a haircut.

About a month ago I had a 4 day stretch of really bad hair days. Then my hair seemed to be shedding like crazy all over the bathroom floor. Then I felt like it was flat, boring, dull.  So I schedule a much needed appointment for a haircut with my beloved stylist Amy Jacobs.  She has been doing my hair for 10 years now and I've never been disappointed! 

When I scheduled the appointment I was determine to just chop it all off (okay, not ALL of it, but a lot).  I've always had the dream of cutting off a large chunk of hair to donate but never really thought I'd go through with it.  I'm not much of a risk taker.  I like to think things through…over and over and over again.  But I was determined.  So I went to Pinterest seeking cute bob cuts and the best hair donation organization. 

Fast forward 3 weeks and I suddenly got nervous.  I all of a sudden had a stretch of 4 good hair days.  I loved my long hair and it had taken 2 years to really get to a length I liked.  Uh oh…now what do I do?! Matt was no help and wouldn't give me any answer.  The kids said "short" one day and "long" the next. So, I got in the car and drove up to my hair appointment still totally undecided.

When I got there I realized I'd completely regret it if I didn't do a huge cut. I had the donation form in hand and decided it's really only hair (yet, totally deserves its own blog post!), it'll grow back and why the heck not!?  

The before picture: Looking at this picture I didn't realize at the time how long my hair really was!

 And, the after!  I couldn't be happier!  It's exactly what I was envisioning.

 We started cutting off a little more than 9 inches to donate and then ended up shortening it another 2 inches to get it really styled the right way. So, more than 11 inches gone!

I chose to donate to Children With Hair Loss. It's a great organization that is run by volunteers who make free wigs for children.
And, if you are interested in supporting Amy Jacobs in her latest venture, check out her new boutique House of Style in Mt. Vernon. A perfect mix of clothing, jewelry and a salon all in one place!

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his first day.

Carter started his first day of preschool last week.  He'll be attending a gymnastics preschool 2 days a week. As sad as I am to have him away from me for a few hours on my days off, I'm happy he is transitioning well and having fun.  The coolest part about his school? 45 minutes of gymnastics every day!  Instead of going outside to play on a playground (in the cold and rain), he gets to run around, jump on a trampoline and complete obstacle courses right in a gym.  It's a perfect fit for my active boy. Another plus…they only serve organic fruits and veggies for snack time. I really try to watch what the kids are eating and didn't want him getting excess sugar all the time.  This school is right up our alley!

The first morning he requested banana pancakes for breakfast. Matt stayed up late the night before making them so I would only have to warm them up during our first busy morning (Dad of the year!)

I think every special day is worth celebrating so we put a candle in his pancake and sang him, "Happy 1st day of Preschool to You"  He loved it.

 And, not to feel left out…Lucy got a candle in her pancake while we sang, "Happy Lucy/Mama Time to You" to celebrate her having some one-on-one time with me two days a week.  :)

 Then it was time for the obligatory first day of school picture. I love how grown up he looks!  And yet, I can't believe how grown up he looks.

 And again, she wanted to be included on the big day!

 When we got there he was a little nervous but once he found his cubby for his shoes and backpack he settled right in, gave me a hug and was off!  I held back the tears until I got in the car, Lucy waved goodbye and we drove away. About a minute later while driving to Target (conveniently located right across the street from preschool - yes!) Lucy realized Carter wasn't coming with us and whined for about 20 minutes telling me how much she missed him.  Such a sweet sister.

When I picked him up the first day he was super sweaty from gymnastics, a sign he loved it!  But, he told me he never wanted to go back because he had to wait in line to use the trampoline and it took exactly 36 minutes to get his apple slices for snack time. Haha!  After reminding him how important it is to learn how to wait patiently he decided he'd try again another day.  His 2nd day - even better than the first!

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summer of fun.

One last jumbled post of pictures to document the end of our summer. 

Summer 2014 went down as one of the best ever. Full of adventures, sunshine and lots of family fun.

Matt and I went on a date day bike ride a few weeks ago. Matt had the idea to go on a somewhat secluded mountain biking trail so we could just have time to talk and explore.  Instead, it turned out to be a series of hills going up and down 600 feet of elevation over and over again.  After about 1.5 miles, lots of foul language and both of us out of breath we quickly decided to head back to the car and drive over to the Burke Gilman trail for a ride from Bothell to Redmond and back. Even though it was 20 miles it was much more enjoyable than those stupid hills!

 We stopped at a lavender farm on the way back into Bothell for some delicious lemonade and an incredible view.

 Warm days have meant lots of water time. Sadly this pool has seen its final day after getting a few holes in it.  It lasted 2 summers, which I consider a success so next year we'll get to upgrade!

 Carter is now officially into Legos. His Uncle Matt surprised him with this special Lego set, just because, which made his day (probably made his entire summer!).  He spent night and day working to build it with Matt for about 4 days before completing it.  So proud!

 Carter got a much needed haircut before preschool started (a blog on preschool coming soon!). He looks about 3 years older and more handsome than ever before.  And, Lucy loves to pose in front of the front door anytime she wears a new outfit.

 Savoring every sunny day we have left to play at the park.  I'm a firm believer that parks are meant to be used year round so we'll just bundle up a bit more as the weather changes. But, there is something nice about sunshine beaming down on you while you push the kids on the swings.

 Kids ready to watch the first Seahawks game of the season!  We started out by parading down the street before the game to encourage the neighborhood to cheer them on too. I'm not sure if the kids really love the Seahawks or the fact that I made them pizza for dinner and they got to eat at the couch while watching the game. Either way, it made for a fun night (while Matt was at the game, of course!).

 As fall approaches, so does more inside play time. I made the kids this fort the other morning for them to play and read books in.  I'm not the best fort builder, but I've learned a few tricks along the way.  Latest and greatest idea: use a jersey sheet, preferably a fitted one. Stretchy and can help grip to couches, chairs, tables, anything!

 I asked the kids to read quietly while I made dinner the other night. Carter found a good book and settled in on the couch.  Lucy, on the other hand, spent 10 minutes "searching" for the right book on the shelf before coming back into the kitchen to "help" me cook.

 One thing I love now are bike rides with the kids. Carter is getting more and more confident on his big boy bike (no training wheels!) and Lucy is gaining more speed on her tricycle.  The other day I took them over to the Burke Gilman trail and we biked from one park to another before playing for a bit and biking back. Such a fun morning and I love how the kids can get some exercise with me!

 And finally, my sweet little mini-me. I really didn't plan for us to match this particular morning but realized it after I was dressed for work.  Maybe we'll have to find a few more mom/daughter outfits, while she still thinks it's fun to look like her mama!

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turning apples into applesauce.

Over Labor Day weekend we decided to take a trip up to Bellewood Acres for some apple picking. We realized it was a few weeks early for our favorite Honeycrisps but the weather was so beautiful we couldn't resist getting out on the farm and letting the kids run wild.

 Matt got to drive us all on a golf cart through the apple orchards to the right trees.  I think we could have stopped there and the kids would have been happy.  They got such a kick out of riding in a golf cart!

 After some quick instructions from the employees on how and where to pick, we were off!

 We picked about 22 pounds of apples.  They were so huge it only took us about 4.5 minutes to fill our bags before heading back on the cart to drive through the fields again.

 When we got home Matt had the fun task of peeling, cutting, coring and dicing every.single.apple.  (so thankful for him!)

 I then used my own modified version of the Pioneer Woman's Homemade applesauce recipe.

 It took me about 3 hours but in the end we had over 10 containers full of applesauce to last us throughout the year. And…it's amazing. Not to brag, but it's really the best applesauce I've ever eaten.  Ever.

 We finished the night with pork chops and applesauce for dinner….delish!

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