Friday, May 30, 2014

Summer! ... for now

I know it's probably not here to stay given the track record of weather here, but we've had a little taste of summer lately! Temps in the 80's and SUN! I've been getting lots of bike rides in and loving the mundo, our garden is in and growing, and we had our first trip to Silverwood for the year today. It doesn't get much more "summer" than that.

We didn't have long to spend at Silverwood today - we went right after picking P up from school and then had a birthday party in the evening - but we got to go on a few of the boys' favorite rides, including two times on the log ride, which is a huge deal to these 3 guys!

I'm so excited for summer!


And just a couple of "catch up" pictures...

Last weekend the boys had some friends over for a backyard camp out. After bringing in all the sleeping bags, bedding, etc., Ender decided to make herself comfy, and of course B had to join in!
So cozy!
The dog who thought she was human!

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Golf & Graduation

As school is starting to wrap up, things just seem to be getting crazier and crazier. The boys have finished their final standardized testing (and both passed with flying colors!), and they all seem to be spending most of their time outside since the weather is WARM!

Last weekend we took the boys to the Sportsman's Show at the fairgrounds. We got to see a bear show (complete with an adorable cub!), and they got to be immersed in all things outdoors. But the favorite "event" was the putting contest. Preston won first place and scored himself a set of custom fitted clubs! It has been golf, golf, golf ever since. He has informed me that while he enjoys soccer, basketball, etc., he just wants to play golf from now on. Yesterday he got fitted for the clubs, and had his first lesson. And while we may be a bit bias, the coaches shouldn't be! They all gushed about what a natural he is and how golf is his "thing." So we may be looking into more lessons for this kid!


In other news, B graduated kindergarten! Cutest thing ever. The morning of graduation, B was taking an incredibly long time getting dressed so I went to investigate. I found him with his suit almost completely on (with all of the shirt buttons completely buttoned correctly even!). He was pretty adamant that he dress up, but the weather was supposed to be in the 80's that day plus we were biking...anyway, we found an acceptable substitution, but he insisted on wearing his bow tie anyway.

 The class put on a singing program, and they had a Teddy Bear Tea. The kids each got a Teddy bear after the graduation program, and then they had a celebratory reception with their bears. I love seeing B interact with his friends when his brothers aren't around. I think he tends to get overshadowed at home, but he is a little social butterfly at school. 



Tuesday, May 13, 2014

LOVE

I have been LOVING our quick ride to and from school. We only live about a mile away from the school, but since I make the trip 3 times per day, it adds up! The kids and I were usually driving 1-2 times per day, and then walking 1-2. It has been so much more enjoyable riding! Arch and I even rode down to costco and ran a few errands the other day while B was in school.

And there is NO COMPARISON to the bike trailer. None. Besides the fact that the little boys don't fit in the bike trailer anymore, the mundo is so much more maneuverable! And I love that Arch could give me spontaneous hugs and chit chat along the way. 

Again, I'm kicking myself for not getting one earlier. 

John has a slight break from work this week as he finishes up the final details on the practice purchase, so he's been riding with us to and from school occasionally. This afternoon, he snapped this picture after B had a mini-meltdown due to a black hornet (wasp? I don't know what it was but it was HUGE!) that I had to forcibly remove from his shorts. It was apparently pretty comfy! Anyway, B hitched a ride home...we are still trying to figure out the best way to use the towing tray with the monkey bars on there, and I didn't have a tow strap along, but B just held on to his handlebars and off we went!

Saturday, May 10, 2014

The New Ride

For years, I have been pining after a cargo bike. Literally years. And every day as I'm schlepping the boys to and from school, I think "okay, I really need a cargo bike" but of course, I couldn't take the plunge. John even went so far as to buy me one for Christmas two years ago, but I canceled the order. I'm difficult.

Anyway...I got a cargo bike! A yuba mundo. Woohoo! I am considering it my Christmas-anniversary-Valentine's day-birthday-Mother's day present, and I specifically requested that John not buy me any presents for all of those holidays so that I could assuage my guilt a bit. 


It is amazing. Amazing. The first day after it was built, Arch and I rode for about an hour before picking B up from school, just to get a feel for it. We then picked up B (and said hi to P, who happened to be having PE outside...I know I will miss these days where he is still willing to shout out "HI MOM!" in front of all of his friends, while his mom is riding a gigantic beast of a bike and a dorky bike helmet!), went home for a quick lunch, and, after some begging from the boys, we headed out for another hour or so on the bike.
Arch & me on our first ride!

I totally regret not springing for one earlier. Today we loaded all three boys up and went to the Farmer's Market. John rode the yuba (I'm not sure I'm ready for 3 kids on it!), and I rode my "regular" bike, but when we got back home we were both thinking that maybe we need a yuba boda boda now. We could ride 2 kids on the mundo and 1 on the boda and not be restricted to how far little legs want to pedal. Plus, with John's new employment (self-employment!), he will only have a couple of miles to go to work. 
On the way to the farmer's market. We came home with a couple of tomato plants, some celery plants, and an elderberry bush (one of mine isn't looking so good!).

Monday, May 5, 2014

Easter Blazers

A little while ago, I blogged about my boys in their Easter suits. I LOVE the blazers, and my boys do too! They love to wear them, and Bryton has been asking me to make him another one that he can wear to school. I have the fabric, so it will be in the works at some point...when I get time to sew again.

But these blazers...seriously...the boys have gotten so many compliments on them, and I have gotten so many people saying "I could NEVER sew that!" to me. And I am pretty convinced that anyone who has basic sewing know-how could sew these blazers.

The pattern I used for the blazers is from Blank Slate Patterns and it is the "Basic Blazer" pattern. It was SO surprisingly simple to make. I have some sewing experience - I grew up watching my mom and grandma sew, but never had much interest in it until a few years ago when I started teaching myself (and re-teaching myself since I had forgotten a lot of things that I probably knew at one point). I was so impressed with this pattern - it was easy to layout the pattern pieces (PDF pattern), the steps were clearly laid out and I actually understood WHAT I was supposed to do without reading it a million times. I already have a wishlist going of other patterns that I want from Blank Slate, and I'm planning to implement a few more details in the next blazer that I sew. Bryton would love some welt pockets! I was hoping to do the welt pockets on these actually, but then I realized that Easter was only a week away and I had three blazers and three pairs of pants to make...so the welt pockets were nixed.

(The pants that I made are the Parsley Pants from Made by Rae which I also LOOOOOOVE!)

These are some handsome boys, right?!