OMSI with the Butlers

Josie Pie has yet to visit OMSI, so OF COURSE we had to take her along for some fun! She really enjoyed the childrens play area, as did Norah and Emerson. They spent a lot of time in each area, but I would have to say the fave of the day was the spinning paint wheel. Emerson actually had a complete meltdown when his turn was over, spilling paints all over the floor (yeah, I was feeling like a really good mom). They played in the water, pretending the were chipmunks, made crafts and more. The kids were all really hungry after so much good fun, so we took advantage of the OMSI cafe - yum - Josie propped her bare feet up on the table and Emerson sucked on an onion. We were one classy bunch!

Butler Family Reunion

What happens when you have so many Butlers gather in one place? Nothing quite sane...

This year we gathered for what we hope will become an annual tradition, a summer family camping trip. My mom had planned the trip a good 8 months out - and it was perfect. Everyone met up at Trillium Lake, on Mt Hood. Although the Skogens couldn't make it up for the entire weekend, we surely enjoyed when we were there! Norah did go up and stay with Grammie and Misty although I don't know if anyone was able to sleep during the 2 nights up there. Norah has some interesting stories to tell about the new-to-her kybo situation. At one point she told me that Aunt Misty taught just her to back up and not look down. Her serious delivery had me cracking up for quite some time!

Grandpa DeWitt Soward

Today we recieved the heartbreaking news that Ryan's grandpa, DeWitt Soward, has passed away. He was a wonderful man and a much beloved grandfather. His home was always open to his family and he had a special way of bringing people together. We are so happy that he had the chance to spend time with our children and will especially treasure our most recent visit with him. While we celebrate his life, we already miss him!

Little Zig Zag Falls - Mt Hood, OR

We heard rumor that this hike was perfect for little children, so we headed up to Mt Hood this morning to check it out. The weather was HOT and a hike alongside stream was just right. Both Norah and Emerson pretty much walked the whole way - and Norah carried her own little backback. All right!

Powells Bookstore - Portland, Oregon

This morning we set off with Grammie and Kodiak, not knowing where we would end up. Fortunatly, we ended up at Powells! The last time we had been Emerson was hibernating in me...so this time we (me especially) enjoyed it a lot more. :-) The kids loved the childrens book area and it was about time we came back. As a child we visited Powells regularly, so this brought back many happy memories. And I love the scent of old books - I was in heaven!

What did you say???

Favorite quotes from Norah...

After putting her to bed – repeatedly – “Mama, you have to promise not to be mean to me EVER again.” Go back to bed right now. “Not yet, I still have to talk to you. Will you be mean to me when you close the gate up (the baby gate across the doorway)? No, I’ll be nice to you. “Oh. OK, that’s ok.” 2/3/08
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While washing hair – “Please don’t do that ever again. It will be so scary and take out the twinkle in my eye…” Norah 1/5/08
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“And then I called the Dr and the Dr said you have a little puppy in your tummy! So I went to the Dr and that baby puppy rolled out!” Norah 1/11/2008
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While mom and dad enforce bedtime - “I love you and I don’t want you to be mean to me. I am a talker and I will take care of you. I love you very much.” Norah 1/22/2008
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(Norah, lying on the couch because she keeps waking up her cousins, who are sleeping in her room) My feet can’t touch the floor? That’s weeeeeird. Hmm. Can my finger touch the floor? What about my head? Can my head touch the floor? (No, no part of your body can touch the floor) That’s weeeeird. Can my book touch the floor? Norah 1/17/2008
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When asking for cheese – Mama, I don’t want the sprinkles, I want the floppy one that I can wave around. (aka, a slice) 11/24/2007
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Takes off one of her shoes and waving it around – when asked what she is doing – “I am humping. (WHAT??? What did you say??) I am humping! It’s a whale. I am humping.” 11/25/07
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My heart is by my naked nibbles (aka nipples). 03/21/08
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“Dad, come on, the sweets are waiting for us to eat them” (sneaky - When mom is upstairs and they are alone downstairs) 3/29/08
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“I dressed my doggie up like Cinderella so she could be beautiful like me. She is really adorable! Oh my gosh, her mamma (aka Norah) is freaking out, she is so adorable.” 4/2/08
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Do you know where bees make honey? (Beehives.) You are correct! So Pooh bear can eat it, course. 5/4/08
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May I just make ONE point??? 5/9/08
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While carrying her on my shoulders, during a loooong hike. I asked her to quit choking me. “ Mama, I’m not choking you, I’m protecting your neck from the sun.” 7/13/2008
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Showing me little girl accessories at Gymboree. “Mom, this is so stinkin’ cute. Its so darn adorable!” 7/13/2008
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After spending quite some time making her bed with all her fancy blankets, pillows and dolls. “ It’s a Fancy Nancy Norah bed. It’s for enchanted fairy princesses. You guys have a plain bedroom. I have a fancy bedroom!” 7/13/2008
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“Mom, how do babies come out of your belly button?” (I am deer in headlights, not knowing what to say…) “A baby doesn’t come out of your belly button, a doctor helps it come out of a special baby hole.” YEAH, I came up with the term BABY HOLE!!! Argh. 07/16/08 While playing with her stuffed animals the next day “This is my little friend Mor (most of her made up names somehow relate to her own - Nor, Norf, Mor, etc.). She has a little baby in her belly that came out of her baby hole. Isn’t she so stinkin’ cute?” Oh my…I don’t think I will ever live that down!
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Norah, Emerson and I are rushing through Barnes and Noble, trying to make an emergency potty trip. I accidentally shove a stack of books off a table, whisper “dammit” under my breath, then pick them up and run on. Moments later Norah knocks a book bag off a shelf, whispers “dammit”, then hangs it back up and keeps running. I am flunking motherhood this week! 7/17/2008
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Jones growls at Norah as she tries to pet him “Awww, he purred at me. That was a friendly little hello.” 07/18/2008
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Momma, its just hard for me to stand up when I am dancing through the world”. Norah 7/27/2008

Emersons current fave words...
Kinky – binkey
Buts – button
Pane – plane
Dogk – Dog
Kyak – Kodiak
Ite – Light
Keek – kick
Mama
Dadt - Dad
Ima – Gramma
Chooch – Choo choo train
Jnse - Jones
Nnna - Norah
Nana – banana
Chich – Chicken
Ot! – hot
This and That – just like it sounds...

Zoo Day with the Sevey Family

We enjoyed a special treat today - the Sevey family met us at the Oregon Zoo for a day of fun! The weather was perfect and we all had such a great time. I wish they lived closer!

Monkey see, monkey do - Emerson copied the big kids throughout the day. Here he watched Ian climb up on the gate, then he had to as well.

Yeah - the kids really wanted to pose for a group shot... :-)

Enjoying the Zoo train - during the summer it runs all the way over to the Rose Gardens

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Memories from our day...

First full family trip with the Seveys (little Kimberly Heather came along in utero)

Emerson trying to keep up with everything Ian did

Riding the Zoo train

Spending lots of time checking out the bug exhibit

Finding dinos at the zoo

Emerson's startled reaction at the T-Rex noise

The spitting dino

Norah and Ian barreling down a seemingly cliff-like slide

Stinky bats

Super-cute meerkats

Petting the goats

Watching a hippo open its mouth WIDE

Emerson's first hair cut

Awwww...Iam so sad. :( I had my baby's curls sheared off today! His hair was long enough for a ponytail, so I guess it was past time. Since Norah is gone, we went out together for our own special excursion. E was fascinated with the experience and sat still long enough for the trim. He looks cute, but I miss his baby curls!

Clark County Fair 2008 - Day Two

Today Grandpa came up from Corvallis to meet us at the fair! After showing off N&E's projects, we saw most of the animals and spent a lot of time in the goat section. N&E also enjoyed a ride on the ponys, courtesy of Grandpa. The kids were so thrilled to see him - it was a fun day!! Later that night Grandpa took Norah home with him as she is spending two nights down at G&G's house. This is her first trip away from home and she is pretty excited!

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Our faves from day two...
Playing with Grandpa

More Snakes!

Baby Goats

Painting Fish Scales
Fire Engines
Pony Rides

Baby Llamas

Dock Dogs

Noisy Roosters

Naked Sheep
Tortoises
Hot Dogs

Caramel Apples
Rides with Gramps

Clark County Fair 2008 - Day One

Today was our first day at the 2008 county fair - it was a HOT day with plenty to see. Norah, E and I arrived at 10:30 and left at 5, managing to meet up with most of the local Butler family at some point during the day. Everyone entered something and all came away with ribbons and prizes - Norah received blue ribbons for her Choc Chip Cookies (2nd time recipients!) and beaded bracelet and also received a Best in Show (reserve) ribbon on a great piece of artwork. Emerson made his first entry, a picture titled Lines, Lines, Lines - you'll have to check out the pics - and was awarded a fabulous, multi-colored participants ribbon. I even entered a couple of photos! Yep, we rock.

Our faves from day one...

Snakes

Fire Engines

Pony Rides

Alligators

Tortoises

Silly Pictures

Face Painting

Balloon creations

Irish Sundaes

Corn Dogs

Ribbons

Scary Rides

Not-so-scary Rides

and Family!

Shout Out - R7 Rockstars

This weekend the Pi Phi team I work with convened in Vancouver for our annual team training/retreat. I am SO LUCKY to work with a phenomenal group of specialists! We love serving the collegians and alumnae in Region Seven and are especially pumped for this coming school year!

Look, we are in Hawaii! OK, we are in front of the mighty Columbia River. But it COULD have been Hawaii...we are pushing for an extension opportunity at one of the universities there... ;-)
(L-R, our R7 Rockstars)
Britton "Big BT" - Membership Spec - Seattle WA,
Heather "Skogs" - Director - Vancouver WA,
Pam "Dollar$"- Finance Spec - Eugene OR,
Suzette "Got Fun?" - Programming Spec - Denver CO,
Carly "Sweets"- Operations Spec - Edmonton AB Canada,
Amy "da Krack" - Risk Management Spec - Loveland CO

Box lunch break at Esther Short Park in downtown Vancouver (WA, not BC!)

Our first family camping extravaganza - Detroit Lake

We finally made the jump and took our first family camping trip with the kids! We love camping and have been anxious to go, although leery about how the kids would do. This weekend we took the plunge... It was just an overnighter down at Detroit Lake, Oregon - but perfect to get out feet wet (literally). A few days ago we visited the big G.I. Joes Annual Tent Sale (the man-version of Nordstrom's anniversary sale:-)) and picked up some new family-friendly gear, including a three room tent. LOL - when we packed up the back of the truck before leaving, we couldn't believe how much we ended up taking! Needless to say, we used everything we brought - this is much different then the days of Ryan and I going alone. :-) We also brought our niece Hadley along, as she is great entertainment for the kids (and us). Norah, Emerson and Hadley were great and we can't wait to camp again in a few weeks at the Butler Family reunion!

Things to remember...

A truck bed filled with things for just a one night trip

The mess three children can make with a licorice snack

Putting up a 3 room tent larger than our master bedroom

Emerson's obsession with the fire "HOT"!

Norah and Hadley paddling faaar out into the lake

Emerson signing ball over and over, as he pointed out each and every one of the floating markers

Emerson throwing rocks in the lake - and at his family

Ryan only planning on wading in, but then ending up drenched

Emerson's tent suite and port-a-crib

First family hot chocolate from and by the fire

S'mores made with Nilla wafers

Taking a night-time walk with Norah and Hadley - past the lake and with a stop at the amphitheater for an impromptu dance performance

"Scary" stories by Dad, Mom, Norah and Hadley

Cards by camplight with the girls

Jones' very own camp chair

An hour with Norah chattering away in the dark - and Hadley repeatedly telling her it was time to go to sleep.

Waking up early with Emerson and making breakfast over the fire for when the rest of the crew woke up.

The ride home taking a lot longer than the ride there!

James Taylor - Norah's first concert

What a great first concert! Norah and I snatched up last minute tickets to see James Taylor at the Clark County Amphitheater. We had a great mommy/daughter date. :-) She is a bundle of fun! Norah is familiar with several of JT's songs - and I actually had a couple of very sappy mom moments when I held her on my lap and JT sang Sweet Baby James and You've Got a Friend - two of my fave songs. Yes, I teared up. :-) Norah really enjoyed the band, especially the fiddle player. She was out later than she has ever been before, but still managed to stay up a bit longer and tell Dad about her fun time. A warm summer night with my fave girl in the world - I don't think life gets better than this.

Multnomah Falls

This morning we headed out early for a hike up the Gorge - we love hiking there and usually avoid the more touristy (AKA laden with people) spots, but today we braved the crowds and headed for Multnomah Falls. It was as busy as expected, but so beautiful it was worth it!

Whoa, those are big (the rest of the falls are overhead)
Emerson viewing the scenery- he always has his pointer finger at the ready
a little bit farther up the falls

Taking an apple and drink break at the lodge

A little waterfall we spied along the way

Lewisville River

It was an overcast morning, but with forecast for sun this afternoon, so we took our chances out at the Lewsiville River. Just as expected, it eventually warmed right up! We BBQed lunch, then sat along the river throwing rocks - with a few breaks in between for playing at a toy structure and kicking a ball around

Norah was very worried about EMerson falling in the water - more worried than the rest of us. :-) She collected a bouquet of leaves to decorate our area and even poked them in the trees (you know, since the trees never have leaves) for extra decore.

We've found secluded little nook along the river - just right to park ourselves and hang for a while. Now that we've used it a few times, I beleive it is officially OUR spot.
E could have thrown rocks all day! He has a great tecnique - has to crouch and bounce a little before he musters up the actual throw.

Fancy Feet

Shoe time again for Norah - this time around we deviated from our traditional brown Eccos (yes, she had the same model ever since she began walking at a year) and picked out a NEW walking shoe. Norah is as happy as can be, these have sparkles all over the place and are BLUE - and I am thrilled because they are great for her feet. She had to wear them today with her new, blue, sparkly dress that she and Great-Grandpa bought - we brought these pics over for them today.

Build-a-Bear

We brought Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa on their first trip to BAB - whew, was it a doozy. :-) Great-Grandma really enjoyed her final product (a bunny named Ella Fluffy), as did Norah and Emerson.

Grammie Peggy and Uncle Kodiak joined us for the fun, including a lunch break at Orange Julius...mmm, haven't been there in a long time...its yummy...

Mt. Hood Railroad - Grammie's Birthday Excursion

We enjoyed a most fun birthday trip with Grammie this year - her fave local place to visit is Mt Hood, so we took her on a trip all the way around the mountain. We started the day with a ride down the Columbia River Gorge, to Hood River and the Mt. Hood Railroad. The train took us up to a little town at the base to Mt Hood, O'dell, Oregon. Grammie and Emerson loved the train ride the most! After a picnic lunch on the train we headed the rest of the way around the mountain, with stops at Trillium Lake and Government Camp. We picked up a 4,000 calorie (I think that is probably accurate) maple bar at the Rhodendron Inn, as per Dave's instructions. The kids were GREAT and the day was GORGEOUS! Happy Birthday, Grammie~

Washington Park

Uncle David persuaded us to go on an impromptu picnic up at Washington Park. We ate our spread in the Rose Gardens then went for playtime in the children's area (the old Elephant House). It was HOT, so we finished off the trip with root beer floats in the Shakespeare Garden. I think we really added to the atmosphere... :-)

Emerson's first root beer. Yeah, he loved the sugary goodness. I am deteriorating as a mother - Norah hadn't even tried soda by this age. E has had several tastes now. AHH.

Emerson's fave part was sitting in the front seat of Uncle David's Rubicon - he was mad when we made him get out!

Happy 4th Birthday Ian!

Norah and I made a special trip down to Veneta, Oregon to celebrate Ian's 4th birthday. It was so much fun! Amariah planned a bbq at a community park - it was all bat-themed, as per the birthday boy's request. We didn't want to leave the party!I loved these cupcakes - Amariah is a Martha (without the jailtime):-)

Blowing out his very own bat-cake...
...and licking the bat on top.
The Sevey family with Amariah's side of the fam.
A very happy day for everyone!
Ian and his Nana

A bat pinata! This was Norah's first experience with a pinata - and I think most of the other children's as well. They were totally into it! Ian took the final turn (don't worry, he had the first as well!!) and smashed it wide open. Apparently this is pretty intuitive; the children went diving into the candy head first.


Does it look like he is enjoying his b-day kiss??? Someday.... :-)

Princess and the Pea

Grandpa Vern created a beautiful crown cornice board for Norah's bed - now it is VERY fancy. :-)
Here is her bed without all the pillows - a few days after this we went out and picked out some fun pillow additions to the bed, including a pillow that has a feather border. Oh how I tried to talk Norah out of that one, but it was her favorite! It sheds everywhere...

Independence Day with Grandpa and Grandma B!

We had a great week with Grandpa and Grandma, culminating in an Independance day celebration at the Blinn's (Ryan sister and fam) home. We wish G&G lived A LOT closer!
Three peas in a pod ~
Emerson loved chasing around his cousins and playing ball. He is usually surrounded by girl cousins - he had a heyday!

An un-birthday trip to Build-a-Bear with Grammy C.


Norah and Jack