Circus Skills

I am very glad that Scout is preparing Mo for a career in the circus......this is what the 2 girls have been up to at night in the back yard.......the last days of summer.

Practicing 'marching band'


Ladies and Gentleman, I present to you, the cutest toddler in the world........

Vaux Swifts

Tonight, Mo's friend O turned 4 years old. I can't believe he is such a little man! His birthday party was a low-key affair.....about 40,000 attended. O (and family) decided to have his party at the Vaux Swifts.....which is such a Portland Affair.....here is a blurb about the event.....

Every September, the kids at Chapman School in Portland, Oregon, keep an eye on the sky while they're out on the playground. Why? They're waiting for some dark little birds to start circling above them. The birds are called Vaux's (VAWK-sez) swifts.

Thousands of them hang around the school in September. They fly in noisy circles overhead. Then, at sunset, the birds do an amazing thing. Whoosh--they dive into the school's tall chimney! It looks as if a huge vacuum cleaner just sucks them in.

Millions of Vaux's swifts migrate down the West Coast every fall. On their way south, they stop at different places to rest and eat. They used to gather in old, dead trees to spend the night. But many of these trees have been cut down by people. So now, thousands of the swifts roost in chimneys instead.

The colony of swifts in and around Chapman School's chimney has grown to about 40,000 birds. That's the largest colony of Vaux's swifts in the world! Most of the swifts roost in the school's chimney, but some use other nearby chimneys or trees. Hundreds of people come to watch every evening when they fly into Chapman's chimney.

We brought a picnic, and sat on the lawn with a ton of other people. We ate cupcakes, cake, and enjoyed a beautiful summer night. When the hawks came in to get their own swift dinner, we booed and hissed at this villain!!!! It was a fun evening....the camera doesn't do it justice....

Oh, and can you tell that Mo is in the middle of a sugar frenzy?

A simple thank-you!

This morning, I was running out the door rushing to get to work.....Mo was staying with Uncle Brad having a day at home. When I got to the car, I saw that she had left her shoes and a little ball in the backseat. I went back into the house to give them to her.....she looked so surprised to see me come back through the door.

When I handed the things to her.....she had this look of complete gratitude...and said in a soft voice...."Thank you mommy." It felt so genuine, so real, so pure and so sweet. It stopped me in my tracks.....and it made me think just how lucky we are for all the good things we have in our lives.

The 300 lb. Baby

Today, we went to the zoo with our friends. Mo went to hang out with her friend and run around. I went because I am dying to see the new baby elephant.


He was born 2 weeks ago, and is the first elephant born at the Oregon Zoo in like 20 years!!!! He was so sweet. When we got there, he was lying down. Then, his mother came over and nudged him.....and he STOOD UP. It was kind of wobbly, but he did it. Then he went and stood under his mom, and started nursing. We couldn't stay long. but so worth waiting in line to see that little guy!

I think I will name him Julio.

Spitter

Mo loves to spit. She goes out of her way to get water, milk, anything.....and spit it out. At first, she would just spit and say "yucky."......now she has started this swishing in and out.......then spitting....it is turning into a big production. We tried to ignore it at first, but now it is getting to the point where we have to address it....she is doing it all the time!

I am not sure where this comes from.....Where does she see us or other people spitting? She must like the feeling in her mouth. I don't get it, but she sure loves it!!!!

It happened.....

Tonight at the grocery store, I spotted a little boy who goes to pre-school with Mo. I have met his Dad several times.....of course, I don't know his name. I went up to them and actually said...

"Hi, I'm Mo's mommy."

We had a very nice conversation., they had just come back from camping, we talked about how much the kids enjoy going to preschool, etc...

Afterwards I realized, I never said my name........and, never asked his name.....pretty sad, huh?

Girl -Flower

Mo was a flower girl this weekend for a friend's wedding. She looked so stinking cute in her dress. Of course, we have no pictures, because we forgot our battery charger. Other folks got some pictures, so I will share them when I get them.

We tried to 'practice' what a flower girl did, and Mo did really well during those times....but for the actual event....she ran down the aisle, threw the basket with flower petals, and yelled "I so fast." We have some work to do for future wedding gigs.

It was a true weekend wedding. We went to the coast Friday night. And stayed in this wonderful house with all the other guests for the wedding (25 people in all)....we ate meals together, and just hung out all weekend. The wedding happened Sunday night, and it was very beautiful. A wonderful memory to be a part of.....

Now, if only we get some pictures.....