oops, i did it again

Last year, I failed to blog between January and the summer.  This January I told myself that I shouldn't miss a big chunk of time again this year... but somehow it's Spring in Oregon but still middle of winter on the blog.

January, after Ben's birthday, was all about getting back to school and getting into the groove again.  This effort was interrupted a few times this winter with snow days.  The boys enjoyed going to the dog park for sledding and building snowmen in the front yard.

In typical Oregon style, when it wasn't snowing it was mostly raining.  We did get a few pauses in the weather to enjoy some mild days outside.  The boys helped Richard prep the garden for the spring and plant blueberry bushes.  Owen was excited to get back on his bike and Ben joined on the trailer for the season's first bike ride to Philomath.  We used one clear day to launch rockets at the park, and another at the children's museum in Salem.

ben at three

Some amazing pictures of Ben at 3, from my favorite photographer, Heather Stokes, during a sunny day at the end of December.

Ben at 3 (according to him):

favorite color: blue

favorite animal: lions and tigers

favorite brother: Owen

favorite friend: Natalie

favorite place to go: the beach

favorite state: Oregon

favorite day: Sunday

favorite number: four

favorite food: chicken nuggets

favorite toys: Baby Dog and Blankie

beavers or ducks: ducks

orange or green: blue

favorite song: Old McDonald

favorite game: I Spy

what do you want to be when grow up: astronaut

Ben at 3 (according to Owen):

Ben likes to wrestle with me and pull me down.  Ben likes to cuddle.  Ben likes to play with me in the loft.

Ben at 3 (according to me):

a joyful, funny, curious, happy, beautiful, stubborn, sharp, articulate, and cuddly little boy.

natalie and ben's birthday party

 Natalie and Ben met in the hospital when they were both born- Natalie was the first baby of 2009, Ben came along 3 days later.  They have been in day care together for 2 years and are best friends.  Vivianne takes up the third spot in the Three Amigos of Monroe Center, and the three of them are a friendly, funny, happy group of kids.

We co-hosted the birthday party with Natalie's parents, Debbie and Tze, and invited all the kids in their room at day care, as well as the Delos-Reyes and the Muhlys.  The kids both like Curious George so we ran with that theme, Tze getting a super cute with George on it, and hats and monkey masks and the works.  We ended up having a dozen kids plus two of their favorite teachers from school- Lindsey and Lucy.

The kids and their parents played in the basement with the train set and the cars and a craft table.  They were all happy for cake time, where Ben blew out both his and Natalie's three candles.  Everyone went home with balloons and Curious George goodies.  Ben was SO excited to get to have his friends over.  He is planning a Cookie Monster party for his 4th birthday, but I hope we don't wait that long to have his friends over again.

Thanks for the "birthday boy" t-shirt, Grandma Sally!  He looked so cute!

ben turns 3!

After a relaxing 2 weeks at home, Ben returned to school on his 3rd birthday.  He celebrated with his class with cupcakes and singing.  We all got home early enough to open gifts from family and to have his birthday dinner of choice- spaghetti and meatballs.  The Muhly's joined us for cupcakes and more fun gifts.  Ben was so proud to tell everyone he had turned three.

closing out 2011

making chocolate mousse for New Years Eve

Just Dance 3 on the Wii

Post Christmas, we got to spend a couple of more days with Grandpa and play with new toys.  After Grandpa flew home, the four of us went to the coast to spend the night and watch the high surf.  There was a warm pool and a game room- boy heaven.  We had a fun New Years Eve with friends.  Ben stayed up much later then usual, and Owen stayed awake to watch the ball drop at midnight.  Needless to say there were two tired puppies on New Years day.

It's been a nice, laid back holiday vacation.   We de-Christmas'ed the house yesterday and Owen is back at school today. We are spending Ben's last day as a 2 year old playing around the house.  Tomorrow we will have a 3 year old, and on Saturday we will have a pile of 3 year olds running around the house to celebrate his birthday.

Christmas!

Official FSA gear!

Now we will be super victorious at Angry Birds!  Thank you Dad!

Grandpa and Laurel

cookies for Santa in 2011 Christmas Jammies (holiday aliens)

Christmas morning sunrise

We've had some Christmas scope creep, which was agreeable to all involved.  We decorated early this year- the day after Thanksgiving- and I didn't get tired of the tree's extended stay in our living room.  

Laurel and Owen had the week before Christmas off from school, and I had some extra vacation days, so we filled the week playing with my dad, baking, doing a little more shopping, and taking a trip out to the aquarium.  Richard, my dad, and Owen had clear weather on Thursday for a rocket launch, where it was discovered if you put the really big engine in the really small rocket it goes REALLY far- and is lost to the wilds of Oregon.  Likely it already has moss growing on it.

We kicked off the festivities in earnest on Christmas Eve, with the Muhly's and my dad joining us for a meal and presents.  Lots of big hits with the boys- Ben is in crafting heaven with a big box of craft supplies pick out by Susie and Laurel.  He spent the rest of that day and most of Christmas day painting.  Owen was excited about a new rocket from grandpa, as well as an iPad from my dad for the entire family- the boys have been enjoying playing Angry Birds.  Todd made FSA t-shirts for the kids, and Owen and Laurel wore them proudly for the rest of the week.  They also got Owen a planetarium projector for his room- to which we all have been a witness to his and Laurel's new and improved space lectures.  Ben did great through Christmas Eve Mass, sitting in the main part of the church, not needing the cry room and on a vigil to see Baby Jesus and Mary.  When we got home, we decorated gingerbread cookies for Santa and tried to get a couple of very excited boys to bed.

Christmas morning arrived early, with a beautiful sunrise and the orange light coming into the bedrooms and waking up Ben and Owen.  With a small distraction by the paints and the craft box, the boys made it out to the front room to discover whether Santa came this year or not.  Apparently the boys were good, and Santa left plenty of loot.  Dad came over and we spent the morning unwrapping gifts and munching on gingerbread cookies.  The boys loved all the new toys mailed in from Richard's family, and we loved our new books and clothes and games from Sally and our Secret Santa's Roger and Justin.  Richard made us a great Christmas dinner with his famous crab cakes, while Dad and Owen worked on new magic tricks- thanks to Aunt Susan, Owen now can levitate.  We were thankful to be able to spend a wonderful holiday with our two amazing little guys and that my dad could join us.  We miss all of our family across the country during this season and will see you this coming year!

holiday greetings!

Ben and Owen, ready for Christmas!  The official 2011 holiday picture.

Ben showing off his big blue eyes... 

and big pink lips.

Owen hoping Mom will finish taking pictures soon. 

Getting punchy!

Heather got a nice one of Owen and I

Ben and Richard at the courthouse, under Ben's ornament- the blue one.

Merry Christmas from our family!  It's really looking a lot like Christmas around here- the tree is up, the stockings are up, and my dad flew in yesterday.  We are about to head to Susie's church to hear Laurel play the piano and sing in their Christmas pageant.  First though, the boys are cuddled together watching the Grinch.

It's been a wonderful (and fast!) year.  You can read about it in the blog, or here are some highlights.

Owen is in the first grade at Zion Lutheran school.  He is in a class size of 11, with an amazing teacher, and we are so happy to have found such a good fit for him.  He is reading now, and doing a great job with it.  He is singularly obsessed with space.  He loves rockets, the space shuttle, planets... anything space related.  He and his friends and his cousin Laurel have a space agency at school- the FSA (Fabulous Space Agency), and are scheduling shuttle launches for the winter.  He is also enjoying Cub Scouts, especially now that Richard is the den leader.  Owen is getting taller and taller, and now has his two front teeth growing back in.

Ben will turn 3 at the beginning of January and is a ball of energy.  He hasn't gained any weight this year- just stretched out.  He follows his brother around and mimics what he says- he has a great role model in Owen.  Ben is at the Monroe Center, in a class of 2 and 3 year olds where he has some fast friends and loving teachers.  Ben loves animals and art, asking either for a farm animal or for paint from Santa.  He is in his second class at Little Kickers and loves learning soccer from Coach Mike.

Richard and I are still at HP, Richard is making new inks and I'm making big printers.  Richard spent a week in Ireland in November for work and enjoyed seeing some places he hadn't been before.  I have slowed down travel considerably, but will likely end up in San Diego a few times next year and hope to manage a trip to Germany in May for a huge tradeshow, Drupa- the Olympics of Printing.

As a family we took trips around Oregon this year, and we are still enjoying discovering our state.  Richard and Owen did a fun camping trip in the cascades.  We did our annual summer trip to visit my dad in Virginia and Richard's family in Vermont and New York.  I took a special side trip this summer to Brazil, Indiana for a special concert in honor of my grandfather, Carl Kumpf.  I joined some old friends in Napa Valley in the spring, and Richard and I went to Portland for the weekend for our anniversary.

We hope the holiday season finds you and your family well, and hope to connect with you in 2012!