Wallowa Lake/La Grande Adventure!

Day 1: Vale to Wallowa Lake

After packing what seemed like the entire house (hey, my motto is that I'd rather be over-prepared than under-prepared) we loaded the car (I am slightly embarrassed at how much stuff we packed for a few nights) and prepared for our journey. Vale to Wallowa Lake is roughly 4 hours away with lots of places to stop along the way (important with a recently potty trained toddler and feed-me-every-two-hours infant.)

(Rocco on the trip-- fueling up before taking off)

We left in the morning after Ruby received her bottle and hoped she would fall asleep in her car seat. Rocco had slept well the night before, so we were hopeful for a positive attitude and easy travels from him. Oh, and having a portable car DVD player with lots of kid movies also helps! After filling up with gas and grabbing some brunch, we were on our way. Ruby fell asleep rather quickly and Rocco peacefully watched movies. All was well until we got to North Powder...

(Ruby-- the calm before the storm!)

At North Powder, Ruby decided she had enough of her seat. She was hungry and had a wet diaper. We stopped. The boys peed. I changed Ruby and started feeding her a bottle before I went in to potty. I was hopeful that she would have a full belly and contently drift back to sleep. WRONG! She threw her first and only major fit for the trip-- from North Powder to Imbler. That's roughly 40 minutes of crying and fussing. Not super fun! Anywhoo... we kept going and tried to appease her, pulling over once to swaddle her, which seemed to help-- or she was just so exhausted from the 40 minutes of crying that she wore herself out-- and we continued onto our destination: Wallowa Lake!

As we got closer and closer to the lake, we could see the weather change from slightly sunny to grey and rainy. We spent the entire trip at the lake in the pouring rain. Regardless, it was still beautiful. I wish I could have gotten better shots of the mountain peaks-- they are really breathtaking. I forget just how beautiful it is up there. After settling into our cozy and cute little cabin at the lake, we went and bought some groceries and settled in for a bit. The boys braved the weather and went for a walk while Ruby and I stayed inside.We grabbed some lunch at Embers Pub-- and I ran into one of my former students by surprise. We then met our friends, Sadie and Hanley, and their little girl, Edie, at one of our favorite places-- Terminal Gravity Brewery and Ale House. We sampled some of our favorite beer while the kiddos played and caught up with our friends. It was a great way to end our first day of vacation.

(Ruby and her daddy relaxing in our cabin at the lake)

Day 2: Wallowa Lake & Joseph & Enterprise

Bright and early the following day, we went into Enterprise to see whoever we could catch at the school. I was able to see many of my old friends and colleagues, which was great. I missed a few, though, so I will have to make sure I see them first thing the next time I go. It was uplifting to hear some of my students say, "Come back, Miss R!" and remember me. I truly had such a wonderful experience when I lived and taught there and made life-long friends within the short 9 months I was there. I have already decided that we're taking a family vacation every summer to visit.

(Wallowa Lake and gloomy weather)

We then took Rocco into the playground in Joseph so he could blow off some steam. It was rainy, rainy, rainy, but he and Todd managed not to melt. Ruby and I strolled around the down town area and shopped. We hit up Bee Crow Bee for some yummy smelling salt scrubs and some balm for Aunt Stephanie. We popped over to Mad Mary's to find some cool toys for Braiden and Madi for their birthdays. We ordered lunch at La Laguna and picked up chocolate truffles at Arrowhead Chocolates while we waited. Ruby was quiet and took everything in while everyone commented on what a cute, sweet baby she was.

(Jumping in the puddle-- so much fun!) 

We headed back to the cabin, ate some lunch, and the kiddos napped. After a little rest, we loaded up and braved the lakeside in the rain. Rocco and I explored the creek, threw rocks and sticks, and jumped in puddles before getting to water-logged that we had to leave. After getting all cleaned up, we jumped back in the car and headed to my friend and former colleague's house for dinner. She had an amazing spread for us-- smoked chicken, salad, chocolate cake, mashed potatoes, bread, and wine. A couple of other friends from my teaching days joined us and Rocco played with Colby's boys. It was a great way to end the second evening of our trip.

(I love this boy!)

Day 3: Wallowa Lake to La Grande

Back on the road bright and early! And oddly enough-- the rain stopped and the sun came out. Darn! Another rough travelling experience-- both Rocco and Ruby were cranky and sick of the car. I lost it. Todd lost it. It was no bueno. BUT... things settled down after we got to Josh and Katie's house-- Rocco could play with the toys and Ruby could be held, so they were happy. We picked up gyros from Yia Yia Nikki's-- and, after hanging out with the Burrights for awhile, we went back to our hotel room for a little rest before dinner.

Dinner at the Burrights was the best part of our trip-- yummy food and great company. Our friends, the Wolcotts, came over with their kiddos. Kenny came over, too. The kids ran and played and went crazy in the backyard while the adults talked, ate, and drank a little. We talked about funny kid stories--toddlers pooping in front yards, teething trials and tribulations, and more. Kenny swears he will never have kids-- ever-- after this night. (I think he will change his mind... eventually!)

It was a great way to end our vacation-- and the kids slept awesome that night :)

Day 4: La Grande to Vale

We unfortunately cut our trip short by a day due to funerals being held back home.

After breakfast at the Burright's house-- home made biscuits and sausage gravy-- we did a little swimming at the hotel pool, then off to the world's best park. The park is HUGE and looks like a castle. There are swings, slides, fireman poles, rock climbing walls, ladders, merry go rounds, a motorcycle, and much, much more. The kids ran their hearts out and had a blast. I ran into an old art professor whom I adore and talked for a bit. It was sunny, warm, and perfect.

The morning ended with a lunch at NY Richie's-- pizza, Viper Sauce, and salad.

Back on the road to get home sweet home. Both kids crashed. When they woke up in Farewell Bend, I jumped in the back seat and kept them calm for the rest of the trip-- I was uncomfortable, but it kept our sanity! 

Home never felt so good-- for everyone.

Over-All Thoughts on the Trip:

Todd gives the kids a solid grade of a B or B-. He says "Ups and downs. It was fun. It was good to see everyone. I would give it a B- to a B. The kids struggled with being off of their routine. There were fun things for them to do, but it was good to be home at the end."

I give the trip a C. It was awesome to see friends and revisit our favorite places. It sucked to travel with kids-- cranky toddler who was off his schedule and a cranky infant who hates her car seat. I was very happy to get home.

I will leave it at that for now :) Are there family vacations in our future this summer? We will see...

(Todd is thinking FML)

(Hopeful) Summer Vacations

Todd and I have been teaching for 6 and 5 years, respectively. We have worked hard to take classes to move across the pay scale since we have graduated from the master's program at EOU. Most of these classes have been taken during the summer. Contrary to popular belief, teachers do work during the summer! In addition to classes, we also rework our curriculum, get prepared for the school year, and other various work-related stuff. But this summer-- things are a bit different. We are all done taking classes to move across the pay scale and we are settled into the groove of things with work, so we have WAY less to do this summer. That means that we can actually take full advantage of the time we have off and go on some family vacations!

Vacation #1: Wallowa Lake/Joseph/Enterprise/La Grande
The end of May, we will be taking a trip to my old stomping grounds in the most North-Eastern part of the state of Oregon. I took my first teaching job in the small, beautiful, and extremely friendly town of Enterprise. While there, I taught Kindergarten through 12th grade art. I loved the students and the people I worked with. It felt like a second home to me-- my home away from home. After Todd and I became engaged and after lengthy conversations about our future, we decided that I would have to quit my job at Enterprise and move to La Grande where there would be more job opportunities for me in the future. To date, quitting my job at Enterprise is in the top three most difficult situations I have ever been in. I loved my job, the kids, the people, the community. I find myself yearning for the mountains, the lake, the crisp air, the people, Bee Crow Bee, and much more since I have left. Needless to say, it left a large imprint on my heart. I have a feeling that we will be taking an annual family vacation to Wallowa Lake with the kids from this summer onward!

Okay, enough back-story.

On May 28 and 29, we will be staying in a quaint, cute cabin at the lake. We will visit with my old friends and see their kiddos. I hope to make a visit to the school, too. I will stock up and soak in the vibe at Bee Crow Bee. Rocco will play at the lake and look at the deer. It will be relaxing and rejuvenating.

Then... we will go down to La Grande and visit our other home-away-from-home!

Since Todd and I lived in La Grande throughout our college years, we have a group of close friends who have settled there and made La Grande their home: The Burrights, The Wolcotts, and Kenny Mace are among the friends we consider family that we will be visiting on our trip. Mostly, we will be hanging with them, but I do have some favorite places I have to visit when we are there: Yia Yia Nikki's for a gyro is a MUST, maybe a stop to the weird clothing/accessory store with Katie, and check out any new stores downtown.

Of course, depending on what time we are going through, I might need to stop at Barely Brown's in Baker to pick up a growler of Hot Blonde beer for Jason... and maybe another one for us, too :)

Vacation #2: Tour de Oregon
Our family is so spread out. It makes it difficult to visit everyone. But-- depending on how Vacation #1 goes-- we would love to do a Tour de Oregon to visit everyone!

In June, we would love to hit the road and head towards Condon going through Baker and La Grande. We'd like to stop and visit the Lantis family in Boardman before heading down to Condon to stay with Todd's parents. From Condon, we would like to go to Vancouver to stay a night there and visit the Dearborn clan. I would love to explore Portland a little more than I have-- maybe a trip to VooDoo Doughnuts? Maybe a trip to the Portland Zoo for Rocco?

From Vancouver, we would like to head down to Lincoln City. Rocco loves the beach, I love the beach, it's time for a visit! I want to indulge on fresh seafood, hit up the outlet mall, soak up the ocean breeze, let Rocco dig in the sand, and listen to the waves. Hopefully, my mom can be there with us and other family members who can swing some time off of work.

Completing the last leg of the trip would be a night spent in Bend with the Telfer family. We'd end our trip going through Burns/Juntura/Harper.

Whew.

Now-- that is our DREAM vacation, but it's a lot on little kids, so we will re-evaluate after our first (much-shorter) trip!

Vacation #3: San Diego
Todd's sister, Stephanie, and her husband, Jim, are expecting their first child, Jillian Marianne, in the middle of July. We would like to make a trip down to sunny California to meet her. Some other things we would like to do while we are there: San Diego Zoo, visit a beach, and shop at Lush. We're hoping that we can catch Steve and Rhonda (Todd's parents) while they are there, so we can spend some time with them, too.

Keep your fingers crossed for us that our kiddos travel well (mostly Ruby!) and we are able to enjoy our summer break by trekking across Oregon to visit all of our loved ones near and far! I will blog about it and share our adventures with you, of course :)

"Terrible" is Not an Accurate Description...

Google "my toddler is a brat" and see what comes up...

...it made me feel better after I did.

The following excerpt from Parents.com relieved most of my first-child stresses: "Things get decidedly murkier when a child hits toddlerhood, and tantrums over everything from socks to sandwiches become an everyday occurrence. But this behavior is not the earmark of a coddled child; rather, it's a perfectly normal part of child development. In such outbursts, kids assert their independence and vent frustrations when they're unable to express themselves effectively." 

Murkier? Um, let's try clear as mud.

Here's the positive: "perfectly normal"... PERFECTLY NORMAL!

Despite Todd's urging to send our child to a baby psychologist, I can now rest assured knowing that despite that fact that our patience is being tested beyond all limits, our child is perfectly, terribly, miserably normal. 

I hear that 3 is even worse.

So... what can I do to survive? Find awesome stuff like this to help me learn to laugh when I feel like crying...

http://messagewithabottle.tumblr.com/post/3929765331/the-50-best-messages-with-a-bottle

Sigh of relief that my child is normal. Terrible and normal and wonderful and two.

Simple Life

Having a 2-year old makes me stop and enjoy the simple things in life, like Play-Doh. Rolling the dough between my palms, smashing it against the table, creating long hissing snakes, and building monsters is a stress-reliever in the simplest sense. It's a time where the stacks of late work assignments, reading journals, and writing projects take a backseat. It's a time where the students with negative attitudes fade into the background noise of the T.V. and the worries of lesson planning for a new class subside.

For a moment, I am focused only on two things: Play-Doh and my son, who is only wearing Thomas the Train underwear and a smile.

The papers, the journals, the students, their parents, and the lesson planning can wait.

This is more important.

This is the only thing that is important.

Come on Summer!

You last heard from me in the midst of potty training... and, as my Cousin Sue (from New England) would point out-- WTF, there hasn't been any posts since then, what is going on with the Shaffers?!?! Here is a little update on all of us:

I am currently nursing that feels like a hangover-- muscles are sore, head throbs, and sick to my stomach. Unfortunately, I was not out into the wee morning hours drinking and carrying on and having a fun time. I was chaperoning high school prom. That's right-- prom. And, yes, that's right-- I am officially OLD since I feel hungover today after chaperoning! The theme was New York-- and the school was transformed into Central Park, Times Square, a subway, the Brooklyn Bridge, China Town, Yankee Stadium (GO BO-SOX!), and much more. The kids looked amazing and were having tons of fun. It is always nice to see them in a different element than the classroom. It was fun. (For the record, the flu is going around, so I'm pretty sure that's what's going on with me lol)

Yesterday, Todd and I went out to shoot ground squirrels at the farm. They are destroying my dad's wheat field. We were out for about and hour and a half and killed over 50 of those suckers. It was a great form of therapy-- nothing like shooting a gun-- and way to feel like we were helping rid my dad of those pesky rodents.

Todd has been plugging away at work and is looking forward to another year at VMS in the fall. This will be his last year on probation within the school district. I just signed a 2-year contract for next fall, as I am officially off of probation! It feels good to finally feel settled into a classroom, a district, and with a group of colleagues after switching jobs every year for the first three years after graduating from college. Todd will still be teaching Health and Computers, while I will keep representing Art and Sophomore English.

Speaking of work... I have completed 3 weeks since my extended bed rest leave/maternity leave. I have to say that leaving the second child is much less traumatic than the first. I have enjoyed being back. I have great kids this year and I work with outstanding people, so it was easy to come back. It's hard leaving your classroom to a sub in any situation, so that is my only complaint.

Between working full time and having two kiddos, I feel like I don't get much of a break (hence the lack of blogs lately!) But it is a good kind of busy. Summer break is right around the corner, so hopefully we get more of a rest then... and hoping that the weather picks up soon!

It's been a damn cold winter and awfully chilly spring, too. The sun is shining a lot, but it is just burrrrrrrrr. I am looking forward to it warming up. I have lots of projects I need to do around the house and Rocco just loves being outside. He is going to have a blast this summer with his new swing set, his bunny, and his big back yard to play in.

Rocco is talking phenomenally. He tells us stories, he tells us jokes, he tells us what he sees outsides, he makes stuff up, he is just talking up a storm. He is also very energetic-- he is ALL boy. His favorites are firemen, Angry Birds, Garfield, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, coloring, painting, playing outside, construction, and kissing his baby sister, who calls by her first and middle name: Ruby Fawn. He has really grown up tall, so he is leaning out and losing some of his baby fat. We have potty trained somewhat successfully-- he has the pee part down, buts still working on the poop part. He is staying dry at night (even though we put a diaper on him only at night.) He is just such a good kid-- very polite and funny. Todd took him to the park yesterday and said Rocco farted by a little girl. He laughed great big afterwards and said, "Scuse me!"

Ruby is also growing. Not in length so much, but in the chub factor-- that girl has some thighs! Her cheeks are oh-so-kissable, too. She is very alert and loves to socialize. She loves to look at other people and smile. She loves to look at herself in the mirror. She laughs, coos, and giggles. She has really started gnawing at her hands, grabbing my hair with her hands, grabbing blankets, toys, etc. She loves her play mat with hanging toys the best and has started bouncing around in her jumperoo. I am still breastfeeding her (go me!) but supplementing with some formula since I am back at work. She still hates her car seat and is waking up every two and a half hours at night, but, other than that, she is a great kid. She is super sweet most times.

We would like to go on some vacations and mini-vacations during summer break: a trip to La Grande/Enterprise to see friends, a trip to Condon, a trip to the beach/Lincoln City, and a trip to San Diego to meet Todd's sister's baby, Jillian. And maybe a trip to Seattle. We are hoping everything works out and Miss Ruby starts travelling better so we can get out there and see everyone. Rocco is a great little traveler now and really loves to look out the window at everything.

The other "big excitement" for this summer is my ten year high school reunion. I always thought I would be pumped about this event, but, for some reason, I am kind of dreading it! It just doesn't seem like the fun time I had in mind when I was in high school and thinking about where we'd all be 10 years later. I'm sure it will be one of those situations that I dread, then end up going and having a blast. We shall see... I will blog about it afterwards! It is over the 4th of July, which is such a great time in Vale with the parade, rodeo, people, and events in the park. There's no where else I'd rather be over the 4th than in my hometown, so I'm sure it will be a fun time.

Todd and I are still doing Weight Watchers, although it is getting more difficult by the day since I have been back to work. Eating healthy is expensive and requires a lot of prepping. If we don't plan out every little thing we eat, there is no way we can stick to the WW plan. So... we have eased up a bit on it. We are still losing or staying the same with our weight-- not gaining, which is the most important part. I would like to lose about 10 more pounds and Todd is looking at around 5. We will get there!

I guess that's all the news fit to print on my end. We are busy but uneventful at the same time-- just enjoying life and our kiddos!

Diary of a Potty-Training Mama

Rocco is going to be 3 in September. According to society, he definitely should not be wearing diapers anymore. As much as we want him to be potty-trained, I have a feeling he is not ready. Despite my gut instincts, I have decided to potty train him during Spring Break. We had read about and were suggested a 3-day crash course potty training method by many other parents, so we decided to commit to it and see how it goes.

Basically, on the morning of Day 1, you and the child throw away all diapers and Pull-Ups. From then on, it's underwear only. You do not take them to the toilet every 15 or 20 minutes, rather you keep encouraging them to keep their underwear dry and to tell you when they need to go. The hope is that the child starts taking the initiative to go to the bathroom, rather than the parents being trained to take their kid to the toilet every 15-20 minutes. With this method, there is only positive reinforcement - no discipline or negativity. Every little milestone is celebrated. Oh, and it's important that if you catch them "in the act" to rush them to the toilet. You can't leave their side for a second, in reality. Even at night time and nap time, children do not wear a diaper. By Day 4, children should, for the most part, be going on their own.

(If only it were this easy and fun...)

Here's how it went for us...

Day 1: Rocco woke up with a cold, but general happy attitude. He ate breakfast and woke up, then we took him into this room to throw away his diapers. He was happy to do so. We made a big deal about being a big boy, etc., etc. He then had an accident while sitting on the couch. We were unable to catch it in time to take him to the toilet. The next one, I was able to catch mid-pee, so I scooped him up and sat him on the toilet. He peed through his underwear into the toilet. We celebrated. The next one was a little accident in his underwear, then the rest in the toilet without underwear on-- we really, REALLY celebrated. My mom came over and Rocco proudly peed in the toilet for her-- we cheered, we danced, we sang, we gave him a cookie. He stayed dry throughout his nap, didn't have any accidents the rest of the afternoon/evening, and even stayed completely dry all night.

Day 2: Dry in the morning after going all night. We were in Seventh Heaven! He had his first pee of the day in the toilet. He then held it the rest of the morning. He refused-- REFUSED-- to go at all before his nap. We knew he'd have an accident for sure. So when he stayed dry for his entire nap, we were impressed. But, shortly after our happiness, he had an accident. I was able to catch him mid-pee, so I scooped him up and sat him on the toilet. He tried to pee more, but could not. He cried and felt bad. I hugged him, kissed him, told him that accidents happen, and put on dry underwear. He had one other accident before going to bed for the night... mostly because he refused, yet again, to have anything to do with the potty and also because Todd was helping me get Ruby ready for bed time. Anyway, as you can safely assume, Rocco peed the bed during the night and woke up wet. Oh, and he hasn't pooped since the day before Day 1.

Day 3: Feeling utterly frustrated and like a complete failure as a parent the morning of Day 3. Rocco woke up wet, but has new, dry underwear on. And... he continues to amaze me: He just looked at me and said, "Go pee in the potty?!?! Get cookies?!?!" So we RAN to the toilet, I plopped him down, and he peed! Again, another huge celebration, and, yes, we give him a mini-Oreo cookie bite for a reward. Maybe I'm not a complete failure! Uh, oh, spoke too soon. So, the next thing we know... Rocco has pooped in his underwear. I didn't leave his side for a second, so he must have done it very sneakily. Anyway, I caught him quickly after the doo-doo occurred, so we (it was a two-person job!) rushed him to the bathroom, emptied the poo from his pants to the toilet, flushed, and cleaned up. He cried the whole time-- not sure if it was because he felt ashamed, embarrassed, or scared to poop in the toilet. He is back in dry underpants... and we're playing Fireman Sam and Penny. Another victory in our corner-- he went pee in the potty again. Maybe we're onto something here! Potty training must be similar to being bi-polar... ultimate highs and lowest of lows. As evening nears on Day 3, I am feeling much more like a Super Mom than a utter failure, poor excuse for a mom. We have only had ONE ACCIDENT TODAY and it was a poop, so that doesn't really count, right? LOL!

Day 4: There is no set plan for today. The manual we read only talks about Days 1-3. I guess we say a prayer, keep prompting Rocco, stay positive, and roll with the punches. Wish us luck!

Just an Update on Us!

Ruby:
Growing like a weed! She recently transitioned into some of her 3 month clothing and size 2 diapers, so we think she is around 12 lbs. She has some rolls on her thighs and her cheeks are definitely filling out. She is getting to be so much fun--- giggling, cooing, and smiling. She is very interactive-- much more than I remember Rocco being at this age. She has started grasping and batting at the toys hanging from her play mat-- it won't be long before she is rolling over. She has also started sleeping more at night-- 4 to 6 hours at at a time, which experts claim is the most an infant under 6 months of age should sleep without eating. We're happier with more sleep-- that's for sure!

Rocco:
Rocco is still a happy, adventurous, determined, and energetic little big boy. We recently took him to a sheep ranch where there were lots of lambs-- he was totally interested in every aspect, especially the mamas and the babies, since he has a mama with a baby at home. I think we are going to start swim lessons this summer-- he loves to "swim" in the bathtub! And he will start preschool in the fall at his babysitter's house. We are going to attempt potty training over spring break... wish us luck!!!

Todd and I:
We started Weight Watchers the end of February and have both lost quite a bit of weight in that short amount of time. Todd is noticing his pants fitting looser and I am noticing a flatter tummy and smaller behind. It's awesome. We love the program and it is working wonders for us. I'm not sure exactly how much Todd has lost, but I have lost a little over 8 pounds since starting the program. I am down 35 pounds since having Ruby, which is amazing, I think! Todd has been dabbling in Craiglist trading-- I don't get into it too much-- and no treasures yet, but moving a lot of our junk, which is good. I am eagerly and somewhat nervously looking at going back to work on April 1st after a long time at home (between bed rest and maternity leave it was 5 full months!) I am excited to see the kids and work with them because I had a great group this year. This summer, I will be taking classes to earn enough credits to move across the pay scale, so Todd and I will be gozillionaires... lol. Some of Todd's family is coming down over Easter weekend to celebrate with us-- his sister, Stephanie, and his parents. I will host Easter brunch on Sunday before they take off and Rocco will be visited by the Easter Bunny. He says he wants an "Easter fire truck"-- whatever that means!

Everyone is happy and healthy on the home front! Love to friends and family reading this.