Finished Product

After his complaining about his aching back and shoulders, and what a pain it was to build this thing...I assumed Vic was finished with his igloo...however, I was wrong. He worked on it today for another two hours, and now he says he's done. Just thought I'd share the finished product.

Vic's Igloo

Winter Solstice

Sunday we had our now annual Winter Solstice Party. We ate pizza on the living room floor, drank rootbeer out of fancy wine glasses (the kids love that), and opened presents. We read a story that tells how the winter solstice came about and talked about how we share our light with the world. We made sunshine cupcakes, but no one ate them.
Erik got new Geo trax for his trains, and was really excited about that. He was mad because Taryn got a webkinz until he found his own gecko webkins in a different package.
I was concerned because we had gotten Taryn this beautiful doll at costco, but it was not an american girl like she wanted. But when she opened her she fell in love with Alice and has not left her side (except when Alice is in school, which she was late for today).
Overall, it was a fun evening. The kids were so happy with their gifts, which always makes me satisfied.

Christmas tree

We went to this awesome tree farm (tree factree according to Erik) on Saturday. It's in Maple Valley, called Wilson farms or something like that. The people there were so nice, we met this too cute 10 year old girl who gave us the tour. After we cut our tree down, they brought out a tractor to load it up in and gave the kids a ride around the farm. They had free cider and hot chocolate. I just can't say enough nice things about this place, it was so great.

We decided that this year we would have a home-made tree. The kids are going to make all the ornaments (ordiments). They have been stapling paper together and stuffing it with tissues, and today we put beads on string. It has been a lot of fun and given them something to do.

New Job

It's official! I got a job working for H & R Block. I will be working in their Auburn Franchise. I will be doing a little bit of training in December and then start work Jan 3rd!

I have been thinking of getting a job for the last couple of years, but was hoping to find something I could be excited about. I'm so glad I took this class, because it was fun and I think I will enjoy doing this work.

Halloween

Being the professional party pooper that I am, I have never let my kids go trick or treating. I hate Halloween, and I think it's ridiculous to let your kids go door to door begging for candy.
HOWEVER...being that we are in a safe neighborhood where we know a lot of the people around here, I told the kids they could try it out this year. I figured it was a childhood tradition they could get under their belts. I limited it to only those houses where we know who lives there.
We had a little neighborhood get together at the beginning of the evening where they passed out safety bracelets for the kids. Then we went to our designated houses with our friends Dorothy and Delaney.
I have to say, this was the most fun I've had trick or treating ever. The kids were so thrilled with the whole experience. They would run from house to house with their bags, and after every house Erik would say, "Mom! I got brown M&M's! Mom! I got a snickers!".
One of our neighbors set up a tent in front of their house with some games. I got to meet some new people, and see neighbors that I don't see that often. I realized that these kind of things are about community. The kids know so many people from being at the park.
It was so awesome. Then afterwards, we came home and watched Monsters Inc and the kids answered the door.
I had wanted to be different and bought spider rings instead of candy. This little boy came up to our door and looked at Erik with his rings and said, "you don't have any candy to give out?" Erik says, "no, you can pick a ring". The kid turns around and yells into the street, "This house doesn't have any candy!". I guess it wasn't so popular.
I thought the kids costumes adequately fit their personalities.

We have a save the day (control the world) superman:
And our delicate-I'm shy and beautiful-butterfly:

That's Delaney hidden by the fabric hanging down.

Anyway, for the first time in my life, Halloween was a big success and didn't end in tears....

at least not my tears. Taryn came in our room at about 10:30 because she couldn't sleep and was crying. She says, "I don't even know why I'm crying". That's Halloween.

Andersons

While I was in Utah I noticed something...there was a lot of jokes about the downside of being an Anderson. And then I noticed it again when Amy and I had a conversation about Erik's Anderson blood. Becuase he's stubborn and defiant, and difficult to motivate.

So I wanted to share the upside.

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Being an Anderson means I'm smart. It means I can grasp concepts easily and learn quickly.

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Being an Anderson means I'm creative. I have visual intuition and can create beautiful things.

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Being an Anderson means I'm thoughtful. I process and disect information until I understand it.

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Being an Anderson means I'm not a sucker. I'm skeptical and require more information to accept something.

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Being an Anderson means I care deeply about family. It means I love being with my parents and siblings and am concerned about their lives.

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Being an Anderson means I'm funny. I have a quick wit and can surprise people with my comments.

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Being an Anderson means I'm loved. I always know that people have my back and will support me in my life's path.

More funny stories

First I want to say if anyone hasn't seen Wipeout on ABC, you should check it out. We've started watching it as a whole family since Erik fell in love with it. It's on Tuesdays.

We were riding in the car the other day talking about Wipeout. The kids were telling me how they told Grandma about the show. Erik says, we told her about the fat girl we saw on there. Then Taryn says something else about the fat girl. So I say, I wish you guys wouldn't use that term, sometimes people who are fat are embarrassed about it and don't want you to call them that. So Taryn says, can I use the word puffy?

The other day Erik and I had a big knock down fight. After we were in his room saying apologies and talking about what had happened. He says, Mom, I love you. If I didn't have you, I wouldn't even be here. So I tell him that I would be sad without him. He says, what would you even do if you had a piece of paper and needed a hole right through it? I said, I don't know, what would I do? He says, because I can do that you know. I'm also good at scratching (which I had the sores on my arm to prove from a different knock down fight we had in the middle of the street).

Colby Stead

This is my cousin Amy Robinson's band. My sister Kelli told me that they were coming to Seattle, so Vic and I dropped the kids off at Grandma's and went to see them. Kelli said they were good, but what else is she going to say? It seems everyone has a band these days, so I didn't know what to expect. I always prepare myself to say nice things, even thought they might suck, cause...what do you do? I was also nervous that she would not recognize me, because it's been quite a few years and I would be out of context and all.

We got there, and couldn't find the place. I was starting to panic, when we saw this little tiny sign that said we had to go back through the alley to get there. We found the place, but no music. We were about to give up again, when we saw another little tiny sign that said go back into the alley, a little to the left, and up the stairs. They sure didn't make it easy.

Anyway...there were about 4 people there watching. I thought oh no, this is going to be so awkward...but it was perfectly quaint. And they were soooo good! I could have stayed there and listened for hours. It seemed so quick that they were finished. Colby's voice was so soothing, and I thought the writing was beautiful. Amy's accordian was also great, and she has a beautiful voice. I just loved the whole thing! We bought their cd's and listened to them the whole way home.

Amy did recognize me and it was so nice to sit and talk with her after the show. We used to be good friends in our childhood, but it has been more than ten years since we've had a serious conversation. I loved catching up with her and getting a glimpse of what her life is like now.

If anyone wants to check them out, you can find them at www.colbystead.com

Peer Pressure

All the girls in the neighborhood have cut their hair really short like this. At first I told Taryn she couldn't have hers cut because she didn't need to be like everyone else. Then I realized that it would be easier for her to wash it and would be less greasy all the time. So I gave in and this morning we cut it. She says it's just a little too short, but likes it. I love the change a haircut can make.

Spotty

Erik drew this picture of his stuffed cheetah Spotty. I thought it was so awesome I just wanted to brag a little.

Bravery

My favorite part of blogging is seeing everyone's pictures, so that's why I add random pictures when I don't have a relevant one.

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I consider my life to be very comfortable. There's really nothing I HAVE to do. My kids know how to make their own food, and I don't really have to leave the house if I don't want to.

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So I've been trying to branch out a little, try some new things, and say yes to opportunities that come my way.

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The first thing I did, was to try and find a new homeschool group. Since leaving religion, it's been hard for me to find a community. I also have been trying to find a non-christian oriented group. No offense to anyone, but I'd like my kids to meet other kids who believe like we do, so they don't feel so foreign. So I searched the internet for a secular group, and found four or five. I was really encouraged by my findings and decide to start visiting groups. The first few groups were really weird, I just didn't feel comfortable and couldn't relate to their lifestyles. Or they were really odd and unwelcoming. I was ready to give up, but then decided to finish out my list. My last group turned out to be a good one. All the women were so kind, and tried hard to include us. I'm so grateful to have found such a group and I look forward to getting to know these people over the next year.

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The next thing that happened, was that I had a conversation with Vic about how I've always wanted to take swimming lessons, but felt like a dork. Seriously, the next day, my neighbor was holding a schedule to the local pool and said, I was thinking about taking a swimming lesson, but it's cheaper if you find someone to do it with you. So I went out on a limb and said I'd try. We put it off for weeks, until finally she made the appointment. I was so anxious, I kept thinking of how I could back out of it. But I went... and I had so much fun. It was really hard, but I learned a lot and was proud of myself for even trying.

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The last thing I have scheduled, is I signed up to take a class from H&R Block to learn more about taxes. I have looked at this class for the last two years, and have put it off because it requires me to leave the house and meet new people. So I just signed up and will start in two weeks.

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Wish me luck and go try something new!

Vic's Garden

Vic's garden finally started growing. This is the first year he has gotten corn to grow, it will be exciting if we can actually eat it. The whole neighborhood has been coming over and eating Erik's peas, they love it. This is one of the kids pumpkins they are growing for halloween. It's name is Fatty.

Camping at Mt St Helens

Vic took the kids camping this weekend. They went with my friend Cori's husband Mike and their two boys, Jack and Sam. They left at 10 am on Friday and didn't come home until 5 pm on Sunday. It was a glorious 3 days for me. When Vic got back, I asked him if he had fun. He says, there were parts of fun. I think it was a little hot and long for him. They had fun though, they played in the water, caught about a hundred frogs, and hiked through a lava cave.
I'm so glad to have a husband who spends so much time with his kids, and doesn't call it babysitting.

Tag Shmag

So Kelli tagged me...

6 random facts about me:

1. I'm spoiled. My husband cooks dinner for me almost every night and puts the kids to bed. He also let's me sleep in on the weekends.

2. Swimming in fresh water is one of my favorite things, but I'm also afraid of being in the water.

3. I am afraid of the dark.

4. I have crazy complex dreams almost every night. Last night I dreamt my mom's arm was burned off in a fireworks accident, and I was overwhelmed by how much I loved her and how glad I was that she was alive.

5. I love being alone. I love silence, not having anyone talk to me, and not having anyone touching me.

6. I can touch my nose with my tongue, but no, I will not show you.

I also like tag, so I'll tag Sara and Shauna.

Erik strikes again....

Erik has been our mealtime entertainment the last few nights. It seems like each night he says something that has me and Vic crying with laughter. Erik also does not like to be laughed at, it makes him more mad.

The first night he said something funny and we were laughing at him, so he looks at all of us and says.."what the heck is wrong with you people!"

Then the next night he got mad at me and gives me his best evil eye and says, "you are hell".

Last night was the best, he got upset about something someone said, and said to all of us, "you guys don't have my back... you just have your own faces....on your bums."

Obviously we're still dealing with his anger issues.

Less is more

Alright, fine. You know me, I am a woman of few words. I thought the pictures were better without the explination.
Erik has this thing about his head. He thinks it looks weird. He grew his hair out, mostly out of laziness and because he doesn't like getting a haircut. But he wanted it short. He doesn't really like the attention he gets from his long, gorgeous locks. I told him whenever he was ready, I would cut it for him. Vic tried to do it, but Vic has thing about Erik's hair and thinks he needs to be the boss of it. Erik wanted it shorter, but Vic wouldn't do it for him. This is the cut Vic gave him:

He wanted it shorter, really Erik would have been happy to be bald, but thought the process would hurt more. So we settled on the length that it became. He asked for short little hairs that stick up out of his head, and I had to explain that his hair lays flat, it doesn't stick up like Vic's.

I think he's pretty happy with it.

Taryn's first Triathlon

Taryn did her first triathlon today from the inspiration of her friend Eva. It was a 75 yard swim, 2 mile bike ride, and then a 1/2 mile run. She was a bit nervous, and I was nervous for her.. but as always, she did so awesome. I was so proud of her. She is such an incredible person and can do anything she wants to. I am so lucky to know her.
This is Taryn with Eva after the race. You can see on her face how happy she is. Taryn is the one in orange.
Getting ready for the bike ride...

Finish!!

Erik is 6! (not 60)

We've had a rough two days. The waiting for his birthday has been too much for Erik to bear. He has had meltdowns, screaming, hitting, and tears. He woke up at 6:30 this morning wanting to get started. Lucky for everyone, I convinced him to go back to sleep until 8:15.

Erik is a fun, excited, loving boy. Our family wouldn't be the same without him.

Thanks to everyone who helped make his birthday special!

Kids say the darndest things

Erik says he wouldn't want to be a pirate because they can only see out of one eye, and he can use both his eyes. Also they have to dig for treasure, and that's just too much work... and they don't have microwaves.

Taryn's friend's mom asked her if we would like to make some lemonade, and Taryn told me she told her no, because, you know, it was that Bud Light kind of stuff. (meaning Crystal Light).

Boys

My kids are upstairs having a big fight instead of doing their morning chores. I hear them yell, I hate you, you're stupid, and insults like that. Then Erik come down the stairs and says, "Mommy, here's something that hurts my feelings.....Taryn says she hates Michael Jackson."

Back Yard Fun

One of the benefits of living next to nowhere is the neat animals we find. On one of our walks Friday night, Vic found this lizard on the trail behind our house. He brought it home for Erik to play with. Erik was so thrilled by this thing, and was sad when we had to let him go at the end of the night. We set him in the garden, and Erik woke up bright and early the next morning and went out to see if he could find him again. No luck.

Seattle Art Museum

Today we had an impromptu visit to the Seattle Art Museum. It really didn't turn out to be as much fun as I had expected. There were about four pieces that Erik liked, but mostly he kept asking when it was time to eat lunch. One piece Erik enjoyed was the floor, because it was kind of like our floor. I think the most fun part of the experience for them both was the bus ride back to Vic's office to catch up with our car. I get nervous riding public transit because you never know who you're going to meet, and I'm always afraid of getting on the wrong bus or missing my stop and ending up in Timbuktu. The whole time Erik was waiting for his sundrops (they're like m&m's) that he could have after lunch. So we ate our lunch on the bus and I told him he had to wait until we got to the car for his candy...which turned out to be a blessing, because those of you who know Erik, can guess what's about to happen. We get in the car and Erik buckles his belt and anxiously waits for his sundrops. As we drive off, he rips the bag open too quickly, sundrops go flying everywhere, and he bursts into loud wails.

But it's always fun to try something new.

Resume

So I've been feeling a little down lately. A little depression mixed with PMS and boredom on top.
So I found this job online that I kind of want, and the guy asked me to send him my resume. I sat down to write it and became so overwhelmed. Bothered by the big 8 year gap in my experience and feeling like I have no skills to offer anyone. I searched the net for inspiration, and after starting, stopping, deleting, and starting again, I started getting into a flow. After reviewing my jobs that I've had and the things I learned from them I started to come up with a list of qualifications. By the time I was finished I started feeling pretty good about myself.

Sometimes it takes a little reflection and tooting (ha,ha) one's own horn to lift you up.

Creativity

This is a shout-out to Rainey from those of us who let our kids dress themselves.

Tricked

Erik has been wanting to try one of these claw machines. As his parents, we talked extensively about how these machines are not set up for you to win. How you will probably put your money in and come out with nothing. As you who know Erik know, years of wisdom and experience mean nothing to him. He insisted. He had to find out for himself. So Sunday morning we went down to Fred Meyer and he had his eight quarters in a cute crocheted purple purse he borrowed from Taryn. I again warned him that this was not a good use of his money. But he picked out his toy, put in four quarters, and got nothing. So he was determined, he put in four more quarters and tried again. This time when he got nothing he burst into tears, loud wails and cries. We had to sit with him, crying and wailing while Taryn finished spending her money in a machine and walking back to the car. Dissappointment is the one emotion I can not handle in a child. It breaks my heart too much.

I guess that's what we get for breaking the sabbath. :)

Erik again

While having a discussion about why Erik threw his sisters clothes all over the floor, he says to me, "Sometimes I lose my temperature, just like you mom."

Sisters

I have debated over the last few days whether or not to blog about Kelli and Kass's trip. For two reasons, 1. they have both already talked about it on their blogs, so it seems redundant. 2. I can't help it from having a sad tone, as I am feeling sad now that they're gone.
Once or twice, or sometimes three times a year I go through a phase where I really struggle with being so far from my family, especially my sisters. Now is one of those times. I am never more myself than when I'm with them. I never laugh as much as when I'm with them. Being with family really fills my spirit.
So it's hard sometimes when they come up here to visit, fill my life with comfort and laughter, and then fly home. It's a bit of a let down for a few days.
But it WAS so great to have them here. We had a lot of fun. If nothing else, I know they love losing at Settlers to me. And Phase 10 for that matter....