One Year,Two Houses

Last year Jerry and I gave birth to a new baby girl, right here in our home. I remember looking out and thinking, wow, the rest of the world goes on outside not knowing that a birth has occurred right inside this home!
This year our neighbor two doors down is dying inside her home. I just returned from a trip to Costco to buy them some food and dog food and I wondered, does she look out her window and think that the world is going on right outside, not knowing that death is right inside her home?
This gives me pause and makes me realize we don't always know what is happening around us, but we should try to be mindful of others and give a little kindness when we can...Love to all, and above all else this year, I wish you HEALTH AND HAPPINESS in 2008.

One Year,

Now, we play...

First Birthdays and Holidays are over, now the fun begins!

Wow, what a great day!

Thanks to all for the thoughtful, wonderful gifts. Bodhi will have warm slipper feet while he plays golf, interacts with Spiderman, plays games on his laptop and looks at his nature book--all while wearing a spiderman cap with a lunch box full of Spiderman gear.
Maia will also have warm feet while carrying around an octopus, reading Angela Ballerina books, playing with puzzles, and wearing her boots when going out.
We have a few videos on youtube, I'll put more up later--here is a short cut...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUxMRT4ame0

And...

Her new red outfit from SuSu and her pillow pile with her brother!

Birthday Girl!

We're home from the hotel--we had a great time. We swam, watched cable tv, ordered room service, ahh the life. Thanks again for Maia's lovely gifts everyone--here are some picts from her special day! Thanks for her puzzles from the Freezing Roaches, her music center from Uncle Mick, Aunt Padhi and Mathias, her baby doll from DoeDoe and GrandDad and the denim outfit, her teddy bear from Grana...more to come...

Birthday Girl...

Happy Birthday Maia...The first year with our sweet girl has come and gone. Thank you to all who have celebrated our baby girl with us over the past year. I know it is close to the holidays, so thank you so much for meeting her when she was born, sending cards for her today, calling her this morning, etc. It really means a lot to all of us to know how loved she is, especially during such a busy time.
We love you sweet girl!

Bodhi Got the Counting Bear!

Each day at school, the kids have to guess how many objects are in the bear. Then they count what is in it and each kid gets one. The winner takes it home and choses what to put in it, then brings it back the next day. Every day after school Bohi has said "I didn't get the counting bear":( He has been so sad about it--he even won once but someone else got it right as well so he didn't get to bring it home (they eeny meeny miny moed it). Yesterday he finally got the bear!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think Jerry and I were even more excited than Bodhi--I almost cried!

Halloween with the HowellingRoaches

These were taken at Fall Festival at Bodhi's school, whatfun we had! Lots of Spiderman were around and I'm proud to say I made Maia's hat. I also had to sew some of Bodhi's costume since he's been wearing it daily for months!
We are now painting the house and trying to finish before the rain sets in (a couple of days) and playing some. Bodhi is riding without training wheels now and throwing a PERFECT spiral, while Maia Saule is walking and climbing like a champ! Jer and I often wonder what we did to deserve these two--so much fun and such kindness!! They really treat one another well. I adore them...

It's a new season for me...

Thursday was my last day at OHCS and the new season began with the completion of the Blue Lake 5K with my neighbor, Molly. Bodhi was scheduled to run in the kids 1k, but opted for "Where the Sidewalk Ends" in the car with Jeff Brown due to the wind and rain.

Sept is over here comes October...

The Chill Sets In...

But not in our house

Costumes, refinished furniture

Lots of spiders (Bodhi and then Jerry) and fairies (Maia's white Halloween Costume) and big black boxes around here (refinished wet bar and black box)....

The Pechenec-Bird Crew is leaving Oregon...

Here are some picts of the kids playing at the fish fry this weekend and the back porch/canopy project that we started this weekend...It was a great weekend, but sad too as John and Mel have been such a significant part of our lives in Oregon...

Bodhi and Maia

Maia is creeping and crawling and Bodhi is healing his broken arm well. Today I asked him to walk with me and he said "I really appreciate that you would like me to go with you, but I am going to stay here with my dad." Wow, I really appreciate you Bodhi!

Video

Alice and Ashleigh visit--and two sleeping beauties...

Special Things...

Bodhi wanted to wear my wedding rings but I explained that I can't take them off, they mean I'm married to his dad and that we love each other. He was sad and he explained to his dad that he really wanted to wear my rings. So, Jer took him upstairs and they got out one of Jer's necklaces and put a ring on it and it was to be Bodhi's special ring that means his daddy loves him. He has been excited about this for days. He told me that his necklace was "more important than the world". He keeps thanking his dad for giving him something so special, he was even worried about taking a bath with it "could it get wet?". He was worried about taking off his shirt and hurting it. When I picked him up from school and asked how his day was he answered "good, and I was careful not to break my necklace when I played". He doesn't even realize that the ring is Jer's dad's wedding ring to Jer's mom, he just knows it is special and from his dad. He even shows it to total strangers and talks about how it gives him power. Wow, kiddos. They are so great.

Maia's first flight

This is the family on our way to Chicago! A woman asked if we had taken a picture yet when we said it was Maia's first flight. Sheepishly, we said no so she helped us out. More to come later....

Pre,Post Fire

Well, here are some pre and post pictures from the fire...

Hog Heaven

Out of nowhere last night, Jer says "she looks like a rhino. She use to look like a bug, but now she looks like a rhino. GRRRRRR"
They went fishing yesterday with Jeff Brown.

Seneca and Maia

Got some pictures of Seneca (5) holding Maia uring their visit.

Maia and her puzzles...

Jer propped up Maia and she played so hard with her puzzles she fell asleep.