Simple Things: Date Night

I realize that my simple things post has recently turned into a week-in-review post.  So, I am going to try and separate them as much as possible, I think this will help me to focus on one simple thing I enjoyed during the week.

This week I am grateful for date nights!  To me they are invaluable, and I love it when Andy and I have the chance to go out together!  Last month we went golfing and this month we went to the temple.  We had great company, a great time at the temple and great food afterwards.

The beautiful Seattle temple!  The landscaping around the temple was also gorgeous (as usual).  They had little paths that you could walk on with benches to just sit and enjoy the scenery.  Andy and I had a little time after our session to walk around and enjoy it.

Nothing more simple than enjoying an evening at the temple together!  That's what I say :) 

Find out more about LDS temples HERE

Warm Washington Weather!

You won't believe it when I tell you, and I probably wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it - but we have had at least 7 days of straight warm, beautiful, sunny weather! Today the high is supposed to be 81!  Perfect!! 

With that, we have tried to spend a lot of time outside.  Our normal family runs, picnic's in the grass, walks to the duck pond, and day's at the park.  I love it!  Noah is always asking to go out and play in his car.  He would spend every second outside if he could.  He even got a scooter ride on the neighbors scooter and has been talking about it for a week straight!  Wonderful. 

Here is Noah filling up his gas tank.  He sure is clever! 

Later in the week the kids and I went on a walk to see the ducks in a pond that surrounds our hospital.  We were excited to see some new baby ducks who were practically fearless!!  They came right up to us to investigate and Noah and Clare loved it. 

We will certainly enjoy it while we can, because I am sure the rain will be back before we know it.  

Clare and the 'Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day'

More like week.  This past week really wasn't Clare's week.  Aside from her normal torment from Noah (which seems to be never ending), the little lady just couldn't catch a break!

Let me just illustrate....

On Tuesday she had an especially hard day.  It was a busy day for our family, trying to figure out our living station in Boston.  I put Clare down for her regular morning nap and left the room.  I called a friend to discuss some of our housing options and while on the phone (about 20 minutes later) I heard Clare crying from her bedroom.  I walked back to get her, thinking she must not have slept at all and walked into her dark room.  I tried to squint to see her in the crib but instead I caught a glimpse of her crawling toward me!  I didn't even realize she was on the floor.  Needless to say she must have tried to lean over the side of her crib and either fell out or had propped her leg up on the side trying to climb (which she does) and fell out that way.  I about had a heart attack, but thankfully she was fine as soon as I picked her up.

Later on Tuesday the kids and I decided to sit in the front yard and enjoy the warm weather....after about 30 minutes we came inside so I could start dinner...I noticed some red spots on Clare's head and picked her up to see what they were.  When I lived her shirt, this is what I found....

And the back of her legs....

I called Andy and told him that Clare was having an allergic reaction to something...he hurried home (thankfully it was the end of his day anyway) and we called a friend of ours who is an ER Doctor.  He gave us some suggestions and told us to keep an eye on her.  I put her in a luke warm bath and let her soak for a while.  After getting her out she immediately started looking better, and by morning everything was gone!  I still am not sure what caused it, but our friend assured us that it was fairly normal.  She was still her sweet self the whole time, just a little more itchy! 

This week Clare also had to have her blood taken (and didn't even cry), fell off the pew at church (I wasn't fast enough) and ended up hitting her head on the bench in front of us.  She pulled our yellow end table over and nearly got herself and she recently got into the habit of putting her head down while crawling and randomly running into things.  I am pretty sure she looks at me every time wondering why I would do such a thing! ha.  I have to keep a close eye on this little one, she has a taste for adventure!!

Here's to a better week for baby Clare, and a great one for all of you too!