Spring Break

Brandon's Spring Break was this last week. It was so nice, despite the necessity for him to do a fair amount of school work, to see more of him this last week. I'm pretty sure we are all a little spoiled from the extra time with him and we'll really miss him this next week when he heads back to the grind.

We did some fun things this last week; a couple of trips to the coast, golf (for Brandon...he had this trip planned for almost a year, and had a WONDERFUL time), Easter crafts (me and the kids) movie watching, and a nature walk up in Portland. Other than a super windy, cold and wet 1st day at the coast, we had GrEaT weather this last week and are very much ready for SpRiNg!

Jemma with her "rock castle" at Oceanside.



Carter, who is quite the tease, was chasing me here with a couple of fists full of sand.

Here, the little man was chasing Daddy with rocks!

Three of my favorite people, just enjoying the coast.

We did a little hike down to a light house out at Mearl Bay. We bought the movie "Pete's Dragon" (I grew up watching that movie) and ever since Jemma and Carter saw it, they talk about it all the time and Jemma asks to watch it daily. Jemma gave out cast assignments for our little excursion; Carter was Pete, Brandon was Lampy, I was Nora and Jemma was Elliot. The pic above is of them checkin' out a pic of the Killer Whales...apparently there are groups of these in this area at certain times of the year.

Jemma and me on our hike.

Brandon and the kiddos. :)

Jemma, Brandon and Carter in front of the adorable lighthouse. Jemma and Carter loved it and really wanted to go inside. Sadly it isn't open for tours for another couple of weeks.

We wanted to get ice cream from the Tillamook Cheese Factory on our way back to the Grove, but it was INSANELY crowded...it was hot fudge sundays and ice cream cones at the McDonalds drive through instead. :)

Jemma sportin' a jellybean necklace...one of our Easter crafts.

Carter on our nature walk up in Portland.

the True Story of the 3 Little Pigs

This morning, Jemma got me out of bed at 6:45.

She got dressed without me asking. at. all.

She made MY bed. (I have to remind her MaNy times every morning to make her own!)
She set the table and got cereal and milk out. (She sets the table when asked...but has NEVER put breakfast on the table.)

She absolutely could not wait for our trip to see "The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs" performed by the Oregon Children's Theatre.

We went with some other friends and had so much fun!

Thank you Molly for holding a Drama Class for our kids for the last few months and for planning this FABULOUS fieldtrip as their final activity. We had SUCH a WONDERFUL time.

Me and Jemma in front of a picture of the Big Bad Wolf/Alexander T. Wolf.

Most of the crew that went with us. (There were 14 of us total...PARTY!!) Kids (L to R): Apollo, Jacob, Brigham, Elle, Hope, Jemma and Miles. Moms (L to R): Molly and Kristina.

Me and Jemma just waiting for the show to start.

Of course, there was no photography allowed once the production started...I wish I had been able to snap a shot of the stage; the set was SOOOO cute and the actors and actresses had such clever, cute costuming! I was thoroughly impressed by the whole thing and am pretty sure the kids enjoyed it as well. Witty and humorous with fun music from start to finish...we even got to participate in the production as the jury! The fate of Alexander T. Wolf was entirely in our hands...can you guess what the verdict was??? NoT GuIlTy!

Thanks again Molly! We have sure enjoyed being part of Molly's Theatre Troupe!

Bunkin' Out

With a 3rd baby on the way and just 3 bedrooms in our current apartment, Brandon officially lost his study...we had to make way for the BUNKBEDS! Jemma has been SOOO excited for these to come.

They arrived the middle of last week and Brandon and I put them up over the course of a couple of nights. The overall transition has been really fun! I love decorating, and this new bedroom was gonna be FUN!

Here are just a few shots of Carter and Jemma under the bunkbeds the morning they had helped me move all their stuff out of their Old bedroom and into the New bedroom...

Jemma got to choose her bedspread...are you surprised she chose hot pink? It's reversible and is purple on the other side. Carter, on the other hand, got a blue one - it too is reversible - lime green (Mom, I know you're smiling:) on the other side.

Jemma's artwork is above the Craigs List find dresser...I only had to paint the drawers and we chose to replace the knobs. They were just wood before and kinda banged up. Thank you Fred Meyer for the lamp on ClEaRaNcE and Target for the Piggy Banks!!! (Jemma was keeping her money in a cup before...no big deal, but when I saw the pigs...they immediately went into the shopping cart:)

Jemma and Carter on the top bunk.

I have to showcase their pillow shams because other than the curtains, they were the only things I sewed in the room...and with good reason! These babies were TIME CONSUMING! Thank you Alison for the "Raw Edge Circle Quilt" idea. (You should check out her blog!!! Super cool stuff!) There were so many different fabrics in these that I could let Jemma pick out some of the fabric all by herself!!! (She thought that was pretty cool.)

Jemma's Sham...this morning, Brandon threw the other one on Jemma's bed to which she responded, "No Dad! That one's not mine! That's Carter's! Mine has PINK in it."

Carter's Sham...see, no pink. Deffinitly more BOY.

The kiddos loadin' up their piggy banks with all the loose change from our change bottle.

Jemma and Carter spent their first night in their new room last night (that was also Carter's first time in a Big Boy Bed!!!) and they did GrEaT! Love It!

It feels like Spring!

Yesterday, Brandon was on his way out the door to take some garbage to the dumpster, when Carter (who was JUST stripped of his pj's in order to get him into Sunday attire) showed up at the door with nothing but a diaper and boots on. (I might add that he put his boots on, not me.) He had every intention of accompanying Daddy to the dumpster, especially if it meant getting out in the sunshine. :) Gotta love this 60 degree weather!!