Has it been a month already???

Let's see...where do we begin?
I turned 30.
Hazel turned 9 months.
We had our 1st Thanksgiving that we actually hosted (thank you Ricky for smokin' the turkey).
Hazel learned to crawl (or fish dive across the floor) and pull herself up on to things.
Oscar lost two more teeth, he is beginning to resemble a really old man or a jack O' lantern. One of his lost teeth he thinks he swallowed during snack time at school.
Poppy started dance classes again and is treating the world like it is one big stage.
Ricky is busy with with work and training for another marathon with a couple of his teenage rivals, I'm constantly in awe at those boys speed and determination!
I have completed two R.S. activities with a very small committee.
Auntie Rosa is finishing up her senior year here with us, and we get to have a built in helper around the house...very handy especially when running Oscar to school for early morning Spanish and reading buddies.
What more can I say? Things have been a bit busy and although I have been checking my email, I just hadn't downloaded any of our pictures from the month until today...The memory card was full. Therefore, I had to empty it to make room for more pictures today.
Maybe I'll get back into the blog world...I now have candy train decorating pictures to download. Supposing my children don't go into a sugar induced coma, I may attempt to post those tomorrow. We shall see.
Life is good...we are gearing up for the holidays and I am seriously amazed that my kids are suddenly so big!!! How is it possible that we have lived here for almost 4 years??? Crazy!

Off to bed I go to start the last week before winter break...bracing myself for the overload...ah, but then we get two full weeks off of school. This may be a blessing or a curse...we may be spending a lot of time at the pool, science center or the library.

Did I Mention She's Eating Solids???

Really Fun Project

Visit this sight for a fun paper doll template.

October...Catch up style...

Grandma and Grandpa Edge came to town just before Poppy's birthday. I believe this may have been the first time in many years that grandma Edge has had her toenails painted. Poppy was pleased to have her undivided attention. It was great having them in town for a few days.
How I missed blogging about Poppy's 4th birthday I don't know, but she had it. She is now a four year old. Which basically means she gets to eat four bites of her dinner, instead of three. It seems to be working...she suddenly has now grown out of the clothes I just bought her last month. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the four bite rule...
Auntie Rosa has come to live with us for a while, and followed Poppy by turning 18! We had a grand ol' party to ring in her adulthood. It's been fun having her around. It's always nice when you have one more reader to read books!

Grandma and Grandpa Dilworth came to town to bring aunt Rosie's stuff. The kids enjoyed getting to see them for a short little visit. I think we need grandparents to come visit more often! (hint...hint)


Oscar in now officially a hillbilly...he's sporting his new look around town. I can't believe he is 7 1/2!!!! He is such a great kid! Who ever thought that I would have kids that actually loose teeth?? It seemed like it would never happen to me!
More Documentation that the girls are loving having auntie Rosa around.

Ummmm...chocolate chip cookies...

Hazel has managed to make it to her 7th month! She is eating real food, loves drinking water from my glass, can semi-crawl, gives some great belly laughs at her siblings and the dog, and is such a fun girl. And she has mastered the stand on hands trick.
Oscar is in his last week of fall soccer and although he is going to miss his awesome coach and really fun team, I am pretty ready for soccer to take a break. It's getting colder and darker outside, and it will make getting homework done so much easier!
This is his first year where I think he has really learned to love playing soccer as a sport, rather than a recreational playtime. One more sign that he is getting older...
Overall things are going well, busy but good.

Change...

Here's my recent bonus check(see link for details) ...at least I have one right?

Each year about this time, I play the game of wondering at what point I should bring in the remainder of my garden to protect it from the frost. I bask in the harvest and try to delay the laying of my garden to rest until the last possible moment.
It begins with the shortened days, followed by a distinct familiar crispness in the air. My hunger for fresh tomatoes and salsa subsides (but never leaves) and I begin to crave the comfort of warm soups and a fresh baked loaf of bread. Apples suddenly are the fruit of choice, and the strawberries and raspberries of summer have been laid to rest in the depths of my freezer. I eat one more bite of watermelon knowing it will be sometime before I truly appreciate it's refreshing cool on a summer's day...on and on it goes, each piece in exchange for another.
I often think of my life in the same way, a season of experience/change that will be followed by another. Each one with a distinct flavor and familiarity, that when gone, will leave me with a sense of longing and fondness. They may hold a distinct touch of sadness, excitement, joy or pain, that when laid to rest will linger in my being for the rest of my life.
I enjoy change, I enjoy the blank canvas that gets placed before me, ready for that first brushstroke. I often fear the uncertainty of the stroke, but generally marvel at the completed picture.
A wise woman once told me (Merilee George) that her grandmother told her to embrace every season of life because when it is gone we are unable to get it back. This I too believe, and hope to embrace. Because much like the change in the season, I believe we can feel the change in the air and we can prepare ourselves for the season that is just around the corner. Let us soak in its warm and bundle up for the cold. Whatever the season, let us greet it with a open heart and a willing hand. To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

Hazel bird...six-plus months

Ummmm...Solid Foods...Peas are the favorite so far.

Still loves the Bjorn! Transitioning more to the pack pack...(to grabby for the bjorn) I fear she may burn her hands while cooking with me.

Loves to suck her thumb...especially with a blankie.

Still loves her mamma...I pretty much adore her too! I can't help but snuggle and kiss her sweet little face. She also loves to grab my hair and pull my face into her mouth. It really is like a big wet kiss. It's like she can't help but attack me too. Symbiotic snuggles.

(Click on the picture so you can see the thumb and blanket in action)
...and yes, lucky for us she still loves the bike trailer/stroller.

Oh and she has her first tooth.

We all seem to gravitate to her. Poppy tried changing her diaper yesterday (without my knowledge) she actually did a pretty good job. I was pretty glad however that it wasn't stinky.
Oscar loves to make her smile. Today after school he took her out of her swing and downstairs so that he could have her all to himself. I finally made him share her with Poppy. The two of them have competitions to see who can make her laugh and smile the most. It usually ends with Hazel crying in confusion.
Hazel can roll both ways and can do a great shoulder bridge. I think she may be a future Yoga instructor. She doesn't quite sit unassisted yet but is working on it.
I can't believe it has been six months! Where has it gone? Why haven't I posted all of the cute stuff you do??? It must be because you are baby #3. Gradually I am resuming normal mother mode...it just seems to have become a bit busier.
Hazel, if we have any more children it will be because you are so adorable! She truly is a great babe and I am so grateful for my three really great kids.

Poppy's Golden First Day...

THE GOLDEN SHOES...

The Golden girl...

This is how I left her...completely content.

I either raise well adjusted children who have no problem leaving their mother...or I have terrorized them so much that they are happy to escape my company. I'm thinking the latter. Howeve,r I do love that they are excited to see me at the end of their day. After biking over to get Poppy from pre-school (I got held up at a light, yes the one light between here and there, I was the last parent to arrive)...she asks me "why did it take you soooo long to get here?" I was only 2 minutes late.
She had a great first day. She said on her note that they sent home, that she was special "because she is nice". What a cute girl.
When I arrived back home and put Hazel down for her nap, it was eerily quiet. So quite in fact, that instead of surmounting my abundance of stacked up projects, I took a nap. I like to think I was much more productive after said nap, but probrably not. It did feel nice though.

That girl...

I'm pretty sure this girl thinks Chocolate is a essential food group. I wonder what the food and drug administration would say bout that? I decided to make today a no-chocolate day for her...only because she is asking for it with every meal...What can I say? She takes after her dad.

2nd grade...

There he goes...

Off on his own...

Away to 2nd grade!
I can't believe I have a 2nd grader!!! He has grown so much!

As for us girls...

Today we:
Read scriptures/prayed while eating breakfast
Did 4 batches of laundry (technically 3 since one is still out on the line)
DEEP cleaned two bathrooms
Vacuumed the living room, hallway and bedroom
Made dinner
Went to the library
Went to Shopko for Poppy Back to school shopping (golden, sparkly shoes were purchased...)
Read a bunch of books
Took a walk to see Oscar home from school

We certainly miss Oscar while he is away...but man, I am much more productive when we are back on schedule. It's not like a whole lot has changed, I'm thinking it has something to do with the fact that I am no longer attempting to cram everything possible into our last few weeks of summer. I can finally chill on the extracurricular activities and go back to my regular routines. I hope I can keep it up!

Trip up North

One week ago we were up North in the land of Canadians...It was my Mom's family reunion and it had been nine years since I had been up there. That may not bee strange for most of you considering that Rick had never been across the boarder, but to me, it was a visit long overdue. Growing up my family would make the yearly trek to Canada for our Oertli reunion. We would often travel through Glacier National park and camp along the way.
It was strange needing passports to cross the boarder considering that when I was last there all we needed to do was state our business, a few questions and we were on our way. That was in the pre 9/11 days.
We would typically stay at my Aunt Rosemarie and Uncle Heber's house. It was this huge beautiful log cabin house that my uncle built himself. The house was close to the old man river and we would spend plenty of time jumping from the train bridge or riding the zip-line from the bridge down into the river.
We would also frequently go hiking and packing with the horses into the mountains. Rarely did we leave Canada without a fun-filled summer experience. This was largely in part to the hospitality of my Aunt and uncle and other fun spirited family.
I should also note that we typically did the journey in our trusty old Travelall car (the pre-suburban)...my parents would put int he coolers sleeping gear and clothes and then we would all pile in on top of the mattress they would place over the top. I'm talking serious car cramming. We also often had a flat tire or car trouble of some sort...but that is a whole other story.
My aunt Rosemarie passed away while we were living in Ohio and since then my other aunt Sylvia had passed away too. The log house has long been sold and much of the things I loved about our trips are no longer accessible to us now.
It was strange driving those roads filled with wonderful, beautiful memories and when we arrived, partiality due to poor weather and the time/life that has taken place since then, it was a whole different experience.
The last time I was there was the spring before I got married, my Grandma had passed away and it was a trip for a funeral and not the usual vacation variety. That Fall I was married and in the past nine years a whole lot has happened. Not just for me, but for everyone.
I felt like I was going home. I loved seeing the people and catching up. I loved seeing their kids that I have never met and just sitting back a watching how life moves on.
On many levels it was sad too. I miss my Aunts, I miss the continuity that existed from year to year. I missed hiking those hills, and playing in the river. I wanted things to stay just the same...

(Hazel sporting her Montana shirt Mark Feltis gave her, Hey mark...here she is in Montana!!)

We left Wednesday night after Rick got home from work and traveled into glacier National Park. We set up camp at 12:30 am in a down pour of rain. We tried to find a hotel and had no luck finding any vacancies. I had come down with a whole body illness (later to discover that it probably was mastitis)...We set up tent and crashed. It was wet and cold. Not the vision of the great glacier trip where we could hike into some back lakes and do some fishing, or nice so that I could ride my bike up Logan pass...no it was wet and cold the majority of the time we were there.
We woke the next morning and the boys attempted some fishing in Lake McDonald in the rain. Poppy and I tagged along but I really felt like every piece of my body just wanted to cave.

(Don't be fooled by the picture...it was raining)

We decided we would ride the transit system through the park (which took up 4 hours of our day) to be able to see the park, but not out in the rain. My head was throbbing and the bus kept going over bumps since there was a bunch of construction going on in the park.


That evening by the time we got back to camp thing cleared up for a short period of time. We decided we would go get something warm for dinner that we didn't have to cook ourselves. After dinner we were greeted with a nice sunset and the kids got to skip rocks into the lake.



The next morning i amazingly woke up to feeling much better...My head still hurt but my body wasn't hurting so bad. I was still holding out hope that I might be able to bike up the pass...that is, until there was a bit more rain and fog.
We drove to the top of the pass and decided that rain or not it was time to take a little hike.

We took the highline trail, very pretty but there are some serious drop-offs and some hose/chain that i made the kids hold onto for safety sake.

Here is poppy holding on, if you look close you can see Oscar ahead of her.
By the time we got back to the car the fog had rolled in and there was no way i was going to bike down the back side with little visibility. We decided it was time to head to Canada.

We were some of the first to arrive and it was great getting to see my Aunt Verena and Uncle dean. She and My mom were the two who put together this reunion. We set up our tent while the rain was still holding back and then we did a bit of shopping. It was delightful getting to buy salt and vinegar chips in a box as well as ketchup flavored potato chips...those go back to some of my earliest memories of Canada. We went through three boxes...
We stopped by the Cardston Temple and were sad to see that it was closed for updates. It is such a pretty temple. We were even lucky enough to see an own perched up in one of the windows...if you look at the picture he was in the upper left window.

Saturday Morning began with a big family breakfast with loads of cousins... many we were meeting for the first time. We cleared away the tables in the lodge and played a bunch of indoor games. It was fun seeing all of the kids together. The only good thing about the rain was that it forced us all to be in fairly close quarters...well, some of us would have preferred a bit more space...but I'm just saying that if you want to get to know people again, nothing like some close quarters will give you reason to get to know each other.
Poppy got her fill of Auntie Rosa time...She was quick to make friends and to snuggle up to the cousins. Oscar too, found some to play with.
I sadly didn't take more pictures...I guess it was because I was busy being with everyone.
I would sit back, watch and just be dumbfounded with the amount of change that can take place in what seems a fairly short period of time. I yearned for the past. We looked at pictures of times ago and realized that they were great times. We were/are an eternal family. These people are the posterity of two really wonderful people who immigrated to Canada from Switzerland sixty years ago. This was their legacy.
On so many levels this trip was less than ideal, especially int he sick/weather departments, but on the other hand it was a coming home for me. I was once again back into the country of my mom and of my grandparents. It may not have been ideal but I now have a sense of peace. I hope to go back again, maybe with more favorable conditions (would someone please stop the global warming???), and although things won't be the same, i still want to be connected to my past and for my kids to know their heritage.
Ricky was a good sport and went with me to the land op north to see a bunch of people he didn't know and endured it well. I may have to go solo next time...we shall see.

Nine years ago today...

We got hitched! I'm a lucky girl.

Oregon trip

After repeated failed attempts to embed the sideshow here, I managed to post it to the top of my blog...who knows how long I will keep it there. So it is now a function on my blog, rather than a post. It was a great trip with some great memories.

Backwards Biking Babe!

Sunday on our bike/walk...

I noticed that not only was Poppy's shirt backwards, but her pants and shoes were too...

She didn't even notice, she just strutted her stuff like the bicycle queen that she is...Oh, and she seems to have developed strong legs again...some of you may remember the days of her not wanting to get strong legs. She is now on her way to really being a tough girl!