Alex

Joren has changed his name to Alex.he told his Kindergarten teacher that his real name is Alex. She emailed me to ask if it was ok to have his classmates call him Alex.  I told her he would probably change his name 16 more times this year so she better stick to Joren. She got a kick out of his creativity.  I'm so glad he has a great teacher. She could have just told all the kids his name was Alex and now I would be stuck with an Alex!  (not that Alex is a bad name of course.)

Funny friday

"If I had known Joren was so easily hypnotized, I would have eaten more of his ice cream." Eirik

Angels attending

Right before our last flight out of MI, I asked a few of my fiends in passing to say a prayer for me and our three young children in our travels. I used to stress out flying with one baby and I knew flying with three was not going to be a breeze. We spent the last night in MI at the Berwalds house as our house was empty. They were really nice and let us use their guest suite. Kevin dropped us off at the airport and we promised to keep in touch and invited them to the beach house any time they want. When I got to the counter they had trouble checking me in. After a few minutes we realized that my flight had left an hour earlier. "How could it be?" I thought! With something this important, don't you take extra precautions to make sure everything is perfect? Don't you check and recheck flight times?? Well somehow I must have entered my flight time wrong in my phone. How this happened I have no idea but I was astounded to learn that I would be able to try to fly standby on two flights that, if I could board, I would be able to get home just a few hours later. The chances weren't good. They were both full flights and I had 4 people. For one moment I was upset. I said "Heavenly Father, after so many prayers, why couldn't you have just prompted me to look one more time at my tickets??" then I knew that it was not His fault, it was mine and there was only myself to blame and I said a prayer that he would help me get through the day. My typical panic gave way to reassurance and I knew that no matter what happened, that at some point I would get there and that the timing was not really all that important. I consider it a miracle that we were able to board both flights and arrive in Utah before dark. It was a long day and the children were very good but very tired. As we disembarked I saw a woman turn around and walk back down the gangplank to ask me if she could assist me out to baggage claim. I gladly accepted her kind offer. On our walk I learned that her husband was a stake president and he had taught seminary for years. She had been a stake relief society president. They were the Pendletons. They were so nice and helpful and waited with me until we had our baggage and a place to sit and wait for my parents to arrive. When I turned on my phone I had a text message from Jen Cranney. She said, I prayed that angels would attend you today. I am sure Heavely Father inspired Sister Pendleton to be my angel and I am sure she was not my only assistance. God is always with us. Of this I am sure.

Law family reunion

Although my awesome parents came out to help us move in mid July, they were willing to make the trip out again just one month later for a family reunion. Yes, they must really like us. Katie and Danny drive all the way from Tempe AZ, and Tera and Dave and Andrew drove in another car and Michael and Daniel took the long scenic route through California and met up with us a few days in. Adam and Amy’s family decided to wait until they were recovered from last years trip to California with 4 kids and the flu. Sometimes it takes a few years to forget experiences like that and I don't blame them a bit for not coming, although I hope they will be up for the next reunion here in Oregon. Parents and Katie and Danny got here early in the week and we tried to show them a good time at our new pad and in our new town. We took them on a hike and to Bridgeport for dinner and to Mary S. Young park and my mom and I had a blast as the Street of Dreams! Everyone got to see Pauls new office and the girls all got to go thrift shopping where we all found some great treasures, and then swimming with the kids.
Wednesday we made the gorgeous drive to the beach. I loved driving with my mom and reading together. Eirik and Joren loved riding in grandpas truck listening to Phineus and Ferb songs until Grandpa had had enough of Phineus and Ferb! :)
Of course we stopped at the cheese factory for ice cream and there we got to meet up with the brothers. Oh how I love my brothers! They are all so special and great. Seeing them makes me feel like I make so much more sense. I can tell a lot of time has passed where we have not been a part of each others lives enough because we dont know each other as well anymore, but I look forward to changing that now that we are closer!
After the cheese factory we went to the blue heron to see animals and we all enjoyed the samples in the gift shop. Mom couldn't pass up the jalapeño jelly which is always her favorite, and she also splurged on some Oregon marionberry syrup for our pancake breakfast the next morning. We loved getting right up close to the long haired, long horned yacks or steers, whatever they are, they are majestic and poweful and extraordinary; definitely one of my favorite animals.
Michael made us all laugh doing funny dances. It was just like when we were kids. From there we went to the beach house and everyone was excited to get down to the water. Dad took some golf clubs down to hit some balls. We made lots of designs in the sand and Katie and I enjoyed dancing barefoot making designs. The boys splashed in the water send we all had a wonderful time.
The next day we went to the surf beach and spent hours exploring. The hike up and back was gorgeous. I loved sharing this tradition with my family. In Cannon beach we ate fish and chips and then Katie, Davy, Tera, Juni and I went to galleries for a few hours. I felt pretty spoiled to get to go with no kids for the second time this year! Oh how I love Michael Orwicks paintings in the Dragonfire Gallery! I could sit there looking at them for hours. Instead we went home and ate Danny’s Shephard’s pie (one pan vegan, and one with Tri tip steak). He worked all afternoon on it and it was delicious! And then I did a painting of my own! Having Katie there sewing and my mom there for moral support gave me the courage I needed to paint again. It was very fulfilling and so fun! I woke up so refreshed after painting until 2 AM and then nursing Juni two times before 8. It sounds sarcastic but painting was energizing and it was really helpful to have my mom there. I wish we could paint together all the time.
In the morning my family all surprised me tremendously when almost everyone of them wanted to join me for a morning yoga session! I could not believe it. I had a fabulous time leading yoga for all my siblings and parents. It's been too long since I practiced and it felt great.
We took the crab pots to Garibaldi tot he docks and threw them in. Dad volunteered to stay while we explored the town a bit. We went to some antique stores and thrift shops and took the kids to a Maritime museum to dress up in colonial clothes and see tons of antique guns and ship parts. They liked that. We caught three crabs but they were all too small so Paul drive up in his big truck and threw the kids in the back and went to buy 12 crabs which we took home and steamed up for a great big crab meal. Tara made vegan pepperoni pizza with the pepperoni made from beets! It was delicious! That night we had a campfire. Katie and I figured out that we can sing and sound like the exact same voice. It was astonishing to me how identical we sound! We all shared vacation memories for hours. Someone should have been writing them down. We laughed and laughed. I missed Amy a lot then.

In the morning we packed up and went to Saturdays Market and experienced how Portland is "keeping it wierd" and then waited in a tremendously long line at Salt and Straw for Marrionberry with balsamic vinegar and black pepper ice cream. Tara got ice cream with habanero peppers and Paul ordered olive oil ice cream. They give lots of samples. Different and delicious.

I did two paintings and three yoga sessions and stayed up late hanging out. Everyone helped a lot with the kids and I only had to cook a few meals but I got to eat a lot if great food. It was a wonderful time! I hated to say goodbye to my family and I am so glad they are now in driving distance!
Thank you all for driving here!! Love you!

Sweet June

Juniper is an absolute dream. We all adore her. She has the chubbiest legs, I mean big squishy goodness. She started eating baby food last week. She loves it. I love her determination to grab the spoon and feed herself. She is scooting all over and loving toys and her jumper. Her big pure happiness smiles would melt any heart. It is so fun to dress her in all her darling clothes and I wish I had lots more pictures if all her cute outfits. You can see her wrapped in the new quilt her aunt Katie made for her. Besides her parents, her cousin Jake is her most doting admirer. Jake loves to hold her, carry her around help change and dress her and make her smile. Juni has lots of older brothers and cousins to protect and look out for her. Her hair is growing in and her eyelashes are getting longer and she just gets prettier every day. We love out Juni!

Rockets at the park

Vinegar and baking soda and coke and mentos experiments at the park with our new friends, Christy, Jeffrey, And Katie, and family; Jeanette and Jake.

The best mail prank

This week Joren discovered he could fit himself in the mailbox, contortionist that he is. We all schemed and planned how we could use this exciting knowledge to our benefit. When Paul got home from work today, Eirik subtly asked Paul if he wanted to go get the mail with him. I whispered to Joren to run and get in. As soon as Paul turned the key, Joren poked his head out!pauls reaction was priceless!

Lava flow cave in Bend

Temple FHE and a trip to Bend

Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of Passage. His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a M A N. He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own. The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm. The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man! Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm. We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, God is watching over us, Sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him. Just because you can't see God,
Doesn't mean
He is not there. "For we walk by faith, not by sight."

I read this story about the cherokee to the kids tonight before scripture study. They loved it and Joren promptly put his coat on to go outside and become a man. I told him he had to wait till his father was willing to sit on a stump all night in silence for him. :)
The boys are doing great letting me teach them piano lessons every day. I have been practicing every day too.

Last night we went to Deseret book for family home evening and splurged on all the things I have always wanted for the family. We got a children's songbook so We can play primary songs. We got an FHE manual and two games about articles of faith and the armor of God. And we bought the boys those miniature Books of Mormon. One for each of them with pictures of Jesus for bookmarks. They each picked out little leather journals with pencils that look like sticks that they can use as gratitude journals. The kids were so excited about their new things and so was I! We went down the street to the gorgeous Portland temple and had a FHE lesson out of our new FHE book right on the lawn of the temple and we sang, "count your many blessings" and wrote in our gratitude journals. To top off a perfect night we drove to Grandma Pat and Grandpa Johns house where they graciously let us in for a short lesson and treat. It was really a special night and I could see on the kids faces that they were truly happy.
Paul got called to teach Seminary again!
It's the Book of Mormon curriculum this year so our family is going to get immersed. Patty gave us a special Book of Mormon with extra teachings and definitions and pictures in it to use for our family study. Joren and I have been doing reading lessons every day that we are home and today he read his first verse of scripture. He was really excited.
I just learned that the church released a new temple video? I guess it is 15 minutes longer and I hear it is wonderful. Patty worked at the temple this morning where it showed for the first time in Portland. I can't wait to call her tomorrow. Our stake conference had a special meeting that was part of stake conference that happened in the temple chapel tonight. I didn't learn about it until 3:00 and Paul had a special drug rep dinner where he got to meet the head of OHSU Derm society (the guy who wrote half of Paul's textbooks) at one of the fanciest restaurants in Portland tonight, so we unfortunately missed it. I'm sure it was pretty special and I'm sad we missed it.

This last weekend we were in Bend, Or. It's a pretty magical place where there are gorgeous roundabouts instead of stop lights. Each one has a different beautiful giant sculpture of some kind. The landscape is high alpine with sage and aspen and lots of Juniper. It's breathtaking. We stayed with Paul's sister Jeanette for the weekend with three extra cousins; Jake, Luke and Grant. 6 boys under 10! Needless to say it was CRAZY, but fun too. While Paul was at derm meetings, Jeanette and I took all the boys to a cool cave that takes a whole hour to walk to the end. I was carrying Juniper in the front pack and holding a kerosene lantern with the other. Jeanette was holding Teigs hand and our second lantern. The boys were all trying to freak each other out and Teig was talking about bears the whole time. We had them
make monster shadows on the wall with sounds to go with their monster one at a time. Jorens was the funniest as he played a psychotic monkey. eek! At one point we descended a deep stairway with a metal handrail. I told the boys to imagine there was no light and asked them how they would get down. Then I told them they needed the iron rod just like they need the word of God to be safe in life. Then we sang "the iron rod". When Luke started talking about Goblins and I started thinking about if someone sprained their ankle and I had to try to carry Juni, a lantern and a kid out, I decided it was time to turn the party around and get the.... out of there! :).
We also went on hike to a slow river where the kids all got muddy and everyone gawked at our huge dog. And we visited a lava flow and climbed an ancient volcano. What a great weekend!
We have had such a charmed summer!

The last two days have been, what feels like our first slow days of our whole summer. We have been out of the house or with family or had company staying with us almost every single day since we moved here!! It had been amazing and I will admit.. Exhausting. The past two days I spent hours going through closets preparing for school clothes. The boys were really excited to go school supply shopping last night and to pack their backpacks. I love having them home with me and we have really all grown much closer over this summer, but I will admit, I am really looking forward to school beginning in two weeks!
Life is good. Life is great . We have lots to CELEBRATE!

Dermatology conference in Bend

Tonight I drowned my frustrations by eating my weight in steak at a dermatology conference in Sun River, OR. Bend and Sun River are stunningly gorgeous. I am totally in love with this area. We brought the kids to visit Jeanette, Paul's sister for the weekend. They've been hooligans. I've been distraught. They make me bonkers. It was only one piece of steak, but relished my two hours away and while I intensely focused on my roasted pear and chestnut salad, Paul schmoozed like a champ meeting all the local dermatologists. I kept my mouth shut most if the time so I didn't make a fool of myself and mostly just gawked at the gorgeous smart people and the beautiful scenery. This is one of those days when I wake up and say, "how did I get here to this crazy juncture in life with 4
Kids and a giant bear that lives IN our house.. In Oregon. Really.. Who am I and how did I get here???

Teigs potty training logic

I told you I need to go number 7. #7 is poop. I just have a pee pee bum.