Riley Women's Club

At the end of our very enjoyable dinner with Leona at Red Robin this evening, Leona said she had something for me. She had seen it at an auction and couldn't resist. I thought it was delightful as well, so Mikayla and I posed with it amidst the plethora of little blue flowers surrounding our waterfall.

Thanks, Leona - we love it!

Mothers' Day Included:

Plans were pretty wide open for Mothers' Day as we were at Michele's house, my mom was in Black Butte with her mom, and we weren't going to meet up with Leona until 5. So, this is some of what the day included:

- hugs from both of the kids (it was courteous of Brayden to pull away from the DS long enough to run upstairs and do that for me!)
- finishing the previously mentioned, very good book.....
- watching HSM2 in the backseat of John's car with Michele (with Ellie and Mikayla in the very back seats) while John drove us to Woodburn (there is just something about both of those movies that lift my spirits immediately......)
- spending hours at Woodburn Outlets - man, that place now has EVERYTHING!
- having just a bit of "buyer's remorse" but feeling like the deals I got and the joy of new clothes made it feel worthwhile
- enjoying the usual kick of trying on clothes in a cramped dressing room with my twin sister, comparing and complimenting clothing and fits, and keeping our two youngest in control.....- it's the simple joys of life......
- taking a raincheck with Leona until tonite as we just shopped for too long.....(thank you - and looking forward to catching up with you!!!)
- talking to my mom who finally figured out what has been the source for her "feeling out of allignment" and very much in pain for the last two weeks+ - she has had a dislocated shoulder! I'm so glad the mystery has been solved, the shoulder is back where it should be, and she'll be able to finally see some marked improvement. However, I'm a little bummed she can't "work on me" until June...... (it always comes back to me doesn't it?)

So, yes, it was a VERY GOOD Mothers' Day - I had a lot of fun and enjoyed the indulgence!

BTW - Thanks everyone who encouraged and commiserated with me on my Friday's post. Can't say this week will be any better, but I know I'm not alone!

Lightheated Saturday

The kids are entertaining themselves with their cousins, and wreaking havoc on someone else's house, so that sounds like a perfect Mothers Day weekend to me. We're here at the Schillings - I'm looking forward to a spa-like bath and a good book (Heather, thinking of you and your knowledge of the French language as I read a book called KISSING ADRIEN (Siri L. Mitchell) - the continuous input of French expressions is a distraction to me, but would probably be fun for you).

I haven't posted some questions in a long time, and since my comments are at an all-time low, thought I'd throw out some not-so-deep-thought inquiries.

1. Tis the season for summer movie blockbusters. What movies will you want to see in the theaters - and are there some (based on financial strain) that you really want to see but will wait for DVD release?

2. Is there any hidden/latent/unexplored talent that if you were to do high school or college over you might want to pursue?

3. What clothing styles are really appealing to you? Is there one store that's been consistently delivering?

For the sake of my own historical recordings - I'm going to go ahead and post my answers here so they'll end up showing up in the future books I put together......

1. Movies I'd really like to see in the theater (so I'm therefore utilizing every Safeway free movie ticket gimmick they have to support it)
PRINCE CASPIAN
INDIANA JONES
HANCOCK
GET SMART
KUNG FU PANDA

Movies I'd like to watch, but figure they'll either wait for the Dollar Theater or Blockbuster
BABY MOMMA
MADE OF HONOR
WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS
WALL-E
THE DARK KNIGHT

2. Last night I dreamed that I was in a theater class with some folks who we're just expected to take the lead of every show. (Heather, think of a girl with initials L.C.) I honestly thought I had something I could offer (no, not in a musical, I have my limits) and it turned into an American Idol sort of thing where I was trying to impress judges. It's not the first time I've dreamed about acting or getting involved in theater - wonder if I'd have the guts - or any talent.

3. I'm liking the fun summer dresses that seem to be helpful to most figures, I like the halter tops (although they are not nice to my neck), and I LOVE the layering t-shirt look as anything long is my friend...... (Major praises that the midriff-baring trends are gone). I often find things that people comment on at Kohls - and for shoes, Ross. I'm a regular fashion Diva, I know.

Mothers' Day Date?

Today was early release day at Brayden's school. OH GOODY!, that 11:30 time of dismissal gave me even more opportunity to bond with both my kids prior to taking off for Michele's when John came home from work. (He has to do a ministry video for Mens' Roundup to do in Salem so we're up north for the weekend).

If that above exclamation sounded semi-sarcastic, it was meant to. Perhaps because my headaches have returned with a vengeance, or sugar is again out of my system, or it's colder than I want it to be in May.... (hey, it's not raining and the sun's out - so I'm not complaining) - but the energy level and tolerance level with the kids have been at all time lows.

I told John today that as I consider Brayden's personality/behavior I realize it is the sort of thing that if he was someone else's kid - I would be very charmed by it and think he's funny and a good time.... but to have to be the mom to him can be very tiring as he's ALL-OTTER - and just can't be still for long at all without pestering or being loud. Then, of course, there is the two-kid combination that generally results in 1) arguing over anything under the sun (especially the time directly before and after school) or 2) Mikayla adopts Brayden's very silly personality so the two of them egg each other on to even more mischief. It was both of these that had me near tears today.

Let me back up a bit and say that I thought I had a really good plan for today - perhaps something extra special that I could call our "Mothers' Day Date" and be memorable in honor of the holiday. I have the "Trail-a-bike" attached to the back of my Cruiser bicycle and we rode Brayden to school today. After school, Mikayla and I picked him up and proceeded to "Potters Quarter" a place in the Oakway Center where you can paint your own pottery. I thought that, combined with a stop at Cold Stone would be a grand plan for spending the afternoon. Anal-retentive Steph (me) would prefer to paint my own Mothers' Day gift (maybe I'll post a picture of my pretty red vase with white spongepainting on top when I get it back), but that just meant the kids got to paint their own special projects that they would like - Brayden picking a skateboard and Mikayla picking a dolphin. All was going well to start, but then they started getting bored - and silly - and well, the relaxation was lost. Ice cream was good too, but both kids just seemed a little too loud. Even on the bike ride back, Mikayla was singing and yelling at Brayden and I wanted to just say, "Look kids, it's MY day, can't you just tone it down and bask in the glory of the sunshine in silence for a while!"

When we returned, they chose to plop in front of the Disney Channel while I mowed the lawns - and when I came in, Hurricane "Mikay-den" had arrived strewing their snacks, toys, papers, and shoes all over. Throw in some more arguing, some blatant disregard for requests I made of them, and honestly, by the time John arrived home, I was ignoring the mascara application in my efforts to get ready because I really thought I'd burst into tears at any moment.

No, it's not "that time of the month" - I think I just feel sad that I can't appreciate them more for just who they are, and they can't respect me in trying just a little harder. Not once were the kids ever intentional in "not being good" - part of the tears thing was knowing how remorseful they both were (and would be even more after Daddy got done talking to them). I don't want to lose any of these precious years of their development, but sometimes it's just easier to plan non-stop playdates so I don't have to deal with the afternoons that can be so trying.

Certainly, after John gave them his disappointment lecture, they both stepped up considerably. My daughter, who already knows my love language, without anyone prompting went to work with Windex Wipes shining anything glass in the house, just to try to make me happier. Brayden said "yes" with eagerness to anything I suggested. I just wish I could have made that happen on my own without John stepping in.

Sigh.......God knows my heart in that I truly believe I am so blessed with both my kiddos, but sometimes this mothering thing can be hard, you know? Today, I feel like I earned this Sunday's holiday.

Mikayla and the Kittens

(This picture is courtesy of another mom in Mikayla's school, so I apologize for its blurriness)

One week ago, when I came to pick up Mikayla at kindergarten, she begged me to stick around so we could see the kittens that the teacher's son was bringing to the school. I love most animals - especially the baby versions, so that was a no-brainer.

I think there were about 8-10 of the little guys running around - all with various colors and hair length. I cautioned Mikayla immediately that we would not be bringing one home, and she made it clear that she understood.

What I didn't know was that the other folks that were sticking around were there not just to admire the kittens, but to pick them out so they could adopt them. They didn't have a problem at all that we were there as well, but it started to hit Mikayla that everyone else was able to leave with a kitten except for her. This led to the inevitable question - "Why can't I get one?" followed up with the "I promise I'll take care of it".

Well..... the truth is, we're really not that big of cat people. I am, more than John, but in our brief stint of owning a cat, I realized that it caused my eyes to became red and itchy. (That cat is now VERY happily a resident of the Alexander barn, between Mom and I, it's for sure that we saved that little guy's life). Not sure if that's an "every cat thing" but it's been my common response if needed to explain. Throw in that big bundle of fur and enthusiasm that we call "Sydney" and the fact that our house is "really not that big" - and it just doesn't seem like a great idea. Perhaps my biggest concern regarding cats is the amount of home damage I've seen them cause over time - both at my parent's house and my sister's first house. While a sweet little kitten may appear to be potty-trained, who's to say that over time, either due to territorialism or senility it will start to leave the tell-tale smell of a cat-owner's nightmare....

As for the second part of the equation - the truth is, I believe Mikayla would take excellent care of a kitten. She's extremely conscientious, caring, and responsible - therefore having ownership of a kitten would be right up her capable alley. But, she's very sensitive too, and if, perhaps, that kitten got lost, or heaven-forbid, hit by a car - it would be devastating.

Despite all these wonderful reasons, I found myself weakening. I even went out to the car to grab my cell phone so Mikayla could use her plea-full charms on Daddy. Fortunately, Daddy did not answer the phone, or we just might have ended up taking home a white long-haired kitten, with grey accents and the most beautiful blue eyes you've ever seen....... Instead, I got to take home just a tearful Mikayla.

I spoke with John once we returned home and he promised to talk to her about it later that night. But, it never got brought up. I think Mikayla recognized it was an uphill battle. That, and when she remarked later in the afternoon about Sydney looking sad, I poured into this whole song and dance about how she's sad because she thinks you want to replace her (pretty clever, huh?). My sensitive little girl bought right into that, and perhaps guilt alone kept her from begging anymore for a kitten (at least for now.......).

Happy Birthday Natalia!

Today is Nati's 8th birthday. Can't believe how fast the time has flown since I was painting my nails in the Corvallis Hospital Delivery Wing waiting for Natalia to make her entrance.

Nati is such a special little girl. I know, everyone can say that, but there is just something so priceless and unique about her. You just can't help but love her, and appreciate her - even if you are rolling your eyes at her antics.

Nati marches to the beat of her own drum, which is, ironically, the same drum beat that Brayden marches to. We don't really understand that, because the link between Nati and Brayden obviously points right back to Michele and I, but neither one is anything like us - we are wondering if we can point back to one of our grandpas.....? I could spend some time trying to describe exactly what makes Nati so special - but, part of it is that it is just so indescribable. And, pretty much, anyone reading this and caring - already knows exactly what I'm talking about!

On Sunday afternoon, we celebrated Nati's birthday by taking her, Ellie, Mikayla, Erica, and Christina on a Webkinz hunt at Valley River Center. Michele put together a bit of a scavenger hunt, and an hour later the girls all walked away clutching their beloved stuffed, animal pets. We then met up with the rest of the families of the party at Cold Stone Creamery and had a splendid warm evening celebrating. Here's some pictures that captured the festivity-

Backseat Driver

This is a very familiar sight on nearly every weekday. Actually, on Wednesdays, Syd gets a playdate with her best-beagle friend, Bogey, but on every other day, Sydney guards the front door, ensuring that I do NOT leave the house without her.

When I return from dropping Mikayla off at kindergarten, Sydney does not want out of the car. In fact, if I were to leave the door open, she would stay in it. She knows that Mikayla needs to be picked up, so she is content to stay in the car until Mikayla joins us once again. She must find it a good place for a morning nap, but more importantly, it is insurance that I will not leave her out of the fun. That's what Sydney is all about, being included in the action. It kills her to be left out. If the kids are all in the kitchen, with the pocket doors closed, she'll stare incessantly at us, and pace relentlessly to the point that we are driven insane and give in.

With the car-riding, it's easy enough to let her come. The downside is the dog hair is all over everything, but it is very cozy to have her company (often I forget she's there). Sometimes, she gets a little arrogant, and thinks she can take over the driver seat, but, one look at my returning, and she scrambles right on over or back. We picked a good dog, that's for sure. (And, not once has she ever complained about my driving!)

Ladies' Mountain Retreat

Saturday morning, promptly at 9am, Amy showed up ready to pick Michele and I up, and shortly thereafter, Lisa - to drive up to Marjie's second home in the mountains, just past Willamette Pass. It's in a little "mountain homes subdivision" called Diamond Peaks and the area is just beautiful. However, when we had originally planned the timing for this girls' get-away, we did not anticipate the amount of snow that would still be present at the 5000 feet elevation where we were at. Fortunately, it wasn't fresh snow, so the roads were still walkable and with temps in the 50's and sunshine outside, no one was complaining.

The day was spent taking a good up and downhill walk, eating lots of snacks, a little card-making/stamping workshop courtesy of Nancy, riding the Polaris all-terrain ATV, and watching Anita Renfroe on DVD which had us all in sporadic fits of laughter. Personally, I enjoyed finishing yet another chick-lit book - and am so happy I have one more before the "trilogy" is over. Prior to leaving this morning, we sat on the porch steps and had some quality prayer time for our husbands, kids, and friends who couldn't make it. What a way to end a quality girls' get-away.....

Post Carnival Smiles

Fantastic Friday

After my particularly whiny previous post, I'm pleased to come to you with a much different perspective. I feel like I'm finally semi-caught up with things, so the day was devoted to some of the better things in life. Such as:

- A delightful trip to Johnson Brothers Nursery for my annual purchase of a hanging basket. I thought Mikayla and I picked a good one:

- While there, we watched swallows make nests in the birdhouses for sale. It was one of those special moments with Mikayla watching a mommy and daddy swallow carrying their little nest supplies..... I wonder if the swallows come with the birdhouse if you were to purchase it.....

- Watching "Darcy's Wild Life" on DiscoveryKids and finding a new alternative to "Dora the Explorer" or "Little Bear". I'm all about these kind of tweener shows....

- Planting some more plants along the waterfall (John spent all weekend powerwashing the driveway, which took a toll along the blue-flowered moss next to the cement) and having Mikayla take care of planting some new strawberry plants.

- Learning some interesting facts from Mikayla. Apparently, a cow can go upstairs, but is not able to walk downstairs. And, did you know, that if you say "Pig" before you go fishing in Ireland, it's bad luck? And, apparently, Nati's grandma (Florene) has a wildlife book that says the number of spots on a ladybug indicate its age (I always thought that was a wives' tale, but, hey, if the book says so.....)

- Chatting with Jodi on the phone about potential vacations and a myriad of other trivia while doing my planting.

Tonight we hit the Gilham Carnival where I will be volunteering for the "Cakewalk". My goal is to walk away with the Lofthouse Sugar Cookies that we will bringing to the carnival..... =)

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

That's the way this week has felt. Such a To-Do list, and I didn't even bother to write one until yesterday. Granted, not everything on the list is of life-changing importance, but there were some deadlines (and still are) that need to be met. Through all of the errands, forms to fill out, checks to be written, snacks to be made, volunteer time to be given at the school, meals to be prepared, lawns to be mowed, etc., etc., the house has just not cleaned itself! Generally, that's a good barometer for where my attitude/stress level is at. Another words, as the level of chaos increases in the house, so it also increases in my head. I'll get a tiny handle on it right before John gets home, then find myself wrapped up in a project and before I know it, I'm waking up to dinner dishes and preparation that never got taken care of, not to mention the kids' crafts, snacks and whatever that somehow happened the night before while I was preoccupied.

Some weeks are just like this - I recall distinctly being ahead of the game during the slower days of February - and I'll get back to that again. But, this week, I'm just trying to stay above the water.....

Target Therapy

I just returned from Target with the kids. Doing any sort of shopping with the kids is not what I would usually consider relaxing or in anyway therapy (particularly both of them together) however, when we stumbled upon the seasonal summer aisles, I felt my "giddy" level increase dramatically. There's something about all of the ideas of what could be for the summer: luau parties, bar-b-q's, afternoons with bubbles, evenings making s'mores - and lots of activities involving sunscreen and water.....it makes for lots of happy endorphines. Any summer activities you find yourself particularly daydreaming about?

From the Bookshelf: Chill Out, Josey!

TITLE: Chill Out, Josey!
AUTHOR: Susan May Warren
GENRE: Christian Chick-Lit
HERE'S MY THOUGHTS: I loved, loved, loved this book. I have spent all day consuming it as I just can't leave Josey without knowing how everything turned out. And, yes, there were a few tears as I finished it. This is the sequel to EVERYTHING'S COMING UP JOSEY which was one of the first chick-lit books I've read. I'm not usually a fan of first-person writing style, but this is a major exception. I'm a huge fan of this kind of chick-lit - particularly if the character is as lovable, relate-able and real as Josey is. I have a feeling Susan May Warren would be someone I would want as my best friend! Certainly read the first one, before this one - and good news for the rest of us, in August a third Josey book will be released!
INSIGHTS I'VE GAINED: God will often lead us into uncomfortable places so we'll depend solely on Him and not on our power, and marriage, particularly early on, can be very difficult!

I couldn't help putting up this book review as it was such a fun read. If you are looking for something light, encouraging, and laughable, check this one out!

Nothin' But Blue Skies

This morning I woke up, looked up and saw blue skies. Yes, thanks to our 1979 architecture, complete with two living room skylights - and the fact that I was the den-mother to the cousins' living room camp-out, I did literally wake up looking at the sky. It was a BEAUTIFUL thing. I can't even tell you how awesome. The older I get, the more I value gorgeous weather. Just perfect.

The cousins were camping out because this morning Michael and Michele left to giddy-up along the Oregon coast in their own re-enactment of our experience last year horse-back riding and staying at the Overleaf Lodge. They were "giddy" this morning =) as they gathered their layers of jackets to stay warm in the coastal winds. We all had melt-in-your-mouth pancakes, bacon - and then they took off. Leaving in their wake a family of happy children engrossed in Nintendo DS, Wii, and the Barbie Horse-Stable Set. I'm so happy for M&M - they continuously get hit with obstacle after obstacle in life, many that have never been chronicled in this blog, and yet they keep hurdling them. Hopefully, this weekend, they can just rest in the blessings of each other and life in general.

Last night we all gathered at Olive Garden with the Whites as well, and cashed in accumulated gift cards. We had a clever waiter that enjoyed our large group. It was still a warm-enough day to feel like a spring-summer-on-its-way evening, and its one of those memories that, at the time, didn't seem like much, but will imprint into my mind as a "all-is-well" experience. I love our little family (yes, Whites included).

So, enjoy the beautiful weather, wherever you are - summer is not too far away!

Our Journey to OZ

OZ is the new "cool" advertising gimmick used by the Oregon Zoo......

I gotta say, this morning my enthusiasm for this field trip was pretty darn low. I had left things to be done in the morning (always a recipe for feeling stressed) and walked out of the door knowing I'd forgotten at least one thing. As it turned out, it was three things - gloves, my Russian Tea, and warmer clothing.

With that in mind, we did make it to the school on time and I was assigned a very pleasant group of kids to keep track of. In addition, one of the boys' mom came along, so pretty much it was Brayden, one of his birthday-party buddies, and a sweet little girl. I could totally handle that.

The bus ride up was tolerable - a little chilly, but I did manage to start a fun chick-lit book and nod off for a while. However, at the Salem rest stop I was acutely aware of how very cold it was outside and how under-dressed I was (despite two Northface jackets). My only saving grace, one of those Thermacare patches I threw in.

By the time we had toured the primates, elephants and African Safari, it was seriously raining (or should I say hailing), and I, without even a hood, was losing feeling in my fingers. We had lunch next to the bathrooms, apart from the rest of the group because 1) we didn't want to travel in the rain and 2) we weren't even sure the Elephant Pavilion had covered space or tables to sit at. On my trip to the restroom, I discovered it actually had very hot water and I nearly ditched my group to spend the rest of the day under the faucet.

We then hightailed it to the Gift Shop as it was a mandatory stop for some point in the day - and it was heated. What do you know, but for $9.99 they sell a fleece hat/gloves/scarf set. And, despite the fact that it didn't match my attire it was one of the best $10 purchases I've made in a long time. The rest of the day improved dramatically from there.

Perhaps my favorite part of the day isn't even included in these pictures. On the way home, Brayden and I worked through a workbook with wordsearches, mystery riddles, and word scrambles with Brayden's teacher sitting across the aisle, helping out and chatting. How rare for me to spend 2 plus hours totally consumed with positive Brayden time (not to mention the time spent at the zoo). Just goes to show that those experiences we find ourselves dreading, can turn out to be absolute blessings.

From the Bookshelf: Betrayed

TITLE: Betrayed
AUTHOR: Jeanette Windle
GENRE: Christian Fiction-Political/Suspense
HERE'S MY THOUGHTS: This is the second book I've read from this author. The first one was very gripping and involved the drug trade and being in a trapped marriage within the "drug royalty" of South America (CROSSFIRE). This book centers in Guatemala - addressing the people that live in the trash dumps as well as the cloud biosphere found in few other places in the world. Within these settings, the political tension of "tree-huggers" vs. "people huggers" is everpresent- as well as those that would want to reform Guatemala into a true democracy vs. allowing the Guerrilla warfare continue that had people fearing that the Mayan peoples would eventually take over.
INSIGHTS I'VE GAINED: Needless to say, the book has had my wheels turning regarding the terrible injustices of these poor countries, why America has made the choices it has in the past in our involvement with them, and how hindsight would now tell us they weren't necessarily the right choices. As in so many third world countries, you can urge democracy, but if people aren't educated to the extent that they understand the political system and can make an educated decision on the candidates, you may end up with leaders just as corrupt and destructive as you started out with. Also, the environmental issues - particularly in regards to the rain forest regions, it's just not so easy to say, "stay out and leave it be". Throw in the drug trade and its complications and oh boy, there's a whole mess of problems.

I appreciate that Jeanette has done a good job in both books in not painting the picture in black and white. There are a lot of shades of gray when it comes to trying to determine the right course of action. She speaks from an abundance of experience as she was a missionary there for 16 years and has traveled extensively. In fact, the US Government has approached her as to who her sources are as her books apparently speak to such truthful scenarios that it would appear she's had access to classified information.

I can't say you won't see the twists in the storyline coming, or find some of the circumstances unbelievable, but if for no other reason than educating yourself on the some of the plights of those living in Central and South America - this is a great read.

Back in the Saddle

I'm feeling much more stabilized today. Yesterday, I was borderline delirious - I am VERY influenced by how much sleep I get, so when things are messed up, so am I. As it turned out, Brayden came back in the morning and slept for 4 and a half hours before I finally woke him up to go to school for the short time remaining. I felt like it was good for him to back in the groove regarding school vs. just skipping all of Monday.

Funny how there is a timelessness of home. No matter how long you're gone, it will seem like no time at all as soon as you are back. Jodi wrote a very sweet post on another meaning of home - check it out at www.literarygirl.wordpress.com

I also find it interesting how fast progress can be reversed. How fast the spotless house (that took hours to get it there) can be trashed by laundry, toys, and spilled sugar all over the floors. How fast I can gain 8 pounds when it took 3 months to lose them! How fast months of fingernail and toenail progress can be erased with the anxiety of wondering when we'll get home. Even my face is not nearly as clear as it was before I left (lack of Pro-active consistency and use of suncare products). The only thing that is better - some color I gained from the sun, will soon fade - and causes wrinkles and potential skin cancer! Of course, I'm okay with it all. I've said it before, and I'm sure I'll say it again - food is an integral part of my vacation/celebration/life experience, so if it requires being really good for a long time so I can have a week of being really bad, I really can handle that. Same for the rest of it too. I just, once again, find it crazy how fast things can spiral downward when it takes so long to go uphill.

I think perhaps I'll put up a book review tomorrow of a different genre than my usual sci-fi. And, then, hold on to your seats..... Thursday should bring some real excitement as I set off to help chaperon (I'd swear that word has an "e" at the end, but spellcheck says "no") Brayden's class trip to the Portland zoo. Which includes (I can hardly wait!) riding the school bus with the kiddos there and back..... Hopefully, it will choose not to snow that day.......

A Doozy of a Monday

This will be a post that I'll add to later, but for now, just wanted to let you know that we made it home - and apparently with Mikayla's eardrums intact. She didn't complain about the flight, so I'm guessing we're okay.

However, when we got to the airport in Maui, we found out there was a three hour delay - so we didn't arrive in Portland until 2:15am, and the clock said about 5:30am, before I laid down in bed. Unfortunately, it was my turn to carpool to school, so we all loaded into the car, but I ended up bringing Brayden back home with me. He kept falling back asleep - which I totally relate to.

So, we are all going to go back to bed until we all wake up on our own. I'll post later......

Wake-Up Call

I was in the middle of riding Sydney as if she was a horse on some unknown campus, trying to figure out where the science building was for the final I never prepared for when all of a sudden - strobe lights and woop-woo-woop. What?! Oh, some sort of emegency - yes, that's the fire alarm. Blessedly, it was around 7:45, so not too early, but John was having everyone get dressed so we could, what? - evacuate to the ocean? In the back of my mind, I even wondered it if it was a tsunami warning. With our vacation luck (strokes, step throats, Angora Fires) nothing would surprise me.

Just as we got to our pool chair location, it all stopped. It was a false alarm, sure enough. At least it yanked me out of the annoying dream sequence - last several nights have been rather stressful for my sub-conscious.

As "alarming as that was" - this is what the Schillings woke up to..... BRRRRRR!


Here's some final shots of special moments here that I haven't otherwise posted about.....
This is a "re-enactment" of exactly where John and Brayden had "the talk". Yes, birds and bees sort of thing. John said it was just awesome- Brayden was ready and handled it super well.
This is Mikayla in her tent the day she got diagnosed with strep and was told she shouldn't be submerging underwater. She drew pictures and played with her webkinz under there.

Mr. Lizard - trying to attract the ladies by puffing his throat out-

This would be Brayden's first big efforts at photography. If you note the cord at his side, he used the remote to snap the picture just as he threw a spiral to John. And, btw, John did catch it....

And, here is the Riley Pharmacy that we had going on to try to fix all of our maladies....

Pretty self-explanatory - the girls in the pool--

We miss you Whites!

One of the pics of just John and I-

A very appropriate final parting shot.....

Stuck in Paradise

So, here's a dilemma for us. We just returned from the check-up at the Doctor on Call clinic. No more fever for Mikayla, ears look "better", but, uh - "When were you going to fly out?" "Uh, today...." "Well, I don't think that's going to work....."

Sure enough, he did a little eardrum vibration check, brought out the printout results and said, "What you want to see is some spikes to show that the eardrum is responding to vibration - you don't want to see this - where there's absolutely no movement". (My understanding is this would mean that the change in pressure from flying could potentially burst both of her eardrums). He proceeded to tell me that he can't even be sure when she'll be better - "let's be optimistic and have you visit in 24 hours again". (He says they see this sort of thing all the time....)

Well, now. This is not the situation we anticipated. The funny thing is, where yesterday was an icky day weather-wise - lots of humidity, "vog" (the volcanic haze), and very bright - today is the deepest blue skies we've seen all week. I found myself trying to absorb every last minute of it on the walk to the doc's knowing that I'd soon be returning to a high temp of 47 degrees in Oregon. Well, there you go.

Now, we are just waiting for John to return to break the news to him and figure out what we'll be doing- little things like a new flight, perhaps a place to stay... little details like that. We'll keep you posted!

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Well, it's about an hour later. You should have seen the look on John's face when he saw the "Doctor's Restriction Sheet". Kind of a "deer in the headlights" look....

He's currently on the phone with the airlines. We've already secured a room in another part of the resort - for an exorbitant amount of money, and we're holding our breath to see what fees we'll be accruing by changing the flight reservations. This is one expensive ear infection.

The Whites are going home today. This makes me very sad. We're kind of a package deal these days - our only special little family. (On a funny note, Mikayla, Stephie and I were walking hand in hand - Mikayla in the middle - to the luau. Mikayla got several comments on how pretty she looked and I asked afterwards to Steph - "So, do you have your wedding ring, on Steph? The one that DOES NOT match mine?" Travis and John have dealt with the same issues as they've done activities together with Brayden). But, it makes no sense for them to stay and deal with the extra costs as well, especially when we have no guarantees that we can for sure leave tomorrow. Throw in a huge work day Steph is anticipating on Monday (for a board meeting), and it's a big deal that she gets settled in at home and prepared this weekend. Sigh..... While it seems like a fun idea to "keep vacationing", it's turning out to be a bit of a let-down. But, of course, don't feel sorry for us, we'll do what we can to make the best of it......

It looks like, now, we'll be staying through Sunday. The price per person to change the tickets is not pretty - and the risk of having to pay it again tomorrow is not worth it. Sigh..... Alright, time to check out - more posting to come, later.