My Eloise

I don't get a whole lot of time alone with Eloise. Sebastian & I have had the rides to and from school, and Georgia has my undivided attention all night long. But poor miss Eloise more often than not gets "Not right now, i have to feed Georgia" or "In a second, just let me send one more e-mail". How sad is that?! Anyhow, it was about 10pm not too long ago. Kids in bed. Eloise still awake, as she had had quite a nap earlier in the day. I walk down the hall, tell her I'm headed to the kitchen to do some baking to send to Daddy on tour. No sooner had I started the mixer when I hear her little footsteps behind me. "Can I help?" ANYTIME, love, anytime...
Just looking at the pictures makes me tear up...we made a few batches of cookies, some bars, rice krispie treats, then called it a night. I'm amazed either of us could sleep after that for all the "tastes" we had. And she even posed for a couple pictures for me. Something she rarely ever does....HMMMM, I wonder who she gets THAT from?!

Random Summer Fun!

Three quick pics here....Kids having good clean summer fun running through the sprinklers at the house, Sebastian & I snuggling up (yes, I am lazy to not turn the pic around, and yes it does bug me too), and Jen & Jacqueline taking me out for a belated birthday lunch at the Little Red Bike Cafe. TAST-Y!

Cherry Picking at Tracy's

I've met some really wonderful & amazing people through my work with ending childhood hunger & Taste of the Nation Portland (www.portlandtaste.org) and Tracy is no exception. She and her husband have moved out to Newberg with their adorable son Mateo and she was kind enough to invite the kids & I down for some lunch, cherry pickin' & chicken chasin'. Back at our house, the kids & I transformed the cherries in to glistening jars of brandied cherries. Hopefully they'll be tasty. Hopefully you'll forget that I just showed you what you're getting for Christmas!

Swim Lessons Round ONE

As you might recall, the kids & I stood in line for nearly 2 hours to register for a week's worth of free swim lessons at the community center. Lessons aren't really THAT expensive, I just really wanted them to take lessons this week. They're already signed up for lessons later in August, but with trips to Bebe & Grandpa's pool in Spokane & a trip to Sun River planned before that, I really wanted them to get some lessons in at the beginning of summer. And so, we waited. And waited and waited. Which reminds me I did forget to mention we went swimming too during the Grandpa's Choice Father's Day Weekend Extravaganza of Activity. but I digress. Eventually we get all signed up, and continue on with our weekend. I try to explain what the lessons will be like to Eloise, as she & I did Mommy & Me lessons last summer, but she'll be on her own for these ones..
Eloise is my daughter. For those of you who know me, well, she, like me, can be particular. Strong Willed. One might even say stubborn on occasion. After the soccer "camp" fun, I was a little worried for swim lessons. But she seemed really excited. She loves the water, and as I said, we had just gone swimming with Bebe & Grandpa and she had put on a life vest and swam all over the pool and LOVED IT.
First day of swim lessons arrives and we get suits on, pack undies, snacks, clothes, drive over, Georgia in backpack, kids out, walk in, shoes in locker, have them take the silly what-does-this-really-do shower and head in to the pool. We stop to find out where each class is meeting, but Eloise is already in the water. 'Cause we're going swimming, right? Not swimming? Swimming LESSON? I don't want a lesson, I just want to swim. HMMMMMM. Here we go....
She gets out of the pool and starts crying. So sad. So wet. I manage to get her to agree to either 1-Join her class if she can tolerate the silly games they are playing or 2-sit on the edge of the pool, ignoring all attempts by her well meaning teachers to engage her in activity. It really was quite entertaining to watch. She definitely had games she liked more than others--fetching the pink ring underwater, for instance was a "yea", while pretending the water was paint and splashing it on your face, "nea". And by day 5, she participated in the whole silly lesson. We'll see how round TWO goes in August!
ps--Sebastian was a super star and practiced floating on his back, putting his face in the water and steamboating, and making the darling little life-jacketed chain with his class and getting towed around the pool.
Good job kiddos...

Grandpa's Choice

For Father's Day, Daddy D was already on his big trip, so Grandpa had Father's Day all to himself...and boy did he take advantage of it! We had a nice fish dinner at Auntie Jen's Friday night, then on Saturday, we hit the farmer's market (after waiting 2 hours in line for swim lesson sign up!), went to Laurelhurst Market for some of their TASTE-Y sandwiches, over to Cedar Hills Theaters for the movie "UP" (which was cute--at least the first 10 minutes I got to see before Georgia got antsy and we had to leave), then over to our house for steaks & potatoes, and rhubarb crumb cake. On Sunday? A hike through Forest Park after a lovely breakfast at O'Conner's. PHEW! What a weekend! I'm sure I'm forgetting something...Jam-packed, but super fun. THANKS & HAPPY belated Father's Day!!

In which we load up the car, and bid farewell to Daddy D

Daddy D and the kids after soccer class. The car, packed with kids, and all his gear for his long trip--old keyboard, and JUST arrived 5 minutes before we left new keyboard. Daddy D left June 18th for his massive drive with the Curtis Salgado Band from here to the mid-west, circle circle criss cross and back again. We are just about at the back again part...he returns Sunday, July 12th. Longest tour yet, but it sounds like things have been going great on the road, and thankfully things have gone great here at home as well. Visits from Bebe & Grandpa & Oma, and a lovely 4th of July weekend trip to Spokane made the weeks just fly by. But we sure are ready to have Dave home again....48 hours and counting....

Soccer "Camp"

Ok, camp isn't the right word. It was 45 minutes of soccer class, for one week. Sebastian & Eloise thought it was great fun to get a new pair of tennis shoes. And for the first few minutes, they both seemed to be having a great time running in circles with the other kids, kicking chaos all over the place. And then it happened. From the sidelines, Dave & I watched as Eloise ran over to Sebastian and gave him a hug. And then wouldn't let go. Then we hear it. The saddest sorriest wail of a cry you've ever heard. The sobs, heartbreaking! Much as Sebastian had an adjustment period (of months if I recall correctly!) to preschool, Eloise was having some issues at being in a group of strangers, doing strange things, at SOMEONE else's urging on THEIR timetable. Day #1--she wouldn't hit the field again that morning unless I was by her side. Day #2 she went with Dave, and again, spent most of the class with him. Day #3 was a wee bit better--she actually went and played mostly on her own, with a few teary breaks. Day #4 was great and we were all pumped up for Day #5, but it was cancelled due to rain (which they called us at 7am to tell us--seriously people?! Don't you know these are musician's kids?!) Anyhow, Sebastian had a fabulous time, despite Eloise's drama, and maybe next time, we'll sign him up on his own...

The PROJECT--part 1

It all started out innocently enough. We'd had the mothers and sisters and nanas and daughters and sons and fathers over to the house for a mother's day brunch. Bebe & Mommy G found themselves wandering around the front yard. I'd been complaining that we didn't have a good spot for a vegetable garden and Bebe said "Why don't you just put some garden boxes here? You wouldn't have to do much....just rototill the grass under, put in the boxes and you're good to go!" SURE. WE CAN DO THAT! And so it began. On Mother's Day, after everyone left, the kids and Daddy D & I pulled up about half of the pavers in the front yard. More pavers were pulled up, weeds yanked, rototilling. Not as fun or easy at it had sounded, but luckily I had Daddy D to do the heavy lifting. Yards and Yards of rock and soil and sand and compost were delivered, shoveled and wheelbarrowed into place, again, mostly by Daddy D, but as you can see, Sebastian & Eloise helped too (and maybe Mommy G too!). By the beginning of June we were ready to plant, and as I write this, here in the midst of July, we have a budding bounty...one bed holds lettuce, carrots, spinach, green onions, and a whole variety of green beans. Bed #2 is chock full of herbs with a centerpiece of squash & pumpkin. Bed #3 holds corn, peas, and WAY TOO MANY squash & cucumber plants. The last bed has 10 varieties of tomato, a few pepper plants, and some basil. Yes, you're all invited for our harvest party this fall...and yes, I do promise to post the final construction pics & some current pics once Dave returns with the camera...just 2 more days!!

Happy Belated Birthday Daddy D!!

Daddy D was in Memphis for his actual birthday, but we celebrated the minute he got home with a fantastic dinner at Oma's house. Welcome Home!!

Daddy D & his Entourage

Daddy D had a busy spring (and is having an even busier summer, but I'm getting ahead of myself...). After his 2 week tour in April, he had a couple weeks off before he headed to Memphis for a week, so when the opportunity arose for the kids & I to tag along to a gig out at the coast, we jumped! After Sebastian's school day ended, we all headed out to Cannon Beach, settled in to our rooms at the Christian Center (hey- a gig's a gig!) and while Dave played his gig, the kids and I explored Cannon Beach-mid-week in the off season, on as you can see, an absolutely GORGEOUS day. Dave's gig was over early enough for us all to enjoy dinner together, and then get some beach time in Thursday morning too. No people, beach all to ourselves, LOVELY. I remember swimming in the ocean as a kid, but I think maybe the ocean has gotten colder. The kids had a great time stripping down to their skivvies and wading in. I sure do like being a groupie!

No pictures! No papparazzi!

My little diva. The pink tutu is courtesy of Bebe. Eloise is not a very girlie girl...she loves to play with dolls, but really LOVES to be out in the dirt, getting as dirty as possible. And if I let her, she'd wear long sleeved shirts and overalls all year round. Barefoot. Or maybe with rain boots. She does have her tutu moments though. And yes, I know. I am IN FOR IT. What goes around, comes around...

Nonna and Nonno split the difference...

Ooops! Forgot to include these between the birthday postings....Nonna came to town mid-April to celebrate the kids' birthdays...just after Eloise turned 3 on the 10th, and just before Sebastian turned 5 on the 24th. Nonno was traveling to Florida, and surprised us all by stopping in Portland on his way home. YAH!! The kids had a marvelous time, and so did I....what fun!

Sebastian turns 5!!

I still can't believe it. Our little man is FIVE already!! Much like Eloise's birthday 2 weeks before, we spent the whole weekend celebrating--family fun on Friday night for his actual birthday, then a dinosaur party with friends and classmates Saturday afternoon. Teacher Gregory (aka REYNOLDS!) even dropped in with newly hatched chicks for all the kids to cuddle and pet. And Sunday? Leftover cake cake and more cake. I actually managed a few pictures this time! Enjoy!