New neighborhood mural!

A group of artists spruced up the neighborhood with a super colorful mural on the "Missing Link" bike shop's wall! We just love it and Jack and I had fun walking through the snow to get a close look.

Snowy Hood!

Here are some pics of the changed neighborhood and our house! (notice our front steps need shoveling?) Yeah were new at this!.... and apparently ODOT was new at this too as the city didn't have any bulldozers or sanders for days. Tim's poor car was buried for the duration. There is also a shot of the big old tree that snapped at the kids park!

Snow Fun!

Portland had its biggest snow storm in 30 years! Amazing! We got at least 16 inches and its lasted weeks now. The kids have had extra time off school and a chance to spend days playing in the snow! Sledding, snow ball fighting, collecting odd shaped icicles, and building an igloo! Super fun times! As messy as the city got, I found it to be a blessing to slow down and spend time with the folks you love!

Birthday Girl!

Bijou had a great time on her birthday this year! She had a super visit and her very first spa day with her mommy chella, which was so special. She's got watermelon toes to prove it. For her party she got to do some painting at CeramiCafe with friends and family. Her best pals Anna, Annie, and Katelyn came as well as the Paxtons, Renfro-Meyers, Malias, von Dehns, and auntie Jacque.
Nana made an incredible Hana Montana cake, which I secretly called Jem! Folks dug the chili and corn muffins too! The favorite party goer of the night was baby Maude who won everyones heart!

Gobble Gobble

We had a great Turkey Day this year that left our tummy's and hearts full!
Bijou made each person a special place setting and was particularly excited to tell what she was thankful for, her family!

Taekwon-Do!

Mr. Jack just started his new tae kwon do class and LOVES it! I was super impressed at his new found abilities and his attentiveness to the teacher. Some of these poses are like advanced palates!
On the second day he was awarded best student and got to pick out a belt (red!) and adorn it with a sticker (brontosaurus!). Yay! Jack!

Bijou's first dance!

Bijou went to her very first dance last night at her school. Her favorite friend Anna and her family took the girls to Harvey Scott's annual sock hop! There was pizza, games, poodle skirts and limbo! Bijou came home giggling and whispered that Anna had danced with a boy!! I laughed and asked if Bij had danced with a boy too? and she said annoyed, mom! noooo I danced with Anna's mom! I secretely celebrated YES!!

Soil Testing

Tim and the kids were great to come on another soil adventure with mom! I had to dig a pit this time to see the horizons in the soil! yeah. So we headed up through the Columbia Gorge near Multnomah Falls and found a good spot inland on the old hwy. Tim was a champ and helped me climb this hill and even shoveled some dirt.
While I measured and tested Tim listened to the game in the car and the battery died! The funny part was as odd as it felt/looked to passers by to see a chick digging a pit on a hill, it was worse when we had to flag one down to get a jump!

Halloween time!

We all had a great Halloween this year and the weather was perfect! The kids got to show off
their costumes at school and enjoyed a party at their daycare. Jack knows the e-wok theme song as well as some key phrases.. like gunda! (good) Princess Bijou Leia wore the buns perfectly and even met her twin our trick r treating. Timmy made a perfect Ali G complete in squeaky rain pants and harrassed me all night calling me his "jenny". We went to the neighborhood around Bijou's old school and were treated to really cool haunted houses and decoration masters. The kids were out in droves! The Paxtons completed our crew with Darth Vader and the Swamp thing!

Pumkin Carving!

We had a great time carving our pumpkins with our pals! Bijou did a really intricate design on her huge pumpkin. Timmy did a great free handed hulk on Jack's, I did the tree, Kath did the coolest yoda, and Bri won with R2D2 and C3P0!

Bagby

We went on a new adventure to visit Bagby hot springs! It was a tad late in the day so we had to hurry though the 3 mile hike but the 30 minute soak was worth it! It even rained a bit on us in the tubs! It was way far out there but the kids did great! My only complaint was that jerky people left their nasty trash and didn't hike it out! Otherwise it was a treat to see more gorgeous areas of Oregon! Especially during the fall! I found a garden snake and Jack spotted a newt in the dark! It was super cool!

Pumpkin time!

I LOVE this time of year! My fav season for sure! The gorgeous colors and crisp sunny days. Bijou and Jack have grown to adore the pumpkin day ritual complete with animal barn, moo cow ride, and hay tower fun. Bijou was a serious pumpkin picker while Jack enjoyed stomping around the soggy patch in his boots!