It's the little things in life...

Tweenhood

2010-04-08T20:34:00.000-07:00

Tweenhood-You're past the toy stage and video games rule, so does music and sports. Your sense of humor is so much like mine, we love to laugh together. You have a distinct fashion sense…sweats and tee shirts! You have more freedom…and responsibilities. You’re a planner, like me; you are an artist! I love it when you help me…with the dishwasher or starting my car on cold mornings…those little tasks help me out so much more than you’ll ever know. I love the games you like to play in the car “I’m thinking of a country that starts w/ the letter A” or Slug Bug. I love traveling with you. You make friends so easy…all your teachers say so. I feel so much pride watching you play sports. And when I’m watching you play with little kids. I wonder what you will become…I think you’d make the perfect coach. You’re already drawing plays for your different teams and your basketball team even used Peanut (your offensive play) in a game. You also like to create leagues and tournaments for your made up teams. You design the logos and jerseys and determine what city they play for. You chart out the seasons games and brackets for tournaments. Maybe you’ll work as a league commissioner or sit on the board for a sports organization or work in the marketing dept for a sports team. In a few short months, you'll be in Middle School. You're excited while I'm freakin' out. I know you'll love it there. It's hard to accept how fast you're growing up. You have a good head on your shoulders and I think you'll make good decisions. I pray you use common sense and God gives you wisdom because tough choices are coming. I'm excited to watch you grow up. I hope you enjoy the journey!

Love you, Mom.

2009 Exit Interview

2010-01-02T20:49:00.000-08:00

2009 has ended and I wanted to remember some of Jayden's favorites. So I interviewed him and here are his answers:

Favorite sport: Basketball
Favorite sports team(s): Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks, NY Jets

Favorite athlete: Jerryd Bayless #4 Portland Trail Blazers
Favorite movie: Star Wars

Favorite TV show(s): The Office, iCarly

Favorite cartoon: Spongebob Squarepants

Favorite band: Family Force 5
Favorite song: Get Your Back off the Wall
Photo of FF5 at Creation in July

Favorite food: BBQ ribs

Photo of Jay eating ribs at Knott's Berry Farm in September

Favorite drink: Mt Dew

Photo of Jay drinking Mt Dew during SeaKrest in September

Favorite candy: Lindor truffles

Favorite video game(s):

NBA 2K10, Call of Duty 3

Favorite color: green

Favorite Animal: Yorkie
Photo of Lola taken in July
Best Friends: Carlos, Grant, Parker, Brenden, Matt, Chris, Kris and Kellon

Photo of Jayden and Carlos in June

Photo of Jayden and Kellon in October

Super Bowl Prediction: Eagles beat Chargers

I do not agree. Go Chargers

Photo of Jay and I after his football game in September

Favorite Memory of 2009: Creation

Photo of Jayden, Tamara and Travis at Creation in July

Best Accomplishment in 2009: Making both the Bend High and Summit COBO teams

Goals for 2010: Become the best B-Ball player

Looking forward to in 2010: road trip

Trevor and some other bands

2009-11-09T23:42:00.000-08:00

First off let me just say that I'm a terrible blogger. Lots has happened in our lives since July...but I haven't blogged any of it. Maybe I'll do a catch up post later. But for now...

So Friday night was AMAZING! Janet, Trinity, Anesha, Jayden and I went to the "Creation Festival: The Tour" concert. FM Static, Beautiful Republic, Audio Unplugged, Jars of Clay and most importantly...Thousand Foot Krutch. My very favorite band.

Janet and I got there early to save our spots in line. While we were waiting we heard some girls say they saw Trevor (Trevor McNevan is the lead singer of TFK and FM Static...my very favorite) get into his tour bus out back. So Janet and I decided to go for a little walk and when we rounded the corner and saw three tour buses I was thinking I wonder which one is his.

From there it was like slow motion.

A door opened. Someone was stepping out. He was wearing all black and had a bleached faux hawk and I told Janet "that's Trevor". And...he walked right over to us. And he was so cool and sweet and adorable. I can't remember what I said but I sure remember what Janet said. She said "this is Carrie and she's your #1 fan". Are you kidding me? You are one of my best friends and that is what you say to him? Ugh. Anyway, he told us to hang out after the show (and of course I am) and I got a picture with him.

While we were waiting for the auditorium to open, we noticed one of the doors open so we all RAN in and got our seats. Third row...pretty good. Then we were told they opened the doors by mistake and we had to leave to let all the VIPs get their seats first. Fine. So we go back out to the lobby and the doors open again and we run, again. This time we got seventh row but right on the center isle. The concert was in a church with pews. I was surprised and bummed cause I wanted to be standing by the stage. Someone also said they weren't going to allow anyone to stand in font of the first pew. Lame. Then we were told we were sitting in VIP reserved seats and by this time the auditorium was filled and if they made us move we would have had to go all the way to the back. Luckily they didn't. And the show started and very slowly people started walking up front to stand thinking they'd get sent back to their seats.

They let us stand but made us sit down between bands. Lame. But soon we learned as soon as the lights went down...run! Anesha had broken her foot a couple weeks ago so she and Jayden stayed back at our seats which worked out perfectly.

FM Static was up first. I was using Jayden's camera for all the bands leading up to TFK cause I didn't want to get caught using a professional camera and then they'd not let me shoot TFK. So I kept it hidden until then. Jay's camera didn't do too bad.

I
Ha!

He loves Jesus!
This is a sweet shot.

Then Beautiful Republic performed. They weren't bad but I was getting annoyed cause FM Static only did like 4 songs and I was getting impatient for more Trevor.

Another artist, B. Reith was supposed to perform...swine flu.

Then Audio Unplugged (Mark and Will from Audio Adrenaline) performed. They had to call the band quits a few years ago when Mark lost his voice. His wife left him too. He had a very powerful message about that time in his life. The morning after she left, it was very cold and he got into his old truck not expecting it to start. He was praying when he turned the key and it started but also the song on the radio was an old Audio A song, The Good Life.

"Good Life"

I've watched my dreams all fade away

And blister in the sun

Everything I've ever had is unraveled and undone

I've set upon a worthless stack

Of my ambitious plans

And the people that I've loved the most

Have turned their backs and ran

[CHORUS:]This is the good life

I've lost everything I could ever want

And ever dream of

This is the good life

I found everything I could ever need

Here in Your arms

Loneliness has left me searching

For someone to love

Poverty has changed my view

Of what true riches are

Sorrow's opened up my eyes

To see what real joy is

Pain has been the catalyst

To my heart's happiness

[CHORUS]

What good would it be

If you had everything

But you wouldn't have

The only thing you need

[CHORUS]

That song hadn't played on the radio in years.

Finally Thousand Foot Krutch! I took close to 700 pictures at the concert and most of them (like over 650) were of Trevor. But...the more pics you take the better chance you have of getting shots like these...

After the show, Steve Augustine threw his drum sticks out into the crowd. I am very proud to say my friend Janet got one.

I like the dimples.

I think this shot is amazing. I love the way it's composed with the mask in the background. I'd like to say I knew what I was doing when I took it, but it was a total happy accident. Just perfect timing.

I'd like to think he posed just for me here.

Great TFK Shot. Steve and Joel get a little love too.

This one might just be my favorite. Wow!

After TFK we went out in the lobby and Mark and Will were signing autographs.

And this totally made Trinity's night.

Then we got TFK autographs and pictures. When Trevor saw me he was like "Hey, parking lot girl!" Then he said...and I quote "lets hang out again sometime". Yep, I'd like that!

Goofy shot. I think I might have been leaning on him.

The night was absolutley awesome! We all had a blast. Even Anesha enjoyed the "head banging music". Ha! I can't wait for the next concert.

But wait...there's more. Last Friday night, I went with Ray and Violeta to take the high school seniors in the youth group to the Skillet "Alive and Awake" tour. One of the girls, Dresden, really wanted to buy VIP tickets but needed a leader to go with her. So I selflessly volunteered. ;)

I took Jayden's camera because I was afraid they wouldn't let me in with my Canon.

We got in early for a Q&A with Skillet.

John Cooper is pretty cool!

Jen Ledger is a rad drummer.

That's Ben.

Korey Cooper...John's wife.

Skillet

The first band out was The Letter Black.

Decyfer Down was awesome.

So Jay's camera took some pretty fantastic shots.

Hawk Nelson was next. They're my favorite...after Trevor!

That's Dan.

Live Life Loud

Jason Dunn is so cute...

...even when he's nerdy.

Skillet puts on a phenominal show!

Thank you Salem!

Two great concerts and I'll be looking for more. Also concidering a career change!

A Tribute to our Creator

2009-08-12T19:48:00.000-07:00

Last month, Jayden and I went with the youth group to Creation. Four days of camping at The Gorge with teenagers...awesome.

We spent the night at the church on Tuesday and got up at 3 something Wednesday morning. We hit the road for the 6 to 7 hour drive to try to get up there as early as possible to avoid the long line to get in.
Ray's van.

Eric's van.

Travis and Jayden cuddling in the van.

Still had to wait in a long line, about an hour and a half. It was something like 105 degrees.

Finally we got to our campsite and set up camp.

Even in the extreme heat, Jayden worked really hard. I think he wanted to prove he was man enough to handle the hard work.

To keep cool, we used spray bottles and often water wars would break out.

Violeta and Adrienne help each other stay cool.

Dresden got soaked!

And Jayden snuck up on Debbie and got her good.

The boys from the camp next to us, from Montana, started a soccer game. Jayden wasn't too shy to jump right in. And he definitely held his own.

Dinner time. We ate very well, BBQ every night!

Me and Violeta

Hurray we're at Creation!

Travis. What more can I say. He kept me laughing all the time. And he loved to get his picture taken.

How took my camera? I look exhausted and fried.

Awe. Ray's tri tip. Nothing's better.

Passing the time. Jayden learned some new card games and made new friends.

I love this picture.

Travis loves tri tip too.

Haley & I. I really enjoyed getting to know all the kids.Enjoy Diet Coke!

The Concerts

Pillar

Got this picture of Pillar...playing paparazzi.

Taylor, Travis and Adrienne enjoy a concert.

Family Force 5

Kutless

Jay & I having fun at an evening concert.

And another concert. The view is amazing.

Worth Dying For and Reggie Dabbs. He was everyone's favorite speaker.

Jayden even enjoyed Reggie.

Red...Thousand Foot Krutch was supposed to perform but Trevor (Trevor McNeven, I refer to him by name because I met him at Creation '04) had an emergency appendectomy. I was devastated...that's my favorite band.

This is a picture of the jumbo screen. That's Kevin during the Red concert. He is so funny.

Chris Tomlin

We had a candle lighting ceremony during the Chris Tomlin concert. It was so beautiful to see the hill covered in thousands of candle flames.

Group 1 Crew

Jayden, Michael, LeeAnn and Jessica having a blast!

David Crowder Band

David's keytar

And Relient K closed the festival.

seen but not pictured: Hawk Nelson and Skillet. They both performed the first night and it was when I tried to enter I was told I could not bring in my camera because it was too professional. So it almost killed me not being able to shoot those shows. We were up front too. Skillet was the best show of the entire festival by far. They had fireworks and flames and rising violinists...amazing. Yes, I'm still bitter. The next day I figured out a way to smuggle the camera in.

Sunday morning it was time to pack up and head home. Jayden and Travis show off some school spirit!

Here is the group (minus Kevin who had to leave the night before).

We hit the road and headed home. Haley, Tamera and Sarah were very entertaining on the long drive.

The trip was a blast and Jay and I cannot wait til next year.

I must be a space geek

2009-07-16T22:15:00.000-07:00

Today is the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 launch. I am blown away by how amazing that event was. I wish I had been here to witness it. I found this collection of photos at The Big Picture. These pictures are awesome.

Jayden and I went to Kennedy Space Center in November, here is that entry.

4th of July, 2009

2009-07-06T21:41:00.001-07:00

The 4th of July in Bend is the best. There is just so much to do. My wonderful friend Janet spent the day with us.

First we went to the annual Pet Parade in downtown. This is a true Bend tradition.
I heard someone describe it as "kitschy" and yes it is! Kids dress up themselves, their bikes, wagons and animals (real or stuffed). I realized Jayden has never been in the parade...that is just not right. But Lola would be way too scared.

And here is the show stopper...

I love the goggles!

After the parade, we decided to check out the Des Chutes History Museum, free admission for the 4th.

Picture taken of the Old Mill District a long time ago.

After that it was time for lunch. We went to Longboard Louie's. And this is a picture of Jayden eating something green. And I think he liked it.

Later that afternoon was the We the People rally (Bend's tea party). I missed the one on tax day so I was excited to go to this one. I feel these rallies are so important and it's great to see people of different political parties all standing up for the same cause. Less government, less taxes, more freedom.

Next was the BBQ at Jake's. We met Janet's parents, Terry and Mary. And my Dad was making his rounds.

More friends joined us and we had a wonderful dinner while enjoying the perfect weather and listening to great music. It was the perfect evening.

Dewey, Nita, me, Terry, Mary, Janet.

And finally it was time to get our spot for fireworks. We went back to Jake's and found a spot in the parking lot. Before the fireworks started, we had fun playing w/ sparklers.

We tried writing our names while taking pictures. I think we did pretty good...can you see it?

"Carrie"

"Janet"

"Jayden"...not sure what happened to the J?!

"Lola"

And Jayden just preferred to scribble.

We had a great view of the fireworks on Pilot Butte. And I think this might be the first time in years that the Butte didn't catch on fire! It was a wonderful day and a beautiful night.

Happy Birthday USA!

"I'm gonna marry him when I grow up"

2009-06-25T19:17:00.000-07:00

I remember when I was 6 years old, I had the Thriller record and loved it. I loved Michael! I told my family I was going to marry him when I grew up. I think he may have been my first crush. That was back when he was still cute and normal...before any plastic surgery.

Michael Jackson died today. I was watching the news at lunch and they announced he had been taken to the hospital for a heart attack. I went back to work and a few others had heard he went to the hospital too. A while later, they announced on the radio he had died. My jaw dropped and everyone around me was shocked. Crazy!

So now I am sitting here blogging (finally, more on that later) and watching MTV. They are running all his music videos. He was pretty phenomenal. I don't like what he became, but still love to listen to his old music. By the time I picked Jayden up after work, I couldn't stop singing ROCK WITH YOU.

I wonder if years from now, people will ask do you remember where you were when you found out Michael Jackson died? Ya know, kinda like they do w/ Elvis.

So it has been a long time since I've blogged and so much to catch up on. I have been meaning to update this for a few months now but I don't want Jayden to be an afterthought on a Michael Jackson post so I'll leave it at this.

Glamour Shots

2009-03-22T19:54:00.001-07:00

Lola got a bath today and she looked so pretty. I put her in front of my large south facing window and she posed in front of my birthday tulips. Jayden is so glad that I have a new photography subject, anyone but him.

Yesterday was my birthday, it was a nice layed back day. I went to Pastini for lunch with Mom, Dad and Jayden. We spent the rest of the day at their house with Lola and Mia.

I got a new MP3 player for my birthday and already have like 300 songs downloaded on it.

Lots has happened in the last month

2009-03-17T20:08:00.000-07:00

We got a dog!
Her name is Lola. She is 4 years old and only weighs 4 lbs. She is very quiet, hardly ever barks. She didn't like Jay at first, but she's warming up to him. She really likes cheese and messing up her hair.

March 1st, we went to the Civil War. Dad, Trinity, Jayden and I went to Eugene to catch maybe one of the last games to be played at MacArthur Court. We got there early, went to the mall and got dinner at Track Town Pizza before the game.

The game was fantastic. Ducks were down by 10 at the half and things got worse in the beginning of the second half. One big play from the Ducks was all it took for the crowd to start getting loud. The Pit started shaking and the Ducks started catching up. The Beavs couldn't do anything and the refs couldn't hear over the noise. Anyway, Ducks won by 10. It was SOOOO fun!

And this last weekend, the Jake's Diner Nuggets wrapped up their season with a great win and party at Jake's. This was Jayden's best game all season. In this picture he dribbled the ball behind his back, he is getting pretty good at that.

I signed Jayden up for Lacrosse yesterday. He's never played before and he was so happy and surprised when I told him he was gonna get to play. There is lots of equipment we have to buy so he better like it.

Welcome Home Casey

2009-02-16T11:18:00.000-08:00

Casey flew home yesterday for some R&R after a recent surgery. It was so good to see him! He was so skinny...but I guess surgery will do that to you. After picking him up from the airport, we all went back to Mom & Dad's to watch the NBA All-Star game.

And the West won.

Basketball, Hockey and...eggs

2009-02-09T18:25:00.000-08:00

Basketball season has started and this year Jayden is on the (Jake's Diner) Nuggets. They played really well this week, and if they kept score at this age, than they would have won.

Go #8!

As we were leaving, Jayden told me they won 78-12. That's very impressive! I asked him who was keeping score. He said he was.

After the game, we had to go to Big 5. I promised him if he did laundry all week, then he could earn money to buy a hockey stick. It was torture for him to wait all day Saturday until we went out. He wanted to go to the store first thing in the morning of course. So on the way home, he made sure I didn't forget where we were going.

And in my effort to take more pictures this year, I had to take my camera into the store with us. This was a very important moment in his life.

And he decided he wanted to play roller hockey next season. I explained to him he had to be a good roller bladder, so he pulled out the blades and set up a hockey rink, using the recycle bin as a goal. Parker didn't have a hockey stick, so he used a broom.

Lookin good Jayden!

And about those eggs.

One night last week, Jayden had gotten up out of bed and came to tell me that he couldn't sleep and he needed a new pillow. Cause his was fraying and smelled like eggs.

Bank Party

2009-01-25T20:01:00.001-08:00

Last night was our annual Winter Party. After getting the dress and shoes and jewelry and all the little things a girl needs it was time to get ready. The girls all came over to my house and we got ready together.

Hair and makeup

All ready to go.

Janet and Aileen.

At the party.

Friends from work.

Time to get down.

Trinity, Rachel and Jenny.

After the party we went to the Shiloh for some karaoke.

I love this picture.

Sing along.

And even though this didn't turn out perfect, it's is a fabulous shot. I believe we were singing Total Eclipse of the Heart.

Grandma Sanders

2009-01-21T21:04:00.000-08:00

My Grandma met Jesus today.

She had been battling Alzheimer's for a few years. We knew this was coming, we were preparing ourselves for the news. And I wasn't sure what emotions I'd feel when word came. While I feel terrible for Mom and my family in Australia, I feel relief for her. She isn't sick anymore or scared and she isn't in pain and I imagine her in Heaven and the reunions and the party they must be having for her. It's been 14 years since I saw her last and that really sucks. I wish she could've met Jayden. He loves her even though he never got to meet her. And he cried for her tonight. He knows he'll get to meet her one day.

So, please pray for my family.

They're Back...

2009-01-21T20:29:00.000-08:00

My lens is fixed and my camera is as good as new and I am a happy girl. My camera sensor was dirty so I had it cleaned while my lens was being repaired because it wouldn't focus. Anyway, all's well now.

And I haven't stuck to my new year's resolution very good, because I hate my old camera and I was kinda bitter and I felt I wasn't honing my photography skills so...I just stopped. But now...no excuses.
And Lost starts tonight. ;)

His future wife will thank me...

2009-01-04T17:26:00.000-08:00

A few days ago, Jayden asked if he could help with the laundry. Weird. So I showed him and he has been doing it every day since. I think he actually enjoys it. And so do I.

The after...

2009-01-03T21:25:00.000-08:00

And this is my new hair do. I have never had dark hair before, so it's really weird to see this. I cannot wait to see what I can do with it, ya know after a few days when it's not freakin out from being cut.

I thought I would try to take a self portrait w/ my new camera and it's broken lens. I can still take pictures, but only from very close up. It makes me so frustrated that I just pick it up and use it. The old camera just doesn't compare.

The before...

2009-01-02T20:28:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow I am getting my hair cut and colored and I'm thinking it will be a big change. So, I wanted before and after pictures. Jayden took these first two of me.

And I had to take a picture today, so I tried a self portrait, using the bathroom mirror. Not great, but there is something I like about it.

I played with this in Photo Shop and this is what I came up with. I am hoping to get better at Photo Shop too. In fact there is a class at COCC coming up at the end of the month. It is an advanced photography class w/ some lessons on Photo Shop. I really, really, really want to take it but don't think I should sign up until I get my lens fixed.

So edgy!

My New Years Resolution

2009-01-01T22:39:00.001-08:00

Happy 2009! Time to make that New Years Resolution. My goal for '09 is to become a better photographer so I resolve to take at least one picture everyday. And this really stresses me out right now because my only lens for my good camera is broken so I am using my old point and shoot. Hopefully I will be able to return my lens for a new one. I am also going to buy a new lens when I get my tax return back, I want a good zoom lens with a wide aperture. Anyway...I took these photos today and while they aren't great shots (I'll blame it on the camera) I am sticking to my resolution.

We went over to our friends' house for some Wii fun.

and while we were Wii-ing (LOL) Annika and Caleb were playing dress up. The queen and king. I really love Caleb's pink crown and Batman roller skates.

I hope to get my lens back soon. And I am also going to try to blog more in '09. Maybe a picture of the day thing or something.

Disney World, day 7

2009-01-01T21:17:00.000-08:00

Our last day in Disney and we revisited two parks, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. Here are some pictures of our final day.

The week we were there, they were decorating for Christmas and this is the tree at the Animal Kingdom entrance.

We made sure we saw Finding Nemo the Musical cause we missed it the first day at A.K. It was excellent.

and we lost track of how many times we rode Expedition Everest.

snack break

And we missed this guy the first day we went, the gorillas and other monkeys were so cool.

After lunch we took the shuttle over to Hollywood Studios and spent the rest of the day there. I had been looking for the army guys and finally found them.

Not a great picture, but it is the only one I got of us on Rock N Rollercoaster.

Our last night we went to the Polynesian Resort for the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show. I had made all our dinner reservations five months in advance so we could enjoy all the great restaurants.

Jay loves ribs!

The dancers performed traditional dances from all the Polynesian islands...Hawaii, Tahiti, New Zealand and some others.

And after the dinner show we stood on the sandy beach at the Polynesian and enjoyed the view. It was sad to know we were leaving the next day.

And that completes my Disney Vacation. We hope to go back in January 2010 and we'll try to get to Disneyland/California Adventures in 2009. I hope!

Disney World, day 6

2008-12-27T17:27:00.000-08:00

First of all I know it is two days after Christmas and I haven't blogged anything current for the last month. I will update once I am done w/ Disney. I know, I am a bad blogger.

On this day Jayden and I left Trinity behind at the hotel (it's okay, she didn't want to go) and we took a bus to Kennedy Space Center. It was a great time to go because it was only two days until the launch of space shuttle Endeavour.

Our first stop was the Astronaut Hall of Fame.

Then we went to the Visitor Center and took the bus tour. The first stop was the Observation Gantry. From here we could see the launch pad and learn about shuttle launches.

Here is the launch pad. The shuttle is on it, but you can't see it from our angle. You can see the external tank (red) and one of the solid rocket boosters (white).

Here is the Crawler transporter. It moves the shuttle from the Vehicle Assembly Building (in the distance) to the launch pad.

The Vehicle Assembly Building.

This was the second stop on the tour, the Saturn V rocket. This was used in several of the Apollo missions.

This is the Command Module of the Saturn V.

More sections of the rocket

This is the space suit that Jim Lovell would have worn if he'd walked on the moon.

And the last stop on the tour was the International Space Station Center. This is where parts of the Space Station are built before being loaded on the space shuttle.

Back at the Visitor Center...

some goofing off in the gift shop

Check out his cool shuttle cup.

On the way back to Disney, I got a call from an old friend, DJ James. He asked me where I was and I said Orlando. He asked if I'd been to an IMAX movie that day. I may have freaked out a bit. He told me he was sitting a few rows behind Jay and I during the movie and couldn't catch up to us after. So we invited him to meet us for dinner at Planet Hollywood in Downtown Disney. Before we met up w/ DJ, we found a really cool sports store. Yes, he tried on a hat of some sort in every store we went in and yes, I took a picture of each.

Same ol' DJ!

He didn't know what to think of this guy.

After dinner, we hung out in Downtown Disney. We checked out this cool store with unusual collectors items. Lots of original band memorabilia. Here is an autographed picture of Abraham Lincoln...check out the price.

I took these pictures before I saw the sign that said No Photographs Please. Oops.

And as we passed another store, some guy gave Jayden this light saber.

And we took lots of goofy pictures.

and took pictures w/ the cell phones.

Can you tell which people are real and which ones are legos?

And of course...pirates.

Disney World, day 5

2008-12-21T18:41:00.001-08:00

Today we decided to leave Disney and go to Wet'n Wild. It wasn't the warmest day to spend at a water park, but we had fun and there wasn't alot of people there. Our first ride was the Bubba Tub and it was COLD. We found out that some of the rides, Mach 5, The Flyer and the Blast, had really warm water so we rode these for a while until we warmed up.

Then we went on Disco H2O, my favorite! You get in a four person tube and enter a dark tunnel w/ loud disco music, the tunnel goes down a steep drop and into a big round room that resembled a toilet bowl. Only this toilet had a disco ball and strobe lights. After you "dance" around the room a few times, you get flushed down another tube to the end of the ride. It was so fun.

We spent lots of time in the wave pool. The water was warm and Jayden loved it. It was so cute watching him laugh as he jumped into each wave. His smile was priceless.

We also rode Brain Wash, the Lazy River, the Serge and I was the only one who rode the Storm. My last ride down the storm, I got water in my ears (which over a month later, still haven't popped!).

We met a couple from Germany, Feliz and Marcus. Marcus was injured and couldn't ride any of the rides and Feliz wanted to ride the Bubba Tub (below) but couldn't ride by herself. So we invited her to come along with us. Marcus took all these photos of us and they emailed them to me when they got back to Germany.

Playin in the wave pool

Mach 5, the Flyer, Blast

For dinner we decided to go to ESPN Club on the Boardwalk. We took the shuttle to Hollywood Studios and got on the ferry to the boardwalk.

Jayden looked so cool in his new shades that we bought at Wet'n Wild.

Big screens on every wall and hanging from the ceiling all playing different ESPN channels. And lots of sports memorabilia on the walls...including Joey.

After dinner, Jayden played in the arcade.

Not a great shot, but I love his smile.

And after dinner we walked along the Boardwalk. We could see the Epcot fireworks.

Disney World, day 4

2008-12-13T10:53:00.001-08:00

Day four, we went to Epcot. Took these pictures while waiting for the shuttle bus. Disney's All-Star Sports Resort was a great place to stay.

First thing we did was go on a few rides, including Soarin'. Just like the ride in California Adventure, you sit in a hang glider and watch a large IMAX-like screen that makes you feel like you are really flying. You soar over California and feel the mist of the ocean and smell the orange groves. You fly over San Fransisco, San Diego and eventually go over LA and Disneyland.

After Soarin, we went to the character hall and met Mickey and friends.

Minnie really does give the best hugs!

Go Ducks!

Gawrsh, he's tall.

Stitch was hilarious. I love these photos, but realized too late that I hadn't changed my white balance. No, Jayden didn't turn blue.

Marie from Aristocats.

Test Track was a great ride too. You ride in a vehicle that is going thru safety and performance testing and speeds around the outdoor track at 65 mph.

Another big ride at Epcot is Mission Space. First you decide if you want to ride the more intense or less intense version of the ride, we chose less. I was so glad we did. The ride is a shuttle launch simulator and you fly to Mars. I got a bit of motion sickness on this ride.

Later in the day, the World Showcase opened and we started our tour around the world. First stop was Mexico. Hola.

Then Norway.

China...

We met Princess Mulan in China. She called Jayden a handsome warrior.

Next was Germany. We had lunch here at Sommerfest. We all had bratwursts and I had a delicious apple custard something for desert.

In Germany, we met Snow White and Dopey.

Then it was on to Italy. A little bit Rome, a little bit Venice. I like the mini Trevi Fountain.

This was our pathetic attempt at creating our own fountain. When in Rome...

People walking by started laughing cause they totally got what we were trying to do. Just didn't look as good as it did in my head.

Welcome to Japan. Konichiwa.

Jayden bought an Epcot passport and had it stamped in every country. Here he is getting it stamped in Morocco.

We met Aladdin, Jasmine and Genie in Morocco.

Vive la France

magnifique

Bonjour!

and we met Aurora, aka Sleeping Beauty, in France. She told Trin and I how to pose like a princess and showed Jay how to stand like Prince Charming.

She was funny too. She asked Trin where her Prince Charming was. Trin said she hadn't met him yet. She said, "That's ok, it took me along time to meet my Prince Charming...Snow White is still looking for hers".

Next was England.

Jayden was in heaven in this british football store. He even found the jersey for his favorite english team. New Castle United.

and I don't have any pictures of it, but Canada, eh, was the final country in the World Showcase. It was starting to get dark and our dinner reservations was near the Seas with Nemo and Friens. We went to Turtle Talk w/ Crush. That was a very cute, interactive show.

We had dinner at the Coral Reef Restaurant. The restaurant had an aquarium along one wall. It was very cool. We watched fish, sharks, rays and even scuba divers while we ate.

After dinner we decided to ride Soarin one more time before the Illuminations fireworks show began. As we were waiting in line, I noticed Jayden didn't have his Mickey button. I remembered seeing it on our dinner table, so I let Trin and Jay ride and I went back to the restaurant to get Jay's pin. The waitress had already thrown it away by the time I got there, so the manager and chef gave me some of the trading pins that were very popular. Jayden was very excited because he saw so many kids in Disney wearing these. This was the begining of a new collection.

I found Trin and Jay and we had to run to see the fireworks because it started before they got out of the ride. But we saw most of it. Then it was time to leave. I think we spent some time in one of the gift shops and took lots of pics of the ball at night. It was pretty.

It was an Epic day!

Disney World, day 3

2008-12-09T18:46:00.000-08:00

Every morning we'd get breakfast at our hotel and eat on the bus on the way to the park. So with all the choices of food, Jay picks Poptarts (that's what he always has at home).

On day 3 we went to Disney's Hollywood Studios. We had been looking forward to this park because of the great rides and shows.
I love the palm tree lined streets...so Glamorous!

There were many actors performing in the streets.

Here are the Streets of America. The backdrops are made to look like the cities.

NYC

San Fransisco

Our favorite ride at Hollywood Studios was Aerosmith's Rock N Roller coaster. I knew the ride had a few loops and corkscrews but didn't want to tell Jay because I was afraid he wouldn't get on it. After we rode it, I asked him if he was surprised when we went upside-down and he said he already knew about it. He loved it. We all loved it. The ride starts out by riders stepping into a room that looks like a recording studio and everyone is watching a life size TV screen. Aerosmith is rockin out and their agent interrupts them because they have a show on the other side of town. Steven Tyler doesn't want to leave all his fans behind so his agent calls for a stretch limo, one that goes really fast and the doors open and the riders enter an underground parking garage. Once your in the "limo", Aerosmith music blasts from speakers behind the headrest. You pull up to the stop light and when it turns green, you go from 0 to 60 in seconds.

As soon as the ride was over, Jayden announced he was an Aerosmith fan. He loved the gift shop.

Our other favorite ride at Hollywood was the Twilight Zone's Tower of Terror...dun, dun, dun. The ride is an elevator and it takes you up in the tower and drops you or shoots you up. Every ride is different, you never know if your gonna shoot up or fall. It was fantastic.

terrifying

When it was time for lunch, we decided to try the turkey legs. They were ginormous! I couldn't eat half of mine.

It was really nice of the girl at the table next to us to take our picture w/ our giant turkey legs. Even if it is blurry.

Hollywood studios has lots of great shows and we saw some great ones...and not so great. The first one we saw was the Voyage of the Little Mermaid. It was way cheesey. But we liked Ariel.

Next we saw the Indiana Jones stunt show. They recreated the take the idol from the alter and run from the giant rolling rock scene and the escape from the enemy military base and fight giant German soldier before he gets chopped up by airplane propeller scene. Jayden appreciated this much more than the Little Mermaid.

And it was a good thing Jayden had a bag of Swedish fish cause that is what got him thru the next show, the Beauty and the Beast musical. LOL.

And the coolest show was the Lights, Motors, Action stunt spectacular. Speeding cars, motorcycles, jet skis. Guys were falling off buildings and catching on fire. It was awesome.

The last show of the day was Fantasmic. This is the only, and very pathetic, photo I took of this show. I had a video camera too and sometimes I forgot to take pictures of amazing things cause I was videoing.

On the way out of the park, we stopped in this gift shop and played with hats. I realize I have tons of photos of Jayden with different hats on. Just about every gift shop we did this.

He wasn't paying attention to me when I swapped his hat so he had no idea what was on his head when I took this photo. Princess Minnie.

This park sparkled after dark. You could see the spotlights all over Disney World.

It was hard leaving the parks each night. You never want the fun to end or say goodbye.

And here is a surprise!

And I don't have any pictures of it, but we had dinner at the Sci-Fi Drive-In Theater. It was like an old drive in, you sit in classic cars and watch old cheesey science fiction movies. It was a pretty cool restaurant but the food wasn't as good as the previous two nights. We were hoping for burgers and shakes, but they had fancier dishes and it just didn't fit the theme.

Disney World, day 2

2008-11-21T13:26:00.000-08:00

Day two was a WILD day at Animal Kingdom. Our first ride was the Kilimanjaro Safari. It was like a real safari...we saw lots of African animals like giraffes, elephants, lions and rhinos. They made it look like the African grass lands even with upside down trees. After that we got fast passes for Everest and went to the Dinasour ride. It was just like Indiana Jones at Disneyland only based on the animated movie, Dinasour. Then we rode Expedition Everest. It was fantastic! Think Matterhorn only bigger, faster, scarrier Yetti, it goes forward and backwards and it has a 60 ft. drop. This was the biggest ride Jayden had ever been on, he loved it.

Here are some pics I took from the ride.

I love the way Disney designs their parks. The detail is so wonderful. This building was the bathrooms, but it looked like supply post for backpackers getting ready to climb the mountain. I tried to take in all the detail of the rides and buildings. I think I would love the job of the person who designs all the buildings and decorates them.

After Everest, we went to It's Tough to be a Bug. It was a 4D show inside the trunk of the big tree. This show was so great. Of course you wear 3D glasses and watch the Bug's Life characters teach people what it's like to be a bug. The audience gets sprayed w/ bug killer and you feel and smell it. You get stung in the back by a bee, that kinda hurts. All the women screamed when spiders dropped from the ceiling...I laughed so hard. Then when they were about to dismiss the crowd, it felt like cockroaches crawling across the floor and seats.

By that time is was getting very hot, so we went to Kali River Rapids. We got soaked! Then it was time to go to the Festival of the Lion King. It was a great show.

After Lion King, we realized we were in Camp Mickey...and the characters were all out. We got pictures w/ Donald and Minnie.

Did you know Donald was an Oregon Duck fan? Well...he is the mascot!

Go Ducks!

Minnie is so cute. She made Jayden give her a kiss on the nose. What a good sport.

We rode our favorite rides again and again. We made the mistake of riding Kali River again when it started getting dark. I was still wet when we went to dinner.

The big tree.

I love pictures with the characters...still soaked.

And the last ride before we left, Everest. I took a picture of the tv screen that displayed the photos taken on the drop. Notice Jayden is not holding on. Trinity was determined to get him to raise his hands in the air and each ride we got a bit braver.

And here is a picture I really liked. This building was so cute, I think it was a snack shop.

For dinner we went to Boma, in the Animal Kingdom Lodge. What an amazing hotel. The food was great and it was all you can eat African buffet. My favorite was the Fu Fu. It was some kinda sweet potato dish. Jayden and Trinity couldn't get enough of the prime rib.

Disney World, day 1

2008-11-16T18:28:00.000-08:00

After months and months of planning, we finally went to Disney World. We left Thursday evening and flew thru the night, arriving in Orlando very early Friday morning. I was trying to surprise Jayden with our resort, the Disney All-Star Sports Resort. I was hoping he wouldn't realize we were staying there until we pulled up. But...he saw our luggage tags at the Redmond airport and spoiled the surprise. He was very excited.

When we arrived in Orlando, we took the Disney's Magical Express (bus) to our resort, checked in, got some breakfast (Mickey shaped waffles) and jumped on a bus to the Magic Kingdom.

I signed us up for the Disney dinning plan, which included one snack, one quick service meal and one table service meal each per day. That was the best decision ever. We ate wonderfully everyday and never had to worry about how much it cost. Several of our meals totalled over $100. We usually bought breakfast at the resort, has a quick lunch and an afternoon snack at the park and dinners were all very special. I made reservations 5 months before the trip so we could eat at the best restaurants.

Trin and I found these really BIG pickles!

One of Jay's favorite rides (so far), Splash Mountain. This was his favorite when we went to Disneyland two years ago. Other favorites that we had to ride: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain, Jungle Cruise and Haunted Mansion. They had a new attraction, Stitch's Great Escape. Hated it!

My little Jack Sparrow.

la cucaracha, la cucaracha...did you know that means the cockroach?

I'll be back

For dinner on day 1, we ate at Cinderella's Royal Table. We entered in the back of the castle and met Cinderella for pictures and climbed the very royal staircase to the dinning room. It had beautiful cathedral ceilings and stained glass windows. The food was was amazing and we were surprised by the mice and the Fairy God Mother who sang to us at dinner.

I love this picture of the Fairy God Mother singing to Trinity. We all sang along with her as she sang Bibbty Boppity Bo.

After dinner we saw a new 4D show, Mickey's Philharmagic. It was wonderful. Visually amazing and you feel the wind and even get sprayed w/ water. Then we went on It's a Small World, it was torture for Jayden. But Trin and I love it! Then is was time for fireworks! And I believe we squeezed in a few more rides on Splash Mnt.

Here are some pics of our hotel at night. It was a boy's dream come true.

Halloween

2008-11-01T13:34:00.000-07:00

Jayden dressed up at a transportation maintenance specialist, aka road flagger, for Halloween. He told me he wasn't even embarrassed this year cause it was cool and manly. He is still scarred from his costume two years ago, Napoleon Dynamite. This costume was really easy to put together. He found Trinity's vest that she uses for work sometimes and we had our idea. He wore my work boots, his jeans, we got him a flannel shirt, borrowed the hard hat from a friend and purchased the stop/slow sign online. Done.

The kids get to dress up for a parade around the school and parents get to watch from the gym. He looked so cool and grown up.

Jayden spotted Pappa in the crowd and they were waiving to each other.

This is his class...check out Nikki, the Diva Devil.
After school, he came back to work with me. The office is so fun on halloween cause we get so many kids who trick or treat there. Jayden left with several bags of candy.

When we got home, Jayden and some other neighborhood kids were trying to see how many cars they could get to stop or slow down. It was pretty funny. Many drivers played along and possibly a few were fooled. It was really funny when he held up the slow sign and were waving people by.

In the evening we went trick or treating with friends. Anthony (Darth Vader), Carlos (a thingy with bones, as he called it), and Carmen (she's just cute). We went to the neighborhood around school and they got TONS of candy.

Drive by trick or treating

The next morning, Jayden sorted his candy into piles and then picked out a bowl full of his favorites. The rest he sold to a local dentist who purchased kids' halloween candy for $2 a pound and sent it all to the troops. Jayden earned $25.50!

Kids say the darndest things.

2008-10-29T20:08:00.000-07:00

He makes me laugh everyday.

He typically greets people, even if he doesn't know them, with "I like Chicken".

He asked a few days ago, "Do Mexicans fart alot, cause they eat alot of beans?"

And I know he has been paying attention to the news lately cause when we were driving by a store that was closing, he said "I know why Linens N Things is going out of business, cause of the Nasdaq".

Mia and more

2008-10-17T21:52:00.000-07:00

Mom and Dad got a new puppy...Mia. She is a mini Pomeranian. Jayden absolutely loves her. We baby sat her one night and I got these pictures.

What else is going on? Well it's exactly 20 days and counting until we go to Disney World and I cannot wait. I've been planning this since January and all that work is about to pay off.

Casey is back...I don't know for how long. I think he is planning on moving to Denver very soon. I want him to stay at least thru Christmas. Speaking of Christmas, I am starting to worry that there is not going to be any extra money for Christmas this year. So a few people I work with have come up with an idea to take Christmas pictures for coworkers' families. I will charge each family $20-$25 and give them a CD of all their pictures that they can then use for cards or whatever. I already have about 6 families that want in. I cannot believe how supportive these people are...I am truly lucky.

And on a funny note. Monday was Columbus Day and I had a day off work but Jayden still had school. He rode the bus to and from school that day and I was so excited to be at home, waiting for him to get off the bus. I had fresh baked chocolate chip cookies and a glass of milk waiting for him. And I was making a real dinner, chicken and pasta. So Jay says to me, "I wish you were like a real Mom and didn't just make me eat Pop Tarts for meals." I think he meant, he really liked having me home like a stay at home mom and I rarely bake, so real moms must bake alot. And the dinner thing, he does have a point there. So a few days later when he was acting up, I said, "I wish you were like a real boy..." I thought I was hilarious.

And today I did a photo shoot with my friends Tyler and Alisa Hayes. This is their 2 yr. anniversary/fall photos/Christmas photos. We had so much fun and these are a few of my favorites...after I played with them in photoshop.

First Win

2008-09-21T16:57:00.000-07:00

Hurray! The Bucs got their first win today. All the boys (and girl) are getting much better and they are playing well as a team. Here are some pics of today's game.

Run Jayden Run
He is so cute

Good job Bucs.

Jayden's 10th Birthday

2008-09-14T17:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Jayden's 10th Birthday. He thought we were going out to dinner w/ my parents. He had no idea I had something else planned for him. When a limousine pulled up in front of the house and I asked if he was ready to go...he just stared. He still couldn't figure out what was going on. Carlos, Carmen, Bethany and Parker were all outside too. They knew I was having a surprise party for Jayden but they did not know about the limo. They were so excited when they realized they were going in the limo too.

Don't worry...it's sparkling cider. Cheers!

We picked up some more kids. Grant, Luke, Chase, Kellon and Reese. So the limo was full of kids, no adults allowed. I sat up front w/ the driver. They had so much fun helping themselves to the beverage bar and playing with the stereo system.
I had "Pit Stops" planned out, with instructions at each stop. First they had to go to the Dollar Tree and purchase something to wear. Then we went to see "Art". It was funny watching people's reaction to a limo pulling over and 10 kids climbing out. Next they had to go to Goodies and eat a Double Salted Licorice. It was disgusting and very cruel of me, but I enjoyed watching their faces turn as the taste hit them. Most of them spit it out right away.
Next they had to go to the Old Mill District and dress up like pirates and run thru the shops.

Finally we went to Jake's for cake.

And back to my house for pizza and presents. So we had 2 hours w/the limousine and it was totally destroyed by the time we got home. You couldn't even see the floor and I think they finished off all the drinks they could find.

So...now the bar has been raised and I don't know how I will top this party, but you only turn 10 once.

Labor Day

2008-09-03T21:20:00.000-07:00

We got up early on Monday, Dad picked us up and we headed for the Coast, stopping in Sisters for breakfast at the bakery. We drove to Lincoln City and went for a hike on the cliff just north of town. The beginning of the hike was great. Downhill all the way. Such a beautiful trail and every now and then you could hear sea lions. It was almost 3 miles to the bottom of the trail and after we walked about a mile we decided to head back. I am so glad we turned around when we did. The hike back was torture. I am clearly out of shape. Although if I lived there I think I would try to hike it sometime, the whole thing.

Jayden found some slugs. And...

he picked one up.
The view from the top.
Weakened by our hike, we picked up lunch at Safeway and found a picnic table overlooking the beach. It was in the 60's which is pretty warm for the Oregon Coast.

This is so typical...but I love this shot.

We drove from Lincoln City down to Florence. One of my family's first trips to the coast, when I was maybe Jayden's age, was to Florence. We stayed in a camper in front of this cottage that belongs to my Dad's cousin. It was built by my Great, Great Grandfather. Jayden thought it was really cool "getting to see something my ancestors built".

Took this photo thru the window, Dad said it looks exactly the same as the last time we saw it.

And we had dinner in Florence at the Hot Rod Grill. Dad and Jayden love this kinda thing.
Our table was inside an old car.

We headed back home, but had to drive thru Eugene on the way. After seeing the cabin, Dad and I were enjoying talking about old memories. I asked if he still remembered how to get to my Great Grandmother's house and he drove us there. This is it. It doesn't look like it does in my memories. Dad said it used to be green and the garage used to be a carport. I also remember a mailbox attached to the front of the house and an apple tree in the back yard. Next we drove around some places Dad used to hang out at as a kid and I even remembered going to some of those places when I was a kid.
We drove to the top of Skinner Butte where you get an awesome view of downtown Eugene.
And Jayden sat on the big yellow "O" on the side of the butte.
And no trip to Eugene would be complete without a stop at Autzen. Go Ducks.
We got home late and the next day was the first day of school for Jayden. Most moms make sure their kids are in bed early the night before the big first day. I have never been real good at bed times.

First Day of School Post coming soon...and he stayed awake all day.

Surprise trip

2008-08-26T14:33:00.000-07:00

Sunday was Michael and Matthew's birthday party. We weren't planning on going cause it is in Vancouver, WA...but at the last minute, I decided to surprise them. Anesha was so surprised when she opened the door and saw us.

Michael turned 5. He is so cute and I love all his expressions. I can't believe he is starting Kindergarten already. Here are some pictures of Mikey...

Matthew turned 4. He hardly took that Batman mask off, except if he was crying or pouting about something. Here's Matt...

Can't leave out the baby, Marcus. He thought it was his party too. He is 2 and getting so big. He will pass up his older brothers soon. And this is Marky-marc...

These guys keep ya busy. Mom and Dad weren't looking, but I was and happen to catch them all getting into mischief...
Mike was climbing up and standing on the top beam of their new play house. What a dare devil.
Matthew kept running Batman's motorcycle thru the cake and then he'd lick the tires. The side of the cake didn't have much frosting left.
And baby learned that when Mom was distracted, it was a good time to help himself to some lunch meat.
I love these guys!
The next day, we got up very early and went fishing. Jayden was tickled. He never goes fishing, so this was really special for him. We drove up to Silver Lake near Kelso. In fact we drove thru Kelso 3 times on the way there. Thanks Randy.

Jayden, Thomas and Randy got set up on the dock.

Anesha and I watched the boys for awhile then drove up to Johnston Ridge Observatory to see Mount St. Helens. It was a beautiful drive up there...wish I could say the same for the view at the top. It was so cloudy that we couldn't see 15 ft. in front of us. We got a good laugh out of it. We met some other tourists up there from Texas and Wisconsin. Everyone was joking about the great views.

Finally the clouds started to part and we got to see the tip top of the mountain. But that's all.
We drove back to the lake to get the boys. Jayden caught 3 fish but they were all too small to keep. They ended up with two to take home.

Way to go Randy!
And those boys tormented me the entire drive back with those fish. I couldn't put my feet on the floor of the van cause I didn't want the fish to touch my feet.
We drove back home later that day. It was a nice visit and it was fun to do something we hadn't done before. I will definitely go back up there...hopefully on a clear day.

Attempt #2

2008-08-20T21:30:00.000-07:00

So...this is my second attempt. I need to learn a new trick now.

Before:

After:

I got Photoshop!!!!

2008-08-19T22:31:00.000-07:00

I am so excited. I have wanted Photoshop for some time now...and I finally got it. So...this is my first attempt:

Before

After
I turned the photo black & white and spot colored the plane. It's not much, but I was pretty excited that I figured out how to do this. I am going to have so much fun and I will be displaying my new talents here.

Jay's a Buccaneer

2008-08-16T21:09:00.000-07:00

Jayden started football this week. Tackle football. Everyone keeps asking me if I'm nervous about him getting hurt and actually...no I'm not. Most of the kids are smaller than him. I'm more worried for his friend Luke. He's kinda fragile.

Jayden was weighed in at 81 lbs. He got his helmet, pads, pants and jersey. And you know I will be taking tons of pictures once I get all the gear on him.

Jayden has lots of friends on this team. This is Parker, our neighbor. He and Jayden plan on practicing together in all their gear. Reese, Luke and Trenton are also on his team.

I love this. They were so cute. I mean cool.
He was #24 for only a few minutes. He traded it in for another jersey because this one was "freekishly huge". So... he is #8 now.
After practice, he started complaining that he was feeling dizzy. He was burning up and when I took his temp, he was 101.2. He had been outside most of the day and it was almost 100 so I took him into the Emergency Room (it was 9:30pm). We spent the rest of the night there. He started puking about 12:30 and had to have an IV. He took some Tylenol and anti-nausea medication and we were allowed to leave at 6 the next morning. All they could tell me is that he had a virus. I am sure the heat and maybe some dehydration was part of it too.

So its a good thing the weather will cool down this next week. He has soccer camp in the mornings, swimming and football on Tuesday and Thursday evening and Soccer starts this week on Wednesday and Friday evening. And this is our crazy life.

swimming lessons

2008-08-08T13:51:00.000-07:00

Jayden has been in swimming lessons all summer long. This week has been the funnest so far. He learned how to dive. And he wanted to do it over and over. He even started diving off the blocks. Also, he got to jump off the diving board for the first time. It was so fun to watch. I think the other parents were laughing at me cause I was so excited. I even took pictures...of course!

I love Jayden

2008-08-06T21:38:00.000-07:00

I love him so much. I am so blessed to have a child who is such a good person. He is so caring, well behaved, funny, smart, thoughtful, talented, and as cute as can be.

I love how kind and caring he is. He has so many friends and that really says something. I constantly hear "He is such a good kid" or "Everybody really likes him". We were talking yesterday about how some kids behave bad and I thanked him for being such a good person. I rarely have to discipline him. I heard Carlos tell Jayden the other day "you are my best friend". I can't explain how that touched me. I melted.

I love how he makes me laugh and I love to make him laugh. We have so much fun together. It is so cute when he does the robot dance when he doesn't know I'm watching. Or when he sings in the shower. His jokes typically have something to do with farting... or chicken.

I love how when he is into something, he has to learn everything about it. It started when he was one and he loved basketball. Then it was dinosaurs, monster trucks, sea creatures, collage football, soccer, geography, and now {hate to say it} Nascar. Hopefully that's a very temporary interest. He'll spend hours looking up stuff on the Internet or making up games about his favorite subject and he just absorbs everything about it. I hope he never looses this.

I love to watch him on the soccer field...or the football field...or the basketball court, swimming pool, golf course and so on and so on. He is very athletic. I'll admit, I have become that parent who yells really loud at the game. Never thought I would, but I can't help it when I am watching him play. I especially love to watch him play soccer. His footwork is so fancy for his age. I cannot explain the pride I have when he is playing well.

I love how honest he is. He will totally rat himself out. I sometimes hear "Mommy, I have something to tell you". He will tell the truth no matter how bad he might get in trouble. He is not afraid to talk to me about difficult things. He doesn't shy away from telling me things that many people are too embarrassed to say. I hope that never changes.

I love his freckles. I love his brown eyes and beautiful smile. I even love his cowlick. I cannot believe he is growing up so fast. We wear the same size shoe! I love that even though he is getting so big, he isn't too big to cuddle. He has been so lovable and snugly lately. He even started letting me kiss him on the lips again (for several years, that was off limits).

I thank God for blessing my life with this child.

Seattle day trip

2008-07-31T21:19:00.000-07:00

Last week we took a day trip to Seattle. Dad, Trinity, Jayden and I flew up there at 6:30 am. We caught the bus into the city and walked down to the Pier and Pike's Market.

I could have stayed there all day taking pictures in the Market. I love the lights and architecture and chaos.

We actually went up there to go to a Mariners-Red Sox game. We were surprised by how many Red Sox fans we saw all over the city. During the game the fans were competing to see who could cheer the loudest.

This is the view from the top level of Safeco. It was exciting going to a baseball game, never thought I'd say that.
What led up to this moment. Some guy says "Dude I dare you to run across the field". and this is what happens next. This "dude" avoided the first two tackle attempts and was finally taken down just before he made it to the other side. Then he was taken away in handcuffs. This was the most exciting moment of the game.
Jacoby Elsbury pretty much won it for the Red Sox. In this photo he was catching the ball in mid-field. Apparently the mid-fielder (Coco Puffs or something like that) couldn't run.

Boy do I love this kid.
And what anyone would get as a souvenir at a game, the other teams tee shirt.
After the game, we headed uptown to the Space Needle.
And Jay learned how to Monorail surf.
Our flight home was 11:30 pm. It was a very long, very fun day.

Central Oregon's newest meteorologist...

2008-07-15T21:46:00.000-07:00

Jayden. He was invited to come see KTVZ news studio. Christian Boris showed us around the studio and let Jayden play w/ the weather maps. As soon as he eyed the monitor and saw himself in front of the map, he started giving us the weather report. He was very good. He also learned how to change the background screens and how to add images or symbols to the map where he was pointing ("watch out for burning leprechauns over the Gulf of Mexico!"). Then he and Christian played some geography games on the computer and Jayden had some prepared trivia questions for him. Finally I got to take pics of Jayden sitting at the news desk (wearing Lee Anderson's tie). Jayden would have stayed there all night if I had let him. It was so special and he has made a great friend in Christian.

I'm still here...

2008-07-12T18:07:00.000-07:00

It has been a very busy month and I have a lot to catch up on.
Jayden has been in soccer camp, golf lessons and swim lessons. I have been busy w/ my photography class. I guess I should just sum up this last month w/ these photos...

Summer at Jake's means Wednesday night cruz in. Jayden likes to hang out and look at the cars and show off a few of his own...

In June I started my photography class, taught by Karen Russell. I love it. He does not. But don't you think this photo is great!? Good composition, proper exposer, nice depth of field. Now if only I could get a cooperative subject...

When Jayden isn't taking lessons, you can usually find him on his bike, scooter or skateboard. This was a cool trick he was showing me.

The Poets invited us over for a BBQ and some water slide fun.

The kids found a bug, Eli was fascinated. He was trying to listen to it.

After two years, I finally got Jayden back into swim lessons. Last week, he passed level two and starts level three next week.

July 3rd, the Hills invited us over to let off fireworks. Amy and I played w/ our cameras and I was able to pass on all my new knowledge. The poor kids, they were not allowed to move their sparklers around because us moms were trying to get good pictures. This was my favorite.

4th of July

We walked/scootered to McDonald's for lunch. This marked a special event. Jayden graduated from Happy Meals to Extra Value Meals. I know. This was a very momentous occasion.

After lunch, we met up with some friends and floated the Deschutes. Don't have any pics of that cause I am not bringing my camera on the river. And this drives me crazy. The forth is always very festive in downtown Bend. As we were floating down the river, all the houses had backyard BBQs and parties. Kids were jumping off the bridge into the river. And there was even a naked guy riding around on his bike...how patriotic!

Later that same day...we headed over to Jake's for the annual 4th BBQ. Christian Boris (meteorologist) from News Chanel 21, did his weather report from the diner. Jayden was fascinated by him and every time I came to check on him, he had inched his way closer and closer.

Dad was impressed by how down to earth Christian was and by his outfit.

I told Christian that Jayden was really interested in geography and thought that weathermen have pretty neat jobs cause they have to know where to point on the maps. So between reports, Christian asked Jayden a bunch of geography trivia questions. It was so cute.

A few days later, Dad emailed him to thank him for doing the shoot and for taking the time to talk to Jayden. Christian replied:

The live shot went great. The station thought it was one of the best live shots we had in while. Your grandson reminds me a lot of me at that age. I was a geography nut and I finished 3rd in the New Jersey geography bee when I was 13. It was fun talking to him and helped me pass the time at the shoot.

If he wants to come by the station some time I’d be happy to show him how I do my job. We have a great weather computer with a cool mapping system he would enjoy. Feel free to pass the info along.

Thanks,
Christian

Mmmmm...Ribs!

I was so excited to try out my camera on the Pilot Butte fireworks. This was my best shot. And another picture of Jayden with a sparkler, this time I let him move it.

The next day we had dinner and trampoline jumping w/ my friend Janet.

Yep that's me, don't get too many shots w/ me in them. While I was on the trampoline, a dog peed on my flip flop. Don't know why I felt the need to share that. That is what blogs are for, right?
7 eleven 2008
On 7/11 at 7:11pm, we met Janet at 7 eleven. Clever, huh? But we were 11 minutes too late to participate in the drawings and hotdogs. And they were not amused at our cleverness when we told them how cool we were for coming in at 7:11. But, we still got free Slurpees.

So there you have, the month in review. I will try to be better about posting more often. Actually I am considering making a commitment to take at least one picture a day, every day, and then post them on the blog. Can you still make New Year's resolutions in July? I think this would be a good way to improve my (photography) skills and then I would have documented so much of our lives.

Last day of school and DOG days of summer

2008-06-12T19:43:00.000-07:00

Way to go Jayden. You made it one more year. Now you're a 4th grader. Yikes! I want you to know how proud I am of you. You are a great kid and I am so lucky to be your mom. I hope you have an unforgettable summer, I am sure it will go by too quick.

Parker, Jayden, Bethany and Nikki. So ready for Summer!

Also, we are looking for a dog. Yes, that is what I just said, D-O-G. I really want a yorkie. A girl. And I am trying to find one around $100-$200. Funny, huh? I actually found a few over in the Valley and the price was just reduced from $850 to $550. That's a bargain, but still out of my price range. Jayden and I have been praying about it and we have faith that God will bring the perfect puppy along. {Isn't she Beautiful!}

And one more thing...Go Celtics!

The important lesson of hard work

2008-06-02T21:36:00.000-07:00

Jayden really wanted to get a new skateboard and he was told he'd have to earn it. When I got to Jake's to pick him up, he was wearing an apron and actually waiting tables. It was so cute ( I wish I had gotten a picture of him). He is a great waiter and when you're cute, you get lots of tips. Anyway, after just 2 evenings of this, he earned enough money to buy his board. He was so proud of the board he brought home.

More PPP

2008-05-27T20:28:00.001-07:00

Here is some pictures of my Pole Pedal Paddle team.
This is Lisa (front) and I (back). I am surprised they were able to get a picture of us, cause we were going so fast. lol.
This is both bank teams hangin out after the race. The peanuts gallery and the Oompa Loompas.

Pole Pedal Paddle

2008-05-20T17:46:00.000-07:00

This last weekend was the annual Pole Pedal Paddle. This was the third year I have participated. I always do the Paddle portion of the race, cause I am not running or biking and definitely not skiing! This year we wanted to improve our time and of course, beat the other bank team. We did both. Our time to beat was 2 hours and 56 minutes and we did it in 2:54! I hope to post a team picture as soon as I get one...

The following day was the Kids' Mini Pole Pedal Paddle. Jayden has been wanting to do this for several years and I always forgot until it was too late. Not this year! Jayden and 5 of his friends got together as team: Jake's Diner: Legend of Super Chicken Samurai. Obviously-Dad sponsored. All the boys had cool tees made up w/ their team name on it.

Left to right: Jayden, Kal-El, Reese, Parker, Kellon, and Luke. What a good lookin' team!

The race started w/ the raft leg in the Deschutes River. Our boys had a rough start as several of them were still standing on the beach when the starting horn blew. They then had to paddle down river a ways. Hope to post a video of the team paddling down the river soon.

Jayden had to jump out of the boat first and sprint to his bike to do the bike leg.

Then he ran to his team and...
...Kellon ran the obstacle course...

... Kal-El ran the obstacle course...
...Luke...
...Reese...
...and Parker ran the final leg to the finish.

At the awards ceremony, the team all yelled "Eat at Jake's".
So where do you suppose the team goes to celebrate? Brownie Sundaes to end the day!

Thank you Dad for sponsoring the team. You do so much for us and we don't tell you enough how much we appreciate it. We love you!

Free Zeus and some chocolate

2008-05-09T20:40:00.000-07:00

I usually have the Today show on when I am getting ready in the morning. This morning I just happen to hear them say a Manta Ray was going to be released back into the ocean. I ran to the TV to see if it was my Zeus. It was. Watch this.

Trinity and I went to the Bahamas last May and stayed at Atlantis resort. We found Zeus our first day there. We were shocked by his hugeness. We had to stop and say hi to him everyday. He was just so amazing! Here are the photos I took of him one year ago.

Good Luck Zeus!

And this week was Teacher Appreciation Week and we made this candy letter for Mrs. Buehler.

It reads: To an EXTRA special teacher, the NUTRAGEOUS Mrs. Buehler, We wanta say thank you for all you do for us. You do GOOD & PLENTY around here. You help us by giving up MOUNDS of homework to make us SMARTIES and not AIRHEADS. U-NO the lessons you have taught us will help us both NOW AND LATER in life. Sometimes we can make you HOT TAMALES but we know you love us to REESE'S PIECES even when we act like NERDS. We wish we could give you 100 GRAND on PAYDAY but you'll have to settle for hugs and KISSES and a SYMPHONY of thank you's. Love your SWEETARTS and BIG HUNKs

ps: ABBA-ZABA

Casey's moving

2008-05-07T21:51:00.000-07:00

Tonight we had a family BBQ because Casey and Jessica are moving to Alaska. They will be working/living at the Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge. They will both be working in the restaurant, Jessica as a server and Casey as a busser. They will be there until September and then they'll be off to the next place (hopefully Hawaii, then I can come visit!!!)

Attention: Allergy sufferers

2008-04-14T22:19:00.000-07:00

Are you tired of the constant runny nose? Do you have piles of used Kleenex everywhere you look? Well Jayden has invented the hands-free snot stopper. This boy cracks me up. He was miserable the other night because his allergies are so bad. There was no relief for the constant drippy nose, so he tore off two pieces of tissue and scotch taped them to his nose.

Coast trip

2008-04-14T20:28:00.000-07:00

Last week was our annual coast trip, I look forward to this trip all year long. This is the house in Lincoln City that we've stayed at the last two years we've gone. We love the big windows, the short staircase to the beach and the hot tub on the deck. Here is a link to the Rental company we use, http://www.a1beachrentals.com/

This is the life!

Jay and Papa picked up a cool kite. Only $1.50 for what would have been hours of fun, but it was freezing down on the beach.
The guys go exploring
I know where he gets it.

I love being together with my whole family! I think that is what makes this trip so special. Trinity lives in Portland and Casey is moving to Alaska next month. So I cherish this.
Cape Perpetua
I played with color and exposure on this photo. Still learning.

A night he'll never forget

2008-04-10T19:23:00.000-07:00

Jayden was invited by the Portland Trail Blazers to come to a game as a special guest of the team. We were instructed to come in thru the media entrance and a rep met us and gave Jayden a goodie bag and we all got Locker Room passes. The rep, Chris, gave us a tour of the locker rooms and took us out onto the court.
We got to sit on the Blazers' bench while the team was warming up. That was so cool!

Jay got to meet lots of players and get autographs. Channing Fry, Brandon Roy, Travis Outlaw and Aaron Brooks were just a few.

When Jay was told he was going to be introduced to Brandon Roy, he made the cutest nervous giggle sound and told me he was getting butterflies in his stomach. How sweet is he?

Even though the Blazers lost the game, it was still an unforgettable night.

April Fool's Day

2008-04-09T18:26:00.000-07:00

So it is now April 9th and everyday this month has been April Fool's Day. On (the real) April Fool's Day, Jayden got me good.

Last month was school conferences and my son's teacher informed me that Jayden has been a bit disruptive in class. He had been acting silly and talking over the teacher (oh, so not ok) and...

...making fart noises with his armpit. I thought I was going to die when she told me this. She asked if this was happening at home, and sadly I had to say yes. This is his new favorite trick and he enjoys performing every chance he gets. He even bugged me when I was on the phone with my sister cause he really had to tell her something. When I handed him the phone, he held it up to his pit and "farted" for her. He thinks this is hilarious! I cannot wait for this phase to pass.

I told him that I will be periodically checking in with his teacher to make sure his behavior improves in class. So, on April Fool's, he asked me if Mrs. Buehler called. He then told me he got sent to the Principal's office for his behavior in class that day. I was furious. I jumped off the sofa and yelled at him "get over hear, now!" When he sat down, he looked really upset...until he giggled and said "April Fool's". That was good. I didn't see that coming at all. But I have figured out every fib and prank he has attempted to pull EVERYDAY since.
This picture was taken St Patrick's Day.

The last week

2008-03-23T20:00:00.000-07:00

This last week has been very eventful. We started a new soccer season, ate seafood, played new video games, and bought 2 new soccer balls.

Tuesday, spring soccer started. Jayden and Reese are on the same team and they are so happy! Their team is pretty big, but there are only 4 kids from Jayden's school.

He was so mad that I brought my camera to practice. I can't believe he was surprised!

Wednesday, we dropped off something very special at church.

Last week, Jayden asked me if he could buy a soccer ball (with his own money) and give it to the youth group at our church who would be going to Mexico during Spring Break. He wanted them to give the ball to a kid that didn't have one. I was so touched by this, I think we went out right away to buy the ball. He picked out the ball, and there was some serious thought behind his decision. He found a Chivas ball. Now, his best friend, Carlos, loves Chivas. And Carlos is Mexican. So...he figured other Mexican children must love Chivas too!

He also wrote a note of encouragement to the youth group.

Friday was my 31st Birthday. I celebrated with Jayden and my parents. We went to dinner at McGrath's Fish House. I had been craving steak all week and I can never turn down seafood, so I got steak and crab combo.

The Ducks were playing in the first round of March Madness while we were at dinner. The waitress would give us the updated score every time she walked by our table. After a while she stopped. Dad and Jay went to the bar to check the score and came back with the bad news. The Ducks had lost. I mean, didn't they know it was my birthday?

Today is Easter and my last minute attempt to put together an Easter basket was a total success. Instead of a basket, I used an MLS soccer backpack (that Jayden was eyeing at Target last week). I filled it w/ new clothes, sports eggs w/ toys and chocolates inside, video games, and a new soccer ball. Jayden loved his new video games (Monster Jam and Star Wars Legos II). There total classics.

We went to church this morning and Jayden had to take Monster Jam with him. He couldn't wait to get home and play. After church we went to Jake's for lunch with Mom & Dad. Jayden was getting very impatient waiting for them that he told me, "I am so hungry (and mad), it's brought me to tears". He just wanted to get home and play. Finally, Dad cracked under Jayden's power...

...and this is what he looked like the rest of the day!

Yeah Toast!

2008-03-23T19:21:00.000-07:00

This is hillarious and you have to watch! This may be my new favorite song.

I love him too

2008-03-16T19:52:00.001-07:00

Jayden made this at school and he will never know what kind of impact it had on me. I always felt it was important to give him lots of opportunities to go places and have fun that would later give him great childhood memories. This confirmed just how important I thought it was...

...So, today we went to Hoodoo! I had been promising Jay for a while now and never set a date. Then I decided to just go. I gave Jay the choice between tubing at Mt. Bachelor or Hoodoo, and this is what he picked...

I knew it was going to be sunny today and Jayden only had a pair of little kid's sunglasses. So, before we went out of town, we stopped and picked up these cool, new shades.

I took Jayden's camera with us today because it is small enough to fit in my pocket. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring extra batteries. This is all I got.

Knicks Basketball

2008-03-15T22:10:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday was the last basketball game of the season. The boys were so cute. They have improved so much this season, some couldn't even dribble in the first game.

I couldn't wait to try out my new camera at the game. My old camera could not take a decent photo of the action indoors. If I tried to zoom in on the action, the photo was very dark. And even if I had the camera in sports mode, the photos were still very blury. While these photos aren't even close to perfect, I am still very excited about them.

Knicks Party

2008-03-15T19:52:00.000-07:00

Jake's Diner sponsered the team and held the end-of-season party. The boys got to help themselves to a special buffet all for them. It included grilled cheese sandwiches, french fries, chicken nuggets, and mini corn dogs. What boy wouldn't LOVE that! It was a hit.

The coaches present each boy with their trophy and certificate.

They said whenever they needed some SPEED during a game, they would call on Jayden.

And the coaches present My parents with a team picture that all the boys signed.

And the boys signed each others jerseys.

Buddies: Reese & Jayden

They are both excited that they are on the same spring soccer team, the Spiders. Soccer starts next week. We get to do this all over again!!!!!

It's a beautiful day

2008-03-09T19:39:00.000-07:00

Wow-what a gorgeous day! We set the clocks forward last night and I was bummed about having to get up an hour early-but it was so worth it.

I played with my new camera today and took these portraits of Jayden.

When we got home from church, we decided to take a walk cause it was just so beautiful outside. Jay wanted to ride his bike and it was a big deal cause this was the first time this year that he got his bike out. We live a few blocks from a great park and I followed Jay on his bike w/ my new camera. Have I mentioned that I love my new camera.

We finished up this perfect day with a BBQ. I had been craving grilled Bratwurt lately but didn't want to deal w/ cleaning the BBQ after not being used all winter. Because the sun stayed up an hour longer and the weather was so warm, it was a perfect evening to fire up the grill. Served em up with mashed potatos (we called this "Bangers & Mash" in Australia). It was the best brats I have ever cooked. They were perfect.

This day was perfect.

Art Museum

2008-03-06T22:54:00.000-08:00

Jayden's class had their art museum opening tonight (it's one night only, from 6-7). The kids displayed their masterpieces based on famous artists like Picasso, Michaelangelo, Monet, Rousseau, and Pollock.

van Gogh

O'keefe

"Basketball Player" by Jayden

Chaggal

Jayden and Papa kept sneeking cookies.

Mrs. Buehler-Jayden's teacher

Pollock

My New Camera

2008-02-28T18:56:00.000-08:00

I am so excited. I just got a new camera-one I've been wanting

over a year now. I got a Canon 30D w/ 50mm f/1.4 lens. I love

it. Jayden does not. (but he loves chocolate chip cookies as you

can see)

The Pistol

2008-02-17T22:46:00.000-08:00

Jayden comes to me today and says, "I am a pistol. You wanna know why?"

"Why?" I said.

"Cause I am tall...and I piss a lot."

I asked where he heard that joke. He said he made it up himself.

Great.

Baby Blogger

2008-02-16T17:29:00.000-08:00

It's funny. I've been wanting to start a blog for about a year now. Now that I am here, I find it hard to get started. Never been much of a writer, but I know how important it is to document our lives. So here we go...