POTD 083108

POTD 083108, originally uploaded by katrina.kennedy.

Back in town this morning after 3 days away. Nice to be home...so...of course we hopped on our bikes!

We went to Chalk It Up. It has become our anual Labor Day Weekend tradition! Ian was a little more interested in the playground than the art, but with the coaxing of throwing money into the fountain and looking for batman he agreed to see the art! We didn't find Batman but we did find the Backyardigans!

SuperMom

I've been in a mom funk for a few days. That crazy place where I begin to question all of my choices, strategies, tactics, methods, insights, etc. etc. That same place that I begin to worry about having damaged Ian at just three years old dooming him to a horrible life. Typing it now I can see just how silly I sound.

I got some amazing advice from a great group of women who've become such dear friends...who I've never even met, but know me so well. Such wisdom shared so kindly!

So today I finally realized where all of this was coming from. I needed to make a BIG decision for Ian. Something that had been eating at me for a while and I didn't even realize how much. But...we made it. I'm still not completely at ease, but feeling better about it by the moment.

The advice I received mentioned that the very act of questioning your decisions is a sign of a good mom... so given my level of questioning I must be SUPERMOM!

I'll share soon. (Unless you are my mom and want to call me :)*** ) In the grand scheme of life this is probably pocket change but in our little world this was BIG currency!

***I'm still amazed anyone reads this other than my mom :)

POTD 082408

POTD 082408, originally uploaded by katrina.kennedy.

He is just silly.

He knew he couldn't be "dad" without the hat and glasses! We asked him if he was going to get a job like dad and he said he wanted to play. Oh don't we all little man!

Shea goes back to work/school tomorrow...he'll be taking his glasses and hat back.

Happy Camper!

POTD 082108, originally uploaded by katrina.kennedy.

Ian looked forward to camping for days! He went on and on about sleeping in a tent telling everyone he saw!

Day One was great! He played, looked for bears and racoons, ate next to nothing (normal) and was eager to sleep in the tent. Afternoon day two arrived and he looked at us and said, "I want to go to my new house and watch a movie." That turned in to crying and sadness that only a piece of chocolate could cure! Smores were just a little too weird for him...he just didn't get the idea of burning a marshmellow and then eating it!

Night two went well with a little guy who was still looking for racoons. We woke to find a perfect foot print right on the picnic table! Ian announced to us that he was done camping and wanted to go home. After a little parental deliberation we decided the trip would just be better for everyone if we cut it a day short!

So short but fun!

He's home in his new house now...and yes, he watched a movie! (of his trip to Legoland...go figure!)

POTD 081908

POTD 081908, originally uploaded by katrina.kennedy.

What do you with a boy at 830 PM when he's had a bit too much sugar and the softball field across the street has the lights on?

Any guesses?

If you guessed let him run until he can't anymore you've got it right! We played tag, chase, run, and fake baseball. Just as Ian was starting the let's throw infield dirt game an owl flew over us. That prompted him to become an owl and there we have it!

We knew he was done when he came running and said he was a baby owl. I scooped him up and asked him were dirty baby owls took baths. He told me in ponds. Luckily we found a pond upstairs!

Now that owl is sleeping!

Little Tikes

POTD 08-18-08, originally uploaded by katrina.kennedy.

How cute are these three? We had a fun day out and about Midtown today! Had to cut it a little short for the little guy's doctor appointment but always great to spend time with Kathy and kiddos! Ian actually fell asleep in the wagon on the way home!

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We are in a bit of mourning around here! Tomorrow I work which signals the end of the best summer we've ever had (I seriously mean ever, even summers when I was a kid and got to slide down the front steps and wash my hair in the wagon with my sisters).

I promised myself I'd be in bed by 1000PM so I can get up early and actually look like a human being before I stand in front of the room...I guess I lied!

Ian's First Three Days

I've been working on this for the last 10 weeks and now it is finally done! Katie Pertiet the owner of Designer Digitals put together a great challenge and supported it with a template each week. I love how it came together and can't wait to see it printed!

I'd love to see your comments over at Shutterfly :) Thanks for looking!

Click here to view this photo book.

POTD 081508

POTD 081508, originally uploaded by katrina.kennedy.

A sneak peak at our bathroom! Shea finished it today after 3 weeks of completely gutting it including removing all of the wood from the walls and the 5 layers of old linoleum!

He did it all! New bamboo flooring, painted the tub and tub's feet, replumbed everything, new wall board, textured, painted, new trim. I LOVE IT!

Now it is my job to find the shelving, mirror, and decorate. It definitely needs some photos, but choosing which ones is hard! I've only taken 7000 this year! LOL

Completed photos when I'm done! And for a kick, here's what it started out as!

Friends, Pirates and JPG images

We spent the morning at Charleen's house today watching baby Oliver while she deserved a little birthday break! He is such a cutie! It is the most time I've spent with him and I must say he's got a great little smile and "man hair". I still didn't get photos of Oliver and Charleen together but I was able to snap a few of Oliver between the activity of three 3 year olds and a 9 month old who has mastered the army crawl!

Leo gave Ian a great pirate book complete with patch and face paint! Ian wore the patch most of the day and had his "moustache" reapplied several times. He has been telling us he wants to be a pirate with a sword, and a pirate hat...and (lawn drawn out Ian breath) BOOTS for Halloween!

On another, somewhat unrelated note, that no one but me probably cares about. I switched my camera off of RAW and back to JPG. That means all of the photos you see today are completely UNEDITED (gasp). No Lightroom adjustments or photoshopping has occurred. SOOC! Decided it was unreasonable to think I could postprocess the 50-100 photos I take EVERYDAY and still have a life! (That also can be translated into...Shea's summer vacation is almost over and I'm going to have to get up out of this chair a little more often!)

POTD 081308

POTD 081308, originally uploaded by katrina.kennedy.

This is my new favorite thing/place. Yummmm.

Not only do they have nondairy "yogurt" but they have a bar of fresh fruit to top it with! Mango, kiwi, pineapple, 3 kinds of berries! Yum!

And it's just a short bike ride away from home!

It's My Change

They were wrong about the terrible two's. Two was easy compared to how the direction three is headed. He willingly voices his opinion, asks why 50 times, ignores me just because he can, refuses to eat, says no just to be negative, yells demands at me and then turns on me with phrases like:

"I love you sooooo much."

"Mommy I need you."

"I was born!" (just in case I've forgotten)

Yesterday Shea came bounding down the stairs and said, "we need grandparents here NOW!" LOL You know things are bad when Shea is calling in reinforcements.

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We made our Monday trek to Starbucks after gym class today. Addy and Ian now expect it and would be truly disappointed if we didn't go! There was only one petite vanilla scone which appeared to be okay with his royal highness until Addy showed up with Madelines! So it began.

"Momma I need Madelines."

"Finish your scone first."

"I don't want my scone." (which he had just refused to share with Addy, who had asked very sweetly)

"Finish your scone and then I'll get you some."

"I NEEED Madelines."

"Well, then give your scone to Addy." He of course, willingly, happily handed it over!

I contined my conversation with Kathy enjoying much needed time to console and get advice on not strangling three year olds.

"Momma buy me Madelines."

"Just a minute Ian, I'm talking to Kathy."

"Mommma I NEED Madelines."

Giving in, but not wanting to I had one of those brilliant bursts of Mom intellect (they don't happen very often)

"Ian, do you want to buy your own Madelines?"
For a brief second he looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language. He started to spit out, "you go," but something stopped him.

I handed him a $5.00 bill.

"Here's your money. Take it to the counter and buy Madelines."

Money in hand he walked to the counter. Made his purchase and returned.

When I ask for the change he looked at me and said, "It's my change."

Yep bud, it's your change. Everyday.

8-8-8

I love numbers! I love when numbers have significance. I love when I wake up and the clock says 11:11. I love that my house number is 214...the same day as my first date with Shea. I love when it is 1:23 or the grocery bill is 7.68 (ok 76.89) So I was pretty excited about today! As part of my photo a day project at Flickr I decided to make the most of the day!

Feeling the end of summer nearing Shea got in on the action with me!

At exactly 8am this morning we set out on our bikes to photograph 8's anywhere and any form we could find them! And my first sighting of the day -- triple 8's!!

First stop Fox and (the) Goose for breakfast. And seated next to us? Mayoral Candidate Kevin Johnson. So we "eight" next to him!

I think Ian is unhappy because 1) the guy's kind of short for someone who was in the NBA 2) mom is making him take a photo with someone she won't vote for 3)he heard him say negative things about city council members in a public place 4)he knew mom would attempt to take over his blog with some political statement (be sure to scroll down to the sexual assualt allegations)

From there we headed to the Old City Cemetery in search of 1888 headstones, but go sidetracked for this along the way!

Tim at Station 5 was the greatest! He showed Ian everything on the ladder truck and let him drive too! (although Ian's feet don't quite reach the pedals yet!)

Then to the cemetery. Lot's of 8's but not one 8-8-88 to be found!

Ian then decided he'd had enough of following us around so he asked to go to the "blue park". So we did, but found a few 8's on the way. We did find the 8th planet at the park!And then off to the library to get Ian his own library card! (I cried...it's a big moment!) Last stop on the bikes -- Green Sacramento for some gorgeous Leaf .01 Yolo Colorhouse paint for our bathroom. (which is so close to done I can hardly stand it! of course it probably would be done if it weren't for 6 hour bike rides to find 8's!) The owner kindly explained to Ian exactly how he was making our color and Ian loved imitating the paint shaking machine. I wish I'd taken a picture of Ian's trailer loaded with 10 library books, a baseball bat, and 2 gallons of paint!

While Ian took his nap I got to take photos of this sweet little one week old! Congratulations Leah and Jim! (and thanks for letting me spend 3 hours of your life with you :))Home just in time for Shea to say...we've got to eat. He sat in the car reving the engine to give me just a little clue that he was going with or without me! (Let's just say that I cleaned the refrigerator out before San Diego and we've not refilled it...again, things that get forgotten when looking for 8's)

Dinner at Ernesto's with only a short wait for an outside table. Just in time to hear Mariachis play! Ian LOVED it!

Then home with a tired little guy ready for bed!

I can't imagine a better day! I'm already planning for 9-9-9, 10-10-10, 11-11-11, and 12-12-12. What will I do in 2013?!

Home

We are home again! About 1400 miles covered and only 700 or pictures. Not as many as I expected :) But...somehow we've arrived home with Erin's shoes and without my card reader. So...I have some really cute shoes that don't belong to me and no way to upload all of those photos! Ahhhh!

I think my first errand tomorrow will be a visit to the Post Office to send some shoes to San Diego and then somewhere to buy a new card reader!

More details when I can show photos too!

POTD 08??08

POTD 08??08, originally uploaded by katrina.kennedy.

This is vacation!

We spent the day at Legoland. Lots of things Ian could go on since he just made the 36 inches cut off!! There were a few he wanted to go ok but couldn't...they probably would have scared him anyway.

It was worth it for Ian nut the place has NO shade! Lines weren't Disneyland length but in full hot sun and lacking the "magic" they Were a bit....mmmmm....unbearable.

And what is it with parents who scream at their kids for crying when they obviosly just tired and need naps? Shea and I decided that amusement parks need napping lounges!

So nice to have feet up and a little relaxation tonight!

San Diego

A full day of driving and we've arrived in San Diego. Ian and Kirin are warming up to each other and figuring out sharing. Good to see Erin and Ajay and to finally be out of the car! The weather in San Diego is gorgeous as expected.

I think we are headed to the beach for a quiet easy going day. Legoland and Sea World later this week.

Sleepy

Sleepy, originally uploaded by katrina.kennedy.

in the car headed the 6 hours to San Diego. Nice to go the 101route for a change of scenery.

Ian is being a good sport and just fell asleep forprobanly the rest of the drive! He's excited about "seeing the fish" ska Sea World.

Blogging from the car so keeping it short!

Lion boys

Lion boys, originally uploaded by katrina.kennedy.

Ian decided they should be lions at lunch! We are in Morro Bay today and leave for San Diego in the morning. Good to see Shea's family.