Sunday, May 5, 2013

Baseball, Belt Test, and New Lambs

Here are a few pictures from the last week before the big birthday. 
Old buddies heading off into the sunset after a big game.

Levi on second
The first lambs of the season at the farm Ethan and I do chores at every Sunday.
You can tell by the weather that this was taken a few weeks ago (hot and sunny lately!), but here you can see Ethan with "our" cows at "our" farm.


Ethan and friend Cole with their instructor after just earning their High Red belts.  Note the decidedly broken boards.


Saturday, May 4, 2013

Lisi's Birthday

Lisi's 5!!

Some friends met us in the park for birthday play time.
Sara had a sleepover.

Levi made a wonderful chocolate sponge cake with strawberry buttercream frosting.  This is just the half left after the big birthday dinner of spaghetti and CHIPS.

Poor Dasher's moment of infamy: she just got spayed and has to wear the cone of shame.
Lisi got to go ride our friend's pony for a birthday treat.

This Dad loves his big girl.

Friday, April 12, 2013

Tulip Festival

No school today, so we went down to Woodburn with Asher to see the tulips in peak color. 
Asher and Levi having a serious ducky race.



Lisi couldn't find anyone to kiss her in this cutout picture.  Poor girl.






Thursday, April 4, 2013

Easter

Levi made the cake we took the potluck/egg hunt/nerf war at the Sanders'.  He designed and baked the whole thing himself:  chocolate sponge cake with peppermint buttercream meringue frosting with marshmallow fondant lettering.


Egg hunting


Nerf Warring



Saturday, March 30, 2013

The Sandcastle at Lincoln City

We're sunburned and tired after spending Friday and today at the coast at Lincoln City.  We stayed in the Sandcastle hotel, which was right on the beach and had the all-important swimming pool. 
Beach wrestling


The whole family playing Settlers, and Lisi won!  (She had help, but it was a real win)
The last bit of sun in the western hemisphere.


Searching for shells in the tide pools


I love finding tide pools full of star fish.  It's treasure every time.







Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Spring Break

Here are a few pictures from our spring break so far.  Ethan's feeding Fisher's cows and horses each morning while they are on a serve trip to Mexico.  Yesterday the kids and I and Penders hiked at the Tualatin River Wildlife Refuge.  Today was a little rainy, so we stayed home and provided moral support to Jared who was replacing an upstairs window, and babysat Mari this afternoon.  Now Levi has his friend Cole over for the night and the boys are trying out the new fire pit.
Ethan feeding Jake

coaching in cow care






Levi and Cole sharing  a salamandar at the Tualatin River





Me, Grace Pender, Lisi, Heidi and Kate Pender, and Aiden Woolsey


The new fire pit.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Palm Sunday at the Tillamook Forestry Center


We spent the afternoon at the Tillamook Forestry Center with some other families.  We dropped Jared off to fish along the way, so we ended up exploring at the center with 10 kids between three moms.  We only lost a few of them, and  only for a while, and they actually didn't know they were lost, but  it made for an adrenaline-filled end to a beautiful day along the river and at the museum.

Ethan, Aiden and Rowan Lowery, and Levi

Wilson River

Dam building

Little Habesha Dance Class


I'm so thankful for Brook and Habin who give their Saturday mornings to teach Ethiopian dances, games, stories, fun and pride to eager little Habeshas like Lisi.
Lisi chatting with Afromia, who was preparing coffee ceremony.
The crew of littles learning Amharic syllables.
The brave Brook and Habin, teaching Amharic

Dancing

Ethiopian stories

Snack