preparations

It took me an entire afternoon to reassemble this baby carseat and get it installed in my car.  Totally ridiculous.  I wasn't planning on leaving it in, but the task was so hard it is now staying in for life.  Getting ready for 3 deep in the backseat.  

mother's day

I was treated to an entire weekend of Mother's Day festivities by these boys and their daddy.  It was pretty good spoilage.  We also had Mother's Day tea at school.  The mommies were asked to wear hats and bring tea cups.  We used Gramma Dorothy's cups and saucers for the special party.  

girl stuff

Checking out his sister's loot.  "Mommy?  How do they put on tutus?"

It's a whole new world of pink around here.  

34.5 weeks

One Chinese fire drill at 10pm on a Wednesday night.  Three friends to my rescue.  Two hours on the monitor.  Lots of contractions.  One shot of terbutaline.  One cancelled trip for Daddy.  And one pre-term delivery avoided.  Now laying low and waiting....

snap shot of laundry

sock matching by boys @ the living room

new dentist

One thing we did have in Vancouver was a super pediatric dentist.  We managed to get back over there for check ups for about a year but that wasn't a realistic thing to keep up.  And so it is that we have a new dentist.  And he is also fantastic!  (He happens to be friends with our Vancouver dentist.)  Both boys got a report card A+ on their teeth.  

baby shower brunch

When we moved to Bend I knew it was where we wanted to raise our kids.  We love the lifestyle, the outdoor adventure, and the smaller town life.  What I didn't expect to find so readily was a really solid group of friends and community.  It has been such a blessing to find myself forming true and lasting friendships with a group of girls that I love (as well as couple friends and family friends and church friends...it's been good!).  These dear ladies spent one beautiful morning celebrating the impending arrival of our new baby with and for me.  It was a such a treat and I am so grateful.  

pied-a-terre

These sleepy sleepers are snoozing on their new little beds, with bedding they got to pick out, on the floor of our new family apartment in the South Waterfront neighborhood of Portland.  We made a super quick trip over to help move and unpack and explore before baby girl keeps us temporarily grounded in Bend.  We are on the 29th floor with a beautiful view up the Willamette River in a very cozy one bedroom.  Our new neighborhood has river trails for miles, a very nice park with splash pad, a farmers market, a few good restaurant options (truffle fries at Little Big Burger anyone?) and the Portland streetcar.  It places us right in the action of town and super close to old friends, Grandmere and our Lake Oswego Auntie, Uncle and cousins.  We are super excited about it!  

life at home from a wally's eye view

back country skiers

Checking out the backside with Daddy.  Followed by skiing Cirque bowl.  What??  

spring happenings

Catching flies in Grandmere's trap.

cassie visits

unpredictable

Sometimes in the Spring you wake up to a surprise  And it is so beautiful!  

lucky day

And then...amazingly...we won the lotto.  15 spots for 300 applicants and Walter's ticket was pulled.  Kindergarten at Highland Elementary Magnet School here we come!   Hooray!

sunriver dinner with friends by wally and fritz