Saturday, September 26, 2009
Kolbein's First Birthday
This was the morning of July 29th before we headed back to Idaho. 
Out of order, but he was cautious at first about the piece of cake. It was a leftover piece of Great Grandpa's cake. Due to everything going on, there was no time to bake him one of his own.
Great Grandpa's 80th back in July
Kris got stung by a bee that day. "Right on my freckle!"
Kolbein loves Great Grandma!
They boys love hanging out together. They couldn't wait for the cake.
Well, we TRIED to get all the great grandchildren in there. I think just Kristopher and Kolbein were missing, and of course the three "Howell girls" Katie, Reagan and Georgie who were in Texas of course. :)
Kolbein has officially got Mom wrapped around his little finger.The Big Move
As many of you know, we have moved back to Oregon. We are currently residing at my parents' home in Happy Valley which truly feels like it's living up to its name. :)
Yes, we miss our home up North in the mountains, and we both agree that we will DEFINITELY miss all the wonderful cold, cold weather and snow. (I wish I could bring it down here. Life would be perfect! Don't you agree, Noelle?) It is good to be around all the family again, however. I can't even begin to describe how much we missed everyone. We also both agree that it was a wonderful experience that has done wonders for our marriage! If nothing else, it was the grandest of adventures.
Now, about the boys. They, to put it mildly, are drunk with attention. They absolutely LOVE being with their grandparents! They are surrounded by a lot of cousins and aunties and uncles. Riding their bikes outside and climbing the apple trees are their top favorite things to do, and they have discovered several new parks close by us. Jared is insistent we visit the zoo soon, and he heard there's an ocean near by too. It's all very exciting and new to them. I guess they don't remember as much from a few years ago. They were just little, little guys. I forget that. I have spent most of my life in this state. To them it's all new.
Every morning they eat breakfast at the kitchen table with Grandpa, Grandma and myself after a rousing rendition of O, the Lord is Good to Me. If you don't know that table prayer song, call them. They would be happy to sing it at the top of their lungs. I am happy to report that they are learning to sing it all in the same key together. lol It's so stinkin' cute! (sigh... Mom moment...) Anyway, the song goes like this:
O, the Lord is good to me
And so I thank the Lord
For giving me
The things I need
The sun and the rain and the apple seed
The Lord is good to me.
(and then some table thumping/clapping)
*Bum Bum Bump Bump Bump!*
Then we all clear the table and chores are commenced. The boys head out to check the chicken eggs, (Very serious business for them), in which they have learned that chickens in a nest are going to cackle when finished laying. And cackle LOUD! They aren't too scared about that anymore. They just refuse to go in till the hen is finished with her business. They help feed and water them as well. Oh, and next time you talk to me, ask me how the conversation went when they questioned how the egg came out. Take a wild guess and you're probably right.
Once Kolbein goes down for his morning nap, we do some school. They are both doing really well. I am so excited that Jared is really learning to read. He's very self motivated which helps tremendously. Kristopher is doing really well also. He has his own workbooks that he loves to do along side Jared. All in all, the quality time together is priceless.
So, we've settled in pretty well finally. Only took us a few weeks. Poor Mom and Dad, though. Their stuff is being shuffled all over the place! They are being so gracious about the whole thing. I think they might just be a little happy to have us all back. It will probably take us a few more months to get everything where we all have it planned. So we are all trying to be very patient with each other and give each other space. Auntie Tessa has been a great help as well. They love it when she's home. Auntie Tiffani has been a great babysitter. They love playing with Charlie and Sydney so much that they usually don't want to leave. I always have to promise we'll come back.
I will mention the boys asked me yesterday when they could go play with Nathan and William, their cousins in Idaho. They said they missed them. Kristopher asked about Kayla and Patrick. (We already miss them too!) I know that some part of them hasn't quite connected how far we've moved. I don't think they grasp what a paramountal change has happened in our family. (We're going to try hard to keep that relationship strong!) They did have a LOT of fun up there and remember a lot about it of course; however, Jared told me in the car today, "It's nice down here in Oregon, isn't it, Mom?"
Yes, we miss our home up North in the mountains, and we both agree that we will DEFINITELY miss all the wonderful cold, cold weather and snow. (I wish I could bring it down here. Life would be perfect! Don't you agree, Noelle?) It is good to be around all the family again, however. I can't even begin to describe how much we missed everyone. We also both agree that it was a wonderful experience that has done wonders for our marriage! If nothing else, it was the grandest of adventures.
Now, about the boys. They, to put it mildly, are drunk with attention. They absolutely LOVE being with their grandparents! They are surrounded by a lot of cousins and aunties and uncles. Riding their bikes outside and climbing the apple trees are their top favorite things to do, and they have discovered several new parks close by us. Jared is insistent we visit the zoo soon, and he heard there's an ocean near by too. It's all very exciting and new to them. I guess they don't remember as much from a few years ago. They were just little, little guys. I forget that. I have spent most of my life in this state. To them it's all new.
Every morning they eat breakfast at the kitchen table with Grandpa, Grandma and myself after a rousing rendition of O, the Lord is Good to Me. If you don't know that table prayer song, call them. They would be happy to sing it at the top of their lungs. I am happy to report that they are learning to sing it all in the same key together. lol It's so stinkin' cute! (sigh... Mom moment...) Anyway, the song goes like this:
O, the Lord is good to me
And so I thank the Lord
For giving me
The things I need
The sun and the rain and the apple seed
The Lord is good to me.
(and then some table thumping/clapping)
*Bum Bum Bump Bump Bump!*
Then we all clear the table and chores are commenced. The boys head out to check the chicken eggs, (Very serious business for them), in which they have learned that chickens in a nest are going to cackle when finished laying. And cackle LOUD! They aren't too scared about that anymore. They just refuse to go in till the hen is finished with her business. They help feed and water them as well. Oh, and next time you talk to me, ask me how the conversation went when they questioned how the egg came out. Take a wild guess and you're probably right.
Once Kolbein goes down for his morning nap, we do some school. They are both doing really well. I am so excited that Jared is really learning to read. He's very self motivated which helps tremendously. Kristopher is doing really well also. He has his own workbooks that he loves to do along side Jared. All in all, the quality time together is priceless.
So, we've settled in pretty well finally. Only took us a few weeks. Poor Mom and Dad, though. Their stuff is being shuffled all over the place! They are being so gracious about the whole thing. I think they might just be a little happy to have us all back. It will probably take us a few more months to get everything where we all have it planned. So we are all trying to be very patient with each other and give each other space. Auntie Tessa has been a great help as well. They love it when she's home. Auntie Tiffani has been a great babysitter. They love playing with Charlie and Sydney so much that they usually don't want to leave. I always have to promise we'll come back.
I will mention the boys asked me yesterday when they could go play with Nathan and William, their cousins in Idaho. They said they missed them. Kristopher asked about Kayla and Patrick. (We already miss them too!) I know that some part of them hasn't quite connected how far we've moved. I don't think they grasp what a paramountal change has happened in our family. (We're going to try hard to keep that relationship strong!) They did have a LOT of fun up there and remember a lot about it of course; however, Jared told me in the car today, "It's nice down here in Oregon, isn't it, Mom?"
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