August 2021 - End of Summer Break and Back to School

The last part of summer didn't disappoint.  I wouldn't say we were big adventurers. We didn't travel anywhere new or far away.  COVID has kept those plans on hold for us (we dream of you Hawaii & Japan and I sure do miss you Germany).  Our annual trip to Sunriver was our trip this summer; my back injury and being in a particularly challenging phase of finding family activities all of us will enjoy kept us more low key than past years which is just fine. Elise did her first overnight camp for a couple nights with her girl scouts troop.  Lily got to do a traditional week long overnight camp in nature with her best friend Liana.  Paul and Nate enjoyed long mountain bike rides in beautiful central Oregon.  All good.

Paul contemplating life while floating on the Deschutes river.

Elise loved archery at her girl scouts camp.

Happy campers coming home from Camp Howard

We love watching the gazillion little toads jumping around at Todd Lake near Bend

This picture cracks me up.  Shortly after this was snapped, Elise's bike also snapped, just broke on us... right after Nate left with Lily and Paul to do some more rough terrain.  Dying cell phone, getting lost, and showing patience - ended up all working out.

These two love to hit the trails together.  20+ mile rides is common for them now.

Warmed my heart to see our neighbors come out to share a drink and a story for our 6th annual block party...more of a sidewalk chat during COVID.  Hope to come back with a bang next year post COVID.

One of the few family activities we all enjoy together is watching Amazing Race.  Season 32 is keeping us entertained.

Paul helping out with a big project - refinishing the front porch floor.  He was enthusiastic to help out... or to get paid.  Either way, he was a good helper.  You can see the end result in the back to school pic coming up.

Enjoyed the Sunflower festival at Lee Farms with our Mother/Daughter group.  So grateful for our little crew of tweens and moms getting through life together.

Happy to report that after 2 months of treatment on my back, Nicole is back!  Enjoyed an early am session with the ball machine.  For the first time, I felt like I won. 

1st day of school for my 4th and 7th graders.  I look at this picture and I think "Wow, my sports clothes only wearing Paul really picked out that entire outfit on his own at Target and said he wanted to wear it to school.  Lily really experimenting with her fashion style and I love it.  Elise wearing a dress she bought on her own with a friend at a store near our home and I'm so proud of her for wearing sandals and being okay with the stares and awkward looks she gets from kids. 

Besides pictures of my kids, this picture makes me really happy too.  Big thank you to Nate for building a little library next to our fairy garden for the neighborhood to enjoy.  He really did an amazing job.  It's been such a treat to see all the action our front yard gets.  

Lily's first blog post - June/July 2021

 hey everyone, it's lily and for our june/july update, I am writing it! My first blog post.

 June 11 was the last day of 6th grade for Lily and the last day of third grade for Paul and Elise.

                                                   we celebrated with our SDC crew! 

In June we went to the coast, experienced the sand, the ocean, and sunburns. The family didn't spend as much time at the beach this time due to sunburns, however at the house there were some awesome hammock chairs! we  even decided to get one for our house back home!

the family at Cape Kiwanda

For the fourth of july we went to the St.Johns bridge and went swimming! the water is very shallow and warm, its a great place! we also hung out with friends and launched bottle rockets. Happy fourth!

We also traveled to hood river with friends, we had a blast. Paul did a mountain biking camp and we went swimming a lot. we also had some delicious pizza!

some other fun times this summer so far include:

swimming at the sailing club (with friends)

Dad at a timbers game

family dinner

and smores with neighbor friends!

Fun to find a draft blog post waiting for me by Lily.  Thanks Lil'.  Lily is packing up for a week of sleepaway camp tomorrow.  Oma and Opa are also packing up returning to Chicago this week.  After almost 2 full years, it'll be strange not having them here.  Of course it's been a bumpy ride; we lived through a pandemic together!  SLOWLY applies to how fast Oma's foot is healing, the progress of our top floor remodel, and my walking pace these days after a nasty back injury. Silver lining for Oma has been her necessary slow walks in front of our house with her crutches and rests on our front porch which have resulted in Oma holding court on Irving street.  She has met so many new faces to keep her friendly social nature occupied.  I'm still looking for the silver lining with my back injury.  It's also the first summer both of us are working full time with kids.  We are far from being in any kind of groove; we are dealing with the daily challenges as they come. We still have plenty of summer adventures to cross off our family wish list with the ~month we have left before school starts up again. Onwards.   

Whirlwind of Activity, 12th Birthday, and One Broken Foot

 I blogged last time about how tough it is to keep up and stay balanced.  It's laughable at this point, defeat accepted, fatigue is constant.  April and May have been a whirlwind of activity, all fun and exciting except for Oma breaking her foot.  Oma has had the roughest go of it since I last blogged.  The mental toll on being wheelchair bound and dependent on others has been rough.  It's hard to imagine just how difficult life must feel; the fact that she feels more isolated and alone now compared to pandemic days weighs on her.  Hopefully she'll be back to taking her walks by August.  

The honeymoon period of working again has worn off.  I'm grateful my work confidence has returned but so has the reminder that I have a hard time turning work off and switching gears back to mom mode or wife mode. There is so much mommying (my friend coins it captaining the domestic ship) I want to do too.  At least the back pain that I was having from too much sitting for work has somehow miraculously disappeared without changing anything. 

The kids started hybrid school. Our 3rd floor remodel started - the noise, the cramped living, the mess - we're making it work.   Lolo came for a surprise weekend visit - feels like a dream with the whirlwind of fun it all was. Super proud of Lily and her performance in a local theater virtual play. Baseball started for Paul and it's been a treat seeing Paul have a blast with his friends. Elise is actually being active and training for a 5K with Girls On The Run a couple days a week.   She says her special foot bothers her sometimes but she still goes and runs.  We are fully vaccinated.  We hosted our first friends indoors for a meal in 14 months.  Lily got her first vaccine dose.  Lily turned 12.

Yup, my first born is now 12.  She wanted to celebrate by making swords, dueling with friends, having a scavenger hunt, and eating lots of ice cream with a few friends.  Lily is persistent, independent, talkative and kind to adults, helpful to others, and incredibly mean to her sister.  She is exploring her "look" both with clothes, hair, and the stage makeup she sneaks on from time to time.  She LOVES the book series Keeper of the Lost Cities, our cats, organizing, decorating, playing tennis (without me these days), and chilling alone in her room with the cats.  I wouldn't call her as much of a hugger anymore but still enjoys me coming to her room for a bedtime chat.  

Moments from April & May

Easter 2021

First day of hybrid school.  Four days a week, 8-10:15 am.  9 kids in their class.  One teacher.

Oma getting some loving from Moxie while elevating her broken foot.  

Lily and Oma 

Snuck a picture of her walking out of middle school on her first day back.  2 days a week.  1:30-4pm.

Lily getting ready for her virtual play.  Part of it was pre-recorded and much of it was live.  We all watched two floors down while Lily worked upstairs.  

Elise has perfected her chai tea latte making skills.  Frothed milk and a sprinkle of cinnamon has now been added to her routine.

Lily's 12th Birthday party

Hosting our dear friends (and now neighbors) indoors.  The hugs and being unmasked indoors was an easier transition than expected. It's the public crowds that still get me. 

3rd grade means player pitch baseball.  Paul has some heat with his throws.  Proud of him.

We physically forced Oma out of the house on Mother's Day for an outing to a nearby park.  She doesn't have much interest to get out even with a wheelchair.  Mother's Day is the one day we didn't accept no for an answer.  Sorry mom.  

Enjoying dinner with Lolo visiting.

Lolo Lolo Lolo.  We love you so.  Thank you SO MUCH for coming out to visit us.  Please move here.  

February/March 2021 - April Changes

Life moves fast enough.  The speed dial cranked up a few notches these last two months.  It's been really tough to keep up, stay balanced, and hold on to perspective on what matters most.  It's definitely a work in progress navigating this new setup of dual full time work schedules and not letting the other areas important to us suffer.  My lower back and bathroom scale has made it loud and clear that my new regimen sucks and changes need to be made. Even with my back killing me and exercise falling to the wayside, I'm so flippin' proud of myself for going for it with this job and my self confidence in the workplace finding its way back to me.   

Even though we feel incredibly boring these days, glad we captured the memories we were able to make together.  Oma and Opa are completely vaccinated.  Nate and I look to be eligible in early April.  Paul and Elise return to school for 2 hours 4 days a week starting 4/5.  Looks like Lily will go back 4/19 for 3 hours 2 days a week.  With Oma and Opa leaving after Easter to head back to Chicago, the logistics to make the new kid schedules work, and a 3rd floor remodel getting underway, it all feels daunting.  

February winter storm in PDX.  Paul pulling Lily up to Washington Park for some city sledding

Always happy when I see our Munich sled being used

Surgery #2 in February - no issues - pleased to report my 18 month gyno-related nightmare is looking to finally be over or at least on pause.

Celebrating the big 5 year cancer free milestone for Oma.  Sushi and champagne of course!

If I don't have the early mornings to myself, this is the next best thing.  Watching Lily and Paul get 7am tennis lessons while I sit back and enjoy.  

Mochi turned 1!

My kids are growing up - found this on a google search.  

           Lily and Paul enjoying a break in the sun while we were at Black Butte Ranch for a few days over Spring Break.  Elise chose to stay home to be spoiled by Oma and Opa and get the cats all to herself.

Glad Nate was able to take Paul and Lily skiing a handful of times this year, ending the season with a couple outings to Hoodoo by Sisters.  Elise and her snowboarding interest from last year didn't present itself this year.  

Paul & Lily's favorite ski run through the trees, they did it probably 20 times.

I guess the cats missed Nate

    I had asked all the kids write about the 1 year COVID anniversary to share with the family a couple weeks ago.  Elise blew my mind.  Below is what she came up with on her own one afternoon.  I would give up ever playing tennis again if it meant Elise would keep writing. I'd give it up if it meant my kids would see the importance of kindness and compassion, especially with each other, to guide their day to day decisions. I know she has so much emotion and thought bottled up inside her introverted and shy self, not wanting to leave the house most days. She declares herself to be a small, quiet town type of girl. She has a gift.

 

January Delight

January treated us just fine. I still smile thinking about Inauguration Day. I am quite pleased with the new tone, communication style, and competent calm energy that is back in the White House as well as celebrating the arrival of our nation's first female VP Kamala Harris.   

Indoor tennis opened up again in limited capacity after an over 2 month hiatus.  It gives us an indoor option again for something we like to do somewhere other than in our home.  A mild Portland winter (so far) has allowed outdoor tennis to happen more than I expected as well as plenty of outdoor playdates.  

I finished month two of working full time from home and all is good there too. Oma is incredibly helpful taking over lunches with the kids.  My parents feel more needed and there is a bit more bonding time happening between them too.  Nate's work from home routine hasn't changed much at this point, just checking in more with Paul and Elise between meetings or trying to get them on task when their horseplay is getting into the ears of people on his conference calls.

Paul really amazed us with sticking to his plan for about a year of saving up all his allowance and extra job money to buy a PS4 console.  I'm proud of him.  Pre COVID, I was a regular in saying how we are a video game free home and intent to stay that way.  Uhhh...not anymore and I don't really care. 

I read this quote by Ross Gay describing parenting (really all adulting) as terror and delight sitting on a bridge next to each other with feet dangling.  January was definitely a month of more simple delights maybe because I chose to focus on them or maybe because delight just won out over terror for a change of pace.

 I'm hopeful February will mark Oma & Opa geting their COVID vaccine and hearing a more concrete plan as to when a school hybrid model will be offered as an option for my kids. We are just weeks away from making it one year since my kids have been inside a school and since Nate has been in his cubicle.

Lily at school

Elise definitely moves around the most and applies the most creativity to her school work spaces. 

                                                                                    

                              Sign on Oma & Opa's door to help remind you know who to mind their manners.

Cleaning day.  They could definitely help out more but happy enough with them doing their chores and a little bit of regular house cleaning help on weekends.

Playing outside mid January 2021 at Willamette Park

Lily was by far the most into Inauguration Day.  So grateful for her interest in it.  

Lily joined her middle school's virtual baking club.  She also took part in a virtual Bday baking "Nailed It" themed birthday party.  

Saturday morning routine breakfast with Oma and Opa.  Now Moxie has regularly been picking a lap to be part of the action.

Random and regular chill afternoon shot in our home.

Paul and his buddy Ben playing tennis at Willamette Park.

Lily learning how to knit from Oma while watching reality TV together.

Lily getting a masked indoor tennis lesson to kick off a Wednesday morning.

Paul holding his brand new PS4