Sunday, November 3, 2019

Happy birthday to me!

I totally thought I was already 43... Like the last six months I have been saying I'm 43... So now that I actually have TURNED THE CORRECT NUMBER, I have a feeling it will feel like a long "year" :)

We had a busy soccer Saturday, and then a fun dinner out to Laurelhurst Market, and a homemade lemon meringue pie that Kyle made... We got to share dessert with Nana and Poppy who were here watching the kids during our birthday date!

All in all, special day filled with the ones I love! So thankful to be alive!

This is the Day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it...
Psalm 118:24


What a beautiful pie!

Free birthday champagne, and birthday BACON!

The most delicious oysters

Emo picture capturing my newest gift, a
sweet necklace from Maddie

Marcus' gift to me: hugs and Milk Duds

Air hockey with Nana (not pictured)


Poker with Poppy

At my birthday breakfast with friends, Mothers Bistro gifted me a
free slice of fudge cake. I don't hate this idea :)





Friday, November 1, 2019

Happy Halloween

We have another year of individual costumes (meaning the group theme has not been revived, a moment of silence while I grieve please). Still a VERY fun year, made even more fun with friends joining us for trick or treating around our neighborhood!

Marin: Guardian Angel

Maddie: Doctor

(funny story about this... cashier at Costco asked her what her costume was going to be, she says "Doctor", he says "oh really, not a Nurse?" (side eye)... she says "no, a Doctor", he says "oh, is that because your mom here is a Doctor?" (winking at me), she says "no, actually my mom is an Engineer", he sputters and realizes he had perhaps judged us prematurely, including some sort of swear about us actually being Bad A$$ women... it was both funny and an interesting interaction that gave me and Maddie great material for our conversation riding home. First off, how sometimes people expect women to be a certain thing (that's on them). Secondly, how it's OUR job to not place our identities in our careers or labels, and be confident in who God made us to be regardless of whether our title does or does not impress someone (that's on us)... also who knew Halloween costumes would cause me to get on my soap box, ha ha!!

Max: Dex (a character from his favorite book series, Keeper of the Lost Cities)

Marcus: Swedish Viking

Did you know I had a dream that my kids would be "M&M's" (because like I mentioned earlier we USED to do cute group costumes, and all my kids start with M). I feel like I missed the boat here, and I'm never getting over it.

But, lookie here... Marin's cute friend Sophia created a plan for all their friends to be M&M's for their school costume day, and LO AND BEHOLD we have a group of mostly grown children dressed as my dream. They are adorable!!

Also! Our elementary school had their first annual Trunk or Treat Harvest Festival... Even my big kids wanted to come (except Maddie then decided to stay home because she heard none of her friends were coming - but then when I saw three of her best friends were there IN COSTUME - I took selfies with them and sent them to her. I'm so nice. I only feel 2% guilty for reminding her how much fun she could have had (is that also called rubbing it in?)

Halloween festivities were topped by trick-or-treating and party at our house, with some of our friends from church. So thankful to have these wonderful friends in our lives!



Look at the Starbucks themed trunk!!!

I mustachio a question














Kyle dressed as a Husky coach he is
currently disgruntled with :)


Thursday, October 31, 2019

Fall sports

Our fall spot lineup: Marin playing volleyball, Max & Marcus playing soccer! Kyle has been helping coach Max's team, which is AWESOME. He is such a good coach, and I'm so so happy that both he and Max seem to be really enjoying doing this together.

I LOVE watching my kids play sports!! I have soccer earrings and volleyball earrings, so that's my team spirit contribution!


Blue Megaladons



Red Titans



Is yard work a sport?

Little Boomer

Max is incredible at goalie

Fall field trips/clubs


Marcus' class walked to the local fire station. Max's class when to Chief Lelooska cultural center as part of their Native American studies. Maddie is having loads of fun in the "Girls in STEM" club where she explores different fields in the math/science world. They have women in different fields come and speak, and recently they took the kids on a field trip to the Primate Research Center that is actually located near us.








Sheep brains are cool 




Snuggly moments

A few snuggly moments including four kids on the floor under blankets, two grand daughters surpassing their Nana in height, and a sassy 10 year old boy who is not too old for a ride on mom's reclining garden chair (it actually feels like a scary ride the way I do things)...





Thorns game

Our sweet neighbors invited Maddie to a night out to watch the Portland Thorns womens soccer team. Her friend hadn't actually been before, so Maddie showed her how the scarf cheers worked :) Go Thorns!!