Edward the Confessor comes home....

Oh and Devon is here too... what a dramatic weekend so far and it's only part way through Saturday. We get back from Owen's soccer game (which they lost 6 goals to 3) oops... Owen was feeling a little skitish from his turn as goalie last weekend when he got kicked in the face... but they certainly did a lot better in the second half...

Still after getting more food for Edward, who'd knocked over his food last night, I went up to the bedroom to discover that Edward was no where to be seen... the little bu....er had escaped. Of course Owen went into a complete tizzy as he couldn't find him and is after all responsible for his well being...thank goodness for Uncle Devon who kept calm and found him hiding under Owen's bed... so now he's safe and sound with a book on top on his home to prevent him getting out again.

Meanwhile the kitchen is now in the midst of hole city.. as the boys finish the work they have started. I'm just hoping that before they both leave tomorrow there aren't as many holes in the kitchen...

We had our first major rain since arriving... and the temperature dropped almost 20 degrees so I guess Fall is officially here. Still today it's clear but I'm told it's a brief respite. So far so good.

Interestingly I talked to one of Owen's team mates(who also happens to be in Owen's Class) mom they moved here a year ago from Montana and she was telling me that she is only now feeling like this is her home... It took a whole year to stop feeling like she was on an extended vacation. That's how I feel a lot of the time...it's weird especially as you have all of your things around you, I keep thinking this is temporary and we'll be back in South Pasadena soon... Oh well. Anyway here are some of the portrait shots I took for my photo assignment this week.
Oh yeah and I guess it's time for you to meet
EDWARD THE CONFESSOR:

And into Fall we... um.. fall?

Okay fall has come and gone and still we await the rain. Not that I'm complaining the days here have been glorious and I don't particularly look forward to the rain still it looks threatening.

Anyhoo... this past week we had Open house at the school.. which is a little puzzling to have so early in the year, but it was nice to talk to the teachers and get a feel as to how the kids are doing. We also got to go the parent orientation and have as some of you already know been bombarded with the first, (they promise) of many fundraisers for the school.

The kids are jazzed because everytime they sell something they get a chainlink pen.. don't ask..but lets face it who doesn't need a pen from time to to time.

Darren has been very busy with the remodeling of the kitchen which is coming along nicely. We've ordered all the appliances and are in the process of ordering cabinets and countertops. Yesterday we picked out and up our sink and faucets from a local plumbing store that turned out to be far less expensive than Home Depot. I guess you can still get a deal at smaller stores around town. Yipee.

Day after tomorrow Devon will be coming into town to help Darren with the remodel and then on Sunday D will be on a job for the month of October, getting back in time for Halloween much to both his and the kids delight - Halloween is a big deal for them.

This past weekend we went to the
Pirate Festival, which was a blast. The kids also got to try their hand at rock climbing and both managed to almost reach the top, a particularly remarkable feat for Owen who has a fear of heights. Then on Sunday we headed out to the Fruit Loop (just writing that makes me laugh everytime) to try to go apple picking but we kind of struck out in that regard and ended up only being to pick out a pumpkin or two and buy pre-picked apples. Still it was out by the Mount Hood area which was neat and very pretty.So there we are up-to-date.. class last night was interesting in so far as I learnt what I did wrong and I think I now know how to correct it. I'm not too sure about the teacher, he's nice enough but not particularly (I don't know what word i"m looking for..) warm? Anyway I don't feel like I've really clicked with him but maybe that is just my own insecurities coming out and perhaps you aren't suppose to click with your teacher. Who knows.

Edward the confessor has been missing from school lately, he's been misbehaving and so had to go away for some re-training but fear not, he's still due home with us this weekend...
More later.

One Month on....

It's exactly one month today that we left South Pasadena, and from what I'm hearing it was just in time. They were hit with a horrendous heat wave in triple digits shortly after we left. Of course it's been glorious here with only one night of rain... yeah I know it will only get worse as winter approaches but I'm enjoying the outside while I can. Milo too, who one early morning a week ago was greeted by these 3 little critters who he chased up a tree.
It was quite a sight and the kids were just delighted telling all their classmates at school about it. Last weekend saw the start of soccer season for Owen who got stuck right in as goalie. (His favorite position). I guess this is the first year they actually have goalie up here so he is quite the star with his two previous years experience under his belt. It's been a slow process in the friends making department for Owen, who had already bonded with the boy next year, a 7 year named Nathan, who is actually in 1st grade, but the two seem to have crushes on each other. Last weekend the kids were invited along to his birthday party and poor Morgan was the only girl there for most of the party. Hey she didn't seem phased especially as there was an ice cream cake and goodie bags and Owen was in heaven as it was a science party. Unfortunately he's not so quick to make friends in his own class, I have a feeling he's a little overwhelmed by the kids who already have friends from before. Still they seem to be enjoying school having already made cookies in a solar oven (who'd have thunk that would work up here) and a s'mores fest too. Morgan wasn't happy that her class didn't get to partake until the cookies came out today as a treat. We're already signed up to bring Edward the Confessor home for a weekend to look after... who might that be?.. I'll keep you posted on that one.

I started my own digital photography class and even though I have had a week to do my assignment I have been completely uninspired by the light and need to go and take my 50 photos of which I have to pick my favorite 8. I'm not allowed to use any settings except the P, S, A or M setting in other words am not allowed to cheat with the Auto pictures. I'm trying to learn how to use the settings correctly but old habits are hard to break. Classes are on Monday evenings from 7-9.15pm. It's fun to be in school again but I do find it a little intimidating language especially as I cannot get my head around F-stops and shutter speed. The course is only 8 weeks long which just doesn't seem long enough to learn everything there is to know about my camera and lighting. Still I'll keep you posted with my photos as I get them.

Also this week Darren has ripped out the remains of the deck and the cupboard in the kitchen which is now a hugh space. But the down side is that it seems I'm allergic to all that dust or have developed asthma as a result. I can't get into see a doctor until October because they are backed up until then. So I'm hacking and wheezing a great deal. Taking a daily dose of Claritin as suggested by the local pharmacy. I'll survive.

Well am finished for now. Will write later.

Here comes the first day of school

Well here it is the first day of school tomorrow for the kids. I'm sure ready for it not so sure about them. On top of that Owen has his first soccer practices tomorrow night too, followed by not one or two but three games on Saturday starting at 3.30pm for 20 mins every hour through 5.30pm. Not sure I'm too happy about that, thank god Morgan decided to withdraw. All I have to do now is get her refund and enroll her in Gymnastics.

Kids already have a party to go to this weekend at our neighbors house. That didn't take long.

Darren is busy finishing the pantry... the house reeks of paint, which is giving me quite a headache. Still he had help from Morgan.

The house is starting to come together finally.


Well that all for today. Later!

2 weeks in Portland...

Who would have thunk it that it has been 3 weeks since the moving trucks came to pack up and move us to a new state and a new chapter in our lives.... and after a few rocky momemts things are beginning to settle down, although I still can't find my darn vases for all those amazing flowers I have either purchased from the awesome Farmer's Market or have been given by our first dinner guest. Of course there are still the endless boxes that need to be unpacked and the remodel that is already underway. Darren is busy trying to finish the pantry, but all this has been interspersed with trips to the State fair in Salem (1 hour south of Portland) bike rides along the Springwater Corridor down by the Willamette River on a beautiful sunny... yes I did say Sunny... day as well as a fantastic trip to the beach which among others, Milo thought was the greatest adventure. Of course the beaches aren't as close as in LA but I have to say soooo much prettier in the sun, the water is just BLUE. The neighbors have all - yes all - turned out to be very nice and welcoming, we even received a plate of cookies on our doorstep from one neighbor who has a 7 year old boy who will also be going into 1st grade (alas not Morgan's class) but has made fast friends with Owen. So they both have friend now, although not in their grades.

School starts Wednesday and I'm sure that will all change again.