Moving Reality

We are moving...tomorrow!  So today is "throw everything in boxes" day.  One good thing this time around, I actually feel like I am ready to move.  We will just have to throw our bedding and stuff in boxes in the morning, but everything else is in boxes.  One nice thing about moving so close (it's only about 5 miles away) is that we have been able to run a few items over to the new house already, the stuff that is hard to put in boxes.  And we can make another trip or two after the movers leave in case there are small items to throw in later.  Life is upside down here at the house.  We are eating a lot of take out and watching TV since kitchen and toys are packed.  It's pouring down rain today so the boys can't go outside.  I can't wait for tomorrow, when we can finally start unpacking!  Moves are hard, but I'm looking forward to being in our own house again and feeling settled for the first time in a long time!

And we hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  We enjoyed dining out this year.

A Day at the Zoo

Last Monday the boys had the day off from school.  It wasn't raining, so we decided to go to the zoo.  Grandma Youker came along with us.  We enjoyed looking at lots of animals.  Also, the Oregon Zoo is putting in a new elephant home, so it was fun to check the progress on that, too.  And, each year around this time, they put up lights and people come into the zoo after dark to look at all of the zoo lights.  It's become a family tradition.  Along with that, is the train that runs through the zoo.  They've been working on the train for the past two years, and last year the train wasn't running.  But this year they promise to have it going for the zoo lights, so we checked out the train to see it's progress, too.  It's almost done!  We had lunch at the zoo and enjoyed a fun day there.

I also wanted to say that we are moving!  We are super excited to have finally bought a house here in Portland.  Not since first being married and living in Placerville have I felt this settled, or will feel!  We are moving in 2 weeks.  I can't wait!

A Sunny Day in Portland

This time of year, Portland doesn't get many sunny days.  Most of our fall and winter days are filled with rain or at least lots of fog and clouds.  So when we get a nice sunny day, we try to get outside and enjoy the day.  Yesterday was one of those days, so we made the most of it.  Grandma and Grandpa Youker joined us too.

We started by taking MAX to Washington Park.  From there we hiked up to the Hoyt Arboretum.  After that, we hiked down to a park.  It was about a 3 mile hike, but it's mostly all downhill, so it's not too hard for the boys.  When we got to the first playground, we let the boys play a little and had a little snack.  After a while, we hiked down to the second playground, about another 3/4 mile.  They played a bit more there too until it was time to hike down to the city and have pizza at one of our favorite places, Hot Lips!  It's another 3/4 mile hike down.  When we got there, we ordered our pizza and sat and ate.  It was a great dinner after all of that hiking, playing and running around.  When we were done with the pizza, we got back on the MAX and rode it back to our car.  It was a fun day!

On the Hike

Simon Enjoying his Mango Snack

Daniel and Sam at the Playground

Sliding Sam

Waiting for MAX

Plumper Pumpkin Patch

Simon's preschool class went to one of the local pumpkin patches here in Hillsboro called Plumper Pumpkin Patch.  It was a cool fall day.  And we got to do lots of fun things.  They first sat us down and talked to us a little about the farm.  Then we all got to ride on a hayride around the farm.  Next we got off and got to see some of the animals.  They had cows, pigs, alpacas and a few others.  They had some play equipment that the kids enjoyed exploring.  Then we got to pick out our pumpkins.  It was a fun field trip.  Simon and I enjoyed ourselves!

Arriving at the Farm

On the Hayride, Simon and his friend Chase

Simon and his friend Marcus playing in the water

Exploring the Slide

Finding a Pumpkin