Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Willowbrook!!
I just dropped off my boys at this wonderful arts camp. I wanted to stay and make art too. Pottery, dance, film, theater, puppetry, origami... Tons more ..and the kids get to pick where to spend time! Walking through the camp felt like I was going to my long lost home. I love artists. There were lots of bearded men with weird clothes and instruments and hats. There were people in their pajamas and wearing layers of funky clothes with born shoes or keens in bright colors. There were hand painted signs all over and bin rage sheets with flower prints as backdrops. There were thousands of origami birds and woven fairy art and tassels and castles and drippy paint. It was my kind of place. I must figure out how I can work there!
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Monday, July 22, 2013
Day at Grandparents
The kids got to spend the afternoon at Pat and Johns house. I was so thrilled to have an afternoon to get some business done that I would not have cared if they watched tv the whole time so imagine my delight when I went to pick them up and the kids couldnt wait to show me that grandpa had made balloon animals, and parachute rope bracelets with them. Grandma had given them each an old cell
Phone and to Eirik a Bluetooth. She had also helped them transplant beans into pots they could take home. They got to eat popcorn, macaroni, root beer floats, and carrots and grapes. Now that is what we have been missing!! That's why we moved by family!
Phone and to Eirik a Bluetooth. She had also helped them transplant beans into pots they could take home. They got to eat popcorn, macaroni, root beer floats, and carrots and grapes. Now that is what we have been missing!! That's why we moved by family!
Sectional
I'm having nightmares that I chose the wrong sectional. I have been dreaming about buying a sectional for so many years and finally got to go and pick one and I am worried that in my anticipation I just blew the whole thing! I picked the style below in a tan color. I was sold because they have a 5 year warranty on the fabric. No matter what happens to the fabric they will come out and clean it for us or replace it. I thought that was a pretty amazing deal and so even though I was not in love with any of the fabrics I went with it because of the great warranty and because it was a six week lead time and I just wanted to get it orderded. I am supposed to be really good at choosing furniture right? Well my practical working knowledge is way behind my theory and a little experience in the furniture buying world is going to go a long way for me. I have tons of confidence buying second hand, but new and custom, well that's all new to me and my hours and hours and hours of shopping online did not prepare me for the anxiety of finally getting to choose the couch of my dreams.
Didn't I just write about not caring about the things of this world too much?? This is a great sectional right? Will it look great in tan with white and tweed pillows??? Why in the world do I second guess myself so much??
Didn't I just write about not caring about the things of this world too much?? This is a great sectional right? Will it look great in tan with white and tweed pillows??? Why in the world do I second guess myself so much??
I like to make stuff.
Joren was having a hard time going to sleep tonight so i laid next to him and let him talk. This is what he said: "I like fossils. I like whale teeth. I like sculptures. I like to make stuff. Can I please sign up for willow brook? That's going to be my thing. I like to make stuff. Mom, how do you make liquid? Like water? Who made God? I like to know stuff. Knowledge. I want to know the future. "
Today we had Sunday dinner at Pat and Johns. They serve dinner on their lovely collected china sets and each child gets a tiny miniature tea set at their place. They absolutely love it and my kids had no interest in eating the roast and pototoes but loved the tea sets and cousin time. I enjoyed talking to grandpa Rallison. I can't help but wonder each time I see him if it will be my last. Last week when we saw him at Ben and Kim's house I said" grandpa, we want to come visit you at your house." he said: "we'll don't wait too long." with a twinkle in his eye. His stroke has made him forget names, nouns and numbers but he is still sharp as a whip and very funny. I watched him struggle to eat. It took him a long time and could not cut up his food without a lot of difficulty but he would never have let us help him. He refuses to stop driving even though he probably shouldn't be. He fell and hurt his hip this week. He was concerned about it but would not see the doctor because he said, "knowing what is wrong is not going to change anything." Paul told him he had a skin cancer on his ear and grandpa looked at Paul and said "well thanks a lot" with his sparkling eyes. He said something like "well when people get old these things happen, and now I'm one of them".
Today in Sunday School we learned that if someone is righteous they are on the right side of God or their will is in line with the Father. Someone who sins is simply someone who does not do what the Father says. The main reasons people are not righteous are because they are worried about the things of this world or the honor of men. I have spent the day considering how much I care about the things of this world or the honor of men. I a have always been a people pleaser. I lost my temper today. I will spend my week considering my motivations in more detail. I also plan to think about how I can be more decisive, spin my wheels less, and be more action oriented when it comes to making my dreams happen. I want to take some risks and I need some good plans.
I never stop thinking about making art. I have two large boxes full of art that I am not even going to hang on my walls in this house. Most of it is just not good enough but also I just have too much art, but I still want to make more. Why? I'm like Joren. I just want to make stuff! I'm not focused. I'm scatterbrained. I don't remember things. And I am completely obsessed with color. That's just who I am even when I try to run from it.
Today we had Sunday dinner at Pat and Johns. They serve dinner on their lovely collected china sets and each child gets a tiny miniature tea set at their place. They absolutely love it and my kids had no interest in eating the roast and pototoes but loved the tea sets and cousin time. I enjoyed talking to grandpa Rallison. I can't help but wonder each time I see him if it will be my last. Last week when we saw him at Ben and Kim's house I said" grandpa, we want to come visit you at your house." he said: "we'll don't wait too long." with a twinkle in his eye. His stroke has made him forget names, nouns and numbers but he is still sharp as a whip and very funny. I watched him struggle to eat. It took him a long time and could not cut up his food without a lot of difficulty but he would never have let us help him. He refuses to stop driving even though he probably shouldn't be. He fell and hurt his hip this week. He was concerned about it but would not see the doctor because he said, "knowing what is wrong is not going to change anything." Paul told him he had a skin cancer on his ear and grandpa looked at Paul and said "well thanks a lot" with his sparkling eyes. He said something like "well when people get old these things happen, and now I'm one of them".
Today in Sunday School we learned that if someone is righteous they are on the right side of God or their will is in line with the Father. Someone who sins is simply someone who does not do what the Father says. The main reasons people are not righteous are because they are worried about the things of this world or the honor of men. I have spent the day considering how much I care about the things of this world or the honor of men. I a have always been a people pleaser. I lost my temper today. I will spend my week considering my motivations in more detail. I also plan to think about how I can be more decisive, spin my wheels less, and be more action oriented when it comes to making my dreams happen. I want to take some risks and I need some good plans.
I never stop thinking about making art. I have two large boxes full of art that I am not even going to hang on my walls in this house. Most of it is just not good enough but also I just have too much art, but I still want to make more. Why? I'm like Joren. I just want to make stuff! I'm not focused. I'm scatterbrained. I don't remember things. And I am completely obsessed with color. That's just who I am even when I try to run from it.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Hosting Kristen's 30th!
We hosted our first Aanderud family gathering at our house last night.
This is why we moved here and it was great. It was a fun birthday party for Kristen. Happy 30th!
This is why we moved here and it was great. It was a fun birthday party for Kristen. Happy 30th!
Friday, July 19, 2013
Another perfect day
Another gorgeous day. Jorens last day of sports camp. Eirik bought me a frame at a garage sale. Paul and I met with 5 contractors at the office to get bids on all of the work we want to have done.
Pizza at round table with Grandma Pat and Grandpa John. We took the kids to Costco to get goodies for aunt Kristen's birthday party at our house tomorrow. Eirik wanted to buy us all ice cream with his allowance. On the way home we stopped to check out our third Marshall arts studio. It was perfect so we signed the boys up for a 3 week trial period. It's expensive but you should have seen our adorable boys working so hard to impress Master Lee. They showed their best manners, their hardest punches and their loudest giiups. (I don't know how I spell that). They were so elated when I told them I paid for a trial period. Eirik offered to do 8 extra jobs tomorrow and said we were the best parents in the world. I did feel pretty awesome, but it's not me, it's Paul that is amazing. I remember wanting so bad to go to gymnastics when I was a kid but classes were $40/ month and it was too much for our big family. I was the oldest of six and it was too hard for my mom to take me into town dragging along my 5 siblings. I was so disappointed. I remember having to quit right before our first tournament. I hope my parents don't feel bad when they read this. I understand perfectly what a huge sacrifice that would have been for my whole family. I would have loved to do more dance, art, martial arts, sports, everything and I am so excited that money won't hold my kids back from opportunities. I am also reeling with excitement when I look through the west linn parks and recreation booklet at all the classes, camps and workshops offered. My lucky kids!! The Tae Kwon do program we chose requires that the kids earn good attitude stripes from their parents at home before they can test for their next belts. That also have stripes they earn for good schoolwork which their teachers have to sign, and stripes for book reading! I love it!
Tonight while eating sundaes in front of Costco I played "would you rather" with Teig and he answered all of my questions with the most an animated face and loud intensity. He was spitting on me in excitement. I was dying with how cute he was. Tonight Joren told me a bedtime story about super owls that had 3rd senses which were super powers. The super owls made houses for all the other owls and shared their big homes with them so they were all big happy families. I spied on them after they were supposed to be going to sleep and they were being sneaky and looking out the window and making up spooky stories about what was out in the distance. Then they dared each other to go downstairs. It was fun to watch them scheming and even more fun to startle them when they tried to sneak out. Eirik read his first chapter books tha week. I gave him a dollar. Thank you West Linn library!
Teig says breakfast:bekast
I called the tv remote a camote.
He says "I have to show you funsing"
Pizza at round table with Grandma Pat and Grandpa John. We took the kids to Costco to get goodies for aunt Kristen's birthday party at our house tomorrow. Eirik wanted to buy us all ice cream with his allowance. On the way home we stopped to check out our third Marshall arts studio. It was perfect so we signed the boys up for a 3 week trial period. It's expensive but you should have seen our adorable boys working so hard to impress Master Lee. They showed their best manners, their hardest punches and their loudest giiups. (I don't know how I spell that). They were so elated when I told them I paid for a trial period. Eirik offered to do 8 extra jobs tomorrow and said we were the best parents in the world. I did feel pretty awesome, but it's not me, it's Paul that is amazing. I remember wanting so bad to go to gymnastics when I was a kid but classes were $40/ month and it was too much for our big family. I was the oldest of six and it was too hard for my mom to take me into town dragging along my 5 siblings. I was so disappointed. I remember having to quit right before our first tournament. I hope my parents don't feel bad when they read this. I understand perfectly what a huge sacrifice that would have been for my whole family. I would have loved to do more dance, art, martial arts, sports, everything and I am so excited that money won't hold my kids back from opportunities. I am also reeling with excitement when I look through the west linn parks and recreation booklet at all the classes, camps and workshops offered. My lucky kids!! The Tae Kwon do program we chose requires that the kids earn good attitude stripes from their parents at home before they can test for their next belts. That also have stripes they earn for good schoolwork which their teachers have to sign, and stripes for book reading! I love it!
Tonight while eating sundaes in front of Costco I played "would you rather" with Teig and he answered all of my questions with the most an animated face and loud intensity. He was spitting on me in excitement. I was dying with how cute he was. Tonight Joren told me a bedtime story about super owls that had 3rd senses which were super powers. The super owls made houses for all the other owls and shared their big homes with them so they were all big happy families. I spied on them after they were supposed to be going to sleep and they were being sneaky and looking out the window and making up spooky stories about what was out in the distance. Then they dared each other to go downstairs. It was fun to watch them scheming and even more fun to startle them when they tried to sneak out. Eirik read his first chapter books tha week. I gave him a dollar. Thank you West Linn library!
Teig says breakfast:bekast
I called the tv remote a camote.
He says "I have to show you funsing"
Thursday, July 18, 2013
A Whole New Life
It's killing me that I have not been blogging this tremendous month of our journey. Every day has been an exciting new adventure so attempted below is an account of our move across the country, our stop in Utah to partake in pure happiness, a whirlwind of unpacking, then a week of 4th of July fun at the beach, followed by two weeks of getting settled into our new life. What a trip it has been!
Catching up will take quite an effort, so let me start today by writing about today.
Joren is in Shorty Sporty camp this week at this incredible park in our town. He is learning about softball and listening and following directions. While he has been in camp, Eirik, Teig, Juni and I have spent our time exploring. The park has a splash pad and a skate park and basketball court in the woods. And it also has a trail. In Oregon when there is a nature trail, it is nothing ordinary. Every step is tremendously beautiful. I could not stop taking pictures and exclaiming loudly how gorgeous every single view is. We walked down a big gorge and up the other side. My boys loved discovering 6" lime green banana slugs. It has been sunny and a perfect upper 70s lower 80s range of temperatures since we moved in. It could really not be more perfect weather. After our picnic lunch we went to check out some Tae Kwon Do studios, and then went to get ourselves a library card. We were all impressed by the new, beautiful library with two stories and a giant children's section. Joren loved that there are big statues outside. I read to the kids and Teig fell asleep in my lap. A minute later he crawled into Juni's carseat and the rest of us read until he had slept for a good hour. I tried to carry Teig in the carseat with Juni in the other hand to the checkout counter. We are a bit of a sight everywhere we go with such a brood. I love it actually. If only everyone were so lucky to have 4 gorgeous kids tagging along with them.
Tonight after we all relaxed and had dinner we all walked to the skatepark by our house. This is not like any skatepark I have ever seen. It has deeper ramps, steaper pitches and tons of valleys. Joren has been dying to try it out. He has asked almost every day. He had all his gear and lots of courage, but he did not have the right teachers. Paul and I couldn't begin to show him how to skate that park. So I texted my bros and told them they had their work cut out for them when they come. Tor was FREAKING out while Joren was trying to skate. I think he could tell it was dangerous. I was a bit worried too. He is only 5 after all.
On our way home we ran into a bunch of wild blackberry bushes. We all ate handfulls of giant sweet balckberries, from bushes in our neighborhood!! I NEveR!!
I can't begin to explain how absolutely amazing it is to live here. Every day is filled with new delights. I tell my kids all the time to pinch me because I can't believe we actually get to live in a place that feels like a resort every single day. Unbelievable! I am one lucky girl!
Catching up will take quite an effort, so let me start today by writing about today.
Joren is in Shorty Sporty camp this week at this incredible park in our town. He is learning about softball and listening and following directions. While he has been in camp, Eirik, Teig, Juni and I have spent our time exploring. The park has a splash pad and a skate park and basketball court in the woods. And it also has a trail. In Oregon when there is a nature trail, it is nothing ordinary. Every step is tremendously beautiful. I could not stop taking pictures and exclaiming loudly how gorgeous every single view is. We walked down a big gorge and up the other side. My boys loved discovering 6" lime green banana slugs. It has been sunny and a perfect upper 70s lower 80s range of temperatures since we moved in. It could really not be more perfect weather. After our picnic lunch we went to check out some Tae Kwon Do studios, and then went to get ourselves a library card. We were all impressed by the new, beautiful library with two stories and a giant children's section. Joren loved that there are big statues outside. I read to the kids and Teig fell asleep in my lap. A minute later he crawled into Juni's carseat and the rest of us read until he had slept for a good hour. I tried to carry Teig in the carseat with Juni in the other hand to the checkout counter. We are a bit of a sight everywhere we go with such a brood. I love it actually. If only everyone were so lucky to have 4 gorgeous kids tagging along with them.
Tonight after we all relaxed and had dinner we all walked to the skatepark by our house. This is not like any skatepark I have ever seen. It has deeper ramps, steaper pitches and tons of valleys. Joren has been dying to try it out. He has asked almost every day. He had all his gear and lots of courage, but he did not have the right teachers. Paul and I couldn't begin to show him how to skate that park. So I texted my bros and told them they had their work cut out for them when they come. Tor was FREAKING out while Joren was trying to skate. I think he could tell it was dangerous. I was a bit worried too. He is only 5 after all.
On our way home we ran into a bunch of wild blackberry bushes. We all ate handfulls of giant sweet balckberries, from bushes in our neighborhood!! I NEveR!!
I can't begin to explain how absolutely amazing it is to live here. Every day is filled with new delights. I tell my kids all the time to pinch me because I can't believe we actually get to live in a place that feels like a resort every single day. Unbelievable! I am one lucky girl!
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