my life in the pacific northwest

spring came at summer time

2011-05-21T21:05:00.000-07:00

Just about June and spring is finally showing up. Couldn't have come at a better time. I'm in the middle of a "I hate Oregon and I wanna move home but I can't cause I dont make enough money" rut. Happens just about every time I hang out with someone from home, then watch them go home while I'm stuck here. After 3 years you would think I would have put some roots down and made friends, but I can't seem to let go of "home". Anyway now that I have finished school, Kyla is starting preschool, and the sun in finally showing its face after a long 6 months things might start looking up for me. I am going for an amazing job, and hopefully we will be buying a house next spring. Kyla is growing up so fast. Shes a little fish with her swim lessons. Shes so good. She knows all her letters and how to write them, reading is the next step then she gets a dog (we made a deal with her). We've got a few vacations this summer.. Bend in a couple weeks, OC for a week in August, hopefully I can get a room on the coast for a night at some point. Maybe see the sea lion caves. In laws came from New Zealand last month, it was really awesome spending time with them, they just adore Kyla and it breaks my heart she doesn't get to be around them all the time. It is what it is though and we get to go to New Zealand every other year so thats pretty awesome! so ya.

2010-12-18T13:50:00.000-08:00

Mt. Hood

dream within a dream

2010-12-18T13:37:00.000-08:00

Last night i had these weird dreams, or one big dream, im not sure. But everything started out normal. I was laying in my bed, with my husband, aware or Kyla in the next room, I seemed to be awake. I heard Kyla playing in her room and i yelled out "you better go to sleep in there" and turns out i was dreaming, because I think i woke my self up actually screaming that out. So i fell back asleep and went back to the same dream, except my bed was in some sort or bank or financial institution, but at the time i thought it was normal and i was awake. Then something happened that made me realize it was a dream, and i wanted to wake up, so i did.. or so i thought, as time went on i realized i still was dreaming. Then i started to panic because i really wanted to wake up, i kept asking my husband to wake me up in my dream, but he was nonresponsive, and eventually disappeared. After "waking up" but not really waking up at least 3 times that i remember, i asked some woman (who appeared behind this counter at this bank where my bed ended up) why i couldnt wake up. She first tried to deny i was asleep, then told me i couldnt wake up cause i was in jail, or something like that. I finally woke myself up somehow and i had this really bad feeling that if i went back to sleep i might not be able to wake up again, but at the same time i was SOOO tired, so i did go back to sleep and that was the end of it, at least as i can remember.

Thought i would start recording my dreams, since sometimes they are so vivid and i almost always remember them. Since i dont use this blog for anything but photography might as well use it as a dream journal too. Interested to find out more about dreaming and meanings of dreams. Maybe someone will have some input?

Trillium Lake

2010-08-21T19:39:00.001-07:00

Good 2 mile hike around the lake. Perfect temperature, and the water was so warm, too bad no one was prepared for swimming. Next time we will have swim suits and our tubes with us to float around on the lake. Can't wait to see it become ice and get covered in snow. What did you do this weekend??

Zoo day

2010-07-24T17:00:00.001-07:00

Another day at Oregon Zoo with my boo bear.

Falls fall Washington

2010-07-24T16:52:00.000-07:00

So pretty! I almost didn't make it, about half way there i got hot and lost Kyla and Simon and barfed behind a tree. After resting and Simon pushing me, I finally made it, and it was well worth it. So i guess im really out of shape...

Kyla the Photographer

2010-05-07T14:29:00.001-07:00

Tennis ball

Grocery store clerk

Rainy day

Kyla Capturing the moment of me driving in the pouring rain

and her feet

and her legos

and her dad on the computer

and me reading

Its her new favorite thing to do and it gives me time to relax for 15 minutes at a time. She goes around taking pictures of just about anything in sight from my phone, and sends every photo she takes to my online album. I found these today while paying my phone bill. Thought it was kind of cute to see what she sees. xxx

2010-05-06T14:57:00.000-07:00

So i forgot again. I keep everyone updated through facebook anyway. Nothing new really. Spring here is beautiful but frustrating with the bipolar weather. Sunny and nice turns into hail storms in less than a minute. I'm attempting a garden on my small deck. So far, nothing but its only been about 2 weeks. Kyla is doing good. We are really just getting ready for the summer so we can get in the pool and spend time outdoors. Tomorrow we are going to these hot springs, supposedly its a nudist colony or sorts so im hoping we dont run into too many nudies. Been trying new recipes and working at the clubhouse here in my apartments. Told Simon i would move to New Zealand for a year to try it out after he becomes a US cititzen so thats always in the back of my mind. We have so much of this beautiful state we want to explore before we leave so we are really looking forward to the summer and road and camping trips. At the moment our passports are with the inlaws while they try and get Kyla New Zealand Citizenship but when we get them back we are going up to Vancouver, hopefully by then my friend will have had her second baby. Second babies for me still arent even a thought. I just went through so much tramatic events with Kylas birth i can't even fathom trying it again. Plus i blaim almost every health issue i have on that since its been 2 years and i still dont feel the same, and i suspect i never will. I made a new friend with a son around Kylas age so that has been fun but almost awkward. It's like i spend so much time alone that i don't really know how to act around people. I only just started getting comfortable with Tiff before she took off for Germany. So i guess from here on out ill try to remember to post photos and such of our adventures we are planning on. xxx

forgot i had this blog!

2009-10-23T19:50:00.000-07:00

pumpkin patch
fire pit on our street
cheese
mt tabor
winter park
end of summer zoo trip with mom
corn maze
polar bear
fall into fall
beauty and the messy living room

Things have been cooling down here in Portland, its been high 50's to low 60's and raining off and on. Starting to get that cooped up feeling again. I got Ky a jungle gym to put in the living room since we cant go to the park that often anymore. She likes it alot, i don't. Its HUGE. Other than that we are planning our month long vacation in feb/march2010. California and New Zealand. Hoping to take Kyla to Disneyland and have a bbq for her birthday again at my dads. We will only have a few days in Ca so it would be cool to have everyone i wanna see come over and bring kyla presents! haha. Simons good, working alot and playing soccer. Kyla has a cold right now and with the flu scare i've been keeping her isolated till i can get all her vaccinations. Thats just me, over worrier. Shes getting quite tempermental and likes to get into anything she knows is naughty, and gets these horrible tones with me yelling at me and telling me "NO MOMMY ITS MINE" hitting pulling hair, ect.. terrible twos? i hope its just a stage. Sleeping has been hard, i dunno if its a mix of stuffy nose and teething but she thinks its play time between 230 and 430 am. I think maybe once i get her out to play and run around she will sleep better. Right now we are spending alot of time indoors. Its taking its toll on both of us. Ill post some photos. im off to put her to bed now.

my name is kyla i like to party

2009-09-22T09:39:00.000-07:00

sommersault
fun with daddy
ni ni sun
hats
angel baby

been a while

2009-09-17T16:51:00.000-07:00

first ice cream cone
weeee
nap time
mt scott park with baby addy
probably our last chance at the pool.
one quarter equals pure bliss at fred meyer
photobooth
happy valley park
oregon state fair petting zoo

Things have been pretty good. Calliou is on at the moment so i have a second to update. Shocking how big Kyla is getting, shes counting to ten, she likes to skip 5 and six sometimes. She knows most of her colors, has trouble with red, and some of her shapes. Shes a total copy cat and its so funny. She answers herself all the time. When she says thank you she follows it with your welcome. Or when she says "Im messy mommy" she follows it with "thats okay". The other day i caught her asking her monkey if he was hungry and if he wanted a sandwhich, and followed that with yes!!! We start gymnastics again in october. Her favorite. I'm doing okay. Looking forward to going home to cal to see friends. Hopefully ill make it for my brothers grad, and erins baby shower AND kylas 2nd birthday. All her buddies are down there whats a birthday without kenadee kincey damien vaugn and new addition lila. Plus ill be stoked to see everyone too and maybe actually have a night out. Totally craving greasy mexican food so ill post some new photos and go get some tacos. xo

dam and edgefeild with hadleigh and emla

2009-08-21T10:13:00.001-07:00

This last weekend we got to have the best houseguests ever. They did dishes, helped watch Kyla for us, even cooked us a delicious roast dinner. It was almost uncomfortable, i felt so little like a host. Hadleigh and Emla came and stayed with us. It was alot of fun and we already miss them tons. Here are some photos from Some dam in the gorge, i already forgot what its called, and one photo from Edgefield where we stopped for dinner and a drink on the way home. Pretty good day overall. Even though the security guard at the dam was racist again kiwis or something.

Growing up

2009-08-21T09:59:00.001-07:00

Just taking a second to address "growing up". I am just thinking back to being an irresponsible kid, unruly teenager, college, dropping out of college, bad decisions, not holding jobs. Not just me, but basically almost every one of my friends. Its insane to see how much we all have grown up. Graduating college, having kids, getting married, pursuing careers, buying houses, buying cars, actually paying off credit cards. My most irresponsible decision in the last 3 years is buying Kyla a pair of 27 dollar shoes when we just bought a car so we are broke. Im excited to go back to school, get a good job and buy an amazing house with my husband and daughter, when just a few years back, it would be something lame like big parties or nights at some bar in costa mesa with my friends having far to much to drink. Guess what im saying is wow we all have our "big girl pants on" now.

the hike

2009-08-11T17:26:00.000-07:00

Took Kyla on a hike last weekend with my sister and her family. It was soo beautiful. It still amazes me how pretty and clean and fresh oregon is. Im so happy to be here and i do not take advantage of all if has to offer enough. Although the hike was fun, it was a mile to the waterfall and i would not take Kyla on anything longer than that. Shes not small enough to throw on your back and call it a day. The trail like any had spots that would be way too unsafe for her so we had to carry her which went fine at first, but by the time we made it to the fall, she was tired and antsy and wanted to be left alone. The whole way back i had a very stubborn toddler that wouldnt let us carry her and i wanted to rip my hair out by the time i got back to the car. 1 mile was okay, but anything else would prolly push it too much. We found this really cool cave with out a flash light we werent able to really explore. Plus it was a little cold, if it was one of those really hot days we had last week, it would have been so amazing to jump in the water and go under the waterfall. But it was still good. I can't wait to explore more and for her to get a little bigger so im more comfortable taking her on outings like that. For now i think i enjoy being places where its ok for her to run around and do her own thing. So i guess things are going pretty well. We are having Simons best friend from NZ and his lady over for a week so i have been trying to prepare for house guests again. *we really need a spare room for everyone that comes up to visit since its like once a month* I love the company, its nice having people around since i get real lonely just me and Ky, Simon works really long hours. Anyway better finish stuff around here. Next posting we will probably have a new family car to show off and more adventures with Hadleigh and Emla. Stay tuned <3

2009-08-05T18:51:00.000-07:00

4 yards of purple twill- 6.00
elastic band- .20
flowery tutu=soooooooo fun
I almost paid 20 dollars for a version of this at the saturday market. New hobby i can profit from? If i get better at it. Im going to for sure make her a really cute witch costume for halloween either way

Sleepy bear.

2009-08-05T18:39:00.001-07:00

Im a mean mommy. Kyla keeps taking these super long naps and i get bored after 2 1/2 hours so i go in and take pictures of her till she wakes up. I love that she looks so much like a baby when shes asleep. I miss my little baby. I love my crazy toddler but i miss my cute little baby. Shes totally not a mouth breather even though she looks like it in one of the pictures. "i do it mommy" her new favorite words when she wants to do something by herself like climb out of her crib. That or "a salf"(myself)

pool party, cemetry, and 18 month check up

2009-07-28T14:29:00.000-07:00

Kyla Enjoying a cheeseburger

Kyla getting ready to make the plunge

Kyla with the flamingo

Kyla in the fountain at Mt Scott park

Trying to stay in the shade

Yes that's a cemetery don't judge me

Kyla before her 18 month shots

Kyla after her 18 month shots

Beautiful day in Oregon

2009-07-24T11:59:00.000-07:00

Too bad Kyla is no where near taking her nap, i'd like it to be over with so i can go out and enjoy the day. I'm thinking zoo and train ride then talking someone into having cheap dinner with me so i dont have to cook. This day is making me miss my friends alot. What i wouldn't give for jess to move to oregon!!!!!!! MOVE HERE JESSSSS! Or Juli and her family, or Jeanell and hers can move back, Jolie??? One of my stay home mom friends that would be stoked on rad playdates. I'm trying to get out and make mom friends its not east when i just miss mine from home. Meeting hippy moms at the park is not the same as hanging out with friends ive had for 5-10 years who are now moms and share my interests and memories. Don't get my wrong i LOVE it here. So beautiful and so much to do i just feel like i dont get to fully experience things when i do them by myself all the time. I got Tiffany but she isnt a mom and im sure she doesnt want to do that mom thing that often. One day i'll convince some one that Portland is FAR better thanOrange County. Till then............. more summer photos.

Summertime

2009-07-22T15:00:00.000-07:00

Kyla has been really active this summer and especially likes the water. Rivers, lakes swimming pool, the beach. She jumps right in and kicks her legs and tries to float on her back. We've taken tons of trips every weekend its a new adventure. The photos are of Kyla on the beach in Huntington on our CA trip, the only time i got out of the house really. The other one is her at Sandy river in Troutdale. Such a nice day, we found a perfect little beach. Its been really hot here lately average 90 degrees. We finally broke and bought one of those window AC units that looks SO ghetto with a board covering the rest of the window. This house stays 90 degrees till about 11 at night so we couldnt really handle it anymore. Kyla had her 18 month appointment the other day and totally wooed her pediatrician with how much she talks. More than most 2 year olds. Shes slimming out only gained a pound in 3 months, but shes really active too and eats a bunch. Then she got 4 shots poor girl was so bummed out. The sticker she got after made her forget all about it though. Shes still really testing me as to whats ok and whats naughty. I hate that she does bad stuff but then is so cute that i cant be mad at her. Like when i caught her coloring on the plastic drawer. This makes my dad happy since i was such a bad kid he figures now i get to see what i put my parents through. SO mean. Im posting a swimming video of Kyla trying to say hi to grandma and grandpa in New Zealand and California. Sorry i suck at formatting this thing, i still dont get it. Maybe next time ill write about our trip to the old cemetrey behind our housethat was creepy and interesting. Now i gotta go get
kyla out of time out she got put in for smackingme.

toddler bed?

2009-07-17T13:51:00.000-07:00

Kyla made her way out of her crib this morning and nearly gave me a heartattack. I woke up to my door rattling and thought it was wind coming from our slider in the living room so i got up to shut it and you can imagine my shock to find kyla wandering around our living room.. especially since her bedroom door was shut and i know she cant even lift her leg high enough to crawl out of her crib(or so i thought) My issue now is that i know shes not ready for a kid bed since shes a wild sleeper and if she wakes up in the middle of the night, which she does most nights, she wouldn't know to come wake me up so she could get into alot of trouble and if it was quiet trouble id sleep through it. We have an 18 month check up coming up on moday so ill ask her ped. On another note dont ever take a tired toddler to your doctors appointments. I had one today which proved to be a nightmare. I was exhausted and embarressed by the end. They had to draw blood which made Kyla go completely insane, one cause she was as scared as i was and two she wanted the ball the make you squeeze. I found myself using the line that ever mom uses.. "Shes not usually like this, shes just really tired" Then i realized lately, she is usually like that. Total bummer terrible 2's are. If your my sister and your reading this, im still mad you flaked on babysitting today!!!!!!!!!! If your a friend with a kid kylas age going through the same thing, GUHHHHHHH im sorrrry. I think we will swim now since its like 90. ill try and get a video of kyla in if i get a chance. Usually at the pool i gotta be ready to dive in and save her at all times since she hasnt got much sense of caution. thats all.

Things Kyla does all the time that drive me crazy edited for dad

2009-07-07T14:32:00.000-07:00

-jump on couch (and almost everytime i dont stop her in time she ends up falling off and crying) this applies to bed too.
-throws food all over house if shes full or doesn't like what shes eating (i find food in the weirdest places like in a vase on the window seal)
-takes all the shoes out of the shoe closet, (its always the grossest dirtiest ones she wants to play with)
-pees on the floor (then tries to play in it)
-goes in my bathroom drawer and spreads the contents all over my room. (she used to play with my leg shavers i had to move them and everything else thats dangerous)
-fills up cups of water in the tub and dumps them all over the floor. (or splashes all water out of tub)
-throws anything and everything off the deck. (they used to leave it till i get down to pick it up, not anymore i've lost so much stuff)
-tries to pick stuff up thats too heavy and gets mad that she cant. (gallons of milk)
-dumps glasses of water on the floor (and plays in it)
-jumps on the couch, i cant emphasize how much i hate this.
-climbs on top of changing table, coffee table, tv table, kitchen table, nightstands (attempts to jump off)
-does something bad and tries to distract me by smiling and waving and saying "hi mommy"
-eats crayons
-eats dog food
-tries to eat my food and wont eat her own. (probably a huge contributor to why ive lost so much weight)
-whines when in the car more than 10 minutes.
-tries to climb out of the cart in the store and pulls stuff off shelves. whines.
-says "owie" whenever she wants out of her car seat
-whines "bubbefth" until i get out the bubbles
-tears all the pages out of her pop up book from grandma. (it was her favorite one, i guess not anymore.)

Photos

2009-07-06T10:26:00.000-07:00

Me and Simon at waterfront park, seestar mi mi kyla and brother bear at waterfront park, two tired babies on 4th of July at Yale lake, Pretty view of Mt St Helens on Yale lake, Kyla and Si swimming in the lake, trees and sun, Brother bear swimming the clackamas river and Kyla and miles playing in the Clackamas river.

Updates on Kyla and 4th of July weekend

2009-07-06T10:02:00.000-07:00

Kyla is doing really well. Shes starting to potty train.. the other day she told me "poo poo" i asked her if she wanted her potty, she said ya, i got it out and she used it! It was awesome. Then yesterday again it was just out and she was naked she sat on it and went pee. Hopefully this is going to be easy since nothing else has been. Today i've been pushing it and she hasn't used it. So im gonna let her just tell me like she has been or let her do it on her own for a while since thats what is seeming to work. Other than that her uncle ryan is in town and she is thrilled. Everyday she wakes up asking "where unkah go?" Hopefully one day we will convince him to move here.

Weekend has been pretty awesome. Friday we went down the clackamas river, what a scenic drive, we found a little beach at the end of the tube run in a place called carver park and had a swim it was like 90 degrees out. Later that night we bbq'd at my sisters house and i made the best sangria ever. Saturday we went to Yale lake in Washington and took the boat out and relaxed. After we put Kyla to bed, Simon and I enjoyed a panoramic view of Portlands fireworks from our deck. Sunday we ate amazing mexican food and took brother bear to washington park and downtown to the blues festival and walked around. Then we BBQ'd again over here. Simon has to work this week on the coast somewhere and is staying in a hotel so we are all bummed about that. We may drive up and stay a night if he has his own hotel room. Anyway ill post some photos from the weekend, and a video of Kyla. I'll update again after brobear goes home. xo

2009-06-28T20:51:00.000-07:00

I guess ill start with recent updates. I'm still poking around figuring out how to post pictures and videos so i'll have like 5 new posts all from tonight. Anyways this is a photo of Kyla and her buddy Vaugn. My friend came up from california with her son and spent the night/day with us. It was fun having another mom that i'm good friends with to hang out with and talk too. Also good to see Kyla playing with another kid her age. Its cool to see where they are similar and different. They got along (mostly) except when they were hitting eachother over a toy. Its funny how boys and girls are different, while kyla likes her baby dolls and girly stuff, Vaugn was all about anything with wheels and balls. Makes you wonder if gender preferences are learned by observation or if there is a gene that makes girls prefer "girl stuff" and boys prefer "boy stuff". Kylas learned a few new things like how to count to 4. ill post a video sometime. Other than that the rest of the weekend went pretty good. After dropping Juli and Vaugn off, we had a short swim with my sister and her kids, then i laid down and relaxed since i didnt get very much sleep the night before. Had brunch today with a friend, got a little bit of an anxiety attack but it was nice to have adult conversation for once. Lots going on this week. My brother is flying in Wed. for 2 weeks and i also have a Dr. appointment (trying to tackle this anxiety situation) Hoping to take Kyla to the zoo thursday or friday with my brother.

kylas animal noises

2009-06-28T19:25:00.000-07:00

learning how to do the blog thing

2009-06-28T19:03:00.000-07:00

Guess its time i figure this out being that its 2009 and no one communicates by visiting or phone calls. Internet sites like facebook and myspace, or if your lucky you get an email or text message. Thought this would be a good way to keep friends and family literally across the world up to date on Kyla and the rest of our little family. As soon as i figure out what im doing ill let everyone know about this.