Weekend Escape

Pinot Noir at Willakenzie Estate

At least six months ago, Sam and I started dreaming of a time when we could actually leave both kids for a night away. I figured by my birthday, Sasha would be able to be trusted away from us, assuming we could fine someone kind enough to watch our kids.  If that was possible, then we had to decide where we would go.  One thing Sam and I haven't had the time (or money) to do in years, it seems, is go wine tasting. Not only does it take time to get out to the vineyards, but it also takes time to slow down and enjoy the process. Add to that money to buy wine and the fact I was pregnant or nursing, there were plenty of reasons why we haven't been able to indulge in that grown-up activity. 

 So with my sister, Erica, agreeing to watch both kids for us, we planned an overnight in Oregon's wine country as a joint birthday gift to each other.  We booked a room at a cute Bed & Breakfast in McMinnville, and we also splurged on a wine tour so we didn't have to do any driving!  One of the best parts of the trip was actually dropping the kids off.  It was so easy because Morgan was thrilled to have a sleepover with her cousins and Sasha is pretty happy with any new activity.  Here is Sasha the morning we left - she was either so excited about where all her stuff was going or afraid she would be left behind!

Where ever this high chair goes, I'm going too!

 The weekend turned out to be fantastic for ALL four of us!  The kids had a blast with their aunt and cousins, and we loved our time away.  But the icing on the cake was the weather.  The weather both days was 80˚ - like summer weather, but in April!  I never would have imagined it would be so nice, but having this amazing sunshine made it feel even more like a vacation for us.

Some of the weekend highlights for us:

•  Visiting some small wineries we had never been to (or heard of) before and chatting with the owners/winemakers
• Staying in the "Siena" room at our B&B, which is appropriate since it's Morgan's middle name and one of our favorite Italian cities
• Enjoying a world-class brunch at our B&B made by Jacques, a French chef who owns it with his wife

  

  Our charming B&B in McMinnville

•  Getting texts and photos on our phones from my sister, letting us know the girls were having a fabulous time and being well behaved
• Knowing our biggest problems of the day were deciding which pinot noir we liked best and how many bottles to buy
• In McMinnville after wine tasting all day, eating Spanish tapas until we were stuffed and then strolling the cute main street
• Driving the back roads through the

  

  Chef Jacques made me croissants!

  countryside and making an impromptu visit to the hilltop Anne Amis winery, where we have great memories with great friends.
• Drinking a rosé on a picture perfect day with Sam was probably my favorite moment of the weekend.

A perfect day:  Rosé in the sunshine at Anne Amie

When we went to pick up the kids, Morgan was disappointed we were back so soon and Sasha was napping peacefully (after falling asleep in her lunch!)  Gee.... I guess we should have left our kids sooner!  We do realize how lucky we are to take such a nice getaway, something we had been dreaming about for months (or was it years?)  It had been 19 months since Sam and I had had a night away without kids, so we reaaaaaally appreciated every moment.  After all, happy parents = happy kids.  I think we are doing good on all fronts these days!

 

A first for Sasha: falling asleep at the table!

Girls gone wild at the park!

And I must say a very BIG THANK YOU to my sister, Erica, who made this all possible, handled four crazy kids, and seemed to have a lot of fun in the process!

Run On

On Sunday, I did something that, until recently, I never believed I could do:  I ran 6.2 miles.  And it was fun and easy, something I never would have said about running a few years ago.  For the first half of my life, running was something that I couldn't or wouldn't do.  I have embarrassing memories of trying to run as a kid, huffing and wheezing, always thinking in my mind, "I have asthma, so I can't do this." Part of that was a real physical challenge, but looking back, part of that was also in my mind.  I didn't believe in myself or want to risk trying something that was so hard. 

I never tried running for "fun" until I was in college.  I was 20 and had just come back from living abroad in Ecuador, and during that time I had seen myself come through a lot of challenges and learned so much about myself.  I had a lot of friends who ran and I had a lot more confidence in myself, so I gave it a try and did a lot of running on my own after that.  Throughout my twenties, running was a nice challenge for myself that helped me relieve stress, get outside, and have time to myself.  There were times I ran every week, and then months (or years) that I never ran.  But it was always there if I wanted or needed it.  I never kept track of how far I would run, I just tried to run for more than a slow 20 or 30 minutes, which often was pretty hard.  I suppose deep down, I really did want to be a runner, but I also suppose that I still had those same negative thoughts in my mind that I couldn't do it.

Then I got to experience motherhood, and it threw all kinds of mental and physical things my way that forced me to carry on and suck it up.  I've said it before here, but Sasha's arrival brought me a whole new bunch of challenges that I often wasn't sure I could even handle.  But I did.  I had to carry on and suck it up, which left me feeling like a tea pot some of the time....I needed to blow off some steam because I couldn't do it at my kids!

So, "hello running, my old friend."  There were so many things I couldn't do a year ago when Sasha was still an infant.  She was too young to go to the gym, she couldn't eat with anyone except me, she didn't allow me to get enough sleep to stay patient and happy, and she seemed to scare most adults with her endless crying, including her dad.  And then there was Morgan to care for too.  So, running became the easiest and quickest way for me to escape without neglecting everyone who needed me at home.  I could put on some shoes and take off into the neighborhood.  And I ran.  I have to thank Sasha for fueling countless runs in the past year.  The built up stress combined with real time to myself got me running faster and further than ever before.  I also have to thank my iPhone.  Without Pandora radio, where I got to listen to grown-up music for a change, and the Nike+GPS app, which tracked my pace and mileage, I don't think I would have gotten so into running in the past year.

We did it! A beer at the end of the 10K!

This picture makes me really happy.  On Sunday, Sam and I completed our first 10K race, the Bridge to Brew, on a beautiful spring day.  It was really fun to run across the Fremont and Broadway bridges, and start and finish at a brewery: the essence of Portland!  Sam and I have worked hard together to accomplish a lot of goals over the years, but lately our main goal is to survive day-to-day life with our kids while keeping our sanity and marriage intact!  So being able to share this new goal with Sam, who has been working hard to get in shape the last three months, was really fun.  And crossing the finish line and seeing his smiling face was pretty awesome.

We ran over the Fremont Bridge!

I have really enjoyed running more than I ever thought I would, and I hope that I will keep making it a priority in my life.  Now that this race is over, though, I have to figure out what is next.  If my best friend (and running inspiration), Naomi, has anything to say about it, it will be a half marathon.  That sounds completely insane and impossible to me right now, but so did those 6.2 miles...

Wow, I really didn't expect this post to be this long, but I guess there is more to this running than simply completing a race.  The truth is what everyone always says:  You can do anything you put your mind to.  Of course the opposite is true, if you put into your mind the idea that you can't, than you certainly won't succeed.  I'm thankful for the challenges that life has put in my way the last 17 years or so.  They keep me moving forward and helping erase those silly negative thoughts in my head.  Tomorrow I turn 37(!) but I feel like I am in the best shape (physically and mentally) of my life.  I guess getting older (and a bit wiser) definitely has it's advantages.

The Power of Words

It seems as if all it was doing outside the month of March was rain, rain, rain.  But inside the house, however, we had our own little storm going on... but this one was with words.  And it has been quite interesting to ride this one out.
The best part of this storm is all the vocabulary Sasha is developing every single day!  I forget how transformative this age is!  She is talking a lot and can say many words, but she can understand so much more.  She's kind of a creature of habit, so as soon as we say "coat," she is at the door and saying "shhhz" (shoes) and ready to go.  Or in the morning, shortly after saying "Dada" when she first wakes up, she promptly says "bye bye," knowing that he will eventually leave for work.  I love it when we say "night night" and she makes a bee line in her waddly walk straight for the door to the stairs.

 Sasha is communicating so much, including signing a lot to tell us what she wants.  She is obsessed with balls and will say "ball" over and over whenever she sees one in the neighborhood or in a book.  For a while she thought Easter eggs were balls too, but now she knows that if you shake them, they might have something inside!  She found a couple eggs this Easter, but preferred walking around with a whiffle ball. 

Easter cutie!

Sasha taking her fist steps on the beach!

Some random snow on March 22nd

Morgan has been the rougher part of this storm, communicating in her own 'developmentally appropriate' ways.   Lately she has been"experimenting" with language she hears at school.  Words like "stupid,"  "boooooring," "I'll put you in jail!" are some of the things she has brought home in addition to her art projects.  It took us a while to figure out what was going on because she wouldn't admit that she was hearing them (and probably using them) at school.  She knew they weren't kind words, but she couldn't resist trying them out at home with us.  Fortunately, a little gimmick about putting pennies in a "kind words" jar has turned her around quickly, and now I think we are hearing more please and thank yous than ever before!

But there is also more complicated stuff, like lying and peer pressure that is starting to pop up.  (Already?!?  She's only four!)  I knew the days of complete honesty couldn't last forever, but now she is starting to test what she can get away with (like dumping water in the sand box after I told her not to, or saying she didn't touch Sasha who lays bawling on the floor three inches away.)  Now we have the tricky part of figuring out how to teach all the intangible stuff, like honesty, compassion, hard-work, integrity, etc.

Breakfast during a Spring break sleepover with Avery

Last night Morgan told me a story that kind of broke my heart, and it made me realize how fast she is growing up.  She was complaining about a certain boy at school (who seems to be the ringleader of the naughty stuff, and also the son of one of the teachers).  She didn't like playing with him because he plays mean games, but one of her girl friends plays with him and that makes her feel left out.  She wants to be included, but being included goes against what she thinks is fun.  I honestly didn't have much good advice for her and really wished I knew the right thing to say.  I imagine this kind of situation will arise many times in the years to come, so I suppose I have time to come up with some really good parental advice! (or get advice from other parents!)

On the flip side of school drama is the fact that Morgan's reading and Spanish speaking is really taking off!  It is so amazing to watch her read on her own and see the light bulb go on.  She is so proud of herself and we are so proud of her!  She is also responding really well when I speak Spanish at home now.  She used to complain about our "Spanish days" that I (try to) do twice a week, and now I think when I speak to her in Spanish she actually listens much better!  Not only does she comprehend most things I say, she is starting to speak it back to me.  It's still a little broken and she gets "you/I/me" mixed up (just like a toddler learning to speak), but it's really amazing to see her confidence in it grow and how quickly she is becoming bilingual.

Morgan's first play: "Busytown" with Lowly worm!

A visit to Papa Ron's office!

Morgan still has another year at her Spanish-immersion preschool so I know her Spanish will continue to grow, though we are not sure if she will continue Spanish in elementary school.  We have time to figure out where she will go for kindergarten, and there are some days I wonder if she is ready for kindergarten now.  But in thinking of all the social and emotional drama that school brings, I think she will be just fine heading into kindergarten with another year of life under her belt.

On the Red Carpet

Every year for as long as I can remember, my mom has made a celebration out of watching the Academy Awards - or Oscars.  It used to just be my sisters and mom, some Chinese food, and a last-minute digging through the storage room for old dress up clothes.


I'm not sure when it became an "event" though.  Now I mark it on my calendar, try to go see some of the nominated films, and then think about costume ideas from those movie characters.  Not only do we dress up, but we also fill out ballots for who we think will win each award.  My mom always sees the most films, but it's often just luck at who guesses the most awards right.  A little friendly competition.  


Since our "wardrobe" selections are usually coming from old prom or bridesmaid dresses, "vintage" clothes from the storage room (still), or Goodwill, we definitely don't take ourselves too seriously.  Although my mom has classed things up by adding a "red carpet" for us celebrities.
 

The Panzer Ladies

The Holloways + cousin Avery

 This year the Oscars were at the end of February, so I'm a little late in posting this, but it was a fun party and I'm glad the tradition continues!   In the past few years, even the dogs, grandkids, and men in the family are getting in on the fun.  We couldn't even scare off Erica's boyfriend, Roger, who dressed up for the party!  Morgan wore a fancy red party dress (although she told us she was a "rock star princess") and Sasha wore "vintage" - an old blue baby dress that I had when I was a baby.  I'm not sure what Sam and I were but it was definitely a step out of our normal every day clothes! 

The dogs are good sports!

On the Red Carpet: A great day to start walking!

I am so glad this crazy tradition continues.  I love being silly with my mom and my sisters, and I love sharing it with the kids in our family now.  They loved hanging out together (Sasha adores her cousin Noah, just like Morgan!), and hopefully they will carry on this tradition when they are older too!  Thank you, Mom, for bringing a little glamour and craziness into our lives!

Walking the Walk!

After weeks and weeks ... and weeks of a taking a few steps here and a few steps there, Sasha is officially WALKING!  Last Sunday, she started taking off on her own, and here is a video of her progress just in her first week alone.  I'm pretty sure she wanted to wait until she could hold her own with her sister!  By the end of the week, she is feeling pretty confident and ready for a parade!

A Glamorous Life

Thinking back over the first year of Sasha's life, there were so many moments when I secretly wished I could have some time to myself.  I dreamed about simply being alone, without anyone needing me for what felt like every minute of the day.  And when I wasn't in demand, I was so sleep-deprived that all I could think about was ONE sweet, blissful night of sleep!  I fantasized about a hotel room where I could lock myself in and just sleep with no interruptions.  I just wanted a "do not disturb" sign for my life.  

Well, apparently I wasn't so secret about those fantasies, because Sam heard me loud and clear.  For Christmas, he surprised me with a "free pass" to 24 hours free of parenting duties and a night alone at The Nines Hotel!  I was very shocked to get such an extravagant gift (this is the nicest hotel in Portland), and of course immediately felt guilty that I didn't deserve it, especially to go away without him.  But Sam was insistent that it was only for me.  I told him it felt like I would be sort of like cheating on him with myself.  ;)  But then when I thought about all the times I put our family first so many times before myself, I realized that I was worth it and I did deserve something this indulgent.  It had been a challenging year.

But before the hotel was even booked, one of the best parts of the gift was simply imagining it before it actually happened.  For a month or so, I pictured that quiet room, clean white sheets, and room service.  It helped me get through many long days.  I was trying to savor the anticipation of it as much as possible.  But I not only wanted to make up for all the lost sleep of the past year (although that would have been impossible), I wanted to make up for other things that I had missed as well... like shopping for something other than groceries...and a night out with girlfriends.

It has been a couple of busy weeks since I got to take advantage of my night away, and it all ended up working out perfectly.  I was able to get my room right when Sam and the girls dropped me off ("noon to noon" was our arrangement).  And the room was amazing.  I was so giddy with excitement at this stylish room to myself - especially since someone else had cleaned it up for me! - that I wasn't sure what to do with myself: take a nap? stare out the window from the 12th floor? take as long a shower as I wanted? jump on the bed?  Sooooo many choices!

HEAVEN!!!

And I was right in downtown Portland.... even more choices.  I ended up grabbing lunch by myself and brought a book along I'd been wanting to read.  Then I got to do some leisurely shopping that I never seem to have time or patience to do, and then it was time to go back and enjoy my room.  The floor I was on had complementary drinks and snacks, so I had to make sure I took advantage of that.  I had my own happy hour, consisting of a long shower, watching some HGTV, taking my time to get ready for the evening, and champagne!

Downtown reflection in a hallway mirror

Even though I don't get the opportunity as often as I would like to, I planned a girls night that evening.  Erica, Kim, and my friends, Amy, Lisa and Sarah joined in. We enjoyed a few drinks in my room and then had a yummy dinner at a French restaurant nearby.  Best of all were the laughs, stories, and fun I got to have with these wonderful women whom I am lucky to have in my life.  I wished my other close girlfriends could have joined in, but they are in different cities, states or countries right now!

The following morning I tried to sleep in, but with mommy brain and years of early rising that wasn't quite possible.  But not having to leap out of bed to cater to someone else was just as nice.  :)  Instead, I had breakfast in bed with... George Clooney!  Well, that would be room service and the movie "The Descendents," which I had been wanting to see for a long time. 

Simply having 24 hours away doesn't make all the sleepless nights, stress, aching back, and frustrating moments simply vanish, but it does remind me of some important things.  First, just having dedicated time to myself is really sacred.  It could be going away for a night or simply fitting in a run or a haircut, but it's "me time" and I should not feel guilty about it.  Secondly, it's good to miss your life - I was so excited to see the girls and Sam when they picked me up the next day and hear them say "Mommy" and "Mama."  And finally, I have an incredible, incredible husband whom I love more every day.  He makes me a better mother and a better person - still not quite sure how I got so lucky.  :)  But next time I go away, I am taking him with me!

Cheers to me!

In Search of Snow..and Sun!

The other day, I had the idea to take the family up to Mount Hood to play in the snow and maybe go sledding.  I mentioned the idea to Morgan, who turned on the dramatic tears and exclaimed, "But I don't know how to build a snowman!!"  Most of that was for effect, but I tried to reassure her that it was completely ok, since she really hasn't had much snow experience in all her four years.

So, on Saturday the sun was shining, east wind was blowing, and we were going up to Mount Hood for some family fun!  Of course getting out the door proved to be the most difficult part of the trip. I grew up downhill skiing, but it had been a long time since I had needed any snow gear, and there wasn't much to be found.  I brought an entire bag of backup clothes and extra snacks...just in case.  I had never done any winter sports with the kids so I wasn't sure what to expect.  Fortunately, we had plenty of warm winter clothes for the girls, so all was well.

As we finally pulled out of the driveway after some minor shouting (our oldest is on a no-listening streak these days) and audible sighs, Sam and I laughed.  We were actually leaving around the time we had hoped and reminded ourselves to lower the expectations for the day's events.  I have probably mentioned it before, but that has proved to be one of the best lessons I have learned as a parent: low expectations.  Not for my kids or their behavior, of course.  But for events and outings, vacations and new adventures, it's best to have the bar fairly low to begin with.  Then there is no where to go but up!

Look at that smile!

And up we went into the glorious sunshine,
driving into the Cascades with views of snowy white Mt.
Hood and Mt. St Helens.  Oregon is such a beautiful place!  We went to Government Camp, to the Summit ski area, which is basically one beginner hill for skiing and snowboarding, and several tubing hills.  It was perfect, pretty inexpensive, and wasn't even that crowded.  Once we got the kids layered up like marshmallows, Sasha went into the backpack and Morgan was ready to go inner-tubing with Daddy.  We weren't sure how this would go, but Sam took it slow and Morgan was having a ball!  Her smile that day was perfect and I will always try and remember it as she came to the bottom of the hill. 

Morgan is lucky to have such a great dad!

Wheee!

After a few runs on the sledding hill, Morgan and Daddy worked on building a snowman.  The snow was pretty crusty, since it had been a while since it snowed, so they added on to someone else's little snowman.  Then it was time for some hot chocolate...Morgan was in heaven!  And so were her parents.  We headed to a brew pup for lunch with a view of Mt. Hood and an even louder family with small kids at the table next to us.  (It's always nice when you aren't the loudest ones in a restaurant!)

Happy Girl...Beautiful Day!

 Then we drove back home with two sleeping little girls in the back seat.  We had managed a fun family excursion that got us out of the house to enjoy some rare winter sunshine.  Can't wait to do this again....but I told Morgan that next year I get to go sledding with her!