Over the river and to the falls....

Saturday morning, we woke up and headed out into this:

Until we got here:

And this was the view from there:

Breathtaking!

The 2nd tallest year round waterfall in the U.S. (behind Yosemite, I learned) at 160 feet.

It drops between 75 gallons to 7500 gallons per second! It is heaviest in Winter and Spring, so we got a pretty good show. It it so much louder than you would ever imagine (when you are on the bridge).

And so, we headed up the steep path, until we reached that little itty bitty bridge you see above. 

More on that bridge later.

The boys loving the spray coming off of the waterfall. Henry loves waterfalls lately. Though, when he thinks waterfall, he thinks Jamison Square, not Multnomah Falls. Friday, we told Henry we were going to see a waterfall the next morning. So naturally, when he woke up Saturday morning, the first thing out of his mouth was "we going to see a waterfall today? Is there sharks in the waterfall?" Sharks are everywhere for 3 year olds. Including, but not limited to, the bathtub, your drinking cup, the pool and mostly on the family room floor, so unless you are wearing your pretend scuba suit, you cannot walk on the carpet.

It was such a beautiful scene. It smelled even better than it looks. Think wet earth/mushrooms/poop....but in a good/earthy way!  I guess we city slickers don't smell the "outdoors" like this very often - it was really refreshing.  

So, lets try to get a picture of both of you sitting side-by-side!!! 

Ready? Hey boys! Look at mommy!!

Yea Charlie. No, Henry, over here!! Yoo-Hoo!!!

This sucks....later mom, I'm outa here.

And THEN, we headed up the steep switchback path to the bridge.

Which way Henry???

Oh. That way.

And there they are. My boys trekking through nature.

It was much steeper than it appears in these pics....but Henry wasn't phased one bit. He was always 100 yards ahead of us on the next switch back.

Whats takin' so long guys???

So 1/2 way up, we took a breather and another attempt at a picture. They are sitting on top of a huge downed log and Henry had huge eyes because he was scared. Charlie isn't phased by anything. At All.

The water drops on these leaves looked like silver. They were amazing - nice picture Nathan!

I think we are on the bridge here. Though, I don't remember anything from those few minutes since I completely spazzed out. The rails on the 1916 concrete bridge were wide enough for Charlie to step right through. Even though Nathan was holding Charlie tight, I just kept seeing him fall through (it was really, really high!). I don't know what came over me, but I had to get the kids off of the bridge. Sorry Nate! 

I LOVE this picture of my handsome guys!

Another favorite nature art picture courtesy of Nate! It was one trunk that spilt into 3 very tall moss covered trees. So pretty!

On the way home, we stopped along the Columbia River for a picnic and romping around.

Our picnic site was very, very bare. Just a table in very rough terrain. As we left our picnic, we drove by Blue Lake and saw BEAUTIFUL picnic grounds/play grounds along a groomed lake. 

Bummer. Though, now that we know where it is, we plan to head back there very soon! 

Right Henry? Right mom.

Happy Birthday Daddy! We love you so much!!! 

Love, B, Henry & Charlie

Good Talk, Mommy.

Tonight, Henry, Daddy and I were having a "talk"

(Henry had a major meltdown and we were "talking" about it). 

I started to "rationalize" with Henry when he cut me off: 

Henry to me: "You no talk. It is my turn to talk."

(Daddy and I bust up laughing and then finish our talk with Henry)

When our talk is over, I asked Henry for a hug and a kiss.

Henry looks at me: "That was a good talk."

I love you Henry, but stop growing up so quickly!

Love, B

Hard Hat Area

Because sometimes, more protection is necessary.

Love, B

Charlie's 1st Haircut

....BEFORE....

....DURING....

....AHHHHFTER....

Never fear my faithful Charlie Hair Lovers!

You just cannot tame this:

"Sigh....our Charlie is growing up" 

I hear you, Henry! Sniff...sniff...

Off to see "UP" today with the boys...and Henry is beyond excited!

Love, B

Who doesn't love a CARNIVAL?? I do! Don't? I've confused myself with double negatives. 

I really don't like carnivals. I used to, but now they frighten me and cost a fortune! 

Henry loved the carnival at first. See? See how he is having fun on the motorcycle below?

And then how much fun he is having driving this car? He loved it! 

This is how much fun Charlie had:

You see, you have to be two to ride on anything, so Charlie was just an observer of the rides, which was good thing for us parents because each ride was 6 tickets. Each ticket was $.50. Which, let me do the math for you, makes each 2 minute carnie ride $3.00. Seriously.

And then, someone (rhymes with "tate") thought it would be ok for little bitty Henry to ride this innocent roller coaster ride by himself. See my big boy loading himself into the car?

And then see little itty bitty Henry plastered to the seat, arms flung to each side which was a pure adrenaline side-effect, much like a fight or flight mechanism, and the look of complete horror on his sweet face? 

We'll just leave that one with....they stopped the ride and let the screaming child off as to not scare the other children waiting in line. 

So we found something a little less scary and let the boys roll around on a soft floor. Wheeee!

We had so many nice-weather days last weekend (and more to come this weekend!). We also played in the Jamison Square fountain. 

They LOVE this place! 

And we loved watching them love this place!

Looking forward to another sunny, warm weekend of adventures, photos and memories! 

Love, B

McNugg-icks

First, I need to say that I just spent 30 minutes on a customer service call with Comcast with a man named "Carol" who had a headset microphone somewhere between his back molars as I could hear every breath exchange in his large/watery lungs as well as the gum he was chewing quite possibly with his colon. 

Sigh. Ok, I feel better. But in the end, the 30 minute torture I just endured was completely unnecessary as a simple "reset" solved the problem. Of course, I "resat" 4 times before I called gurgly-breathing, gum smacking Carol at Comcast. Moving on...

Today is "SUMMER HOURS" at work, so I got to pick the kiddos up at lunch time! As a special treat, and because I knew if I didn't, I'd have very fussy boys, we stopped at McDonalds on our way home. After I ordered our meal and got us seated, it dawned on me that this was the first time since becoming a mama of two, that I have ever done lunch in a restaurant without an adult sidekick/referee.

It actually was going somewhat smoothly. As quickly as I could cut Charlie's cheeseburger, he downed them in handfuls. Henry was busy playing with the Happy Meal toy; too taken to actually eat any of his own meal.  It becomes obvious when Charlie is done eating because he starts to throw his meal on the floor. Henry just announces "I'm dooonnneee." It's then that I realize that my plastic fork is still in its plastic bag. Sigh. This is when Henry threw a piece or McNugget at me and it stuck in my hair. Oh, he thought this was heeeelarrious, as did his brother, who started squealing as he threw his pieces of hamburger on the floor (I'm sure he was also aiming at my hair). I quickly realize this is going downhill and we need to wrap it up. 

This is when Henry announces to all of us (all 5 guests in the restaurant) that "I need to POOP mom!". Oh dear. 

For one split second I almost said "Henry, just go in your pull....." No. No...I can do this. 

I scramble to throw away our garbage while holding Charlie as Henry is holding his beehind telling me how bad he needs to poop in front of a poor old man trying to eat his lunch. 

Luckily (?) the largest stall was open and after I clean off the toilet (WHAT is wrong with people????) Henry starts his business. Why must children brace to the toilet seat as if they might get flushed down the toilet? I begged him to "choose me, not the seat, Henry!" 

One point: Henry

Charlie, meanwhile, starts to throw Henry's Happy Meal toy in the toilet behind Henry...but I'm quick, and catch it before disaster strikes. 

One point: Mama.

As I am helping Henry, Charlie picks the toilet seat up (ugh.), lands on all fours on the floor, splats his hand in something wet and tries to crawl under the stall door. My field of vision becomes pinhole-like and I start sweating. 

Four points: Charlie.

I finally get all 3 of us out of the stall and to the sink, except that everytime I set Charlie down, he wants to crawl (I mean, you are walking little man...why must you crawl in the public bathroom?) It is then, in my public bathroom haze, I decide the best thing to do is to flee this place and just scrub our hands at home; praying the entire way that I don't see any fingers in any mouths. I didn't.

I know, I know....now that I am in my right frame of mind again, I should have washed Henry's hands (and let Charlie do his thing) and then washed Charlie's...but I was sick people, I had to get out of there! 

We are home safe, but point-wise, Charlie has Henry and I by a mile. So he got his hands washed twice in hopes of scrubbing away all of the "McNugg-icks". 

Love, B

Looking Forward....

To the weekend

Just

Around

The Corner!

Love, B

Slowly Coming Around....

I'm not going to lie...it's been a crummy few weeks. A roller coaster. But, finally, all is improving. Slowly.

Other than the dramatic work events and dramatic emotions, May has been a GREAT month!

The boys have been so fun and loving the warmer weather. I have so many pictures from the past couple of weekends that I will post eventually.

But for now, here are a few of my favorite pictures from a couple of weeks ago.

If you stand in our backyard and look around, you might really confuse yourself and think you are in the "seasonal" aisle of Walgreens. Nathan just cannot help himself with the <$5.00 outdoor toys. We have sling shots (airplane, not weapon), we have 500 water balloons, we have a poly pool, we have a plethera of squirt guns (air pump and standard)...shall I go on?

Oh yea, and an electric bubble gun. Henry can literally cover Charlie in bubbles and Charlie loves it!

Even though we own the seasonal aisle at Walgreens, Henry prefers chemistry work.

He loves moving water from one thing to another.

And another:

Charlie? What are you doing?

"nothing. what?."
"nothing." And that, my friends, was the last time Sassy ate dirt. For now.

He is actually likely to move on to rocks and boulders seeing how ALL of his molars are peeking though! Maybe not all, but I felt 4 the other day,

See no evil.

Hear no evil.

Um. See no evil.

We'll work on this.

Love, B

"What?"

Happy 15th Months!

Happy 15th Month Birthday Sweet Charlie!

Love, B

Free the Fishes!

Last night, Henry and I were having a conversation about what animals live in the ocean...

Henry: "Whales, crabs and dolphins live in the ocean!"

Me: "That's right! What about fish?"

Henry: (thinks long and hard for a minute) "No, fishes don't live in the ocean. They live in a cage at the Mall."


Love, B

It's not screaming day...

Daddy picked the kids up from daycare/Grandma today. Henry is first on the pick-up route and then they go get Charlie. As Daddy is buckling Charlie into his seat:

Charlie: "Scccrrreeeeeeech!!!!!"

Henry: "Charlie, Its not Screaming Day, it's Mother's Day!"

That's right, Henry.

Wordless Wednesday

Green Eye

Me (talking to Nate about Henry's disturbing red-rimmed eye): "I wonder if Henry has pink eye?"

Henry: "No mommy, I have green eye."

A Day in the Life....

What exactly does a Sunday in Chez Barton look like? The best day ever!!! A day where we never make plans, but rather let the day unravel at its own pace. Saturdays, we usually plan a get-out-of-the-house-for-the-kids-sake-day. Sunday is almost always Pajama Day - all day (during the winter...summer will likely be different).

Charlie is always the first up. On weekdays, he'll sleep until 7:00 or later (naturally, since we have to be out of the house at 7:30). However, weekends are much different. I usually hear Charlie's sweet cooing somewhere around 6:30 in the a.m. Of course, I loves me some sleep, but I have to admit, my early morning hours with Charlie are the best. Just the two of us. We bundle up and walk down the street to race to the newspaper box (its usually empty), we/he enjoy a bottle and we have some uninterupted play/snuggle time.

Charlie is usually hungry for breakfast before my sleepyheads wake up, so I usually make him something early and then he eats a second breakfast when the men wake up.

This day, Charlie is noshing on bananas and toast - of which he ate no toast.

After breakfast, Higgins contorts himself best possible to catch the remains on Charlie's high chair seat. It's disturbing.

Henry usually graces me with his presence around 8:30 or 9:00...Hmmmm...much like his daddy he is. Good morning Henry! Henry always has the best sleepy eyes and puppy breath in the morning and before he can even open his eyes squeaks out "I want juice and chewy yunga bar" (granola bar, but since it is so cute, I notice that I, Nate and my Mom all call it a yunga bar)
This Sunday, we sent Daddy to the bagel store. Mmm.Bagels....
And then Charlie does his best George Jefferson imitation.

"Weezeh!"

Wait. What? Did Henry initiate a brotherly photo opportunity? Your not "hugging" your brother are you??? Not sure what prompted this sweetness..maybe it was the sugar in the yunga bar which he is holding in his hand?? Even Charlie is like..."what the?"

And then Charlie did some deep sea discovering in the house since it rains all of the time here. Good thing Daddy bought the boys Lincoln Logs because someone is going to need to build us an Ark. And soon.

And then, for a brief moment on Sunday, then sun came out. And we rushed to get out of our pajamas, into grubby clothes and outside to soak in a small dose of Vitamin D.

This is the beauty that blossomed in the backyard this past week:

There is funny...and then there is hilarious! Henry was hilarious as he helped Daddy mow the lawn. He mows right along side Daddy and even does the "back and forth and back and forth" as he approaches the edges of the lawn.

Charlie watched from the sidelines and laughed hysterically at the roar of the lawnmower.

The louder, the better.

After naptime (which for Henry usually means trying on several different pairs of shoes, unloading every book off of his shelf and taking at least one poop), Henry helped me make dinner - Homemade pizza! (sidenote...I really didn't mean to put the words poop and pizza in the same sentence - but thats just how it is in our house!) He had so much fun making the pizza and he actually even ate it for dinner. I was scared his stomach was going to revolt seeing how it only knows chicken nuggets and peanut butter and jelly. It didn't.

And then it was back into Pajamas to close out Pajama Sunday.

And time to give Daddy head-loves.

And belly-laughs...

Is it bedtime Charlie? This guy can "turn it on" like a switch..

And then turn it off just as quick if he sees a laptop....

And this right here...is just pure trouble. This is Henry and Charlie scheming on the laptop. They must have had fun becuase I later found the colon/semi-colon key on the floor.

I love these boys!

And that, my friends, was a Day in the Life of our Sunday. A very good day. Love, B

Ah Nuts.

Very rarely do I spend an evening away from my Little Children and husband, but every few months, I tag onto a book club with my college friends. More often than not, I haven't finished the book because I only have time to read right before bed, which means two pages in...I'm out. It is not at all unreasonable to assume that one adult book can take me several months to read. Sad, I know. But give me a crack at Good Morning, Good Night or Alexander and the Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day and I'm golden. It just so happens that I DID finish the book club book, The Soloist. Last week, our book club met, which meant that Nate was on Little Children patrol by himself. This is the photo I found in the camera:

That would be Henry with his bee-hind stuck in a Lincoln Logs container.

After seeing this, I thougt it wise not ask what he served them for dinner.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery aka Charlie likes to copy anything anyone else is doing and it is soooo cute.

Two baby bottles without tops = Like $10 with inflation

Two large tumblers = Free, I would never buy those

A plastic watering can= Again, free because it was a gift

and 3 food coloring additives = $7

Entertaining Henry in the kitchen sink on a typical Portland rainy day for ONE AND A HALF HOURS???? Priceless.

Later, as I looked through my photos, I wondered to myself how wise it was to let Henry put several drops of red, blue and green food coloring into Charlie's BPA-laden (they were purchased well before BPA became a household acronym) bottles....but then I thought, whats a little red #3 and sodium benzoate going to do that Big Bad BPA won't cancel out? Am I right?

For the record, Henry didn't drink the colored water and I safely sanitized said bottles.
Because it was all Portlandy outside, Henry explored the deep inside the house:

Shirtless food fotos of Charlie are becoming quite common. I should work on that. Or not.

To a parent, they are adorable. To an outsider, I am sure they think said parent is nuts.

Here's to being nuts! Love, B