The Zoo with My Monkeys

On Saturday it was a practically perfect day in every way.

Blue sky, No rain, Sun...
What better occasion to head out to, Woodland Zoo does one need?

We were smart in our timing of this outing because, I knew being that it was sunny day(practically perfect day) here in Seattle, that we would not be the only ones to have the brilliant idea to go to the zoo.

But, we are a family of big kids now who like to sleep in on the weekend. I knew that if we got there in the afternoon when all the families with lils would be heading home for nap time that we would be in good shape.

And sure enough, we got primo parking, and like I said it was a practically perfect day in every way.

Except... when you start to notice the depressed look that all the animals seem to have.

It makes me think of that movie, 12 monkeys with Brad Pitt. Who has seen it? It is a crazy movie where some crazy activist people let all the animals loose from the zoo. Good movie. It made me respect Brad Pitt as an actual actor.

Ok back to depressed animals. Has anyone else ever walked away from the zoo feeling sad? I wonder sometimes why my brain works like this, because like I said it really was a practically perfect day in every way, but somehow I felt sad for the animals.
Not enough to pull a 12 monkeys scenario, still it did leave me feeling a little bit more in the animal activist camp than I am on a regular basis.

Isaiah and my Favorite Flower

Since Isaiah has been a little itty bitty boy he has mistaken my favorite flower, Sunflowers, for the yellow weed flower Dandelions.

I don't have the heart to tell him otherwise.

It's easy to see how he could get the two confused.

And this brings me to the question. Who is it that ever said that Dandelions should be a weed flower anyways?

I mean, I think Isaiah is on to something here. Why do we pull up, and then throw away these bright lil yellow flowers every year? Just because some guy somewhere who wanted his grass to be perfect with no spots of sunny yellow, said that they were a weed?

Maybe that guy just didn't like the color yellow on his green grass. Maybe he was a scrooge about the Spring season and was like "Bah-hum-bug" to all the new flowers popping up everywhere.

Well, I'm not listening to that guy who says Dandelions are a weed flower.

Nope.

I think I am going to listen to this guy and embrace the Dandelions this year.

Generations

Easter Weekend

My Sister Bean aka Gina, came to see me last weekend. She brought with her; her hubby Izzy,her two girls Savanah and Sophia, my brother Jeremy, and My mom and dad. And...She brought her beloved camera.

Did I mention she also brought the movie star child above, my niece Savanah, who can sing the whole Adele song, Rolling in the Deep? Start to finish she doesn't miss a beat or a lyric. Amazing. This little movie star child is going places, mark my words! I might be a bit partial because I am her Auntie, but this lil one can sing!

We went to the tulip festival here in Washington and it once again confirmed my love for this beautiful spot on planet earth where I get to live.

Did I mention, her little peanut, my new niece Sophia, aka Last Minute Biscuit is the cutest baby ever? I mean I hope my kids don't get jealous, but she is so CUTE! I had to fight off my Fab 4 all weekend to keep that lil peanut in my arms. I treasured every, single second and I took in a good long wiff of that baby smell. Not the stinky diaper kind, but the new born baby lotion scent that just reminds us that the world is a beautiful place and that everything is going to be okay, You know that one?

Also, I now want one.
Psshh.. don't be silly,
NOT a last minute biscuit, but a Nikon D40 camera. Although, I did ask her to leave her last minute biscuit too, but she politely refused. I told her I would give her back around the time she starts learning the word "NO!" Still, she refused.
Her camera is really so great. I have a new item to put on my long list of "want". The things I could accomplish with this camera, I mean maybe I really "need" this camera.

We got so many amazing pictures that I can hardly contain myself when it comes to sharing them all with you. They will be treasured for years to come.
These pictures are amazing. And so is this little peanut.

I bought the lil biscuit that outfit she is wearing and it is mandatory that you speak French to her when she is wearing it. She will smile if you do. Actually, she will smile either way cause she is just that happy.

What kind of camera do you use?
I am in the market for a new one because the flash on my old one is broken. I won't be buying anytime soon but I am doing some research.
Gina's camera really helped in this process because it was so newbie friendly.
Is your camera newbie friendly?

Happy Easter 2012

Life.

Is.

Beautiful.

Dear Riot

Dear Riot,

I have discovered that you work the skinny scrappy dog angle quite well.

The whole, "I'm starving please feed me. I'm an orphan please help me" really does do it's trick.

The fact that you are not the baby dog, or the little dog, really does work in your favor.
I mean it's not like you are taking advantage of us like this guy.

Okay, so we pretty much love you, you can stop the whole feel sorry for me act.

Welcome to the family.

P.S. We'll work on the whole over excited barking that occurs when we are playing fetch next month.

My Walk From Oregon to Washington

What to do if you ever find yourself, in a motel room, on a Sunny Day in Portland(which rarely to never happens), BUT with no car, and no money.
Go Home! Just Kidding.

If you don't know why I'm here with no car, and no money read post below. Moving on.


Mo left for work around 4:30am. I tried to go back to sleep but I was just too excited to have a whole day to myself in my favorite city no less. So I got up. That right there should be shocking to those of you that know me. There was a day when if I heard a person utter the words, "I Got up at 4:30" well, that would have meant that we were no longer friends. But, what can I say, I'm a new woman. No really, this is probably never going to happen again so I am glad I have it here in writing. And also the words "got up" should be noted as a very loose translation. Because I got up to ...



Read, read some more. Drank coffee, and read some more. Then I worked out in the lil gym. Also nice, but I prefer the great outdoors always to a treadmill. Still, it was, Ahh so nice. Then I started to get hungry, so I ate the free breakfast. Mmm, Mmm good!

It never ceases to amaze me how much better food tastes when someone else made it. Can I get a witness?

It was at about this time that I was noticing that I might not need the countless books I brought or 4 to 5 chic flicks, or even my beloved Maccy, to keep me busy, because the sun was making a glorious appearance. It was quite obvious an adventure was waiting for me.

Okay True, I didn't have a car or lots of money but I had my legs and more importantly a camera. Not the best camera in the world, still the more I take pictures with my Iphone, the more beloved that baby is becoming.

*Sidenote, I can't believe I haven't named my phone yet. Maybe it should be named Baby, so then I could quote Dirty Dancing by saying, "Nobody puts baby in a corner" Sometimes, I entertain myself. Have you noticed?

Pshh... so I didn't have a car,( are you noticing how many times I'm mentioning that I didn't have a car?) I was not going to let that stop me. It would have been nice to have a car... but I didn't SO GET OVER IT ALREADY! So I walked out the hotel lobby and I checked out the area around me. I saw a bridge. I like bridges. Can you see the bridge?

So I decided the best adventure walk I could take would be to get to that bridge. I had no idea it would be the bridge that crosses over from Oregon to Washington. The Columbia River Bridge.

It's always fun to walk from one state to another, always.

That sign is at the start of my big adventure for the day.

It may not be remarkable to cross over in a car from Oregon to Washington, or from Washington to Oregon, but on foot... well it was a real treat.

I have only walked 3 busy bridges in my life.
One in San Fran.
One in Budapest.
And now this one.

I could die a happy woman.

Have you ever walked a busy or famous bridge? Please do tell.
I would still like to walk the Brooklyn Bridge in New York.
It's for sure a bucket list bridge.

I have to interject at this point that when you are on a busy bridge like this, and every semi truck that passes you by kinda makes you want to pee your pants, you realize that bridges could quite quickly turn into your worst nightmare.

As I was crossing taking in the view that was off the charts, AMAZING.. I kept thinking of My Dawl,Allie, and how this quite literally would have been an event that most certainly would have been the cause of the need for Depends in her life.

She has an aversion to bridges. When begging her to move to Seattle so we could once again be reunited, she said, point blank "Nope, too many bridges!"
And then she proceeded to shutter from just the thought of them.
Ok so we've established that she won't be walking bridges anytime soon.

She would prefer this route better. Under the bridge :)

But NOT ME!!

Wait... stop right there. Those of you who live in Carson City and have lived there a long time... do I not in this picture look like the lady who wears sweaters, hats, and sunglasses and walks the streets of Carson City quite frequently? Do you know who I'm talking about? She's kinda a legend. Many a story has been told as to why she wears such warm clothing on Sunny days.

My little mini vacation has turned out to be just, amazing.
I wasn't frazzled or burnt out or anything, but I was missing my Mr. Big, and what mom of 4 is going to refuse a little time on the lap of luxury? Not this one
I sometimes have to giggle at how spoiled I am from Doctor Father God. He's a good Doctor. The best, really.

Normally

Here I sit in a motel room in Portland Oregon, completely alone with nothing but my Maccy and My Pandora station, set to Mumford and Sons at the moment.

Normally, when one is in a motel room it's for a vacation. Normally a motel room is only the place you lie your head at night after the day of sight seeing and fun activities are done.
Normally the motel room is not the vacation, in and of itself.

Normally.

An unexpected, pleasant surprise finds me in this spot.

Normally, My Giant has to travel for work and often times is only hours from home in a lonely motel room when the work day is done. And normally, he has to share his hotel room with other smelly guys.

Normally.

Normally, I have 4 kids who have to get to school, hip hop, voice, playdates, etc... Normally, my kids are in need of my taxi cab driving, and THEY have planned for me to go here, there, and everywhere before I even get my cup of coffee in the morning.

Normally.

But yesterday afternoon I was posed with the question that was not normal.

"Do you want to come with me this time?"

Hmmm....

Here's where it gets not normal.

My Giant has his own room this time.
My Fab 4 are on Spring Break.
Cousin Derek is home to monitor.
I am foot loose and fancy free.


Greetings from Portland,Oregon!

What to do, What to do?

Spring Break

We are on Spring Break here in the MoNoSco household. Woot, Woot!!

Here are some things we've got planned for our Spring Break this year.

This cake is a must try because, for one I LOVE sunflowers, and for two I love sunflowers :)
You can find the recipe here;Peeps Sunflower Cake.

Then we plan to finally get over to the zoo. I am already so excited for the pics that will come from this outing. I wonder if there is something wrong when I am more excited about the pictures that will come from an outing that the outing itself? Hmm.... Does anyone else think like this?

Come on picture taking people, help me feel normal again.

In between outings we have many at home projects,and fun activities planned because let's face it there are just as many fun things to do at home as there are when you are out and about. Especially when you have Pinterest as your new bestie.

Here is a must try idea, that we found on Pinterest. Big surprise there, right?Marbled Cracked Eggs

This is something that I wouldn't dare try when my kids were younger. I'm gonna be really honest for a minute here and just say that the whole dying eggs activity, even as a preschool teacher always scares the shit out of me.

Maybe I am alone here, but the constant thought in the back of my mind, no matter how many precautionary measure I have taken to keep those cups full of bright dyes from falling all over the place is something that looms in my psyche each and every time I hand that wand over.

Come on, keep it real. Am I alone in this?

Also on the list of activities is the event we have been waiting for, for quite some time.
The arrival of our beloved family. Grandam Ellen, Grandpa Greg, Uncle Jeremy, Auntie Gina, Uncle Izzy, and cousins Savy and brand new Sophie.

They are coming to see us, but also my sister Bean, aka Gina, her favorite flowers are tulips and so ...

We are planning to take the family to this event this weekend;Tulip Festival

Again another event that I am really just giddy over the potential pictures that are to be.
Crazy, but true.

Of all the events that I am most excited about this Spring Break, none will compare to this...

Meeting my last minute biscuit.
AKA my new niece Sophia Adelle.
Sigh...
Is she not the cutest lil last minute biscuit you have ever seen?
Are you wondering why I keep calling her last minute biscuit?
Well, I am glad you asked.
She was born on New Years Eve.

I haven't met her officially yet, only via skype, and pictures so more than all the potential awesome pictures in the world, my heart is swelling in anticipation with the thought of holding this beautiful baby girl.


What are your plans for Spring Break?