We Should Have Named Her MELODY
Enjoy!
Can't Win 'Em All
Hole 17 @ Widgi Creek
Eric, appalled at the mere suggestion of a photo op following a putt that
had just gone terribly awry. Ahh...he's so fun to mess with when he gets mad.
Widgi Creek was the second out of three courses they played. I tagged along so I could see for myself the picturesque views and flawlessly manicured greens I had heard so much about. Plus, I didn't want to pass up an opportunity to zip around the course in one of those sporty little golf carts.
That morning, we had the pleasure of meeting an older gentleman by the name of Lew. He was the golf assistant, and like most sweet old guys, was quite adept at rambling incessantly about...well...nothing. But he was likeable, nonetheless. When he learned we were from Oklahoma, he let out a naughty little chuckle before asking us if we were familiar with the small town of Hooker, Oklahoma. Tickled, he informed us that's where his wife was born. Just wanted to pinch his cheeks.
Here are some shots of the guys in action.
(click on photos to enlarge)
During one of our lengthy run-ins with Lew, he asked me if I played. I explained with stifled hilarity that although I am capable of parring a hole (because I have done so once in my life), I am in no way qualified to play on courses like Widgi Creek. He winked and said he wouldn't tell anyone if I wanted to hit a couple of balls. We had made a good friend in old Lew. Hit a couple of balls, I did. Any guesses on how they fared?
Just in case you're color blind, this is not the green.
Wine Selection: Kiona Merlot Cabernet
Personal Rating: ****Excellent****
Comments: Bold and flavorful. Very nice.
The FIRST of the LASTS
My very own lil' punkin'...
who also happens to be Grandma's lil' punkin'
Then there's Wyatt, feeling a little bit silly about his lil' punkin'
Finally, there was the centipede ride.
Avery was finally big enough to ride it by herself.
What became of our pumpkins on Halloween night
Ready to trick-or-treat
That's one dynamic duo, if I do say so myself.
Costume Chaos
Sure. Some of you are thinking, Man! What a witch. Well, okay. I'll give you that.
But the experience wasn't nearly as traumatic as it appeared. Besides, sometimes kids just need a little push in the right direction. Sure enough, both kids were joyfully lapping up their lollipops all the way to the party, and Avery went on and on (between sniffles) about how much she loved (sniff) her (sniff) Batgirl (sniff) costume (sniff, sniff).
The dynamic bat duo...
on their way to save the city...
...from purple balloon grenades launched by The Joker.
Nothing like curling up in Daddy's arms after a hard day's work.
Wyatt Who?
(Superman not pictured)
T minus 16 days and counting...
Wyatt's jack-o-lantern debut
Finally finished what I started.
Avery's baby book
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Avery loves to perform. Somersaults and balancing poses are among her favorites, but nothing compares to her love for singing. I have tried countless times to get some video of her, but she'll usually be part-way through the first song before big brother deviously sabotages her efforts. So today while Wyatt was in school, Avery was participating in her first solo performance for all the world (aka faithful blog readers) to see.
Her repertoire includes: Happy Birthday, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, You Are My Sunshine, Rock-A-Bye Baby (Daisy), and the Alphabet Song.
Her repertoire includes: Happy Birthday, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, You Are My Sunshine, Rock-A-Bye Baby (Daisy), and the Alphabet Song.
Enjoy!
Can't Win 'Em All
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Eric is competitive. Ultra competitive. Even without prior experience at something, he can essentially will himself to win in just about any given situation. As often as we play Scrabble, I've yet to beat him. I could be 29 points ahead on the last play of the game, and he'd somehow squeak out a 30-point word using his last two letters of "X" and "Z". Sounds impossible, yes, but that's the way he operates when his competitive juices are flowing (and it doesn't help that he's a walking dictionary). Can you imagine how devastated he was when he lost all three games of golf against his dad during our recent vacation to Central Oregon? One word. Yikers. I'm sure it didn't take long for the poor geese to realize that when the clubs went to flyin', it was time to run for cover.
Hole 17 @ Widgi CreekEric, appalled at the mere suggestion of a photo op following a putt that
had just gone terribly awry. Ahh...he's so fun to mess with when he gets mad.
Widgi Creek was the second out of three courses they played. I tagged along so I could see for myself the picturesque views and flawlessly manicured greens I had heard so much about. Plus, I didn't want to pass up an opportunity to zip around the course in one of those sporty little golf carts.That morning, we had the pleasure of meeting an older gentleman by the name of Lew. He was the golf assistant, and like most sweet old guys, was quite adept at rambling incessantly about...well...nothing. But he was likeable, nonetheless. When he learned we were from Oklahoma, he let out a naughty little chuckle before asking us if we were familiar with the small town of Hooker, Oklahoma. Tickled, he informed us that's where his wife was born. Just wanted to pinch his cheeks.
Here are some shots of the guys in action.
(click on photos to enlarge)
During one of our lengthy run-ins with Lew, he asked me if I played. I explained with stifled hilarity that although I am capable of parring a hole (because I have done so once in my life), I am in no way qualified to play on courses like Widgi Creek. He winked and said he wouldn't tell anyone if I wanted to hit a couple of balls. We had made a good friend in old Lew. Hit a couple of balls, I did. Any guesses on how they fared?
Just in case you're color blind, this is not the green.Despite losing three consecutive golf games to (his words, not mine) "an old man", Eric really enjoyed playing all three courses. And since we've been home, he's checked out two different books on golf from the library and has been taking copious notes. He really hates to lose.
Wine Selection: Kiona Merlot Cabernet
Personal Rating: ****Excellent****
Comments: Bold and flavorful. Very nice.
Labels: red wine blend
The FIRST of the LASTS
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Four years ago we celebrated our first Halloween in Portland. We were so excited to finally be settled into a new routine after an exhaustive move across the country, and the whirlwind that followed once we became parents for the first time. Our life in Oregon, so very different from the one we had in Oklahoma, had just begun. It was exhilarating. It was intimidating. At times, it was lonely. It seems like yesterday. And here we are, four years and two kids later, preparing to embark on a year of "lasts" in the Pacific Northwest. As excited (thrilled, ecstatic, overjoyed) as we are to wrap up and slap a big fat bow on this life chapter, we also recognize that all of what we've experienced here has been exactly that--a gift. The sights we've seen, the friends we've made, the kids we've brought into this crazy world...we've definitely been blessed. These are the things I'd like to focus on this month as we give thanks.
The pumpkin patch at Lakeview Farms was the first tradition we established upon moving to Portland. Wyatt was only 5 weeks old and Avery was far from even being thought about. Every year we do the same thing: buy our tickets, eat some goodies, ride the train out, pick our pumpkins, ride the boat back, take some pictures, and then catch the centipede ride before we leave. The only variable that changes is the weather, and that's how we like it. But this was our last fall at Lakeview Farms. It's hard to imagine that next fall we'll be starting a new tradition in a new city. But we were fortunate that Eric's parents were in town for our last hurrah at the pumpkin patch, which made it even that much more special.
My very own lil' punkin'...
who also happens to be Grandma's lil' punkin'
Then there's Wyatt, feeling a little bit silly about his lil' punkin'Finally, there was the centipede ride.
Avery was finally big enough to ride it by herself.
What became of our pumpkins on Halloween night
Ready to trick-or-treatThat's one dynamic duo, if I do say so myself.
Costume Chaos
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Saturday night we went to a Halloween party.Thirty minutes before the festivities commenced, everything was running quite smoothly. The car was packed with everything we needed for the party. Toys? Check. My costume? Check. Chips and dip? Check. Camera? Check. Wyatt adorned head-to-toe in Batman gear? Check.
We were ready to go, and on time at that. Except for one...uh...minor thing.
Avery was still inside the house dressed in only a diaper. For the past week, we'd been trying to convince her to at least try on her adorable, black pleather Batgirl costume and were given a big fat thumbs down each and every time. I knew I had my work cut out for me if I planned on bringing her to the party in costume. Oh, if only I could wiggle my nose like Samantha in Bewitched and be done with it. If only.
Two minutes and one Batgirl transformation later...absolute mayhem. But every party must have a couple of poopers, right? Yeah...that's us.
We were ready to go, and on time at that. Except for one...uh...minor thing.
Avery was still inside the house dressed in only a diaper. For the past week, we'd been trying to convince her to at least try on her adorable, black pleather Batgirl costume and were given a big fat thumbs down each and every time. I knew I had my work cut out for me if I planned on bringing her to the party in costume. Oh, if only I could wiggle my nose like Samantha in Bewitched and be done with it. If only.
Two minutes and one Batgirl transformation later...absolute mayhem. But every party must have a couple of poopers, right? Yeah...that's us.
Sure. Some of you are thinking, Man! What a witch. Well, okay. I'll give you that.
But the experience wasn't nearly as traumatic as it appeared. Besides, sometimes kids just need a little push in the right direction. Sure enough, both kids were joyfully lapping up their lollipops all the way to the party, and Avery went on and on (between sniffles) about how much she loved (sniff) her (sniff) Batgirl (sniff) costume (sniff, sniff).
The dynamic bat duo...
on their way to save the city...
...from purple balloon grenades launched by The Joker.
Nothing like curling up in Daddy's arms after a hard day's work.Wyatt Who?
Monday, October 26, 2009
Apparently, my It's a bird, it's a plane, it's... post struck a sympathy chord among the grandparents, aunts, and uncles because it was only a matter of days before the outpouring of superhero paraphernalia made its way to our doorstep.
Batman, Superman, Spiderman, OH MY!
Batman, Superman, Spiderman, OH MY!
(Superman not pictured)Thanks everyone, for making Wyatt the happiest kid--ahem! superhero--on earth. I preferred the hooded puppy dog, bat towel look myself, but I suppose if he's really serious about saving the city, he should look the part.
T minus 16 days and counting...
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Halloween is without a doubt Wyatt's favorite holiday. He has been obsessing about it since March, spending countless hours browsing costumes online, and performing intense physical drills with the hope that they will enable him to trick or treat every single house within a 5-mile radius on Halloween night.
He's shaken hands with all of the neighborhood scarecrows, admired pumpkins on beds of straw, and wondered aloud if they would bear faces silly or mean, or simply remain without flaw.
It's a time of year when the light of the moon gives way to bats with blood-drenched fangs, ghosts dancing in the whistling winds, and eerie encounters with black cats or other ghoulish gangs.
Halloween embodies both playfulness and frightfulness, and for our little man of extremes, it is indeed a match made in heaven.
He's shaken hands with all of the neighborhood scarecrows, admired pumpkins on beds of straw, and wondered aloud if they would bear faces silly or mean, or simply remain without flaw.
It's a time of year when the light of the moon gives way to bats with blood-drenched fangs, ghosts dancing in the whistling winds, and eerie encounters with black cats or other ghoulish gangs.
Halloween embodies both playfulness and frightfulness, and for our little man of extremes, it is indeed a match made in heaven.
Wyatt's jack-o-lantern debut
Finally finished what I started.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Avery is nearly two and a half, and I have finally finished her baby book. I do believe this counts as a miracle.
Cue the big sigh of relief.
Relief in knowing I can finally free up all of the space in my brain that has been reserved for worrisome thoughts pertaining not only to an unfinished project, but the unlikely event that if something awful happened to me, only one of my two children would have a baby book. Yes. Mothers think about these sorts of things.
I created it using Blurb, and if you're not familiar with it, you should check it out. You can create and customize your very own book, whether it be about family, travel, or other topics you find interesting.
Click on the link below for a preview of Avery's baby book. It shows only the first 15 pages, but at least you have an idea of what I've been up to the past...oh...year and a half.
Cue the big sigh of relief.
Relief in knowing I can finally free up all of the space in my brain that has been reserved for worrisome thoughts pertaining not only to an unfinished project, but the unlikely event that if something awful happened to me, only one of my two children would have a baby book. Yes. Mothers think about these sorts of things.
I created it using Blurb, and if you're not familiar with it, you should check it out. You can create and customize your very own book, whether it be about family, travel, or other topics you find interesting.
Click on the link below for a preview of Avery's baby book. It shows only the first 15 pages, but at least you have an idea of what I've been up to the past...oh...year and a half.
Avery's baby book
My Wine Personality:
For the most part I’m a chardonnay, as I consider myself to exhibit a somewhat sunny and mellow disposition
(most of the time), but because I find a tremendous amount of joy out of showering my two kids with hugs and
kisses, I also possess the subtle sweetness often found in a riesling. But don’t be fooled. I love a great
outdoor adventure and am willing to try anything once. This occasional display of boldness is thought to match
that of a cabernet, whereas my appreciation for nature suggests that I have an earthy component to my personality—very
characteristic of a merlot.
(more)
“Wine rejoices the heart of man and joy is the mother of all virtues.”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1771
- The Boley Family
- Lost In Laundry
- The Sneaky Petes
- Texas Family of Three
- To Warble and Gambol
- Baby Cart in Peril
- Cash Clan Japan
- Sweet Yet Sassy
- England Like The Country
- The Mamaholic
- Outnumbered But Love It
- Tara-nator
- Rose Knits
- The Drivers
- Buggy's Page
- Silly Mom Thoughts
- Casa de Cabalo
- Jansen's In Denver
- July 2007
- August 2007
- September 2007
- October 2007
- November 2007
- December 2007
- January 2008
- February 2008
- March 2008
- April 2008
- May 2008
- June 2008
- July 2008
- August 2008
- September 2008
- October 2008
- November 2008
- December 2008
- January 2009
- February 2009
- March 2009
- April 2009
- May 2009
- June 2009
- July 2009
- August 2009
- September 2009
- October 2009
- November 2009
