September 2008 - Joyful Beginnings, Tearful Endings

September has arrived. On the first of September, which was also Labor Day, Sean volunteered at the Membership drive at the Japanese Gardens. The boys and I joined him to walk around the beautiful gardens and we had a wonderful time. Both Oweghn and Kelan loved following the little trails down to the water. Kelan walked around saying "Wow, Wow, Wow". Oweghn ran ahead calling for us to hurry and see what was next. We completed our day with a visit to the playground at Washington Park and then a Japanese Dinner in Northwest Portland. What a lovely day!












Later in the week, Oweghn had his Kindergarten preview. He attended school for just over an hour with about 10 other classmates as a way to get to know the school, the teachers, and a few other students. After the preview, he had an assessment with his teacher to get a feel for where he is starting out with regard to the curriculum he will follow this year. All went well and of course Oweghn added his personal touch to everything from counting to letter sounds to commenting on the wonderful classroom. I think his teacher got a good feel for what she will be in for this year.

We finished up the week with a trip to Bend for the grand opening of Anjou Spa. The boys stayed with Grandma and Grandpa and Sean and I headed off for a couple of days of fun. The Spa was wonderful and we enjoyed some serious pampering before heading back to pick up the boys.

On Monday, September 8th, Oweghn started Kindergarten at Richmond Elementary. He spends half his day in the Japanese Classroom and half of his day in the English classroom. He was so excited to start school we could hardly get him to sleep the night before. When we told him he needed to get some sleep because it was a "school night" he quickly went to his room and then asked. What's a "school night". When we told him it meant that he had school the next morning, he was disappointed because he wanted to go to school that night instead of waiting for morning.














He was so excited in the morning that it was no problem getting him up and going...which is a little unusual for him. So Sean and I took him for his first day and walked him to his classroom with the camera and video camera. When the first bell rang...he jumped up and had a huge grin on his face. He was very excited. When the teacher opened the classroom door, we walked in and he went straight to hang his bag and coat and waltzed into the room as if he'd been going there for years. He immediately went over and started playing with some other kids and hardly noticed we were still there. After hugs and kisses, he waved good-bye and told us to have a good day. What a star! At the end of the day, he said he had a great time and was excited to go back. He fell asleep in record time that night...he was exhausted.

On his second day of school, he decided he wanted to take the bus. We catch the bus at our local grade school a few miles away and he rides it across town to Richmond. Wow...mom wasn't quite ready for that, but since Oweghn was, we went for it. Thank goodness Daddy agreed to meet him at the other end of the ride. He wasn't there for Oweghn's sake, but rather for mom. It's hard to let go sometimes. It's a long bus ride and not being with him was tough. All went well and he thought the bus ride was great. He even wanted to do it again the next morning. So far everything has gone quite smoothly with this transition.

Oweghn had his first soccer game this week too. He plays on the U6 team through West Hills Soccer Association. Sean is helping out with coaching, so that makes it even more fun for Oweghn. He scored his first ever goal and was so excited. He came running back across the field yelling, "I did it, I did it! I kicked the ball into the goal for the first time ever!". Very cute. He was quite proud and so were Mom and Dad...although we had to play it cool in front of all the other parents.












That same night, Oweghn and Daddy took the red-eye out to New York City to see a couple of Major League Baseball games at Shea Stadium and Yankee Stadium. Since it is the final season for both ballparks, they were very excited about this trip. They had a wonderful time. I loved getting Oweghn's phone calls from different locations in NYC. "Mommy, I'm at the statue of Liberty...It's huge!!! It's even bigger than me AND Daddy!" He and Daddy had quite an adventure together. If you want more details on that trip, you can visit their blog here.

























After the big NYC adventure, Oweghn was in for another full week of school. Although he had been riding the bus to school, that Monday was his first bus ride home. I of course arrived at the bus stop 10 minutes early...just in case. Only to be informed by the other parents there that the bus consistently arrives 20-25 minutes late. After a long wait, the bus finally pulled up. Trying to contain my excitement, I anxiously waited for my big boy to get off the school bus for the first time ever. I waited, and waited and waited. Soon all the kids were off the bus and still no Oweghn. The driver started to close the door and I hopped on the bus to find out what was going on when I heard a voice at the back of the bus say, "Wait, there's one more...he was sleeping". Poor little Oweghn stood up, looking tired and confused and made his way to the front of the bus. He was exhausted. Poor little man.

The following week we attended 'Back to School Night' which consisted of a quick PTA meeting, a picnic dinner and watching "The Cat Returns" on the school lawn. It was a fun night. Kelan loves cats so he spent a lot of time meowing very loudly during the movie. It was pretty funny to watch.

Another big one...Kelan turned 18 months this month! It is hard to believe that so much time has passed. He is such a joy and has a very funny personality. He's really becoming quite the little character. He loves music and sings little parts of songs. He loves repetition and could play the same game over and over again. He likes to hide and have Sean and I pretend we can't find him. He cracks up under the blanket as we walk around saying, "Where's Kelan?". Oh it's a fun age. His teachers at school tell us that he is such a sweet boy, always helps with clean-up time and is the only child in the class who lays down at nap time and goes to sleep on his own. What a sweetheart. We are so blessed with our wonderful children. Happy 18 month Birthday Kelan!












On September 23rd, Sean received a phone call letting him know that his Grandmother was not expected to make it through the night. He booked a flight for San Jose that evening and arrived at the hospital around 11:30pm. He was with her until 3:17am, and was holding her hand as she took her last breath at the age of 85. He was so thankful to be able to be there with her and say good-bye one last time. We all drove down for the services that weekend. It was a sad good-bye, but a nice weekend spent with family remembering the wonderful person she was and all the joy she brought into the lives of others during her time here. We will miss you Peggy.














Soccer, kindergarten and family time have kept us very busy this month. This month has been a reminder to cherish our precious loved ones. We don't know how much time we have with them. And as we experience beginnings and endings, we continue to remember to focus on today and be grateful for all we have.

August 2008 - More Summer Fun!

It just doesn't get any better than this. The time has flow by and it has been a busy month. We've done a little of everything...lots of time in the water, lots of time with family. August was a nice way to close out the summer and start thinking about fall. Although September will likely bring some more warm weather and the fun associated with it, it's always nice to look forward to the changing leaves, the cooler weather and pulling those sweaters and coats out from where they were packed away a few months ago. But for now, we are still in the warm, sunny, summer weather and will enjoy the last of it while it's here.

The first weekend in August, Grandma and Grandpa visited from Seattle. They came down and were able to catch the boys’ swim class. Oweghn is doing so well and Grandpa got some great shots of him and Kelan in the pool. Kelan loves the water and it’s nearly impossible to keep him out if he is anywhere near it. After swim class we all walked to the Farmer’s market and shopped for veggies for our evening dinner. We spent an enjoyable day just hanging out and playing at home and then we barbecued Kabobs for dinner. Yummy! Grandma and Grandpa headed out Sunday after Breakfast for their trip back to Seattle. It was great to see them!

The following weekend was very busy. On Saturday we had swim class, Aunt Susan’s baby shower and we went to REI where Oweghn did some Rock Climbing. After the REI adventure, we walked over to the Jamieson fountain and although it wasn't very warm, both boys went in the water. We weren't quite prepared for that adventure, so Kelan went in in his diaper which immediately soaked up half the pool and looked like it was about to explode. He could barely walk. Being very resourceful, we made Oweghn take off his boxer briefs and give them to Kelan who sported them as a swimsuit so he could continue to play in the fountain. What a nice big brother! That evening we went to a BBQ with some friends from The International School. Oweghn was happy to see some of his friends again. Sunday we had cousin Austin’s 4^th Birthday party at Out of This World Pizza. Great place for a party. It was a lot of fun! Overall it was a great weekend. It was nice having some family time and all the events were a lot of fun.

That next week we had some pretty warm weather 100+ degrees. On Thursday, Oweghn and I went to the Wilson pool together. It was such a fun day. We played there for nearly 4 hours. Oweghn loved the lazy river, the vortex and the BIG slide. He was all over the place and completely fearless. It was a perfect day to be at the pool and escape the heat. Check out some of our fun photos from the day!

The following weekend was our annual Family camping trip at Ft. Steven’s State park. Grandma and Grandpa, Brian, Amanda, Austin and Tanner and our family were there. We had wonderful weather on Friday and Saturday. Early Saturday we rode to the beach and played for a while and then moved to the lake for more play time and a late BBQ lunch. The kids were all in the water in the lake since it was such a warm, beautiful day. We couldn’t have timed the trip better. Since it was 100+ degrees in Portland we weren’t sad to miss that at the coast. On Sunday we had some rain, but no worries since we still got to have Oysters and Shrimp…an annual tradition on this trip. We headed home with two very tired boys for a little relaxation time before starting our work week again.

The next weekend Sean did the Hood to Coast relay... and with much success after only having joined the team the previous week. He still has it as 40! With Daddy gone for the weekend, the boys and I decided to go to the Wilson pool again. It was so fun the first time. This time, Aunt Susan, Cousin Kayla and Cousin Haley joined us as well as Grams. Thank goodness we had Grams there to help with the boys. They always went opposite directions. It was a great day...lots of fun again! That night Oweghn and Kayla had a sleepover and tried on every Halloween costume we could find. They had so much fun together. Check out Pirate Oweghn and Kayla-The Riddler.

Later in the month, Aunt Shelly and cousin Lukah came into town for a visit. It was great having them. We had some family dinners and a lot of just plain relaxation. Oweghn loved playing with his cousin. I enjoyed cooking with Shelly. We already miss them. It was so nice having them here.

This month we also had Oweghn's Kindergarten Open House where Sean and I listened to the 3 million things we will need to remember for his new school. OK...so obviously mom is a little anxious about the whole deal. It may not have been 3 million...perhaps it only felt that way. We all got to meet Oweghn's teachers. He'll start out in the Japanese classroom in the morning, moving to the English side in the afternoon. Only a little over a week until he starts full time! Can it really be?

The final weekend in August, Sean went to the Ducks game with the guys and the boys and I brought Shelly and Lukah to the airport and then went to IKEA where Kelan slept peacefully in the stroller and Oweghn played in Smal land (yes, just one L because it is swedish). I was able to leisurely stroll through the showroom, dreaming of decorating my own home. Ah, such fun!

We finished the weekend with a trip to the zoo, where we opted not to wait an hour in line to see the new baby elephant...will probably be just as cute next week when the lines die down a bit. It was a chilly morning and quite a contrast from many of our other adventures this month so both boys were all bundled up as you can see in the pictures. We also had a little family time at Uncle Dan and Aunt Susan's for Haley's Birthday party. Happy 4th Birthday Haley! And finally, we were of course thinking of sweet little cousin Claire in Washington D.C. who had her baptism this day as well. Congrats to her and her proud parents! We were sad we couldn't be there in person to celebrate this very special day for her.

And here are a few more fun photos from August. Love the blueberry one!

July 2008 - Here's to Good Friends

July was a busy month. We spent time with friends, we visited family and we took a few quiet moments to just enjoy each others company. It's nice that even with summer being so busy, we always make time for the things that matter most.



There's nothing like a big party to start the month of July. The annual 4th of July Party at the Bradshaw's was once again a hit. Friends, a parade, great food and a Firework Finale. We all enjoyed ourselves and look forward to another one!







On the 5th of July, Sean and I and 8 of our good friends piled into a limo for a day of wine tasting. The day started out quietly with a trip to our local Starbucks. After dropping the boys off at the Farm with Grandma and Grandpa, we headed off to a few wineries. Our first stop was Aramenta Cellars, then we were off to Penner-Ash, followed by Domaine Serene and finally Lange. See the progression below! It was a great day!



















The following weekend we headed to Sunriver to hang out with the Weselaks who were vacationing there. Sunriver is one of our favorite family destinations. On our way down, we stopped in Bend and had a tour of Anjou Spa and Salon....Aunt Jen's latest venture. We're excited about the grand opening which is coming up later this summer. It will be yet another fun reason to visit Central Oregon. The weekend in Sunriver was great! We spent time at the pool and both boys loved it. It was also nice to have a cup of joe from Bellatazza...one of my favorites. We're grateful to the Weselaks for inviting us to stay with them. It was a very fun time and we all really enjoyed ourselves.











Since we were so busy the previous weekends in July, the boys and I decided to head to Arizona the next weekend. Sean had plans to head to the Gorge games with the Sidestreet team because they had done some work with the Gorge games. Oweghn, Kelan and I boarded the plane early Thursday and headed out for a long, hot weekend in Arizona. Oweghn had a blast playing with his cousins...so much fun that when Sean called, he him that he was "having so much fun with his cousins that he forgot to even miss him". Good thing Dads understand these things or Sean's feelings might have been hurt.

We spent lots of time in the pool. Both boys loved the water which was truly as warm as bath water. It was very nice. Oweghn did an excellent job in the water. His skills improved drastically over the weekend. He is so brave in the water and has absolutely no fear. His swim lessons are definitely paying off. Kelan is pretty fearless himself. His favorite activity was climbing out of the pool and jumping back in. We had to really watch him every second because he would walk to the edge of the pool and jump right in. Lots and lots of fun this weekend...it was a great visit!












On July 24th, Sean and I celebrated 9 years of marriage. Since our actual Anniversary was on a week night, we kept it simple, yet meaningful. We packed a picnic in the picnic basket we received as a wedding shower gift and went up to the Pittock Mansion (one of our favorite Picnic places) and all 4 of us enjoyed dinner, dessert and family time. Oweghn showed off his photography skills...see the great picture he took of Sean and I. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed running barefoot through the grass and taking in the breath-taking city and mountain views. What a great location. It was nice to relax on the blanket while the boys chased each other around the main lawn. Sean and I sat and smiled at how our lives have grown over the past 9 years. Ah memories!









Saturday the 26th turned out to be more exciting than we expected. For the boys there was excitement because Grandma and Grandpa decided to take them to the Washington County Fair. Oweghn got to milk a pretend cow and go on some rides. Kelan enjoyed hanging out with Grandpa and playing in the Corn pit.













Sean and I had a fun night out. I was asked to be a model in a Kimono Fashion show held at Sake One Brewery. We enjoyed an evening of music, sake and Kimono Fashion. The show was really fun and all the models were great. Check out the beautiful Kimono I got to wear for my first trip down the runway.








After all the fun on Saturday, Sean surprised me with a wonderful anniversary dinner followed up by an overnight stay at Hotel Monaco in downtown Portland. The boys stayed out at Grandma and Grandpa's farm and Sean and I enjoyed a romantic evening downtown including a "Romance Package at the hotel with champagne and rose petals. What a wonderful Husband. It was a great way to celebrate 9 years of marriage!

Our finale for the month was a trip across town to the Last Thursday Alberta Arts walk. Grams met Sean and I and the boys on Alberta street. The weather was beautiful so it seemed that everyone in Portland was there. It was a lot of fun. We had a late dinner outside at a new restaurant. We sat next to an open fire pit and warmed ourselves as Kelan slept quietly in the stroller next to us. It was a lovely evening.

So there you have it...July was very busy and we move on to August. Only one month until the school year starts and we get into a new routine. Time flies.

June 2008 - Life at home

June has come and gone...another month of memories. We had a lot of family time in June which was really nice. The summer months seem to go by so quickly. Life gets busy and we often forget about just being together and enjoying that part of life. It was good to look back over this month and see that we took the time to just 'be together'.

We started the month with a trip to Mt. Hood with some of our Japanese friends who were in town visiting. After a day at the mountain, we met at Jakes for dinner and Oweghn enjoyed his first oyster. He was quite proud of his adventuresome self.


Early in June, Oweghn also had his final field trip with his Japanese Class from the International School. We went to the zoo on a sunny June day and enjoyed a picnic, ran around and also saw the new dinosaur exhibit. All the kids really enjoyed it. It was a great day.

The following day was his final day of school and his promotion ceremony. Although it was a little nostalgic, we made it through the class song and presentation of his certificate. Coming up next...Kindergarten! Slow down.

Later in the month, we decided to head down to the Rose Festival and check out the Waterfront Village. It's very close to Oweghn's school, so he'd asked about it a number of times earlier in the week. On the final day we went down early and beat the rush. Oweghn enjoyed the rides...although we're not sure if he really enjoyed the scary ride as much as he says he did. Nevertheless, that ride has made for some fun stories.


On the 15th, we celebrated Father's day. The boys and I got Sean a mini tri-pod for his point and shoot camera. And of course I also completed this year's edition of Sean's Father's day album which has been updated with pictures and memories every year since 2003 when Oweghn was born. This is probably Sean's favorite gift and he loves to sit with the boys and look through it from the start...making his way up through the last year.


Later in June we visited Gramma Dee. She was so amazed at the boys and how much they've grown and changed. It was very interesting watching her watch them. So much expression in her eyes. I'm sure they wore her out, but she really enjoyed the visit...as she always does.

The rest of June was simple family time, hanging out in the yard, working on projects, playing games with the boys, playing in the big pool, working in the garden and whatever other fun we could find. Here are several of our favorite pictures from this month.