April visit to Pennsylvania

Back in April, Sive and I took a 2 week trip home to Pennsylvania for some much needed family time and an early celebration of his SECOND birthday!  The weather was perfect and we had an amazing time exploring "Mommom's" pond, going to Blue Marsh, getting to see Uncle Thad's turtles, throwing rocks with "Poppy," and of course playing and eating cupcakes with east coast friends and family.  The only drawback was that Michael was stuck back in Portland working.

Mommom's pond

Looking for "big rockies to make big splash"

Best friends- Mommom and Sive

Sive visiting his "old pop"

Discovering bugs with the Cawley boys

Petting zoo at my childhood dairy (ice cream spot)

Cutest boy ever

Bath time in Mommom's tub- "ha ha HA BOOM!"

Throwing the ball for Mister Max

Best ever- riding the tractor with "Pop Poppy Dave."  Got have the shades too.

Sweet new electric dog guitar from Aunt Tori.

Balloon release with Uncle Thad 

Animal cupcakes!!!

Early Happy Birthday Sive!!!

Loves sweets.

(can't rotate it!?- but had to keep it in- how cool is this kid?)

Turtle lesson with Uncle Thad.  Sive loved "woo-is" (Louis) and Peanut.

Pretend "snowboardin" with Poppy.

Blue Marsh with the east coast buddies.

"Please Touch" Museum in Lancaster- with Poppy.

"1, 2, 3...JUMP!"

Enjoying a beautiful day and getting his hair blown back.

Goodbye wonderful trip.  Goodbye Old Mom.

Easter at the Oregon Zoo- 2012

We met up with Sive's best friend from school, Kade, and his mom, Heidi, for the Oregon Zoo's annual Egg Hunt.  It was a blast.  Sive and Kade always have fun together which usually starts by them jumping up and down repeatedly while flapping their hands with their tongues out to say hello.  It's quite funny.  Anyway, they got some little toys and candy and I got some great photos.

Love me some Coleite girls!

In March Tracy and her girls came for a long weekend visit to Portlandia.  As always, we had a wonderful time filled with lots of giggling, games of "belly," gymnastic routines, and small local adventures.  Oh how I wish we lived closer to these ladies.  And apparently so does Sive because he still asks regularly about his girl, Dani.

2012 Girls' Trip to the Coast

As you all know I have the most amazing group of girl friends in Portland.  Our husbands put up with us getting together every single week for dinner and drinks and, frankly, it is such an important part of my week.  Last year we started a new tradition- an annual weekend trip.  This year we headed to Oceanside for a weekend of food, wine, and 80's movies at the coast.  Simply, it was wonderful.

View from our porch!

Amazing!

Love me some driftwood.

Walking on the beach.

Alexis searching for rocks and other finds.

Best girls in the world.

"Addyboo"

This weekend our good friends, Jen and Paul, traveled north and brought their daughter, Addison, better known as Addy Blu (or "addyboo" to sive), to Portland for a visit with the Mangans. We had such a great time. Not only were we able to celebrate Addy's first birthday, which was actually last weekend, but also Jen's birthday that was Sunday. The boys (minus Sive) traveled up to the mountain for some much needed snowboarding and Jen and I stayed behind with the kids and had lots fun. We went to OMSI and the park, and also enjoyed long walks and plenty of fun at home. It was great for Sive to practice sharing and work on being a "big kid." Despite a few little spats over favorite toys, such as a guitar and horses, Addy and Sive got along amazingly well. Just seeing those two trucking around naked, pushing either other in the wagon, and looking for each other upon waking up, was simply...adorable and heart warming. So THANK YOU so much Rathwells for making the trek to Portland (and to Jen for all the pictures). We loved having you and love Addison. She is an absolute doll and is going to turn out to be a beautiful girl who can easily handle herself with the boys and is a killer snowboarder (given her amazing ewok balance and motor skills!).

Had to show off his little lion man costume.

Eating plastic balls at OMSI.

Rody- always a favorite!

Great shot of Tilly Mangan! So cute!

Swinging together!

Happy Birthday Jen!

Sweet girl.

Buddies for life.

"Ex-i-co" "sea lion cwyin" "where boo water go?": Our trip to Mexico

Michael, Sive, and I have been looking forward to our first family vacation...ever...to Mexico for quite some time.  Our plan was to meet up with my dad and Jean in Nuevo Vallarta for a week in late January.  Unfortunately due to some nonnegotiable work conflicts, at the last moment, Michael was not able to go.  So we made a few changes and took Sive's third favorite person, Auntie HaHa (Hillary), instead.  Despite all my concerns about the travel, Sive's routine, money, sunburns, etc, it was an absolutely wonderful week.  We had so so SO much fun.  Sive and I quickly fell into a fun daily routine of walking over to a near by aquatic center to see the sea lions (and birds), then getting in some pool time, followed by an afternoon nap, and then several later afternoon hours on the beach digging for rocks and playing in the ocean.  Simply it was just magical- although I know it would have been even better with Michael.

Of course, my parents had a great time playing with Sive and Sive immediately fell in love with my dad, his "poppy."  While discovering "ex-i-co" with his Poppy, Sive realized his "true loves:" sea lions and "rockies."  Upon returning to Portland, he woke up and asked (for several days), "Where boo (blue) water go?"  Sad to say my friend, far far away. He also continues to talk incessantly about his beloved sea lions.  He continues to wonder why they were crying and tell me that the are sleeping now.  His "rockie" habit also continues here in the NW- with him clenching rocks in at least one fist most of the time, him carrying rocks to school, and me finding small piles of rocks all around the house.  I could write so much more but instead I will just share my favorite pics from our amazing trip (warning-there are a lot) and will say- We can't wait for next year Ex-i-co!

Sivey loved watching the airplanes at the airport.  Wish he would have loved airline travel half as much.

The amigos.

Love this face!

Best week!

Thanks for all your help HaHa!

Sive's favorite sea lion.

Oh yeah- sorry I am SO TAN!