Hot Tub Heaven

Last week we were given a free hot tub by a co-worker. We had one a couple of years ago, but it broke down and we have debated ever since about purchasing another one. Then our building official called me to tell me he had one available. We jumped right on it. It is great. It has waterfalls and a radio/CD player and speakers and all!!!

We loaded it up with the help of 9 guys....yes, it took that much labor. Tada...here it is. We have been in it every days since.




Here we are in the hot tub before church Sunday morning. It had to be like 6 a.m. It felt so good!!!!

Paisley's new hiding spot.



Thanks guys for helping us move the hot tub. We thank you all!

Things Things and More Things

Well, last week was busy busy busy for the Place Family.

It started out on Tuesday where George did a BBQ class for the ladies from church. He did a great job!!!


Then we began some more home improvement projects. George changed out the aging kitchen sink faucet.

Hold onto your seats...I installed the toothbrush holder in the bathroom. After breaking 3 or 4 of those ceramic ones...we invested in a wall mounted one. I did a pretty good job. I had to drill and everything.


Paisley has outgrown all of her Pediped shoes. She is now in the flex size, but they are not as cute. I just picked up these two pairs. I am still on the hunt for white dress shoes. No one has them. My sister says they come out at Easter time and that black is what we get during the holidays. I have went on line and everything, but I just can't find the right ones. If anyone sees some, let me know!


Paisley rarely gets diaper rashes, but she had a little one coming on last week, so I slapped on some Boudreaux's butt paste and whala...the next morning it was gone. I love this stuff. I have had this container for almost two years now and we have barely used any of it. Great stuff!!!! That is all I can say. Got to love the name too.

Sunday after church we went over to our friends Tim and Sandra's house to have dinner. They just built that brand new house on the new Barrington Drive over looking the bay. It is the only one up there...you can't miss it. It is gorgeous inside and the view is breath taking. I took a couple pictures as we sat out on the deck eating snacks and talking.


I had to take a picture of their kitchen. It is great. They have this long granite top island in their kitchen looking out across the water. Need I say more.




We tried on Paisley's Halloween costume. She is an Ewok this year. George is going to be Darth Vader.

We wore our orange clogs around and around the house without clothes on. Taking off her clothes is her new thing.

We talked on the phone to cousin Kyanne for awhile.

I am exhausted thinking about last week. We did a whole lot more, but I can't remember it all now. Until next time...

Babies On Board Everywhere


Congrats goes out to my cousin Jennifer!!!
(she is the one that watches Paisley during the day)
We are so excited for her.
She is due a couple weeks after my little sister Diana.
Sounds like another baby boom to me.

Mystery Corn


Thanks to whomever left us a bag of yummy corn on our door yesterday.
We are having it for dinner!!!!

Extended New Moon Trailer

Here is a link to the extended New Moon trailer for those of you that are Twilight fans.

http://videoguide.msn.com/play/tv/?g=2eff504a-02c5-4e64-ae37-6ed38d2e0b80

Here is an article that I thought was interesting when I read the title, but silly when I actually read it all the way through. It was a good read and done very well-it's a book, it's fiction, just enjoy it, don't over analyze it. Go team Edward!!!!

Is Twilight Bad For Your Love Life? By Erin Meanley

One of Glamour's female dating bloggers gets on the "Twilight" train and finally reads the book everyone's been talking about. But what they aren't talking about is the not-so-great romantic role models in the book …

Some of you told me I wouldn't like Twilight, but I bought the book anyway just to see what all the hoopla was about. Well, I finally finished it, and ... I appreciated the romance-factor, but I couldn't help thinking it was giving girls the wrong idea about love and relationships. I did a feminist reading of Twilight and here's what bugged me:

1. Bella has no outside hobbies.After she moves to Washington, Bella makes a few friends, but she's not interested in them. Mostly her life is about Edward, Edward, Edward. But what relationship can survive that? Take it from Simone de Beauvoir, who writes about this in The Second Sex: "Two lovers destined solely for each other are already dead: they die of ennui, of the slow agony of a love that feeds on itself." (658)

Outside interests breathe life into a relationship. If you want a healthy one, you better get a life, whether you're a dead vampire or not. On the other hand, Romeo and Juliet were teenagers obsessed with each other, so I don't know what to make of that.

2. The guys are totally unrealistic.Women are always writing male characters how we'd like guys to be — not how they really are. We're setting up expectations. In Twilight's beach scene, Mike Newton brings Bella "sandwiches and an array of sodas to choose from" (118). Excuse me, but a teenage boy at a beach is either going to be goofing around with the other boys, throwing marshmallows, or spending hours in the water.

3. Bella is brainwashed.Bella tells us repeatedly that Edward the smug vampire is "too perfect," (256) "flawless," (261) and has an "angel's face" (262). I nearly got brainwashed. But it's like, he could kill her at any second, yet she continues to trust and lust. Of course he doesn't kill her, so we're supposed to be grateful and think highly of him. Such manly restraint!

But he is always talking down to her about her safety, like she's a porcelain doll. He tells Bella he can't leave her alone for a second. Even doing laundry, he speculates she might fall into the dryer. Really? There's nothing wrong with being a klutz, but even joking like she can't possibly function ... well, that doesn't do wonders for a girl's confidence. It turns her into a dependent. And as my mom says, no one loves a helpless woman. Obviously, for the story, it's the knight in shining armor thing, I get it, but I don't have to like it.

4.Bella is a domestic diva.She cooks for her bachelor dad every night. (Okay, I guess cooking is technically a hobby. But she doesn't do it out of joy, really. It's more out of a sense of obligation.) Bella does laundry, too. But I think we only see her do homework once. See, she's too busy feeding a man to stop and feed her mind. There's nothing wrong with cooking for a man, but doing it in tandem with constantly getting saved by a guy and worshipping said guy ... it's just too much. At least Belle in Disney's Beauty and the Beast loves to read, right?

But! I am not saying I didn't enjoy the book at times, and that I wouldn't have swooned at 13. I just worry that some people will read it without a critical eye (I know, it is just a story). Some girls might expect their love life to look just like Bella's. Now that's what I call scary.

George's Trip to Hawaii

George took some great pictures while in Hawaii last week. Check them out.


Here is Kona picking a banana with a chicken looking on in George's dads back yard.


Remember back in November of 2008...we showed a picture of Paisley's coconut tree that we planted for her 1st birthday. Here it is almost one year later.


Kona's catch of the day.

A few of the many fish they caught.

George and his brothers and his dad below having dinner.


These are the littlest additions to the Place Family. They are twins. I love this picture of George.

Their camp site on the lava rocks. They had a blast camping and fishing all week.


Beautiful sunset. Kona is the one pictured...fishing of course.

Here is a lobster that they caught. Bigger than George's size 14 foot. Wow!


Here are the cousins and George and Kona having a night out on the town.


More pictures with the cousins.




Here is Kona and George making lau lau with their dad.



On George's last night they had a family dinner to end his fabulous trip.

That is it, until next time. Aloha!

Goods From Hawaii

George came home from Hawaii yesterday and brought all this great stuff home. He did so great on the dresses for Paisley. I love all the colors.

He brought her tons of Hawaiian childrens books too.


He picked up grass skirts and bras for Paisley and her cousin Lyndsey.


He brought home tons of chocolate!!!!!

Here is Lyndsey and Paisley in their Hawaiian attire.


And a favorite of mine. These sandles that indicate how many are in your family-one for daddy, mommy and baby...I always see the ones of the stick people on vehicles and I think that is so cute. This is my favorite thing he brought back. There are two more sets of sandles in case we have more little ones. Love it!

Thank you for all the goodies. We love having you home!

What we have been up too...

We have been bowling in the house...


We went to the Farmers Market and bought cider and corn and shortbread (thanks Alexis) and squeaky cheese!!!! Only one more Farmers Market days left this year.


We made 4 loafs of banana bread, 2 loafs of pumpkin bread and 4 loafs of zuccini bread. Yum!!! The guys at work loved all my baking while George was gone-they ate them all. Thanks Janet for the zuccini.


We admired our grapes in the back yard that are almost ready.


And our tomatoes are not quite there yet...


All in all...we have been enjoying the Summer!!!

Continued Prayers For Sydney Boyer

I wanted to re-send the link to Sydney's website. I told you all about her months ago. She is battling cancer, but she is a fighter. Check her out and please please please keep her in your prayers.

www.caringbridge.org/visit/sydneyboyer

Garage Sale Tomorrow


My mom and I are combining to have a garage sale at my house tomorrow. Let's say 9 a.m. to ?
Don't worry George...I won't sell off any of your things while you are gone to Hawaii...I did think about it though. ;)

CONGRATS DIANA!!!


My little sister Diana...who is in Spain...just called and told me that she is expecting her second child in May. Congrats Diana!!!! We are so happy for you all and love you all and miss you all.

What to do next...

What a beautiful morning for the first day of school.

I took the morning off to be with Paisley while my cousin takes her daughter to her first day of preschool. I have already done all of the laundry, the dishes are done, the dishwasher is unloaded, the house is spotless, Paisley is dressed, I am showered and dressed for work, we have had breakfast, I have watered the lawn, the dogs are fed, we have read books, we have played with toys and it is now 8:41 a.m.....what do I do now?

Single Mom for a Week

Well, I took George to the Bellingham airport this morning at 4:30 a.m. Yes, I am tired. He is off to the Big Island of Hawaii to join his dad and 3 of his brothers for his MANS WEEK OF FISHING AND CAMPING. I hope you have fun in the sun George. We will miss you!!!

Paint Job Completed

This year our project for the house was to have it painted.

So, after much debate and many sleepless nights over the color. Here it is. It is a little brighter than I thought, but it does say "BUY ME". It looks really sharp and it is way better than the flaking paint job it had before.

Many thanks to all of you that gave me great feedback. I hope I served you all well.