Blog Neglect...

So if it is not totally obvious... I have totally and completely neglected our little family blog.  As I was perusing my iPhoto the other day I thought about how many moments and memories have happened since I last visited and thought, it's time to get blogging again.  So here goes... We will do a few flashbacks here and there to play "catch-up".

SUMMER 2012

We have had probably the most amazing summer ever! We have been able to spend more time together as a family than any summer previously and I have to give all the credit to Colin and his brilliant idea of purchasing this...

We have always been a camping/adventure seeking family but since our move to Oregon our camping experiences have been a little on the wet side... no matter what time of year we try and go... we got SOAKED.  So needless to say... we quit camping... Until NOW!  We can pull this behind the truck and go anytime, anywhere, despite the weather forecast and have a fabulous time!  Chloe and Kate have had more camping this summer than all summers previous combined.  As a side note I have to admit.. I love trailer camping WAY more than tent camping any day of the week.... Ok.. call me soft, but seriously..  especially with the wee kiddos this by far is the best way to go explore the outdoors and be able to keep my sanity while trying to keep the kiddos somewhat clean in the process.

We have had more fun sitting around the fire making/burning our s'mores all those beautiful summer evenings... if we happened to get a sprinkle here and there we just promptly move the party inside and gather around the table for a quick game of Spoons or King's Corner or Nertz!  

Although we kind of made the decision to buy this, rather than taking the kids on a one time vacation to Disneyland, I have to admit we made the best choice... this has been the summer of a lifetime and the party has just gotten started!  Plus, I figure, I'm 31 and I still have yet to visit Disneyland... so I guess technically I don't even know what I am missing... Shhh! Don't tell me or my kids... I think we will continue to live in ignorant bliss for now. 

 Jade LOVES the beach!

 Kiddos ready to go swimming at the campsite pool!

 Kate holds the sunset... A beautiful end to a beautiful day at the beach...

 I think they like camping... Can you tell?

 Me relaxing pond side at the Leavenworth Thousand Trails property...  A beautiful sunrise!

So here was just a glimpse of our summer fun!  We had a blast, I'm totally mourning the beginning of winter... Bleh... 

Riding the Summer Away... Part 2

Even though it took me over a week to even want to get back on my bike and ride.. I eventually did recover from the Crater Lake ride. It was an incredible experience and I was thrilled to have accomplished it. I was definitely looking forward to the next scheduled ride, the Harvest Ride, in Oct. I was looking forward to this ride for a couple of reasons... 1. It was a local event. I was excited to ride on familiar terrain... and 2. This was going to be the first century ride for my mom and dad. I was thrilled to accompany them on their first "big ride".

Although anyone who knows my dad, knows that he never does anything half way. So about 6 weeks before the Harvest Ride and in celebration of my parents anniversary they purchased new road bikes for the both of them. My dad was sooooo cute and he sat down and made a spreadsheet for his training log and had it all mapped out on how he was going to build his riding stamina up to a century. Dad was so pumped up for this ride that he started searching around for other organized rides that he could participate in as a 'training' ride... As you can imagine... I got roped into this 'training' ride and again bit off more than I could chew.

I had been training for the Harvest ride but since school had started I had not been able to be as consistent as I had hoped. On the other hand my dad was killing it! He was riding 20+ miles a day and was in TOP physical condition. So he found another Harvest Ride to participate in. This ride was located in Hood River about 1 1/2 hours away from Portland. This Harvest Ride, I assumed, was going to be similar in terrain and was only going to be 60-75 miles depending on the "loops" we chose to ride. We left my house about 4:30 am and went to breakfast. After eating a larger breakfast than one would normally consume... we made our way out to Hood River and found the fairgrounds where the ride began. We got our route maps and headed on our way. Little did I know that we... (and by we, I mean my Dad) had picked the two MOST challenging loops to ride back to back that day. The first loop was the Lost Lake loop, a short but steep climb... and the second loop, Cooper Spur... which turned out to be the longest, tedious, grind of a climb to the peak. AWESOME. I got my butt handed to me... I am sure on more than one occasion I begged my Dad to go on without me and I would eventually meet him at the finish line. No way would he let me get off that easy... he was a total trooper and stuck it out with me the whole time. "We ride as a team... Hanna:" He would give me little reminders all along the way... "It could be worse... we could be on our way to a chemo treatment"... or "Just think of all the disease and health problems we are fighting off with all this exercise!"... or "I can just feel my cholesterol levels dropping by the mile"... to which my response to all of these optimistic little thoughts were... "Well, at least I WOULDN'T BE PEDDLING!!!" Seriously Dad... You should get an award for dealing with me on that day. So by the end of the day we had climbed just about 7,000 ft in just about 75 miles. It turned out to be just as difficult and challenging as the Crater Lake ride. Whew! Good "training" ride Dad!

Starting Line Photo

Pit Stop... Somewhere between Climb 1 and Climb 2

Lost Lake... Peak of Climb 1

Finish Line Photo... I made it... Barely.

You would think that at this point the riding couldn't get anymore difficult or miserable. WRONG! So here it is the first week of October and we are experiencing stellar weather. Beautiful sunny days with mild temperatures... but of course it wouldn't hold out for our last and final ride of the year. A few days before the ride I emailed my parents and just updated them on the weather forecast. My dad promptly replied to my email (not in his EXACT words) but come hell or high water he and Mom had trained way to hard to let weather prevent them from participating. Well... If you're in I'm in... So Saturday morning comes and as we make our way to the starting point it is a brisk morning with a mist of moisture in the air but we are optimistic that the rain will hold off until later in the day. We suit up in our gear and head off with the mist in our faces. Mile 14 our first pit stop... and here comes the rain. It started as a sprinkle and just continued until it became a outright downpour. The rain makes it hard to draft off of each other because of the cascading rooster tail flying off the wheel in front of you. By lunch about 35ish miles into the ride and all 3 of us are soaked to the bone. I'm sure at least one if not all of us wanted to just quit but no one was willing to. So we continued on in the pouring rain. At mile 50 Mom looks over to me and says, "I just thought of the perfect facebook status... Bragging rights is a STUPID reason to do anything!" True. We prevailed regardless of the soaking misery. At about mile 75 the rain lightened and we were able to dry out to a comfortable level of wetness and by the end of the ride we were riding on mostly dry roads. What a difference a dry road makes!

So I would like to give a shout out to my Mom and Dad for finishing their first century in true Oregonian style... In the rain! If they can ride 100 miles in those conditions they could ride any century out there! Way to go!

Unfortunately due to the rain... No pictures were taken to document our misery... so you will just have to take my word for it! :0)

Edy Ridge Fun Run... Run Chloe... Run!

Chloe with her 2nd grade teacher Mrs. Birch

Here are some pictures from this years Edy Ridge Fun Run. Chloe did a fabulous job and was so anxious to participate. Last year in first grade she ran 6 laps. This year her goal was to run 7... not only did she reach her goal but she surpassed it by 2 additional laps! She was incredible and such a fast little runner! 4 laps around the track is equal to one mile. I was amazed and so proud that she ran OVER TWO MILES! Way to go Chloe! It also helped that Mimi and Daddy were cheering from the sidelines and I joined in the run as well and joined her in running the last 5 laps of her run. Mimi and Papa were the most generous donors this year by sponsoring Chloe for $10 a lap! What a fun day and the best part was the popsicle waiting at the finish line!

Chloe with her friends Sophia (above) and Madison (below)

Riding the Summer Away... Part 1

Well it's obvious that I have been slacking in my duties to keep the blog updated. It usually takes me a review of the pictures on my phone to even remember what we have been up to for the last 6 months. So I finally have a few minutes to sit down and reflect on the activities over the summer and give a brief run down of the happenings of the Hales.

I have been cycling... Since March (my birthday) when I got my first legit road bike, I have now racked up over 1500 miles. I have participated in 3 century rides and one 75 mile ride. My first organized ride was June 5th in Logan UT it was the Little Red Riding Hood Century. It was an all women ride that included 3000 riders from all over! The best part was that I was able to ride with my bestest friend in the world Alyssa. It was a stellar ride and a great way to start the cycling season!

Finish Line Photo with Super Red (Event Mascot)

On the course... somewhere between mile 1 and 100.

Pit Stop!

The only injury sustained on the ride... One wicked sunburn! OUCH!

I was so totally pumped up after accomplishing that first 100 mile ride that I promptly came back to Oregon and started looking for other organized rides. I found a ride around Crater Lake in Southern Oregon and promptly signed up. I tried to convince other biking family members to sign up with me but apparently, they knew something that I should have paid more attention to. Crater Lake is a BEAUTIFUL place to visit with spectacular views from the rim of the lake. What I failed to make note of was the GAIN in elevation. This particular ride has in increase in elevation of 7500ft. At this point... a little late I must admit, I started to pay attention to the details of this ride. This is what was staring me back in the face.

STARS DIFFICULTY VERTICAL GAIN (feet) DISTANCE MILES
****** Extremely difficult 3,000-3,500+ 100+
***** Difficult 2,000-3,000+ 60-80
**** Moderate 1,000-2,000+ 40-60
*** Easy to moderate 500-1,000 20-40
** Easy 250-500 10-20
* Children's ride 0-250 Under 10

Awesome... This was no children's ride. What in the hell had I signed myself up for? I'm not going to make it. But it was too late. June 30 was the last day for a REFUND... so like it or not, I'm in for it. I'm riding. Then comes the phone call...

"Hey Hanna, It's Dad. Um, so I was thinking I might join you at the last minute, that we could ride the tandem together, so I looked at the ride profile... (long SILENT pause) Hanna? Do you realize what you have signed up for? Do you realize how much climbing is involved in this ride? I'm concerned... I don't think you are going to make it. "

My heart drops into my stomach... My arms and legs start to quiver with the rush of fear and adrenaline. I don't know whether to cry or to be angry... so I do neither. I just quietly reply, "Well Dad, I know now! I should have paid more attention but I was excited and I just signed up. It's too late. I'm riding. I might not finish but I just might die trying. I don't have to "kill it" (referring to the climb portion) It's not a race. I'll take my time. The goal at this point isn't to get a personal record... it's just to finish."

So needless to say on the morning of August 21, 2010... I was terrified. I was about to embark on the most difficult ride of my life and I was riding it ALONE. I pull into Fort Kalamath at 6:30 that morning. It was a chilly morning somewhere around 40 degrees. They were allowing riders to depart every 5-10 minutes. So I gear up. I have my personal support team, Colin, Chloe, Kate and Jade. I head off and my plan was to take it easy and try to find someone that has a similar cadence and pace and stick with them. Within the first 5 miles I find a gal riding solo. She looks totally fit. One of those ladies that eat, breathe, live for exercise... She looks like my best option... so I ride up to her. Yep, she is one of those ladies... total triathlete. As a matter of fact she had participated in a triathlon just the weekend before. GREAT... AWESOME... STELLAR!!! I picked the most physically fit person in the group and she is going pick me up, chew me to pieces and spit me right back onto the road. I should have quit before I started. There is no shame in pulling off the road slashing my own tires and throwing my repair kit off a cliff and just say I forgot it... Right? Well luckily she turned out to be a totally awesome lady and she was riding solo because a bunch of her friends bailed on her at the last minute. She was a little angel sent down to ride me all the way to the finish line... and that's what she did. After I ended up doing what I said I wouldn't do... I totally killed the first 1000 ft climb. I had to prove to the mountain that I had the legs to make it. I got to the first pit stop and my legs were already jello, and I wanted to puke my guts out... I decided that my triathlete friend may have more experience and knowledge in pacing the ride. I waited for her to get to the stop refreshed our water bottles, scarfed down a few cookies and a handful of fritos (calorie counting doesn't apply to ride days) to get me to the next stop and permanently attached myself to her back wheel and drafted her the rest of the ride. I made it... BARELY... but I finished. With out Katie Swank I would have never made it up those last few ascents... Now I understand why people ride up canyons, it's to go downhill... Let's be honest, that's how I made it to the finish. The last 8 miles of the route was straight down hill. I really have to give a shout out to the best SAG team ever. Colin was a brilliant SAG vehicle. They parked sporadically along the route to cheer me on... How can you quit when you have your girls cheering on the side of the road, "Go Mom! Go!" You can't. Thanks for your cheering. Thank you to my Dad, it may have been out of spite that I even finished the ride. There were more times than not that I wanted to quit but I heard your voice in my head saying, "I don't think you will make it." I would fight back... from a place deep down inside... cause there was no way that I was going to let you be right. Come hell or high water and excruciating pain, I was going to finish. I did.

Chloe the Ice Skater

Chloe has recently taken up an interest in ice skating... Most likely for two reasons:
1) We live about 5 minutes away from one of the only ice rinks in Portland.
2) Her Daddy plays hockey and she wants to do anything and everything like her daddy.

Needless to say she is not half bad on the ice. She has picked it up fairly quickly and has really enjoyed her lessons. So for her seventh birthday she asked for her own pair of ice skates. As you can expect her Daddy couldn't disappoint... He was actually just as excited to buy them as she was to receive them. So we headed to the pro shop conveniently located next door to the rink, and bought the cutest pair of little white ice skates. Chloe was very specific in requesting the white ones with the brown heel!



So... It only makes sense that for her birthday we finished the day with a family ice skating adventure. Chloe invited her friend that she has lessons with and Mimi and Papa. Everyone was such a great sport! We even had our favorite babysitter, Natasha, stop by and show Chloe some of her tricks! It was a lot of fun. We topped it off with some hot chocolate and a Hannah Montana ice cream cake! Happy 7th Birthday Chloe... Time has flown by!

Cookies... Cookies... and more Cookies....

So some of you may or may not know this about me but when I am down and out... aka depressed... I bake. It started with Christmas cookies... then snowflake cookies for January, Valentines Day, then St. Patrick's Day, and finished with Easter...
Honestly... I should be 400 lbs by now. I have no problem whatsoever with having sugar cookies for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I love sugar cookies. It's all about the ratio too... you must have the right amount of frosting to a thinner crispier cookie, no cake-y dry need a glass of milk with your cookie here... So here are some results of the last 5 cookie baking episodes.





So there you have it... At least one cookie baking session per raining month... It has been an unusually rainy May and June and it has taken every fiber of my willpower to not breakout the KitchenAid and get mixing. On the flip side... I do earn points with my kids for allowing them to decorate cookies! It looks like a hurricane of sprinkles made a direct path through my kitchen every time too!

Kate's 3rd Birthday... 5 months later...

So here it is the first week of June and I was kindly reminded by my Mom reading my blog that it was time for an 'update'.... Needless to say that is like the understatement of the last 6 months... So instead of rambling on like and incessant fool, I will do little blog entries and post some pics from the last six months to see if we can get up to speed. We will start with Jan 4, 2010...

Happy Birthday Baby Kate!

So at a certain point in every kid-hood there comes a point in time when you look at your child and think how insanely fast they are growing... At some point in this last year of being two my baby Kate has become just Kate... she is growing up so quickly and wants to be such an independent little person. At this point I am so ready for her to be in preschool and to share the obligation of teaching her something of value with someone else, but preschool here in Sherwood costs a small fortune every month $150 for two days a week for 3 hours per visit... I thought $85 was a lot when I put Chloe in preschool! YIKES! So for now she is stuck with me teaching her colors, shapes, letters and sounds... At this point we have learned up to K... I figured this one would be cake... K-K-Kate... Um... NO... She says, "Mom... It's K-K-Tate!" Awesome! Obviously... I am a phenomenal teacher! It's been a couple months of discussing Kate... and when you ask her what her name is she still is Tate... Oh how I love my baby Tate!

As far as the birthday party went... we kept it pretty small and affordable... She loved that she finally got her own guitar so she can rock out to Hannah Montana with her sister and be the "rock stars" that they really are. She was also given a baby doll that giggles, cries, and says, "Momma" when you squeeze it's tummy... She wasn't quite sure about it at first but now she is loving that she is finally the Mommy for someone...





Happy Birthday Baby Kate... I love you... Even on the tough days... Oh... and I meant no harm by putting you up for sale on Facebook the other day... It was a rough one, but I love you just the same.

My First Oregonian Winter

So it has been a while since posting anything and all for good reason... Well not really. It has been a whirlwind of the last few months as I am sure it has been for everyone else. First we celebrated Colin's big 30th birthday, unfortunately without much fan fare and hype. I bought him some Wii games that he requested and Rockband which has turned out to be more of a purchase for me than for him... (snicker... snicker). Although I did take him to go the the comedian/ventriloquist Jeff Duham. It was a brilliant performance with all the favorite characters and lines from the usual acts. Je-ff-a was hysterical. I just wish that we would have had better seats because we spent most of the time watching the jumbo screen so we could actually see the show. Not to mention the OBNOXIOUS fan sitting next to me that would not quit racing through the lines to yell out the punch lines before Jeff could finish his joke. Honestly... I paid the outrageous price for the ticket to the show to hear the man on the stage... not some redneck, white trash, over cologned man sitting next to me... (I'm not bitter at all can you tell?) With that aside we did have a fabulous night out and enjoyed the rare occasion of being without the kids for the night!

Moving on... Then we followed Colin's birthday with the annual holiday of Thanksgiving which we celebrated by fixing a fabulous meal for 16, chaotic and stressful would not be colorful enough to describe that day. We had the opportunity of having Colin's sister and her family as well as his parents come to town for the holiday. I was a little overwhelmed with getting the house in order to sleep an extra 6 bodies and also planning meals not only for the "big" dinner but for all the other meals as well. Alyssa gave me the "hot" tip on brining (aka marinating) the turkey a day before Thanksgiving to have the best fall off the bone and melt in your mouth moist turkey. It was a lot of work but in the end I think it was worth the effort! I was glad to have the company and it was the first Thanksgiving in 7 years that I got to spend with my (the Hansen side) of the family. It was fantastic and fabulous... next year I am off duty for the cookin'... I'm just sayin'. It took me a few weeks to recover from Thanksgiving... Exhaustion is not an understatement!

After Thanksgiving we moved on to Christmas. Oh! To remember the days of naïvety... to believe again in Santa and all things fairy tale again. This will probably be the last Christmas that Chloe will "truly" believe in Santa. In the years to come we will have to threaten her with her life to keep the secret for the sake of her little sister. Regardless... We pulled off Christmas. We ended up going to Crystal Mountain, WA for a few nights to a ski in - ski out condo. It was so nice to be back up in the mountains! To see snow again! It just doesn't feel like Christmas without the white stuff! It was beautiful weather... like spring skiing in December. The snow was fabulous.. the sun was out and the girls held their own. Chloe is doing a phenomenal job of skiing without a wedgie... (a clip to hold the tips of her skies together) and Kate was more than content chillin' in the backpack on my back. I will post some pics as soon as I download them from my phone and the camera.

Christmas day went off without a hitch. Chloe got her EasyBake oven she had been begging for and Kate got the ice cream shoppe for Play-doh. It was a small Christmas, but pleasant. Colin and I don't usually exchange gifts but this year I decided to make him a rag quilt with his initials embroidered on it. I had made one earlier in the year for myself and at one point he had mentioned that he wanted a quilt of his own... so he got it! We drove home the day after Christmas and it was nice to be home again.

As far as New Year's eve goes we kept it pretty low key. We went to a friend of my mom's house and played a stellar game of Pictionary, girls vs. boys, girls totally rocked it! Whoot Whoot! Then before midnight we headed to go visit my youngest brother Seth at his new apartment and rang in the new year with him. Chloe even stayed up until midnight... impressive for a 6 year old! I got the opportunity to explain to her what all the fuss was about the "New" year... She is such a sponge... she just soaks it all in!

Now since the holidays have come and gone we are back to the daily grind. We are just battening down the hatches for the next couple of months as Colin will be traveling a bunch with the demo cat and the Vancouver Olympics are just around the corner... Here we go! I will be a snowcat widow for the next couple of months, but it pays the bills so I can't complain.

So there you have it! That's what we have been up to... and for what it is worth... Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of you! We send you our love!

Does It Really Start This Early?

So the other night as I was tucking Chloe into bed she said to me, "Mom, I've been thinkin'...."

I reply, "Oh yeah, What are you thinkin' about?"

Chloe says, "Well... (pause with hesitation), What is it gonna feel like when I have a boyfriend?"

Um.... are you kidding me? Are you freakin' kidding me? What is it gonna feel like? You are SIX! I don't need to worry about what it is going to feel like because I am sure I have mentioned before that you are not going to date until your 25 and you won't be married before your 30! So get those stinkin' butterflies out of your stomach and forget the feeling because you have a lot of growing up to do before you feel that way about anyone! Whoa.... Calm down... Breathe... In... Out...

I reply, "You know Chloe, it will be fun and exciting. You will have butterflies in your stomach every time you see him. You will be happy to see him. But, Chloe... the only boyfriend you will have for a very long time is your Dad. So let's just stick with that. How about it?"

Chloe: "Yeah Mom... I know... I was just thinkin'!"

I turned to leave her room and for the first time in a while I felt... scared, unprepared, and incapable. How do I raise this kid to avoid the mistakes I made... How do I prepare her to make 'good' choices... I am in way over my head.

Happy Halloween

Tooth fairy and Duck

Hay ride to the Pumpkin Patch

This one looks good!

Kate marks her by sitting on it!

Halloween has come and gone... We had a great time! Kate was a TROOPER! She followed Chloe everywhere she went! She filled up her little pumpkin to the top with candy! As we were trick or treating I tried to lighten Kate's load of candy by stuffing my pockets to make her pumpkin not so heavy... but she wouldn't have it! Oh no... She had a fit! "Mine Mom! Mine candy!" So I emptied my pockets back in her trick or treat bag and on she went... until about a block from the house. "Too heavy, Mom! Too heavy, Dad's turn." So she parked herself on Colin's shoulders and demanded that he continue to trick or treat with her on his shoulders. Silly Kate!

Chloe was the tooth fairy this year... and considering that there is no 'tooth fairy' costume to buy I had to get creative. We bought a regular fairy costume then cut out tooth shapes of felt and glued them on her costume and made her a tooth fairy wand. It was sufficient enough for her and off she went! She has been OBSESSED with the tooth fairy lately... since her teeth have started falling out. She has mentioned on many occasions that she wants to grow up to be the tooth fairy... How do I tell her that she will be one day, but that it comes without all the glam of wings, and pixie dust, and flying? Well... I guess one day she will figure it out all on her own.

Chloe did her round of trick or treating then she was ready to go home and hand out candy... to her that was just as fun as getting it! What can I say the tooth fairy is a giver... Right!?! We had a fun and safe Halloween!

It's No Daybreak... But I Guess It Will Do.

Guest Room/Sewing Room

Master Bedroom (unfinished)

Kate's Bedroom (partially finished)

Chloe's Room (Oh... the hours spent in here)

Kitchen with Eating Nook to the left.

Family Room

Front Room used to be a Formal Dining Room for previous owner.

Exterior including that sweet 'artificial' grass... No maintenance! Whoot! Whoot!

So we have been here for just over a month and it is beginning to feel a little more like home. I have been busy unpacking, organizing, painting, and discovering my OCD tendencies. I have had many moments of working on house projects, like painting my kids room, and wondering to myself... Hmmm... why is this so important to me? Why do I want things to be just right? Do I have a problem? (other than my addiction to Diet Coke... which is no secret.) Am I sacrificing something else in spending my time this way? When will I be "finished"? I have no answers to the above questions but I guess that awareness is the first step... Right?

Other than me staying busy with project after project... Colin has really enjoyed only being a few miles away from work. He is getting a little busier now the weather is starting to turn. Demo season is upon us and that means it is time for him to hit the road, but so far his travel schedule has been minimal in comparison to previous seasons. The shop set up is winding down and now it is time for the real business to begin. He enjoys running the show, and I'm happy he loves his job.

Chloe is getting settled at her new elementary and enjoys her teacher. Apparently, when your child goes to first grade you become one of the lesser important people in their lives because TEACHER knows it ALL. I was hoping that the age that my children stop idolizing me would at least be closer to... say... 15! Oh, Chloe... I love ya anyway.

Kate is a riot! She is persistent, stubborn and undeterred... she knows what she want and she will get it at all costs. I just hope that her persistence follows her through life and serves her well other than just getting fruit snacks out of mom before lunch... and dinner. Her vocabulary is blossoming daily and she is our little family parrot and will... repeat... anything... that is said. The other day out of the blue she told me to 'Shut up! Mom!' After I picked my jaw up off the floor and pulled myself together and promptly put her in time out, she quickly learned it is NOT okay to tell your mother to Shut Up!

So all in all we are doing well. I miss our friends and family in Utah more than words can express. I am still looking for the "reason" we were meant to be here, but for now we are here and doing what we can to make the best of it.

We are up and ready for visitors anytime! I promise to show you a good time and how could anyone pass up a FREE place to stay!

My Chloe is Growing Up!

Chloe has been looking forward to have a tooth fall out for YEARS! She had a little friend that lost a tooth a few years ago and ever since she has been sporadically running to me at full speed to tell me that her tooth IS loose, which unfortunately it wasn't. So as time passed her tooth finally decided it was time to wiggle... a little.

Then we started counting the 'sleeps' until her tooth would finally come out... I guessed 7 sleeps but how am I supposed to know? It was longer than 7 sleeps... I lost count. But after many days of wiggling and ultimately allowing her dad to clean pliers... that's right I said PLIERS... and try with them... which was barbaric and unsuccessful. Colin used floss and tied his triple whammy knot around her tooth and during an interrogation about her upcoming first day at school... He yanked and to her surprise... she finally lost her first tooth.

Now the chain reaction has started and the tooth fairy is eventually going to be broke. This tooth fairy isn't paying Jacksons 'round here! (I had a friend pay her son a $20 because that's all the ATM gave out! Um... note to self, go to ATM get cash then buy a diet coke or pack of gum! Then give the kid a buck or two...or 3!) So our tooth fairy dishes out 3 Washingtons but I thought that was pretty good considering I got maybe .25 cents. Inflation is a bee-otch!

So... Chloe was thrilled when her second tooth was getting looser and looser, but not to my surprise she wouldn't allow me or Colin to come within inches of her mouth to wiggle it or anything! Um... can we say traumatized from the first go 'round? So it wiggled and wiggled and got to the point that it was sooooo loose it was hanging on by a thread and would flap in a light breeze. So we convinced Chloe to give it a shot on her own. Here are the results! What a riot!

Chloe is in the First Grade

Chloe and her first grade teacher Mrs. Ayers

Chloe,

Today is a big day for you and as your mom I can't tell you how happy we are for you to start on this new adventure. You have grown up so quickly and I can't believe that from this day forward you will spend more time being educated by others than by me. I love you Chloe and am so proud of you.

Having said that... Chloe has done well with all the transition lately. We have moved into our new home here in Sherwood Oregon and are discovering the new neighborhood. My girls have been so resilient to all of the changes in the last year and I couldn't have made it through all this without them. Chloe has set a stellar example of how to go out an put yourself out there to make new friends and for that I appreciate her, because without her pulling me out to meet her new friends it would be so easy to stay to myself.

Baby Kate is hanging in there and now that Chloe is at school most of the day, Kate is continually asking me, "Mama, where is di-der (sister)?" I don't know how many different ways I can tell her that sister is at school and she is coming home soon. It has been nice to have some one on one time with Kate but I am pretty sure that we both miss Chloe while she is at school.

For now I am staying busy with unpacking and organizing the house. I am enjoying having a blank canvas to work with. So far I have painted one accent wall in my front room and I have painted Kate's room. I am working on Chloe's room now and can't wait until it is all put together. Pictures to come later... But for now I have to head to the bus stop to pick up Chloe from school!

What's Better Than Two Little Girls and a Tea Party?

So for Father's Day us girls decided to give Colin a digital photo frame with some new pictures to view.  So with the help of Seth's fiancee and some pearl jewelry and a tea set this is what we ended up with!  It was so fun to watch the girls play... the pictures turned out really well!  Thanks Bea!