Day 612

It a very rainy night, but Les braved the outdoor venue at the Edgefield to see Vampire Weekend preform.

Day 611

Yeah! We've got a mailbox again! It's quite a bit larger than our previous one. Now all we need to do is get our numbers on the outside and wait for the city to replace the light pole.

Day 610

After building a fort out of the couch cushions, Kaitlyn crawled in and started reading books - clearly she takes after her mother.

Day 609

Kaitlyn decided that she wanted to take her nap on the coffee table in the living room . . . which lasted all of 10 minutes.

Day 608

Trying to get the kids to eat more veggies is a challenge and we are currently working on getting them to eat "ants on a log." You'd think that anything with peanut butter would go over without a problem, but contrary to the happy face, I only got him to eat one bite.

Day 607

Fatty was kind enough to pose for the camera once again. I don't think his vision hasn't gotten any worse, but he's moving a bit slower and around the house and just barely manges to avoid crashing into to things. Oh, but he is still a handsome fella.

Day 606

Grandma came over and brought me some old photos - this was one of my favorites. This is her in her Girl Scout uniform circa 1965.

Day 605

At about 9:30pm we heard a terrible crashing sound in our front yard. When we got outside, we realized that someone had driven up on the sidewalk in front of our house and continued driving on it until he crashed into our mailbox and a city light pole. Turns out it was an eighty-something year old man who just wasn't paying attention - fortunately he was not hurt.

Day 604

Guest photographer Kaitlyn has been wandering around with my point-and-shoot camera again . . . she managed to snap a pretty cute picture of Parker in is Blazer jammies . . . along with several dozen pictures of people's blurry feet.

Day 603

The balcony off our bedroom needs to be re-stained so we put the kids to work - scrubbing off all the old stain. That's why people have kids right? To do all the dirty work?

Day 602

After dinner with the family, we decided to stop at George Rogers Park in Lake Oswego seeing how it was such a pleasant evening. We started out up at the children's play structure, but eventually wandered down to the Willamette River. There were about 40 ducks waddling around the shore and if you stood still, they'd come nearly close enough for you to touch. But what 4 year old can stand still? Parker would manage to be still for about 30 seconds and then he'd tear off down the beach hoping to pet one of the ducks. However, these ducks had clearly been chased but toddlers before. They moved just fast enough to stay out of reach and would just retreat to the safety of the water. Then we'd all stand still until the ducks got close again and the chase would begin again.

Day 601

After 30 minutes of Parker insisting he "wasn't eating" and us insisting that he sit in that chair until his dinner was finished, Les, Kaitlyn & I went into the living room for some play time. After a few minutes, I realized it had grown very quite in the kitchen. When I came in to check on him, I found him asleep at the table. Never one to rouse a sleeping child, I carefully carried him to bed - and he never did finish his dinner.

Day 600

Kaitlyn has taken to wearing her tutu everywhere. She wore it to school today (over pants) and then with her nightgown. I know it's a little indulgent as a parent, but she looks so cute I can't help but let her keep wearing it.

Day 599

Les captured a cricket out on the back deck and Parker was very brave and took a turn holding it. Kaitlyn, however, just wanted to look.

Day 598

The proper way to each spaghetti, according to Kaitlyn, means: no shirt, a bib and be sure to make a noodle sandwich with your garlic bread.

Day 597

It was Wild West week at day care a couple weeks back, but she finally got to bring home her Wanted Poster today. In honor of the occasion, Kaitlyn spent most of the evening saying "howdy" to everyone.

Day 596

Les' good friend Brian was having a birthday party at Willamette Park in West Linn. So after the kids woke up from their nap, we drove over to join him. The new splash park at the park was quite the improvement from the wading pool that was there when I was little. Both kids ran around like crazy people and loved every minute of it. Kaitlyn was a bit more fearless than Parker at first, but once he saw how much fun Kaitlyn was having, Parker jumped right into the jets too.

Day 595

Parker and Kaitlyn have been spending every sunny moment possible out on the deck - in the pool, spraying each other with the hose, or playing in the sand & water table. I can't wait until next summer when we, hopefully, have a yard for them to play in too.

Day 594

Parker and Daddy took a trip to the Home Depot to get some flowers for the large planter that sits on the front porch. Parker was very excited to learn that it would be his chore to water the plants every day.

Day 593

I had my hair cut and colored today. Of course, I forgot to take any pictures of myself. But here's of photo of the new salon my stylist Stacy works at. The Red Magnolia Salon must be the 8th salon that Stacy has worked at in the 10 years I've be seeing her. But I know that I can trust her to do something fun and easy, so it's worth moving every year or so.

Day 592

I told Parker to go put his jammies on, which he did. But then he came running into the den demanding that I come with him becuase he had something to show me. He had made his bed - even turned back the blankets - all by himself.

Day 591

Parker and Kaitlyn made bird feeders at school and were quite pleased with themselves. I am not sure if it was the best place to hang them (how exactly will the birds reach them?), but the two of them insisted they be right off the front porch hanging from the rhododendron.

Day 590

Pam, Liby and I went to my favorite spot for lunch - the Red Coach. It had the most delicious burgers and milkshakes. However, it is the atmosphere that makes is special. The owner, Kim, greets us by name and always remembers my order - Karl's special, plain with a side of ranch.

Day 589

It only took me two months, but I finally finished the home decor project I started at the Ali Edwards event in June. I am pleased with how it turned out, but haven't quite found the right place to hang in yet.

Day 588

Les and Job purchased some VIP tickets at a a reduced price (yeah Craig's List!) and headed to the White River Amphitheater near Tacoma, Washington to see Rush perform. The show received two thumbs up from both of them.

Day 587

The whole lunch crew from the office (Pam, Ethan, Audrey, Ian, Liby & Mason) headed down to Buffalo Wild Wings for wings and trivia - one of our favorite spots for lunch.

Day 586

Andra was in town visiting and we went to the Chinese Garden before heading over to the Melting Pot for dinner with Beth & Nelson.

Day 585

Next on the home improvement agenda was to replace a portion of the front porch that was rotten. However, it was discovered that nearly all of the support beams were rotten too. So after we went 200% over budget, we had new decking on the entire porch.

Day 584

Kaitlyn's ready for bedtime. I love that she's been wearing night gowns to bed lately - they are so girly.

Day 583

Parker was quite the helper carring the groceries in from the car.

Day 582

Kaitlyn is my budding photographer. She keeps asking for my little "cammer" and walks around taking pictures. Mostly they are of her feet or the ceiling, but she occasionally gets a gem like this.