Shane had a friend from Germany come for a visit. He lived with Shane while they were in college. While he was here we tried to show him the sights. We went to the parks, zoo, the coast, the Tillamook Cheese Factory and tubing on the Columbia River. I didn't take very many good pictures but here are a few.
This summer the boys all went in for check-ups. They were all excellent patients and the twins were cavity free. Tytan needed work over two visits. He was very cooperative the first time and the second he knew what was coming and took a little convincing to open his mouth.
Tytan graduated from Kindergarten. We are so proud of him! His class sang a few songs and then the teacher passed out diplomas. She asked each student what they want to be when they grow up. Tytan said he wants to be a rock star!
We usually hike on Mother's Day and since this was our first Mother's Day living in Beaverton, we decided to head to the zoo, despite the rain. We eventually got rained out and ended up running to the car dragging the umbrellas, but it was fun while it lasted. I love all my boys!
We did lots of Easter egg hunting this year. On Saturday we went to Tytan's elementary school for a breakfast and hunt on the playground. We saw the Easter Bunny there too. On Sunday we started off with a hunt at our house and then went to my parent's house for a family brunch and egg hunt with all the boy cousins. It was chocolaty fun!
Melanie and her girls Sarah and Peyton, My Mom, Joanie, Me, Cortney, Suz and Haley in front, (Brooklyn not pictured)
Gift time!
Sports themed cupcakes
My little brother Trevor and his wife Joanie are expecting a baby boy early December. He is going to be named Jared, after Trevor's middle name. We are so excited! My sister Cortney and Joanie's sister Marcia threw a baby shower at the Nine's Hotel in Portland. It was beautiful, fun and Jared got loaded up on gifts. I loved helping Cortney make the diaper cake and frost a few cupcakes, although I think she just saved me a few so I could feel like I helped. :)
I just started a new job with Children's Creative Learning Centers at Oregon Health and Sciences University as the Program Specialist. I am responsible for keeping track of the teacher's curriculum and daily classroom operations. We have 14 classrooms for kiddos 5 and under. I am thrilled to be back at work and cannot believe the fabulous teachers we found. I get to bring my kids with me, so I did pull Ty out of Kindergarten and we'll figure out next year when it comes. I just couldn't pass up the 1 to 8 ratio for his age group, and I know he'll love the new facility and his new teacher.
My sister Melanie came to visit for the weekend, mostly to attend Jared's baby shower, but we turned it into a Halloween weekend. All the cousins came over to my parent's house for the festivities. We made crafts, cupcakes, danced to crazy Halloween music and all the Aunts and Uncles came over for a treasure hunt trick-or-treat. We had so much fan and it was a huge help for me because I started back to work and needed a babysitter for the week while setting up the new child care center.
It has been really fun getting to know all the cool things to do with kids around Portland. Shane asked around at work and a couple of his co-workers suggested Bauman Farms for a Pumpkin Patch. It was a drive, but SO much fun. It was like pumpkin Disneyland. There were playgrounds made of hay stacks, chestnut pits, a petting zoo, bouncy castle relay races, mazes, apple launching and a bouncy pillow. We had a great time, even though we didn't bring pumpkins home with us. We were too tired to carry them to the car after all the fun.
In early October we took a day trip out to Longbeach with my parents. We found two jellyfish, tried to throw them back into the water and then decided they were dead. Tytan dug a hole and we buried them, complete with a ceremonial prayer given by Tytan. It was really cute! We ended the day by walking though the beach stores and got huge rainbow butterfly lollipops for the drive home.
Tytan started Kindergarten today. He is in the afternoon class since we signed up so late with the move. He was so excited and sits at a table with all the T kids, Timmy, Ty and Tia. He had a great time, loved recess, snack time and only got in one fight. We can't believe he's already five and in school.
It has been so hot, over 100 for the past few days, so se went out tubing on Grandpa's boat last night. Jaxon and Tytan had a few turns sitting with Mom and Dad, but Madox hated it and cried the whole time which is funny because Madox is the crazy swimmer we usually can't keep out of the water. Hopefully we'll make it out again before summer is over.