Sunday, July 4, 2010

Columbia River Gorge: Rooster Rock

This was our first stop of the day. The first park in a long line of parks in the gorge. We stopped here and bought a annual OR state park pass so we wouldn't have to pay a day use fee at all of the individual parks and so we could come back frquently. We hope to go on a day trip once a week. This park had a playground so we let Ethan out of the car to run around, get some engery out & play. He discovered tether ball! The trees were beautiful with overlapping branches and the lawns were beautifully maintained. OR tax payers dollars put to good use :-)

Stolpps signing off...

Columbia River Gorge: Multnomah Falls

This was my favorite stop of the day. It's beautiful even from the parking lot. You could just stop there for a few minutes and get on with your trip if you are just passing through or you can park & stay a while. It's a short 0.2 mile trek to the bridge or you can continue on for a full mile to the top. We took Hannah in the front pack and Ethan walked like a big boy just to the bridge. The park has a coffee shop, gallery, gift shop & restaurant. We'd love to try their restaurant sometime or pack a lunch & eat it at their picnic area. The walk to the bridge was easy. Completely paved and plenty of switch backs that made it not too steep. I'd like to do the full mile but not sure weather Ethan would do it. Maybe Marcus will let me go solo with Hannah in the front pack sometime while he stays back with Ethan. I'd love to get some pictures up there. Maybe next time!
Stolpps signing off...

Hannah's 2 months old

Hannah had her two month doctors apt. last Wednesday with Dr. Ames. He said she looked great and was no longer concerned about jaundice. She had 3 shots in her thunder thighs and wasn't very happy after that until she was fed. Then she slept for the rest of the day in between feedings. At her apt. she weighed 14 lbs, 6 oz, she's 24 inches long & 95th percentile in both. She's a healthy girl! Size 3 month stuff fits snug if it doesn't give much around the arms and thighs so she is wearing some 3-6 and 6 month stuff & she's in size 2 diapers. At this rate she'll be in 12 month by Christmas!

Stolpps signing off...

Toy Story 3

Ethan saw his first movie in the theater yesterday, Toy Story 3. I got tickets by buying the Blu-Ray Combo packs of the first 2 movies a few months ago, so we saw it for free. He was so excited walking up the the theater and wide eyed as we entered the theater to find our seats. He was so good for the movie too. There were parts that were a little scary so he sat on daddy's lap for those but the rest of the time he sat in his own seat & watched attentively. He had major tunnel vision, loved it! We also took Hannah and she was a sleeping angel the whole time! We have great kids!

Stolpps signing off...

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Tigard Balloon Festival 2010

The kids and I attended the Tigard Balloon Festival on Saturday night. This took place within walking distance from our house at Cooks Park. We got there in time to see all but one balloon inflate. Ethan loves regular balloons so I knew this would be a hit and for $7 it was cheap entertainment. There was food, games, rides, music and balloons. Hopefully we can go as a family next year, Marcus was missed.

Stolpps signing off...

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Coach customer service rocks!


My old Coach purse', about a year & a half old, stitching started coming out and fabric was fading, so we took it to the Coach store at the Washington Square Mall on Thursday, Marcus' day off. When we purchased it in Fresno we were told it had a lifetime limited warranty so we took it in to see if it could be sent back for repairs. I knew that style wouldn't be available anymore so I didn't think they'd let me have a new one but I thought the fact that it was fading and that wouldn't be repairable might get me credit toward a new one. I was right! The guy who helped us was so wonderful. It wasn't difficult at all. We didn't even have the right receipt. The purse Marcus bought me originally I didn't like, so we exchanged it. I wanted the C fabric in black and he got me a brown in vinyl with the stage coach design. But anyways, I thought it wouldn't be that easy but I guess when you pay a minor fortune for a purse you get great customer service with it. They say, you get what you pay for. So I was able to pick out a new purse that was the same price as my old one. They didn't have one the exact price of my old one, so I got a purse and a wrist purse.


I think I like this one even better than my old one. My old one had light blue lining and this one has violet lining. Love it!



Hope this one lasts but if it doesn't I know they will take care of me :-)

Stolpps signing off...

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Happy Hannah

Hannah is my bipolar baby. She is either very happy and content, smiling and cooing or she's pissed & it's usually for a good reason (hungry or needs a diaper change) but not always. She loves to be held, looked in the eye, talked to & our combined body heat usually has her hanging out in just a covered diaper. She's chunky and adorable, but I hope to get her becoming not so needy. I may regret it once she becomes more independent, but I want her to be passable and content in a swing or bouncy seat for at least a half hour so I can do things like shower without her if I choose or cook dinner. She handles about 20 minutes at a time but like things to be switched up. She has lots of personality, she's very alert and likes things just so. She is why I hope to only have one girl cause they are more work in my opinion and I would love for her to have her daddy all to her self. He gets her to go to sleep so easily. When I hold her all she wants to do is eat. She's a little piglet. Dad's in trouble, that's all I have to say. And I know she will be playing us against each other for many years to come. Not sure daddy will be able to stand a united front with me against those baby blues, if she keeps them. She already has him wrapped around her little finger.

Stolpps signing off...

Rose Garden Childrens Park

We discovered this park while riding the zoo train the other day. I wasn't prepared to get off the train and go see it at the time but we drove to it afterwards. It's a beautiful park & Ethan loved it. We will have to go again. Next time we might take a lunch. I will also have to take Hannah in the front pack cause it's hard to keep an eye on Ethan with the car seat or stroller. There are so many kids there on a nice day. There are other places I would like to check out in Washington Square Park as well. There is a childrens museum, the rose garden, a japanese garden, and walking trails. I will post those adventures sometime soo. Maybe when our company comes in July. We are expecting Marcus' folks and Marcus' sister Heidi & her husband Tomas. Dan, Misha & family are also suposed to visit sometime this summer and my folks visit sometime in September.

Oregon Zoo & train

We decided that we would get a zoo pass so that Ethan & I could go to the zoo regularly. We got the zoo4two membership that admits Ethan & I plus 1 guest, Marcus, Kim, my mom or someone else. We have gone twice since, once with Marcus & once by ourselves. We hope to go with Auntie Kim sometime soon :-)








The zoo also has a train. We didn't take it when we visited with Marcus but Ethan & I took it the other day. It takes you through parts of Washington Square Park and areas of the zoo its self. Ethan was so excited to ride the train & enjoy seeing the dinosaur walk, which we have never paid for, from the train. The train goes by the Rose Garden Childrens Park and you can actually get off there and then get back on the train later. We didn't do that this time but drove there afterwards. But maybe next time we will get off there now that I know about it and be prepared to. Maybe we'll pack a lunch and have it there. Neat park, I will blog on it next.


Stolpps signing off...

Monday, June 21, 2010

Comment issues

I get email notifications that I have comments and I go to Blogger to approve them and they aren't there. Not sure if people are changing their minds or that Blogger is deleting them. But if you don't see a comment you posted show up it's not that I disapproved of it, it's a glitch. I see them on my email though. So thank you to my mom & my mother in law for commenting on my last blog and sorry they aren't showing up. I will temporarily delete my monitoring until I have a reason to put it back in place (ie. an inappropriate comment from a friend or stranger).