Ethan's tree house-part 4

Jake and Ethan worked for hours on the tree house tonight. They were able to finish the loft with a ladder and railing along with putting a handle on the door.

getting ready to say goodbye

As all of you know Jake joined the Air National Guard in June. He will be leaving this November for boot camp in Texas. After Texas he moves to Mississippi for tech school until August '10. Now there is a small chance we will be able to live with him on base but we don't know for sure yet. In September he moves to Florida to finish up his training. In January '11 he'll come back to Oregon and hopefully get a job here in Portland at the base. I'm not sure what I'll be doing during this time but I know one things for sure the kids and I will be missing Jake!!

With only 108 days left until he leaves we are busy trying to fit in an entire year of events. We have a trip to the beach planned as well as 2 hunting trips in the fall. Ethan is working on his own "plans" as well but we don't get to know what they are yet :) I just want to do as much as we can together because 14 months without my partner is going to be hard.

So be prepared for A LOT pictures coming soon! (as if I don't take a lot anyway)

morning cartoons

If there is one thing I know it's my kids love cartoons and milk! Every morning they sit in daddy's game chair and watch cartoons while drinking their milk. I asked Ethan today why he likes to do this every morning and he said "Well, I drink milk because it makes me big and I like it in this to-go cup because I can just lay here and I'm a kid what do you want me to watch..........your dumb shows? NO we like cartoons!" Gracie just said "Mickey Mouse"

a day at the zoo

With the last days of summer coming to an end we asked the kids what they wanted to do and they said go to the zoo.....again! I guess they just feel at home there :)

As you can tell Jake was very happy to be there!

1st stop and we lost Gracie

Ethan's as big as an eagle

climbing the tree in the birds nest

she ran up to the fish and tried to eat them like cookie monster

she said this goat "tink, tink mommy"

he was trying to through her to the wolfs

looking for polar bears

Ethan-"why are all the animals at the zoo in a Disney movie?"

we love the elephants!!

watching the bird show

Ethan-"it's my g.i.joes bird"

Ethan donated money to the birds at the zoo

his badge for giving money

the bird that took his money

she wanted in with the monkeys.......go figure!

he helped her up

she was mad daddy wouldn't let her walk

feeding the lorikeets

mickey mouse

Oh my little Gracie has come into her own. She is in love with Mickey Mouse. She goes around the house singing her version of M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E. It sounds more like she's just saying mickey mouse then singing but well, you'll see it's the cutest thing ever. And yes she knows how much it makes us laugh so she says it every time she gets in trouble :)

* * when she steps away she's trying to watch herself in the camera * *

one of life's lessons

Jake and I went to a funeral today for a very great amazing man. He was a friend to many and most important he was a father. I have gotten to know his daughter over the last few years and she is also an amazing person. Many great words were spoken during his service but the most memorable were those from his father and son. As a parent I can't imagine the pain of losing a child but his father stood up there and said some wonderful words about his son. Talking about the good times as well as the bad. But it was when his son was speaking about his dad that really got to me. Here was a young man who had just watched his dad battle cancer over the last 4 months. He talked about all the lessons in life his dad tried to teach him and how at the time they did not make any sense but now he understood what his dad wanted for him. It wasn't that he could never please his father or that he was never proud of him is what that his father wanted more for him. He didn't want him to settle for just good enough he wanted him to be better, to do more, to give more. It may have taken him awhile to learn this lesson but it was the life lesson his dad always tried to teach him. I also think about his daughter, the very young and yet so very strong 22 year old woman who was by her dad's side everyday over his last few months. She is the rock that holds their family together and a person I admire. It would have been very easy for these kids to just say-it's cancer, let's let the doctors take care of him now but they didn't. They took care of him, they moved back home and they stood by his side. As parents we are always trying to teach our kids right and wrong but who knows if they really listen. I learned today that it may take some time but sooner or later they will understand why we do what we do. And as I hope never to have to speak at my child's funeral I hope that my children will speak of me with as much love!

You will be missed Steve!

family reunion

This weekend was the Hendrix family reunion. I was having camera problems so there are only 2 pics from me (I know tragic!) but Jake's cousin took a lot so I'll get some from her later. This is the second year Max and Joan have invited the entire family out to their house for the weekend. Everyone brings their trailers and the kids get to stay up really late playing. Of course it wouldn't be party without a trip to the ER. Jon got his arms caught in barbwire around 11pm and needed 5 stitches. The next morning we had a big breakfast while the kids played some more. We are very lucky to have such a great family!