Seattle Vacation Part I

In an effort to feel like Drake's start of Kindergarten hasn't taken away all of our "schedule freedom", we booked a trip in June to take advantage of Drake's October fall break. I'm discovering that not everyone is so fortunate to have a fall break as I think October is a great time to travel. We were able to find some great fares to Seattle and stayed with Marshall's sister and husband so free lodging as well. And Marshall's parents came over from the "east side" so we had a mini-family reunion as well. What a treat!!!

Of course, our travel ended up coinciding with an abnormal fall storm that brought 2 feet of snow to Denver. With that knowledge, we decided to try and fly stand by on Wednesday morning and take an extra day of vacation. Luckily, we had no trouble getting seats on that flight and made it out on Wednesday morning. We didn't do much on Wednesday - except relax, nap, and enjoy the fact that we did make it to Seattle.

Thursday morning was a bit rainy so we ventured out with our umbrellas to the doughnut shop down the hill. Marshall's sister and brother-in-law live in West Seattle in a great neighborhood - and with a view of the water (I enjoyed just sitting in their front room enjoying the view with a cup of coffee).



Trip for Doughnuts


When Marshall's parents arrived with the van (and car seats), we ventured over to the Seattle Center for our visit to the Space Needle and the Children's Museum. It was a great day and just enough activity for the boys. We ate lunch in the food court right above the Children's Museum - it was perfect. We then ventured back home for some naps, relaxing, and then out to dinner at Elliot Bay Brewpub in West Seattle. It was the perfect place to enjoy some beers, dinner, and baseball.




Space Needle




At the top of the Space Needle


Friday brought another outing to Seattle. We took the water taxi from West Seattle to the Seattle water front. The last day of the season for the taxi was Oct 31st, so we were fortunate to be able to ride the taxi. The boys enjoyed the ride on the boat and Marshall and I enjoyed the views of the Seattle skyline during the short trip. We then toured the famous Pike Place Market - the boys were not impressed (so we got them doughnuts) and Marshall and I were able to check things out for a bit - and get Marshall some of his Market Spice Tea.



Water Taxi Ride

After checking out the market, we headed back down to the water front and met our brother-in-law at the aquarium. The boys loved the tide pools (and touching the starfish and other creatures), the diver "show", and the river otters. What a great activity for the boys. We then rode the taxi back to West Seattle and took the scenic drive back along Alki Beach. It's so great to have locals to be our "tour guides".



At the Aquarium - Right on the Waterfront

We enjoyed some drinks when Michelle got home from work and the boys "helped" Uncle Jim with the firewood. A nice dinner in and family time wrapped up Friday night.



Friday Night Dinner

Nana and Pop Visit

Mom and Dad decided to make a last minute trip to see us in Denver this weekend. Yeah! They hadn't see the boys since the end of June so it was definitely time for a visit. We had grand plans of getting to a pumpkin patch over the weekend, but the weather had other ideas.

They arrived on Friday in the early afternoon; we took a walk around the neighborhood and they both enjoyed a little nap. After we picked up both the boys from school, we headed to happy hour at The Fresh Fish Company and Marshall met us after work. Mom and I took Drake to the Fall Festival at his school where he enjoyed decorating cookies, playing games, and going through a "spooky" house. Check out Dr. Drake....




Saturday brought a lazy day watching the debacle that was the Nebraska/Iowa State game, a walk in the park for Mom and Dad (with Drake leading the way on his bike), and haircuts for the boys at Sport Clips. We wrapped up the night with a nice dinner and a birthday cake to celebrate the October birthdays of Nana and Pop.



Nana and Pop with their birthday cake



The boys helping to blow out the birthday candles

Sunday, of course, went way too quickly. We enjoyed breakfast at New York Deli News - a trip back in time and a nice place to grab a casual breakfast with kids. We played some games in the afternoon and then said good-bye to our visitors. Like Dad said before they left, these visits mean even more than they did in the past. How true that is.







WE LOVE YOU NANA AND POP!

Nebraska Wesleyan Memory Lane

The Peavy sorting project is coming along slowly, but surely. This week I uncovered a box with some items from my days at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, Nebraska - home of the Prairie Wolves (well, when I attended it was home of the Prairie Men and Women).....

My first find were my shoes for "Touch of Class" swing choir. I only had these on for 5 minutes and I'm not really sure how I danced in these shoes!!! What a great time I had in this group - such good friends I made.

Memories of road tripping across the country in a van, the always interesting home stays, the much anticipated "free night" in a hotel - on Colfax in Denver, in Amarillo, Texas on a Tuesday night (and heading out for the evening to find a 1/2 country music ; 1/2 hip hop dance club). And the enjoyment of singing and performing - I still miss it.

This actually reminds me that I still have my swing choir outfit up in the closet - if I get really brave, I'll post a picture of it.....




My second find of the night was my bright yellow "Ambassadors" jacket. The Ambassadors organization was a group of students that gave prospective students and their parents a tour of the Nebraska Wesleyan campus. I always enjoyed promoting my university - I have such good memories of this place and the life long friends I made there.

The two things I do remember about Ambassadors (neither of which have to do with giving tours).

1. Part of the process for becoming an Ambassador was a group interview. I remember answering the question about "what was the best quality in an Ambassador" with the answer of honesty (and I do have to say that I gave a pretty good answer); and then someone right after me didn't have a clue and completely copied my answer which I thought was pretty comical.
2. Trying (unsuccessfully) as President of the organization to have ramifications for Ambassadors that didn't show up to give tours. It's funny what memories stick with ya.
   

Losing Childhood Innocence

This week, we purchased Drake's Halloween costume. It was a bitter sweet moment for me. For the last 3 years, Drake has worn a firefighter costume for Halloween. Halloween would come; Drake would head downstairs to get his costume. He had no clue that he could get a new costume.

However, this year was different. I was of course happy to have him realize we could go shopping for a new costume - signally his big boy status - he's almost 6 of course. But, at the same time, I was a bit sad that he no was no longer heading down to the basement to pull out his firefighter costume one more time. Nope. It was Tanner's turn to head to the basement and pull out the firefighter costume - he didn't blink an eye when we walked out of the store with a costume for Drake and not him. I wonder if this will be the last year I'll have a firefighter or if I'll be able to celebrate Tanner's childhood innocence next year.

Red Sky at Night......

Yesterday morning when we woke up, the sun was just starting to rise. I opened Drake's shade and showed him the pretty red sky. I then told him the phrase:

Red sky at night,
Sailor's delight.
Red sky in morning,
Sailor's warning.

And proceeded to tell him the story behind this and that there was a storm moving in.

When I picked him up from school in the drizzle, he told me, "Daniel wore shorts and a short sleeve shirt. He must not have seen the red sky". Indeed Drake - Daniel must not have a cool mom like you that can "read the sky" (and watches the weather :)

Weather Extremes

Crazy Colorado weather........




FRIDAY



SATURDAY

Things I am Loving Right Now

Here are a few things I'm enjoying these days.

1. The fact that my almost 3 year old has not figured out how to crawl out of his crib yet.
   
2. Drake's bike riding skills.
3. Tanner's big, and sometimes mischievous, smile.
4. Hearing all the teachers say they enjoy having Drake in their classroom during our first parent teacher conference.
   
5. Drake doing so well in his first grade math and reading classes.
6. My wonderful husband and all he does.
7. The turning of the fall leaves.
   
8. College football - GO BIG RED!
   
9. Fantasy football - even though my teams leave something to be desired this year.
   
10. The new washer and dryer.
11. A nice glass of wine with dinner.

And a few things I am not.......

1. Tanner's complete lack of interest in potty training at home.
   
2. Boys with cabin fever on cold days.
   
3. Job uncertainty.
4. Sorting the basement. Sigh.

The good thing is the top list is much more robust than the latter list. And for that, I am very thankful.

Lobster Dinner aka Doing Our Part to Support Public Education

Marshall and I hosted our good friends for a lobster dinner on Saturday night. Drake's school held a fund raiser and we thought it would be a great opportunity to have some friends over in support of public education (ok, and have some good conversation, food, and wine).

The boys were great and now that bedtime is so early, we were able to put them to bed and enjoy a kid free dinner. What a great night!



The lobsters waiting for their fate.


Yummy dinner.



Doing our part to support public education.



Ready for dinner.



Enjoying a good night with friends.

Puddles 2009

I'll Never See You Again........(maybe)

This week I traveled to San Francisco for a business trip. How lucky that my business trips for the last 6 years take me to such a beautiful city. These meetings were actually held in the city - an extra bonus! Since I missed the last meeting due to vacation, I was very happy to be able to attend this one and see my Sun Microsystems co-workers one more time (which may indeed be the last as Sun Micro employees).

I don't know what the future holds, but I am very thankful for the people I have worked with for the past several years. It isn't often you work with folks that are talented, creative, and down right nice people. Being a remote worker might also give me a deeper appreciation for my co-workers. Since I only see them a few times a year, I am even more thankful to have meetings where we can hash things out face-to-face --- and just catch up on everything going on in their lives. I can't begin to list the benefits of working from home, but not seeing the great people you work with every day is definitely a draw back.

And who knows, I might never see these people again (this joke is becoming more and more of a reality), but I'm grateful for the opportunity to have worked with them all and hope it continues. And if not, I know I'll still be in touch in the online world - thank goodness for Facebook!

Oh, and no kids running around, a couple nights on the town in San Francisco with co-workers and friends, and a walk along the water trying to catch a glimpse of the Golden Gate bridge isn't too shabby either. Thanks to my wonderful husband for all he does to make these trips a reality for me.

The Cool Uncle

Backyard football with Uncle Matt


Matt hanging with under-the-weather Tanner



Hanging with Bro

Drake actually has four pretty cool uncles, but man, does he love Uncle Matt. You really can't get a word in edgewise when Drake is around Uncle Matt. Matt was able to read some Harry Potter to Drake, play some backyard football, and take a walk while Drake showed off his biking skills.

Matt stayed with us Friday night and hung out on Saturday before he flight back to Brussels on Saturday night. We enjoyed a couple of BBQ's and Marshall and Matt got in some quality "bro time" and the chiminea got quite a work out.

When the boys get older, I do hope that Drake and Tanner will be able to enjoy spending time together like Marshall and cool Uncle Matt do.

Something about Family

Well, tonight I am missing my sister and my sweet, sweet nephew Grant (who never cried and slept very well during his visit - Marshall will say that he never actually saw Grant awake).



Jaima and I just enjoyed catching up and spending time together. We went for coffee, downtown for a sushi lunch, and got a little walk in with the kiddos (Drake got to show off his biking skills for Aunt Jaima). Jaima also got to sleep in a bit both days and was able to just relax (hopefully).

The boys were SO sweet with little Grant. Drake especially wanted to help feed Grant, make his bottle, and ensure that he was doing ok. Drake was tickled when Grant and Jaima were able to pick him up from school both days - simple pleasures.

Visits like these make me even more thankful for the wonderful relationship I have with my sisters. What wonderful women they both are and I am so happy to be able to call them my best friends. It is true that there is no relationship quite like that you have with your sisters. I miss ya already sis.........

Broncomania

ok - maybe the word "Broncomania" may be a bit strong....... but, we kicked off the Bronco's 2009 season over at the Torling-Johnson residence. They were nice enough to share their leftover Mexican birthday party food and the boys enjoyed attending the "party" and having cake (Drake has been complaining that Marshall and I are always going places and he and Tanner don't get to go). So, he was very excited to be invited over to Nadja and Ryan's for the football game.

We enjoyed watching the game (although not very exciting until the end), watching Drake and Marshall play football during halftime and just catching up with good friends. Drake was VERY excited when the Broncos won and I actually got him to wear his Cutler jersey (whew). Guess we'll be on the lookout for a some Bronco apparel this season. And in the meantime, we'll bask in the glory of a 12-7 victory.....

Oh and Tanner had fun playing in the dog kennel, playing with the dog toys, and playing with the actual dog sometimes too.

Weekend with the Boys

Labor Day weekend was spent hanging with a couple of my favorite guys. Marshall took off to spend a weekend with his brother in Laramie taking in some college football and floating down the North Platte - so I got the boys all to myself.

We enjoyed a trip to the Children's Museum on Saturday morning. There was a construction play area that both boys really enjoyed. Drake also the building station - which he hadn't done before. He loved using the tools - especially the saw. A really fun trip for us.

On Sunday, we hung out at home, did a bunch of puzzles, and went to the $1 theater (although the $1 theater is now $2.50) to see "Up". A cute movie, popcorn, and a fun time for all of us.

Monday brought a trip to the grocery store (with a bribe of doughnuts for breakfast). Yup, I'm not above a bribe to get some things checked off my "to do" list. The boys enjoyed their doughnuts and I enjoyed a coffee - a good way to break up the grocery shopping.

I'm a lucky lady to have a great couple of boys and enjoy some great time with them.

Time with Dad

Marshall and the boys spent had a "guys' weekend" while I was in Pender meeting my nephew and helping the Geiserts for a few days. Looks like they got along pretty well - biking, hiking, and hanging out.

Range of Emotions

What a roller coaster of emotions it seems to have been the past couple of weeks.

1. Oh - this newborn baby is so cute and wonderful- I could do that again....to...... thinking that I am slightly crazy to consider a third child. (What a wonderful time I had in Pender last week helping Jaima and Cam with their kids and having some precious time with my nephew Grant. And hanging with mom and dad wasn't too bad either.)
   
2. Life as I know it at Sun will be over shortly after Sept 3rd......to....... "business as usual" for the foreseeable future.......I have been so fortunate to work at Sun these past 8 years. What a wonderful company for working moms - and I work with some pretty great people too. And I can't say enough about how lucky I am to be have been able to work from home the past 5 years. The balance it has brought to ours lives is priceless. Although I'm ready for the next chapter of my working life - whether at Oracle or elsewhere - working a few more months at Sun is truly a gift.
   
3. I'm ok with this whole kindergarten thing......to......endless worrying about Drake being bored all year....and back again......

At least college football started this week and there's one thing that is for certain:

GO BIG RED!

And we wait......

It looks like I'll be working for Sun for a bit longer......

The Facts of Life

Now that we are getting into a regular routine at our house, we're getting to bed earlier - and getting up earlier. For the first time ever, Drake actually asked to go to bed! School must be wearing him out. One night last week, both kids were in bed by 8:15 - I think that is a record. It reminded me of my own bedtime as a kid. I had to be in bed at 8:30 and I was devastated that I couldn't stay up to watch "The Facts of Life" which was on at 8:30. I'm sure those days of the boys begging to stay up to watch a show are not that far away.......



We're still trying to figure out what he does all day - he keeps it pretty much to himself. We do get a daily update on PE, recess, and lunch. And every now and then, we'll find out which kids had to take cards (not a good thing) and Drake is quick to tell us that he does not have any cards taken.

Today he told us that he likes school - we were both very happy to hear it. He's also established a couple of routines - he rotates his shirt color (blue, yellow, white) and does the same with his milk choices for the day (strawberry, chocolate, regular). Anything to spice up the day I guess :)

The New Reality

The Peavy's have survived their first week of Drake's kindergarten. We're working to figure out the schedule for our new reality and adjust to it accordingly.

Of course, most of my thoughts have been around the loss of our flexibility. We now need to be to school on time, in uniform, with no peanut products. We also now need to plan our vacations around school vacations - for the next 21 years! Obviously, I'm still adjusting......

The first week of kindergarten also brought about Tanner trying out underwear at school (unsuccessfully) for the first time. Let's just say - I washed a lot of clothes this week - both from Tanner and Drake. We've ordered some more clothes for his school uniform to help alleviate the laundry problem.

We've been getting Drake to bed earlier this week and he did wake up on his own every day. However, he got more tired as the week wore on - not a huge surprise - but he also started complaining of a sore throat. When I picked him up on Friday, he was laying down and I knew that wasn't good news. He did indeed had a fever and we took him to the doctor on Saturday morning - strep throat. Poor guy - fighting an illness while starting a new school. Talk about draining! Fortunately, he was a great trooper and in good spirits all weekend - and ready to tackle week 2 of his new school. Watch out - Drake Peavy is firing on all cylinders now!

Where's Drake?

Thought this picture was interesting as Drake just seemed to stand out. Of course, he's the only one I'm looking for :)

First Day of Kindergarten (aka the Pursuit of Educational Happiness)

Our Proud Kindergartener







We survived the first day of kindergarten. It might have been easier than I thought it was going to be - the day was only 2.5 hours and I was there the entire time. We got to put out the school supplies, fill out some forms, and have an informational time with the teacher. It was great to get to know the teacher a bit more as well as some other parents in the class. Tomorrow might actually be harder than today - having to leave him there alone........

Drake was his usual observing self - taking it all in. Later in the day, he told me that he had a fun day at school which, of course, made me very happy. I can definitely see the shy side of me in him at times like these.

I really do hope that he does well at this school. We feel fortunate to have Drake at Highline Academy, but of course, a parent always worries if they are making the right decision. Will he have fun? Will he thrive? Will he be bored? Will he make friends? I keep having to remind myself that many of my friends and colleagues came from very diverse educational experiences and we work side by side. Life (and school) is what you make of it. And as the flier we got from the school
said, research shows that when parents are involved, students have:

• Higher grades, test scores, and graduation rates
• Better school attendance
• Increased motivation and better self-esteem
• Lower rates of suspension
• Decreased use of alcohol and other drugs
• Fewer instances of violent behavior
• Greater enrollment rates in postsecondary education
  

I'm pretty sure that we will be involved parents whether Drake likes it or not.......

Last Day at the Swimming Pool

Snacks at the pool



Diving with Dad


Swimming with the boys


Tanner enjoying the big pool


Such fun at the pool

We enjoyed the last day at Denver Public Pools. What a wonderful way to wrap up before school starts. Both Marshall and I are a little in shock about summer being "over" in the middle of August. As an adult, summer "ends" around Labor Day, but now that we have a Kindergarten - summer is over in August. I think this will be an adjustment for us.

On Saturday, we attended the Kindergarten popsicle social at a local park. We met some of the other parents and Drake met some of his classmates. There will be 23 kids in his class and apparently the class is "girl heavy" - which Drake actually noticed right when we got there. He's already searching for his buddies. Drake also had his "testing" on Friday and the teacher said he did well. Drake later told me that it wasn't weird, but it was fun - a good sign! I'm sure we as parents are more nervous than Drake.

The Ahhh...... of Vacation

A wonderful trip


The entire Peavy family together


Enjoying time with Granddad and Gramma


Enjoying the Kayaks


Fishing at dusk

The first week of August brought our annual trip to the Peavy cabin in northern Idaho. We always look forward to a week of relaxing, good eating, time with family, and enjoying the water. Ever year just gets better as the boys get older and are able to enjoy the water more and more.

Drake was very comfortable in the water after his swimming lessons this summer. He enjoyed jumping off the dock (with his life jacket) and hanging out with his uncles (these guys were a big hit with Drake) in the "deep water". He also went in the tube behind the boat by himself for the first time. He also just loved playing in the water - on the tube, swimming, diving, snorkeling. You name it, he was doing it. Drake was also quite the little "skipper" this year - he was all about helping untying/typing the boat, helping with the buoys, etc. And on top of all this, Granddad taught him to ride his bike without training wheels - what a week!

Tanner wasn't as enamored with the water, but loved shooting the water with the cool "shooters" Gramma found at the Dollar Store. He also enjoyed playing with whatever ball he could get his hands on - beach, base, or croquet. Of course, he loved his aunt and uncle's dog as well.

And of course, Marshall and I had a wonderful trip as well. Reading, relaxing, floating in the water, kayaking, boating, skiing, time with family, and no internet or phone. Definitely a way to recharge for our new reality this fall - Drake starting kindergarten (which means two drop offs for school). But as with everything, we'll adjust just fine.

This trip was made extra special by the arrival of Marshall's sister and brother (and their significant others) for the end of our trip. Good meals, good conversation (which was enhanced by the cold, rainy weather that moved in), and just catching up as a family. What a beautiful location to have a family reunion.

Surviving the Spouse's 20 Year Reunion

The beginning of August took us to Pullman (the home of the Washington State Cougars) for Marshall's 20 year reunion. One never knows how these things are going to go - especially when you know hardly anyone. And every time I go to Pullman, I am reminded what a great town it is - a 10,000 resident town that is home to a Pac-10 University. Everything I think is cool - a small town with a major college. Always fun to visit.

The one great thing about the event is that we had TWO nights out in a row without kids. That in and of itself is a treat. We had the social gathering at the downtown bar on Friday night and survived the heat by kicking back a few beers. Of course, I kicked backed fewer than I might have given I was taking steroids for some random rash that started to overtake my body when we arrived in Pullman. What a way to kick off the vacation. We were also able to enjoy dinner at Sella's with Bob and Claudia and the kids before we went to the event.

On Saturday, we went to Sunnyside park for a nice family BBQ. Drake enjoyed playing on the merry-go-round with the other kids and Tanner "dug" digging in the sand. It was quite hot, but we enjoyed ourselves. That evening, we had dinner at the "Hilltop Restaurant" overlooking Pullman and WSU. It was a very nice evening and a very well prepared event. Marshall and I enjoyed our "date" and Marshall enjoyed catching up with old friends.



Washington State University