Cousins

 

 

 

 

Pumpkin Patch

We surprised the kids last night and took them to the pumpkin patch (well...we tried to surprise them...once we got to the ferry they knew where we were going...why else would you ever go on a ferry right?!)It was a beautiful day for it...COLD...but clear blue skies! When we got out of the car there was a family walking to their car holding 3 pumpkins and Jalen shouted out with excitement "mama, big orange!" Jamie and I cracked up as we told him they were pumpkins to which he responded "oh yeah"...like he already knew that. The kids all had fun riding in the wheelbarrow, climbing the haystack, and finding their way through the hay maze. Okay so I'm a little embarrassed to admit this since we have been going to this pumpkin patch for 9 years but I have never gone through the hay maze until this year! I know bad mom...sending my kids into the darkness on their own! The thing is they are not scared...never have been but I HATED it! I had my camera and I had to keep taking pictures just so I could use the light of the flash for a split second to slow my heart. Not a fan! We all picked our own pumpkin like we always do...Jalen's was green...if I remember right he did that last year too. He walked over the wheelbarrow saying "blue one"...everything is blue right now, his favorite color, even if it's not...but hey green is close enough! So as usual I had the camera and spent most of the time snapping away until Jamie told me my picture taking was "bugging him"...he said all he can hear are the snaps of the shutter. I said fine...here...you take the pictures. This rarely happens...for example out entire trip to Bend there was not one picture of me...it's like I wasn't even there! My kids are going to look back on these wonderful scrapbooks I make them and wonder where I was...the long lost mommy. Anyway, you all know Jamie well enough to know that of course he was going to go a little overboard just to prove him point. So he walked around taking pictures of anything and everything. And not just one...but three of the same thing...just click, click, click. Right in my face, would not leave me alone, like we were on some kind of professional photo shoot of mom. So I'm holding in my annoyance by laughing and thinking well at least there will be some pictures of me for once. Wishful thinking. I get home, plug in my camera and look through the pictures with great anticipation. Nothing. Well...everything, but nothing worth wanting to put in a scrapbook! And the few ones that may have been good, were taken directly into the sun so they were all hazy. I even put it on automatic mode for him! Oh well...I guess the proof that I am there is in all the pictures of them!

No School? Didn't we just start?

So not even a month into school and the girls had their first "inservice" days. And then on top of that Ellie got sick last weekend with a fever, and sore throat which in turn led Lily to say she was sick (with no symptoms of course). Just to be safe I took them both to the doctor and while Ellie had tonsilitis Lily did have an ear infection (funny...she NEVER mentioned her ear hurting!) The doctor said not to send Ellie to school for a couple days so what turned into Wednesday, Thursday, Friday off became a whole week off from school! So with our asymtematic kids we decided to get away and go to Bend for a couple nights. This time of year over there is always really slow which I don't get because fall in Bend is beautiful! But we had the place to ourselves...went swimming in the outdoor heated pools, drove to Sunriver and took a hike around the trails, saw the horses at the Sunriver Stables, and relaxed with some movies. Jalen had a rough trip as he dove head first into the kiddie pool that was no more than a foot deep. I think he was trying to do a sommersault into the pool but it did not go as he envisioned! Then at Red Robin that night he fell off the chair to one of the video games and got the biggest fat lip I've ever seen...it looked like there was a bouncy ball in his lip! The girls were great, I don't know if it's just the change in scenery or what but there was not much fighting going on which is a regular occurence here at home! They did so awesome on the trail hike too...we must have walked for two hours and while Jalen got to ride in the stroller, they were able to keep up and didn't even complain! Of course we had to stop at Goody's afterward for a treat! We got back home on Thursday and Friday morning Lily woke up saying she didn't feel good. I thought super...another weekend with a sick kid! This is the funny part though...I asked he what didn't feel good and she said "well, I'm not so hot" (as she's feeling her forehead), "but I just kinda feel not so smart". I started laughing and asked her what that meant to which she couldn't answer. As it turned out Lily was just fine!

Back to School and Sports!

Tuesday was the first day back to school and this week has flown by! It is amazing how quiet the house gets when you are down to one kid! But...quiet is not always a good thing. Jalen has discovered hide and seek and he's a very good hider, but he won't answer when you call (he's no dummy!) and there have been a couple times I literally can't find him. Either he's really good or I suck at hide and seek, but every time I get a small panic attack. Even though all the doors are locked and chained I imagine him crawling through a window and running down to the street. This last time he had torn the plastic child proof doorknobs off, gone into the garage and was hiding in my car. Like I said...he's good at this game! So yes quiet, but still very busy! The girls love school, love their teachers and their class and are making new friends as well as reconnecting with the old. They are both playing soccer and Ellie is playing fall softball which was supposed to be low key (no practices and a double header on Sunday's for 6 weeks is what I was told). Somehow that turned into 2 practices a week for 2 hours each. So between the girls and all their practices and games we have one day off...Thursday. It gets a little crazy but better busy than bored! And other than waking up early I am loving being back in a routine. Now it just needs to get darker earlier so we can all get in pj's at 6:00 and feel good about covering up with a blanket on the couch!

Up to the ears in sand!

One last beach getaway...

In attempt to get away for our last weekend before school starts we headed to Pacific City with Papa Jack, Jordan and Jake. It was supposed to rain both days and while it poured here in Portland we got lucky and had some great beach weather! We went to the beach both days and did the usual...climb the hill, build some sand castles and run from the waves. We actually talked Ellie and Lily into letting Jake bury them in the sand which was hilarious as they got sand dumped in their face, ears and hair...but they were such good sports! Jalen decided he liked stomping on the sand castles more than building them, whether they were ours or not which made for some little kids in tears when they found what had happened! We managed to have a couple meals at the Pelican Pub which is always fun cause the kids can play in the sand while we eat. It was great to spend time with Papa and cousins...we don't get to as often as we would like but when we do it is always a special time!

YouTube - Camp Rocks! 8-28-09. Second band.

YouTube - Camp Rocks! 8-28-09. Second band.

Here is the link to actually watch the girls youtube video from their performance at Sound Roots.