Max in the role of Captian Hook... ...

Happy Halloween everyone!

Oh...Austin...

I heart long weekends away...

What do you do when you get to travel sans babies..?...

This was the first time in four years I have taken a long weekend without the boys. I went to North Carolina and Georgia before Max was born, but that was for work, so it doesn't count. Plus I didn't see anything great on that trip.

Visiting Becki and Nick in Austin was so fun! We went to flea markets, and spent time wondering around grocery stores and markets (which could not be done with little men in tow). We bought expensive beautiful teas, drank yummy coffee, and ate really good food. We drank a little to much wine, but got to sleep in.. I had no diapers to change or kids to feed or put down for naps... it was so nice, made me feel human again.

Don't get me wrong, I missed my boys at home, and had considered bringing them with me. But I was so glad I didn't. I did manage to bring Oregon weather with me, we had one day of warm sun, and the rest of my days I felt like I was at home.

Austin had so many cool little pockets of restaurants and shops. It was so unpretentious. I love Portland, but it made me realize how hipster P-town is. It was great going out in Austin and seeing people who really did not give a crap what they were wearing, I guess that is kind of the artsy hippie vibe down there. It was actually quite refreshing. If it wasn't so damn hot and yellow there, I could definitely see my little family moving.. .. Most restaurants had these great outdoor patios, and you saw kids and dogs everywhere, the city seemed super kid friendly. But if I couldn't take the heat of central valley California, I have no business in hot and humid Texas.

half my heart resides in Austin....

I turned 31 yesterday... Crazy.

For my birthday, I went, by myself, and spent a long weekend with Becki and Nick.

I am so sad today, I miss spending time with becki. It sucks living so far away.

daddio induced hearing loss...

The other night B was entertaining the kids while I was working on burdy stuff, or cooking, or whatever it is I do. I kept hearing loud off music coming from the basement play/storage/laundry folding/guest/B's music room (boy, that basement has allot of functions). I captured a little of the concert for your listening pleasure, notice how close max is sitting to the huge amp. B and I discussed little ears, I would like our children to be able to hear in preschool.

On another note, I had a meeting today at Grasshopper (one of the shops that carries burdy) and Kara (owner of Grasshopper and Tumbleweed, also the designer of karaline and wild carrots) is totally hooking me up. She is awesome anyways, but she had a little business pow wow with me, and is kind of taking me under her wing, which is more than I could ever ask for. She passed my info onto a showroom she works with in L.A.. Which is awesome! This is a huge opportunity for me, and I really hope it works out.

My goal is to establish myself so I don't have to go back to work for someone else, I just may be able to work for myself. Hopefully in the future B will be able to quit his sucky job, and we can do burdy as a family. We are looking at getting a screenprinting press and maybe starting a mens line, or B can pursue more schooling for something he loves, rather than something he has to do to keep food on the table. I have left it up to the higher power, I know what is meant to happen, will happen, and I will just keep pluggin away. Who knows what will happen to small businesses with the state of the economy.....But, oh, what if!

lunch duty.. .

Pretty soon they won't even need me. Now I just need to teach them how to do the dishes!

Last week we started a new lunchtime routine. Normally when the weather was good I would send the kids out to the backyard to play, and make lunch without little men running around my legs. Now with the weather being yucky that isn't as easy of an option.

So I sat them down gave them each a plate, and two pieces of bread. The first time they made there own lunch we made turkey, cheese, and tomato sandwiches. Not only did they do awesome by being involved with the whole process, but they seriously ate way more than when I just serve them their lunch. And they were so proud of their lovely creations. So now on the gloomy days I have sandwich making helpers, It kind of doubles as an art project, killing two birds with one stone... awesome

*Just a little lunch related story. Awhile back at my mom's house, she told the boys that ham was elephant meat. So now every time we eat any kind of lunchmeat the boys call it elephant meat... haa haa haaaa

Just another breakfast at the raetz house...

my morning entertainment, sweet and crazy little monkeys...

here comes the baking...

the weather is grey and yucky... makes me want to bake! last week me and the boys made this lovely pie... I like custard-y things, but not so much in my apple pie, it smelled great, and looked great, but was a little disappointing. I think my house likes more carmelly apple pies, not so custard-y. But I love that blog, she makes me so jealous. I wish I just had a dog to take care of sometimes (not really I would miss my boys).







Me and Ollie roasted a squash to make pumpkin cookies, he was such a good little helper. He took the photo of me. He is getting really into taking pictures, which is fun sometimes, it is kind of difficult reminding him that it is mommy and daddy's camera and not a toy.

I think in his picture he was mimicking me, in one of the pics he took I was leaning on my hand. I kept having to get really low because he kept pointing the camera down. He did a good job, and was very proud of himself.

















Speaking of pride. It bites you in the butt sometimes. I kind of suck at making soup. I always make it more complicated than it should be, and my soup turns out over seasoned and thin.

But, last week I made the BEST broccoli cheddar soup. I kept raving about how great my soup was, and how I made it from scratch, and basically how awesome I was. Well, I tried to make it last night for dinner. Same ingredients, but a cocky attitude, cause I thought I was the bomb soup maker.

It was so horrible we had to order pizza for dinner. I don't know what I did. I think I might have overcooked the rue... I used veggie stock instead of chicken stock... I don't know exactly what I did other than humble myself. I hope to redeem my soup making sometime this week, wish my family luck.














really how gross does that look, lumpy and congealed... ooooohhhh grosssss..