Gus and Lucy

Super Bowl 2011

2011-02-18T12:24:00.001-08:00

Super Fun time was had by all at our annual Super Bowl Party. We had Jake and Andi come up and bring their girls, Reine and Rose, and it was so nice catching up with them now that they are back in the Northwest.

Go Pack!

Andi and Rose

cute frowny face

lots of people, lots of food...

..and snow - suprise snow storm brought us inches for the kids to play in.

shortest superbowl guest, Rosemary, hanging in the kitchen..

nothing better than a pile o' kids, playing well together.. (we had 9 kids running wild -good times!)

Hanging around....

2011-02-17T20:53:00.000-08:00

Recently, Gus had his 100th day of kindergarten. He diligently counted out 100 dry noodles and completed his 100 project.

the Many Faces of Lucy

2011-02-17T20:45:00.000-08:00

We are so proud of our Lu Lu! She is pretty much potty trained - only wears a diaper at night and wakes early to go potty all on her own. She was so easy to train, only had about two accidents, and is such a big girl. Yay Lucy!

Trains - Gus Can't Get Enough

2011-02-17T20:34:00.000-08:00

Sledding Party

2011-02-17T19:52:00.001-08:00

Matt got some great pics of Gus at his friend's sledding birthday party. I was home recovering from the flu. Happy to say we are all healthy and survived the terrible Oroville flu bug that was going around.

My fave little guy is sick today - having a look back at old vids (Oct '10)

2011-01-14T12:55:00.000-08:00

Sat. night - Lucy style

2011-01-14T12:52:00.000-08:00

Saturday Morning

2011-01-08T09:55:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Everyone!

We had a wonderful Christmas and New Year's... The O'Briens came up - Grandpa Dick, Grandma Connie, Aunt Molly, Uncle Aaron, and dog-cousin Patsy. We ate, drank, opened presents, decorated cookies, watched out for Gary the elf, watched Griswold's Christmas Vacation.... lots of fun times.

Matt and I got each other a new camera for Christmas, we love it - its a Canon G12 and it takes the best photos. I am sorting through hundreds of photos as we are learning all the different settings and how to use it.

Here are some pics I just took of Lucy dancing around the kitchen this morning in her new Hello Kitty sweat suit that she really loves.

....one more

2010-11-21T15:58:00.000-08:00

I love how Lucy gives Ash a very deliberate nice touch in this video.

Lucy and May

2010-11-21T12:16:00.000-08:00

Gus and Ash

2010-11-21T12:01:00.000-08:00

Ash-man visits

2010-11-21T11:49:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we had a wonderful visit with Ben and Holli and of course the new little guy, Ash.

Here are some highlights.

Gus couldn't get enough of little Ash guy. He was a great helper.

The girls played dress up and here they were doing ring around the rosies.

Story time with Grammy Kath.

Cuteness!

Fall Fun

2010-11-07T16:15:00.001-08:00

Kids acting photogenic on a Sat. afternoon.

The Grimm reaper, scary stuff!

My ghost pumpkin that ended up looking more like Gumby than a ghost.

The Halloween Festivities were really spread out this year, so the kids had what seemed like a week of celebrations. The weekend before we went up to Taber's for the pumpkin patch and photo-op. Each kid gets to pick out there own pumpkin for free, its pretty nice. Then Friday before Halloween the kids did downtown trick or treating at the business, Sat. was the Carnival at the school, and Sunday was the big show. Gus woke early Sunday and came in to our bedroom to announce, "Today is the day!".

Gus was a Transformer - Bumblebee- and Lucy was a fairy princess that she called "Pretty Ballet"- pretty cute.

Other current events include Lucy enjoying showers and wanting to put her hair in a turban like I do every morning. Gus has started singing mock-opera which is hard to describe, but just trust me the kid sounds pretty good.

Matt and I went to have a parent teacher conference with Gus's teacher and we are happy to report he is doing really well in kindergarten and is well behaved at school.

Today we took down the crib (sniffle sniffle) and put up Lucy's big girl bed. We also moved the computer out of her room and moved it upstairs to our room. Lucy has the biggest bedroom in the house now.

We are so looking forward to this Thursday when we finally get to hold our new cousin / nephew Ash Nelson Ugaldea! They are coming up for a visit and I am so excited to see his little baby self.

Well my roast chicken needs basting.... hopefully my next post will be sooner than a month from now.

Fall!

2010-10-03T17:57:00.000-07:00

Its hard to believe September has come and gone so fast and now we are thinking about pumpkins and costumes. The weeks seem to pass even quicker with Gus now in kindergarten. He goes to school all day everyday and really loves the whole thing. We are grateful to have a good school and an awesome teacher for Gus.

The biggest news lately is the arrival of Uncle Ben and Aunt Holli's baby, Ash Nelson. He was born on the 30th and the kids are so excited to have another cousin.

Here are some photos from the month of September for you to enjoy:

Gus's first day of school: Yes, he got on the bus and I cried. I have no idea where the last 5 years went.

Matt enjoys packing Gus's lunch.

Kiddos coloring. Gus has homework every night and Lucy has to do whatever he is doing.

Monster egg! This double yolker was freakishly large. The chickens are producing 3 eggs a day so that makes 3 out of five that are laying..

Gus and Matt went fishing yesterday.

Its been a month, time for a re-cap

2010-08-10T19:59:00.000-07:00

Wow, where is the summer going? The days are getting shorter- just a tiny bit- but I am noticing. Gus starts school on the 31st, and I felt a slight coolness in the air today. Dare I say it- fall is right around the corner. I don't mind too much, we go camping and continue to enjoy the garden into late Sept, early Oct... Here are some photos showing what we have been up to the last month or so....

Lucy- the hair

There was a little girl, who had a little curl,
right in the middle of her forehead.
And when she was good, she was very very good,
and when she was bad she was horrid.

This nursery rhyme I feel was written for Lulu. She is a very good girl, most of the time. And I love her unruly mop of hair.

She has a fondness for this hat and I find her wearing it around the house all the time.

We are trying to work on potty training but we haven't seen enough progress to really get on the potty bandwagon yet.

The Garden

Thanks to the cool and damp early summer, our garden has done really well this season.
Since I took this photo, the sunflowers have grown another 3 feet- no joke.

Chickens are doing great and we promise a breaking news story when they lay the first egg. I think Barbara may be the winner, she is quite large and is acting very broody these days.

Camping

I am here to tell you that Sun Lakes is the hottest place this side of hell the third week of July. Just file that away under general info you should be aware of. We had a ton of fun nonetheless...

Matt directing awning positions for maximum coverage.

The RB, photo taken in the 8 minute frame of shade we had at 8:45 AM.

kiddos in the lake
we had a cherry taste test- Lapins won for best cherry flavor, however Rainier were noted to be sweeter...

Lulu and I -we had a ball in the lake.

Yard Sale-ing
It was epic, if I don't say so myself.

Matt's handy dandy sign holder up-er.

Folks getting really good deals.

Matt put a sticker on the front door, however there were no offers..

Fishing

Boat Floats....

I like steering, its much easier that rowing.

Birds

Matt curses the owls at work, dotes on our chickens in the back yard, and now, we have these quail to worry about.

Mrs. Quail decided to make a nest out of our hanging geranium...

One night Matt went to water and discovered these tiny little babies.. It was quite the adventure, relocating them to a covered area under out deck.

That is all for now... lots of exciting things coming up the next month or so... I promise to be back with a full report, complete with photos.

Pool Piglet

2010-07-08T17:46:00.000-07:00

Matt took this video of Lucy jumping into the pool at the O'Brien family reunion. She was absolutely fearless and spent about 3 hours a day in the pool. She did other tricks besides jumping; putting her face in the water, dipping her head back, and splashing. All these tricks plus her skin tone = new nickname: pool piglet. Gus also practiced his swim techniques and tested out the new bakugan goggles that Aunt Molly and Uncle Aaron gave him for his birthday.

4th of July in Walla Walla

2010-07-08T16:35:00.001-07:00

We spent the 4th down in Walla Walla visiting Uncle Ben, Aunt Holli, cousin May, and baby to be. It was a great three day weekend. Grammy Kath and Grandpa Tim joined us. We went to a Sweets game, Pioneer Park, the market, out for a delicious lunch at Braisserie 4, drank Ben's homebrew, ate scrumptious barbequed meats, lit tons of fire works, and had a nice meal at Olive as well..... phew... Summer has officially started.

May-may all suited up and ready to go.

Lulu sporting her 'kini.

Ben and Holli

MMmm barbeque...

It didn't take Lucy long to figure out Uncle Ben's ribs.

Holli's delicious berry trifle.

Taking in a Sweets game. Love the Walla Walla Sweets!

Gus and one of his catches.

June Garden

2010-06-19T10:41:00.001-07:00

Our chickens are growing as fast as the rest of the garden, looking forward to eggs in August.

My favorite 5 year old in front of my 5 year old rose

The kids enjoy the water activity table which provides hours of entertainment.

...more b-day photos

2010-06-19T10:34:00.000-07:00

I am having technical difficulties with blogger so here are the photos I wanted to add to my last post:

Gus is 5!!!!

2010-06-19T09:51:00.000-07:00

Its hard to believe that five years ago Gus was just the tiniest (9 lb kind of tiny) newborn. Exactly five years ago on this day we brought him home from the hospital. I can remember that day like it was just yesterday.

Its so sad how fast the years have flown by, yet I am so happy to see how far we've come and where we are going. Kindergarten, here we come!

I was out of town all week for work training, but was able to get back in time for Gus's birthday celebration. Here are some pics of the little family party we had. His big present was a new bike- pics of him riding that to come...

new clothes, the face says it all

Very fun new shower attachment for kids, a beautiful cross stitch from Grammy Kath

A bug condo contraption that is already a hit

Campin' Pics

2010-06-10T18:47:00.001-07:00

So we have been busy busy busy around here lately.... between my new job, finishing the chicken coop, our crazy weekends-are-all-booked summer schedule, and the garden, I haven't found time to blog.

We spent last weekend up at Pearrygin lake with our great friends, the Sissons, and my family too. It was a great campout- lots of good food, drink, and company around the fire, as well as a visit to the Twisp farmer's market and shopping in Winthrop.

Here are some pics of the kids, taken by Grandma Connie with her fancy shmancy camera that takes the best photos:

Pearrygin Lake in the morning, a gorgeous spot that is not usually this green, but thanks to the rains it was quite beautiful.

Lucy driving her car around the loop.

And enjoying some "engagement" cake- congrats Laura and Mark!!

Lucy is Two!

2010-05-18T09:32:00.001-07:00

Lulu's new ride.

Lulu on her new scooter, wearing her new swim goggles from cousin May.

Our litle Lulu is two years old and I am wondering where the time has gone. It is such a bittersweet feeling, knowing that there is no longer a baby in the house. Our big girl is so much fun these days. She loves dressing up in her tutu, following Gus around, looking for bugs, digging in the sandbox, playing with the "ducks" (the chickens) and singing songs.

We had a great little birthday celebration here this weekend. Grandma Connie, Grammy Kath, and Grandpa Tim made it for the weekend. Grandpa Dick was busy attending a WEA convention.

Not-so-Extreme Makeover: Backyard Edition

2010-05-01T16:56:00.000-07:00

So after watching Food INC., and visiting our friends with chickens..... we jumped on the bandwagon and are Pollo Loco. Matt and Tim framed out a Chichen Paradise.. a nice coop for our 6 hens. We have 3 Golden Comets, 2 Barred Rocks, and 1 New Hampshire Red in the basement right now, under a warming lamp. They are tiny and cute and they poop everywhere. I will post more pics of the gals later. For now, enjoy the mini backyard makeover pics. We expanded the garden area to make a bigger veggie and flower garden.

Where did April go?

2010-05-01T16:38:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it is May 1st already and Lucy will be two in about two weeks. What a great month April was. We had really warm temps around Matt's birthday, new chickens to join our clan, projects in the backyard, and family that came up for visits which is always fun.

Here are some pics from Matt's b-day celebration, Molly and Aaron's visit, a trip to Shaw's pond, and Lucy doing her stickers with stylish sunglasses (on upsidedown).

More pics to come.....

Brrr Easter

2010-04-06T19:19:00.000-07:00

Gus, a preschool mate, and Lucy.

Easter was cold, windy, yet somewhat sunny this past Sunday. We went to the park and hunted eggs. Gus and Lucy managed to bring about a dozen home- good thing it wasn't more than that because in Oroville, the egg hunt involves real eggs. So now I have about 3 more egg salad sandwiches and they will be finished.

Spokane and Bugs

2010-04-06T19:07:00.000-07:00

A nice place for a pit stop right above Grand Coulee Dam- beautiful spring day.

Gus and the stick bug.

Mom, he likes my shirt because it looks like lettuce!

A rose haired tarantula. And yes folks, I actually touched this one. I am trying to get over my arachnophobia.

Last week was Spring Break week for the kids and we decided to hit Spokane. (Daddy, both grandpas, aunts and uncles all went fishing in Western Montana)... It was a good time for sure, we visited family, friends, and mobius kids. For those of you who have not made the pilgrimage to the downtown kid's museum in Spokane, I definitely recommend this place. Gus handled the bugs and Lucy played at the water table for a long while. (take the kids out of Okanogan County and they still gravitate towards their fave things: Bugs and Water).

Speaking of Bugs, somewhere along the way Lucy and I picked up Strep Throat. It was nasty and I had to miss a couple of days of work, but now we are feeling much better.

Fun Weekend- Lots of Pics

2010-03-07T15:57:00.001-08:00

Lulu, this is where you go down.

Here's how it works, kid.

The swing is always a favorite.

Smiles

What a beautiful weekend. We had sunny and warm weather here and enjoyed playing outside and going to the park today. Lucy was very brave on the slide after Gus showed her how it works.

I have a chicken roasting in the oven.. Julia Child's recipe,.. there is a bottle of Viognier chilling in the fridge, and now I am just waiting for the Oscars to come on. It doesn't get any better than that for a Sunday in March.

Cheap Thrills #231: Empty Containers

2010-02-27T11:16:00.001-08:00

Lucy and Gus made their own fun the other night with an empty plastic tub.

What's new? Well Lucy is recovering from Strep throat. She had a bad fever last weekend and on Monday I took her to the doctor for the throat swab treatment and sure enough it was nasty Strep. Knock on wood Gus is healthy and we are hoping he doesn't get it.

The weather has been nice and mild but its wet out today. We are starting to play outside on the weekends and are so close to full on spring we can taste it. The daylight is lasting longer in the eveing and I am able to walk to work which is so nice.

Bath Fun

2010-02-27T11:01:00.000-08:00

The Bath is always good for cheap thrills. In the video, Lucy displays her "diving" skills. Gus finds her behavior so hilarious and she loves a receptive audience.

Cousin Time

2010-02-10T11:26:00.001-08:00

Not sure what was being discussed here.

Looks like Ben and Matt.

Silly blanket games.

Night-night. (Lucy calls her blanky her "nigh nigh")

Checking out the fish.

Gus has a new chalkboard on his wall that everyone enjoys.

"where is your belly?"

"Where are your cheeks?"

"Where is your chin?"

"Where is your hair?"

Ben, Holli, and May came up from Walla Walla for a fun Superbowl Weekend Adventure. All three cousins played very well together, and the girls are at such a fun(ny) age. May May's vocabulary blows us all away and it was fun to watch them share some time. We made up some chicken wings, Holli made a delicious pot of chili for chili dogs, and had some of Ben's home-brewed dry cider that was delicious. Good times, folks, good times.

Lucy's Pigtails

2010-01-24T13:12:00.000-08:00

While she was distracted with lunch, I did her hair in two little pigtails.....

Gus Photography

2010-01-06T19:37:00.000-08:00

Gus got his very own camera for Christmas. Thankyou to Grandma Connie and Grandpa Dick. This gadget has provided hours of entertainment for Gus and the rest of us- we love viewing his final work. Here are a few that I discovered after downloading them today. He has quite the eye and loves documenting all sorts of subject matter (family, food, architecture). I would say he is a natural.. but I am his mom.

Lulu and I.

Spaghetti O's.

Cioppino on stove.

inside of new stove

Doorway to clean room.

Happy New Year to everyone! I think this year will bring us lots of great things. I can't believe how my life has changed in the last decade. So many roles I have taken on... becoming a wife, homeowner, and mom..... working mom... Aunt... Sister in law...

Hope all is well with my blog readers out there and here is to a happy and healthy new year and a new decade.

A Christmas Post....

2009-12-23T22:27:00.000-08:00

Its the eve of Christmas Eve. I've baked a pecan pie, made a coffee cake, did a bazillion loads of laundry and batches of cookies, wrapped gifts... All I have left is a half day of work tomorrow.
Here is what we've been up to lately:

Sink shampoos:

(Lulu has had a dry scalp due to the cold weather, so I had to put some oil on her head and she ended up looking like a greaser baby. At least her skin was soft.) And thanks to Lola for the hand me down jammies, comfiest ever.

The Tree:

Here I am attempting to photograph with a soft flash, candlelight setting, or no flash, to get that soft glow look and it never comes out quite right. But our tree is beautiful and has lots of Gus-made ornaments which are the best.

Lulu eating a pork chop and me coaxing her to talk:

Merry Christmas!

Its that time of year....

2009-12-09T15:49:00.000-08:00

When I gather the little cherubs around the glowing Christmas tree.... and attempt to photograph them for the Christmas card.

Its always chaos.

Here are some of the "Fail" pics. enjoy. I hope someone gets a kick out of this, I wasn't so happy the other night.

click here for Last Year's Ordeal

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-27T19:37:00.000-08:00

When I was little, I remember my mom always saying that Thanksgiving was her favorite holiday, and I just couldn't fathom that concept. A holiday without presents, candy, costumes, fireworks???? Well now that I am a little, er, older, I totally understand. What could be better than a day dedicated to giving thanks and eating well? Not much.

Lulu with some cornflakes.

Gus helping.

Decorations, provided by Gus.

dinner time

Gus took this photo of Lucy and me

...and he took this one. Kid view is about belt height. Grownups drinking wine and discussing grownup things.

Freddie. Pooped after a long day of hunting down crumbs and following Lulu around.

Leaf Time 2009

2009-11-07T17:49:00.000-08:00

We had a ball today playing in the leaves. Then it was time to clean them up and the wind kicked up and it was quite the chore....

Here are some "now and then" pics of Gus.

Today:

And "yesterday" Gus back in 2005:

Halloween Recap

2009-11-02T14:50:00.001-08:00

Left to Right: Spiderman, pink ladybug, Tinkerbell, and Motorcross Racer.

Pumpkin by the Pumpkins

Ooooh, scary front porch.

Gus hanging with his favorite little girlfriend, Kaycee.

Too much candy, perhaps?

What a fun Halloween this year. Our friends came up from Omak and the kids went trick or treating all over town. Lucy didn't go, but she loved handing out candy and sampling a few pieces. Gus was thrilled to have Jake and Kaycee spend the night, and play here the next day too.

Boris the Spider

2009-10-31T12:09:00.000-07:00

Gus loves the Boris The Spider song by The Who. Lucy loves dancing to it while checking herself out in the mirror.

She refuses to speak on camera

2009-10-28T10:49:00.001-07:00

....but the footage is still extremely cute.

Balloons

2009-10-18T18:22:00.000-07:00

Halloween Ready

2009-10-18T16:32:00.000-07:00

The kids are set for Halloween, and as always we strive to get the most bang for our buck with costumes. Gus has not taken his off since we purchased it today. The transformer costume from last year was worn through and had numerous holes in the legs and arms.

I have been a slacker lately on the blog, my apologies for that. It has been such a busy month, I can't believe October is already half way over. I took a new job two weeks ago at Sterling Savings Bank. I am working about 30 hours and it is working out very well. I really love the fast paced environment and my days have just flown by.

Lucy is now 17 months, I can hardly believe that. She is starting to say more words, she says cookie, cracker, juice, cheese, kitty, doggy, and uh-oh.

Gus is enjoying preschool 3 days a week, but really I think he is ready for more. He has a great class this year, 8 boys and 4 girls and the same teacher from last year. They toured the fire hall last week and got to explore the fire engines and push the siren buttons.

H1N1 flu has hit Oroville and Omak and we are washing hands and using the sanitzer like crazy. Our fly fishing trip to the Yakima River is this week and we are bound and determined to not get the flu. period.

That's all for now... I have some cute videos I will post soon.

trick or treat,

Shay

Birthday Fun

2009-09-20T17:12:00.000-07:00

I had a great 31st birthday celebration this year. Matt and the kids made my day.

Here is what Matt gave me. I was secretly wanting this book for sometime:

Earlier that day, here is what we were up to:

Lulu dancing with her dolly

Gussy playing with "goo" (cornstarch and water).

Beach Day

2009-09-08T08:47:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I took the kids to the lake for a swim. Matt was at work, so I had my hands full. It was actually pretty relaxing, even though I didn't read a single page of my book. Lucy's favorite part was the sandy snacks, and Gus enjoyed digging and looking for scuds.

1st Day of School

2009-09-08T08:43:00.001-07:00

Gus started school last Wednesday - the summer flew by so fast I can hardly believe it. He is in the 4 year old class at the Co-op preschool. There are some new kids this year, and its a large class, so there is lots to look forward to. He has the same teacher as last year and is very happy to be back in the groove.

Night Swim

2009-08-20T09:07:00.001-07:00

What's the best way to get the kids thoroughly worn out before bed? A little dip in the pool. Heck, it was still about 84 degrees at this point.

Yay, pool!

I don't remember what was so hilarious, but it was fun.

Time to get out.

Matt is overwhelmed by Lucy's nudie cuteness. She's so cute, it hurts his eyes sometimes.

Time for bed!

Sneaks

2009-08-20T09:00:00.001-07:00

Here is Lucy modeling her "new" shoes- hand me downs from Kaycee and Sage. She is really on the go these days, and has the sneakers to help her get there. (And she is teething again, hence the wet rag in her mouth).

15 month stats

2009-08-17T19:43:00.000-07:00

Just a quick blog, Lucy had her 15 month well child check up today.

Here are her stats: Head circumference, 18.5 inches (80th percentile) . Weight: 21 pounds, 2 ounces (20th percentile). Height: 29 inches (17th percentile). She is my little pipsqueak.

What's new? She is cutting two new teeth, hitting all her milestones with walking, talking, pointing, exploring, playing. She has such an easy going personality, but will pitch a fit now and then when brother gets in her way. I continue to love this girl more and more each day.

Gus was a very good helper today at the doctor, he helped with the stethoscope and measurement taking, and informed the nurse that Lucy had the hiccups.

Now I need to put Lu-squeal to bed..... More posts to come.

She's walking... There is no turning back!

2009-08-12T18:50:00.000-07:00

Monday Night

2009-07-29T09:09:00.000-07:00

Enjoying the heat and the green grass before we hit the road to "The Coast". Its been about 99 here for a long time.. I can't remember when this heat wave started. By the looks of it, the coast isn't too much cooler but we hope to get a little break from the heat.

We are going camping for a nice long week at Fort Worden and Salt Creek- both on the Peninsula- with Tim and Kath and Ben, Holli and May. I've been busy making lists and getting things all set for the trip. Gus is so excited to explore the beaches and check out the tide pools. Lucy is walking more every day and will be right behind Gus and May. Matt is the one that really needs a vacation. He has worked 32 extra hours of overtime this past week fighting fires. The money is good but he is exhausted. Here's to a nice little break, now lets just hope I don't forget something crucial like Lucy's blanky, the camera, or the cribbage board.

Almost There (Baby Steps)

2009-07-25T12:02:00.000-07:00

I took this video this morning after breakfast. Pardon the scrambled egg on her shirt. Lucy is trying hard to catch up to Gus and her cousin May. She's almost walking. Gus walked at 15.5 months old, and Lucy is now 14 months old.

Shirtless in the Backyard

2009-07-23T08:40:00.000-07:00

While Matt and I were at Molly and Aaron's rehearsal dinner (a wonderful evening at Clink's) the kids had a ball at Grandpa Tim and Grammy Kath's house. As you can see, it was one of those hot nights where all there is to do is eat popsicles -Lucy's choice, and search for bugs - Gus's choice. Without clothing. Because its too hot and more fun this way.

The next morning, Tim asked me if Lucy had ever had a popsicle before, and I said no, she hadn't. Apparently she knew just what to do with it and enjoyed it immensely.

.... off to make some homeade ice pops....

Molly and Aaron's Wedding

2009-07-20T08:58:00.000-07:00

Gus was the ring bearer, and he actually did it. I was so nervous about a mid-aisle meltdown or something.

The beautiful and happy couple

vows

Lucy dancing with Grandpa Dick

A perfect night, a perfect celebration!

Quiet Weekend at Home

2009-07-15T08:21:00.001-07:00

Our sunflowers are blooming

Cherry Season- Gus loves the Lapins and Raniers

Fishing with Daddy at Sidley Lake- bald eagle sightings and a fish or two in the boat.

This past weekend we had a nice quiet weekend around the house. Matt and Gus went up to Sidley Lake on Sunday and caught a couple of fish. Lucy and I went on a nice long walk. She is cutting more molars and has been a bit grouchy lately.

Today we leave for Spokane, Molly and Aaron's wedding is finally here! We are so excited and are looking forward to celebrating with them. Gus is all ready to be the ring bearer and he has been asking every morning, "Today do I get to be the ring bearer?" Its pretty cute.

Giggles

2009-07-09T14:39:00.000-07:00

Gus and Lucy just having a grand ol time with a bottle of baby shampoo. This is the sort of thing that Lucy is really into right now- playing "give and take".

Gus in Winnemucca Pet Heaven

2009-07-02T08:12:00.000-07:00

While we were in Winnemucca, (that's a lot of W's!) Gus stayed with Grammy Kath out at Aunt Linda's house. Next door to Auntie Linda is Auntie Sandra's house. What does this mean to a 4 year old? One whole block of pet bliss. Between the cats, kittens and dogs running around, you have horses, goats, rabbits, chickens, and I am sure I am leaving something out. He had a blast feeding the animals and carting this kitten around. He called this kiten in particular "Purry". It was pretty cute.

So when we got home to Oroville, his promised 4th birthday gift was an aquarium with a few fish. I thought this would sort of be a let down, after all the furry, frisky, and hilarious pets (Ding Bat Chicken), but he is just as excited about his new fishies and is a good pet keeper.

Thanks Aunt Linda, Aunt Sandra, Rosie and Lilly too for letting Gus manhandle all the animals and entertaining him with all your treasures. He is still talking about the trip.

More Paradise

2009-06-30T09:22:00.000-07:00

Great Granny Nette, Matt and Lucy. Happy 90th Birthday, Jeannette!

Gus found a beautiful Monarch butterfly

Cousin Rose and Lucy, admiring the roses in front of the house. Look at the gorgeous view- this is looking out to the right when you step out the front door.

Contents of the kitchen cupboards in Paradise - sort of an antique lover's paradise.

1741 miles later.......

2009-06-29T08:50:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful road trip we had. From Oroville to Winnemucca and back. We made a big loop around 4 beautiful states. I have so many photos, I'll be blogging in installments for weeks, it seems.

Here is a view on the drive from Winnemucca out to Paradise Valley.

PV is where Matt's great grandparents homesteaded and the home is still in the family. We spent Father's day out there and had a great time. The best thing about PV is all the Basque people. You definitely feel at home with all the Gavikas, Echeverrias, Monteberris, Ochoas, and Eigeruns running around. Picons (the Basque cocktail that will knock you on your socks- ask Uncle Ben) are flowing at the Paradise Valley Salloon.

Matt hob nobbing with the Bascoes and Cousin Tim after his first Seven and Seven.
Below, Katy and Ben enjoying a Picon.

Babies are welcome in the Paradise Valley Salloon. It's a one of a kind place that has its own set of rules. Lucy took a nap under a large Elk head.

......more to come.

4 Years Old!

2009-06-17T08:34:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday to Gus! Here are some fun photos of him on past birthdays (or very close). I can't believe how much he has grown and changed in four short years. In some ways, it has been a whirlwind and gone quickly, in others, well we have done so much it has been a long journey. From trains and trucks to tractors and now: insects! We can't wait to see what adventure is around the next bend.

Gus at two weeks old, yes he was a darling (large) blond baby boy.

Here is Gus playing in the sprinkler the week of his 1st birthday. Not walking yet, but loves to crawl around and explore the backyard.

Gus at two (with a darling kitten). This was the day of or before his b-day. We celebrated in Winnemucca Nevada, and had a blast.

Gus at three. He had a very new baby sister and was adjusting well.

And our big kid 4 year old! (looking for bugs in this photo, as usual).

Entomologist in the making

2009-06-15T08:55:00.000-07:00

Gus loves insects and Grandpa Dick and Grandma Connie got him the perfect bug related gift. It was a hunk of rock that came with some tools, and as you excavate and dig away at it, little creepy crawlies were discovered. And check out the safety goggles, a very important detail.

Birthday Celebration

2009-06-15T08:47:00.001-07:00

Gus' 4th birthday party was a blast. We spent a very beautiful (and hot) afternoon in our backyard enjoying a pinata, sandbox, cake, presents, and the sprinkler.

My caterpillar cake turned out pretty good.

Kaylee, Kaycee, Jake, Alex, Gus, and Leo line up for a turn with the pinata.

Presents!

"Doggy!"

2009-06-07T17:14:00.000-07:00

Lucy is using her new word a ton lately. She pointed to a penguin, cat, bird, and said "Doggy!" each time enthusiastically.

Last Night

2009-06-07T17:12:00.000-07:00

Lulu eating some dinner.

Gus got his hair cut- here he is hunting bugs. Pardon the messy face.

Matt thinks he looks like a young Grandpa Dick with his new 'do- I am not sure but I know for sure he looks like a big kid.

Swimsuit Ensembles

2009-06-05T09:16:00.000-07:00

Every kid needs at least two swimsuits for the summer. One is always dirty, wet, or in the process of drying out, and the other is ready to go. It's only June 5th, but we've been playing in the sprinkler a ton lately.

Here is Lucy modeling what is hot for summer: (How can a baby in a swimsuit be so irresistibly cute!?)

Thanks to Aunt Janie for this darling purple polka dot swimsuit.

And Aunt Molly gave Lucy this cute strawberry stripes suit.

Party Time

2009-05-29T08:23:00.000-07:00

Lucy and her cousin May are only seven days apart in age, and we had a lovely 1st birthday party for the girls last weekend in Spokane. Here are some highlights:

carrot cake cupcakes, handmade by Aunt Holli

Reilly and Gus, playing in the sprinkler

Presents (Lucy was obsessed with the cards, May loved the baby dolls)

Lucy (in pink) and May making a darling scrunchy face

Hugs from brother

Frisbee with Aunt Holli

May takes a rest on Matt's shoulder

T Ball

2009-05-21T11:56:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, Gus likes it:

And sometimes, its like this:

(yes, that is Gus in the blue undershirt, with a very frowny face)

But the best thing to come out of it his his new friendships (Leo, Andrew, Savannah). And spending time out doors, and of course, snack time.

Birthday Girl

2009-05-19T09:34:00.000-07:00

Lucy had a wonderful birthday. The weather was beautiful, her party was fun, we had a good crowd (7 adults and 7 kids) and delicious burgers, hot dogs and cupcakes.

Her day started off with just the four of us, she opened her gift (a ride-on toy lion) and absolutely loved it.

Here she is riding her little lion.

Later, the doorbell rang. Grammy Kath and Grandpa Tim sent some balloons. She absolutely loved them:

(and even loved the card)

pink cupcakes

Lulu and Daddy

Lucy and Mom

Lucy and Sawyer James

.....more pics to come.

Happy Birthday Lucy!

2009-05-16T06:18:00.000-07:00

I woke up early this morning, with that excited nervous feeling you sometimes get before a party, and thought about what happened on this day last year.

Matt and I didn't talk much on the 45 minute drive to the hospital. We were both pretty nervous, of course. We were in Grandma Connie's Prius, and Gus was still asleep at home in bed with Grandma Connie and Aunt Molly there to care for him. We checked in to the hospital about 7 am. The nurses got my IV and catheter going. There was a baby being born before it was my turn, so at this point we waited and waited and chatted with the nurses. With a scheduled C section, it is really surreal. No "just get this baby out of me!" moment at all.

Finally, Dr. Bradford walked in my room around 9:45. Then he proceeded to tell us stories of his trip to Germany. He had just got back two days beforehand. I still can recount details of the beverages he consumed, schnitzel he ate, etc. He has a thick Texas accent and to hear him speak some German phrases was hilarious. And all the nurses gathered around to hear his funny stories.

I finally raised my hand and said, "Can I have a baby?" (this was the closest I got to the 'just get this kid out of me' moment.)

The anesthesiologist came in briefly, he was the same we had when Gus was born. He is such a great guy, yet on this day, this morning, there was a tiny little, er.. dribble wet mark on the front of his pants. You know what I am talking about. He left the room. Matt and I looked at each other with a do-we-laugh-or-cry look. (in my mind, he hadn't scrubbed up yet, so I am telling myself all will be well).

They take me back around 10:30 and give me a spinal. That was the scariest part. I hop up on the operating table and they insert the needle and right away I can feel my legs starting to go numb. I lay down and they do the prep work for the C section.

Meanwhile in the hallway, Matt is practicing all those breathing techniques we learned in our birthing classes.

Matt walks in, sits down next to me. The anesthesiologist is on my left, Matt is on my right. Everyone takes a guess. Boy, girl, boy girl, girl boy.....

Here comes your baby, here is the head, we have some hair, and at 10:51: "Its a girl!"

Happiest moment ever. Tears are streaming down our faces. I continue to blubber and discuss the lack of pink anything in our house.

And so it began, Dear Lucille Kathleen, we love you so much, more every day in fact. Happy Birthday sweet girl!

Not Making This Up

2009-05-14T13:51:00.000-07:00

So today, I am trying to clean and straighten and get the house ready for a little birthday barbeque we are having this weekend. I am running around, throwing laundry in, taking laundry out, you know the drill.... I tell Gus to put his flip flops up somewhere Lucy won't get them. (She has a thing for flip flops, thinks that they are yummy to put in her mouth- gross, I know). Anyways, I walk into the kitchen and look what I see:

I literally laughed out loud for a few moments.

And here is the fip flop eating troublemaker:

Who likes Brussels Sprouts?

2009-05-11T20:06:00.000-07:00

According to Reilly, Brussels are more desirable than nap time.

Weekend in Spokane

2009-05-11T19:55:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we enjoyed a visit with some of our closest friends who have moved away. Jake and Andi and their daughter, Reine, live in Indiana. We haven't seen them since Andi's baby shower- and it was so nice to see them as parents with their gorgeous daughter.

Katie and Joe live in Oman, and Katie is home with the boys, Reilly and Sawyer. Joe will be home for a visit in June.

Anyways, it was so fun to get the kiddos together. Sawyer is just two months older than Lucy, and he is walking all over the place. Reine is a January baby and she is also walking/running/skipping/jumping.

Reine and Lucy at the Japanese Gardens in Manito Park

Sawyer with his beach-boy blonde hair. He is a mini- Joe.

Trying to take a pic of all 5 kids was nearly impossible. Lucy was best behaved and Gus just doesn't like being photographed. Chaos ensued.

It's May! (a sentimental post)

2009-05-02T07:36:00.001-07:00

I can't believe May is finally here. What a long winter and cold spring we've had.

It is so hard to believe our baby is turning one in two weeks. What a year this has been. Its hard to wrap my mind around it. One year ago...... We were building the fence in the back yard and busy getting everything ready for the new baby. I was still working 40 hours a week and totally exhausted. And I thought for sure we were having another boy! We were still debating boy names- really, we never settled on one so it was a good thing Lucy came along.

Gus and Lucy are sitting here playing with Mr. Potato Head. Lucy is trying to talk to Gus all about it, but the only words she really says are: da da, dis, dus, aaaahhhhh, ccccrrrr, zha. I think he understands her, though.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Last Night

2009-04-27T08:55:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful night, and after dinner we went for a little stroll.

Bud Clark Memorial Field, where Gus plays T Ball.

Cherry Street Bridge

Scooting.

Okanogan River

Ball Field

My Girl

2009-04-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

Thanks, brother

2009-04-24T08:50:00.000-07:00

It's a little messy, but way more fun this way.

Garden Work

2009-04-21T09:53:00.000-07:00

What to do with a shady patch of grass next to our deck and some neat granite stones?

Matt and Grandpa Tim did some great work this weekend. They diligently and artfully laid the granite pieces (from a friend's property) - all the while using a level to get each stone just right. Then pea gravel was poured to fill in the bare patches. Turned out really nice!

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

2009-04-21T09:45:00.000-07:00

Matt turned 33 yesterday. He is out of town for a work training and we miss him so much. We love you, daddy!

She's 11 months now...

2009-04-17T10:29:00.001-07:00

Getting into things, crawling, pulling up, standing, talking, pointing, clapping, laughing at brother, bouncing to music, waving, and still cute as ever.

Easter re-cap

2009-04-15T12:12:00.000-07:00

Grandpa Dick and Grandma Connie came up for a nice Easter weekend visit. The guys installed a hot water heater in our RB (tent trailer) so we will be really camping in style (and comfort) this season.

Egg hunt at the state park, egg decorating, candy eating, and lots of playing out side. It was a fun weekend.

Pics at Penny's......

2009-04-10T17:03:00.000-07:00

Turned out pretty darn good!

At Grandma's

2009-04-01T08:51:00.001-07:00

We are hanging out at Grandma Connie's for a few days while the guys do some fishing in Montana (yes, in the snow-- they are crazy).

Lucy's crawling now

2009-03-27T07:58:00.000-07:00

Here she is! 10 months old and moving all around the place. Favorite activity is to pull up on chairs and scavenge for left behind morsels (Gus crumbs).

She also just started saying Mammammaa, which I take as Mama. Lucy claps hands to music, and waves hi and bye. Loves anything that Gus is doing and loves getting into his stuff. He is starting to lose a little patience with this. He asks "when will she walk?" and also wants to know when she can come to preschool with him. Its very fun to see how they will be a big part of eachother's lives, as brother and sister.....

Playtime video, taken by Grandpa Tim

2009-03-20T07:16:00.001-07:00

...one more cousin pic

2009-03-18T09:03:00.000-07:00

left to right: Jan, Lucy, Grammy Kath and May. The girls look alike in this pic, I think. Kinda looks like Matt and Ben. The cutest thing ever was May waving at Lucy- it was so cute. "Come play with me!"

Cousins

2009-03-18T08:57:00.000-07:00

Left to right- Aunt Holli, cousin May, Lucy, and Grammy Kath. Lucy is one week older than May and about 4 inches shorter. Here is what 90th percentile and 25th percentile 10 month olds look like.

Lucy and Aunt Molly

2009-03-18T08:34:00.000-07:00

This great photo was taken Monday- we had a wonderful weekend in Spokane celebrating Molly's bridal shower and her graduation from nursing school (in less than 2 months). We love you Aunt Molly!

What's new?

2009-03-01T16:33:00.000-08:00

What's new with us? We have been fighting the sickies around here. Gus had a cold, then Lucy caught it, then it turned into quite the ordeal for our little Lulu. She ended up with an ear infection and a bad case of bronchiolitis. She's on steroids, antibiotics, and a nebulizer inhaler thingy, but its getting much better and she's on the mend. Her chest was so bad you could hear her breathing from across the room.

We hit the playground today, for a much needed dose of swinging and fresh air. Spring can't come soon enough.

Lucy says, "Feed me more pancakes and I'll pop the buttons right off this shirt!"

Her new favorite food is pancakes (as of this morning, she handled two all by herself). And now she's waving "hi" and "bye" and its the cutest thing ever.

A Messy Room...

2009-02-22T13:17:00.000-08:00

Is where all the fun is.

New Shoes

2009-02-22T13:15:00.000-08:00

I couldn't help myself...

Feb. 2006....

2009-02-20T21:51:00.000-08:00

I was just looking at pictures of Gus when he was Lucy's current age.. I thought I would share.. My Gus guy has grown up so fast. It seems like just yesterday he was our baby. And now Lucy is wearing his pajamas and trying to keep up with him.... sigh.... I know its a total cliche, but they grow way too fast!

Back from the Doctor's

2009-02-20T13:47:00.000-08:00

We just got back from Lucy's 9 month check up. She is 17 pounds, 14 ounces. 26 and 3/4 inches long, and her head is 17.5 inches around. Little girl! She is only at about the 28th percentile for size.

When Gus was 9 months, he was 21lbs, 30.5 inches long with a 19.5 inch head. Yikes!

All is well besides a little bit of redness in one ear. Cross your fingers for us that this is not the beginning of ear infection bonanza 2009. Gus had about a bazillion ear infections when he was a baby and we got tubes in his ears when he was just shy of 2 years old. I don't wish to travel down that road ever again.

Now its nap time and I should be doing laundry or something....

Lucy is 9 months!

2009-02-17T13:20:00.000-08:00

I can't believe our dear Lulu is already 9 months old. I'll post her stats on Friday after we see the Doc. I think she has gained at least a couple of pounds..... I love her toothy grin so much!

Scooting Around Town

2009-02-13T11:28:00.001-08:00

Sunshine on the Cherry Street Bridge

Scoot, Gus, scoot!

(and as this video shows, sometimes teaching is more frustrating than learning)

Fun Together

2009-02-06T08:20:00.001-08:00

Lucy's favorite person is now officially Gus (and vice versa). Here they are playing peek-a-boo in the crib, and sharing a bath. This morning Gus came into her room with me to get her (about 7 ish) and she squealed when she saw me but then got really excited to see her big brother. Gus does this funny thing - he speaks in the 3rd person around her sometimes. "Brother is here, honey" he says. Its really cute. P.S. check out the big boy hair cut he is sporting.

Trip down memory lane

2009-02-03T19:47:00.001-08:00

Exactly 2 years ago.... I can't believe our kids are growing so fast. Since Gus has been talking about his dear bud, Reilly, a lot lately, I thought I would post some pics from two years ago. Reilly and his baby brother and folks now live in Oman, but they are headed this way in the spring. We are so very excited for their visit.

Let's see: what was happening Jan of 07? Hmmmm.... One or two word sentences. Gus was finally weaned from the boob. Reilly had a big boy haircut. The boys enjoyed the snow together. The daddies, Matt and Joe, also communicated on this one-word and grunt communication style during the weekend. (it was Superbowl, people).

We miss you Joe, Katie, Reilly and Sawyer!

Nighty Night

2009-01-27T19:46:00.001-08:00

"Yeah, Mom, I know I'm cute."

"Okay. Let me sleep! Don't ya know this is my tired pose!?"

Feeling Patriotic

2009-01-26T08:41:00.000-08:00

Inauguration Day; Gus recites the Pledge of Allegiance, and Lucy splashes.

Musical Beds

2009-01-17T16:51:00.000-08:00

Gus's big boy bed came today and we set it up in his room with all the new sheets and blankets. He is so excited to be a big kid in a big bed.

Miss Lucy, who is now 8 months old, is finally out of our room and in her very own room. She has a pretty pink crib and is feeling sort of okay about it. (A little crying at night, but doing surprisingly well). We are all sleeping better with the new arrangement and the whole family slept in till 8 am this morning (knocking on wood as I type this). I can't remember the last time that ever happened around here.

Besides that, not much else is new. Matt is building new shelves in the basement to store all of our stuff.

Lucy is cutting her 7th tooth so she is a bit fussy. Gotta run....

Ice Fishing

2009-01-11T13:52:00.000-08:00

Matt and Gus went ice fishing yesterday out at Palmer Lake. Its just another great thing to do on a cold snowy night in Okanogan County. They came home a bit cold and wet, but Gus has been asking all day when he can go "Ice Road Fishing" again. Maybe it was the hot cocoa, or bonding with other men on 6 inches of ice, I dunno... the kid just has fishing in his blood.

Lucy and I were home in a very quiet house and not sure what to do with ourselves. We made do with bad reality tv and snacks.

After Bath, Dentist Re-cap

2009-01-08T08:39:00.000-08:00

Lucy after her bath last night.

Yesterday, Gus went to the dentist. He did so well- then again, its in his blood (Grandma Connie is a Hygienist). He walked right in and wanted to see Dr. Chen right away. Waiting was the hardest part. Then he sat still for ex rays and an exam. His teeth look great and now he is asking to go back. Dr. Chen and Gus hit it off- they have a little guy Gus's age as well as a new baby girl. Anyways, it was a success and I was much more anxious about it than I needed to be.

Keeping Warm

2009-01-01T20:04:00.000-08:00

Lucy says, "Thanks for the warm hat, Grandpa Tim!"

You can see her upper teeth in these photos, her new nickname is "toothy critter".

We got about 4 inches of new snow here today. It was a gorgeous New Years Day. Matt and I had friends over for a fancy crab and halibut dinner, and then we went to the Oroville fireworks display. I have a good vibe about 2009- I think there are lots of good things to come.