Brogan is a Tiny Tiger!

Brogan attends first martial arts class today! Welcome to Tiny Tigers!

Brogan got his uniform and stretched, ran, bounced, and tumbled with a group of three- and four-year olds this morning. Miss Gi Gi (who also instructs Kayla's class) had a busy and active class. Hooray for someone else tiring out our Boy on Saturday mornings!

Suiting up.

Stretching out.

Chop-Socky!

Go Go Cassidy...

Cassidy has started gymnastics. She goes every Wednesday. There are about 9 girls in her class and she is the tiniest one in her group, but she is also one of the strongest. She has a lot of power packed into those little legs. This past week she got to try some of her very favorite "events". It was her first chance to jump on the trampoline. They were instructed to do 5 seat drops....pretty sure she was able to squeeze in 10 before the coach noticed and encouraged her to move on to the next station.
She also loves to do the uneven bars. She has no problem walking right up to the bar and giving a big jump to grab on (most of the girls use a folded up mat to reach the bar). Last week she was the only one who was able to do a full flip and this week she was asked to show everyone how high she could swing getting her knees up way over the bar but not going all the way over.

Cassidy also really enjoys the beam. She is a little hesitant when she is up higher, but she never gives up. She is conquering the beam and with practice she thinks she will LOVE it as much as she loves the other events.

L-O-V-E

I have an amazing husband. It's true. And just to prove it, this past Sunday he (with the help of my sister and sister-in-law) managed to whisk me away and spoil me at the beautiful and secluded vacation get-away called "THE RESORT ON THE MOUNTAIN" on Mt. Hood.

The night we arrived, we were treated to a couples massage. SOOOOOOO nice. I was pampered with hot stones (totally recommend it) and Brian was given a pressure point for "sporties" one. We both left feeling like warm jell-o. Then slunk our way to the resort restaurant and consumed delicious food (I had mushroom risotto and Brian had a pan seared trout). Feeling full and relaxed we headed back to our room and passed the hot tub on the way. It would have been a waste not to embrace the opportunity, so we quickly changed into swim suits and indulged. Have you ever had the chance to sit in a hot tub while cool little rain drops pepper you? It isn't half bad.

The next morning we got up and went for a walk. Brian is impressed by the amount of moss that grows in the Pacific Northwest. This tree trunk was on the losing end of the battle and had succumbed to the moss completely.

Brian also got a kick out of this sign:

Boring, Oregon. Hmmm.

Thanks to those who helped make this evening possible. My mother, who stayed with our 3 little monkeys and helped get them packed off to school in the morning and my sister and sister-in-law (and their hubbies) who are responsible for planting the bug and planning most of this. Brian was left with the task of creating a convincing story to get me out of the house. It worked. I thought we were going to an art show...and when the GPS indicated that we would be on a specific road for 30 miles, I questioned Brian. He handed me a paper and requested that I double check the address. But there wasn't an address written on the paper. Instead it said, "Surprise! You aren't going to an art show tonight....". It was a lovely surprise and we both appreciated the peaceful quiet time together.

Fun in the Sun

When we told people that we would be relocating to Washington State for a year, we heard a lot of "You know it rains a lot in Washington, right?" Yeah. We know. BUT....it is also beautiful and sunny jacket weather in January. As evidenced in the photo below:

This very cool little plane is in Grandpa and Grandma's back yard. It can comfortably seat 7, which is perfect because there are 7 little cousins regularly running around this back yard. And so, while our friends and family are reporting FEET of snow and bone chilling temperatures in the NEGATIVE digits, we are enjoying sunny comfortable days that are occasionally interrupted by a cloud burst of rain. We think we might have the better deal. What do you think?

Game On Kayla!

Daddy plays Halo: Reach. Every day those clever folks at Bungie (the makers) post a set of Daily Challenges; complete them and earn high scores, piles of credits, and acclaim from thousands of your 18-35 year-old virtual friends.

Each Monday morning a Weekly Challenge is posted, always tougher than the Daily Challenges and often difficult enough to send scores of teen gamers crying to momma. The other day Kayla helped daddy earn the "Legendary Friends" Weekly Challenge by completing the Nightfall Cooperative mission in the campaign on not Easy, not Normal, not even Heroic, but LEGENDARY difficulty.

If that doesn't communicate anything to you, imagine giving a six-year old a gun and asking her to follow you into Mogadishu for some jogging.

Closing seconds of Nightfall mission:

"Alright Kayla, that's the end up there, we just have to get on the other side of those rocks."

"Are there too many bad guys? They keep shooting me!"

"There's not that many, we're going to run, stay right with me-"

"RAWR!"

"Oh no, oh no, oh no! Run! Run KK!"

(BANG!) "Daddy I got him!"

"No just run-"

(BANG! BANG!) "It's okay, I got another one!"

"No you just- What?"

"Look out Daddy, one more!" (BANG! BANG! BANG!)

"I got him!"

I'm so proud!

VROOOOM

Can a boy have TOO many match box cars? We don't think so. And neither does our boy. They get sorted (according to style, color, size, etc) and lined up like dominos fairly regularly at our house.

1-11-11

Just wanted to post today....cause the date is just that cool! This past weekend Kenneth and his boys drove up from Vegas. We had a wonderful weekend together and were fortunate to host them at our place. We spent Friday at OMSI. This place is quickly becoming a family favorite!

Their drive home was a trial. They were involved in a roll-over accident and miraculously all 3 walked away without injury. The car was totaled. We are grateful that they were protected.

We've had a busy start to 2011 already. KK and Brian have started martial arts (see post below). Cassidy begins gymnastics this Wednesday. Brogan has been busy creating, building, playing and potty training. We're almost there. We all go swimming together frequently...Cassidy and KK have really improved and Brogan shows very little fear (if any at all) when in the water. I continue to go to the gym every morning alternating between circuit classes, step aerobics, and a class called "pump it", which is basically 50 minutes of free weights. We all enjoying having more activity in our lives. Additionally, Brian will start a Photoshop course at the Portland School of Art later this month and still enjoys volunteering to teach art once a month in each of the girls' classes. Cass and KK continue to enjoy school and the friends they are making there. We spend a lot of time with our family here in Vancouver and are loving every moment of it. Slow preparations are already beginning though for our return to NH. We've registered Brogan for preschool and have started the long process of getting our girls re-admitted to their old school as well. Soon we will be involved in the SPS housing process. For now, we are enjoying our moments here on the West Coast....very much.

**This particular post is more for the historical documentation this blog serves for our family. Some day soon I'm going to have to print it all up.

HI-YA!

Kayla tested for her first belt in karate today! I was very proud to watch her block, kick, and punch her way into a white belt (yeah, this school makes you earn the very first belt).

Daddy is recovering from his first week of Krav Maga training (Google it, if you dare) and looking forward to some rest this weekend.

Listening to her sensei

Wearing her new white belt!

Sensei writes "Kayla: Awesome kicker" on her first broken board.

Happy New Year...welcoming 2011

We rang in the New Year with family this year. Earlier in the evening (before all the little ones fell asleep) we decided to light some fireworks that may or may not have been purchased in Wyoming during our drive out West this summer. Below, the kids have taken cover in the new amazing play ground Grandpa bought for Christmas (it should be noted that although the directions indicate it will only take 10 hours to build, this puppy took 5 men and 3 days of cold hard effort. The pieces were miss-labeled...some were missing altogether, and at one point they were assembling under a tarp with the BBQ running in an effort to heat the small space they were working in while hail and snow fell outside. They were dedicated individuals.)

Brian was the master of the flame tonight. He was temporarily blind after the flash from this photo. Sorry!
Our 3 little monkeys posing for a photo. It was freezing!
Cass waving around a 2 foot super sparkler....
Abby taking her turn while KK watched and waited....
What New Year's Eve party would be complete without balloons? And if they can be shaped into animals and swords, all the better. The hats came at the end of the festivities and were pretty basic creations.
Brogan really gets into the spirit of the festivities...
The kids had napped for 2 hours earlier in the evening and were all awake to watch the ball drop on TV. It was awesome to get hugs and kisses from each other for the FIRST TIME EVER as a family. Shortly following this shot KK was out! Cass followed and Brogan was the last man standing.
Our family tradition of "Father Time" presents continues even today. The kids set out a shoe and magically, that shoe is filled with presents (Usually only 1 or 2...3 tops and NONE of them too expensive or big). The kids know this is something the parents do for them, but they still call the gifts "Father Time" presents and pretend that Father Time himself delivers them. Cass is convinced that he is Santa's brother or some other relation.
All in all, it was a wonderfully fun night. As I journal this (because I made the mistake of drinking some Dr Pepper earlier tonight and the effects have yet to wear off...) my sweet little family is spread out all over the living room floor in front of a roaring fire and sleeping soundly. It is a perfect way to end 2010 and begin 2011. All together. All peaceful. And all very happy and blessed.