Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all fathers from all of us. This first video I just had to post even though it doesn't really go with the theme of today's post. Mackenzie has been starting pretend play. Here she is taking care of her baby teddy:

The rest of these pictures I captured are a tribute to the father in this house. I and our children are very lucky to have Rob. We love you, Rob.

Here's Rob last weekend teaching Steven the ways of bricklaying.

This past week Rob had several evening meetings. The kids missed him so much. As you can see he missed them too! He isn't even out of his suit yet.

This morning the kids gave Rob his Father's Day cards in bed and he had his coffee in bed. Mackenzie loves music and she kept playing her card over and over again and dancing. I went and got the camera and caught a little of her dance show for Daddy.

I'm now headed into the kitchen to make waffles for Rob's special breakfast. Tonight I will do Halibut fish and Chips, Rob's favorite. I made them last weekend for the first time and we all (except Steven) loved them.

This week we will have the Malt Vinegar to get the full-effect.

The Week of June 7th

At the City-wide yard sale last weekend Steven also got a Buzz Lightyear costume. It worked out well since the one we found at the thrift shop last summer he had just outgrown. The one he just found is really cool. It has the head covering and the wings too. I got it all cleaned up one morning this week so he got to put it on after school.

We ran some errands that afternoon and he wore it downtown. He's such a character.

We also played Toy Story. Guess who I was?

Yep, I was Woody.

On Sunday when I went to church there was a couple behind me who have sat behind Mom and I before in mass. They just adore Mackenzie. Well after mass the gentleman, can't remember his name now (his wife is Bonnie), gave me a package. He had made this and thought I would like it. He said he just cut it out with a scroll or was it skill saw? I can't remember. Rob would know. I love it and hung it up in the bedroom.

Rob also made some progress on the front fence this past weekend. The brick laying at the base is slow but it will be so worth it.

We have a gate at the end of the driveway now. On Wednesday Rob also picked up my car. I'm so happy to have it back. I haven't had a chance to drive it yet because I have to install Mackenzie's forward facing car seat in it first.

Thursday afternoon Steven went and got his hair cut by Holly. He loves having her gel up a colored mohawk.

Mackenzie has been wanting to play with the little potty in the front bathroom. I was getting tired of washing her hands for nothing (no potty in the toilet) so this morning I sat her on the potty.

She liked sitting there so I went and grabbed the camera. Maybe my Dad is right, she'll be fully potty trained before Steven. Sigh...

I also cleaned out the upper cabinets above our little pantry. Mackenzie started cleaning out and organizing the dreaded plastic wear drawer. As you can see she stands pretty well. She's also starting to wave, though her wave is a little off (it's so cute):

The Big Catch!

Rob got a chance to go out fishing on Friday for bottom fish. He said the ocean was glassy like a lake.

Here he is with one of his many catches:

As you can see he did great!

That giant one is a Halibut! Here is Rob just after reeling in that 35 lb. Halibut!

That Halibut was as big as Steven!

Steven loved touching the fish.

Here's Steven guarding the fish while Daddy was getting the knives to begin cleaning the fish.

We had some of the Halibut for dinner. It was a real treat on Mom and Dad's last night. Rob and I spent the rest of the evening cutting up fish for the freezer. The only thing that would have been better would be if I got to go too! Awe well, Rob went fishing enough for both of us.

The Rest of Mom and Dad's Visit

I was sorry to wake up yesterday morning to no more Iowa Grammy (and Iowa Grandpa too).

Steven teared up at bedtime and I swear Mackenzie keeps looking around for her Iowa Grammy. Here's Iowa Grammy helping Mackenzie model her new Guess outfit that G.G. got Mackenzie for her birthday:

Dad was quite the worker while he was here. Not only did he help out a ton with the fence he also painted, "Chic land." "Chic land" is my sancutary room upstairs. It is the only room upstairs besides the walk in attic area.

Here's Dad putting up some more tape to do some touch up painting:

Here's the before (I took these a while ago):

Here it is all painted and somewhat put back together. I'm still decorating it. I am using mainly things I already have around:

Rob made me the little table, next to the little couch, in the picture. He made it from scrap wood. The little couch is Steven's old train table with a cushion on it.

Saturday was the Fortuna Citywide Yard Sale. Among the treasures was this headboard I picked up for $1!

I am going to paint it white and maybe add little touches of gold paint and use it as the back to my little couch.

This past Tuesday, Mom and Dad took a trip to Trinidad. They each had a nice hot bowl of Clam Chowder and had fun hiking down to the beach. It was not as much fun hiking back up but, it was great exercise.

They had a little unexpected adventure when my VW Bug broke down on their way back. Dad said it brought back memories. Now, let me just say we were all thinking this could be a real possiblility since my Bug started to make strange noises that morning. We had made an appointment that morning for Thursday, the earliest they could get it in. Usually when a car starts making strange noises you have a little ways before you are in real trouble unless the noise is accompanied by smoke or fire. I guess they did technically have a little ways. They made it to Trinidad and a little ways back.

It turns out that when I had the timing belt replaced at my last big service there was a bolt that must not have been tightened enough. It broke loose and ended up damaging a cylinder. So, Rob is riding the motorcycle to work now and I have the truck. We will probably not get the Bug back until mid-week. At least it is all covered under warranty.

Mackenzie's Birthday

We celebrated Mackenzie's first birthday on her birthday, May 29th. We had her favorite dinner, chicken. She doesn't care how we cook chicken she loves it.

Then it was time for cake. We attempted to get her to wear her princess birthday hat. From the picture I'm sure you can tell how that went.

Of course we continued the tradition with her first cake being the Hines Family Special Recipe, Chocolate Cake from the old beat up edition of Betty Crocker. We also used the same candle we used for Steven's first birthday. I think that makes the candle a family heirloom now:


Mackenzie had her very own little cake. She played with it more than she ate it. I think it is because she had just eaten dinner. She ate cake yesterday at Steven's friend, Drake's birthday, so we know nothing is wrong with her :)

Here's Iowa Grandpa eating his cake. Yep, I caught him. I get to get him back for all of us that have had movies and pictures taken while we were eating.

Here is Iowa Grandpa a little later working on the leftovers of Mackenzie's cake too! He started with the part she had not touched first.

Then we opened presents. Mackenzie played with the paper and looked in the gift bags after her brother had taken the presents out. She sure got a lot of loot:

Steven and Mackenzie love her pink car that England Granny and Papa got her. Here she is taking her first spin with her new baby doll Iowa Grammy and Grandpa got for her.

I love using the car too. It is so light. I've been teaching Steven to sing "There she goes in her pink cadillac, moving down the street..." whenever we use it. It adds to her overall driving experience.