problem. So much for trying to be safe.

Some of these pics can be credited to Darcy - I can see why she hasn't posted pics of her trip yet, there are a lot to go through! Thanks for helping create and document fun memories.

*Bonus Grandparent Footage Below - Egg Hunt.

Excitement level - 2 out of 10

Considering...

taking my bike out of retirement.

I think I would really like to do a triathlon while in Hawaii. Not THE triathlon (I have zero desire to do a marathon, independently or as a leg of a tri) but just any one with the swim in the ocean. I happen to hate/be deathly afraid of swimming in open water, which is part of the allure I guess. And, I never swam a faster 500m than during a tri at Aquarena Springs in TX, where they had filmed the "classic" thriller Piranha, so I guess a little adrenaline never hurt. (I have a (mental) map of all shark attacks on island and the nearest attack to the race site is 1/2 mile. Not that a shark would want to attack a group of 200 thrashing away anyhow...)

I haven't ridden my bike in, oh 5 years. In fact it still has the tag on it from when Ben got it tuned up for me for my birthday (make that 6 years ago). I most likely will not be riding it in Washington (rain + ultra skinny tires + me clipped into the pedals = yikes!) and will/should most likely sell it before we leave so I'd like to take it on one last farewell tour.

I got it down and found in the seat pouch a opened, half-consumed packet of GU energy gel (expiration 5/2003) among other treasures and felt that the real test would be if the tires could stay inflated. I pumped them up and checked periodically throughout the day. It took awhile but the front eventually went flat. Luckily(?), I have an extra tube. If it stays inflated what should I do?

So the pros are: I have a bike, the water is warm(ish), the course is local and outstandingly flat, I'm not pregnant, I'm tapered and I don't need any GU cause I have about 7,000 calories I'm willing to expend. Oh, and the weather will be perfect, like it is every stinkin' morning. And free Jamba Juice and probably a t-shirt.

The cons are, 4:30am wake up, chafing that takes a month to heal, potentially injuring myself (the possibilities here are endless), I wouldn't exactly say I've been training (hence, why I'm tapered), $100 entry fee and another free t-shirt (which Ben would gladly wear).

Baken bacon.

Bacon is not an ingredient/side dish/star of the sandwich that is treated lightly in our house. We have had many discussions about how to properly prepare it...it's a hot spot really... as some of you who were at the Lake Powell '07 trip may well know. I like mine melt-in-your-mouth crispy, nuked in the microwave or 'grilled' on the George Foreman. Ben likes his...however Chelsey made it. But we both agree that this may be the best bacon we have ever had and keep having. I think it's pretty healthy too :) I wish I had a pretty picture but it goes too fast to photograph. If you make it, make a lot.

From: Marth Stewart via Darby Van Uitert

This delicious recipe is adapted from the May 2004 issue of Everyday Food. It's the perfect addition to any breakfast meal, and it's a Good Thing.

Ingredients:

16 slices medium-to-thick-cut bacon (about 1 pound (or two)), cut in half crosswise (or not)
Nonstick cooking spray
1 1/2 teaspoons ground pepper
1/3 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper (or not). Place a wire rack (like for cooling cookies) over parchment paper; spray racks with nonstick cooking spray.

Arrange bacon in a single layer between the two racks (or if you only have one rack like I do do one at a time, if you don't have one, take your tax return money and go buy one, it's worth it). Evenly sprinkle with pepper and sugar.
Bake until bacon is crisp and browned, rotating sheets halfway through, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Eat immediately (or someone else will).

Serves about eight maybe two.

Happy Easter!

Miles Wardrobe provided by: Target ($5.79 for slacks, shirt and vest)

Avery's Wardrobe provided by: Costco ($15)

Close, but no...carrot

This table topper was our project for last months quilting group. Mine didn't quite get finished in time (our Thanksgiving project is in about the same state, maybe they'll be ready for next year). It's supposed to look like this:

I'm putting mine out anyway.

She has risen.

I'm pretty sure that it's inappropriate to compare working on tax returns to the entombment of Christ but I feel like I have spent three days in a virtual catacomb and now that I am finished I feel quite enlivened! Unfortunately, during these three days I have certainly not embodied many Christlike attributes (i.e.- patience, charity) thus causing my family to suffer; although, I was at least honest in my preparation.

I actually enjoy the process if I can carve out a good chunk of solitude (a chunk that doesn't interrupt my sleep of course) and I probably make it more complicated than it needs to be but even without my compulsion to check figures and check again, legally we are required to submit multiple state returns in addition to the compulsory fed edition. Three states this year. Ben is domiciled in one, I had income in another and we reside and he works in yet another. Tax prep software and online services don't help much with the multi-residency issues so I have to do them by hand if we don't want to end up paying in triplicate. I look forward to next year when we move to and become residents of a state with no income tax.

I also don't trust these online sites with their varying questioning so I always use more than one until I can get two to match up with the most favorable results. There are so many ways to do your taxes and be correct (joint, seperate, non-resident, resident, part year, military) and I very much enjoy the challenge of finding the right combination that yields the highest return (or least payout). I am NOT a numbers person, but I speak fluent money.

So I feel triumphant, with documentation safely stored away in case the IRS needs proof that we actually did donate (under partial duress known as tithing, but done happily) what looks to be 30% of our taxable income this year (not as impressive an amount as it might sound) thanks to the sale of our condo. And just in time for me to throw some candy in a basket and call myself the Easter Bunny.

What's in a name?

Ben's going to be stoked about this info.* While on a trip to the library I was reading Miles a book called NFL ANIMALS about different team mascots, and lo and behold the Broncos' mascot is named... Miles! What is so fantastic about this news, is that as a Westbrook, Ben bleeds Orange and Blue (except for certain other times of the year when Purple and Gold pumps through their veins).

Miles was a name we liked had Avery been a boy and then over time we discovered that Ben had a Great-Grandmother whose maiden name was Miles and whom I got to meet shorty before she passed away. Then we discovered that Miles means "soldier" in Latin and how befitting with his dad in the Army. But this might be the most endearing of connections (for B.) yet.


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*He said he discovered this in January and mentioned it to me then. I don't remember this. I'm surprised that he didn't know this all along and just not mention it to me. He already knew how excited I was to see Shaq and Bronco on his list of suggested baby names, at least this one was more subtle.

I'd recognize the back of this head anywhere.

Warning: This post is long, or as Avery sometimes tells me, "Mom, that's too much words". Proceed with ample time on your hands.

So I may or may not have mentioned that the kids have been doing some "modeling" lately. Now that Abes picture (above) can be seen in One Step Ahead catalogs (you know the one that you never really order but just magically starts coming once you have kids) I guess it's time to come clean. It is very embarrassing that she actually is signed up with an agency, but I have been pleasantly surprised by the fun we have had.

It all started with a nudge from our property manager here in Hawaii who had been a model back in the day. She mentioned to me that a lot of companies come to Hawaii to do their summer catalogs but that there aren't a ton of child models to choose from (there are enough, as we have seen from the castings we have been to) and they also don't have to pay the kids as much here as they would in NY or LA. So I went shopping for an agent. I went to two reputable agencies which had vastly differing philosophies one was like, cool she's cute, just sign here and we'll let you know when there is a casting and the other, run by a former-but-still-beautiful beauty queen who informed me that you can't just do this "for fun", because why would they pay you just to have fun. Point taken. I went with the other one.

First she did a casting for Pottery Barn Kids, which to me would be the holy grail of jobs. It was four months ago. We haven't heard back. Next was One Step Ahead (hereafter referred to as OSA). Their casting was also four months ago and they called two days before we were supposed to go to CA for vacation/night rotation avoidance. Luckily the shoot was for the next day which just happened to be Abes' bday. Did she want to go do a photo shoot on her birthday...I'm afraid not. The morning of I asked her again and told her she didn't have to go (mistake) if she didn't want to. She said "I don't". She wanted to watch cartoons instead. After a lecture on never getting anywhere with an attitude like that (just kidding), I resorted to lies and manipulation (true). Which unfortunately is common around here. It went something like this: Pick up phone, fake dial the OSA people. "Oh hi! This is Avery's mom. Avery doesn't want to come today so we won't be making it. Pause. Oh, I know it's going to be super fun swimming and playing. Pause. And treats!? Wow, yeah well she just wants to stay and watch cartoons so I guess we'll be missing out. Thank you so much. Fake Hang up.

She looks pleased that I would go to such efforts on her behalf and I realize once again that reverse psychology is lost on this child. So I have to call on the reserve troops for another manipulation effort - operation cousin. I have Sara (who has been making Avery look good for years and who fashioned A.'s composite after her own) try to tell Avery how cool that is she gets to go swimming and take pictures and that Kate and Mia want to see them when she's done... and we get the desired response which was, oh yeah I actually do want to go (prompting another fake call to reconfirm), and I had to breathe a sigh of relief. Not that she has to go to a photo shoot if she doesn't want to but I really wanted to go!

So when we arrive she goes straight to the photographers and says "I'm sorry I wasn't going to come today" They look puzzled of course. She then makes a beeline for the box of swimsuits and picks one, then requests that everyone give her some privacy so she could change (good girl!). Privacy comes in the form of mom holding up a large towel (what, no trailer?). She then gets her hair done by someone -as you can see from the near perfect ponytail above. they give her the product she will be modeling, water wings, and I pray that she will actually wear them and swim out to the middle of the deep part. They have also hired another little girl (she got the coveted front-facing shot, seen here) because with children you never know what will happen and they often double, triple, quadruple book models in order to get one good photo. Neither of them would let go of the wall despite me and the other girls grandmother using every tactic to coax them into the middle of the pool. It became a competition of sorts to see which child would perform. Not to be outdone, I go over and gently toss Avery into the center of the pool so she can see that she won't sink and before we know it both girls are swimming like fish. Phew. They ask if she can come back to shoot later in the week on the beach. Sadly, I have to decline because we leave the next day.

Miles was also along for ride in his front/side/back pack (Ergo Baby Carrier that I love, holds up to 50 lbs and doesn't hurt your back, thank you very much gma Maggie for that) and the photographer starts eyeing him, saying, can't we use this kid for something? So I release him from captivity and he flashes some of his best dimplage and heads straight for the pool. They tried a couple outfits on him, finally settling on some little water shoes and take pictures of his feet. It doesn't look like he made it into publication, but who cares. Just by taking a single frame they obligate themselves to paying him $55/hr minimum of two hours, minus taxes and 20% to the agency, whether they use the photos or not. So forty minutes and about $150 later we were on our way. Not bad for a fraction of the days work. Ben says that's just great, despite 21 years of school and ultra long days his kids are making more than him.

Unfortunately I have more tales to tell on this topic but I'll save that for another day. All this talk of modeling is making me hungry.

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I forgot that Avery also did some pro bono modeling work when she was 18 months old for CourierFontWear Baby website:

Teaching Prayer

We bow our heads in prayer today,
We fold our arms together,
Then close our eyes, and while we pray
We talk to Heav'nly Father

In about 610 A.D. a very creative Alpine Monk decided to make use of the pieces of dough left over from baking bread. The Monk formed them into thin strips folded into a looped twist to represent the folded arms of children in prayer.

This scrumptious treat was given to the children as they learned their prayers. They began calling the treat "Pretiola", which is Latin for "little reward". Soon it was known the world over as a pretzel.

The secret of making great pretzels is not only in the baking but also in the shaping. We, like pretzels, are made from the best ingredients, by the best hands available, the hands of our Father in Heaven.

Have you ever seen a broken pretzel, or one that's lost its shape? We too, can lose our shape when we don't pray always to keep our spirituality intact. Even in the midst of our greatest trials, we must remember, as did Job, to call on the Lord. The simple shape of the pretzel, arms folded in prayer, reminds us to pray each day. Our "Pretiola" or "little rewards" are the blessings we receive.

Every time you see a pretzel, remember prayer. Check to see if your arms are often folded in prayer and have not lost their shape.


Homemade Pretzels
1 Tbsp. dry yeast

3/4 c. warm water

1 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. flour
1 egg, beaten
Coarse salt

Wax paper

Mix yeast in warm water. Add sugar and salt. Add flour and mix. Put dough on wax paper and knead until soft. Cut off pieces and shape as you like (too thick = doughy, too thin = brittle). Place them on a cookie sheet. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle coarse salt. Bake at 425° for 12 to 15 minutes.

I'm teaching the four-year old class today. Pray for me.

I feel younger already.

I wish I could say that I got Botoxed to cure headaches, excessive sweating or some other medical necessity but I didn't. I wish it were for research or investigative reporting but it wasn't. A shameless plot to increase our stock in Allergan? Afraid not.

Pure and simple vanity, curiosity and a good deal got the best of me.

And I love it.

I've been thinking about it off and on since Ben mentioned that I might want to try it about two years ago (this time frame most likely correlates with a rotation in plastic surgery, dermatology or ENT). The area of concern is the vertical crease between the eyebrows (corrugator muscle). Which for some reason - genetics, overworking the muscle (i.e.-one too many years of dirty looks directed at B.), sun-exposure (only in the last four years have I become a sunblock addict, which leaves a lot of years of outdoor sports and lifeguarding to account for), etc. has resulted in a fairly deep wrinkle that even when I try to smooth out, remains. It may be one of the reasons the bang thing was working for me. Furthermore, and what pushed me to the edge of actually researching it, when I wake up in the morning the line is deeper and I feel like I have been scrunching up my face for hours. I blame this on not having shades for our windows, causing light to stream in multiple sides of my room in the morning; I think I must be trying to block it out by scrunching. So maybe I should have invested in some shades instead, but when I get something in my mind I usually have to try it before I can be through with it.

Long chain of events shortened, I got half-off a treatment from a renowned plastic surgeon and the appointment was set. I briefly considered canceling it, but after being reminded that this was a preventative (as well as corrective) measure I went ahead with it.

Being in a plastic surgeons office is a strange thing, especially at my age. You want to size up the people in the waiting room and guess what they are having or have had done. For some it's obvious. I was hoping that anyone giving me the once over would be wondering what I could possibly be needing, or guessing that I had been skillfully attended to already. I was fairly confident that the doctor himself would question why I was there. I couldn't have been more wrong. If I thought that going into a nail salon for a manicure and being asked if I was there for an eyebrow wax was unflattering then I was about to be humiliated.

The doctor, who is in his 70's, comes in and without even introducing himself grabs a handheld mirror and holds it in front of my face while saying "I wish you would let me do a brow lift" (brows spontaneously go up at this point, perhaps in horror and fear of being displaced) and he proceeds to show me where my brows are headed and where they "should" be as well as indicating that he would simply remove the corrugator muscle entirely, resulting in a completely smooth forehead, no Botox required (I picture Nicole Kidman). He says it will instantly "youthinize" you (I am actually just guessing here that he meant it as a made-up word and not euthanize although I didn't verify this). So I say, "if you remove that muscle then how will my husband know when I'm mad at him" and he replies "well you don't want him to think you're mad at him when you're not". Touché.

He leaves the room to prepare for the procedure and leaves me with the mirror which I make a few faces in and then put down. Still stunned by the turn of events, I am resolved not to even think of such a thing. He even wanted to remove the mole beneath my left eye. Never! Suddenly Botox doesn't seem so extreme. I see an eye cream I am interested in trying out advertised in a magazine and start searching for a pen to make a note of it. I can only find surgical markers in a drawer but I use one anyway.

He returns and 5 minutes and 4 (I think) slightly painful injections later I am handed a purple ice pack and am good to go. I pick up the mirror one last time and am amazed at the transformation. I look 28 again!


Before

After

Now that's enriching!

The other ward that shares our building has a surfing "enrichment group", where the moms go out once a week and take turns watching kids and surfing. What could be more fabulous?! Looks like my unfinished quilts will never see binding because the groups meet on the same day.

Today we went to the North Shore, fulfilling one of my (recent) dreams to surf* there, and in winter no less. While out I saw a huge sea turtle swimming around among us - awesome. Although I must admit it was a little freaky when he first popped his head up, but then again I get spooked when my leash floats against my leg. It also rained a little bit and I've always loved being in a body of water while it's raining (not lightening, just raining). All in all a fun day. And I got back just in time to go to my oh so important appt (see above).


*Don't mistakenly get the impression that I am carving it up out there or anything. I ride an 8 or 9 foot board and I might try to go to the nose if I'm really feeling crazy, which is when I fall off and get attacked by sea creatures.

Miles says "Pineapple". And other unremarkable achievements in the Westbrook household.

We went to the Dole Plantation this last week while the Patterson clan was visiting and Miles appropriately choose this moment to say "Pineapple" (prounounced puh-apple) for the first time. He also located his teeth and tongue correctly upon request. I was pleased with these accomplishments until I saw this:

All Banged Up. Really.

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I was attacked by a sea urchin.

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Then I was attacked by my surfboard when I tried to climb to shore.

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This guy was no help.

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But this random guy with the tweezers was.

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I demanded to be seen by a lifeguard. Luckily I speak fluent pidgin (If you don't you can learn here) otherwise I would have never understood that he was going to get me some vinegar for a good soak and that he also gives surf lessons to da keiki pau hana.

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One of the offenders friends.

-Just kidding about Ben being no help. There's really nothing you can do. He actually did exactly as asked and took some great pictures.

I LOVE WHALES - a Whale Watching Primer

It's whale season! I thought that nothing could beat driving through a rainbow but coming around a curve and seeing a gigantic whale leap out of the water just might. They must have been given the go ahead by their doctors to start exercising after giving birth because Humpback whales are going crazy right now. We have had recent sightings on the Southeast shore, North shore and Leeward coast. I have probably spent a good four hours whale watching this week and am starting to use the lingo while spotting whale activity with the other whale fanatics. Normal whale behavior while vacationing in Hawaii includes:

Blow
The normal pattern of exhalation and inhalation at the surface.

Fluke Dive
Signals a deep dive. Following a peduncle arch, the Humpback will usually bring its flukes high above the surface of the water, propelling it straight down. If you see this it means that the whale will not be coming up for 15-45 minutes.

Pectoral Slap
The whale rolls to the side, slapping its pectoral fins against the water. Whales will also lie on their backs and slap both pectoral fins on the water.

Spy Hop
The whale rises vertically to a point where the eyes are above water, then spins on it’s longitudinal axis to get a look at the surrounding area.

Breach
The whale propels itself out of the water, generally clearing the surface with two-thirds of its body or more, often with a twisting motion. Amazing!

Tail Slap
Forceful slapping of the flukes against the surface of the water. Sounds from tail slaps can be heard for miles.

Peduncle Slap
Aggressive behavior where both the caudal peduncle and flukes are thrown up out of the water and brought down with force, often on top of another whale.

Head Slap
Head-first lunge out of the water, the whale pounds its massive, sometimes partially engorged mouth on the water’s surface.

Behavior Guide courtesy of http://www.napali.com/