Dinner Anyone?

Trying to be a healthier consumer, both for my family and the planet, one of the many things that we do is buy the bulk of our meat from local farmers. Our beef and pork come from a place in Monroe OR, our beef is grass fed and finished and our pork gets all sorts of yummy farm scraps and high quality all natural grain as well as a chance to live as a pig. We've been researching farms that raise all natural chickens for a while now but my friend Stephanie decided to buy and raise some meat birds in her backyard for us! Stephanie and her mom Karen already provide us with some of the best tasting and beautiful eggs from their layers. Anyway, I agreed to help come processing day so Steph went ahead and ordered 15 meat chickens and here they are (we actually got 16 to cover any losses during shipment). They are 11 days old now so we won't be processing for a while yet. I wanted Noah to see them and understand the process that it takes for him to get food on his plate. I've asked him if he wants to help on the day that the chickens will make their way to our freezers and he hasn't decided yet. I don't think he likes the idea but he is also very curious. When we went to John and Steph's yesterday we moved the chickens into the backyard to enjoy the warm weather and try their hand at eating a few bugs and blades of grass.

Baby Panda

We have watched this video a lot, Noah and Ollie laugh every single time!

'Nuggle Me?

"Nuggle me?" is Oliver's way of asking me to snuggle and cuddle with him and how can I resist when I come out and find him like this? The laundry and dishes can wait....

A Special Birthday Wish

For Grandma Ricki!! We know your birthday was yesterday but it's worth the wait!! We love you!

Helmet and Shoes Required!

So I've been reading a lot lately on the Bike Portland blog about the World Naked Bike Ride. This is a crazy ride if you ask me and I can't imagine it's a very comfortable ride either. Apparently, my two year old has been reading about it too. Here he is practicing, helmets required, on his scooter. I guess that technically shoes aren't required, just a good idea.

More From the Resident Orange Belt

On Saturday the 7th, Noah participated in the Kanthak Karate All School Demonstration. These are always fun to go to and watch but this time Noah got to spar a little at the end. We do have some video of the sparring matches but they need a bit of editing before I can upload them. We, that would be Joel and I the parents of the resident orange belt, need to learn to keep quiet while video taping. Because I really doubt that there is anyone that wants to listen to us tell Noah to, "45, attack and out," over and over. The sad thing is that trying to not be those parents that interfere and yell on the sidelines, it's just us that's hearing it anyway. I've got to learn telepathic communication with my child in those situations! Okay, maybe not...

Draw punch!

Stand still, eyes on point!

Mr. B and NoJo

Noah received these dog tags for sparring.

Solid Orange Belt

Noah got another belt promotion tonight, white, gold, orange with white stripe and now solid orange. This Saturday, the 7th, at Shahala Middle School from 10am to 1pm they are holding another Kanthak Karate All School Demonstration and Mini Tournament. The demo will be about an hour long then a short break. The students will then get to participate in a mini-tournament. This will be the first opportunity for many of the students to do some Ring Sparring, including Noah. We'd love to see you there if you are looking for something to do on Saturday.



Noah is looking forward to this summer, his karate school has lots of fun things planned on top of the regular scheduled classes. Escrima Stick Training will be offered and Noah is very excited about learning defensive techniques with a rattan stick. The students that take the class get to participate in the Star Wars/Light Saber Party - who wouldn't want to take the class??? There are also movie events, pool parties, picnics and water fights. I'm also hoping for a couple of day camps and parents night out events.

Crash Hot Potatoes - YUM!

I read a blog called The Pioneer Woman she takes some incredible pictures, tells a good story and shares some of her favorite recipes. I've tried a few but this one was incredible! They were supposed to be our side dish tonight but quickly became my main course. This would also be delicious, if you have any leftover, at breakfast with a fried egg on top. Go, try them now, or at least in the next day or two, I promise you will not be disappointed.

Sturgeon Festival

Back, once again, to the Water Resources Center but this time it was for the Sturgeon Festival. Information for just about every activity related to water for the taking and many activities for the kids. There was an animal lady there with parrots and a possum and another wildlife person with a hawk, screech owl, snake and chinchilla. Puppet shows, fish dissections, photo contests and crafts were scattered about the building. The boys had fun and keep asking if we can go back today.

Here they are taking turns at the safety rope toss, they got a sticker and certificate after answering some safety questions.
Row row row your cool fishing/wading boat that they got to play on and around. Oliver kept demanding that the boat be put in the fountain. "Boat in water, not on ground!"

What kid doesn't love to paint? They each got to paint a "fish scale" then hang it on the large salmon that they had. I'm tempted to go back today and see it all covered, not many scales on the fish yet when we were done.

If it isn't flood poles then

It's BIG TRUCKS!! There is a viewpoint just up from SR-14, off of 192nd Ave. that we rode our bike to tonight. It's another one of those places that we've seen but never stopped - until today. The view was impressive but, sadly, there was a lot of broken glass, garbage and graffiti. Despite what I was seeing, Oliver was focusing in on the big trucks! Trees, river, road, beautiful sky, quarry, etc. and it's all about the big trucks. Look close and you can see them in the middle-ish of the first picture but I promised Ollie I would take a picture of the big trucks for him so you can see them much better after I utilized my zoom. The last picture is of Daddy sneaking in a kiss while some little man is distracted by big brother.

Water Resources Education Center

Last week I went with Noah's class on a field trip to the Water Resources Education Center here (show them the pole mom!) in Vancouver. I have driven by this place countless times and can't believe that (the pole mom, tell them about the flood pole!) I've never stopped by before. It was fun, beautiful and very (where are the pictures of the pole?) educational. It was so much fun that the boys and I (the pole, the pole, the pole) stopped by again on the way home from the bike ride that Joel and Chris were in on Sunday. The center is open during the week with lots of fun (sheesh mom, get to the pole) activities for the kids, there is a walking path that winds around the wetlands (you know the one where I'm pointing at the numbers), the path can take you to a great picnic and play area or down to the waters edge on the Columbia River. A fountain that is (this is boring mom get to the pole) in front of the center was a huge draw (ughh you're driving me crazy) to the boys and I loved the gardens that surrounded the building. The Water Resources Education Center is having a Sturgeon Festival May 31-June 1 and I'll be bringing the boys down to check it out. If you live in the area and want to (mom, seriously, get to the pole) go with us let us know. So as you can see Noah, for some reason, was intrigued by the (are you finally typing about the flood pole) flood pole. The pictures below help explain what it's all about...

This is taken standing right next to the pole facing the water, you can see the Columbia River through the trees. The river is actually a bit swollen and up over the edges right now.

Oliver pointing to the plaque in the next picture...

Noah pointing to the plaque in the following picture...

Noah trying to point to the last picture...

As you can see the plaques mark the level of each flood. There have been more floods in the area but these are the only ones that were officially recorded by someone. Noah couldn't believe how much the river had come up and was even more baffled by the fact that people were building homes down that close to the river. "What if it does it again mom? Won't they get flooded out of their home? Why would you build your house down here if you knew it was going to happen again?" Smart kid if you ask me, I just asked him if he was going to build his house down that close to a river someday and his response, "Only if it floats or it's a boat!" He then proceeded to tell me that float and boat rhyme and named a bunch of other words that rhymed with those words. Anyway, if you make it down there, please check out the flood pole, it will make Noah very happy.

"About time you told them about the flood pole mom!"

The Results Are In!

Update: Joel and Chris placed 17th in their category you can see the complete results at http://www.urbanassaultride.com/2008results-Portland.php.

Joel and Chris rode in the Urban Assault Bike Ride today. It was beautiful Pacific NW weather, enough liquid sunshine for all!! The guys had to reach eight checkpoints during the ride and at each checkpoint there was a challenge for them to complete. When they successfully completed a challenge they received a bead to put on a chain. Challenges included (in no particular order):

1. Bicycle jousting were they had to pick up rings with a long pole - Joel was pedaling and Chris was on the back foot pegs jousting.
   
2. Bicycle limbo - had to ride their bikes under a bar.
   
3. Paper toss and catch - Chris was the paper boy riding around on his bike tossing papers at Joel who was catching them.
   
4. Figuring out the next mystery checkpoint - they were given a clue a couple days before the race that would lead them to a mystery checkpoint. In this case it was R.E.I., at R.E.I. they received a clue and had to figure out the next mystery checkpoint.
   
5. Find the bicycle fairy - the fairy was riding around the neighborhood and when you found him he gave you a bead.
   
6. Bean bag toss - toss the bean bag into a little hole.
   
7. Mini-keg stilt walking and wheelbarrow race - ropes on tiny kegs that they had to walk up and back then run over and do a wheelbarrow type race (see the pictures).
8. At the second mystery checkpoint they just got a bead for figuring it out.

The boys and I braved the rain and met them at their checkpoint at Laurelhurst Park. We then drove downtown to meet them at the finish line. They started and finished at Pioneer Courthouse Square in Downtown Portland. When they returned, they had to ride a big wheel course and then run an obstacle course bouncy house.

Chris in the rain...

Joel in the rain...

Chris doing very well at the stilt walk.

Joel just before he took a little spill...

Oliver in the rain...look at all those raindrops!

The big wheel course.

The big wheels...I want one now!

The guys in the bouncy obstacle course.

Way to go!!

The hard earned beads!

If you are in the Portland area tomorrow (5/25) and are looking for something to do, Joel and Chris will be riding in the New Belgium Brewing Urban Assault Ride. The boys and I plan to be at Laurelhurst Park by 10am then after the guys get through this checkpoint we are going to ride MAX down to the finish line at Pioneer Courthouse Square. This ride looks like it's going to be a lot of fun, check out the website for more details.

Yes, but who do I apologize to???

This is Oliver getting up close and personal to tattle on his mommy, "i uh and um mom no and uh my HAIR. so I and uh and um DIDNT and i i i uh MOM! Stop! and uh and um uh-huh." So to translate from Oliver-ese to English...

"Mom cut my hair but she didn't put the blade guard on the clippers. I yelled stop but it was too late, now my hair is really REALLY short."So I started to apologize to Oliver but realized he really didn't care, he was just reacting to my gasp after realizing that I forgot the guard. He just wanted it done so he could get into the bubble bath. I then started to think that there might be a few grandparents, aunts or uncles, that might be a little more upset at the slip but hey, his hair grows fast so go easy on me!

Come on it's not that bad...it's kind of cute really, super easy to clean and summer weather friendly! I should have left a Mohawk on him like his cousin Trevor!

Birthday Wishes to our Favorite Niece!

Be sure to check your mommy's email Bre...