Tidepooling Begins! Regular Tuesday with Irene Resumes...

I was not in the zone when I woke up this morning. In fact, I could feel it was going to be a lazy 4 cup of coffee kind of morning. That is until I looked out the window, saw the incredibly low tide and yelled, "Quick Everyone! Get in the Car! We are going to miss the tide!"

It was a great hunt this morning. We didn't get out far, but Falcom and Marina found plenty of goodies. Falcom found a full sized shrimp

along with several gunnel fish. He also caught a baby cod. Marina caught many tiny flounder and halibut and a baby hermit crab. Janet Fink brought over her tide pool exploration group to Falcom's bucket to show her group the treasures the kids found.

It was a grey day as you can see from the photo. The kids spent an hour just daydreaming in the flowing streams running down from the bluffs.

Then we went to Priscilla's to mow the lawn and check on her after her surgery. (It was on her hand and she is fine.) No, she can not relax and even invited me and the kids in for a cup of coffee. I couldn't believe it! Other people give themselves a day off when they have a surgery. Not Priscilla! The we left for a visit with Irene...

Regular Tuesday with Irene resumed today! Maya was asleep in the next room so we had to kick out the children. Once they were outside playing, Irene poured me a nice Vietnamese coffee which I enjoyed heartily! She told Matt about Priscilla embarrassing me last night at the movie. He wanted to know if I explained it to her...you know, like how and why it works. I got embarrassed again, and then, job fulfilled, he went outside to putter so that Irene and I could really catch up.

I can't remember all the topics discussed today, mostly because DeeJay has pulled up a chair. Right here at the computer and is just sitting over my shoulder talking, just for the sake of talking, talking talking...I can't think what it was that Irene and I talked about! Because he is talking and talking and talking. This is multi-tasking to the extreme!

You know, the world DeeJay was raised in was not child proofed the way ours is. He just told me two stories about falling off a bike, loosing a toe nail, stepping on a nail. Saipan is like America in the sixties. I wonder if I will be there for the pending cultural revolution.

Can you find the sleeping baby? I took this with my night vision goggles.

And for all my foodie friends out there I have to take a moment to brag about the kick butt vegetable dish I created tonight...

Since the Fiddle heads are just peeking out of the earth here, Marina, Falcom and I picked a bunch this past week. You know anymeal becomes braggable when you cook something that can be mistaken for worms and yet the kids still LOVE IT! Tonight I stir fried them with onion and garlic and carrot and when they were done I poured a sauce on them made of pressed fresh ginger, oyster sauce (maybe a tablespoon) soy sauce (maybe a quarter cup) less than a quarter cup of coconut milk that was left in a can by the side of the stove last night while I was at the WW, and then a large squirt of lime juice. I only continued cooking it until it was heated through.

Oh yea, I hit this one out of the park totally! They were perfect, crunchy goodness. Marina had thirds. Both kids are going picking again tomorrow night. That is how much they loved it. I have no idea how many points that has. But it was worth it.

Scales and Cinema

Mindy getting advise from Lynne in the therapy line at the WW

Before leaving my house for the WW, I called Mindy and asked how hot she was. She said she was looking super hot with jeans and a belt. She also said, "And I'm not changing for the scale!" I said, "Are you kidding? That's like breaking the golden rule!"

I got to her house and she had changed. She said she weighed her jeans and belt and they weighed over two pounds. Uh Hu! And they all laughed at me last week for taking off my belt! See Suzanne... I decided to just stay frumpy. Since I've been so hot lately, people have stopped taking me seriously. I can't have that!

And then I got on the scale...and no this is not me flashing a gang sign... I lost two point six pounds. Amen! I think I can continue on this program.

Since the WW was just packed (I'm not even making that up) we were already 20 minutes into the meeting when we finally finished on the scale. I swear that group reminds me of a couple AA meetings I went to in Sacramento. Just packed! Not as much coffee though.

Getting back on point; since neither of us were going to be getting an award this week and because we had already missed over half the meeting we decided to bail and go to the movies instead.

Maid of Honor.

My mom and Priscilla were sitting in front of us. These are their heads in the above picture.

There was a running joke in the movie about some "glow in the dark thunder balls" that a gradmother recieved from a sex toy sales girl. The grandma thought they were a necklace and wore them throughout the rest of the movie. When the movie ended we were visiting with Priscilla and my mom and they asked if we knew what those were. Because they got the joke, but didn't really get it. I explained it to them and Priscilla belts out across the now quietly emptying theater, "So, you and Vince use those Alana?" I am so glad I was not facing her because she would have made fun of me for getting embarassed. Mindy thought that was the best/funniest part of the movie. No, not the grandma wearing the necklace...everyone cracking up at Priscilla.

Maid of Honor is the kind of movie that had Mindy talking most of the way through it. Very predictable. Patrick Dempsy...cute...female lead...cute...predictable. As bad as Mindy thinks...I'm not sure. I asked her what some better romantic comedies are. She named off all the heavy hitters; Crossing Delancy, When H meet S, Mystic Pizza, Moonstruck, Sleepless in Seattle...

I said, "No, think smaller, not the big time, the lighter forgettable romantic comedies..."

She said that the romantic comedy was a "desolate genre".

I said, "That's grim."

Here is a partial list of light romantic comedies that are not heavy hitters, but we feel are better than Maid of Honor:

• Failure to Launch
• Legally Blonde
• Sweet Home Alabama (and while we are talking about Reese)
• The one where she is in a coma and can only be seen by that hot guy that Irene and I love and they are in San Fransisco so it makes us homesick..... I remember, Just Like Heaven.
• I have an Adam Sandler sweet tooth, so I like, Wedding Singer and 50 First Dates. Mindy can't get his Saturday Night Live years out of her mind.
• Mindy likes Miss Congeniality. I'm not convinced it falls under the heading 'light romantic comedy.' Again she replied, 'desolate genre'.

We both wish there was some way to have readers post feedback on the blog-o-sphere, because we would love to hear other people's ideas of great light forgettable romantic comedy. Send me your ideas however you can!

PS We missed you Suzanne!

Mariah's Birthday, Otter Beach Celebration

Our dear friend Mariah had her twelfth birthday today. She planned and arranged the whole thing herself with the help of Edye. It was fun to see all the kids hanging out and enjoying the activities that Mariah developed.

After a big Ice cream Cookie sandwich (in place of cake), we went to Otter Beach where we celebrated the closing of this terrific little school. I love alternative education, and I loved being back with all those like minded people who have watched their kids become independent thinkers and community members throughout the years. There was also some great food there. I will miss the days hanging at Otter Beach. D.P. was weaving flower crowns (Northern MarMars) for the children and some adults.

Mema helped me with my potluck dish by picking up a tub of cream puffs at Save U More and a squeeze bottle of chocolate. We walked around the party handing out cream puffs and she asked if the recipient would like a squirt of chocolate saying, "Would you like some chocolate?"

We decided this was a great way to meet people now that the old standards, "What's your sign?" and "Do you have a light?" are passe.

Falcom and Mystique danced to McCavity for the crowd at open mic. They followed it with Gumbie Cat.

Hitchhiking, Picking Up Mema, Roasting Vince

Whew! What a day. We have made a commitment as a family to not drive if we have an alternative. DeeJay rode his bike to work for the first time (and wiped out at Yukon. I'll post a picture of his battered face tomorrow). The kids and I hitchhiked into town. Luckily Valda picked us up. (I'm kidding...it was pre-arranged) She dropped us at the stop sign at Lake Street and the two kids and I had a wonderful time on our day of stroll around. We window shopped and visited friends, tried on shoes and played in the park.

We ended up at Mindy's because Maddy and Ziza were selling muffins and lemonade. It was a perfect ending place to our stroll around; sweets, friends, kids, visiting. Mindy and I got a bit distracted by each other and when her husband came home he found Aiden, Rio, and Marina with a gallon plastic jar mixing strong tang and imitation crab meat together. It was obvious who was up to the trouble because of the hands that almost looked like they were wearing haz-mat gloves. I wish I had a picture of that.

Vince came and picked us up and we were off to his going away party. Or was that a quitting party?

Anyway, I dropped them over there and then went to pick up Mema at the airport!

Mema and Maya Meet

And brought her back to the party so that she could watch Vince get roasted.

The friends got Vince together a new wardrobe for his new job. (He will not be wearing scrubs to work anymore.) His transformation into his father is coming closer to completion!

Valda's roast was hilarious. The following snippet will give you a good idea of how well she did, hitting his Achilles Heel.

Then my mom got up and gave him a few good zings. Everyone laughed when she told the story of how we went to Hong Kong and spent a day walking around a rural island eating great Chinese food and when we returned to Kowloon he insisted on having Italian Food...Italian Food? In Hong Kong? I was hoping everyone else would get up and throw Vince a few rounds, but...after those two what else was there to say?

Nights like this remind us of how we love the people in our lives. We are so blessed! On the way home he said, "I have to leave that job, but I hate leaving those friends." Thanks everyone!

Maya is Home!

The Five Amigos.

"I don't remember being prepped for this at that prep school I was at..." Maya Wise

Glorious Day! Rejoice! Maya is home! Matt and Irene are still married! The boys love having a new sister. The Grandma's are stoked and I've got a new baby in my life! I also got a fantastic new Louis V. handbag! I am so thrilled. Yes, with handbag, but mostly with the baby .....

Maya could tell right away that I love eating and gave me a fruit snack.

The New Chick-zilla!

Maya will have Priscilla in the palm of her hand very quickly. I know this because she started crying when Grandma was leaving. These are two sentimental girls.

Jazz Dance Camp

This week we have been participating in Jazz Dance Camp! Joselyn is a talented dancer and has won the heart of Mr. Falcom Greear! I think it is a mutual love. I also think that next year we will have not only voice lessons, but dance lessons! Marina likes it, but she is not as totally into it as Falcom is.

Sadly, I was not able to capture the moment on film where Joselyn said, "Remember everyone! I want to see your jazz-hands!" All the kids stopped dancing when the music stopped, and all showed their fabulous jazz-hands! I am still giggling to myself about that...

Fun at the WW

These are not peace signs, but rather 'twos' for the amount of weight I gained this week.

I love WW. Even though I gained two pounds again.
Leanne is helping me get re motivated to journal. We even pinkie swore that we would do it.


Mindy joined up this week.

Wondering how I could have gained two pounds again? Well, let me show you...

Take a look at this delicious salad I got at Two Sisters! You know, they have started selling pizzas and other nice deserts in the evenings. I didn't photograph the pizza I ate or the pieces of desert I had. Yes, I purposefully ate fries with that burger.
Can you see the croissant?
Great, I had the dressing on the side! What about the bacon and cheese on the sandwich?
Can you see the pecan bar poking out? Yea, I ate that!

Halfway through the meeting, N.V. said, "It's a slow process. How many years did it take to put on that weight? Give yourself time." Such kind helpful words. And then she gave our friend Lynn awards for meeting her goals. That was awsome and inspiring. Since then I have been journaling. We'll see how Monday goes!