Kyla is 9!

Tuesday, March 30

Someone is very excited about turning 9 today.  She wanted to be awake for the actual time of her birth, 3:15am.  I told her that was unreasonable.  Well she woke up at 3:02 and tried to stay awake, but she closed her eyes and went right back to sleep.  Too funny !

She has already done a lot of celebrating with a slumber party last weekend and a swim party on Sunday.  It has also become a tradition that we have dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory.  I'm always happy to have a good excuse to eat there.  (Mmmm, warm bread and creamy pesto salad dressing and of course pasta).

   

Last week Kyla worked on a new costume.  She has been wanting to make these feather gauntlets for about two years now. 

Not sure why it took us so long get all the necessary items together.  Then she made a matching headband and I only had to assist with the glue gun. 

Happy Birthday to our forest princess, Kyla!

We love you and hope you have a wonderful 9th year.  Love, Mom, Dad, and Sydney 

Macro Monday - curly tulip

Monday, March 29

Just providing a little break from the wind and the rain - it's been pretty stormy here since last night.   This tulip looked normal last week, then it decided to go curly.  Huh?
The girls are back at school this week, however we are heading up to the Seattle area Thursday night to spend Easter with my sister. 

You Capture - A Moment

Thursday, March 25

This week I ended up taking a lot of photos for friends.  It was a busy weekend of birthdays and baptisms.   Here are a few photo of the birthday girl, we'll call her Jellybean. 

A moment of up.

A moment of upside down.

A moment to remember friends.

A moment for wishes and wearing a crown.

Click here for more great moments over at Beth's.

Hometown

Wednesday, March 24

Scott's photo challenge over at Views Infinitum is "Hometown".  I have lived here almost nine years and it's awesome.  I haven't had much time to capture the city itself, so last night I went for a drive just before it got dark.  It was an unusually clear and warm spring night.  I happened to see a crew boat in the water.

Now it's heading under the Hawthorne Bridge.

Portland is known as the City of Roses, but they aren't blooming yet.  We are also know for a few other things:  bikes, books, brew (coffee & beer) & bridges.  I never got a good bike shot, but I saw several as I walked over the Hawthorne bridge last night.  The rest of the photos were taken in my neighborhood in North Portland, St. John's.

The Multnomah County Library is the oldest library west of the Mississippi.  I love the online catalog that lets me reserve a book and sends me an email when it arrives at my local branch.

Here's the pub!  It's owned by the McMenamins who have converted all kinds of buildings (including schools & churches) into restaurants/hotels/theaters/pubs.  Here you can watch a $3 movie while you enjoys a great burger & beer or my favorite , a hard cider. 

St. John's also has the most beautiful bridge in Portland.  Here is a photo from underneath the bridge in Cathedral Park.

Here's the top side.

My oldest daughter wanted me to get creative and take one photo including all four B words.  That might take some planning, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a biker on a bridge holding a brew with a book in their basket!

Spring break fevers

Wednesday, March 26

Yes, there is a beautiful blue sky with the forcast predicting a high of 68 degrees today and my kids have fevers!  Actually Sydney is mostly better already, but now it's Kyla's turn.  I should have posted this yesterday for Syd.   

Why do I have a stack a tissues with no box?

Because Miss Ducky needed some shoes of course.  Her feet are so big, no one else's shoes would fit.

I love it when my kids get inspired to do art projects that grow and take a long time.  She started with this girl...

and decided to add the rest of her body and some scenery.

I found this story and drawing in Syd's newly cleaned out closet, where there is a shelf that looks like a little desk.  I guess she is a closet writer now.   I think Kyla finished the story for her.

Translation:   Once upon a time there was a little girl.  And her name is Aria.  She was picking flowers in a garden by a tree.  And she loved the tree and it was her favorite tree. 

I hope we get to go play outside soon, before it starts to rain again.

You Capture - Reaching

Thursday, March 18

This week's photo challenge was reaching.  I had this idea that would have been great with little toddler feet, but I don't have a toddler anymore.   So here are some almost 6 year old feet reaching up to draw on the steam covered bathroom mirror.

The almost 9 year reaching her feet to the sky, learning to do a handstand.

Getting flexible, reaching for the toes.

And this last one was just a fluke.  This is what happens when you reach for your toes wearing black pants while sitting on a black blanket - your legs and body disappear and it looks like you just have arms attached to your head.  Freaky, I know.

Visit I Should Be Folding Laundry for more Reaching photos.

Taking a break from pain

Tuesday, March 16

I need 8 more hours of continuing education before March 31st to maintain my PT license   One of the required courses for Oregon is Pain Management, which I'm currently taking online.  I had a headache and reading about how adversely people can be affected by pain was kind of depressing.  So, I took some Tylenol and it really helped.  As a reward for getting half way through my course I'm taking a break to show you the tulips in my yard that decided to bloom yesterday. 

OK, back to the books, or in my case, the web.

New Sunday shoes?

Sunday, March 14

Usually Sydney is asking to wear her fancy white shoes with things like, sweats or gymnastics outfits.  I finally got her some new sneakers.  She hasn't worn any for a long time and her sky blue suede mary janes were looking really sad and a little scary.  Here is what she insisted on wearing to church this morning. 

They magically cause her to run around very fast whenever it's convenient and sometimes when it's not.   Sometimes she looks like this:

Syd:  "Did I look like a blur mom?" 

Me:  "No, I caught you that time!  Do it one more time and you can be a blur."

I'm so glad she has PE on Mondays!

I survived!

Friday, March 12

The last five weeks have been hectic as I knew they would be. I signed the girls up for swimming lessons 2x/week in an effort to get them and myself away from the screens in our life and get more exercise. The only bad part is that Monday through Thursday we had something scheduled until 5:30 or 6pm, which really cut into being able to cook a decent dinner. I think being able to get dinner from my personal chef twice a week really made it possible. (I love you Elizabeth!)


The good part is that the girls didn't even realize they had not watched TV, played Wii or their Nintendo during the week until just this week. It’s 4pm on Friday as I'm writing this and no one has even asked to turn on the TV.

I've been exercising at the gym at least 3 days a week, riding the bike and going to Zumba! I think I'll go celebrate by taking my hubby out to McMenamin's Mission Theater & Pub for a burger and a movie. (Thanks Maria!)

Have a great weekend everyone!


If you need a laugh, please visit Daddy Scratches.

You Capture - Quiet

Thursday, March 11

This week's photo challenge was Quiet, so I won't be posting any kid photos this week. 

Quiet are the pasta prints on the bottom of a bowl when the kitchen has been abandoned until morning.

Quiet are the blossoms in the night.

Quiet are the dew drops in the morning ...

on a million blades of my yet to be mowed new lawn.

 And yes, quiet are the children mesmerized by the dancing flames of the evening fire.

 More You Capture: Quiet

You Capture - Hopeful

Thursday, March 4

Wow, this challenge was not easy, but I gave it my best shot.  This first shot was from a few weeks ago.  My 5 y.o. at a cosmic bowling birthday party, hopeful for her first strike.

Here are a couple of boys I spotted at the park looking hopeful.  I eventually saw them make a basket and they were pretty excited.

I've been trying to get back into the exercise routine lately, oh wait I was never really exercising in the first place.  I tend to be a fair weather exerciser, only walking or riding my bike when it's nice outside.  Last fall my hubby got us a joint gym membership. I snuck this photo of some seniors hopeful about staying healthy and strong.

 I've been blessed with good genes and a pretty good metabolism, but me and my metabolism have been getting lazy.  I decided to start working out before the nice weather hits and try to lose a few pounds.  These next two are me being hopeful that the scale will show me what I want.

Click here to see the other Hopeful photos over at Beth's blog.

The Portland Rose

Wednesday, March 3

Here is Kyla holding her temporary retainer, waiting to get her new one after getting her braces off two weeks ago.

I know things aren't super clear in this photo, but it may be the best look you get at this Portland Rose.  Kyla got her retainer on Monday and chose this from about 30 different designs. 

See the little hook on the right side?   It's connected to a tiny spring so it pushes on her back molar to maintain space for the permanent teeth that haven't come in yet.   Let's hope she never loses it.  Good luck with that! 

Happy Birthday Dr. Suess

Tuesday, March 2

Did you know that it's the Cat in the Hat's 50th Birthday?  Today, hubby and I went to school with the girls to help celebrate Dr. Suess' Birthday.  I was going to say we took turns reading to our kids, but actually the girls read to us while we had Starbucks and doughnuts.  Maybe I'll have a party like that (I'm not really a cake person).

I love all the art that the kids make and display.

I love our school!

Macro Monday - Blossom

Monday, March 1

I haven't posted a Macro Monday for a while.  We're babysitting a flowering plum in our backyard and now that it's starting to bloom the girls insist that we keep it forever.