September "Best Month in Oregon"

Aside from being MIA for 4 months it seems blogger has changed a bit.  Please excuse any layout issues.  I'm trying to figure out what the heck is going on.  I also can't tell what the photo bucket picture that sits in the background is either...we can just ignore it or I need someone with HTML skills far superior to mine.

Back to my September update.  I think September is one of the best months in Oregon.  It's usually nice and warm for the first few weeks and then when Fall starts creeping in the leaves turn these amazing shades of color and it's still a nice 70 degrees.  It only lasts for a month (ahem..week(s)) and then we're complaining about all the leaves on the ground that seem to never stop falling that will then clog all the drains in the road.  It's not so cool because right now it's raining profusely and when the drains are clogged the water can't go anywhere.  So it sits.  Thank goodness for knee high leather boots though.  When you get out of the car and accidentally step in a puddle....your feet still stay dry!

Back to the important stuff....Pictures!

As you can see from this pic and one from the last post these girls LOVE to dress up and play.  They act out crazy storylines...it's so funny to listen to them.  Ellery is clearly a bride here and I'm not sure about Emily.  I'm thinking Ariel from Little Mermaid but I can't be entirely sure.

The girls took a break from gymnastics and started Princess Ballet in September.  We had to go find leotards, tights, and slippers for girls that are tall and skinny girls.  Now that was interesting.  They only lasted three classes before they said that the 50 min class was TOO LONG and BORING.  I agree as I had to stand in a waiting room and peer in a tiny window (see above with the jail house grids).  So back to gymnastics we go.  But at least we have some pictures.  ;-)

First day of Pre-school!  At the Nike daycare their new class has 8 pre-schoolers and 8 pre-k kids.  The class size doubled but so did the E's brain power.  They are already spelling words and doing basic math.  Crap, my math skills are going to run out faster than I thought. 

We took a trip to Great Wolf Lodge in Ground Mound WA.  What an adventure that was.  The girls LOVED their room they couldn't keep from screaming (see...Ellery's mouth is open!).  I had to remind them that we were in a hotel and people were right next door...but that concept never sunk in.  While my nerves were shot after a long weekend at the lodge, the girls had a fantastic time. 

Take 1: Kind of OK.  They don't cooperate for pics anymore.   

Take 2: Uh oh, getting worse.  This is Em's face when I try to take pictures now.

Take 3: Really??   Um, what's up with that face Emily?

Take 4:   I give up!!!

Let The Games Begin Part II

Remember that post where I said we were going to start updating our house.....? I was about a month into all my updates and had checked a few things off my list (get rid of gross blue paint in guest room, make a new head board, paint, new window, ect...) and then we heard about a house that we just had to check out. It was a cute little 60 year old home, in the part of Portland we knew we eventually wanted to move to, was below market value, and was situated next door to Andy's parents. After checking it out, we quickly could see ourselves moving there so along with 10 other people we put in an offer. Low and behold, it was ours two days later. I'll add more about that later....but here's a few pics of the work I did accomplish at our house.

How do you fill a 2 foot gap between cabs and ceiling??  I added some framed random photos

Found this awesome table at a thrift store.  I sanded and stripped it for days....

Now it looks like this!

I was annoyed that people could see in the side light by our front door so I traced and cut these little things.  My hand hurt for days after....

But it worked!

Blue room minus the white chair rail around the center. Yuck.

Now a fabulous grey with white trim!

Add the head board that I made with a funky geometric duvet. 

Before...boring wall

Window template

progress

New window! 

While it may seem a shame to start all that work....really it's only helped us with our house on the market.  So far so good.  Keep your fingers crossed for a DECENT offer...not just an offer.  ;-)

August Update

Most of our summer was spent trying to spend as much time outdoors as possible.  Luckily this summer in Oregon was a little longer than the one we had last year and even though we only hit 90+ a few times...the temp was perfect.  Really if you have to use AC to be comfortable....it's too hot and you really don't enjoy the heat.
The girls enjoyed all kinds of outdoor activities that they are finally old enough for like Oaks Park and amusement park that been around for a long time, berry picking at some of the best berry patches around, and a few weekend trips with family. 

Hanging out at Oaks Park

Ellery's first pedicure 

Emily's first peddi 

Emily & Ellery before their first gymnastics class

Beach house in Lincoln City

12 steps from the sand.  LOVE it!

Girls chasing Grammy Bobbi

Summer Sisters

Trio of Sand Castles

Emily asked for this

Ellery & Emily's first trip to the Oregon Aquarium

Alligator jaws

My what big teeth you have

Ellery's "perfect" strawberry

Yum shaved ice. 

At Little Clippers getting ready for a much needed haircut.  After the daily fight to get a comb through those curls we decided it was time for a hair cut.

All smiles after her stacked bob 

Emily was a fan of her new haircut too

Dress up is so much fun!  Elton John's love children

Checking In

Oh wow.  It's been a long time since I've updated the blog.  Many apologies to the three people who still check our blog for the lack of updates and photos.  Apparently it was easier to blog when I had two infants at home rather than two 3 1/2 year olds.  Well, to make up for the hiatus I'll be posting a few months worth of pictures and will vow to keep the blog up going forward.   I've made the last 3 years of blogs into a book....look like 2011 will be about 10 pages total.  ;-)