Blog

  • Rock Band 2 vocals

    I had a chance to play with the Rock band 2 vocals this weekend. When
    I achieved gold star ratings on my first time through "So Whatcha
    Want" and "Give it Away" on expert I knew something was up. Either I
    had become an excellent rapper or the vocals for talkie songs had
    become very easy. Unfortunately I will have no post-kids career as a
    rapper, the truth is Rock Band 2 has made it almost impossible not to
    score 100%. I found this video showing someone getting 100% to Beastie
    Boys by simply reciting the Declaration of Independence during the song.

    http://www.xbox360fanboy.com/2008/09/16/want-a-perfect-vocal-in-rock-band-2-recite-the-declaration-of-i/

  • Fleck Fright Night Jr.

    Fleck Fright Night Jr.

    This year we are continuing the Fleck Fright Night tradition but it will be more family oriented fun this year. Inside the little witches hat was the rolled up scroll giving all the scary details. I am finding it a little challenging to tone down the scariness level in the decoration ideas. Bloody doll heads with knives through them (used in the past) would probably give some of our little guests nightmares.

  • All alone at home

    All alone at home

    Both the girls slept over at Monti's friend Samantha's house on
    Friday. It was so strange being at home absolutely alone. I tried to
    sleep in but it was no use I was up at 7am as usual. Samantha's dad
    made pancakes for the girls for breakfast. He gets very artistic with
    his pancake creations so he asked Monti what animal she would like her
    pancake shaped like. Her response… "a blue heron, please."

  • Cougar Mountain

    Cougar Mountain

    On Friday I took a hike by myself up Cougar Mountain. It was about 2 miles up to one of the view points. Up there it was very quiet with only sounds of the forest. I was standing at the view point trying to decide which way I was facing when I heard what sounded like large raindrops falling through a tree. I looked over to see a cute young cougar grasping onto the trunk of a tall tree after falling down from his spot higher in the tree. I got out my phone and started walking towards the tree to get a good picture for my blog when something clicked inside my mind. If there is a baby cougar here there surely must be a mother cougar close by. I turned around quickly and hightailed it out of there. On the way out I noticed the sign about wildlife at the trailhead. It looks like I did at least 3 things wrong; went alone, approached wildlife, and turned my back on the cougar.

  • Toad’s swimsuit

    Toad’s swimsuit


    Monti’s class has been reading the book Frog and Toad at school. Her assignment this week included designing a swim suit for Toad. As you can see the swimsuit is quite dramatic as you would expect. Who wouldn’t want feathers on their swimsuit? 

  • Foggy Morning

    Foggy Morning

    We woke up this morning to find out the mountains had disappeared
    outside our window. Dahlia was hoping since we were basically in the
    clouds we would see Lumpy again because you know that is where heaven
    is… up in the clouds.

  • Wetlands

    Wetlands

    Monti's class is studying wetland habitats in school. She has been
    begging to go down to the wetlands. Thursday night we went out
    exploring Lake Sammamish state park. She was satisfied with the visit
    once she had a couple cat tails to take home. Both girls missed seeing
    the snake on the path that I almost stepped on.

  • Leopard skirts in triplicate

    Leopard skirts in triplicate

    Three girls at the bus stop showed up wearing their leopard skirts on Thursday. Nothing was planned between them. I guess they all just shared a common though that morning, “It’s a good day for leopard print.” When I was in junior high I would totally plan with my friends to dress alike. Something about dressing identical was so cool to me.

  • Traffic near Talus

    Traffic near Talus

    It took us 25 minutes to go to the gym from our house. They are
    widening the road to add more lanes to support all the new homes in
    the area. The project will not be finished until the end of 2009.
    Until then we will have to pad 15 minutes onto any important trip down
    the hill. Monti and her school friends have been talking politics at
    school. Everything regarding the election and party values is
    extremely over simplified and stereotyped. When she saw them cutting
    down trees for the road expansion she exclaimed, "I bet they are
    Republicans because Republicans cut down trees and kill bugs."

  • Jewelry party

    Jewelry party

    I was invited to a Cookie Lee jewelry party and was told to bring the
    kids along with me. Monti and Dahlia are officially in love with the
    jewelry party idea. Not only did they get to load up on fruit and
    sweets they both came home with new necklaces. For 5 and 7 year old
    girls that is an absolute jackpot.