Nothing But Photos and Giggles

This scenario, all day long on repeat. Gah! I love these two!

A Note and Random Photos

A brief update on our lives (since I am still trying to play catch up with photos from Minnesota).

We are still in West Linn, Oregon staying with my sister Koo. She has gone from living as a young single adult to having a houseful of active, loud kids and an older sister. The kids are adjusting to living in a town home where the old lady in the house below us is not a fan of loud thumps - or really noise of any kind. I do a lot of shhhhhh-ing. There is a great park within walking distance, a pond with lots of good looking bugs and tennis courts (the kids are teaching themselves how to play).

After a month of ward-hopping, research and talking to every Mother I could find willing to talk schools, I have decided on an area where we hope to live once I have a job. It is called Bethany and is West of Portland. We spent last Sunday attending church up there and driving through the neighborhoods, stopping to look at the schools the kids would attend.

I spend most of my days looking for a good job and I am starting to panic that I will not have a job before school starts - that would not be good. Looking for employment is challenging in this environment and everything is done on-line. I am finding myself at a disadvantage having stayed home to raise children for the past decade. It is discouraging to spend hours and hours every day sending out resumes into the black hole of the Internet only to get no feedback or calls. Last week I applied with four temp agencies to see if I can get into one of the larger companies here in Portland through contract work. Keep your fingers crossed for us and if you have any contacts in the Portland area who work for Intel, Nike, Kaiser, Legacy, Providence, Columbia etc. please introduce me!

Portland is a beautiful place and we try and get out an explore as much as we can. I have been posting a lot of photos on facebook lately because they are so easy to send from my camera. My nice camera has not seen the light of day for far too long.

The kids are adjusting well and seem happy for the most part. They miss their friends in Minnesota but life is OK because we are together! It is so nice to see them developing relationships with their relatives now that they can see some of their cousins every week as well as Aunts and Uncles. I know everything will work out and we will settle into life on the West Coast. We love you and miss all of our dear friends who have been melting in Minnesota this summer!

Sprinkle Sprinkle Little Ball

Summer arrived before we left Minnesota so we pulled out the sprinklers and let the kids enjoy the sun after eight long months of winter. A note on that ball: I bought it at Target and it split the second time we used it. Worthless. Do not waste your money.

Scientist Sophie

There are always many things due the last week or two of school. Sophie had a big research project to present about the inventor of the compound microscope. She did a great job and as a bonus, her Grandpa was in town and able to come and watch and even participate! She brought her own microscope to school and a few dead bugs and slides for her classmates to study.

This was part of her little GT group - we miss these girls so much!

Minnesota Summers

This is how I will remember summers in Minnesota: hot, humid and sticky with happy, flushed, dirty kids.

Math and Science

On that same day as Kindergarten Graduation, Max and Sophie participated in the Math and Science Awards at Red Pine. I'm going to be perfectly honest and admit that I cannot remember what all of these awards were commemorating, but I was there to cheer them on regardless!

Can you see tiny little Sophie?


A bunch of awards for Max (he's in the orange shorts) . . .


I am so grateful for Red Pine. As I search for good schools for my kids in a brand new state, I really appreciate the quality education they received in Eagan. Go Max and Sophie!

In Which I Return

I know, I know. I have neglected this blog. Well, I'm back. I need to finish posting the last of my Minnesota photos because - hello?! - it's August. These were taken in June.

I am both lame and also just a little bit down in the dumps. I had myself a non festive pity party last night that has stretched into today. The truth is, I am struggling to find a good job and am missing my friends and my life in Minnesota. Though we love Oregon, it is beautiful and we are having a wonderful time exploring lots of new places, I miss having friends who know me and I can call to get together for a late night chat at Pardon My French. I miss everyone.

Big breath . . . .

OK, these are some photos from Calvin's graduation from kindergarten. He is adorable and was very proud of his paper hat and cool certificate. His class performed some cute songs with impressive choreography and it was just a lovely little day. I watched his graduation with two little daycare kids (and other one in his class!) so he had a little group cheering for him in the audience!


My little graduate.


Calvin was less than cooperative with the whole photo thing because it was HOT - as he demonstrates below!