Summer, Summer, Summer Time!

We've finally hit summer in Oregon... well, with the exception of this week - it's been 65 degrees and cloudy (and misty) the last few days. Ah well... at least we've been acting like it's summer.

Owen completed his first round of swimming lessons last week. He is now a "Starfish". Very exciting stuff. He learned how to get in and out of the pool safely, do the "monkey grip" (holding on to the edge of the pool and moving his hands and feet to get places), blow bubbles in the water and how to deal with a locker room full of women. All in all it was a great success.  So great in fact, we start another round of lessons next week (in the summer they go for two week sessions). We are keeping our fingers crossed that the weather warms up because these lessons are at a different pool... an outdoor pool.... yikes.

We also just returned from a nice trip to the beach. Cousin Lee Lee was visiting from Maryland and we all got some sand between our toes in Netarts. Was a nice trip... the weather was mostly ok, but the kids got some beach time regardless.

Owen and Kitty Red have become fast friends. They play together, sleep together and yell at each other (yes, the kitty talks back). And Owen has started a new game... it's called "leave the screendoor open and see how long it takes Kitty Red to escape". Kitty Red has become a master at this one.

Other than that, the only new and exciting news is that we grew a frog! From a tadpole, that is... Nonna lives near a pond where she and Owen caught some tadpoles. We put them in a fishbowl to see what would happen.. and low and behold, one of them became a frog! Owen and Papa went and bought a special habitat for it and flies to feed it and everything. Not sure if Owen is as excited as we are about it, but it's all in the process, right?

Here are some photos for ya!  Cheers!

So serious....

Eatin' ice cream at the Tillamook Cheese Factory

Look! It's a frog!

Red and Owen = BFF's

Discovering seaweed with Nora

Kitty Red

We are very pleased to introduce the newest member of our household... "Kitty Red"

 He came to us by way of the local feed store, and we fell in love instantly. Especially Owen, who has been asking us incessantly for a "red" kitten (red is his favorite color, in case you didn't know).


He fits in perfectly, and Owen has been so loving and gentle with him... we all didn't realize just how fun kittens could be.

Quote

"Papa, I need your full attention."

"Cheeky the Chipmunk"

This morning we had a visitor... right outside the sliding glass door.
She wasn't the least bit shy - brave, in fact. And she was hungry.

Owen named her "Cheeky the Chipmunk".... even though we explained that she was in fact, a squirrel. 
He kept saying, "Oh, hi sweetheart! Do you want more nuts?"

We are pretty certain we will see her again... very soon.

Ya think?

"Gak!"

It's said that children are little sponges, and they are always listening....
a lesson that Mama and Papa have had to come to terms with lately.

Case in point - Owen's newest "word" is - gak.
He uses it as an expletive... for instance:

Papa:  "I'm gonna tickle you....!"
Owen:  "Gak!"

Mama:  "You have jam all over your shirt...."
Owen: "Gak!"

Mama: "Owen! Come here right now!"
Papa:  "Owen! Listen to your mother!"
Owen: "GAK!"

We weren't really sure where it came from, until the other day...

Mama was making dinner, something was boiling over on the stove, her phone was ringing,
Owen was screaming....
Mama:  "GAK!"

New Hat

Proud supporter of PBI Sprockets...
Future dirt bike rider? We'll see...
Lover of all things from
Grandma Donna & Grandpa Mike...
Definitely.

Five months later.....

Yikes. We dropped the ball we realize, and graciously apologize.

Five months. So many pictures, so many stories, so many things have changed.
We will try to get you up to speed eventually, but for now we are becoming reinvested in this blog. Our goal is to post weekly again. Sometimes it may just be a few pics, or a funny story, or quote. There is so much happening with our Boy that we have to start writing everything down or we are afraid that we are going to wake up and he'll be 15, and we've forgotten the last 12 1/2 years. It could happen.

So, we begin again. A new title. A new look.
Let's do this.

Oh, and he is still The Dude, don't worry... it's just now, he's so much more.
You'll see....