The Happs

Here's what's happening, also known as "the happs", which is what the parents refer to as "what the kids say", though I am not really sure that any kids say "the happs", but I really think that they should.

 

Anyway...

 

Something wonderful happened!  So wonderful!  Joseph got a job!

 

Now, to be honest, I got Joseph a job.  But he wanted the job.  I just did all the registering, scheduling and transportation.  I'm like his "momager", which is what the kids call their mom-managers.  Aren't I right, Kris Jenner?

 

Are you just dying to know what Joe does now to pay the bills support his longboarding habit, other than babysit his siblings, unload the dishwasher, take out the trash, and clean the bathrooms?

 

He is a little league umpire!  Perfect, right?  Or "perf", as no one probably says.

 

His first umping gig was last Saturday, and I could tell that he was super anxious.  We picked up his friend Zak, who is also working his first jobby-job, and I dropped them off at the field.  I snuck a picture as they walked away.

Now, get this- the pay scale for umpiring is $30 per game if you are working behind the plate, and $20 per game if you are working at the bases.  The first game lasted approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes.  Joe asked, "Mom, aren't I, like, making more than minimum wage?"  Yes, son. Yes, indeed you are.  Why didn't I apply to be a little league umpire?

 

Zak and Joe are hoping to work most of their games together because they are great buds and because Zak prefers to work the bases and Joe prefers to work the plate.  Perf!

 

They were so happy after the game that I took a risk of being a super embarrassing mom and asked if I could take a picture.  Zak said yes and Joe groaned.  "Smile!  Say 'employed!'"

 

Joe's baseball season also began last Saturday.  Max, Lucy and I packed up sweatshirts, toys, and snacks to go cheer for our favorite lefty.  I complain a lot about the time, money, and effort that goes into little league, but is there anywhere else I'd rather be on a Saturday night?  Let's just say yes and not think about that question too much.

 

Someday I'll leave the bleachers and get pictures without the fence detail...  but, hey, at least I got the camera out. 

Yep, he's still skinny.

This is what Max thinks of Joe's games.

Lucy can read now, and she really likes reading to an audience.

Joe on the mound.  Dumb fence.

Joe's first job, first baseball game of the season...  and Max had a first too!

 

Max's first on-stage performance!!  Max's school had an Easter concert yesterday.  They sang songs, played some instruments, danced a little bit...

adorable!

Max and his sweet friend Wyatt.  This was Max's least favorite part.

"Deep and wide, deep and wide, the love of Jesus is deeeeep and wiiiiide!"

We were so proud of our Bubs, who did not keep his black shirt clean for his on-stage debut!
 

After the concert, Mr. Smarty Pants asked, "Can we get Ben & Jerry's, since I did such a good performance?"  Yes, of course.  "Can I play the iPad when we get home, since I did such a good performance?"  You've already played that card, kiddo.

 

It was turning into a lovely day, so we went out to lunch and to the park with a long-time friend of Devon's.

 

 

 

While walking around this park in Bellevue, we had a celebrity sighting- The Bachelor's Jason Mesnick and his wife Molly and their new baby.  As always, I totally did the opposite of playing it cool, but Devon said "hello" and Donna gave a friendly wave.  I didn't think to take a picture while they were close- I'd be a terrible paparazzi. 

I'd just read about Baby Mesnick's (okay, okay, I happen to know that they named her Riley) nursery in US Weekly, so I totally missed my opportunity to tell them that I loved the grey and white décor and the gender friendly design. We could have talked about their televised wedding, or about the latest season of The Bachelor, or about the weather in the Pacific Northwest....  Gosh, I am so not cool.

 

And on that note, I hope you've enjoyed the happs!  Peace out!

Spring is Here!

Gosh, friends!  I don't know what is happening.  I sit down to blog, and my mind is blank.  I can't convince myself that I have anything interesting to write.  And I don't have many pictures to share or stories to tell, so I just don't blog at all.  Hmph! Forgive me, please, if you check in occasionally and find that I haven't posted anything new. 

 

I guess I'll just write something and hit publish and go from there for the sake of not abandoning Mama Rantz and Co.!

So, spring is here! Spring has found me nesting.

It is normal, this spring cleaning phenomenon.  It gets the best of us.  We tackle big projects like reorganizing the garage, and we make small adjustments like changing out the brush-head of a Sonic-Care toothbrush.  Our efforts are focused on a feeling of fresh and clean.  Have you been spring cleaning? 

My nesting has included hanging things on the wall.  And even a bit of crafting (I know, it is shocking.  Crafting usually makes me break out in panic).  Want to see?

 

Lucy wanted a small bedside table, I bought an unfinished stool and painted it with gray chalk paint.  Maxy helped me.  The stool is a bit low to be called a "table", but she sets her books and water on it, so I suppose it serves it's purpose. By the way, I love the Martha Stewart chalk paint :)

 

I loved the chalk paint so much that I painted a canvas and hung it on Lucy's wall. I wanted to write "You are my sunshine," but Lucy preferred that I write "Listen to the beat of your heart, Keep on dancing". We compromised on "I love you to the moon".

 

 

Elsewhere in the house, I needed a new spot to hang pictures, so behold...  the staircase.

I just love all of these pictures.  My favorite is this one of my mom-

 

And finally, I used a shadow box frame to hold Lucy's first pair of ballet shoes. I printed a picture of three-year old ballerina Lu for the backing.  I stole the idea from Pinterest.

 

 

Spring has also found me singing new songs.

Ah, Justin.  Why do I love you so? 

His new CD came out on Tuesday, and I sped to Target to make my purchase (Target's CD offers exclusive songs).  The teenage girl within me was totally freaking out, but my thirty-three year old self was trying really hard to play it cool.  My minivan has never sounded so good.

 

 

 

And spring has found us seeking the sun.

 

 

How has spring found you?

 



Aloha

We are back on the mainland, home with our babies.  We are feeling refreshed and looking tan.

The island...  Oh! The island!... It was beautiful. It was just how I remembered it- blue! Blue water and sky, and the air was warm and smelled like salt water and suntan lotion. 

Hello, Maui.  I've missed you.

 

We arrived at the hotel and were welcomed by a receiving line of leaders from Sleep Train.   

 

 

Devon and I were invited to Maui to celebrate his 15 year anniversary with the company.  Those mattress folks really know how to celebrate!   There were nearly 180 of us in the Sleep Train group, and over the course of the week we hung out with new friends and old friends who also rely on the mattress business to put food on the table. 

 

 

Jeff, Devon, me and my Mai Tai.  Jeff and I worked at Simmons together, and it was really great to catch up with him.

Welcome Dinner, the first night.



But, don't worry. we were also able to spend time alone- it was like a honeymoon!  Just us!

Watching the sunset in Kihei

And, yes, of course, we missed Joe, Lucy and Max.  But we knew that they were in good hands back at home, so we were truly able to relax and enjoy the week and not worry too much about the kids. :)

Just short of inviting you over to watch a slide show of our vacation, here are some highlights.  In no particular order...

The Hyatt is A M A Z I N G.  There are penguins on the property, for goodness sake!  And the pool was fab.  I want to live there.  At the Hyatt.  On Maui.

On Day 2 we went on a whale watching/snorkle cruise.  We saw several whales (I've always wanted to see whales!), and some even swam pretty close to our boat!  We also saw turtles.

There were group dinners planned for each night, including a luau, and I must say that tropical drinks taste best when someone else buys them :)  I enjoyed a few :)  Devon and I ate fish at nearly every meal.  Yum!

Our friends Ryan and Jessamyn, who moved from Seattle to the Bay Area

Luau

Once President's Club was over, we said goodbye to the Hyatt and moved up the beach to the Ka'anapali Beach Hotel, which is where we stayed on our honeymoon.  While we were still very happy to be together in Maui, I will admit that we were a little sad to see the view from our room go from this-

to this-

And while we slept with the doors open at the Hyatt and listened to sounds of the ocean and the wind through the palms all night, a sign at the second hotel said not to keep the doors open due to unwanted insects.  Plus, the aforementioned island smells of salt water and suntan lotion was not present at the second hotel.  Instead, our room was filled with the scent of marjuana.  Our neighbors were surely hangin' loose, smokin' weed!  Oh, and I can't forget to mention that our shower and our toilet shared a tiled stall...  convenient, right?  So, yes, once the "all expense paid" portion of our trip ended, our accomodations took a nose dive.  But, I repeat, we were still together in Maui!

 

We rented a Jeep one day and drove around the north half of the island.  Devon loved hugging the curves of the one-lane roads, on a cliff, without a guard rail...  We stopped several times to take in the view and snap some pics.

 



the blow hole

narrow road!

 

 

Look at this next picture from Ka'anapali Beach.  The whales were jumping!

 

Here, let me zoom!

 

 

Ah yes, we had a lot of fun.

 

 

In conclusion, Maui makes me very happy!