Independence Week

Over the past week we made more progress on the front fence. Rob has turned the corner on the bricking and fencing. I also have started to paint the pickets.

Thursday afternoon, Steven wanted to go over to Marilyn's house to play with Maya the puppy while Mackenzie napped so I got a chance to paint my rummage sale headboard white. Rob moved it that evening upstairs to "chic-land." I love it. It makes my little relaxing nook look like a princess chair.

Steven wanted to show Rob and I how responsible he is. He wants to get a corn snake. He even cleaned the cat box for a dollar. Here he is with his first dollar earned:

Ms. Mackenzie the big girl has been crawling on the trampoline for a while. She use to just kind of bounce on her bum when she got up there. Now, she is starting to really want to bounce like her brother. Her favorite time to do this is when there is music on so she can dance. Here she is really rocking out!

The video would have been longer and she would have reached that top bar on her own except with Steven climbing up behind her I needed to intervene.

I saw in last Sunday's paper that Target was having a sale on wine coolers. I have wanted to get one for Rob for a while. If we try and keep wine in the wine rack built into the kitchen cabinets it turns to vinegar. It is a little 12 bottle cooler. Not bad for $75!

We also got a new fire pit this past week. Our other one, Joan and Larry had handed down to us, finally had a leg fall off. This time we are going to keep it covered when not in use. Just because something is made to be outside doesn't mean you don't need to protect it from the elements when not in use.

Steven of course had to put his special "marshmellow roasting" gloves on to enjoy our first fire in the new pit:

On the fourth of July we set off fireworks in the street out front. Steven got to assist Daddy a bit this year. He would pick the ones to do and set them up in the street. Then Rob would light them. Here's the boys getting ready to put on our show:

Mackenzie and I cuddled together to watch the show:


A little pre-show safety lecture:

Here we go!

Busy Week or So...

I don't have a lot in the way of pictures but, lots of news. Today, I finally got in for my thyroid biopsy. It took over two months to get it scheduled because somehow the local hospital lost my referral. I had called a week after the referral was made and the hospital said the one nurse who schedules these had it on her desk. So I waited and finally called again last week. I'm glad I followed up with them. I know you sometimes have to wait up here to get in but, two months seemed like way too long. The nodule is probably nothing but I didn't want to leave anything to chance. This thyroid nodule was noted on my MRI I had last summer. That was the one that revealed the tumor. Of course it was a minor note compared to everything else. The biopsy wasn't too bad except my neck is a little sore. I'll let you what, if anything, they find.


I also have my thyroplasty (permanent voice fix) scheduled for Friday Aug. 14th. It works out perfect. I see Dr. Parks for another follow-up for my neck and have my pre-op for the thyroplasty on Thursday. Then go in at 5:30 am Friday for the procedure which is scheduled at 7:30 am. I will be put under for the procedure which is a relief for me. It is suppose to be two hours. I'm going to stay overnight afterwards for observation and rest. Rob will be in the hotel with the kids. I could stay with them that night in the hotel (Stanford just wants me no further than 30 minutes away) but that would not be very restful and be even harder on Rob. Rob and I both agree that if I am there the kids, especially Mackenzie, will be all over me. Then we will drive over to Sacramento on Saturday for my cousin Theresa's baby shower on Sunday.

I am so excited about trying out my new voice in Sacramento with a group of people. I can't wait to start participating more socially again. I enjoy listening but it is hard to have a conversation when one person cannot really talk and be heard. There's really no restrictions after my procedure except no working out or heavy lifting for a week. I checked with Dr. Damrose and it is okay for me to pick up Mackenzie. He meant more along the lines of going to the gym and lifting weights.

We've been enjoying the sunny weather here. Steven loves going over and seeing our neighbor, Marilyn's puupy. So much so he went over one day all by himself without telling anyone. He was outside with Rob while he was working on the fence. Rob thought he came inside and when I told him I thought he was with him we both freaked! When we found him poor Marilyn felt bad she thought we knew. We talked to him about asking first. Here are a couple of cute pictures Marilyn took of Steven and Maya:

Mom, Marilyn made multiple copies so I can send a copy to you too.

Mackenzie is turning into more of a little person than a baby everyday. One of the things she loves is breaking into backpacks and purses. She broke into her diaper bag and found a graham cracker while the credits were rolling on "Free Willy 3." She not only enjoys the graham cracker but sings and dances to the music.

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.