Merry Christmas! I had to work Christmas Eve, very strange. But I made it home in time to snap some pictures of all three of my boys reading Twas the Night Before Christmas! We had a fabulous December. Kellen had his surgery and it went so well. He was a real champ! And we had a great time at all the Christmas festivals and lighting ceremonies and parties! We really had a festive season. The tree looked beautiful and we had so much to be greatful for! We hosted the holidays at our house. It was Nonnie and Pompa, Maimo and Uncle Tom and even Great Grandma Meagher came for a bit. The boys were beyond spoiled and exhausted by night time. As were Don and I. Two days later we leave for SUNRIVER for New Years with the McDonald's and Schwabs and Bokoskies!!

Turkey Day 2010!

Thanksgiving! Yes, It is April but must catch up on my blog so that my memories will not be lost forever. Thanksgiving was wonderous! The Pattersons were in town so the entire family was here. No one was pregnant so the drinks were abundant. Everyone is happy and healthy and in jobs and thriving, so no complaints from the Stuyvesants this year. The kiddos all had fun terrorizing mom and dad's place.

Prior to the holidays, Kellen had his scheduled VCUG at Doernbecher Children's. It went well except for him coming out of the verseed, that part I could live a lifetime without having to deal with that again. I have never seen a 17month old so angry and full of you know what and vinigar in all my life! Not to mention the fact that he threw up all over the Urologist's nice suit and shoes....Anyhow, the best news was that is reflux was all resolved and now just one more ultrasound to go in 6 months and we can close this chapter once and for all. However, we didn't get out scott free.... He has an inguinal hernia needed surgical repair, to be done before the holidays.... Harumpf!!!!!!!!!!

Halloween and Events!

Connor and Kellen not much for the group shot! Connor checking out his loot from the first

house.

Halloween was one for the books this year! We has a plethora of costumes to chose from for the boys due to so many generous hand me downs. We settled on Thomas the Train for Kellen and pit crew leader for Lightening McQueen for Connor. They were hilarious! We attended the Duffields annual party again. Jeannine and Colin provide a feast for both kiddos and parents. Then the kids head out for the trick or treating. It only took one house for Connor to catch on this year. Once he found out about the treat on the other side of the door, there was no keeping up with him. He took off with Don and I hung back with Kellen and some of the other more non-chalant kiddos. Apparently though, Connor fell off the porch at one of the houses, right into the bushes! When Don got to him, we was just laying in the bush, candy all around him. Once Don picked him up and put him back together, he was off and running again. Not missing a beat!

We also had a great time carving out pumpkin a few nights before. Kellen even sampled the innerds...

Our Little Thrill Seeker

Connor and Kellen can be so completely different at times. We went to our darling neighbors 2nd birthday party at Pump It Up and we had a blast. Connor chose to mostly play with the red cars that you can ride in or play at the basketball hoop. Once he did get into the jump out for a wee bit, but for the most part he stayed away from the blow up toys. Kellen on the other hand.....

Fir Point Farms Pumpkin Patch!

Pumpkin Patch time! We decided to go to Fir Point Farms again this year because we only had a small window of time today and we thought we better go with something we know then venture out to some unknown. Don and I have found that with the boys the ages they are, the less uncertainty and the more control we have over situations, the better off we all are!!!!!!!!! We had a gorgeous day on our hands. I mean, we were in shorts at the pumpkin patch, awesome! Other than the fact that it cost us EIGHT DOLLARS to ride the 2 minute hayride, we had a great time. After the above mentioned rip off, the boys scooted through a hay maze, observed some animals (I am one of those moms who does not let her child touch animals...gross), then we headed off to the actual pumpkin patch and the boys were both on missions. The both settled on two adorable small little pumpkins (too small to carve, so we had to go to Safeway to by a much larger pumpkin for carving, which cost less than the small cute pumpkin - didn't realize we were at a designer pumpkin patch, but I digress..). Upon noticing that Country Grains was catering the patch, I insisted we stay for lunch. After purchasing our food (which also cost less then our pumpkins...) we plopped ourselves down on a grassy patch to eat and did not realize we sat front row to the clown show! Just as we were finishing up, a clown came and set up shop literally right in front of us! So we stayed to watch but seriously, what is up with clowns for entertainment???? Not a fan! Really creepy, and I was really not liking the way he talked to the kids, not my kids but the older ones. Again, CREEPY! But after that we headed for the car but not before we took a ride on the Big Green Tractor! :)

A fall walk with my little men!

Little Connor, you are so excited for Halloween! So excited for a visit to the Pumpkin Patch that you insisted on sleeping with a mini pumpkin. When we were reading our new halloween books tonight before bed you jumped up and inisisted that we go to the pumpkin patch right then and there! Then you came walking into our room at 2 am with your little pumpkin! We sent you back to your room but sure enough at 6am you were back with the little pumpkin, "We go punkin patch now?"

The Wedding of Mary and Doug Bokoske!!!!!!!!!!

Mary's wedding day has finally arrived! And it couldn't be a more picture perfect wedding day. Not a cloud in the sky and the gorgous fall colors are alive here in the Gorge! Skamania Lodge is the perfect setting for these two love birds! I posted a bunch of pictures below but I have to laugh as I have none of Doug really! But he is a really cute guy!!

Getting the dress on!

Cocktail hour with Tara Schwab!

The flower girls, my niece Rachel and her cousin Vivienne! And my beautiful sister Sarah!

Ring bearers - my newphews Tommy and Joey and thier cousin William!

Can you believe the setting?


Mary and her darling dad!!!!!!!!

Soccer TOTS!

We finally enrolled Connor in Soccer Tots. We have been meaning to do it for a long time but with my crazy work schedule we couldn't find a day that we could consistently take him until now. He goes Saturday mornings and so we can both be there to watch him! He loves it. He loves coach Lauren. At first he really only wanted to dribble the ball around the field and kick goals. He wanted nothing to do with the hula hoops, cones, etc. But eventually he caught on. We had a blast running around with him too. It is a really great program and all the people who work at Tualatin Indoor are so nice and friendly! Come on full ride soccer scholarship!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Connor running with Daddy!

Even Kellen got in on the mix. He loves soccer tots too and is really miffed he is to little to be enrolled. But every once in a while we let him on the field and he lights up! He loves running out there with the older kids kicking the ball. Looks like we have to soccer studs on our hands...

An Abundant Garden!

Our neighbor's Bruce and Katie planted an amazing garden last spring and it is growing like crazy! And lucky for us, we get to reap the benefits! They have been back east for the last two weeks and so we have been watering the garden for them. Each night while Don gets Kellen ready for bed, Connor and I head over to the Flaker's to do some watering. Connor loves it because there are two hoses. I turn on the water and he gets to water one side of the garden while I get to water the other. Tonight as we were finishing up I heard this while I was putting the hoses away. "Mm, MMMM, MMMMM. This is yummy. Staaaaberries. Mm. MMMMM. Okay! Okay I eat. Yummy" This little rant went on for quite a bit and when I was done putting the hoses away, this is what I found my little toddler doing......I can't tell you how many strawberries he plucked from the vine and ate, but he was a berry mess.

Then, on the way home we were walking down the street and he looked up at the night sky, gasped, let go of my hand and pointed to the cresent moon and exclaimed, "MOMMY! THE MOON IS BROKEN!!!!" I was just dying. So funny! He made me laugh so hard. I love this little boy and all these fun stages. I love seeing the world from his view. Puts things back into perspective!!

Maris's Bridal Shower Bliss!

My darling dear friend Mary is getting married next month. I can hardly wait. Mary has been my bestest friend from my very first day on the bluff back in August of 1994. Our first day off college met Mary in her dorm room and we hit it off were friends for life after that! We have been through everything together from surviving college away from home, traveling the world together, boys, our crazy Ireland adventures (and I do mean crazy!) jobs, moves, etc. Mary is one fearless and headstrong gal and I have always watched her navigate through everything life offers her with elegance and grace. She can pull anything off. And now to see her Mary her best friend - and to see the way he loves her so, seriously I get teary eyed when I think of it. There is something to be said about seeing two people who are so in love get married! Sooooo, in prep, here are some pictures from the shower my sister Sarah and I threw for her. This was post her bachelorette party in which I will NOT be including pictures. I just won't. I don't even have any. But I do have mental pictures, and I won't share those either....

Doesn't Mary have gorgeous mom and sisters????