Back From Oregon!

Although I promised to update our blog more frequently during summer, dial-up access dampened my zeal. So we now are back on broadband and I've included all sorts of media goodness.

Kara loved the lake. Loved it a bit too much, actually. Which is one reason why we're back early. If she had her way, she would still be happily sifting the beach sand with her toes and filling her watering can with the softly lapping lake water. The moment we brought her back inside, she would scream, "AhDice! AhDice!" which means "outside." I might even go so far as to say that Kara was obsessed with "AhDice." Often, she'd wake up and 6 am and scream from her Pack 'n Play, "Daaaaaaaad. AhDice!" The lake house doesn't have a fenced backyard, so managing Ellie and Kara required our full attention. Gone are the days of reading a dozen books during the summer while sipping lemonade in a shady hammock. We did have plenty of fun, memorable moments and it was all time well-spent, but we were ready for the Kara-friendly conviences of home.

We've been very productive (when Kara has tolerated being indoors for some length of time). Kim was a scrapbooking maniac and is currently caught up! I was very happy to see her scrapbooking, not only because I enjoy watching her smiling, content face as she lovingly preserves our most cherished moments, but also because I had to load and haul all of her scrapbooking stuff 800 miles. Even more amazing than the scrapbooking, Kim has also started her quilt for Kara. In my unbiased opinion, my wife has some of the most thoughtful, creative, inspired ideas ever conceived. My evidence? She's saved all of Kara's outfits so she can cut squares from each one to form a quilt. Isn't that unique, sentimental, and perfect? Speaking of sentimental, I'm almost finished with my summer project: a video/still photo montage of Kara's birth (33 minutes long) and a similar video for her first year (111 minutes long). Now I need to get a Blu-ray burner so the grandparents can see it all in high-definition! Man, between Kim's scrapbooks, daily journal, and blog entries and my videos, Kara will have the most well-documented childhood of all time. Poor Kara. I can imagine her as a teenager, hands on hips, asking Kim and me, "So what the heck am I supposed to do with all this?"

More Pictures

Vacation Bible School

Fourth of July

Fun times with Gramma and Papa

Such a big girl.

Wireless Internet!!

We are at the Ford dealership today getting Aaron's truck serviced and they have free wireless internet! So here are some pics! We are having a great time here in Oregon. Yesterday we had an amazing thunderstorm. The thunder shook the house and lasted for so long. It poured but wasn't too cold outside. My parents are leaving tomorrow and Aunt Nicole is coming on Friday. Kara will be so happy to see her but VERY sad when Gramma and Papa leave.

Dial-up

Wow, if I ever hated dial-up before it was nowhere compared to how much I hate it now. Before it was just an inconvenience but now with a busy 19-month-old it is just impossible to do anything internet related. I am trying at 3AM!! to upload a few pics so you all can see what fun we have been up to. We are doing well and enjoying my parents being here--breaks for us to read, scrapbook...etc. I just finished my 2008 scrapbook and updated Kara's baby book(s). Kara has actually referred to my mom as Gramma a few times instead of just "Daisy". Of course one of her favorite words (and people) is still Papa.

This week is Vacation Bible School and we are having a good time. Throughout the year my parents bring up backdrops, workbooks, crafts and TONS (literally) of stuff from about 5 other churches down in CA and we put on a VBS here at our small church. We do the theme from the year before and we get all of the "left-overs" that the other churches didn't use. It is really cool to have about 65 kids this year! At our church at home we had about 1,400 kids so there is usually enough stuff left over for the kids up here to be able to do a lot of neat crafts...etc.

The weather has been cool but should be warming up a bit in the next few days. Kara has changed so much and is growing so fast. She clearly communicates pretty much everything she wants to get across to us which is nice. The 4th was fun and there are lots of kids around that Kara loves to watch and play in the sand with. Overall, we are having a great time. Aunt Nicole is coming up on the 17th and it will be great to see her. I am trying to upload ONE picture--I may be sitting here until the sun comes up...

Oregon!

Taking a break at a rest stop.

On Sunday we left for Oregon! After the 14 1/2 hour drive we were all VERY ready to be out of the truck. Kara did as well as can be expected being strapped into her carseat for that long. Poor thing. The weather was beautiful for the 3 days we were there. On Thurs. we got back in the truck and drove to visit our friends in Washington. (That is why I will have a good internet connection for a few days.) We are having a blast. This makes the whole school year worth it.

Home from our Cruise

Poor Ellie Bean and Daisy May!

Room service is the best!

Playing in the sand with Gramma (Daisy)

Fish! Fish!

The atrium

Hi! It's Aaron, posting for the first time. Since I'm done teaching for the next few months, I no longer have an excuse for not posting.

We just got back from our cruise on Friday morning. Kara is an amazing traveler--I think cruising suits her just fine (18 months old and she has already gone on two!) She particularly liked the all-you-can eat fruit and the morning room service. We ate on the bed of course, and we all got used to sleeping on crumbs and strawberry-stained sheets.

We stopped at Catalina and Ensenada. We all went ashore for Catalina to buy Kim a sweatshirt and to ride on a glass-bottom boat. Kara stayed awake after missing her morning nap to look down into the bottom of the boat, point, and shout "FISH! FISH!" She also enjoyed playing in the sand with Gramma, whom she identifies as "Daisy" (Myra's dog). We didn't go into Ensenada because, well, it's Ensenada. We decided to pass on the swine flu, Chicklets, blankets, and polluted water in favor of enjoying a near-empty ship. Kim and I couldn't imagine doing this cruise without Gramma and Papa, who took Kara all over the ship while we relaxed in our cabin or went to a show.

We're now back at home, looking forward to attending a friend's wedding on Friday and leaving for Oregon on Sunday. Hopefully we'll be able to post more often, now that life has slowed down to the lazy days of summer.

Cruising!

Tomorrow we leave for a 5-day Catalina cruise. The Mexico stop was canceled last month so we are only stopping in Catalina for a day and then cruising in circles for the rest of the week. We usually don't disembark the ship anyway in Ensenada so it isn't a big loss for us.

These pictures are of my loft. I still want to get different lighting fixtures and put up a bunch of pictures and diplomas. I have been waiting for years to do this. Happy 9-years to us on June 17th! Kara loves me to hold her balanced on the desk so she can see out the window.

Aaron is done with school. It doesn't really seem like it yet since it has just been a weekend. The cruise will be awesome and then when he doesn't have to go back to work after that--then vacation time will really sink in.

Kara is clearly talking more and more each day. It is kinda scary. She has been very intense and expressive the past few days. She got her third molar last week and as of tonight is done with the last of her antibiotics. We are almost all packed and geared up for a good time on our trip!

18 Months

Kara turned a year and a half on May 30. Where does the time go? Kara is 33 inches tall (55th percentile) and 25lbs. 11oz. (70th percentile). The doctor was surprised when I told her that I suspected another UTI just because of Kara having a crabby day the day before and her waking up early for 2 days. I brought in a urine sample which they kindly tested for me. I know, I am a crazy, overanxious mom...NOPE! She does have another infection. Poor thing. Anyway, she will be just finishing up the antibiotics when we leave for our cruise on the 8th. Doesn't every baby get to go on a cruise for their half birthday? We have an appt. with the Head of Urology at Childrens' Hospital on June 15. Our pediatrician wants a second opinion on the MRI video and the kidney ultrasound we had a few months ago. I sure hope she grows out of this. The constant worry does take its toll.

Kara got a shot and after this one she only needs one more at age 2. After that it will only be flu shots if we decide for her to have them. She was so good and the doctor was very happy with her overall health and said she is "definitely thriving." Our little angel.

Post 4--Getting Ready for Summer!

We have been shopping this week for summer attire for Kara. We got her a life jacket for the lake--which she absolutely loves until she tries to sit down. It is for 30-50lbs. She is 26. I didn't want to get an infant life jacket for her to wear just this summer. She got a couple bathing suits, hats, and LOTS of shorts and t-shirts. My mom and dad just returned from Oregon with this cute chair. They got her one to leave up there and one to have here at home. She loves to sit in it. Our good friends up at the lake also sent her home a present of two really cute summer outfits. We are really looking forward to our time up there. Kara is going to have a blast!

Post 3--Fun with Friends

We went over to hang out with our friends who have a third grade girl and and boy in kindergarten. Kara LOVES older kids and they had so much fun playing together. Kara was amazed with the bubble blower. Usually "bubbles" means Mommy with a small soapy container and a stick blowing a few at a time until she gets lightheaded. The weather has been so nice in the evenings. Kara cries and cries if we don't play outside. All we have at home is a ball. We really need to get some out back toys. She is going to have a blast in Oregon with the lake and the sand my parents have trucked in to make her a beach.

Post 2--Girls' Day

Aaron brought us some flowers on his way home from work.

Honestly, what on earth would I do all day if Kara had been a boy? Last week I put her hair all up in curlers and we went outside to paint our toenails. It was so fun. She just sat there so still and watched while I carefully separated her toes with cottonballs and painted each nail. What a girly girl she is going to be. This age is so much fun. She understands everything I say and can communicate in one way or another almost everything she needs to. She is constantly making us laugh and is so loving.

Post 1--Mother's Day

I am quite behind on posting so I am just going to see how many I can get through tonight. This was Mother's Day and it was very nice. Aaron asked several times what I wanted and honestly, I am just so happy to have Kara and to BE a mother I really couldn't think of anything. We had a relaxing day at home and then went to dinner with Aaron's family. My mom was in Oregon. It was a really low-key day (which I think we both needed). The end of the school year is a very trying time...

Happy Mother's Day

Before

After!

To all of the wonderful mothers out there--Happy Mother's Day. What a blessing it is to finally be a mother.

Here is our new couch that arrived today at 12:30. :) Aaron and Ellie have already staked out their spots.