Oliver & Co.

Ok...Serious Blog FAIL.

2011-10-18T20:15:00.000-07:00

I was recently reminded by someone who may remain anonymous, that I haven't posted a new post in many many moons. I will try to do better in the future. We have just had a lot going on around here. In case you don't believe me, here is our Summer/Fall recap.

We got to meet someone new!

We said goodbye to a loved one.

We got to hang out with our favorite partners at the R-Ranch.

We celebrated America.

We took refreshing (dangerous) naps.

We learned we like Ranch dressing...a lot.

Jon started his summer project, backdoor steps to the backyard. I like how Oliver wears his helmet during construction. Safety First.

O.k. I was working hard, so please ignore the crazy hair.

We even made it to the California State Fair!

Oliver liked the bug exhibit.

We enjoyed running through the sprinklers! And yes this is happening in our FRONT yard.

We rocked a little.

We went camping again...and learned how much we LOVE dirt.

Why drink milk when you can start your morning with a cold one? (Before you go calling CPS, this can of Oly is unopened).

Um...dirt and jelly don't mix.

We had a few Monsters over for Oliver's 2nd Birthday Party...

and then we ate them.

Jon trying to figure out one of Oliver's new birthday puzzles.

Oliver loved his new Space Tent! Apparently Moms are not allowed inside, but Dads are o.k.

Oliver also loves his new Legos. Glad we made the investment.

Did you know that our little town has Tractor Museum?
We didn't either till a local told us.

Here is an old Packard truck. I think our Great Grandpa used to sell these.

We dressed up a little.

We finally renewed our Zoo membership.

Haircuts are rewarded at our house.

We learned that Play-Dough doesn't taste as good as it looks.

We not only picked our Pumpkins from a REAL pumpkin patch,
we also held kitties, bunnies, chicks, chased Chickens, petted cows
and went on a Tractor Ride.
No pictures of any of that stuff though, so you will have to just take our word.

Oh Yes. This Happened.

2011-07-04T20:04:00.000-07:00

I Love Prince. I love the album Purple Rain. I love the movie Purple Rain. I got to go see the movie Purple Rain the other night in the city at the Castro Theater and there was a very special guest.

Freak'n Apollonia.

If you are too young to know this name. She was the hot lady that Prince hooked up with (and treated like dirt) in the movie Purple Rain.

Still not ringing any bells??? She also had the smash hit "Sex Shooter." A pop song all little girls (should not) sing along with.

During her interview on stage, they kept on referring to her as a fashion ICON.
I love that.
(Please Please See Video).

To top off an all ready Awesome evening with my adult girl friends (NO KIDS ALLOWED) we got to meet this Prince Kissing, Sex Shooting, Fashion Icon!!! She looked Fabulous.

Word to your Mother...

2011-06-23T15:54:00.000-07:00

Funny how a child's first words are never what you would expect. Plus, they don't always sound like the word they are saying.

Oliver has been slow to use verbal...he has been more of a pointer and used a few sign language words we taught him, like "more" please"& "thank you." He could say the Da and Ma sounds but rarely used them to call us. But the last couple of weeks he has really tried to speak more.

Some of his silly first words are:

Gully Gar or Gully Gully Gully Gar

Translation: Guitar

Eeess

Translation: Cheese

Cock

Translation: Clock

Loo la loo la loo

Translation: Mellon, or Banana

Wa Wa

Translation: Water

and my personal favorite:

RICE! No translation needed for this one. Clear as day, he screams RICE!

Oliver carefully considering his next word.

Family Vacation. Scary.

2011-05-17T15:40:00.000-07:00

Want to see Oliver shiver with fear? All you have to do is say...FAMILY VACATION. It all started when I decided to get Oliver pumped for our trip.

ME: Are you ready for...FAMILY VACATION??

Oliver: Claps hands, nods yes with a big smile.

ME: Hey Oliver...we are going to the BEACH for FAMILY VACATION!!!

Are you excited???

Oliver: Claps hands, nods yes with a big smile.

As soon as we arrived to Monterey, I got Oliver dressed for the beach. The first thing we did at the beach was show him the Ocean. As we approached it...he clung tighter and turned his head away from it.

ME: Oliver, don't you like the Ocean?

Oliver: Shakes his head NO!

ME: Oliver, don't you like the beach?

Oliver: Shakes his head NO!

Even though we brought his shovel & pail (and practiced digging in dirt at home for weeks), he would not sit in the sand and play. He would not make a sand castle. He held on to us as tight as he could and cried if we tried to put him down in the sand. Sand touched his toe and he was horrified!

When I tried to get him pumped for the Aquarium...he looked untrusting of my enthusiasm. Now whenever I asked him if he was having fun on family vacation, he would just shudder and shake his head NO!

Me: Oliver do you like the Aquarium?

Oliver: Shakes his head NO.

We had a lovely dinner in Monterey. I surprised Jon and wore a dress he sewed for me in 1997!

Jon also booked us a theme room at the The Madonna Inn. We got "The Old Mill." It was gaudy and dated and absolutely PERFECT! Pictures don't do it justice. The entire hotel was cotton candy pink. The gift shop, restaurants & bar were pink.

There is a working water mill fountain on the wall & animatronic mill people above our bed.

Oh, and the toilet seat was heated!

Oliver & I standing in front of our Old Mill mural.

Me: Oliver, do you like staying at the Madonna Inn on family vacation?

Oliver: Shudders, and shakes his head NO.

It's sad the only picture of us together in our room is blurry. I still can't believe we've been married for 10 years. Where does the time go?

The room came with two pink robes. I fantasied I would get a picture of each of us in our robe. Jon did not help me fulfill this fantasy.

People just don't decorate their gardens with lesbian-threesome sculpture anymore!

Jon booked an hour and a half tour of Hearst Castle.

Oliver did really good the first 50 minutes.

Then the tour guide "suggested" that we take him to the children's play room to help him "get the ants out of his pants". She clearly did not understand that the ants have made his pants their PERMANENT RESIDENCE. I was so bummed, but then a man from another tour got really sick, and they kicked Jon & Oliver out of the playroom to accommodate him. Yay for sick people! So, we did get to finish the tour together. We had a great time.

Me: Oliver, what did you think of the Hearst Castle?

Oliver: Shudders.

Me: Oliver did you like our family vacation?

Oliver: Shakes his head NO and trembles in fear.

Ok...I'm going to HELL

2011-04-29T08:52:00.000-07:00

Oliver and I have a lovely morning ritual.

Around 7 a.m. I get him from his crib and we lay in my bed for about 15 minutes playing with the iphone. Then we get up and he "helps" me get ready for work. As I dress, he climbs around in my closet pulling dresses and other items down to the floor, so I can see all my wardrobe options.

Then around 7:25 a.m. we brush our teeth together. By the time we are done, it's 7:30 and I still need to feed him breakfast, do my hair, put on make up etc. etc. etc. Some days Jon is very helpful and takes Oliver to his highchair and starts Oliver's breakfast while I get ready,

but on most days I'm trying to get ready for work with a child underfoot.

While I'm trying to apply eye liner...he is trying to get under the sink...into the toilet, or into the toilet paper.

While I'm doing my hair, he is trying to unplug my curling iron, or sometimes I loose him, only to find him in the shower splashing the little puddles with his hands.

But there is one defense....

Oliver has a few fears in the world:

The vacuum and my hair dryer w/ diffuser attachment.

I know I will probably burn in hell for using this fear tactic on my child...but when that blow dryer is placed in the doorway of the bathroom, INSTANT CHILD REPELLENT. Of course I need to make sure I'm finished diffusing my hair.

Notice my wavy short hair, another practical use of the diffuser.

Surprise!

2011-04-21T15:02:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what was more surprising to Oliver...the discovery of a lost sippy cup behind a piece of furniture....

or the taste of the sippy cup's "chunky" contents....POOR BABY...you should have seen his little face: (

Go Fish!

2011-04-13T14:35:00.000-07:00

Note to self:
Don't walk away from a hungry baby who's within reach of a table with food (specifically Goldfish Crackers).

Reminds me of the saying: Give a babe a fish, he'll eat for a day...

but teach a babe to fish, he'll eat for a lifetime.

Lost & Found...

2011-03-17T15:58:00.000-07:00

You never realize how much you appreciate the remote control till it goes missing for over 24 hours. We tore the house apart, looked in all the usual places but could not find it. Luckily I decided to wear my boots to work. Mystery solved. I also found a binki in the toe of the boot. It had been missing for a while. Speaking of binkis...

Yesterday Jon was working in the back yard and found Oliver's missing green binki in our flower bed. I was glad we found it instead of Oliver, considering the fact that there was probably SNAIL POISON All OVER IT.

This is the macaroni I found in my hair. I discovered it after I had returned home from work. I was sporting it all day. Then I remembered that I had given Oliver macaroni & cheese the day BEFORE. This means I was actually wearing macaroni for TWO DAYS. Awesome.

No More Cry Baby!

2011-03-04T08:59:00.000-08:00

This would have been Oliver if we hadn't fixed his leaking right eye.

Oliver had Surgery on his right tear duct this week. He had very goopy eyes as an infant, and we were told it would clear up by age 1. Well, he is now almost 18 months, and still had one goopy eye. We wiped tears away from this eye constantly. The doctors said that a minor surgery was needed to PROBE the tear duct for blockage and possibly put in a very small stent to keep the duct open. No BIGGIE...just a doctor taking my baby, putting him to sleep, than sticking something in his EYE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oliver had to fast at least 6 hours before the surgery. His was doing fine till they made us wait an EXTRA 2 HOURs in pre-op. 8 Hours No Food, No nap...we struggled to keep him still and quite.

He fought the nurse trying to take his blood pressure, and he tried to take off his ID bracelet they placed on his ankle. Maybe I should send the nursing staff a formal letter of apology...NO!....they are the one's that kept this tiny guy waiting for hours till he was CRAZY. They should send Oliver a letter of apology.

Dear YOU TUBE, I love you. I really, really do. I would marry you if I wasn't already married.

We watched every Yo Gabba Gabba & Sesame Street Video posted on You Tube while we waited.

They finally gave him some drugs to put him in a calm state for the Anesthesiologist.

Notice he is laying down. This was only possible because the "calming drugs" they gave him started to kick in. Here you see him spacing out looking at the GROOVY stethoscope. Also you might notice the marker above his eye. I'm very glad they marked the eye they were planning to work on. I would hate for them to probe the wrong tear duct. The surgery went great, but post-op we had a hysterical, unconsolable baby coming out of anesthesia. He was ok, just confused, starving, tired and REALLY PISSED! Took him a while to snap out of it.

Once he settled down, we were able to give him a bottle, some food, and a bath and he drifted off to sleep. No more CRY BABY, just a brave little boy with a permanent marker tattoo on his face.

Mmm-Mmm Good!

2011-01-25T21:06:00.000-08:00

We used to think it was so cute to hear Oliver go "Mmmm" as he ate his meal. Now whenever we hear it I go into PANIC mode and run to his side to see what he is putting in his mouth. He says "Mmmm" when he eats old food off the floor, he says "Mmmm" when he eats dirt at the park etc. Clearly he does not understand the meaning of "Mmmm."

Oliver decides to "enhance" his ravioli with whatever he finds on his tray.

He carefully stirs in the yogurt melts, animal crackers and pretzels...

He would not eat the ravioli till this enhancement, to which he responded "Mmmm." Is it ok to call my son a FREAK?

Why Not...it's 2011!

2011-01-24T20:12:00.000-08:00

New Years resolutions come and go, but this year we are adopting the "Why Not" attitude. We have spent the last year cooped up in our home, and it is time to get out there, even if it is a bit tricky. A baby doesn't have to be an anchor that keeps you from leaving the city limits! We are going to get out more in 2011!

NEW YEARS

We started the year off right when we decided to be social on New Years Eve. We brought our well behaved boy, who just had plenty of "sleep-over" practice in Alaska, to Jared & Lauren's house in Alameda. We figured he would go right to sleep. He did. We drank Martini's, Wine, Red Champaign and partied till 2 AM. When we decided to head to bed, Oliver woke up and STAYED UP till 7am the next day!!! He kept the entire house up with his tired cries.

HAPPY NEW YEARS!

At least our friends are understanding.

When asked if we wanted to go to an exhibit in Santa Rosa, there were many thoughts going through my mind. Can we do this? Drive that long, do something adults do? WHY NOT!

What damage could a one-year-old do at a museum?

Luckily, none.

However, his loud shouting did sound awesome in a place with such good acoustics.

Dim Sum? WHY NOT?

I was a bit worried Oliver would not like Dim Sum. Turns out the only thing he doesn't like is me stabbing his head with a FORK. (In my defense, I was just trying to feed him. He moved). Luckily none of my co-workers saw what I had done. Oliver did very good, enjoyed Sweet Custard Buns and when he started to get anxious, Jon showed him all the yummy Lobster & Crabs in tanks.

Just recently, we attended the Alameda Antiques Fair. Long drive, and lots of things that Oliver could break, or swallow etc., but WHY NOT? It was an awesome day. Oliver didn't mind eating his lunch on the go. Really, he enjoyed antiquing more than I thought he would. He wanted to kiss everything as usual, including rusted clocks, & dirty lawn Gnomes. He also enjoyed pushing his own stroller through the crowd, hardly waiting for people to jump out of the way.

It is certainly clear, that doing stuff with a little one is always a little tricky and even risky, but it's 2011. Next time we are asked to go somewhere fun, we just have to say Why Not?

"Christmas in Alaska" brought to you by the iphone.

2011-01-11T19:42:00.000-08:00

Taken by "Microsoft Promo" at the Oregon Airport during our layover.

Traveling with a one year old means bringing lots of crap with you on vacation, so I decided to not bring all the big cameras this trip. Our entire trip was documented on our iphones. (I'm addicted to iphone photo apps right now and it shows. I'm just asking that you bare with me during this obnoxious time, and hopefully I will get over it soon).

Oliver's first airline flight went very well. Though he refused to sit, or be held at all by his father the entire flight up, he never had a major meltdown.

He did however...

Yank my seatbelt
Papercut my face with the emergency evacuation instruction card
Stick his hands through the seat crack in front of us to touch its occupants
Head butt my forehead
Lick the passenger seats!
Claw my neck
Expose my chest by pulling at my shirt
Stroke the knee of the passenger sitting next to us (while he drank his bottle)
Eat all my pretzels
Pull out all the tissue from the box in the airplane lavatory while his diaper got changed
Drool lollipop on the seats
Drool lollipop on me

So overall, he did GREAT!

Around 9 a.m. driving to Valdez.

Driving to Valdez in -20 weather.

Weird things you discover in Alaska...

Christmas Trees are hung upside down.

The Christ Child was a Bear.

Valdez around 11 am.

Oliver helping Grandma in the kitchen.

One of Oliver's favorite Alaska activities was sledding in his red sled.

He also liked giving his new monkey a ride.

He also liked helping Mom and Dad make a Ginger Bread House. He powdered the top with snow (sugar).

Oliver also enjoys eating Alaskan Icicles right off the roof.

One of Oliver's favorite things in Alaska was Grandpa & Grandma's church nursery!!

He has never been to a place like this before. All these toys to himself!!!

Oliver got some cute clothes, a Green Monkey, a Pillow Pet Bumble Bee, and a Cat Keyboard.

Nancy prepared a super fancy Christmas dinner for everyone. It was wonderful.

Delicious Red Pear Salad

Christmas Roast, Orange Rolls, Corn and Mashed Potato...Yum.

Chocolate, Orange Cake made with Grand Marnier! Fancy.

Bird Watching

Oliver trying to escape and feed the birds.

Long Rifle Lodge. Just one of the few places to stop on the long drive to Anchorage.

There was more dead animals on display than you would find in a museum.

Though we only needed to use the restrooms, it is always polite to buy something, since it could be days between customers. Oliver had his first cup of Hot Coco.

Check out the beaver in the background wearing the hat.

Jon's Birthday Dinner in Anchorage.

I don't look tired do I?

Actually fell asleep on the flight to Oregon! First plane trip was a success.

THIS JUST IN...

These pictures were taken by Jon's Parents on a GOOD camera.

Happy Holidays! Don't bother checking your mailboxes.

2010-12-19T21:27:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays Everyone!

You will not be receiving one of these cute holiday greeting cards in the mail this year. Why? It's not because we don't love you. We just have had a rough couple of months, and things did not get ordered in time. So instead of sending this in the mail we are just showing you what you could have had.

The Front. Isn't it artsy?

The Back. See the simple family news letter?

We will be spending the holidays in Alaska this year, so as YOUR holiday cards come pouring in, we wont be filled with guilt every time one arrives! Instead we will just experience the guilt all at once when we return home and go through our mail.

2010-12-07T20:18:00.000-08:00

Dearest Grandma-

I will remember the good times we had together. I remember how you wanted me to call you Grammy, but as I got older, it never really stuck. I remember getting to spend the night at your house, all alone, without any other brothers and sisters to distract your attention. I remember getting to stay up late, and getting to sleep in with you and Grandpa in your bed the next morning. I remember you letting me have my own cup of "coffee" though now I know it was mostly milk and sugar. I remember your pink bathroom with the pink soap, and how you sat in there with me rubbing my tummy when I felt sick and couldn't "go." It was you that introduced me to yogurt, and eating Breakfast at night. It was with you and Grandpa that I coined the phrases "toy-toy" for toilet and "Hosages" for sausage. And it was you two that never let me forget it. I remember the book you customized just for me "Ali and the Mean Brown Dog" where you carefully whited-out the original name "Sally" and hand wrote "Ali" in its place. I remember how you read it to me every time I came to visit. You always let me wear your slippers and nightgowns when I came over, even though I had my own. You don't know this, but when I was living in Alaska, I bought a pair of slippers just because they were the same kind you used to have, and they reminded me of you. (On the same note, Grandpa probably never knew I searched high and low for a bar of "Lava Soap" to have in my laundry room just because it reminded me of him). I remember all the times you would take me to Yardbirds to get Barbies and how I learned you where afraid of rubber snakes! I remember you fashioning your scarf around my head before Grandpa would take me for a ride on his motorcycle. You made me feel like a "Pretty Lady." I will always remember the way you smelled. A fresh baby powder clean smell that I liked so much. Most of all, I will always remember how special you made me feel. Looking back at it now, it was like you put me under your spell, because my visits with you were so magical I never wanted them to end. I wanted to stay at your place forever. I loved the quiet, I loved the peace. I loved being the only one there. I honestly used to fantasize that you would adopt me so I would never have to return to Concord or to my Concord life. You made me feel safe and protected and most of all special. All though you were not a part of my adult life as much as I would have wanted, these childhood memories have always warmed my heart. I only wish that my son could have met you and had a chance to experience that special feeling I had as a little girl. I love you and you will always be my Grammy.

I Already Miss You Sooooo Much

2010-11-01T22:49:00.000-07:00

Dearest Grandma,

I already miss you so much.

I'm so lucky you have been a part of my life for so many years...yet it doesn't seem like it was long enough.

I will always remember the love and kindness you had for me. Thanks for being such a wonderful Grandma.

Spring & Summer Recap

2010-10-20T10:23:00.000-07:00

What do you get when a lot of pictures are being taken, yet NO BLOGGING has been done in months???

You get a SPRING & SUMMER RECAP post.

Joshua fly's in from Colorado to help celebrate Jame's 40th Birthday and to meet his newest nephew Oliver.

Who's Special Today????? That's right. You are big guy.

Oliver takes a day trip to the Academy of the Sciences in San Francisco with Aunt Bobby.

Great Grandma invites the family over for a BBQ at her place!

Kyle Bower Visits Woodland, and meets his cousin Oliver!

Oliver liked having Kyle around.

We all went out to the County Fair.

Kyle made us dinner. He earned the title "BBQ Master Kyle."

We did brunch with Matt & Bobby at "Fox & Goose."

There was lot of fun to be had when the Grandparents got to town!

What Sounds Better to You....

2010-10-17T10:39:00.000-07:00

Nice, Warm, Buttery Pre-cut Waffles served on a plate...

Or cold, dirty waffles from the TRASH CAN?

The other morning I made Oliver Ego waffles for breakfast, and all he did was throw them on the floor and beg to be removed from his high chair. Finally, I gave in. I swept up the waffle from the floor, put it in the trash, and then got Oliver out of his chair and cleaned him up.

Later that day, I'm at work and I get my usual call from Jon & Oliver, and Jon mentions that he caught Oliver eating waffles...and apparently he was getting these tasty morsels from the garbage can.

Now we are constantly finding him trying to lift up the garbage can lids
to ALL garbage cans in the entire house!

After I freaked out, I figured there were many other ways I could think about this disgusting event...

First of all, Jon, the usually very strict Daddy, is finally loosening up and letting little Oliver do more "exploring" of his world which will help him developmentally.

Second, OBVIOUSLY, this dumpster diving is less of an eating disorder, and more of a sign of INTELLIGENCE, because Oliver clearly SAW me put those waffles in the trash, and therefore when he was hungry he remembered where he could get a quick snack! What a Smart Kid!

OB1 turns 1!!!

2010-09-20T21:45:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday OLIVER!

It's hard to believe it has already been an entire year since Oliver was born! A celebration is in order. Nothing too fancy, just family & cake. A low-key day to reflect on this past year.

The Prep...

Cakes were made the night before the party. Decorating took place that morning. Decorating with icing is sooooooooooo easy. So easy, I decided to make each cupcake top different.

The final table placement. Perfect!!

They don't even look like they were cleaning out the gutters only moments earlier.

It only took 3 hours and 5 stores to find a 3 tier dessert thingy! Who knew they were so rare!

Why pay a dollar for endless paper streamers, when you can pay 20$ and spend 5 hours (over the course of 3 days) making your own out of fabric!

Jon just whipped this "OB1" flag together, no problem.

The Hosts...

The Proud Parents of a Perfect 1-year-old.

The Party...

The Cousins...

Oliver was happy to see his Cousins. Kira, Kyle, Grant, Lennon and Larry were missed!

The Guests...

Aunt Bobby came all the way from the big city to celebrate with Oliver!

Others came all the way from Modesto & Concord.

And Some all the way from Alaska!

The Game...

Bocce Ball Game!

The Food...

The Salad Tri-fecta was provided by Grandma Carol! As we have learned from birthdays-past, there is never too much salad!

Jon Barbecued Brauts and Hot Dogs, and we had chips & dips.

The Cake...

Candle blowing concept not quite grasped at this age.

The Owl on top of the cake really attracted Oliver's attention.

Poor Owl.

Nothing a hose can't fix.

The cake before.

The cake after.

After cake, Oliver had to make a wardrobe change.

The Presents...

Oliver's Loot.

We may have to get a stable.

Oliver pushes Yoda in his new wagon.

Oliver loved his custom OB1 Shirt from Aunt Tracey, Uncle James, & the cousins.

Thanks Aunt Amy & Uncle Kevin for the book & clothes, and the sweet kicks!

Yoda doll from Jacob & Jesse was a hit!

Oliver loved his new Bath Toys, but not as much as his Great Grandma's lap!

The Truth...

The truth is,

1. It is much harder to put on a party than I thought. When you want a day to be special, somehow the little details become so important, and those details do take time or sometimes more money then you want a pay.

2. Black food coloring for eyes on a cake seems like a good idea till your son sticks his hands in it and smears BLACK GOO all over his face and clothes.

3. Sewing over 50 flags to a piece of yarn is surprisingly exhausting.

4. Jon's mega flag was much harder than he thought, so he had to bring on two additional staff just to finish it and get it mounted in the ground.

5. Cleaning the house gutters more than once a year can keep water from dripping on the middle of your patio furniture.

6. My Mother-in-law should really start a "Cupcake College" because she is such an expert on making yummy cute deserts! Thanks for all the tips. Also, thanks for standing by with a HOT DRY KNIFE to correct my frosting errors!

7. My Mother really should teach a "Salad Seminar" because she can prepare 3 of the worlds biggest party salad's (literally) ONE HANDED! Thanks Mom, Oliver has been enjoying the delicious leftovers!

8. Oliver actually liked eating potato chips more than his own birthday cake.

9. Having time to:

clean
sew
do yard-work,
shop
cook
and BAKE,

all in one day, is NOT possible when you have a one-year-old. If we are lucky, we can get to ONE of these activities a day...working as a team!

10. So even though this party was small, and low-key...it still took days of preparation as well as the help of two AWESOME house guests and many others to get it all done! Everything was very special!

Thanks Everybody for chipping in! Oliver had a GREAT 1st Birthday!

Rights of Passage

2010-08-24T09:27:00.000-07:00

There are many rights of passage for a little one growing up. First steps, first words... you get the point.

But nothing prepares you for the first time your poked in the eye with a stick! Am I right?

Feeling a bit better the day after being poked in the eye with the stick.

The worst thing about this whole stick in face incident is that it totally could have been avoided. It was my fault for not bothering to get Oliver out of range of the child waving the pointy stick. Needless to say, I felt awful.

The Wild Bunch by the River...

2010-08-02T14:04:00.000-07:00

Weeks after returning home from the R-Ranch trip, I found out what "THEY" have been saying about "US." A person close to me, whom I will not identify, has done business with a R-Ranch partner and old timer named Luigi for some time now. When my friend mentioned to Luigi that the Wever's had recently had a reunion at the R-Ranch, Luigi quickly identifies us as "The Wild Bunch by the River." Hmmmm. How could this be? Us? Wild? We WERE located by a moving body of water, that could be classified as a river. That part IS true.

So my question is this:

How does a group of campers get the nickname "The Wild Bunch by the River?" Let's see...

Could it be the squeezing of a group of 19 between two other trailers, causing all other trailer occupants from both the left and right of the camp to vacate for a week?

Or maybe it was the Parking of 5+ vehicles in 3 camp spots?

Could it be the 1 a.m. howlings coming from a non-sound proofed tent?

Perhaps it was because we were feeding the neighbor's dog pancakes or the removal of dog dishes from others trailer porches?

Does a group get such a title from letting off just a few fireworks on the Forth of July?

Could it be the public "pooping" and "peeing" on campgrounds?

Does the name have anything to do with all the nudity?

Or maybe the "pop-a-wheelies" and the kicking up of dust by motor vehical through out the R-Ranch property?

That bike is definitely doing a "pop-a-wheely."

$$$

Could it be from not paying the 5 dollar a day fee, or ditching out on horseback riding fees (because rules are clearly NOT displayed, and or management refuses to make simple ATM transactions)?

Maybe reputations like this happen after the "law" has been notified more than once about the campers various shenanigans.

Regardless of our various activities, one should NEVER resort to name calling. Just saying.

More Things We Learned Camping at the R-Ranch....

2010-07-16T11:14:00.000-07:00

#9 You need lots of water to survive dusty ranch life...

and it takes more than 4 people to have a successful Volley.

The WORST volley ball game in R-Ranch history.

#10 Lazy days are sometimes the BEST days...

The Klamath

#11 Every camp needs a "SNAKE CHARMER" to protect all its Partners...

The R-Ranch has these.

(Perhaps Aunt Holly should float Evan a "tip" for his services).

#12 "The best thing for the inside of a man, is the outside of a horse." ~Ronald Reagan

I rode "Rockette," she was distracted by every weed. Jon rode "Toby", who he renamed "Sure-Footed Toby" after he went down that steep hill.

We all waited for these two to pick out boots. I must say, the extra time they took was worth it!

Perhaps Ronny was on to something.

#13 You don't need a T.V.

The "Glow Man Group" debut.

#14 The R-Ranch awakens your "Inner Republican" or at least your love for your 2nd Amendment Rights. God Bless America!

Things We Learned Camping at the R-Ranch...

2010-07-15T11:05:00.000-07:00

#1 There are NO VEGETARIANS at the R-Ranch...meat is the #1 staple in a Partners diet.

#2 Clothing is Optional...

#3 Memories come in many shapes and sizes...

We found Grandpa Dick's fake sugar pills he used to put in his coffee.

Snack Shack Soft Serve is EXACTLY the same.

#4 The R-Ranch needs a new Mascot...

A few of these made it back to Woodland in our luggage...yes they were still ALIVE!

#5 Make-Up and Hair Brushing is not required.

#6 Lil' Partners enjoy "roughing it"...More play, late bedtimes, NO BATHS!

Grant

Lennon

#7 Only "YOU" can prevent Forest Fires...

It became clear early on that "toasting" the marshmallows was not really the goal...

Igniting the Marshmallows was...

#8 Real Partner's wear hats...

MORE "Things We Learned Camping at the R-Ranch" to come...STAY TUNED.

See....he has fun in his basket. Really.

2010-06-08T15:55:00.000-07:00

What Will He Remember? Really.

2010-05-25T20:56:00.000-07:00

Will he remember all the hugs...

all the kisses...

all the songs we sang to him...

all the piggy-back rides & paddy cakes...

the snuggles...

all the walks in our garden...

all the bedtime stories...

and the peek-a-boos...

Will he remember that his mother breast fed him till he was 8 months old...

or that his parents made him "Homemade Baby Food"...

or will he remember all the times we put him in "prison" our word for his laundry basket.

We use the basket to keep him playing in one safe spot. Whenever he is loose, he goes crazy, and gets into everything, but for some reason, he hardly ever tries to escape his prison. So we keep putting him in there...when we need to make his bottle, or go to the restroom, put on make-up etc. he goes in prison. So our question is this...will he remember all the good things, or will he remember this? When he is an adult, will he have scary flash backs when he is trying to do a load of laundry? Will he hate the color orange? I guess only time will tell.

No Eggs, No Peeps, Just this Small Outfit that makes my butt look BIG

2010-04-26T19:18:00.000-07:00

We are posting our Easter Pictures late, but Oliver wanted all of you to see the torture he endured this year.

The Ears were from Grandma, and they were not exactly Oliver's first choice for head wear.

First there was the outfit. The dress clothes his parents (Mother) decided he would NEED to wear on Easter, even though he would not be attending any religious services where this attire would be a requirement.

This is the outfit that should have been worn in the family photo in December, but it was still too big. Now at Easter, the outfit is...shall we say...a little snug.

The poor boy could hardly move his arms to crawl the sleeves were sooooo tight, and the shirt was too short to stay tucked in, and finally the pants resembled something Bruce Banner wears after he has turned into The HULK. Needless to say the outfit had to come off after pictures were taken.

Thank Goodness for Grandparents! If it was up to Mom & Dad, I'd get ZIP for Easter.

Jon had to work on Easter, so Oliver & I went to Concord for Easter Dinner. Mom & I needed a few things at the store, so I thought I would just leave Oliver for a few minutes with his Grandparents while I ran the errand. Well...Oliver acted like he had been abandoned with strangers and cried the entire time I was gone.

Oliver is telling G.G that his Mother sucks...and just abandons him in strange places...on EASTER.

Finally, Oliver got no Candy, Chocolate, or Easter Eggs this year. In fact, he was left in a play pen to cry while the rest of the family ate a delicious meal prepared by Mom and served on her special Easter Dishes. Do any of you have special Easter Dishes? I didn't think so. (Nap time wasn't going to work, so Oliver eventually joined us).

Oliver did not get to eat this food.

When it was time to go home, the weather decided to take a nasty turn, and STORM the whole way back to Woodland. This is the second time I had to drive, alone, with the baby in at nasty storm with little visibilty. We hydroplaned about 5x by the time we reached home.

Our days are Action Packed…

2010-04-10T21:42:00.000-07:00

Yes, we have been so busy these days we have really neglected blogging. Here is a quick recap of just some of the activities keeping us so busy.

Work:

I have been working my 40 hours, as well as trying to work from home 1 day a week. This means working…not blogging on the computer at night.

Jon watches Oliver all day and goes into work as soon as I come home in the evenings, and works on his lab experiments on the weekends!

Home Improvement:

Jon has also been working hard on remodeling the guest bathroom.

No Tub, No Toilet, No Sink, NO WALLS, NO FlOOR!

Done Plumbing, so floor is rebuilt.

New sub-floor placed & mudded.

WALLS!

Tub is put back in!

He has finished with all the plumbing (new shower installation) and has finally put down a new subfloor, and put up new walls! Yes…for a while we had NO FLOOR, or WALLS in that bathroom. Only putting down the tile, painting and decorating to go!

I have finally found time to work on my “sewing station.”

Still need to make my "inspiration board" to hang above the desk.

I have Refurbished an old desk for my sewing station. It is amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do.

Desk used to be 1970's fake wood...now it is 1970's shabby chic "Vanilla Bean."

Maybe if I get this station done, I’ll actually attempt making the curtains I have been meaning to make months ago!

Music

Jon & I have been busy finishing up a 10 song demo and are finally ready to share it with you.

Click Here to Listen.

Our Little Action Jackson…

Oliver has really become a busy boy as of late. Oliver & Daddy have fun all day building forts; exploring the house, playing peek-a-boo and we can’t forget the dancing! The other day I came home for lunch to find Oliver still in his Pajamas, on the floor crawling and squealing.

Me: Jon, why is Oliver still wearing his Sleeper??

Jon: That’s not a Sleeper, that’s his “Action Suit.”

Oliver: Squeals and goes into Downward Dog.

Case Closed.

Here is a list of some of Oliver’s newest tricks done with and without the “Action Suit:”

Yoga (downward dog mostly). Maybe Larry and Oliver should start instructing!

Crawling

Crawling towards dirty shoes

Crawling towards remote controls

Crawling towards power cords & cables

Crawling towards iphones...this list could get pretty long.

Climbing up on things till he stands or falls over.

Waving

SQUEALING

Kissing (Momma)

Grabbing, Smacking & scratching his innocent Parents

Twisting on the changing table, which can get very MESSY!

Biting with his new tooth.

Oliver flashing his tooth nub.

Looking Good!

Action Suit Yoga.

Action Suit Stand.

Action Suit Ring Toss.

Action Suit Pull-Ups.

Looking for a good book to read.

Escaping Dad's Pillow fence.

A taller fence is implemented.

Another Action Suit?

Remote Hunting.

Need I Say More...

2010-02-09T21:57:00.000-08:00

Actual Post to Come.
In case you guys were really needing an Oliver fix, I post movies of all is new and cute activities on my You Tube account. I'll try to update this blog soon. I promise.

Happy MLK...(and Merry Xmas)

2010-01-15T20:15:00.000-08:00

Happy Martin Luther King Day! Oh crap! Did I forget the Christmas posting????????

Let's do a brief recap since Holly covered most of the Wever Christmas in her Christmas blog (that actually made it up to the web in a timely fashion).

The First Bower Family Xmas Card.

This was the card that if you were in Concord for Xmas, you did NOT get. I ordered a limited number of cards and they went to a select few that live far, far away.

Uncle Kevin & Amy in Woodland

They passed through first...Oliver was very happy to meet Uncle Kevin and see Aunt Amy again.

Oliver Meets Uncle Tod

Tod takes a break from the assortment of holiday wieners, to give little Oliver a hug.

Uncle Kip, AKA "The baby snatcher!"

Great Grandma watching over Oliver

Larry & Oliver Finally Meet

Larry & Oliver share Grandpa's lap...luckily there is always room for Grandsons!

Evan keeps growing!

The Meeting

Jon & Larry have a similar taste in head apparel.

XMAS is for KIDS

Evan enjoying his new DS.

Grant LOVES robots!

Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Batman!

Kissing the Batmobile.

Thanks to Larry, these tracks are SLICK!

Doesn't even know what day it is!

Cousins

O.K. I'll kiss him...but he's no Batmobile!

It's like Oliver is aware that a 2 year old is holding him, and looks for a hand!

This group is very hard to coral!

The Gingerbread House

Aunt Emily steps in to guide the "frosting challenged."

See...He CAN get his picture taken!

Xmas Hugs

The Feast

The Clean-Up

Emily....a true Christmas Hero!

Does this even need a caption?

Grandma decides she better earn her keep!

Emily and Family in Woodland

Goodbye hugs.

Tod & the gang hit Woodland

Over all we had a great time visiting with everyone, and Oliver loved all his cool books, cloths and toys! Thanks so much everyone for taking the time to stop by Woodland for some one-on-one time! LOVE YOU!

BEST DAD EVER!

2009-12-07T14:43:00.000-08:00

Have I told anyone lately how AWESOME my husband Jon is? Not only was he a HERO during our crazy move into a new home (where he had to do almost everything cuz I was soooo prego), and a SUPER birthing coach during my LONG 33 hour labor, he is now the BEST stay at home DAD!!!! He takes care of Oliver so good while I'm at work and sends me (and the Alaskan Grandparents) pictures & videos of Oliver throughout the day....Everyday.

I have been able to watch Oliver roll over for the first time, drift asleep, wake up from naps, smile etc. It has made the transition back into work bearable. I don't feel like I'm Missing Everything!

I made a quick slide show with some of the photos we have been taking of Oliver with our good camera and our iphones, and have incorporated many of the iphone videos that Jon sent to me throughout the work week. It's called "Pictures of Oliver" Enjoy.

Click Here

Material Mama Podcast: "Old School" Cheese Zombies Revealed!!!

2009-11-24T11:15:00.000-08:00

When I did the image search for "Cheese Zombie," this is what I got...not exacltly what I was looking for.

Now this is more like it....I found a blog with the O.G. Mt. Diablo School District Zombie Recipe! Anyone who went to school in this district remembers the beloved Cheese Zombie for 50. cents. I can't wait to make them!!!

Material Mama Podcast: "Old School" Cheese Zombies Revealed!!!

4 Eyes

2009-11-18T09:09:00.000-08:00

Oliver is a chip off the ol' block.

Thanks for the cool montage video Aunt Amy...from one 4 eyes to another.

Trick or Treat & Parental Torture

2009-11-03T12:07:00.000-08:00

Ok, I will admit that when I used to see infants dressed up for Halloween, I felt it was pretty dumb. I mean, infants don't even know it's Halloween and can't even enjoy candy yet!! Well, lets just say that this year I finally get it. Jon and I lead pretty "boring" lives at this point, and had no Halloween Party to go to or other Halloween related activity to participate in. We decided to amuse ourselves by dressing up our poor defenseless baby into a multitude of appropriate and inappropriate costumes. We then blinded our little guy with the flash of our camera's so others might enjoy the costumes we forced our baby to wear. So without further ado...ENJOY!

Halloween T and Bat Hat

Ghost T was his favorite

Baby Darth Vader

Oliver Skellington

Pumpkin Man costume compliments of Grandma Wever

WARNING: The next few costumes were purely for our amusement and are not appropriate for infants. We do not condone infant smoking, Skittles abuse or gang banging.

Frenchy

Shorty

Too Proud?

2009-10-30T14:03:00.000-07:00

Can parents be too proud of their babies? We get excited over Oliver's every move, and we can't help ourselves...we must post it ALL!!!

Here are a few things about Oliver that make us proud:

He smiles and talks
jumps & stands
climbs Mt. Mommy
enjoys looking at fine art
enjoys staring at his mobile
sleeps for 4 hour blocks (done this the last few nights)
can drink from a bottle (only gets one a day)
snuggles
master of hiccups
poses...flips us the bird, "Dr. Evil," and "Magnum"
grunts
loves to kick (daddy calls it "air running")
likes to listen to "Men Without Hats"
enjoys our kisses
cries like the best of them

All Smiles

Sleeping Sweetly

Dr. Evil Pose

He loves to stare at the Salvador Dali picture hung above our couch!

Getting Kissed

Drinking from a bottle

Cry Baby

We are even proud of this...

Oliver Catchup

2009-10-20T12:57:00.000-07:00

I never realized how tricky it is to keep up with blogging with a newborn. What am I saying!! It is almost impossible to keep up with dressing one's self, let alone desktop publishing! I've been wearing the same yoga pants/nursing tank top ensemble for weeks just because it is faster and easier than actually styling myself!!! It's not like I'm actually leaving the house anymore (except for the occasional stroll around the nieghborhood). I'm sure the nieghbors have nicknamed me "Pajama Lady" by now. I can just hear them saying..."Oh look honey, there is that crazy Pajama Lady I was telling you about!" Oh well, we have years of alienating ourselves from the neighbors to go.

Any-who, here are a few pictures I've neglected to get up. Enjoy... it could be a while before the next installment.

Oliver actually likes getting a bath, he never cries!

Oliver LOVES his bouncer, in fact we use this device to keep him calm when we need to make dinner, blog, or run to the restroom!

Bounce-O-Matic

We take lots of pictures on our phones...we are starting to get lazy.

5 wks old already!

This was taken on his changing table...he seems to get happy whenever we go in for a change. He smiles and gets all goofy, we think he either likes looking at the green wall, getting a fresh diaper, or just the sensation of being naked!

Olirocket

Reality Check

2009-10-13T23:36:00.000-07:00

We always knew that having a kid would change things. Our parents have told us this. Our friends and family with children have warned us...but I must say nothing says it more than that first "reality check." Jon and I got ours a day or so after we got home from the hospital with Oliver.

Oliver at 3 wks.

It happened when Jon leaned in to give me a big kiss while I'm holding our son. Probably our first "real" kiss since the birth. Right as Jon presses his lips against mine, we both hear grunting and the nastiest, craziest pooping noise coming from our son. There it was. Reality Check.

Oliver Fan Club

2009-10-10T20:55:00.000-07:00

Well, little Oliver is almost a month old and he already has a pretty extensive fan club! Here are some pics of Oliver with his biggest fans.

The Parents...

The Grandmothers...

Great Grandma loves her Snicklefrits.

The Grandfathers...

The Aunties...

Auntie Emily made this blanket for little Oliver.

Uncle James...

The Cousins...

Oliver is anxiously awaiting more members to his fan club!

Poster Boy

2009-10-06T16:13:00.000-07:00

While Mommy was napping, Daddy and Grandparents set up a crazy photo shoot with our little "poster boy for cuteness," Oliver!

Daddy liked posing Oliver in the lounging position best!

More of Oliver

2009-09-28T21:59:00.000-07:00

Oliver at 5 days old. Love the face!!

Oliver at 10 days old (Before Circumcision appointment)

Poor guy had no idea what was about to happen to him...

(After the big Snip) I felt very guilty for putting him through that, but he was a real trooper!

Sorry Bud! (12 days old)

Oliver's First Week

2009-09-27T19:22:00.001-07:00

Oliver Paul Bower's First Week!

Oliver just had his first bath.

Napping with Dad.

Visiting with Grandma Wever.

Sacked out!

Tummy Time...he's been lifting his head since the day he was born.

There and back again

2009-09-17T22:15:00.001-07:00

I think Ali's feeling ready to go at this point. Two weeks late and getting anxious. The night before induction. Saturday morning we went in and she was given medicine to help get things started. After a full day and mild progression, we were sent home for the evening. We got some Thai food and went home to relax. At 4:30 am, Ali woke up with contractions. Her labor had finally begun.

We went back to the hospital Sunday morning. Checking things out, Ali is hooked up to the monitors to time the contractions and keep track of the baby's heartbeat.

Taking a break from the bed and monitors, Ali works through the first stages of labor using one of the many methods she used.

Here's the tub where Ali would spend a good 7 hours (from around midnight till 7:00 am on Monday) getting through active labor and transition. There were some rough spots, but her strength and focus were incredible. She pulled through it like a champion. By 7:30 am, the "pushing" began and at 12:49 pm on Monday, September 14, 2009, Oliver Paul Bower was born!

Directly after being born he was placed on Ali's chest where they got him cleaned up a bit while he and Ali immediately began their bonding. It was remarkable how alert he was, lifting his little neck and opening his eyes to meet Ali's as she held him close. After about an hour or so, our nurse took Oliver to a table where he was measured and weighed.

He's a big little guy, weighing 9.74 pounds! He was 21.5 inches long.

Late that evening, after plenty of bonding time, Oliver was given a bath by one of the techs at the birthing center.

The enamored, awed, and tired parents holding little Oliver after his bath.

We had a two day stay at the Birthing Center after Oliver was born, while Ali recovered and the bonding continued. Having experienced 3 shift changes during the laboring and birth and many different folks during the following recovery-stay, we feel so confident in saying the place and people there are incredible. It was an exceptional experience. But we were still ready to go.

Ali holding the little guy while we get set to leave.

Oliver looking pretty unenthused about the fact that he's strapped into a seat that took us nearly 45 minutes to set-up and get locked into the car.

Napping at home. This little guy is so sweet. It's hard to stop looking at him. Here're some pictures to wrap this up and bring folks up to date. Thanks all for your thoughts and support.

1 cm & waiting....

2009-09-10T11:50:00.000-07:00

Well the "eviction notice" has been signed and scheduled for this Saturday!

41 weeks & 4 days

If little Bower doesn't get out on its own, I will go in Saturday morning and get induced. Hopefully it won't come to that, but it probably will. I still feel great (except for the sinus cold I'm experiencing) and the doctors say I'm still only at 1 cm. Oh well, at least now we know we will be with baby sometime this coming weekend!!!

Baby Bower Update

2009-08-28T19:54:00.001-07:00

39 wks and 4 days

No new news....baby doesn't want to come out! Mom is still feeling fine, sleeping well, walking around without problems and she even received her flu shot (now we need to convince the Daddy-to-be to get his).

Pictures are not accurately reflecting the SIZE of the tummy.

Pictures got hung in the nursery this week, and we finally got an area rug. Owl fabric for the nursery curtains has arrived, and a cute forest animal mobile is on its way!

We hung some neat J.R.R. Tolken water-colored prints (forest scenes) on the walls.

We framed some of the animals from this vintage Rummy card game and placed it above the changing table.

Getting There...

2009-08-24T12:05:00.000-07:00

House organization is getting there...we have made much progress.

Wall shelving and nic nacs are not out yet...but at least things are livable.

We've decided to paint all cuboards white, and all kitchen walls Yellow to keep with the vintage kitchen look. We will start that project in the FUTURE.

We are thinking of taking that window in the dinning room, and converting it to French doors to the backyard. We may start that project soon.

Bedside cradle is ready...babies clothes are washed and ready to bring to the hospital.

And most importantly we got the nursery painted and organized for baby. It still needs to be decorated, but at least the important stuff is complete!

Instead of using a stencil, we just did our best to recreate my tree sketch by taping it freehand!

Looks amazingly close to the original sketch. We went through a lot of painters tape!

Painting over the tapped tree. This was scary.

I did participate "in shifts."

Here Jon is starting to peel off the tape to reveal our pretty tree.

Still peeling tape!

Baby's little tree house.

Baby bouncer is E.T. tested and Mother approved.

We will put books in the hutch and Jon wants to build the toy box. Mom and Dad Wever are giving us their dark wood rocking chair. Things are really getting there! Thank goodness.

O.k. baby Bower, you can be born now...we are ready!

Moving Phase 2

2009-08-17T19:44:00.001-07:00

I now understand why people hire professional movers....MOVING IS HARD WORK...that seems to never end!!!! This Post is over 3 weeks overdue!!! WHY??? Because we have been and are still...

Cleaning and Unpacking...

Building furniture...

Ikea Pantry for our kitchen.

Deciding where to put the furniture...

Hanging new blinds so neighbors don't have to see us going crazy...

Replacing ugly orange bathroom carpet with ugly but temporary vinyl flooring...

Replacing ugly hanging lamp with new "nipple" lamp...

Painting...Wait...wasn't that Phase 1.....

And we also had to make time for a baby shower, which was lovely Thanks to James and Tracy!

We had just opened our Tod & Holly package...much to Dad's cat's chagrin. (The cat had made their package into a bed).

Top 100...

2009-08-10T12:58:00.000-07:00

An old friend/band mate of Jon's just informed him that their old band "John Henry West" made Spin's "100 Greatest Bands You've (Probably) Never Heard" list in the latest issue. I bought a copy, and low and behold, there they were, tagged as "local hero's." Crazy! What a cool, and totally out of the blue thing.

Tim Burton's New Movie!

2009-07-24T10:53:00.000-07:00

I can't wait to see this!!!

PHASE ONE...Painting!

2009-07-14T14:02:00.000-07:00

This last weekend we started phase 1 of the painting process.

Dining Room

Wever helpers arrived early, and we worked late into the evening. Our friend Robyn even stopped by to lend us a hand. Due to how long it was taking, we decided to rethink how much painting actually needed to get done.

Dining Room

We did not bother to paint the nursery white, since we want to paint it a pretty color anyway.

Master Bedroom

In the end, we decided to paint the walls of the worst rooms, and save the doors & trim for later (once shoulders, arms, backs, hands and wrists recover).

Office

Dear Baby,
I'm sorry I was exposed to fumes and dust while getting your new home ready. Honestly, I did my best to stay out of harms way whenever possible. I hope and pray you will not be born with horns, and if you are, I will love you and your horns so don't worry.

Dining Room

We have named the ugly lamp the "Dog's Playing Poker Lamp."

I can't wait for it to come down!!!!

KEYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-07-09T12:37:00.000-07:00

We get the keys to the house today!!! We are so excited!

After Birth: It's What's for Dinner

2009-07-07T09:37:00.000-07:00

I didn't realize people did this.

Destino

2009-07-06T12:14:00.000-07:00

Jon has always been a Salvador Dali fan, and the other day a good friend (thanks Steve) sent us a great link to a Dali/Disney collaborative animated short, "Destino".

Father's Day 2009

2009-07-02T16:00:00.001-07:00

Since there are not too many pictures from Father's Day this year, I decided to make a short list of things that remind me of MY Father.

My Dad loves Cats!

He always liked her.

He likes to read this.

My Dad likes to drink this.

He'll watch this guy's movies.

Dad is a fan of these guys.

He likes to hunt this.

Of course he likes this guy!

Father's Day was celebrated at the "Outback" this year.

Here is the whole gang...wide angle lens is not really flattering us!

Here we are dropping Grandma Wever off at her new place.

NEWS FLASH: Mother Sells Precious Moments for CASH...

2009-06-30T14:39:00.000-07:00

Due to Grandma Wever's recent move to Concord, an estate sale was needed, but Mother Wever thought that this could also be a great opportunity to sell 20 years worth of Wever family Sss......stuff.

Posters were hung all over Concord, and I also made a flyer.

This Yard Sale was HUGE.

There was over 7 tables worth of stuff for sale.

You could get anything your heart desired at this Mega Yard sale....from fine stemware...

to Cookware...

to Toys...

to Rare Cultural Artifacts...

to Vintage & Antique items...

to Electronics...

to Furniture and Home Decor...

to Books and Clothing...

to well....lets just say... we had something for everyone!

ONLY $1.00

There were some things that were NOT for sale! We did not put a price on Grandpa's cool hat!

Organizing a Sale this big was a HUGE task, and Mother Wever did it with help from Patty, the Wever Boys, and a very pregnant daughter, but honestly, she did the majority of the work by herself!!!!

Bower Momma helps this lucky customer.

Look!! Another lucky customer!

Sacrifices were made. Mother did sell her "Precious Moments" collectibles to a lady down the street for $15.00!