A Night at the Theatre

Maddy's Christmas gift from Matt was a night at the theatre. They planned on leaving at 4:00 so they could hit the Cheesecake Factory for dinner beforehand. They finally got out the door at 4:30 and headed into Seattle. They walked into the restaurant and were told it would be an hour wait. That didn't give them time to eat and get into their seats so they opted to go to the Seattle Center and eat at the food court there.

The theatre has open seating so Maddy picked front row middle. She of course picked front row middle.

The play, which Maddy kept calling a movie, was 'Pharaoh Serket and the Lost Stone of Fire.' Both she and Matt liked it. Maddy's favorite part was when people would touch the lost stone and get shocked.

Afterwards, the two headed back over to the Cheesecake Factory to order dessert. On the way over, someone on the street asked if they were on a daddy/daughter date and then proceeded to let Maddy know she was one spoiled girl. There are benefits to being the only girl.

Matt and Maddy ordered their cheesecakes (Chocolate Coconut Cream and White Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Nut) and Maddy also got some apple cider. She drank it all before her dessert came and then was too full to eat all her cheesecake.

Harlem Globetrotters

For Christmas this year, Matt decided he wanted to get the kids a gift where they got to do something together. For Maddy, he got tickets to the childrens theatre. For Ryan and Cade, he got Harlem Globetrotter tickets. He asked if I would mind ordering all the tickets. When I ordered the Globetrotter tickets, I got floor tickets and I am so glad I did.

I showed Ryan and Cade some Globetrotter footage I found online so they would have a clue what they were in for. Nothing I found did the team justice.

When Matt and the boys got to the arena, they found their seats right by one of the hoops. Not long after they sat down, someone approached them and asked if the boys could participate in the game. Matt signed a waiver and the boys got to go to Globetrotter University. Both boys were asked to come out onto the floor and dance with a group of kids and the mascot, Globie. Cade was more than willing to show off his mad dancing skills but Ryan opted not to.

Here Cade is waiting his turn to go at it. Matt tried to get a picture of him dancing but couldn't get a good shot. Hopefully the team photographers got one. Apparently Cade totally let loose and put everyone to shame incorporating his karate moves into his dancing. I wish I had video of it!

In the third quarter, the boys were asked to go out and try to steal the ball from one of the players, Airport. Airport is 6'8" so he cut his advantage and got on his knees so the kiddos had a better chance.

Ryan didn't want to go out so Matt told him if he was able to steal the ball from the Globetrotter then he would pay him $10.00. It got him onto the floor but I don't think I saw a single picture of him smiling. I think he was too focused on earning the money (which he didn't get). Cade is smiling in every picture you can see his face but he was never really close enough to get the ball.

All three boys had a great time. They came home talking about how Globie ate someone cheering for the other team (Washington Generals) and how the Generals coach cheated (put a lid on the Globetrotters basket, rigged the scoreboard to give the Generals more points). Airport made Cade cry though. After the boys went out and tried to steal the ball from him, he came over and signed their basketballs. Cade was quite upset that someone would write on his new ball. He asked Matt "Can you lick this off with your tongue?" He woke up this morning and told us he was okay with it now but he will like it more when he is 6. I asked him why. When the player signed his name, he also put his number...#6. Now we are counting down the days when Cade will be fine with his autograph.

When we get the pictures the team photographers took, I'll post them too.

Cade Should Turn Pro!

On Saturday, my mom and dad came over at the last minute for Ryan's basketball game. After the game, Matt suggested in front of the kids that mom and dad should take the kids back to Manson with them. I could go over after church the next day and come back Tuesday since the kids are on mid-winter break. So the plan was set. We hurried home and packed the kids clothes up and off they went.

I left on Sunday and went from warm weather (50 degrees is warm for here in February) to snow. The kids just about drove me crazy since they were stuck inside because in our rush to pack, we didn't pack any outdoor winter clothing besides a coat. No boots, no gloves.

Granny Janny suggested turning on the Wii and Cade challenged Maddy to a game of bowling. The kid is awesome! He bowled a 230! He got 8 strikes in a row. Maddy, knowing she was no match for Cade, changed her goal of scoring any points to trying to get gutter balls in her neighbor's lane. Way to set your goals so high, Maddy! We are so proud! Cade, we are taking you to Vegas!

A Boy Named Boob

I am writing this down for 2 reasons:

1. So Bailee's mom will know it is not just girls.
2. So I will have something to either embarrass Ryan with later or to remind Ryan what he put us thru.

Take your pick.

Matt took Ryan into Scouts tonight and as soon as he was away from his son, he called me. He called to tell me the conversation he had just had in the car with his 8 year old.

Matt: "How was school today?"

Ryan: "Fine. I thanked Bailee for the cookie."

Matt: "That's nice."

Ryan: "Then she told me I was going to be her future husband."

Matt: "What did you say?"

Ryan: "Uh, oooookay and then I walked away. I have a friend nicknamed Boob who tells us things we should know about girls. Girls like shiny things. Girls are always jealous. Girls will totally faint if you flick your hair like this. I did it and Bailee totally fainted. Jackson has done it and made 26 girls faint. Girls love it. I have 3 girls totally in love with me."

I'm thinking a few things: why is a boy nicknamed Boob? what makes him a girl guru? what is this hair flick that induces fainting? do Ryan and his friends even know what fainting is? what is Matt going to think when I tell him it is time to have a talk with Ryan about girls? Hopefully after Ryan has this talk with his dad, he will still have Bailee as a girl friend, just not a girlfriend.

I Told You So!

Don't get me wrong. I feel bad when my kids get hurt. At the same time, after I tell them to stop doing something and they keep doing it and something happens, I want to say, "I told you so!" Sometimes I do. Like today when Cade was running outside on the sidewalk at the school and I kept telling him to stop. He did stop...with some help from the sidewalk.

Young Valentines

Dinner tonight was scrambled eggs and bacon. One of the kids favorite. As I am cooking, we hear a knock on the door. Ryan's (girl)friend*, Bailee has come over to deliver a special Valentines cookie to him. I told him he couldn't have any of it until he had eaten his dinner. I don't know if I have ever seen him eat so fast and that is saying something!

Ryan loved the cookie! He wasn't too happy that I am made him share with his brother and sister but I did let him have the biggest piece. Thanks, Bailee! Ryan is lucky to have you as a friend.

*I'll have to write about Ryan and Bailee's 'relationship' another time!

Hide and Seek

I went upstairs this morning and noticed the hall closet door was open. Ryan was standing across from it and starts pointing to the top of the closet with a silly grin on his face. More of a "I'm glad that's not me" look. This is what I see on the very top shelf.

Ryan's Weekend

Ryan's birthday was January 30th and he was baptized on January 31st. Granny Janny, Papa Butch and Tutu (Matt's mom, Amanda) all come for the weekend.

We wanted to take everyone to breakfast on Saturday for Ryan's big day. We tried getting into Maltby's but even trying to make reservations 2 days in advance, we couldn't get in. We ended up going to the Woodinville Cafe. I had the Almond Crusted French Toast...yummy! It was really good except the place is very small so I wouldn't go back with a large group.

Tutu helped my mom make fruit pizzas for the baptism. So good! I'll post a picture so you can see the deliciousness we got to enjoy.

The baptism was very nice. Ryan was so excited. He was baptized with his friend, Dylan. Matt confirmed him and the blessing was beautiful. He gets emotional during special occasions like this and it is a side of him that I wish everyone got to see more (including myself).

After the baptism, our family took Tutu to Snoqualmie Falls. It is always beautiful but is so much more impressive when it has been raining a lot and massive amounts of water are coming over the falls. Matt took the kids down the trail to get a lower look at the water. Amanda and I stayed in the gift shop and waited for everyone to get back so we could get some hot chocolate.

It was a very nice weekend. Just wish it was a big longer.