spring break-break

during Spring Break a few weeks back, we did manage to find a few days, amidst the craziness to get away to Seattle with the boys. one of their favorite places to go is the Embassy Suites in Lynnwood. they love it because they can swim, roam the halls (which all have a view of the atrium) and the best part for them is the elevator (which is mostly glass)!

***Thursday we managed to get out of here on time and hit a movie. Monsters VS. Aliens. cute movie. a little over-rated if you ask rye and i but the boys LOVED it. afterward, we hit Red Robin in downtown Bellevue. then hit the Lego store. they had all saved up a couple bucks and wanted to spend it there. (money burns holes in their pockets. geez, wonder where they get THAT habit!!???) we managed to even squeeze in a little bit of swim time before bed.

***Friday morning rye got up early and took the boys down for breakfast while i slept.sweet,sweet. since it was pouring down rain, we nixed the zoo idea and headed to the aquarium. within an hour and half, we had seen every exhibit and were once again, racking our brains on what to do to keep these little ones busy for the next 10 hours. since the Rainforest Cafe in Southcenter is their MOST favorite place to eat, we made the trek there. after dinner it was back to the hotel for yet, more swimming. since we had such an early dinner, after swimming for a few hours, the boys wanted food. Cold Stone Creamery was the perfect solution! we even stumbled upon a Family Fun Center. the biggest bust! overpriced and dirty. oh well, can't say we didn't try.

***Saturday morning is was up early for everyone. and....you guessed it...back to the pool!!!!!!!!!!!!!! of course, since we were heading past the outlet mall in Burlington, we HAD to stop at the Gap. :) the boys dropped me off and hit Jamba Juice (my favorite!) and Home Depot. a quick stop into Costco and we were homeward bound. thankfully, we were home on time to clean cars and do some last min. cleaning before the Easter company came.
we are so thankful for opportunities to be able to create these memories with these wonderful little people. we hope this is a weekend they will not soon forget. we know we won't.

hot tubbing in a really TOO HOT,hot tub!!


riding the horse at PF CHANGS....


my very competitive boys....


pool...again....


fishing at the aquarium.....


i probably shouldn't have run to get the camera but this moment, during night time prayer time was too sweet to NOT capture!

putting together their new treasures...


bellvue square...

the view from our hotel room, into the atrium...

it's finished....

the job is finished!!!
WAHOO!!!
what have you been doing for the past 3+ weeks you might ask???
well, let me just tell you.
my mom and i have a little 'side' business. staging houses. we LOVE it. our dear friend, Cheryl Bostrom, (a real estate agent) calls us when she is going to be listing a house that may need a little TLC.
this house needed A Lot of TLC.
4700 sq. feet...virtually every inch touched with a paintbrush. since my dear-ol-dad is now retired, he needed a project. so he decided this was a great way to spend a little time with ME (:)) and earn a few extra bucks on the side.
an average of 9 hours a day, between 3 of us...

it's been a wild ride but i have to admit, i had a great time spending my days with my dad. i could learn a little from his perfectionist side. i love that about him! he is a really fun dad. i mean it, i appreciate that about him. hanging with him is never boring. i also got to spend more hours with my brother than i have in a LONG time. i tell ya, that kid can drive me MAD one min. and the next min. have me on the ground laughing. i love having him as a brother.

i'll be sure and send on the link of the finished product when i get it
.3.

side note:
my husband just told me the sweetest thing....
"honey, thank you for being willing to stay at home. too many things go un-done when you aren't here. i'm sorry, i don't tell you that enough". how nice is that??


when mom is 'off duty', this is what has fallen to the wayside...
-the floors are so disgusting that you wouldn't dream of eating off it. (if you were really hungry,you could probably find a full meal).
-the toilets...you'd think LONG and HARD about putting your little buns on it.
-the sock bin is overflowing! it's sam's job to sort them but i haven't had the energy to get after him for not doing it. rye says he feels like he's stealing money straight from sam's little hands since every morning he needs to go and find his own pair.
-if i had to engrave our names on the top of my coffee tables, i could. they are THAT dusty.
-sheets. hoping the bedbugs are still hibernating. (do they do that?)
-found a pile of loose papers last night. ya, had to get jack up out of bed to quickly finish (START!) his diorama project that was DUE TODAY!!!!!!!! good thing he chose a Lego theme....we just went ahead and threw somethings into a shoe box, added a tad of paint and called it done! i'm a mom that seems to work better under pressure. that must mean i was AT MY BEST last night. :)
-refrigerator had food in it that was unidentifiable. not even kidding.
-laundry is piled up so high that jack actually said, and i quote, "this room looks like a tornado went through it".
-don't even GET me started on the state of my office. i babysat friends about 6 weeks ago, set up the pak-n-play. it's STILL set up however, it is now FULL with.....i have NO idea what's even in it!!!!!!!!!!!!! probably some VERY important papers regarding a project the boys are going to NEED to accomplish or they won't 'graduate' to the next grade!!!!

so, things i have learned since being a working mom.....
-people still get fed.
-our washing machine still cleans clothes.
-our toilets still flush.
-(most) projects DO eventually get done.
-children still get baths. (the adults do too!)
-my wonderful mom washed, dried and folded about 15 loads of laundry for me one day and never once asked for a thank you.
-my dear mother-in-law picked up my children from school for about a week straight, also, never asking for a thank you.
-my sweet girlfriend, kathy had dinner on the table one night. so thoughtful.
-other dear friends offered their services.
-tammy brought the work crew (dad, brady and myself)cold drinks & kath shared left over coffee cake.
-the husband picked up the slack whenever he was needed. a good man.
-my children never even once complained that life was in complete chaos. (did they even notice???)
-people seem to come out of the woodwork when i need help.
-there is still discipline.
-there is still lots of love.
-there is still laughter.

i am SOOO thankful that i have the job that i have. i also have a whole new appreciation for moms that seem to be able to juggle it all!

off i go...maybe i'll actually do some laundry....
probably not though....
there's always tomorrow!

i'm here....

no people, i HAVEN'T fallen off the face of the planet.
seriously, i have a life outside of blogging! (not really)
thanks for being inquisitive as to why i haven't been 'gracing' you with all the tidbits of my life. give me a day or two and things will be back to 'normal'(i don't really even know the exact meaning of that word...it doesn't exist here, in my household).
oh how,i'm anticipating having my life back....

IN CHRIST ALONE....

please pause my playlist to hear this amazing song....




In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.