60 posts 60 days: Day 2

I should be counting down, instead of up. I realized this mistake after posting yesterday, but am way too lazy to change it now.

Today was our last firewood trip for the season! September 8! I guess what makes it so exciting to me is that we were getting our last truckload for last year on November 22nd. And this year there is even a nice little stacking shed under our carport to keep it dry and tidy.

We went up a new drainage, one that doesn't see as much action as Mann Creek. Like favorite hunting or fishing spots, I'm leaving it unnamed. The fall colors are starting to come out and it was quite beautiful. Mike (he took the day off) found a dead-down tree about 75 yards above the road. A nice, dry old-growth douglas fir. He cut a few rounds and rolled them down the hill to see what would happen. They FLEW down the mountain, bounded across the road, and immediately disappeared over the other side.

Now, I've been on the receiving end of many a round of wood ripping its way down a mountain and I'm happy to say, pregnant or not, there was NO WAY I was getting in front of those to try to stop them. I looked over the edge and they were about ten feet below the road, tangled in some brush. After a quick discussion, Mike and I decided he would cut some more and we would hope for the best. I climbed over the edge to retrieve them and immediately wished I had not. Steep. Slippery. Grass. Probably in a not so wise fashion, I carefully maneuvered them back up the hill without killing myself in the process. Clare and I then gathered every branch, rock, and large piece of bark we could find and built a "retaining wall" for the remaining pieces of firewood that would soon be hurtling down the hill.

Retaining wall! Hahahaha!!! The first piece that hit our little wall not only barreled through with the force of a freight train but also took one of those difficult to retrieve pieces of wood with it. There was some swearing. Then, piece after piece followed suit. But there was still no way I was going to sacrifice myself to try and stop them. They were that big and that fast. In the end, we had one and a half pieces still on the road and a few stuck in the brush below. The rest are somewhere half a mile down the hillside. Yes. Still there.

Mike cut a couple smaller trees near the road and rolled them in sections about six feet long. I ended up chasing a few which had to look pretty silly since I'm rapidly losing the ability to bend over but I caught them all. Except for the piece that bounced over a smaller round, then rolled down the front of my shin and landed on my foot (pure genius on my part for not GETTING OUT OF THE WAY). But it stayed on the road, so in all fairness it was probably worth the loss of a large section of epidermis.

So, the woodshed is full. On the 8th day of September. Now on to the eight hundred fifty seven other projects that need to be completed before the first snows come!

60 posts 60 days: Day 1

So this new little baby is due in 60 days. And there's another blog I follow where the blogger is doing 60 posts in 60 days. I thought it would be a nice way to count down to the baby's arrival. Some days they might just be pictures, but it is the thought that really counts these days. Let's see how far we get...

It's still hot! But, in a couple days it is suppose to cool down with highs in the 70s. I'll just let you know that there is at least one pregnant lady in southwest Idaho who is excited by that news. For one thing, there are lots of projects that need attention and no one really feels like climbing around in the attic when it is 95 degrees outside. Lots of cooking too. We have tons of tomatoes in our garden waiting to be transformed into roasted versions of their sun-ripened selves. There is also a large batch of homemade spaghetti sauce planned, corn to freeze thanks to our generous neighbor, and soups and sauces to be cooked, cooled, and frozen for eating later (like after the baby comes and we need something that requires only one hand and no thought to get on the table). I've started making a list of things to make and freeze and hopefully will be able to make extra servings of most meals and freeze them as well. Plus, the delicious Hale peaches should be ripe soon. I love the U-pick orchard!

Since the last post, my mom came for a visit, Clare rode her first horse, we went camping and firewood cutting, visited the U-pick orchard twice, and my belly has gotten huge. I'll put up 26 and 31 week pictures for comparison. And I'm getting breastfeeding thighs. With Clare, I wasn't sure where those extra seven pounds were added, but there is no doubt this time around. They'll be extra cozy for the new baby to sleep on. In the meantime, they should be super helpful when the waddling commences. I'm pretty sure that is not far off.

Here are some pics from the month, plus a couple from our Bend visit that I didn't pull from the camera in time for the last post.

Clare reading with Cheda

Going to the park with Cheda and the sand toys

A nice zucchini from the garden

Watching steer roping with Mike

Riding a horse for the first time with Kiley

Making Mike do the hard work

Camping trip

Diaper change, Thermarest style

Just relaxing with Tiny Furry at Jim and Jessica's

Hiking with Uncle Jimmy

Look Dad, no eyes!

26 weeks

31 weeks

Always Playing Catch Up

It's been HOT! Since our return from Alaska, there hasn't been a recorded high temp here (local paper) lower than 96 with many days in the 100s. And the week that we were waiting to get our air conditioner fixed was brutal. I'm not sure how I would handle it normally, but the pregnant Kate gets CRANKY! And my skin gets all creepy-crawly when the house is hotter than 85. Sleep is a mixed bag. Sometimes decent, more often interrupted. I've been trying to nap, but with the tw0-year-old non-napper in the house, middle of the day sleep has been hard to come by.

So, what have we been doing?

• Our anatomy ultrasound went great. The baby looks healthy, the heart was amazing to watch in action, and the little munchkin is super active. Also, I've notice there are patterns starting to emerge. One day will be fairly quiet, the next my torso will be under constant attack. Constant. Those are the worst heartburn days, of course.
• Our attempt at getting out and enjoying a musical weekend at Targhee Fest was defeated by illness throughout the family unit. We just weren't bold enough to brave 90 degree heat, a vomiting baby with a fever, our own ailments, outhouse facilities, and camping on the ground as well. Call us crazy!
• The following weekend we did drive over to Bend to visit Uncle Jimmy and Auntie J-Dog. Their house cools down at night! And they have a tiny kitten who was lovingly harrassed by Clare the entire time we were there. Jessita showed me how to rework my knitting when I've made a crucial error. Thanks! We went on a very short hike in the mountains with waterfalls and beautiful scenery. Jim cooked up some wonderful food on the grill. It was relaxed and fun and just the thing we needed after being sick. Thanks you two!
• And, totally out of sequence, in mid-June we went to Gig Harbor for cousin Megan's wedding (not sure if I blogged about this before and way to lazy to check). We took a trip to the zoo while we were there. The highlights for Clare were feeding and brushing the goats, riding on the carousel, and playing on the playground. She also drew the picture of Mike (below) while we were there.

Clare's wonderful Daddy

POINT DEFIANCE ZOO - JUNE 19, 2009

Mike and Clare on the zoo slide

Brushing the goat

In the budgie exhibit

She's picked out her horse and she's ready to ride

Feeding the goat

Going to see the elephants

RUSSIAN RIVER FALLS HIKE - JULY 5, 2009

Watching the birds and fish with Sara

Just finishing up lunch with Lisa and Sara

Everyone's looking for something - Clare, Kyle, and Eve

OTHER ALASKAN FUN

Helping Eve blow out eggs for the big 16th b-day

Throw me the stick, throw me the stick! The Kenai River

Painting rocks at Linda's house

Bouncing on the big balls with Linda

This final picture truly illustrates what I love about Alaska. There's just such an overwhelming sense of freedom, the ability to feel like a child and enjoy all the wonderful aspects of nature with a healthy respect for the power it holds as well. Everyone should walk on a shade filtered path, moving at your own speed, dragging a stick in the dust, just because you can, as often as you can! Thanks so very much to Kyle, Lisa, and Eve, for letting Clare and I feel like this for seventeen wonderful days! We love you and we miss you and the rest of our Alaskan friends so much already!

Russian River Falls Hike

Today was an amazing day to enjoy the great outdoors of Alaska. Clare and I hiked the Russian River Falls Trail with some of our great friends: Kyle, Lisa, Eve, and Sara along with Kyle's dad Ron and his girlfriend Elizabeth. It was a little more than 5.5 miles roundtrip. Clare got a ride a lot of the way, first on my hip, then on my shoulders. We saw bald eagles, squirrels, a small rodent, lots of fish, seagulls, crazy bike riders, lots of other hikers and no bears! Seeing a pregnant lady toting a toddler must be out of the ordinary because there were numerous comments from other hiker, mainly middle-aged men, about the situation. Let's just say that it was a really good thing I was not in charge of the bear spray because I didn't have an extra hand available.

Off to AK

We leave tomorrow! I am so excited to be taking this little vacation from our normal lives. The only thing that could make it better? Having the baby daddy along for the ride. We are going to miss him terribly! Oh, and a little later flight wouldn't hurt either.

Our 20-week ultrasound was cancelled at the last minute so we won't be checking in on this little babycakes until July 17th. I was hoping for visual reassurance prior to leaving for Alaska, and I'd like to say that I am now waiting patiently, but I am still a bit peeved at being called last night at 6pm with the news. Where's my 24-hour notice, hmmm? Will I be getting the ultrasound for free now? When I went to reschedule, the lady told me, "10 a.m. is the earliest we can see you." Then, when I told her that wouldn't work, it would need to be at 8 a.m., she said, "Okay, we can put you in that slot." WHAT?

To the Future

Yesterday, after a trip to the dentist (me), a run around the park (Clare), and some fries at McDonalds (we shared), Clare and I climbed back into the car. This was the conversation:

Clare

Why did you get in on that side?

Me

This is where I need to sit to drive the car.

Clare

Dad should be here to drive the car.

Me

Well, he could if he were here with us.

Clare

How come you and Dad are the only ones who get to drive?

Me

When you are a lot bigger, like in 14 years, you can drive too.

Clare

When I am bigger and you and Dad are lots older and tiny you can ride in the back in carseats and I will drive you to the store and the park and the library and the post office.

Me

Sounds like a plan!