Sunday, October 01, 2006

Who did you invite to Homecoming?



Don't Spencer and Mitchell make a lovely couple? They had a great evening at the Homecoming Dance which was followed by a visit to Applebees. They first met at Sumpter in Kindergarten and have continued their special relationship over the years. Oh, did I mention they had georgeous dates! Get all the details here....

Friday, September 29, 2006

" I HAV A CAT "


Lauren showed me her latest creation called, "I HAV A CAT". A handbound book by her with bright illuminations and succinct text. Please follow the .pdf link to see her great book. Click here.

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Talk Like a Pirate Day



I went to work with my teeth, a scarve and a gold earring. The night before I practised some rudimentary pirate. Like "is/am is always conjugated as "be". Women are wenches, be they good or bad. Most important is the Arrrr or or its affirmitive cousin Yarrr. Always backthroated and with a look of a growl. I warz adrift in a blur of landlubbers til attorney Carl's wenches be kind enuf to make der selves be knowed. Later after work, I decked out the girl child and turtored her in "shiver me timbers". She be of sound stock and a bonnie lassie to boot. Aye, she got me smile, too.

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Kitchen work progresses



We are going Mediterenean. After having taken down the cabinet doors and drawers, cleaning, filling, sanding, priming and painting, it was time to paint the walls. The walls were stripped of the old green and white latticed wallpaper, washed, filled, sanded and painted. The first color looked great as a swatch against the wall, but as I started the edge work Dawn was picking up Lauren from a birthday party. I thought, boy this is bright, the more I looked at it, the more it resembled the dividing line on highways, sure enough, Dawn said no. We decided on another color and I took off to the paint store to have it mixed. Well, in short, I love it, Dawn is still deciding.

Saturday, September 09, 2006

Me and my million dollar window



Self-portrait at the shop. Behind is my favorite window. It overlooks the stream and grounds of Mission Mill. In eighteen years I have never been bored as I stared out this four season view.I have seen my children taking their first steps, ducks with ducklings, angry opposums, floodwaters to my floorboards, sheep, llamas, too many politicians, six directors (Mission Mill), my in-laws and ex-in-laws, hundreds of weddings, Rotary on Wednesdays and in general my life has passed by this window. If I am to become a ghost, I know where I will haunt.

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Lauren's first day of first grade



Here, our scholar is leaving to attend the first day of school. She's toting about 15 pounds of school supplies in her new pink backpack.




After meeting her teacher, Lauren finds her spot in class. Her room is of good size and is a first/second grade blend. As many as five of her last year classmates are here, too. Mom and Dad have readjusted their schedules to the new school year.

Max Marbles restores Family Bibles

Monday, September 04, 2006

Lauren's top tooth missing!



While playing at Amanda's, Lauren pulled a top off and it snagged a very loose tooth. She had been eating apples and wiggling this thing for some time. Surely the Tooth Fairy will show up tonight and give her a reward.

Friday, September 01, 2006

Oreo



Oreo is a litle over a year old. She has been a great cat. We all love her and she does her slinky, lazy, loving, stealthy, cuddlely catness very well. This summer she has gotten very comfortable with the great out of doors. She even caught a bird. She eats bugs, grass and cat food. She's not too fond of the rain. When it was hot, she would lay on the flagstone floor. (smart kitty) Her clinkey id necklace sometimes gives away her hunting sorries. Over winter, she had become heavy, now as summer closes she is as sleak as a jaguar.

Lauren's Swim Lessons



Lauren has worked very hard for several weeks to earn her Level 4 status. We have gone to the Olinger Pool for 6 weeks each day of the week. It really has paid. She has given close attention to the instructors and can easily swim the pool side to side. Often she would compete with the 3 other kids (boys twice her weight and length) and beaten them every time but once. And boy did she let them know, too.



Today was the final swim and the kids got to just have fun in the pool. Lauren most enjoyed the swing rope and waterslide. We will have her take additional lessons in spring with the hope she will make Level 8 (Where they continuously lap the pool with crawl, backstroke and breast stroke). Go Lauren, we are so proud of you!

Monday, August 21, 2006

Erik leaves for Tulane University



We got up at 3:30 to get Erik on a plane for New Orleans. Lauren was not too pleased or chipper this time of the morning.

Later he called to let us know he had gotten there, checked into his room and was on his way to the French Quarter to have dinner with a new buddy (fellow student) and his family. They ate a "Irene's", a really great restuarant in the Quarter. Tomorrow he starts his orientation.

We are really sad he's left, but very excited at his prospects.
We love you Erik!!

Sunday, August 20, 2006

Spencer and Allie



We couldn't leave out Allie, she was over visiting Spence. These guys are way too cool.

Kid's Portrait



Dawn insisted on a group shot of the kids before Erik departs for school. They were cutting up the whole time. Hopefully, Christmas will give us another opportunity for portraits.

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Linda's going away/birthday party



Robert was a gracious host to Linda's cookout ... going away ... and surprise early Birthday party. I made a traditional Lindholm Pineapple Upsidedown Cake. But in this case it is really a Rightsideup Pineapple Cake! Robert and Erik made deck furniture and then grilled the steaks. Yum, yum.



Linda and Erik group for a shot of the departing, Erik's leaving on the 21st for Tulane. Linda's starting a new job in the tri-state of Idaho, Utah and Nevada. Good luck, we are missing you already.



Thanks for the family shot, Robert. Here we all are, just before we watch Linda open her gifts.

Sunday, August 06, 2006

A tearful farewell



Here we are at Willamette University, under the Eagle Fountain, getting some last pictures while the buses arrive.These kids have had some great experiences they will carry forever. Eriko says she had noticed how much more open and spontaneous they all had become.



And now the tears,the girls openly and me a bit misty eyed. Eriko is a sweet,intelligent and considerate person who has done much to enrichen our lives in only a few days. I wish we could have spoiled her more! Eriko, we miss you and hope you stay in touch.



ALL ABOARD!! Eriko departs on the bus to Seattle where she will see a Mariner's baseball game before flying out tomorrow. I know her family will be so happy to see her safely home. Sayonara, Eriko.

Friday, August 04, 2006

Eriko's Sayonara Party



Eriko and her school mates threw a great party with lots of dancing, singing and celebration. Here Eriko announces her group's song. Those kids really sing well. We enjoyed every minute and were very proud of her contributions.



Eriko with three of her musical friends entertained the audience with the "Sound of Music." It was lovely, they really gave the crowd some great music.

All things considered the event showed how much the girls had done over the two weeks. The video shown at the end encapsulated in a colorful montage of each day and the many, many activities they participated in together. When they get home I hope they will have many wonder memories of Oregon.

Monday, July 31, 2006

Erik's last day at Fred Meyer's



Had to get a shot of Erik with his Fred Meyer name tag and shirt. He has worked there since last September, almost a year! It was fun going into Freddies and seeing him stocking the aisles. Now we can go to Winco and save some money.

Sunday, July 30, 2006

Linda, Eriko and Dawn



We stopped off briefly to see my sister Linda's garage sale. It was busy, but I got the girls to sit quickly for this shot. Later we went to Lancaster Mall and Salem Center, where the girls shopped for gifts and school clothes.

Saturday, July 29, 2006

Eriko, our daughter from Japan



Dawn and Eriko pose for the photographer on the deck outside my shop. Eriko is staying with us for about two weeks. We have enjoyed her company and will miss her when she goes home. She and her class mates are visting Salem on a Homestay. Lauren absolutely adores Eriko!

Monday, July 24, 2006

My summertime companion



This little girl, with such great concentration, has managed to go to Daddy's shop a lot this summer. She gets real busy with her drawings and making small books. She is always great company!

Friday, June 09, 2006

Erik's high school graduation



Here is the graduate, a hard working student.



Caps in the air, go Oly's Class of 2006!



Dane Wilson and Erik, two buddies ready for the world.

Thursday, June 08, 2006

Lauren's end of school celebration



Katie Nelson, Lauren's kindergarten teacher, and Lauren pose for an end of school picture. Mrs. Nelson is a wonderful teacher who combines her love of music with her school lessons.



Mrs. Nelson and the kids gave a really great performance in which they sang many songs for over a half hour ... that's a lot of singing .... and the kids knew ALL the words!

Thursday, June 01, 2006

Spencer's usual computer repose



Here is Spencer's usual comfort zone while surfing (winter or summer).

Erik's asleep at the mouse



This not the first time this has happened, Erik probably had stayed up late the night before, went to Lacrosse practice and came home only to pass out at the computer.

Sunday, March 05, 2006

Lauren celebrates her 6th birthday



Chuckie Ceese dropped everything he was doing and rushed over to Lauren to help give her birthday a great send-off. All Lauren's friends showed up to play games, eat pizza and have cake. This kid is soo spoiled!

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Spencer's 15th Birthday



Here's Spencer's 15th birthday. I can't believe it. He's got his Pink Floyd t-shirt on and growing by the foot. I think he's taller than me (dad).

Sunday, January 29, 2006

Lauren loses her first tooth.



From the kitchen comes a scream of "Mom!!!!", I jump up and nearly run into Lauren as she bursts through the doorway to show us her bottom right front tooth. Well were we all pleased, I mean the tooth didn't know when to fall out. It had been weeks just being loose and more loose and yet more loose... And true to form this morning the Tooth Fairy deposited a hefty sum and took her tooth away!

Saturday, January 21, 2006

Kim Huong



Before Erik was born, Dawn and I started eating pho soup at this joint. When we walk in they just ask if we'll be having the "usual". And we do. Their tea is good, and we get salad rolls and spring rolls for appetizers. We get a family style bowl of beef pho and a family style of chicken pho, too. To this we add ... sprouts, jalapeno, fresh basil, plum sauce and ground chili pepper with garlic. There's always more than we can eat and the tabs less than twenty! Rachel Ray, You missed this one!

Sunday, January 01, 2006

New Years 2006



A new year tradition for good luck is my Southern Dinner with Hoppin' John. Linda and Robert showed up to help us eat the chicken, hoppin' john (black eyed peas with rice), collards, corn bread, fried green beans, cole slaw, macaroni and cheese, sweet potato pie and black tea. I had an early and hectic day getting this all out. (Dawn made the sweet potato pie) (photo credit to Robert)