Good Knights

Springtime Shenanigans with the Knights: Part deux

2011-10-19T08:34:00.001-07:00

And the Spring Saga continues. My in-laws purchased some land, and on that land is a vacant barn. Now inside that vacant barn are some cute little pigs some neighbor girls are raising for 4-H. One day all the cousins got to go and take a look and had a BLAST! (oh and Evelyne has her first loose tooth)

Gilbert, Grayson, Henry and Evelyne (the girl with the loose tooth).

Spencer and the pigs.

Grandpa Bruce got in with all the kids to watch the pigs outside (have I mentioned evelyne has a loose tooth?)

Aren't they cute? They look very much like country boys in this pic.

Nathan and Gilbert enjoyed some time together at his preschool on Dad's night (making gifts for mother's day of course)

Cinco de Mayo...the Knights went wild; Gilbert dressed for the occasion with a snake belt, no shirt, and a sombrero.

In case you were wondering...Evelyne has a loose tooth, it is on the bottom...seeeeeee?!

Playing catch-up in June

2011-10-19T08:34:00.000-07:00

Since I'm incredibly behind in the blog for my family world; I'll try to play catch up. Starting in June with Evelyne's Birthday. We had two parties; one with family and one with friends...the theme was "SUMMER!" After a very long and wet spring, we were all itching for some weather improvement and some Vitamin D.

Here are a few partygoers; Stephanie, Jason, Bruce, Nathan and Lindsey

Cousin Emery

Evelyne and Cousin Hunter

Her last (full day) of school was celebrated with a pizza party! The kids had a lot of fun eating yummy pizza in their classroom

Evelyne was selected with her two friends to participate in the all school talent show which was no small feat! Out of 830 kids, only a handful of groups were selected. Evelyne and her friend Priyanka played a piano duet to "somewhere over the rainbow" and their friend Annika did a dance to it.

Here are the 3 lovelies; Evelyne, Priyanka, Annika. Priyanka gave Evelyne one of her dresses to wear and she LOVES it! You'll see, she wore it to about every special occasion all month long!

Evelyne's last day of school; here they are (two classes combined) to do the sing-along they'd done all year on Fridays....this was one last hurrah.

Evelyne with her teacher, Mr. Zack.

One of her favorite kids in the class was Reece, a sweet boy who was always very kind to her.

The friend party was all about summer, too! I made some cute cupcakes and we did face painting and decorated flip-flops to take home!

Flip flop craftiness!

Fun friends, Ainsley, Lauren, Rosie, Bailey, Aubrey, Carla, Evelyne, Priyanka, and Annika!

We also had the opportunity to attend Nathan's cousin's wedding in Albany so these photos are from that lovely event.

Gilbert loves to dance, by the way, and was crazy break-dancing all day long!

The two kids dancing as a pair; so sweet!

More soon; hope you enjoy these pics...wish time wasn't zooming by so quickly!

Spring Shenanigans with the Knights 2011; Part un

2011-05-07T06:26:00.000-07:00

Spring has been busy for the Knights, I swear as the kids get older our time gets stretched thinner (you with teens please don't tell me it will only get worse)....Here are some of the latest photos of things we've been doing. The first is of our annual Villebois Easter Egg Hunt. One thing I love about this neighborhood is the way neighbors come together to plan and create fun and safe events for the kids.

Evelyne with neighbor Elisa after the big hunt!

Gilbert excited about his loot!

My sweet niece Emery showing off her basket

The easter bunny always shows up and gets lots of hugs from the kids....especially Gilbert

Evelyne and her good friend Annika

My lovely girl

Kids exchanging easter stories...here's friend Jeffery and cousin Hunter

Next on the docket was coloring easter eggs which we hadn't done until the day before Easter. The weather was so spectacular I couldn't bear to do it inside so we went outside. A couple of neighbor kids, Siona and Kavin joined us! I actually sprinkled them with water that day it was so warm!

Dyeing eggs the old fashioned way...no PAAS here, just food coloring and vinegar.

They actually came out pretty good!

Easter morning was met with relaxation after a harried Saturday of preparing for the big meal. We have the family over to our house which I love...it's just the prep and cleaning that I hate. Luckily, it's all done by Saturday night so we can rest on Sunday and enjoy company with family.

I bought hot cross buns at Lamb's Thriftway to eat with our hardboiled eggs and mimosas on Easter Morning. Evelyne set the table for us and even put our initials on the napkins.

So, instead of buying flowers this year, I decided to venture outside and pick what I have even if it meant green leaves. I happily discovered the shrubs I usually don't like that are right outside my front door have lovely lily - like flowers in the spring that have a nice scent so I picked a bunch.

We went to Easter Service at Community of Hope and they had a nice display of easter lilies at the front of the church; perfect to snap a few photos!

Easter dinner is always a family affair; all of us select a couple of items and bring them to the table to share. I'm usually in charge of a main meat dish, this year I did the leg of lamb and all of the appetizers.

Dining room all set for dinner

We had a chance during appetizer hour to snap a few photos outside. Here's the lovely Sadie (now Kelley), mom and Evelyne in her apron.

My grandpa John enjoying an old song book. This year, Nathan and I did some spring cleaning and got rid of lots of books. Rather than send them to Goodwill we decided to give them to family and friends. So all weekend while people came for a visit, they got to take some books...fun!

Preparing the final plates; Nathan is cutting up the lamb (with my apron on...guess I need to get him one).

After dinner we celebrated my dad's 67th birthday.

Look for the next installment coming soon! Can't promise a quick delivery however.

February Fun...

2011-02-25T15:14:00.000-08:00

February gave the Knights a much needed R&R to the Oregon Coast. We had the strangest weather ever with snow one morning, bright sunshine the next, and rain...a little bit of everything but hey that's the NW for you. A highlight for us was visiting the Rogue Brewery and stumbling upon a HUGE beer sale...yes, cases of awesomeness for a mere $20. I even bought myself a rogue t-shirt...a bit corny, yes, but the roguishness of the coast, and trip to pirate's plunder forced me to do it; really. It's right up there with the Goonies t-shirt that I love and wear during the summer. I get quite a few comments on it from people and strange looks from my husband. That shirt I found at a Thrift store in Silverton years ago...random.

Some doodle pads for bad weather beach moments

Visiting Pirate's Plunder

Evelyne and I visited the Wax Museum and Ripley's Believe it or Not. Haven't been to those places since I was a kid. Nathan took Gilbert to the Undersea Gardens. I asked the ticket person how long each place would take to walk through and the reply was "about 20 minutes." So, Nathan and I coordinated so we'd each be finished at the same time. What I wasn't expecting was Evelyne freaked out in the wax museum. We whizzed through the entire thing...with me holding a 6 year old in my arms the entire time...in 5 minutes. Ripley's was a bit easier, she walked, well ran holding my hand through most of it...another 5 minutes if that. Ahh...that was money well spent....time to open a bottle of that beer.

Evelyne and I on the Newport Waterfront; isn't she looking old (I mean Eve. not me of course)

Gilbert and Nathan after visiting the Undersea Gardens

The sunshine on the beach was gorgeous, and although it was Freezing Cold!!! we went and played in the sand.

Evelyne's daisy...spring is coming soon, right?

Gilbert playing in the rocks & sand finding treasures

Evelyne's sand slide

At home, snow and a snow day....

Snow angel Gilbert

Snowball fighter Evelyne

Managing the Sadness

2011-01-15T22:19:00.000-08:00

Today I ache. I ache for a friend in crisis, to hear her voice, to take away her pain. I am sad and helpless living my life while yours has taken a detour. I ache for the boys longing for a simple hug, the husband for just one kiss, the family and friends for just one glance.Where are you now? What are you thinking and feeling and when will you come back and smile, laugh, be your fun and wise self. So accepting, a lover of life, friends, food and fun. When I think of managing the sadness I think of you; you are the one I would turn to for advice. You are the one that makes me feel happy, normal, accepted, free. You are bound by tubes and darkness; a stifled voice among internal chaos.

Gilbert turns 4

2010-10-26T17:01:00.000-07:00

Our gilbert turned 4 and we celebrated at the Pizza Caboose in Tigard; his favorite place as he says "In the whole life world."

Playing Pac Man old style just like we did when we were kids!

Yummy canadian bacon and pineapple pizza...Gilbert's favorite!

Chowing down with the cousins!

Presents! Always a highlight!

The train birthday cake

Happy birthday my sweet boy, you give me a smile every day. Your warm hugs and sweet nature melt our hearts. I know you had fun at your favorite place...we love you Gilly-b!

Our first Spanish Language Camp!

2010-10-21T08:02:00.000-07:00

Many of you know me and a few other tireless parents have been working to develop and continue Spanish Language instruction to children in our school district. We created a program called W.E.L.L. (Wilsonville Early Language Learning). I love the acronym because through this process, wounds are healing and important next life adventures are happening. We have one main teacher and an assistant. The program is made for 24 Kindergarten and First Grade students and we offer 1-2 day language immersion camp experiences throughout the school year. We are working now on offering scholarship opportunities to native speakers to encourage cross-cultural interaction at an early age. We believe this is the best time and way to gain full understanding and acceptance of others different from ourselves. So, here are a few photos from our first camp, the next one is happening November 11th and 12th. Our school district has cut 9 school days from the year and we are adding those back in through the camps! Yippee!

Lots of books to read!

Girls taking a break!

Many words are learned through song and pictures

Lunch Break!

Focus on Fall!

Pumpkin Patch Fun!

2010-10-20T08:01:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we visited the pumpkin patch at Sauvie Island and had a great time riding the hay ride, going through the corn maze, and tailgating with a picnic lunch afterwards. The Hovde clan met us up there and we also had Annika, Evelyne's friend from school, with us. All in all a fun filled day!

It's Fall, It's Time

2010-10-18T12:52:00.000-07:00

to get back into blogging life. i've been so absent with it lately, but just quickly had to share a couple of fun things that have happened to the "good knights" these past few months.

1. Gabe and Sadie got married! Yes, finally and No, they weren't already!

2. Evelyne is in first grade! she is loving her new teacher, Mr. Zach and is enjoying piano lessons this fall

Gilbert was so sad to see her go!

At Mr. Zach's class

In the classroom, so cool!

Bus ride home after a long first day!

3. Gilbert is almost 4! I know...how did this happen. He's really excited to be in school with his friends and playing at Kristine's a couple days per week.

Gilbert's first day of preschool

Climbing the trees

Loving the puzzles!

4. Nathan and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary this year...yes we are young and oh it was fun. Went to Vegas, drank too much and ate too much but what a fun time!

Morning ritual of Bloody Marys!

Going out for the evening!

We stayed at NY NY

5.Loving the Fall weather; had a tumultuous summer this year and am so happy it's behind us!

so, my pledge to myself this fall is to: enjoy life more, write and sit more, and keep in touch with friends!

Fun Run Fantastic!

2010-05-14T14:05:00.000-07:00

Oh it was a fun run. Here's Evelyne and her class with teacher Ms. Janke. We had our Fun Run today at school. All the kids in the entire school got to run out in the big track with teachers and parents and whoever else wanted to go. It was a bit hit and a great fundraiser for our school. Plus the weather was FABULOUS!

Getting ready to run. Each child had a paper that they got stamped for every lap they did. Evelyne kept on going strong!

Ready to go~! Standing with Ms. Janke.

The Victory Arch! Kids got so excited when they ran under that!

Here's our girl in action. She may not be the fastest but was one of the most consistent and when others pooped out she kept right along!

Great job kids!

The making of a chef

2010-04-23T08:12:00.000-07:00

Everyone that knows me well knows that I love to cook. The kids always ask to help out, sometimes I say yes. Here's Gilbert helping me saute celery and onions for some soup I was making. He was in heaven. It was the first time I let him stand over the hot cooktop. Yeah, he is 3 but he is a pretty good listener and I figured I might as well just let him try it. He did great. I realize sometimes I don't give my kids enough credit. They are probably able to do more than I think they can. So what if we make a mess...as you can see by my counter, we did but it was ok and we had fun.

Sous-chef Gilbert sauteing vegetables.

My kitchen island ... we made crackers to go with the soup. Ever made them before? They are buttery yummy and oh so perfect with soup!

spring weekend happenings

2010-04-16T08:07:00.000-07:00

Just an update on things we've been doing. Last weekend was really busy with virtually one event after another. Saturday morning was Evelyne's soccer game at 8am, then Evelyne and I went to the "Keeping it Local" fair in Wilsonville. We manned a table showcasing community gardening. Then I had to work for a few hours, then we had a birthday party....Sunday was church and then our friends the Hovdes came over for an early Sunday supper. It was super fun but also super full of events! I guess it keeps life interesting and keeps us all going. As my parents probably remember I always wanted to go somewhere and do something as a kid. They wanted to stay home....guess that never changed!

Our "booth" at the fair. We were representing our community garden plot at Valley Christian Church. This si the preschool that Gilbert goes to.

Community gardens have gotten so popular in the last few years and are really quite easy to maintain. The benefits are of course having great fresh produce through the entire growing season! Evelyne and Gilbert love working in a garden.

Here was the literature we passed out. Quite a few people were interested. The city of Wilsonville has a community garden but is always full with a waiting list. Valley started theirs last year to be able to accommodate other gardeners in need of a plot!

We passed out a lot of flower seeds.

Ring-around-the-rosie....Evelyne, Gilbert, Luke, and Jonah had fun playing while we were waiting for dinner to be finished. We actually got to eat outside! My camera battery died so unfortunately I only have this one photo.

ReUse: Giving new life to old things

2010-04-13T08:37:00.000-07:00

Evelyne came home with this trailing behind her a couple of weeks ago. So fun we had to hang it in the house for a while. I asked the teacher what they were doing in school that day and she said they had "free play" during that time. Evelyne went to the recycle bin and took out a bunch of random things...a kleenex box, cups, papers..she colored, cut and taped them all together to make this mobile of sorts. Talk about junk to funk...thanks for the smile Evelynesita!

Spring Break; we survived vol. One

2010-03-29T15:09:00.000-07:00

Spring Break 2010: We survived - the beginning of the week was met with an Easter Egg Hunt and all manner of nail decor.

Unfortunate rainy Easter Egg Hunt at our church...literally the heavens opened up right as the kids were going out on the hunt. I was sick at home (perfect start to the break).

Diva nails on Evelyne

Twinkle toes on Gilbert

Nail Decor: Yes, for Evelyne AND Gilbert. I can't tell him no; some guys wear polish and who am I to judge. Evelyne received a kit for Christmas and we hadn't opened it yet so this was a treat. They reminded me of the infamous "Lee Press on Nail" kits that were popular when I was in middle school. My friend, Dawn and I, loved wearing them. One time we actually wore them in public, thinking we were so elegant and grown up until an old lady said in a funny cute voice "oooohhh, don't you girls look nice, I like your nails." That was it, we realized we weren't so grown up and just felt stupid.

Monticello Antique Mall

Mom, Gilbert, Me and Evelyne having a snack at the cafe

Next we visited theMonticello Antique Mallin NE Portland on 86th and Stark. What a fabulous place. I definitely want to go back sans enfants but we had fun looking around albeit rather hurriedly. We stopped for an amazing snack of coffee and pastries (key lime bars and chocolate brownie) in the cafe.

Then off to IKEA to visit my sister and get some shopping in. They have all of their outdoor stuff in right now so we simply HAD to go. For the first time Gilbert and Evelyne could play in the Smaland....so fantastic, one hour of shopping while the kids played and played..it was fun for all.

...more to come later!

sheer insanity

2010-03-08T09:18:00.000-08:00

I should have learned...years ago...and have made the mistake more than once by trusting the Knights when it comes to outdoor recreation. This past weekend we went to Sunriver 30+ people in all. We had a great time visiting and soaking in the hot tub. Saluting with multiple margaritas, and taking turns watching each others' kids. That part was good.
So, you all see that map? That was our Saturday outing, a seemingly mild 4 mile snowshoe loop around Swampy Lakes in Central Oregon. It was called the "porcupine trail" and as we said by the end, the phrase "mountain goat" is a much better name. You see those black lines? That is where the skiiers go, a mild trail to the shelter, and a mild trail back. You see those red "devil" lines? That is the snowshoer's trail; a mild trek to the shelter, and a torturous punishment back. Now, I want to say, the only one actually looking at the map before said adventure was Nathan, who was on back country skis. Nick, Becky, Camryn, Evelyne, Gilbert and I were all the snowshoe groupies.
I also want to put this other bit of information out there....children on backs. I was carrying Gilbert on my back for the last 2 miles after the shelter and Nathan had Evelyne. She was a great little snowshoer for the first almost 2 miles but was pooped after that. Nick was carrying Camryn the entire time.
So, as you can see from the map, we went up a bit of a butte that entirely kicked our butts. I honestly have never been more exhausted and didn't think I had it in me. Thank goodness I've been working out or I'd really have been in trouble. We all made it back safe & sound. The closest thing I can think of as to why on earth it is called "porcupine" trail is that your calves feel penetrated by porcupine quills....and mine still do.

Remembering Valentine's Day...

2010-02-28T07:52:00.000-08:00

Lovely Valentine's bouquet...thanks Andy Pandy floral!

champagne in a can....must me meant just for me...it has MY middle name on it!

Even though Valentine's Day is long over, I had to post these photos of some of my spoils. First, the lovely arrangement was done byAndy Pandy Floral a local company here in Wilsonville. What a beautiful arrangement it was...so bright and cheery with really interesting touches in the decor of the vase, I just love her detailing. Second, is my new favorite champagnein a can...just screams "dianne" well, actually "sofia" but that is my middle name after all. Perfect juice box so to speak as it comes with it's own straw...fabulous.

Kids playing with kids.....

2010-02-13T12:24:00.000-08:00

Aunt Sarah taught Gilbert, Evelyne and Dani to dance to Lady Gaga....

groovin'

what the......

maya and declan over for a play dinner date....

maya running....

Chicago 1935

2010-02-01T11:49:00.000-08:00

So, last night we celebrated with my grandfather, John Wickenkamp, who today turns 91. We were asking about memorable life moments etc. He had a varied childhood, grew up on a farm in Wyoming, no electricity, no running water etc. He shepherded sheep for 1 year when he was 16. His parents divorced and he moved with his dad to Chicago. Here's where this memory begins. He went with a Latino friend to the movie theater one evening and all of a sudden the movie stopped, lights came on, doors opened. The ushers told everyone to please leave the theater. They had no idea what was going on. The next morning the read about the murder of John Dillinger. I'd just watched Public Enemies last weekend; can't believe my grandfather was there.

Coach Happyness

2010-01-30T16:47:00.000-08:00

Here are most of the coaches awarded "Coach of the Year" by the league.

Evelyne sporting her Willamette United Soccer Club shirt.

Congrats coach Nathan!

We attended theWillamette United Soccer Club's awards ceremony a couple of weeks ago. It was short, sweet, and they basically used it as a forum to let us all know what was going on in the League for the next year. I learned that it is the 3rd largest in the state of Oregon! Had no idea.

Nathan earned Kindergarten Girls Coach of the Year. When he went up to accept his award someone chuckled "how do you coach kindergarteners?" He laughed back "you just keep them running!"

So, who looks like mom???

2010-01-19T21:27:00.000-08:00

We're all about the same age in these photos. Who looks alike?

My songbirds

2010-01-14T15:59:00.000-08:00

So fun, had to document this and since blogging is this busy mom's documentation method of choice here I go.
Every night after bath, after Evelyne and Gilbert are tucked snuggly into their beds we hear singing. First, we hear Evelyne singing to her animals, or "friends" as she calls them and then Gilbert. I think Gilbert just started doing it because Evelyne does. Both of their doors are open and they are right across the hall from each other. They sing and sing. Evelyne usually sings songs she's learned in school or an old favorite like "somewhere out there" Gilbert isn't so organized. He usually sings whatever the last things he remembers is like..."bath, prayers, thank you's" ; it's a stream of consciousness type of verse. Eventually it stops and we' know they're most likely asleep. It's very sweet and I hope it lasts, but I realize when those little voices stop singing before bed they've probably grown up.

Every time I see this clip, I think of Gilbert and Evelyne.

Meet Lomeni Daniel

2010-01-10T20:35:00.000-08:00

So for a resolution in 2010 we have a new friend in our lives....from Tanzania, Lomeni Daniel Ndikoye. I was inspired and this opportunity just came up. Lomeni has a mother who is my age and is a subsistence farmer. He also has a brother and sister. He is 11 years old and love soccer and math and english. His father has died and his mother struggles to provide for her children. My heart just broke. I thought what are we waiting for we've heard these stories so many times.
I have so much, he struggles to survive. I learned that boys, especially older boys like Lomeni, are at the highest risk. I don't know why, maybe it was divine intervention but I felt compelled not just to listen, cry, and hope for something better for him and his family but do actually DO something to try to help him, his family, and the community. I know it sounds corny, but I finally realized small things matter most. We don't have millions, don't have our kids college paid for, don't even have our retirement totally figured out but humanity calls. Yes there are those in need here, there everywhere, always. I come from a family that came from humble beginnings; they were sponsored to come to the US through some families more fortunate, someone whose heart was touched. I'm just returning the favor.
If any of you want more information, would like to write a letter to Lomeni or give support please let me know. After all, we are all here to help each other through this crazy thing called life. Here's to a fabulous 2010!

Whitefish Wonderful

2010-01-07T19:54:00.000-08:00

Loved our time with the most gracious hosts ever; Doug, Kelly, Will, Jack and Annemarie Peppmeier.

Loved taking Amtrak Empire Builder (overnight)with the kids.

Loved the time spent chatting and laughing. Loved daily cocktail hours and great food. Loved that the kids had fun.

Loved the snow.

Loved date nite. Loved the Great Northern hospitality and their fabulous friends. Loved the fact that we met fellow Portlanders on New Year's Eve.

Loved laughing at penny poker and 3 gin limits and the happy Lion Bank that coughed up the big wad of dough.

Loved the perfectly rounded snowman.

Loved the sleigh ride with Dolly and Molly, and the home made cinnamon rolls and hot cocoa afterwards.

Loved just visiting.

Miss my friends.

Seeing Santa

2009-12-19T16:38:00.000-08:00

We finally got the chance to visit Santa today. After the YMCA twice cancelled the "Breakfast with Santa" we were so looking forward to we decided just to go toBridgeport Village first thing this morning. We stood in line for about 15minutes. Nathan stayed outside and the kids and I waited in the coffee shop next door.

They had a lot of fun and Santa was very kind to Evelyne who of course brought a list with her. On it was written: kickstand, tie shoes, webkinz, coal (for eyes for the snowman), a snowman hat, and an Indian Book (meaning native american which has fascinated her since our visit to Kah-nee-tah last summer.

Afterwards we grabbed a few gifts and had lunch at McCormick and Schmicks; pasta for the kids and French Onion soup for mom and dad plus....a bloody mary for mom...what a treat!

1 angel + 1 rock star = christmas sanity

2009-12-17T20:07:00.000-08:00

In the throes of the days before christmas when all through the house all the creatures are stirring! Trying to finish gifts, get them wrapped, get those last minute gifts, and re evaluate your quickly diminishing budget. It's nice to have a break; a positive cute little break. Kids dressing up, singing, playing their part totally oblivious to the daily mayhem of the holidays.

Gilbert and Evelyne gave us that break last weekend at their Christmas Programs at our church . It was great to hear the songs and sing along, made me think of Christmas when I was a kid.

My favorite thing was singing songs, listening to my parents records...yes records...and baking with my mom. Our favorite thing to make as kids were christmas ornament cookies; you know the ones you cut out with cookie cutters and decorate with frosting and sprinkles. Ours always turned out totally ugly with masses of frosting for hair and giant globules for eyes...they were scary. Oh but were they tasty. Not too sweet, buttery creamy yumminess.
So as I enter the final countdown, as my mother did before me, I'll try to remember my everyday madness is part of my children's memories; the baking, the music, the movies, the general mood and feel of the holidays. Thanks Gilbert, my little angel, and Evelyne, my little rock star, for giving mama a reminder of what Christmas is really about.

Oh Christmas Tree

2009-12-13T07:09:00.000-08:00

This year our tree came from my good friend Danelle's Aunt and Uncle who live atop Mt. Home Road. All of their trees are Nobles and ALL cost $15 any size...what a deal! The farm is called Mt. Home Hillside Farm. We cut our tree a couple of weeks ago (Thanksgiving weekend) when it was nice and sunny, thank goodness.

This was Evelyne's favorite tree...just her size!

My first attempt at Bloodying a Bean Bag

2009-12-08T21:53:00.000-08:00

Oh shipping woes. After completing the two lovely chairs to be shipped to Texas I realized, crap; now I have to figure out shipping. I kind of ball parked it on my Etsy site based on what other people had done; yes I copied. I really didn't think I'd get any orders on chairs; too expensive and costly to ship. I was wrong. So, learning from this experience.

Being the eco - green-environmentally sensitive...wait, really just cheap...people we are we confiscated the following to use in shipping mayhem: **1-5 large boxes from old equipment at A-dec that Nathan stole from work. **scraps of packaging material from other packages that I had lying around **one old bean bag that my mom had that I tore open and spilled it's guts out**a bunch of newspapers we crumpled til our hands looked like coal miners' hands**duct tape**more duct tape**and the usual swearing

My shipping department (nathan) is making about $.50/hour. Boy do I owe him...wait, I bore his children...naturally...he owes me. I will say I am thankful for my shipping department who skillfully created two boxes out of nothing, measured to the EXACT size and duct tape to hell.

Let's all have a silent moment and PRAY they make it to Texas in tact.

Ignoring my child

2009-12-01T12:32:00.000-08:00

Lately, Gilbert has used a certain phrase to get my attention...don't know how he figured it out but it does, and gives me a laugh. When he is trying to show me something, wants me to look at his latest jumping feat, his truck with out the wheels, or just wants acknowledgement he says " Mom....mom..............mom, turn your neck around." Forget "look at me" or "mirame" (as Evelyne now says). Gilbert is much more specific in his demand "TURN YOUR NECK AROUND!"

Poor kid, I must be ignoring him too much lately....

Thanksgiving Dinner and a Recipe

2009-11-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

So, here are few shots of Thanksgiving at Uncle Phil's house. The final headcount was around 54 according to reputable sources.

We took over the living room....

...and the dining room

...and the hallway

6 of everything for every table

getting ready to dig in!

games afterward

and the recipe that a couple of people were asking for

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-25T06:01:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving. As you can see by the state of my kitchen preparations began yesterday. This year we're celebrating with the Knight Clan and expect around 60! I have therefore made SIX corn cheese and chile pies. Today I'm planning on doing the cranberries and (maybe) some carrot pineapple salad...whew.

Here is what the pies look like (before they're cooked)

Here's my messy kitchen...recipe in foreground.

Farm Fresh Eggs! We're ordering them through a guy Nathan works with...only $2.00/dozen!

My little artist, busy making thanksgiving cards for friends and family while mama cooks.

Art Wednesdays

2009-11-20T13:58:00.000-08:00

Doesn't that sound just like a perfect organized 'mom' thing to declare..."Art Wednesdays?" Sorry to disappoint this was an on-the-fly project to get the kids busy doing SOMETHING (though it required much clean up afterwards) while I got my own tasks completed. Yes, I'd already used the TV card and couldn't have them watch any more so had to do something else.

Evelyne and Gilbert LOVE to paint and it really keeps them going for quite a long time. They even share paint pots with each other and swap paints off an on which does unfortunately result in many floor drips.
The end results are always fun. Gilbert said he made his for grandma and evelyne made hers for grandpa. If they don't declare an owner I sometimes use the paper to wrap kid gifts in for friends (now see, that's a good organized mom thing to do, right).

So, thankfully, we don't always have "Art Wednesdays" here at the Good Knight Castle but it is fun to do it once in a while.

Gilbert goes to Build-a-Bear

2009-11-13T16:15:00.000-08:00

I never knew that Build-A-Bear could be such a sweet and special thing. Grandma Gigi took Gilbert for his birthday to the Build-A-Bear shop last Wednesday. He got to select a bear, name it, give it a heart, select clothes and give it a hug. So sweet.

He picked the black bear right away; didn't even look around much. He decided to call him 'dimples' and picked out an 'explorer' outfit and fishing pole. Amazing at age 3 he is so decisive.

So, our newest family member, dimples now giggles and sits with us at the dinner table. He even goes potty with Gilbert when he needs to.

A great memory for grandma and gilbert both....

Last weekend; my girl, my boy, and loss of my sanity

2009-11-04T20:49:00.000-08:00

Last weekend was a whirlwind of activity: Evelyne (and coach Nathan's) last soccer game, Halloween (of course) and the celebration of Gilbert turning 3. Whew..I felt like I was running a marathon of events, costumes, prizes, candy...oh and where was that bloody mary....??? Wow, crazy times. It was fun though.

Friday we had a Fall Festival at Evelyne's School. Thanks to a very organized parent volunteer, it was a fabulous event...

Then of course we had to carve our pumpkins

Evelyne's soccer team, "the wildcats" did great despite a muddy trodding through the fields at Willamette Park. The girls really starting playing like a real team towards the end; I'm really proud of all of them and proud of coach Nathan in his patience and kind persistence, he really is great with girls. The team all received award certificates, trophies, and coach Nathan gave them all "championship rings" because they were all champions of their first season in his book.

Then on to Halloween Night. Of course our neighborhood, the fabulous place that it is, had an event...the "VilleBoo Monster March" a great time to view everyone's costumes before trick or treating began. Evelyne was with me and Gilbert was with Nathan. We had to split up because of the sheer urgency our children had to be with "their respective posses" which totally didn't coincide. Cat & the Hat went with the Wizard and the "other mother" went with Alice who HAD to be with the Vampire of her DREAMS Shane Bresnahan. I swear she ran all night to keep up with him...I quickly trotted along trying not to spill my drink in the mayhem. A big thank you to grandma's Joni and Gigi for manning the door at our home during this time.

Finally, Gilbert's birthday..oh what fun. I think it's the most fun I've ever had at a kid's party and I was the HOST! We did a carnival themed birthday with stations of a "prize wheel of wow" "fishing game" "penny in the jar game" and "cookie walk." Kids had so much fun playing all the games the parents actually got a chance to walk around and visit! Best of all, Gilbert was surrounded by friends and family and LOVED his birthday.

Life is crazy as a parent, but often you get to experience the joys of childhood again through your children...what fun; even if it's a bit tougher at 35 than 5 or 3 for that matter.....
I need a nap....

So, last funny thing. Nathan was looking for Gilbert on Sunday evening after cleaning up and couldn't find him. Ended up he had fallen asleep in his bedroom curled up between his bed and the wall! Poor boy was POOPED!

Whew..what a weekend!

blast from the past

2009-11-03T15:25:00.000-08:00

I came across these photos the other night and just had to post them....so fun.

Why "Gilbert?"

2009-10-28T20:36:00.000-07:00

So many people have asked..."why Gilbert?" ie. we really don't like the name so it must be a family name or have some special significance??? Actually, it is neither. Though I am an Anne of Green Gables fan from WAY back (Gilbert Blythe), and did work on an historic renovation/addition with the "survivors" of SRG Gilbert Hall, the name Gilbert came a bit more simply. Nathan and I were in a quandry; what to name our son....no names really spoke to us. We had lists and lists of cities that we'd travelled to, people we'd interacted with, family names, any italian or scottish names...Nothing. Literally, it was an eleventh hour addition. I was reading a book by Elizabeth Gilbert in my last book club. I'd been reading it for a while and one night just looked at the cover. GILBERT just jumped out at me. I asked Nathan if he liked it and it jumped to the top of the list...along with "Desmond." We were and still are HUGE Lost fans and loved the mystic of Desmond. So, at the moment of truth Nathan selected "Gilbert." It was fair, I liked it, too and really I'd selected Evelyne's name (I'd always wanted my daughter to be called Evelyne since I was a little girl myself.) Gilbert Kelley (my maiden name) Knight. Gilbert, now I love it and couldn't have thought of a better name for the boy I hear crying, laughing, talking to me every day. Gilbert with the crazy sticking up hair and very sweet nature. His hugs are the best ever...anyone who knows him will tell you...he LOVES to hug. My sweet "Gilly"...a nickname coined by Evelyne. You are a treasure to us all.

Happy Birthday Dear Gilbert...

2009-10-28T14:13:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday Gilbert turned 3! Can't believe my baby is not a baby anymore. My sister came over for a bit to celebrate with us; we're having a proper party this weekend as Nathan was out of town for most of last.

I seriously have never seen such blue frosting; the kids were pooping blue for 2 days...no joke.

Cute little dino truck w/dinosaurs all made out of recycled plastic....what an environmentally nice gift! Thanks Patchie and Sarah!

Aunt Sarah playing "sorry" with the kids...so intense!

We ended the evening at Pizza Caboose in Tigard, Gilbert's FAVORITE place to go. There are lots of trains and video games literally from years ago...they have Pac Man! A bonus is very inexpensive wine and beer...great for mom and dad!

Yes, PAC-MAN! Remember these!

Alice, a scarry ghost and the "other mother"

2009-10-24T10:14:00.000-07:00

So much fun last night; Evelyne's Elementary School, Boones Ferry Primary had a trick or treat night. The kids were allowed to go to the different "porches" and trick or treat to the teachers, then went to a "candy walk" then got to walk in a parade around the school, vote for their favorite teacher's costume, and end with popcorn and a movieIt's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

We went as Alice, a scarry ghost, and the "other mother" (from Coraline).

at the candy walk

getting ready to watch the movie annika (white hair) evelyne (alice) and edgar (incredibles) are all in the same class together

who is this handsome young man and his corvette???

2009-10-20T21:05:00.000-07:00

vintage for certain....any guesses???

El Nino

2009-10-16T21:29:00.000-07:00

We are entering an "el nino" period of weather...you know...a bit warmer, a bit dryer...supposed to last 4-7 years. And, I just couldn't resist one of the greatest el nino's of all time....

So what is this ETSY all about anyway

2009-10-14T16:41:00.000-07:00

Many of you have heard of and some of you haven't had the pleasure of looking into ETSY.com a site for those of you who love to shop locally, buy from the little entrepreneurs out there, get unique and fantastic items a great price. I opened a shop, Evie and Gil on etsy a while ago, did a couple of hand painted custom items and kind of forgot about it. Well, I'm back with some interesting vintage pieces I find around town, fun holiday decor, and greeting cards.

I love going to antique and thrift stores, and garage sales scouring for great finds. Many of you don't know I have furnished my home with many accessories and accent tables from things I found at rummage sales, on craigslist, at consignment shops, as hand-me-downs that often just needed a fresh coat of paint or a hardware change.

These days we're thinking green and watching our pocketbooks it's time to change our focus. Time to look at something again for the first time and see if we might use it. Time to look at 'used' or 'preowned' instead of new. Time to especially remember the small shop keeper. So, as always, enjoy "monitor" shopping on ETSY and keep us in mind for the holidays!

Happy Birthday Sadie

2009-10-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

We celebrated with a birthday of cooking...gnocchi. Sadie loves gnocchi and we had it last year for her birthday, again for this one. This time, she brought in a couple of friends to make it with her, Pete and Kelsey. We all converged at my parent's house for a fun filled birthday with great food...potato gnocchi with marinara, meat, and the coveted mushroom gorgonzola sauces, and home made Caesar salad...with pancetta and roasted cherry tomatoes...yumm!!!! For dessert was a Pumpkin spice cake from Lamb's...all so scrumptious! Happy Birthday Sadie...until next year's Gnocchi party...cheers!

Sadie, Gabe, Pete, and Kelsey making Gnocchi

Rolling it with the fork

Ready to cook on the pan

Sadie and her gnocchi...yum!!!

Getting ready to eat our dinner!

...and ready....

Sadie and her parents!

sampson...tired

Happy Birthday beautiful girl!

Oktoberfest....yes another one...

2009-10-10T19:20:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we had our neighborhood Oktoberfest. It was a pot luck affair with communal coolers for all sorts of German Beers, great sound system provided by one neighbor...where we danced many a chicken dance with the kiddos....and general fun had by all. One neighbor even made old world "villebois" signature steins and sold them at the event...how entrepreneurial...and they worked nicely with frothy Weihenstephaner.

Kids all looking at the fish in the pond....dad's are supposed to be watching...hmmmmm

Starting the grills!

Gilbert loving the attention.

Friends and neighbors

Yummy food!

Until next year!

Soccer Game...girls are improving!

2009-10-06T21:20:00.000-07:00

Coach and the 7 Wildcats

Evelyne and the other Wildcats had a great game last Saturday. And, although the coach tried his hardest, the girls just couldn't get that $#@! ball in the goal. So many tries and so many uhs... Well they're 5, a few more games and maybe they won't try to take the ball away from each other as they approach the goal.

Evelyne going after the ball.

Maybe they won't stop and wait for the other team to come after the ball when they get it. And maybe they won't discuss what each other had for breakfast while they're playing the game. And finally, maybe that one girl will stop skipping down the field and run once in a while...

So comical, life at 5.

Gilbert having fun with Aunt Sarah at the park!

Oregon Garden Visit

2009-10-01T20:48:00.000-07:00

My dear girlfriend, Danelle, took me to the Oregon Garden in Silverton for a visit. I have never been (since it's filled in), always wanted to go. It was a gorgeous Saturday and we were free of families and ready to explore...at our own pace. Years ago, I had worked on the Gordon House, which was moved to Silverton and now serves as an importand architectural landmark as it is the only Frank Lloyd Wright Usonion House in Oregon. I was impressed by all the different types of gardens within the Garden itself:

the children's garden

pet garden, lewis & clark garden, conifer, annual, wetland, oak grove....just to name a few! There is a tram that goes around the entire thing, giving you a good overview before you explore on your own. It is inspiring to say the least. If you are already a terrific gardener (like Danelle) or an aspiring one (like me), you'd appreciate it. It's definitely worth a visit on a sunny fall day.

the barn

green roof on a shed

large lawn for weddings and other gatherings

the wetlands

Thank you dear friend for a lovely memory......

Afraid of Bees

2009-09-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

Evelyne is loving kindergarten. She sits with four other kids in her "pod." One of the little boys in her pod is named Jeffery. The other day Evelyne came home telling me a story of how she was telling Jeffery that she was afraid of bees. "Mommy," she said. "Jeffery told me that he was afraid of F's."

...only in kindergarten.

Peg Legs

2009-09-25T08:26:00.000-07:00

So, the other day I found two pirates with peg legs at the top of the stair case...so what if I now have to wash their toothbrush cups; it was worth it for the laugh. Kids are so creative

What a weekend; Jontoberfest and Aaron Meyer

2009-09-21T13:24:00.000-07:00

Wow, we had a great...albeit busy weekend full of lots of fun things. First, on Friday we went to a local Jontoberfest; tons of fun with the neighbors, beer, great food and lots of laughs. Evelyne and Gilbert brought their bike and scooter to ride around the park, but ended up pulling and being pulled on the many wagons. Makes us really feel blessed to live with such great people.

Saturday, Evelyne had a soccer game and did great! Go Wildcats! (that's their team name).

We went later to visit with Grandpa Bruce and Nana Joni who are packing for...yes another move! They graciously watched our kiddos so Nathan and I could enjoy a dinner out. We ended up in Dundee. Started at The Dundee Bistro for a cocktail and went on to Farm to Fork at the Inn at Red Hills for dinner. I'd love to go back on a Wednesday evening to the Dundee Bistro for their "Whole Hog Wednesday" supper of $15 where they cook an entire Hog from Carlton Farms and serve with sides.
Farm to Fork was fabulous and though at bit out of the way has wonderful food. We shared a couple of plates, had some wine and really enjoyed ourselves.

Sunday was our best day at the Villebois Sunday Market ever! We had Aaron Meyer performing music from his latest sound track and it was fabulous. Caffe Fratelli (our coffee stand) was hopping. So, today I'm tired, taking it easy, paying bills, getting things picked up around here from our whirlwind weekend!

Dude Looks Like a Lady

2009-09-17T18:16:00.000-07:00

Evelyne graciously gave Gilbert her old "dress up" earrings. He was very excited.

Mom's Birthday...I won't say which one

2009-09-16T21:25:00.000-07:00

We celebrated my mom's birthday a couple of weekends ago at our house with a yummy brunch. I have to say, we have AMAZING cooks in my family. For birthdays and special occasions we always start out with "Ok, i'll bring a main dish, you bring a dessert, you bring a side, you bring etc. etc. etc." and it always turns out fabulous. We wanted to make it special so mom wouldn't have to do anything, but she did anyway...she made a tiered polenta dish that was to die for and looked very complicated. Alex made his food here and I was so impressed at how quickly he pounded it out...sauteed italian sweet sausages with onions and red wine garnished with parsley and lemon...wow...it was great. Happy Birthday mom; you started all of us on a road of culinary exploration....may we never tire!

Imaginary Friends

2009-09-14T21:22:00.000-07:00

Gilbert has imaginary friends. It's so funny, I've never experienced that before but he really can live in a bizarro gilbert world and think it's totally normal. I kept correcting him for a while saying, "no, cole didn't sleep in your bed last night," and "no, this isn't dog food it's people food." Then I realized, with the help of Nathan, that he is playing in an imaginary world and wants us to listen and participate. So, I learned that "Cole" is his imaginary friend. When he comes to me with cupped hands saying "mom here's your food" I pretend to eat it. He goes on his merry way like everything is normal. When he wakes up and says "time to get on my space ship," I say, "ok, let's go downstairs and find it." It takes some getting used to, but I'm learning and sometimes I wish I really could fly...

Evelyne's First Day of Kindergarten; it's all about Edgar

2009-09-09T15:45:00.000-07:00

Evelyne's first day of school was great fun! She loved getting ready for the day, putting on her new dress and shoes AND coat because it was a cold morning, getting her backpack all ready with her lunch packed inside, and getting to ride the school bus for the very first time. Wow, brings back memories. I rode the bus with her to school in the morning and walked her to the classroom. Nathan and Gilbert met us there. We got Evelyne all settled, backpack in cubby, lunch in upper cubby, and found her desk. She sits with Edgar, Johnathan, and Bailey. She got a big welcome hug from Miss Jenke who is exactly who you'd love to hug you on your first day; warm, inviting, loving. We had a few photos and kisses goodbye and she just sat in her desk patiently waiting to hear what to do next. All the kids ended up doing that; I think it was the shock factor....we'll just sit here, can't get into trouble that way.

After school I asked if she made any new friends and it was Edgar, Edgar, Edgar. Her desk neighbor who I gather is a high spirited little boy with a lot of energy as she later mentioned "he gets in trouble a lot though, mommy, he talks too much." He was fun I gather because they played at recesses together and she was impressed that he spoke both spanish and english. I told her she will too before long.

She got to ride the bus home and said an older girl named Hannah asked if she wanted to sit by her so she did. Hannah read her stories on the bus, Clifford and one other I can't remember; what a sweet girl. She was dropped off by Randy, the bus driver and was beaming. I asked if she wanted to go back and she said YES!

Mystery of Chek Chue-Wan Prison

2009-09-07T16:24:00.000-07:00

Evelyne received a doll house as a gift from Sarah and Patrick which we're finally getting around to fixing up. It looks really old, is solid wood, has a lot of hinges and little pieces. Today I noticed the bottom of it has words in English reading "Made in Chek Chue-Wan Prison Stanley Hong Kong 1963." Wonder if it's really from there and how it made its way here? I actually emailed the prison in Hong Kong to inquire; who knows if I'll hear anything back! They have a museum of "prisoners" work so wondering if they'd want this back. Either way it's been a fun mystery of the weekend!

Neighborhood Camp Out

2009-09-04T17:06:00.000-07:00

We love our neighborhood. Last weekend we had an all-neighborhood camp out in the large park called "Palermo Park." We had so much fun pitching a tent, and watching the movie "Bolt" outside after dark. A couple of neighbors roasted hot dogs for everyone, someone brought a large popcorn machine and had fresh popcorn popping, and we even got to roast marshmallows and make smores. Evelyne and Gilbert had loads of fun just running around, checking out everyone else's tent and visiting with young neighbor friends. What a great way to end the summer.

Late Summer Sentiment

2009-09-02T15:56:00.000-07:00

I just had to include these lovely photos of flowers and a card from a dear friend that made my day. The end of summer approaches; I'm looking forward to Fall, my favorite time of the year!

In other Knight news, Evelyne started soccer this week! Nathan is her coach and we went to part of their first practice, very fun. They had a lot of fun playing with each other and kicking the ball around.

Mama Said there'd be days like this...

2009-08-31T14:42:00.000-07:00

Wonderful birthday with lots of friends and great food! Thanks to all of you who joined in my special day! We spent time up at the Rose Gardens in Portland for a potluck supper follwed by friendly chats and a few introductions...."new" friends & neighbors meet "old" friends and neighbors. A special treat was my childhood friend, Cathy was in town and was able to swing by to celebrate with us! Cathy and her mom were the "oldest" of the friends and neighbor clan.
The day had a bit of a rough start with me being up all night with Gilbert, Gilbert not feeling well, but was going along great as evening approached...then...my mom got sick. She thought she was choking on something, no. Went to the hospital and they said she was allergic to something she ate, no. Ran a myriad of tests, scoped her throat and found out she had a really bad infection in her throat and thought it was strep, no. Ended up she had an allergic reaction to her blood pressure medication and she's now doing much better.

My friend, Cathy and I; childhood friends so fortunate to get to see her!

My friend, Amy and I; college friends.

New neighbor friends from Lausanne Street

The Portland contingent from NE Portland

So, a memorable day to say the least. I'm happy to have spent it with so many friends and family, some days just kind of suck but those you surround yourself with always make it better.

Get thee to the Allison; at least for a few things

2009-08-29T09:13:00.000-07:00

We visited the coveted new Allison Hotel in Newberg last night at their "soft" opening for community members, all those who heard about it throught the willamette valley grape vines so to speak, and employees of A-Dec.

My take: go to the spa it is devine, go for breakfast or lunch, sit in the living room with a drink after work.

You'll pay a premium, and I mean PREMIUM for everything there which makes me think...hmmm if I were to go somewhere and spend $10 on a Manhattan I would go downtown where I could find a myriad of other things to do after consuming said beverage.

Rooms start at $295 and go up from there. They are nice, well equipped as any high end room should be and all have either a "garden" view or a "vineyard" view neither of which are very lovely at the moment so you have to close your eyes and imagine what fertile soil and lots of care taking will do in a couple of years. All have balconies, Bose stereo systems, large flat screen tvs; and gas fireplaces.

Enough about the rooms, go for the spa. It is large has lots of service options, a lovely women's lounge and quiet at all times co-ed lounge and outdoor seating options. And we heard use of the spa gives you use of the facility for the day which includes the pool, hot tub, and work out room.

Go for breakfast, or lunch at the Jory Restaurant. The chef actually has his own two acre garden where the produce for the dining room comes from...talk about farm to fork! Dinners are quite pricey so to start I'd go for a less pricey breakfast or lunch option while they are working out all the "kinks." They have something called a "lunch tasting" for $23 which includes three courses followed by dessert; a nice prix fixe menu. When you're ready to dive into dinner there is a special "chef's table" that would be great with a few other couples. You get to sit in the kitchen at a nice dining table, where you have a front row seat to all the goings on of the professionals preparing their masterpieces.

The living room is a great room off the bar where you can sip a drink, visit with friends, and warm up by the fire. You can also order from the dinner menu and have it delivered in the living room. Wine is of course the main draw on the drink menu and is quite expensive to boot. There are tastings, 3 oz. glasses, and 5oz. glasses. I ordered the LEAST expensive Pinot Noir at $11 for a 5oz. glass, so, again, be prepared to drink the cost of what normally is a bottle in our house in a 5oz. glass. OUCH!

Overall, a nice place don't get me wrong. Architecturally, the building is sited nicely, not obtrusive to the landscape and fairly easy to navigate through. They have used quite a few sustainible ideas in their design such as green roofs, recycled water etc. and are going for (at least I heard) a LEED Gold Certification. The interiors seem a bit stuffy, MAC Clubish , and I get the impression I'm walking into a Conference Center instead of a luxury hotel. The spa is the exeption where a bit of modern classicism is thrown in the mix. All of the artwork is from local artists and even some of the spa products are purchased from local vendors.

It's worth a peek. The Jory Restaurant is open now every day from 10 - 7pm and the Hotel isn't set to open for another few weeks.

All in all, it's great if you want to experience the country and hang out in the hotel or go wine tasting for the duration of your vacation. If that's not your thing; which, personally, If I were to spend $300/night on lodging and $11 + for every glass of wine, I'd expect a bit more and certainly wouldn't choose Newberg as my vacation destination.

Tomatoes

2009-08-28T12:53:00.000-07:00

We are in the throes of a tomato bounty. These are all from our garden. I've been roasting them and making a sauce to put over different things. Here are photos of the step by step. Yummmy! I've posted the recipe on the Caffe Fratelli blog so take a look if you want it! The finished product used with grilled bread and melted mozzarella cheese.

Here are the tomatoes after they've been roasted
Farm fresh tomatoes!

...a Pirate's Life for me

2009-08-26T21:06:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed a little family vacation; the last of the summer last week. We went to Lincoln City and spent a few days lounging, making sand castles, jumping waves, and visiting local tourist hot spots. The weather was fantastic and we escaped the 100 degree weather in the valley so for that it was so worth it to skip out of town.
One of the kids' favorite places is Pirate's Plunder in Newport.
The kids love that place, it's a really thrown together antique and small time "amusement" park feel for kids. You can't miss it; it's on the way to the Aquarium but worth a stop. Afterwards we did our Pilgrimage to Rogue Brewery for a couple of pints....arrrr.

As a side, I'd like to thank my neighbor and fellow designer, Janell Beals who has a fabulous blog about design Isabella & Max Rooms and has helped and inspired me to create better blogs! Take a look if you get a chance.

Uncle "Apple" Alex's Nonna Doris' and Patrick's Birthday

2009-08-24T21:38:00.000-07:00

We celebrated my these birthdays with a Greek Feast. It was a lot of fun to get together and cook and eat and visit. Of course we had way too much food but people were able to take left overs for the next few days....

Alex in his new "throw" for his apartment
And learning to drive a stick!
Sibling love
Nonna Doris opening her birthday gift
Father and son "bonding" at the bbq

New Kindergarten Teacher

2009-08-20T21:44:00.000-07:00

Evelyne standing next to Ms. Jenke in the game circle. We went to a potluck to meet the other students and new teacher.
The fateful "duck-duck-goose" game that made a couple boys cry. Oh so sad and a bit funny, they were embarrased they couldn't "catch" Ms. Jenke.

Soon to be kindergarteners!

What it means to have a Boy

2009-08-15T21:54:00.000-07:00

7 kids + 6 adults = crazy chaotic fun

2009-08-15T20:54:00.000-07:00

Our dinner last Friday night with the Peppmeiers and Hovdes was GREAT! So good to see old friends again and share a summer meal. We had everyone over, ate pulled pork sandwiches (thanks for the fabulous recipe Lindsey), salad with vegetables from the Hovdes' garden, noshed on yummy peach cobbler and ice cream, and sipped coffee into the evening hours. Maybe it was just that we had a few drinks, but the kids seemed to do surprisingly well. They watched movies, played upstairs, played outside, we went to the park with them....they were all pretty content and easy! Have we passed the threshold of meals with mayhem???? I'm starting to say yes.

Here's Doug and Annemarie, what a cutie! (doug i'm talking about the one in the green shirt here)

Evelyne, Luke, and Jonah

Playing at the park!

The boys, Doug, Nathan and Ryan...

Will, Jack & Gilbert

Pepps, we love you and miss you and look forward to our next trip to Montana! Hovdes, we need to do this more often and I'll keep my eyes open for a house for you.....p.s. gilbert says thank you for the jeans!div>

The girls: Dina, Dianne, & Kelly

Farm Visit with Maca

2009-08-14T08:21:00.000-07:00

Last Monday we visited Bauman Farms in Woodburn; such a fabulous place! We went with "maca" or grandma to most of us. Gilbert has called her maca since he could barely talk and it has stuck.

The farm has goats, rabbits, chickens for the kids to see and pet, a great nursury with wonderful plants, an outdoor play structure with little tractors to ride on, and a nice grocery store with farm fresh produce and a bakery on site! www.baumanfarms.com

We packed a picnic lunch and sat in the gazebo, listened to the bubbling water below and enjoyed ice cream at the end of our jaunt.

J&J Wedding

2009-08-13T21:04:00.001-07:00

We went to Jenny Rhodes and Jay Sullivan's wedding last weekend in Boring, OR. It was a fabulous wedding, simple, endearing and generally fun. They really paid attention to detail and made it their own....here's a couple of special things they did.

The RSVP cards were on vintage postcards. They collected them and displayed them at the wedding then gave them to the guests as favors. They also had lots of glass bottles displayed on the tables, some empty and some with flowers in them. They were in remembrance of Nathan's grandmother who collected them.

Dancing was a highlight especially for the kids! Here are Gilbert (in blue shirt), Evelyne (in pink dress) and I (in brown floral dress) breakin' down....

They had a vintage typewriter for guests to type messages to the happy couple. Some of the youngest of the crowd didn't know how to put the paper in....wow, first time I felt "mature."

The cake with a pile of italian cookies for guests. Lovely.

Here are the kids having tons of fun on the dance floor. Brantley was clearly the star of the evening.

Emma Tang Fashions

2009-08-08T10:45:00.000-07:00

So, dad took the kids shopping, nice, give mom a break. The intent was to find some good soccer shoes at a reasonable price. That usually means shop at goodwill to said dad in question. Instead of shoes he came home with a new coat for Gilbert, a nice quality winter coat at a decent price. Too bad it is a girls' coat with a girl's name on the inside. Said father in question said he didn't see the name inside...yeah, he's right, it is hard to see (hmmmmm.....). AND the purple color of the coat obviously didn't give it away either.

Conclusion: in another couple of years Evelyne can take dad shopping.

Beaver Car...What a HIT!

2009-08-07T15:09:00.000-07:00

These photos say it all, any true Beaver Fan, which all my nephews TOTALLY are, this is car nirvanah...carvanah...

I went to visit Lindsey and her kids yesterday afternoon, of course Evelyne and Gilbert were already having a blast then uncle Mat came home with this car and gave them all rides around the neighborhood. As Evelyne said "we even got to listen to loud music!"

Mat's boss owns the car but I'm sure he has access to it often...GO BEAVS!

Fun in the Park 2009!

2009-08-01T16:16:00.001-07:00

Gilbert getting ready to climb the rock wall
Evelyne holding the large bird....I don't know what kind it was.

Gilbert just wanted to pet him.

Evelyne loved climbing the rock wall, she's definitely her father's daughter!

A nice trolley ride around town, great break from walking in the heat!

Today we were at the Fun in the Park Festival in Wilsonville, a great time for families. So much to do, lots of games, food, prizes, face painting, hair painting...just about everything. We stayed all day...well, went to a local air conditioned hang out for some lunch and a break from the heat for a bit. Anyway, lots of fun only wish lines were shorter for some things and that it wasn't quite so hot.

The best part about it was it was FREE for every bounce house, every ride and experience such a great thing!
We will definitely be back again.

so...this is all about me, dianne

2009-07-31T19:49:00.000-07:00

no pictures, just words, sad words, my first cavity "official cavity" ever in my life. yes, just days before my 35th birthday i have my first ever official cavity. had it not been for technology maybe it wouldn't have been detected. a "dark spot" on my last molar was laser beaten and came out compromised, so we have to do a filling. the only other filling i've had was after i broke a tooth and had to have it repaired, the filling ended up failing and had to be replaced, the result of the failure was a bit of decay on the tooth "a cavity" but i don't count that one.
so, sad day for me and my teeth....anyone else in the club w/me? even as a kid, no cavities...ever. dentists ask me why, i have no idea. guess i'm starting to deteriorate, getting to that "age."

Our Vegetable Garden

2009-07-31T16:51:00.000-07:00

Zucchini Squash
Evelyne's Peas

The Arugula and Greens Bed

Garden view, 10 tomato plants, cantaloupe, zucchini, cucumber, green beans, peas and basil

Gilbert in the tomato / bean "jungle"

Roma Tomatoes...coming soon!

Our garden is flourishing! It has been fun for the kids to go just about every day and see things growing / changing and picking produce. Evelyne planted peas and of course eats them as she picks them....and the cherry tomatoes; we've only had a few, but rarely have they made it home. From seed we planted the lettuce bed, green beans and peas. Everything else we had starts for. A fellow gardener gave me 5 tomato plants...I was never intending on having 10 but it just worked out that way. So, we'll be busy in a couple of weeks making sauces and eating all things tomato.

Our arugula was attacked by a "flea beetle" yes it looks just like it sounds and jumps. I bought some organic spray to get rid of them, we'll see if it works. it's funny all other lettuces are unscathed, just the arugula has shotgun holes through the entire leaf.

One bad thing; our gardens seem to be getting raided at night. We have some thieves coming through stealing produce. My basil plant was stolen right out of the ground.....bummer.

Family Camping trips Summer 2009

2009-07-27T10:11:00.000-07:00

Inside the tee pee at Kahneeta
Gilbert outside in our green space between our tee pees

Playing putt putt golf was a highlight!

The cousins, Evelyne, Camryn, Gilbert, Spencer, Grayson & Henry, baby Emery in the back(Brantley not pictured)

Our cabin at Fishermen's Bend near Detroit Lake

Uncle Gabe kayaking with Gilbert

Evelyne, Grandma Gigi, Dianne and Gabe Fishing!

Family photo, Patrick, Sarah, Larry, Gigi (holding Sampson)Dianne & Gilbert, Sadie & Evelyne, Nathan (Gabe not pictured)

We've had two great camping trips this summer. First, we went to Kahneeta with the Knight/Seehawer clan and rented 3 tee pees. They were fabulous, huge inside so lots of room for stuff. There was a great swimming pool for the kids, golfing, relaxing and we even got to see a traditional native american salmon bake and dancing. A very easy "camping" trip and so fun to see all the cousins together...8 now!

The second trip was to Fishermen's Bend near Mill City / Detroit Lake with the Kelley/Knight/Johnson/Badua Clan. We rented a couple of cabins and spent most of our days in the sun. It was HOT but near the water was nice and cool. We went fishing on the canoe and took turns in the kayaks. A nice time to visit and soak up some much needed rays!

2009-07-21T12:49:00.000-07:00

At Evelyne's preschool after the graduation party.
Walking; oh the beginnings of many more....

Evelyne and her teacher Lynda

I'm totally out of order, this all took place a couple of months ago, however, just got the photos back from Costco and had to post them. Evelyne's preschool graduation from Valley Christian Preschool. She loved going there. Gilbert gets to go starting next year...yahoo!

Lovely Lincoln City

2009-07-18T20:28:00.000-07:00

Gilbert and Evelyne at Pirates Plunder!
Having fun with grandma

Our fun stay at the Hale Kai

At the Aquarium

Had to stop at Rogue for some great beer!

Silly Evelyne

Adventuring with Gilbert

We were fortunate to have a spur of the moment vacation at Roads End in Lincoln City this past week. The kids and I went down first with my mom and spent time on the beach which was a bit cold and foggy until the late afternoons. We spent a day in Newport visiting the Oregon Coast Aquarium and weird little shops along the way. Don't know if any of you have ever been to them, there's a big "Pirate's Plunder" shop at the beginning with lots of antiques / collectibles and the kids got to select from the treasure chest if they were good in the store. That was a big hit. After that we went to Rogue Brewery for Lunch and had tasty beer and sausage soup, and a couple of pints of their special Honey Orange Wheat and Hazelnut Brown Ale...yummy.

Nathan and my dad met up with us on Friday and Nathan and I had a nice adult dinner out. We went to the Side Door Cafe in GlenEden, a favorite spot. Later, grandma and grandpa went to Chinook Winds but unfortunately....came back empty handed.

All in all, a great trip...thanks to our friends for letting us use their house...such a great place!

An old friend

2009-07-12T20:38:00.001-07:00

Sol, Evelyne & Gilbert

Cathy & I....old friends

My friend Cathy and her son Sol came to visit us last month; I'll never forget it was during that weird tornado/wind storm that we had! Thought I'd post the photos of us and the kids. Cathy and I were best of friends when we were kids and I have silly memories of sneaking candy, turning all the lights off and playing with flashlights, rides to my house down the hill with her and Jeff, and sleepovers in my grandparents trailer! Oh the memories. Cathy and her family now live in Florida so we see them a couple times / year, just so glad we still get to keep in touch! Don't we look cute....just a couple of silly girls....

Coffee Guys, Wise Guys

2009-07-10T10:57:00.001-07:00

Here are the 'wise guys' gabe & alex
Caffe Fratelli at Villebois Sunday Market in Wilsonville

Our community is fortunate to have a great Sunday Farmer's market http://www.villeboissundaymarket.com/ and my brothers, Gabe & Alex are the coffee vendors. Here are a few shots from last weekend. The market runs from 10 -2 every Sunday and vendors are starting to have LOTS of produce, fresh eggs, and great lunch...my favorites, the beignets with Lemon Curd and Cuben Ruben from the Village Waffle Maker.

Caffe Fratelli does Organic French Press Coffee from K&F Coffee Roasters, a local company. They offer whole bean Bella Selva for sale as well, all procceeds help contribute to communities. Here's what their website says about the coffee.

With your purchase of BellaSelva® Organic Coffees you are making a healthy difference in our world, while enjoying and providing some of the finest gourmet coffee available. By the way, “bella selva” means “beautiful jungle” in Spanish. The name BellaSelva® refers to the rich rain forests where coffee naturally grows. http://kandfcoffee.com/

BellaSelva® Organic Coffees are a full line-up of sustainable coffees; organic, shade grown, and supportive of the migratory birds that take refuge in the canopy of trees growing over the coffee plants. Many BellaSelva® Organic Coffees are also Fair Trade Certified™. By choosing Fair Trade Certified™ products you are directly supporting a better life for farming families through fair prices, direct trade, community development, and environmental stewardship. To learn more, visit www.fairtradecertified.org.

GABE & ALEX....this is an inspiring photo for you....ha...ha!

Big Boy Bed

2009-07-08T08:43:00.000-07:00

Gilbert is officially out of his crib / toddler bed and into a 'big boy bed.' He now has bunk beds that are oh so thrilling to climb on and oh so scarry for mom to watch. I have the old bunk beds that my brothers used growing up that my parents gave me for him. I painted them a dark grey color to get rid of the old 80's oak and they turned out pretty good. Now to find bedding!

He's sleeping well and loving it!

July 4th Festivities

2009-07-05T16:18:00.000-07:00

Fireworks!

This year we celebrated the 4th totally American Style, potlucks, coolers, fireworks, bbq's, swimming; you name it, we did it. We started in the morning at our neighborhood parade. Evelyne and Gilbert and cousins Camryn and Emery were all excited to be in the parade. We decked out bikes and cheered them on.

Here is Evelyne as the statue of liberty with cousins Camryn and Emery and aunt Becky.

Gilbert as uncle sam with dad

Later we had a potluck in the park with our neighborhood, everyone brought different types of food to share and the kids played in the fountains.

Neighbor Ellison, Gilbert and Evelyne taking a break

Cousin Emery peaceful as can be

End of School Picnic

2009-07-01T15:19:00.001-07:00

Evelyne sliding down the slide
Gilbert on the teetertotter with Gabby

The last day of official preschool ends with a picnic and though the weather looked nice, it rained. It rained last year and it rained this year, but being the hearty Oregonians that we are we stuck it out. They had fun playing with friends at the park and didn't want to leave. What a great time it was.

Caffe Fratelli is officially in business!

2009-07-01T15:15:00.001-07:00

Preview day in our courtyard
Gabe and Ryan working on the biz

Coffee is now being served at our farmer's market every Sunday from 9 -2 by Cafe Fratelli, my brothers and their friends are in business getting our buzz on during those lazy sunday mornings! If any of you get a chance come and check it out...they are here every Sunday in our neighborhood! www.villeboissundaymarket.com they are using organic french press coffee from K&F and also serve lattes, iced coffees and steamers....more to come!

Evelyne turns 5

2009-07-01T15:03:00.000-07:00

Flowers at the "princess" table
The friends doing crafts

Goodie bags & crafts

Lovely "princess" hair

Birthday hat from school

For Evelyne's 5th birthday we had 3 parties! After last year's mongo party she wanted small and intimate so we divided things up: first we did a friends from school "princess" party where the girls came and got their hair fixed up like princesses by Sindy, so sweet. Then, we had a family brunch on Sunday morning with our families, yummy bagels, fruit, mimosas and walked the farmers market in our neighborhood. Monday (her actual birthday on June 8th) we celebrated an "un birthday, birthday" at our Monday night potluck with our neighbors. It was fun, all the kids brought a "summer fun" gift to exchange so everyone left with something. Whew...quite a few days but so fun. Thank you to all for making her special days extra special!

Mayhem in Madras...we only because we were there...

2009-07-01T14:25:00.001-07:00

Kids getting to ride in the tractor...a highlight for Gilbert
Sliding on the HUGE slip and slide

Getting to ride in the front with Uncle Don

The boys in the back of the tractor trailer

Evelyne and Grandpa Bruce

This Memorial Day weekend we spent in Madras with Uncle Don and Aunt Ruth Ann. What fun and even relaxation for mom and dad! Thank you so much to them for inviting us to come! There were around 15 or so people there so we visited and ate and sat in the sun. The kids loved playing on the giant slip and slide and of course riding on the tractor around the property. There is a new public pool in Madras that is fantastic and we took the kids there one day. They also enjoyed going to the driving range with the big guys to practice their swings!

Happy Birthday Nathan!

2009-07-01T14:14:00.001-07:00

Nathan cooking his famous mexican feast!

Little entrepreneurs out selling lemonade...evelyne bought some

Patrick, Sarah and Gilbert

Nonna Doris

Nathan's cake and table

We celebrated Nathan's 35th birthday this year fiesta style ... at his request. He likes cooking mexican food so that's what he wanted to do...of course we all enjoyed eating it! We had great weather and were able to have fun in the sun!

Mom's Tea

2009-07-01T14:03:00.001-07:00

Evelyne and I at the Mother's Day Tea
Getting lunch for MOM...what a treat!

The program, they sang songs for us; of course we cried.

They made flower pots with a flower of them in it, so cute!

Evelyne's preschool had a mother's day tea for us. It was a special time just for moms and the preschoolers. The kids sat us down, gave us a tissue paper flower to wear, and even made us a nice lunch of finger sandwiches and treats! Each child went to the "buffet" line and filled a plate to share with his or her mom. It was so fun to see what each kid chose for their mom to eat and why. Afterwards, there was a singing program that brought tears to our eyes. It was a special time with my ever growing girl.

Easter Dinner

2009-04-13T12:12:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Easter Dinner at our house this year with family and friends. As usual, we had way too much food and it was very good. We were salad heavy this year which is always good for spring. Dinner included: Roasted Lamb, Coca Cola Ham, 7 layer salad, grilled asparagus, carrot pineapple salad, roasted herbed new potatoes, peas, pasta salad, fruit salad with mint & limoncello, champagne, wine, chocolates, tiramisu and coffee.

We started out at church in the morning and then dinner at 3pm. Unfortunately, my grandparents weren't able to make it at the last minute because of my grandma's illness.

It was a great time had by all and thank you to all who brought dishes to enjoy!

Tie-Dyed Eggs and Superman

2009-04-13T11:51:00.000-07:00

Evelyne's new funky hair...she's into braids these days.
Gilbert had superman eggs to do this year...his sister helped him with the stickers

There were a lot of stickers!

Evelyne's tie-dyed sparkle eggs...here she is putting the dye in the bag.

The finished product...sparkly and colorful!

Coloring easter eggs this year was pretty fun. No major fights or messes! Evelyne did a tie-tyed kit where you put the egg in a plastic bag, put a couple drops of dye and mush it around...(she loved the mushing part). You then put them on the stands wet (that was mom's job) and sprinkle the glitter which dries on. They turned out really good and it was super EASY. Perfect for a 4 year old who LOVES crafts.

Gilbert's eggs were standard issue for a 2 year old. Mom colored them ahead of time and it was his job to put the superman stickers on. So he did. Then he took most of them off and ripped them apart and dropped eggs on the floor and clanked them together...They turned out PERFECTLY crafted by a curious 2 year old.

Your Majesty

2009-04-09T10:53:00.000-07:00

The crown was a craft we did...you know, one of those that the kids REALLY want to do but the kind that they can't do and you end up doing most of it? Yeah, it was that kind of craft. It turned out good and she loves it so we had to make this today's photo....

Friends from Thailand

2009-04-09T10:48:00.001-07:00

From left to right, Dianne, Bruce, Joni, Lindsey, Ruj, Nong, Nong's cousin, Song

We had a great visit with Ruj and his new lovely wife Nong(I know I'm misspelling her name) the other night at Bruce and Joni's house. Ruj was an exchange student in the early 90's with Bruce and Joni. They were visiting just for about a week, then off to Vegas to win some big money, then back home 16hrs...to Thailand. Hope to see you guys again!

You'd thought it was the middle of summer.....

2009-04-06T21:53:00.000-07:00

Evelyne running through the sprinkler
Yahoo!! Gilbert!

Gilbert, Brody (a friend), and Evelyne throwing buckets of water

Evelyne has her new-this-year swimsuit on...so exciting

Tired...that's what this photo says...tired of playing

We were outside most of the day today. I ended up taking Brody, Evelyne's chum from preschool, home with us today. His mom is in the hospital due to have a baby...maybe...anytime. So, we spent the day running outside, eating outside, laying down outside, at the park, at home, and yes even in the sprinkler...it was THAT warm out! Tons of fun, a bit pink, but so worth it....

The Great Easter Egg Hunt

2009-04-06T21:47:00.001-07:00

Evelyne & Gilbert sorting their candy
Gilbert of course eating his

Lots of kids in the hunt!

Gilbert able to find a couple for himself

Evelyne gathering up her lot.

Our church had an easter egg hunt last Sunday a wow what fantastic weather for it! The kids all had a great time getting out there searching for plastic eggs filled with candy that they of course don't need and mom and dad end up eating which they don't need either....yadda yadda....tradition.

kitchen helpers

2009-03-10T19:24:00.000-07:00

Goofy kids; my kitchen "helpers." They love to cook with mom and of course have to wear their aprons, too. I wonder if they will take over kitchen duties someday...maybe when their teens? Guess I won't hold my breath, but will remind them of these moments....

a spot of tea

2009-02-12T22:11:00.000-08:00

Amy, Dianne & Charla

So, my college girlfriends, Amy and Charla have their birthdays within weeks of each other. We celebrated over tea at my house and got caught up on each others' lives. Seems like there's not enough time for that anymore, we are always so preoccupied with family / work / the day to day. It's nice just to simply sit for a few hours of uninterrupted time and chat, drink tea, take a walk, and listen. I was reading a book lately about friendships and something struck me. It said, " It's one of the most important lessons we learn in life: We should always take care of the things we love. If we want friendships to grow, we need to invest some time and engergy and thought into nurturing and maintaining them. it means checking in saying I'm still here, I know you are too, never forget I care about you." I myself am often negligent on many of these accounts. I all of my friends out there who I don't or haven't talked to in a while..."never forget I care about you."

marie

2009-02-07T07:50:00.001-08:00

Evelyne is very attached to her "friend" Marie, a stuffed animal from the Disney "Aristocats" movie that we got at Disneyland. So, this morning she came down for breakfast and Evelyne was pretending to feed her. I wanted her to eat her oatmeal so I said "lets give Marie her own bowl...here is some with a little bit of milk in it for her to eat."
Evelyne looked at me quizzically and said "mama, remember that she's not really real."

painted lady & guy

2009-02-04T19:53:00.001-08:00

gilbert's blue fingernails
evelyne's tinkerbell sparkle nails

Yes, I painted my son's fingernails. I painted evelynes and what is a mom to do...play favorites? No, I figured no big deal, some guys paint their nails...look at that nail guys on ocean's eleven, and the musician, charlie on Lost, and all the actors who get their nails manicured and buffed....I say no big deal. So, he chose a funky blue color, perfect for a growing boy. It was actually a great lesson in patience. They both were very still and let me do 2 coats plus stickers!!!

2009-02-04T19:45:00.000-08:00

Happy 90th Grandpa and Great Grandpa John!!!
90 years young!

silly uncle alex

watching the superbowl!

blowing out candles on his apple cake!

My grandpa john just turned 90 on February 1st...Superbowl Sunday. We had an early Sunday meal at our house to celebrate, kind of a superbowl with a roasted turkey kind of dinner. We had family over and enjoyed each other's company and enjoyed watching the game...what a game! John is in great shape, so active and well for his age...I only hope to get there someday.

Silly Socks Day at Preschool

2009-01-16T16:48:00.000-08:00

Those are some silly socks!

Today was silly socks day at Evelyne's preschool. We had fun making her stockings look silly. We used her halloween stockings from a couple of years ago and added some purple spider socks, some pink fabric tied under the knees, and some stretchy headbands around the ankles. We finished off the look by raising one side and lowering the other .... it was fun.

Uncle Gabe's Birthday

2009-01-16T16:34:00.000-08:00

Evelyne wearing the birthday hat
Gabe so surprised...we all pitched in for a guitar!
He's so excited

We celebrated my brother Gabe's birthday at Sadie's parents house this year. It was great fun and he was so happy to get a new guitar. Gabe "requested" that we all select a recipe to cook from our Barefoot contessa cookbooks. They all turned out amazingly well....we had....oven grilled shrimp, arugula salad with lemon & parmesean cheese, mustard roasted pork loin, lentils & carrot casserole, pineapple lemon cake (the cake wasn't one of Ina's recipes).

At the end of the evening we even had SNOW!

Christmas Cookies!

2008-12-30T16:27:00.001-08:00

As you can clearly see, we made a lot of Christmas Cookies this year. These are always a favorite as they have lots of colored frosting and fun sprinkles to shake. Evelyne and Gilbert loved doing the frosting the most, and eating the dough of course.

Christmas program prep

2008-12-30T15:45:00.000-08:00

coming out from behind "the curtain"

practicing the "shouting" part of the program

sleep in heavenly peace

oh that's just being silly

We all enjoyed evelyne's christmas program at her school a couple of weeks ago (luckily before the snowstorm). The kids sang all kinds of cute songs, rang bells, and got to show us around their classrooms. We had grandparents over for lunch beforehand and had aunts and uncles meet us there, it was great fun to see all the kids dressed their prettiest and handsomest and on their...ummm.. best behavior.

bah humbug...

2008-12-22T13:37:00.001-08:00

I'm really upset right now. Just went out to the garage to get the chocolate cherries I've made and finished dipping yesterday. It's a fabulous recipe from my friend Danelle. ....and....a mouse got into them! The entire pan is now in the garbage. Those of you who have made these know how labor intese they are...I'm really mad.

happy holidays!

2008-12-15T09:18:00.000-08:00

Santa and his reindeer wish you a Merry Christmas!!!!

Arctic Blast 2008

2008-12-15T09:11:00.000-08:00

Looking down our street...very icy!
The kids had fun sledding down hills

Our house looking very festive for december

Evelyne sledding!

Love the names the news channels give the storms...this one has been dubbed "ARCTIC BLAST 2008" oh so dramatic. Anyway, it is extremely cold, for Portland anyway, only about 25 for a high today and it's expected to last all week. We had a bit of snow all day yesterday and then quite a bit of wind last night. The snow blew off of all the trees! Of course schools are closed and the weather is expected to last so I wonder if everyone will get an extra long winter break this year????