Fifteen plus Fifteen

Someone in our family turned thirty this weekend!  It's not every year that a birthday is on Saturday, so we made the most of it and spent the whole weekend playing with the McTaggarts and throwing a birthday bunco party.  Playing games with family and friends is my idea of a good time!

Snack time at a coffee shop near Pike Place

The dads graciouslly took the kids home for lunch and naps while Aubyn and I stayed downtown for some birthday shopping.  Thanks, Mom and Dad, for affording our little spree!  

I love sister time and this picture sums it up for me.  Aubyn makes me laugh - always - and, while I am the oldest, there are so many reasons why I look up to my sister.  Being around her inspires me to change for the better. 

Birthday breakfast at one of my favorite cafes

We went straight from breakfast to the bowling alley!!  Who knew that bowling alleys opened at 9AM on a Saturday?!  The kids had a great time for about 6 frames and then started to lose interest.  But the adults used their bumpers to our full advantage to the very end!

You'll just have to take my word for it that I was the first "A" and not my sister.  Yes, I won our bowling game on my birthday!  I will admit to hitting the bumpers at least twice during the game, but the final score says it all.  I won fair and square. 

Then on to the Bunco party . . . it was loud and festive and FUN!!

Jessie made this amazing cake for the party, knowing that I love anything chocolate mint.

A roll-off to see who won the prize for the most buncos

And who won the prize for the most losses?  Yep.  I guess you don't get to win everything on your birthday.  

Knowing that I really like celebrating birthdays (especially my own!), my sweet husband made every effort to make me feel special on my special day.  I'm in love with him.

The Day of Luv

My Day of Luv started with a true saint (thanks, Erin!) showing up to our house at 7:30am so my thoughtful husband could surprise me with a breakfast date!  We enjoyed a delicious breakfast together - one of our favorite things to do.  Yes, all of that food was for just the two of us!

Later that morning Jessie and Jaime came over with their kids for a little Valentine's crafty fun

Of course, candy was involved

Having introduced Rooke to Elmer's, he was excited to do a bit more cutting and gluing after naps

I kept trying to hint at another name he should put on his "love hanging", but he wasn't picking up on it. I'm not offended . . . yet.

A Little Road Trip

I'm a bit behind on posting pictures, so here's some shots from a little road trip we took over Superbowl weekend to my hometown of Eugene.  The trip was initiated with an invitation from two special friends I've known since middle school to come and hang out with them!  I was grateful, not only for the invitation, but for Michelle's hospitality in letting us stay in her beautiful home (I reminded her we have two small kids!).  It'd been too long since I'd been in Eugene and I loved our little visit.  I'm sorry we didn't have more time to stay and connect with more people, but was grateful for the visit and relaxing fun with some old friends.

"the other" Angela, "the other" Angela (yes, I still have a neck), and Michelle (15 weeks pregnant!)

Angela thoughtfully checked out books from the library for the kids.  They were glad to have new friendly people to read with . . . Grandpa Joe

I love Gretchen's expression in this while reading with Angela

Nick, Michelle's husband

Cafe Roma - Ryan's favorite cup o' jo in Eugene

While playing at a park near Michelle's house, Rooke ventured off on his own and in complete boy fashion, landed himself in a very swampy patch of mud.  At first he was bugged that he was so dirty, but after he saw Michelle and I laughing hysterically, he loosened up and was a good sport to walk home in the slosh.

Kelly (and a few other dear family friends I didn't get pictures of) stopped by to say hi before we left for a late-night drive back home.  Thanks to Kelly and Chella who both gave the kids books that kept them distracted and calm long enough to realize it was okay for them to go to sleep on the way home.

Piling on the couch with the Moores, a special family we got to know several years ago.

His Use of Language

While driving one day, Rooke asked Ryan, "When I get home can I have a tic tac (his new special "treat")?"  Ryan told him that we would have lunch first.  He repeatedly asked for a tic tac and when he heard the same answer for the fourth or fifth time, he asked "why?".  Ryan started to explain, but it turns out that Rooke wasn't really interested in the explanation because he interrupted and said, "No, Daddy.  I wasn't asking why.  I was just saying the letter "y".  Just the letter.  I don't need to hear why."  

Talk Time

For the past year, on most Thursday nights, you would have seen at least one member of the Payne family participating in "Talk Time", a ministry to Chinese students studying at the University of Washington.  The first hour is spent eating dinner together and the second hour is spent talking in small groups on a set topic, like traveling, friendships, religion, etc., giving the students a chance to practice their English.  I love Talk Time for so many reasons, least of which is that it's a breath of fresh (ahem) air from life in China.  Being with Chinese students is a very comfortable place for me.  And I love what Rooke observes and learns when he joins us.  He loves going to Talk Time.  Last week was the ultimate Talk Time Thursday - Chinese New Year!  We loved getting to ring in the Year of the Rabbit with some friends from China.

This is Rooke and the leader of Talk Time, Zhen Chuan.  The first thing Rooke does when we arrive is look for Zhen Chuan.  If I can't find him, he's almost always with Zhen Chuan.  He loves this guy.

The kids and I posing with Yong.  There were cameras everywhere that night!

If only the star were yellow.

Rooke and Gretchen were the only American kids present.  They did good posing for lots of pictures with our friends and Rooke was great at "helping our friends practice their English".

Go to the Mattresses

We have an extra mattress that is usually propped against the wall in Gretchen's room.  We've been a bit slow in putting things back in order after some friends stayed with us, and I decided to take advantage of the cushy play space after naps.  The kids and I played on the bed for almost an hour! 

"Tough Guy"

"Surprised"

"Startled" (not to be confused with "surprised")

"Happy"

At Home

Just playing and chillin' at home this week . . .

"Hey, what's goin' on in there?"

Post-nap cuddles are my favorite

She likes doing what he does

He's been into reading by himself lately.  Thanks to Starfall, he can actually sound out some simple words.  But mostly he just recites the story or makes up his own.  Gretchen thinks it's great!