SO PROUD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! of Him

Henry goes to a school with over a thousand kids. Every month they have an all school assembly in which they focus on a theme for the  month and one word. Before the assembly the principal asks the teachers to identify 5 kids from each grade - so 15 total - that represent that word. 

This month the word is COMPASSION.

Henry was chosen as a child who represents that value often. 

He was called up in front the whole school to be acknowledged. 

In classic Henry fashion, he didn't think it was that big of a deal and when he got home he didn't tell me about it. It was only at night when I was putting him to bed that he remembered and told me. I  may have cried. I may have told him that I am not sure I have ever been so proud. Those are the things I hope for my children -- that they are kind and considerate - that they are good human beings. Grades, sports, all the rest of it is nice..but the quality of their character is what I am concerned with. I am so proud of him and so honored to be his mama. I learn from him daily about how to be a good person and it sounds like others do as well.

Epic Snow Storm

January 2017 started with an epic string of snow storms that had the kids out of school for a large part of January. While it set me back at work and set the kids back in school, for the most part, it was AWESOME. We skied down the hill, we sledded down the hill. We created a huge 1.0 mile sled ride from the top of our hill to the bottom part. We spent time talking to each other. We ate dinner together every night. I have to say, most of me loved it.

1st Day of 2017

2017 started out awesome. The weather was incredible. We got to play on the beach, run with Mac and watched the Manzanita Polar Bear Plunge. We left at 3:00 and stopped at Ecola park. GORGEOUS. That is one magical place. The drive home was a bit slick, so it took at long time. We decided to stop in North Plains for dinner. I hadn't been in that town since my brother died (on January 3rd, 2001) and memories of him and driving to Pumpkin Ridge hit me hard. A lump formed in my throat. We walked into the restaurant and then I noticed it.....once of his favorite songs - Free Falling by Tom Petty - playing on the radio. I think my baby brother was sending me a message.

NYE 2016

We had a wonderful party for NYE as a family at the beach. We made an icebox cake, a nummy dinner, shared our resolutions and promptly had a dance party.  Exactly how I want to ring in the new year.

Hood to Coast Vacation

From Hood River, we made a pit stop at home to repack and headed to Manzanita. We are calling it the Hood to Coast vacation. Turns out we were also chasing the sun as we went from phenomenal weather in Hood River to phenomenal weather in Manzanita. We hiked one of our favorite hikes to the top of the mountain that you look at from the beach in Manzanita. Bliss. Bliss. Bliss.

Hood River Bliss

Mark and I took the week of the work. We hadn't really planned much, so the Friday before I checked the Best Western in Hood River to see if they had an opening since they take dogs. Amazingly they had a room and it was under 100 dollars. We hit on a jack pot. The hotel has a heated pool and it was like a frat party for kids. We got to go sledding in unbelievable weather, I got to take Mac on a long and lovely hike, and then the next day Frances and Mark got to ski. When we went to pick them up, Mark suggested I use his boots and jacket and ski some runs myself. For the first time ever I am so thankful for my huge feet. I hadn't skied since having kids, even thought it was something we used to do almost every week in the winter pre-kids. SO FUN.