Crush x 3

Funny how this was only two months ago and they all have changed since then.

Time

is marching on. . .



Sawyer started junior high today. Gym uniform, algebra, locker combination, homeroom, and parental figures MILES from the school. He is most excited that school doesn't begin until almost 9:00 am. He plans to snooze longer than us all.




Avy and Kennah are both at Candy Lane this year and were happy to let me drive them to school. Tomorrow (and all future rain-free days) they plan to ride their bikes. No small task since their school is in another city. But Slade prepared them well this summer so it's time to see if they can do it.

CARAVAN PALACE at the zoo

On the way home from work yesterday I heard a couple of French musicians interviewed on NPR (I am a public radio junkie.) The music sounded cool and I hoped to remember the band's name so Slade could check out the CD from our library.

But even better, at the end of the story they announced the band was performing in PORTLAND. THAT NIGHT. It's been a few years since we've been to zoo concerts so we considered it. And then we found ourselves there a few hours later.

After a fine dinner of popcorn and soda, Kennah and her friend, Abby, headed to the stage to hang with Slade. Sawyer did not.

The group was INCREDIBLE. It had a funky-jazzy-techno-(saaaaweeeeet!)-sound and beat. They were all great performers and made it impossible to not dance or smile!

(And here is my conservative mother commentary--the dancing was all great DANCING, not the pseudo-suggestive stuff that I don't want my kids mistaking for "dancing".)

We felt pretty lucky to have stumbled upon such a great concert on a perfect summer's eve. Especially after the previous evening's conversation with Kennah which in a condensed version:

Kennah: My friend wants me to go to Justin Beiber's concert tomorrow. She needs an adult to go too.

Us: We didn't know you liked Justin Beiber.

K: I don't. But she needs someone to go with her.

Us: Tickets are $50 for the nose bleeds to the side of the stage. Do you have $100 for your ticket and one for us. (We know she doesn't so we know we won't be subjected to teen-love-boy.)

K: No $$.

Us: So sorry.

So when we asked Abby (NOT the girl with Beiber fever) if she thought THIS music was better. She immediately responded, "This is so much more heartfelt" and showed us.

While waiting in line to meet the band and have CDs signed, this guy asked the girls what they liked and recorded their answers. They were not short of words or expressions.

The musicians were very playful and happy of the stage as well. Even with a language barrier, they each took time to write on the CD and talk with people.

And WE LOVE THEM!!

The Sport Handoff Part II

Friday Slade & Joel took the girls skiing. But both girls were excited to try their hand at snowboarding. On Kennah's second fall, she sprained her wrist. They spent the morning in the medical center and came home early.

She's a trooper and is still excited to try again. This time, we'll try it with braces.

Not all was a loss. They refunded all the tickets (since it was so early in the day.) BUT they refunded the girls' tickets as ADULT tickets so Slade is pretty excited. Are all skiers this hard core?

The Sport Handoff

Before soccer was officially over, the skiing commenced.

Slade and Kennah enjoyed Meadow's season opener during last week's mid-week holiday.

Can't wait for Friday nights in January--high school ski bus up the mountain!

B-lated B-day

September always sneaks up and seems SO busy with back to school (Slade and kids), soccer practices, soccer games, etc. Each year I devise a plan to manage it all better. It's working, but not perfect yet. Kennah's birthday celebration is one of those events that we CAN do around her actual day but it is so much easier just a few weeks later.

This year the kids went on a Haunted Tour of downtown Oregon City. Rocky Smith - an art teacher at this high school, city commissioner and life-long OC resident - took the kids on their own spook walk. (He takes tours all month.) It was fabulous to walk a few blocks and hear about how different life was a couple hundred years ago. It was a lot of fun to see the kids warm up and ask lots of questions. Rocky did a great job telling things that have been reported but letting the kids decide how to process the info.


I drive by this mural almost daily. I guess I knew it was the beginning days of OC, but never thought about where things are in relation to today.

More stories . . .

A True Disguise

This is how I finished Kennah's silhouette. Every time I look at it I am thrown for a loop. Kennah is so NOT a dressed-up-formal-type of girl. It's quite a stretch when you think the real model was actually wearing a ski hat.

I was even more surprised that she gave it her stamp of approval. (Maybe because she chose the green colors.) Or maybe the pearls remind her of Lisa Simpson.

Middle of the Night Call

Sunday evening/ EARLY Monday morning my cell phone rang. Since it was close to my bed I answered (had it been across the room I would have let it ring.)

"Hello?"

"Mom, this is Kennah."

"Yeah?" Realizing she must be calling from the land line in her room.

"Can Dad come get me? I'm scared."

Happily I passed the news on to Slade and returned to sleep. After all, he's the one that tried to show them a suspenseful show in honor of Halloween. Kennah may talk big, but she's still a little girl inside.

The next day Slade asked Kennah why she didn't just ask me to come get her. "Mom sounded tired." I sure do love that girl!

Live Long and Prosper, Bob

Kennah has officially entered double digits today. Her day started with bacon, egg and cheese bagels and ended with lasagna, cake and ice cream. Packed with school, Achievement Days and a soccer game in between.

10 great things about Kennah:

1. She can work hard! She likes the challenge of harder work in school and is equally motivated to run fast on the soccer field. Nice well rounded girl, she is.

2. Kennah has an infectious and sweet laugh.

3. She is so totally OK being herself. She'll carry around Blankie if she wants to. She'll wear a ski hat in 90 degrees if she wants to. She'll admit she loves Star Trek.

4. Kennah likes people! (And people like Kennah.)
5. Kennah is so cute. But DON'T tell her I said that. She can't stand anything cute.

6. Ken will try new things and has a sense of adventure about her.

7. Kennah is loyal.

8. Kennah has a "I want to help" streak in her. I love that streak!

9. She is the first one dressed in the morning. And the first one to fall asleep at night.

10. Kennah says things like she sees them.

She learned that from her dad:

momma said there'd be days like this . . .

... and I hope there are MORE!

The kids practically LEAPED out of bed this morning. They laughed all the way through breakfast. May the magic of the first day of school last!

Tales from the Pool Side