Twins

Katie has been trying to get Frances to wear the matching dress that she owns from Hanna Andersen....but....you know how Miss Thang is about her dresses. Today, Katie broke her down and they were "twins". Too cute. When I asked them to pose for this picture Francie quickly threw her arms around Katie. TOO CUTE!

Gertie Gets Visitors Again

As some people know, the day after Andrew died a robin kept hitting the window of my parents house and my mom became convinced it was Andrew. The next time the robin came and hit the same window my Aunt died. Today...the robin was back. We all panicked a bit. I had the kids this afternoon and before we drove home to pick up Henry from the bus stop, we went to see Great Grandma...just in case....

Madness Break

In between the morning and afternoon session we took the kids for walk and decided to take them over one of Portland's many bridges. The girls loved it. On the way back we saw this man waiting for the bus. Yes, that is a duck....in his backpack. I wanted to write Fred Armisen and let him know that I new material for Portlandia.

March Madness 2012

Its the most wonderful time...of the year.....March Madness. Henry woke up on Monday morning ELATED to get the paper and to cut out all the brackets. This year the first games are in Portland -- yahoo! Jenny and the kids were here too -- even better! We decided to make a family affair....yes....all three kids. They actually did great! Frances even squeezed in a nap between games. We were entering the last game (at 6:00 PM after being there since 10 am)....and then....we brought the Madness to March Madness. Frances was standing a chair to talk to her cousins and her foot fell through and we couldn't get it out. Jenny finally got it out...only to tell me that Frances "was this close to amputating her foot". She was INCONSOLABLE.. It was horrific.  We worried she might have broken something as she wouldn't walk on it. Long story short -- she is ok (confirmed by X rays this morning) and back to Francie pace today.  On Saturday....there will be no standing....only cheering from our seats.

American Girl Revolution

As Joanie has reached her peak in Grandmotherhood, she has all of a sudden grown addicted to American Girls....for herself....to play with the Grandkids. No lie. She has made purchases the last three Weds on the days Frances has had a play date with her. Needless to say, it was heaven for the Alaska girls and Frances and Olivia. I have to say, it was pretty cute to watch too as I never really see Francie "play house" as she is always playing sports with Henry.  Maggie also became one of their "babies" and, although she was scared at first, she loved all the attention.  The girls even took their dolls to Great Grandmas to visit. 

Peck Family Takes Over Powells

We wanted to take Katie to a classic Portland place for lunch, so we landed on the Lovejoy Bakery in the Pearl. NUMMY. Afterwards we decided it had to be followed by a trip to Powells. No joke, we took up half the children's section. It was amazing to see the kids go to the different sections now that most of them can read. Katie spoiled my children rotten by reading to Frances and letting Maggie climb all over her.

Fan Club

Both my sisters were in town this weekend (yahoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). Henry had a basketball game and they both came  (Katie was here with just Olivia) as well as my parents and Grandpa Gordon. On the way there Henry said "geez mom, I feel really important will all the people coming". He then proceeded to tell me about all the moves he was going to show them....starting first with a fake shot/then pass. Classic Henry. He did great and the fan base cheered hard. It was classic Peck/Griswald. We took up half the gym. 

Girls Date at the Blazer Game

Our babysitter cancelled last minute..... so Mark and my date turned into Frances and my date. Yee haw.  The last game she went to I guess she spent all of it with her hands over her ears, so this time I bought her ear phones. SUCCESS.  She loved it. She was really funny spouting out basketball facts that Henry obviously had given to her in one his many lectures about sports. The Blazers lost poorly....but it was still fun. 

Sunset Game

Every year my parents give scholarship money to a senior at Sunset High School in honor of my brother. So, every year we go to Sunset basketball games to scout out potential recipients. This year the kids came too. Pretty hilarious. Frances thought the band sounded WAY too loud and it was hysterical to hear my dad over-exaggerate to Henry the legacy of my high school basketball career.

Maggie Moo Moo is 8 Months

Our lovely Maggie Moo is eight months old. Seriously - I don't know where time is going. Unfortunately she rang in a new month to her life with a bad head cold -- so while she is still a smiley baby, she has snot everywhere.  She is loving eating solid food and gets annoyed when they are made too thin -- she is a big girl after all. She loves her brother and sister more than anything and thinks the house is down right boring when they are at school. She is dying to walk -- and has started to pull up on things and cruise furniture. She is considering crawling...but only as a means to walking someday. She makes me smile every single day -- at least ten times a day. She brightens up any room that she is in and she has literally been a dose of medicine for Gordon and Gertie has they have hit rough patches with their health. Multiple nurses have commented about how she instantly "boosts" them up. She is starting to get a strong case of stranger danger -- which, if I am honest - I really don't mind because that means I get to hold even more. We adore her and wish for the world as it appears through her eyes --with a sparkle. I simply cannot imagine our life or our family without this fantastic little eight month old.  Below are some pictures...wonder why she wants to walk...could it be to escape? Also, some pics from Henry and Frances.

HENRY at 8 months- Hello Chunkasaouros

 Frances at 8 Months