Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!

I promised you guys a video and some photos and then never delivered. Bad Pat! Bat!

Canby Football and a cold

So tonight I volunteered to shoot some football. I have never done that before -- although I watch a lot of football on TV.

I have decided that high school football rocks. It's faster paced game-wise than professional -- they are faster on the field, but it feels like a year for the game to finish.

Anyway, here is one of the rejects, and with any luck Saturday one of my photos will be in the Herald.

This morning I woke up with sore sinuses and throat. I am trying to ignore it, since all the girls are feeling better now. I think tonight I am going to slam some NyQuil and then sleep as much as possible this weekend.

Violet is going to start dance school next week, so we have to get her tights and stuff. It's a great motivator because I keep telling her that if she throws fits, she can't go. Because everyone knows ballerinas don't throw fits...

She will get so tired and frustrated she is bouncing, but refuses to talk back or cry, just clenches her fists and bounces chanting "I am not throwing a fit." It's so funny, but I always try to talk her down. At least she is trying and that's the whole point.

Lilly is crawling out of her clothes now, and she will stand up leaning against stuff. I don't think it will be long before she is walking.

Well, I am off to watch the debate now (I am such a nerd I TiVoed it). heh.

I will upload a video tomorrow -- and maybe even some photos.

Pat

Added functionality and another video

Sorry about the lack of updates this week. I have had a rolling schedule, with several meetings and whatnot.

Sometimes work really gets in the way of screwing around, y'know?

We decided that Violet is going to be in school two days a week -- we just have to tell the teacher now. She had been going to the 3s preschool on Tuesday and Thursday and the 4s preschool on Monday and Wednesdays. With her birthday so close to the cutoff they let us put her in both, but the illness and her being tired all the time has led us to back it off a bit.

Scheduling wise I think the Tuesdays Thursdays is best -- but then she is in 3s not 4s... so it's just a decision we have to make. Technically she should be in 3s as her birthday is after the deadline, but she is 4.

Cindy still has a cold and is trying to get back on her feet, and Karen Marsh also got it. I have been lucky this time, I have been drinking Odwalla C-Monsters and downing this anti-cold tea Cindy gave me. I think it has caffeine because I can't seem to sleep at night.

Oh, and I almost forgot, ESPN has new NFL widgets of your favorite team. So I slapped a Oakland Raider widget on the left side there. That way you will know what I will be TiVoing on Sunday. :)

Well, off to work...

Pat

That's right, I take care of my children!

My pal Aaron Marvin posted this video on his blog and I love it. Heh.

The words are perfect -- and tells my story almost perfectly.



Cindy and her mom both have the head cold. I have avoided it through the power of Coca-Cola (at least that's what I am telling myself).

Violet is feeling better, and Lilly still has a runny nose, but she isn't acting sick. Today is back to school for Violet and swimming tonight. I have a Wilsonville meeting I have to attend, one of many meetings I have this week. Ug.

Anyway, I will post another video and/or pictures later today. I have to get ready to run to school now. Then I am trapped in Sherwood for 2 1/2 hours.

Pat

A favor

Well, I got a call on Friday that my old boss at the Silverton Appeal needed help. He was out of freelancers and there was a mural dedication in downtown Silverton. So I opted to help out -- if only because I could go to the event, write it up and be done with it in a day.

The mural is of Don Pettit, a Silverton native who is now an astronaut with NASA. When the Columbia blew up several years ago he was trapped on the space station for several months. He made it home on a Russian space capsule -- so you know the guy has guts.

The dedication was a cool event, and I, being a mild geek, love anything to do with space and NASA. So I sent an e-mail to NASA to see if I could get a reaction from him, but he was evacuated because of hurricane Ike.

Anyway, I made a little extra money, got to visit Silverton again and write about something that interests me. Not a bad Saturday.

I love going back to communities I have covered in the past, mostly for the ego boost. I heard from several people including cops, politicians and normal folks that they missed my writing and felt I did a good job. That felt good.

Well, I should get moving today we have laundry and Cindy is now feeling the effects of "The Cold" so I want to try to get her some rest today.

Living with two biohazards

So, it turns out that Violet and Lilly have ear infections. Yesterday and today we went to the doctor -- we are getting a two-for-one deal through Cindy's HMO -- and it was confirmed.

Our daughters are germ magnets.

Lilly is on antibiotics, while Violet is getting much better. Violet missed two days of school and I think next week we are going to limit her to three days a week instead of four, if they will let us.

Lilly isn't acting too sick, she is just a snot factory and combined with the drool from teething it's like having a tiny Saint Bernard wandering around sliming ankles.



We were told today by the doctor Lilly is in the 24 percentile in weight, 75 percentile in height and (as Cindy put it) a big head. Cindy couldn't remember the number -- can you tell this is the second kid?

I am in utter shock, a child of mine that isn't chunky? When they did that metabolism test on me a the gym, other people were coming up with numbers like 200 and 400... me? I was a -12. No joke. You say "chocolate cake" and I gain a pound. In fact, I just gained four pounds typing that.

Anyway, here is a video of me feeding Lilly while Violet sings for us. Kind of like a fancy restaurant, only the band doesn't know how to play music and all the food is ground up and either fruit or vegetables. I think I will call this restaurant, Chateau de Pat.

Well, I am off to watch Burn Notice -- I love that show.

WARNING TO GANNETT EMPLOYEES: I have noticed lately that there are a couple of hits a day from Statesman Journal employees. To the left in my favorite blog list is the Gannett Blog. This is not something you want to click to when you are at work. I read a post on there a few weeks back that it was rumored that IT is tracking people who visit that site on a regular basis, it isn't exaclty a "fansite" for Gannett, if you get my drift. So, click at your own peril. It's OK for me because I'm a hired gun now -- when I feel like it. While I have you on the line, sorry for the recent lay-offs, I hope the cutting is over with and you guys can go back to worrying about how you are going to do three people's jobs without overtime. I wish you all well.

I love election season

I love election season if for nothing else the comedy.

Here is a skit that I saw Saturday Night Live -- and while biased -- I still think it's still funny.



Anyway, enjoy, I will try to update the blog later tonight, Violet is going to the doctor because of The Cold.

Think she is teething??

Lilly is teething -- and has a little cold, still.

When Violet was an infant, I was changing her diaper one day and she exploded all over the changing table, wall, diapers, me and everything else in the room. Since then, as long as she was in diapers, I called her "pumpkin pants." Paints a vivid picture, eh?

Since this weekend I have been doing the heavy lifting on the Lilly cold front. Her nose won't stop running. I have sucked it out, wiped and tried to show her how to blow her nose with no luck. Today I was laying on the floor playing with her, she crawled over, and wiped her nose right on my shirt, then crawled over to Mommy and wiped her nose on Cindy's foot.

From here forth, her name is "snot." It's a term of endearment, really. And it fits on sooo many levels.

During preschool today I went over to the office to check e-mail and get some stuff. Lilly slept most of the time, when she woke up I took her to the front office to show her off. I would put the car seat on the floor (she was still in it) and she would scream, pick it up, she would stop. It was pretty funny. And another example of "snot."

She also grabbed my hand today and put it in her mouth, I felt one tooth poking through her gums on the bottom. She has one, and my guess more are on their way, especially with her gnawing on a Belle chair.

Anyway, it's Strawberry Shortcake time, gotta run.

Pat

P.S. Here is a story for you...why are Violet's stories always about food?

Kids, compromise and complications

Well, I am learning that with kids comes compromise.

Today I blew off an assignment for my real job (I wrote in at 3:30 a.m. to let them know I wasn't going to be able to attend) because we had two sick kids last night and I got no, as in none, sleep.

So I grabbed a couple of hours before Cindy had to go to work this morning (I slept from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.) and now I am watching the kids today. Tonight I have a council meeting and I am hoping that the little one naps, so I can catch a few hours, or even just rest.

I let them know, but I still feel bad. I keep telling myself it's a part of the parenting thing, so I shouldn't stress too much about it. But those of you who know me, know that I will spend the next week freaking out about missing an assignment.

I called my editor and she has four kids and understood, but I still feel like a moron.

Anyway, I am off to find something to eat and rock the kid. The big one is at preschool now, so at least I am cool that way.

Pat

Laundry, football and butterflies

This is a video of Violet and Lilly playing together. You will notice Violet has a stuffy nose (she sounds kind of nasally).

Lilly has Violet's cold now. Cindy is also complaining of having a stuffy nose. I am going to drink a gallon of water and see if we have any orange juice in the freezer.

Today Cindy is working (or trying to), we are doing laundry, and I am watching football. The Raiders won today (yeah me!) which will probably be their only win of the year. I messed around with my fantasy team a little -- this is my first year and I really stink at it.

Violet was pretty bratty yesterday -- I am attributing it to her cold. Today she seems fine (behavioral wise) but still has congestion. The little one is breathing like a Predator when she sleeps (click the link to hear the Predator -- which sounds like Lilly).

Well, the New York Bretts are playing the hated New England Patriots (Pat Riots when they win) so I better go.

Pat