I’m 40 – Santa – Wishes

Oma’s 40! A birthday that lasted 4 days is a nice way to start a new decade. Friday was dinner with drinks, wii, dinner, more wii, and more drinks, with friends, plus a cheesecake. Saturday was recovery, but nice and relaxed. Sunday we met up with Oma’s family at the Outlet mall in Woodburn (meeting point about ½ way for both parties). We shopped, ate, shopped more… actually, Oma got cut off before she was ready to be done!!

Monday, the actual day, Oma had students singing the birthday song to her- nice way to start the day (even if they were silly and off-key about it). The evening was pizza and wii with the family and Sheila and Lori. First came a stack of cards (had no idea that they were being horded), all told, there were about 40 for the weekend. Thanks to all who sent one! The present was an electric throw blanket!!! The blanket is awesome, although Jo seems to use it more than I do.

We finally saw Santa. Met up with the “B” side of the family for the photo taking, oh, we still all had individual shots but it was just a time to meet up, visit and then all go out for a meal. Nice time.
Cole requested a photo of he and Santa alone this year. I told him that maybe next year we can do shots like that and he said ok. Then he said “when we get home could you cut this one down the middle so I can be with Santa alone?”
I think he is looking for a little independence?

We have had quite a lot of sickness in the house for over a month, mostly Momma but even the kids fell to it this past week. The three of us went to our doctors and are now all on recovery mode at last. Not a great way to start holiday but hopefully it will be gone soon.

The kid’s classroom drew pictures and made a “wish” statement that was put into a book for all of them to take home. Here is a scan of the kids drawing and their wish.

Jo’s wish will come true, her brother took care of this.

Cole will have to settle for more play dates with his buddies!

Happy Holiday to You!

Laughing and Fun, or is it?

Ok, I must laugh at myself at times and not just post the sillies of the kids and of Oma. So here goes my “what was I thinking” moment.

Oma brought home some new wipes for our computer screen and tv. I popped the top of her new wipes and gently pushed the first one through the hole after which I closed the lid and pulled the first one from its home and handed it to Oma. I noticed that the second wipe had pulled out too far out and it would not close. So I gently pushed it back into the container. Come on, I know some of you are saying “Hey, I’ve done that”…and if your not saying this to I know your lying! OH the pain… pain started to shoot through my finger… and my head started to hurt too as the painful realization of embarrassment was also immediately realized.

Ok, I laughed and tried to pull my finger from my entrapment but to no success, so Oma came to my rescue or so I had hoped. Even though she was barely containing her laughter (she didn’t try to contain, she just grabbed the camera) she tried to slide, pry, and even cut this lid off. I got to a point that I said “THIS IS NO LONGER FUNNY…I’M REALLY HURTING” and I ran to the garage and as quickly and carefully as I could cut the beast off!It took a couple of hours for my finger to become normal again…but my mental pain? I might need therapy to get over that part.

The kids had a day off that Oma did not, so I drove the twins to Oma’s school in the morning and they spent a day at work with her. OH MY GOSH did they all have a blast! Oma included. The kids created graham cracker houses and Jo watched a movie and Cole partook in as much gym as possible including scooters and dodgeball. When they called home toward the end of the day Jo was very excited to tell me about her house and the movie she watched. Cole told me that he played dodgeball with the big kids, got hit, and it was fun! They both fell asleep on the ride home that day. I think they earned that right.

This is how the kids started eating their houses that night. Mmmmm…dinner!

Watching football on tv, Cole has seen a few games that were played on real grass. He asked why those guys got so wet and muddy and we explained that this is how all football use to be played. Well when he got home during one of our rainy days he went straight to his room and came out ready to play football in the grass. His goal? Wet and muddy. Momma went out and tossed the ball around with him and made sure he was on the ground and in the mud as often as possible. He was a happy boy.


We all have different things that make us laugh and so I thought I would share one more thing that made Momma laugh.

This is Jo reading directions to Oma while putting together a small end table. If it was just Oma reading the directions and putting the table together, would I think it was funny? Well…yes, I would pull up my chair, pour some tea and watch the show. Having Oma trying to teach Jo? Really…Priceless.I had to snap a few shots of their progress…way fun…funny!





How is it going Oma?



It all came together and Jo had a very good time helping use tools and seeing a completed piece of furniture. Good project…for all of us.
:O)



Lastly, Cole just called me to the bathroom to point out that he has hair on his upper lip area. I asked him what this meant and he informed me that he was now growing a mustash. Already I asked? Yes I am, I am growing one!

How fast they grow up.

Yachats!

We spent a beach weekend with Tracy & Martha at their beach house. We had some great nighttime storms that shook the house and rattled the windows, but the days were as nice as they could be for the month of November.We took a quick walk on the beach the first morning, it was high tide so we couldn’t go very far, when Martha got wet over the top of her boots for the second or third time that morning we headed back to the house to clean up and head to the aquarium.

I felt like we rushed a bit viewing the animals, but then again we were with five year olds and they are always in a hurry to see the next thing. It was a good time to be there, feedings were happening so we got so see quite a bit of activity with the animals.




Here Tracy is helping Jo touch a sea anemone. I think Tracy was having more fun with this than Jo, and I know Jo had a blast!

Martha found this great dance along Crab Dancing video. Jo managed to move her hands like claws, Cole did his claws and moved his body a little bit. And Martha? Well she boogied out the crab dance better than any human could crab dance! We have video to prove it!

(for a little $$ we
will send it to you)

That night we roasted hotdogs for dinner and then made smoores for our desert. The kids are not huge smoore fans so that just left more for the adults.

On Sunday we boated out into the bay and did some crabbing. The boat was very full (understatement) with people and crab gear but we had a good time. It was a little choppy but not very cold, tons of boats had already dropped their gear in by the time we motored out there. But with Martha’s driving skills and Tracy manning the pots (with a little help from us) we dropped our pots in the mix. I really have no clue how Macy (Martha/Tracy) keep track of where they drop the pots with all the other floats out there too but they do and did! It was a good afternoon of fun.

Macy have some cool kites that have no sticks, they just stuff them into small bags that fit into your pocket. The kids got to fly them, but were disappointed when the wind died down, so the kites wouldn’t stay up. Next time maybe.

And here we are with our catch. Nine crab in about three hours and we got a few that were huge! Jo had a great time catching the crab but she has learned that she does not like the taste of crab even thoughshe was very excited to start cracking them open. I’d say sad really, but if she wants to catch them we will always have people around to eat her catch. Cole managed to pull all his crab meat out without eating any of it until he was done cracking (Oma could not control herself that much). Then he would take a handful of crab dip it all (including his hand) into the butter and stuffing it into his mouth. Four or five handfuls and he was done, butter dripping down his arm and face…those crab bibs were made for guys like Cole! Asked if he would like more and he said “No, I’m good”.

What a wonderful weekend!
Thank you Macy!

Time Away & Funnies

The kids had a good time trick or treating this year. They actually made it a few houses more than they did last year before getting tired. The neighbors treat them well, getting a coloring book, reading book, marking pens and some toys. Can we say spoiled? But I think if you have kept up with this blog you probably already knew that.Jo got to wear the Cat-Woman outfit that G’ma Marie made for cousin Derian a few years ago. She was very happy! Tried to make the whip crack often. I think she liked the feeling of power? We may be in trouble later on in life.

Cole stuck with Batman thank goodness. After watching The Great Pumpkin (Charlie Brown) he wanted to be a ghost. Momma was like “What?” You can be a pirate, Batman, Darth Vader, Spiderman, Superman and so many other things right now out of your room. Momma does not have a white sheet to make you a ghost. Go figure! He again at the last minute decided to be Batman without help from us.Momma took the kids out of town for a few days. A needed and wanted get away from life you might say. G’ma Marie and G’pa Norman took us up to Susan Creek waterfalls. It was a short hike that took us out of the fogged in town. The kids ran, played, fell often (Cole did any way) and wore themselves out! It was a good afternoon topped off with some greasy home fries and burgers at Munchies in Glide. Yummy!

Ok, here are just a couple fun shots of the kids and some funny things they have done or said.

Cole:
He has trouble saying the “r” sound.
Practicing saying the word “girl” he got frustrated and finally told us.

“I can just say woman”.

Using an outhouse he said through the door,

“I can’t reach the soap box Momma so I used the bar of soap down here” (the one in the urinal).

Momma could not get his hands clean enough after that.

Jo:
Asking Oma if she could use some dental floss.
“Can I floss my dental?”

Some people say

“Oh, dang it”
She says

“Oh, Parnables”

(we really have no idea)

A conversation:
Jo: The earth is farting.
Momma: What?!
Jo: You know, where we saw the elephants die,

the earth is farting there.
Momma: Oh, La Brea Tar Pits?

Jo: Yes, there, the earth farts.

Finding words and a place in my head

Lucy Lahr!
Aug. 23, 1962 – Oct 18, 2007

My dear friend, roommate, sister and many other words could describe Lucy. I have not been able to find the right ones as of late. My friend was killed by a hit and run driver on Oct. 18, 2007 and I am still lost for words and have not found a place in my head to file this information. This is the first time someone I care for so deeply has been ripped from my life and I hope deep down inside that it will be the last.

She made me laugh, grow, ponder, she pissed me off at times and she could challenge my way of thinking and living. She held me when I have cried and I got to listen to her talk about her day. The last words I remember saying to Lucy was “I love you”. I know some don’t say it often and maybe not at all but we did, every time we saw each other.

I love you Lucy and miss you.
Tina

Busy Month ?

Can’t believe it’s been over a month since our last post, but it has. Part of the time just very busy and part of the time not, and didn’t really have much to say. Then when I was ready to post life kind of went to heck.
So we bought a Wii for all of us to create Mii’s and say WEEEeeeeeee…or if your older than 20 then you really don’t say Wheeeeee…it’s more like ouch! Yes, the next day us older people were sporting Wii soreness. And everyone who has walked though our door older than 20 have said the same thing…ouch. Oh, one or two said they were not sore but then when we talk to them a bit longer they admit they woke and just took pain pills before they felt anything else. Wimps!
Grandpa Norman had a doc appointment in our area and it was a multi day type thing, so the Grandparents parked their RV in the driveway for a few days. While here, cousin Hannah had her birthday so we all gathered for a bbq, let the kids play, the big kids Wii’ed, and all celebrated Hannah’s Birthday.

Jo’s frog Pegasus (Magical Pegasus for the full name) died this past week. It was a very sad day for the kids. Though they have had some family members pass this year, this was the first “every day” connection that has died. They helped wrap Pegasus in a paper towel and placed her in a baggie in the fridge until Oma got home from school. While they waited for the burial they drew pictures and decided where in the yard she should be placed. They both said some nice words about Pegasus and that was that.

Derian came down for the kid’s school Harvest party, they dressed in their best and we walked to school to play games, eat popcorn with candy corn mixed in, and pizza. The kids had a good time. We have here, Batman (because of Jo’s costume), Catwoman and then Darkness.

Met up with Uncle Todd and family at a farm to walk through a corn maze and other activities. The kids were spending the weekend with them so it was about a half waypoint of meeting and playing too. Here they got to pan for fossils, way fun, and then over an hour in the corn maze. They played quite some time at this farm before heading out. Betting they were tired that night.Sunday we finally got to carve our pumpkins. The kids grew them in the garden next door at Dale & Francis’ house. They had a good time watching them grow and kept changing their mind on which pumpkin they wanted as each one grew larger.
Almost time for more candy!

That’s about it, in a nutshell. For today anyway.

Soccer-Blading-Scooter Jumping

We have been busy with family and just stuff this month. We visited the Smith family for a weekend and had a wonderful time. We watched Lanna and Maggie play in soccer games and then watched Oma and sister Carol play soccer against their high school varsity team in an annual alumni game. Way fun and funny. No oxygen was needed on the sidelines but there were many missed kicks with an “Oh Geez” to follow from said player. Sandy and I had some good laughs from the grandstands.

We didn’t take any photos that weekend but if you wanted to see a couple they are on the “Ruiz Family 4” website, the link is to the right here under "Other Sites".




Cole is playing soccer now too, the running is good for him and his coach likes the way he listens and follows directions. Cole says he also likes his coach, and is learning quite a lot. Did I mention that Oma was coaching his team? I didn’t? Well she is.The “Beaver Volcanoes” played their first two mini-games this past weekend and Cole had a very good time. The other teams seem to dominate the direction of the ball but we do have two or three boys that “get” the game enough to challenge them. Cole seems to understand the angles pretty well, running to those to cut off the ball or for an accidental pass from his team…or from the other team. He even made a goal, which made him turn and say “Yeah” with a fist and a smile.

Jo and Momma kicked the ball around a bit before Cole’s game and she had a very good time. I did ask her if she wanted to play soccer on an all girls team and her words were. “Please don’t make me play soccer again, Momma.” How could you force that? She might try it another time but not this season. This day like so many others, she played in the dirt and was very…very happy.
(fyi, she starts swimming again this week)

After almost a full year of owning roller blades Jo has finally pulled them out and started playing on them! (we have not pushed her) In just a few days she has gained much confidence on them and has even gone down our ‘hill’ at the end of the driveway. (if you have ever been at our home you know that it is barely a downgrade but it’s enough that she rolls without pushing) She is working hard, smiling and laughing the whole time! Oma and I are having a wonderful time watching her and helping her here and there.

Cole is becoming quite the hot dog on all things with wheels. Here he wanted to prove that he could jump a piece of sidewalk chalk. And he did. He has taught himself how to jump like this, along with doing a little wheelie, and now trying a nose wheelie. He has started racing his bike around the yard so fast that all vehicles have to be moved from the driveway. (A couple close calls with hitting them while riding very fast.) Anything we can do to help him keep the teeth he has left until they are ready to leave on their own.

That’s about it for now. Busy but all good.

Mt Hood – Oma goes Girl – 1st Day of School!

Momma took the kids camping on Mt Hood for the last long weekend before school started. This is a family camping trip every year that started with Momma’s Maternal Great Grandparents, so we are now working on the fifth generation camping in this area.

This is our campsite for the three night stay, next to the river with the sun peaking over the mountain every morning warming our tents. Eight of us were in this spot and we were not the largest grouping of family members. The kids were up early and only came back to our area when called to eat, brush teeth or go to bed. The freedom they had this weekend around the camp was really unique. As Uncle Bob said “Everyone is watching the kids and yet no one is watching them”. Grandma Marie or myself would wonder through camps if we had not seen one of our own for a length of time, find the one or two we had not seen and then moved on. Other adults were doing the same with theirs as well. Wish life could be like this all the time, I know it use to be.

Some of the family brought up their dirt bikes and rode for a while. Momma was sure tempted to tear it up like she use too but declined the offer when asked. I envisioned myself taking this really cool jump and then biffing it big time. Oh…I was not worried about hurting myself, I’ve done a superman off the front of a dirt bike many years back. It was more that I didn’t want to embarrass myself in front of family and friends.

This is Momma’s cousin Mark giving Cole a long ride. Cole came off all pumped ready to ride on his own. When we got back home Cole asked Uncle Todd if he could learn on their 50cc and he was told to come on out and learn.

On the way back to camp from the motorbike ride we pulled off the dirt path and let the kids ride in the back of the truck. Oh, how they thought they were really something riding like this. I don’t think Gma even got the needle to move on the mph but the kids had a grand time!

Cole, Jo, Hannah and Derian all climbed this rock and posed themselves for a photo.
Nice group shot so that is why you see it now. ;O)

The original family campsite has my Grandparents ashes laid on the side of a hill, sunny spot over looking the campsite and river. We went there to place Gpa Lovely’s engraved rock and just to say hello. Gma Lovely got some nice flower and Gpa was left a beer and a whoopee cushion among a few other items. Our kids are probably getting an interesting version of celebrating life after death. We all took turns sitting on the whoopee cushion before Marsha placed it at his stone. I’m sure Gpa was laughing.


Oma done up like a girl!
Jo and her friend Alexis played beauty parlor with Oma and did Oma look BEAUTIFUL! Her makeup all matched along with her fingernail and toenail polish. I have no idea how long Oma laid there for them but they went to town on her and she just smiled and told them how lovely their work was. (purple eye shadow all over her face)

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!
Here they are folks! Kindergarten.
Wow…it’s here!
They both dressed themselves and chose what they wanted their hair to look like. Sporting their new backpacks we dropped in next door for Dale & Francis to check them out and then off we walked to school. Turns out that Jo has an “old bestest friend” in her class, Yvonne from their first year and a half of preschool. Cole was excited to come home with homework in his backpack and wanted to do the work straight away. When he pulled the paper out it turned out to be the school calendar and a welcome letter for the parents. He was very upset about this. Keeping our fingers crossed that this trend will continue. haha

Santa in August? & The Lake again!

We went to dinner with some friends the other night and along with the kids we also had their cousin Derian with us. While eating our meal Momma noticed a Santa looking man heading into and then out of the restroom. About five minutes later Momma noticed yet another Santa man doing the same thing. By then we all said they must be gathering for a dinner, or ? By the third man the three kids just stared at the door till this Santa came out and all three of them popped their eyes open wide and their mouths fell to the ground! This Santa noticed of course and came over to say hello, gave the kids a Santa sticker and told them to do what their Mom & Dad said and be sure to eat every thing on their plates. It was very nice of Santa to take the time. There turned out to be five Santa’s in all and four of them stopped by the table, the kids walked out of dinner with a sticker, two photos and a couple candy canes all from the Santa’s. HaHa, Christmas in August!

You might be asking yourself “Didn’t the kids get confused by seeing five Santa’s at one time?” No. The three of them decided that one of the Santa’s was the “real” Santa and the others are his helpers because he needs help during the holiday. Oh, and one of the wives did have the look of Mrs. Claus too which made the kids smile as well.

By the end of our meal, Cole’s plate was all but licked clean!

We managed to make another trip to the lake and we took Derian with us as well. Grandma Marie took some time out too and dropped by to get a pull and watch the grandkids kneeboard. We gave a short lesson on how to turn this time and Cole ran with it! He kneeboarded three times this day and by the third time he managed to get himself across the wake. He even wrecked twice and came up with a smile on his face. Jo did great as well, she was super cute trying to turn with only using the handle as her steering wheel. Didn’t work to well for her but she got the hang of it by the end. This was Derian’s first time on the board and she just loved it! She didn’t want to get off and ended up boarding three different times this day, each time we had to yell at her, “one more lap and it’s some one else’s turn”. Momma has many memories of hearing her parents telling her the same thing.

Oma managed to kneeboard and then wake board as well. She is getting very good at both and is now wanting to get her boating license. (is there a boat in our future?)
Rachelle showed up and after a hard week of work took out some of her energy on the board. She said she saw the camera and took a really hard cut and jump that scared her a little, she was performing for the camera don’tcha know. Well after her little scare she noticed that no one was even looking at her let alone getting that shot! :O) The fish that got away probably.

So here is Momma’s ski photo.

I think that’s all I have to say about that.

Playing in the Water

We made another trip to the reservoir for an afternoon of water fun. On the way down Jo said she wanted to try knee boarding this time along with the tube again. Cole followed up by saying he wanted to kneeboard as well. Oma and I both hoped that he would actually want to be in the boat this time but smiled at the thought that they both would get onto the board.As you can see, they did! Cole wanted to go first, and I’m sort of thinking he didn’t want his sister to be the “first” this time even though he was WAY out of his comfort zone. (This is how it worked for both of them) After a short lesson on the rope/handle/board and what the pulling of the boat would be like they both just jumped in with Oma (one at a time, of course). Oma held them steady and they each said “Hit It”, off they went leaving Oma to swim to shore for later pick up. They both had a blast and didn’t want to quit. Cole asked to do it again after Jo was done, another lesson on taking turns…big people like to play too, so your going to have to wait your turn…again.Oma went next and did well. She would really like to set up the board goofy footed (right foot forward) thinking that she will have better control. She is probably correct seeing how she rides the skateboard at home that way. She has gotten more comfortable out there each and every time.Connie would probably be sad if I didn’t include her photo too seeing how I managed to get a shot of her catching some air. No, it’s not air like you see people do on tv but it is air nonetheless. Thinking blowing this up poster size and framing it for her.Grandma Marie and Derian came out to the lake too, and of course Grandma had to slip her ski on and cut up the water. I think she feels like I do, skiing is something we have done for so long that it just feels good to be out there. Like a second home type feeling.

Go, Grandma, Go!

Derian and Jo took a turn on the tube and had some fun. They both know the hand signals for slowing down the boat or speeding up and we got a lot of thumbs down signals from them. Grandma and Moma didn’t pull them very fast nor gave them any large bumps but I think they just liked thinking they hand “control”.

Are you wondering where a photo of Moma is? Well I did ski but there were some issues with the camera so no documentation that I actually skied. So just close your eyes and picture a woman on a slalom ski, cutting hard with a rooster tail 15 feet high as she leans over putting her elbow in the water,pulling hard on the boat. That, my friends and family, is how I don’t ski. But it’s a nice picture isn’t it? I’m not bad and do have a rooster tail, maybe next time we might get a photo.

Trip here Trip there

Traveled to the S side of the family for some hugs, love and catching up. It was a good visit like every visit is. The kids were able to swim a bit in Nanny/Grandpa’s pool and loved it! Along with this trip some of us loaded up and headed out for a little hike at Barrier Falls. We fed some fish at the hatchery and then headed up the trail to see where it took us. We hiked along the river/creek/brook first and the rule was “don’t get wet we just got here, and if you do there will be no complaining”. What were parents thinking taking the kids to water first? Cole slipped and went in up to his shoulders! He was a trooper though, hiked on for another hour soaked with not one word that he was wet. What a guy.

Just wanted to share this photo of a duck at the hatchery. I just picture him singing Bing Crosby songs or some thing like that.

Made a day trip to spend an afternoon with my folks (and the kids cousin Derian) for my fathers 69th Birthday. We grabbed some sandwiches and went to River Forks (Umpqua River) to play in the water and hang out. The kids got to play on the whales (one of my favorites when I was a kid) and then we all skipped rocks and tried to catch fish with buckets at the river. Wonderful afternoon.

Cole and Jo finished another round of swim lessons. Cole graduated into the next class and was very excited to move on. I was very happy for them at the end of this set of classes. They both went down the slide with out having to wear life jackets and did not need any help getting back to the stairs to do it again. I also watched in shock as Jo not only went off the diving board with out any jacket but she also went off the HIGH dive! (I almost cried I was so happy for them)

Camping?

Yes, we managed a tent camping trip as a family. It’s a barrowed four-person tent and we are wall to wall sleeping but it was great fun! Our bed was firmer (rock/dirt solid) than ours at home but Oma and I thought we slept ok and were not sore from the night. Whewh
Good MORNING campers! Moma was up long enough to have a good fire going and the pot of water hot for cocoa. They all managed to climb from the tent dressed warm and ready to snuggle up to the fire to finish the waking process.

We hung out by the lake for a short time, the water was so low that it was muddy and quite smelly from the marshes.

Cole can always find a light saber out of almost anything. And believe it or not, this was not the dirtiest he became over the weekend.
(Uncle Todd reincarnated I'd say)

Jo seems to hear music where there isn’t any at times.
She always wants to look pretty, pose and dance!

Finally we finished off each night with roasting marshmallows and eating s’mores!

All in all we had a good time. A few goofs here and there but nothing to stop us from heading to our next camping trip later this month! Whooohoooo! Moma’s having fun!