stinkin thinkin drinkin

The calming Puget Sound...


Daddy longing for the days when he was not burdened with the stressful and rollercoastery world of home ownership...


Mama wondering if maybe we should return to the carefree life of the bohemian renter and wait for the housing market to collapse completely...


They will ponder it all over beer and Irish whiskey and Vietnamese food.

Look Who's Caulking!

Well, I didn't really want to say anything because its not a done deal yet or anything, but we have an offer on our house and its in something called escrow. We've been close before and its all gone away so we're not getting all our hopes up, just a few of our hopes. Mama says the housing market is in the crapper and a lot of people are having a lot of trouble getting money from the fat cats to buy houses now. But we had an inspection and they told us to do a few minor repairs so the deWitt men went to work on that darn house, once again. We had to call in Uncle Nicky because he is the best caulker, a true caulk master my dad says. The house and the view are still as pretty as ever so I never mind going over there, escpecially now because the black berry bushes are exploding with berries which only means one thing....blackberry pie!!!

Or-E-Gone Away

Just to keep our reputation as jet setters going a bit longer, Mama and I took a road trip to PDX. There are not many things I like more than hanging with my sister ladies Greta and Emily, and of course their giant dollhouse which they brought out of hiding because they have outgrown it but I am still slightly obsessed. I played with it for about six straight hours. Turns out I have a real talent for interior decorating!


We went out to eat at our favorite Mexican place La Bonita where I had my usual (chips and guac) and my very first sugar soda. Let me tell you, those babies pack a punch! I didn't nap for two days!


Then we took Emily to camp. Camp is a place you go in the summer where you have hippie teenage counselors instead of parents and you get to live with all your little friends. When do I get to go, is the question I have. Here I am sneaking into the girls cabin. Wah wee woo wah!


Emily seemed very happy and not at all homesick when we left her. Her family missed her lots already after only the first night gone and they wrote her letters immediately. I suggested sending her some cheerios and a juice box. Seeing camp again made my mama have nervous memories of her days surrounded by chattering girls, overly cheerful counselors and bad skits (...why are my parents so snobby and weird???)



Anyway, we had a great time, as always, staying with the Kimballs and scouting the Portland neighborhoods for our future home. Mad love to Greta bug, Emily, Lisa and Daddy John. And of course Mokie! I didn't forget you, Dog! C U SOON!!!

coziness in july

My GREAT Grandma, Grandpoop's mama, made this sweater for me. She is a very nice, very generous lady who lives in Fort Erie, Canada, the place where Grandpoop was a boy like me. Everyone in the house here is very jealous of my sweater and they wish they could wear it but they have grown into large bulking adults who cannot fit into my wee wear. One more disadvantage of growing up! Anyhow, to my Great Grandma Betty and to my one more Uncle Derek, hi and thank you and I love you !!!

she's the one

Mama and I had a picnic in the park, just the two of us. We just sat and ate apples and pb&j's and laid down and looked up at the trees and the clouds. My mom is a SAHMMY, a Stay At Home Mom. She had a regular life in LA with a job and friends but she couldn't be a Sahmmy there which is part of the reason we came here. Being a Sahmmy has its ups and downs, sometimes it feels like the whole world has moved on and left you behind and no one even remembers who you are, some days you don't even really remember yourself. But both Mama and I know, deep down, that nothing beats these quiet moments holding hands on a blanket on the grass, saying I love you and I love you too. And she wouldn't trade the last two years for anything. Lately I've sort of taken the deep love for my mom up a notch which can be quite annoying or downright rude to others when for instance I ONLY want Mama to read my a story or take a bath with me and I CRY when I have to go with anyone else. The words "Mama's Boy" and "Weenus" have been tossed around more than a little this week. I am going to make an effort to "man up", but I also think that I'm going to be a "man" soon enough and why not indulge in the obsessive mama love while I still can?

ride ride ride, let it ride

Mama and Daddy took a drive away from the rest of us to Port Townsend for some quality romantic time and extraordinary clam chowder. Like a lot of towns around here, and around the world actually, there is not really that much to do once you've eaten, so it is mostly about the beautiful drive through the countryside and the calm peaceful feelings which that can bring. Take a look at your own local map to see what towns are fifty miles away and then just get in the car, turn on the radio and put your doozies up on the dash.

Washington Pinkskins

Uncle Victor and family came over for an all day hang and bbq. Always interesting.

Aunt Sylvia taught me how to do the bump.



Uncle Big Vic taught me, with great seriousness, how to properly catch the ball, how to hold out my hands, how to hug the ball into my chest. He was a stern taskmaster but in the end quite proud of my improvements I believe.



There was a very physical game of throwing the football around. Even Grandpoop Bob participated and he usually turns his nose up at any of the sporty goings ons. My cousin Avery and her little boyfriend Fernando from Mexico were trying to catch the ball and I ran around like a crazy person until my cheeks got so flushed and my back got so sweaty I had to take off my shirt.

Skins won!!!

Homies in the Home

Another fantastic fun playdate with my boy Himal. We went to his house, just five minutes away from ours, where he had a bunch a trains and trucks and cars that I don't have which makes them very magical and exciting. He's such a cool little guy, my boy Himal. He's so mellow he makes me look like the loud, obnoxious kid, which if you know me, I'm usually not.




And this is Lischu, she is pregnant with their second baby to be, staring into her brand new refrigerator with eyes of wonder, and Leo rolling some sushi for lunch. Mama is just as happy as I am about having playmates so close.



And this is the furniture that they design and make from the beautiful rosewood and bamboo of the native Nepal. This was their business in Katmandu and now they are working on importing these unbelievable cool things to over here where they can sell them to the rich people of Bainbridge and Seattle. They have made a very happy, peaceful home here in Washington. Go team!

The Chairs of Life

This is where you sit with your sweet lady and talk about your sweet life and plan for even more sweetness. My mom and dad sit here sometimes and do this too. Someday I hope to sit in this very spot with some special lady mama or mamop of my own and plan out the rest of my days.

HARD HAT! HARD HAT!

Do the hard hat rock.
Dad took me to ToysRus today and I picked out a new truck, a tow truck and it came with a hard hat. Now I can feel safer about working downstairs with Grandpoop (whom I now call Bob) with all the accidents that follow him around like a large wake behind a slow boat. Mind my little fantanelle!

S.W.A.K.

Uncle Mike is back in Los Angeles and I am down to the core family once again. I've seen a lot of my relatives these last few weeks and I gotta tell you it feels good to feel the love on all sides. I miss everyone. Please call me often because its a long ways to the holiday season. Bone All!!!

Happy 4th (on the 8th)

4th of July happened! I don't even remember my first year's, but this one was a big fun firework party. My dad and his brothers went to the Res (Indian Reservation) for bagsful of exploding fire toys and they lit them off here at the compound. It was like a circus and everyone suddenly felt that they were a daredevil performer, even Mamop. There were a lot of loud booms and whistles and I screamed from having such a good time watching.








My new friend Himal and his parents, Leo and Lischu, came over for the celebration of independence. Did I tell you I have a new friend, THAT LIVES HERE!!! It's totally true. Mama calls them the Miracles. She was in Poulsbo one day and someone said, hey, is your name Leslie? And it turns out a kid she knew a million years ago when she worked at Soap Plant on Melrose and he worked at Double Rainbow on Melrose just moved here from living in Nepal!!! With his wife and 2.5 year old son! I have a new island friend and my mom has actual island friends and things just got that much better, just like that. Celebrate good times, come on!

Children of Men

When we got back home to our house, both my uncles were here waiting for me. Uncle Mike from Los Angeles and Uncle Nicky from Seattle. Oh boy, this summer is kicking some serious bottom! I haven't seen Uncle Mike in a long while and it didn't take me but one second to feel the love and rebond. Mama was a little tired of hanging out with me (a four hour delay at the Oakland airport sealed that deal) so it was just me and the men for a bit which is fine by me.