Foto Finish Friday

Way up high...

On the side...

Way down low...

Too slow Joe!

See his face? He thinks he's so cool! We met this random little boy at the garden last weekend. Kai was getting bored with looking at the flowers when we approached this meadow and boy. I told him to go see if he wanted to play. He walked right up to him and asked, "Do you want to play with me?" They immediately began chasing each other in circles, playing some game they clearly knew the rules to without even talking it over. It was so cute!

slappy cakes

While visiting our families this past weekend, we had the chance to try a new (to us) restaurant called Slappy Cakes. When first hearing about this restaurant, I have to say I was skeptical. The big thing at this place is making your own pancakes. My immediate response was, "Why would I want to go out to eat someplace where I have to make my own pancakes, and keep my 3 year old away from the hot griddle??" The answer: Because it's a totally fun and unique dining experience!!

The griddle is built into the center of the table, and does not get hot around the edges (forgot the fancy name for it). I don't think it gets too hot in the center either, because our cakes cooked fairly slow and never burnt. You can choose from 4 different types of batter which come to you in a squeeze bottle, and there is an endless list of toppings and mix-ins you can add to your pancakes. Kai did so great, he never tried to touch the griddle, and even got to squeeze out his own pancake! They were so yummy, hot off the griddle, and cooked to our specifications.

The best part, since we had to wait patiently for each cake to cook, I'm sure I ate half as many as I would have if I had been presented with a plate full of pancakes. And all for a very reasonable price!

Breakfast wouldn't be complete with a monkey at the table.

Joe and his Mom, eagerly waiting to see how this all works!

Slappy cakes coming and going!

Some of our topping choices;

blueberries, chocolate chips and bacon.

For our toppings, we decided to each choose one. Grandma Sue's was pecans. Because of the latest trend in gourmet chocolates, I made a pancake with bacon and chocolate chips. Very tasty.

Our weekend away was otherwise very fun and eventful! A visit to Crystal Springs garden with my parents, date night for Joe and I (thanks to Grandma and Grandpa!), a trip to OMSI to visit Samson, and a first birthday party for my cousin! We were in town barely 24 hours and made the most of every minute!!

Foto Finish Friday

Another happy customer!

Mother's Day 2010

What a great Mother's Day weekend! I was blessed to be able to spend time with my wonderful Mother yesterday, and spent all day today with my boys! Since becoming a mother 2 years ago, I've really come to understand what being a mom really means, and have become all the more grateful for everything my Mom (and Dad) have done for me. I always think, no one can understand parenthood until they enter it!Yesterday we hosted my family for an early Mother's Day lunch. The weather was fantastic and we spent pretty much the whole time outside, kids squealing (mostly) with glee as they ran through the yard. I love having a house full of happy people!

My Mom, niece and the "cupcake tree"!

Today was pretty low key. We just hung out as a family. I enjoyed a private tour of the rhodie garden on my early morning run. Went to church, got my free coffee from Dutch Br0s. Kai gave me my gift... a nap! Attempted to plant my new raspberry plants, until the thunder and downpour. We decided outdoor activities were out, so we headed to the mall for a treat (carmel apple... my fav!), and playing on the indoor playground. After dinner we all watched Mary Poppins. Best of all... minimal whining and arguing from the little guy!

Mother's Day photo... 2010

My silly little man!

Foto Finish Friday

Here's my big finish!

Sunday was a great racing day and I did better than I would have ever imagined! The second time in my life I actually felt like an athlete. I started a blog post about the race, and I'll have to finish it one of these days!

13 miles of Memories

My half marathon, as I remember it. The night of the race I sat down and outlined this post, with a vivid memory from each mile of the race. After time, all the miles run together. I really wish I'd thought to do this earlier, with previous races. This just might become a new tradition!

1. My emotions at the start of this race really surprised me. Through training I felt somewhat disconnected and didn't feel I'd really trained that hard. I was surprised when I was on the verge of tears for the first mile, overwhelmed by the other runners, spectators and what we were all about to accomplish.

2. I came upon a man who had what sounded like $5 worth of change in his pockets. Spent the mile pondering how he could even get his feet off the ground; his pockets were loaded with so much stuff that his hips were about double their actual size. And me, with nothing on me but clothes, shoes, iP0d, and some sharkies stuffed in my pocket.

3. Caught up to the 4:15 pacer, and had to hold myself back not to pass him.

4. This was my first race where I listened to music. By this point, I was feeling really disassociated from the race and decided to turn it off. I couldn't hear the other runners, the rhythm of their running, and most importantly, I couldn't hear the crowds cheering! And yes... there were crowds!

5. Overheard the 4:15 pacer saying his pace was 9:43 minute miles, and decided I could go a little faster... buh bye!!

6. Hit the 10K maker in under an hour... way under an hour! This was approximately my half way point.

7. Realized finishing in under 2 hrs was possible, contemplated going faster, and did!!

8. Long before I reached the high school on our route, I could hear the crowds cheering us on. This was one of the advertised "best spots to watch from", so there were lots of people there! I didn't know any of them, but to me, they were all cheering for ME!! I thanked them profusely as I passed by.

9. Pancake station... uh, no thanks!

10. Caught up to the 4:00 pacer. I was starting to get a little tired, but felt like I could pass them. I knew were would break apart from the marathoners soon, so I held back until that happened. We'll just call it a "little break".

11. Reached River trail and broke apart from the marathoners. I decided to bring back the music (no spectators on this portion) and picked up the pace.

12. One more mile! Didn't even slow down crossing the final bridge! I can do it!

13. Entered Hayward field... what an amazing feeling to end a fantastic race on the track of legends. My feet hit the turf and it felt great, so I gave it all I could and finished super strong!!

Can't wait to see how the second half turns out...

Foto Finish Friday- live action version!

Earlier this week K had a visit to his doctor. He did great, and truly earned his reward that day. He was heartbroken that they didn't have any St@r W@rs stickers to choose from. Of course, being the push over Mom that I am, I brought him one from MY office... because I'm cool like that and I get them for my pediatric patients... j/k.

I haven't posted any video for a while, so thought this might be fun!

See if you can figure out who is on his sticker! (Please excuse the amateur footage, still figuring out the new camera)

(C3P0 and R2D2, if you didn't catch it)

Foto Finish Friday

He's got the moves!

Sportin' the new knight costume

Joe was able to come watch soccer today, so we got some action shots. Ended up with 2 or 3 usable shots... our little guy moves fast!!

Hustle! Hustle!

Focusing on me with all his might...

Trying hard to resist the urge to kick that ball!

Soccer and the Bleeding Heart (no relation)

Yesterday was Kai's first "real" soccer class. We went to a trial a few weeks ago, but today was the first week of the new session, and he is actually enrolled in the class. He is a soccer natural! He can drop kick the soccer ball like nobody's business, and is great at dribbling and passing... without any formal training. I am excited to see what happens over the next 9 weeks! Here he is in the jersey he got, really feeling like a big kid! He totally thinks he's getting away with something here, can you tell by the look on his face?

I have tried several times (not so successfully) to grow a bleeding heart. I think they are so unique! Gotta love moving into a house with an established garden! I'm so excited to see what other surprises bloom for me this spring!

drizzly picnic

This morning Kai and I set out on a walk to one of our city's most famous and beautiful parks, which just happens to be (nearly) in our new backyard! Being native Oregonians, we weren't about to let a little drizzle get in our way! The park is best known for it's miles of forested trails and huge rhododendron garden. It is about one mile (uphill) from our house, so it's become a regular part of my running route. I've really been enjoying watching the colors come out as I've run through it 2-3 times a week for the past month or so. Now that it's mid-April, the main event is just about to begin!

Much more of this to come in the next month!

We had a great time; traipsing around in the mud, having a picnic lunch, and enjoying the quietness of a drizzly weekday morning. Of course, Kai didn't feel like mother nature was doing an adequate job of watering, so he had to do his part as well.

"Picnic Time!!"

(Thank goodness for the awesome covered picnic area!)

Kai by the blooming rhodie...

he actually posed for me!!

And we got home just in time, the downpour started when we were about 3 blocks from home!

In Training

With the big race looming a mere 3 weeks away, I guess it's time for me to admit that I'm "in training". I hate using that phrase because it denotes some level of athleticism which I do not claim to have. I do, however, enjoy running (why??) and pushing myself to new limits.

Yesterday I completed a 10.8 mile training run, for my half marathon on May 2. To my surprise, I finished this run in 1:40 (that's 9 minute 25 second mile, not shabby for this steady 10 minute miler). When I got the itch to run a "half", I really had no goal or expectation for myself other than to finish. Running almost 11 miles by yourself is dangerous. A lot of time to get lost in your thoughts. A crazy one came to me... maybe I could finish this race in under 2:15... or maybe even under 2? Can I do it?? That remains to be seen. But, the fact that I made such great time yesterday and felt really good for the whole duration (except the inability to use my swollen fingers when I got home), makes me think it just might be possible.

I'm not the only one in training around here. The day before the marathon (of which I'm doing half), there is a kid's race. I was talking to Kai about it and he said he'd like to do it. He came to the conclusion that, "maybe I might need to practice because I might get tired" (yes, just like that!). So we agreed that he needed training runs as well. Friday was his first. We "ran" to the park down the street from our house (probably about .2 miles). He had to stop several times (you know, to look at bugs and pick weeds), but he made it almost the whole way. The actual race is about a half a mile, so we've got some work to do. :-)

Easter and Cousins

We are so thankful for the sacrifices that were made for us. We are also thankful that our family is close enough to be able to spend this special time together. Cousin time is precious, and so very fun!

Foto Finish Friday

Not too sure about the "nate".

Not too sure about the giant tortoise, either.

But the huge lizard? Oh yea, I'll pet that!

Birds of a Feather

I am not the type to have "lots" of friends. At every stage of my life thus far, I've had a handful of really good, close friends. In high school, it was Christy. We were nearly inseparable. We were together every spare moment at school, and out of school. We even stranded ourselves together in a snow storm once and spent 3 days of no school at her house!

After high school, when the rhythms of our lives changes, we were separated geographically. She moved north for schooling, I moved south after getting married. Inevitably, we lost touch. Prior to our reconnection 2 years ago, we hadn't seen each other or spoken to each other for 10 years. I often thought of her and wondered where life had taken her, I searched as much as I could. Her family had relocated away from our home town, and I had no idea if her name had changed through marriage (and yes...it had!). Two years ago, through the power of the internet, we were miraculously reconnected. I will never forget that day, catching up on 10 years of time lost between us. It was like only a moment had passed! As I learned of the struggles she and her husband had been through, it sounded all too much like our life challenges. We decided now was the time we were meant to be a support to each other. Turns out, her older son is only a few months younger than Kai! That was the biggest (and happiest) shock of all! We immediately started looking for opportunities to get them together.

As sheer luck our have it, we've now been able to see them 2 times in the past 5 months! What a treat! Our first visit was last fall when we went to Disneyland, and the second was just a few weeks ago after disembarking our cruise ship! We spent a fun day at their house while waiting for our flight home! Let me tell you... our boys could not be better buds. At their first meeting last fall, they hit it right off and were running around together, squealing with delight after only a few seconds! This time was no different. They are so alike in so many ways, it is so fun for them to see each other, and great for Christy and I to know that our very active sons are totally normal! Enjoy the pictures of our day together.

Kai and his buddy Wiley

Holding hands... adorable!

What good is water if you don't get wet??

Me, Christy and their other cutie Ivan.

Foto Finish Friday

Kai with his fancy cruise chocolate milk!

Yes, we are still alive! As I predicted, it's been a fun and exciting last few weeks for us and I've had no time for blogging! Still don't, but taking a few minutes here for ya'll!

So, first... we took Kai on his first cruise! We've been on several and we are absolutely addicted to it! We had a blast on our first family cruise, which also included Joe's Mom (it was her first cruise)! We also had our fare share of tough times, as will happen anytime a 3 year old is involved! We all ended up being sick at some point during the week, and Kai was the first. He woke up sick the day we left our house (1 day before setting sail). So, none of us were feeling 100% and he was definitely feeling out of his element. All said, we made lots of fun family memories and loved having Grandma with us!

When we got home, we learned that our house sale was ready to close! We encountered some last minute problems with my VA loan which we're still trying to sort out, but our buyer (and seller) both wanted to get things going. We closed on the sale of our old house 3 days after we got back, and worked out a rental agreement with our sellers until we can close. We moved to our new house 5 days after we got back from our vacation! Talk about a whirlwind of activity!! We are all loving our new place and neighborhood! Despite this having been a very stressful and stimulating 2 weeks, K is holding up fabulously, sleeping well and in a pretty good mood now that he's well. I was worried this might disrupt his good potty training work, but so far so good!

Hopefully lots of pics to come soon! Vacation pics and new house pics! We're still buried in boxes, and trying not to focus every moment on house stuff.

Looking forward to the forecast of a beautiful weekend, hopefully enjoying our new nice and big backyard!! :-)

Foto Finish Friday

Earlier this week I took K to have his pictures done for his 3rd birthday. As you can tell, we got some great shots! It was probably the best photo session we've had with him, although he still wasn't 100% cooperative. The above shot is one of my favs, so totally "him". After several minutes of coaxing, we had finally gotten him into the perfect pose. The photographer said, "Say... Superman!" and quicker than you can blink he busted out his signature superman move. Luckily, she snapped at the perfect moment (cause it only lasts a millisecond) and caught it on film.

OK, I'll admit...I'm loading the blog with these adorable pictures in hopes of keeping you all happy for a while. I am anticipating a *very* busy and chaotic next 2-3 weeks for us and not sure how much I'll be posting, if any. When I have time to breathe, I will post the details of what's going on. No worries, it's all good stuff.

Here are a few more of my favorites from his photo session. Enjoy!

Growing Boy

Yesterday K had his 3 year doctor visit. He was an absolute angel. He was so cooperative, and did everything the doctor asked him. He even pleasantly entertained himself with the blood pressure cuff the whole time (OK, so he was pretending it was a water gun, but still...). He was deemed perfectly healthy and developing exactly on-track (if not a little ahead of schedule). We have been blessed with a healthy, brilliant, adorable child.

A few stats to catch you up on what's been going on around here:

- official height/ weight was 38.25" tall, and 35.0 lbs (so, 70-80th percentile for both).

- *almost* completely pottying himself for the past few weeks, even at daycare.

- dressing and undressing himself for a while now (and sometimes does both many times within an hour!)

- loves cutting paper, and will work at this for minutes at a time (anyone with toddlers knows this is a huge thing!).

- naps are on the way out. :-(

- sleeping later in the morning (7am) is back in style. :-)

- learning an amazing amount everyday.

- still my silly monkey boy!

As you can tell, Buzz is the current outfit of choice. If we can get him to wear something different, this outfit (which is made complete with Buzz LY swimming trunks) gets put back on the second we get back home. Somehow, I've managed to get it washed a couple times in the past week. He even sleeps in it!

Foto Finish Friday-Mail Time!

K LOVES getting mail! Now that he can read his name, he loves seeing it on the envelope and knowing it all his. A few weeks ago, one of my bloggy friends emailed me to see if Kai and her little guy would like to be pen pals. Of course, I loved the idea and quickly agreed. Earlier this week, Kai got his first piece of mail from his new pen pal. On the same day, he also got his magazine from Grandma Nancy and Grandpa Dave. He was so excited to have "2 mail" with his name on it!

Basking in the glory of 2 pieces of mail.

C'mon Daddy, stop teasing...let's get that package open!

A Birthday surprise! Stickers! M&M's!

He really was more excited than that last picture captured, he just wouldn't cooperate with the camera. He quickly proceeded to unload one page of stickers onto the card envelope. Also note the blue gloves; he had gone for his first dental cleaning earlier that day and they gave him those gloves. He wore them pretty much the rest of the day...

Thanks M&E for the fun package!

Party Weekend!!

We had a big, huge party weekend celebrating our little guy's 3rd birthday, Valentine's and the Lunar New Year (more commonly known as Chinese New Year, but also celebrated in Korea).

Friday (the BIG day), we had a nice, quiet, family afternoon. After hitting C0stco for a hot dog lunch (his choice), we headed home for opening presents, making birthday sundaes, and watching a movie (big treat for him to watch a whole movie at once!)

Saturday was the big party! All the kids had sooo much fun, especially the birthday boy! He was in seventh heaven having all his favorite people helping him celebrate, and even got a little shy when everyone was singing to him.

Sunday, of course, was Valentine's and the Lunar New Year. We laid low pretty much all day; hung out at home after church, then headed to a party at a friends house in the evening celebrating both occasions. Tons of great home made Korean food and yummy Valentine's treats! We all had a great time, and Kai enjoyed playing with all the kids (and all the Star W@rs gear at our friends house!).

It was a great weekend, but by the end we were pretty much all partied out!

Thanks to everyone who helped make Kai's Birthday such a great day for him!!

Now, for a few pictures (trust me, this is only a few... we took about 300 this weekend!)

First act as a 3 year old... chocolate milk and Super Why

(wish I could say this part was different from any other day...)

And now...for possibly the best candle blowing out sequence ever!

I really hope these pictures do it justice.

Blow! #1 is out!

Inhale!

Blow! #2 is out!

Inhale!

Blow! #3 is out!

(Thanks to our new super fast camera for making that sequence possible!)

Foto Finish Friday--Guess who's 3??

Happy Birthday to our sweet, sensitive, loving, brilliant, brave little boy! We love you so very much and can't imagine our lives without you!!