A lot of personality!

So on the girls' first day of school(they are both, separately, doing little home preschool groups - most commonly referred to as a Joy School, although Jell's group is using the Mother Goose Time curriculum, and Meri's is following one of the mom's books from when she was a preschool teacher. Jell's group is the same five cute girls as last year and they really have the system down. Meri's is brand new, much younger, and with three boys and two girls. I'll let you know how it goes. I'm expecting a whole new ballgame.), I, of course, take out the camera and say, "Smile for the camera." Gotta record this moment, right? This is the result:




They crack me up.

Loving Vacation!

You know how some vacations are stressful, tiring, or feel like they're just not worth all the work? You know, the type where you need a vacation from your vacation? This vacation was SO not one of those! We just had the perfect time - I felt so rejuvenated that I wasn't even discouraged or overwhelmed to come home to a massive to-do list that meant a whole lot of work. We had such a great time!!! Here's a couple of pics. I didn't actually take all that many, I decided to just let the girls enjoy instead of harassing them all the time like usual :). And I was lazy. And plus I was busy enjoying the biking, rafting, viewing, playing, painting, bowling, swimming, mini-golfing, bouncing-place-obstacle-course racing, good eating, and sleeping!

I spy ...

My girls are obsessed with playing "I spy." When they guess what I spy, I am expected to say, "You got it, man!" every single time. And they do the same for me. Jell says it in a matter-of-fact, but supportive tone, Meri somehow sounds Jamaican.

Meri also cracks us up whenever she does something accidentally. Instead of saying, "oops" she always says, "Whoopie."

To any of my local friends

If any of you would like some of these peppers, or the bigger stuffing kind, or sun-gold tomatoes, or dozens of other tomatoes of all shapes and sizes, or cucumbers, or lemon cucumbers, or gold raspberries - our garden overfloweth. Honestly, we can't make it through it all. Not even close. In fact, I don't even have a clue what to do with the chilies pictured - they're called ring-of-fire peppers. They're spicy - go figure. Anyway, if you're around and would like some you are welcome to them. I really hope someone takes me up on this, because I hate to see any go to waste!

Too cute to sleep

The other day when I wasn't feeling well, Coop put Jell to sleep and then went in search for Meri who was doing her best to blend in and be forgotten:

Hum de dum, just reading the Ensign here, nobody pay any attention to me:

Ah, come on dad - could you really say no to a face like this?

The next night, this is how we found her sleeping - how could anyone sleep like this and ever walk again?

Is it possible that she was posing for the picture, even in her sleep?

Never Ceases to Amaze...

Check out this e-mail Alisha got yesterday:

"Congratulations! Your painting was one of the 80 entries selected for the Watercolor Society of Oregon’s 44th Annual Transparent Show. Our juror was pleased to have the opportunity to select this show from the 211 artists who submitted 360 total images."

Yeah, you read that right. My wife, one of 211 artists, created a painting that was among 80 selected out of 360! So now she's in the top 80. The next step, as we get closer to the convention date, is explained here: "Twenty paintings that the juror deems to be outstanding are selected to receive cash and merchandise awards. The award winning paintings are exhibited in a six-month traveling show."

This year the convention will be held October 4-9, in McMinnville at the Evergreen Space Museum’s IMAX Theater. More information, if you want it, can be found here: http://www.watercolorsocietyoforegon.com/fall09_conv.html. Unfortunately, because it's conference weekend she won't be able to participate in as many of the events as she would like.

What an honor, though. I'm so proud of her. The funny thing is, there are a lot of paintings she's done that she and I both like better than the one that was chosen. But as she was painting this particular one she knew that it may be good enough to win something, whether it was her favorite or not. She's been saving the painting for this show, putting "Not For Sale" on it whenever it is displayed, knowing it could get in.

When she got the e-mail, I was trying to make the girls join me in a "YEA MOMMY" cheer, but they refused until I explained to them what she did. They couldn't just trust me that she deserved it. They absolutely refused to cheer until they knew. And when they did, it didn't really sound exciting enough to them for a cheer--but they did applaud a little. Weenies.

Without further ado, here is Italian Fruit Market:


So proud of you, babe.

Happy Birthday Jenelle!

Okay, so I'm a bit behind - it was August Seventeenf, but it was too important to miss just because I'm a little late. Plus, it can't be too late, I mean the happy birthday sign with pink fringe is still up at our house. And anyway, a girl only turns 4 once, and she has been looking forward to this event and talking about it and planning for it for about a year now, so here it is - teddy-bear picnic party and all:

Teddy Bear Ring-around-the-rosie

The picnic - at a table, which is lame, I know, but so much easier to eat at and keep food on the plates with - and of course, the guests (I was a little overly ambitious and so we had 11 4 year-olds, including my girls)

Teddy Bear toss prep

The toss!

Fun, fun, fun! And we survived the day, which is always good. She LOVED her birthday, and has already informed me that next year, she will be turning 5. I really don't feel old enough to have a five year-old, so here's hoping this year slows down a bit so we can just enjoy 4!

Oh, and here's a shot of the lame princess castle cake I threw together for the family party the night before. For the party, the kids decorated their own cupcakes. Less work for me, and they LOVED it. True, they used a few more sprinkles than I would've ever, ever, ever, ever have used, but their greedy-little-twinkling-eyes told me not to care!