Reunion with the high school girls!

 

So nice to get together with old friends and their babies!! Pretty awesome we can share parenthood together, another amazing time in my life!

Out in Portland

Downtown Portland Pioneer Square- managed to get a picture taken between the many showers this weekend!
















"Late Night" Dinner with the kids at Montage- this is a place I used to go to as a teenager and it was pretty nostalgic bringing the kids and getting their leftover food wrapped up like an animal! Addie loved it!

Happy 1st Birthday Mira!!!

 

 

Mira had a great time at her 1st Birthday party! She absolutely loved all the presents, and most of all, her friends and family that helped her celebrate this special occasion! Also, thank you everyone who made it virtually (Skype) and spiritually- we know you wish you could have been there!

photos from Oct and Nov 2010

 

 

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving

Things we are grateful for:

Family

Health

Home and warmth

job

handwarmers

thrift stores

good food

wine/beer

A few pics of our love birds

Life Lately

I can't believe how much time since the last post, but I have been busy with other things, like getting myself and the kids healthy, fingers crossed we will make it through the holidays without another major illness....

Mira is moving quickly these days (and I must say a very fine dancer!) She started walking about 3 weeks ago (her first step) and is now 75% of the time walking or near trotting. It is just as fun the second time around to watch them take their first steps. They really do start to blossom after this stage.

Addie is still her imaginative, theatrical self! She currently has a serious addiction to anything princess, ponies, and sugar. Those pesky toddler habits!

Chris is still working at Thomspon Metal Fab. in Vancouver WA. Although, there has been several layoffs, and chances are he might be on laycation soon. Might be nice to have him around home, but then again, home might be the back of our Volvo...I think we will be okay,,,

I am doing good, just got a little bit of the cabin fever since we are a 1 car family at the moment. We have been walking to get out of the house. It is always nice to find new and interesting places to go within 1.5 mile radius (usually that is about as far as I can walk with the kids, as they get restless).

The chickens are doing good- we have 2- a banty and a buff orpinton. They are cute, and not really cuddly but pleasant and easy to care for!

july flew by!

July was a busy month for us! 2 birthdays, 2 weddings, 2 camping trips, and a sunny vacation in California!

Sorry photos are not in chronological order because I am lousy at this blog!

Mira laid back on the beach, chillaxin

At Newport Beach in California visiting Auntie Heather Uncle Scot and cousins Nolan and Elliott! so much fun and sun and sand!!!

Snuggled up with Elliott watching a movie- she just adores these guys!

Camping at Suttle Lake and swimming at Scout Lake- the water was actually warm enough for me to sit in and play with Mira- she loves the water, Addie is a bit apprehensive, which is good since we don't want her just diving in!

Great-Grandma 84 years old and fiesty!

My good friend from college was married in Sisters Oregon on a hot, summer day with the beautiful mountains and lake as her backdrop!

Remnants of the 4th

The beautiful bouquet of wildflowers

camping for 3 hours up at lake merrill

and the partied out girls!

Sunny Days = Clothing optional

I love this pic of Addie behind the flowers
Addie and Daddy having fun planting
Looks like a pixie in my garden
And here is a cutie!

Mira, the loveliest baby of all

She sits quietly in the swing, baby carrier or on the floor, and patiently waits for her turn for attention.

How many babies grin because they know it is bedtime?!

She get's so excited when she hears the bathtub running, and kicks her feet once in the water.

She is so sweet, it makes life just that much better.

She loves her big sister, and when Addie looks at her or touches her, she smiles so big, your heart could melt.

She loves to have her hand played with while she nurses

When she gets a little disgruntled, I just have to tickle her feet or rock her and she either smiles or falls asleep.

I love this child!

Addie is Potty Trained!

Addie is now potty trained! It didn't take long once she realized she had control over bodily functions! She even wakes up in the middle of the night (not always) to use the toilet! We are pretty stoked about this accomplishment!

It is sort of bitter-sweet in a way, my baby is growing up.

The Ups and Downs of Toddlerhood

I had no idea it would be this challenging, My poor husband plugs his ears in disbelief that a child could behave in such a disruptive way. Sometimes I think, IS THIS NORMAL and then I am reminded when we make trips to the Children's Museum, and I see breakdowns all around, but when it is your own child, it seems 10 times worse! Just today, I dealt with having my face scratched off, and crying fits to pierce an eardrum, and told "I don't like mommy". When the tantrum gets going, it seems like it will never end.

But then, just like the famous Bjork song, "It's all so quiet", she settles down and her wail turns into a conversation about "Cranky the Crane". If you can learn to laugh at the insanity, and love the child no matter how emotionally unstable they can be, then you might just make it through the "dark ages"......

It must be so frustrating for her as well. She sees so many fun, and interesting things around her, she is constantly told No or what to do. Her mom and dad are always busy with this and that, and all she wants to do is have a good time, eat lots of M&M's and watch endless hours of movies.

There was one day I let her do whatever she wanted, all day, and this consisted of t.v for hours on end. I thought, today I don't want to hear even one meltdown. And it worked until bedtime. Then all the tantrums she would have had that day, were released at once. I realized it didn't matter, it is energy that must be released at some point, each day, until the dark ages are over, hopefully....

We love our children so much, that all of these trials and tribulations are completely worth the time and energy, and hopefully we will all grow to be better people in the end!

Our somewhat successful family photos

I say somewhat because the family photo with all of us turned out poorly, and for some reason I looked like ultimate crap in all of them! But here are a few that I think are pretty good! We went to Officer's Row, because I love the big tree logs at the fort for a background!

this and that

Lately we have been busy putting in our garden, growing veggies from seeds, and playing with friends!

Chris built 2 raised beds, and a compost ( I have been pestering Chris for quite a while for this, and so I am pretty excited!)

Now we just have to plant the vegetables and wait for them to grow, really happy that Mira's first foods will be from our own garden!