Halloween 2011

We had a great Halloween....but kind of sucked on the picture front. Henry continued to amaze me with letting me put make up on....if you had told me when he was two years old that he would let me get him "messy" like that, I would have called you a liar. Frances was a bubbly, exuberant lady bug girl and Miss Maggie was a perfect pig. 

Lovely Lilly

In the Arboretum, next to Henry and Frances's school,  there is wonderful tree that Henry's class used to hike to. They named her Lilly. They studied her. They drew her. The loved her.

A couple of weeks ago I hiked up there with Maggie and some homeless teens had vandalized her (spray painted horrible, hateful things) and all the other trees in the area. Beer bottles and trash was everywhere -- in this beautiful, idyllic spot. I was so angry. 

Today, Frances's class hiked up there. When I asked her about Lilly she said "They cut down Lilly". I literally got a HUGE lump in my throat. I asked the teacher and she said it was true. They did a bunch of work to recreate the area so more people will hike there and less vandalism will happen.

I told Henry today on the way home and when I looked back in the car, he had huge tears streaming down his face, which then made me cry.

Amazing how connected you can be to a tree. I honestly feel heart broken.  Above are some pictures taken under the shade of wonderful Lilly.

Big Blue

We are skeptical that Miss Maggie's eyes can actually stay blue given our genetics, 

but for now we are enjoying them immensely!

Last Soccer Game of the Season on a Blissful Fall Day

Today was one of those perfect fall days....slightly crisp, blue skies, the trees are reaching their peak. Henry had his last soccer game of the Fall season and they did awesome. It has been really neat to see how much the boys have progressed from looking like a swarm of bees around the ball to actually spreading out across the field and passing. It is impossible to not be joyful watching Henry play the soccer - the kid is so intense and so into it. Frances and Maggie have been troopers -- every Saturday going to his games, rain or shine - to support their brother. Today, Frances even tried to join the game and help out his team.... hee hee.

The World Through Henry's Eyes

Last night Henry started plotting what he was going to do with all his candy......and it was not about eating it. He need to count and sort it and THEN...he needed to create a bracket and have an imaginary playoff of the candy. No joke.


This is the first thing he did this morning.


He counted each candy.


Then he created the bracket.


He is currently playing the game that is Snickers vs. Milky Way.

KPFF Halloween Party

Let the Halloween festivities begin! Mark's work had their party today and the kids were very excited to go. Henry wanted to be vampire. I feel bad for the kid...he obviously doesn't realize his mom can NOT do make-up....but I gave it my best shot. Frances was Ladybug Girl. Maggie wore the pig outfit that both Henry and Frances wore for their first Halloween.....tradition....or me being cheap. 

Heirloom Apple Festival

We got to go back to Hood River last weekend for the Heirloom Apple Celebration with Brookie and Josh. Thanks to my sister, we also got to stay the night and I was reunited with my favorite brewery...Double Mountain. Hop Heaven. Again.....Hood River is magical. It is seriously one of my favorite places on earth. 

Two Year Anniversary

The 2nd year anniversary of Gordon's heart transplant was October 18th. Pretty amazing how far he has come and how much our family has gained from him getting a new lease on life. He has grown incredibly close in our children, partly because in living here he gets to see them every week. He has met and fallen in love with Maggie -- something that would not have happened without a new heart. In the lovely way that reciprocity seems to flow throughout life, after helping him get through being sick and the transplant, he now helps us immensely. Last year I was able to volunteer in Henry's class because Gordon helped me with Frances and this year I am working from home on Monday afternoon's because he is here to help.


I have to also admit that his anniversary also always makes me incredibly sad and heartbroken for the other family that lost their loved one. It is a surreal dichotomy to be celebrating one's life, while also being devastated for another family that must be reeling from the realization that another year has gone by without their loved one.


This year I took a picture of Gordon with the kids that I plan to send to the family to show them the gift that their son gave to our family. It is my hope that it will be bring them some peace in looking at the picture and seeing the love and special bond their son helped make possible. 

4 Month Old Maggie!

Miss Maggie Moo Moo is a whopping four months old.  I seriously can't believe it -- it seems to be going so fast. She is 14.6 pounds (60% -- she gained a lot on percentile...go my little piglet) and 25 inches (70%). Balanced. Both physically and mentally. She continues to be a happy and fairly easy going baby. We adore her. She smiles constantly...which then makes us smile. Attached are photos of Henry and Frances at 4 Month too.

Hood River Fall Festival

We went to the Fall festival with the cousins. I swear, we could take those kids to the dump and they would still have fun. Jenny and I got some cool pottery and we all a lot of food that was really bad for you....but really good. 

Gang Hits Gertie's Place

Jenny and the kids are in town. We went to visit Gertie.....and took over. That is a whole lot of noise in a very quiet place. It was cute though to see how "ga ga" all the people went over the kids....especially Maggie. Maggie and Gertie seem to have a special bond - really cute. Sorry for the blurry pictures....I used my phone.

Pumpkin Picking in Da Gorge

We went to the pumpkin patch in the Gorge this year. I love that place...even on a cloudy day it is magical. The kids took a lot of effort picking their pumpkins....ok Henry was very thoughtful, Frances was just going for the ones she could pick up. We also went through the Corn Maze - which had a story at every turn that Henry read to Frances and me. Maggie slept through the whole thing...maybe next year?

Frances Joins the Timbers Army

Frances finally got to go to the Timbers Game. After watching Henry go, she finally got her shot.  The best thing about Frances is that her excitement is literally palpable and can fill a room...it is contagious. She came home BEAMING and Mark said she was pretty dang adorable. She loved it. Mark bought her a new Timbers jersey (she wore Henry's to the game) and she begged to sleep in it....and then wore it the next day. 

Special Sundays

These are definitely the moments I am going to cherish....this was Sunday morning....and then Sunday night.