The Tooth Fairy Arrives!

As you all know, Jacqui lost her tooth yesterday. She was waiting all day to see the Tooth Fairy. We decided to go to the park as a form of redirection, and had a nice little picnic with Hank. Jacqui played in the water park and on the jungle gym for hours. Today, we finally got home and she was asleep in the car. I carried her into the house and laid her in her bed and she was completely out. She wiggled around in her bed and moved her arm up under her pillow and immediately was wide awake. She felt all the coins under there and jumped out of bed and started screaming bloody murder! She was yelling "Mom, Mom, Come and look, you have to see this!!!" She was so excited she took all the money (a handful of pennies, nickels, and dimes) and proudly showed it off and then put them one by one into her piggy bank, grinning ear to ear the entire time. After she had ceremoniously put all the coins into the bank, she came to me and said "Mom, I am such a lucky girl, this is the best day of my life!" Well, there you have it, from the mouth of a 5 year old, the best day of her life. She is so excited to have the tooth fairy visit and take her tooth and wanted everyone to know 'what a lucky girl' she is.

Jacqui Lost her Second Tooth

Jacqui lost her first tooth on Valentine's Day this year, and today she lost her second. We noticed yesterday that it was 'really wiggly' after eating a cheese burger, but she didn't want to pull it out "that would be gross mom, it would have blood in my mouth and that is disgusting... besides I think it would hurt!" So we were patient. She woke up this morning and was brushing her teeth and it fell out! Since she swallowed her last tooth, she didn't get the tooth fairy experience, but she is excited for the tooth fairy this time. She washed her tooth off "so it will be super clean for the tooth fairy and I get lots of money". It has been under her pillow since this morning, she is hoping maybe the tooth fairy will come before she goes to sleep tonight... She wanted to take a picture of her with her "teeny tiny little tooth" to show you all and so you can be "so surprised, they will love it mom!"

Time with the Cross'!

Let me just start by saying I have a wonderful job and that I am very fortunate that they have funding for education and allow me many educational adventures... That said, I spent this last week in Vancouver for the Washington Mental Health Conference. 3 days of everything Mental Health, it was very interesting, educational, and insightful. The added bonus for this conference was that I was able to take Jacqui and my Dad with me... and Tyson and Joy were very gracious and invited us to stay in their house with them and watch Jacqui while I was in class. Needless to say it was a busy and eventful week!

Jacqui made fast friends with Buddy and Squirty, the resident watchdogs! She helped them to sing a lullaby with Joy at night and we all howled away... We also got sucked into 'So you think you can dance?' and will be watching that probably the rest of the season... Jacqui really enjoyed playing games with Tyson, Joy, and the dogs and loved all the extra attention. While I was at class during the days Susie was watching Jacqui also, and Jacqui has decided that they are fast friends. Jacqui also made good 'buddies' with Steve and has designated him her new chaser buddy, running after him, or away from him and giggling and screaming any chance she got!

After my classes, we were able to get in a different activity each day. We spend one afternoon at OMSI with Grandad. Jacqui loved seeing the various insects and the kids develop and explore area. Grandad loved the CSI exhibit and solved the crime for the crime lab after much research and deliberation. We also watched the Wild Ocean on OMNIMAX which was pretty neat for Jacqui seeing all the fish in the Ocean of the Southwest African Coast.

Later that night, I found out Star Trek (the new one) was still at the IMAX and Tyson, Joy, Grandad, Jacqui and I were able to go see that. I was SO excited and loved it on the super big screen... I bought a new phaser when I got home that is pretty neat! Jacqui has learned to say 'Live long and Osper' (she hasn't figured out how to say 'Prosper'). She has been saying this to everyone lately and it cracks me up. She is also working on her Vulcan greeting that goes with it (getting your fingers together is hard work for a 5 year old!) but usually just manages what looks like a hello greeting.

Saturday we had breakfast with the Tyson, Joy, Steve, and Susie and then were off to the Portland Zoo in the drizzling rain. We rode the little train to Washington Park. It was a beautiful ride through the forest and greenery. The zoo was celebrating the 50th Birthday of their steam locomotive, so it was neat to be a part of that. It also turned out to be a blessing that the weather was wet as the zoo was not very busy and we were able to see all the exhibits and animals without much difficulty or crowds.

Jacqui, Grandad, and I went through the chimpanzee exhibit. We learned all sorts of things, like how to swing from a vine, how to walk like a chimpanzee, and Jacqui's favorite how to climb and swing from her arms. She really enjoyed this exhibit and was bummed to only get to go through once.

The petting zoo was fun, but Jacqui was a little wary of the 'live animals'.

She needed a little encouragement to touch and pet the goats, especially after one tried to nibble on my jeans! Once she got it down though, she was tickled to pet the goats and talk to them and tell them stories about our day and everything she had seen. She also made up her own little goat song that she would prance around in the pen and sing. She is such an easy and self contained kid!


We walked through the Pacific Northwest exhibit and lost Jacqui. She had decided to run ahead and find something 'exciting' as she was tired of all the animals. Her major request at that point was an elephant ear (another one) or some ice cream. Nothing like a long wet day at the zoo to work up an appetite!

As the zoo was getting ready to close we made it to one last exhibit that turned out to be a great hit. There was an aviary of Lorakeetes (I have no idea how to spell that) to walk through. They are very bright birds that look like parrots. One of the other visitors was nice enough to give us their left over nectar and the birds loved it! They fly to you and perch where ever they feel like it and lick the nectar out of the cups as you hold them. Jacqui absolutely loved it! Grandad got the first bird to take to his nectar and then shared with all the kids in the tent.

We had a great week and really enjoyed seeing the Cross' down in Vancouver. Jacqui is very connected with the puppies now and is hoping to go and visit again soon. We had a great time and really enjoyed Vancouver and Portland, even though the weather was similar to a monsoon at times, it was great to spend time with family and have a little vacation! Thank you guys for keeping us and showing us around. We hope you come and visit us soon so we can return the favor!

Jacqui's new glasses

Jacqui is now the proud new owner of a pair of glasses. Her Dr during her 5 yr check up had some 'concerns' about her vision so we went to see the eye doc. After 2 hours of testing and dilating her pupils and the whole nine they decided that Jacqui has an astigmatism (meaning her eyes are not perfectly spherical but more football shaped). This astigmatism can blur her vision because her lenses don't focus exactly the way they are supposed to (at least I think that's what they told me!). So she spent 1 hour the other day finding the 'perfect pair of kid glasses' and these are the ones she picked. She looks adorable with glasses! Now our big focus is on wearing the glasses all the time when she is awake and not losing them! Love you and miss you all.



And a pic of Jacqui and I on my day off. We have been getting so many projects accomplished... working in the yard, cleaning the house, finishing redoing the kitchen, finishing the bathroom, swapping out all the old outlets and light switches... Projects are a great way to stay busy!

Construction Zone

I thought I would give you all a quick update of how our summer here in Spokane is looking. We are under heavy construction in our 'neck of the woods'. The street, from the bottom of the hill up to the top, is under construction. They have tore up the entire street and are putting in new sewage lines (we have all been on septic tanks prior to this). The project started in May and is not to end until October! Needless to say, the dust gets pretty thick at times and Levi's and my allergies are kicking up. The construction guys dumped a huge pile of dirt the length of our street and Jacqui has found this to be her personal play land. She enjoys playing in the dirt, making volcanoes, and 'digging to China'. I for one cannot wait for them to be done with all this work and to repave the streets. They are pretty rough for the little Jettas and Levi's Audi. The construction is moving quickly though, and besides waiting every day for 'construction delays' to get to work, all in all it is not too bad.