Soccer Moms!

So I had to put a shout out to our soccer team, the "Leftovers". This was taken after our first big win. Yes, we went 3 games without scoring a goal. Most of us have never played soccer before so it's been pretty fun(ny). Way to go girls!

Sleepy?

Sometimes you just need a nap and can't be bothered to stop playing to do it. This is how I found Emma the other day. The funny thing is that about 10 minutes before this I asked her if she wanted to go down for a nap. "No mommy, I'm not tired at all!" She slept like this for over 2 hours.

Tagged!

So I've been tagged, sorry it's taken me a bit to get to it Jill! I think I did this a while back so I will try and think of some different and Oh So Interesting things about me :)

1 - I cannot stand the words "cankerous", "crusty"(unless referring to bread), "moist", and "festering". Just to name a few, my repertoire of disgusting words is ever-growing as Justin is so sweet to share many from his medical books. I will spare you the worst of them, as this is a family blog.

2- I have lived in Utah, Connecticut, Delaware, Chicago, Israel, France, San Francisco, and Portland. I LOVE to travel, it is actually a really big obsession. We don't do it too much these days but I dream about it constantly. I love to learn about different cultures, try different foods and meet new people.

3- Justin and I would love to do international medicine in the future. We had the chance to go to Ethiopia for a few weeks to do Ophthalmology research and humanitarian work. We loved it and feel like that is part of our life's mission.

4 -I am always changing my hair style and color. I get an idea in my head and can't get it out. I've had blonde, red, black and now brown. I am really trying to keep the current one for a while. It's killing me though.

5 - I fell in love with Justin at first sight. We met at the Freshman orientation dance at USU and I asked him to dance. We dated for 2 years, waited for eachother on our missions, and have now been married for 6 wonderful years.

6- I love to clean! Whenever I feel down or upset, I vacuum. It is amazing what it does for me. I never feel better than when I have a clean, organized house. Not that it is always like that, but I would love for it to be.

7- I am playing soccer for the first time in my life. I have never played soccer before except for a few pick-up games in France. I am playing on an indoor team with some girlfriends here in Portland. It is so much fun and I'm so happy to pick up a new sport at age almost-30. I scored my first goal last night!

Okay, way more than you ever wanted to know. I tag all of you! I love to hear things I may not have known about you!

Before and After

So, here's my attempt at being very HGTVish with the before and after shot. We have been struggling with this one wall in our house/apt./duplex (I never know what to call it), our home! We just have not been able to figure out what to hang on it. We also struggle with the "brown factor" and have in fact deemed our home the Brown Wonder. We love it, love it here. But the fact remains that all is brown. The walls, the carpet, doors, trim, cupboards, you name it. It is also a fact, in case you haven't heard, that it rains quite a bit here in Portland. So, living in the Brown Wonder in the rain can start to feel a little dull. I needed a little color. Now I didn't want to exert to much time or money on a rental so we decided that maybe just the wall could use a splash. Well, I thought, why not bright orange. I love orange. So by then I couldn't be stopped.

But then, what to hang on the orange wall. My sister-in-law gave me these fabulous old windows, thanks Meg. I knocked out the glass and spruced them up with a little spray paint and crackle glaze to make them look old again. Justin had the fabulous idea of filling the panes with happy fabric. I don't think he actually said "happy fabric" but that was my interpretation.

Here is the result and I have to say that it has made me extremely happy the past 4 days to have an orange wall in my house. Now if we could just do something about the ceiling fan . . .

One of my other projects since we moved in was painting this table black and recovering the seats. We are hoping soon to move to a bigger table that actually allows for plates and food on the table at the same time. But this one has served us faithfully for 6 years of marriage and with the new look has let me hold on to it for a little longer.

This next project is New Year's mania taking hold of me. We went from a chart-free home to a chart-run home overnight. But it is wonderful and is helping us all stay in line. We have the Prayer chart, Family Home Evening chart, Chore charts, and schedules for each of the girls. The schedules have been so great for the girls. I used to make these with my special ed students all the time and they have been a dream with my girls too. It keeps them going with what they need to be doing and helps me to follow through too. Plus, they get to reward themselves by putting the activity in the happy or frowny face bag when they've completed it.

Blogger Slacker

I have been a major blogger slacker lately. Things have been really busy since the New Year (aren't they always). But I have been busying myself lately with a lot of projects, painting, reading and organizing. The usual, I know, but I've been doing even more than usual lately. So, I decided I would combine the two and post a few of my projects on here for posterity. Okay, mostly just for my benefit so I can keep a photo journal of them. Here are a few to start!



These are the elf tea towels I stitched for a Christmas present. I loved these patterns, I thought they were so simple and sweet. The great thing is that there are so many crafty people out there that post patterns on their blogs now so I can benefit from their creativity.


This was my favorite Christmas project. I made these capes for the girls. They were a major pain since I made them out of satin - but they HAD to be shiny! They are reversible. So the one side is the princess crown with their initial and the other side is the lightning bolt if they want to be a little more superhero. They LOVE these capes and wear them all the time. I'm glad they liked them since they took quite a while to make. Okay, more to come . . .

Pumpkin Regatta (or however you spell it)

Okay, so I know that this is totally backtracking but I came across these pictures and felt that they were definitely blog-worthy and wanted to share. There is a little lake by our house and apparently they have started this wonderful tradition of racing 500 - 1000 pound pumpkins across it each year at Halloween time. What could be better, seriously. It was so much fun and the girls couldn't believe that people were really going to get in the pumpkins. They load them onto the lake with a forklift and then carve a hole big enough for them to climb in. These are pretty big men that have grown these pumpkins on their own farms. It was something!

Happy New Year!

Well, I am finally getting around to thinking about the New Year. This January is starting off much better then our Januarys usually do (knock on wood). It seems as though we are always sick the entire month. Last year I went so far as to break my rib from coughing (of all the lame things). Right now we are healthy, happy and excited to start off this year! I'm sure I just jinxed us though. Okay, here's my list of the best and worst things about 2007.

BEST!
1 - Justin graduating from med school (May 2007)
2 - Abby starting Kindergarten; Emma starting preschool
3- Oregon coast
4 - Moving to Portland
5 - Going to Samoa
6 - Camping in the Columbia River Gorge
7 - Trips to Seattle
8 - Trip to Utah for Christmas; Kev and Jill coming for Thanksgiving
9 - Swimming during a WARM summer
10 - My parents coming home from Samoa (from their mission)


WORST!(not to be negative :)
1- Breaking my rib from coughing
2- Leaving San Francisco and all our wonderful friends
3- Packing to move
4- Lots of overnight call for Justin
5- Getting Emma dressed (everyday)
6- Leaving Samoa
7- Car repairs (4 tows in 5 months)
8- More car repairs
9- My giant zit during the Wilkinson extended family photo (and my mom pointing it out and asking how long I've had it)
10- Getting pickpocketed by a man pretending to be blind as I helped him across the street.

Well, here's to another great year! We hope you all have a good one!

More Christmas Highlights!

Christmas Eve seafood-fest . . . Abby's favorite food is shrimp!
The Nativity - the girl's called it "the activity" and have wanted to do it every day. Justin is being a good sport under that blanket.

Daddy and his girl Christmas morning. The girls were so excited this year!

Reading the new Christmas book. Notice the stuffed snakes, that was the one thing they asked Santa for this year. They are so funny!

Can you tell she is pretty stoked about the snake. . .

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

After a long break from computers, phones, e-mails, blogging, dishes, and cooking, we are back to the real life! We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year! We had such a great time in Utah for Christmas this year. We played hard, enjoyed the snow, ate a ton and enjoyed ourselves so much that it was hard to come back. Here are a few of the highlights:

A little bit of sisterly Christmas love!

Decorating cookies . . . always the girl's favorite part of Christmas!

Lots of Christmas Eve snow!

A "two-horse" open sleigh ride to see the reindeer (elk) at Hardware Ranch.

Always the animal lover, Abby had to pet the horses before we left.

Christmas Picture Time!

My fabulous brother and sister-in-law were in town this weekend and Jill took some family pics for us. Jill is a super photographer, her website is: www.jillynphotography.com so you should check her out.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I would love to post pictures of ours but since our camera is still broken . . . I will just tell you how great it was. We were lucky enough to have my brother and sister-in-law and their adorable daughter in town from Utah. It has been a lot of fun and was my first time doing Thanksgiving dinner all on my own. Justin even got off of work early and was able to join us for dinner, so we had a lot to be grateful for. Another wonderful year, we are happy and healthy and couldn't be more thankful for our family and friends.

Hot Pockets!

Thanks for all the great posts about the special, meaningful things you're thankful for. They've reminded me just how thankful I am for.......hot pockets.

I'm Thankful for . . .

Grandparents! I have to say that I think Abby and Emma lucked out with the BEST 2 sets of grandparents in the world! Even though they don't get to see them very often, they think and talk about them all the time. I am thankful for the wonderful influence they are on my children (and us too, of course). Abby is constantly drawing pictures of her with her grandmas and grandpas. What a blessing family is! I am thankful for my family - love you all!


Abby and Grandma Wilkinson "getting pretty".

Gwompa and Emma at the Logan Temple.

Grandpa T. and Abby making a run for it in Samoa.

Emma just loving her Grandma T. in Samoa - sorry you're sideways mom!

I'm Thankful For . . .

Diversity! I am so thankful that we are all so different. I've been so blessed to be able to visit a lot of different places and meet people from every walk of life. It has taught me to really appreciate our differences. (And has created a dangerous need to travel.) Living in San Francisco for 4 years was such a great experience because of the amazing diversity right there in that city. I'm grateful for all of the things that I have learned from others, thank you!


I thought I would share a little story from our trip to Ethiopia (see previous Ethiopia post for details about trip.) There was an Ethiopian health worker with us on that trip names Hade. He was truly the smiliest person I have ever met. I never saw him without his huge grin. He was married with 2 of the most adorable, well-mannered children I've ever seen. He and his wife had started a health clinic in his home. They invited us over one night to see it. He had his living space in one area, a room with a microscope served as their pathology lab, a room with a single bed was where they saw patients, delivered babies, and performed any other procedures. They are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week which means that either he or his wife are constantly there and ready to see patients. He said that there hasn't been one night in the year he's been open that they haven't seen patients in the middle of the night. They do this in order to get the business they need to stay open. He is so happy to be able to have this opportunity to help out in his community. When we went to visit, he and his wife served 8 of us a huge meal. I would imagine it cost them a whole month's income to feed us, but they were so happy to do it. I am constantly amazed by the ability that some have to take the situation they have been given and make the best of it, and to do it with a smile that never fades. Thanks Hade for your example!

Hade in front of his clinic.

Me in the delivery room/procedure room/anything else that needs to be done room.

Hade's son washing everyone's hands before dinner.

The Pathology Lab.

Hade and his beautiful family.

I'm Thankful For . . .

JUSTIN!!!!!!!!!!! I just have to say that I love this guy so much and am so grateful for him in my life. (I am totally allowed to be publicly cheesy when it's Thanksgiving, right?!) Justin and I celebrated our 6th anniversary this year. It has been an amazing 6 years. We have lived in 4 different apartments, lived in 3 different states, visited 3 different countries, had 2 children, and have had SO much fun. I am always amazed at Justin's ability to work a 90 hour weeks, come home with a smile on his face and still manage to be an amazing father and husband. He never, ever complains about how busy he is. He is such a good daddy to his little girls. They love, love, love to be with him. He is an amazing example to me of working hard and playing hard. He is always looking for the next place to explore and never wants to waste a minute of life. Plus, he has a pretty sweet coin collection :) We are THANKFUL for you Justin!

I'm Thankful For . . .

Toothbrushes! I LOVE to brush my teeth, it is the best thing ever!

Okay, I decided that since our camera "got broked" this week by our littlest angel :) and I won't have any new pictures to post in a little while, I would dedicate this month to things we are thankful for. Seems appropriate right! I know it will most likely get very boring to all of you, but will be a good way to fill the space until we get the camera fixed and it's always good to reflect on our blessings. So, for today (since we are all sick and I just left the playplace with both kids screaming) I am thankful for toothbrushes. They are always there when you need them, always make you feel better, always yeild the same results, come in lots of fun razzle dazzle colors, are cheap, and make me happy.

What are you thankful for?

I've Been Tagged!

So exciting, I've never been tagged before! Alright Terina, here it goes:

1. The player lists 6 facts/habits about themselves - try to find 6 you haven't already posted about!

2. At the end of the post, the player tags 6 people and posts their names, and then goes to their blog and leaves them a comment, letting them know they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog for the rules.

#1 - I love, love the smell of dryer sheets. If they made dryer sheet perfume, I would totally buy it. One time in college, my friend Laura and I :) rubbed dryer sheets all over our clothes before we went to a party. When we got there, we realized how strong the smell really was. We didn't even care, we thought we smelled so good (and we did).

#2 - I believe that everyone has a "what I would be if I wasn't what I am" occupation. I will out Justin on this one. His is a police officer. (Sorry, honey, it's out there now). He loves being a doctor but secretly watches Cops sometimes and is envious of that job. Mine is an Interior Designer. I have my degree in Special Education, which I love and wouldn't change, but I spend way too much time looking at design magazines and dreaming about one day decorating.

#3 - I LOVE to read! I know, this seems like a boring "about me" statement, but it's true. I am in 2 book groups. There it is, my confession. I love all kinds of books but always seem to lean toward non-fiction "survival stories". My favorite book in the whole world is Les Miserables (not a non-fiction survival story). I tried to read it in French after my mission but didn't make it more than half way and finished in English. I love love books!

#4 - I never feel closer to God than when I am in nature. I love to camp, hike, bike, be outside, and it always makes me reflect on my blessings. It makes me feel peaceful and happy and is something I love to do with my family.

#5 - I have a serious sweet tooth. I think we are pretty healthy eaters for the most part in our house (Thanks to Justin!) But I love to eat sweets; my favorites are anything chocolate, anything ice cream.

#6 - I don't sing in front of anyone but my kids and Justin (and that is recent). I cannot sing for the life of me. It's just one thing I will not do in front of anyone. I was called to be the Relief Society chorister in our first ward after Justin and I were married and I seriously mouthed it every week. (But I do sing to the girls all the time, more than they would like me to I'm sure).

Okay, there you have it, more about me than you ever wanted to know. I am going to tag: Chelsea, Jocelyn, Laura, Kevin (that's right, you bro - you have to participate!), Emily Freeman and Jen Lowry. You're IT!

Did I Mention I Love Halloween?!

Emma and I spent such a nice afternoon at the pumpkin patch this week. Abby had gone already for a school field trip so Emma and I headed out there together. I love this time of year, I love the food, I love the pumpkin patches and haunted houses, I love the costumes, and how excited the girls get about everything, and again, I love the food. We got the best pumpkin and apple cider donuts fresh out of the . . . whatever they come out of. It all just makes me happy.

First Day of Preschool . . . kind of!

Okay, Okay, it's not really the first day of preschool. Emma refused to have her picture taken on the first day. She loved it, had a great time, but was not about to let me take a picture. So . . . this is on her second day of preschool. Don't worry, she is wearing the same outfit that she wore the first day (it wasn't worth the fight). She is so happy to be in school, she's been waiting ever since Abby started preschool. She is in the same class as her cousin Alice, which is so fun for them. They both think they are pretty big now. We love you Emma!



Abby was pretty excited for Emma too, I think they like to have alone time with Mom while the other is at school.
It's all about the boots . . . she had to make sure I got these in the picture.

Angel Island Kayak Trip

We were looking through recent photos and remembered how much we loved our Angel Island kayaking trip while living in San Francisco and decided to share an album with you. Sorry if it's a bit long, I went a little nuts with the new camera. It was so much fun and absolutely beautiful. And, to top it off we got to leave the girls with friends for a couple days!

Angel Island Kayak Trip