The Zoo

While Uncle Rob, Aunt Danielle, Cameron, Kendra, and Kaelyn were here, we ventured to the zoo. Of course we had a GREAT time. The kids were very excited about the animals and chasing each other around.

Cooper was having fun running back and forth across this little bridge.  It was fun and totally cute.   

The baby jaguars were out and offered great photo ops.  Check out this little guy!

Kaelyn loved the penguins.

Eli loves his big cousin Cam and really looks up to him.  It always amazes me how willing Cam is to play with and amuse his little cousins.  He is such an amazing young man.  I couldn't be more proud of the man he is growing up to be.

And my sweet Kendra.  She is definitely a girly girl and in that pre-teen phase.  She was also more than willing to play with her little cousins and carry Cooper around.  What a sweet girl.  She'll always be my girl.

The three biggest cousins.  They're super cute! 

Daddy and Eli getting ready to go feed the birds!

Cooper wasn't exactly thrilled to have a bird this close to him.
His expression didn't change much....

...espcially when this happened.  This little bird flew down and kept nibbling on my cheek and necklace.  Cooper was less than thrilled to have it this close - he either wanted to be put down or that thing to fly away.

 Playing with cousin!

Looking for elk, which there weren't any...but fun anyway.

They found their walking buddies.  No one was getting lost today!  HAHA

Ohhhhh!  Time for a snack!

 GO COUGS!

 Lunch time!

One of Cooper's favorite activities, slides!  Up or down, it really doesn't matter.  

My girl!

Watching Eli on the zip line.  

Such a handsome young man!  Love!

Hi Cam!  I got you and you got me.

Our Reader

I love that I showed Eli this book from my classroom library and he couldn't put it down. Every minute or so, you'd hear a little, "WOAH!" or "Check it out!!!" Adorable.

This picture collage customized with Smilebox

Wednesday Water Fun

Our beautiful summer weather continues.  I will be the first to admit that I am thrilled with the summer we've been having this year.  The past two summers combined didn't give us the same number of sunny warm days that we've had this year above the 80 degree mark.  

Today, the boys and I pulled out the pool and had fun playing in the sun.  I did improvise and created a shady area using a deck chair, broom, sandbox lid, and potted plant.  I should have taken a picture of that monstrosity, I could have made millions with my ingenious invention.  

The boys had a BLAST playing in the water and, of course, with cars.  

First we have to let the water OUT of the pool.

Watering the house.  We'll do anything to try to make it bigger!

They both had to hang on to the hose while they "filled" the pool for the second time.

Cooper really enjoyed flinging water everywhere, especially on his big brother.

He was not a fan, however, when I put the hose away.

 Someone watered my plants for me.  Which is probably a good thing because I'm awful at it.

A Sunny Saturday

We've had some pretty nice weather lately (hence the brownish lawn in the pictures) and while Jess was washing the car, the boys were playing in the sprinkler hose.  At first, Coop wasn't exactly thrilled with it, in fact it was spraying him in the face and he just stood there and whined.  We kept urging him to move but he really wanted one of us to go in there and save him.  When we didn't he finally moved and decided to have fun!  

Eli has really been into having me take pictures lately.  They're either great smiles, like this toothless one or goofy goofy faces.  Gotta love it!

Cooper was having fun tossing Daddy's car rag into the bucket.  He loves the bubbles!

While we worked on dinner, the boys played in the sandbox.

The final event for the evening was when Jess fixed the loose post.  Both kids were interested in what he was doing and the gold deck screws.  Too much fun!

10th Anniversary

Yesterday we celebrated our 10th Anniversary.   I can't believe it's been ten years since we were married.  I guess they're right...time flies when you're having fun!  The next 10 are going to zoom then!!

We celebrated by dropping the kids off with our good friends and we headed downtown.  We rode had dinner on the Space Needle at SkyCity.  It was delicious!  After dinner we went to the waterfront and rode The Great Wheel, it was gorgeous!

Family Pictures!

It's official!  We went and had professional family pictures taken and I have to admit, I love them.  I smile when I see them.  Let's just say, pictures make me happy.  Very happy.

Me and my darling boys.

Eli - 6 years

Cooper - 17 months

Have I mentioned just how much I love and adore these two little boys?  

Well, I do.

March Madness

You might be thinking I'm going to have some great insight about basketball.  Well, I don't.  Instead, it's maddening that it's already the middle of March and I haven't updated our blog since January 28th of last year.  Things have just been crazy busy.

Jess started a new job in November.  He is really enjoying it and hoping it has more possibilities for his future with the company, especially with travel.  Me too, if I get to go with him!

I am still plugging away with my fourth graders.  I love teaching but this year is a definite challenge.  I am having to channel everything I can about classroom management, positive rewards, you name it.  All I can say is when you think you're finally gotten it figured out, you get a group that challenges every ounce of yourself.  I am still working on my Masters.  I had really hoped to finish in a year, but with this group of kids, getting my GLAD Tier IV Consultant certification, and continuing to have any sense of sanity, I just haven't been able to meet my goal.  I will spend some extra time over Spring Break working on it, so there is an end in sight, I just have a few more roads to venture down to get there.

Eli absolutely loves kindergarten and his teacher.  I really don't know a lot about Kindy, but wow.  Beth has it figured out and is amazing with the kids.  I sometimes get frustrated with the immaturity of my fourth graders, I don't know how she does it all day with 5 and 6 year olds.  HAHA  It definitely takes a special heart for primary teachers, they are sweet and ever so kind.  Maybe I should spend more time in their classrooms!  :)  He starts swimming lessons again tomorrow and is extremely excited to be getting back into the pool.

Cooper is growing like a weed.  He continues to be long and lean like Daddy.  He is 16 months old (tomorrow) and such a little goofball.  He jabbers up a storm, and consistently says: momma, daddy, hi, uh-oh, no, nana (banana), and.....I'll think of more later.  Probably as soon as I publish this post!  He is figuring out running and loves to be outside!

Jess and I are both training for the Hood to Coast, a relay from Mt. Hood to Seaside, OR (199 total miles). We both have 3 legs in the relay race, we're running with 10 other people in memory of my Uncle Darwin who passed away on September 12 from non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and Leukemia (a rare side effect of the lymphoma treatment).  The race is a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society's lymphoma research.  If you would like to be a sponsor, let me know!  I'd love to have your support.  The running is...well, going.  I have never been a runner so it's a bit challenging getting started, but I have definitely made progress and am kind of excited about it!  Anything for my Uncle D!

Here are a few pictures from the past three and a half months...

Multnomah Falls

Being Silly

At the Park