Getting ready for Easter...and my new shade!

We were very busy today, getting ready for Easter. Abby and Emma helped Heather and me to make cupcake and cookies and frost and sprinkle them. Yummy! Here are the girls dying Easter eggs.


Carly and Libby were much more interested in watching each other.

A couple of weeks after we moved in, a neighbor informed us that the "frosted" glass window in our downstairs bathroom was not so frosted. She swore she hadn't noticed it since we moved in, but, apparently, when it's dark outside and the light is on inside it could be quite a show. Not exactly what a pregnant woman who has been showering in that bathroom for two weeks wants to hear! Anyway, since that little disclosure, there has been a bath towel hung up with thumb tacks covering that window. Martha Stewart would be appalled, but we've only been in the house 7 months, right? Well, it's not a problem anymore. Here is my wonderful husband putting up the new window shade.



Isn't it gorgeous?!

Rally Car!!!

Frank and I brought the rally car down from Eric's yesterday. It has been on the casualty list since Oregon Trail 2007. Heading out to Saturday's stages, we fatally injured the transmission. Since then we've both had kids, and Kricket and I bought a new house.

I just tracked down a new 020 4K transmission for the Rabbit. It's not as cool as the old one, but will get us back out there while we rebuild the old one.



When we got to Eric's the car was still up on jack stands. We had to put 3 of the calipers back on, including new pads for the front. Then bolt on the wheels. We used Frank's Pullzall tool to yard it up onto the trailer.





Sitting in the middle of the garage, we've go some pretty good walk around room.





-Bill

New Garage Door Opener.

A new garage door opener has been on this list of things do do for a while now, and we bit the bullet and did it this weekend. We had the springs, cables, and rollers replaced. Also a new outside keypad, and two remotes. The most important thing was the installation of an electric eye down at the bottom.

The new opener:




Frank and Kricket in our finally cleaned up garage:


-bill

Woodpeckers!!!

We are under assault by a determined woodpecker! When we moved in last summer, there were a number of holes that needed patching, but no actual birds. This spring we've got one that is back in the same location, (East side of the house.) So far he's put two new baseball sized holes in the wall, and couple smaller ones. I've patched the holes with some aluminum plate, (good luck with that Woody!) And now we have one of Abby's mylar "Princess balloons floating near the scene of the crime. It's been two days now with no activity, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

-Bill

Play Date

Heather, Emma, and Carly came over to play last weekend. It was pretty cute to watch Carly and Libby hanging out together. Carly's 3 months older, but it's hard to tell in these pictures.


Here, I'll share my fingers with you.


I want to hold your hand!

Spidergirl and Dr. Darthvader spin their webs.

Say Cheese!

Abby's first haircut.

March 28th, I took Abby in for her very first haircut. We went to Little Clippers in Lake Oswego, which I totally recommend. They were great with her. Abby was a little apprehensive, but took it like a trooper. We had just about an inch trimmed off to get rid of the dead ends. Abby loves it and it looks beautiful.

Libby's 4 month check up!

Libby and I went in for her 4 month check up on March 16th. She weighed in at 15 lbs 12 oz and 25 1/2 inches long. This puts her into the 90+ percentile for both weight and height. Yay, Libby! These are pictures taken in the exam room.

Playing in the mirror.
Look at me roll over!


Oh, no, now I'm stuck. Mommy, save me!


Oh, could I be any cuter?!

March Madness!

The entire month of March has been crazy! We've had some great adventures. The first weekend, we went to Gleneden Beach with my parents, my Aunt Kathy and Uncle David, and my cousin Carrie and her boys, Brenden and Jacob. Abby was sooo excited to spend the weekend playing with her cousins. Bill and I took half the day off on Friday and we met up with my parents at the coast about 3pm. The weather was beautiful. My dad bought kites for Abby and the boys...and one for Grandpa. Since the weather was so nice, we decided to try them out. Here's Abby and Daddy flying her kite.


Abby's kite.
Abby and Grandpa flying his kite.

Abby and Grandpa.
Abby climbing around the tide pools in her new raincoat and matching boots. Green! Her favorite color.
Grandpa and Grandma flying a kite.


Grandpa's kite. He had 500 feet of string and he let it all out. It took forever to reel it back in!

Mommy and Libby enjoying the sun.


Day two the weather was not nearly as nice. Notice Bill has on his coat and hat, but he's still wearing shorts. Ever the optimist! Bill and Abby went swimming in the pool twice. Even though it was outside, the water was warm and Abby loved it. The second time, I joined them, along with Carrie and the boys. We then all went down to the beach to fly kites again.

Even Uncle David and Aunt Kathy were having a good time!

Brenden walking along the beach.

Libby and Mommy. Notice my eyes are watering from the cold wind. Libby didn't say down there long. She and Grandma decided it was too cold for them and they soon headed back to the time share to warm up.

Abby flying her kite.


Jacob flying his kite.


Abby playing in the sand.



Carrie, Jacob, and Aunt Kathy.


On Sunday, the weather was even worse, so we decided not to brave the beach. We actually had snow, rain, and hail that morning. Instead of the beach, we all loaded up and went to the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport. Here's Abby watching the otter.

Abby and Brenden.
Brenden and Jacob.
Bill and Libby checking out the sights.


Sea Anenome.
Octopus.

More March posts to come!

A February trip to the beach.

Kricket and I have been talking about camping this summer for a few weeks now, and decided to do a little recce of the Nestucca River Scenic Drive. This road runs along the Nestucca, over the Coast Range, from Carlton to Blaine/Hebo. We took it last summer for a Independence Day camping trip to the coast w/Jen and Pat.

We left at noon and headed east. Pretty soon, both girls were asleep, though Abby woke up when we stopped in Carlton to pick up some sandwiches. On the road again, we started climbing higher and higher, and began to see leftover snow in the parts that never see direct sun. The snow became more and more pronounced untill we were driving in ruts headed east, with corresponding, west-bound ruts on the opposite side.




Eventually, the road choked down to just one set of ruts.




And further down the road, we were driving on pure snow. We took it slow and did just fine.


We knew that we'd see some snow, but this was pretty surprising! The snow didn't last too long though, and as we headed down, it got thinner and thinner. By the time we got to the first campground on our list, there was only a skiff left. We did encounter this huge tree down across the road; I'd bet it was 20'+ in circumference.



Picnic area w/firepit at Dovre Rec Area.


Libby taking a pit stop with her Mom.

My big girl!

My girls in the car.


Eventually we made it out of the woods and headed south on 101 to Lincoln City. This was Libby's first trip to the beach.


We had a great time at the beach. At dusk, we headed back into town for fish and chips, (which were great!,) and chowder, (which was ok.) After dinner we bundled the two tired girls into the car and headed for home.