New Year

So the question is, since I have not bothered to post in almost 18 months and so much has happened in that time should I just begin again with a new blog or should I swallow my bad blogger pride and refresh this one? Decisions, decisions.....Holy cow I can't believe what a bad blogger I am considering my perpetual need for access to wifi!!!! While I ponder, here is our family as of now....

Welcoming Senya

After much coordinating and many phone calls it was finally decided that Matt and Dawn's baby shower would be thrown on July 23rd. Baby Senya was not due to arrive until mid-August so we thought that was plenty of time to celebrate before she made an actual appearance. Apparently Senya had other plans! Dawn's water broke around midnight that morning and after a long, anxious day, Senya Evelyn Paul was born about 11:30 July 23rd weighing 5lbs 10oz. She was 3 weeks and 3 days early. She is perfection.

Making the most of summer

Devin's company picnic (with Cherry City Electric 2011) was a lot of fun.. It was very kid friendly and both Turner and Harley had a blast! There was a lot of food, drinks and tons of treats including cookies, snow cones, and cotton candy. There was mini golf and a bouncy house. The favorite, though, was a huge inflated caterpillar that they could actually go in through the mouth and out....well, the other end! I thought it was strange but the boys loved it!

extra stuff from a bad blogger!

I am not a habitual blogger. That being said, I wanted to add a few pictures taken this summer just because they are cute!
Food Face--->







































Dilly Bars in the tub

Out in the sunshine!

Although I admit there is not always a lot of sunshine to be had here in the Pacific NW, it is fun to get out and enjoy it when it appears. I much prefer cooler weather but I do love being able to show Turner and Harley that there are so many beautiful places so close to where we live. Both boys requested to see "a big waterfall" this summer, a wish easily granted.

On June 25th we decided to drive out to Multnomah Falls following the historic highway route. We stopped at the Vista House to see the view since it was such a clear, sunny day!


Then we stopped at Latourell Falls and walked down to the falls. Of course there was some rock climbing on the way and the kids loved that they got wet at the bottom of the falls!


Then there is Multnomah Falls. Turner couldn't wait to see it! He has been there before but he was too young to remember. I think it is so much fun to be able to show him things now that he is old enough to ask questions. Harley follows his big brother's lead and asks about everything too. Of course Harley is always less reserved than Turner was at 3 (when it comes to verbally expressing his opinions) so we heard a lot from him all day! Such a fun day.


The next day we decided to head out to McIver Park. We didn't take the dog this time but I think next time we will have to. It was one of our favorite parks to take Jazzy dog to when she could still run so it's nice to go and remember what an amazing little diva that girl was. When we go, we let the boys take frisbees and "play frisbee golf" which really just means we let them through regular frisbees at the gold course but they have fun and run a lot!


Oh how I love my little flower child!!!! Always picking flowers for Momma. :-)

And I love my little rock tosser. So handsome!


Harley coming through a "secret passage" to scare Daddy!

I had to sneak to get a picture of that beautiful real smile of his!

Harley sings! (or maybe not so much...)

Harley had his first Pre-school singing program on April 22! He is such a big boy! He went back and forth between excited and nervous all week and practiced singing but I wasn't sure he would go through with it. Since it was the Friday before Easter, Grandma Diane was able to make it in time to come see the show! He went into the school all by himself to meet up with his class and when it was the 3 year olds turn to come out (they were first) he was right there with the rest of his class. Then it was time to sing....so he stuck his hands in his pockets and just took it all in. As his friends all sang away, Harley just listened, shyly. It was pretty cute. He finally joined in for the last two songs and said it was fun after all!

playing catch up!

I seem to have miss placed my account info for a while during our move in March but all is recovered now and I have to do some catching up! We are liking our new apartment, although the boys are missing the yard at Oma and Papa's and we all miss our pup (who we left to be spoiled by my parents since they have more room and the yard). We are closer to Harley's school which is nice and next year Turner will get to ride to bus so he is a bit excited/nervous about that.

Easter was great this year, we had the chance to see most of our family! That means two days worth of eating Easter dinner and Easter Egg Hunts but it was all fun. The kids are both old enough to participate in egg hunts now but Harley still isn't so sure he likes them. Harley's preschool let the kids dye eggs and have a hunt on the Thursday before Easter but he started crying as soon as another kid took a treat he was about to grab. Eventually he caught on and found some stuff....



Then on Saturday before we had dinner with Devin's side of the family, we went to a huge egg hunt at a park near our apartment. It was a fundraiser for our friends church, they are going to Mexico to build houses. Turner found a friend from school and then we played at the park after.
Here is Turner with his friend....

and Harley waiting to go get eggs!