The Pittock Mansion

We went here today.
The Pittock Mansion is an amazing house overlooking the city.
It is massive (which I suppose is why they call it a mansion).
It was built in 1915, and was quite innovative for the time.
It was really fascinating.
The kids, however, did not share my sentiment.
So we enjoyed part of the tour until Ezra discovered the marble staircase and then we tried to quickly peak into the remainder of the rooms while manning the death steps in order to keep him from dying.
And Ryan told me 4 minutes after we got there that this outing was taking "forever," and she was ready to go.
Overall it was a great activity.
We went with some friends and Rosette and then had a picnic afterward.
Ahhhh.
A good day in Oregon.
See how much fun we are having?

Any ideas?

This is the scene at our dinner table every night.
Actually this is the scene and HOUR AND A HALF after dinner is over.
Every night.
I think on this particular night I served shrimp pasta Alfredo and broccoli.
I know! How dare I feed my child something so revolting!
In fact, the night before I dared to make cheese/egg sandwiches with smoothies,
and yet her buns were still sitting in her chair 45 minutes later.
Argh.
I don't know what to do.
So stubborn.
Any ideas? Holla!

Ezra finished his dinner and is now gloating. Just kidding. He is just a little ham :)

Two pirates and their booty

Yesterday, I left the kids with Scott while at the mall.
He volunteered to take them so that Rosette and I could browse,
by ourselves.
They were left to their own devices for two hours.
When they met up with us, they had some new loot in tow:
Ryan was carrying a lollipop the size of her head (I am not exaggerating),
and two foam pirate swords (who even knew there was a pirate store at the mall?).

(She is naked because of the sticky, grossness that covers her from head to foot after licking that darn thing.)


Perhaps I was dreaming, but I remember specifically having had a conversation with Scott about finances where he mentioned something about only buying the essentials.
Or maybe I remember the conversation from somewhere else.

Tea Time

Just enjoying a healthy ((and filling!)) lunch together.
p.s. it was water

Big girl "lipstick"

So it really isn't lipstick per se, though it is maybe a little stickier and pinker than I originally thought upon purchase.
But it doesn't really matter because the purpose with which it serves is worth the gummy mess it leaves behind.
You see, it was the motivating factor behind finally ridding ourselves of the binky.
Yes, *shrug,* she still used a binky ... but only at night.
However, a 3 1/2-year-old holding a binky in her mouth is quite ridiculous-looking.
Even a very beautiful 3 1/2-year-old.
So I sat her down and we talked about why binkies are really for babies.
And you certainly aren't a baby.
You are a sunbeam, you go potty in the toilet, and can write, and color, and call people on the phone.
Babies cannot do those things.
"And babies cannot wear lipstick," she replied.
Yes! That's it.
She loves "lipstick," which is basically Auntie's lip gloss.
So I promised she could pick out a pink, shiny "lipstick" to use at night instead of a binky.
And that was that.
I have heard only a few times that she still loves her binky "so much" and misses it.
But no tantrums, hysterical fits or fighting over that darn binky.
Better late than never.
And now we are free!