Time To Volunteer!!

On Tuesday night our family (minus Eric who was sick) went to the Northwest Children's Outreach in the Pearl District of Portland. The ministry serves other organizations in the area, filling needs for complete baby layettes, diaper bags, clothing and toys. It is very clean and well organized by specific type of garment, gender and size. This is one portion - looking down the little girls' row..
After we picked up a child's order, we would go around the building "shopping" for the child -- a specific amount of clothing is placed into each order, several shirts and pants, pajamas, onesies or t-shirts, socks, underwear, a coat, sweatshirt, hat and gloves, shoes, a little scripture book, and 2 toys and 2 or 3 stuffed animals! I cannot imagine what the little 2 year old boy will do when he gets his bag! This is all for one child - so awesome!

My husband Jim isn't normally a big shopper so this required extreme concentration..

OK, so he did have some break time with Noelle's husband Brad... apparently some macho "fishing" talk was needed.

Jenae absolutely loved this night and she said "when do we get to come back!!??" She would dig around the stack of names to find the little babies and then become a personal stylist to that baby... she was putting together the most adorable little outfits!

Shanna also had a great time, what 10 year old girl wouldn't enjoy "shopping" for cute clothes and fun toys for other kids? She was also adding her fashionista flair to her bags. (I'm now thinking that maybe dear ol' Dad shouldn't have been left alone with clothing choices - hmmm)..

This is my dear friend Noelle at the end of the night, she's so beautiful but it took me 3 tries to get a picture of her with her eyes open - haha!

One last picture of Shanna the cutie making a little baby girl warm and adorable!

We're going to be taking our kids to NCO every month on the last Tuesday night as part of our community group at our church, Rolling Hills Community Church. If any of you in the area want to join us, please do!

Portland Farmer's Market ... Sigh....

I recently enjoyed a beautiful day at an outing to the Portland Farmer's Market downtown by PSU. Some friends and I went to South Park (not the comic strip) for a great lunch and then went to the last farmer's market of the season (sad). I wanted to share some pictures of the crisp Fall day!
Here's Judith (red jacket) and Noelle (black jacket) getting ready to buy some flowers..
I didn't buy any pickles from Picklopolis but I did enjoy the sign.

Every imaginable variety of organically grown vegetable was displayed and it was just fun to walk around marvelling at the beauty!

Lots of vendors had beautiful flowers for sale, quite a treat in October!

Portland is a very eclectic little city as I'm beginning to see more and more... Noelle works as a realtor downtown and she's got the pulse of the city for sure! As I go places with her I will keep posting pictures of my new discoveries.

Eric's Birthday and Choir Concert

Eric took of his buddies to Red Robin and a movie for his 15th birthday last week... L-R are Conor, Eric, Derek and Nick...
Eric and Derek went to school together K, 1st and 2nd at Kennedy Elementary in Medford, OR and then again in Middle School. Derek moved up here to the Portland area about 6 months before us so even tho they aren't at the same school we have Derek here a lot!

I think ice cream was a bit much after their dinners... It's so amazing to think that Eric's 15 and can legally drive a car! The permit test is happening this week sometime. Yikes. Be on the lookout.

Eric's first high school choir concert was this week, he sang with the Tenor/Bass Choir and in the All-Boys songs. He's front row and center in this picture.

He had a falsetto solo in the old 50's song "Get a Job".... he didn't even seem nervous and sang really great --- the boy with the long, swaggy hair in the top right of the picture is a senior in Jenae's class and is already college bound with a full-ride vocal scholarship! Eric and Justin sang the highest part in another song together because they both have a high range... Eric was excited.

High School Musical On Ice - Amazing!

Troy and Gabriella looked a little bit different than they do on-screen, (actually a LOT different), but the lip-syncing was great and we all had a blast!

Ryan and Sharpay were pretty close in resemblance and fabulous dancers and skaters as well..

It's absoutey crazzzzy what people can do on ice skates; it looks as easy as walking across a gym floor. (Which the Rose Garden actually is when the Trailblazers are playing on it!)

My friend Gina and I, she's Haley's mom...

Shanna and Haey looking at the program while waiting outside in the cold. It was a great night!

OK, We DO Have 3 Kids....

Little Miss Thang.........

So, the little 5th grader - Shanna - doesn't lead a life as exciting as Jenae and Eric.... but I've had it pointed out to me this morning that she's not been in my blog lately. She actually DOES exist so this is a little tribute to Shanna Kristine. Who someday will be veeerrrry lucky to be the only child in this house!

She plays on a club volleyball team... She faces the right direction sometimes....
She is very serious and intent on getting the serve... She has braces on her little teeth and she's just a sweetheart!!
Love you Shannie!!!

Tualatin HS Homecoming 2008

Freshman (Eric) and Senior (Jenae) ... Wow... So much fun! We had Eric's group come over at 5 pm and we had snacks and pictures for his group, then off they went to Hayden's Lakefront Grill for dinner.

This is Eric and his date, Jourdan.

Eric and his best buds, Payton and Conor.
Eric's whole big group before heading off to dinner... first high school dance!
Jenae snuck downstairs from her friends and got some pictures with Eric. Then her friends and their dates had their picture taking session...

Jenae and Kevin... ouch.
Jenae, Karissa, Alex and Alexa.
Seniors getting pictures before going to dinner at McCormick and Schmick's at Bridgeport Village.... these guys are so lucky to live in a place where there's so many awesome things to do!
Jenae was getting sick of pictures by now..
And my FAVORITE picture of the night which I will treasure forever.....

Or do you think it's this one????

Sigh............ Tears............

Visit With My Aunt Nancy & Uncle Tony!

My Aunt and Uncle stopped by with their good friends Joe and Marcia over the weekend... we had a GREAT visit! Eric & Jenae just love my Aunt Nancy and Aunt Robin -- 2 of my dad's sisters... They are freakin' hilarious (well, their guys are too!) Jenae and Eric came back with all kinds of bad stories about their aunts when they went down to So. Cal. in July!! Aunt Cherie is spared their bad rep because she's on the East coast. Someday we'll all get together I hope!

Uncle Tony gives Eric a bad time and vice-versa... it's USC vs. UO for these two!
Thanks for stopping by - we'll see you at Spring Break for cheerleading nationals!

Speaking of cheerleading... a few pictures from last weekend:

Tonight's the homecoming parade and game - Jenae's last high school homecoming game! Sad...

Grain Goodness

My breadmaker has been getting quite the workout of late, two loaves were birthed today. This beautiful honey wheat bread.....
and this amazing banana bread with walnuts (lots) and chocolate chips....
The wheat bread which is just the standard honey wheat recipe from the Breadman pamphlet is very good as printed, but for a shout-out to Omega 3's I dropped in a good 1/2 cup of finely ground walnuts. Trying to get hubby's Hdl cholesterol up, and the rest of us will benefit too. I also used canola oil instead of melted butter (duh!), and subbed 1/4 c. of egg beaters for the egg. Jenae said at dinner "mom your bread is dank"! I said, "Is that good or bad"? haha
(It's good.)

First Day of Jenae's Senior Year!!

My little baby has started her last year of high school. It's something that she and I can't believe; we talked about it today after school / before cheer practice... she said that it really hasn't hit any of them yet, they kind of look around for the "older" kids, and then realize they ARE the older kids now!
I took these pictures of Karissa, Jenae and Alex after they had been at Senior Sunrise 6:00 am, then came home before school started...
Jenae drives Eric to school every day now, no more bus for him!
It's great having them both at the same school....even if just for a year.... although her guy friends came and found him today and carried him into the senior hallway and gave him a big wedgie in front of a giant group of seniors!!
The girls do love teasing Eric (and he loves it too I assure you).
Tomorrow night's the first home football game!! It will be very exciting for this mom! Eric gets to wear his Tualatin Mafia shirt for the first time and Jenae's going to be cheering on the big box right in the center! I'll post lots of pictures for sure.

B-A-C-K TO SCHOOL ... (Happy Voice!)

Eric's first day as a bald Freshman!! Tualatin High School now has TWO Giorvas kids! I'm happy that they get a year together. Both Jenae and Eric came home today saying how cool it is to see each other all during the day. Jenae and the other seniors (yes, indeed, senior) don't start until tomorrow but she's a Packleader (freshman babysitter) so she went today too. She is doing lots of leadership things - she spoke today at the opening rally and she's in charge of the rally on Friday too. No pictures of her today but I'll get some of her tomorrow morning on her way to Senior Sunrise (watch the sun rise together on the first day, watch the sun set on the last! Cute, eh?)
Eric and Shanna getting ready to head off to 9th and 5th grades...
Shanna's in a class with two good friends, Sam-left and Maddie-right. She likes her teacher so far, but this judgment may be revised at any time..
Fun organizing all the classroom goodies!!!
I had a fabulous day of working and enjoying the solitude! Beautiful weather and sunshine and children happily nestled away at school. Priceless.