Out of this world

Team Myklebust is back!  Woo Hoo!!

To celebrate we went to a birthday party for one of Owen's friends from school (Scott, who we went to the zoo with last week). It was at Out of this world pizza and play in Hillsboro where we use to live. It was so nice to see Owen running around and having a good time. He needed some time to warm up to the place, but once he did he loved it.

The pictures didn't turn out great (I took a lot!) because it was pretty dark in there and I couldn't find a good setting on my camera. Anyway, here's a few from our day.

And this one is from last night. Woody and Maya were still feeling kinda bad last night so we actually had to miss a different bday pizza party:(  Here's hoping May is kinder to us in regards to our health...

My grandmother, OM's great-grandmother ♥

Times like these, when my kids are sicker than I can bear (I really can't bear much), it helps to have a sense of humor and an optimistic outlook.  I naturally lack both but have been urging all the cells, molecules and thoughts in my body to forgo their worrying ways and not think too much about the "what-ifs."

All this worrying has me thinking a lot about my grandmother.  She's a worrier and I'm sure I inherited it from her:) Grandmommy, as we lovingly refer to her, is a sweet and loving soul, and I cherish her company. She loves to talk and I love to listen to her stories.  My favorite thing about her is she is who she is and doesn't try to be anything else...it's really refreshing.  I wish OM could hang out with her more...hopefully one day:)

But I also think about how much harder it must have been for her when her kids were sick...she couldn't do frantic google searches about swine flu or run down to Target to stock-up on Tylenol/Ibuprofen, humidifiers, and lotion-coated Kleenex.  So, I'm grateful for the times I'm in (mostly).

Today is a tough day for her because five years ago today my grandfather passed away.  He was the best grandfather; so kind and loving and I always loved the way he smelled.  When he smiled at me I felt loved to the core.  

They married young and remained happily married and in love 'til grandaddy's last day. They were surely soul-mates and she misses him dearly.

I love you grandmommy and miss you both...

Something Beautiful

Amidst the blood, sweat and tears of the past few days I decided I needed something beautiful, both to look at and to eat.  So today baby sis and I made this beautiful strawberry layer cake. Isn't it lovely? Fresh organic strawberries, a little orange juice in the frosting...mmm, fruity, decadent deliciousness.  

Except, it tastes awful!  Really, really bad.  

Maybe it was because Maya dumped one egg down the cupboard and it hit the floor (& Star refused to eat it!) and then she poured some of the sugar in the mixing bowl but a lot of it landed on the counter and all over her.  So, I had to make some adjustments but, unfortunately, it didn't work out.  It tastes like raw flour and straight-up buttermilk. And, like my last batch of strawberries, these are still quite tart. Ick.

Now, what do you think of this next picture?  This was one of our dinner's from last week. Gross huh?  It looks like a frog died on top of the polenta but before it did it squirted blood all over the plate (and what's that gross stuff oozing out of the chicken?)

But it was delicious!  

It was the creamiest polenta I've ever made and the dead frog look-alikes are caramelized onions from a fresh red onion I bought at farmers market.  The chicken recipe was gorgonzola-stuffed chicken breasts with strawberry gastrique...scrumptious!  I used blue cheese instead but it turned out moist and flavorful and the red frog blood is actually a reduced strawberry sauce (the gastrique).  

I don't know why I'm pointing all of this out. There has to be some cool life lesson there somewhere.  Maybe I've seen too many episodes of Olivia, or I need a better camera, or I need photography lessons, or a solid night of sleep...hmmm. 

Okay, and this photo is of my angels feeling a bit better today and giving each other some love. Aren't they sweet?  Owen got the bloodiest bloody nose I've ever seen today...c'mon!  Uncle, mercy, I give in!  No more fevers and coughs and simultaneous pandemic alerts about the swine flu. Geez, OM's mama can't take no mo! 

And this last photo:  another man down!  Woody never (ever) complains.  The only way I know if he feels bad is by how he dresses.  Even in 32 degree weather, he wears shorts and tee shirts after work, always.  Except when he's sick.  When he feels bad he changes into sweats, long sleeve shirts or sweatshirts and puts on a hat.  And lays on the couch (instead of the floor).  So, I'm the last man standing.  Think good thoughts that I at least stay healthy!!

And Owen gets another double...

ear infection:(  Aye Owee...

I phoned the pediatrician this a.m. and they told me to keep doing what I was doing (rest, tissues, fluids, fever-lowering meds.) until they got better.  Then Owen woke up from his nap and looked awful so I called the pediatrician again.  I apologized for being that mom and calling all the time but I was worried when his eye got all puffy (and I sent a picture-text to Debbie and she urged to me to call again too).  

Anyway, I emailed them this picture:

and they called me back and asked how soon I could get there!  Final diagnosis was double ear infection and the doc skipped the amoxicillin and went straight to the hard core white chalky super-duper bacteria killing stuff.  Aye yi yi...

But, Maya is much improved and was wanting to dance and play today.  She seems to get the mild version and then Owen gets the full strength butt-kicker.  

And, I was offered the job!  And, I accepted:)  This is a link to my new supervisor discussing the cord blood bank and this is a link to the website for the program.

Puzzles, Moon Sand and the F-L-U...

We've been hit again!  Thankfully not by the stomach flu, but by it's equally vicious cousin, the regular flu.   Fever, runny nose, cough, puffy, watery eyes..overall miserableness.  Tough season for us this year.

Owen put the puzzle together last night and even though he was sick he added in a couple of goofy faces for me.  When he finished it he pointed to Florida and said, "that's where Grandpa Hinson lives" and I said that's right, where is that? and he said, "Africa." :)

These next few photos are of OM having fun with moon sand.  It's awesome stuff!  Woody was having a lot of fun with it.

And Maya and AJ hanging out this weekend.

Gotta run.  Today is the worst day (so far) and OM like to have both eyes and hands on me at all times...

O*W*E*N

Owen can spell his name!  He's been spelling it O*w*n*e for awhile but on Thursday it all came together for him and now he spells it perfectly every time. Very exciting!

So, sorry for the gap in postings.  It got a little busy around here. Mainly because I had a job interview Friday. It was for an umbilical blood bank program coordinator position at OHSU (the hospital where I interned).  I feel good about the interview so regardless of the outcome I had a positive experience.  I wasn't planning on it, but part of my interview was in Spanish.  The program director, a bone marrow transplantation surgeon (!), came in during the interview and asked if I spoke Spanish, in Spanish.  Thankfully it kicked in even though it's been quite awhile since I've really used it. She's from Puerto Rico originally and said my accent sounded like hers. Nice, I love Puerto Rican accents, they're sassy!!

So, these are photos from the past week...a whole mix of stuff:

First, some self-photos of Maya and I.

Some play-dough fun...Owen was making "meatballs"...

Maya was making "cheese"...

And he was making snakes...

This is Maya in our bathroom making rows of toilet paper (which is an improvement from pulling it all off the roll and piling it into the toilet)...

Owen bowling...

And baby sis sleeping.  Right before I snapped the photo she moved her hand...she did have one hand on her baby's head and one hand on her own head...:)

maya sings...some more:)

I tried to video Maya singing a new song she just made up today called 'maya, maya, maya' but as soon as I started filming she stopped singing it.  Oh well, I'll try again.  Sorry about the jumpy camera footage..I was sitting too close to her. You do get to hear some of her singing though.  She sings ALL the time:) 

Owen has been trying to teach her to count but she can't get past three which frustrates him..."Mom", he'll whine, "baby sis won't say 'four'..it's funny.