Day 550

Sometimes it gets late and I realize that still haven't taken my picture of the day. This is usually when I go snap a picture of a sleeping child - but this night I snapped one of Mama Kitty who was keeping me company while I worked on the computer in the den. Since Mama Kitty was a stray when we adopted her, we are not quite sure how old she is - but I'd guess she's turning ten this year.

Day 549

Les had to travel for business to New York City, where he stayed at the Muse Hotel - which happened to be right on Times Square. He was able to snap this photo with his iPhone.

Day 548

Parker is usually good about helping out with chores, especially when tools (in this case the giant push broom) are involved.

Day 547

Uncle Mike taught Parker how to show the number 3 with his fingers - like the baseball players do. He's been practicing ever since.

Day 546

After another round at the car dealership, Les was able to talk them down to the price we wanted (Les actually brought it in $1.99 UNDER our budgeted monthly payment). So here is Les' new baby, the Buick LaCrosse.

Day 545

To celebrate the last night before Maria and the kids had to fly back to Maryland, we all went to the Olive Garden for dinner.

Day 544

We hosted Les' whole family at our house for dinner tonight (steaks, potatoes, steamed clams . . . boston creme pie). Did I take any pictures of the occassion? Nope. But here's a lovely shot of our house in the afternoon light.

Day 543

It's almost time to say good bye to the Grand Am - Les spent a good portion of the afternoon at the car dealer looking into getting a new sedan. On Les' behalf, I'll mention it was a VERY frustrating portion of the afternoon and car dealerships need to work on their customer service.

Day 542

Les' sister Maria and her kids (Eric & Cassidy) are visiting this week from Maryland. The whole family got together for some family portraits. However, Kaitlyn kept making faces every time we would get settled for a new pose. So we decided that we'd all make a silly face (everyone but Maria & John that is). I love this photo more than the "normal" ones - because it show how much fun we have together.

Day 541

The peanut butter from Parker's waffle got this best of him this morning.

Day 540

In addition to the cards that the kids made at school, Les got breakfast in bed (French toast & Bacon) and a couple of soccer shirts (to support his new soccer habit).

Day 539

Les is the king of the weekend breakfasts; he always makes something hot and delicious on his morning with the kids. This morning he and Kaitlyn made blueberry muffins.

Day 538

Multi-tasking - Kaitlyn style:

Pretending to change your baby's diaper while watching Handy Mandy on the iPhone at the same time.

Day 537

After playing what I like to call the "Throw Away/Keep Game," Les ended up with 5 bags for Goodwill, 2 bags of trash & 1 bag to hand-me down. I don't think that our closet has ever looked so good.

Day 536

This week started "Summer Camp" at daycare and Wednesday is wear you camp shirt day. As we were waiting for Les to grill up dinner (hot dogs), the kids were kind enough to pose for some pictures.

Day 535

Today was beach day at daycare. Parker wore his authentic Hawaiian shirt that Aunt Sara and Uncle Alex brought back from their last visit there.

Day 534

Here is his hair the next morning - to me he is almost a different kid. No longer my baby, but a big boy.

Day 533

Time for Parker's first hair cut with the clippers - hair design by Daddy. Parker did really well - no crying and he sat pretty still. At one point he did insist that I bring my vanity mirror out so that he could watch what was happening. It was a little sad to see his blond wavy hair go . . .

Day 532

So this is me with Ali Edwards. I know that she's only a celebrity in the Scrapbooking world, but it was absolutely amazing to meet her and to get a chance to hear her speak on the topic of Story was very inspiring. She was very down to earth and talking to her was just like kibitzing with other moms and scrapbookers. She lives here in Oregon and her husband is a State Senator - can you tell that I follow her blog? It was quite an honor to get a little one-on-one time with her because I volunteered to help her carry her things back to her car. Hopefully the BLISS event will be an annual event and I'll get to hear her speak again next year.

Day 531

I had been going though the kids' winter clothes to find out what I need to get for Kaitlyn's and my trip to Alaska, but I hadn't quite got them put away yet. She was being a little too quiet, and when Les checked on her this is what he found.

Day 530

Kaitlyn likes to supervise while Les cooks out on the grill - just to be sure he is cooking all the meat to the proper temperatures. It's grilled pork chops, poptoes and corn on the cob for dinner tonight.

Day 529

New barkdust for the front yard - it looks (and smells) wonderful.

Day 528

Parker's stubborn Taurus nature reared it's head when he refused to go to bed. So he laid down in the middle of the hallway and pouted. Eventually he fell asleep. because being stubborn in hard work.

Day 527

Dinner and a Movie . . . perhaps not the best parenting technique, but it helps them sit still long enough to actually eat something for dinner. And gives me a chance to eat my dinner while it's still warm.

Day 526

Another sunny day means more time out on the deck - be careful or Monster Parker will get you.

In other family news, Les attended his first Portland Timbers game - it looks like I am going to have to learn the rules to soccer.

Day 525

We had a very busy Saturday. The kids were up really early, so we went to Target and then to Suncrest Park. After nap time, we all got dressed again (Kaitlyn in the cute little hand-me-down dress from Rebekah) and went to Chang's for dinner with the family. Then we stopped at Bridgeport Elementary to play on the playground. The kids were so tried when we got home - which meant they went to bed nicely and it was a quiet evening for Mom and Dad.

Day 524

The abundance of warm sunny evenings has meant of lot of time out on the deck and for the kids that means playing in the sand box.

Day 523

I recently mailed off all my negatives from the 1980s & 1990s to be scanned and digitized. I got back the DVDs today. Here is a shot of Les and I from Prom in 1994 - with Job and his date. The pictures is taken in front of Job's house - which is the house that we bought 10 years later and are currently living in. (My mother sewed the dress I am wearing in the photo)

Day 522

Happy 9th Anniversary to me. Flowers from Les at work - best husband ever.

Day 521

Les took the kids to Mary S. Young State Park to run around after dinner.