Birthdays in Bend

C and K have birthdays that are one week apart, so it seems we end up having a birthday "season."  K's birthday fell on a Sunday this year.  He wanted to go motorcycle riding.  After church we headed to White City for some moto-cross.  I will upload pictures later, they are on the camera.  Happy Birthday to my incredible, lovable 10 and 12 year-old boys!  They are both so wonderful and I thank God for them everyday!

C's birthday was the following weekend.  So we rented a house in Bend, and let the boys go skiing have a sleepover with their friends J and J.

I do have birthday pictures...but they are on the camera (not my phone).  I will have to download them SOON!

While Johan took the boys skiing, the girls and I walked to the Old Mill district for lunch and shopping.  A loves to shop.  I mean seriously loves to shop.  I can't even fathom it, because I abhor shopping.  A on the other hand comes alive in the stores.  She enjoys chatting with other shoppers, and sales people, and generally just strutting around the store, admiring merchandise.  When she sees something she likes she runs to it, and pronounces in a tone of breathy, excitement, "Mama, this is beautiful!"  She also REALLY loves accessories.  I think she tried on all of the costume jewelry at Banana Republic.

Here she is at the Gap, in her glory...

That day she picked out a sequin top at the Gap.  It is the only thing that she ever wants to wear.  I got a few pictures of it at home, but I couldn't get her to stop for very long to pose.

I have never once had a fight with the boys over clothes.  To this day they wear what I hand them and could truly care less.  A on the other hand wants to wear something "pretty" everyday.  And by pretty she means, pink and/or sparkly.  The trashier the better.

This particular sequin top is hand wash only.  So it isn't always clean...but I am trying to be a good sport.  She loves this top.  I have to coax her out of it at bedtime, explaining, "Your sequins may get ruined if you sleep in it."  It doesn't help that she gets tons of compliments on her sequin top.  The other day at C's track practice it was chilly, but she did not want to wear a jacket which would cover up her sequins.  The sun made that top sparkle like crazy, it was kind of cool.  But two of the track girls totally stopped what they were doing, to have a dramatic conversation with A about her pretty top and how sparkly she was, and, "Oh my you look like a mermaid!"  A of course loved and skipped and twirled around like the red carpet was out and the paparazzi were waiting.

State Chess Tournament

Last weekend we traveled to Portland for the state chess tournament.  Both boys qualified as individuals and as part of a team.  K was the top K-4th grader in our region, so he went as an individual and part of the Roosevelt chess team.  C was the top 6th grader in our region, so he went as an individual and part of the Ponderosa chess team.

The first day of competition is the team day.  Both teams finished about in the middle of the pack.

The second day of competition is the individual day.  So both boys had two very long, challenging days of chess.  I have never seen so many kids shed tears over a board game as I have the last three years at the state chess tournament.  The kids and the parents take this event VERY seriously.  C couldn't sleep the night before.

K finished with one win, three ties, and one loss, right in the middle.  He was happy.

C finished third place!!!!  I was so proud!!!

I have more pictures, but they on the other camera.  For now, this is from my phone.  A picture of C in his final match.

Where is K?!?

K is getting so fun.  She is really animated.  Here she is playing peek-a-boo with me in the car on our long drive home from Portland.  Moments before I took these pictures she was bored and crying... But then I asked in my own animated voice, "Where is K?"  She quickly recognized that I wanted to play and covered her face...

A few seconds later...  "There she is!!!"