Pierce's World

A New Face

2012-02-05T09:29:00.000-08:00

We're still here. Been busy since the New Year. We left beautiful 80 degree weather in So. Cal and returned to daytime highs in the 40's. (Sigh.) But it's been a fairly mild winter. We've had some beautiful sunny days lately, for that I am grateful. Now, if it would just warm up about 30 degrees, all would be right in my world.

There's been a new face around our humble little home as of late. Mama made a new friend. His name is Mike and we're pretty fond of him. We met over Thanksgiving weekend and it's been amazing ever since. Pierce has had the chance to spend some good time with him too. We're thinking he's a keeper.

Other than that (as if that's not enough) we've been doing school, playdates, swimming lessons, and trying to throw in fun outings. It's been a great start to a great year!

Paddle Boarding in Dana Point

2012-01-04T08:31:00.000-08:00

I've always wanted to try paddle boarding, but now that I'm living in the Pacific Northwest, those opportunities aren't as relatively available. So when my parent's neighbor offered to take Pierce out if a family member joined him, I jumped at the opportunity. It was amazing!

Yes, it looks peaceful and it was! The water was calm, the sun was out and the water was ...

... a bit chilly. I found this out first hand when I went swimming (not on purpose). I got stuck in an area where I was concerned about hitting a piling and long story short ... ended up in the water. Other than that, it was a perfect afternoon.

Rob said he would take us out again next time we're in town ... I'm going to hold him to that :)

Rose Parade Floats

2012-01-03T11:52:00.001-08:00

My parents have had the unique opportunity to help decorate the Rose Parade floats over the past few years with the Rotary Club. Since I was in town this year at the right time, I got to join them. It was a very early morning, but well worth it!

We were in a wearhouse in Pasadena across from the Rose Bowl stadium at the crack of dawn. The place we were housed about 15 of the parade floats. Here's Hill and I getting ready to get to work.

Flowers, flowers, everywhere flowers ...

The Rotary Inch Worm. I became quite acquainted with him over the next several hours.

After a few hours of gluing and beheading flowers I got a chance to do some actual placing of the flowers on the float. Up on the scaffolding I climbed.

I can always count on my dad for catching a photo-op.

It was a tight and ackward squeeze for some of the time, but it was a cool experience. Here I am leaning over the edge of the scaffolding placing mums on the inch worm's head.

And the final display two days later during the Rose Parade.

Morning Walks

2012-01-02T11:46:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things to do each morning when I'm visiting my folks is to walk around their neighborhood. Sunshine and blue skies in December ... you just can't beat it!

Yep, that's the Pacific Ocean peaking at me from the other side of those hills.

The entrance of the neighborhood ... I just love the way it feels with the palm trees and fountains.

I love walking by the older gentlemen playing bocce ball. I don't know if it's their hats or just the fact that they gather their to roll bocce balls several morning each week that makes me happy. Either way, it seems like a good thing!

One of my favorite places to stop and catch my breath.

On a couple of these mornings Pierce asked to join me. Thanks to neighbor Rob, Pierce was able to borrow a bike and helmet and join me.

A quick stop by the park on the way back home ... makes for a great start to our day!

San Clemente

2011-12-30T07:31:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things to do when I "go home" is to catch-up with old friends. On this trip I had the great pleasure of seeing two friends that I haven't in some time. I had a lovely dinner with Carmen, her husband Matt and their 8 month old Gwen. I haven't seen Carmen in at least 15 years and she hasn't changed a bit! Carmen and I were high school buddies. Of course, we forgot to take any pictures of the occasion.

Another day I got to see Karen!! Karen and I met 20 years ago when we worked at the same gourmet market. We used to walk the beach 1-2 times each week and talk about all things important. Since this was our thing, we make a point to do it each time I return to town. Karen and her daughters moved close to the San Clemente beach/pier earlier this year. From her place this was our walk.

Not bad, eh?

Toward the pier we walk.

We walked past the pier quite some distance and then walked back. It's our time to talk and since we haven't seen each other in more than a year ... we had a lot of walking to do. On the way back to the pier we saw a large pod of dolphins just off the coast. We estimated that there must have been about a dozen swimming by a group of surfers. So beautiful!

Then it was Fisherman's Restaurant located on the pier for a late lunch and a shared a bottle of vino. (More talking.)

I took this picture shortly after we sat down to eat.

And an hour later ... the fog rolled in! Here I sit at that same table. It was kind of crazy. But it was a beautiful day and my heart was filled with the love of a dear friend.

K1 Speed

2011-12-29T08:36:00.000-08:00

This was such a perfet Christmas gift for Pierce!

Mom, Dad, Pierce and I took off to Anaheim to visit K1 Speed (http://www.k1speed.com/) so Pierce could race on a track. If you know Pierce, then you know this sort of thing is in his blood.

Here he is getting the briefing of "how to" before the race.

Outfitted with his helmet.

And off they went!

It was pretty neat. 14 laps around the track takes about 14 minutes.

Looks like someone had a great time! Lots of expression and details to share. Of course he wants to go again, but I told him that it would have to wait for a future California trip. (Something to look forward to.) I can think of a few others who might enjoy getting behind the wheel too. It's not just for kids afterall!

Christmas Celebrations

2011-12-27T11:07:00.000-08:00

Twas the night before Christmas and ... my parents had worked their tails off!

Between my mom's grand idea and my father's honey-do list, these two make an incredible pair and pull together a beautiful evening for all the family to enjoy.

After all the aunts, uncles & cousins went home to their own beds it was time for a good night of sleep so Santa could arrive.

Looks like Santa came overnight!

Pierce was happy to find a Duck's Hershey bar in his stocking and is patiently waiting for the Rose Bowl to eat his candy bar watching the U of O Ducks.

It was great fun having cousin Gary with is this year! It was a surprise for most of the family that he joined us from New York.

Pierce was busy exploring and handing out the gifts. Turns out that waiting with patience is NOT his strong suit this year.

Pierce and Mommy photo op!

My Dad! Love the hat. The thing that is so funny to me about this (aside from the obvious) is that I always think of my parents as being more of the beach/boat types. But apparently they are turning into western/horse kind of people. Who knew!?

The Artist

2011-12-26T08:15:00.000-08:00

Mr. Gingerbread Man

Let the Record Show ...

2011-12-24T13:59:00.000-08:00

Each time we visit Grandma and Grandpa in So. California we take Pierce into the garage and measure him against the side of the cabinet. We've been doing it for years and have had fun watching the line on the side of the cabinet climb higher and higher with each visit.

Apparently there has been a little internal family debate about the true height of my dad. So, when it was time to measure Pierce, my sister chimed in that it was also time to measure and document Grandpa's height. And ... it's true, he's about an inch shorter than his driver's license may lead you to believe. Ha!

Why stop there? Let's measure everyone!

Hillary and I got in on it and so did Grandma and cousin Gary Demack!

And in case it's not clear ... let me just point out that Mom and Hillary are the same exact height ... and I TOWER over them by at least a 1/2 inch. HA!

Mom & Dad

2011-12-10T13:07:00.000-08:00

So, perhaps I may be a little bias ... but I don't this so.

My parents rock!

Xmas at BCT

2011-12-09T10:10:00.000-08:00

Don't you love it when work doesn't feel like work? Me too! Thankfully my boss gets crazy decorating ideas and I get to execute many of them. The last hurdle is getting the holiday lights hung (thankfully that will fall to someone else to do). Here are just a few of the things that I've been up to at BCT.

Hanging Christmas wreaths.

Hanging oversized bulbs in the front trees and light-up presents at the base.

And decorating our indoor Christmas tree. Since Pierce and I won't be getting our own tree this year, it's been awesome to have an opportunity to soak up some of the Christmas spirit at work each day.

The only downside to any of this ... Tangee makes us where "Santa's Helper" aprons every Monday, Wednesday & Friday. It's sort of ridiculous, but so much that I don't totally mind.

Look Who's Prego!

2011-12-08T11:26:00.000-08:00

We're really starting to show now and feeling good! Almost 1/2 way through the pregnancy.

No, not me ... my sister!

I'm going to be an aunt!

Hillary and Travis just found out yesterday that they'll be having a baby girl mid May. I'm thrilled and can't hardly believe that my little sister will be a mama soon. Congratulations, Kiddo!
(Can I still call you Kiddo?)

Work Family

2011-12-06T13:48:00.000-08:00

The BCT marketing team rocks! Here we are at the 2011 company Christmas party. These are the folks that I sit near, share ideas, work events, cheer on, laugh and cry with and basically consider my extended (work) family.

Me, Tangee, Dick & Heather

(yep, 2 Heathers!)

Forks

2011-12-06T06:30:00.000-08:00

It amazes me how life can feel like it turns on a dime. One day you are traveling down a road and the next day another. I suppose there are forks all along the way, but we simply don't see them until we pass right by, hoping that the best one was chosen along the way.

I can look back on the past several years of my life to find those forks or tipping points and see how each one brought pain, humor, frustration, friendship, satisfaction, fear, love, relief and lessons strewn throughout it all. They say that hindsight is 20/20.

As 2011 comes to an end I will go into 2012 with these thoughts, courtesy of 1986:

Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop to look around every once in a while, you might miss it. ~Ferris Bueller

Krayon Kids ~ The Muscial That Turned Into My Drama

2011-11-22T12:36:00.000-08:00

I got free tickets through work for a children's theatre performance. Since Pierce and Kylie have been asking for a play date, I thought this might be the perfect opportunity to get them together. Here they are getting settled into their seats, ready for the play to begin.

And here they are during intermission ... humm ... looking a little cozy. If you can't tell, these two are quite fond of each other. (The love notes that come home in the backpack are sweet and a little surprising, I don't remember being this forward in 2nd grade.)

Now, the other part of the story ...

It was difficult for the kids to see over the heads of other adults so they were both quite squirmy. After the intermission I told the kids that they could stand against the wall to see better. The gal behind us (another mom) said it was fine with her if they wanted to sit up higher on the arm of the chair to see. All was well ... until ... Pierce's foot slipped and fell between the seat and the back of the chair. Not knowing that his leg was stuck, I did what my instincts told me and tried to pull him and his leg out of the chair. (Not so easy.) Nothing like totally disrupting the people on stage, not to mention all the people around us in the middle of a show. Pierce was crying, it was dark, I think I probably started to sweat. The nice mom behind us helped to get Pierce's leg and shoe out of the back of the chair.

Shortly after we sat back down one of the ushers came up and whispered to me that she is a doctor and would I like her to take a look at his leg. Thank you!! I really needed her in that moment to help bring comfort to both of us. Pierce thinks that he "broke" his leg and it was too dark in the theatre for me to really see if he was injured or just scared. She found a man to come down and carry Pierce out of the theatre (all along the show must go on!) Dr. Wonderful took a look and determined that a little TLC and an ice pack should suffice. Pierce and I were ready to leave but Kylie was enjoying the play and so, back inside we went. I watched the rest of the play holding an ice pack on Pierce's shin. I carried him to the car (because he couldn't possibly walk). I drove them to Baskin Robbins and told Pierce that if he wanted to choose his own ice cream he would have to walk himself in ... and miracle of all miracles ... he was suddenly able to walk! The healing powers of ice cream never cease to amaze me!

Birthday

2011-11-21T12:30:00.000-08:00

The week before my birthday is Rhonda's birthday. So, each year we make sure to make time to get together for some girl time which always includes at least one meal. This year it was The Cheesecake Factory.

We agreed that this little birthday treat that our waiter brought us was just the perfect little addition to make our birthdays feel special.

And then ... on my birthday this is what my desk looked like when I got to work. My work buddies then took me out to lunch and made a cake for me too. Good people! It's so good to feel appreciated and loved ... especially on your birthday.

Baby Morgan

2011-11-08T13:35:00.000-08:00

I'm going to be an aunt!!

Work Bestie

2011-11-06T12:24:00.000-08:00

One of the best things about my work is getting to sit next to this Heather. Yep, 2 Heathers working side-by-side doing events. This is how she multi-tasked at the Craft Bazaar.

I took a quick break during the bazaar to take Jack's big brother Luke to see Santa. What a sweetheart!

Wall Ball

2011-11-03T16:42:00.000-07:00

One of the pleasures and great benefits to working close to my son's school and having an awesome boss who understands the importance of family is that I can arrange my schedule to go to Pierce's school and have lunch with him about once a month.

If ever I am having a less than stellar day, it is always made better sharing lunch time with my boy and the other 2nd graders.

Watching Pierce play "wall ball" brings back SO MANY memories. This was one of my favorite recess activities when I was his age.

Holiday Craft Bazaar

2011-11-03T09:31:00.000-07:00

Yes, I have been M.I.A.

There is much to catch-up on ... however at this moment, this is all I got for ya'!

I will be post-dating some pictures and end of summer notes shortly.

Needless to say, work is good and had been keeping me busy. Check-out what I've been working on!

Yep, our big Holiday Craft Bazaar is this weekend. If you're in the area, stop by!

Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T13:36:00.000-07:00

Nothing like coming up with an awesome last minute Halloween costume!

I was struggling with what to get for Pierce. I didn't want to spend a bunch of money for something that he'll hardly wear. Two nights before I remembered that we had a hand-me-down cowboy hat, shoes and accessories. And luck would have it, they all fit perfectly!

Here's my funny little cowboy posing for the camera.

I happened to have a hat, shirt and boots too, I couldn't have planned it better if I had tried! ;-)

Then it was off to church for their big Harvest Party. And would you look at what they had ...

There's Pierce getting on the bull.

And riding it like a cowboy! Yee Haw!

Autumn Walk/Biking Adventure

2011-10-16T13:24:00.000-07:00

On a beautiful autumn afternoon Pierce and I went for a walk to enjoy the colors and get a little fresh air. I was loving all the autumn colors, while he had other things on his mind.

Need I say more?

Totally in his element. Loving the bumpy hills that he found to ride down. Until ...

He had a little spill. Now, this picture totally cracks me up because the truth of that matter is that the fall wasn't quite this dramatic. But when he saw me pull out the camera he wanted to be sure to reposition himself for the full effect. (Love that funny kid!)

Big Arms

2011-10-15T12:53:00.000-07:00

I love this "action shot" as my dad would call it. That's Pierce with his tongue sticking out next to the swim instructor. This session of swim lessons has been the best yet. It seems like things are finally starting to "click" and he's getting the hang of it. We still have a ways to go and I wouldn't say that he's totally water safe yet, but we're gaining on it!

Hoffman Farms

2011-10-09T12:59:00.000-07:00

This year Rhonda, Evan, Pierce and I decided to check out Hoffman Farms in Canby. It's a different kind of experience there. I get the impression that this place was once much larger & busier during different economical times. But it was still fun.

The boys were most interested in pulling around empty wagons, while the moms were fascinated with the horny lions. Yep, that's right ... it seemed to be mating season at Hoffman Farms. First of all, it was amazing to see two lions in such close proximity (about 10 feet away). But then to see them interact with each other was amazing. Boy lion kept trying to woo and mount girl lion. Girl lion was letting him know that she wasn't "in the mood" by roaring at him and deflecting his love.

The boys very much wanted to ride on the "train" which was basically a tractor pulling carts down a VERY bumpy dirt road. Since they were the only 2 ready to ride the man told us that we had to go too because he couldn't take them alone. Oh My Gosh ... Rhonda and I never laughed so hard! This was right up there with our Kah Nee Ta mid-night sprinkler drenching. The dirt road was ridiculously bumpy and without a full cart of people to weigh things down we were bumping and laughing more than usual.

Construction Dude

2011-09-25T12:42:00.000-07:00

If you know my boy, then you know that if it has wheels ... he will want to drive it and/or at least explore it.

Against my better judgement I allowed him to climb on top of this tractor. OK, truth is, I didn't have much of a say in things. He was climbing it before I had a chance to say no.

Cool kid.

I had to literally remove him from the tractor because he didn't want to leave.

Back To School ... 2nd Grader!

2011-09-17T12:41:00.000-07:00

Once again the summer flew by. Lots of playdates with friends, special outings and a little bit of sun. Yes, it was a cooler than this California mama likes sort of summer. (Sigh.)

Pierce was ready for school! Got his new backpack on and excited to meet his new teacher and classmates.

Focused!

Pierce has wasted no time making new friends ... both boys and girls.

Oh, the girls! The notes that have been coming home since the second week of school from "girlfriends" amazes me. Slow down kids!

Kah-nee-ta Adventure

2011-08-24T10:28:00.000-07:00

Rhonda and I have been hearing about Kah-nee-ta for years and yet, neither of us had ever gone. Then she heard about sleeping in teepee's and we knew we had to go! What eight year old boy wouldn't want to camp in a teepee overnight?

This is the teepee village that we stayed in. It was an incredible day and warm summer night. Ultimately Rhonda and the boys wanted to sleep outside under the stars, which surprised me! Stars are out all the time, but sleeping in a teepee, that may not happen again! But not wanting to be the odd-one-out, I went ahead and slept outside too (although I felt like I was sleeping in my neighbor's front yard.)

Inside the teepee, laying on a cot, looking up.

At night we lit the fireplace inside the teepee. It was pretty neat (all the smoke goes up out the middle), although the weather was so nice we ended up spending most of our time outside.

Remember how I mentioned that everyone wanted to sleep outside? Yea, good idea in theory. Until ... at midnight the sprinklers went off right underneath us and shocked us all awake. The boys got up and started sleepwalking as Rhonda and I scrambled to get all our bedding and boys inside. Needless to say, this was one of those great laughable moments that we will never forget! Nothing like trying to reorganize your sleeping arrangements when everything is dark and wet and you have teepee neighbors so close by.

The next day the boys didn't even remember the fiasco of the night before. They went to sleep outside wearing PJ's and woke up wearing dry clothing inside. So funny!

Off to the pool we went!

This was the most crowded pool I had ever seen! But it was warm and a lot of fun.

Sunriver ... Or Bust!

2011-08-15T09:34:00.000-07:00

Yea! for friends that invite you to spend time in their vacation rental!

Our good friends spent the summer in Sunriver and invited Pierce and I to join them for a bit.

Mt. Hood along the way ... amazing scenery on this drive.

Ahhh, at long last. Sun and fun.

Trevor and Pierce.

Miss Sophie.

The Deschutes River.

Yes, please!!

I didn't get in the water ... but doesn't this look inviting?!

Speed Racer

2011-08-15T08:25:00.000-07:00

Pierce loves to "drive"! Here he is next to me with his music blasting, Speed Racer steering wheel in hand and water bottle gear shift. Love that boy!

Best Pals!

2011-08-07T15:07:00.000-07:00

Happy summer break, guys! Best buddies from the womb ... eight years later.

Stone Cliff Inn

2011-08-03T16:41:00.000-07:00

Rhonda and I took the boys to a local restaurant that overlooks Clackamas River. A great view and pretty good food. Afterwards we walked to the back of the parking lot and WOW! We couldn't believe what was hiding back there.

We aren't the first to discover this spot, in fact one of the Twilight movies was partially filmed in this area and now I can see why.

The pictures of rocks, moss and trees doesn't even begin to do this place justice.

Evan found a great spot!

Good friends!!

Our First Credit Union

2011-07-31T16:36:00.000-07:00

It's time for the little guy to start taking steps toward being a big guy. (Although, not fully ... notice the toy car on the table.)

I took Pierce to the Credit Union to open his first account.

Carefully he signs his card.

Pierce's first ATM card ... now it's time to figure out how to start earning money to put in it!

Kerr Bikes

2011-07-29T11:43:00.000-07:00

I told Pierce that we would create a list of favorite things to do and check them off throughout the summer. At the top of his list was riding Kerr Bikes. This is something that we did last year too in a surrey, but he had his mind made up that this year it would be this fun recumbent bike instead.

Love those summer afternoons!

Downtown Portland with my #1 guy.

Drive-In Date Night

2011-07-04T10:15:00.000-07:00

There used to be over 4000 drive-in theatres around the US, now there are under 400. I remember my parents taking my sister and I to a drive in theatre when I was a kid. We ate KFC in the car. My mom wanted me to have that experience before all the drive-ins were gone. I don't remember the movie or much about it, but when I realized that there was still a drive-in theatre only 40 minutes from home, I knew I just had to do the same thing for my boy, as my parents did for me. If it wasn't already past dinner time, I would have stopped for KFC too!

Since dusk isn't until 9:30pm in the middle of the summer, this meant that I would have to find a day/night when Pierce (and I) could take a nap before we went, I had to find a movie that was appropriate, I had to find a weekend night when I didn't have work the next day ... so many factors for a mom to consider.

YES! The perfect opportunity presented itself. CARS 2!

There was a long line to get into the theatre. We showed up an hour early and it's good that we did because the show ended up being a sell-out. And since I have a smaller car these days, they told me to go to the front row. Nice!

Pierce and I packed blankets, pillows, snacks and a book to help pass the time before the show started.

Did I mention that it was a beautiful night?

I'm sure much of the charm was lost on Pierce, but I enjoyed the original introductions including the National Anthem and long ago seen images displayed across the screen.

Then some previews and a cartoon ...

And finally CARS 2! The movie didn't actually start until 10pm. It's a really good thing that Pierce and I prepared ourselves with naps earlier in the day.

The movie was cute, but the experience of a drive-in with my boy ... that was priceless, for both of us.

Pictures of Hats

2011-06-16T19:08:00.000-07:00

We were overdue to have some "Pierce and Mommy" pictures taken. So off to the mall we went! The ordeal is never quick, but the end result always seems worthwhile.

Part of Pierce's birthday gift from me was to pick out a new hat at the hat store. He was so excited about his birthday purchase he just had to get a picture with it on. I love my funny boy!

Birthday Goodies

2011-06-10T17:43:00.000-07:00

This 8 year old started celebrating from the moment he woke up! I decorated his room and dining room with streamers and signs. I would have done this for him anyway, but he specifically requested it this year. What he didn't expect was the special chocolate sprinkle donut for breakfast. I figured that if he had to go to school, we could at least start the morning right.

Oh Yea!! That's the stuff!

After school I picked up Pierce and his buddy Trevor and took them to an indoor trampoline jumping place. The boys had fun! And then it was off to meet Gary for dinner at Pierce's choice ... Red Robin.

Pierce is so funny. When he walks into the restaurant, he quickly announces that it's his birthday and that he wants balloons, singing and a sundae. I guess he knows the routine.

Of course, they didn't disappoint. Needless to say, it made his birthday!

(Look at that smile!)

Happy Birthday, big guy!

Roller Skating Like It's 1982

2011-06-07T21:36:00.000-07:00

I asked Pierce on several occasions how he wanted to celebrate his 8th birthday. Each time I asked, the answer was slightly different. He wasn't really interested in having a big party, but he did want to do something special and of course, he wanted gifts!

So we decided that I would surprise him with the details. He knew there would be a party, but didn't know when, how, where or exactly who.

Roller skating seemed like the thing to do! It's what I did when I was his age. In fact, it may very well be that I haven't been roller skating since I was his age! I wish I had pictures to share here, but I spent the whole time holding hands with various children and trying to keep everyone on 8 wheels.

There were a few spills, a few tears, but mostly happy faces and smiles. After skating we went to the local frozen yogurt shop. It's a self-serve place so the kids could all decide what kinds of toppings they wanted. It was a hit!

What would I do without Rhonda?! She got there a few minutes before us and brought in some decorations to make the room a little more special. What a friend!

The Yogurt Shack gave Pierce his very own t-shirt. He thought that was pretty cool and even wore it to school the next day.

Holly, Pierce and Kendall enjoying their yogurt treats!

Evan caught mid-bite.

We put a candle in what remained of Pierce's yogurt and sang to him. He loves this kind of attention!

And finally the gifts!

The kids all left with big chocolate cupcakes as their party favors.

Pierce told me that it was the best day of his life. That makes me happy since eight years ago was the best day of my life.

Who's Watching?

2011-05-31T21:38:00.000-07:00

I unknowingly have been interviewing for future jobs. I find this fascinating.

As I sit here, the last day of work at one job and less than 12 hours from walking into my new job I can't help but take a moment of reflection. How did I get here?

I believe that God knows the right time, all the time. I see it in my own life. Two years ago when I was needing to find work, the perfect part-time job appeared. The location, the boss, the subject matter, the co-workers, the hours ... they were exactly what I needed, when I needed it. As that door closes now, another door is opened, at just the right time. I didn't know I was ready to walk through a new door, but now I see that I am.

So how have I been interviewing for future jobs?
By doing good works.
By making myself known.
By asking for the job. (I asked 2.5 years ago for my new job. It wasn't available at that time. My time vs. His time.)
By being friendly, outgoing and well-spoken.
By being consistent and working hard.
By having a good attitude and smiling from the inside out.
And by simply behaving in a way that honors my mom and dad.

The big lesson: you just never know who is watching.

And this brings up another interesting conversation that I recently had. I was told that someone recently described me as always smiling and being just so nice. I love that. Seriously, that is one of the greatest compliments that I can receive. As I have mentioned before, on the scale of personal attributes that I value, kindness is at the top of my list. The person who made the comment is someone who I have only spoken to a few brief times and certainly not someone who I expected to have such a specific opinion of me. And so again I say, you just never know who is watching.

Hanging at Home with Mom

2011-05-14T07:49:00.000-07:00

The last few days in California were about hanging at home with the family. We went to the Shea Center where both of my parents spend much of their time and energy raising money and awareness for this amazing therapeutic (horse) riding center. We walked to the park and borrowed a bike from the neighbor.

The part that I enjoyed the most was just helping at home. My mom is the "hostess with the mostest"! She amazes me. And I just enjoy being in her company and doing my little part. Just as Pierce enjoys doing the same with grandpa. Helping to carry the extra tables and chairs into the backyard to host Mother's Day BBQ.

The calm before the family all arrived to celebrate the moms. I feel honored to be one of them.

Disneyland ... at last!

2011-05-12T07:42:00.000-07:00

When the plan to visit California came together I thought, perhaps this was the time to do Disney too. Pierce is almost 8 years old and in my mind this might be just the perfect age to have that Disney experience.

The morning started off hazy but soon turned into the perfect weather! We got there as the gates opened to beat some of the crowds. (As much as you can at the Happiest Place on Earth.)

First things first, a train ride with Grandma and Grandpa.

We started at the back of the park with It's a Small World.

It was so great not having to wait in line.

Inside, the charm of Walt Disney's creation delights me in an instant. The cherub looking children all singing the same song in their native tongue ... makes a grown woman believe that it truly is a small world after all.

It was great going to Disneyland with my son because we did things that I have never done before. He was all about the slower original rides, not the roller coasters that I grew up on.

In short order we HAD TO ride the Autopia. There was no chance that we were leaving Disneyland without driving cars.

Pierce behind the wheel!

Then it was submarines, the monorail and more.

We went trying on hats.

Grandpa is such a sport!

Pierce ultimately decided upon a monorail toy (no surprise).

Tea Cups.

There was no chance that Grandma was getting on those dizzying little seats, but Grandpa was up for it and Pierce was thrilled.

Then it was my turn to decide; Pirates of the Caribbean, here we come!

The day was not long, but it was good. I'm taking away from Disney a few "lessons learned" about how much excitement an almost 8 year old boy can take during one day. I'm reminded how much the warm sun can drain your energy when you're coming straight out of a rainy climate. I'm reminded how charming and lovely Walt Disney was and how much his vision has meant to our family for generations now. I'm reminded what it means to be a kid.

California ... Here We Come!

2011-05-09T16:00:00.000-07:00

I was starting to feel that I needed a visit to see my family. I needed to sit on my parents couch for a few evenings and soak up their love. I needed to eat my mom's food, have thoughtful conversations, and watch my son splash in the spa with his grandpa. Sometimes, you just need to go home.

And so, we did!

Our flight was delayed, but Pierce found a wheelchair to keep him entertained. I even enjoyed a push in the chair!

The day after we got there, Pierce and I hoped in my dad's convertible and cruised the coastline. I showed him the house I lived in when I was his age.

And the boardwalk that I would ride my bike along to get to school everyday ... and the one that I learned how to ride a bike on. You can see the morning started off hazy, but it cleared soon.

I took this picture for my dad at Newport Pier. Maybe one day I'll actually stop in there, but not this time.

Then it was off to Balboa. I thought Pierce might like to ride on the ferry.

This picture is for Rhonda. This is the cute little ferry ride, just three cars at a time and takes about 3 minutes to cross.

Welcome to Balboa Island!

Pierce decided that he wasn't so interested in riding on the Ferris wheel, but opted instead for the big trampoline jump.

Then it was back in the car ... South! To Laguna Beach! The sun was coming out by then, the weather was perfect and a big welcome after the rain that we had in Portland.

I love watching Pierce play in the sand, burying his feet. I remember doing this same thing as a kid. There is something so comforting about feeling the warm sand between your toes.

A self portrait.

We couldn't leave Laguna Beach without getting a treat! I don't remember ever paying $5.50 for a single ice cream sundae, but When in Rome and When at Main Beach in Laguna ...

First a sweet sign ... and then a scary one!

Back home again to hang with grandma and grandpa and gear up for Disneyland!!!

Pierce and Heather

2011-04-27T19:42:00.000-07:00

It's so rare that I have photos of myself since I'm the one usually behind the camera. Thank you Carolyn for snapping a few pictures of my favorite boy and his mama on Easter!

Priceless Art

2011-04-25T19:48:00.000-07:00

I love, love, love my newest piece of art. It hangs in my living room where I can see it often. Not only does it bring joy to the room, it brings such joy to my heart.

To me, this painting is priceless!

Six months after Annie's stroke which left her right side without movement she is fighting back! Not only has she regained the ability to walk and talk (both getting stronger all the time), she is gaining some movement in her right arm too. While the right hand is still motionless, she's staying plenty busy using that left hand!

Truly unbelievable!! My proudest piece of art was created especially for me by Annie ... with her left hand. She says, the art is all in there (the brain) she just has to relearn how to get it out using her left hand.

My pride for my aunt is overflowing! When I look at it I am reminded that life is not only beautiful, it is about overcoming obstacles ... what an example!

Easter Attire

2011-04-24T21:10:00.000-07:00

Looking dapper, Pierce!

Easter Egg Hunt in the SUN!!

2011-04-24T20:44:00.000-07:00

How many times we have gone to the local Easter Egg Hunt in the cold and rainy weather? Many! This year I was overjoyed when the best day of the whole week ended up being on Saturday during the big hunt.

Pierce and I had a wonderful time and saw lots of friends at the park.

Pierce and Evan ready for the egg hunt to start.

The boys comparing notes at the conclusion of the egg hunt.

Our buddy Luke Christopher, he's so cute!

(And I'm not just saying that because I know you're reading this, Paul.)

Pierce showing off the mini-Snickers he found in an egg.

Trevor found one of the coveted Golden Eggs.

I love this picture! After the egg hunt there was lots of other great things to do including playing on the jungle gym. I love that Pierce is trying to cross the bars with his Easter basket in hand.

Easter Eggs!

2011-04-14T16:57:00.000-07:00

Yep, it's that time of the year again.

We have the dye. We have the eggs. Now we just need some creativity and not to spill any of it.

I love how Pierce sticks his tougue out when he's trying hard to concentrate ... it's a family trait.

This year we chose the swirling egg color option.

Oooo, Awww!

Oregon Museum of Science and Industry

2011-04-03T18:49:00.000-07:00

The first Sunday of every month OMSI opens it's doors for only $5 a person. That is quite a savings. Without anything on the agenda this Sunday I thought, why not, let's go be one with the crowds at OMSI.

And so we did! Parked SEVERAL blocks away, stood in line for 35 minutes just to get in the front door, but the weather was decent and we were up for an adventure.

There was much to explore!

Pierce wanted to try sitting in the space shuttle ...

Upside down.

After exploring inside for awhile, we headed outside to tour the submarine.

This is the view on our way down the ramp and dock to the submarine with one of our many bridges and downtown Portland as our backdrop.

The space inside the submarine is QUITE SMALL! 77 men would have been on the sub, it's hard to believe! You certainly couldn't be too big to get in or out of the various spaces and narrow halls.

Here's Pierce trying to climb out of one of the many sleeping bunks on the submarine. No space to sit up or stretch out.

Three bunks high.

Back outside, checking out one of the propellers.

My little sailor boy.

It was a great day at OMSI!

The Walk of Determination

2011-04-03T07:57:00.000-07:00

Walking with a determined stride, head held high and a little rushed I find myself dodging the little people and their casual parents. How things have changed!

Pierce's school starts at 7:55am, I can drop him off as early as 7:45am (but come on, how often does that happen?) I'm supposed to be at work at 8am. Work is 5 minutes away (truly a blessing). Pierce likes it when I walk him all the way into the classroom, which means parking the car and shuffling in with all the other kids and many parents. Needless to say, from about 7:30 until 8:02am, I'm pretty much in a "go, go, go" state-of-mind.

A friend of mine has been working at a bank since before her kids were born. I remember seeing her drop her kids off at school looking very polished and ready for work. I always sensed a little bit of a rush within her; maybe it was because I was wearing my casual clothes without the need to rush off to an office. These days, I find that I am the one with that determined energy and wardrobe. Since quiting real estate a few years ago and getting a regularly scheduled job, I'm the one with the boss expecting me to be at work on time. And so, day after day, week after week, school year after school year, I'm the one giving the hugs and kisses at the classroom door and telling my son to have a great day. I then turn around and rush back down the hall of little people and parents, wearing jeans and drinking their coffee, to drive the 5 minutes to work. I'm trying to live in the moment but it's hard when I'm thinking about the next. I also have a whole new appreciation for other working parents.

BBQ Season -- We're Ready!

2011-04-02T16:13:00.000-07:00

Our weather has been rainy (surprise!) and not very spring like, YET! But we are ready! We've had a few days of sun which was just enough to getting me thinking about a BBQ. Since downsizing my life and living in an apartment, that also means downsizing my BBQ. I found this cute little BBQ which is just the right size for my little deck.

Pierce loves that it's just his size! We're ready, now all we need is some warmer weather.

The best part is the great smell! In an instant I find myself daydreaming about BBQs of my childhood. Both at my grandparent's house watching Grandpa BBQ hamburgers and in my own back yard watching my dad ... the power of our sense of smell! LOVE IT!

Funny (boot-wearing) Kid

2011-03-31T15:57:00.000-07:00

I love this funny little boy.

"Hey, Mom, look at me wearing your boots (with pajamas)."

Stylish, Pierce, very stylish.

Sister Time

2011-03-24T18:05:00.000-07:00

An interesting week indeed! Hillary and Travis packed up their apartment and are on their way to work for the season in Yellowstone National Park. It's quite an adventure and I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a little pang of concern. Not for their safety, not for their well-being, not for their capability to handle any situation ... but a pang none-the-less. I'll just call it a "big sister/little sister" thing. I want so much for Hillary and being that she'll be in Wyoming, somewhere I've never been and can't quite picture, makes me uneasy. Sigh.

Since they gave up their apartment a week before they're actually taking off, that gave us some "sister time!" to enjoy. On Monday she came over and we just hung out. It was great. Stayed in, made dinner, wore our pj's on the couch, watched TV and caught-up on life. On Tuesday we decided to get out!

After work it was happy hour for "cheap eats" and then off to watch King's Speech. A great movie! Here we are with our romantic fireplace.

It was really great not to feel rushed during our visit. We both noticed how it felt reminiscent of childhood. Good stuff!

On Thursday we got back together with Pierce and Travis too. It was nice that Hillary's last week in town happened to fall during Pierce's spring break. So we met them for breakfast at what I will affectionately call a "greasy spoon diner" aka the Hitchin' Post Cafe! This is one of those places that you might expect to find in a small town with the same "regulars" there every morning. I received a very friendly (albeit a little odd) hello and goodbye from a man sitting on what I assume is "his" stool at the counter.

Then it was off to the local Molalla bowling alley.

Not sure if Pierce is praying for a strike?

One of the benefits to going bowling at 11am on a Thursday is that we were the only ones there!

Awww ... Pierce and his "Aunt Heee".

Hillary was our big winner ... way to go Hill!

The bumpers were hardly used by any of us ... OK, I can't lie. They were used by all of us! And it's a good thing, because after that big breakfast, I needed a little help.

It's hard to say goodbye, but I'm really happy for Hillary and Travis and their new adventure(s).

California Pizza Kitchen

2011-03-19T19:21:00.000-07:00

What a fun morning we had! My new friend from church invited Pierce and I to join her and and some other kids at the California Pizza Kitchen this morning for a tour of the restaurant.

First things, first, all the kids needed drinks ... chocolate milk, soda, strawberry lemonade ... at 9:30am!

Back at the table, the Root Beer must be kicking in because we're getting a little dancing from Pierce.

Off to tour the kitchen. The kids got to go into the walk in refrigerator (moms decided to stay warm instead). Then it was off to take a look at the dish washing station.

Stopped by to say hello to the prep cooks.

Pierce thought this next kitchen tool was pretty great and that I should get one for our kitchen. It slices veggies in a matter of seconds.

Finally, it was time to make their own pizzas!

Red sauce, cheese, pepperoni, olives, and sausage was Pierce's choice.

My culinary artist at work!

Moments before the pizza hits the oven.

Pizzas cooking!

YUM-O!

As if that's not enough before 11am ... how about an ice cream sundae?

Seven happy kids with full bellies!

Slappy Cakes

2011-03-17T12:18:00.000-07:00

I just realized that this is 2 blog postings in a row about going out for pancakes. That's funny considering we never go out for pancakes.

Pierce has been working on his reading words lately and we've been using flash cards to improve. The last 2 times that he's mastered a stack of about 40-50 words, I've taken him out for breakfast. It's something that he loves to do and it seems to be motivating him.

This morning was our big breakfast outing.

On our way out the door ... Slappy Cakes, here we come!

This place is in SE Portland and has a cool and trendy feel to it.

In the center of each table there is a cook top. They also have a full breakfast menu with lots of organic and local options, but come on ... we came for the pancakes!

Order your batter (Pierce chose buttermilk, I had sweet potato) and then choose your toppings.

We had dried cherries, bacon, chocolate chips and toasted almonds. The possibilities were endless and I would have had fun with even more toppings. Next time I might try more of the savory options.

We had a great time creating our breakfast ... different shapes, different combinations.

A clover for a Happy St. Patrick's Day!

And then, it was time to go.

We ate and ate and ate! So full! I told Pierce to watch for the oncoming food coma. As we got out of the car at home, he told me that he was feeling sleepy ... yawn ... no surprise!

National Pancake Day at IHOP

2011-03-02T19:47:00.000-08:00

Like last year, Pierce and I decided to eat pancakes for a cause! (No arm twisting necessary.)

The closest IHOP is about a 20 minute drive, between the cost of gas, the beverages I bought, a hardy tip, and a donation to the Children's Network, these pancakes were hardly free ... but they were still yummy and worthwhile!

The deal was each person got a free short stack of of pancakes ... no purchase necessary, just a suggestion to donate to the Children's Miracle Network.

After school yesterday, I surprised Pierce and Trevor with this special afternoon outing and snack.

The boys were happy, happy, happy (and a little goofy).

Patiently waiting for their pancakes they got to work on their menu games.

YEA! for hot chocolate!

Trevor, who is a year younger than Pierce and about 12 pounds lighter, put those pancakes down like he hadn't eaten all day.

The moments not covered here would be the disaster that ensued when Pierce accidentally knocked his entire cup of HOT chocolate all over his lap and part of Trevor's lap. OUCH! We managed to get it all cleaned up and the manager was great about getting us "burn spray". A few big tears and comforting from Mom and we were all good again. An unexpected and very appreciated moment was when a man from a nearby table stopped by to tell me what "good boys" I have and that they handled the situation very well. That was good to hear since I was feeling a little unsure and wondering if we had made a scene. Whew!

I love the mountians, I love the rolling hills ...

2011-02-23T19:42:00.000-08:00

I love the mountains,

I love the rolling hills,

I love the flowers,

I love the daffodils.

I love the fireside

When all the lights are low.

Boom dee a da, boom dee a da

I haven't heard this song in a bunch of years ... until last night. I went to Pierce's school to watch him and the other elementary school students sing during their performance.

First we heard from the first graders. Very sweet! (Of course!) Then it was time for the second graders to WOW us with their songs. And finally the third graders. All were good, all were charming. As much as I enjoyed watching Pierce and the rest of his first grade pals, it was the third grade performers who really caught my attention.

"I love the mountains, I love the rolling hills ..."

When I was little, Juliet and I would sing this song, in rounds. I can picture us sitting in the backseat of my parents car singing this song, over and over and over again. "OK, you start this time ..."

"I love the mountains, I love the rolling hills ..."
(I love the mountains, I love the rolling hills ...)

When I heard the kids singing this song last night, the rest of the room stood still and simply could have fallen away. I could have been watching Juliet singing to her heart's content.

I wondered, where did this song come from? Could it be that once upon a time, Juliet stood on a stage singing this very song with her peers? Upon further investigation I discovered that this song is also known within the Girl Scout community. This makes sense. Juliet was 3 years older than me, she was a Girl Scout, undoubtedly she came home singing this song and taught it to her little sister (me!) and I gladly joined in on the singing ... in the car, in the house, in the shower ... wherever my big sister wanted to sing with me, I'd be there.

Last night, I was singing rounds with my big sister again and it was divine.

Chasing Love

2011-02-17T11:09:00.000-08:00

I asked Pierce how things were going with his "girlfriend". He said not so good. I asked him why and he said that she's been bullying him. This surprised me, because I just don't see her being the "bully" type. I asked for an explanation and he told me that everyday at recess she chases him ... and he doesn't like it.
(Internal smirk.)
I told him that this may be hard to understand, but to please remember mommy's words ... "When girls and boys in first grade like each other, sometimes they don't know what to do with that feeling and chasing each other seems like the thing to do. I think that (girl) likes you and that's why she chases you."
I don't know if this helped, but hopefully he'll think about it next time they're dismissed for recess.

Justin Bieber

2011-02-15T19:33:00.000-08:00

I recorded the Grammy Awards the other night. I just couldn't stay awake any longer. Plus, being able to bypass all the commercials and acts I don't know or care about makes a three and a half hour show about a 45 minute show.

When I saw that Justin Bieber was performing I called Pierce into the room because he (like so many 13 year old girls) really likes him. He was glued to the TV and really enjoyed what he saw. That gave me an idea.

This afternoon I surprised Pierce with a trip to the movie theatre to watch Justin Bieber Never Say Never in 3D. I wish I could have photographed him in the theatre with his hat on, glasses on, leaning forward in his chair, with his eyes glued to the screen and his lips moving to the words. I never thought much of Justin Bieber, but two things happened while watching his movie. First of all, I have a new appreciation for his raw talent. Secondly, as a mom to a son, I have a little bit of a soft spot for him. I see Pierce's spirit and realize that it's not much different. Justin is just a kid and I'm happy for the opportunities he's been given.

As we walked out of the movie I snapped this pictures of Pierce with his 3D glasses on. Charming, Son.

And of course he had to sit on the motorcycle game on the way out. Even though I refuse to feed the machine, he loves to pretend anyway.

For Cupcake

2011-02-09T18:31:00.000-08:00

Pierce and I took a trip to the store today to purchase Valentine's for his classmates. Before we even got to the store he told me that he wanted to get a special Valentine for his girlfriend. (Yes, the author of the note.) I told him that we could do that and we'd figure it out.

When Pierce saw this, he knew THIS is what he wanted to give her ... a chocolate I Love You. (Oh Boy!) I suggested that he get something a little smaller like a cute little chocolate bear (that doesn't mention love). Or a nice card. No, he knew what he wanted to give her and he was willing to spend his allowance on it.

I decided to ask a little more about this tonight. I asked what he thinks it means to love someone. "When you really, really, really like someone." He then went on to tell me that she calls him Buttercup and he in return calls her Cupcake. (Oh boy!)

A Love Note

2011-02-07T20:56:00.000-08:00

Aren't seven year olds supposed to believe in cooties? Apparently not all 1st graders subscribe to this idea, my son and his "girlfriend" included. Last week as I was unloading Pierce's backpack I came across this note. I asked Pierce who it was from and he very casually answered, "my girlfriend". I asked him who that was and he told me her name. No big deal! Huh?

I suppose when Pierce brought home her phone number last month I should have realized that this wasn't going to be just a passing thing. Even without the requested playdate, love seems to be blooming in 1st grade.

Field Trip

2011-02-03T17:52:00.000-08:00

The excitements was BIG as we gathered to get on the bus for our field trip to watch a children's play in downtown Portland. Since this day landed on a Thursday, I was able to join them. This was my group to watch over: Pierce, Cooper and AJ.

We made it downtown. A beautiful mostly sunny day.

Getting ready to enter the Portland Center for the Performing Arts, I noticed the poster in the window.

One more excited hug.

Diary of a Worm, a Spider and a Fly

It was cute. The entire audience was made up of 6 and 7 year olds and their teachers and parent volunteers. A lot of little squirmy bodies in chairs, but they all seemed to enjoy themselves and the story was quite cute.

READING

2011-02-02T19:09:00.000-08:00

I get it. I understand the pride of a parent when your kid starts to really get something. Pierce has been struggling with learning to read. If I'm being honest, it's something that I haven't been great about spending time on ... until lately. I got word from his teacher that he wasn't progressing as quickly as expected. Uh oh! So, we have started to focus a little more energy on this skill and I'm pleased to say, it's getting there. The teacher told me today that he's just about all caught up with his classmates. Working with him on this makes me realize what a little sponge he is. It's so cool to see this happening right before my eyes!

Facebook is Killing the Blog

2011-02-02T18:23:00.000-08:00

I won't let it happen! I'm determined not to give up on my blog which I have loved for years now, but I realize that Facebook has cut into my blogging energy. Those cute little Pierce moments so often get mentioned on Facebook now that I don't feel the need to write about them here.

Like the other night, as I tucked Pierce into bed and he said his prayers, "God please don't mess up turning the pages in your big book and open the gates for me when I get there." Precious! That got posted on Facebook ... almost didn't make it here.

Sorry BLOG! I'll try to do better than I have been.

Oh Baby!

2011-02-01T16:38:00.000-08:00

My big little boy ... still wants to fall asleep in Mommy's bed with his Puppy Pupster.

Parker Seminar 2011

2011-01-20T18:23:00.000-08:00

What a fantastic seminar Dr. Jennifer took Kelly, Amy and I to in Las Vegas. Lots of great information and motivation. We stayed at the Hilton with about 3000 other attendees. The speakers were great, the energy was great ... can't hardly complain as long as I forget that I left my carry on bag in the airport on the way home. Ah ... a minor complication.

I had the great pleasure to see Dr. Wayne Dyer speak. He was captivating. My favorite quote from him was, "You are a host to God or a hostage to your ego". I noticed Dr. Dyer along with a lot of the speakers mentioned this idea of energy. Positive energy going out creates positive energy coming your way. I found this especially interesting because it's something that I've been thinking a lot about lately.

My two beautiful coworkers, Kelly and Amy.

I'm not much of a gambler. I just really can't justify losing the money! $5 here and there, is just enough for me.

While it was raining cats and dogs in Portland it was sunny and 60 in Las Vegas. We had the chance to walk around and see the sights a few times. It's just amazing and hard to really take it all in.

An indoor garden ... really amazing! Every detail is attended to.

Dr. Jennifer got a little cozy with Elvis.

If it weren't for Facebook, I'm sure I would never have seen Colleen again. Colleen was my next door neighbor for about 5 years when I was a kid. I used to go hang out at her house and drink Dr. Pepper. She and I would talk while Hillary and her daughter, Erin would play. Colleen and I figured that it had been at least 15 years since we'd seen each other. I'm so glad that we were able to get together for dinner while I was in town. It was such a treat and great to meet her Jerry.

Our closing speaker was Nick Vajicic from Melbourne, Australia. What an amazing 28 year old man; born without arms or legs. This man has overcome so much and if anyone has an excuse not to succeed, it's certainly him. And yet, there he was, doing his thing ...

So impressive!

One last opportunity to go out in Las Vegas. Dr. Jennifer took us to see Blue Man Group. It was ... interesting. I don't know that I would recommend it. I think if given the chance to watch a show in Las Vegas, I would likely choose a different one next time. But, now we know! I can officially check that off the ol' Bucket List.

All in all, it was a wonderful trip and I am so glad that we went.

As if that wasn't good enough ... when I got home Pierce told me that he missed me and that he thinks he was "momsick". (AWWW!)

One Week In

2011-01-08T09:21:00.000-08:00

We survived Christmas. Pierce thought having "two Christmases" was a pretty good thing. He got nearly everything on the list. It was nice (albeit really different) but I'm also kind of glad to be done with it. We enjoyed having our place decorated with the Christmas tree, but there is something very good about getting it all cleaned up and ready for the new year.
My folks sent me a little Christmas money to make a purchase for our apartment. As the Christmas tree came down, it was a perfect time to get a few new colorful pillows and lamp to liven up the space ... especially considering how grey it is outside.

So, here we go ... 2011! No big resolutions, but a fresh perspective on a new year. Trying to be more consistent about my exercise routine and aware of balanced food choices. Truthfully, just trying to keep it all in balance ... come on now, that's nothing new, just a new resolve!

Christmas Quote

2010-12-26T09:25:00.000-08:00

Best Christmas quote spoken from Pierce this year: "Santa has NEVER let me down!"

Different but the Same / Year Wrap-Up

2010-12-23T09:31:00.000-08:00

I'm not even sure what I want to write here ... I just feel compelled to write something about our pending Christmas plans and the conclusion of another year.

What a year it has been! Plenty good, plenty difficult. But some things (the most important things) remain the same. A lot of goodness and blessings surround us and for that I am grateful and on that I remain focused.

The biggest and most difficult change in the past year was the finalizing of the divorce. I'm happy to report that Gary and I are getting along well with Pierce being our main focus. But of course, along with that comes sadness of what 'could have been'. Honestly, I try not to think too much about these details ... it's tough. I feel like I've worked through so much of this over the past couple of years, that moving forward feels like the right place to put my energy. Re-living or over-thinking the details of what was and what is, can be draining and really doesn't change anything. And so, with that I say, "Straight up, straight ahead, and strong!" After all, I have a beautiful seven year old son to raise ... he's the focus.

The other biggie this year was Annie's stroke. Talk about something absolutely rocking you to your core! This was (and still is) shocking. Annie, my healthy, young, and very active aunt ... the one that I most look up to ... the one I'm closest to ... paralyzed? At the mercy of others? The good news: she is gaining strength and movement daily. It's too early to tell if there will be a "full recovery", but at this point ... I'm thinking it's TOTALLY possible.

What else ... Grandma is turning 80 years old next week. "Heather, growing old is not for the weak!" I love her matter-of-fact attitude about it. Grandma just tells it like it is ... no complaints, just facts. (My mom is the same way, I love that quality!)

Work is going well. I feel very fortunate to work for Dr. Jennifer. What a great office and fantastic co-workers. I'm getting out into the community and giving wellness presentations as part of my job. This is great on many levels. I continue to grow my public speaking abilities and I get to talk about living a healthy/wellness lifestyle and sharing these ideas with other people. This also makes me happy because it makes me think of my dad and of Juliet.

Pierce is doing great. He seems to be adjusting very well to his surroundings moving between two homes. It's been more than a year now, the first six months were difficult, but these past 9 have been much better. He's enjoying 1st grade. No surprise, he's a bit of a "social butterfly" and sometimes struggles to get his work done, so we're working on that. There is nothing better than to see a moment of frustration turn into a moment of success and self-pride as he's learning to read and understand new concepts. First grade has also been a year of many visits from the tooth fairy. He's all boy, still interested in cars, trucks, motorcycles, etc. He has a funny personality and bounces moment to moment between being my little boy and being a big kid. I love it!

Christmas is a little different this year. We opted not to travel south, but to stay in Oregon. This means splitting Christmas between two homes and two parents for the first time. It's going to be different, but it's OK. We will both make our time with Pierce extra special and he's thinking getting two Christmas' sounds pretty good!

As always this time of the year I think about a personal theme for the upcoming year. Instead of making lofty resolutions, I think about focusing on a single thought. Last week I was sitting in church and Jon was talking about the Wisemen going to visit baby Jesus. He said something about kindness ... I can't remember much more because the word, "kindness" got stuck in my head.

Kindness is the act or the state of being kind —ie. marked by goodness and charitable behaviour, mild disposition, pleasantness, tenderness and concern for others. It is known as a virtue, and recognized as a value in many cultures and religions.

The people who I hold nearest and dearest have this quality. When I think about my family members and closest friends ... this is the quality that I am drawn to.

And with that ... Merry Christmas and may 2011 be filled with kindness.

Christmas Music

2010-12-18T08:24:00.000-08:00

Each year I notice in increasing amounts ... good Christmas songs make me want to cry. It's the classic ones, the ones that sing about Jesus' birth and rejoicing the day, those are the one that get to me. The newer songs about Santa and presents, they're catchy, but after awhile I get a little tired of those. I don't think it was until just a few years ago that I really started listening to and feeling the lyrics of the Christian songs ... Wow, so powerful! With only a week until Christmas, I'd better soak it all up while I can.

Art Walk For Annie

2010-12-09T18:59:00.000-08:00

Since Annie's stroke in mid-October, so many friends asked, "what can I do?" I, along with about 7 of Annie's closest girlfriends got together and planned a fundraiser for Annie's stroke related expenses. We contacted artists both near and far to donate art for Annie's Art Walk which consisted of a silent auction and sales. We had a tremendous response with about 50 items donated for auction and many of Annie's prints available for ordering. Within about 5 weeks we put on a lovely event that we all felt very proud of and most importantly, we raised money for Annie.

Two amazing women! Vibeke (right) was my right-hand gal on this event ... couldn't have done it without her!

We had a lovely array of desserts. The thing that was so neat about the gals who were involved was that we each brought our strengths and played to them. This photo doesn't do the dessert table justice ... it was amazingly decorated!

Since we each took a different focus, I ended up organizing the silent auction and was the MC for the evening. Once again, my Relay experiences are coming in handy!

Our guest of honor ended up making an appearance. I was so glad that she did! It was a last minute decision, I'm glad she was able to see the outpouring of love and support firsthand.

Blessings abound.

Great Wolf Lodge -- Twice in One Year!

2010-12-08T19:33:00.000-08:00

At last we made it back to the Great Wolf Lodge. We had so much fun last May, we decided to do it again in December as an early Christmas gift to Pierce and Evan.

In keeping with the Christmas theme of our weekend, Evan brought his little tree and we had our own little gift exchange in our hotel room.

Our boys looked so cute and cozy in their wolf pj's that we let them wear them all over the hotel ... including the arcade. Just like the last time we were here, Pierce spent all his coins on the car and motorcycle games. While he played his non-ticket giving games, I played a few rounds of skee ball and basketball to win him tickets for the ticket counter. We all had fun.

It was a winter wonderland inside the lodge with trees, snowflakes, tiny lights ... everything you would expect and more! We gathered in the lobby for storytime. We decided that it was OK, but truthfully, our boys were bored with it.

At 8pm, we enjoyed an indoor snow fall, as I tried to capture here. I think they were tiny soap bubbles. It was pretty neat!

I love this perspective ... since in reality Pierce is now half way up my chest and gaining on my height daily.

Now this picture below is a little deceiving, because in reality (like every other time we are together) it was a total love/hate experience. We've been talking with Pierce and Evan about being kind and generous, and yet, they just don't get it. One of these days they will hit that level of maturity when it sets in, but in the meantime, these two best buddies can drive their moms absolutely crazy with bickering.

Goodbye, Great Wolf Lodge. I don't know when we will be back ... it was fun.

1st Grade

2010-11-17T16:52:00.000-08:00

This is my favorite boy in all the world!

I love his "Jack-O-Lantern" smile. If a picture says a thousand words, then this smile says just two ... first grade! Loosing teeth is the main theme for us this year. He's already lost 7 teeth, 2 of them at school.

A Cruise in the Sun

2010-11-03T18:45:00.000-07:00

I took Pierce to visit Annie today at the hospital. It was the first time he had seen her since the stroke and there was a little hesitancy, but he was ready. He'd been asking to go and so today after school we did.

We got to the hospital at the end of her therapy. After hanging in the room for about 10 minutes she suggested that we go for a walk and take pictures. Although Annie is quite capable to get around in her wheelchair by herself, Pierce really wanted to push her (any chance to "drive" something). He is actually pretty good at steering; he practices all the time.

We went out to the sky bridge that connects 2 buildings. It was so bright and sunny it was actually hard to take a good picture. Here is one of Pierce checking out the cars below and Annie (with her artist's eye) capturing the view.

Autumn in the Pacific Northwest ... on a sunny day, it doesn't get much better then this!

Jack-O-Lantern

2010-11-01T18:16:00.000-07:00

It was extra special to have Grandma and Grandpa visiting us at Halloween this year!

Grandpa was happy to help Pierce carve his pumpkin into a jack-o-lantern.

Ahh, success! Pierce designed the jack-o-lantern and grandpa did the hard work.

The final product ... Happy Halloween!

Annie, Living Life Right

2010-10-26T07:25:00.000-07:00

Twelve days ago my amazing aunt had a stroke. Shocking! She's just about the last person that I would expect this to happen to. I have visited with her two times since then and what a difference a week makes! The first time I saw Annie was 5 days after the stroke. She couldn't speak at all. She couldn't move her right side at all. She seemed like she was on the verge of depression. Now 6 days later, she is smiling, talking (although garbled and hard to understand) she is starting to move her right leg slightly and tells me that she's able to start putting a little weight on it. Her right arm is still of no use, but as she picks it up with her left hand and drops it by her side and looks up to smile ... I know her head is in a much better place! The smiles and laughter, they are all coming back. Amazing.

Something like this certainly does make you realize how special life is, how precious and how much I want to be a part of it. Annie's friends are numerous. People from all over the US (and world) are reaching out to offer prayers and support to Annie and the family.

Annie's life is a good example. You know how when someone dies all the kind words and actions come out? Thankfully Annie is here and very much alive, but the response has been similar. Makes me realize just how loved Annie is by SO MANY people. God forbid I should ever have a stroke or something else devastating like this ... but it makes me wonder, if it were me, who would step forward with food and prayers? Am I living my life in such a manner that would ensue this kind of a response? And if I'm not ... why not?

Volunteering

2010-10-11T21:10:00.000-07:00

I've been talking with Pierce about volunteering. This all started with me trying to clarify to him that my work for the Relay was volunteering and that I wasn't getting paid for that work, different than my job at the chiropractic office. I tried to explain to him that I got paid in other ways for all my work. I got paid by feeling good about what I did, by helping other people, by raising money for cancer research, and by knowing that I helped to make a difference. I told him that I thought he was old enough now to start volunteering too. He is VERY excited about this. When the email came in from the 2010 Portland Marathon looking for volunteers, I thought this might just be the perfect opportunity.

I signed us up for a 4 hour shift handing out roses and food at the end of the marathon route. We had the last shift of the day so the runners/walkers were coming in slowly. Pierce was great for the first 20 minutes ... then he was done! We ended up lasting about 2.5 hours since it was really slowing down and they had plenty of help, but I'm glad we did it.

It was really neat seeing some of these runners/walkers finishing after 8, 9, and even 10 hours on the course. Some of them were in pain, others just emotional. Like the adult daughter that came in walking next to her crippled father who walks with a cane ... amazing! As they crossed the finish line, she wasn't the only one crying ... I was holding back my own tears. I don't know if I'll ever walk a marathon again, but I certainly will find the time to cheer on those who do!

Another Reveal!

2010-10-10T13:34:00.000-07:00

Ever since we got home from the big birthday gift this past May of Great Wolf Lodge, both Evan and Pierce have asked their mommies when can they go back. Maybe when you're 8 has been the answer. Truly, Rhonda and I had a great time too and really thought it was money well spent. So, the plan had been to try again next Spring/Summer for another Great Wolf Lodge birthday adventure. That is, until Rhonda sent me an email with some special discount days coming up in November and December. "Can we go for Christmas!?!?"

(Honestly, I don't know who is more excited, Rhonda or the kids.)

So, the room has been booked for early December and now the dilemma on how to reveal this to the boys. Last time we did an elaborate scavenger hunt with clues. Been there, done that. We thought about just getting in the car and driving until we pulled up to the Lodge in December, but so much of the fun is the anticipation. What to do? We decided to buy them wolf Christmas ornaments and see if they could figure it out. But then, look what we mommies found ... the perfect pajamas for two little boys!

We decided this was better than the ornament because that way they could have new Pj's to wear for the story time at GWL, plus Pj's to wear leading up to it and after the trip.

Pierce and I were over at their house for dinner. As dessert was being served the boys found these Christmas gifts on the table. We played it off like we were celebrating the mom's birthdays early and told them that it wasn't for them. Eventually we let them in on it and they got to open the gifts.

Evan was bummed. He has his eye on a special pillow and was sure that's what he was going to open. "PJ's with a coyote? That's it?" It took a moment and then Pierce figured it out. That coyote is a wolf ... what does the wolf remind you of??? Great Wolf Lodge!

Yea!! It was all cheers and celebration after that.

I love that these two give hugs and kisses, and truly love each other like brothers.

Now the countdown begins.

Pierce

2010-10-09T22:07:00.000-07:00

I love this boy!

Tooth #5

2010-10-06T21:47:00.000-07:00

I took Pierce to the doctor 2 days ago for an ear infection. 58.8 lbs that boy is! Growing like a (very cute) weed. Still thinks that he should be able to run and jump on me with little to no notice ... not so easy on mama's body! And yet, that doesn't seem to stop him in his excitement.

Such was the case yesterday afternoon when I picked him up from school. First the attack hug/body slam and then revealing the newest hole in his mouth followed up by this little yellow treasure chest which held the missing tooth! Oh the excitement!! So sweet. I think the thing that made me the happiest was my own recollection of a similar little box in my hand 28 years ago. I too lost a tooth at school and brought it home in a little yellow treasure chest.

Mo Willems Book Signing

2010-10-04T21:39:00.000-07:00

Pierce is always asking if he can ride the school bus. Based on the bus route and our schedule it just doesn't easily workout for him to do that. When the offer came home for us to ride the school bus with other schoolmates to the Barnes & Nobel at the local mall to hear and meet acclaimed childrens' writer Mo Willems ... it just seemed like the thing to do. It's easy to say "no" to these things, but I also realize that it's these opportunities that have the potential to create lasting and meaningful memories.

The bus ride was fine. It was ... a ride on a school bus, what more is there to say about that? But Pierce was thrilled. When we got to the store and walked upstairs, OY! We were CRAMMED into the space with gobbs of other parents and kids of all ages (mostly 8 and younger).

Mo finally came out, read a few books in a fun and animated fashion. Answered a few questions. Signed books. It was long and drawn out, but worthwhile.

Three and a half hours later we walked back into our home. Tired but with happy memories and a great book signed by a great author.

Recess Time

2010-09-27T16:14:00.000-07:00

"Hi, Pierce, how was your day?"
"My day was good, but it wasn't a good day for __!"
"Why's that? What happened?"
"__ got sent to the Principal's office. He punched -- in the stomach!"
(Explanation behind what happened.)
"Did you see __ hit --?"
"No, I wasn't at recess when it happened, I was inside."
"Why weren't you at recess?"
"I missed 2 of my recesses today because I wasn't done with my work. I only got the lunch recess."
"Why aren't you getting your work done on time?"
"Because I'm singing Alvin and the Chipmunks and talking."
"Don't you think you should be getting your work done instead so you don't miss your recess time?"
"Do you know what song I'm singing?"
"No."
(In a high pitched "chipmunk" voice) "You spin me right roun' baby, right round, like a record, baby ..."

Asking for Jesus

2010-09-20T20:29:00.000-07:00

This morning after finding the gold dollar coin the Tooth Fairly left Pierce for his 4th tooth I hopped in the shower while he got dressed for school. Shortly after I got out of the shower Pierce came knocking at the bathroom door. As I peeked out of the crack in the door he told me that he really needed to ask me something. He had a very serious look on his face and I could tell that there was something serious on his mind. "Mom, I want to ask Jesus into my heart. Will you help me?"

WOW! I told him I needed to put some clothes on and that I'd be out in a minute.

I asked Pierce what it meant to ask Jesus into his heart and where he had heard about it. He told me that they had been talking about at church on Sunday and that if he asks Jesus into his heart then he gets to go to heaven. I asked him what heaven was and he told me that it was even better than it is here.

So, I prayed with him and had him repeat some stuff after me ... and I cried ... and it was SO SWEET! I was surprised at how much this meant to me and to him.

Tooth Fairy

2010-09-20T20:12:00.000-07:00

It all started yesterday when Pierce came home from school. He was so excited to show me how loose and wiggly his bottom tooth had gotten. Apparently he'd been working on it at school all day. It was really getting loose and I told him that I thought he'd have it out before bedtime. Sure enough within about 2 hours it was in his little hand and he had a big smile on his face.

First Day of First Grade

2010-09-10T18:02:00.000-07:00

My little guy is turning into a big guy, right before my eyes! First grade. OK, I realize that 1st grade is still little, but I just know that it goes faster and faster all the time. Before I know it I'll be reporting on the first day of ... 6th grade! Ahhhh ... slow down!

He had a great first day back to school. He was so happy to find out that Mrs. Westlake was nice. He had the impression that she was another teacher that he's convinced is mean due to an apparent cafeteria run in he had with her last year. Oh the potential drama!

Pierce is starting the school year at: 50 inches and 57 pounds.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey

2010-09-07T20:47:00.000-07:00

We ran away to join the circus, if only for the afternoon. Hillary, Pierce, Evan and I went to the circus. Evan had never gone before and Pierce had gone once, but I don't think he really remembered it.

It was great getting to share this with them ... I remember my grandpa sharing the circus with Juliet and I, somethings are just childhood musts!

We got there an hour early so we could walk down to the main floor and watch up close some of the performers. It was really neat and worth going early for. We got to mingle among clowns, men on stilts, an elephant, trapeze artist and more.

The boys got tattoos ...

The Greatest Show on Earth!

We all got to try on fancy circus clothes ...

And even got up close to a friendly clown.

One last photo op ... sister clowns! Then it was off to the suite to watch the real entertainment.

Sister Day 2010

2010-09-05T19:33:00.000-07:00

Each September 2nd Hillary and I try to get together for what we affectionately call Sister Day. This year would have marked Juliet's 39th birthday ... we miss her like crazy, but instead of being sad that she's not here with us, we focus on each other and doing something fun together.

In years past we have gone to Silver Falls and hiked, we have gone to watch a "chick flick" at the movie theatre, we have gotten massages ... this year, it was the Portland Art Museum.

Hillary and I had a great time walking around the museum, I think we both liked the photography rooms the best and we agreed that neither of us really understand contemporary art ... you know, like the big canvas with the yellow box of color in the middle of it and nothing more ... I just don't get it.

After the museum, we walked up the street to the Farmer's Market in the park blocks, a beautiful afternoon! We ate savory crepes for lunch and called it a perfect Sister Day. Thanks, Hillary ... I love you!

Summer Blessings

2010-09-05T18:05:00.000-07:00

This summer has been a little different for me. I just celebrated my first year anniversary at my job for the chiropractor. That job has been a blessing! However there have been prices to pay. For six years I had every summer off to spend with Pierce. Selling real estate allowed me to have my own schedule ... unfortunately, it didn't promise me a consistent paycheck. And so, off to the work I went.

Of course the biggest dilemma in getting a job that requires a specific schedule is that ... it requires a specific schedule. Therefore, summer came and I had to figure out what to do with Pierce during the day while I was at work. In walks Jana and Rhonda. Two incredible mommy friends. Both moms have a son the same age as Pierce. They each offered to take different days of the week to watch Pierce so that I could keep my regular work schedule.

I can't imagine what I would have done without these two women in our lives! They have been there for us in so many many ways and I will be forever thankful for their love and support for Pierce and I.

Even though it's hard not to share every fun summer moment with Pierce, I am so thankful that he had a summer of fun moments. Below are just a few that Jana captured of Pierce and Trevor.

Big Horse, Little Boy

2010-09-04T21:04:00.000-07:00

Pierce and I went "back to school" shopping last week. Got school supplies, a new lunch box and some clothes. As we passed by the two statues outside P.F. Chang's China Bistro, Pierce spontaneously asked for me to take his picture. And so ... I did!

Kerr Bikes in Downtown

2010-08-20T21:15:00.000-07:00

I told Pierce that we would take a special "Pierce and Mommy" outing to downtown Portland and ride bikes. He saw a picture of this "surrey with a fringe on top" bike and couldn't think beyond it. So on a Thursday afternoon in August we headed downtown to rent ourselves a surrey.

We had a great time! Pierce desperately wanted to steer the bike. (No surprise!) The rules are that he has to be 14 in order to steer, but since he also couldn't stop talking about it, I finally gave in. I pulled over to an area where no one was walking around and let him give it a try. I think that made his day. We rode all over the west and east waterfront including going over the Steel Bridge.

It was a great day with my best pal.

White Water Rafting

2010-08-13T19:21:00.000-07:00

My office all got together on our day off and went white water rafting on the White Salmon River in White Salmon, WA. It was beautiful! The weather was sunny and warm. The water comes off a local dorment volcano, Mt. Adams, and was a chilly, but refreshing 42 degrees. We were outfitted with wetsuits, booties & helmets. We travelled 8 miles down the river. There was one point when we all got out of the raft to walk along the side of a cliff because the area of the river was not safe for us to travel on, but quite honestly, that walk on the cliff didn't feel all that safe either!

We had an option along that walk to continue or to jump ... since I'm into saying "YES" to new experiences these days, I went for it. To my surprise none of my office mates wanted to jump, so they walked on to the end of the trail and I took the 20 foot jump into the river below.

WOW!! It was great, and cold, and shocking! It's interesting jumping into a river because it didn't occur to me (until I was in it) that the river is constantly moving, so when you jump in and pop-up, you immediately start moving, whether you intend to or not. Now I can "check" it off my bucket list.

The rest of the day was great! Lots of fun with Sharmel, Dr. Jennifer, Jenn, Amy & Kelly. And since the pictures below can explain the situation better than I can, I'll bow out of the commentary now. But let's just say, this was our grand finale ... our 10 foot waterfall drop!

Mom & Son Camping Trip - Detriot Lake

2010-08-06T19:54:00.000-07:00

Rhonda and I decided that a Mom & Son Camping Trip to Detroit Lake was the thing to do this summer. Actually, since I haven't been camping in 14 years, this was Rhonda's idea and I think brave of her! I was able to borrow sleeping bags, cots and a lantern from a friend.

We were outfitted, and game for a new experience.

Rhonda showed the boys how to put up a tent.

Evan and Pierce being good helpers.

Rhonda and Evan doing some Mom & Son bonding.

Every one gets a chance to use the hammer.

Buddies! Happy to be camping together.

Oh the fire! I was actually quite good at building the fire and since Rhonda was taking care of the food, it often fell to me to watch over the fire. However, the boys REALLY loved building the fire.

Everyone blow!

Yea for BBQ hotdogs for dinner.

Pierce and I slept under the stars ... oh the stars! Amazing. On the second night Pierce and I saw 3 shoot stars and had some special quiet time together.

This was the view looking up from our cots.

A self-portrait of Pierce and I snuggling the next morning.

The morning was beautiful ... this was our walkway from our campsite to the lake.

Pierce enjoying the early morning calm.

Back to camp to start a fire.

And so the poking begins again. This looks sweet and innocent, but in reality those boys would not leave the fire alone! Poke, poke, poke! I think it's in their boy blood.

Rhonda knows how to camp with the comforts of good food.

Rhonda cooking, boys poking the fire ... yep!

Yum! Fresh melon and a breakfast burrito.

Time for the water. It was so comfortable. A little cool, but certainly submersible.

Pierce, the happy camper.

Thanks to Evan for bringing his raft.

I found some time to enjoy the scenery and relax. Ahhhh!

Pierce and Rhonda looking for good "skipping" rocks.

We all enjoyed skipping rocks into the lake.

The boys both enjoyed some rafting time too.

Did I mention that we ate well? What's camping without s'mores?!

Sticky, but well worth it.

So tired ... Pierce was great about sleeping outside under the stars and trees.

I found this last photo on my camera ... a self-portrait. Looks like he had a good time.

This was a lot of fun and a lot of managing the boys. So glad for the experience and I'm sure we'll have more of them. But next summer ... we're leaving the boys with their dads!

Pierce at Seven

2010-08-01T20:55:00.000-07:00

I love this picture of Pierce because when I think about where his interests really lie, this picture sums it all up! Cars, trucks, trains, trailers ... if it has wheels, he's happy. Here Pierce has attached a beaded necklace to his truck and car so one can tow the other.

Cannon Beach with My Boy

2010-08-01T15:34:00.000-07:00

Our good friends invited us to join them at the beach to help celebrate Evan's 7th birthday. Evan's grandma and grandpa were in town and they rented a beach house for 3 nights. Pierce and I joined them for one of those nights. It was a lot of fun because neither of the boys knew what we up to. Surprise!

I told Pierce we were going somewhere for lunch ... a 2 hour drive later we showed up at the beach condo. Evan was told that his birthday cake was being delivered ... just didn't know that I was the delivery gal.

After lunch we headed out to the beach. Boys with shovels and buckets in hand.

That's Haystack Rock in the background.

Mark and Rhonda readying the kite.

These two almost got in a fight over who had honors getting the kite in the air ... well, not really (sort of).

Back to more digging.

Love this photo of my boy in his own little world of discovery.

"MOM! I got wet!" This was the first moment ...

And this was the next moment. When how wet and cold he really was started to settle in. So, we called it good enough and headed back to the condo early to get cleaned up while our friends finished playing and kite flying.

The next day we headed out to Family FUNcycles. Rhonda had found these beach bikes and thought it would be something fun that we could all do together.

Here's Rhonda's mom, Carolyn carrying her bike down to the beach.

Rhonda riding near Haystack Rock.

Pierce became a pro! These bikes were a lot of fun but sort of hard to steer. In order to turn you have to lean and shifting your body weight.

It was a bunch of fun but would have been better if the weather had been a little warmer.

What I don't have a picture of is the drama that ensued after we rode down the beach about 3 miles. At that point Pierce got drenched when he went through a 10 inch deep hole of water. He started crying, it was cold, and we had to ride back 3 miles, into the wind! Ugh!

He cried the ENTIRE way back. I told him that if he wanted me to ride next to me he'd have to quit crying. He opted to cry. Rhonda asked me if Pierce was still behind us (of course I was checking on him from time to time), but I knew he was behind us because every couple of minutes we'd hear his wails of cold frustration. Poor kid. I really felt bad for him, but there wasn't anything I could do about the situation.

When we got back to the bike rental place the man there was very nice and showed Pierce how they clean the bike. That helped to snap him into a better mood.

Pierce's voice was hoarse for 2 days after all that crying into the wind. (Sounded very manly.)

The next day we headed over to Tillamook to check out the Tillamook Cheese Factory ... and taste cheese and buy ice cream cones (before lunch).

Then we packed a picnic and headed to Munson Creek Waterfalls.

This was a lovely place. The brochure says that it's the Highest Waterfall in the Coast Range. It was quite beautiful, but nothing compared to the falls that you can see in the Columbia Gorge.

Evan and Pierce checking out the creek.

After lunch it was time to head home again. It was a great little getaway and fun sharing it with friends.

New Blog Background

2010-07-25T08:18:00.000-07:00

My new Herbie background is in honor of Pierce's new obsession with Herbie and everything Volkswagon. So, maybe this isn't a totally new thing, but it's an increasing sort of thing. We can't go anywhere without Pierce noting the varies cars that we pass.

"MOM! Look! It's Herbie!!!"
"Volkswagon ... Ford ... Kia ... Toyota ... Volkswagon ..."
"Mom, that's just like Grandma's car."
"Same wheels!"
"That's just like Mrs. Elam's car except the wheels are different and the gas cap."
"That car has the same lights as ............."

I think it's funny that Pierce is so interested in vehicles, because generally speaking, I'M NOT! Not that I don't like a shiny new car as much as the next person, but I'm more interested in whether the car is running well, has a full gas tank and is clean. Those details are far more important to me!

The joys of having a son!

Train Park - Evan's Birthday

2010-07-23T08:50:00.000-07:00

Shady Dell (Molalla Train Park) has been a favorite of Pierce's for years. In fact it's a favorite of most young boys in the area. Last year Evan had his 6th birthday celebration here, before he even got home he told his mom that he wanted to have his 7th birthday there too. A whole year later and he hadn't changed his mind!

My favorite boy and his favorite mom.

Rhonda made the cutest hats for all the kids. Here are a few of them patiently waiting for the next train.

The birthday boy!

Pierce and his toothless smile. (3 lost so far.)

Photo op at the head of the train.

Evan's dad preparing the pinata.

Pierce was next in line when the kid in front of him broke the pinata.

He didn't seem to mind ... CANDY!

Happy Birthday, Evan James!

I love the look of anticipation on the children's faces.

And how everyone wants to help blow out the candles.

A great tree for climbing!

And one last ride of the day.

Relay For Life 2010

2010-06-30T20:09:00.000-07:00

As with every Relay, the morning was kicked off with an opening ceremony and Survivor's lap. It's always special to cheer the purple shirts as they walk around the track, each one representing their own story of survival.

There were a lot o special people in the crowd this year including Nancy.

Mark.

Drs. Charlie, Jennifer & Teri.

Back at the tent, Pierce helped me decorate our campsite.

As always there were lots of activities for the kids. Pierce loved the idea of dunking the guy in the Dunk Tank.

And for those kids who didn't quite hit the mark, they let them go up and push the target.

Yea for Sharmel! She donated her time to give chair massages for a donation to our company team.

Since Pierce was curious, this was the perfect chance to let him see what it was all about.

Needless to say, he had fun!

The Relay had it's biggest fundraising year-to-date with over $74,000 raised for cancer research. Nice!

Play Date or Surprise Party???

2010-06-20T17:48:00.000-07:00

Since we decided to do an early birthday outing to Great Wolf Lodge, we hadn't planned a party to celebrate Pierce's 7th birthday. Even though Pierce seemed OK with that, as his birthday approached, it seemed a little weird not to give him a party. And so, I decided to do something a little different that he wouldn't be expecting. I told Pierce that we were having a play date with his good friend Holly ... here we are, on the way to pick-up Holly for our special play date! Pierce was SO excited.

(Side note: see that water bottle he has his hand on? It may look like a water bottle, but if you are a 7 year old boy named Pierce, then that is your stick shift. Pierce enjoys being my backseat drive, sound effects and all!)

Meanwhile, back at the apartment ... Rhonda, Jana, Hillary, Travis and Pierce's buddies waited in wait. They let themselves in and decorated the apartment.

Trevor, Evan, and Christian

Holly was in on the surprise and did a very good job of keeping our secret. Pierce opens the door ...

And is stunned! What are the decorations for ... why are my friends here ... and Aunt Hillary!?!?

Horns were blown, "SURPRISE" was shouted ... and it wasn't until Pierce quietly walked up to me a minute later to verify who the party was for that he really got excite; he thought maybe it was to celebrate Holly's last day of school (which was that day). Once he understood it was for his birthday ... he ran to his gifts!

And jumped right in to them!

Then it was snacks, crafts, and cupcakes for all.

Off to the swimming pool!

The weather was OK, not great, so the kids spent quite a bit of time in the spa.

The birthday boy!

Happy Birthday, big guy!

First Pet(s)

2010-06-15T22:25:00.000-07:00

Grandma and Grandpa, this photo is for you. As you know, Pierce is pretty excited about his new pets. Since I'm not too keen on having a fury animal that requires real attention, I thought a fish tank would be a good place to start as far as pets go. Pierce mentioned this idea a few months ago and I've been thinking about it since. Do I REALLY want to take this on? After much thought, I decided to go for it. Now that he's seven he can be a little more involved in the maintenance and care.

I took Pierce to the pet store and told him he could pick out 5 fish. We walked out with some neat looking tropical fish to take home and call pets. Pierce decided to name the fish, I'm pretty sure that the names have already changed a few times each, but at one time or another we've had a Fishy, Swimmy, Swimmers, Fluffy, and Patricia.

Patricia??? Yep, Patricia! I couldn't help but laugh when he came up with that one, it made me think of that old Sesame Street clip ... "which of these is not like the other, which of these doesn't belong ..."

Turns out Patricia is "with fish" and apparently this type of fish delivers live fish instead of eggs ... so time will tell, but it could be that our 5 fish become more.

Kindergarten Graduation

2010-06-11T21:38:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten graduation came quickly. Pierce and all the other kids were so excited to have their parents at school to cheer them on as they prepare to enter 1st grade.

A fellow parent saw our photo op and offered to take a picture for us.

And then Pierce wanted another photo next to his backpack.

And then Lizzie walked up and asked for us to take her picture. So funny!

All the kids lining up to walk down the hall to the other Kindergarten class to sing together.

Hillary and Travis showed up to surprise Pierce. I love this picture with them sitting in the little chairs.

Pierce with Mr. Gilmore (the other teacher) in the background. Mr. Gilmore got the two classes together on a weekly basis for music. This was great since the music program has otherwise been cut due to the budget. With Mr. Gilmore's talents all the kids have learned how to spell the colors of the rainbow through song.

The graduate and a proud Aunt Hillary.

Mrs. McNeel has been a wonderful teacher!

Congratulations, big guy!