home again

We're home.  I love being on vacation.  I've never been the type who wishes to be home again, and to sleep in my own bed.  I love being away.  I love the vagary of traveling, even being bored on vacation beats being bored at home.  I just love the difference in pace that comes from being away.  Until my kids are in school, I hope that we are able to take off whenever we can.  With Loren as a teacher we have a lot more freedom to go away and we like to take advantage to go to Oregon, or Ensenada, or even on a cross country trip.  I think last year was the first year we didn't drive across the country since 1999.  We like car trips.  Unfortunately it's not as easy, nor as much fun with two little boys.  When we drive to Bend we drive at night which is not the same. 

Bend was great as always, and this time we made it to Portland which is a fantastic city.  We spent a couple of days in the city and on the last day we drove out to Multnomah Falls in the Columbia River Gorge.  What gorgeous country!  (no pun intended)  We would love to live out somewhere like that.  It's "country" but only 20 minutes from the city of Portland.  Here are pictures from our Portland adventure:

road trip

We are headed off on a road trip tonight.  Oregon here we come!  We are leaving this evening and we drive all night.  We've made this trip two or three times and that is how we do it so that Owen can sleep for most of the drive.  Otherwise he would have to sit for so long that he gets uncomfortable and antsy.  Frankly it makes it easier on everyone except Loren, who drives most of the way and most of the night.  

  So it's Friday and we have arrived in Redmond, OR.  We are resting today.  I have to get my order into the Easter Bunny so he knows that Owen and Liam are in OR and to make sure their baskets get brought to the right house :-)  We are going to Mt. Bachelor tomorrow to play in the snow and maybe get in some skiing.  Owen can take lessons now and I think it will be adorable to see him snowboarding.  I'll definitely post that video!  

 ps: I am putting out a call for pics from Liam's baptism.  If you have any please burn a CD and send it to me!

sickie boy

It's so sad, Liam has the croup.  It's AWFUL!  He's had it for almost a week now and it's not really getting any better.  Wednesday was supposed to be the peak but I don't see an improvement.  The worst part is he can't breathe during his coughing attacks, sometimes his lips even turn blue!!!  I looked it up on the web and there really isn't any cure, just relief.  We have the humidifier running all night.  Even just now I had to run to his bed to lift him to help him breathe easier.  It's frightening and heartbreaking to see him cough and struggle to breathe.  We go for his four month checkup Monday morning and that appointment can't come soon enough!  Thank goodness he's fine otherwise.  When he's not coughing he's in a happy mood.  Here's a picture from last week.  I think he looks kinda like one of those Anne Geddes babies.

ch-ch-ch-changes...

Much has happened since the last post.  I wrote a while ago that I was going to re-enroll Owen in the co-op where he goes this year, but I changed my mind and registered him at VMS.  I actually had to wake up on Monday and get in line at 6:30 am, AND I was number 18 in line.  The other people must have arrived before dawn.  When I got there, it was dark and cold.  The other parents and I had a shared camaraderie as we talked about the different preschools.  There were four spots available for the two day a week preschool class for 3 year olds.  I got the last spot for Owen (!) and I am on the waiting list for the three day a week class.  We are very happy with this decision, but I still haven't told his current school that we are not returning.  I feel bad, like a defector.    

School Daze

I can't believe it's already March!  More than that, I can't believe that I already have to decide where to send Owen to preschool.  I have to decide by FRIDAY whether he should continue at his current preschool, or whether we want to switch to a different school (with a different methodology).  I like his current school, pvcp, because they are very child-centric.  The academics are subtle, very much a "learning through play" philosophy - kind of like a montessori.  I like that, I think it's good that he has this time to play rather than sit down and learn how to write.  He will have sooooo many years of black and white learning.  But am I doing him a disservice by not putting him in a school with more focus on academics?  That is my biggest doubt when I think about keeping him at pvcp.  And it's not that he won't learn anything at this school, it's just a different type of learning.  And the truth is I think the most important things he can learn in these next two years before school is how to play with other kids, and how to follow directions.  My friend J. is a kindergarten teacher and she once told me that kids who come in knowing how to sit, and how to socialize are kind of ahead of the game.  She can teach them to read, etc. but it's a lot harder to teach them to follow instructions.  On top of that, I feel like it's part of my job as a stay-at-home mom to work with him on letters, etc.  I am proud that he knows all his letters, shapes, colors, and numbers.  He can spell his name and he recognizes some words on sight (mommy, daddy, hykel, papa, mama, and we're working on Liam).  I am going to tour a different preschool (VM)  tomorrow morning and the receptionist told me that the spots in the three day and five day preschool classes are filled, and there are only four spots open for the two day class, AND that people start lining up a couple of hours before school opens up on Open Registration day to get the available spots.  This is a lot of pressure for preschool!  I've heard of parents who sign up their kids for preschool as soon as they find out they are pregnant, but I didn't think that would be the case here in VC.  I actually had a mom tell me that it was important to get your child into a good pre-preschool because otherwise you wouldn't be able to get them into that good preschool.  The crazy thing is that it's true.  I am happy at our preschool, especially because it's a co-op so I am as involved as I want (or don't want) to be.  But I can't help but wonder... would I like the program at VM more?  Or do I only think that because the spots are unavailable???  Maybe it's like they say - you want what you can't have.  I think I will keep Owen at his little school and join the school board next year.  Anyone have an 18 month old-2 years, 9 months old child they want to enroll?  I am the Toddler Membership Coordinator (on the school board) next year.  As always life in our tiny kingdom is exciting and lovable.  I will try to put some pictures up for next time.  Liam's baptism is Saturday so we should have some good pics (and stories) from that event.  XOXO