Chellisms

California Bound

Just the thought of visiting CA makes me nervous. Cold sweat nervous. I've been back twice since we moved away.

2009 and 2010

I took the girls by myself in 2009 and stayed with my Dad and Geo. We did Disneyland and had a good time. It was also the last time I, and the girls, saw my grandparents alive. I didn't tell anyone I was there. It was a very low-key trip.

2010 was awful. I went with Mom and Pete to bury my grandparents. It was a fiasco from start to finish. Part of me wishes I had stayed home and let everyone else deal with it. It was nice interesting to see people I hadn't seen in ages. Our family dynamics suck. Everyone wants something from everyone else. Death brings out the worst in people. Entitlement. Everyone thinks they are entitled to something. It shocked me a bit but maybe not as much as it should have.

Yikes...

So, we are going to CA. For a week. And I have a few hesitations. I have to say I didn't want to go. I drug my feet in buying plane tickets for weeks.

Will we have a good time? Sure, we have 2 days planned at Disney. We get to see people we love, people I miss so much I wish I could bring them home in my pockets.

I'm stressing over CA already and we don't leave for 60 days. Crap. And I have to fly. Double crap. I really hate flying.

The Only Way to Go

 
  
  

Is up. 65-feet, straight up.

The girls were both invited to a birthday party that was held at the REI flagship store in Seattle yesterday afternoon. Sounds odd, right? Not so! It was one of the best ideas ever. The kids got to climb the Pinnacle and had a blast!

First they all traded in their street shoes for climbing shoes. I thought they were super cute, they did not meet Taylor's fashionable standards. They also got fitted for harnesses.

Then they got the safety talk. Seven kids focusing on 1 adult for 3 minutes while a 65-foot climbable wall looms in the background? Good luck.

 

 

    It took her all of about 2 minutes to make it from the ground to right about...

The top. We think she might be part monkey. Next time she wants to try one of the climbs that juts out and isn't straight up. 

Then came this girl.

It took her a bit longer than Bailey, about five minutes I would say. In that third picture above you can see that she is a bit too far over to the left. She kept reaching around the face of the wall and got stuck. It took her a minute but she was able to work it out and...

Make it to the top as well!

After living in WA for almost 3 years I had no idea this even existed. The girls had an awesome time and I definitely want a shot at it. Who's with me??

Oh, and I felt totally safe with the girls climbing. With 7 kids climbing on two different paths we had two belayers who were hands on with the kids. One assigned to each path and they held the loose end of the rope, never leaving their spots. The birthday girl had climbed before and demonstrated a fall for us so we all knew what to expect.

Hoe Down, The Recap

Taylor and her fellow 3rd graders and the 4th graders have been learning how to square dance as part of their PE class at school. On Friday night the school held a Hoe Down where the families were invited in to learn the dances with the kids.

Taylor immediately knew that between her father and I she was way better off with her father. Hey she's one smart cookie.

 

While the instructor was reeling out directions the younger siblings sitting at my feet were watching the test group dance and laughing their little butts off. They were funnier than the dancers. Just wait, their turn is coming.

 

Bailey soon discovered that she wanted in on the action. She found a few different partners, but she tells me that Byung was her favorite.

 

Hey, Taylor's group scored the highest in the PE class for square dancing. Maybe she has a future filled with a petticoat and gingham? Oy. At least she had fun.

Hey, we live in the Pacific Northwest. Rain and all that, kind of limits their outdoor activity, they also ride unicycles! Okay, some of the kids ride unicycles. The kids got my coordination skills and haven't mastered it yet.

What? Don't look at me like that.

Thankful

Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving and has overcome their turkey coma.

I am writing this in mid-December and back dating it to Thanksgivingish. I know that's cheating but I have a great picture to share that I had forgotten about.

Every time that we eat with the parents Pete threatens to lick his plate clean. My mom has a fit and gets mad at him. Since we had Thanksgiving at my house this year I told him that he couldn't leave the table after dessert until he licked his plate.

I think he just might have been in heaven. My mom on the other hand was not pleased with me, especially since I failed to capture the first lick on camera and made him re-lick.

Break time

Taking a small break from PAX at Palominos. Starting off with Scratch margaritas and fresh bread.

Both margaritas are mine.