Messy Hair

Owen understands "smile" and will now almost always flash this cheesy grin. I love it!
Look at that hair... that's just moments after brushing it this morning... I think he'll need more hair product that I use! Poor kid has a little fever and is super snotty and is cranky and snugly all at once... I'm hoping this means teething, and soon his picture will have more pearly whites showing.

Tulips

We went the the Tulip Festival today with mom and dad. I can't believe that I've never been. It's so pretty. So many tulips!

Owen was pretty serious at first... but he started smiling after a while.

Did you know how challenging it is for three people to become tulips?

Owen thought it was pretty neat to play with my purse and mom's water bottle and hat... he did like showing off his clapping skills to us!

Owen and his Grandparents... he's trying to play with mom's lips to make her go "bubbubbubb".

More pretty tulips.

Owen and his Grandma

Thank goodness for digital cameras... we took a zillion pictures of Owen in the shoe. He liked touching the flowers and dirt more than smiling at the camera. The funny thing is that a total stranger also took Owen's photo.

Look, flowers.

"can I pick this?"

Dad had some trouble following the rules.

Owen clapping with the flowers.

Owen playing with the dirt.

Owen and his Grandpa.

We had a really fun time. Owen passed out in the car on the way home... and is AMAZINGLY still sleeping... who knew tulips were so exhausting!

Thank goodness for good friends who watch after your best interests. Our friend Tony, knows how much Lucas loves airplanes. Tony is also always up-to-date on the happenings around town. He told Lucas that a B-17 would be for viewing at Hillsboro airport this weekend. We, of course, planned our weekend around this. So, we brought along Nick and Brock to join in our airplane nerdiness....

Here we are waiting for the B-17 to land. For only $425, you too could ride in the plane... Lucas is still mad at me because I said no.

Lucas took great video of it taxiing right in front of us. There are only twelve flying B-17s left from WWII.

It held 10 crew. The statistic went something like: you wouldn't survive more that five missions because they were shot down so often.

I only hope Owen loves planes as much as Lucas when he grows up...

Lucas got to climb up a ladder and tour the plane. I passed. Between carrying Owen and the tiny "coffin like" quarters, it just didn't sound very fun. Lucas, of course, had a GREAT time.

The cockpit. The pilot says it handles like a dump truck without power steering. Lucas spent over 10 minutes talking with the pilot... he was walking on clouds afterwards.

Lucas exiting the plane from the rear of the aircraft... He was so happy... I almost wish I let him fly... good thing it will be back next year... so if anyone wants to give him a great birthday present, let me know!

(currently we are watching the History Channel. They are spot-lighting the Liberty Bell... the B-17 we just saw!)

Tall Explorer

Owen is exploring each corner of the house. I have most of it "kid friendly" but I'm always a little surprised when he finds something I didn't remember. Yesterday, I heard him in the dining room, then found him with the cane Lucas and I got from Jamaica. He was crawling with it, and then figuring out how to get it between a chair and a table leg. It was very cute... and safe! I just love the "hammy" smiles for the camera.

He's getting so tall!

What did you do today?

If you start the actual day at midnight, I've had a very productive/busy day. It started at work where we shocked one person out of Torsades 49 times in 90 minutes. You may not understand this, but if you do... WOW. When I came home, I took a little nap. When I woke up, we all went to Red Robin to meet up with Bob and Amy. It was Tip-A-Cop day to raise money for the Special Olympics... and what's better than the Special Olympics?

Bob was in uniform. I don't know what was more exciting for Bob, helping raise money for kids, or seeing Owen. (I'm assuming Owen).

Owen really liked the shiny badge. He got one as a sticker too!

What a proud Grandpa!

After lunch, we got Owen to take a nap while we "landscaped". I love that we don't have grass, and every two years or so we have to re-bark dust. So, we borrow Nick's wheel barrow and rake and shovel and go to work.

Before and After.

The final front yard... next weekend the back yard! If anyone wants to help... I have beer and pizza for ya! After bark dusting, we headed to the kitchen. Lucas has slowly acquired all the parts for making sausage. It's nice that all the pieces are connected to our Kitchen-Aid. Here's what we did for our very first batch...

First grind up some pork shoulder and pork fat. We seasoned it, and got the intestinal casings ready (seriously, this is gross but fun too!)
Shove the casings onto the "sausage attachment"... again, gross but fun.

I was in charge of stuffing the seasoned sausages through the machine... Lucas put it into the casings... Look at my husbands large sausage!

Then, you twist the sausage into links...

The final product: Northern Italian Spicy Sausage...

It's quite tasty... so tasty that tomorrow I think we'll try to make kielbasa!

Now, we are watching the Blazers play the first game of the first round of playoffs. The game and a nice piece of pizza and beer... what a great ending to a great day!

Easter Puppy

Grandma got Owen a puppy for Easter. Luckily for us, the puppy is actually an Easter basket. But, Owen loves it all the same and is taking this opportunity to prove to me that he could be responsible enough to have a "real" puppy someday.

He gives him baths. Plays music for him for entertainment.

Takes him for walks.

Makes sure he's comfortable on the couch.

He also feeds him, by putting toys into his basket, and also empties him out too. He even gives him kisses.

Maybe someday far in the future a real puppy could be his.

Ichiro

We caught a little bit of the Mariner's game last night, before the Blazers played. When Owen saw what was on, he just started clapping. Amazingly, he continued even when the camera came out! He must like Ichiro!

Fun Times

Owen just woke up in the best of moods from his morning nap. All smiles and laughs. He's especially happy when he finds the phone...AND the remote... what a great day for Owen.

His two favorite adult toys (keep you mind out of the gutter)... It only bothers me when I answer the phone and my ear gets a little wet from the slobber... at least it's just slobber.

He got a new toy for Easter from Grandma. He loves to play with it and dance to the music.

I love his little feet!

Opening Day 2009

Yesterday was the Seattle Mariner's opening home game. I don't think Jill and I have missed a home opener in many, many years. Only now, we have more and more people to bring with us. This year was us, our babies, our husbands and Terri, Jill's mother-in-law.

Because of Lucas' work schedule, we drove up yesterday morning. We made it up in time to eat a yummy lunch at Gorditos (a fantastic Mexican restaurant) and then to the game. Then, home after the game. Overall, Owen did quite well being in the car that much... and being held at the game so much. Today I have promised him no car rides!

Here's Jill and Kate before the game. Owen and Kate played quite nicely together. Owen and Safeco Field. We dressed very warmly... many layers. It was 35 degrees on our drive up (IT'S APRIL FOR GOODNESS SAKES!) A few years back Jill and I froze our bums during an opening game... you only have to do that once to be prepared for following years. Of course, with NW weather, they soon were no longer scared of rain, so opened up the roof. Then it was so warm we were all wishing we brought sun screen and sun glasses. Schizophrenic weather.

Owen, Kate, Jill and Lucas.

Family self portrait. Look at that Oshel gum smile of mine!

Kate and Owen playing. Note the mittens. This was before the sun found us.

Then the sun found us... I tried to keep the mittens and hood on just to protect him from the sun... but Owen gets so warm so fast...

He then past out on me for a couple innings. Note the rosy red cheeks from being so warm. He was so tired that he would wake up slightly during a loud applause or boo and then settle right back into sleep.

He was awake the entire drive home. Only cranky for about 30 minutes of the drive. He went to bed at 10:00p and woke bright and early at 0730. Silly me, I was hoping for a sleep in.