New Preschool

When they moved to Portland, Kristin found a fabulous new preschool for the twins that is 5 min from the new home. PORTLAND SCHOOL OF EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION. It is a brand new school that just started last Nov. The kids are thriving and having such a great time learning and experiencing new things. The teachers are real good about sending photos to Kristin's cell phone through out the day.

Here Carson is making crackers. Check out that concentration in the second photo. And I thought only Ruby concentrated with her tongue!

Ruby was having fun lining up cars and counting them all. I don't know exactly what this white stuff is, but Kristin said it is like snow, but not. It was cold, but not as cold as snow. Ruby was having a blast. Ruby is also making crackers. I love the little scissors they use to cut the crackers before baking. Kristin snapped this picture of Ruby on her way to school. This school is called an all-weather-school, which means the kids go outside everyday. They have all the gear they need right there at school so they can bundle up in wet and cold weather. Here is their website if you want to check it out. http://www.pdxedschool.org/

Sentimental Story

Ruby brought tears to my eyes recently. No, she didn't accidentally head-butt me, which has happened before! She said "you smell like Grandma Julee!" When I was a little girl I spent a great deal of time with my Grandma Katy. She babysat me since mom worked full time, sewed most of my clothes, including my wedding dress and took me to church. Grandma Katy was my prayer warrior who took me (and all 14 of her grandchildren) to the "throne of grace" each day. Needless to say, she was very special and dear to me. Grandma Katy always smelled good -- usually some light scented perfume from Avon. When she died I was given some of her jewelry and for several years I could still smell "Grandma Katy" on her jewelry. I made the decision when the twins were born to wear the same perfume when I was with them so they would come to know that scent as mine. It was silly, but I consciously did it. So when Ruby was hugging me and said "You smell like Grandma Julee", I felt tears forming in my eyes!

Random Pix From Kristin

This red and white gingham jacket was Kristin's at age 3. I love that Ruby is wearing it -- the hat I don't know????

Carson and Ruby attended Malia's 4th birthday party at JJJump. http://www.jjjump.com/

They had so much fun, even the adults. Kristin said she may have their next birthday at this place since it provided a great deal of fun for all. Just as quickly as Carson went down a slide, he was bounding back up the stairs to go again. You can see him doing that in the photo below. Ru was actually at the top getting ready to fly down. Ruby-red slippers (or TOMS) for Miss Ruby. She LOVES them!

MOVING DAY

Over New Years Kristin and Casey moved from Vancouver to Portland. I was there for 10 days, but was so busy I didn't get many pictures. These were taken the first day we had the U-Haul. The kids thought it was a bunch of fun! We had to work at keeping them out of the way so they didn't get tripped over!

Here they are entertaining themselves in the mud! Such fun.......

The last night the king size mattress was moved downstairs, so the kids took advantage of it while they watched a show. (also, it was the only thing in the living room at that point!)

I-phone

Kristin usually recharges her I-phone on the floor in her bedroom. The twins now know how to operate it -- as seen below! I think they know more about it than I do. Ruby knows how to get a game on it to play.

Christmas Morning 2011

Merry Christmas from Bainbridge Island.

This gorgeous sunrise over Seattle greeted me this morning -- for only a few minutes and then it was gone!

For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace

Happy Birthday Jesus

Birthday cake for baby Jesus at Grandpa Ray's and Grandma Carrie's house.

JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!

Merry Christmas Little Ru and Car-boy....

Fun Fact

If you look back at Dec. 2009 at SO CUTE, BUT NO POSES on my blog you will see Miss Ruby in the same Christmas dress hand-me-down from the same neighbor. The neighbors have two daughters and had matching dresses that year -- hence Ruby ended up with both sizes.

Random

Kristin sent these from her cell phone.

The kids have been participating in a "Broadway" dance class and they were waiting for their performance. (is that little man wearing a tie???)

Ruby was so pleased with her new pair of Adidas high-tops for girls! Not only are they a cool color, but the black part is shiney -- like patent-leather.

Christmas Is Coming

Both children did so well this year with helping to decorate their tree. I was very surprised at how they carefully hung each ornament their parents handed to them. But of course each day they had to rearrange the ornaments. Here Ruby is checking out one that caught her eye. This little dress is a hand-me-down Christmas dress from a neighbor. We were just about to leave for church.

Here they are getting reacquainted with the Little People Nativity set. Such a fun thing to have a nativity set they can actually touch and play with. Ruby is cradling baby Jesus. Carson had baby Jesus up in the palm tree! The family was enjoying a game of Chutes and Ladders one evening. I love how expressive Ruby is during the game. Carson was all over the board!

Here they are rearranging the ornaments, under Ruby's watchful eye! She LOVES to tell her brother (and anyone else) what to do!

We were having a pajama day (at their request). We had gone outside for some fresh air, but when we came in Ruby decided she liked the hat -- it was a fashion statement for sure....

Again, she is watching over her little brother and giving directions where needed!!!!

From the Mouth of Miss Ruby

Kristin was rushed this morning as she was getting the kids in the car to take them to preschool. Ruby said "Mommy, it looks like you need some help from your friends!"

This morning on the way to school Kristin was playing some music. Ruby asked her to turn it up so she could hear it. Kristin noticed in the rear view mirror that Ru was bobbin and swaying to the music. Then Ruby said

"Actually mommy, could you put on YOU'RE MY KIND OF WOMAN!"

(what???? Kristin called Casey and he told her he had been listening to country western music and Ruby liked that song).

Fun Words To Remember This Thanksgiving Visit

The first morning at breakfast Ruby said:

"When I woke up I was talking to Carson, but he was still sleeping, so I talked to myself!"

When asked what they liked to eat best on Thanksgiving,

Ruby said "Pumpkin Pie". Carson said "Cranberry sauce on my bun"

When asked what they were most thankful for Ruby said "My Daddy"

Carson said "My Mommy".

Cold Beach Walk

On Friday it stopped raining long enough to take the kids on a beach walk. The steps down are very slippery, so I was trying to be very careful with the little ones. I didn't know Kristin was taking this picture of us.

It was so good to get outside and let them run, play and toss rocks into the water. We thought this fallen tree looked like a dinosaur.

Where's Carson????

This GIANT yellow rope on the beach became a snake.

Here they are wrestling the snake's head!

I LOVE the creativity of these children.

More Fun

Casey was so excited to not have to bring the pack & plays this time. The kids are big enough to sleep in big beds (big enough to not need booster seats or potty seats). Traveling and visiting just got that much easier with these rapidly growing twins! They said the beds were so comfy and cozy that they even took long naps each day this visit.

Auntie Kat sharing a piano moment with the twins.

Carson blessed my heart at one point during the day by going over to the piano and playing the keys and singing "Jesus Loves Me This I Know".

The twins LOVE books. I went to our Bainbridge Island Library and checked out 28 children's books (that was all I could fit in my big bag!) Since we had some pretty lousy weather, we spent most days inside, and reading is always a way to entertain them. Ruby noticed that she and I are the only two family members with blue eyes. (if you click on the photo to enlarge it, you can see how beautifully blue her eyes really are!)