Christmas Newsletter

Dr. Laura

Here are some excellent remarks on the Church by Dr. Laura Schlessinger, one of my heroes!:

http://www.drlaurablog.com/2008/12/18/blessings-in-disguise/

Merry Christmas!

Chloe's imaginary friend

Chloe has concocted an imaginary friend, and it is super cute. I don't remember Maddie ever doing this! The friend's name is "Bad Guy." But, as Chloe frequently emphasizes, she's not bad at all. That's just her name, Bad Guy. According to Chloe, she looks like Matilda from the movie of the same name. Chloe talks to Bad Guy on the phone and is always saying that she is knocking on the door and wants to come in. She invites Bad Guy to spend the night, and plays with her and Madison (who plays along, knowing full well it isn't real). Kinda random, but cute too.

JR's surgery

Don't have a ton of time to write (The Office is coming on; that's all-important), but I wanted to mention that JR had his second knee surgery last Thursday, a week ago. So far, he's recovering normally, but probably won't be released to return to work for at least another 6-8 weeks. In the meantime, he's doing some excercises at home and taking it easy while he heals from a rather invasive surgery. They lengthened a tendon and removed a chunk of stray cartilege. The doc says it's very similar to Greg Oden's injury last year. I'm SUPER busy taking care of him, the house, the kids, and the magazine, which is why these posts will probably be sparse for a while!

24 Hours Away

JR was wonderful enough to take over the kids and household while I got away for 24 hours or so with Julie. We would like to do more "staycation" features in the magazine, which requires us to visit resorts (for free) and write articles about them. So Julie and I made it a girls' "weekend." (even though we did it on Monday and Tuesday) and headed off to explore Skamania Lodge, in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge. We spent the time discussing business stuff and relaxing, sleeping in till 10 Tuesday morning! And the best part? I came home to a cheerful family and an incredibly clean house. Thanks babe!

I also need to congratulate my brother Andy and his wife Holly. I'm an aunt again! Owen Brad Kartchner was born Sunday evening! He's perfect, if I do say so myself.

Family Pictures, finally!

On Tuesday my great friend Julie (also my business partner with the magazine), who is incredibly talented in all things visual, was kind enough to take our much needed family pictures. We hadn't had any done for over 2 years, and you can imagine how much kids change in that time! Needless to say, the pictures came out fantastic, and I'll be forever grateful to Julie for taking the time to do this for us! I'm saving the best for Christmas greetings, but here is a taste:

Halloween Party

On Saturday we hosted a Halloween party - nothing huge, just a bunch of friends, some food, and lots of visiting! I was too busy playing hostess and chatting with everyone to take many pictures, but here are some of the very few that we took:

With Chelsea, a great old friend from high school:

JR said he was dressed up as a "bachelor." Ha ha.
Playin' some ping pong. JR worked so hard to get our garage organized and cleaned up so we'd have room to play!

Our friend Jon dressed up as Oscar the Grouch. As you can imagine, he was very

popular with the little ones. Chloe's been talking about Oscar ever since.

That's her pointing to Slimy the worm .

Thanks to everyone who joined us: Andy & Holly, the Ards, Julie, the Cropps, and the Rileys (whose house went to for dinner last week - I didn't get a chance to blog about it, but it was great! I could hang with you for hours, Jen!). We also had a sort of Party 2.0 when we had a second wave of friends show up after everyone else had left. It was great to see the Hammonds and the Reiners, both from our old ward here in Vancouver. The Reiners (Chris and Tali) are expecting their first baby in a few months, so it was fun to see Tali's belly. And Chris recently returned from studying abroad in Egypt, so he arrived in authentic Egyptian garb as his costume.

Rejuvenated

What a fabulous couple of days. The weather's been so nice the last few days that the kids have been wearing capris and short sleeve shirts during the warmest part of the day. Yesterday we strapped the kids into the bike trailer (thanks Mom & Dad!) and took a family bike ride around town. Mapped it out today and it looks like we rode about 8 miles! We stopped by a park near the end that we'd never visited before and let the kids play, just enjoying the beautiful weather. What a fun and relaxing time! Bike riding is one of the very few things that our entire family really enjoys doing together, and it was great to be able to do it so late in the season. We didn't take pictures yesterday, but here's one of us on our bikes at Yellowstone 2 years ago. Chloe was only 8 months old!

Then today, my little 7-year-old cousin, Kylie, came over to play with the girls, and when her mom (my Aunt Kathy) came to pick her up, she took the girls with her to play at their house. JR was at doctor appts all day, so I actually had some time TO MYSELF! I worked like mad to get all my work done before the kids left so I could do something fun during this rare opportunity. So, naturally, I went clothes shopping. I haven't been enjoying clothes shopping quite as much lately because I've gained weight over the last few months and most things look hideous on me (plus I get pickier and pickier as time rolls on), but this was much needed (because of the unfortunate weight gain), and much appreciated since I was alone. I tried on dozens of things, but only came home with 2 pairs of pants and a skirt - good news financially, but pathetic because a lot of cute stuff just looked horrible on me. Sad. Anyway, the last couple of days have been really rejuvenating, and the timing couldn't be better since I was having a hard time last week.

Since when . . .

. . . did Value Village become a ripoff? I hadn't been in a couple years, but decided to head in today with the kids to check it out, since it's not far from my house. The prices weren't that much cheaper than I'd pay at a really nice consignment shop or even Ross, but the clothes are definitely worse quality and there were scary Halloween costumes everywhere. The good news: I got some super cute stuff for the kids, which is saying a lot because I really don't spend much time and money on their clothes. 90% of Chloe's clothes are Maddie's hand-me-downs, and most of those were used too. I like it that way, but sometimes it's just fun to get cute stuff for my girls. My ($5) splurge was an adorable jacket for Chloe. Here's a (crappy) picture I took:Here are a couple of cute pix of the girls in their new clothes:

Sweetest husband ever

I posted on Facebook today that I have the sweetest husband ever. Then I got several friends asking what he did that was so fantastic. So, although his gestures are small and simple, they mean the world to me, so I figured I'd post it on my blog for everyone to see. (In other words, indulge me so I can brag for a minute about my guy.)

Last night I had a mini breakdown, just feeling like the weight of the world is on my shoulders. I cried to JR and we had a long and effective talk about everything that's going on right now (nothing anybody else needs to be worried about, just stuff).

Rewind to several weeks ago; I went into my favorite radio station (94.7 fm) to do a half hour with the DJ and play 5 songs of my choosing. For going in, I received a prize, which was tickets to a show for a very cool artist named Santogold. I was excited until I realized the show was on Sunday and we couldn't go. No biggie, I had a blast on the air with a DJ I've been listening to since middle school. But then, today JR surprised me by telling me he got in touch with the radio station and told them we hadn't been able to make it, and they are giving us tickets to a new show (a band called Wild Sweet Orange - listen to them on my playlist to the right). Fun! Then to top it off, he made a big yummy dinner for us! What a guy!

Pumpkin Patch

Today went to my niece Mary's 5th birthday party. There were lots of friends and family there to show Mary our love, and of course play games and eat treats! The kids wore costumes, so it was good Halloween practice - I still have some things to square away for their costumes! Chloe is going as a cowgirl and Madison as a jaguar.

Chloe was soaking up the camera every chance she got . . .
whereas Madison was a little camera shy.
Chloe loves her cousin Leah!

After the party, we took a trip to the pumpkin patch. The weather was beautiful - Maddie didn't even wear a coat! And we were joined by my parents and grandparents, a few of my siblings, and two of my sister's kids. Such a fun time of year!

On the hayride:
I encouraged the girls to get small pumpkins (easier to lug around), and thankfully, they obliged!

(Madison had whiskers left over from being in costume earlier)

Our Chloe

Look at that face! I've been loving watching our little Chloe's personality come through, even as she imitates her big sister at every turn. She is very physical: she will jump on me from behind without warning, almost knocking the wind out of me! She constantly has bruises and cuts on her face from jumping off the bed, the chair, the couch. She's also very loving and nurturing. She loves playing with her baby dolls, and pretending that I'm her baby so she can take care of me. I could stare at her beautiful face forever! I don't want her to grow up. Although most people (including her daddy) think of her as strong-willed, I've found that she's actually very willing to obey, as long as I calmly explain and occassionally distract her (with exceptions, of course, especially if she hasn't had a nap!). I love my Chloers.

The Flood

Madison said the cutest thing yesterday. We were going outside to get in the car, and I reminded her to get her coat on. "Because it's stormy outside," I said. "But Mom," she said, "He promised he would never flood the earth again." We haven't talked about Noah and the flood in a long time! So cute! I assured her that just because it was rainy outside didn't mean it was going to flood, and that God would keep his promise and never flood the whole earth again. What a great feeling, to know that everything we teach and try to instill in our children's minds actually sinks in!

General Conference

Conference was like a breath of fresh air this weekend. I loved just sitting in my jammies, cross stitching, and listening to the words of our Prophet and general authorities (with the kids playing in the background). Truly food for the soul.

Chore Chart

As we get in the groove of this new school year, we're implementing more of a routine that has been sadly lacking the last few months. Last week, we introduced a chore chart for the girls. It's very simple, with only 3 chores each (2 of which are joint chores, such as unloading the dishwasher together). They put an "X" next to each chore they complete and when they've done all the chores for the day they put a sticker at the bottom of the chart. Madison can read her chore list, but I put pictures on Chloe's so she knows what her chores are. When they fill up the monthly chart, they'll get an allowance (although I might tweak this later and pay allowance weekly). We do the chores as soon as we get home from school, so it's out of the way. The kids LOVE it. I used to really be into routines, but ever since I started working from home 2 years ago, it's been harder to stick to one. But the kids and I really do so much better when we all know what to expect. And I need to relish this time when the kids actually love to help. I know it won't last long!

Clueless

The other day I brought up to my siblings and parents that next year will mark my 10-year high school reunion. I was promptly and good-naturedly ridiculed by my teenage sibs for being old. As if to emphasize their point, a few nights later I found myself watching the movie, Clueless, on TV. It had been a while, and I wasn't able to watch the whole thing (darn JR doesn't appreciate great cinema when it's staring him in the face!), but the few minutes I caught were priceless. The dialogue! ("Surfin' the crimson wave," "As IF," "WhatEVER," etc.) The music! (Radiohead, Luscious Jackson, Counting Crows, et. al.) The fashion! (Plaid mini skirts with thigh-high socks, flannel shirts galore.) Seriously, who could ask for a more fervent tribute to the 90's? I couldn't have asked for a sweeter formative decade, even if I am old.

First Day of School!

The mythical first day of Kindergarten has come and gone. It went pretty much as expected. Madison was excited (with a smidge of trepidation), as Daddy gave her a blessing before we (both girls and I) headed off for the 4-block walk to school. The weather was beautiful, and I was so glad I walked instead of lazily taking the car. We got there a couple minutes early and waited outside until the teachers opened the doors for the kids to enter (the kindergarten classroom doors lead directly outside, which brilliantly avoids little ones from having to navigate a large school to find their classroom). The second she walked into that door, I let out all the feelings I'd been hiding from her over the last couple weeks and cried half the way home. It wasn't all bad cry: it was a mix of sadness, hope, loss and pride. By the time I was home, I felt great, and the pride had won over the other emotions. Beyond being worried about what words she'll bring home, or how her classmates will treat her, I'm proud of my daughter's abilities and all that she has to bring to her new friends. We love you, Madison!

Oaks Park

We went to Oaks Park yesterday, for my youngest brother's 14th birthday. For you out-of-towners, this is a small amusement park in Portland. We went on a Tuesday because it was two-for-one day (I can see a running theme in most of my blog posts about how cheap we are...), so most of the rest of my family couldn't come because of work. It was just JR and our girls, my mom, my brother, Adam, and a friend of his, Stephen. The first ride we took the kids on was called the Spider. It looks like this:

Bad choice. It was much freakier than it looks, even for grownups, and both kids screamed and cried the whole ride. And the worst part about it was, they can't stop the ride - the kids just have to be freaked out until it ends. And I end up looking like a terrible mother who forces her kids to do crazy things. Also, Chloe's cry, especially, was unlike any other cry I've heard from her: it was true, primal panic. So horrifying for a mother to hear!

Chloe ended up crying and screaming on 3 different rides. Then I finally realized that she could really only ride the kiddie rides. That was plenty thrill for her! Thankfully, she didn't seem totally damaged by her ordeal, and recovered really quickly. She loved the carousel... And the rocketships...
And the cars...
And the motorcycles...
Maddie loved every other ride she went on. Here's a pic of her on the roller coaster with Daddy:

The great thing about Madison was that, aside from the Spider, she loved the kiddie rides as well as the thrill rides (the intermediate thrill rides, I should say - she didn't go on anything too crazy), so the girls got to go on tons of rides together. Maddie's at an age where she'd not too old for the little kid stuff, but she's old enough to enjoy some bigger kid stuff. Makes for some really fun family activities these days!

Today Madison and I are going shopping with my sister, Heidi, for school clothes and supplies. She starts kindergarten on Wednesday! Aaaahhh!

We've Come A Long Way Baby

Eight years. Love you babe, now more than ever.

Cheap Date Night

JR and I had a fun date night last week, thanks to my sister, Rachel. She had won tickets to a very small, private Ryan Cabrera/Charlotte Sometimes show, but had her baby just a little over a week before the show. So, needless to say, she and her husband couldn't go, and she was gracious enough to give us their tickets. I had never heard any Ryan Cabrera music, and only one Charlotte Sometimes song, so studied up a bit before we went to the show. Ryan Cabrera has had a few hits, but I think it's safe to say he's risen to popularity more for who he knows, and his pretty boy looks than for his talent. He is managed by Jessica and Ashlee Simpson's dad, and he dated Ashlee for quite a while a few years ago. Now he's completely changed his look (you wouldn't even recognize him), and he's been dating Lisa Marie Presley's daughter, Riley, for a couple of years (even though she's 17 and he's 26!). I get the sense that he's kind of a jerk in real life, and this was exemplified in the fact that on stage, he described writing his new single as being about a time when his girlfriend was cheating on him and he found out, but instead of confronting her, he took the opportunity to cheat on her too. Wow, what a great guy! At any rate, though, his music is easy on the ears, and he was a good performer. Here are some crappy pictures we got (Ryan is on the right - the guy on his left was his backup):

Charlotte Sometimes is a newcomer, and I really dig her sound. Check her out here! When I complained to JR about Ryan's attitude about the cheating song, he pointed out that Charlotte wasn't all that complimentary of men, either. Her first single is titled "How I Could Just Kill a Man." Still, I really do like her.
Here's a link to her video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtZqVE_OyzU

Clark County Fair

We finally got around this year to attending the Clark County Fair a couple weeks ago . It's a really big one with lots of stuff to do, but it's also really expensive, which is why we've never bothered before. But now that both the girls are a little older and able to enjoy this kind of stuff, these things are really fun and usually well worth it. Aside from some whining, and eating crappy food, we had a great time! The day started out by parking at the mall and taking to bus to the fairgrounds. Here I am with the kids waiting for the fun bus ride:

Once we got there, the girls pretty much had candy in their hand non-stop.

Here are Chloe and Daddy waiting for the Motocross show.

Those dudes are crazy!

Both girls got a kick out of the cowboy on stilts. Here's Madison in his lasso.

After exploring as many of the fair booths as we could stand, we went on some amusement rides, just the kiddie ones that Chloe could go on. I went on the airplane ride . . .

Then JR took them on a roller coaster:

Then we all went on the kiddie Yo-Yo ride. That's the one that looks like this:

PGE Park

Last Friday (8/1/08), we went with my brother, Andy and his wife, Holly, to a Portland Beavers game at PGE Park (minor league baseball). It was super fun to take the kids to the "the great American pastime," and it was free! The Oregonian (local newspaper) had messed up on our subscription or something, so to compensate they gave us 4 tickets to the game. Here's all of us before we went into the park, in front of a weird but cool sculpture. Madison and JR are the irises of the eyes!

The snacks were ridiculously expensive, of course, but we let Madison buy a snowcone with her own money ($4!), and she even shared with the rest of us.Chloe is still talking about "Lucky" the Beavers' mascot who was running around the whole game dancing and playing with the kids. I LOVE this picture of JR. What a handsome guy I married!Thanks for joining us, Holly and Andy!