Oaks Park

Our local small amusement park has Preschool time every Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. $6 for unlimited rides for children 6 and under. PERFECT!! One of my moms groups were going and it was a great morning. Not too hot, not sunny and no rain.

When we arrived, the power was completely out at the park. They didn't know when it would be back on - apparently a bird ran into a power line and blew a fuse. They were admitting people while waiting PG&E to arrive. It's ok, the giant slide was the only ride working and the kids loved it. I was amazed at what these little kids would brave - D went on a roller coaster all by himself!

The rides all shut down at 11:30 for milk, cookies and a story. It was a great way to wind down from all the fun!

Beach bound again

1 day after being at the beach, we decided to pack up and head there again. It was going to be a balmy 102 in Vancouver (down from 109), but still too hot for us.

We got to the beach and it was COLD and cloudy!! So cold, that I needed to go to the Everything is $12.99 store and buy a sweatshirt. Being at Seaside, OR there is plenty to do w/out putting your foot in the sand. We went on the carousel, tried on funny hats and had ice cream. Then it the beach for some kite flying, sandcastles and running from the freezing cold water!! AND, no bee this trip.

D being super cool at the beach

Wipe out!!

Busy beach boobie bee

I just realized how long it's been since my last post and BOY do I have a lot to talk about. Go get another cup of coffee or a snack - you're going to need it.

The last week of July turned out to be a record breaking heat wave for this area. We had 5 days of triple digit heat. Being that my roommate works on the weekends, we decided NOT to stay in town and escape to the beach. It was going to be 109 here and an unprecedented 85 at the beach. We prepacked most everything the night before, so we could escape ASAP the following morning.

The beach was fantastic. The kids played in the water all day!! It was that warm. I even stripped down to my swim suit and shorts.

D and I making the 10 mile walk to the water

Playing in the water - D is on the left

By this time you're probably wondering what the title to the post means - Busy Beach Boobie Bee

As we're packing up our stuff to start heading home, I felt a "sting" right under my boob. I didn't think much of it b/c all day while dunking my feet in the ocean, I was being stung by (I'm guessing) really small jelly fish. So, I said OUCH! something just stung me. I couldn't see anything when I pulled my suit out so I didn't think anything of it. WE'RE AT THE BEACH what could sting me or go wrong? Suddenly I bent down to pick up something and STING something stung me next to my belly button. Now I'm starting to panic - I'm allergic to bee stings and I know there is something in my suit. I'm on a public beach, so it's not like I can strip down and get it out. Modesty be damned, I made Catrina look down my suit to see if she could find out where this "thing" is. Just as she's looking down my suit, STING, it got me again!! Now about 2 inches below my belly button!! I grabbed my suit and felt something in my hand. So now I have the little bugger, but must make the 10 mile trek back to the bathrooms, holding this "thing", carrying a bag and tiptoeing across the scorching hot sand!!

When I got into a changing room, I stripped off my suit and didn't see anything except 3 very LARGE welts that are starting to get bigger. Then I see it - a small fuzzy bumble bee crawling on the floor. Yep, I got stung by that thing. I'm trying not to panic much b/c of my allergy. I am trying to decide what to do - go to a hospital or make the 2 hr trip back home. Everyone gets changed and I decide to drive home after stopping at the Rite Aid to pick up some Bee Sting stuff.

Luckily the stings only turned into large welts that itched like crazy and bruised. It was a great day at the beach anyways.

All abuzz about bee's

I now have a kid who is fascinated by bee's. He doesn't just wants to look at them, but he likes to catch them in his bug catcher and come show them to me!!! He's caught many many bee's and has not been stung. He catches them, looks at them and lets them go. It's kind of cool.

I'm totally allergic to bee's. About 8 years ago, I was stung on the thigh, my ENTIRE thigh swelled up like a giant mosquito bite - it was itchy, hot and painful. The last time I was stung by a wasp, my entire face swelled up.....YIKES. I don't dislike bee's or wasps, but I have extreme respect for them and give them WIDE birth when I'm outside.

Paparazzi, Annie Leibovitz or Ansel Adams?

D just LOVES taking pictures now. Now that we're in the digital age, I let him have the camera for a few pictures. Here are a few from his recent collection: mommy, self portraits and nature.

He's also in LOVE with bee's. There is a bee on this flower.

Garden of Eden...er....Tina

When I moved into this house there was a small garden plot ready for planting. The first weekend I was here, I went and bought tomato plants, zucchini, beans and peppers. Being that it was the middle of June, I wasn't sure that the garden would really take off b/c it was so late in the month, but WOW!! Holy Moly!! I'm totally excited.

I was VERY happy that I consulted my mater gardener, Sandy, for advice regarding the zucchini plant. When I was at the store, I had 2 of them in my cart and I called Sandy. She said 1 plant will feed a family, 2 plants will feed a neighborhood. She was not kidding!! I only bought 1 plant and I have zucchini coming out my ears!!

So here is my garden. From left to right: Beans, tomato, peppers (in front of tomatoes) zucchini, basil, mint and chives.
Fruits of my labor:

I'm so excited!! This is really the first garden that I've planted more than just the standard tomatoes and peppers. If I'm still in this house next year, I already have plans to expand the garden and add more!!

Pee pee Dancing!!

D is officially a BIG BOY!!! 3 nights in a row without a Pull-Up and no accidents! WOOO HOOO!!! 1 year ago on July 1, D potty trained during the day and now he's able to hold it all night long. Stinks for me b/c I just bought a package of Pull-Ups and OPENED it for 1!! grrrr.

But, I'll find someone who'll use them. I'm just happy that my boy has mastered the nighttime potty. He's even gotten up after going to bed to go potty. I had realized last weekend, that he was waking up with a dry Pull-Up, so I decided that one night I'd double sheet his bed, and "try it commando". What's double sheeting? Mattress, waterproof mattress pad, sheet, another waterproof mattress pad and another sheet. This way if he does wake up wet in the middle of the night, all I have to do is pull off the top sheet/mattress pad. I learned this trick from other moms who's kids had the flu and were throwing up all night. So, for all those parents out there in blogland, remember double sheeting - I did it in his crib too. It's really great for washing sheets - you just pull off the top sheet and you have a clean one under!! I only have to make the bed every 2 weeks!

Anyways, there have been many firsts lately with D. He's no longer sleeping in a toddler bed. He's got a "big boy" bed - a bunk bed!! He sleeps on the bottom bunk, but he likes it. At first he wasn't interested in the twin mattress, he wanted his little bed back. I told him to try his big bed for a little while and if he doesn't like it, we'll put the little bed back. I haven't mentioned the little bed again. It's still in the garage - gotta get it listed on CL.

Well, we're off to the park! Going to be in the 90's again today, so we're headed out.