The Riddle Fam

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-13T10:52:00.000-08:00

A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF THE RIDDLE FAMILY -2011

It all started back in 2010 withthe dream of buying property. A year later, after three offers, many crazy roundsof interaction regarding a short sale, and several disappointments, we arestill living in our house in Lafayette. As of now, we believe that it’s God’splan for us to hang out here for a bit longer. To make our home morecomfortable, I’ve been painting floors, walls, ceilings, trim, doors, andanything else that will hold still, even a light fixture. Kids watch out, Mamahas the paint outJ Whenwe aren’t working on the house, we’ve been globetrotting. We’ve been to Indianatwice, spent a week in gorgeous Estes Park, Colorado, and Chad and I even tooka trip to the beautiful Minnesota in October. We also have a lovely new addition to ourfamily. It has four wheels, a sunroof and lots of space for us to stretch outinJ We purchased a new-to-us2006 Subaru Outback XT in July after a long year of saving $$.

Chad finished histime at NWEA early this year and then went on to Nike. His next assignmentstarts at the beginning of the year for the Bonneville Power Administration. Duringthe summer, Chad found a workshop teaching about First Lego League, a Lego roboticsprogram for 8 – 14 yr. olds. Little did we know that it would change the courseof our lifeJ

In September, Chad started a FLLclub at Kyla’s grade school and what a whirlwind it has been! We ended up withtwo teams with a total of 16 kids. (I say we as I was roped in to coaching…toomany kids and not enough adult bodies) Chad is an excellent teacher and coach anddisplayed amazing amounts of patience. The kids learned so much and both of ourteams were very successful at our local tournament on December 3 and 4. Oneteam did so well, that they are going on to compete at the state level (ithappens to be the team that Kyla is on)! What a feat for a first year team, letalone the youngest team at the competition! We are so proud of all the kids.

Kyla (8) is livinglife to the fullest with a peace about her that just shines through. Shefinished up 2^nd grade in June and started 3^rd grade inSeptember. Her entire class (including her fabulous teacher) moved up togetherand just jumped into learning. She had her first go-round with an orthodontistthis summer with a fancy appliance to correct her very noticeable under bite. Justas she was learning to talk with the thing in her mouth, it was time to take itoutJ Her love of horsescontinues and we fed that with a short horse camp this summer and a long horsebackride while we were in the Rocky Mountains. Her and I were also gifted a ride in a hot airballoon for her birthday this year. It was spectacular! She is keeping busywith her weekly Lego club meetings, Awana, school, growing taller, and playingwith her brother.

Gavin (4) is asinging, coloring, running, climbing, swinging, Awana loving, Lego buildingboy. He had a month of preschool in May and is now taking part in Little Lambspreschool three mornings a week and enjoying it. He is our assistant coach forthe Lego club and can out build most of the studentsJ After 5 days of illness, Gavended up at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in November for intussusception butwas able to leave without having abdominal surgery. We are so thankful for the healingpower of the Lord! More info about this adventure is on our blog. He loves clip-onties, bible songs, drawing, hanging out with his grandparents and talking. Thatboy can talkJHe’s always ready for an adventure and is showing some great skills in designand math already!

The busy theme continues on withme. I am the chauffer, personal shopper, house keeper, gourmet chef, and thelist goes on. Through the spring and into the fall, I’ve planted, tended,harvested and preserved my garden. I have a total of 8 raised beds and love sittingout on my lovely wooden swing surrounded by my beautiful garden. During theschool year, I volunteer at Kyla’s school (this year I’ve been able to go inonce a week for the day). I volunteer regularly at our church and am part of theworship team. I sew off and on when I have the time and energy and love to takerides on my old fashioned pink cruiser…with a basket and bellJ I just had minor surgeryand am slowly recovering. Our familyblog has suffered because of my busyness but I hope to set aside time forkeeping everyone updated with the start of the New Year.

Love to All and Blessings This Holiday Season!

Here's a glimpse

2011-11-04T10:57:00.000-07:00

I didn't have my camera until late Wednesday night once we'd been admitted at Doernbecher's Children's Hospital so I didn't get any pics of the ambulance ride or the ERs. Gavin was pain free by this time, just tired and still lethargic. Here is a glimpse of our wild two day adventure.

Playing with the legos that Grandma Lynne brought him

Checking vitals, again and again and again

A bacon mustache:) He was feeling pretty good by this time and had a full breakfast.

The nurses said we needed to walk a bit and get his legs working again. We also needed his bowels to do there thing so a walking we went.

Once he was finally discharged, we found the tram and rode it down, something that we've been wanting to do for a while now.

To home again, home again, Jiggity Jig:)

We feel so blessed by all the prayer and support for Gavin. We had fabulous care at both hospitals and praise Jesus that he was healed!

We are Free!

2011-11-03T10:55:00.000-07:00

Wahoo! We are good to go home. All the prayers have worked! Gav's body healed and no surgery is needed! (At least at this time he he) We are now waiting for our discharge papers. Had a great talk with the Surgeon and feel like we have some good working knowledge to prepare us if this were to happen again. To celebrate, Gav and I are going to ride the tram:) Continued prayers for a calm tummy and a bowel movement:) Hurray, the Riddles are on their way home!By free I mean that we are free to go...not that the whole experience ist free mind you, that bill will be a fun piece of mail to open:) I'm sure that you'll hear my gasp of astonishment from where ever you happen to be:)

We have movement

2011-11-03T09:43:00.000-07:00

Gav is up and walking around the hospital. We took a little trip to the sky bridge over in the VA hospital and watched the tram. We've been told that discharge is somewhere on the horizon today as long as his stomach doesn't rebel or pain flairs up again. We have a list of questions for the Doctors that we'd like answered before we go so they are hunting someone down for us. That may be harder than it sounds here:) Gavin had a full breakfast (eggs and bacon and muffin) early this morning and now he's having some cereal. Ahhhh, my eating machine is back:) His abdomen is gurgling in the right places so it looks like life may be getting back to normal here. Praise the Lord!

Some News

2011-11-03T07:46:00.000-07:00

A group of surgeons just came in and pressed and massaged Gav's belly and decreed that if has no more vomiting and no more pain, we may be able to go home today! He get's breakfast as soon as we order it and he's pretty excited about it:) We are all up now and getting set for our day.

Caution-Curve ahead!

2011-11-03T07:21:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, we didn't get that caution sign this week, just the big curve that threw our life a bit off balance.

This past Saturday, Gavin started complaining about stomach pain. Knowing that the flu was rampant all around us, I marked it to the flu and prepared for the vomit and other fun stuff that I heard was going around. After a couple times of isolated stomach pain that day, we all went to bed for a good night's rest. Gav woke me up at 3:30 in the morning covered in vomit wanting to snuggle. After we got him all cleaned up and cleaned his bed, we made a nest for him in our room preparing for a flu battle. But we didn't get it. He had several different times during that Sunday where he complained of stomach pain, but no more throwing up and it didn't stop him from playing in the least. That went on until Monday night. All Tuesday he was pain free. At dinner time (as in we were all sitting at the table eating) his face got white and he started saying "my tummy hurts," and before he could finish his sentence, he had vomited...while we were eating dinner...on the table...on the food. EEEK! We got him cleaned up, no one really ate much after that show of stomach muscle strength, and got him ready for bed, again expecting a night of flu craziness. He slept in his rebuilt nest in our room again and slept well until a little before 6:30...Then the crazy began.

He started dry heaving and curled up in a ball writhing about. Then the screaming started. If you know Gavin, you know that he has a very high pain tolerance. A couple of years ago when he received 1st and 2nd degree burns, there wasn't even a whimper from our brave boy. This was not the case yesterday morning. He was screaming in agony and I was scared to death. Chad had left earlier that morning to chauffeur his dad to the airport and Kyla awoke to the screaming and worriedly stumbled into my room as I tried to comfort Gavin. I got him downstairs so I could get the advice nurses number and tried to keep him as calm as I could. It was hard to focus on what needed to be done as he wouldn't/couldn't stay still and continued to alternate between moaning and screaming. I got Kyla to the bus and talked with two different advice nurses and decided that what we were dealing with was far past the flu. Both of the kids have had the flu...many times. I know what it looks like, this was not it.

With fears of appendicitis floating in my head, I bundled his now sleeping body into the car and headed to the ER in Newberg. Chad met us there as we were being checked in. At that point, Gav was all smiles and saying that nothing hurt. Geeze kid, can't you at least act sick now that we've gotten to the ER:) We talked with nurses and then with the Doctor and a CT scan was ordered. After drinking some vile stuff and letting that sit in his system for a bit, we all tromped down to the CT room. Gav was such a brave boy and held still as they slid his tiny little body through the doughnut over and over again while Chad and I were able to see the scans (amazing stuff!). After more waiting, the doc came back and started using huge scary words and ended with asking our preference of St. V's or Doernbechers hospital. What?? I was sure at this point they were just going to come and in and tell me that I had totally overreacted and that it was just the flu.The "Crazy, high strung mother syndrome."

The CT scan showed that Gavin is dealing with intussusception, where the intestine telescopes back into itself. The Newberg hospital felt that he would get better care at Doernbecher's so off we went via ambulance to the children's hospital on the hill. Gav was enthralled with the ride and then feel asleep half way there:) The ambulance crew was amazing and kept Gav safe and comfortable.

We arrived at Doernbecher's and were hustled into the children's ER and started the process again of telling everyone and their assistant what has happened the past 5 days. We talked with doctors, nurses and surgeons. The CT scan showed that he has four separate spots of intussesception in his small intestine. According to the ped doctors, it's not usual for kids his age to get this, it usually happens in infants up to one year but has been reported in kids up to five. It is rare to find it in the small intestine. Now as a parent I do want my children to shine and to be perceived as extra special to everyone they meet, but this was not what I was going for:)

We were admitted around 6:30 and the doctors finally let Gavin eat something. He hadn't eaten in nearly 24 hours and if you know my boy, that it not the normal protocol. He eats a lot...all of the time. He's the kid that needs a full meal every two or three hours and this wait was killing him. He hadn't had any more pain since we had arrived at the hospital and had answered every question and suffered through pokes and squeezes and cold hands and big machines and not once did he mutter a complaint. But by 7, he had had enough. He started crying and wanted to go home. He even said we could go home and eat and then come back. I finally asked him why he wanted to go home and he tearfully replied that he wanted to eat the left over pizza that we had saved for him...the very same pizza that he had projectile vomited the night before:) Then Grandma Lynne saved the day!

She arrived with a bag of legos that were specifically picked out for Gavin by the Lego store man once he heard what was going on. Hurray for Legos! They kept him occupied and happy as we waited and then were wheeled across this huge city that they call a hospital. They kept him busy until his dinner arrived and as he sleepily visited with Grandma Trina. Once they were back in the bag, he snuggled up and went to sleep for the night.

At this point we aren't sure what the next step is. Since the problem is in the small intestine, surgery is the only option if his body doesn't fix itself which can sometimes happen in this situation. The staff here is not familiar with it happening in the small intestine so they are consulting and discussing and evaluating as I type:)

For now, we wait. And we pray. They took blood already this morning and he's been able to urinate since last night. He's been on IV fluids since yesterday morning and was looking a tad like the marshmallow man with all that fluid being pumped in and none of it leaving. I'd love to post pictures of our adventbraveryure but though I remembered to have the camera thrown in our care package that was delivered last night, I forgot the cord to download with. Along with my cell phone charger. We do have Chad's though:) I will be leaving updates on facebook and here as well so keep checking if you are interested in this newest road trip that we are on:)

I ask for prayers. For Gavin's peace of mind, for his comfort. For the doctors and surgeons and nurses who are working with Gav, that they have steady hands and clear thinking. For Chad and I, for calmness and strength, for bravery and dry eyes in front of our brave boy. For Kyla, for comfort and calmness and for very little upheaval.

Thank you to all that have been praying and that continue to do so. Thanks for lending a hand or a home as all this is happening.

Praise the Lord that he is pain free right now and that my mom instincts were on target and that I didn't suffer from that dreaded "crazy, high strung mother syndrome.:)

Monster Trucks

2011-10-30T15:27:00.000-07:00

This week, Gav was keeping himself occupied by building monster trucks out of legos. Soon that wasn't enough, he had to crash and bang them. Even then, that wasn't enough. A theme song was born for his monster truck rally. After about 5 minutes of listening to him and giggling to myself, I grabbed the camera and recorded him from behind the couch. He didn't know that I was back there, you can see his surprise when he realizes that I'm recording:)

Each time I play this, he gives me an embarrassed grin and then walks off humming:) Love him!

Sunshine, snakes and the sea shore

2011-10-30T14:17:00.000-07:00

After checking the weather report, we piled into the Subaru and headed West. Once we hit Newport, we had a classy picnic in the back of the car and then headed out to explore the Oregon Aquarium.

We saw snakes and other scaly creatures in their swamp exhibit and then enjoyed other fishy things throughout. We lounged about in the shark tunnel and gazed in wonder at the jelly fish.

Since the sun was shinning and the rain was far away, the kids got to play and we were able to enjoy beautiful views of the bay. (Ha, that rhymes. I'm a poet)

As we were leaving, the fog rolled in so quickly and thickly that we couldn't see parts of the bridge as we crossed it. It was amazing and kind of creepy:)

Triple A Saves the Day!

2011-10-13T17:38:00.000-07:00

Chad and the kids took a trip to Seattle for the Bric Con (lego convention) and on their way home, had an unplanned adventure...on the side of the freeway. The Honda (which has been our family car for many years and has just recently down graded to be Chad's car) decided that it was tired. So it took a rest, on the side of I-5 South, just South of Olympia. Many, many, many miles from home.

Chad called AAA and found that they were very willing to help - tow the car one hundred miles. Yeah, that would get them half way home. After searching for a long haul tow truck that was big enough to hold car seats and children, a tow truck pulled up and hooked up our refreshed but now busted car.

A three hour ride home gave the kids a chance to take the tow truck glory in and even take a nap, much to the delight of the driver who had three young ones of his own at home.

So the kids, the husband, and the car all safely made it home and the battle to resuscitate the car began. A new timing belt, water pump, radiator, seals, and other random belts later, we have a car that runs again.

Hurray for Triple A!

Plum Butter

2011-09-24T08:40:00.000-07:00

Last year I didn't make any plum butter. And all winter I've heard the quiet begging for plum butter on sandwiches. But alas, there was no plum butter to be found. Who would have guessed that plum butter would be such an integral part of our family life:) So when I was offered some picking time at a friends plum tree, I jumped at the opportunity!

I half filled a bushel basket and grabbed a some pears as well and came home grinning with my bounty. Then the work began.

I washed, pitted, chopped and weighed.

I cooked, and stirred, and chopped some more (this time with the help of my blender) and cooked it more.

Then I canned it and water bathed it.

Then with great elation...listened to them pop! Ah the sounds of a good canning session. Success was audible and my kitchen smelled like heaven. Now my sticky floor, that was a whole different matter:)

While all this slaving away and hot, sticky matter was splatting everywhere, it seems that my son was chatting on my cell phone. To his grandmother...who knew:)

Lego Mania

2011-09-21T18:35:00.000-07:00

We have LEGO mania here at the Riddle house. Chad has started a LEGO club at Kyla's school that we all get to take part in twice a week. Did you catch that, all of us...twice a week. Oh boy:) On top of that, Gavin and Kyla are building with LEGOs every day!

Our boy is showing some mad skills in the building and designing department. Here is a little taste of what has been coming out of the playroom.

All on his own, with no help from us. He's four people!

Please focus your attention towards the amazing lego creation, with a loading door. Please don't notice the amazing bed head and tired eyes. Lots of Lego building = not much personal grooming:)

And you know that Gavin isn't having the only building fun. Here's Chad's latest creation, which was used for the LEGO presentations at our local grade school. Introducing Robot Dude. Or Dude on a Robot:)

I'm sure that there are more creations to come, both from the kids and from their toy-lovin' daddy.

A Jump through July

2011-09-14T13:03:00.000-07:00

In my effort to catch everyone up, we'll take a quick jump through the month of July.

To start off, we raised 12 caterpillars and watched them turn into 12 beautiful butterflies, amazing! We released them with a bit of help from some friends.

The kids and I were in our local Lafayette Fourth of July Parade. We even won a prize for our wagon...I mean float:)

The kiddos spent two fun filled weeks at two different local Vacation Bible Schools. The second was cowboy themed, right up our alley:)

We spent a week poolside as the kids took another round of swim lessons.

We bought a car, a new to us 2006 Subaru Outback XT, with cash. Dave Ramsey was very proud of us. Well, he would be if he knew:)

We were able to take a couple of laps around the Bonnell gocart track (AKA Grandpa and Gradma's back field). Kyla is a mean driver, she'll take you out. Gavin will take you out as well, but only if you are a small tree or large bush:)

Our neice, Ana, was down for a fun, whirlwind visit. The weather was cold and blustery, but a blast was had by all.

We took a trip up to Washington to help celebrate our nephew turning three.

And to finish off the month, one of our chickens laid the biggest egg known to man, poor gal:)

One Thing After Another

2011-09-09T12:51:00.000-07:00

This summer we were busy, really busy, while we waited for some sunshine and warmth. Here is just a glimpse of what went down this August.

Kyla took her first round of riding lessons at a local farm. It was a two day camp and she loved every second of time on the horse.

We had a "First" happen this month as well. Kyla and I had the oppurtnity to take a ride in a hot air balloon. Gav and Chad took a tethered (the balloon was held by a rope so they went up and then right back down) ride as well. Chad's family started crewing for this couple back when Chad was Gav's age! We'll be crewing from now on:)

With great joy, we celebrated Kyla's 8th birthday. She had a friend party before we left on our big trip, and as you can maybe guess, it was fairy themed.

We traveled to Indiana on her actual birthday, and the crew of the airplane made her a crown and "cake" out of peanut packages and stirsticks. You can bet that made her day:)

We also squished in a trip to the Yamhill County Fair. The kiddos enjoyed the rides, while Chad and I enjoyed the crazy fair food. We caught the rodeo and some animal judging.

Sometime in the midst of traveling and birthdays, the kids became underwater detectives. Hence the underwear on their heads...and clothes pins:) I know for a fact that Kyla's panties were clean, I am not as certain that Gavin's underpants were. I choose not to dwell on that:)

The four of us traveled to Indiana for my cousin's wedding. The trip was full of wedding fun, visiting, eating, and playing.

Instead of heading straight home from Indiana, we made a week long stop in Colorado to visit with Chad's brother. Trina (my MIL) met us up at Estes Park, the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park, where we got a three bedroom condo for all of us. Chad's brother met us there and we hiked, swam, toured and went horse back riding. It was a phenomenal trip!

At some random day during the month of August, Kyla somehow got hold of her little brother and proceeded to use every hair tie in her supply to decorate him. He didn't seem to mind and the giggles that were seeping from under the bathroom door were well worth the work of putting everything away.

So that was our August, well at least a glimpse of it. Makes you want to take a nap doesn't it?:)

New school supplies and waking up early...it's back to school time!

2011-09-08T12:56:00.000-07:00

The trumpets sounded on Tuesday morning and we were off, off on the back to school routine. Actually it was just one lonely alarm clock, but trumpets sounding sounded much more exciting and oh so very formal and spectacular:)

Kyla has been blessed with an amazing phenomenon in a public school...she has the same teacher and students as her second grade year. They all moved up together! We are so blessed by this! Her teacher is amazing and Kyla feels right at home already with her classmates so that getting back to learning is an easy transition. She is a third grader and loving it!

Gavin started at Little Lambs Preschool on Wednesday, going back to where he took part in a month of preschool last May. He easily slipped back into the routine of it all and is excited for his next day of school.

He'll be busy learning and playing on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays while I'll be enjoying the quiet...as soon as I get over the faint stirrings of loneliness:)

Lunches have been made, school supplies delivered, schedules fussed over and bed times revived. All is in order for school, all except the habit of waking up early. That may take a while to get used to again.

We're Back!

2011-09-08T12:36:00.000-07:00

Hmmm, did anyone notice that it's been a while since I last posted? No one? Hardly anyone did, except for all of my family back in Indiana...and Chad's family...and my family here in Oregon...and even some of my friends. I took a small break from blogging this summer as life got a little busy and priorities shifted. But we are back...and ready for more:)

So here goes!

Another One Bites the Dust

2011-03-11T13:42:00.000-08:00

We placed our third offer to purchase a home about 4 - 5 weeks ago. It's a short sale and we were the second offer. It was a long shot but we figured, "why not?" After about a week, we heard that the bank had counter offered the first offer and they the people were going to walk away from the deal, the counteroffer being too high. We were surprised! Now the bank would look at our offer.

The house is outside of Canby and on a nice 4.5 acre lot. It had a little creek and some big fir trees, fruit trees and a barn with some fenced pasture. The house would need some work and was definitely not the dream house, but it would work for our family for now.

The bank officially looked at our offer February 18. During our long wait, we received two packets from a title company with info on the house...strange. We also found out that the bank was sending out a broker to do an a BPO (broker’s price opinion), all great things according to our realtor.

Last week we heard from the seller's realtor that the bank had counter offered but the seller had to sign off first before we could see it. He did tell us that the offer was within $5,ooo of what we had offered. After that, he told our realtor that the seller was going to be sending an addendum to the original contract with a couple more demands.

And here they are...
- He wanted us to have our lender send out an appraiser and send proof to him that the lender would indeed loan us the amount on this particular house. We already had a pre-approval letter which he had a copy of. The appraisal would cost us $500. That's before he would sign anything.
- Here's the biggy. He is working with his lawyer and realtor to have liens against the house and himself forgiven. Whatever is not forgiven, he'd like for us to pay, in cash, at the time of closing. An unspecified amount...in cash...of his own personal debt. The two that we know about are a credit card and his divorce costs. He also stated that there were at least two more liens coming and he didn't know their amounts.

Was he crazy? This is the same guy who would send us legal paperwork to sign without having all the signatures needed done for his part. You all know that Chad and I paid off all our debt (Except our house) a year ago after two long, difficult years. Why in the world would pay someone else's debt? Not only that, but if we signed this crazy addendum, his ex-wife (Still half owner of the property) could expect the same thing for her debts legally.

We responded back that we were unwilling to pay an unspecified amount of his debt, but were very willing to purchase his home for the price stated on the counter offer.

We received termination of offer papers quickly after that. Of course, his ex-wife hadn't signed them:) So we waited another day, and got the correctly filled out paperwork.

Now we are back to waiting. Waiting for God's plan to unfold. Waiting for the perfect house at the perfect price. We are going to look at another house tomorrow. It's probably not the perfect one, but you just never know:)

The Grand Reveal

2011-03-10T10:53:00.000-08:00

For over a month, I've had our house in upheaval as I beautified our upstairs gathering space. Shelving in the bathroom, piles of books in the bedroom. Tables and rocking chairs in the kid's room. That sort of upheaval. The sort that makes walking in the dark of night dangerous:) Add the hassle, I mean joy, of all of us sleeping downstairs in the living room for a week and half:) Boy what fun!

Just to remind you what we have lived with for 8 years, here is a couple of before shots. Please be sure notice the raw wood floor, lack of base trim, ect:)

So here it is, in all it's glory

The stairs just need the stair runner re-installed and bit of touch up paint and then those are done as well.

I have not decorated it as of yet, we still don't know where God is leading us house wise, so I'll wait a bit on that. I am moving all the bookshelvs and books out of my bedroom. It's time to be able to walk without endangering my toes and shins:)

I'll be giving my tired and weary paintbrushes a rest for a least a week before the next project. Ceiling paint, wall paint, trim paint (lots of coats of trim paint), two coats of floor paint, two coats of polyurethane, and lots of touch up. It was an immense amount of work and time, but oh, how I love it!

Fresh Paint Makes a New Room

2011-02-12T11:14:00.000-08:00

While all this house buying drama has been going on, I've been soothing my soul with prayer and painting. Three weeks ago, I decided that while life was feeling pretty out of control and crazy, I would start a rather huge project to take my mind off of matters. The project did indeed turn out to be huge but well worth it now that we are nearing the end.

Here is the before, less the little bits of furniture we had thrown in there and carpet rolled up.

I've become very friendly with Kilz primer. It's more of a love/hate relationship. I love what it does, but I hate dealing with it! I probably killed a couple of important brain cells while using it. I used the ceiling paint that goes on purple and dries white, what fun:) Touch up was a bit easier with it and the kids loved that I was painting the ceiling purple.

Once I had the banister painted white and the walls and trim done, the stairway and stairs screamed out for a face lift as well. They didn't look bad, until you put the bright white next to them:)

We knew the toughest part of the job was going to be the floor paint, not that painting the floor is hard, but that you can no longer walk in that area for at least 24 hours after painting. Did I mention that it's kind of a like our hallway up there? You have to walk through it to get to the bedrooms and the bathroom? Are you seeing my dilemma? We shipped the kiddos off to Grandma's house for the weekend and we packed ourselves up and moved our residence downstairs for the weekend. Then we started prepping. I started to, more like attempted to, get the carpet runner off the stairs. The old nails that they used kept breaking and so I frustratingly left the job for Chad:)

Once Chad got his big man tools out, the carpet came us easily, I need some more tools:)

While Chad was carpet wrestling, I sanded the entire floor and stairs. Once the dust settled, I washed everything up and then let dry.

After a movie, it was time to paint. It was eight pm and I was ready to start...it shouldn't take too long. At 1 AM I handed off the baton, a.k.a. paintbrush, to Chad. I hobbled down the stairs and he finished up the stair painting.

Now we wait. I am so curious to see what the upstairs looks like in the daylight but we have to wait 24 hours before we can step on the floor/stairs. My body is creaking and I'm not sure if it's from sleeping on the air mattress or from five hours of crawling around on the wooden floor painting. I do know that I'll be rigging up some type of knee pad system for tonight and the all important second coat of paint. Wish me luck!

Bugs, Rot and Destruction

2011-02-09T07:51:00.000-08:00

So we finally heard back on the house on Windy City Rd, the property that was the original dream property. Early this week we got an email from the bank's realtor with news that the sale had fallen through and that the house was again available, this time for a cash sale. First of all, we don't have that kind of cash and second, why did the second sale fall through? The email stated that there were some issues...

Our trusty realtor responded back with "Do you have any idea what the multiple issues would cost?"

And this is the response we got back...

Lots of money: Inadequate crawl space. All supports are bug munched and rotting. Inadequate support structure and so it will take some time for a contractor to quote the full impact. Likely that if bodies cant get in the crawl and the supports are not supporting, this might be a tear down. Major rehab or reconstruction is going to be the answer.

And God is good. He protected us and made it perfectly clear that though the property was great, the house would fall down around us. That would deffinately not be good:)

I, of course, called the ex-boyfriend's mother and let her know everything too. That's just want nice people do:)

What did we learn from this? God is good all the time. And that I'm a pretty good painter. And that lowes only sells one type of tintable floor paint and they won't tint it the color I want. And that our local Restore is awesome! More to come about the Restore and painting and maybe even houses:)

Let us buy a house already!

2011-02-03T11:43:00.000-08:00

So we haven't heard anything more about the house out near Molalla. Well, we've heard something, just not from our Realtor. It turns out that the offer that outbid us, that first devastating offer, was made by a man and his wife who live in the area, who just happens to be an ex-boyfriend from high school and a childhood friend of Chad's. Did anyone just laugh out loud in disbelief? Well I sure did when I heard:) Chad can say, "Brandon may have gotten the house, but I got the girl." And I'm sure that he thinks of me as a wonderful prize, most of the time, maybe once a week:)

While all of this bidding against the ex-boyfriend was going on, we found a house online here in Yamhill County that I immediately fell in love with. Dream house kind of stuff. The property was smaller (three acres) but already cross-fenced for the future horse and livestock. We took a look at the house on Thursday and it caused my heart to stutter in adoration. I was so far gone that I didn't even check to see if each room had a heating vent, and seriously this was a big deal previously. After praying about it and seeing the house for a second time, which we included the kids in, we made an offer on Sunday afternoon.

And then we found out it was another multiple offer situation! This house in not bank owned nor a short sale. It's just a beautiful home in the country that is priced well. So Monday afternoon finally comes and we get the long awaited call from the Realtor. Bad news, they didn't counter offer, they didn't think it over, they just sent an offer rejection email to our Realtor. Are you starting to see a pattern here? The pattern where we are those poor schmucks that house sellers just love, we help push up the price without any work on there part. Just let us buy your house already!!

It turns out that the listing is still active, our Realtor is checking on this. The other deal may have fallen through or maybe they were hit by a bus. You just never know. (I'm not hoping for the other bidders to be hit by a bus...I'm just saying, it could happen). So we wait to see what our Realtor can dig up and we keep praying. Praying for patience for that perfect home, praying for the intelligence to make a wise choice for our family, and mostly praying for good eyesight so that we can see God's plan as it comes.

I thought about giving a link to the listing so you all could gaze at my dream house. But I couldn't guarantee that you wouldn't run out and make an offer and beat us down again if the opportunity arose. And then I'd probably have to wish bad things upon you, Like an out of control bus:)

NEW INFO: House went sale pending. So our only chance is if the sale falls through for some reason. I'm not sure what to pray for...do I pray that someone else has a difficult situation or that their dreams get crushed in order for mine to be fulfilled? Probably not. I'll pray that God's will be done and that His peace fills my heart.

We are still in the running

2011-01-27T07:57:00.000-08:00

I received an email this morning from our Realtor and it seems that the bank is still actively considering our offer, even though we offered almost $20 thousand below the other family! I'm really not sure what to think at this point. We had pretty much accepted that we weren't going to be purchasing that house so we've been looking around again and found a house in our area that we are going to go and take a look at.

I'm pretty conflicted. We have moved several times from Molalla to Newberg to Scappoose and then to our current home in Lafayette. It didn't seem scary then, now it does. We'll have to find a new church, new doctors, and new friends. We'll have to change our shopping habits, and our "quickly running into town for something" habits as well:) My children were born in this area and I'm having a hard time with the thought of pulling them from their school (Which we love!!!) and their friends. I know that they will adapt much more quickly than Chad and I will. I still worry that we may not be doing the right thing at the right time.

I ask that you pray with us regarding the next step in our lives. Do we stay in our comfort zone or do we venture out a bit and move to a new area? Actually not so new since Chad and I went to high school there:) But it does feel kind of like a foreign country:) Have you ever had a conversation with someone from Molalla? It's a whole different ball game:)

She's Famous!

2011-01-26T21:29:00.001-08:00

Early this winter, Kyla was one of 55 winners chosen from her school district in an essay contest sponsored by the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum. The prize was a trip to the museum and the opportunity of a life time, a live video chat with the United States astronauts up at the International Space Station! On Tuesday, 20 students from Wascher Elementary adventured to the Imax and were able to ask questions of our US astronauts. Gavin and I were able to watch the live feed from the ISS on our local public broadcasting channel. What fun it was to watch them try to eat jelly beans and do flips while holding conversations.

Fox news was even there and they had a good length clip that you can enjoy here. And by here I mean at the museum, not in space:) Let's play a little game...How many times do you see Kyla in the clip???

I'm not sure if this experience has sparked an interest in space travel in our gal, but she sure had a great time and couldn't stop talking about it when she got home.

So Far

2011-01-23T20:23:00.000-08:00

1. I have a crick in my neck = The ceiling is painted.

2. I have primer permanently stuck to all my phalangies = the banister is primed.

3. One paintbrush in the trash = forgot to get mineral spirits:)

1 + 2 + 3 =
A gathering room that is a third of the way done!

Keeping Busy

2011-01-22T20:46:00.000-08:00

So while we wait to see what Bank of America chooses for our future:) I am trying to keep busy. I needed something big and labor intensive to keep my mind from whirling about. So I decided to paint our gathering room. At the top of our stairs, we have a large open area, AKA the Gathering Room, that really serves no purpose. I'm not sure why we even call it the gathering room, it's not like we actually gather there. Anyway, it's a glorified hallway at this point. We keep lots of books there, and other random things that don't seem to have a home. I've always dreamed of having a reading nook or a guest area. At this point, I don't want to spend a lot of money on this area but it's been needing to be painted since we moved in. Eight years later, I'm up to the task:)

I spent the afternoon moving furniture (Okay, so Chad moved what furniture there is) and washing walls....and doors...and windows...and banisters. Our banister was not up to code when we moved in, the rungs being too far apart for safety. Can you just imagine all the body parts that Gavin could have gotten stuck in there?:) We made it safe many years ago, just not so pretty. Chad dragged out his router and prettied it up and I sanded it nice and smoothish. Now remember, our house is old and has "lots of character":)

We rolled the carpet out of the way and found three or four different floor colors and even some raw wood, one hundred year old wood flooring. Unfortunately, it's not the one hundred year old wood that is amazingly beautiful and well preserved:) I have plans for it, just not at this phase of the project.

I really wanted to paint the ceiling tonight, but it gets pretty hard to see at night once you take the light fixture down. So I will settle on having the entire project ready to go tomorrow. Ceiling paint, trim paint and then the walls. Hmmm, maybe just ceiling and trim:) Who really knows how much energy I'll have tomorrow.

Still Waiting

2011-01-20T16:48:00.000-08:00

We received an email on Wednesday morning stating that we had become part of a multi-offer situation on the house. We had the ability to change our bid or keep it the same. We raised ours to our highest point. We later heard that the other offer is above ours by almost 20 thousand $$. Yeah, that's a nice chunk of money:) The bank hasn't accepted either offer as of Thursday afternoon, but if the bank is just going on how much they can get, the situation is looking pretty grim for us:) I trust that whatever is supposed to happen will indeed happen. We have been praying constantly through this whole transaction that God make it perfectly clear for us. Twenty thousand dollars seems pretty clear to me:)

Now we wait to see what the bank decides. We are still hoping that this is the house for us, but are at peace no matter how the situation unfolds.

Waiting...

2011-01-17T11:20:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy week. Rather, a busy last couple of months. This summer, Chad and I discovered some property out near both of our parents that fit the title of "The Riddle Family's Dream Property. " Now this property was not actually for sale at the time (it was in the process of foreclosure) and way out of our price range as well. But it got us started thinking about our dream of moving out to some property, having space of our very own where our kids (and us) could run and play out in the open. We love living where we do so we first started looking around us, in Yamhill County. I'll interrupt this re-telling with random pictures of our handsome Gavin...you know for comic relief.

We live in a beautiful part of Oregon, surrounded by vineyards, hazelnut orchards and large farms. We are close to the beach but close to several large cities as well. It pretty much is perfect. Except for the fact that our family lives about an hour away. We've lived here for eight years now and the drive just keeps feeling longer and longer. After looking and finding really nothing that we liked and could afford or liked and couldn't afford, we widened our search area to include the county where we both grew up.

We decided on the Canby area after hearing great things about the Canby school district. We checked out a couple of properties with our Realtor and spent hours online searching. We would find houses that we liked but the property was either too small, to big, or all field or all forest. We would find great property but it had a mobile home on it or a ranch house (I won't get it into it much, but the thought of living in ranch house makes my soul wither) or the house needed to be torn down and a new one rebuilt.

We got to the point where we decided to put our search on hold and take up looking again sometime later. Then I was talking to my mom on the phone and she mentioned that they house that we looked at last summer, aka the dream property, had a for sale sign up still. When the house went on the market in the late summer it was way out of our price range and in a different school district but I decided to check on it anyway.

Our Realtor dug up the info that it was now bank owned and had been sale-pending for a while but the sale fell through and had just gone back on the market the day before. Wow, what timing! They had even lowered the price, right into our price range! We made an appointment to see it the very next day.

We took a long look at the house and property on Thursday afternoon, braving torrential rains and the fear of utter disappointment. This had become the dream, what if it turned out to be not so dreamlike? To our delight, it lived up to it's title and we put an official offer on the house/property on Friday morning. Now we wait...and wait for the bank to respond.

We've been keeping busy, dreamed a bit of how it would all work out, and constantly checked our phone and email accounts praying for an early response:) We should hear back by the end of this week (Fridayish). Our fingers are crossed, our prayers said, and our breaths held as we await to see if this is next in God's plan for our life. I'll be sure to keep you posted. When I'm not hyperventilating into a paper bag or chewing off my fingernails:)

On The Train

2011-01-10T14:21:00.000-08:00

Back in November, Gavin and I took a train adventure. My brother invited us up for a visit...now that I think about it, I may have invited us:) Whatever the situation was, Gavin and I purchased Amtrak tickets and prepared for his first train ride.

My mother-n-law and Kyla dropped us off at the station in downtown Portland and we waited impatiently until it was our turn to board.

We found our seats and got settled in. I had planned on Gav and I enjoying all the beautiful views of the Columbia Gorge on our way East but night fell before we had made it out of Portland.

We explored our eastbound train and found the dining and observation cars nearly empty. We snagged a table and played to our hearts content. This coincided with our hour of waiting for an oncoming train. Waiting...while standing still...for an hour...with a three year old. Need I say more?

During our ride, I had little presents for my traveling companion to open to help pass the time. The coolest was the hat, made out of glow sticks. Yeah, you know you want one:)

After that one hour wait, we were behind schedule. Gav listened to his veggie tales, ate a snack and then eventually fell asleep much to my dismay.

About 30 minutes after he fell asleep, our stop came. I carried him, our bags, and the car seat off the train. Have you ever been on a double-decker Amtrak train? Have you tried to go down the narrow little stairs? With a sleeping child?

My snl was there waiting for us and we made it to there house with all our bags, body parts and most of my sanity intact. Invited or not:)

Quiet Creativity

2011-01-07T12:19:00.000-08:00

I've been quietly sewing and crafting during our long, cold days. My sewing area happens to be in the coldest part of the house (and the messiest) making it a bit unappealing to work on projects. Braving the clutter and cold toes, I have finished a couple of projects for some special people in our lives.

I have a wonderful niece who recently celebrated her birthday and she made it known that she was hoping for a bag to keep her knitting in. I say "made it known"...she looked me straight in the eye and said that she would really like me to make her one:) No mixed signals from that gal:)

Kyla's school ended with a big bang right before Christmas. Her teacher, Ms. Morton, has a great talent for making her students enjoy learning and being excited about all that goes on around them. For such a special teacher, a special Christmas present needed to be made. Kyla choose a holiday apron on the last Tuesday before break...to be given that Thursday for the holiday party. No pressure there:)

I had my first commission work this past month as well. A good friend of mine just recently had her third little girl and had in mind the perfect bumper for this new little one. The problem was that she couldn't find that dream bumper in her price range. After she found the fabric, she got a hold of me and we were able to make that dream come true...yes, my sewing makes dreams come true! (can you hear me snickering?)

I had one last gift to make for my boisterous nephew. I've been saving up this tutorial to use for the perfect time and it finally came. I used a sheet from Walmart and some pvc pipe from Lowes. A couple hours of sewing and Gabe now has a fun place to play and hide. (Notice my handsome model trying it out before we had it hand delivered to Central WA)

I have lots more projects ready to go...I just need a bit of gumption to conquer the mess and the chilly floor. Wish me luck!

Just a slice at a time

2011-01-06T11:30:00.000-08:00

A slice of life, that is. The holidays were wonderfully busy, full of fun, memory making, and with just a bit of heart ache thrown in.

The month of November and December brought visits from my dad's side of the family. My cousin, who lives in Indiana, came out and stayed with them with the hopes of starting fresh.

It was both fun and weird to have family close. For all of my growing up years, extended family has been msome far away ideal. A group of people we see once a year at best. I married into a wonderful family so I have/had cousins, an aunt and uncle, and grandparents close by to share life with as an adult. Nathan ventured out to Oregon by bus no less and stayed for a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, he decided that he wasn't ready to make some hard changes and left in sad circumstances. I am thankful for the weeks that we had with him.

In December, my sweet (and often bothersome) father turned 5o. In celebration we asked his mother (my grandmother) and one of his sisters to come out and celebrate with us. They also made the long trek from Indiana to Oregon (on a jet plane :) ) and we had a fun filled weekend over at my parent's stuffed-to-the-seams house. My brother and his family came down to add to the grand melee and we ate lots of food, chatted about life, got dive bombed by small helicopters, played some fierce crazy eight games, and generally had a great time.

I was there so of course we took pictures...

You just can't beat a long weekend with a loving family. Well, maybe a nice, quite weekend someplace tropical:)

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-20T18:33:00.000-08:00

Well, well, Christmas is almost here and I have fallen behind on blogging once again.

We sent out our annual Christmas cards sans update letter this year for want of extra time and energy. So here it is, our Christmas letter family update. Enjoy!

Happy Holidays to all our friends and family! Here is all the crazy stuff that's been going on in our busy lives...

Gavin (3) started preschool this fall at a small christian preschool and he loved it from the start. Unfortunately, we had to make the hard decision to pull him out after finding that it just wasn't a good fit for our little guy. He's back home full time with me and we are keeping busy playing at the library, spending time with friends, and learning the alphabet. He is an avid artist, his favorite medium being crayons and coloring pages:) If he's not coloring, he's building cars or trucks out of legos. Now if only John Deere would make legos, all would be perfect in his world:) He is active in our local Awana group and he's proud to be a "cubbie." This summer he mastered riding a two wheeler, sans training wheels, and I've been running after him ever since:)

Kyla (7) started 2nd grade in the fall and has thrived with her teacher and classmates. Reading and math seem to come rather easily to her and you can find her often helping her classmates sound out words or taking notes for Ms. Morton. Back in February, our sweet girl asked Jesus into heart and we all celebrated as she joined the family of Christ! Kyla has been in two sessions of Young Friends Singers and has started taking gymnastics at a local gym. Her confidence and her coordination has greatly improved and it's been fun to watch her enjoy testing her wings as she tries new things. Her week seems to revolve around Awana, where she is memorizing bible verses at a fast clip as a "Spark."

My title has grown to family chef, chauffeur, chicken rancher, gardener, teacher, homework enforcer, family coordinator, and housekeeper. Throw in a bit of baking, sewing and crafting, and painting and you've got a pretty good snapshot of my year. I updated our entry and bathroom during the summer. A lot of painting, some bead board and a couple of new pieces for the bathroom and a load of elbow grease and we have a beautiful view as you walk into the house. I volunteer in Kyla's classroom a couple of times a month and sing at church as part of the worship team. I keep pretty busy but love almost every second of it.

We have continued to be blessed with Chad having a wonderful job as a consultant for Soft Source Consulting. He is currently assigned to NWEA where he is the lead developer. I couldn't be prouder of all the hard work he does! He keeps busy working on our never ending project (our lovely home), building creations out of Legos with Gavin, creating Android games, and loving on his kiddos. He even built a chicken tractor for me and our bunch of little ladies. What a handy guy he is:)

As a family we've taken a trip to Indiana for a family wedding and ventured out into nature for our annual camping trip. Chad and I were blessed in February to be able to take a two week trip to Hawaii. Our mom's watched the kiddos while we frolicked in the waves:) Kyla and I took a trip to Northern Canada to visit my friend and her family in August. We rode on trains, planes and automobiles, what a trip!

One momentous step was made this year in March. We became debt free!! (Except the house) Almost three years ago we took our first Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University class and finally accomplished step two our the master plan...pay off all revolving debt. We are in the process of saving for a new car and our dream house in the country. Nothing like dreaming big:)

We hope that all our family and friends are blessed this holiday season with a warm home, plenty of food, and the courage to enjoy life to the fullest.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Luke 2:11-14

The Riddle Family - 2010

Fall Fun

2010-11-02T11:42:00.001-07:00

The kids and I ventured out to Farmer Johns last week in between rain showers and blustery wind. We took some pictures and then played in the hay maze. The sun stayed hidden, but fun was had by all.

We did the yearly measure with the great pumpkin:) I'll have to dig through my pictures and see the difference from last year.

The kids conquered the maze and laid claim to the mountain top.

And then we got serious and took some portraits.

No really, we did get serious:)

Happy Fall!

Hello Again

2010-10-26T14:01:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of posting lately, life has been busy and posting has been low on my list of priorities.

We have been busy. Kyla had a fun field trip that I tagged along on and Gav has been loving school and creating things here at home. I've been working on flower beds and a bit of landscaping before we lost our indian summer. Sadly the rain has come and we have been forced back inside for the duration of the winter. We'll just see what we can get done in here now:)

The kids have been enthralled with Little House on the Prairie lately, we have the book and borrowed a book on CD version as well. We've had lots of "Ma" and "Pa" heard around the house. Just this weekend, in fact, Ma and Pa got married...in the living room...dressed up as disney characters. Sadly I have to say that we only have female disney dress up clothes. You do know what that means right? Yep, Pa was in a dress. More specifically, a red sequined tutu skirt and a tummy barring blue silky top.

What? You don't think that Pa would wear that type of clothing as he plowed the 100 acres, while he staggered behind his pair of oxen? Well, you may be right on that. Chad found the tv show Little House on the Prairie on Netflix and we have now watched the first episode with the kids. There was not a single red sequin. I think our groom will need to rethink his attire the next time he desires to marry Ma:)

Which really may not come up again.

Or maybe it will:)

I'd like to introduce you...

2010-10-11T14:46:00.000-07:00

I'd like to introduce you to Jackie. Jackie is my imaginative three yr old's friend. His imaginary friend. He works at as a fireman and lives at the firehouse that seems to be located near our home. He is also a policeman when the need arises. Today was his birthday. He's three you know:) Gav declared quite early this morning that it was Jackie's birthday and we needed to color him a birthday picture and of course make a cake. Now Jackie has been hanging out with us for over a month and a half and I'm not sure exactly how to deal with him...it...whatever you call something that doesn't exist:) Kyla never had an imaginary friend, but I did watch my oldest niece enjoy this phase of childhood.

So today was our little friend's birthday, and it was important to Gav that we celebrate it. So we started the morning wrapping up some of his favorite toys in monster truck wrapping paper and then planning a birthday party. Seriously.

I had some bananas that I needed to use for bread and so I changed my plan just a bit and made a couple of smaller breads, one being round, the perfect shape for a special birthday cake. We dusted it with powdered sugar and stuck a candle in it and then waited impatiently for Kyla to come home to celebrate with us.

After a hearty round of "Happy Birthday" the kids ate the cake and we were off to do the rest of the crazy that is our life.

I imagine that Jackie won't be with us for long, but I want to celebrate Gavin's imagination and joy in every phase of life. So I'll make cake and we'll sing and I'll enjoy the smile that it brings to my boy's face.

One More Project Done!

2010-10-10T11:46:00.001-07:00

My list of to-do's for my entryway is getting shorter and shorter! Hurray! My latest project was started way back in August with a couple of spoons that I picked up from a local antique store. I can't remember where I saw the idea of making hooks out of spoons, but I knew that I wanted to do it:) My dad has his handy-dandy metal shop and Gav and I went and smashed, drilled and bent spoons to our hearts content. Thanks Dad:)

With smashed, drilled, and bent spoons in hand, I rummaged through Chad's wood supply and found two boards that would work for a shelf. I sawed, measured (not in that order), glued, and nailed. Add a can of white spray paint to the mix and some finish screws and I had made myself a decorative shelf. A little rustic but perfect for my spoon hooks. I hung decorative plates that I had found a couple years ago with hopes of having a pretty place to display them from my newly made spoon hooks. I added a bit of red ribbon and my new chicken art and I have a prettily decorated wall in my entryway.

Welcome into my home:)

Jumping for Joy

2010-10-09T12:13:00.001-07:00

Our girl is jumping for joy. On Tuesday she attended her first gymnastics class and has since been cartwheeling her way around the house. She's been quietly begging for gymnastic classes for about a year and things finally worked out this month for it to happen.

We went out and purchased her leotard

plus some footless tights

Add to that an excited little girl

And you have yourself a little gymnast:)

We filed into Little Champs on Tuesday afternoon to find out that Kyla is the only one in her class. Kyla loves the undivided attention and Gav and I love watching her try new things.

We are off on a gymnastic adventure. I can't wait to see where this leads:)

Off On His Own Two Wheels

2010-10-06T20:41:00.000-07:00

My son, my three year old son, has learned how to ride his two wheel bike with out training wheels today. What? I was ready for at least another year of me walking briskly behind him as he rattles his way down the road, his training wheels helping to support that huge noggin of his. But nope, that is not to be. Now I have to RUN in order to keep up!

My father-in-law found a balance bike at a garage sale recently and let us borrow it on Monday. Gav took a few tries on it that evening and wasn't too impressed with the lack of pedals or by the overwhelming strength of gravity. On Tuesday, he wanted to ride it home from preschool. I was sure I'd be carrying both the bike and the boy after a couple of minutes but that wasn't to be. He hopped right on and figured it out. Stopping was an issue, but after he hit that first stop sign, he figured out how to drag his feet:) He rode the balance bike a bit more today and then asked when we could take off his training wheels on his real bike.

So we did. We took those training wheels off as soon as Chad got home from work and set off for the park.

Little did we know that we weren't really needed:) We got him all set up, helmet on, explained how Daddy was going to run behind him and help him keep upright. Yeah, Chad can't run that fast:) Chad gave a push and that boy was off! No wobbles, no wiggles, just sweet, sweet riding! Here we were, all ready for running back and forth across the park, bending at weird and painful angles, bloody knees and tears and all we got was instant success. Where is the memory making parenting there?

Daddy helped start him off.

And when Daddy wasn't close enough, sister jumped in and helped out. And then chased behind him just waiting to be needed:)

He still needs to work on stopping. He He!

Way to go Little Man! Welcome to the world of two wheels!

Oh, lonely little training wheels. Don't worry, we'll find you a good home with a truly appreciative little kid who will need to use you for longer that half a year!

Hang Your Hat Here

2010-10-02T19:14:00.000-07:00

I've always wanted a coat tree to hang my hat on. I don't generally wear hats, but if I did, I would surely need a place to hang them:) My entryway is coming along, just a couple more projects to complete and it's done. Room two of our whole house upgrade will soon be checked off the list. For my dream entryway, I need a coat/hat tree. I wasn't about to go and spend a large amount of our money on one, so I envisioned one in my head and scrounged until I found all the pieces that would become my dream coat tree. And Ta Da. Here she is!!

Oh the curves and the cute umbrella holders!

I found the wooden post and the mismatched hardware at my local Habitat Restore. Of course the hardware was the wrong color...but I could take care of that:)

I set up a handy dandy paint box and went to work with some black spray paint.

My hardware turned out stunning, as did my black feet:)

The base is made out of wood that Chad has been hoarding, I mean "saving" in the garage. The middle piece is actually an original piece taken from the house as we've done all our remodeling. A can of white spray paint and a finial from my dad's shop and we had all the necessary pieces. It was puzzle making time.

The total cost of this project came to roughly $20. It was a long process, but well worth it, minus the black feet.

And the end result? I'm in love...with my coat tree:) Please come on over and hang your hat, or your coat, or just come and visit:)

Ahhh, the beach

2010-09-29T08:12:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we spent the day at the beach. After the beach clean up, it was play time! We packed a picnic and strolled over to the base of the huge sand hill in Pacific City. After lunch the kids asked if they could climb it. Thinking that they would make it about 1/3 of the way up then peter out, I said sure and let them trudge, walk, crawl up the hill. Once they made it half way up, I was reconsidering the whole plan. Holy cow, they were going to make it all the way, without a parent there to help them down. I was going to have to climb that huge sand mountain myself, all for the well being of my children.

So I started the climb. About half way up I needed a break and took a seat and enjoyed the view. Then I looked up. There were my young children frolicking at the top of this huge mountain of sand. Oh how demoralizing!

So I made the final push to get up the hill with my kiddos and oh the view on the other side was worth the light headedness, the sweat dripping down my back and the burning in my legs:)

Little did I know that they top of this mountain was not a rounded summit as I had thought. Nope it was a cliff. Shesh, a cliff! I sent my babies to play on a cliff. Nice.

After a while, I noticed that Chad had decided to make the trek up the hill. All I can say is that he did make it:) I will not comment on his physical well being once he reached the top:)

Once we all made it to the top, we sat in silence, some out of necessity, others by choice:) As we sat there absorbing the beauty that God had created, we were constantly surrounded by dragonflies. It must be migration or baby making season for them, they were everywhere. I was able to just stand at the top and video them, amazing!

Enjoy!

Out of Necessity

2010-09-28T09:13:00.001-07:00

Some of my sewing I do for fun and some is a plain old challenge to my self. And then there are some projects that are born out of necessity...repairing clothes, hemming pants, making signs.

I struggle with organization. Hey, I hear those snorts out there:) I do have one thing organized though, my dirty laundry! I've gotten it down to a system that unfortunately no one else in my household could figure out. It seemed easy enough to me, darks here, towels there, whites there. After months of frustration and resorting, I came up with a plan. Kyla can read. Chad can read. I'll make signs:)

I had a bit of left over muslin from another project (thanks Jennifer!) and extra dark thread from the very same project. I traced some letters with a washable pen and then got to sewing. In between snacks and homework and assisting in Lego building, I was able to make three signs that I pinned with my handy dandy diaper pins to my sorting system.

Wala! Organization here we come!

His creation

2010-09-27T13:18:00.000-07:00

Gav loves to build. He builds out of legos, books, couch cushions, pretty much anything that he can think of. Here he is describing just one of his latest creations:) Enjoy.

Solv Beach Cleanup 2010

2010-09-27T11:47:00.001-07:00

We joined the Solve Fall Beach Cleanup efforts this weekend at Pacific City. We made the drive out, picked up our bags and gloves and scoured the beach for garbage.

The kids made it about 40 minutes, I was so proud of them! Chad and I worked for about an hour more as the kids played in the sand and sun near us.

I had packed for a normal fall day at the coast...with rain boots and jackets:) Yeah, we really needed sun screen and shorts:) The weather was grand and the reason for being there very worthy. We hope to make this a year tradition for the Riddle Fam:) Want to join us next year?

Red, Rich and Delicious!

2010-09-26T19:33:00.000-07:00

Twenty pounds of fresh picked tomatoes and lots of time equals yummy Ketchup!

Now we just need some fries to dip:)

Just Cus'

2010-09-24T07:58:00.000-07:00

Handsome boy!

Makin' Soup

2010-09-23T09:28:00.000-07:00

The growing season is coming to an end and that means my garden is full of yummy vegetables begging to be eaten. Unfortunately, the four of us can only eat so much at one time:) The canning has begun! This is my second year of making veggie soup and make soup I did.

This year I only had to purchase two ingredients for my soup, the rest is from our little garden, hurray!

I threw in some chopped purple carrots and green beans

Diced cherry tomatoes

Onions and Potatoes

A bit of Thyme and some frozen corn

I wanted to throw him in the pot as well, but he just wouldn't fit:)

I let it all simmer for a while and then canned it. The soup turns a pretty purple hue (thanks to our special purple carrots) and is perfect for a winter afternoon.

Hungry yet?

A little dirt never hurt

2010-09-15T18:27:00.000-07:00

Yeah, well who ever said that didn't have to wash up my kids after they decided to play pigs in the backyard with the hose:)

All I can say is, "OH MY!"

Kyla is not holding some strange and foreign type of whistle or flute. She is eating a carrot, a very dirty carrot straight from the garden.

This was in the bath...after being squirted down with the hose. Again, "OH MY!"

You should have seen the ring around the tub. My beautiful antique tub may never recover. Go ahead and laugh, I'll save the bathtub sanitizing efforts until you get here to assist:)

A New School Dress

2010-09-14T19:37:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to try this tutorial that I found at Make it and Love it, a new dress for me being the goal. I was searching for knit fabric that matched a t-shirt that I purchased just for this project and wouldn't you know it, I found the perfect fabric for a dress for Kyla:) Having no luck finding material for myself...I sighed and resigned myself to sewing a cute new dress for Kyla today.

I took a new t-shirt that I found on clearance and my new owl fabric (so cute!!)

and spent an hour or two of quality time with my sewing machine and came up with this!

A soft and cozy dress for my second grader. She loves it, I love it and I'm sure others will love it:) Now if only I can find some fabric for my dress:)

Mt. St. Helens

2010-09-13T13:49:00.001-07:00

In early September, we ventured up to Mt. St. Helens to explore and learn more about this active volcano that we have in our backyard. We camped near the base of the mountain and made the drive up to Windy Ridge. The clouds decided to roll on in while we were driving so we were unable to see the crater fully, but we got glimpses of it through out the morning.

Then the sun peaked out and oh the beauty that was revealed!

We will definitely go back with hopes of a clear day and some easy hiking trails.

School Sewing

2010-09-12T08:19:00.000-07:00

School started this Tuesday for both of my kiddos. That means I spent most of Monday afternoon and evening sewing:) I had projects in mind for both of the kids but hadn't yet taken the time to actually sit down and get them done.

Like last year, I wanted to have Kyla use reusable baggies for her lunch. It would be more environmentally friendly and save us some $$ too:) Unlike last year, I made them out of oilcloth. We went to our local fabric store and Kyla chose the fabric that she liked best our of their oilcloth collection. Add some thread and some velcro and you have lunch baggies. I made a total of three sets, one sandwich bag and two snack bags per set, and they have worked wonderfully so far. I just wash them up in the sink and let them dry for the night and we are ready for the next day. And oh the fabric is so bright and cheery or cherry:)

Now Gavin started preschool and when you start something you need to look sharp, at least that's my take:) I made Gav a tie shirt a while back and he has worn it out he wears it so often:) What better way to look sharp than with a tie:) But really, a three year old can't handle a real tie so we made him a fake one...way better than a clip on:) Looking snazzy!

The school sewing has begun! I'll be sure to keep you updated:)

Seven Years Old

2010-09-09T11:45:00.000-07:00

Miss Kyla Rayne ~ 7 yrs old

Big Boy Bed

2010-09-08T08:39:00.000-07:00

The time of cribs and toddler beds have passed here in our household. We now have a little boy who is sleeping in a twin bed, sharing a gradually shrinking room with his big sis.

The most exciting part of this transition is the fact that we did it all on the cheap:) My brother had an extra twin mattress taking up space at his house and is in need of a crib mattress for their little one to move up to a toddle bed...Hmmm, a quick switcheroo and we both have what we need. (As in quick I mean that my brother squished the mattress into his new SUV and drove down 4 plus hours and left it at my parents' house for my dad to throw it into his truck and drive the hour over to our house. Thanks guys!)

The bed frame is another gift. Many years ago, Chad's cousin made a beautiful wooden bed for his daughter. Time passed as it seems to do and now their two gals sleep in bunk beds. Bryan desperately (okay, maybe he wasn't desperate...more like really, really) wanted the bed out of his garage to give him more space. Are you seeing where this is leading? Yep, we now have a beautifully handmade bed for our boy while helping out those around us:)

Gav helped Daddy put it all together as I put on the newly purchased sheets. I'll be working on a blanket that fits in the next month. I wasn't expecting it to all come together so quickly:)

When we dragged that toddler bed out of the room, I was both elated and saddened. How fast time is flying by. My kids seem to be growing by leaps and bounds in just seconds.

The favorite part of his bed seems to be underneath it:) The kids have spent an unmeasurable amount of time under there, hiding, and planning, and giggling:)

After a good nights sleep that included NOT falling out of bed...we are happily skipping on down the pathway of life:)

The First Day of School

2010-09-07T09:16:00.000-07:00

It is official, the Riddle family is going to school! Kyla started 2nd grade at Wascher Elementary and Gavin started 3 yr preschool at Curious Caterpillar Preschool. Gav will be attending twice a week while Kyla is full time. What a change for all of us!

Kyla is in Mrs. Morton's class along with a couple of kiddos from her class last year. She was a bit nervous for her first day, but quickly found her desk and started unloading her school supplies.

Gavin's preschool is a small home based christian school here in Lafayette. The family that runs it goes to our church and Gav knows a couple of the kids already. It looks to be a good fit for him this year.

We have high hopes and dreams for this school year; new friends, new knowledge, growing interests, and grand adventures!

Wish us luck!

Birthday Girl in Oregon:)

2010-09-05T18:54:00.000-07:00

We did our traditional family birthday dinner this weekend for our amazing 7 year old. We invited all the grandparents/aunts and uncles/cousins that were around and had a big BBQ, cake, ice cream and, or course, presents.

As each birthday rolls around, Chad and the birthday celebrant start brainstorming as to the cake design. Chad has taken it upon himself to be the cake decorating master here at the Riddle Ranch and has done famously so far:) This year Kyla stumped us with her desire for a Canadian cake. What exactly is a Canadian cake?? Well, according to her, it's one that has a flag on it:) So, introducing the Canada cake for 2010:) Notice that Kyla helped with most of the decorating this year:)

The hit of the party was a stomp rocket. Wow, what fun we had! I think that Uncle Bryan wins the title of highest rocket launch by my rough eye calculation:)

Happy Birthday to my 7 year old little lady!

Birthday Girl

2010-09-05T17:25:00.000-07:00

Kyla turned 7 this month. In celebration of this, her and I took our long awaited trip up to Canada to visit her godmother. Aunt Kristel and Uncle Brent made sure that her birthday was special and filled with special memories. We did some horse riding, jumped on a trampoline and the most important...we had cake. Ice cream cake:)

Uncle Brent won the key to her heart by sneaking some downstairs the next morning while I was in the shower and letting her have it as breakfast in bed:)

As I came out of the bathroom, that gal was shoveling the cold treat into her mouth as fast as humanly possible:) Thanks Aunt Kristel and Uncle Brent for making her special day SPECIAL!

Mutton Bustin'!

2010-09-05T08:50:00.000-07:00

Now if Kyla was asked about the most memorable moment on our trip, I believe that she would answer with this, " Riding the sheep!" She did indeed ride a sheep at a family friend's rodeo while we were up in Canada. I was surprised at her desire to do so as the option was given to her a couple of days before the rodeo. I was not surprised that as she watched the sheep being led to the chute, that she changed her mind about riding them:) Uncle Brent quietly told her that if she rode that sheep she would get her own trophy and that was all it took. She was up for the challenge:)

Each kiddo that rode had an adult right there with them to pull them off before they actually fell off. Some of the older kids choose not to be picked off before they got bucked off, Kyla was not one of those:)

With trusty Uncle Brent by her side, she bravely put on the hockey helmet (yep, we were in Canada) and let herself be thrown on that stinky, wet sheep.

She held on tight...

And she was off!

Uncle Brent grabbed her, the sheep kept on running, and Kyla landed on her own two feet with a smile as wide as the barn.

All the kiddos that sat on the sheep and made it out of the chute got their very own trophy. Thanks Warren and Marcia for letting us be a part of this fun community tradition.

It will long be a memory that we treasure and tell.

Getting There

2010-09-04T08:33:00.000-07:00

Well, it took us a while to get to our exotic...no, foreign...no, cold and overcast destination:)

It all started with a long car ride up to the Seattle area. We hitched a ride with Aunt Michele and cousin Josiah and stayed the night in Redmond.

We were up early and off to the bus depot with Michele as our experienced guide. After a long bus ride on the "bendy bus" we made it to downtown Seattle and made our way to the Amtrak station.

At the Amtrak station we got a bit of a scare...they almost wouldn't let us on the train for lack of written permission from Chad in regards to letting Kyla over the US border! Thankfully, they let us fax a copy that Chad whipped up at work.

The train arrived in Vancouver, BC on time and in the rain! Yeah, I wasn't really prepared for rain:) We hauled our luggage to the the sky train depot and figured out our way to the airport. First the sky train...

Than the subway! Now if you know me well at all, you'll understand that this was a big step for me. First off, I'm not a huge fan of large crowds or small places with people squished in. Second off, my sense of direction and adventure seems to be dormant at this stage of my life:)

Never the less, we made it to the Vancouver International Airport with plenty of time to spare and tired feet. We boarded our first plane of the day, landed in Edmenton, Alberta and then got on our second flight for a quick 45 minute hop to Grande Prairie.

We were picked up by Aunt Kristel, loaded her car and drove the 10 minutes to her house. What a long two days of travel! But oh so worth it!

Off to a Foreign Land We Go

2010-08-17T18:05:00.000-07:00

Kyla and I are heading out tomorrow morning on her long awaited birthday trip to visit her beloved Aunt Kristel. Who lives in Canada. Way, way up in Canada. In order to make this trip doable money wise, we are going on the cheap. We are taking planes, trains, and automobiles to get to Grande Prairie, Alberta and we are up for the adventure.

Our voyage starts with a car ride to the Seattle area. We'll enjoy an over night stay at the Lee Hostel/hotel/family crashing place and then take a commuter bus to the train station the next morning. The train will take us to Vancouver, B.C. where we will catch two flights taking us north east.

Once we get there we will have a week of fun spending time with Kristel, her two adorable kiddos, and her entertaining hubby. We'll then take two flights to Vancouver, hop an Amtrak bus (weird, I know), catch a ride with someone that I'm related to from Seattle back to our hotel/hostel/family crashing place. We'll drive south to Oregon the next morning with my snl and her gals. Wow, that made me tired just typing it:)

Here are a couple of pics to hold you over until we get back. Enjoy my two precious (weird) kiddos.

See ya!

Making it new and shiny

2010-08-16T15:07:00.001-07:00

So for the past month I've been updating our bathroom, priming and painting, adding bead board and base trim, and swapping out old for new. We aren't in a position to go and purchase everything new, not that I would if I could since I'm such a penny pincher:) So here is how I was able to make this old bathroom of ours sparkle with a little bit of elbow grease and some dedicated time for searching.

First up is the cabinet hardware. I'd recently been reading about other homeowners who had painted their pulls and hinges with great success so I decided to give it a try. Worst case scenario is that they turn out awful and look better than they did before:) I rigged up a handy-dandy spraying box and went to work.

The only draw back was the silver fingers. Yeah, I had silver nails for days:)

Second is the new to us medicine cabinet. I found it at the local Restore for a steal and it just happen to fit our small weird little whole from the old mirror. Well I thought it would fit:) It was about three quarters of an inch to wide and to long. Seriously!! So Chad, being the handy man that he is, cut it down to size and I painted that sucker up and we had it in the wall by dinner time:)

The foot stool was another easy thing to update that made a big difference. I just added some fabric that I had left over from the making of the curtains and modpodged it right on. I finished it with a spray acrylic for wash ability and for strength. You don't have to be weak to be pretty:)

Now the laminate was easier than I thought it would be but still a bit tough in the actual installing. Chad was a huge help here, pulling out all his manly tools and doing math and stuff:)

This is what we had...

This is what we have now:) So pretty.

While I was doing all this work, I found this...on the back of one of the switch covers. What a wonderful idea, a journal of the work done on our house. I ended up not using this cover being that it was beige and going on 40 years old, but I transferred the info onto a new cover plate and put it up for the next people to find and enjoy:)

So say goodbye to my old, dreary bathroom (after I had started the demo)...

And say hello to the new!

In the words of my nephew...Ta Ta Ta Da!!!

2010-08-15T21:18:00.000-07:00

My bathroom update is done!

Please come in and stay a while:)

Now if you notice, the yellow is different in almost every picture. The color just depends on the lighting. It's so soothing most of the time:) I think the new look mixes well with the age of the house and gives it an updated yet historic country look.

Here's a glance at the same bathroom as we were purchasing the house.

Right after we moved in I painted the cabinets and we added a chair rail and bead board around the tub. Notice anything different:) I'll do a break down of what I did in a later post. Now I'm going to go and stare at the beautiful thing that is my bathroom:)

Speaking of Aunts

2010-08-15T09:18:00.000-07:00

I haven't been sewing much lately what with the entry/bath remodel keeping me busy but I wanted to share this apron that I made early this summer for my aunt. It's my go to gift if you remember:) I had picked out the fabric last time I was in Indiana (2009) and finally got around to making something special for my Aunt Peg. She is my mother's sister and one of my favorite people in all the world:)

This apron is my own design...something I've been thinking of doing for a while now. I honestly don't use patterns much as it is and I thought it was time to branch out and start designing more stuff. So far so good:)

She reports that it works wonderfully well in her kitchen:) I also made a taggy blanket/toy for my cousins new little boy, Elijah. So soft and cozy!

Now I'm off to finish that dang remodel so that I can dust off my sewing machine and get crankin':)

More From Indiana

2010-08-14T09:53:00.000-07:00

During our yearly visit to the mid-west, we were able to spend some time with my dad's family as we all gathered for my cousin's wedding. Each time I see my family, I try to get pictures for memories sake. I know that you are all surprised with this desire to photograph every aspect of my life...oh wait, you're not surprised:) So here are some of those yearly pictures that we can look back on in the future and reminisce.

Here is the Bonnell Clan. Most of us are there and what a great big bunch of people we have become! Now this is just my dad's mom and her children and their children and their children:) Please notice that my children are no where near me. In the last three wedding pictures taken while in Indiana, my children have found other family members that they love and I am left to stand alone.

If you don't believe me this was taken in 2008 at Abby's wedding. It's like playing wheres Waldo. Where are my kids??

I'd like to introduce you to my grandmother. She is the rock of the Bonnell side of the family. A couple of years ago we thought that we might lose her to cancer but she's a tough old bird (her words I swear!) and we still get to enjoy her in our lives. I'm told that I take after her quite a bit:)

All of us came from that tiny, amazing woman. Now I'd like you to meet my aunts. They are all strong women and have each influenced me in different ways. They work hard, get things done, and love their families with everything that they have.

Are you noticing where I got my short genes:) I love my family and the history that makes us who we are!

Clean Desk = New Chair

2010-08-13T17:20:00.000-07:00

Our sweet Kyla is the picture of her grandmother. She may look like her grandmother but she got her organizational genes from Chad and I, poor kid. She just doesn't stand a chance unless we do something drastic...like teach her how to organize and keep it cleaned up:) So we've been working on it. For almost two weeks now, we've been working on her desk, yep it was that bad. We emptied all the drawers, organized, recycled, filed, threw away and re-filled.

A couple of weeks ago as we were trying to figure out how best to help Kyla learn this new skill set, I realized that she didn't have a chair. Of course her desk top was so covered she couldn't actually work there thus the lack of chair. In my searching for bathroom remodel treasures, I found an antique chair at our local Restore and brought it home gleefully.

It had nice lines and was super sturdy. Those were it's good points. Unfortunately it had multiple layers of varnish and a shoddy repair job, but for $2 it was a steal:)

I sanded it down to the wood and prepped it for painting.

Now part of our deal with Kyla, her grand prize as it were, was the ability to paint her new chair ANY color she choose as soon as she completed the cleaning/reorganizing of her desk. And wouldn't you know that kiddo of mine chose gumdrop purple!

Kyla now has a pretty purple chair for her clean desk and she actually has written letters while sitting on it. Who would have guessed a desk could be used for that kind of stuff?:)

Oh gorgeous gumdrop purple, welcome into our home!

Old Friends and New Memories

2010-08-12T17:45:00.000-07:00

We were blessed this week to have our friend Lindsey come and stay with us while she was down from Seattle visiting friends in the area. She is one of our throwers of the past... a sweet gal that has turned into a good friend.

Not only did she come and stay at the Riddle B & B, but she brought along her side kick as well, Rocky Road. The kids fell for the dog during their first session of fetch and were ready to keep both Linds and Rocky here with us forever after a day:)

Linds and I decided to make a fancy, smancy dinner on Wednesday evening...the kiddos and Chad were fed "normal" food while us ladies experimented and enjoyed greatness:) Fresh yellow beets with cherries, walnuts and Gorgonzola cheese; whole wheat pizza with veggies and fresh mozzarella, basil from my garden and avocados. We finished off our meal with a homemade apple pie. I picked the apples and Linds made the pie. We're a good team:)

The kids want Linds to live with us so that Rocky is around and Chad wants her to live with us for the pie:) Not so much for the "girly" pizza.

The Riddle B & B is closed now for the season, unless you want to come. Can you make pie?

My Flower Girl

2010-08-11T22:32:00.000-07:00

Kyla was asked to be a flower girl for my cousin's wedding back in June. We picked up the dress, bought the shoes, did the hair and even had her finger and toe nails done. Okay, so I didn't do the hair, my amazing snl, Randi, jumped in and saved us there:) Here is my beautiful girl.

We started the whole process by her having her first pedicure and manicure. OH the joys of being a girl. All of us ladies hung out and chatted as the wedding party got all dolled up for the next day.

She survived all the picture taking...

Made it gracefully down and aisle...

Played a bit...

And then she danced the night away...

What a wonderful privileged to stand by Kelly's side and celebrate her marriage to Justin.

Ta Da! Chicken Tractor

2010-08-08T11:24:00.000-07:00

Our chickens are now free range...kind of. Chad built a movable coup/chicken run that we drag around the yard giving the chickens fresh bugs and grass and dirt to play in. It took a while to coax them into their summer home but the fresh blackberries and Chad's innate panther like moves did the trick:)

Chad had started this little project a while ago, and then he hurt his back. The chickens were put on hold until he healed. Now that his back is almost as good as new, out to the garage Gav and he went with great determination to finish this project.

Now I must brag a bit about my husband. A couple of months ago I said to him, "I'd like a chicken tractor. Can you please build me one?" He responded, "What is a chicken tractor?" I showed him some pictures and away he went. The tractor is made completely from things that we already had, even some old hinges. My handy husband created locks and doors and the design. I must say that he's pretty amazing!

The ladies love their new abode and I enjoy watching them dig and peck for food.

I think we'll paint it green and yellow and have our very own John Deere tractor:) Vrooom!

Oh the things you will see

2010-08-07T08:30:00.001-07:00

We are a fan of Dr. Seuss here in our house and as I watched two butterflies gracefully dance about my butterfly bush yesterday, Dr. Seuss was bouncing about in my head. And oh the things that I saw! We've been blessed this year by dozens of monarch butterflies hanging around our house this summer. As Gav and I pulled into the driveway I noticed that there was one particularly large monarch on the bush just lounging about. I grabbed my camera and crept close. He didn't seem to notice me and just ate away as I snapped breathtaking shots.

Oh My!

Thank you Lord for all the beauty you have put here on Earth for us to enjoy!

Seeing Double

2010-08-07T08:25:00.001-07:00

Nope, you are not seeing double. I have a family friend who is expecting twin baby girls and I whipped something up for the baby shower celebrating these two new little lives.

I knew that the new mama is not a fan of pink so I went with blue tones...but you just got to have some ruffle:) I purchased the onsies and then embellished them with some simple ruffles. I appliqued a free handed flower and then added a button.

Now the girls are ready for their photo shoot...as soon as they are born:)

Let's go to the Fair!

2010-08-05T09:09:00.000-07:00

LET'S GO

TO THE

FAIR!!

Yesterday was the kickoff for the Yamhill County Fair and we decided to go and join the fun. First off was the rides of course. I let the kids choose one ride each, oh the difficulty! I can't tell you how many times we walked down the ride alley, sounds blaring and lights flashing, thinking, and weighing options. Finally, Kyla choose the swings and Gav the airplanes. Kyla ended up getting to ride with Gavin due to the kindness of a worker. I often get surprised as a kindness is given.

We checked out the farm animals and Gavin was quite entertained by a fancy headed chicken.

An entire elephant ear was consumed. Oh the sugary goodness:)

Then off to the arena to watch an English riding horse competition.

Gav's favorite horse was the, and I quote, "polka dotted behind one." Yep, that's my boy!

Enjoying a rest in the shade...it was pretty warm.

We tried to figure out the sheep judging...not much luck:)

The sugar rush has faded, the thrill of the ride is only a memory, and the smell of animals no longer lingers. Ah, what a great day at the fair!

Fun, Fun, Fun!

2010-08-03T09:13:00.000-07:00

Kristel is home from Canada visiting and showing off her beautiful new little one, Maddy Lucille. We were able to squeeze in a visit, and wow, that's a lot of kids we have now:) Kyla fell head over heals in love with Maddy and Gav was thrilled that Jackson loves Lightening McQueen as much as he does:)

We lounged about outside and the kiddos splashed in the pool. There was some naked/half naked swinging and lots of baby snuggling.

After Chad got home, he revved up the Wii and let the boys play Mater National (from the boys' favorite movie) and all was right with the world:)

What a lucky girl am I to have such a dear (and photogenic) friend!

Sneak Peak

2010-08-01T15:45:00.000-07:00

We are still here! I know that most of my friends think that I have become a hermit or that I've fallen off the face of the earth, but that is not true. We've been working on the house. That's right, it's the dreaded remodeling word.

I recently decided that I was tired of the wallpaper that was chosen thirty years ago, same for the Formica and our rusted out old bathroom sink. The bathroom mirror made my eye twitch and the dark paneling crushed my soul. Well, "NO MORE!" I shouted to myself and to that dark, dreary paneling about three weeks ago. And since then, I've been covered in primer and paint splatters, inhaled a bit of sawdust, and shopped around for the best deal all over Yamhill County.

Now let me introduce you to my favorite tool, the tool that started it all. This is my friend the putty knife. Now I know that he looks pretty unassuming and a bit run down but I can probably take apart this whole house with this wonder:)

I've even pulled Kyla over to the dark side of remodeling:)

Here are peaks of what was...

And what is coming...

We are finally closing in on the finishing touches! Just a bit more grueling evenings and I think we made be done. Well, almost done:) Then I have to decorate...and get matching towels...and some curtains...and a coat tree. Hmmm, maybe it will be a couple more weeks yet:)

Chad has officially taken away my precious putty knife, I think he might just be afraid of what I'll tear apart next:)

The Great Exploration

2010-07-30T15:31:00.000-07:00

The kids and I set out for an impromptu adventure this morning. We have a bus that runs through Yamhill County that is super cheap and it stops just a couple of blocks from our house. The kids are constantly asking when we can ride the bus and I decided that today was the day.

We packed our backpacks with supplies that a person definitely needs on an adventure, you know...water, books, play cars, a stuffed horse, a camera and headed to the bus stop.

The first thing that we learned was that the bus wasn't on time. The second, my kiddos weren't thrilled with the waiting:)

We didn't have any specific reason for going into town, but that's where the bus goes:) We decided to explore Main St in Newberg and finally checked out some shops that I've been meaning to get around to doing. First stop was the pet store, Critter Cabana. Oh delightful! They have animals out to touch and study; tortoises, parrots, puppy dogs, bunnies, lizards. It's all very hands on and quiet loud. I recommend it whether you are in the market for a pet or just for the experience.

Our next stop was a little corner park that showcases a waterfall. After throwing in some pennies and making wishes, we ran around a bit, trying out all the benches and such and then were off to our next destination.

We were all getting a bit hot and hungry by then so we stopped in at a little Mexican restaurant that Chad and I used to frequent when we lived in Newberg oh so long ago. They weren't busy, as in we were the only people there, so we got extra special service, a Spanish lesson, and a bit more dessert than our one shared meal warranted:)

We made a quick stop at Chapters, a local coffee house and bookstore. We read about Mercy the pig and found a book that I want to get Chad for christmas. Now if I can only remember it come December.

The post office was next on our list to investigate. The door was open into the mail room so we sneaked a few peaks to learn more about how our mail gets to us. The post master pretended not to notice us and the kids were thrilled at our behind the scenes peak.

We made it back to the bus stop with dragging feet and ten minutes to spare. Once the bus arrived, we headed to the back of the empty bus and enjoyed our bouncy, wiggly ride home.

What a fun adventure! The kids finally got to ride the bus and we were able to explore our area a bit more. Throw in an unexpected glance into the postal system, a fun and inexpensive lunch, a good read at the bookstore and we had a successful exploration. Did I mention we did all this fun stuff for under $13.

Now that's what I call a cheap, but fun date with my beloved explorers:)

A New Life in Christ

2010-07-28T09:15:00.000-07:00

This is our church. Church on the Hill in McMinnville, Oregon. It's a fairly large church with three services, one thousand plus people every Sunday and a very large children's department and we love it! The church does a great job making everyone feel special and a part of the whole.

Back in March, Kyla asked Jesus to be her savior. What a celebration! Our church wanted to help her celebrate this big step as well. They have a new Christian class for kids that is put on by our children's pastor. Kyla, Chad and I attended the class last month and watched her make her faith public. As an affirmation of their public commitment to Christ, the church lights the new creation candle on Sundays for new believers. And Kyla's name was up there.

I happened to be on the worship team for early service and our head pastor made a big deal about her name being up there:) We brought Kyla into the third service with us (she had asked to see her name up on the screen) and our pastor, knowing that she was sitting with us, welcomed Kyla into the family of Christ and the church helped her celebrate this step in her life.

We are so proud of the young lady that she is becoming, her strengths and her desires. What a tremendous gift it is to watch her grow!

Girls Day

2010-07-27T10:02:00.001-07:00

My Aunt is visiting us from the beautiful state of Indiana and I wanted to treat her to something that was indicative of the area that we live in. So of course we headed up into the Dundee Hills and had a picnic lunch at a local winery/lavender farm. We made it a girls day as my mother and my sweet little girl joined us. Red Ridge Farms welcomed us with open arms and smells that were heavenly.

We explored the gift shop, sampled olive oil made right there from olives grown on the farm, sipped lavender tea and placed our order for two picnic platters.

Oh the picnic platters! Cheese from France, Almonds from somewhere else far away, local fruit, and crisp crackers. Definitely a girly treat:)

We were very lady like:)

And I can't forget dessert! Truffles and lavender shortbread cookies. Oh my!

After our lunch, we found ourselves in the lavender field surrounded by a garden in full bloom. The bees were humming and the scent was divine!

Kyla found the perfect lavender plant to bring home with us as a reminder of our fun afternoon. Now were to plant it???

What a marvelous treat for the special ladies in my life. Anyone want to join me for a second trip?:)

Mama Needs a New Dress

2010-07-24T12:12:00.000-07:00

A while ago while scrounging through New To You (a local resale shop) I found this dress that had the softest knit fabric and a pretty print. Now the dress itself was a disaster, but I had high hopes for the fabric. I was thinking I could chop it up and make a nice light skirt for summer but then I found this blog, A New Dress A Day and was inspired to get a bit more creative and daring and make a new and improved dress out of the monstrous mess. Less frump and more Za Za Zoo:)

So I did:) I can't say that it was quick or pretty during the bloody stages of reconstruction but it went from an ugly caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly of a dress:)

The reason behind my need for a new dress was The Blue Hour, a Fancy french restaurant in Portland. We had a gift certificate that needed using and a babysitter ready to hang with kids.

Mix together a new dress, a fancy multi-course dinner, time with my wonderful Hubby, worry free childcare and you get a nice relaxing evening.

Camp Out

2010-07-23T21:48:00.000-07:00

Chad came home from work today giddy with excitement, okay, maybe not giddy, but excited no less about camping out back with the kiddos. We haven't gotten around to camping yet this summer and the kids have been asking about it lately. So Wa La! Set up the tent, drag over the fire pit, and grab the marshmallows. We are ready to roll:)

I, of course, will be sleeping inside tonight on my nice, comfy bed. I'm not much of a camper. Now I don't mind camping in a motor home, nor a camper...but in a tent on the ground? I've come to the realization that I can camp once a year in a tent on the cold, hard ground. Chad gets to choose when that is:) Tonight was not it, Can I get an Amen?!

Our marvelous fire pit was my birthday present this year and due to the flood like rain we've had up until now, it's usage was pretty low. But, yummmmy, it makes a mean smore. Just look at this amazing pig smore it made...Yep, I said pig. Really, take a look.

We watched the stars come out and sang to welcome the moon. We gasped with delight as the bats flew overhead and we cuddled close to keep warm. Then I walked inside to let those crazy family members of mine sleep out in the cold, on the hard ground, with all the bugs.

Summer Clothes

2010-07-23T18:55:00.000-07:00

Kyla is a dress girl. Or a skirt girl. That's just who she is. In an effort to keep her special (read Sunday) dresses stain free, I've started making her some "dresses" out of my old t-shirts. She gets the thrill of being dressed up day in and day out and I get to release the worry about nasty stains and favorite dresses.

I had a t-shirt that was gifted to me many years ago and is now too large and not public worthy. I snapped up my favorite scissors and went to town:)

I added a bit of ruffle to the bottom to girly it up a bit and added a simple tie the for straps.

She enjoys her dress and I enjoy her ability to play in the dirt in it:) We did learn that once wet, it gets a bit stretched out making it more of a muscle shirt than little girl dress. Ahhh, lesson learned.

Heat Wave!

2010-07-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

We've had a very cold and dreary spring and early summer this year in Oregon and a couple of weeks ago we got our first week of heat! It only lasted a couple of days, but it was fun while it was here! Pools were filled, air conditioners were dragged out of storage, sunblock was purchased in mass, and sweet popsicles were consumed in record numbers...at least at our house:)

While the kiddos kept cool in the pool...

I enjoyed the shade of our apple tree. The breeze was refreshing, the kids' laughter delightful, and the tea in my hand freshly made and cool. Ahhh.

Here's to Summer!

Honey, We're Home!

2010-07-19T16:40:00.000-07:00

We made it back from our whirlwind trip to the mid-west and in all the craziness of school ending for the year, unpacking, and creating new schedules, I took a short, unplanned hiatus from blogging. I took a good hard look at blogging in general and at my feelings towards my blog. To be honest, I love blogging. I love sharing my experiences with my family and friends. That's what this whole thing started as, a way to share with those far away. It is a bit of work, but I think it's worth it. So for all of you who enjoy a little peek into our life, here we go again:)

We've been lots of places, and have done lots of things since I posted last so I have a bit of catch up to do. As I wade through the mountains of pictures and stories, I find it easiest to start back at where we left off, on our way to Indiana...

Kyla and I were there for 6 days, which included the two full days of travel. Gav and my parents were there a bit longer as were my brother and his little family. We spent a little time with my mom's side of the family and a little time with my dad's side of the family. The bulk of the time seemed to be in the car in between these two amazing groups of people.

Snapshots of going, doing, and enjoying...

Gav and Uncle JD

My cousin Cj and I

Randi and Mom Swinging Away

My most fabulous Dad and I

Mom and Gav

The kids at the historic carousel that my
brother and I always took a spin on as kids.

The Trapp Clan

My dad with my kiddos in the exact same place that I have pics with my grandfather. Ah, family tradition:)

My brother and Gav

My sweet nephew Gabe

The Bonnell/Riddle kids on the famous one eared/antlered deer.

My fingers are a bit rusty from the lack of typing so I'll bid you goodbye for now. More to come later, I promise:)

We are Outta Here!

2010-06-08T16:08:00.001-07:00

We are ready to leave and I've checked everything off my list of to-do's (okay, almost everything).

Our bags are packed and the car is ready to be filled. Alarms will be set for o'dark thirty and bed times will be early tonight:)

While all this planning, packing, and prepping was going on, the kiddos made do with using their creativity to keep them entertained. This is a quick peek at our last week...

We took a trip to the zoo with Kyla's class. It didn't rain, Hurray!

Builder Gavin's creation

Kyla and her gal friends squeezed in a quick marshmallow roast in between drenching rain showers.

Did I mention they used their creativity? Yep, that's a drawer and No, his sister had nothing to do with this:)

She was all over this though:)

And I'll add this one just cause I love it!

We'll be back in a while...Off to heat, humidity, fun and family!

Last Minute Things

2010-06-07T15:12:00.000-07:00

We are leaving on Wednesday morning and I've been busy finishing up all the last minute things I wanted to get done before we go. First up was some light and soft pajamas for Kyla. Summer is still hiding from us here in Oregon, but I know that it's in full effect where we are headed. Our winter pjs just won't cut it.

The first set was made from Simplicity 5118 with some serious alternations in regards to the length. She's a bit longer than the pattern was expecting:) I used a super soft knit that I found on clearance! Sweet new pjs for a couple of dollars, now that it frugal:)

Speaking of frugal...a couple of months ago I picked up a twin sheet set from Goodwill that the bottom sheet still had the tags on. The top sheet looks like it was used as a curtain and has some serious sun bleaching on one side. Not to worry though! I made myself a pair of comfy pants a while back and put the remnant of the fabric to use in making more bedtime wear for us gals.

I used Simplicity 3669 for the top and did a freehand pattern for the shorts. I added a little white ribbon tie and she's got one more pair of comfy pjs!

This is her thoughtful pose,
I thought I share it with you:)

There just happen to be enough fabric left for another pair of pj bottoms for me, this time shorts. Ahh, cozy and pretty. The combination can't be beat!

As I was packing, I realized that our summer wear was sadly lacking. We haven't really needed it what with the record making rain we've been having for the last month or so. I took a pair of Kyla's pants that she blew out the knees in this winter and chopped off the legs, hemmed, added a flower and waaalaaaa! New shorts!

I think we are now ready to go. I'm pretty sure, almost positive in fact...I think:)

Keepin' Em Out!

2010-06-04T08:40:00.000-07:00

Deep down inside of me, I'm a farmer. It must be my familial roots that dig deep into the tradition of farming back in the mid-west. Indiana, to be specific. In the last couple of years, my desire to play in the dirt and grow things has come to the surface and I have researched, experimented, had some failures, but have successfully grown things! Yummy, healthy, pretty things:) This year, we added four more raised beds to our garden area bringing the total to eight 4' x 8' beds. I love it!

What I don't love is garden pests. We live in town so we don't deal with deer or other small wild animals. My nemesis, the scourge of my success are the neighborhood cats. Yes, I'm sure that they are cute and cuddly and are wonderful...but I get blood in my eye when I see their furry little bodies creeping around my garden. They dig up my seeds and young plants, they poop all over and now lately, I've had one cat vomiting in my beds! Enough is enough I shouted!!

So we purchased some of this...

To save these...

Used some of these...

To make this...

Ha! Take that you cute, furry, evil ones!

Haircut time!

2010-06-02T08:10:00.000-07:00

It was time for a haircut for my girl this past weekend and we decided to make a special girls day out of it. We bought shoes, tried on clothes, went out to dinner and finished up the list of things to do/buy for our trip next week.

It was a bit more difficult to find a place to get her hair cut than I was prepared for, but in the end, we were successful. She had a grand time being pampered and spending uninterrupted time with Mama and she got a super cute haircut out of the deal:)

What a pretty gal I have!

Hungry Hippo

2010-06-01T14:02:00.000-07:00

A while back I decided that I would make Gav a new backpack for our trip east this summer. During this decision making time, Kyla brought home a book from school titled "The Hippo Ate the Teacher." All of a sudden, I had to make a hippo backpack. More specifically, (Say this with a three year old speech impediment) a hippopotamus backpack. I'm too cheap to go and buy a pattern and I didn't take the time to find a tutorial online, nope, I just jumped right into the fray. My brain smoked with the effort and Chad and the kiddos are surely tired of my frustrated mumbling and vacant stares, but my sewing machine and I have created (more like birthed) a hippo backpack to be proud of:)

There were a couple of vital requirements as I mapped out my project; a water bottle holder, a drawstring closure, adjustable straps and of course, the ever important hippo.

The hippo was the real hurdle. I can't draw. It's not that I don't or that don't have time to, it's the fact that I truly have no skills in this area. I was unable to find a hippo stencil (are you really surprised?) and so I had to free hand this baby. In the end, he turned out to be a very hungry hippo with his head just a bit out of proportion to his body. Sound like anyone you know? Yes, I'm meaning my son:) He was such a hungry hippo that I had to give him some grass to eat for fear of being gnawed on:)

I must have gotten it somewhat close though. My hippo lover was able to take on look and exclaim his joy, a hippo backpack!

Everything used on this project/test of love is from my stash. The straps were made from a belt I purchased from the dollar store (wahooo!) and all the widgets/hardware were remnants from refashions. The fabric was new, a hand me down gift from my MNL. I won't say this was an easy project, but the end result is so much better than I expected half way through the trauma, I mean half way through the work. You can't get better payment for a job well done than a face cracking smile and jumps for joy.