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????

Splash Park FEVER!

No summer is complete without a visit to one of the many splash parks. Our favorite is Tanner Creek in West Linn. However, due to the Juneuary we experienced this year, we only made it once!!!! But it was a good one! Jeannie and Tyler were rafting for a week so we got to play with Ellie and Sam! We took a family field trip to Tanner Park! Oh what fun!

Snack Time!

Pompa and Kellen just hanging out!

Connor braves the cold water!

Sarah's presence makes a splash!

"There's no other love like the love for a brother. There's no other love like the love from a brother."

Being the mom of two boys has certainly been an entertaining and rewarding journey! Each night I pray that they they grow up to be kind, happy, and most importantly to always be friends! Some days that seems a far off dream, as they fight, hit, steal toys and scream at each other.....I really hope all the madness sometimes is just their way of bonding.....

Growing Boy!

The day after Kellen's birthday barbecue, Don, Connor and I were preoccupied playing with his new toys that we didn't notice he had made his way into the pantry and helped himself to a hamburger bun! Guess he was still hungry.

Happy Birthday Kellen Patrick, You are ONE!

Kellen Patrick came into our lives screaming his little lungs out a year ago today! I cannot believe a year has passed. My labor with you started almost identical to that of your brother Connor. Got up to pee for the 100th time at night. Got back to bed and WOWZA! Water broke! Woke up Don, called nonnie and pompa, got dressed and packed up the car and headed to Good Sam in Portland. However, this time, rather than a 17+ hour labor with 2 hours or so of pushing I did with big brother, you popped out in just a couple of hour and only a couple of pushes over 10 minutes! And you and your brother are so wonderfully and beautifully different and the same! You were both great sleepers and eaters as newborns. You both love binkies and both make the adorable binkie humms and has when they are in your mouth. You both love baths and books and adore your doggie Murphy. But Kellen you also loved and (love) electrical cords, outlets, small objects in your mouth, crawling behind beds and under coffee tables, and going head first down nonnie and pompa's stairs. You are our little daredevil and in to everything!!!!!!!!! You make us laugh, you keep us on our toes, you growing into your brother's best friend and I can't imagine our family being complete without you! We love you so much sweetie pea! Happy Birthday!


Must be a Corcoran, loves him some chocolate cake!

Older cousins Tommy and Joey witnessing the annihilation of the cake!

Maimo Corcoran and momma Steeceeee (That is how Kellen's says Stacy, our beloved nanny)

Connor and Rachel on the play stuff.

"Kiddie Table"

Adult Table

Christine Nichole Macken

Sweet Christine left the world unexpectedly on July 5th. Just like that. We had all been over at my parent's house celebrating Tom's belated birthday day. We got home and the phone rang. It was Sarah telling me Christine was gone. I didn't believe it. It didn't seem real. I put the boys to bed. I finished folding the laundry. I put the dishes away. I got ready for bed. I fell asleep. I woke up in the middle of the night sobbing. It can't be real. It seemed like forever before it was 8am (a suitable hour to call others). I called my mom, even though I talked to her last night, I had to call her again. As soon as I heard her voice, I cried again. Throughout the day I talked to all my siblings, several times, but most of the time it was just sobbing into the phone, from both ends. The sadness was overwhelming. As well as the helplessness of being thousands of miles away from her and her immediate family. That part was so much harder than I anticipated.

I am 9 years older than Christine. Uncle Jim and Allison moved to SLC when she and her little sister Sam were young. Sarah and I use to babysit them. They spent holidays with us as well as other family gatherings. Then they moved back east again. But Christine came back out to U of U for college, and it was so much fun hanging out with the older Christine. I remember picking her up in her dorm room one time when I was home visiting and she helped me run a zillion errands for my wedding. She spent many a holiday with us during college and even when my parents moved to Portland, she continued to fly up to spend Thanksgiving with us. She was an honorary Stuyvesant. She fit into our perfectly crazy family. We all hurt so much when she left. I miss her smile, her sarcastic and witty comments, her amazing love for all the babies of the family (she doted on them so, each and every one of them). Thanksgiving will not be the same without her incredibly sweet marshmellow sweet potato dish she made or her way way way stiff drinks she poured (it makes me laugh when I picture my mom taking her first sip).

My little brother is a far more eloquent write than I as he wrote the most incredible story about her.

http://talesfromathomas.blogspot.com/

Christine, may you rest in peace. Until we meet again...