All grown up…

'cause we have been pre-approved for a mortgage, and I am just excited, nervous, freaked, and all of the above. Mind you, we don't actually know that we are going to buy a house, but we thought on the off-chance that we found a homestead-like place that we wanted to buy in the DC suburbs*,then we should have the funds available.  I don't know of any reputable Realtor who will take my say-so as the end-all, be-all in what we can afford to purchase, and rightly so.   

We received the good word yesterday and immediately pounced on the real estate listings.  Peter found the perfect place five minutes later on Zillow.  Fabulous, until we realized that the previous listing agent had never removed the listing and the house actually sold last June. Thanks, Zillow, *deletes from Real Estate bookmarks*!  I then did a quick search, found a great place and Mr. nixed it as it is a teensy-weensy bit over our 'approved' amount. Details, details.  Now, realistically, are we going to find a house on the net and love it so much that we sign a contract the next day?

Nope.  We are just going to peruse until our eyeballs have popped out of their sockets from staring at the computer screen too long, and the girls promise to share a room if we will quit asking their opinion on every house we even remotely like.  HA, as if!  Then we will just freak out, reverse our stance on buying, and peruse the rentals in other areas like crazy.  Oh, wait, we didn't stop doing that in the first place.  

Now should you happen to absolutely love and adore your neighborhood, the schools seem reasonable (I realize this is open to interpretation), the commute (to DC and/or Arlington) doesn't require hotel reservations (yes, PA is out), the area is fairly walkable, and that cute little cozy, yet roomy and very updated Cape Cod down the street *with a basement* (this might be my major requirement) is available, feel free to shoot me an email.  We loved our old neighborhood, but not sure we would find exactly what we want in our limited time-frame.  

*We are not avoiding the city, but we need to have residency in a certain, er, Commonwealth, if you will.  We  feel we should purchase in said state eventually in order to make sure those pre-paid tuition plan payments that choke us each month will actually work in our favor.  

I felt pretty lazy today, but then I read

this comment and that sealed it.  My cyber-friend, Kolbi, has thought up an ingenious idea and run with it.  It's the kind of idea that makes you sit back in your (not-so-comfortable desk chair), smack your head, and wonder why on earth you didn't think of it?  The key point?  Someone did, she went with it and I love it.

Kolbi has compiled excerpts from various blogs written by those in the Foreign Service and/or their family members, used the blog's own photos or added related images, linked back to the original sites, and added a spin of her own.   She completes each section by adding her  own take on the post of the week and an excerpt of said blog to tempt you.  The only problem is deciding which site to visit first.   I think there are even a few new blogs for my blog-shelf, and can't wait to have another cuppa and review them.

It is very clear that she put a great amount of time and effort, and whether your goal is to learn more about the Foreign Service itself (work-wise), general stories of life in the FS, or just have a gander at great photograph moments from all around the world, please take a look.  You can also always click through to her family blog (and reach the round-up) by clicking on "A Daring Adventure" at the top of my blog roll.  Hats off to you Kolbi, for a great idea, and I personally cannot wait to read next week's installment!

In other news?  Um, none really.  In fact, reading through the aggregate of blogs made me a bit weary for the days of living overseas.   We are still clueless about our next post (after Peter's tour de….), but can't wait to see that bid list that should be coming out in 4-5 short months.  You know, after we move to um, where's that real estate section again?

Note: above photo is from Kolbi's site and should link through to the round-up. Enjoy!

The response was overwhelming….

and the votes are in….and whether you thought it was the best choice, or you guessed that it was Kelsey's favorite….

Yep, Dress D is her current gown of choice.  She LOVED the flowers, and the layered skirt.  While it's not yet a guarantee, I think it is safe to say that we will be headed back to the store soon to give it a another whirl and re-visit the veils. 

I was actually a bit unsure about posting the poll in the beginning, but I ended up being overwhelmed by the responses.  I don't always like making decisions like this completely on my own and with Peter liking one as much as the next…well, each opinion helped!  Thanks so much, I am very grateful to all of you who commented here, on Facebook, through email and by phone.  Oh, and I almost forgot…I actually meant to post one more photo yesterday:  a comparison to the 'non short-listed' dress Kelsey tried on.

It was created and sewn by my mother, and if I remember correctly, she worked into the wee hours of the morning finishing the dress.  That's it, it's genetic!  I knew that it may not fit or at that Kelsey might not want to wear it, but love that she at least tried it on.  I think she even thought it was "cool" or "neat", as she commented, "If you have another daughter, she could wear it for her First Communion!" 

No, that's NOT an announcement, and she begged me not to tell anyone, but I thought it was too…Kelsey…not to share.  Oh, and the comparison photo?  Well, I found one just of me, but thought that wouldn't be much fun.  Instead, I decided to use a few family photos.  If you get to see me in my early 80's finery, then everyone is fair game!  In all seriousness, this was one of my favorite celebrations, as so much of my family went hundreds of miles out of their way to attend (way before iPods, in-car DVD players and possibly FM radio in some cars). 

I'm pretty sure I said something then, but it certainly bears repeating: many thanks to Mom, Dad, Amanda, Grandmom, Grandpop, Grandmere, Grandpere, Uncle Bill, Uncle David (who assisted with the ceremony), and Aunt Peggy (and those who wanted to be there, but couldn't) for your support.  You made it an amazingly special day, and I won't ever forget that.  Now back to those photos…

You be the judge!

Cause I am seriously all tapped out.  We are 96 days and counting until we depart California on our cross-country quest and journey to find a home for a year.  I am still tossing ideas around in my head, and the current real estate market has only made the decision-making process that much more complicated.  Housing prices are still high, rentals low (but they are rentals, and I am so over renting after this debacle), and no idea which place will be best in the end.  I know what I would like to do, and then there is what is prudent…*sigh*.

Enough of that, we have a party to plan!  Well, a celebration that will hopefully include some sort of party, and most importantly, requires a well-chosen dress.  If you are just joining us, Kelsey's First Communion is rapidly approaching (we think, hope no one is under the impression the church has actually contacted us to confirm the date), and will occur one of the first two weekends in May.  I am not worried about the ceremony, as I know she will be fine…but I do want her to feel as though the day is special and she is prepared.

Cough, ahem, that is to say, I would prefer to not spend the morning (and likely very early morning at that) sewing up the bodice of her dress. 

"Sewing?!"

Yes, I know, everyone knows I can't sew.  However, I can do a few quick stitches when the need arises, and it most definitely arose at Caitlin's First Communion.  Some of you may remember that we could not find a dress.  Since Grandpa Kirk was headed just south of the Arctic Circle to visit with us for the week, we asked him to bring a dress with him.  This, of course, hinged on Dibby could locating one that might fit (in any way, shape or form).  Cait and I pored over emailed photos, closed our eyes, spun around, stuck our fingers on the computer screen and picked a frock.  Luckily, we both picked the same one.

The only issue was that Cait required a dress that would fit a 10 year old height-wise, cause, you know, she was 7.  Waist-wise?  Um, yeah, that of a 5 year old would be perfect.  We went for the best dress height-wise, I spent the morning pulling in the waist, and voila, an angel.

We have an entirely different situation now.  Every other store in the East Bay caters to bridal parties and First Communicants.  Dresses, tailors and the like are readily available and relatively inexpensive.  Choice makes it easier, right?

Not so much.  I originally thought Kelsey could just wear Cait's old dress.  I know, nothing like a hand-me down on one's special day, but who would know the difference?  One problem:  it's three sizes too big.  Unlike Cait and despite the fact that she appears to have a similar build, Kelsey actually wears regular (not slim) and still wears size 7/8 without the issue of pants appearing to be clam diggers.

  We tried on the dress and Kelsey swims in it. It's not just too big, it's way too big.  She could wear it, but would require major alterations.  We then tried on Cait's flower girl dress from a certain someone's wedding just in case…amazing how the dress falls to almost the same place on their ankles…yet Cait was barely 6 at the time and Kelsey is now almost 8.  Last, but not least, we gave one more dress a go.  It's actually almost too snug (if remember me as a youth, this would not surprise you) in the bodice, and just covers the knees.  The collar is already quite tight and while she enjoyed trying it on, it didn't make the short list.  Pardon the hair by the way, sort of a last-minute try on session…just imagine her with flowing curls and a veil.

With all of this in mind, we recently stopped at a local boutique to see if they had anything in stock…boy, oh boy, did they.  I found several that I liked, Kelsey found a keeper, and I am hoping any or all of them are available at a certain shop in Germantown where prices are a bit lower.  So, without further ado, I present the selection:

So, dress A (first two pictures on left) or dress B (with veil in the third shot).  I should add that she was not fond of the lace in the second dress ("too scratchy!"), and I am sympathetic to that sort of worry.  The last thing you want to do is fidget uncomfortably during this sort of sacred ceremony.  She also tried on a few more…

Here we have dress C (first two photos and veil #2), dress D (middle photo w/an optional jacket) and dress E.  I am not going to state which, if any, might be Kelsey's favorite (at least not at this time), but would love any and all opinions.  Which one and why?  Sleeves or no sleeves?  Jacket? Which veil?

I know, so many questions.  However, any and all input is appreciated.  We won't reveal the winner  until the special day, but would love any feedback (especially if anything seems terribly inappropriate…it has been a while).  With all of that being said, if any one happens to see one of the above dresses (or something extremely similar) hanging around at Chocolate Soup, please let us know! 

I know I have to be realistic, and in the end it will likely be mostly Kelsey's choice, but other viewpoints always help in my opinion. Now back to those real estate listings…

Til hamingju með afmælið

Happy Birthday sounds so much more exotic in a different language, non?  Given that Nicholas was born in Reykjavik, it seems fitting.

Sunday was the actual fiesta, though not quite as elaborate as some of our past festivities.  I think, despite my desire not to stress about the future, that I needed to have one less thing to worry about.  Since Nicholas is only two, and we were not tying in a baptism or other celebration, we figured we could go easy this year. As Peter expected,  he enjoyed himself just as much and we had a fun afternoon that didn't have me running around like a crazed maniac.   I was also not exhausted from icing a cake well into the night (I'm resting up for next year!).  Oh, I was still tired, but not as tired.

We invited two friends over (one for each year, but only one made it), and we had an activity ( coloring with markers (!) courtesy of the girls), cake, ice cream and presents.  Oh,and decorations galore, mostly courtesy of his sisters.  They spent hours making a giant sign (complete with photos), hanging streamers and arranging balloons.  To say it was sweet is an understatement.

Nicholas enjoyed opening the gifts, and, of course, was ready to stop after opening each one (a la Christmas).  I was grateful for the small gathering as anything more might have been too much.  He had a great, but not overwhelming time and enjoyed plenty of play time with his new treats when it was all over.  We had little to no clean-up, and there was plenty of extra cake (single layer chocolate with butter cream icing from Whole Foods.  Can you say YUM?).  And, with that, the 2nd birthday is officially over. 

Well, there is that last little sliver of cake in the fridge ….

We have been chomping

at the bit to get to the California Academy of Sciences since it re-opened in December of 2008 (yes, 2008). The only deterrent thus far has been the constant barrage of complaints about long lines.  My father was able to go when he had a free day during a visit last February, but it was a dreary Monday, and the lines were few, if any, as everyone was either at school or work.  After not making it last week, we figured it would be the perfect way to spend Nicholas's birthday.

We headed out very early on a Saturday morning (for us), after dragging Caitlin out of bed kicking and screaming.  Apparently, she "wasn't aware" of the plans for the day.  A bit of moaning and groaning and 23 books later, we were in the car and on the way.  We were through the tunnel before we knew it and the bridge traffic was practically non-existent.  Peter thought there was a hiccup when he saw an enormously long line as we drove up to the parking garage, but then realized he was looking at the de Young, not the Academy (free day at the King Tut exhibit).

As mentioned previously, we tried to go last week, but opted to wait and, YES!, saved $25.  Pete is officially a hero as far as their terms require, so he flashed the badge and we got in.   I could have done without the snarky look from the cashier (um, he earned those creds, no looks necessary!), but his ticket read $0.00 and we headed through the doors.

 
I really hesitate to do much of a review here, because I am afraid I will do the Academy a disservice.  I have heard so much about it since it opened, and could not wait to get there.  My reasons are probably a little bit different as I was more excited about the environmentally sound aspects of the building itself (my heart went aflutter when I saw compost bins next to every waste basket & recycling bin).  I was sure I would also find the exhibits fascinating, but really wanted to see more about the design of the  building.  Turns out I could have stayed home and studied the website if that was my only interest.

The Academy has a lot to offer, but perhaps we have been to too many aquariums, gardens, conservatories, natural history museums, and, yes, gift shops.  I had a constant feeling of deja vu…take a bit of the Smithsonian, add it to the Baltimore Aquarium, sprinkle a little of the butterfly conservancy on it, add a side of the zoo in Caracas, and don't forget to cover it with Icelandic turf houses.  For once, I felt over-traveled and, well, disappointed?

The kids loved it, but Pete and I left feeling sort of…blah.  The kicker was standing on the roof with everyone oohing and ahhing over the grass covering.  Yes, it is awesome and energy efficient, but we saw them on a regular basis all around the country in Iceland.  Heck, our friends just outside the city proper were living in a house with a turf roof.  So, to be quite honest, the only thing that surprised us was how much other folks seemed to be in awe, and I realized, sadly, that I am officially a museum snob.

Does this mean you shouldn't go?  No, it doesn't.  Every child we saw seemed to truly enjoy themselves and were totally immersed in the activities, as were most adults.   Nicholas is still amazed by everything, and Kelsey and Cait really dug the rain forest portion, as it jibed neatly with studies they have done in science class.  I also know myself well enough to know I would have been extremely disappointed to not go and experience it.  However, that being said, I am relieved I didn't purchase a membership.  If we lived down the street, it would be one thing, but given our distance and the short time we have left here, I don't see us returning anytime soon.

It was still a great day for the birthday boy, though, as he was treated to not one, but two free "chock-chock" ice creams during the day.  His sisters were quite vocal with the waiters at both lunch and dinner about his new age, and the Little Guy was very appreciative.  We saved the real cake and ice cream (and presents) for Sunday, and just enjoyed having so much free time to explore the city's offerings on his special day.

24

months to the day since the Little Guy arrived.  Two entire years and he is a full-fledged toddler, careening toward the preschool years.  How is it possible so much time has passed?  It seems like just yesterday I was pregnant, grateful to be sick after an early scare, and then happy to finally 'look' pregnant at 9 months.  Then an amazing birth experience (thank you, Icelandic health care system) and our family gained a new and incredibly adorable member….

In June, we moved back to the U.S. and spent a good portion of the time visiting family and friends on Home Leave.  The first picture below was just after passing through customs, and his official 'entering the U.S. for the first time' photo (no, he is not an Icelandic citizen, but, yes, he does have a very cool (literally) place of birth listed on his passport).  The Residence Inn became our home until we settled officially in the East Bay with a now almost six-month old.

Peter had started work almost the minute he arrived, and we also commenced the search for a new home.  We found one, moved in soon fter school started, and before we knew it, Nicholas was crawling everywhere. We got a little busier in the fall, and Nicholas had an overwhelming number of firsts…food, holidays,teeth, words, steps…amazing!

Then we hit the biggest first: the birthday, which coincided very nicely with his baptism.  This celebration brought a plethora of family and friends out our way, for which we were very grateful.

Summertime wasn't just a time of growth for the garden…LG had turned into a walking, talking little man.  We spent a good portion of the summer back east showing off him (and his beautiful big sisters), and the rest of the time exploring areas near and far in California.

Fall headed our way, school was back in session, we had activities galore, and the Little Guy's vocabulary grew exponentially.  He surprised us with sentences fairly early, and seemed to understand everything we said perfectly…gulp.  We enjoyed many a festival, and couldn't deny our inner mouse;  Thanksgiving vacation was well spent at Disneyland.

Despite an inauspicious beginning, nearly 3 years later we have an incredibly awesome LG.  He is the light of our lives and binds us together in more ways than we knew possible.  Thank you, Nicholas Quinn, and Happy 2nd Birthday to our sweet, dear LG.

Ashes, ashes

Kelsey was excused from CCD class today for to allow for all children and their parents to attend a special Ash Wednesday children's liturgy at 5 p.m. today.  Cait was unavailable due to choir practice and Peter had his joyous commute, so Nicholas, Kelsey and I were left to our own devices.  The list of participants (or lack thereof) is why (as of late) I don't particularly enjoy church without another adult along for the ride.

Despite the fact that it was a short ceremony, Nicholas got his share of hair-pulling, biting (grinning demonically while doing so), toy car throwing and screeching in.  Yes, he's two on Saturday, and he is very, very, very good at it.  Oops, forgot pinching.  Despite the fact that his nails are almost non-existent, he could be in the pinching Olympics.  I am fairly sure the skin on the back of my arm is now completely numb.

I know, this sweet little boy?  Yes.  However, the only bright spot (if it can be considered one) is that he keeps it in the family.  He leaves Caitlin alone (for the most part), pulls Kelsey's hair occasionally, and will attempt to bite Pete.   No one outside the family is ever touched, and my only conclusion is that this is some sort of performance review on his part, and I clearly have many issues to work on (he has yet to articulate what the issues might be) in the coming year. You can bet I have quite a few ideas of what Nicholas should give up for Lent.

Kelsey has decided to give up whining (which has, ironically, tapered off lately) and Cait is still deciding.  They were debating many different items yesterday, but Cait couldn't settle on anything definitively.  On the other hand, I miraculously came up with something at the very last minute.  Nothing earth-shattering, but something that will be easy to remember.  Nothing has derailed me more than forgetting what I had given up.  Yes, entirely possible, sadly, I have done it many a time in the past. 

Possibly the only time I didn't forget, perhaps because it was just one item, was back in 2006.  I was late with the decision, as usual, but opted to give up soda.  I really only drank one kind: Coke.  Since I grew up in the South, I should clarify that I do mean Coca-cola (the one and only).  I don't mean diet (blech), new, Pepsi or 7-Up….just plain old Coke.  I began to realize how much we bought (and thus I drank) one day while getting it uber-cheap at the base.  I think we paid somewhere in the neighborhood of $3/12 cans (is that cheap?  it seemed to be at the time…).  I would buy several packs, and it would last a week or two…meaning I could easily be drinking 2-3 cans of empty calories (and, let's face it, tooth-rotting junk) per day.

It suddenly seemed like a ton of something my body and teeth just didn't need.  I remembered giving it up in the past and it seemed like after a week or two, I didn't miss it anymore.  So, I figured, why not?  Guess what?  It worked.  Not only did it work for Lent, but I have kept to it since then.  I have had a sip now and again when nothing else was available, or if I really craved one (occasionally while pregnant), but that's it. 

I realize it might sound silly, but I know we have saved a ton of money.  Peter also gave it up last year, and now only drinks the occasional diet Squirt.  The kids will have an occasional soda when out, but I don't buy the stuff, and I don't miss it.  In fact, neither one of the kids had any until we returned to the States.  And, believe it or not, I have been ridiculed at times for not "letting them" have it. In reality, they simply never developed the taste for it until now.  I am not going to throw up fences around them and say no completely (good way to encourage them to sneak it behind my back), but I don't keep any around the house.

So, I will be interested to see what, if any, effect my current Lenten goal has on me or my health (there's a clue…).  If anything, it may not even be the item itself, but more likely related issues.  Only time will tell!  In that vein, anyone out there have a Lenten promise they care to share?

Fat Tuesday

Last year, at this time (Mardi Gras, to be exact), we were at dinner at a local restaurant in Danville, CA.  We enjoyed their Mardi Gras fare, though if you have had *true* N'awlins cuisine, well, wasn't quite there.  Almost, but not quite. 

Yesterday it hit me that once again I had nothing truly planned for Mardi Gras.  Church on Ash Wednesday , but no spectacular Tuesday night dinner. This is really nothing new, as it always seems to sneak up on us, and in reality, I have never even attempted such fare.  I love eating it, but the thought of cooking it nearly paralyzes me.  Which recipe would be the best or the most genuine, could I even locate Andouille sausage and, most importantly, would anyone in the family want to try my dish of choice (other than me)?

Last night I threw caution to the wind, and with my new-found Foreign Service Julia Child desire to truly enjoy both the process of cooking and the dishes that I create (or re-create)…I decided to attempt to serve up a true Fat Tuesday meal.  Well, not an entire meal…really just a dish….let's not go crazy!

Can anyone guess what actually ended up in our bowls?

Anyone? As it turns out, not nearly as difficult as I assumed, though it did help to prep way ahead of time, and assume it would be more time intensive than it was.

Anyone?