Annie Pong

To me this is an example of why dad's are so important. I never would have devised this game, but my kids could potentially play for hours. They think their dad is the most creative, fun guy in the world. Maybe he is. Or maybe we are just hard up for entertainment at the Halversen household. You be the judge.

Mother's Day Hands

I am a little late posting this, but I wanted to share this cute thing they do at Annie's pre-school for Mother's Day. I just ran across the one from last year and it makes me a little teary how much her hands have grown.

Because the poem is hard to read on the picture:

Sometimes you get discouraged
Because I am so small,
And always leave my fingerprints
On funiture and walls.
But everyday I'm growing up
And soon I'll be so tall,
That all those little handprints
Will be hard to recall.
So, here's a special handprint
Just so you can say,
This is how my fingers looked
When I placed them here today.

Gary's first Blog

Just so you all know that even Radiologists can be funny...

Harry and Pippi

Today is a Spirit Day at school. The kids are supposed to dress up as fictional characters. Ethan makes a cute blonde Harry Potter and Lauren was just born to Pippi Longstocking.

There is no joy in Mudville, Archuleta has struck out

Yes, we are Archuleta fans at the Halversen household. It is hard not to be when you live with a fourteen year old Mormon girl. Audrey has been a die hard fan from the beginning, and the rest of us caught the enthusiasm as we discovered that not only does he seem to be a nice kid, but he can really sing. We had a big party last night complete with T-shirts, cake, and cookies. We also voted on Tuesday night like people possessed, but alas, our efforts did not pay off. In the end, Archuleta went down to 'eyeliner boy'.

Don't misunderstand. None of us dislike David Cook. We actually think he's quite good, but after making his final appearance on Idol wearing eyeliner a la The Cure/Greenday, and taking out our Archuleta, we figure we are entitled to a little sour grapes attitude and have taken to calling him 'eyeliner boy'.

Enjoy the pictures of our shirts and refreshments, but I'm not going to post the video I took of the kids the moment the announcement was made. It's just too sad and pitiful to behold. You'll notice the boys, although they enjoy Archuleta, were not about to make a shirt with his picture on it, so they went alternate routes.









This in one household that will be anxiously awaiting David's first CD. Archuleta that is.

Summer Joy

Wouldn't it be great if we all knew the way kids do that the only real requirements for a good time are a ninety-five degree day, some water, and family members willing to join in the fun? (And yes, I said ninety-five. Not bad for May in the Northwest.)

Baseball Boy

There is something I love about this picture. I suppose it's because he just looks so 100% American boy. You'll notice he's all dirty from 'stealing home.' Sliding is not encouraged in T-ball (nor is is necessary since catching is a skill still in development for most of them), so he and his friend Zach decided try out the sliding thing before the game started. After being informed that there is no sliding in T-ball, Zach said to his mother, "But how am I supposed to get dirty?" Like I said, 100% American boy. You gotta love it.

Seattle Space Needle

My dear friend Rachel is moving next month and has not been to the Space Needle during her years living here. My other fabulous friend Christa and I took her to lunch there the other day. We were thrilled to do so since neither of us had been either. It was awfully nice to chit-chat and have some much needed girl time. The view was pretty good too!

Orchestra Festival

Thought I'd share a rare natural photo of Audrey.
Ain't she cute?




Also, a photo of what teenagers do when they've had enough picture taking. And yes, this move was most certainly intentional:)

Dollar Store Chalk

This sidewalk chalk really scares me. I think I'm going to have nightmares. That's all.

Toothpaste

Okay, what is the deal with kids and their bathrooms? I'm going to start by saying that number one- I realize that often my own bathroom is not exactly the mecca of cleanliness, number two- I'm totally aware that I was the very same when I was a kid, and three- at least I don't share a bathroom with my kids anymore. Well, in theory I don't. The little ones still manage to have a lot of baths in my 'big, fun, tub' and the older teenage girl running around my house seems to live under the impression that all my cosmetics actually belong to her, but I realize it could be worse. Gar and I did spend a lot of years stepping on tub toys and slipping on spilled baby wash.

That said, the kid's bathroom makes me nuts. Whoever can devise a toothpaste container that can be safely used by children without the toothpaste becoming fingerpaint is going to make bank. (Tyler this is one for Kimberly-Clark to put some serious thought into) I realize that a toothpaste tube has to eventually let the toothpaste out, so my toothpaste goal is unlikely to be realized, but seriously. In the amount of time I have spent over the past 13 years wiping toothpaste off sinks, faucets, mirrors, and drawers, I'm pretty sure I could have read the complete works of Shakespeare. My personal favorite is totally hardened blobs of toothpaste inside the drawer. Especially when these blobs have hardened with hair, clippies, and band-aid wrappers stuck in them. A formidable cleaning challenge even for the likes of Martha Stewart.

If we are talking a significant amount of toothpaste it can be legitimately difficult to clean. Any cleaner is hard to clean. Anything that foams just makes trouble. Once when Ethan was very small he walked all over the upstairs holding a bottle of Soft Scrub upside down so it dribbled on the carpet in literally every room. It's cleaner. Doesn't this mean it should be easy to clean? It was one of the worst messes ever. Took me all afternoon. It was not, however as bad as an entire Costco bag of powdered sugar sprinkled all over the playroom. (also Ethan, do I spot a trend?)

The toothpaste, of course, is just the beginning in the bathroom. I could go on about empty shampoo bottles, I'm talking about bottles you find empty two days after purchasing said bottle. Or I could talk about wet towels. Stop laughing mom, I realize I am the worst wet towel offender in the history of earth, but now I get it. We could talk about dirty clothes on the bathroom floor. I don't really mind this so much except for now that the kids are getting older, I'm often downright afraid of their dirty clothes. I think I need one of those grabbers like my mother-in-law has. She has it so she can pick things up without bending over. I need one so I can pick the clothes up without catching fifty different diseases. I could talk about hairspray on the door and mascara on the mirror, but I'm getting tired just thinking about my kid's bathroom.

I don't mean to harp on my kids. I know full well they are not unique, that this behavior is pretty normal. They are in no way bad kids because of this behvior, they are just kids. I have told Gary that one of my favorite things about going to playgroup is the reassurance you get seeing that other kids hit, spit, and throw tantrums, not just yours. I feel the same way about Relief Society. Strange comment I know. Hang with me. In some weird and warped way it is thrilling to be asked to help clean someone's home when they are on bedrest or when they are moving. I realize it's probably wrong to take pleasure in other people's messes. But do I judge them when I have to clean their toothpastey bathroom? Goodness no. It's just such a relief when I can say to myself "Oh I am so glad I'm not alone."

So on Mother's Day, for all of you who have lived through the cleaning of way too much toothpaste, and way too many wet towels, you are amazing. Thank you for all you do. Toothpaste is just the tip of the iceberg where mothering is concerned. So hats off to you all, most notably my own mom.

Tacoma Junior Youth Symphony

Audrey plays violin with the Tacoma Youth Symphony organization and is currently in the Tacoma Junior Youth Symphony. They had their spring concert last week. We snuck in the camera (Audrey can't believe I actually broke a rule) and shot a couple of little video clips for you. This is the Overture from Mozart's opera 'Cosi Fan Tutte.' So sorry you can't see Audrey. She is sitting right behind the principal violinist.

This is the ending of the Allegro Moderato movement of Schubert's Symphony No. 6 in C Major. I think it's nice enough, but Audrey says it's the most boring thing she's ever played. At their concert in January she loved their big number, (Mendelsshon's Reformation Symphony) but I guess you can't love 'em all.

Cinco de Mayo

Mother's Tea

This is Annie at the 'Mother's Tea' that her pre-school does for moms near Mother's Day. Pretty cute stuff!

Annie's Fifth

I can hardly beleive our Annie Grace is five years old. Pictured here are two different parties, the family party from Tuesday, and the friend party we had earlier today. Ethan told Tanner that I am a really good mom because I made Annie two birthday cakes. This is the reason you are lucky if you have little kids at the same time that you have teenagers. Brings balance to the force. Hopefully when the teenagers get older and the little ones are the teenagers, the older ones will keep me sane.

Spelling Bee

Lauren participated in her school spelling bee this past week and got third place. We were so pruod. I mean prowd. I mean proud. Gee, where is Lauren when I need her?
Way to go Lulu! You Rock!

Dance Costumes Are In...

Dance costumes are in. The four words that make a little girl's heart skip a beat. When they walk into dance class and are greeted by their teacher with these words, look out because there is going to be major excitement, little girl style. Looks of shock and awe, jumping up and down, hands at the sides of their faces, and best of all, high-pitched squealing. There is just nothing like costume day for a little girl. And let's face it, I'm pretty sure the mommies love it too.

Soccer Photos

Lauren and Ethan had so much fun playing soccer this spring. Here is the release of their official soccer photos. It's a big press event, I'm sure you've been on the edge of your seats. I couldn't ask for better kids, but I also couldn't tell you what is up with Ethan's hair in his individual. Gotta love kid pics!