Last day of school

At noon today kids came streaming out of Three Rivers full of excitement and expectation. I was giddy just being a part of it. The last day of school is just so much fun! I kept Rosie home from preschool today and packed a picnic lunch and headed for the pool. We met some friends there and the kids all had a great time on their first day of freedom. I was telling some friends how excited I am for summer and in the same conversation told about how I would work 30 hours/week and have my final class and she asked me really sweetly, as if to no bust my bubble, if I was really going to have summer at all. But the answer is yes, even though I'll still be busy with work and school, it will be summer. There will be days at the pool, BBQs on the patio and cocktails to be had - and it couldn't bring me more joy if today was my last day of school.

Mi Hermano

Mi Hermano Nick is visiting this week and I just love it when he comes to visit. Not only because he is fabulous but because I have so much fun with him. We took a day trip to Smith Rock, a place I have been wanting to go since I moved down to Central Oregon. Having Nick around gives me excuses to do fun things my life otherwise does not include.

Nick really likes to experience life which is great, especially when we are together. I am the responsible one and he is the adventurous one and so together we make a great team. He decided the best idea was for us to hike up to the top taking the most difficult trail. I was a little more cautious considering he was wearing slippers and has a broken hand but I followed his lead none the less. It was a tough trail but we used the excuse of checking out the view every 100 yards in order to catch our breath. The view from the top was absolutely spectacular.

Graduation girl

Little Miss Rosie completed the Pre-K class at her preschool. There was a graduation ceremony for all of the kids who got promoted, received their certificates, and sang some songs. It was sweet and made me cry. It made me wonder though, were there kids who weren't promoted? Who were retained and had to repeat the pre-k class? Kids that will be too tall next year for the preschool chairs? Who have to spend more time kneeding the play-doh and singing their ABC's? Are those the kids that think Elemenopee is one word? I hope they offer counseling services to those kids cause they are going to need it next year when they are too tall for the mini-chairs.



Here is Rosie singing and dancing on stage with Delaney and Ula.

Dirt and Dust

That pretty much sums up the weekend. We made some fantastic friends at Beaverton Foursquare before we moved. And thank God they are way better at keeping in touch than we are becaue we have maintained a friendship despite the distance. Last year they called us to let us know about a dirt bike weekend planned down here in Central Oregon. It was dusty and dirty and pretty much a lot of sitting around in the dust and dirt so really I had no excuse when I agreed to the second annual trip to the dust and dirt. I was actually really negative about going on Friday night and Saturday morning - surprise surpise considering my love for all things dirt bikish and dusty - but we ended up having a pretty good weekend. Tracy and I decided next year we will be at the spa and pool while the boys take the kids - we'll see. I did ride a quad for the first time and it was much more fun than I ever would have imagined. I'm glad I gave it a chance.


On Saturday morning they lined all of the bikes up and took turns peeling off - really. Here is my husband - isn't he cute!


Rosie being followed closely behind by dad her first time around on the dirt bike. Soon after this she accidentally put it in 2nd gear, floored it and made her daddy run! Good times.


Here is my Ivy Joy who could not get enough of this things. She rode it around and around the campground. it is good to see her have so much confidence about something.


Ivy and Brianna - fast friends


Rosie, Zach and Brieanna - digging while they play husband and wife. They are so fun to watch.

Mother's Day

Last Thursday, a 6th grade boy at Ivy's school and the school where I've been interning, accidentally killed himself with his step-father's gun. A horrible tragedy for the entire community and expecially his mother. Just days before Mother's Day. I can not imagine her pain and I hope I never have to experience it. But it is a solid reminder of how life is fragile and can easily slip away when we least expect it. That any moment with our children can be our last. I am so grateful my children never slipped away during the night after I lost my temper while they were brushing their teeth, or ran infront of a car after I rushed them through the morning routine. While tragic, Zach's death has reminded me to take it slow and be more present in these few short moments I have with my beautiful little girls.

Annie

Miss Ivy Joy is an orphan in the play Annie. I wonder if a day will come when I won't cry when I see her perform. I just brim with pride to the point where I can't contain it. They have been practicing since the beginning of the year and the play turned out to be an amazing production! She was one of the orphans. She decided to try out for this part because she wasn't confident she could learn the lines but by the end she knew every line in the play. She had a great time working with the cast and got to know a lot of people she otherwise wouldn't have gotten to know.



Alexa Shuster played Annie and her voice was phenomenal! Ronda had never heard her sing before the play opened and was pleasently suprised. In addition to being proud of Ivy I was proud of all of the kids. It has been great getting to know them all during my internship so when I saw them up there it was like I had 60 kids to watch. I enjoyed it more than the Shakespearian Festival last week.

The house of cardboard

We were expecting to move into our new house this weekend so the majority of our worldly goods are wrapped up in cardboard boxes. It looks like we will be moving next weekend instead - we are keeping our fingers crossed. We went by the new house last night and it is beautiful! It is cozy and warm and just right for our family. I am looking forward to being in our own home again. There is something to be said to living in a home of our own over a rental. Which is ironic considering we technically only own 20% of it!

If we are able to move next weekend, we will be moving a year to the day of when we moved down here. So crazy to think we have been here a year already. I think back to how anxious I was during that time and how it felt like the bottom had dropped out of my world. I can honestly say now that we are settled and this is home. Things are good, they are predictable again, in a comforting sort of way. I know where to shop, I see familiar faces when I go out and there is a routine to follow. I am happy to be here.